Wen Boyuan led 200,000 private soldiers and left Kaifeng City in a mighty manner. In order to speed up the march of the army, he decisively ordered the logistics army to come with the baggage and food, while he personally led 50,000 cavalry and 100,000 infantry to Chanzhou on a starry night. In the night, Wen Boyuan was wearing armor, sitting on his horse, looking ahead solemnly. His heart was filled with anxiety and worry. He knew that the battle situation in Chanzhou was already in danger, and every moment of delay might put the defenders in the city into despair. Therefore, he must rush to Chanzhou as soon as possible and lead the army to fight to the death with the enemy. Under Wen Boyuan's urging, the army accelerated its march. The cavalry galloped forward, and the infantry followed closely behind, marching rapidly. At the same time, in Chanzhou City, Zhang Jun and Xu You, who joined the army, looked anxiously outside the city. They saw the enemy troops coming like a tide, and the darkness almost submerged the entire city of Chanzhou. Especially the thousand artillery pieces in the hands of the Jin soldiers made them feel even more frightened.
These artillery pieces are like death's scythes, and each roar will take away the lives of countless defenders. Both Zhang Jun and Xu You knew that this was the most difficult battle they had ever faced. There were less than 20,000 defenders in the city, and they were exhausted and suffered heavy casualties. If no reinforcements arrive, Chanzhou City will fall. However, they had no intention of giving up because they knew that once Chanzhou fell, the situation in the entire Song Dynasty would become even more critical. So they must hold on and wait for reinforcements to arrive. The time seemed to become extremely long while waiting anxiously. Zhang Jun and Xu You continued to patrol the city wall and observe the enemy's movements. They saw that the enemy forces were beginning to mass for a final attack. At this moment, their heartbeats almost stopped, as if they could hear their own rapid breathing. "Join the army, do you think this city can still be defended?" Zhang Jun looked at Xu You beside him, with a hint of helplessness and despair in his tone. Xu You was silent for a moment, and then said firmly: "General, as long as we are still breathing, we must not let the enemy troops step into Chanzhou City!" Zhang Jun smiled bitterly, shook his head and said: "But the reinforcements have not arrived yet, and there are less than 20,000 defenders in the city. If this continues, I'm afraid..." Zhang Jun looked at Xu You beside him, with a trace of confusion and helplessness in his eyes. He knew very well that the soldier who had always been by his side was a resourceful wise man and a warrior who had experienced hundreds of battles. However, even he was not optimistic about the battle situation at this moment, which made Zhang Jun feel a chill in his heart. "Xu You, look at this situation, what should we do?" Zhang Jun sighed, his tone revealing deep helplessness. Xu You did not answer immediately, his eyes were fixed on the soldiers who were struggling to resist the enemy on the city wall. Their figures looked so firm and decisive in the firelight. However, fatigue and casualties had greatly reduced their combat effectiveness. If this continues, I'm afraid that all the remaining 10,000 people and horses will be buried in this bloody fire. Thinking of this, Xu You took a deep breath and slowly said two words: "Breakout."
"Breakout?" Zhang Jun was stunned for a moment, then his eyes widened, "You mean to give up the city and escape?" "No, general." Xu You shook his head, "I'm not saying give up, but retreat temporarily. If we continue to stand here, more brothers will die. After breaking through, we can also join the reinforcements and find A chance to make a comeback." Zhang Jun's brows furrowed, and he was obviously not satisfied with this proposal. As a general, he knew the importance of holding on to the city and the shame of abandoning the city and running away. However, he also knew that Xu You's proposal was based on a calm judgment of the current war situation. "Xu You, do you know what I, Zhang Jun, value most in my life?" Zhang Jun suddenly asked. Xu You was stunned for a moment, and then understood what Zhang Jun meant. He nodded and said softly: "A general is loyal throughout his life, so naturally he values integrity and reputation." "That's right!" Zhang Jun shouted, "I, Zhang Jun, would rather die in battle than abandon the city and flee! This is my bottom line as a general of the Song Dynasty!" Xu You was silent for a moment. He knew Zhang Jun's temper and character, and understood his decision. However, as a wise man, he could not just watch so many soldiers die in vain. "General, I understand your decision." Xu You took a deep breath, "But you also have to worry about the lives of these more than 10,000 soldiers." Xu You looked at Zhang Jun's firm eyes and knew that no matter how hard he tried to persuade him, it would be useless. He knew the general's temper very well, and once he decided something, even nine cows could not bring him back. In desperation, he had no choice but to sigh, give up the idea of persuasion, and decided to defend the city with Zhang Jun and fight until the last moment. At this time, the enemy forces outside the city had launched a new round of fierce attack. The sound of the Jin soldiers' iron hoofs, the shouts of Liu Yu's troops, and the roar of artillery were intertwined, making the entire city of Chanzhou tremble. On the city wall, the defenders fought hard, but suffered heavy casualties and the situation was precarious. Zhang Jun held the sword tightly and stood by the city wall, looking firmly ahead. His body had been injured in many places, and his shirt was dyed red with blood, but he still stood tall, like a flag, inspiring the defenders to fight the enemy bravely. The fighting between the two sides lasted from Chenshi to Weishi. As time went by, the defenders suffered more and more heavy casualties. However, the enemy's offensive showed no signs of weakening, and instead became more and more fierce. Especially the artillery in the hands of the Jin soldiers made the defenders helpless. Suddenly, with a roar, the east wall finally collapsed under the continuous bombardment of artillery. Amid the smoke and dust, Wanyan Zongfu's figure appeared in the gap in the city wall. He laughed evilly, waved his long sword in his hand, and ordered the army to attack the city quickly and make sure to capture Chanzhou at sunset. Zhang Jun, who was guarding the city, felt his heart sink when he saw this. He knew that the city's fall was inevitable. But even so, he would never let the enemy succeed easily. So he ordered the remaining 10,000 horses to descend the city wall and start a fierce street battle with the enemy. During the street fighting, the defenders made full use of the terrain advantages and launched a desperate struggle with the enemy. Every street and every house has become a battlefield for them, without flinching, defending every inch of Chanzhou's land with their lives and blood. Zhang Jun took the lead and rushed to the front. His bravery and determination deeply infected everyone and boosted the morale of the defenders. Under their leadership, the defenders repelled enemy attacks time and time again.
However, the enemy's offensive was too fierce and their numbers were far greater than the defenders. Gradually, the defenders began to feel powerless, and the casualties became more and more heavy. Zhang Jun was also seriously injured. At this time, Chanzhou City had become a ruin. The streets were littered with broken walls and bloody corpses. The air was filled with a strong smell of blood, making people feel suffocated.