Romance of the Four Kingdoms

Chapter 51

Mitsuko arrived at the entrance of the inner castle where two guards who spotted Mitsuko went towards her.

'My lady what are you doing here, what happened on the front line?' One questioned.

'I need to see Lord Lu Bu.' She stated however the guards refused her entrance.

'Apologies my lady, Lu Bu ordered all officers on the front lines you need to return to your post.' The other one states.

'Is that so? I'm sorry but I'm afraid that's unacceptable.' Mitsuko raised her scythe and horizontally swings it slicing the neck of the right guard. The momentum makes the body twist 360 degrees before landing on their back.

'What the-?' The other guard confused as to what's happening leaves himself open to attack as Mitsuko drops the scythe down on him, striking him diagonally downwards. She quickly started to make her way to the throne room.

At the front lines though the moment the castle's gates are crashed open due to the water. Cao Cao gives the first wave of his army to advance, there's no need for him to commit everything to the front lines and make his entire army fatigued. A wave-based strategy on a weakened garrison would suffice he thought to himself. Members of the frontline were equipped with sky carts, a hulking flight of stairs with a foundation of wood and wheels making it easy to push alongside any castle walls to climb up them. And assault covers, simple hovel like structures with foundation of wood and wheels with bars inside it. covered the top of the structure however due to the amount of straw that was placed on there, all the arrows that fired upon it couldn't penetrate the density. The sky card also provided quite a bit of cover due to the gap between each step being small though true marksmen could easily make the shot. A spear line was formed at the front of the assault cover to prevent any infantry from forcing the unit out of the cover leaving them vulnerable to missile fire.

They quickened their pace once the archers on the walls started to fire however to little effect. They manage to pick off a few of them however they're unable to deal the killing blow to many of them as they would like. As the assault cover reaches the gate, they charge forward through abandoning the cover and smashing themselves against the enemy frontlines. The archers on the walls attempt to shoot at the units pushing the sky carts. Only those at the side has a good shot at them though their numbers are limited. They dock the walls and quickly climb the flight of stairs, the archers quickly put away their bows for swords and are backed up by regular foot infantry armed with swords and spears to aid them though their numbers are little. They initially fend off the attackers that came on the wall however soon enough the enemy managed to get themselves a foothold on the walls. A fierce frontline engagement took place near the gates of the castle. Neither side willing to give in, though morale was low for Lu Bu's soldiers due to the water attack and the outnumbering of the enemy though they tried their hardest. The splashing of water quickly became the splashing of blood as countless bodies slashed and stabbed littered the already messy and damp Xia Pi. The fighting was fierce as both sides fought for their very survival, retreat here meant it was a guaranteed slaughter, the officers reminded them of that very fact before they initiated the battle.

Chen Gong looks outside the upper levels of the inner castle to see this horrible sight before him. He didn't know the enemy had planned a water attack! The majority of Lu Bu's forces were decimated in this attack, Cao Cao's troops vastly outnumber them. He didn't know what he could do in this situation. No amount of strategy can make a weakened army devoid of resources able to compare to Cao Cao's strength. He only sent a few units to clean up. And it doesn't help that Lu Bu is still holed up in his throne room! Chen Gong hated to admit it...but he made a mistake betraying Cao Cao. To be the strategist of a tactless man that was...that was a disgrace! But now he renounces Lu Bu today. He realised now that Lu Bu is nothing but an animal that can't be tamed and he was a fool to think he could. If it wasn't for him ignoring his advice none of this would happen. Then he spots him. That blasted hermit! Casually sitting on the wall overlooking the battle as if nothing was happening.