Undying Life

Chapter 98: Siege Breaker

As Su Lianxian finished speaking, everyone fell silent. Inside the large tent, there was a moment of contemplation as each person pondered the incredibility of the situation.

If this group was truly orchestrated by Zhongshan, then Zhongshan was truly terrifying. Terrifying to the point that in just this short span of time, he could change the course of events, turning despairing circumstances into a formidable army of eight hundred thousand with no way out, leaving them to sit and wait for death. Would the morale of the army collapse, with marauders rising from within?

Even the ancestors of the Su family couldn't help but feel astonished by the impact of these two pieces of intelligence. Years of secluded cultivation at the mountain gate made him almost forget the brutality of warfare in the mortal world.

Given time, Zhongshan could indeed change the course of events!

This was what Su Lianxian said, and all eyes turned to him once again, filled with sighs. How good it would have been to listen to Su Lianxian from the beginning.

"Father," Su Zhengde looked ashamed as he glanced at Su Lianxian. It was his judgment that led to the destruction of uncles, the crown prince, and all the princes of the Su family, leaving them in dire straits.

Taking a deep breath, the ancestor of the Su family looked at Su Lianxian and said, "Lianxian, you shall command from now on."

Su Lianxian readily accepted. This was not the time for resentment; the immediate priority was to navigate through the crisis at hand.

"Yes, firstly, we must block these two pieces of information to prevent them from shaking the morale of the army," Su Lianxian said.

"Father, rest assured," Su Zhengde immediately replied.

"Secondly, swiftly recall fifty thousand troops from the other three gates and bring all the ballistae here. Let every soldier have a full meal, then, officially, at all costs, launch a full-scale assault from the south gate," Su Lianxian continued.

"Bring the ballistae here too?" Su Zhengde questioned.

"Yes, Ancheng has moats, and during the assault, there will be many archers on the walls, and the civilians may hurl stones. It might not be easy to attack from there, but we cannot afford to delay. Besides, I have inspected the city gates. Zhongshan has redesigned them in recent years. They can pour boiling oil from the city towers, making it difficult to use siege weapons. So, we will break through the gates with ballistae. If one arrow doesn't pierce through, then ten, a hundred arrows will be fired simultaneously, ensuring a swift capture of the city," Su Lianxian explained.

"Understood, I will make arrangements immediately," Su Zhengde said solemnly.

"Then, let's prepare as quickly as possible. The sooner we attack the city, the better," Su Lianxian urged.

"Yes," Su Zhengde promptly responded, acknowledging the order.

Three hours later, in the main camp south of Xuancheng, the twenty thousand strong army had swelled to thirty-five thousand in the blink of an eye. Before the formation, morale soared once more. The soldiers had eaten their fill, drunk their fill, and were now readying themselves for battle. The generals stamped their feet, and the sound of neighing horses filled the air. They awaited the arrival of their leaders.

Inside a secluded tent in the camp stood two figures.

Emperor Su Zhengde and his father, the former Emperor Su Lianxian.

"Father, why have you summoned me at this critical moment when the army is preparing for battle?" Su Zhengde asked, puzzled.

Looking at his chosen successor to the throne, Su Lianxian's expression turned grave. "Do you still not understand why I called for you?"

Su Zhengde fell silent.

"You ignored my advice before and now we face the consequences. We are about to launch a fierce attack on Xuancheng. You will stay behind to command the troops," Su Lianxian said seriously.

"Father, it shouldn't be too difficult to take Xuancheng in one fell swoop. Once we capture it, all our problems will be solved. Is there... is there something troubling you, Father?" Su Zhengde asked, astonished.

"Yes, I know Zhongshan too well. He is my true adversary. For years, I have tried to understand him but he remains elusive. Zhongshan must have some hidden cards up his sleeve. We cannot afford to lose, especially you. After this, our Su family might only have you left," Su Lianxian adjusted Su Zhengde's clothes solemnly.

"Father, how can that be possible?" Su Zhengde's expression was incredulous.

"Zhongshan aims to wipe out our Su family line. Now, only a few of us remain. I can die, even our ancestors can pass on, but you cannot. You are not only the heir to the Su family bloodline but also a symbol. As long as you exist, Zhongshan's claim to power will never be legitimate. No matter how high his prestige, the Great Kun Empire still belongs to our Su family, to you as the Emperor. As long as you live, there is hope for a comeback. As for me, I have no regrets in death. As for our ancestors, at a hundred and sixty years old, it's unlikely they'll achieve the Golden Core stage. They can contribute to the Su family by fighting for us," Su Lianxian said, his eyes blazing.

Hearing Su Lianxian's words, Su Zhengde felt a pang in his heart, realizing that his father had kept this from their ancestors.

"As long as our ancestors and I join the battle, other innate masters will have no reason to stay out of it. This will also give you a pretext to keep Wei Taizhong by your side. He has been in the palace for decades, watching you grow up. He should be able to protect you. Remember, you must stay alive and preserve the last trace of the Su family bloodline," Su Lianxian instructed.

"Yes, Father," Su Zhengde's eyes were slightly moist.

"Alright, I am just preparing for the worst. Perhaps this time, we will win decisively and slay Zhongshan once and for all," Su Lianxian said, smiling.

"Yes, Father. Since I became emperor, I've become arrogant. Many things have disappointed you, and I have been unfilial," Su Zhengde said with a tinge of sadness.

Su Lianxian gently patted Su Zhengde's shoulder, then smiled faintly and walked out of the tent. With Su Zhengde's words, Su Lianxian felt that everything was enough.

Outside the tent, the old eunuch Wei Taizhong waited respectfully.

"Taizhong, since I didn't abdicate, you have been faithfully serving within the palace. I trust you deeply. You've watched Zhengde grow up. If anything happens today, I will rely on you to take care of him in the future," Su Lianxian said.

Wei Taizhong looked at Su Lianxian and nodded. "Yes."

With Wei Taizhong's promise, Su Lianxian strode towards the gathering place of the army. In the instant Su Lianxian left, a cold smile crept onto Wei Taizhong's lips.

Before the army, the ancestor of the Su family, accompanied by two innate masters from each of the four major families, had already mounted their horses, awaiting Su Lianxian's arrival.

Su Lianxian approached on horseback.

The Su family ancestor frowned. "Where is Zhengde? And Wei Taizhong?"

"In this great battle, we will personally lead the charge. Victory is certain. I have left Zhengde in charge of a hundred thousand troops to guard here. This will not only prevent attacks from all directions but also allow him to oversee the overall situation. After all, he is the Emperor of the Great Kun Empire and needs to stabilize the military," Su Lianxian explained.

Su Lianxian's explanation was full of loopholes, but the Su family ancestor seemed not to notice. He simply nodded and didn't inquire further.

"Move out," Su Lianxian shouted.

The two hundred and fifty thousand strong army roared in unison as they marched towards the southern gate of Xuancheng, various siege weapons aimed at the city. The ten innate masters rode among them. Today, Xuancheng must be taken.

As the army marched towards Xuancheng's southern gate, Su Zhengde emerged from the main tent and ascended the command platform. He personally picked up the drumsticks and beat the drum to bid farewell to the army.

Below the command platform, Wei Taizhong watched coldly from a corner—

In Xuancheng, Zhongshan leaned against the railing of the city tower, his face filled with confidence as he watched the increasing number of troops gathering at the southern gate.

Within the city, preparations had long been underway. Zhongshan was confident of victory in this battle. Despite having only eight thousand soldiers and thirty thousand newly recruited youths, for Zhongshan, it was sufficient. Because Xuancheng, decades ago, had undergone significant transformations, making it unlike any ordinary city.

As the enemy forces pressed closer, more and more soldiers gathered outside the city's moat. Ten top-notch martial experts sat atop their horses within the army, gazing towards the forty-meter-wide moat. On the opposite bank, about fifty meters from the city walls, lay their target. Fifty meters, precisely within the range of the archers stationed on the city walls. Crossing the moat meant facing a barrage of arrows, making it difficult to transport siege weapons. Even if they managed to transport them, by the time they reached the city walls, most would be dead or injured.

Moreover, directly opposite the city gate, a large bridge had been dismantled by Zhongshan's men in recent days. How were they supposed to attack the city without it?

Even the massive traction trebuchet could only be effective once set up on the opposite bank.

As the martial experts observed the scene, resentment filled their hearts. The defense of Xuancheng was unexpectedly tight.

"Su Lianxian, have you finally decided to attack the city?" Zhongshan's cold voice echoed from the city tower in the distance.

All the martial experts turned to Su Lianxian. It had been established earlier that Su Lianxian would be the overall commander for this campaign. Su Lianxian himself had a formidable reputation, having led troops into battle frequently during his time as emperor.

Su Lianxian paid no attention to Zhongshan but instead stared at the massive city gate before him.

"Construct a land bridge!" Su Lianxian roared at the top of his lungs, willing to pay any price at this moment.

It was already too late to fill the moat, but Su Lianxian had his own methods.

"Charge!" The army shouted in unison as the first batch of infantry swiftly carried long wooden rafts forward. They quickly launched the rafts into the moat, followed by the second batch of infantry with more rafts. The infantrymen rapidly created a land bridge on the river, connecting the rafts together. This would facilitate a swift assault by the army.

"Brother Lianxian is indeed formidable. I had been wondering why we were carrying these rafts, but now I understand," exclaimed one martial expert excitedly.

The thought of the abundance of rafts filled everyone with excitement. It wouldn't be long before the moat became irrelevant.

"I've been preparing these rafts for twenty years for this day," Su Lianxian said solemnly. There was no hint of pride in his tone; instead, it was filled with solemnity.

Twenty years... He had been preparing to attack Xuancheng twenty years ago? And had devised various siege measures?

As the martial experts reveled in their triumph, Zhongshan, on the city tower in the distance, seemed to anticipate their move, a barely perceptible smile playing at the corners of his mouth.