The day's fighting yielded no result, leaving only a field of corpses and spilled blood. By this time, the summer heat in the northwest had completely dissipated; otherwise, a large-scale conflict like this might have led to an epidemic.
The Wei army remained highly cautious, merely clearing the bodies from the city walls. They did not venture out to clear the battlefield, even though the corpses might have benefited the Romans.
As darkness gradually enveloped the land, the city did not fall into its usual tranquility.
Innumerable wounded soldiers within Ningxia Commandery City moaned in pain, the scent of medicinal herbs filling the streets. Many of the city's residents enthusiastically assisted the soldiers defending the city, but chaos was unavoidable.
The city officials and runners were also overwhelmed, wishing they could be in two places at once.
Meanwhile, in the Ningxia Commandery Prefectural Office, Kong Li paced alone, deep in thought.
"Reporting to you, sir, General Wei Bao has arrived," a minor official entered the room and bowed to Kong Li.
"Oh, quickly bring him in!"
Kong Li snapped back to attention and said.
As Wei Bao strode into the main hall, he bowed to Kong Li and said, "Your subordinate pays his respects to the Grand Protector!"
"Please rise," Kong Li signaled a minor official to fetch a stool for Wei Bao to sit.
After thanking him again, Wei Bao looked around and asked, "I noticed the entire prefectural office was dark today. I didn't encounter anyone when I came in. Where have all the minor officials from the prefectural office gone?"
"The work in the prefectural office is not that extensive; the people remaining are sufficient to handle it."
Kong Li explained, "The city is currently short-handed. Wei Lin is overwhelmed, so I've sent most of my subordinates to assist him."
Wei Bao sighed and said, "I did not expect the Romans to be so formidable today, causing us such heavy losses."
"I just walked around the military camp and saw that the soldiers have suffered heavy casualties!"
Kong Li was silent for a moment and said, "I am, after all, a civilian official. If it's about providing military supplies for the soldiers and ensuring stability for the people in the rear, that is my expertise. But when it comes to warfare, I am naturally inferior to you all."
Kong Li asked sincerely, "General Wei Bao, given today's situation, can this city still be held?"
Wei Bao opened his mouth, hesitated, and then replied with a touch of gloom, "If the Roman offensive continues as it did today, the city can perhaps be held for at most one month."
In fact, in Wei Bao's heart, a month seemed almost impossible. However, if he stated a shorter period, he feared Kong Li would not be able to bear it, so he gave a conservative estimate.
The city's manpower was ultimately too scarce. Even with the advantage of defending the city, the Wei army could not outlast the Romans.
Furthermore, the Romans possessed extensive experience in siege warfare. Relying on their tactics, they managed to keep their casualty ratio to about one-to-two.
This casualty ratio was already considered extremely high. Normally, due to the significant advantage of defending a city, and with sufficient preparation, casualty ratios of one-to-three or one-to-four were normal.
Yet, the Romans managed to maintain a one-to-two casualty ratio, making Wei Bao's outlook on defending the city quite pessimistic.
If the imperial reinforcements arrived late, this city might truly be lost.
However, Wei Bao only considered these matters in his mind and dared not speak them aloud.
But Kong Li, having navigated officialdom for forty to fifty years, was as shrewd as an old fox. He immediately sensed that Wei Bao was not telling the whole truth and that the situation for defending the city was likely even worse.
After a moment of contemplation, Kong Li made a decision and said, "General Wei Bao, if I were to provide you with another sixty thousand men, how long could you hold?"
Wei Bao was stunned. The reinforcements outside the city could not enter at this moment; where would sixty thousand men come from...
Wei Bao looked at Kong Li and asked, "Does Your Excellency intend to conscript the common people to fight?"
"Yes."
"Does Your Excellency know that national law explicitly forbids any official from arbitrarily conscripting common people as soldiers? Any who disobey will be treated as rebels!"
"I am aware of this, of course," Kong Li replied calmly.
Wei Bao looked at Kong Li and earnestly stated, "Even if Your Excellency were to desert your post, you would most likely be dismissed from office upon return. Even if there were penalties, they would not be too severe. But if you do this, no one will be able to extenuate your actions."
Kong Li replied serenely, "I am aware of this, but as the father and mother official of Ningxia Commandery, I have neglected my duties and failed to fulfill the imperial mandate. To depart for personal reasons would be a betrayal of imperial grace. I seek only death to ensure that Ningxia Commandery City does not fall!"
Wei Bao gazed at Kong Li for a long time, then sighed deeply and said, "Since Your Excellency's mind is made up, your subordinate will no longer try to dissuade you."
Wei Bao solemnly said to Wei Bao, "Your Excellency, rest assured, with these sixty thousand men, your subordinate will surely ensure this city is not lost. As long as the people are here, the city will stand!"
"I entrust this to you, General!"
...
The blood on the city walls had not yet dried, and the city was still in disarray. The minor officials from the prefectural office had begun house-to-house conscription.
Some were filled with righteous indignation, eager to join the Wei army immediately and resist the Romans.
But others were greatly resistant to enlistment. They had been unwilling to join the army even during peacetime, and now, with piles of corpses outside the city and the groans of wounded soldiers within, these people were even more reluctant to fight. After all, it truly looked like a suicide mission.
However, the officials of Ningxia Commandery offered them no room for resistance. Instead, these officials forcibly conscripted them, organizing them into formations to prepare for the next day's engagement.
But these were just common folk. There were also the influential families and gentry of Ningxia Commandery, who kept many able-bodied men, as these families had not only their own clansmen but also a large number of servants.
Most of these men were in their prime and were included in the conscription roster. However, these powerful families were naturally unwilling to face the clash of swords and spears on the battlefield like the common laborers.
Many were already planning how to resist the official conscription.