Chapter 384 Battle of Xiapi - Part 4 (1/2)
Chapter 384 – Battle of Xiapi - Part 4
The combat between Xiahou Yuan Army and Cao Cao Army were bloody. Within an hour, half of Xiahou Yuan was slain while Cao Cao's loss was minimal.
Guo Tu and Shen Pei could not find a chance to order his men to shoot a single arrow. As Xiahou Yuan marched out to fight Cao Cao on the open field, they were out of their archers' range.
After Xiahou Yuan lost half of his soldiers as they had planned, he ordered his men to withdraw to the city. Cao Cao also called his men to stop fighting and fall back, reorganizing his men.
Xu Chu retreated to the gate first with his bodyguards. He shouted to the gatekeepers, ”Let us in! We're not in the condition to fight!”
Shen Pei yelled back, ”Gate will not be opened! Stay in line and defend the wall!”
”BASTARD!!”
”This is our lord's direct order! We will not open the gate until the battle is over!”
”SON OF A BITCH!!”
Xu Chu was infuriated. He lifted his mace and slammed onto the bronze gate, which caused a dent into it.
The dent on the wall caused a tremor and a loud boom. Hearing the gong and sensing the small shockwave, all Yuan Shao's soldiers on the wall were astonished.
”W-We have someone this powerful!?”
”The mercenary is too strong!!”
”Amazing!!”
Everyone praised Xu Chu's strength, including the commanders. However, Shen Pei and Guo Tu had a pale face as they were afraid of Xu Chu's retaliation.
”T-They're spies, right? Sir Guo?”
”I-I think so! All cannon crews said they were spies!”
”By the way, do spies usually go so far to the point that they kill their allies to prove their innocence?”
”… I don't think an elite spy can afford that unless he wants to get himself killed by their lord.”
”Then, those men …”
”Let's hope that they're really spies. If they're really innocent, we're doomed.”
”…”
As Cao Cao stopped attacking for the rest of the day, Yuan Shao ordered the men to open the gate. Xu Chu, Xiahou Yuan, Guo Jia, and all 5,000 survivors entered the city to rest and catch their breath again.
.
West Gate
Today, Zhang Kai was assigned here as the supreme commander of the west wall to recover from yesterday's losses. His 19,000 men garrisoned on the top of the wall.
Meanwhile, Sun Jian and his 24,000 men did not lay siege. Instead, he stood still and had a staring contest with the defenders.
Cao Cao did not send him any further order, so Sun Jian acted by basing on his judgment.
Sun Jian understood the fundamental behind Cao Cao's troop placement strategy well. As they stationed on the west, which led to Cao Cao's territories, their roles were not attackers.
In a situation which Cao Cao had to retreat, everybody had to move west, and they would pass Sun Jian's current location. Although Cao Cao had not pointed out about their duties and jobs yet, Sun Jian knew that his army had already been assigned as a rearguard by default.
Thus, he prioritized his role as a rearguard and conserved their strength.
.
South Gate
The south front was still noisy as yesterday.
Today, Cao Cao did not comment on Huang Gai's losses or actions. Instead, he allowed them to act as they pleased.
Without a guideline, Huang Gai requested a piece of advice from his lord, Sun Jian.
Sun Jian ordered Huang Gai to stay put and do not do anything. They only need to surround the city and let the others finish the job. Since Huang Gai had lost too many troops already, it would be pointless to sacrifice everything for the sake of a city of someone else.
Thus, they built fences and barricades to hole themselves in a make-shift fortress before the city.
After seeing that Huang Gai built a fortification in front of them, Yan Liang lost his patience and came out alone.
”HUANG GAI! COME OUT AND FIGHT ME!!”
Yan Liang challenged Huang Gai into a duel again. His wounds had not yet healed, but he was already energetic after a day of rest.Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click for visiting.
Instead of coming out for another duel, Huang Gai turned to his soldiers.
”If there is anyone who can kill that asshole, I'll give you 1,000 gold.”
Hearing the bounty, all archers took their crossbows and aimed at Yan Liang.
*SWOOSH*
*SWOOSH*
*SWOOSH*
A rain of 1,000 arrows covered the sky, coming down for Yan Liang and his horse.
”FUCK!!”
Yan Liang galloped away in a hurry. As his lady luck was on his side, he escaped from the arrow range on time.
”FUCKING COWARD!! COME OUT AND FIGHT LIKE A MAN!!”
Huang Gai yelled back, ”THAT'S RICH COMING FROM A PUSSY WHO USED A HIDDEN WEAPON!!”
Yan Liang's anger shot through the roof because of the humiliation and shame. He turned around and gathered his men behind the breached wall.
”Gather all cannons and men. We'll fight them on the open field!”
All adjutants under Yan Liang were in an uproar.