Chapter 156: Revenge or a reappearance of the past?
Soon, defensive equipment such as battering rams and rolling logs appeared on the city.

Outside the city, Wei Zhuang's soldiers appeared with siege ladders, siege wood and other siege equipment.

In the early years, Lu Ban and Mo Zi used belts and bamboo sticks to conduct siege and defense drills, but Lu Ban lost.

From then on, the long-standing feud between the Gongshu school and the Mohist school began.

The name Gongshu Chou means "Chou", which means that Gongshu Jia wants to take revenge on Mo Jia.

On the Baidi chessboard, the simulated battle between Mozi and Lu Ban was almost reproduced.

Moreover, if there were people who were proficient in mechanical engineering present, it would not be difficult to discover that the crossbows and other city defense equipment on the city wall were actually the creations of Mohist mechanical engineering.

The siege equipment was the creation of Gongshujia's domineering mechanical engineering.

Gongsun Ce glanced at Gongshu Chou with a smile, only to see that Gongshu Chou was looking at Wei Zhuang expectantly.

Gongsun Ce felt that Gongshu Chou was probably expecting Wei Zhuang to win so that he could get the joy of revenge in advance.

Gongsun Ce felt that this old man was really serious. What was the point of virtual revenge?
The Six-Fingered Black Knight has decided to join the Qin State, and according to Luowang's information, the Six-Fingered Black Knight is already preparing to move Chu Mo's forces to Xianyang.

In other words, the master of the mechanism master class in Chu Mo's forces is about to go to Xianyang.

At that time, there will be a crazy internal competition between these two old guys to promote the advancement of science and technology.

Thinking of this, Gongsun Ce felt a little regretful that he did not invite Nian Duan. Without Nian Duan watching over them, Gongsun Ce suddenly felt worried that Gongshu Chou and Master Ban would die suddenly.

Eight of the ten bronze men representing the 10,000-strong army under Gai Nie's command have already climbed onto the city wall, while the remaining two are guarding the city gate, creating an atmosphere of readiness to strike.

Wei Zhuang was no less capable than the others. The bronze men under his command had already prepared siege ladders, siege beams and other siege equipment, ready to charge at the command.

"Charge!"

Following Wei Zhuang's order, two bronze men carried ladders and rushed towards the city wall, and two bronze men carried siege wood and hit the city gate, making a dull sound.

"Release arrows, pound stones, roll logs, and set up crossbows."

Arrows rained down, and battering rams and rolling logs whizzed down from the city walls. Wei Zhuang's offensive trend was immediately blocked, but Wei Zhuang did not change his offensive strategy.

If you are unable to shake the enemy's morale or use tactics to change their generals, the only way to attack the city is to use numbers to defeat them.

The plan to attack Han planned by Gongsun Ce is truly impossible to replicate.

Before the war, the enemy's morale was low and the people were suffering, so these were relatively easy to achieve.

However, the enemy's general who commanded the entire country's troops was one of ours, and he also controlled all the cities in the country, which made it very difficult to do.

Therefore, Wang Jian said that it would take 600,000 men to conquer the State of Chu, not for the sake of safety, but because he was taking a small risk.

When Li Xin said he would destroy Chu with 200,000 soldiers and horses, it seemed like a fantasy. But for some reason, Ying Zheng and Li Xin developed a mysterious confidence.

Although Xiang Yan was not one of the four famous generals in the Warring States Period, he was also a famous general.

Moreover, the territory of Chu State was very large.

Qin: about 100 million square kilometers

Chu State: about 150 million square kilometers

Zhao State: about 20 square kilometers

South Korea: about 9 square kilometers

Qi State: about 15 square kilometers

Wei State: about 20 square kilometers

Yan State: about 20 square kilometers

Before Qin conquered Han, Zhao and Wei, its territory was far smaller than that of Chu.

The territory of Qin was nearly two-thirds of that of Chu.

Even with a size as small as South Korea, before its demise, South Korea had over 200,000 troops, including the military logistics.

Li Xin's idea of ​​winning with fewer people is purely a gambler's idea of ​​risking a small amount for a big gain.

At this moment, on the chessboard of Baidi all living beings, the bronze men were not afraid at all. They bravely moved forward under the rain of arrows, stones, and rolling logs.

The ladders swayed on the city walls, and the battering rams hit the city gate again and again, and each impact seemed to try to knock open the sturdy city gate.

However, Gai Nie's bronze men were equally tenacious. Relying on the cover of the city walls, they continued to shoot arrows, push battering boulders and rolling logs, and repel the enemy again and again.

The battle was extremely brutal. If it were real, the soldiers on both sides would have paid a huge sacrifice.

As time went on, the battle gradually entered a white-hot stage.

The bronze city gate was already on the verge of collapse under the impact of the siege wood, and the battering rams and rolling logs on the city wall were gradually running out.

However, up to this moment, Wei Zhuang still had no intention of giving in.

Seeing this situation, Gai Nie began to take the initiative to attack.

"Bed crossbow ready!"

Gai Nie ordered the use of crossbows, preparing to deal a fatal blow to the enemy.

At the same time, he also sent an elite team to launch an attack from the flank of the city wall in an attempt to disrupt the enemy's position.

Soon, the bronze man sent by Gai Nie successfully broke into the enemy's formation.

With the support of the crossbows on the city wall, the enemy's formation was thrown into chaos and began to be defeated.

Seeing that the situation was not good, Wei Zhuang prepared to regroup and attack again.

Wei Zhuang then ordered his men to evacuate the city and first annihilate the team sent by Gai Nie.

However, by this time it was too late.

Gai Nie's defenders had launched a full-scale counterattack and subsequently wiped out Wei Zhuang's troops.

Gongsun Ce raised his hand and announced, "Gai Nie and Wei Zhuang have two wins and one loss, and Gai Nie wins."

After learning the final result, Wei Zhuang was surprisingly calm. He looked at Gai Nie and said, "Brother, I am about to break through to the Grandmaster level. There is still a battle between you and me." Gai Nie nodded and said, "Let's wait and see."

The person involved was fine, but Gongshu Chou fell into deep thought.

Gongsun Ce estimated that Gongshu Chou was wondering whether Wei Zhuang's defeat was related to the siege equipment.

After the battle with Guiguzi, Yan Dan became more and more determined to leave Qin.

With such a powerful weapon, and the fact that the level of Yan's soldiers was far inferior to that of Qin's soldiers, he was really worried that Yan would be destroyed while he was still a hostage in Qin.

After the court was dismissed, Yan Dan asked to see Ying Zheng but to no avail.

At this moment, Ying Zheng had already wiped out his friendship with Yan Dan.

The past was the past and the present is the present.

In the past, Ying Zheng and Yan Dan were both hostages. Now Ying Zheng is the ruler of a country, while Yan Dan is still a hostage.

Ying Zheng felt that this friendship was over, or rather, it had never begun.

The next day, Yan Dan asked to see Ying Zheng again.

"Please ask the Imperial Chariot Officer to pass on the message that Yan Dan wishes to see the king."

Zhao Gao looked at Yan Dan with an embarrassed expression, then nodded and entered the Zhangtai Palace.

At this time, Ying Zheng was playing chess with Gongsun Ce. "Mr. Gongsun, do you think the king needs a close friend?"

Gongsun Ce saw Ying Zheng's mood at the moment and replied calmly, "Everyone needs friends, and the king is also a human being. But the prerequisite is that the other party also wants to become a close friend of the king."

Ying Zheng nodded, and at this time Zhao Gao came to report.

"Your Majesty, the emperor Yan... Qi Daizhao requests to see you."

Zhao Gao was about to say Prince Dan of Yan, but after noticing Ying Zheng stroking the chess piece, he abruptly changed the name.

In the Qin State, Yan Dan must be called according to the title given by Ying Zheng. This is a matter of principle for Ying Zheng.

Ying Zheng continued to focus on the chessboard, "No."

"promise!"

After Zhao Gao responded to Ying Zheng's order, he immediately went outside the palace and informed Yan Dan of the result.

"Qi Dai Zhao, the king is busy with official duties and has no time to see you."

Noticing Zhao Gao's address to him, Yan Dan gave a wry smile and left immediately.

For the next five days, he asked the palace servants again and again with an uneasy mood, but the answer he got was always the cold "The king is busy today and cannot summon you."

Yan Dan's heart was filled with helplessness and anxiety. He had thought that because of their past friendship, Ying Zheng would use him, just like he used Changping Jun.

If he could be valued in Qin, he could to a certain extent give Yan State a lifeline and alleviate the danger of its demise.

However, he did not expect that Ying Zheng did give him a position, but it was only a chess attendant, not any other official position with real power, and he could not even attend the morning court.

The focus of “棋待照” is on the last two words – 待照, rather than on the word 棋.

This was destined to be an insignificant official position. He could only enter the Xianyang Palace when Ying Zheng wanted to play chess with him.

On the third day, Yan Dan came again to ask for an audience, and was received by a young eunuch.

The moment he saw Yan Dan, the eunuch said nothing. No matter how Yan Dan flattered him and even offered him money as a token of his appreciation, the eunuch ignored Yan Dan's intentions.

It was impossible for Yan Dan to break into the Xianyang Palace by force. The Xianyang Palace was heavily guarded and could not be compared with the Korean royal palace.

The fourth day and the fifth day were just a repetition of the same situation, and Yan Dan was rejected several times again.

This was the last bit of decency that Ying Zheng could give to Yan Dan—he did not openly expel Yan Dan from the Xianyang Palace, nor did he openly tell everyone that he was hated by Ying Zheng.

At night, Yan Dan couldn't sleep in the inn. He looked at the bright moon outside the window, but his heart was filled with gloom.

On the morning of the sixth day, Yan Dan came to the palace gate again. When he saw the magnificent Xianyang Palace, an indescribable emotion surged in his heart.

He knew that he could not just sit there and wait for death. He had to find a way to meet Ying Zheng and get a chance to leave Qin.

Yan Dan looked at the eunuch in front of him and knelt down, "Please tell the king that Yan Dan wants to see him!"

The eunuch was still young. When he saw this scene, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, and then it turned into helplessness.

Zhao Gao ordered him to look after Yan Dan, and he was not allowed to talk to Yan Dan, let alone pass on a message for Yan Dan.

Zhao Gao came to Yan Dan at this time and sighed helplessly, "Why do you have to force it?"

Yan Dan bowed to Zhao Gao and said, "Please ask the Minister of the Imperial Chariot Office to be lenient."

Zhao Gao knew what Ying Zheng was thinking. Yan Dan's request for a meeting for five consecutive days had already made Ying Zheng a little annoyed.

Ying Zheng was just looking for an opportunity to wake Yan Dan up, and Zhao Gao would naturally not miss this opportunity to serve as the king's forerunner.

"Okay, please wait a moment. Gao, I will go and report right away."

Zhao Gao arrived outside the Zhangtai Palace and respectfully informed everyone of his purpose.

"Your Majesty, the chess master wants to see you."

At this time, Ying Zheng was looking at the map of seven countries hanging on the wall in front of him.

By this day, Wang Jian, Wei Zhuang, Gai Nie, Yang Duan and others had already set out, and Ying Zheng was paying attention to the movements of the four armies. Yan Dan's affairs seemed insignificant.

"Reply to Yan Dan, if you want to leave Qin and return to Yan, it will only rain millet and grow horns on horses."

Zhao Gao returned to Yan Dan and told him exactly what Ying Zheng had said.

Yan Dan was devastated when he heard this. He understood what Ying Zheng meant by this - it was something that could never happen.

Millet falls from the sky and horses grow horns on the ground.

(End of this chapter)