NCCnovel Chapter 424: Defeat in Chang'an
Chapter 424: Defeat in Chang'an
After all, the Qiang army that entered the city numbered as many as 50,000, including a considerable number of infantry.
The reinforcements from the South Gate arrived hurriedly and soon discovered a large number of Qiang people pouring in like a tide. They were numerous and aggressive.
After all, this was a battle in the city, and the army defending the city had no room to retreat.
Especially since those entering the city were foreigners, some of the people in Chang'an, and even the evil forces that usually oppressed civilians, for unknown reasons, took up arms and fought a desperate battle with the Qiang people entering the city.
This scene undoubtedly gave great encouragement to the defenders.
After entering the city, the Qiang soldiers were unfamiliar with the terrain and suffered both open and covert attacks, and were beaten back step by step.
As the army entered the city, Hu Yimu and Zhang Heng prepared to follow the army into the city.
"Captain, after we entered the city, we encountered extremely stubborn resistance from the city's army, even..."
A Qiang soldier came running over hurriedly and reported to Hu Yimu anxiously.
"What? We have 50,000 men in the city, and there are 50,000 allied troops. How could we be blocked by the garrison at one gate? Didn't the Qin army over there also successfully break into the city?"
Hu Yimu widened his eyes, his face full of disbelief.
As he was speaking, bursts of explosions were heard from the direction of the west gate. It was obvious that the artillery fire from inside the city was fighting back.
"General Zhang, are the weapons in your men's hands vegetarian?"
Seeing this, Hu Yimu looked annoyed and asked Zhang Hengdao beside him in a reproachful manner.
Zhang Heng knew that the opponent had already stabilized his position and was able to fight back.
But the reason why he ordered a strict ban on firing into the city was not because the weapons were useless, but because of other considerations.
Although he had only a few mortars and tiger guns, these weapons could still play a role in street fighting.
However, in response to Hu Yimu's questioning, he remained calm and said, "If we use artillery to attack, it will inevitably hurt our Qiang brothers."
This seemed to be nothing wrong at first. Hu Yimu was dissatisfied but couldn't scold him too much, so he said, "You arrange your weapons and I will order my men to withdraw first."
"That's a good idea. My men are occupying the advantageous terrain. You can order a retreat now."
As Zhang Heng spoke, he announced orders to his men with a serious face.
"You go, prepare for battle, and attack the defenders."
After hearing the order, his men hurriedly rode their horses to the foot of the city wall and conveyed Zhang Heng's order.
On the battlefield, soldiers are bound by their duty to obey orders and fight when told to.
The defenders had just organized a counterattack and transported light weapons, which defeated the Qiang soldiers and made them flee in disarray.
They were planning to pursue the victory, but they saw artillery shells whistling in front of them, followed by a series of explosions around them.
Most of the residents at the west gate of Chang'an City were civilians, and the houses there had relatively simple structures.
After the fierce bombardment by Zhang Heng's army, many houses collapsed or burned instantly.
There were some elderly, weak and children trapped in the house, crying out for help miserably.
When the neighbors saw this, they had a sense of justice and organized themselves to rescue the people without hesitation. However, they never expected that the shells were ruthless and many residents who came to rescue were instantly killed on the spot.
The artillery fire between the two sides resulted in the deaths of more innocent civilians.
But there is no room for mercy at this time, because war is a cruel struggle of life and death.
The battle at the West Gate was as brutal as that at the North Gate.
The battle lasted until 3 p.m., and Ge Pengfei's army suffered heavy casualties and was short of ammunition. Finally, they had no choice but to retreat to the south gate to cover the evacuation of all residents in the city.
In Ge Pengfei's words, this is the last bottom line of his conscience that he can uphold.
In street fighting, every street and every intersection would be fiercely fought for, and often the stubborn resistance of hundreds of people would delay the pace of the army's movement.
Ge Pengfei was looking forward to the arrival of reinforcements.
But now, after only one day of fighting, the mission to defend the city was declared a failure.
He counted on his fingers and found that there were only three days left. Even if Yanzhou sent troops, they would not arrive until tomorrow at the earliest.
"Let's see if we can hold the South Gate tonight. If not, we should all withdraw."
As the sky gradually darkened, Ge Pengfei was filled with worry, but still held on to one last glimmer of hope.
Perhaps the enemy is tired and will not attack the city tonight. As long as we can hold on until tomorrow, reinforcements may arrive in time.
……
After Qian Dazhuang learned that Zhang Heng had entered the city, their actions stopped at the north gate.
At this time, they had run out of ammunition and were only able to defend, with no power to attack.
Most of their troops were stationed outside the city, with only a small number guarding the city walls.
Staying at the north gate, they also had an important task, which was to guard against reinforcements coming from Yanzhou.
The only natural barrier that the North Gate can rely on is the Wei River.
Zhang Heng was also well aware of this situation, so he mobilized all his heavy artillery to cooperate with Qian Dazhuang's army to defend together.
Just as Ge Pengfei had expected, the fighting in the city stopped at night. Everyone found a place to rest, set up defenses, and prepared for a more brutal battle the next day.
But Ge Pengfei mistakenly underestimated the Sima family's thorough preparations for this siege.
Zhang Heng took advantage of this truce to transport all the ammunition behind him.
Originally, before the war began, Ge Pengfei sent an army of 10,000 people out of the city with the intention of launching a surprise attack on the enemy's supplies.
As a result, they only encountered Qian Dazhuang's team.
The Qin army had no baggage at all. The only thing that could be called baggage was some fodder for horses, and the quantity was very small.
After a small-scale conflict, the team successfully burned the hay for feeding the horses and headed towards the east gate.
Facts have proved that this team did not play its due role. If these people were deployed with the team brought by Zhang Heng at that time, they might have been able to show their due value.
……
The night was silent, and the clamor of war finally found a trace of peace in the long dark night.
When the dawn broke, Zhang Heng's camp was fully stocked with ammunition. Just one round of fierce artillery fire forced Ge Pengfei and his men to flee Chang'an in a hurry and take refuge in the winding and undulating mountains not far outside the city.
The news spread like wildfire and quickly reached Qi Guanlie in Yanzhou.
He took action as soon as he heard the news. Within half a day, he had assembled his army and was ready to go. With 50,000 elite soldiers under his command and countless light artillery, he marched in a mighty force, vowing to provide rescue.
When the group reached the bank of the Wei River, the view suddenly opened up and a magnificent bridge spanning the two banks came into view, but it was also the focus of their worries at the moment.
However, as they approached and prepared to step onto the bridge of hope, the scene on the other side left Qi Guanlie dumbfounded.
On the opposite bank, dozens of iron cannons stand tall, their muzzles pointed directly at the bridge, like a group of silent guardians, waiting for any challenger who dares to cross the line.
The air was filled with tension and solemnity, and any disturbance could trigger a devastating storm.
Qi Guanlie knew very well that if his army moved forward rashly, they would be greeted with overwhelming artillery fire, and the bridge in front of them might not be able to be saved in the fierce battle.
At that time, it would be difficult for them to cross the river.
In desperation, he had to give up the plan of a strong attack and instead ordered his men to explore carefully along the river to find a plan to cross the river without being blocked.