Chapter 770: Where Duty Lies

The tent fell silent for a moment.

Everyone's gaze fell simultaneously on Xiao Tuanzi.

Tuan Tuan, confidently and boldly, added, "If we can't go through the gate, can't we just push the wall down?"

Xiao Ningxun's eyes lit up sharply: "Tuan Tuan is right! If we can't get through the gate, we'll find a way around it!"

He looked at Wang Jingzhao: "Your Majesty, what is the structure of the Royal City's walls?"

Wang Jingzhao replied: "The outer wall is a massive face of blue bricks, while the core is rammed earth. It has been reinforced generation after generation for centuries, and is extremely sturdy."

"Rammed earth?" Xiao Ningchen sprang up, hurried a few steps to the desk, and bent over the map to stare at the long wall for a moment.

He looked up at Xiao Yuanhang: "Father! If only the exterior is solid and the core is rammed earth, the gunpowder we carry will be enough to blast it open."

Zhang Wu'an slapped his forehead: "Exactly! Just blow a hole in the wall and it's done!"

"Why didn't we think of this? Everyone was only staring at the gate!"

"How wide is that gate? The breach we make can be as wide as we want, and a mass of troops charging in will be far more effective than the gate!"

Chen Hao kept nodding: "Good idea! That way, even if they seal the gate completely, we won't be afraid."

Wang Cheng'an's eyes reddened instantly; he turned to Tuan Tuan, clasped his fists, and his voice trembled: "Princess! I, the humble general, thank the princess for exposing this plan on behalf of the Goryeo people!"

Xiao Er and Lu Qi looked proudly at their own miss, saying, "Our miss is so clever!"

Wang Jingning looked enviously at Tuan Tuan: "Tuan Tuan! You're amazing!"

Tuan Tuan, proud, swayed her head in her father's arms: "Now we can drive those saboteurs out!"

Xiao Yuanhang vigorously patted her little head: "Good little lady!"

Xiao Ran scanned the crowd, shook his head self‑deprecatingly: "Our whole group has been worrying here for ages, and we didn't expect a tiny kid's single sentence to enlighten us."

Xiao Ningchen waved his hand: "Don't get too happy yet. Right now there's another problem to solve—how to get close to the wall?"

"The Japanese tie civilians to the wall tops just to watch us kill. As soon as the army moves, they'll unleash a slaughter and never give us a chance to rush to the foot of the wall."

The tent fell quiet again.

"We must stay out of the Japanese's sight," Xiao Ningchen frowned, "but with tens of thousands of troops spreading out, how could we possibly hide?"

Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment.

Indeed, no matter how we siege, those civilians on the wall tops can't be bypassed!

Xiao Ningxun lowered his head, thought for a long while, then looked up at Zheng Wucheng: "General Zheng, are there any craftsmen in the army?"

Zheng Wucheng was startled and replied: "Yes. Most of the righteous army are able‑bodied civilians, with carpenters and blacksmiths, but I don't know what kind of craftsmen the Third Young Master needs."

Xiao Ningxun stood, walked to the commander's desk, picked up a book and propped it at an angle on the desk.

Everyone's gaze focused on the desk.

He traced his finger down the slope: "We could make a movable slanted‑roof shelter cart like this."

"One person's height is enough; soldiers can hide under the cart and push it forward."

"The roof slopes upward," he raised his hand and drew on the slope: "When rolling logs and stones fall, they'll slide off the slanted roof to both sides and won't crush the cart's top."

He paused: "As for the roof material, we can source it on the spot."

"Use three‑inch hardwood boards for the base, then three layers of raw cowhide, and on top a layer of coarse hemp cloth soaked in mud, nailed firmly to the roof."

Xiao Ningxun looked up, scanned the crowd: "Soldiers can form groups of a few, push it straight to the foot of the city."

"The Japanese on the wall tops will only see a cluster of shelters and won't see the people beneath them."

"Since they can't see the people, they won't kill the civilians on the wall; a performance needs an audience, and without one the show can't continue."

"Archers' arrows are useless; as long as the roof is thick enough, arrows can't pierce it, and we can add a layer of wet mud to prevent them from pouring oil for fire attacks."

He set the book down: "In this way we can avoid the ten‑thousand‑person pit and the soldiers on the wall, and push the cart to the foot of the wall."

"Once there, dig a pit directly from the cart, two or three feet deep, load enough gunpowder, then push the shelter cart to safe spots on both sides, leaving a sufficiently long fuse."

"The soldiers hide behind the cart, ignite it, blast a breach in the wall, and the main army can charge through the opening."

Everyone fell silent after listening, pondering his words carefully.

Xiao Yuanhang stared at the book, was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "The plan is feasible."

He lifted his head, scanned the tent's occupants: "The breach in the wall will be even wider than the gate."

"Cavalry can rush straight in; the Japanese won't have time to block, and the Royal City can be taken in one stroke."

Xiao Ningchen nodded: "Third Brother, this plan is excellent; if it succeeds, those civilians on the wall will be useless to the Japanese, and we can save lives."

Zheng Wucheng trembled with excitement, rose, and bowed deeply to Xiao Ningxun: "Third Young Master, clever! I, the humble general, will now summon all craftsmen and rush the work through the night!"

Xiao Ningxun nodded and added: "We must stock extra of every material, make a prototype first, test it, and if it's unsuitable we'll improve it."

"Yes!"

Wang Jingzhao was overjoyed: "Thank you all for pooling your ideas and effort for the sake of my Goryeo people."

The heavy atmosphere in the tent vanished, and a spark lit up in everyone's eyes.

Tuan Tuan clapped her hands, beaming with pride: "Wow! Third Brother is awesome!"

Then she pouted: "If Feng Zhou were here, it would be perfect; he's the best at making these things."

Xiao Yuanhang patted his daughter's little head: "When we left Jingcheng, I had already discussed with your Imperial Uncle that once we capture the Royal City we'll send a fast boat back to the capital."

"After Jingcheng receives the good news, reinforcements will be dispatched."

"Then, dad, shall we have Feng Zhou come over as well?"

Tuan Tuan was delighted: "Sure!"

There were many craftsmen in the Goryeo army, and a few days later the first shelter cart was completed.

After numerous refinements and combat drills by the soldiers, they finalized the production plan, and Xiao Ningxun named it the Shield Cart.

A few days later, dozens of Shield Carts quietly stood in the Main Camp.

Tuan Tuan tugged Wang Jingning as they crawled beneath the Shield Carts; the two girls' laughter echoed from under the carts, making everyone smile.

At the same moment, inside the Royal City.

Teng Yuan Liangxin sat upright in the main seat; to his right sat a middle-aged man with an arrogant expression.

He raised his chin slightly, gazing askance at Teng Yuan Liangxin: "Commander Teng Yuan Liangxin, due to your faulty command, the general lost several thousand warships and over ten thousand naval troops."

As the Military Monitor, it is my duty; I will indeed report this matter truthfully together with the general.

Lie State's army has besieged the city for many days; now they have withdrawn their troops, why haven't you yet sent out forces to exterminate them?

Or are you waiting for them to come attack us?