Although prepared for a decisive battle, Liu Xu only realized the brutality of war when the moment truly arrived.
To achieve victory, Han Qinghe was willing to pay any price, like a gambler who had lost everything and revealed all his strength.
He even transformed his elite Jurchen cavalry into infantry and thrust them into the siege ranks.
Whether Liu Xu and his men wanted to admit it or not, they had to acknowledge that these Jurchen cavalry possessed superior combat power compared to their own soldiers.
Even without their horses, and even while conducting a siege, these soldiers would quickly cause chaos once they reached the city walls. Fortunately, they still had this section of the wall; otherwise, the battle would have been pointless.
The war raged from morning until sunset. The base of the Zhen Ding city walls was now densely covered with corpses.
The once clear moat had been thoroughly stained red with blood.
Living souls climbed the city walls using siege ladders, only to be killed or to kill others, and then be thrown back down.
The defending soldiers were replaced one after another. As the sun began to set, Han Qinghe still had no intention of withdrawing his troops.
From dawn till dusk, for the entire day, he stood there as if in a daze, quietly watching his soldiers charge forward, get killed, and fall from the walls.
While the Jin army suffered heavy casualties, the Song army's losses were equally brutal.
The 5,000 newly conscripted laborers were now less than 3,000. Countless women and children from the city were also being organized.
Some were tasked with caring for the wounded, while others helped the laborers construct the barbican. The entire Zhen Ding city was a hive of activity. Li Mao, the highest-ranking civil official in the city, tried hard to find something to do.
However, no matter what he did, his heart could not find peace.
As if possessed, he walked like an outsider to the courtyard designated for the wounded soldiers.
"Sir!"
"Sir!"
Seeing the official robes on Li Mao, no matter how severe their injuries, the wounded soldiers attempted to rise and salute him upon seeing him.
But after a brief exchange of pleasantries, once their initial excitement subsided, only pain remained.
There were simply too many wounded in the city. While Zhen Ding had enough provisions for now, the shortage of medicine was immense.
Even the most basic wound-healing medicine could only be prioritized for the severely injured. Yet, even in this state, their eyes held only gratitude when they saw Li Mao.
Looking at those young faces, Li Mao felt an urge to flee.
"Someone! Quickly, someone!"
Just then, another group of wounded soldiers was being carried down.
Seeing the blood-soaked soldiers, the laborers with graying hair and beards who were still tending to the wounded, and their faces contorted in pain, Li Mao finally clenched his fists.
He didn't even know how he returned to his mansion. Amidst the clamor of battle, everyone was attending to their own duties.
Throughout the official yamen, clerks responsible for various affairs rushed in and out, their movements hurried, their expressions anxious.
Many, in their haste, barely completed the formalities of saluting Li Mao as they passed him.
"Sir! Sir! General Wang, General Wang has fallen..."
"What did you say?"
Upon hearing this news, the dazed Li Mao trembled all over.
"General Wang has just died in battle! The west city is now leaderless. Please, sir, make a swift decision!"
Looking at the blood-soaked soldier kneeling before him, Li Mao gritted his teeth, took a deep breath, pushed open his study door, and retrieved a treasured sword from the sword case.
Looking at the ancient sword in his hand, Li Mao let out a wry smile.
This was a coming-of-age gift from his father when he reached adulthood. It was more of an ornament than a weapon.
Since the day it came into his possession, for most of the past decades, this sword had remained in its case.
Even Li Mao himself never imagined it would one day taste blood...
"Please, sir, make a decision quickly!"
Seeing Li Mao emerge from the room again, the soldier urged him once more.
"No need to decide. Come with me!"
Tying the sword to his waist, Li Mao strode purposefully towards the entrance.
"Kill—"
"Kill—"
"Kill—"
Only when Li Mao finally stepped onto the city wall did he truly grasp the cruelty of war.
This was a slaughterhouse, the edge of life and death. Although it was night, the entire battlefield was illuminated as if by day with torches and lanterns.
With Wang Yuanji's death, the west city wall had descended into utter chaos.
"Brothers, our elders are below the city! Wang Yuanji is dead, but Li Mao is here! Fight, and drive these Jin invaders out!"
There was no impassioned speech, no time for extensive pre-battle mobilization. Despite being a mere scholar, Li Mao waved his sword and, protected by the soldiers around him, plunged directly into the fray.
"The Lord is here! The Lord is here!"
Seeing Li Mao's official robes, the Song soldiers, whose morale had been low, suddenly found renewed courage and threw themselves at the Jin soldiers, disregarding their own lives.
Of course, his official robes were equally enticing to the Jin soldiers.
Although they did not know his exact identity, the attire alone indicated that capturing his head would bring them wealth and honor.
Alas, at this moment, the city wall was still Song territory. Under the escort of his soldiers, the Jin soldiers' attempts were merely futile gestures.
With Li Mao's presence serving as a shot of adrenaline, after half an hour of fierce fighting, the situation on the west city wall finally stabilized.
Despite the stabilization, Li Mao's heart could not afford to relax in the slightest.
"Boom—"