"My mother, I'm lucky to have been selected as a general and a soldier. If it had been us to attack the city during the day, I would have died long ago."
"That's right, thanks to the blessing of General Bai, otherwise we would have become corpses long ago."
In the camp, Hei Butt, Xiao Bai and others were still frightened, and even Xiqigu, who was eager to make meritorious deeds, also agreed.
When they besieged the capital of Yan State before, as wounded soldiers, they repaired in the rear for a month before escorting the prisoners to Wuyang. They did not see the most brutal siege scene in the early stage, so they only heard that the siege was miserable, but they did not
I thought it would be so tragic.
They followed the general and stood on a high hill during the day, overlooking the siege of Jicheng.
The corpses and body parts on the ground, and the city walls stained red with blood, looked dazzling and seeping from a distance.
Ant attachment tactics.
Countless Qin soldiers were like ants, pushing siege equipment and holding weapons, climbing up the ladders to the city wall.
They were swept down one by one, and the arrows flying across the sky were like a rain of locusts, accompanied by screams. The scene was very terrifying.
Listening to everyone's words, Zhao Tuo also frowned. While he was grateful to Li Xin in his heart, he couldn't help but wonder: "How long will it take to capture Jicheng with this style of play?"
Jicheng.
Although this northern metropolis with a history of thousands of years is not as dangerous as the lower capital Wuyang, since it was captured by the Qi people during the reign of King Yan, the following generations of King Yan learned their lessons and continued to strengthen the city walls.
Build defensive facilities.
As a result, the current Jicheng city wall is tall, thick, and extremely solid, like a turtle shell. It is difficult to capture quickly with the siege technology of this era.
Wang Jian's psychological strategy in Wuyang, the capital of Xiadu, was also difficult to achieve in Jicheng.
This is the nest of Yan State.
Not only the King of Yan and the Crown Prince are in the city, but there are also countless nobles of the Yan Kingdom who have been passed down for a long time. They have been loyal to the King of Yan for generations, and at the same time they also enjoy the rights and honors given by the Yan Kingdom.
If the Yan Kingdom is destroyed, as ministers of the subjugated country, these old nobles' status will plummet even if they survive. Therefore, the Yan Kingdom's aristocracy will never surrender until the last moment.
As for the ordinary people, under the propaganda of Prince Dan, they have already feared and hated the Qin army. In addition, the men of Yan have a fierce personality and are full of blood, and they will not have the slightest intention to surrender.
The right time, right place, and right people.
The Qin army took less than half of the advantage.
How can it be so easy to destroy a great country that has been inherited for eight hundred years? One sword and one shot, and there is no room for falsehood.
"If you let me come, this Ji City will be here soon."
Zhao Tuo was very unwilling. He came from a later generation and had many insights that transcended this era.
Facing this Ji City, if nothing else, as long as he can get a counterweight trebuchet, the city will be destroyed much earlier.
The so-called counterweight trebuchet, often referred to as the return gun in later generations, was a siege weapon invented by craftsmen in the Western Regions 1,500 years later. After being used by the Mongolian army, it shocked the world.
The trebuchets in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period could only throw more than ten kilograms of stones. Although they could kill and injure soldiers, the damage to city walls was limited.
The counterweight trebuchet can throw boulders weighing more than 150 kilograms, and its power is earth-shattering.
The Mongolian army besieged Xiangyang for five years but failed.
He asked the craftsmen to make a counterweighted trebuchet and placed it outside the city. At that moment, "the machine fired, the sound shook the heaven and the earth, and everything it hit was destroyed, sinking seven feet into the ground."
The terrifying power frightened the defender of Xiangyang City into surrendering.
This siege weapon is astonishingly powerful, and the production principle is not complicated. As long as Zhao Tuo points out the direction, it can be made with the productivity level of the Qin Dynasty.
Using giant cannons from 1,500 years later to bombard the city of the Warring States Period, even if it does not destroy the city immediately, will frighten the Yan people in the city to the point of trembling and losing their will to resist.
Under ideal circumstances, the Qin army could obtain powerful siege weapons, reduce casualties among soldiers, and quickly destroy the Yan state. Zhao Tuo could also rely on his credit for inventing this thing, so it should be no problem to upgrade his title.
Win-win!
But it's a pity.
Zhao Tuo did not dare to speak out, let alone invent and create in this era.
"The rigid Qin people and this rigid system dampen the enthusiasm for invention and creation!"
Zhao Tuo gritted his teeth and felt very unwilling.
When he first entered the Qin State, he originally wanted to earn a title by virtue of his inventions and creations. That way, he would not have to fight on the battlefield, and he could be promoted and make a fortune along the way. Wouldn't it be nice?
However, reality gave him a hard blow.
Things that could be achieved in other dynasties were difficult to achieve under Qin's system.
Because Qin State has strict household registration restrictions!
Scholars, workers, merchants, travelers...
The Qin State divided the common people into household registrations, and stipulated that people belonging to which household registrations could only do corresponding things, and could never exceed their duties.
Soldiers can only farm at home and fight on the battlefield, making various tools and weapons, while merchants are responsible for doing business...
According to the logic of Legalism, this is the so-called chicken holding the night, the cat holding the mouse, each showing its abilities.
If the soldiers were engaged in making farm tools, the merchants were engaged in farming and fighting, and the various industries were doing business, wouldn't the entire social order be in chaos?
Therefore, Qin law stipulates that if you do anything beyond household registration, you will be severely punished.
Even if the thing you invented is indeed very useful, it will give Qin society a bad start. If the people at the bottom rush to imitate it, then it will be okay.
Therefore, Zhao Tuo, who was born in Shiwu, dared to make random inventions and creations, such as making treadmills and making paper.
Let’s not talk about whether he can get titles and monetary rewards. I’m afraid he won’t even be able to keep his own title.
"It's a pity that I don't have a relative who is from Baigong, otherwise I could have invented a lot of things with his help."
Zhao Tuo felt sorry in his heart.
In fact, it was natural for Baigong to invent something like the counterweight trebuchet.
But it is also a weapon of war. It seems to be reasonable that it was made by soldiers specializing in farming and fighting.
After all, the purpose of inventing this thing is to destroy the city. I, a hundred generals in the army, worry about the war and come up with a useful siege weapon. This should not be considered an overstep of duty, right?
But Zhao Tuo still didn't dare.
Because in addition to household registration restrictions, Qin's military laws are also very strict.
As the saying goes, "Those who ask for more than their quota will die."
Anyone in the army who dares to leapfrog his rank to ask for instructions will be executed directly.
Zhao Tuo could not directly advise Li Xin or Wang Jian, otherwise he would be beheaded in public.
If he wanted to make a counterweight trebuchet, he could only first ask for instructions from his superiors, the five hundred masters. Then the five hundred masters would ask for instructions from the two to five hundred masters. After the reports were made, it would reach the ears of Li Xin and Wang Jian.
But Zhao Tuo's superior, Su Jiao, the 500th leader, had only warned him not long ago.
"If I find out that you have other thoughts, I will punish you without mercy."
Zhao Tuo smiled bitterly and repeated what Su Jiao said before.
Is this invention of a weapon for siege considered a "different idea"?
Su Jiao didn't like Zhao Tuo. It would be terrible if he directly punished Zhao Tuo for being a Vietnamese national before he could finish his words.
"Wei Liao Zi General's Order": "The left, right, and central armies all have their own duties. Anyone who exceeds the division and submits to the request will die."