Chapter 637: Talking is useful, so why do we need troops?

Chapter 637: Talking is useful, so why do we need troops?

Zhao Shuo also studied military strategy. Generally speaking, the attack of siege vehicles should be coordinated with other arms. The usual tactic is that the infantry will charge first to attract the attention of the defenders on the wall, and then the archers will quickly follow up to suppress the enemy on the wall with firepower, and finally it will be the turn of the siege vehicles to exert their power.

Although the siege vehicle has great power and a long range, it also has obvious disadvantages. Its reload speed is extremely slow and it is easily damaged by the enemy. Therefore, according to conventional combat strategies, the siege vehicle should not be exposed to the enemy too early.

What surprised Zhao Shuo was that Han Xin actually placed the siege vehicle directly in the front, which was obviously not in line with the normal tactical arrangement. Zhao Shuo couldn't help but wonder, how could a general like Han Xin, who had experienced many battles, make such a low-level mistake?

However, Zhao Shuo's doubts did not last long. While he was thinking, the five catapults had quickly approached the city wall, and the distance from the city wall was only two hundred steps. At this time, Han Xin rode his warhorse without hesitation and rushed straight to the front of the catapults.

"I am General Han Xin. I am warning you for the last time. If you are willing to surrender, the Prime Minister is willing to treat you with courtesy and allocate good land to you. Those who are capable will naturally be given high positions and generous salaries. Don't be stubborn. Once my army begins the attack, there will be no possibility of regret!" Han Xin's voice was like a huge bell, resounding throughout the battlefield, as if he wanted to deeply imprint his words in everyone's heart.

The defenders on the city wall were shocked when they heard the warning. They knew that Han Xin's army was powerful and if they really launched an attack, they would be hard to resist. At this tense moment, Zhao Shuo remained unusually calm.

Zhao Shuo slowly stood up and looked in Han Xin's direction with a sharp gaze. Although his voice was not as loud as Han Xin's, it was full of majesty and confidence: "Gao Yao calls himself the prime minister and wants to take over the world. His wolfish ambition is obvious. He invaded my general's territory without reason and dared to ask us to surrender. It's a joke!"

Zhao Shuo's words were like a sharp sword, piercing Han Xin's vital points. He mercilessly exposed Gao Yao's ambitions and aggressive behavior, making Han Xin's persuasion to surrender pale and powerless.

Han Xin obviously did not expect Zhao Shuo to refute so strongly. His face changed slightly, but he soon regained his composure. He sneered and said, "Zhao Shuo, don't be ungrateful. My prime minister is benevolent and loves the people. Everything he does is in accordance with the will of heaven. If you do not submit, you will go against heaven and will be punished by heaven!"

Zhao Shuo burst into laughter upon hearing this. His laughter echoed on the city wall, causing Han Xin's army to stare at him. Zhao Shuo said sarcastically, "Han Xin, you are also a famous general. Don't you know the truth that 'he who wins the hearts of the people wins the world'? Gao Yao is so perverse, how can he get the support of the people? We would rather die than surrender to such a tyrant!"

Zhao Shuo's words resonated with the defenders on the city wall, and they shouted one after another: "We would rather die than surrender!" "We will never surrender!" For a moment, the morale on the city wall was greatly boosted, forming a sharp contrast with Han Xin's army.

At this moment, Han Xin was staring at every move on the city wall, and a trace of astonishment surged in his heart. If the information he received was accurate, then the strength of the defender in front of him should not be underestimated.

We have a full 60,000 troops attacking the city, while the number of defenders is less than 10,000. It is truly amazing that these soldiers can maintain such high morale despite such a huge disparity in troop strength.

"Who are you?" The more Han Xin thought about it, the more he felt that this person was not simple, so he shouted loudly.

"I am Zhao Shuo!" The general on the city wall responded without showing any weakness, "If you know what's good for you, you should withdraw your troops immediately, otherwise I will make sure you return in defeat!"

Zhao Shuo did not seem to intend to conceal his identity. After all, in this situation, hiding his identity would not help. Moreover, verbal confrontations can sometimes affect the morale of both sides. At this time, Zhao Shuo had the upper hand in words, which could not only undermine the enemy's morale, but also boost his own fighting spirit.

In contrast, Han Xin was obviously not very good at this kind of verbal conflict. Although he was an outstanding general, he was slightly inferior in this regard.

"Haha, the power of words!" Han Xin no longer had the idea of ​​continuing the conversation. Although the other party had indeed successfully aroused Han Xin's curiosity, it was just curiosity, and it was far from being taken seriously.

Han Xin then drew out the sword from his waist, and pointed the tip of the sword directly in the direction of the city.

"attack!"

Just as Han Xin finished speaking, the catapults behind him were activated as if by magic. The huge arms of the catapults suddenly rose up and threw several black balls high into the sky.

These black spheres cut through the air like meteors, and flew straight towards the city wall at an astonishing speed. Zhao Shuo, who was standing on the city wall, witnessed this scene and could not help but feel puzzled. He originally thought that Han Xin's sudden order to attack was just because he was angry and a little frustrated.

However, when he watched those black shadows rushing towards the city wall like lightning, a strong sense of danger suddenly surged into his heart. His intuition told him that these black spheres were definitely not ordinary things.

"Everyone, be careful!" Zhao Shuo's voice rang out on the city wall, with a hint of panic. His warning was too late.

The next moment, there was a loud bang, "boom...boom...boom", and the city wall was immediately covered by the explosion. The strong explosion was like thunder, deafening, and directly made the defenders on the city wall fall into a state of numbness.

This sudden explosion was like a natural disaster, and its power was far beyond the imagination of the soldiers of this era. The soldiers around the center of the explosion suffered a huge impact. Their bodies were lifted up by the blast, and then fell heavily to the ground, emitting bursts of miserable howls.

Although those soldiers who were a little further away from the explosion were not directly affected by the explosion, they were also knocked to the ground by the aftermath. Many of them were injured, and broken arms and legs were everywhere.

Zhao Shuo just managed to avoid the explosion and was not injured, but the shock wave from the explosion still made him feel dizzy and it took him a long time to react.