Moma Liangshan

Chapter 239 The Camp Walls Break Through, and a New Fierce Battle Begins

The war drums thundered, and dust filled the air. Yelü Dashi asked, "Any gains from the watchtower?" His deputy replied, "The enemy has their shields raised above their heads; we can't see what's below!" Yelü Dashi frowned, calculating in his mind, "The shield carts have blocked the heavy crossbows firing horizontally, and the shields have blocked the projectiles. The only way to hinder the enemy now is with the catapults!" Thinking this, he immediately ordered, "Catapults, attack immediately!" However, catapults were not suitable for countering a legionary charge, as the sparse stones were insufficient to cause significant damage to the large group. Yelü Dashi was well aware of this, but he had no other choice! Just as the shield carts were very close to the trench, dozens of burly men hurled rafts of thick, hardwood logs, bound together, onto the trench, providing protection for the fallen soldiers and serving as a bridge for the army's advance. In less than half a quarter of an hour, the trench outside the eastern camp wall was completely obscured. This counterattack was completely unexpected by Yelü Dashi. In the midst of the crisis, he could only prepare for battle and respond to any eventuality with composure!

The Shu princess looked anxiously at Wang Hao. Wang Hao gazed at the enemy lines; the eastern trench was about to be filled in, and the northern enemy had already sounded their war drums and begun their charge. However, in the northeast corner, at the border between the Sanhe and Pitu armies, there was a noticeable but narrow gap. Wang Hao said, "Strategic deployment is not my forte, but it's absolutely impossible for the enemy to rescue the prisoners in the trench!" In battle, morale is paramount. If the hundreds of prisoners in the trench were rescued right before their eyes, it would be a heavy blow to the morale of the entire allied army. The helplessness of being "willing but unable" is terrifying. The Shu princess immediately asked, "What brilliant plan do you have?" Wang Hao replied, "As far as I know, there should be a pond in our camp!" For an army of tens of thousands, water is of utmost importance; Wang Hao was clearly asking a question he already knew the answer to. The Shu princess replied, "Can't you see such a large pond?" Wang Hao chuckled awkwardly and said, "Immediately dispatch five hundred soldiers to dig a canal and divert the water from the pond into the trench!" The Shu princess was surprised and looked at Wang Hao without speaking. Seeing this, Wang Hao continued, "The drainage outlet of the canal is in the northeast corner!" The Liaodong troops were reserve forces, and Xiao Shanbie immediately said, "This humble general will dig the canal immediately and drown these bastards!" After saying this, he hurriedly left. At this moment, Wang Hao said again, "Princess, please!" The Shu princess understood Wang Hao's meaning and went back to the observation platform.

As Wanyan Zongwang had predicted, after filling in the trenches on the eastern front, the Sanhe Army did not launch a full-scale attack. Instead, they divided their 30,000 troops into five echelons and attacked in shifts. Xiao Yu quickly noticed the enemy's odd behavior and also divided his 20,000 troops in two to take turns defending.

The allied camp's walls were constructed with rammed earth at the bottom and wooden palisades at the top. The earthen walls were low, only chest-high, but remarkably thick, about two feet in diameter. On one side of the camp, a flight of stairs allowed the defenders to use to cut down enemy troops outside the walls should the palisades be breached. While spears weren't standard equipment for the Liao army, the allied camp had prepared thousands of straight, arm-thick hardwood logs, each about three zhang long. The gripping end had six rope loops, while the attacking end had nine hooks. No spikes were designed at the front. The reason for this omission was that these hardwood logs, besides being used to defend against infantry through the walls, also had to withstand enemy battering rams, minimizing damage to the walls.

Looking at the Liao army standing ready for battle, Wanyan Zonggan said, "This battle is merely a feint, meant to distract the enemy for the Second Prince and rescue our suffering brothers. We must not be greedy for merit and act rashly, lest we disrupt the overall strategy!" The deputy general, seemingly understanding but not quite, looked at Wanyan Zonggan with a puzzled expression. Wanyan Zonggan, slightly displeased, asked, "You have a question?" The deputy general replied, "Since it's to distract the enemy, wouldn't the fiercer our attack, the more effective it would be?" Wanyan Zonggan sneered, saying, "This isn't our first encounter with the enemy before. Tell me, are they a weak army?" The deputy general shook his head. Wanyan Zonggan asked again, "Are they a rabble?" The deputy general shook his head again. Wanyan Zonggan continued, "They are the elite of the Liao army, with unwavering will and skillful command. If they launch a counterattack, we may not be able to remain unmoved. Once the Liao army's front line pushes across the northern trench, our suffering brothers will inevitably be killed immediately." The deputy general remained doubtful, saying, "But we are in the east, not the north!" This time, Wanyan Zonggan was truly enraged, rebuking him, "You may not understand the principle of 'besieging Wei to rescue Zhao,' but the enemy certainly does!" Wanyan Zonggan did not want a direct assault, his main purpose being to reduce casualties and preserve strength, but his "besieging Wei to rescue Zhao" strategy was not entirely without merit. Because once the eastern front crumbled, Yelü Dashi in the north was very likely to launch a full-scale counterattack, attempting to offset the disadvantages of the eastern front with the advantages of the northern front. After all, Xiao Yu was not fighting alone; the Shu princess's Liaodong troops could be deployed to the battlefield at any time.

With his general in distress, Wanyan Zongwang, desperate to save him, launched a swift and decisive attack. After the rafts completely covered the trench, the trebuchets unleashed their power, firing cannonballs in unison. Yelü Dashi, watching the black dots rising from the enemy ranks, suddenly paled. These were no ordinary cannonballs; each one was secured by a long chain, the link between the chain and the cannonball being a ten-foot-long iron chain, followed by a thick hemp rope. The upper half of the camp wall was a wooden palisade, the gaps in which providing the perfect point of impact for the cannonballs. Each cannonball, once it landed, was immediately pulled up by another rope attached to the horse, instantly suspending it high above the palisade. About half an incense stick later, dozens of chain-loaded cannonballs were hanging from the palisade, stretching over a hundred paces. When the dozens of chains pulled together, the seemingly sturdy palisade collapsed with a deafening roar, leaving only chest-high rubble. Before the dust had settled, a dark cloud of Jurchen arrows filled the sky. Heavy infantry, under the cover of shield bearers, surged forward, scaling the walls and preparing to charge the Liao army's main formation. Yelü Dashi dared not be complacent. He immediately ordered the shield bearers to form ranks and advance steadily, aiming to compress the enemy's space and prevent them from utilizing their individual prowess. However, the Jurchens' ferocity far exceeded Yelü Dashi's expectations. The shield bearers fearlessly charged into the Liao army's formation, using their shields as cover to resist the Liao advance. The heavy infantry followed closely behind, slashing at the gaps between the shield towers with their broadswords, intending to kill the soldiers behind the shield wall.