My Sims of the Eastern Jin Dynasty

When Murong Yan's army besieged the city for the second time, he was completely different from his arrogant demeanor the first time.

It took two days to transport 15,000 people to the island, and they even brought siege equipment.

This time, Murong Yan did not rush to attack; the first thing he did was to rebuild the dock.

This was an extremely patient decision. The timber was all transported from Qu County. Soon, the pier that had been burned to a crisp was extended back into the sea, wider and stronger than before, allowing large ships to dock. Every morning, a fleet of water transport ships from Qu County could be seen arriving at the dock under the escort of warships.

The huge wooden barrels were rolled ashore, guarded by special personnel, and then distributed to various Qin army camps on the island.

Murong Yan even ordered several deep wells to be dug around the water fortress. Although the water was salty and only used for washing livestock, this action undoubtedly declared that he wanted to turn the island into a truly airtight prison.

The air on the island grew heavier day by day.

The new campsite beside the lake on the mountainside was also transformed into a real pass thanks to everyone's hard work.

Three lines of defense nested together, with numerous arrow towers and crisscrossing trenches.

All the trails leading up the mountain were either completely dug up or multiple layers of barricades and traps were set up.

The core lake was heavily guarded, and water could only be drawn with a wooden token. Water was allocated in rations based on the number of people, which was their greatest asset in their patience contest with Murong Yan.

But the depletion of food supplies was a silent countdown for the defending army.

"How much longer can we hold out?"

Xiao Heng stood on the watchtower of the second stockade wall and asked Deng Jing behind him.

Deng Jingmo calculated for a moment.

"If we use it sparingly, it will last at most two months, or a month and a half if we include salt producers and refugees!"

Xiao Heng watched as the Qin army moved like ants below the mountain. They were cutting down trees further away, building more palisades and watchtowers, making the encirclement thicker and thicker.

"This style doesn't resemble Murong Yan's; could they have changed the commander?"

"It should still be this person. After calming down, Murong Yan can still understand the war situation. He is waiting for us to run out of supplies. He knows that he cannot afford to attack this mountain by force."

Deng Jing spoke with certainty and in a calm tone.

"He's waiting, and so are we. Last time it rained heavily, he didn't even bother setting up siege equipment!"

"Given the overwhelming numerical superiority, this strategy is absolutely correct!"

Xiao Heng did not answer. The only way to break the deadlock now was to let them fall into chaos internally first.

At the beginning of the siege of the island, Deng Jing, through observation and a few limited contacts, figured out the details of this 15,000-strong army.

Of these, only five or six thousand were truly capable of fighting among the Xianbei themselves. The remaining nearly ten thousand were all Han Chinese able-bodied men conscripted or coerced along the way, including farmers, artisans, and even many who were originally defeated soldiers of the Jin army.

These people didn't even have weapons. Most of them were auxiliary soldiers who did the hardest work: building fortifications, transporting supplies, and taking care of horses. They were constantly scolded and whipped by Xianbei soldiers.

"Turning them to their side is our only chance."

Xiao Heng said in a low voice.

"That's also the biggest problem."

Deng Jing walked to his side and looked down together.

"He separated the Han and Xianbei camps and set up outposts in between. The Han camp was located in a dangerous area on the outskirts. If there was any unusual activity, the Xianbei cavalry could arrive in an instant. Moreover, there must be spies planted by Murong Yan in the Han camp. To make contact rashly would be suicide."

"Then let's wait!"

Xiao Heng turned around, his gaze sharp.

"Let's wait until they themselves start to create chaos!"

Waiting does not mean remaining still.

Every three to five days, when the night is quiet, several small teams will quietly slide down the mountain path.

Sometimes Han Yong would lead the team, taking advantage of the Qin army's lax night patrols to sneak to the edge of the camp, set a fire, shoot and kill a few sentries, and disappear into the dense forest before the main force of the enemy could surround them.

Sometimes it was Chen Da who, with his group of new recruits who were already used to bloodshed, would ambush small groups of Qin soldiers who were fetching water from mountain streams, leaving no survivors, seizing their weapons and armor, and then leaving.

The most ruthless time, Liu Dan personally sneaked up to the vicinity of the stable and used a rocket to hit the mountain of hay, which burned for half the night.

These sneak attacks could not shake the overall situation, but they kept the Qin army on high alert.

In particular, the Han Chinese auxiliary soldiers were assigned to more peripheral and dangerous camps, and they were often the ones who suffered the most casualties during each night raid.

Resentment grows in silence.

But Murong Yan's response showed a level of patience and ruthlessness that was completely different from before.

He strictly ordered all units to hold their camps and not to launch attacks to pursue the enemy at night.

He seemed indifferent to the damage caused by the raids, only continuing to strengthen fortifications and increase the number of patrols.

He even publicly executed several Xianbei officers who deserted their posts out of fear, as a warning to others.

Time flows by with the rising and setting of the sun and moon, and before we know it, it's mid-May.

The grain reserves on the mountain were dwindling day by day, and rations began to be reduced.

Unrest has already begun among the salt producers and refugees, forcing Xiao Heng to order Tan Lin to tighten control.

At the same time, Xiao Heng reduced the number of times he went down the mountain to harass the enemy, and Jiang Qianzhi, the mole planted in the Qin army a month ago, also began to move.

After Jiang Qianzhi met Xie Yun, he had been lying in wait in Qu County to gather intelligence. This time, he was coincidentally conscripted by the Qin army and taken to the island.

During the past month, Jiang Qianzhi carefully screened the captured Jin soldiers, and he easily found many people among them, most of whom were former garrison troops of Langya.

Starting with small probes, these people began to secretly develop within the Qin army. Jiang Qianzhi was extremely patient; he never revealed himself, only revealing vague information at the opportune moment, from initial news of the Northern Army to who the people on the mountain were, and even rumors that the Murong clan intended to declare independence...

Resentment, fear, and a sliver of deliberately provoked, faint hope for the future fermented among these Han Chinese soldiers.

Jiang Qianzhi was like a spider weaving a web, connecting all the important people around a few key nodes.

He focused on contacting three types of people. The first was the middle and lower-ranking officers of the former Jin army. They were knowledgeable in military affairs, had the ability to organize people, and still had some remaining identification with the Jin dynasty. Their surrender was mostly out of helplessness. Jiang Qianzhi hinted to them that the garrison on the mountain was not a rabble, and its leader was quite knowledgeable in military strategy, so there was still hope.

Secondly, there were the refugee leaders from Huaibei. These people were struggling to survive in the chaos of war, and were unruly and had no loyalty to Murong Yan. They only resented his power and the fact that he had overwhelmed them.

Jiang Qianzhi discussed solutions and interests with them, declaring that even if Murong Yan won, what were they, the Han people, worth in his eyes? If the people on the mountain could hold out, perhaps they could find a different way to survive...

Thirdly, it was Xiao Heng's task to befriend artisans with special skills or salt workers and fishermen who were familiar with the local hydrology and geography. Jiang Qianzhi befriended them, offered them great benefits, and learned about details such as dock and ship scheduling, camp layout weaknesses, and even freshwater transportation routes.

This process was fraught with danger. Murong Yan's spies were not just for show. One night, their secret conversation was almost discovered by a Xianbei captain on patrol. Jiang Qianzhi managed to get away with it thanks to his quick wit and the cover provided by his companions. The Xianbei were also tightening their control over the Han camp. Unauthorized gatherings and private conversations could lead to interrogation or even whipping.

However, under such high pressure, the forces of resistance were also accumulating. An unreasonable whipping by the Xianbei overseer triggered a small-scale standoff.

A clear deduction of fresh water was used as an opportunity for Jiang Qianzhi to subtly guide the entire auxiliary soldier camp into a state of suppressed anger and cursing.

Soon the Xianbei people began to suppress the rebellion, and many people died.

Many people died...