Chapter 53: Besieging Changsha

  Changshe

  Huangfu Song and Zhu Ling led their troops to retreat and defend Changshe.

  The Yellow Turban rebels of Yingchuan were powerful, and Bo Cai led a crowd of over 100,000, besieging Changshe.

  Huang Fu and Zhu Yun feared that the army would suffer too many casualties, which would be disadvantageous for subsequent conquests. They did not want to engage in a decisive battle with Bo Cai's rebel forces, so they dug deep trenches and built high walls to defend themselves, waiting quietly for changes in the situation before seeking an opportunity to launch a surprise attack.

  Bo Zhong led a fierce attack on Changsha for several days, but achieved nothing and instead suffered heavy casualties.

  The night dissipated, and a red sun slowly rose from the east.

  In the midst of a thunderous cry of killing, nearly ten thousand Yellow Turban bandits launched a simultaneous attack from all four gates of Changsha.

  As far as the eye can see, on the desolate and vast wilderness, everywhere are the Yellow Turban rebels, with their heads wrapped in yellow scarves and clothes that barely cover their bodies. They swarm like ants, seemingly about to engulf the low and humble Changsha city.

  Zhou wore a suit of iron armor, with a silver cloak draped over it. He stood solemnly at the head of the city, his hand on the hilt of his sword, his eyes cold and sharp as a blade.

  Hundreds of archers expressionless, swiftly strung arrow after arrow on their bows and mechanically poured down towards the city below, shooting the Yellow Turbans who charged at the city into a state of chaos, with people and horses toppling over, and wailing that shook the sky.

  However, soon after, a large number of Yellow Turbans rushed to the city under the arrow rain.

  "Kill him!"

  Amidst the shouting, several Yellow Turban bandits quickly climbed up a simple cloud ladder.

  "Bang!"

  Just as several Yellow Turban bandits were about to climb up onto the city wall, Zhou Jian fiercely waved his hand.

  The soldiers who had been holding the logs and rocks for a long time immediately let out a loud shout, fiercely throwing down the logs and rocks they were holding, smashing several Yellow Turbans to pieces, their heads broken and bones shattered, and they fell from the cloud ladder with a blood-curdling scream.

  However, Huangfu Song's army had only recently arrived at Changshe and the defensive works were not yet fully repaired.

  Soon, wave after wave of Yellow Turbans rushed to the city gate, and more cloud ladders were set up on the city wall.

  Zhou Jian shouted loudly: "Archers retreat, halberdiers prepare!"

  Hundreds of archers fell back immediately, hundreds of sword and shield soldiers rushed forward in formation, ready to engage in close combat.

  "Kill!"

  Not far away, a very fierce Yellow Turban bandit jumped onto the city wall, his rusty cavalry sabre swung in a circle, and amidst flying arrows, he instantly cut down three knife-shield soldiers who had rushed forward into six pieces.

  "Get out of the way!"

  In the midst of a thunderous roar, Dian Wei took a swift step forward, and with a movement akin to catching a chicken, he lifted up that Yellow Turban bandit and slammed him down fiercely, sending several other Yellow Turbans who were about to jump onto the city wall tumbling off the cloud ladder.

  Thirty paces away, a Yellow Turban rebel with a steel knife in his mouth had just jumped onto the city wall when Xu Chu cut him down with one swing of his sword.

  In the midst of a bloody rain, Xu Chu let out a loud roar and rushed to the city gate tower, propping up the cloud ladder with one hand, and roaring again: "Rise."

  In the midst of a mournful and piercing cry, the cloud ladder pressed against the city gate was actually pushed back by Xu Chu with one hand. Several Yellow Turbans climbing on the cloud ladder fell off like dumplings, breaking their bones and tendons, wailing to the sky.

  "Brothers, kill..."

  A Yellow Turban bandit with a thick beard and bare arms leapt onto the city wall, let out a loud roar, and swung his sword at Zhou Jian.

  Zhou Jian let out a cold hum, swung his sword to block the burly man's rusty cavalry saber, and with lightning speed, kicked out with one foot, directly sending the mustachioed big man flying, who let out a miserable cry as he fell off the city wall, soon disappearing into the sea of people.

  "Hurray for the Chinese army!"

  "We will win for sure!"

  The general on the city wall was so brave that the morale of the soldiers was greatly boosted, and they shouted loudly like a tsunami.

  The fierce battle lasted for more than two hours, and the Yellow Turbans left behind thousands of corpses before slowly retreating.

  Temporary military camp.

  Dozens of military doctors were busy treating wounded soldiers in a hurry. However, there were too many wounded soldiers, and dozens of doctors were unable to keep up, so they could only treat the more seriously injured soldiers first.

  As for those who were lightly wounded, they could only grit their teeth and persevere, roughly wrapping their wounds with torn cloth.

  Zhou Jian accompanied by ten attendants, also kept treating wounded soldiers under his command.

  Zhou Jian's two hundred water bandits, except for two who were seriously injured, had few light injuries, with only over thirty people suffering some flesh wounds.

  However, among the 500 new recruits who were incorporated into the camp in Luoyang, except for those who had already died or been seriously injured, almost all of the remaining ones were wounded. The number of wounded soldiers recruited by Ji Wuhui was not a small number either.

  Zhou Jian and his ten followers were busy until late at night, and finally finished treating all the wounded soldiers under their command. The soldiers were rough men, although they were not good at expressing themselves in words, but they were truly grateful in their hearts.

  The general is brave and good at fighting, which can certainly make the morale of his subordinates high, and they will fight to the death.

  Only a general who truly cares about the soldiers' hardships and life-and-death situations can win their respect and admiration.

  The heavily wounded soldiers who cannot fight again have all been concentrated and are expected to rest for a period of time.

  After two battles, Zhou Jian's battalion had only 1,800 people left. More than 100 people were killed in battle, and dozens of people were seriously injured and could no longer fight. Among the remaining 1,000 or so people, many were also wounded.

  The two thousand gunners originally belonging to Chun Yuqiong had a good death toll, with only over twenty people killed and over ten people seriously injured.

  The turbulent waves have washed away the sand, and after several baptisms of fire, all new recruits are rapidly transforming into seasoned veterans. They finally have a bit of presence about them, no longer resembling a group of peasants who had just picked up their weapons.

  Zhou Jian had just come out of the wounded soldiers' camp and ran into Cao Cao head-on.

  Cao Cao, accompanied by Xiahou Dun, also came out of the wounded soldiers' camp and saw Zhou Xun. He couldn't help but praise: "General Zhou loves his soldiers like his sons, and he even personally treats their wounds and bandages them. This is truly a model for us generals to follow! I am ashamed, ashamed!"

  Zhou Jian smiled and said, "General Cao didn't also come to the camp to visit the wounded soldiers."

  Cao Cao sighed and said, "I only regret that I am not good at saving lives and healing wounds. Watching the wounded soldiers suffer from knife wounds and torture, I want to save them but my heart is powerless. In vain, I have studied all kinds of classics and theories, thinking that my great talent lies in governing the country and bringing peace to the nation. Saving lives and healing wounds, eliminating diseases and relieving pain are just trivial matters. But today, I finally understand that skills have their strengths, regardless of nobility or humility, saving lives and healing wounds is also a major event for the country!"

  Zhou Jian observed carefully and found that Cao Cao's words were filled with emotion, not pretending, and couldn't help but think that this Cao was indeed a legendary hero of his time, with a vision that saw further than ordinary people, and a broad mind that ordinary people could not match, without looking down on doctors.

  If it were a peaceful and prosperous era, it would be nice to make friends with such people.

  However, the chaotic world is about to rise, and Cao Cao is not a person who can be subdued by others. Zhou Jian, if he wants to dominate the world on horseback, has destined that he will eventually become arch-enemies with Cao Cao until one of them falls.

  Zhou Jian deeply expressed his agreement, saying: "General Cao's words are in line with my heart. Skills are not divided into nobility and humility, but only differ in their strengths! If there are thousands of doctors in the army, why are there so many wounded soldiers who cannot be cured?"

  Cao Cao smiled and said, "I didn't expect General Zhou to have the same feeling as me, it's really my good fortune! You are not an ordinary person, and you have a lot in common with me. After we defeat the Yellow Turbans, I will definitely get drunk with you."

  Zhou Jian said: "It is what I have wished for, but I dare not ask!"

  After exchanging a few words, Zhou Jian immediately bid farewell to Cao Cao and headed for the military tent.

  Cao Cao watched Zhou Yu disappear into the distance and suddenly sighed: "This man is no ordinary person, in the future he will certainly be my powerful enemy."

  Xiahou Dun did not understand and said: "Meng De and Zhou Jian served in the same court as officials, why would he say such a thing?"

  Cao Cao shook his head and didn't bother to explain anything to Xiahou Dun. He strode out of the military camp with large steps.

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