1061 Taking Advantage of Dali (1/2)
Chapter 1061 – Taking Advantage of Dali
Gaia 5th year, 6th month, 19th day, Imperial City Edo.
After resting up, Han Xin ordered the north army to launch probing attacks on Edo. These attacks lasted for an entire day, and the various troops took turns to strike. First, it was to get used to the geography whilst also searching for defensive weaknesses in the city wall.
Hence, although the battle was really exciting, neither side suffered much losses. It could be considered a warm up.
”The enemy gunners are not simple.”
This was the first conclusion that Han Xin made. Oda Nobunaga's usage and understanding of gunners was really refreshing to Han Xin, and he felt like he had gained knowledge. Without a doubt, this was the weakness of the Great Xia generals.
Ouyang Shuo smiled, ”Then let's capture Oda Nobunaga and make him our teacher.”
”I've that intention too!” Han Xin smiled.
...
Start of the second day, Han Xin made his move.
Especially on the north and east sides, they launched their most ferocious assault on Edo at the same time. Cannons, trebuchet, turrets, flying devices, and the like were all set up on the battlefield by Han Xin.
The city protection river of Edo was nothing in front of the expedition army.
The natural sciences college led by Mo Zi had just developed a new kind of siege weapon -trestle bridge. This bridge did not need to be stacked up to work and could just be pulled away by a few chariots.
During the siege, one just needed to open up the bridge, and the army could easily cross the city protection river.
With such a siege weapon, the Great Xia Army did not need to use old methods like using sand and human lives to fill it up, and the efficiency was four to five times greater.
This was the power of technology.
Being affected by the times, the Mohists were also improving, innovating and coming up with new things.
The change of Mohists came about due to the change of the Great Xia philosophers. Each school of thought was having their own revolution and adapting to the new era.
If not, they could only be eliminated.
News had it that there were already people who started to build new factions to challenge the old ones. This was a new and interesting development.
This meant that Great Xia's academic standards had reached a whole new level.
Another day passed.
Under the fierce attacks of the north army, Edo still stood tall like an iron city.
As the sun went down west, the earth was covered in red.
To the soldiers that were used to the military life, such a blood ocean and corpse field was something they were used to. Some soldiers directly grabbed two buns, sitting on the corpses and chomping down on their food.
Experienced soldiers were an asset.
The siege today was not that smooth, as the defense of Edo was more stubborn than they had expected. The preparations of half a year was definitely not something that could be broken in a day or two.
On the city wall, Keisuke Honda and Oda Nobunaga stood side by side.
Two days had passed, and Oda Nobunaga did not know what the enemy forces were doing, ”Are they really crazy?” With how the enemy were acting, they really did not understand what they were doing.
”They obviously know that they cannot do it, but they are still insisting on it. Foolish!”
Oda Nobunaga thought differently. As a general, he only needed to consider the battlefield, ”My Lord, the enemy's focus of attack should be the east side.”
Keisuke Honda did not understand, ”Looking at the situation, the north and east difference should not have much difference. Why do you think that the enemy would focus on the east?”
”It's different.”
Oda Nobunaga was really confident, ”The enemy general is really crafty, and although he tried to cover it up, his true motives were revealed. The fierce attack on the north is fake.”
When Keisuke Honda heard that, he did not ask anymore.
In terms of battle strategy, Keisuke Honda was not on the same level as Oda Nobunaga.
Oda Nobunaga asked, ”Lord, do we get the north army to reinforce the east?”
Keisuke Honda thought about it and said, ”Let's wait for one more day to confirm in case we make a mistake.” He was still a little worried.
”Understood!”
...
The north army's attacks on the 21st was ferocious like lions.
Especially the east, the Guo Ziyi led blazing legion corps was really determined. This group that had gotten achievements after achievement in this battle acted as the vanguard for this attack.
Just 20 days had passed, and over 60 thousand blazing legion corps soldiers had died, an average of three thousand a day. They were close to losing half the of legion corp. Although Feng Qiuhuang's heart felt pained, her attitude was still one of determination.
Feng Qiuhuang's determination was right.
Although the blazing legion corps suffered heavy casualties, after this tough war, the entire army started to transform. Different from the Great Xia Army, who often fought wars, apart from in the Battle Map, the blazing legion corps rarely had chances to fight wars.
Such training and trials were exactly what the blazing legion corps needed.
Under the ferocious assault of the blazing legion corps, the east wall of Edo was challenged. Beginning in the afternoon, there were many blazing legion corps soldiers who successfully made it to the city wall, tearing apart the Edo defense line.
Although they were pushed back one by one, Oda Nobunaga was still nervous.
If he did not move troops to defend, the moment a breach was torn open, Edo might actually be broken through. Seeing the situation, Keisuke Honda did not say anything and agreed to Oda Nobunaga's plans to move the troops.
In his eyes, the enemy was using the Chinese classic of attacking three sides and leaving one open. Apart from the west, the other three sides could all be the main area where the enemy attacks came from.
After two days of observation, Oda Nobunaga believed that the east side was the true target of the enemy.
That night, the west side troops housed in Edo moved toward the east. At the same time, the north and south sides had a portion of their forces moving toward the east.