Chapter 597: Brothers Drawing Swords

In the winter of the third year of Wude, at the end of the eleventh month, in Pengcheng, Xu Province, the brutal siege of Ximatai entered its fifth day.

When describing a siege as brutal, one usually means both sides — you swarm the walls like ants, I resist in a bloodbath... But in the battle for Ximatai, the brutality fell mainly on the defenders. No one knew what Diwu Lun was thinking; he mainly harassed Ximatai. Though the attack intensity was not great, it was remarkably persistent, and from the moment it began at noon on the first day, it had never stopped.

The reason it never stopped was that the various battalions took turns. Ximatai was barely a li from Pengcheng's south gate, so no troops could be placed between the two, or they would be caught in the overlapping fire of ranged weapons from the two mutually supporting strongholds. Thus, the attack generally surrounded its east, south, and west sides, launching assaults from the gentlest eastern slope of the small hill. Looking down from Ximatai, however, one saw that of the three-sided encirclement, apart from the You Province cavalry's bird banners stationed far off to monitor Pengcheng, the Yinglong banners of the Ji Province Corps, the giant elephant banners of the Yu Province troops, and the Mount Tai banners of the Yan Province troops were all fluttering and casting shadows — they had all come to the foot of Ximatai just to make a token appearance.

It was not until the third day that the defender of Ximatai, Governor of Donghai Liu Zhi, finally saw through it:

"Diwu Lun means to use Ximatai as a training ground, to let the Wei army practice siegecraft!"

It was indeed so. These hundred thousand men mostly came from the Central Plains. The veterans had fought in the decisive battle of Heji against the Red Eyebrows and had trained well at fighting roving bandits, but their experience in storming fortifications was nearly zero — the Red Eyebrows had no cities, after all.

It happened that they wanted to lure Liu Xiu to Xu-Huai, so taking Ximatai too quickly would actually be bad. In Diwu Lun's words: "Since we're already here, might as well let the lads practice their skills."

The sequence and timing of charging with scaling ladders had to be drilled. Carrying shields, they only needed to charge to the foot of the hill each time before returning, conveniently tricking Ximatai into wasting a wave of its arrow reserves. They also had to practice rushing to fill the moat, filling assault trenches, pushing covered siege carts, and raising mantlets. Diwu Lun predicted that there would inevitably be many cities in the Huai region loyal to Liu Xiu, and every city had to be prepared for a major siege.

Once they mastered it by day, what about night operations? Best to practice those a little too, to prepare for the unexpected. In any case, the area around Xu Province was full of hills, often with pine and cypress. Every night, bright pine-resin torches circled Ximatai in ring after ring.

The infantry advanced and retreated in disorder below Ximatai, their shouts like thunder. In the distance, the engineering battalion Diwu Lun had specially established was also testing siege engines. This special unit, built around craftsmen from the Water Management Commandant's office, worked with deft hands and quick feet, constructing over ten trebuchets in three days. Although Diwu Lun intervened with many suggestions, no matter how they adjusted the blueprints, the accuracy of these things was consistently touching, reaching almost mystical levels, and each one had a unique trajectory, requiring long calibration before it could be used proficiently.

The various Wei army units were bustling with joy, running a grand exercise, but it was misery for the defenders on Ximatai. The enemy was numerous and could fight in rotating shifts, while the Han army had only a thousand or so men. Every time the drums thundered below the platform, they had to drag their exhausted bodies to resist. Though nine times out of ten it was a feint, that scoundrel Diwu Lun would always mix in one or two genuine fierce assaults! Several times they nearly reached the parapet.

This meant Liu Zhi could not afford to let his guard down, and his men became even more like birds startled by the mere twang of a bow. From the moment the battle began, the Han soldiers on Ximatai had never again had a good night's sleep. Even those resting in shifts would be jolted awake by the thunderous clamor of gongs and drums the instant they shut their eyes!

The Han army had ample provisions, and they could replenish their arrows from those shot up by the Wei army, but there was one thing that was drying up and depleting day by day.

That was their spirit. At first, everyone's nerves were stretched taut, and under Liu Zhi's encouragement, they were willing to fight to the death for the Great Han. Later, it turned into numbness and listless exhaustion. Anyone sitting down would fall asleep within half a quarter-hour, and some even fell asleep on the cold, hard ground and never woke again.

But Liu Zhi himself — those bloodshot eyes of his had been open for four days and four nights!

"I must guard Zhumatai for His Majesty. This is Liu Zhi's promise as a member of the imperial clan!"

By the fifth day, the situation changed dramatically. The Wei army, whose attacks had been slack, suddenly grew serious. Each assault was fiercer than the last, as if Diwu Lun had grown tired of the grand drill and intended to take Ximatai in one fell swoop.

The trebuchets were the first to exert their power. Beside each one, dozens of civilian laborers helped pull the ropes, drawing them taut inch by inch, until finally the stone bricks taken from the Chu King's mausoleum were launched, raining down on Ximatai's hillside and even landing on the summit.

The dense battle formations split into many detachments. Fully armed infantry stepped to the drumbeat with steady strides. One scaling ladder after another, one shielded cart after another, rushed toward Ximatai, pushed by fierce soldiers.

The strong archer squads also kept closing in, shooting volleys at Ximatai, using their numerical advantage to utterly suppress the powerful crossbows on the platform.

Though the Wei assault was so immense, Liu Zhi still fought desperately. The bloody battle raged until nightfall. Just when they were about to collapse, the Grand Marshal sent men from Pengcheng's east gate to raid the Wei camp, causing the Wei offensive to pause briefly.

Only then was Liu Zhi able to lead his men to drive back the Wei vanguard just as they were about to climb the parapet. But the entire hillside had been lost; they were left with a foothold of barely over a hundred zhang on the summit of Ximatai, and their numbers had sharply dwindled from over a thousand to fewer than five hundred.

The buildings atop Ximatai were nearly destroyed by the trebuchets. The houses, dating back to the era of Xiang Yu, were riddled with holes, but the Flame Han banner on the summit still stood, a stark contrast against the gray, muddy hillside.

Liu Zhi leaned beneath that banner. A stray arrow had struck his right arm during the fighting. Though he had wrapped it with cloth to stop the bleeding, the pain and cold had left his entire hand nearly numb.

"Gongzi, how are the soldiers?"

Gongzi was the courtesy name of the man bandaging Liu Zhi. His name was Liu Kuang, the County Magistrate of Pengcheng, honest and righteous in appearance. Hearing Liu Zhi's question, Liu Kuang sighed: "Not well. After the fierce battle, our numbers are halved, and most of those still alive are wounded."

At this, Liu Kuang raised his head and said worriedly: "Perhaps in the next assault, the Wei army will take the summit. We can hardly hold on any longer."

Liu Zhi pondered for a moment, then instructed Liu Kuang: "I will rest briefly. Go and summon the army clerks of the Liu surname."

Liu Kuang said happily: "The Governor has a plan to repel the enemy?"

Had he been asked by anyone else, Liu Zhi would have had to deceive them, but to Liu Kuang, he did not intend to lie.

Because Liu Kuang was a famous "martyr" of Pengcheng.

As far as Liu Zhi knew, Liu Kuang was a descendant of the former Han Chu King's clan. He had served as a commandery clerk and, in these chaotic times, governed Pengcheng so well that governance and education flourished. However, after the Red Eyebrows swept through, the old order collapsed. The region fell into great chaos, famine spread everywhere, and bandits ran rampant.

Liu Kuang could no longer remain an official. He planned to take his family to seek refuge in Huainan, but halfway there, they encountered bandits. Liu Kuang's younger brother was killed. Liu Kuang then took his elderly mother, his daughter, and his nephew to hide in the marshes, living a bitter life of gathering wild vegetables to survive. Once, when Liu Kuang went out to search for food, he was captured by a band of starving bandits who intended to boil and eat him. Liu Kuang kowtowed desperately, begging them to release him first so he could go back, serve his mother a meal, and then return to face death.

The bandits, hearing Liu Kuang's earnest words and moved by his filial piety, let him go. Unexpectedly, after Liu Kuang returned, served his mother her meal, he truly turned back without hesitation, sought out that band of starving bandits, and was willing to enter the boiling cauldron as food!

The bandits were all stunned and said one after another: "We have often heard of martyrs, but now we see one. Go, sir. We cannot bear to eat you."

A martyr is one of integrity and noble resolve. Others' reputations were manufactured, but Liu Kuang's name and virtue were earned by his willingness to go to his death generously.

Therefore, facing Liu Kuang, Liu Zhi could not speak falsely. He told him the truth plainly: "The Wei Emperor could have taken Ximatai long ago but delayed, much like a wildcat toying with a mouse, wanting to teach its kittens how to catch one next time."

"Now, for some reason, the Wei Emperor has decided to take Ximatai. We... will not survive the night."

"I wish to be loyal to the Great Han to the very last moment." Liu Zhi looked at Liu Kuang: "And you, Gongzi?"

Liu Zhi had come from Hebei to Xu-Huai. For the great cause of the Liu Han, he had abandoned the lesser duty to his clan and long since had no attachments left. But Liu Kuang was different. He not only had to support his elderly mother but also care for his younger brother's orphaned son — it was said that when Liu Kuang could only save one child during their flight, he abandoned his own daughter and kept his brother's child.

Liu Kuang clearly hesitated, but in the end, he looked back at Liu Zhi and nodded: "When I made a pact with the starving bandits, I still would not break it. How much more so when I have received the great kindness of His Majesty the Emperor? Without His Majesty's aid, Liu Kuang's entire family would have long since died in the famine. If righteousness cannot be betrayed, how much less loyalty? Liu Kuang is willing to die with you, my lord!"

"I knew it. Gongzi honors his promises above all."

Liu Zhi waved his hand, telling him to summon all the principal army clerks of the Liu surname. When Liu Zhi had volunteered for this mission, most of the city's imperial clansmen had been selected for Ximatai, because Liu Zhi believed that for the survival of the clan and the Great Han, they would fight to the death.

After all, their surname was Liu. Since they had inherited the bloodline of the High Emperor and the Grand Emperor, nurtured by the Great Han for over a dozen generations, it was time to offer up this hot blood.

After Liu Kuang left on his orders, Liu Zhi unknowingly drifted off to sleep. He had not closed his eyes for five days. And the moment he shut them, for some reason, he always dreamed of Liu Ziyu, who had perished in Hebei. That great fraud was still so mysterious. Even when Liu Zhi angrily exposed his identity in the dream, pointing at his nose and questioning him, Liu Ziyu still wore a look of righteous fervor, stretched out both hands, and said with great magnanimity: "Even I, a false Liu, could die a martyr for the Han. Boxian, why did you flee?"

Yes, back then he had feigned death among the corpses, and later "endured humiliation" to flee to the southeast. Liu Xiu praised him as incomparably loyal and brave, a true thousand-li colt of the Great Han, but only Liu Zhi himself knew.

"Back then, I too feared death."

At that time, Liu Zhi had not been prepared. But this time, having met a true enlightened sovereign, Liu Zhi had no more reluctance.

"In the past, I followed the false Liu Ziyu. Though the man was false, his heart for supporting the Han was utterly genuine. I could not go to my death then. Today, Liu Zhi will die a martyr for the true Great Han!"

Liu Zhi was so utterly exhausted that he could not even hear the clamor and quarreling around him. It was not until someone suddenly threw themselves onto him, letting out a heart-rending cry of pain, and hot blood splashed onto his face, that Liu Zhi's eyes flew open!

The person who had thrown himself onto him was none other than the "martyr" Liu Kuang, who had returned. His face was now deathly pale, his arms shielding Liu Zhi, and he was coughing up bloody froth.

Only then did Liu Zhi see that Liu Kuang's body was covered in sword wounds — taken to protect him! And the ones striking him were not Wei soldiers, but a group of Han army clerks of the Liu surname. They now stood gripping their bloodstained blades, at a loss. Seeing Liu Zhi awaken only panicked them more. Some threw down their weapons, knelt, and kowtowed, weeping. Others gritted their teeth and still pressed closer step by step.

It turned out that someone had overheard the conversation between Liu Zhi and Liu Kuang. Unwilling to die as martyrs for the Han with the two of them, they had roped in accomplices. When they followed Liu Kuang back, they drew their blades, intending to kill him. Once he was dead, they could logically surrender to the Wei army and save their own lives.

Sure enough, this group of Liu-surnamed army clerks, covered in scars, continued to point their blades at Liu Zhi and cursed with reddened eyes:

"Governor Liu, do not blame us. Blame yourself — if you want to die, then die, but why must you drag us down to perish with you?"

"Exactly. We were conscripted by you to Ximatai and have fought bloody battles for five days. We have done our utmost for the Great Han. We still have elders and children at home. How can we throw our lives away here?"

Then they angrily pressured Liu Kuang: "Gongzi Liu, you are a man of integrity, and also our kinsman and fellow villager. We cannot bear to harm you. Step aside for now and let us kill this Hebei man. Then the several hundred men on Ximatai will still have a way to live!"

Liu Kuang was gravely wounded, coughing up blood, yet he still forced himself to stand, staggering as he turned around.

Only when Liu Kuang turned around could Liu Zhi clearly see the fresh wounds on his back. Slash after slash of blade and sword had torn open his clothes, split his skin, and exposed the flesh... Counting carefully, there were as many as seven! These seven had been lethal blows aimed at him with great force. It was only because Liu Kuang had lunged to shield him and the attackers, startled, had pulled their strength that he was not killed on the spot.

Liu Kuang spread his arms wide, blocking Liu Zhi, and shouted at this group of Liu-surnamed men who had betrayed the Great Han: "I will not move!"

"If you gentlemen truly mean to murder one of your own surname, then I, Liu Kuang, offer myself in Lord Prefect's place!"