Volume One, Chapter Seven: Troop Deployment, Storms on the Horizon!
Cloud-Breaker Divine Crossbow!
A large-scale crossbow-type siege defense weapon, with an effective range reaching several hundred meters, even over a thousand meters, capable of inflicting tremendous damage upon enemy forces.
This brief introduction ignited a fire in Qin Feng’s heart, stirring deep anticipation.
Setting everything else aside,
the mere fact that it required one thousand points to redeem was enough to prove the extraordinary nature of the Cloud-Breaker Divine Crossbow.
“Tongzi, exchange for two Cloud-Breaker Divine Crossbows!” Qin Feng murmured.
[ Ding ]
[ Resource exchange successful. Delivery to the south gate of Suiye City will arrive in ten hours. Please be alert to receive it! ]
“So long?” Qin Feng was slightly surprised. “Looks like I’ll have to wait until tomorrow to witness the marvel of the Cloud-Breaker Divine Crossbow!”
Afterwards,
Qin Feng exchanged all his remaining one hundred thousand points for special composite bows and a large quantity of arrows.
The Xiongnu army would surely strike again. In city defense, the amount of arrows directly affects the ease of defense!
Gathering his thoughts,
Qin Feng strode into the city. Thanks to ample food supplies, the citizens lining the streets glowed with health and eagerly assisted the Northern Border troops in repairing houses.
Even seventy-year-old elders were busy, laboriously carrying stones to hand to nearby soldiers.
Everyone who saw Qin Feng wore expressions full of respect.
They were not fools.
The imperial court had not sent supplies for a long time, clearly having abandoned Suiye City. Without Qin Feng, they would have long since perished under the Xiongnu’s blades.
They were ordinary people.
The turmoil of the court and the conspiracies in the capital had nothing to do with them; all they wanted was simply to eat their fill, keep warm, and survive.
After walking a while,
Qin Feng noticed that some elders and women, though their gazes held respect for him, revealed profound sorrow deep in their eyes, with tears hanging at their corners.
These must be the families of the fallen soldiers.
Just last night, they had laughed and eaten meat together; today, they were separated by life and death.
Qin Feng sighed softly.
---
Seeing Meng Jun approaching not far ahead, Qin Feng interrupted before he could speak.
“General Meng, have the bodies of the fallen soldiers been properly buried?”
Meng Jun nodded. “They have all been laid to rest in the western part of the city.”
Qin Feng said, “Designate the west of the city as a martyrs’ cemetery. After we have completely repelled the Xiongnu, station guards to protect it. No one shall disturb the spirits of the heroes.”
“Identify the families of the fallen soldiers and provide them with compensation. Issue a strict decree: anyone who insults the families of the martyrs, regardless of status or position, shall be executed on the spot!”
Upon hearing this,
Meng Jun was first surprised, then deeply respectful.
In this way, those families who lost their pillars would have a strong backing, and their future lives could be secured!
“Yes, Your Highness!” Meng Jun acknowledged the order.
Qin Feng clasped his hands behind his back and asked, “What were you about to say earlier?”
Meng Jun replied, “Your Highness, the horses are being kept in the southern part of the city. Some unfit horses can be slaughtered at any time to serve as food reserves. The granary in the south is also being expanded.”
Qin Feng nodded slightly. “General Meng, summon the core leaders of the Northern Border Army to discuss the next steps.”
Meng Jun acknowledged, “Understood!”
In the temporary command camp,
the two walls still leaked wind. Qin Feng entered and walked straight to the main seat to sit.
Not long after, Meng Jun led several officers inside and saluted respectfully, “Your Highness!”
“Everyone, please sit.”
Qin Feng gestured for them to sit, then furrowed his brows and asked, “The Xiongnu army could return at any time. What are your suggestions?”
Silence fell for several heartbeats.
Meng Jun’s expression grew grave as he cupped his hands. “Your Highness, the immediate priority is to reinforce the city walls, repair the damaged sections, and erect defenses outside the city such as hedgehog barricades and chevaux-de-frise.”
The Xiongnu’s left-wing forces were substantial.
With only twenty thousand Northern Border troops, even relying on Suiye City’s defenses, they would lose the city in no more than seven days.
They could only rely on obstacles and defensive installations to slow the Xiongnu advance.
Qin Feng stroked his chin thoughtfully for a moment, then said, “General Meng, I entrust this matter to you. Use the captured Xiongnu weapons as much as possible to slow their march.”
Meng Tian cupped his fists in acknowledgment, “Understood!”
Qin Feng then looked to one side and said, “Li Xiuyuan!”
“Yes, at your service!” The sharp-eyed, stern-faced deputy general stepped forward half a pace and saluted respectfully.
Qin Feng said, “Select four thousand soldiers skilled in archery. Divide them into two teams to stand on the walls, spaced three feet apart in a staggered formation. Train them thoroughly in this formation. After one team shoots, they fall back to reload while the other team advances to replace them, cycling continuously.”
Li Xiuyuan’s face showed difficulty. “Your Highness, training the formation is not a problem, but many of Suiye City’s bows are damaged to varying degrees, and the arrow supply is severely insufficient.”
Even the most skilled archer cannot shoot without bows and arrows.
Qin Feng smiled, “You don’t need to worry about that. I have my ways!”
Li Xiuyuan nodded. “Understood.”
Qin Feng then turned to a burly captain nearby. “Zhao Qiming, have your men melt down all unnecessary weapons and the metal from the catapults to forge shields.”
“The shields must be six feet long and three feet wide, so that two men can lift them together and they can perfectly shield the body of four men.”
Zhao Qiming looked puzzled.
Though shields could increase defense to some extent, large shields were exhausting to wield and would drain soldiers’ stamina, which might be counterproductive.
But military orders are like mountains; he did not question further and respectfully took the command.
After arranging troop deployments,
Qin Feng led some men toward the south gate of Suiye City, gazing at the gathering dark clouds on the horizon, as if awaiting something.
……
Deep within the grasslands, inside the Xiongnu king’s tent,
a man’s body was almost prostrate on the ground, his head bowed deeply, trembling and hoarse from fear as he spoke, “Great Chanyu, our right-wing army… has been completely annihilated…”
Bang!
At these words, Huyan Zhuo slammed the heavy table so forcefully that a crack appeared.
The loud noise echoed like thunder throughout the silent tent, causing all inside to shudder.
Huyan Zhuo rose abruptly.
Tall and robust as a towering mountain, his stern and resolute face exuded wildness and authority. His deep-set eyes radiated boundless killing intent and fury!
He approached the scout, looking down and demanded, “Explain in detail!”
The scout’s face turned pale with fright as he stammered, “Last night at the first watch, our enemy took advantage of our fatigue and launched a cavalry surprise attack. We were caught completely off guard and suffered heavy losses.”
“The Right Wise King organized troops to resist in time, but it was too late in the end…”
As he finished,
Huyan Zhuo’s face was icy as frost, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles whitened. He pondered aloud, “Didn’t the Great Yu’s Northern Border Army’s supplies get cut off? How did they still have the strength to launch a night raid against us?”