Chapter 113: Slave Human Shields

Chapter 113: Slave Human Shields

About ten miles outside of Yanbei City.

The Turks had formed up their battle lines.

Their cavalry were in the rear, and in front of them were tens of thousands of slaves.

These slaves held simple weapons.

This was the Turks’ usual tactic.

Their cavalry were not good at besieging cities, so they typically used slaves to lead the way and attack the city walls.

Usually, the defending commanders would hesitate to act because these slaves were their fellow countrymen.

Then, taking advantage of their hesitation, the Turks would sneak among the slaves to seize the city.

Moreover, among these slaves were many Turkic criminals sentenced to the death penalty.

If Jiang Ling, the city defender, wanted to open the gates and let the slaves in, the Turks hiding among them would mix in and wait for a signal to secretly open the gates.

…

Han Da stood solemnly on the city wall, already seeing this scene.

With these slaves paving the way, the Horse Trap Pits they had dug were completely ineffective against the Turks.

Instead, those slaves stepped into the pits and were injured by the sharpened stakes inside.

When these slaves stepped into a Horse Trap Pit, the slaves beside them immediately filled it in.

They advanced very carefully, so their marching speed was not fast.

The six Deputy Generals beside Han Da saw this and asked him nervously, “Grand General Han, these Turks are so careful!”

“Yes, Grand General Han, they are actually using our own people to clear the path! How despicable.”

“Grand General Han, what should we do if these slaves attack the city later?”

The six Deputy Generals speaking were precisely the six commanders that Sun Qiang had gotten to know back in Lingxiao City: Huang Shan, Zhao Long, Jiang Xing, and the others.

Xiao Ce had sent all six Deputy Generals to accompany Han Da.

Han Da found them quite capable, so he kept them by his side and entrusted them with important duties.

Hearing their words, Han Da’s expression remained resolute. “The Prince has already given orders! Anyone who attacks the city is an enemy. Kill them!”

Deputy General Sun Qiang looked at the scene, his face showing surprise. “Did the Prince foresee that they would use slaves as cannon fodder?”

Han Da saw his look and nodded. “Yes, our Prince is a divine being. He thinks a hundred steps ahead, leaving nothing to chance!”

At his side, Sun Qiang said, “General Han, these people are actually pitiful… The Turks behind them are at some distance. We could let them into the city first! After all, we are flesh and blood, fellow countrymen!”

Han Da’s expression did not change. “What if they have mixed Turks among them? We have no way to tell!”

Sun Qiang said, “Then couldn’t we have them identify each other…”

Han Da shook his head with a bitter smile. “Deputy General Sun, do you think the Turks will give us the time?”

Sun Qiang nodded awkwardly.

Han Da said, “We are doing this for the thirty-nine cities of Northern Desert behind us, and even for the tens of millions of our fellow countrymen in the Xiao Kingdom! I did not share this with you before, but the intelligence brought by the Princess Consort. Now, it’s fine to tell you.”

“This time, the Turks have gathered over two hundred thousand cavalry. They have almost come out in full force! This time, they aim not only to conquer the Four Northern Desert Prefectures but also to point their swords at the Capital!”

After hearing Han Da’s words, the faces of the six Deputy Generals turned very grim.

“Two hundred thousand! Can we hold them off?”

Han Da said firmly, “Take away your ‘can’. We must hold, whether we can or not!”

As they spoke, those slave cannon fodder had advanced quite a bit.

The Horse Trap Pits they had worked so hard to dig were now leveled, making the ground flat as a plain for their cavalry.

Sun Qiang said to Han Da, “General Han, they are about to enter firing range.”

Han Da said firmly, “All troops, ready your bows and arrows! Take aim before you shoot! Await my command!”

After speaking, Han Da shouted towards them.

“Everyone, fellow countrymen! I am Han Da, the defending general of Yanbei City! Please stop now!”

“If you take another step forward, we will have to attack you! According to our intelligence, there are many Turkic spies among you! Because we must protect the people behind me! I cannot let you come any closer!”

“I believe that behind me, there must be your families or your friends. Even if not, they are just like you, once pitiful Bonded People, bullied and oppressed Bonded People!”

“The King of Northern Desert came. He brought a new life. We common people have stood up and become our own masters now!”

“I will not allow, and they will not allow, anyone to destroy this!”

“You now have weapons in your hands! Han Da begs you here, if you wish to resist, you have knives in your hands now! Your knives should not be turned against your fellow countrymen! They should strike at those Turks!”

“Han Da pleads with you here, if you are willing to fight alongside us, raise your left fists! Show me your stance!”

This speech by Han Da was a tactic taught to him by Xiao Ce, and he had learned it quite well.

The slaves stopped.

“General Han Da, we just want to survive! We have no choice. If we retreat a single step, they will shoot us!” shouted a slave at the front.

Han Da: “If you join us in fighting the Turks, there is a final line of Horse Trap Pits two hundred meters ahead of you. You can cross them, and you can resist the Turks for us at the base of the city wall! We will provide covering fire with our arrows!”

“You can tell us your names. Even if you die, I will erect a monument for you! I will make the people of the Four Northern Desert Prefectures remember you!”

“I am not asking you to go to your deaths. I am asking you to live with dignity! Do you want to serve the Turks even in death?”

“We are defending this city, and I swear to you alongside everyone here. We will not retreat a single inch!”

“There are only Northern Desert Army soldiers who die in battle, not Northern Desert Army soldiers who retreat an inch!”

“Kill all the Turks! Kill! Kill! Kill!”

Han Da shouted with flying spittle, and the defending soldiers beside him raised their arms and cheered!

The extremely impactful shouts! And Han Da’s words.

Caused many people to raise their left fists.

After one person did it, more and more people joined!

Seeing this, Han Da bowed deeply. “The people of Northern Desert will not forget you! Heroes all, I will not let you die in vain…”

“Run quickly to behind the Horse Trap Pits. We will provide covering fire for you. These Horse Trap Pits are two meters wide, with single-plank bridges! Their cavalry cannot pass! To cross, they must dismount. When that happens, you can fight them hand-to-hand. We on the city wall will provide covering fire!”

After Han Da finished speaking, those slaves began running over.

Sure enough, some Turks hidden among the slaves could no longer conceal themselves and revealed their ferocious faces.

They swung their large knives, preparing to cut down some of the slaves.

However, those hidden Turks were few in number after all. As soon as they were exposed, they were cut down by the slaves around them.

The slaves now confirmed what Han Da had said.

“General Han, you were right! There really are spies among us. Rest assured, General Han! You are right. We cannot, facing death, still do things that harm our own people for the Turks!”

Saying this, these slaves all ran over.

And Han Da, on the city wall, used arrows to point out a path for them. They ran in the direction shot by the Arrowheads, perfectly avoiding all the Horse Trap Pits.

…

Meanwhile, the Turks stationed about a mile away from the slaves were all listening intently.

However, they were too far away and could not hear clearly.

Several tribal leaders talked among themselves. “What are those defenders saying to those slaves?”

“It’s just to persuade them to surrender! Or maybe they want to lead them into the city!”

Right at that moment, several Turks dressed as slaves came jogging over.

Seeing these people, the Turkic soldiers there aimed their bows and arrows at the approaching slaves.

The Turks dressed as slaves quickly raised their hands: “Chief… Chief… Don’t shoot! We are on our side… we are on our side!”

Hearing them speak perfect Turkic, Mosi Ashina rode his horse forward: “Everyone else is charging, why are you running away? You are death row prisoners. Giving you the chance to attack the city and atone is the Khan’s mercy.”

The Turks disguised as slaves immediately knelt on the ground, raising both hands: “No! No! Please forgive us, Prince, we have a traitor among us. As soon as we got over there, they knew there were Turks mixed in with us.”

“That defending General persuaded them all to switch sides, to deal with us…”

These Turks disguised as slaves repeated what had just happened to them.

Several Turkic chiefs looked displeased.

“Ashina, what’s going on? This was your plan. Is there a spy among you?”

“That’s right, Ashina… You said to let those slaves lead the way, what’s happening now! You let those slaves be used against us!”

“Ashina, you bear the main responsibility!”

The other chiefs all started to blame him one after another.

Ashina, his face dark, said: “Enough, all of you shut up. The method we used wasn’t some top secret. Isn’t it common for us to attack the Northern Desert people? You bunch of pig-brains, as soon as they stirred things up, you listened to them!”

“If you are really that stupid! Then all of you go back! Our Ashina Tribe alone can conquer it!”

Mosi Ashina now cupped his hands: “Father Khan, I volunteer to be the vanguard, leading three thousand Shield Cavalry to break the city!”

Hearing this, Ashina’s eyes showed a hint of approval: “Good! Truly a fine son of my Ashina! Go then, my child! Let those Northern Desert people know, know our power!”

Mosi Ashina called out to the tribal chiefs beside him with great disdain: “Uncles, you are making too big a deal of this. It’s just ten thousand cannon fodder turning against us. They were all sent to die anyway… such trash and good-for-nothings, our hundred cavalry could cut through them back and forth!”

“Not to mention those defenders on the walls made up of disaster victims! Watch how I break them!”

“Ashina Shield Cavalry, heed my order! Follow me to break the city!”

Soon, from one side, appeared some strong, fully armored horses; these horses were all wearing armor.

The soldiers riding them were also big, strong men, few were under six feet tall.

They wore heavy armor, looking exceptionally mighty!

They held a rattan shield as tall as a man in one hand, and a heavy hammer in the other.

This was the Ashina’s elite force for attacking cities.

Their method of breaking the city was not the traditional use of siege ladders, but to directly attack the city gate with heavy hammers.

In this era, city walls and gates, though reinforced, were far less sturdy than in later times.

At some weak points in the wall, a unit of shield cavalry could break through in a few hits!

At this moment, a young man stepped out from the side: “Father Khan, I volunteer to lead five thousand Mounted Archers to support Elder Brother!”

The speaker was the Turkic Second Prince, Mosuo Ashina.

Ashina said firmly: “Good! You go together!”

Soon, Mosuo Ashina also led the mounted archers, following behind.

…

Meanwhile, beneath Yanbei City.

Under Han Da’s orders, strong liquor and meat were distributed to the crowd.

Also, various armors and protective gear, and weapons!

After the slaves changed into them, they drank the liquor in big gulps and ate the meat in large bites!

Their eyes were filled with the look of men prepared to die!

Han Da asked from below the city wall: “Everyone, I have called for fifty scribes. You can tell them your full name, where you are from, and what family members you have left! Spread out below and shout, they will record it for you!”

As soon as Han Da finished speaking, a slave heard and asked: “General Han Da, if we die, can we get death benefits?”

“Everyone who sacrifices will receive fifty taels of silver each! If you have information about your families, you can tell them too!”

As soon as Han Da said this, the crowd of slaves instantly erupted.

“Great! The King of Northern Desert is truly righteous. My worthless life is actually worth fifty taels of silver, it’s worth it! General Han Da, my name is Liu San, I’m from Qinghe City! I have a younger sister named Liu Ying! If she is still alive, give the money to my sister!”

“My name is Wang Hu, I have a younger brother named Wang Shen, I don’t know where he is either… If I die, let the death benefit be enough for him.”

“My name is Liu Gua, my family was all captured by the Turks… they’re all dead. If I die, please use my death benefit to build a grave for my whole family. I’m from Yanmen City, my father’s name is Liu Wusi, my mother’s name is Liu Sun-shi, my brother’s name is Liu Shui…”

…

One by one, they started to shout. Their shouts carried a tragic, determined spirit of men ready to die!