Traveling back to the Northern Song Dynasty: Picking up a princess as my wife

Having just led his army to the outskirts of Tangyin City, the Jin commander Yelü Shu's gaze unexpectedly fell upon Zhang Chao, a warrior who had fought countless battles but was now covered in wounds. The dappled sunlight of the setting sun shone on his armor, reflecting a hint of indomitable spirit and fortitude, but it could not conceal the several shocking bloodstains.

Fortunately, fate smiled upon him, or perhaps Wang Changdao's marksmanship left a glimmer of hope. His two shots, though powerful and heavy, seemed to be drawn away by an invisible force, deviating from their fatal trajectory and embedding themselves deeply into Zhang Chao's solid shoulders and resilient arms.

If his marksmanship had been even slightly more precise, this man of unyielding spirit would likely have already become an indomitable hero on the battlefield, instead of standing tall and reporting to Yelü Shu despite his severe injuries.

Yelü Shu gazed at his generals, his eyes flashing with unwavering resolve, and slowly said, "It seems that the garrison of Tangyin City is determined to be our enemy. The team that went to investigate the other day was probably defeated by them. Such behavior is truly a provocation against the might of Heaven."

Having said that, he suddenly raised his voice, which pierced through the noise of the camp and resounded like thunder: "Pass on my order! Immediately order the men to cut down the surrounding trees and forge a siege weapon powerful enough to shake the city's defenses in the shortest possible time! I want to see with my own eyes how long this mere Tangyin city can withstand the onslaught of my 30,000 iron cavalry!"

Upon hearing this, all the generals were invigorated and readily accepted the order. The camp immediately sprang into action, with the sounds of axes and saws mingling with shouts, creating an unstoppable prelude to the battle.

Standing on high ground, Yelü Shu looked at everything, his heart filled with both a desire for victory and a calm assessment of the unknown challenges. He knew that a tough battle was about to begin, and he was ready.

As night fell, the entire Jin army camp was brightly lit, and the cries of women echoed from countless Jin soldiers' tents. These women were mostly captured from villages along the way, and after a long day's work, they would drink some wine and have some fun with them.

Yue Ying led his 500 men to ambush from a high point outside the camp, where they witnessed the Jin soldiers' bestial acts.

Yue Ying muttered angrily, "You're all worse than beasts! You'll see!"

After waiting for two full hours, the entire Jin army camp finally quieted down. Except for a few patrolling Jin soldiers, most people had fallen asleep.

Yue Ying drew his dagger and ordered the soldiers beside him, "Move out!"

As night fell and all was silent, a group of figures moved through the shadows like ghosts. Every step was carefully calculated, their bodies slowly sinking down, as if becoming one with the night, striving to conceal even the slightest breath in the boundless silence, silently approaching the enemy camp.

Li Zhen had been secretly preparing for this decisive night for a long time. His trump card—a batch of carefully prepared explosives—was the key piece in his plan.

This batch of explosives was equipped with an advanced electric detonator detonation system, ensuring foolproof operation and precise detonation.

After the dozen or so soldiers returned, Yue Ying had a long wire in his hand. He connected the two ends of the wire to the detonator, and after seeing that there was nothing unusual around him, he resolutely pressed the detonation switch.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!..."

Under the cover of night, a deafening roar suddenly erupted within the Jin army camp, like the sky tearing apart silk, instantly shattering the tranquility of the night.

In the stables, warhorses neighed and scattered in terror; the grain camp was ablaze, with fodder reduced to ashes and thick smoke billowing into the sky; in the armory, swords, bows, and crossbows wailed amidst explosions, scattered all over the ground; and the raging fire in the kitchen added an ominous heat to the deep night.

If Yelü Shu's camp had not been so impregnable, Yue Ying's carefully prepared explosives would have set off an even more dazzling yet deadly display at this moment.

The firelight illuminated half the sky, vividly depicting the chaos and despair within the camp. Soldiers swayed in the flames, like duckweed adrift in a storm, helpless and panicked. The neighing of horses and the screams of men mingled, creating a tragic war song.

Yue Ying stood at the forefront, his figure upright, the composite bow in his hand gleaming coldly in the moonlight. His eyes were as sharp as a hawk's, locking onto every fleeing enemy. Every time he drew his bow and released an arrow, it was with unparalleled precision. The arrows sliced ​​through the air, carrying an invincible sharpness, and embedded themselves deeply into the bodies of the Jin soldiers.

Those who were hit by arrows, even if they were lucky enough not to die on the spot, gradually lost the strength to struggle amidst the trampling and chaos of their companions, and eventually succumbed to the sea of ​​fire and slaughter.

Finally, someone realized what was happening and the enemy took advantage of the chaos to shoot them with arrows.

"Someone is attacking us with arrows on the hillside outside. Kill them!"

In this battle-stricken camp, the seasoned Jin soldiers seemed to have been tempered by the flames of war, becoming even more resilient. Faced with the sudden turn of events, they were not consumed by panic; instead, they swiftly rallied their strength like a tidal wave, demonstrating astonishing adaptability and organizational skills.

The Jin army's cavalry, like sharp blades in a black storm, launched an unstoppable assault on the hillside where Yue Ying and his men were hiding, with the thunder of their hooves at their commander's order.

Faced with the enemy's fierce counterattack, Yue Ying showed no fear whatsoever. Instead, a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth, a kind of heroic spirit that disregarded life and death, and a burning desire for victory.

"The wind's picking up, let's get out of here!"

No wonder Yue Ying used to be a bandit; even his professional terminology is so clear.

So Yue Ying led his five hundred men back to Tangyin City via a side path. The Jin cavalry, who had been wandering around the hillside for half a day, saw nothing but weeds.

The attack that night resulted in the loss of more than two thousand Jin soldiers, not to mention the loss of their warhorses and siege equipment.

Upon seeing the statistics, Yelü Shu was so enraged that he kicked the general in charge of night watch to the ground and shouted, "Drag him out and behead him!"

"Don't wait any longer! Immediately organize your troops to attack the city! Send the order to the soldiers below: once Tangyin City is breached, we will not rest until three days have passed!"

Then a large group of Jin soldiers, their eyes red and howling, rushed towards Tangyin City. Li Zhen, who was guarding the city wall, saw all of this through his telescope.

Li Zhen: "Are these Jin soldiers possessed? Why are they fighting so desperately?"

Thus, the defense of Tangyin City officially began. Facing an enemy force several times larger than their own, the defending soldiers calmly used composite bows to launch precise attacks. The leather armor and wooden shields of the Jin soldiers were as soft as tofu in front of the modified composite bows. One by one, Jin soldiers were hit by arrows and fell to the ground. Because Li Zhen had specially customized high-powered bows and arrows, once they entered a person's body, they would be pulled out along with a large chunk of flesh.

Qian Dazhuang was finally able to fire the mortars at his command. At first, he was hesitant, but after a few rounds of firing, he gradually mastered the technique and was able to adjust the firing angle according to the enemy's distance.