Chapter 476: Weighing the Scales, Withdrawing in Composure

From the start of the morning hour, the Han army's camp stirred, hurling flying stones and fire bombs, strong bows and hard crossbows, and then battle soldiers charging the city—the whole affair lasted nearly four shichen, until the sound of gongs rang out from the rear, and only then did the Han army withdraw, leaving behind the devastated scene of the entire southern barbican of Shouchun.

"Governor, the Han army has withdrawn!" On the city wall, a yabing officer, his face full of excitement, supported He Jingzhu and called out loudly.

However long the Han army had attacked, that was how long He Jingzhu had supervised the defense atop the wall. For a man past sixty, this was no small burden, draining his energy to the utmost. Now, seeing the Han army's assault repelled, he could no longer hold himself up—a wave of dizziness struck his head.

It was a long while before he opened his eyes again, and what met his gaze was a scene of utter devastation. On the city wall, corpses lay piled everywhere, severed limbs and broken arms a shocking sight, blood qi permeating the air, acrid and terrifying. Though the fires in various parts of the gate tower and within the city enclosure had long been brought under control, residual flames still devoured the buildings.

Beams burned with crackling sounds, and the air was thick with a heavy stench of scorching, mingled with a strange, eerie chill. Under the impact of the Han army's fire-oil bombs, though the exact number might be imprecise, roughly four hundred soldiers had been burned alive, and those burned or scalded were beyond counting.

The assault and defense had barely ended, yet the miserable screams of those soldiers who had been splashed with fire oil still lingered in the ears, each cry clearer than the last... Even on He Jingzhu's ugly face, a trace of sorrow could not help but appear, and two streams of old tears welled up. He had experienced no little warfare, but something this cruel was a first. Most importantly, he could clearly sense that the Han army had not yet used its full strength.

The Tang soldiers still on the city wall felt little relief or joy at having survived; instead, despair grew within them. The Han army's sharp tactics, terrifying weapons, and ferocious soldiers all left these defenders at a loss. Only because He Jingzhu led by example, with military law behind them, plus a final surge of desperate courage, and because the Han army had been long encamped without fighting, had they managed to hold against its edge.

The sound of sobbing and weeping came from somewhere unknown, gradually spreading...

Seeing this, He Jingzhu snapped back to his senses. Supported by the yabing officer, he forced himself to stand on higher ground. Though his voice was already somewhat hoarse, it still carried authority: "What are you all crying about! As soldiers of the Great Tang, resisting the enemy for the nation, death is death—why put on this womanly display and invite ridicule!"

Hearing He Jingzhu's words, an officer immediately spoke up, his voice choked with tears, saying excitedly: "Commander, the Han army has besieged the city for two months. We lack clothing and food, enduring hunger and cold. Where is the court's relief army? The Han army has surrounded Shouchun like an iron barrel, watertight, cutting off all news. We hold on here in bitter defense—does the court even know?"

The Tang army's spirit could be said to have been utterly shattered by this assault on the city, and He Jingzhu could clearly feel the collapse of morale. Facing the officer's challenge, He Jingzhu did not rebuke him, only looked around and said with feeling: "The Han army is brutal, rashly raising an unjust host to invade our territory. As soldiers, we naturally must not fear hardship—we must defend our land and protect the nation. Through the past three winters, matters have been in disarray, and now spring has come, so the Han army has launched its attack. I, He, am certain that the court has already prepared fresh relief forces. Your Majesty and the court will absolutely not abandon a single inch of land north of the Yangtze!"

"Though the Han army is fierce, I, He, have fully grasped its tactics. We have sturdy walls to rely on, and the grain in the city can still support the army and people for half a year. As long as we endure the blows of their thunderbolt cannons, when it comes to blade-to-blade combat—do we men of Jianghuai truly lack blood and courage?"

"I, He, may be a pedantic old fool, but I too wish to expend my remaining valor and fight the Han army to the end!" Saying this, he drew the long sword at his waist, and before everyone's eyes, cut a gash across his palm, swearing a blood oath: "In life and death together, in hardship and peril together!"

This declaration from He Jingzhu had a certain effect in boosting morale. Whatever else, this short-bodied, ugly-faced old general did possess a certain personal charisma.

Seeing that the defenders had been pacified, He Jingzhu began arranging matters: "Compile casualty statistics as quickly as possible, treat the wounded, clear away the corpses and obstacles, replenish soldiers and equipment, reinforce the city defenses, and keep strict watch against the enemy!"

Under He Jingzhu's command, the southern city of Shouchun began to be tidied up—just as He Jingzhu tidied up the scattered morale, barely.

Once things gradually got on track, he handed the city defense to Commander Xu Xiang of the Left Imperial Guard and gave him some instructions, then finally planned to descend from the wall to rest. After the day's ordeal, he was utterly exhausted, and the gash on his hand also needed fresh bandaging.

"Lord He, the Han army's attacks will only grow fiercer. Can we hold?" Before seeing He Jingzhu down from the wall, Xu Xiang asked in a low voice.

Xu Xiang was in the prime of life, a fairly typical general in the Tang army—of middling talent, without fearsome reputation. He had served in the military for twenty years, rising step by step to command an imperial army unit of the Southern Tang. When the Han army first arrived, Xu Xiang still had some ambition to contend with them. Though he had fought several engagements large and small without gaining any advantage, he had not yet felt fear.

But ever since Emperor Liu of Han, Liu Chengyou, led the army south, the feeling was completely different—not just because of the increase in troops. Compared to the sharpness of Wang Jun's command, which was hard to withstand, what Liu Chengyou brought with his use of troops was total suppression, like a rope around the throat, pressing step by step, suffocating the breath out of a man.

By now, after two months of being besieged, Xu Xiang had become much more subdued. He believed, as He Jingzhu said, that the court would not abandon Huainan. But even if relief troops came, could they be a match for the Han army? The fate of Liu Yanzhen's army was warning enough, especially for soldiers like them who had fought the Han army on the front line.

Turning his head, He Jingzhu swept two glances at Xu Xiang, as if seeing straight through the fear and hesitation in his heart, and said calmly: "We eat the state's salary and bear the duty of defending the land—just serve the king with loyalty! As soldiers, dying wrapped in horsehide is no disgrace to this life. At worst, death and nothing more!"

"Guard the city well!" He Jingzhu patted Xu Xiang's shoulder, his voice now hoarse to the point of breaking: "Our families are all in Jinling..."

"General, judging by Lord He's bearing, he intends to live and die with Shouchun!" Nearby, a junior officer who had overheard their conversation could not help saying.

Xu Xiang nodded.

"Then what do we do? Are we truly to perish together like jade and stone?" The junior officer looked outside the city and asked: "The Han army charged the city and was repelled at the wall, suffering no small casualties, yet when withdrawing they remained composed and orderly, with proper precautions. Such elite troops can only come from the Central Plains!"

"From your words, are you afraid?" Xu Xiang stared coldly at his subordinate officer.

The junior officer fell silent. Seeing this, Xu Xiang sighed softly: "As Lord He said, we of the Imperial Guard are Jinling's imperial army—our families are all in Jiangnan, not like those Huainan garrison troops. We cannot but have our concerns... Guard the city well. Even if we die here, we must earn some posthumous benefit for our descendants!"

"Yes!"

Though Xu Xiang spoke thus, as he looked out at the Han army returning to camp with vigilance, a thick layer of gloom gathered between his brows, and his tone seemed somewhat insincere. As he was in a daze, he suddenly heard several rumbling, chaotic sounds, accompanied by the screams of soldiers—the burning gate tower had completely collapsed, crushing quite a few soldiers...

Outside the city, as the Han army returned to camp, Sun Li found Gao Huaide, his eyes still red: "We had already climbed the city wall! Give me another half shichen and the city would surely fall! Why sound the retreat gong—aren't we delaying the campaign and losing the opportunity!"

Sun Li had been commanding at the front line, barely refraining from personally joining the slaughter with his blade, and his body bore arrow wounds. Now, red-faced and thick-necked, he was clearly carried away, his mind clouded by the killing.

Gao Huaide did not say anything else, going straight to the point: "It's getting late, and the Tang army's initial burst of spirit has not yet dissipated. His Majesty has ordered the troops to withdraw and end the battle!"

"Does His Majesty know that our soldiers have already climbed the city wall? If we just send in more troops to continue the attack, the Tang army will surely be no match!" Sun Li's voice now carried anger.

"Chief Commander, His Majesty has been watching the battle from the rear the whole time—how could he not know the progress of the siege? His Majesty's order was originally a probe. Now that we know the Tang army's strength is shallow, we should withdraw when it's time to withdraw!" Gao Huaide said in a deep voice.

Hearing this, Sun Li finally came back to his senses. He had only been muttering a few complaints anyway; the troops had already withdrawn regardless. Turning to look back at the city walls of Shouchun wreathed in the aura of blood and fire, Sun Li spat: "What a pity for all my dead and wounded brothers. When we attack again, we'll take the city in one stroke!"

With the Han army's withdrawal, the chaos at Shouchun's southern city gradually subsided. From the city walls downward, across the entire southern expanse of wilderness, traces of war were everywhere. Later in the day, to the northwest of Shouchun, the northern wall likewise saw feigned movements from the Han army; after a full day, the soldiers were all weary.

Suddenly came the sound of something piercing the air, carrying the whistle of a signal arrow. A crossbow bolt tipped with a bit of burning oil was loosed from the city, flying far. It quickly drew the attention of the defenders, who shouted toward the spot it had been fired from: "Who goes there!"

In the darkness, a shadow flashed past. Seeing this, Tang soldiers immediately raised torches and gave chase. The commotion soon dispersed, and after a single scream, the northern city of Shouchun returned to calm once more.

In the Han camp, Gao Huaide brought the troops back to camp, reorganized the various units, and comforted the soldiers. After inspecting the wounded, he took the siege summaries from his subordinate officers and, together with Sun Li, headed toward the imperial camp, preparing to report to the Son of Heaven.

In the field headquarters' imperial tent, Liu Chengyou had also summoned the commanders of the various armies once more, preparing to hold another council before the throne regarding the day's assault and defense.

Sun Li strode into the imperial tent with a gust of wind. Though he performed the formal rites properly, it was plain to see he was nursing a grudge. Liu Chengyou could tolerate this—regardless, he had seen Sun Li's performance with his own eyes. For a man already in high position to still dare to command at the foot of the city wall amid the fury of battle and the threat of death was proof enough of his loyalty and courage.