Chapter 61: The Battle of Zhenzi
All parts of the Wu State were actively recruiting soldiers, gathering food and supplies, and preparing to rush to the front lines at any time.
On the front line of Zhenzi, the war situation is becoming more and more urgent!
According to the battle report sent back by the defending general Heifu, the invading Chu army numbered about 80,000 people, with well-trained soldiers and sufficient food, and was besieging the city of Zhenzi day and night.
Although the huge city of Zhenzi was an important military town of the Wu State and its fortifications were very strong, it could not withstand the fierce attack of the larger and more powerful Chu Army!
The original defenders of Zhenzi had only two or three thousand soldiers, plus the five thousand reinforcements that had recently marched out from Wudu, the entire Wu army in Zhenzi City had no more than eight thousand soldiers in total.
That is, the Chu army's strength is ten times that of the Zhenzi defenders!
This made the situation in the entire Zhenzi City extremely precarious.
"Ten days! I need Hei Fu to hold on to Zhenzi for at least ten days! Go back and tell Hei Fu immediately that if he can't even hold on to Zhenzi for ten days, bring your head to me!"
Qingji shouted to the soldier who was kneeling on one knee under the steps.
"promise!"
It was not an exaggeration for Qingji to order Hefu to defend Zhenzi City for ten days.
Now, the Chu people are attacking on a large scale and the country is in crisis. Qingji has issued a conscription order to quickly recruit young and strong men in the country to Wudu, ready to join the battle on the front line at any time!
As the city of Zhenzi had been surrounded by the Chu army, which outnumbered them, Qingji could only stay in Wudu temporarily and launch a counterattack after gathering enough troops.
…
Wuhu, because of its low terrain, is a shallow lake covered with "weeds", rich in fish, with many pigeons and overgrown forests and grasses on the lakeside, hence the name "Jiuzi".
Zhenzi has always been a battleground for military strategists!
There is a long lake near Jiuzi, which was named Wuhu because "the water is not deep and weeds grow there".
This section of Shuiyang River was called Zhongjiang at that time. It connected to the Yangtze River in the west and Taihu Lake in the east. It was an important east-west transportation waterway!
Jiuzi is a ferry crossing that controls Zhongjiang River and its location is quite important.
If the Wu army attacks Chu, it will definitely use Zhenzi as a bridgehead. If the Chu army attacks Wu, it will definitely use Zhenzi as the best route.
Because the southwest of Wu State was a large area of undeveloped swampland, it was completely barren.
If the Chu army wants to attack Wu through there, it will be extremely difficult!
It is worth mentioning that Zhenzi was not an original city of the Wu State.
About seventy years ago, around 570 BC, Zhenzi was still a small country with the surname Yan, struggling to cope with the two major countries of Wu and Chu.
According to legend, Zhenzi and Qunshu (a small country with the surname Yan in the south) were both descendants of Gao Yao.
During the reign of King Gong of Chu, Lingyin Zi Zhong led his troops to attack the State of Wu and annexed the State of Jiuzi. From then on, it became a small town on the border of the State of Chu.
Later, the states of Wu and Chu fought repeatedly over the area of Zhenzi, which eventually became part of Wu and remains so today.
"kill!"
Inside and outside the city of Zhenzi, shouts of killing rose to the sky, and the anger was overwhelming.
The Chu army's bridge boats quickly rushed towards the water fort of Zhenzi City.
The Chu soldiers on the boat held up their shields to protect their bodies and to block the flying arrows.
But there were always some unlucky Chu soldiers who were shot by arrows and fell headfirst into the river. Blood mist filled the water surface and they were no longer able to make any sound!
Whenever the bridge boats approached the water fort and had not yet started to set up the ladders to climb, the Wu army soldiers on the water fort would suddenly throw stones and rolling logs at the enemy, or pour boiling hot oil on them!
“Uh huh—”
A Chu soldier who tried to climb up the ladder was caught off guard and had a stream of hot oil poured on his head.
He let out a shrill scream like a pig being slaughtered, and his face instantly became red, swollen, and ulcerated. Then his whole body fell to the ground like a kite with a broken string, and he died.
Many Chu soldiers did not even have time to touch the ladders, but their shields were suddenly hit by the rocks, causing them to see stars and fall dizzy.
Seeing this bloody scene, the Chu army soldiers behind did not feel afraid, but roared loudly to give themselves courage, and rushed towards the water stronghold one after another!
The fierce fighting in the direction of the water stronghold was already so brutal. As the main attack direction of the Chu army was in Zhenzi City, the casualties of both armies were naturally more serious.
Inside and outside the city, corpses were everywhere and blood flowed like a river!
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The dull and murderous sound of war drums resounded throughout the sky.
The mighty Chu army soldiers rushed towards the city of Zhenzi like a tide.
"kill!"
“Go!”
Stepping over the corpses of their comrades, the Chu army, with red eyes, rushed forward like mad bulls, fearlessly facing the enemy's arrows on the city wall.
At this time, the moat that originally surrounded the city of Zhenzi had been filled up by the Chu people to create a large passage.
Many strong and muscular Chu soldiers pushed battering rams and violently hit the city gate of Zhenzi!
The wooden curtain on the siege hammer can block many enemy arrows for the Chu army attacking the city.
Whenever a soldier pushing the battering ram died, another nearby soldier would take his place.
“Boom! Boom!”
Under the fierce impact of the battering ram, the originally heavy city gate trembled and seemed to be on the verge of collapse.
Fortunately, inside the city gate, there were still more than a dozen Wu army soldiers who used their flesh and blood to hold the edge of the city gate and withstand the fierce impact of the battering ram!
"Shoot!"
On the top of the city wall, Wu army archers drew their bows and arrows from time to time, shooting the enemies who were constantly pouring in from below.
"ah!"
A Chu soldier was accidentally shot in the eye by an arrow, and blood splattered everywhere. He covered his eyeballs in pain and was eventually killed by the falling logs!
At this time, many Chu army soldiers had already climbed up to the top of the city wall using siege ladders such as cloud ladders and flying ladders, but what were waiting for them were the spears and broadswords of the Wu soldiers !
"Damn it! Die!"
"Get out!"
The Wu army on the top of the city wall cursed and stabbed the enemy who was sticking his head out. They immediately stabbed with a spear, directly sweeping the Chu soldier away, causing him to be seriously injured and fall to the ground, his bones broken into pieces!
"Wu Manzi, go to hell!"
"Chu dog!"
As the saying goes, when enemies meet, they become jealous of each other.
When the soldiers of the Wu and Chu armies were fighting, they did not forget to swear foul language, holding their anger and wanting to kill each other.
“Puff!”
A Wu soldier was defeated by the Chu soldiers and was stabbed in the heart by a sword. His eyes suddenly widened and blood unconsciously flowed from the corner of his mouth.
But even so, the soldiers of Wu army still roared like wild beasts, hugged the enemy's waist, pounced forward, and fell to the top of the city together!
How much hatred must one have to do such a thing?
Perhaps, for the Wu army soldiers who wanted to die together, they just wanted to take someone with them before they died.
Under the city, in order to cover more Chu soldiers to climb to the top of the city, archers shot arrows upwards from time to time, also killing many enemies.
The battle between the Wu and Chu armies for the city of Zhenzi was extremely brutal!
Extremely bloody!
