Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress novel Chapter 775

Chapter 775: Chapter 772: Unknown_1

The heavy shield soldiers changed their formation, moving in groups of twenty, interlocking their heavy shields to protect the front and above, shielding the siege soldiers beneath. They shouted out, "Hoo-ha!" as they advanced steadily under the drumming battle rhythm, braving the rain of arrows.

Behind the heavy shield formation, a large number of trebuchets followed closely, densely packed, appearing endless in the darkness. Zhao Sheng’s deputy could not help but shiver with cold sweat; it must indeed be the Princess of Zhen herself. This time, Liu Hong of the Jin Army had deployed such a large scale of trebuchets, as if he was using his last reserves.

Arrows embedded themselves into the shields or into the muddy ground. When a shield soldier was struck down, a new soldier immediately took his place, each step paid with their lives to keep the trebuchets advancing closer, ensuring that the Qingxi Mountain Pass remained within their range.

On the city walls of the Qingxi Mountain Pass, the winches of the three-bed crossbows turned, the taut strings creaking. At the command, the hammer-wielding soldiers released the triggers, sending giant crossbow bolts, like silver spears, flying out. They pierced straight into the Jin heavy shield formation, followed by screams. Still, the Jin soldiers did not retreat and continued their advance.

New heavy shield soldiers braved the rain of arrows to cover the fallen, pulling them back swiftly under the shields. It was unclear how long this went on before a trebuchet commander rode up and shouted, "General, the city walls of the Qingxi Mountain Pass are within our range!"

Wang Xiping hurriedly turned his horse and rushed to Liu Hong’s war chariot. "General, we are within range!"

Liu Hong stood on his chariot, gripping the sword at his waist tightly, and shouted, "Fire!"

Wang Xiping echoed the order, turning and shouting in the rain, "Fire!"

At Wang Xiping’s command, an even louder whistling sound than the rain and wind rushed towards the Qingxi Mountain Pass. Boulders and stones fell like rain. The three-bed crossbows were smashed down from the city walls. Blood and flesh splattered everywhere atop the city walls.

As soon as the first wave of trebuchets paused, before the Liang Army could react, more boulders came crashing down through the torrential rain.

"General, watch out!" A guard beside Zhao Sheng’s deputy pushed him aside, taking the falling boulder himself, instantly losing his breath and life.

Zhao Sheng’s deputy’s helmet fell to the ground as he got up and saw his guard, then at the continuous boulders flying in, his heart shook. Liu Hong truly was using everything he had. Being helped up, Zhao Sheng’s deputy’s blood boiled as he threw down his sword, stood in front of the three-bed crossbows, turned the winch, and shouted, "Fire! Don’t let the Jin Army advance another step! Defend the Qingxi Mountain Pass to the death!"

In this heavy rain, fire was of no use. They couldn’t burn the Jin’s trebuchets, so the Liang soldiers on the walls could only take the hits passively.

Liu Hong, sensing the time was right, shouted, "Battering ram! Advance!"

The heavy shield formation orderly moved aside. The battering rams, heavily armored, rushed toward the city gates, followed closely by infantry pushing assault ladders. They advanced like a newly awakened giant beast, heading straight for the Qingxi Mountain Pass, making hearts pound in the night.

Among Daliang’s two great pass defenses, the Yushan Pass had already fallen into the Jin Kingdom’s hands. The Qingxi Mountain Pass, called the most impregnable pass, saw many famous generals but none could cross it.

This was because Qingxi Mountain Pass was built on natural defenses; the walls were made of stone and nearly impossible to climb.

Liu Hong spent significant manpower and resources from the Jin Kingdom to capture Qingxi Mountain Pass, drawing criticism from the Jin royal court. If he failed to hold onto the pass, not only would his position be in jeopardy, but it would also be an affront to the soldiers who died capturing it.

Bai Weiting once said, to conquer Daliang’s world, one must first take Yushan Pass and then the impregnable Qingxi Mountain Pass.