The sudden attack by Niujin and his troops from the city of Xiangyang, across the Han River to the north, brought the entire battlefield to life as Sun Quan's central army disembarked on the other side of the river.
First in the line of fire were the ten thousand infantry troops under the command of General Zhuge Jin, the left general of Wu, in the eastern and southern parts of Xiangyang City.
The surprise attack came without warning. The one-mile interval between the city walls and Wu's camp was of little significance, as four small forts were simultaneously attacked from north to south.
In such critical situations, the true test of a general's decisiveness in the heat of battle comes to the fore. Zhuge Jin's response was nearly to abandon all fortifications in the south and southeast of the city and to send all troops to where they were being attacked.
For a military system like Wu's, which relies on the support of rivers and lakes, having the access to the wharfs cut off by the enemy is a severely damaging blow, even more significant than losing camp forts.
Another crucial reason forcing Zhuge Jin to make this decision was that the Crown Prince Sun Ding and his eldest son Zhuge Ke were both within a fort near the wharf.
Whichever way you look at it, it was a place that Zhuge Jin was duty-bound to save, both in terms of public and personal duty.
Drawing on their experience from the previous night's night attack and retreat, Crown Prince Sun Ding did not retreat in the first instance. Instead, he led his personal troops to form a battle line in the camp and personally commanded one hundred soldiers to launch a counterattack against the encroaching Wei forces.
In total, 8,000 troops were divided into four parts by Niujin.
Of the total 8,000 troops, 3,000 under Niujin's personal command attacked the Wu army's camp at the wharf. The remaining 5,000 troops, in groups of 1,000 each, were sent to attack the other three camps. In addition, there were another 2,000 infantrymen who remained outside the main assault force and served as support on the southern flank.
The supporting army at this moment collided with the reinforcements led by Zhuge Jin from the south. On one side, the army in the city had been resting and refitting for a long time and was eager to distinguish itself in battle. On the other side, there was a pressing need to save the situation and did not hesitate an inch.
The moment the two armies engaged in combat, they immediately intensified their fighting. Clashing spears resulted in casualties on both sides, and the lines of Wei and Wu troops were intermingled. The clashing of round-headed swords and the sharp sounds of cleaving armor echoed with shouts of battle and curses, creating a cacophony that was deafening.
Sitting on his horse, Niujin glared at the Wu army's position with a cold, piercing gaze: "Order Chief Commandant Tong to give him another joss stick's worth of time. If he can't break into the Wu camp after this, he should give up being a commandant and go do the menial work of repairing the city walls."
"Aye, your majesty," the order bearer withdrew a red banner, running quickly through the ranks of the attacking troops towards the camp.
At the news from his commanding officer, this young military officer, named Tong, also panicked and rushed in with his trusted companions. After driving off the enemy troops defending the entrance, he jumped into the last wooden gate of the camp and started swinging his sword furiously at the approaching Wu forces.
"Follow me, press forward," Niujin ordered. Seeing the Wu army within the camp retreating inward, he gave orders to his personal guards. The three-zhang-high banner followed the sound of the bugle and pointed east diagonally, and the Wei soldiers flooding into the camp were like a wave crashing onto the Wu camp, simultaneously surging inward rapidly.
"Crown Prince, run! Don't wait for it to be too late!"
As the Wei troops continued to press inward, Zhuge Ke and Zhang Xiu, one on each side, grabbed Sun Ding's wrists and half-pushed, half-dragged him in the direction of the wharf.
"Let go of you two!" Sun Ding glared at them, struggling with all his might, and managed to break free from Zhang Xiu's wrist, but his left hand was still being held by Zhuge Ke, while his right hand had already drawn a sword from his waist:
"The enemy army has already penetrated the camp. These are the army of the Suns, and how could I possibly abandon them and run? There is no way to abandon the army and flee!"
Chen Bang, in full armor and standing to the side, raised his hand with a sword and lightly slashed at Sun Ding's wrist holding the round-headed sword. Sun Ding's sword fell to the ground.
Chen Bang said solemnly from behind, "The Crown Prince is of great value. He must live to fight another day and argue his case. Don't hesitate any longer, go quickly!"
Sun Ding had no choice but to be escorted by the few people, running towards the wharf.
Within the fort, there were not only they who were clever. Seeing that the camp was about to fall, those who were close to the southern camp ran in that direction. Those near the north side also headed towards the wharf in unison.
As Sun Ding and the four others stepped onto the ship, it immediately pulled away from the wharf and set sail towards the center of the Han River channel.
Seeing the ship had left, and the Wei soldiers were chasing behind, for a moment, hundreds of people jumped into the Han River together, swimming while removing their armor, and heading towards the opposite shore.
Not everyone in the Wu army was skilled at swimming, but the pursuing Wei soldiers with their blades and swords made no mistake. In comparison, the Han River, which was a mile wide, seemed more forgiving than the river currents.
The warships patrolling back and forth on the river also discovered the military situation in the eastern part of Xiangyang City in the first instance. Two of these warships immediately approached, but they did not come close to the wharf. Instead, they remained several dozen steps away and shot arrows towards the land on the southern shore. The soldiers on board also lowered ladders along the edge of their ships to guide the soldiers who had been swimming across.
With a total of over 10,000 soldiers from both Wei and Wu forces, the battlefield outside of Xiangyang City became incredibly congested. After half an hour, Zhuge Jin saw that there was no way to win and used drums and flags to guide the soldiers to retreat towards the camp on the southern side, relying on their heavy numbers and fortifications for defense.
Zhuge Jin wanted to save them more than anything, but he couldn't break through Wei's flank and had no choice but to take this inferior strategy.
As for Sun Deng and Zhuge Ke...
Zhuge Jin may not know Sun Deng, but he certainly knows his eldest son Zhuge Ke. The camp is located next to the wharf and along the Han River. Under such urgent circumstances, it should not be impossible to save them from enemy forces. It is a matter of whether they can or cannot be saved, not a matter of intention.
On the warship, Sun Deng stood silently and looked southwards, his eyes filled with sorrow. Zhuge Ke, Zhang Xiu, Gu Tan, and Chen Bang stood behind him and did not dare to speak out.
Although this was a hurried measure taken when the camp was breached, it was still an escape, with no room for any explanations. Moreover, of the hundred armored guards sent by Sun Quan to Sun Deng, only eight were with him on the ship at the moment; the whereabouts of the remaining ninety or so were still unknown.
As large groups of Wei troops were approaching the wharf, there were ten or so mounted figures under a red and black flag, pointing something out from a distance. Although Sun Deng could not see their faces clearly, he could still sense a sense of satisfaction from them.
"Brother Yuanxun, bring the ship closer!" Sun Deng said in a low voice.
"Crown Prince, I fear there might be danger..." Just as Zhuge Ke began to speak, Sun Deng's anger flared instantly:
"If Wei forces shoot arrows, you will not shield me for me? You four are all noble families, and today you are more afraid of death than I am, this Crown Prince?"
"Go quickly!!"
Zhuge Ke helplessly shook his head and had to comply, calling out to the officer commanding the warship.
As the warship drew closer, it was within range for the Wei soldiers to shoot arrows. Sun Deng took out an arrow from his quiver on his side, which was slightly different in shape from the Wu army's arrows. He also took his longbow from Gu Tan and aimed it carefully, releasing an arrow that smoothly curved through the air and penetrated the flag of the Wei soldiers.
After all, as the grandson of Sun Jian, Sun Jian tang, and the nephew of Sun Ce, Sun Bo Shou, and the eldest son of Wu King Sun Quan, his inherited martial prowess in his blood could not help him hold the line when the camp was breached. However, at this moment, it supported him in venting his anger towards the Wei soldiers' banner.
Following Sun Deng, the dozens of soldiers on the warship closest to the wharf also began to throw arrows towards the shore in response to his shot.
On the wharf, a group of Wei soldiers officers and soldiers raised shields to block the arrows, with several unlucky ones getting arrows in their bodies, but overall they were still safe.
"General, this..."
Before the warship's arrows were loosed, an arrow shot from the ship had pierced the general's flag, causing all the officers beside Niujin to pale. They looked at the Wu warship and then turned back to their general, fearing that Niujin might be displeased.
Niujin sneered and looked up towards the highest few people on the Wu warship, then reached for his own black and purple bow from his horse's side. He took out an arrow from his quiver and shot it without hesitation.
As the arrow was shot, Niujin did not look back and simply turned his horse around to leave. He shouted out orders, "Quickly burn the wharf! Lower the barriers and demolish the fortifications. Then abandon this place and follow me south with the entire army!"
"Aye!" The Wei officers beside him echoed simultaneously, each following their orders.
At this moment, on the warship, Sun Deng was staring at the arrow stuck on Chen Bang's shields, in a daze. If it weren't for Chen Bang holding the shield to protect himself, the archer's flying arrow would have hit his face directly.
This arrow was the same as the one shot into his foot that night…
In the north of the Han River, Sun Quan, facing the sudden message from the south bank of the Han River, hesitated and was in a quandary for only a moment before ordering the soldiers who had already disembarked and assembled to get back on the ships and then cross the Han River to head south.
That was the fastest result.
After all, Sun Quan himself was in the army, and as the king of Wu, he could certainly issue orders. If it were any other general, even a close confidant like Hu Zong himself, it would be difficult to make such a quick decision.
As the Wu army on the north bank boarded the ships, Quan Zong also rode at full speed from the ranks, arriving at Sun Quan's side without dismounting his horse. After holding the reins tight, he asked loudly:
"Please Your Majesty, what should we, Your Majesty's officials, do today?"
"Zi Huang, you will take command on behalf of the sovereign in the north!" Sun Quan shouted in a low voice: "Today, it is enough to hold off Wei troops at five li to the north of the city. Do not let them get any closer!"
"Aye!"
Quan Zong did not waste time, turning his horse around and heading back to the main army after hearing Sun Quan's command. He dispatched someone to inform Bo Zhuo and promptly began deploying the army, heading in the direction of the north.
By the time Sun Quan arrived with an army of one thousand men at the southern bank of the Han River, half an hour had already passed. The troops of Niujin had done their utmost to destroy the camp, but they were forced to confront the Wu troops south of the river, so it was difficult to completely destroy the wharf in time. The fires that had been lit on the wharf were extinguished by Wu soldiers from ships anchored in the river.
Zhao Yan was on the city wall and had his own deployment. Seeing the approach of Sun Quan's army, he used military drums to send a message to Niujin. The Wu army in the south was holding their camp tightly and had increased in strength, plus today's battle had yielded enough results, allowing Niujin to retreat back into the city calmly.
Only Sun Quan and Zhuge Jin were left, standing in silence for a moment in front of the city.(Chapter ended)
