Chapter 107 – Breaking Wancheng City
Translated by Bloodfalcon, Edited by Krayto
Wancheng city is the capital of Lujiang. It is guarded by walls surrounding its four sides with four heavy doors.
The inside of Wancheng city is divided into two areas. The Inner city's area is 7-li and the outer city area is 15-li.
At the outside wall, one can see Lu Kang's unfinished project to build a moat surrounding the city. That project was finally competed by Sun Ce, and the moat was filled by water from Yangtze River.?
With these designs, Wancheng city is very easy to defend and very hard to attack.
TL: 1-
= 0.5 km
Before Liu Mang did not paid attention to the details of the city, because at that time Lu Bu and Sun Ce is were in their “honeymoon” period.
Now, he truly discovered that this Wancheng city is similar to a stationary monster. When they opened up their gate, it is just like swallowing its prey alive. If the city had Sun Ce's main army, the city would turn into a shredder.
The Bing Province Heavy Cavalry are the ones who arrived first. Liu Mang was really worried, therefore he also come with Bing Province Heavy Cavalry.
Fortunately Wancheng city still had not obtained any news. Bing Province Heavy Cavalry's speed is extremely agile; especially at night, they can raise their speed to almost double their original speed specially at night.
Due to Wancheng city not receiving any news at all, they are in a relaxed state and gate defense force is still docile.
Merchants and commoners are still coming and going out of the city as usual and because Lu Bu’s army did not raise their banner, there are commoners who are smiling and nodding to Lu Bu’s army. Obviously they regard Lu Bu’s army as Sun Ce’s army.
“Sire, please look! There are cavalry soldiers!” A soldier who is guarding city gate quickly reported to the commander of the gate defense force.
“Eh, cavalry soldiers?!” The commander still dozing off his tiredness. “Cavalries come here? Are your eyes blurry? Leave me alone!!!!”
Their Jiangdong only have several hundred warhorses, and those who rode horses are only generals.
That commander was tired from yesterday event. He tasted a fresh, newly arrived girl in Wancheng city's brothel, so he has lost all of his stamina.
“It is true, Sire!!! All of them are high and tall horses!!!” Gate defenders did not know about any type of warhorse. But those cavalry soldier's warhorse really made them green with envy and they started thought “If I can become one of Milord's cavalry soldiers, how good would that be!”
“Do not daydream, these warhorses are to be given by Milord to his generals!!!” The commander quickly said it, because he also had the same daydream as his subordinate so he needed to return his subordinate to reality.
But, when he finally become sobered up from his drowsiness, he is truly shocked. If one takes quick look at outside of Wancheng city, those cavalry soldiers are watching Wancheng city like a predator watching its prey.
“When are so many cavalries under Milord?!” The commander slowly muttered to himself.
“I am right, am I right? Those are Milord's cavalry soldiers coming here!” The soldier said it in extreme confidence.
“No, you are wrong!!!” The commander shook his head. Although he is just a lower officer responsible in defending the city he also has joined on Sun Ce's army’s war council.
He learned from that war councils that Jiangdong is littered with river but no prairie, therefore it is difficult to breed a good horse and the lands that remain was used for food production, therefore Jiangdong was only able to procure few hundred warhorses.
“That person...!!!” From the commander's eyes emerged one person. From his vision, inside these cavalry soldiers there was a person wearing golden armor. Under the sun, he shined and sparkled.
That commander was really confused. At that time, when Lu Bu’s army was stationed outside Wancheng city, he had seen this golden-armored general. Did not they go to Jiangxia? How did they appear here?
“Sire, do you want us to go down and welcome them?!” Asked nearby defender.
“Welcome them? YOU SAY WELCOME THEM???” The commanders quickly hit his subordinate's head “WELCOME THEM YOUR ASS!!! GATE DEFENDER!!! SHUT THE GATE!!!!”
“SHUT THE GATE?!” The defender's are stunned. What is the good for closing the gate? We should get down and greet them.
“SHUT THE GATE, THAT IS THE ENEMY, ENEMY!!!!”
"Enemy?!"
“Oh man, we are busted!!!” Liu Mang said it helplessly. Originally he had planned to wait for main army to come and surprise attack together. Now, Liu Mang can only raise his long sword and exclaim “ALL ARMY, RAID!!!!”
“HUNGRY, STARVING!!!!” Bing Province Heavy Cavalry are hungry wolves. Their claws have been brandished and their saliva is already drooling. So they must tear open the enemy, they must eat them.
“ENEMY RAID, ENEMY RAID!!!!” Immediately painful and terrified cry fluttered in the sky of Wancheng city.
“SHAAAA!!!!” What Liu Mang currently rode was an elite horse that Lu Bu personally choose from the 5,000 warhorse that he brought back. It is faster and stronger than the Arabian warhorse, therefore Liu Mang is already leading those wolves.
“QUICK, CLOSE THE GATE NOW!!!!!” The commander really pale. He has not rested, and now unexpectedly he met an enemy and the enemy is a heavy cavalry division.
The front door of Wancheng city is a very heavy door. Its weight is at least 1000-jin. The body was made by mixture of steel and copper, nearby was a suspension bridge. With this combination, those two door and suspension bridge are complementing each other. This is the defensive measure for Wancheng city.
TL: 1-jin = 0.5 kg.
But these defensive measures are actually useless against a surprise attack like this. That commander is simply crying now. The suspension bridge's weight is 1000-jin. Each opening and closing requires a lot of time, especially that 1000-jin door. Slowly but surely, several dozen of soldiers gather up trying to close the bridge and door.
“I WILL NOT LET YOU CLOSE THE DOOR AND SUSPENSION BRIDGE!!!” Around Wancheng city was moat, its city walls reached at least ten feet high. If they do storm, the damage will be very great, let alone, Liu Mang only left with cavalry soldiers. These cavalry soldiers are king in prairie and field, but when attacking a city, cavalry cannot do anything at all and that is why Ferocious Cavalry is useless during the siege battle in Kaiyang. If this front door closed, then Liu Mang can only stay outside helplessly.
The front door has been shut half, but during closing the other half, the situation is becoming much more menacing. Those cavalry soldiers are getting nearer and nearer, especially that golden-armored general.
“SHOOT ARROWS, SHOOT THEM. WE ABSOLUTELY CANNOT LET THEM ENTER THE CITY!!!!” The commander exclaimed.
Waves of arrows rained toward Liu Mang's head trying to pierce his skull. This is the method of attacking for defenders. Arrow rain like this can make a human turn into a hedgehog.
“RAISE THE SHIELD!!!!” Liu Mang issues an order. All of Bing Province Heavy Cavalry held up the great shield from their horseback to their front. Their line of sight was covered, but it did not hinder these wolves' speeds.
“DANG, DANG, DANG!!!” Arrows fell continuously on Liu Mang's great shield. Impact from the arrow made Liu Mang's arm tingle with numbness. But he cannot stop now because in front of him is Wancheng city. He need to claim that city and reclaim her from Sun Ce!!!!
“ABOMINABLE!!!!” The commander looks that arrow has no effect on Bing Province Heavy Cavalry. He suddenly pulled out his long sword and exclaimed “WE CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE THIS WANCHENG CITY, WE MUST NOT LOSE THE GATE. MEN, COME WITH ME!!!!”
With that war cry, the commander and his troops flush out from the city. He must stop these cavalry soldiers, even if he cannot do that, at least he can buy time for his subordinate to close the city gate.
Infantry against cavalry, the result will be total annihilation for infantry, how can the commander not know? He actually knew, however, he had no other option. In Wancheng city, there are his family and he wanted to survive for his family. If Wancheng city is broken, can this commander be spared by this enemy?
“We swore to follow Sire commander to the death!!!” When a general dares his men, “is he afraid of death?” A soldier will naturally be encouraged and respond with vigor especially if they know it is a dead end, they will certainly take up arms and fight to the death.
“Kamikaze corps?!” Liu Mang sneered when he saw this Sun Ce army defender commander trying to charge him. Although Liu Mang truly admired this commander's courage, but he is impossible to show any mercy. This is war and this times is chaos times. If he let this commander shut the gates, then Lu Bu’s army can only reopen it with the cost of many lives.
So for my brothers to live, I will have to ask you to die!!!
"Budum" Mighty cavalry soldier collided with the infantry, like praying mantises battling each other.
The commander of city gate managed to keep his life during the initial impact. However his men are not so lucky. The one that is lucky was killed by spears, the one who is not lucky was trampled to death by horses. They vomited their internal organs, bleeding profusely being damaged on the head, after that they are turned into meat paste by horses.
“YOU SHALL NOT PASS!!!!” The commander roar a cry. He had avoided the initial impact quickly stabbed one of the warhorses and killed one of the cavalry soldiers after he had fallen from the warhorse.
“BLOCK ME AND DIE!!!!” Liu Mang’s eyes is full of killing intent. His long sword already blood-stained.
Both of them want capture the respective commander now.
“KILL HIM!!!! ONLY KILL THE GENERAL OF THIS CAVALRY SOLDIERS, WANCHENG CITY WILL BE SAFE!!!”
“KILL HIM!!!! ONLY KILL THIS DEFENSE COMMANDER OF SUN CE'S ARMY, ONLY WITH HIS DEATH WANCHENG CITY WILL BE BROKEN!!!”