Chapter 35: War in Chen County (3)

  Chen Yu looked at the statistics of the rioters reported by his subordinates with tears in his eyes, and before the war, there were about 120,000 to 130,000 rioters who followed him. After one attack on the city, only 90,000 people were left.

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  In the brief first charge that lasted less than a quarter of an hour, apart from several thousand people who were shot dead by Qin army's arrows on the battlefield, more than 10,000 people trampled each other to death. More than 20,000 people also ran away and disappeared without knowing where they went.

  Among the more than 90,000 people who returned to the camp, most of them were injured and shivering with pale faces.

  Can these disheartened and disorganized people still organize to attack the city? Chen Yu's face was full of worry. But if they don't attack the city, how can they complete the task entrusted by their elder brother? If they mess up their elder brother's plan... Chen Yu didn't dare think about it anymore.

  The people in the big camp who were still crying and shouting were brought together again by Chen Yu and other generals with their personal soldiers under the high platform in the center of the camp.

  Dozens of wooden chests with their lids open were placed in front of the high platform, inside which were all silk fabrics, gold and silver jewelry and other treasures. Under the dazzling sunlight, they shone with a dizzying brilliance.

  The rioters gathered under the high platform also saw what was in the boxes placed in front of the platform, and as they gazed at the brightly colored silks and dazzling jewels and gold and silver, their eyes gleamed with excitement and they panted heavily.

  If it weren't for the hundreds of armed soldiers guarding in front of the box with their swords drawn, I estimate that the things inside the box would have been looted by these rioters a long time ago.

  "Come on! Behead those who desert in the face of military law and display their heads to the public!" Chen Yu shouted from the high platform.

  Over a hundred armored soldiers pushed dozens of newly captured fleeing rioters to the boxes in front of the high platform, and without waiting for these people to shout, they were knocked to the ground with their hands up and knives falling, "Ka Cha" "Ka Cha" Dozens of bloody human heads fell to the ground.

  Fresh blood reflects the radiant gold and silver jewels, emitting a heart-pounding bloody color.

  A thick smell of blood suddenly filled the air.

  The rioters who were originally standing still in the big camp suddenly became frightened and restless, but when they saw the hundreds of soldiers wearing armor with blood-stained knives in their hands, they quickly calmed down. Not a single person dared to make a sound, and the entire camp was dead silent.

  "You are now soldiers, not civilians. Those who do not follow military discipline will be made an example of by these dozens of heads." Chen Yu was very satisfied with the effect and looked at the dense crowd with a stern voice.

  "The severity of the Qin law is something you should be well aware of. If we fail to take Chen County this time, under the harsh punishment of the Qin law, do you think any of you will have a way out? Only by executing your entire clan can you avoid punishment. However, although the Qin army has the advantage of equipment, our forces are tens of times larger than theirs, and this small county cannot be taken down?" Chen Yu paused, pointing to the box in front of him.

  "These tens of boxes of wealth, you can take them all to use for your family. However, in the Chen County, there are countless such things. If Chen County is conquered, why worry about not being wealthy and noble? For the sake of your children and grandchildren, do you know whether kings, dukes, and high officials have any descendants? If Chen County is conquered, you will be enfeoffed as marquises and dukes, and your descendants will inherit the legacy. If Chen County is not conquered, the cruel Qin will surely exterminate your nine clans. Do you have a way to retreat?"

  In the end, Chen Yu was already hoarse from shouting.

  What a dramatic thing it is at this time and place!

  Originally, Hu Hai thought that with the elimination of Chen Sheng and Wu Guang's rebellion, the classic phrase "Are kings, princes, generals, and ministers born to their stations?" which had inspired countless ambitious rebels throughout history, would disappear. Unexpectedly, it was still shouted out by Chen Yu in today's situation.

  On one side are the blood-soaked dozens of heads and the Qin dynasty's severe laws that exterminated nine clans, on the other side are dazzling gold, silver, jewels, silk, and satin, with titles and wealth passed down to descendants. Such a simple contrast makes the choice obvious.

  "Are kings, princes and generals born of a different breed?"

  Under Chen Yu's instruction, a soldier wearing armor was the first to shout out.

  "Are princes and nobles born of a different breed?" Immediately, others followed suit and shouted along.

  Then came the earth-shaking cries of "Are there any princes and generals?!", all the rioters at this moment had forgotten the mournful cries under the city wall, forgotten the still warm blood under the high platform.

  At this moment, everyone's eyes are red, panting with coarse air, shouting in a hoarse voice, with only one thought in their hearts: "Are kings, nobles and generals born of noble birth?"

  Meng Xin, who had been keeping an eye on the city's lower camp, heard the loud shout of "Are there any princes and generals among you?" from the chaotic army camp, his face changed, and he secretly called out that things were not good. He originally thought that after the first defeat, the defeated soldiers would either disperse or be unable to organize a threatening attack quickly.

  But at this moment, hearing the thunderous cheers from the chaotic army camp, Meng Chong knew that the next battle would not be easy. It seems that the leader of the chaotic army is still very capable, but can such a simple and crude army have morale? Can it withstand the sharpness of the enemy's weapons?

  A loud "hong" sound rang out.

  The gates of the rebel camp were wide open, and a dense crowd of rebels poured out, this time clearly faster than before. They no longer crowded together, but dispersed, carrying simple ladders and shouting as they rushed towards Chen County again.

  The rebels soon returned to a distance of five hundred paces from the city wall. The "Woo-woo" sound of the horn also rose again on the city wall.

  The rioters who heard the horn sound suddenly became clever, and immediately dispersed more openly. The wooden stick sounds on the city wall were as dense as a sudden rainstorm, and this was the Qin army's large-scale crossbow machine launching another attack.

  The sharp and loud whistling of the big arrow made all the rioters tremble with fear, but attacking was death, not attacking was also death, and if they won, they would be rewarded with gold, silver, jewels, and titles, so although they were afraid, everyone still closed their eyes, praying that they wouldn't get hit, while desperately rushing forward.

  The great arrow also brought up countless blood rains, but apparently due to the dispersal of the rebels, this attack only killed a few hundred people, and the effect was greatly reduced. The rebels saw this scene and believed Chen Yu's words even more, their morale surged, and for a time, the sound of killing echoed through the sky.

  The Qin army soldiers on the city wall saw that the effect of the crossbow machine was greatly reduced and couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed, but they still maintained a tight formation.

  Reloading a large repeating crossbow takes time, and the rioters were charging at high speed, already less than 100 steps away from the city wall.

  Suddenly, war drums thundered on the city wall, followed by a burst of mechanical sounds, and then a swarm of black arrows swooped down from high altitude with a whistling sound, which were small crossbows of the Qin army.

  "Ah"... "ah"

  Under the city wall, the miserable cries were endless, and the rioters who came in a rush fell to the ground with arrows, but for a moment they could not die. They lay on the battlefield, crying miserably, and the momentum of the rioters' charge was again stagnant.

  The small crossbow of the Qin army was strung quickly, followed by a "bang" and then a "hum", another wave of arrows poured down from the sky. Under the first wave of arrow rain, the already slightly panicked chaotic soldiers were even more chaotic, and some people had turned around and ran back.

  "Dong dong" "dong dong" "dong dong", three short and urgent drumbeats came from the chaotic military camp.

  The rioters who had already dispersed and wanted to retreat heard the urgent three drumbeats, hesitated for a moment, and finally someone shouted and led the charge again. With someone leading, the remaining people who originally wanted to retreat also shouted and killed, regaining their courage and rushing towards the city wall again.

  This was the order set by Chen Yu when the rebels came out of their camp. At the sound of three drumbeats, they would fight to the death without retreating. Unless the gong sounded, anyone who retreated would be killed without pardon, and their family members would be sent to the army. Therefore, the rebels only charged forward again after hearing the drumbeat, determined to die in battle.

  At this time, the rebels had approached the city wall, and the large crossbows could no longer shoot. The Qin army soldiers on the wall used crossbows and big bows to desperately shoot at the swarming mobs. Occasionally, a few cloud ladders were stuck to the top of the city wall, but before the mobs could climb up, they were immediately overturned by the Qin army on the wall.

  For a long time, the rebels were unable to climb over the city wall. Every moment, countless rebels fell dead under the arrows and crossbow bolts of the Qin army on the wall. However, since Chen Yu never sounded the gong to retreat, all the rebels could do was keep charging forward, holding onto the slim chance of climbing over the wall.

  When the last cloud ladder was also overturned and crushed to the ground, Chen Yu finally let people blow the horn. Upon hearing the sound of the horn, the chaotic crowd retreated like a tide, and the Qin soldiers on the wall also collapsed weakly to the ground.

  From five hundred paces outside the city wall to beneath it, a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood was formed. Arrows covered the ground, and countless bodies of rioters and wounded soldiers who were still groaning in agony filled the area. The blood stained every inch of land within five hundred paces below the city wall bright red.

  A thick, nauseating smell of blood filled the air.

  The rebels never climbed over the city wall, and the poorly armed rebels didn't even have long-range weapons that could cause casualties to the Qin army on the wall. However, the rebels' desperate charge made all the faces of the Qin army turn pale.

  This is a complete massacre!