Chapter 24: Lying on Ice (6)

No matter what the imperial court did, Zhang Xun would never give up!
“Lord Xu, although we have dealt a heavy blow to the enemy this time, there is still a significant gap in strength between us. I’m afraid Yin Ziqi, in his anger and desire to restore his pride, might lead his troops to attack the city overnight.”
Zhang Xun clenched his fists and voiced his concerns to those gathered there.
Xu Yuan waved his hand and said, “Lord Zhang, there’s no need for worry. Since Yin Ziqi began besieging the city at the end of February, the rebels have attacked at least eight times—maybe even ten. Their attacks have grown more forceful each time, but haven’t we repelled them time and time again?”
Xu Yuan was right. With less than five thousand soldiers and a group of able-bodied civilians, Zhang Xun had managed to defend Suiyang City like a fortress, not even losing its barbican. Even if Yin Ziqi attacked overnight out of desperation, with his mind already disturbed, how could he gain any advantage?
On the contrary, as long as they were prepared, defending the city at night would actually work in their favor. Suiyang had ample defensive equipment—just the rolling logs and stones would give the rebels a hard time. There were also sharp weapons like grappling hooks and spiked clubs; if the rebels dared to attack, they would suffer greatly.
Most importantly, he had something the rebels definitely did not—love for his homeland.
This was their homeland, and they must defend it with their swords.
“Report! Report…”
Just then, a soldier rushed into the hall and knelt down, saying, “Lord Zhang, Lord Zhang! The rebels are attacking the city!”
Zhang Xun stroked his beard gently and said, “As I expected. It seems Yin Ziqi can’t wait any longer.”
“All generals, follow me immediately to the city walls to oversee the battle!”
Zhang Xun shouted decisively, his face resolute…
On the walls of Suiyang City, the wind howled fiercely.
Zhang Xun frowned slightly as he looked at the dense mass of enemy troops below.
The torches lit up the sky like stars, revealing that about thirty thousand enemy soldiers were surrounding Suiyang City. Ladders, sandbags, and battering rams—tools not used in previous attacks—had been brought to bear, showing that Yin Ziqi was determined to win this battle.
“Nan Jiyun, what’s the situation now?”
Zhang Xun turned and walked toward the gatehouse on the city wall, asking Nan Jiyun about the battle progress.
“Reporting to Lord Zhang, Yin Ziqi has divided his troops into four groups, planning to attack from all sides at once,” Nan Jiyun replied respectfully, bowing to Zhang Xun.
“Oh?”
Zhang Xun raised his eyebrows. “Is that true?”

If that’s indeed the case, it would indeed be highly advantageous for oneself. One must remember that in warfare, it’s crucial not to spread forces thin. Doing as Yin Ziqi does may seem to cover all aspects, but in reality, it fails to make any real progress in any direction.

Nan Jiyun nodded. “Indeed. Judging from the current situation, the number of rebels gathered at each city gate is roughly the same.”

Zhang Xun clapped his hands and laughed loudly. “Great! Nan Ba, I have a task for you.”

Nan Jiyun, understanding what was needed, stepped closer to Zhang Xun and leaned in to listen…

The moon was bright. Outside the northern walls of Suiyang, rebel general Cui Boyuan led more than three thousand cavalry trying to persuade Zhang Xun to surrender.

“Lord Zhang, our commander respects you as a hero of our time and values your talents. He cannot bear to see you exploited by a foolish ruler and lost your life. He hopes you’ll assess the situation wisely and join our Great Yan court.”

Cui Boyuan held the reins with one hand, constantly urging Zhang Xun to surrender.

In truth, whether Zhang Xun would actually surrender didn’t matter much—it was just a clever strategy devised by General Yin Ziqi. In his view, Zhang Xun was the spiritual pillar of this city. As long as Zhang Xun lost his composure, he would have the chance to take advantage of the situation and capture Suiyang. As long as they kept persuading him from the city walls, Zhang Xun would inevitably become conflicted. Even if his loyalty to the Tang court was unshakable, it didn’t matter. With such persuasion, some of the defenders inside the city might lose resolve and start to hesitate.

As long as they could divide the defenders, capturing Suiyang would be only a matter of time.

“General Cui, everyone has their own aspirations. As an official of the Tang dynasty, I must remain loyal and steadfast to it. There’s no need for you to waste further words,” Zhang Xun replied firmly from the city walls.

This situation had lasted for half an hour. No matter what benefits Cui Boyuan offered, Zhang Xun’s response remained the same.

Cui Boyuan swallowed hard and smiled brightly. “Why be so stubborn, Lord Zhang? You know that Suiyang is now surrounded by 100,000 cavalry of our Great Yan. Not to mention reinforcements, not even birds can fly in. How long can you hold out in such a besieged city? Once our troops break through the walls, they will surely massacre the inhabitants in frustration. Will you really bear to see them die because of your stubbornness?”

Cui Boyuan didn’t give up and continued to wage a psychological battle against Zhang Xun. These scholars and pedants valued morality above all. So he would use morality to shut them up and see what else they could say.

Zhang Xun waved his hand and said, “The people in Suiyang City are also subjects of my Tang Dynasty. They grew up eating Tang’s grain and drinking Tang’s well water. Their hearts belong only to the Tang Dynasty; they have no idea what Great Yan is. Even if they knew what would happen after the city falls, they would still stand firmly by my side and fight to the last moment! General Cui, please stop speaking. I appreciate your kindness, but I must decline your request!”
Zhang Xun clasped his fists in front of Cui Boyuan and replied resolutely, “Fight! Fight! Fight!”
“Kill! Kill! Kill!”
At that moment, the thunderous sounds of drums and horns resounded once again from the city walls, as the soldiers roared with all their might, their momentum astonishing.
“Uh…”
Cui Boyuan took a deep breath, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and said, “Lord Zhang, please think carefully. If you surrender to Great Yan, Marshal Yin will surely recommend you to the emperor for a real official position at the fourth rank.”
This was indeed a generous offer. After all, Zhang Xun’s original rank in the Tang Dynasty was only that of a county magistrate at the seventh rank. Although he was later granted some higher titles for his contributions in fighting the enemy, those were merely nominal positions meant to inspire the soldiers. In times of chaos, even military governors abounded—how could Zhang Xun’s titles hold any real weight?
Upon hearing this, Zhang Xun fell silent.
Seeing that Zhang Xun was tempted, Cui Boyuan was overjoyed.
“Lord Zhang, rest assured. I always keep my word. I can’t guarantee other things, but this one I will definitely fulfill.”
“As long as you hand over Suiyang City… Ah!”
Cui Boyuan was spouting words loudly, trying to persuade Zhang Xun, when suddenly he felt a pain in his shoulder. When he looked closely, he found that he had been shot with an arrow.
“Stop talking nonsense, traitor! If you want to fight, then fight!”
Zhang Xun drew the sword at his waist, raised it high, and stood firm on the city walls of Suiyang, like a celestial deity.