Chapter 54 Success

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"Marshal, the city gates are open! Let this general lead the troops to charge into the city!" Pang Zhong, with his sharp eyes, was the first to notice the lowering of the drawbridge at the West Gate of Shanzhou and the opening of the city gates. Disregarding the presence of Yang Xi right beside him, he lowered his binoculars, leaped onto his warhorse in a single fluid motion, brandished his weapon, and shouted loudly to the soldiers behind him, "Brothers, follow me, charge!"

Yang Xi immediately saw the scene as well. However, seeing that Pang Zhong could not contain his excitement and had jumped onto his horse to order a charge without waiting for his command, Yang Xi did not stop him. Instead, he immediately issued his own order: "Brothers, follow General Pang, charge into the city of Shanzhou!"

Seeing Pang Zhong gallop forward to lead by example, Yang Xi issued another command. The neat formations of soldiers, who had been waiting for the order, drew their swords, shouted battle cries, and followed closely behind Pang Zhong toward the lowered drawbridge at the West Gate of Shanzhou.

The billowing dust and sand mixed with the thick smoke from the top of the city walls, once again obscuring the soldiers' vision. However, fierce gales blew past from time to time. In the brief moments when the smoke and dust were blown away, Yang Xi could use his binoculars to see the soldiers rapidly charging into the West Gate of Shanzhou, followed instantly by increasingly loud battle cries from within the city.

By this time, generals such as Tian Liangqiu, Lü Chongben, and Liu Guangting had arrived by Yang Xi's side, and the bulk of the troops they led had also arrived.

Seeing that Pang Zhong had already broken into the West Gate, the rest of the generals could no longer restrain themselves. They vied with one another to request combat assignments from Yang Xi, begging to lead their troops in. Yang Xi granted their requests one by one, ordering the generals to charge into the city immediately and capture the remaining gates. Liu Guangting, however, was kept back. Instead of ordering him to join the charge into the city, Yang Xi instructed him to lead a force of ten thousand men and immediately gallop toward the East Gate of Shanzhou.

Upon receiving the order, Liu Guangting complied without hesitation, leading his ten thousand men in a swift charge toward the East Gate of Shanzhou.

Yang Xi also dispatched orders to Wang Sili of the rear guard, instructing him to lead his forces at full speed toward the East and South Gates.

Soon, the more than ten thousand soldiers who had scaled the city walls using cloud ladders had all climbed to the top and fought their way into the interior of Shanzhou City, while the other ten thousand men led by Pang Zhong had also charged through the West Gate.

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The more than thirty thousand troops led by Lü Chongben, Tian Liangqiu, and other generals also densely charged toward the direction of Shanzhou City.

With the West Gate wide open, the greater part of Shanzhou had already fallen into the hands of the Great Tang army. If they did not charge in now while the rebel forces had not yet been completely annihilated to reap some military merits, when would they? This was the exact reason why generals like Lü Chongben and Tian Liangqiu kept pleading with Yang Xi for combat orders.

"Marshal Yang, please allow this general to lead a detachment of soldiers into the battle as well!" Standing alongside Yang Xi, Military Sima Gao Shi saw how smoothly the battle was progressing and could no longer suppress his eagerness, asking Yang Xi for permission to personally lead a charge.

However, Yang Xi did not grant Gao Shi's request. With a smile, he refused, saying, "General Gao, you arranged a great deal of the military affairs today. If the grand army successfully captures Shanzhou, you will have already established a tremendous merit. There is no need for you to personally charge into battle. I will have more important tasks to entrust to you shortly, so you shall remain by my side all along!"

From Yang Xi's words, Gao Shi understood the trust and heavy reliance placed upon him. He immediately dismissed the thought of seizing a battlefield merit amidst the chaos and stood obediently by Yang Xi's side.

"Marshal, did you anticipate that the rebel forces would attempt to escape through the East Gate, and thus ordered General Liu to intercept and pursue them, and also ordered General Wang to block their retreat?" Seeing the battle progressing with such smooth momentum, the hot-blooded Gao Shi could not help asking a question that, by his usual temperament, he would never have asked.

In truth, this question did not even need to be asked; a moment's thought would make it entirely clear.

Yang Xi was also filled with excitement. He had anticipated success in the attack on Shanzhou, but the siege had progressed far more smoothly than he had ever dared to dream. Overtaken by joy, he paid no heed to whether Gao Shi's question was appropriate, and immediately nodded in confirmation. "I anticipated that once defeated, the rebel army would attempt to flee through the East and South Gates. The North Gate of Shanzhou faces the Yellow River; unless they wish to leap into the river, they will not escape from the North Gate. Since Shanzhou has been so easily breached, I have no intention of letting these one hundred thousand rebel soldiers escape. We shall capture as many as we can leave behind!"

"Marshal, this general never imagined that Shanzhou would be breached so effortlessly. The explosives created by the Marshal truly possess astonishing power, proving immensely useful in a siege!" Unable to express his overflowing excitement, Gao Shi could not help uttering a few flattering words. "Marshal, I truly admire you. Had you not invented these explosives, Shanzhou could never have been taken so easily. Even if it were captured, the casualties incurred would have been astronomical!"

Yang Xi turned back to look at Gao Shi, smiled, and said, "General Gao, if every engagement with the rebel forces proceeded this smoothly, when do you suppose An Lushan's rebellion could be completely pacified?"

This question momentarily stunned Gao Shi, but after a brief thought, he replied promptly, "Marshal, if every battle went just as smoothly, this general believes the rebellion could be completely pacified within a mere few months!"

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"I think so too," Yang Xi said, then immediately shook his head. "However, that is impossible. Our ability to achieve such results today is primarily because the explosives were used in warfare for the first time. The rebel soldiers had never witnessed such a weapon before, and they were terrified by its massive explosive sound and destructive force; many were likely concussed to death by the blasts. The concentrated explosions shattered the rebels' fighting spirit, and they scrambled for their lives, with no one daring to stay behind and endure the explosive wrath. The defenders on the city walls fled entirely. Once explosives are used more frequently, and everyone becomes familiar with their power and hides during the detonations, their deterrent and destructive capabilities will decrease significantly. By then, the scene of a single explosion sending enemy soldiers scrambling for their lives will no longer occur!"

"However, Marshal, this general believes that the firearms you have crafted far surpass any other weapons in power. As long as our opponents are not equipped with such armament, we will maintain an overwhelming advantage in both offense and defense!" Gao Shi felt that Yang Xi's reasoning was sound, yet he still believed such a weapon was irresistible.

"I believe we shall soon launch an attack on Luoyang. Let us witness the power of these weapons once more when we besiege Luoyang," Yang Xi did not argue further with Gao Shi. Pointing toward Shanzhou City, he smiled and said, "General Gao, after we capture Shanzhou, I intend to entrust you with the heavy responsibility of administering its affairs. It is my hope that once the hostilities are pacified, you will properly organize Shanzhou and transform it into a fortified bastion against any rebel counter-offensives!"

"Understood, Marshal!" Gao Shi responded in a ringing voice, "This general will certainly not fail your heavy trust!"

"I hope the battle can conclude by tonight," Yang Xi murmured, gazing at the smoke-shrouded city of Shanzhou.

Yang Xi's expectation was not an unattainable one; it was about to become an immediate reality.

After Pang Zhong led his troops charging into Shanzhou City, he found the place filled everywhere with chaotic rebel troops running blindly in panic. Countless soldiers had discarded their weapons and fled with their heads in their hands. Paying no mind to the disorganized stragglers on the streets, Pang Zhong drove his forces straight into the depths of the city, preparing to secure the remaining gates.

Along the path of their charge, Pang Zhong encountered no resistance whatsoever; everywhere he looked, there were rows upon rows of rebel soldiers kneeling to surrender...