Climbing to the Top: A Reborn Queen's Journey-Chapter 736: Storming the City

The Red Jiao Dragon Flag once belonged to the Prince Nanyang. Jiang Shaohua, as the Nanyang County Princess, inherited Nanyang County and this banner.

Jiang Shaohua once led troops under this banner to suppress mountain bandits personally.

The Nanyang Guards once held this banner high and trampled the Rouran Army Camp.

The arrival of the Red Jiao Dragon Flag signified that Jiang Shaohua’s people had reached the city gate.

She is the Emperor, unable to leave the Capital City freely. So she sent her trusted confidants, bringing her banner to the city.

Zheng Chen stood on the city gate, looking distantly at the large flag fluttering in the wind. It was as if, across distant time and space, he was looking into Jiang Shaohua’s eyes.

The figure trapped in the Wang Family’s inner residence in his past life had long faded. This life, Jiang Shaohua was strong and decisive, unmatched in her fierceness, like a mark etched into his heart.

Zheng Chen suddenly laughed mockingly. She didn’t even come, but just sent her Red Jiao Dragon Flag down the city, and he was already in turmoil.

She was indeed the calamity destined in his life.

However, when Zhao Wu saw the Left General’s banner, his expression suddenly changed, and his hands began to tremble slightly. His voice was also trembling uncontrollably, "Young Master! The Left General has come!"

Zhao Wu once was a military general in the border army, also heavily relied upon by the Left General. In the end, he deserted and fled at a critical moment, causing the border army to lose Peng City unexpectedly and forced the Left General into a retreat. He had essentially stabbed his main commander in the back.

Now, with the Left General coming in full fury, even separated by hundreds of meters and unable to clearly see each other’s figures or faces, Zhao Wu was still unavoidably terrified.

On the other hand, Lu Cheng, who had been in the Yu State Military Camp dealing mostly with civil bandits and robbers, had spent recent months rampantly looting and slaughtering both the wealthy and ordinary people. Despite lacking in warfare, he had high self-esteem. Seeing the court’s army patrolling below the city gate, he scoffed contemptuously, "What’s there to fear! Our city wall is built up to eight feet high. As long as we hold the gate, they can’t breach it."

No one paid him any attention.

Zheng Chen was still watching the Red Jiao Dragon Flag.

Zhao Wu remained anxious, "Young Master, what should we do now?"

Lu Cheng felt quite dissatisfied being ignored.

The Yu State Army was his domain, and Zheng Chen’s arrival naturally seized the highest command, proclaiming himself Prince of Yu State. For any matter, orders were passed to him; he, the Commander of the Yu State Army, was essentially running errands, which was aggravating enough.

Zhao Wu, though just a meager general with only about twenty personal soldiers and nothing else, was prioritized over him, causing consistent discontent in his heart.

Zheng Chen didn’t notice Lu Cheng’s expression at all, and perhaps glimpsed it from the corner of his eye but didn’t bother with it.

"They won’t attack the city today." Zheng Chen finally withdrew his gaze and said to the two men, "They are showing the flag as a demonstration. A formal city siege would be at least five to six days later."

Zhao Wu, perhaps recalling the Left General’s past feats, turned slightly pale and whispered urgently, "The Left General has craftsmen skilled in making siege engines under his command. It’s unknown how many he brought. If they manage to build Cloud Ladders, defending the gate won’t be easy."

Originally dismissive, Lu Cheng’s face changed upon hearing the words Tower Car, "They can build Cloud Ladders?"

"More than just Cloud Ladders!" Zhao Wu sighed heavily, "They can also build catapults."

Catapults are formidable siege weapons capable of hurling large stones to smash city walls from afar. Cloud Ladders can shield soldiers during the siege and ascend to leap over walls. With these two powerful tools, an eight-foot-high wall would clearly be insufficient.

Lu Cheng gasped, "Then how should we respond?"

Zheng Chen quickly steadied himself, "First, don’t panic; continue to urge the civilians to reinforce the city walls. Additionally, gather all soldiers from the military camp, promise them high ranks and generous salaries, encouraging them to defend the city to the death."

"Furthermore, send people into the city to conscript women, children, and the elderly to the city gate."

Women, children, and the elderly?

What could they do?

Lu Cheng was briefly stunned. Zhao Wu, however, understood and softly approved, "Young Master, that’s a good idea."

...

The days following witnessed turmoil both inside and outside Yu State City.

Outside the city, soldiers from the Heroic Guard Camp endlessly felled trees from nearby forests and brought them in, while dozens of craftsmen worked tirelessly day and night to manufacture Cloud Ladders and Catapults for sieging.

Inside Yu State City, the tension was palpable. General Lu personally led troops to seize people, dragging the elderly, children, and women to the city gate. The cries for mercy and wails mingled with the cacophony, unbearable to hear.

More than half a month later, the Heroic Guard Camp had finished the Cloud Ladders and Catapults, and the soldiers who had come from afar were nearly recovered. The Left General ordered an official city attack.

Left General, moving at full force only now, launched the siege with great momentum.

Initially, the catapults moved forward. Boulders, propelled by the catapults, flew toward Yu State City’s walls, each causing thunderous booms. On the city walls, people were frequently hit by the rocks, emitting continuous wails of agony.

Song Yuan was also below the city gate, standing with the Left General on a high war chariot, observing the siege. With excellent hearing and sight, Song Yuan quickly noticed something unusual, furrowing his brow rapidly, "Left General, it seems there are not only soldiers on the Yu State City walls, but also many civilians."

Some were tall, some short, and others wearing brightly colored attire, clearly women.

In battle, especially on the first day of a siege, how had it come to this point of deploying the elderly and children?

The Left General sneered repeatedly, "Commander Song isn’t mistaken. A personal soldier just brought the general this message: there are indeed civilians on the walls, likely the women, children, and elderly of Yu State City."

"Zheng Chen is doing this intentionally, trying to use innocent civilians’ lives to force us to retreat."

Song Yuan’s eyebrows twitched heavily several times, "Left General, knowing this, you still plan to attack?"

The Left General turned his gaze, eyes icy and sharp, "Commander Song was once the Commandery Princess’s trusted aide, now Emperor’s Personal Guard Commander, tasked daily with ensuring the master’s safety."

"Commander Song’s combat skills surpass this general’s. However, on the battlefield, the experiences this general has are tenfold, a hundredfold yours."

"This battle not only needs to be fought but fought quickly and beautifully. Only an overwhelming victory can deter other restless garrisons. If we find ourselves stalemated here with the Yu State Army, disturbances will soon ripple across court territories. By then, with the court beset by unrest, soldiers dispatched everywhere to quell chaos, casualties in war will only increase."

"Weigh the gravity, Commander Song, think carefully!"

Having said this, he turned and instructed the trusted aide beside him, "Pass on the general’s orders: withdraw the catapults, advance the Cloud Ladders for the siege!"