After a male student transmigrated into the body of a widow,

Chapter 226 The Northern Barbarians' Great Defeat (Updated with the latest chapter)

The rain lasted for a day and a night. On the eighth day, the dark clouds in the sky over Youzhou Prefecture dispersed, and the sky cleared up.

Upon seeing this, the Northern Manchu general laughed heartily and addressed his soldiers: "Heaven blesses our Northern Barbarians! Warriors, Youzhou Prefecture has been besieged by us for many days and is already a weary lamb with no power to fight back. Today, we will fight with all our might to take it down. After the victory, fine wine and beautiful women await you to enjoy!"

After several sieges, the Northern Barbarian soldiers also felt that the Zhenbei Army was becoming increasingly weak.

They echoed the northern barbarian generals' cry: "Charge into Jingcheng! Charge into Jingcheng! Charge into Jingcheng!"

Not to be outdone, Tian Kang looked at the wall full of soldiers and shouted: "Brothers, the northern barbarian enemy is arrogant and wants to destroy our homeland. Will we let them succeed?"

The Zhenbei Army shouted: "No! No! Slaughter all the northern barbarians, repel the enemy and protect the country!"

"--kill!"

The thunderous sounds of battle erupted once more, echoing across the entire battlefield.

Tian Kang turned to the young military supervisor beside him, his tone slightly heavy: "Lord Zheng, the Northern Barbarians have run out of patience and are about to launch a full-scale attack on Jingcheng."

They had been trapped in the city for many days, and their food supplies were gradually running low. The 150,000 soldiers of the Northern Barbarians were outside, relying on supplies transported from the rear. How much food could they possibly have left? Moreover, the enemy usually only carried a few days' worth of food during their marches, relying on the food they plundered from the city as their rations. As Jingcheng could not be captured for a long time, their food supplies could not be replenished, and they began to panic.

Zheng Hao remained unmoved and calmly ordered, "Transport the prepared poisoned arrows to the city wall and have the archers take turns firing them!"

Tian Kang gave the order.

Archers, armed with poisoned arrows, kept firing at the city gates, and every Northern Barbarian soldier hit by the arrows felt a burning pain in his wounds.

The Northern Barbarians' offensive slowed down.

Upon seeing this, the Northern Barbarian general summoned the frontline soldiers and asked with dissatisfaction, "Why has the vanguard's attack on the city weakened?"

In the northern barbarians, soldiers who do not perform bravely in battle and are passive in fighting the enemy are also in violation of military regulations. According to military law, they can be torn apart by five horses and ground into mincemeat in front of the entire army to serve as military rations to warn other soldiers.

The soldier replied with a troubled expression, "General, the Zhenbei Army is cunning and ruthless. They have smeared poison and hot pot on their arrows. The soldiers who are hit by the arrows are in great pain and cannot advance at all."

Upon hearing this, the Northern Barbarian general flew into a rage: "When did their Zhenbei Army become so insidious?"

Applying poison to arrowheads on the battlefield was common practice, but because poison was rare and expensive, it was no longer used after a few volleys of arrows.

He did not expect that the Zhenbei Army would be so unrefined as to smear their hair clippers with excrement.

"With 150,000 troops besieging 50,000 Zhenbei soldiers, today marks the eighth day. We cannot delay any longer. At the latest, the day after tomorrow, this general will take Jingcheng!"

Leading three times the number of soldiers as the enemy, yet failing to quickly capture Jingcheng, even if he triumphs and returns to the Northern Barbarians, he will still be blamed by His Majesty.

"General, please don't be anxious," the aide said.

As a general's advisor, he did not stay in the rear, but followed the Northern Barbarian generals to the battlefield. However, their location was very safe, and they were heavily guarded by soldiers.

The Northern Barbarian general turned to look at him, and his advisor said, "The people stationed in Jingcheng this time are Zheng Hao, the prefect of Youzhou Prefecture and the military supervisor of the Zhenbei Army, and Tian Kang, the general of the Zhenbei Army. The latter is too straightforward and honest to think of a way to smear excrement on arrows. This plan must have been conceived by this newly appointed military supervisor."

The northern barbarian general frowned: "I have never heard of this man before."

The advisor, though interrupted, was not displeased. Based on the information relayed by the scouts, he explained Zheng Hao to the other party. Upon hearing this, the Northern Barbarian general said, "He's just a pretty boy, nothing to be afraid of!"

The advisor shook his head slightly and said earnestly, "On the contrary, General, this man is very cunning. Before he was even twenty, he became a prefect of a region and served as the military supervisor of the Zhenbei Army. He managed to keep Jingcheng, which we could have captured in five days, from being held up, and caused heavy casualties to our Northern Barbarian army. This shows that he is proficient in military affairs. If we have the chance, we must not let this man live, lest the Great Qian become even stronger."

The Northern Barbarian general trusted this strategist from the Great Qian Dynasty greatly; he owed his position to the strategist's advice.

After listening to what the other party said, he calmed down and considered it carefully. Finally, he instructed his personal guards: "Pass down the order to change the formation. Order the soldiers to take up their shields and move forward, while the rear throws stones at the city wall."

The soldier accepted the order and withdrew.

Seeing the Northern Barbarian soldiers quickly change formation, their arrows blocked by the sturdy shields, Tian Kang did not immediately give the order. He looked at Zheng Hao and waited for his signal.

The young military supervisor's lips moved slightly, about to give an order, when he heard several hurried footsteps behind him.

Gu Lin said as he ran, "The gunpowder has been made."

Zheng Hao turned around and looked up, only to see a young man leading a few people running closer.

Zheng Hao's expression changed slightly, and he stepped closer, saying, "It's dangerous on the city wall, Uncle Gu, hurry down."

The young supervisor, who had stood guard on the city wall for many days without changing his expression in the face of the constantly attacking enemy, stepped forward and tried to grab Gu Lin to take him down.

Gu Lin waved his hand, caught his breath, and after he could speak again, he picked up the bamboo tube in his hand and said, "We've made gunpowder, the Northern Barbarian army can't hold us back anymore!"

He quickly explained what he and Ning Fangshi had been busy with these past few days, and then described the effects of gunpowder. Tian Kang, who was standing to the side, looked bewildered after hearing this, unable to believe that the young man could repel the northern barbarians with just a bamboo tube in his hand.

Zheng Hao did not question it. He looked down at the bamboo tube in Gu Lin's hand and asked in a deep voice, "How do you use this?"

Gu Lin gave a detailed explanation, and then said, "The area outside the city is full of Northern Barbarian soldiers. I will demonstrate it to you, and you will know the effect of gunpowder."

After saying that, he held the gunpowder and was about to step closer to the city wall when the young military supervisor in front of him raised his hand to stop him.

He looked up at the other person, Zheng Hao's expression remained unchanged: "Swords and spears have no eyes, I will have people from the army come to test it."

Hearing the other party's firm tone, Gu Lin did not insist and handed the gunpowder to them.

Zheng Hao instructed Da Zhuo: "Find those who are quick-witted and agile to use gunpowder, and bring the craftsmen to teach them."

Da Zhuo agreed, then took the gunpowder and led several craftsmen behind Gu Lin to teach the soldiers how to use it.

The method of using gunpowder was very simple, and with the help of craftsmen explaining and demonstrating, the soldiers quickly understood it.

Da Zhuo approached the young military supervisor and explained the situation.

Feeling the eager gazes of Tian Kang and the soldiers, and Uncle Gu's expectant eyes, Zheng Hao calmly ordered, "Use gunpowder!"

At the order, the archers made way, and more than ten soldiers quickly stepped forward, lit the gunpowder in their hands, and then threw it outwards.

Immediately, the craftsmen raised their hands to cover their ears. Before the soldiers could be confused, more than a dozen earth-shattering sounds entered their ears. Some of those who were not prepared felt their eardrums vibrate.

After the loud noise subsided, they looked down and saw that several areas had cleared out among the densely packed Northern Barbarian army, and the previously continuous offensive had stopped.

Hearing the deafening roar that suddenly erupted like thunder, and seeing the clear blue sky on the horizon, the Northern Barbarian soldiers knelt down and cried out, "Eternal Heaven, forgive us!"

Upon seeing this, Tian Kang's face lit up with joy, and he laughed heartily: "This gunpowder is truly powerful. After a dozen or so were thrown down, the Northern Barbarian soldiers were so frightened that they dared not move."

Without mentioning that his heart skipped a beat when the gunpowder exploded.

He looked at the gunpowder in the hands of the craftsmen and soldiers, somewhat eager to try it out, but the other party protected the gunpowder and took a few steps back.

Zheng Hao said, "Gunpowder is extremely powerful and dangerous. If General Tian wants to try it, we can have the craftsmen teach you after the war."

Although he was eager to try using gunpowder himself, Tian Kang did not insist and nodded to the young military supervisor in agreement.

Behind them, the Northern Barbarian general was also startled by the sound of thunder. He looked up at the sky, which was clear and cloudless. How could there be thunder?

He turned to look at his aides, who also looked shocked and bewildered.

Seeing the morale of the army wavering, the Northern Barbarian general drew his cold blade and slashed at a soldier next to him who was trying to retreat, blood splattering everywhere.

He shouted, "Let's see who dares to retreat! They're just bluffing. With the protection of the Eternal Heaven, we are sure to be invincible. After we capture Jingcheng, I will recommend you for credit!"

His shouts quickly brought the other generals back to their senses. Although fear still lingered in their eyes, they raised their voices and said, "Brave warriors, did you hear the general's promise? Your days of promotion and wealth are just around the corner!"

After he finished speaking, the morale of the Northern Barbarian soldiers recovered slightly. One by one, they stood up with trembling legs, their eyes blinded by the riches and honors promised by their generals.

However, just as they were about to charge forward, the Zhenbei Army on the city wall once again unleashed a deluge of arrows. With each arrow, a series of loud bangs filled their ears, and many people were blasted into open spaces by thunder. The soldiers who had been standing there were instantly decapitated and fell to the ground.

The already demoralized Northern Barbarian soldiers were now completely terrified. They believed in the Eternal Heaven and thought that the fact that the heavens sent down thunderbolts instead of striking the Zhenbei Army must be a punishment for their crime of starting the war.

The soldiers laid down their weapons and knelt down to beg forgiveness from the Eternal Heaven.

"May the Eternal Heaven not be offended!"

"May the Eternal Heaven atone for our sins!"

The Northern Barbarian general was both angry and afraid upon seeing this. His advisor swallowed hard and said, "The talk of ghosts and gods is unbelievable. The thunderous power on the battlefield must have been created by the Zhenbei Army using some unknown method."

The Northern Barbarian general angrily said, "Of course I know that, but morale is low and the soldiers have no will to fight. How can we possibly capture Jingcheng?"

The aide said, "In this situation, it is not advisable for us to continue fighting. General, you should immediately retreat and cease fire to boost morale!"

The Northern Barbarian general had no choice but to summon his personal guards and order them to sound the retreat. However, before the guards could deliver the order, the deafening sound of horses' hooves came from afar behind them.

The Northern Barbarian general looked up and his expression changed: "Not good, the reinforcements from the Zhenbei Army are almost here!"

The commotion in the distance was so great that the soldiers inside the city also sensed it.

Tian Kang and his soldiers looked grave, unsure whether the newcomers were enemy troops or reinforcements.

Gu Lin's heart raced. Although gunpowder was extremely powerful, if the Northern Barbarians had reinforcements, the gunpowder they produced would be far from enough to fight the enemy.

The young military supervisor's expression remained unchanged, but his brows and eyes hardened.

He lowered his eyes, looking down at the increasingly restless Northern Barbarian soldiers who were showing signs of retreating. Then he looked up at the approaching army in the distance, where dust was billowing and the flags were indistinguishable. Zheng Hao said, "Reinforcements have arrived. The soldiers of the Zhenbei Army are preparing to go out of the city to meet the enemy!"

Gu Lin looked up at him, and in that instant, the distant army drew closer and closer. As the dust settled, Gu Lin clearly saw the character "Rong" printed on the black flag, and a surge of joy swept through his heart: "The reinforcements have arrived!"

Tian Kang shouted with delight, "My men, reinforcements have arrived! Follow me out of the city to meet the enemy!"

The soldiers shouted in agreement, their morale soaring!

Zheng Hao ordered: "Fire all the remaining gunpowder!"

Upon hearing this, the soldiers and craftsmen threw out the last batch of gunpowder. The thunderous explosion forced the already chaotic Northern Barbarian army into disarray, making it difficult for them to retreat.

The Marquis of Zhenbei led 50,000 soldiers back to reinforce the city, including 10,000 heavy cavalry who were extremely powerful. The northern barbarian soldiers attacking the city were mostly infantry, and their formation had already been disrupted by the gunpowder. They were powerless against the heavily armored and iron-clad Zhenbei army.

Not to mention, with the gates of Jingcheng open, Tian Kang led tens of thousands of soldiers out of the city, leaving them in a precarious situation, surrounded by the Zhenbei Army. Upon seeing this, the Northern Barbarian general roared, "Useless! Retreat immediately!"

Seeing the Zhenbei Army's iron cavalry getting closer and closer, the advisor's eyelids twitched: "General, the enemy is almost upon us, we must retreat! If we don't leave now, it will be too late!"

As the Northern Barbarian general watched the Marquis of Zhenbei approach with his broadsword, each swing of his blade claiming three or four heads, he quickly exclaimed, "Let's go! We must retreat!"

Just as they turned to run, a burly general rode up on horseback, blocking their path and laughing arrogantly, "You little bastard, let's see where you run to!"

Faced with the opponent's provocation and insults, the Northern Barbarian general's face turned red. Ignoring his advisors' advice, he picked up his spear and stepped forward to fight.

Upon seeing this, Tian Kang's expression flashed with excitement, a surge of intense emotion that had been building up within the city for many days without any action.

He said fiercely, "You little bastard, today Grandpa will definitely spare your dog's life!"

The two began to fight, one wielding a broadsword and the other a spear. Tian Kang was strong and powerful, and his moves were wide and sweeping. He showed no signs of being defeated after being besieged for many days. On the contrary, as time went on, the Northern Barbarian general gradually lost the battle and his tall horse kept retreating.

As the broadsword fell, the Northern Barbarian general's arm went numb. Tian Kang raised his hand and slashed down again. With a clang, the Northern Barbarian general's spear fell from his hand and landed on the ground.

Upon seeing this, the Northern Barbarian general was horrified. Before he could react, the broadsword had already slashed towards his neck. In an instant, a spurt of blood shot into the sky. The advisor looked up and saw that the Northern Barbarian general's body was still sitting on his horse, but his head had fallen to the ground, rolled a few times, and stared at him with his unseeing eyes.

"The commander-in-chief is dead!"

The Zhenbei Army shouted, and the Northern Barbarian soldiers, who had been stubbornly resisting, were even more at a loss. The Zhenbei Marquis shouted, "Put down your weapons! Those who surrender will not be killed!"

Upon hearing this, the northern barbarian soldiers hesitated for a moment, then put down their weapons, covered their heads, and squatted down.