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

Just after the morning watch at Mao, the south gate of Jicheng was shrouded in blue-gray morning mist.

Wang Erzhu, a Wei soldier who had been on guard all night, leaned on his spear, his head nodding off. His armor was covered with dew, and the soles of his boots were stained with blood from the riot last night.

Suddenly a cool breeze blew, and he woke up suddenly, subconsciously tightening the weapon in his hand.

"Damn it, this weather is so cold, it's only September."

Wang Erzhu rubbed his frozen fingers and turned to look at the city below.

The sound of orderly footsteps could be faintly heard in the thick fog. A team of about fifty Wei soldiers was walking towards the city gate.

The leader was wearing captain's armor, and the sword at his waist swayed gently with his steps.

"Stop! Command!" The old soldier next to Wang Erzhu shouted sternly, while aiming the crossbow at the newcomer.

"Hold on!" the captain responded loudly, his voice particularly clear in the empty street.

He lifted his visor, revealing a weather-beaten face. "I'm here to relieve guard by order of Lord Cheng."

Wang Erzhu breathed a sigh of relief, turned to his companions and said with a smile, "Finally, I can go back to sleep."

Just as he finished speaking, his eyes suddenly widened - although the soldiers behind the captain were wearing Wei army uniforms, they had strange straw ropes wrapped around their boots.

This detail made his heart tighten.

The captain keenly noticed Wang Erzhu's abnormality and quietly pressed his right hand on the hilt of the knife.

In the thick fog, the two teams passed each other. The new soldiers' eyes flickered and they kept glancing at the location of the city gate mechanism.

A piece of white cloth was faintly visible from the cuffs of a tall and thin soldier, but he quickly stuffed it back in.

"Old Li, you see something seems wrong with them." Wang Erzhu was about to speak when the old soldier grabbed his shoulder.

"Don't meddle in other people's business." The old soldier lowered his voice and said, "These days, being alive is a blessing."

Before he could finish his words, the captain suddenly attacked!

A sharp knife flashed, and the old soldier fell to the ground, covering his bleeding throat.

Before Wang Erzhu could raise his gun, three daggers were stabbed into his abdomen at the same time.

He fell to his knees, and the last thing he saw was the Wei soldiers taking out white cloth and wrapping it around their arms, their movements so skillful that it was frightening.

In the thick fog, the newly appointed city gate captain Zhang Huan walked quickly towards the capstan.

The Jinyiwei who had been lurking for three years suppressed his excitement and his fingers trembled slightly.

He looked around, confirmed that every key position had been replaced by his own people, and winked at his deputy.

"Hurry up! It's almost three quarters past midnight!"

The soldiers dispersed silently. Two men guarded the capstan.

Some were lying in ambush near the stairs, and the rest were scattered around the city gates.

Zhang Huan took out a copper hourglass from his arms, and fine sand was flowing at a uniform rate.

This was the timekeeping tool agreed upon with the people outside the city. Every grain of sand that fell made his heart beat faster.

Suddenly, footsteps were heard on the city wall.

"What's going on down there? Who gave you permission to tamper with the gate mechanism?"

Zhang Huan looked up and saw a Wei army captain with a stubble on his face leaning forward.

He immediately put on a flattering smile: "Sir, routine inspection of the noose. There was a mob riot last night, and Lord Cheng is worried that there might be a problem with the noose."

"fart!"

The captain interrupted sternly: "Whoever dares to move the noose without the general's order, stop immediately, otherwise..."

His voice stopped abruptly—a crossbow arrow shot from the darkness and pierced his throat accurately.

"Exposed! Act immediately!" Zhang Huan roared and rushed to the winch himself.

The heavy iron chains began to rattle, and the iron-clad city gate made a teeth-grinding creaking sound.

At the same time, three rockets tied with oilcloths shot up into the sky, emitting a dazzling red light in the darkness before dawn.

There was chaos on the city wall.

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"

"The people below are spies!"

"Close the city gate quickly!"

More than a dozen Wei soldiers rushed down the horse path. As soon as the two in front turned the corner, they were covered by a fishing net by the ambushed Jinyiwei.

The sharp scimitar slashed across, and blood splattered on the ancient bricks.

Veins bulged on Zhang Huan's forehead as he desperately turned the winch.

The city gate was opened more than ten feet wide, enough for cavalry to break in.

Suddenly he felt a pain in his back, and he staggered back, only to see a Wei soldier pulling out a spear from his back.

In excruciating pain, Zhang Huan clung to the winch handle and shouted with all his remaining strength, "For the Great Chu!"

Behind the earthen slope three miles outside the city, Chu Ning gently stroked the warhorse's mane.

Behind him were 20,000 silent cavalrymen, and all their eyes were fixed on the direction of the city wall.

As three rockets tore through the morning mist, a cold arc appeared on the young emperor's lips.

"Your Majesty, signal!" Jia Yu whispered excitedly.

Chu Ning slowly raised his right hand, and the fine steel wristband shone coldly in the morning light.

The next second, his arm slashed down like a sword: "Attack!"

The ground began to tremble.

The three thousand vanguard cavalry led by Zhao Yu rushed out like arrows from a bow. The sound of horse hooves came from far away and gradually merged into a thunderous roar.

During the charge, Zhao Yu saw the city gate slowly closing - it was obvious that the defenders had reacted.

"Speed up!" he roared, waving his spear.

The cavalry in the front row simultaneously lowered their spears, forming a forest of deadly spears.

The final battle is taking place at the city gate.

Zhang Huan's body was still hanging on the winch. Six Jinyiwei were standing back to back beside the mechanism, with more than 20 bodies lying around.

Reinforcements of the Wei army continued to pour down the horse path and were about to regain control.

"Hold on!" a bloodied Jinyiwei roared, "For the sake of the Great Chu, fight them..."

He never finished his words.

A spear pinned him to the capstan, but at the last moment of his life, his fingers were still stuck between the gears.

It was this brief delay that allowed the city gate to always maintain a three-foot-wide gap.

Zhao Yu's warhorse rushed through the gate like a whirlwind, and his spear swept across, sending two Wei soldiers' heads flying into the air.

Then came the second rider, the third rider... the steel torrent poured into Jicheng in an unstoppable manner.

On the city wall, the surviving Wei soldiers watched this scene in horror.

Some people threw down their weapons and fled, some knelt down and surrendered, and more were turned into meat paste under the iron cavalry of the Chu army.

When Chu Ning slowly entered the city surrounded by his personal guards, the morning sun just jumped out of the horizon.

The golden sunlight shines on the ruined city walls, giving the bloody battlefield a layer of illusory beauty.

The emperor's deep gaze swept across the people kneeling on both sides of the street, and finally stopped in the direction of the palace.

"Pass the order." His voice was eerily calm. "Whoever captures Sima Yi alive will receive a reward of ten thousand gold."

"Tell Han Xing and Guan Yun to lead their troops into the city immediately and wipe out the remaining Wei troops!"

Although the south of the city was breached, the Wei army inside the city was still resisting, and the other three city gates were still in the hands of the Wei army.

Only by controlling the four gates as quickly as possible could he trap Sima Yi in the city. Otherwise, once Sima Yi found an opportunity, given his character, he would definitely take advantage of the chaos to escape.

If Sima Yi escapes in this battle to destroy Wei, it will not be considered a complete success.

Sima Yi must die!