Nine dragons fight for the throne, I don't want to sit on this throne

Outside Jicheng City, the Chu army camp.

Five consecutive days of psychological offensive brought the morale of the Wei army in the city to the bottom.

Every morning, Chu army archers would shoot thousands of arrows into the city, with letters of surrender tied to the arrows, promising that anyone who surrendered would be spared, while those who resisted would have their entire clan exterminated.

At first, the Wei army generals were able to forcibly confiscate these letters, but as time went on, more and more soldiers secretly hid the strips of cloth and circulated them privately.

What made the Wei army even more tormented was that the Chu army deliberately buried pots outside the city to cook.

Every noon, the aroma of meat drifted into the city on the wind. The hungry defenders lay on the battlements, staring at the smoke rising in the distance.

"Oh my god, the smell of meat again..." A Wei army soldier swallowed his saliva, his stomach rumbling.

"Stop looking!" the captain shouted angrily, "The Chu thief is deliberately disrupting the morale of the army. If you dare to say anything more, you will be punished by military law!"

The soldiers lowered their heads, not daring to refute, but the resentment in their eyes grew stronger.

Why can the Chu army eat their fill while we can’t even get some porridge?

Why can those noble lords enjoy the best food and fish in their houses, while we have to defend the city with empty stomachs?

Discontent spread throughout the army, but due to the strict orders of the military judge, no one dared to talk about surrender openly.

On the fifth day of the Chu army's siege of Jicheng, an elite cavalry quietly arrived at the border of Wei.

Ma Chao, one of the five famous generals of the Chu State, led 50,000 Canglang Iron Cavalry and made a long-distance attack on the order of Chu Ning. His goal was to launch a surprise attack on the Tang army!

"Report——!"

The scout came on horseback and reported, "General, we've spotted a Tang army grain transport convoy ahead. It's about 3,000 men, heading towards Qingcheng!"

A cold light flashed in Ma Chao's eyes, and a sinister grin spread across his lips: "Tang army? Ha, God is really helping me!"

He swung his spear and gave a stern command, "Pass the message! Six thousand vanguard cavalry will follow me in the charge. The rest of the troops will block the enemy from the outside. Not a single one will be allowed to escape alive!"

"kill!"

Six thousand cavalrymen swept out like a hurricane, the sound of their hooves shook the earth and raised a cloud of dust.

The Tang army's grain transport team never expected to encounter the Chu army here. By the time they discovered it, the Canglang cavalry had already rushed to their front!

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!" The Tang army captain shouted in horror, but it was too late.

"Puchi!" Ma Chao pierced the throat of a Tang army general with a gun, and blood spurted out.

He laughed loudly and rode his horse into the enemy camp, sweeping his spear across. Wherever he passed, the Tang soldiers fell like wheat being cut.

Two hours later, the battle ended, and the 3,000 Tang soldiers were completely wiped out, with no one surviving.

Ma Chao dismounted, kicked the corpse on the ground, and sneered, "Put on their clothes, disguise yourself as Tang soldiers, and go to Qingcheng!"

Three thousand Canglang cavalry quickly changed into Tang army armor, escorted the captured grain carts, and marched towards Qingcheng in a swagger.

Qingcheng, a border fortress of the Wei State, was far away from the main battlefield and had few defenders.

At this moment, the Tang army soldiers on the city wall saw from afar a team slowly approaching under their own flags, and they immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

"The grain transport team is back!"

The captain guarding the city cautiously poked his head out and asked loudly, "Who is coming?"

Ma Chao had already arranged for a soldier fluent in the Tang Army's accent to come forward and answer: "We are here on General Li's orders to escort the military supplies!"

The captain frowned: "Do you have any military orders?"

"Yes!" The soldier took out a forged military order from his arms and held it high.

The captain squinted his eyes and looked, but it was too far to see clearly.

But seeing that the enemy was not numerous and that they were indeed dressed in Tang army uniforms, he waved his hand and said:

"Open the city gate!"

"Boom--" the heavy city gate slowly opened.

Ma Chao sneered and whispered, "Get ready to take action."

Three thousand "Tang soldiers" escorted the grain carts and slowly entered the city. After the last person entered the city gate, Ma Chao suddenly shouted:

"kill!"

"Swish!" Three thousand Gray Wolf Cavalrymen instantly drew out their hidden weapons and pounced on the defenders like tigers!

"Oh no! It's the Chu army!" The Tang army captain shouted in horror, but it was too late.

Ma Chao pierced his chest with a spear, and blood splattered on the city gate.

He laughed wildly and roared, "Send the signal!"

"Whoosh!" Three rockets shot up into the sky, exploding with dazzling red light in the night sky!

In the distance, tens of thousands of Gray Wolf cavalrymen who had been lying in ambush came like a tide, surrounding Qingcheng in an instant!

There were only 5,000 defenders in the city, and they were completely unable to resist the sudden attack.

"Guard the city gate! Call for help!"

The Tang army generals roared, but the Chu army's attack was too fierce. In just half an hour, the city gates, granaries, and armories were all lost.

Ma Chao personally led his troops to charge up the city wall, his spear as strong as a dragon, invincible.

A Tang army general rushed forward with a roar, but was shot away by him with a spear, and his body fell from the top of the city wall.

"Those who surrender will not be killed!" Ma Chao shouted sternly.

However, the Tang army was known for its bravery, and no one surrendered, fighting to the death.

Ma Chao rushed from the city wall to the street.

He rode his horse into the city gate and swept his spear across, causing several Tang soldiers to fall down with screams.

His eyes were like lightning, locked on the main general of the Tang army - the man was wearing red armor, holding a long iron spear, and was commanding the defenders to resist in a stern voice.

"Come and announce your name!" Ma Chao shouted loudly, his voice like thunder.

"Tang Army's Qingcheng garrison commander, Luo Chen!"

The general responded coldly, raised his spear, and pointed it at Ma Chao: "You Chu thieves, prepare to die!"

Ma Chao laughed wildly: "Alright! I'll take your head today!"

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly kicked the horse's belly, and the warhorse neighed and rushed towards the stairs of the city wall like an arrow.

Luo Chen did not retreat either, he raised his spear and rushed forward, and the two men clashed fiercely on the narrow stairs!

"clang!"

Spears collided, sparks flying.

Luo Chen had amazing arm strength. He swept his spear across, sending a whistling gust of wind, forcing Ma Chao to retreat two steps.

Ma Chao's eyes were filled with even more fighting spirit. His spear was like a dragon, and he suddenly thrust out three quick attacks. The spear shadow was as fast as lightning, aiming directly at Luo Chen's throat, heart, waist and abdomen!

Luo Chen snorted coldly, swung his spear, and fired two shots.

The last stab grazed his armor, leaving a hideous scratch.

He roared angrily and swung his spear back. Ma Chao held his spear horizontally, and the huge force made his palm numb, and the warhorse's front hooves also sank.

"Good strength!"

Ma Chao grinned fiercely and suddenly changed his tactics, thrusting the tip of his spear straight at Luo Chen's horse.

Luo Chen hurriedly pulled the reins, and the warhorse stood up, avoiding the fatal blow, but Ma Chao had already calculated it, and turned the spear, sweeping across Luo Chen's calf!

"Puchi!" The gun blade entered the flesh, Luo Chen groaned, and blood splattered.

He gritted his teeth and roared, stabbing Ma Chao in the face with his long spear like an angry dragon emerging from the sea!

Ma Chao turned his head and dodged, the spear tip brushed across his cheek, leaving a trail of blood.

"Die!" Ma Chao roared, and his spear pierced Luo Chen's chest in an instant like a poisonous snake spitting out its tongue!

Luo Chen's eyes were wide open and blood was oozing from the corners of his mouth, but he still held the spear tightly and refused to fall down.

Ma Chao sneered, pulled out his gun suddenly, blood gushed out, and Luo Chen finally fell off his horse and died.

Ma Chao wiped the blood from his face, raised his spear high, and roared fiercely: "The Tang general is dead! Those who surrender will not be killed!"

But even if the main general died in battle, the Tang army still fought to the death!

The bloody battle lasted for three hours until dawn, when Qingcheng finally fell.

The 5,000 Tang troops were completely wiped out, with no one surviving.

Ma Chao stood on the top of the city wall, looking at the rising sun, grinning:

"Send a message to your majesty, we have taken Qingcheng. Our army can establish a foothold here and carry out the next plan!"