Chapter 324: Blood Battle at Tanzhou

At this moment, the place where they were stationed was only a mere thirty or fifty li from Tanzhoucheng. This was a desolate mountain range, where the wind and sand pierced the bones and the cold air was biting. Jiang Jiang Mingyu led a group of elite cavalry to launch a surprise attack on Tanzhoucheng, break the Other Xi Xia defense line, and open a path for the One Da Jiang army.

Half an hour later, Jiang Jiang Mingyu, who had been traveling at high speed, arrived beneath Tanzhoucheng under the morning star that had not yet set. He gazed from afar at the flags and lights on the city wall, feeling a chill in his heart. The situation was much as he had imagined; although the Other Xi Xia defenders on the wall looked pale and haggard, they were already on high alert. They had obviously received word and strengthened their defenses, and would not easily let them breach the city.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu stood stunned. He knew this was a life-and-death battle; he had to break through the enemy's position under the cover of darkness before dawn, or he would fall into difficulty and be surrounded by the enemy. He did not want his cavalry to die in vain, nor did he want to fail the court's burden, and even less did he want to let the Other Xi Xia people gloat. He took a deep breath, rallied his spirits, and ordered, "Beat the war drums." With a loud drumbeat, he spurred his horse and charged toward the city gate first, with the cavalry behind him following closely, shouting with killing intent.

Fang Hang spurred his horse forward and shouted at the city wall, "People on the wall, listen well! The One Da Jiang's four hundred thousand troops have already arrived beneath the city! If you are sensible, open the city gates and surrender immediately to escape with your lives!"

On the city wall, Situ Hesheng sneered, walking slowly and deliberately to the railing. He stroked the black mole at the corner of his mouth and mocked, "Jiang Jiang Mingyu, in just one day, you have inflated your forces to four hundred thousand? I think you are merely bluffing!"

Having said that, he signaled to the Other Xi Xia soldiers beside him. Those Other Xi Xia soldiers immediately understood, shouting in a cacophony, "Southern barbarians, with so few people, you still want to attack the city? Don't dream!" "Go back to your One Da Jiang and save yourselves from dying by the tens of thousands again!"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu said coldly, "Situ Hesheng, you old dead man! I give you one last chance; it is better to surrender immediately. On the day the city falls, all will be destroyed together; do not regret it when the time comes!"

Situ Hesheng, as if hearing the biggest joke in the world, laughed heartily, "Jiang Jiang Mingyu, I know you are bluffing! Why don't you try attacking the city and see how much price you can pay!"

He turned to look at the Other Xi Xia general beside him, thinking inwardly that as long as he could annihilate more One Da Jiang soldiers, he would have more bargaining chips to negotiate with the Emperor. The more of these Southern barbarians died, the more secure his position would be.

Seeing that he refused to open the city, Fang Hang could no longer restrain his rage, "Situ Hesheng, you shameless villain! Do you want to use despicable tactics again? I will fight you to the death!" Having said that, he clamped his legs and was about to charge out of the encirclement.

Amidst the roaring of the war drums, Fang Hang spurred his horse forward, shouted loudly, and pointed his long spear from afar.

"People on the wall, listen well! The One Da Jiang Emperor Your Majesty has personally arrived at Tanzhou, and four hundred thousand troops have arrived beneath the city."

"If you are sensible, let Situ Hesheng come out immediately; surrendering Tanzhou can spare your life, but once the army breaches the city, all will be destroyed together."

His words were like sharp blades, stabbing at the Other Xi Xia soldiers on the city wall, trying to break their psychological defense line.

Facts proved that Situ Hesheng was indeed well prepared; in less than a quarter of an hour, he appeared on the city wall.

Seeing Fang Hang's face full of dark clouds, he touched the black mole at the corner of his mouth, laughing with such arrogance that he rasped,

"Jiang Jiang Mingyu, five or six thousand people died last night, and today you are back again; you are truly relentless."

"What's the matter, are you tired of living and here to deliver military merit to us again?"

His words were like gunpowder, igniting Fang Hang's anger and trying to provoke his impulse.

Fang Hang snorted coldly, pointed his long spear from afar, and spoke with disdain.

"Situ Hesheng, spare the nonsense; if you are a man, come out of the city and fight this Commandant."

"If you dare not come out, then just tie up your hair in a bun and go home to be a woman."

His words were like hooks, catching Situ Hesheng's pride and trying to lure him out of the city.

Under such insults, Situ Hesheng did not get angry but laughed instead; his laughter was like knives, cutting Fang Hang's eardrums and trying to crush his confidence.

"Fang Hang, no need for nonsense; if you want to use tricks to trick us into coming out of the city, you should give up on that idea."

"If you have the guts, attack the city; I'll tell you the truth, the feather arrows, hot oil, rolling logs, and rocks on the city wall are all prepared for you."

"To use your words, if you don't have the courage to attack the city, then just go back to One Da Jiang and wait to die."

His words were like stones, smashing into Fang Hang's heart, trying to dispel his thoughts.

Even if his brain was not very sharp, he would not use twenty thousand men who couldn't get enough to eat to hard-charge against Jiang Jiang Mingyu's four hundred thousand elites.

As long as Jiang Jiang Mingyu got angry and attacked the city, he naturally had a way to leave more One Da Jiang soldiers beneath Tanzhoucheng.

Seeing the dark clouds on Fang Hang's face, he suddenly spoke even more arrogantly.

"We just won't come out; how about it, are you angry?"

As he spoke, his tone inevitably rose a few more degrees.

"Jiang Jiang Mingyu, stop dawdling; come on! If we don't kill you all clean today, we are your grandsons."

At the same time, the Other Xi Xia soldiers guarding the city wall were even more grinning and shouting in a disorderly manner.

"Jiang Jiang Mingyu, come on, come on..."

Just based on the fact that they killed five thousand of Jiang Jiang Mingyu's men last night, it was enough for them to hold their heads high for a few days in the defeated and defeated Other Xi Xia nation.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu shook his head; he did not care at all about Situ Hesheng's provocation and mockery, nor was he tempted by Fang Hang's insults and lures; in his heart, there was only one goal, which was to capture Tanzhou and expand the territory of One Da Jiang.

"So be it; Situ Hesheng, since you are so confident, Jiang Jiang Mingyu will just give it a try."

Having said that, regardless of Situ Hesheng's reaction, he spoke directly to Tu Tu Kesiluo.

"Let's start now."

Bluffing; the look in Situ Hesheng's eyes toward Jiang Jiang Mingyu and the others became even more contemptuous.

"Let's see today what methods you Southern barbarians have to break Tanzhou?"

Tu Tu Kesiluo's face was cold; he waved his big hand suddenly and spoke indifferently.

"Listen to the order, archers advance."

Seeing ten thousand archers ready, Tu Tu Kesiluo shouted again.

"Light the fire."

Shortly after, on the ten thousand-plus feather arrows soaked in fire oil, flames gradually rose and danced with the wind.

Looking at the fire arrows pointing diagonally toward the sky, a very strong sense of unease suddenly surged in Situ Hesheng's heart.

He rasped,

"Not good, these Southern barbarians are going to burn Tanzhou; hurry and prepare to extinguish the fire."

The Other Xi Xia people, who were warlike by nature and thick-skinned, never thought that Jiang Jiang Mingyu would play such a trick.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu smiled noncommittally; he trusted Tu Tu Kesiluo's strategy very much; his laughter was like bells, ringing in Fang Hang's ears and trying to boost his morale.

"Sharpening the spear on the eve of battle, isn't that a bit too late?"

Tu Tu Kesiluo did not want to give them this opportunity either; he pointed his long sword and spoke coldly.

"Release the arrows."

Amidst the whistling sound of breaking wind, fire arrows like a sudden rain of locusts, as if they cost nothing, were sent into Tanzhou.

Hearing the screams in the city, Situ Hesheng jumped up and down shouting,

"Extinguish the fire! Quickly order people to extinguish the fire, hurry!"

However, before the Other Xi Xia soldiers sent to extinguish the fire could be dispatched, Tu Tu Kesiluo's second volley arrived.

Just then, the howling north wind suddenly grew stronger, and a towering inferno instantly spread in all directions through the dry city.

In such freezing weather, Situ Heshong, standing on the city tower, seemed to feel the scorching heat coming from behind him.

The shouts of those fighting the fire, the heavy coughing of soldiers and civilians, and the wails of the burned dead all surged forward without distinction of order.

Situ Heshong's face turned ashen; it was over, everything was over.

Situ Heshong, who had silently thought "it's over," grabbed his throat in even greater despair and shouted.

"What are you staring at? Go quickly..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Fang Hang raised his hand, and a cold arrow pierced straight through his throat.

"You mere puppet, dare you continue to act so arrogantly?"

With the main general suddenly dead, the Western Xia forces on the city wall lost their backbone and immediately panicked.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu spoke without missing a beat.

"Tu Tu Kesiluo, shoot and kill all the Western Xia defenders on the city walls."

"Fang Hang, once Tu Tu Kesiluo succeeds, immediately lead your men to batter down the city gates. Move!"

Before his words had even faded, the archers under Tu Tu Kesiluo had already opened fire.

The Western Xia on the city wall, still stunned by Situ Heshong's death, quickly fell in droves.

Those who were lucky enough to keep their lives immediately scattered in all directions to dodge the rain of arrows falling from the sky.

Fang Hang, without missing a beat, raised his long spear.

"Assault the city! Follow me!"

Soon, the One Da Jiang soldiers carrying round logs, led by him, crossed the moat and rushed straight toward the city walls.

After a dull thud, the tightly shut gates of Tanzhoucheng instantly burst open with a boom.

Gazing at the fire within the city, Jiang Jiang Mingyu pointed with his sword.

"Charge in and kill!"

Tu Tu Kesiluo, taking the lead, brought the ten thousand vanguard troops into the city through the raging flames.

While chopping down a Western Xia soldier, he shouted loudly.

"Fang Hang, send men to block all four gates of Tanzhou; do not let a single Western Xia escape."

Having said that, he chopped the head off another Western Xia soldier who stood in his way.

While leading his men in a fierce charge, Fang Hang shouted to the adjutant beside him.

"Immediately split the forces into four routes to block the gates of Tanzhou, then go to the main camp to deal with the Western Xia cavalry's horses."

Once those fifty thousand elite Western Xia cavalry lost their horses, Tanzhou would be firmly in their grasp.

Following the great fire just now, the entire city of Tanzhou was already in chaos.

Facing Jiang Jiang Mingyu's four hundred thousand-strong army, the heavily battered Western Xia soldiers were quickly on the verge of collapse.

At midday, Tu Tu Kesiluo, whose great cloak was already dyed red with blood, arrived before Jiang Jiang Mingyu.

"Big Brother, except for the group of Western Xia soldiers who surrendered, all enemy forces in the city have been eliminated by our troops; Tanzhou is ours."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu nodded, then asked.

"What are our casualties?"

Tu Tu Kesiluo sighed.

"In this battle, nearly fifty thousand of our men died; the loss is significant."

Exchanging fifty thousand for two hundred thousand could already be considered a great victory; Jiang Jiang Mingyu nodded.

"Immediately send men to Meng Pu and order Goudan to dispatch fifty thousand troops for reinforcement; the speed must be fast."

Judging by the time, the troops sent by Zhu Ge Yu should have already garrisoned Meng Pu.

After the messenger carrying the message departed, Jiang Jiang Mingyu asked Tu Tu Kesiluo again.

"Where are the captured Western Xia soldiers now? I wish to interrogate them."

He believed that from the mouths of these people, he would definitely obtain the answers he sought.

On Tu Tu Kesiluo's blood-stained face, a sinister smile appeared.

"They have all been detained by our troops in the Inspector's Mansion; Big Brother, let us go now."