Chapter 168 – Nobles Siege (1)
Translated by Bloodfalcon
Night has passed and right now the sun is already quite high (around 7:00 AM), Sun Ce quickly screamed his order from midst of Sun Ce army “ALL ARMY, BESIEGE THE CITY!!!!”
“SHAAAAAAA!!!!!!!” Screamed all of soldiers and they start running toward Wancheng city at the same time. All of them are wearing the same color of banner and same armor like Sun Ce army, but there are some differences in their equipment from scaling ladder to the weapons they wield.
“Hrm?!” Liu Mang’s brow wrinkled when he looked toward the banner of Sun Ce army who is approaching. Each banners are followed with a battalion and the most surprising one, they are all flying different characters on them.
All of the banners written Zhang, Li, Bao, Wu, Ling, Qian, Wang and none of them are bearing Sun. “Sun Ce have this much generals?” Liu Mang thought. If Sun Ce have this much generals, then this Wancheng city will fall in just one assault. An officer who can lift up their own banner is at least a second-class general and have leadership prowess. Cheng Yu in Urban Army should have fly his own colors as his strength and ability already reached second-class general but since he is placed as lieutenant general, he is unable to do that, but strangely, he did not bear any resentment at all toward his placement.
“Sun Ce really goes all out this day” Thought Liu Mang in his heart. In his heart, Liu Mang is really restless but on the outside, he must force himself to be calm if not, all of Wancheng city defenders will just drop their weapons and surrender.
Liu Mang took a deep breath and thought “Come on, come on, I don’t care how many elites, how many generals you have. I will cut your treasures one by one, Sun Ce!!!!”
“Report, Little lord. The enemy has crossed the moat!!!” Xu Sheng quickly reported to Liu Mang. Huang Zhong has been assigned by Liu Mang on the north wall to help reinforce the defense.
“Hmm, moat, eh?!” Liu Mang just closed his eyes and just keep thinking of strategy.
“Little lord, please, your order!!!” Xu Sheng is really worried as in his eyes, Liu Mang already scared stiff. Even though this is Xu Sheng’s first time working with Liu Mang, he still knew that moat is essential to deal huge damage the enemy and halted their advance by showering them with volley. Halting Sun Ce army’s advance is Lu Bu’s army primary duty, but Liu Mang just kept silent.
Xu Sheng just see Sun Ce army crossing moat one after another without any difficulties at all, soon they will be putting their ladder and climb the wall.
“Wait!!! Advance slower, this maybe a trap!!!” Several of old Jiangdong nobles slow down their pace. Compared to those hot blooded young nobles, they are much calmer and able to more cautious on their move. Their movements toward Wancheng city is too smooth with no resistance at all, their movements is so fast, it is as seems that the moat is only a piece of flat land. They are all thinking, is this a ploy to kill them all? They have been working so hard to become one of nobles by suspecting the others, of course they will be suspecting this ploy too.
Seeing the older nobles and their soldiers stopped their movement, the younger nobles smiled happily and ordered to rush more quickly. In their mind, the merit is already theirs for the taking.
Xu Sheng just continued his timely report “Little lord, they are 100 steps before reaching city wall!!!” Liu Mang heard his report but just kept silent.
Xu Sheng screamed “50 steps!!!” Finally Liu Mang opened his eye but still did not give command.
“40, 30, 20 steps again!!!” Xu Sheng become more desperate in his tone. Finally Liu Mang start his order, but his order made Xu Sheng puzzled “Urban Army, unleash volley!!! Black Flag to standby. No orders or signal from me, Black Flag must not move!!!!!”
“YES SIR!!!!” Urban Army quickly execute Liu Mang’s order. Less than 1,000 troops quickly pull out their longbow and start raining arrow toward them.
“Little lord, what are you doing?!” Xu Sheng got little angry. “Does this little lord want to looks down upon us, Black Flag?!” Xu Sheng thought. Xu Sheng has full confidence that Urban Army and Black Flag will be able to withstand the attack this time. He also had observed that the enemies are all rabble soldiers. He also understands Liu Mang’s intention for the enemies to get closer in order to maximize the damage, but what he cannot understand is why Liu Mang only order for Urban Army to move and leavin Black Flag to standby only. Feeling discontent, Xu Sheng raised his hand to order Black Flag to join the fray.
“Xu Sheng, do you want to disobey order?I have told you, you can question me, you can display discontent to me, but once I issue order!!! Like it or not, you must obey it completely!!!!” Liu Mang said his words while kept his gaze toward Xu Sheng. He knows that Xu Sheng’s skill in wushu is very strong and is a very dependable person. But if he unleashes his other trump card now, then he will be committing the same mistakes like Zhou Cheng. Black Flag will not be able to show their full potential once again, this result is unwanted by Liu Mang.
Seeing Liu Mang’s deep gaze, Xu Sheng just nodded toward Liu Mang. Xu Sheng just hoped in his heart that Liu Mang will not make a mistake like Zhou Cheng this time and be defeated. Further smearing Xu Sheng’s and Black Flag’s record.
“HAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!” Urban Army released all of their anger now, they have been shooting endlessly and done so without aiming because at the 20 steps distance, every arrow they shot will hit the enemy.
Soon enough, pitiful scream was heard beyond he city wall. Liu Mang then continues his order “Urban Army, release the logs and stones NOW!!!!” Shouted Liu Mang. “Yes sir!!!” All of remaining Urban Army worked themselves like a machine to fulfill Liu Mang’s order and Black Flag? They just become a spectator in this battle.
All of Black Flag is pondering, what the hell this little lord of them wanted to do? This little lord of his really did not understand on how to repel the enemy. 1,000 Urban Army can bring big damage to Sun Ce army but only at the initial attack and the enemy is still swarming toward them like ants and all of blood in front of them is just like blood in slaughterhouse.
“Hahahaha!!!”Zhang De just laughed. He has stopped his advance toward Wancheng city and stayed on moat side. He ordered his own familial general to go advance first and right now the general and his troops is annihilated. Zhang De laughed because based on the degree of assault with arrow rain and stone rain and spiked logs, he judged that Wancheng city defenders number is really around 1,000 troops and will be unable to fight back.
During briefing, Zhang De already got intel from their own scouts that Wancheng city defenders really only 1,000 troops. Hearing that numbers, Zhang De took a prudent action and allied with Bao clan and Ling clan and promised to share their war spoils evenly among three clans. If they are each attacking alone, then casualties will be very big and unbearable as 1,000 troops will be swallowed in an instant and that result is unbearable.
“NOW, ATTACK THE CITY!!!!” Zhang De’s troops which has been increased to 3,000 troops quickly join the fray. Their enemies is just a tired elites and they definitely will be able to take Wancheng city today.
“COME ON, WE RUSH WITH ALL WE GOT!!!” Screamed all of the older nobles. They also finished observing and came into same conclusion with Zhang De. This battle is really an easy merit. Other than breaking the city, they also have the opportunity to gain further merit by killing senior generals and also killing His Highness Prince of Shu.
“SHA, SHA, SHAAAA!!!!” All of soldiers are rushing toward the city wall and started climbing scaling ladders and all of them have excited face. All of them are happy because enemy is very little and they also will gain merit along with their masters.
Some of the noble clans reps when seeing their own private soldiers are advancing very slow, gritted their teeth and said “The first one who made to the city wall, will be given 10-mu of farming land!!!” When hearing their masters give generous offer, suddenly they speed up and quickly reached scaling ladder.
TL: 10 mu = 0.67 hectares
Prize 10-mu farmland is very precious for these soldiers. With 10-mu farmland, they can marry and if they have children, they will have inheritance to give. They also can help to pay taxes. Although it is heavy, but they still can have saving of 1 or 2-shi of food left after tax and that is enough for those soldiers as long as they are not in hunger.
Since these soldiers not yet married. 10-mu of farmland can be their helping tools to propose a good girl and create a family and Lu Bu army in front of them is already fish on chopping block.
In Sun Ce commanding platform, Lu Su is smiling toward Sun Ce and said “Milord, you see that? Wancheng city will be re-taken today!!!” Sun Ce himself also shows his rare smile. Both of them have been watching the assault from the platform. Indeed the arrow volley, logs, stones rolling are really scary but in the end, they really proved that the nobles are better in the end.
But Sun Ce also anxious, he is pondering when the battle will end, is it in 2 hours or 4 hours? Sun Ce can only afford max 6 hours as Bing Province Heavy Cavalry will arrive at tomorrow evening as they are already in the distance of 100-li from Shucheng County.
Bing Province Heavy Cavalry is king in the prairie battle. Even Sun Ce whose numbers is more big than Bing Province Heavy Cavalry will suffer a big loss if they try to attack them. Possibly 100,000 troops will be destroyed by Bing Province Heavy Cavalry at that time
Sun Ce really did not have confident to withstand the assault of Bing Province Heavy Cavalry. Sun Ce only brings 30,000 troops. 10,000 troops were left in Wancheng city naval base so in his hand only left 20,000. Yesterday they unleashed Danyang soldiers and Zuo division is vanished, so his troops only left with 15,000 troops. Noble’s private soldiers, although they numbered 70,000 troops, all of them are rabble soldiers who even Sun Ce is confident to eliminate all of them with his 15,000 troops. And the biggest point is, they have never fought a cavalry before thus is useless if fighting cavalry.
Jiangdong has many waterways and their forte is naval battle. Their ground force is only a few. Also when besieging a city, sometimes they deploy cavalry soldiers to supplement the losses. And since those nobles are in good terms with Sun Ce, they have never seen a terror of cavalry, let alone heavy cavalry.
But on Sun Ce’s face, the worry vanished immediately. In his judgment, with this speed, at noon they will be able to break Wancheng city. With Wancheng city back at their hand, even the mighty Bing Province Heavy Cavalry will fall in an instant.
“Hey, let me on first!!!” A Wang private soldier already reached city wall, but there is no more scaling ladder to be used. So, he said to the other private soldiers rudely to get the hell out of his way.
“Oh no, you don’t! Me first!!!” This Li private soldier will not give up the generous prize of 10-mu farmland.
“Gimme the ladder!!!” The Wang private soldier begin tug-of-war battle with Li private soldier.
“HEY, I AM WANG PRIVATE SOLDIER, GIVE IT TO ME!!!!” This Wang private soldier is truly rude because he come from Five Valley region and one of Shamoke’s tribesmen. This guy was recruited because Wang clan is selling salt illegally to Shamoke and his tribesmen. At that time, this people steal from Wang clan’s caravan for his family but managed to be arrested. Because of selling salt is illegal to Five Valley, Wang clan might be exterminated at that time if this person and his clan blab their mouth due to discontent between them, so in order to be considered as a gesture of goodwill, Wang clan “recruited” this guy to become his private soldier.
TL: Five Valley = Nanman region. Dynasty Warriors player should know about Meng Huo and Zhu Rong that harked from this region. Shamoke = one of the king in Five Valley, managed to kill Gan Ning in the Battle of Xiaoting and Shiting
“I AM LI PRIVATE SOLDIER, WHY DO I NEED TO GIVE YOU LADDER, HUH?!” A normal soldier may afraid of their masters for they will harm their own livelihood but with another noble soldier, that is a different story.
Looking that it is pointless to argue, the Wang private soldier kick him and grab his ladder and said “Since you don’t want to give me, then fuck off!!!” The Li private soldier lost his balance and fall down into the mud quickly.
“YOU!!!! YOU DARE TO HIT ME!!!! YOU DIE!!!!” The Li private soldier quickly got up angry and draw his sword.
“YOU DIE FIRST!!!!” Wang private soldier also quickly pull out his sword and began fierce fight.
Watching that, Sun Ce just said this word disdainly “Pah, useless people!!!!” Those people really dare to attack friendly and dare to act mutiny toward their own allies. If there is such soldiers in Sun Ce’s core army, he will quickly destroy them in order to prevent further damage.
Was good maintains because of the there two heads of household the restraint has prevented the situation further development, even two still formed an alliance under the city. But the situation was defused quickly as two clan reps, Wang and Li, quickly arrived and remonstrate them. Also in order to prevent further damage, both of them formed an alliance in that instant.
“QUICK!!! CLIMB QUICK!!!!” Both Wang and Li clan reps already flustered because some of the noble clan soldiers already managed to climb up the city gate.