With that, more than a dozen carts of earth mines were pushed forward.
"These are the earth mines used on our Feng family's mining mountains. Their power is not as great as the army's fire mines, but it's simple enough to maim or injure those Northern Di people. General, please do not disdain them!"
Xiao Ji was deeply moved. These earth mines could save lives.
Every additional Northern Di soldier they could blow up or injure meant one less casualty for them.
He then bowed deeply to Feng Shan, speaking with utmost sincerity.
"On behalf of all the soldiers, I, Xiao Ji, thank the Feng family head, the heads of all families, and the citizens who came to help. As I said before, as long as I have a breath left, I will never let Liangzhou City fall!"
"Fight to the death! Fight to the death! Fight to the death!"
The remaining defending soldiers and the reinforcements from Jizhou, who were still alive, were all deeply moved. They held the freshly baked steamed buns in their hands, and their wounds were being tended to by others. Their exhausted bodies finally found a moment of rest.
After a brief period of rest, a weak soldier suddenly shouted.
"They're here, they're here again."
Xiao Muqian straightened up and saw the Northern Di people, as if they were inexhaustible, swarming towards Liangzhou once more.
This was already an unknown number of attacks. They were truly determined to break the city at any cost!
"Prepare for battle!"
"Yes!"
Hurriedly stuffing the steamed buns into their mouths, without even time to drink water, the soldiers who still had a breath left stood up, facing the direction of the Northern Di attack, ready to give their all!
At this moment, Xiao Ji and He Qiu, guarding the city gate, were also fighting to the point of exhaustion.
If they could, they probably wouldn't want to get up again once they lay down.
But when they thought of the people behind them, who continuously sent food and drink to the soldiers, and even set up temporary medical tents in the city to help the military doctors treat the wounded soldiers, they found infinite strength.
"Soldiers, the Northern Di people are making their final struggle. We have suffered countless losses in three days of fierce battle, but they haven't fared any better. The corpses of the Northern Di army outside the city are piled up so high they might rival the city walls. Do you have the confidence to charge out of the city with this general and fight them! Let's kill them all! Let them see the spirit of our Great Jin men! And never dare to set foot on our Great Jin territory again!"
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
Morale was once again greatly boosted. Everyone treated this as their last battle. Killing one was breaking even, killing two was a profit. With this mindset, they became like bloodthirsty wolves, eager to rush out and devour the Northern Di's flesh and gnaw on their bones!
The city gate opened, Xiao Ji charged at the forefront, followed closely by He Qiu. Several thousand soldiers behind them rushed out. Those on horseback wielded their long spears and sabers, cutting down enemies, while those running also charged towards the opposing side with tireless roars.
The Northern Di people were also flesh and blood. They felt pain, got tired, and were afraid.
Liangzhou City, which they had been unable to take after attacking for so long, now seemed to have been injected with chicken blood.
Almost no soldier retreated, preferring to die on the path of killing the enemy rather than take half a step back.
The combat effectiveness under such spirit was naturally astonishing. Soon, the Northern Di forces responsible for the attack began to feel a little scared.
Xiao Ji was right about one thing!
The number of Northern Di soldiers who had died in battle was not small. Half of their forces were lost here. Even if they took Liangzhou City, it would not be a cause for pride.
Several tribes had fought until there was no one left to fight. In such a situation, if anyone faltered, the impact would be enormous.
One retreated, two retreated, ten, a hundred retreated. Soon, some in the Northern Di army began to desert.
Morale, this intangible thing, was unpredictable. Seeing the Northern Di forces waver, Xiao Ji immediately shouted, "The Northern Di people are about to be defeated! Soldiers, kill!"
He shouted alone, and everyone followed suit.
Many Northern Di soldiers saw that the momentum was wrong. These Great Jin soldiers had no trace of their previous dejection, and they were fighting more and more bravely. They naturally felt fear of death, and their strength was also discounted.
Just then, the large army tent in the distance suddenly erupted in flames. Someone shouted, "King Keda is dead, surrender now!" and the Northern Di people truly panicked.
Amidst the flames, a group of soldiers in black armor marched towards the Northern Di forces in an orderly fashion.
In front of them were the increasingly fierce Great Jin soldiers, and behind them were the surprise black-armored troops. Even if they had three heads and six arms, they could not resist.
They threw off their armor and helmets, their ranks broken and scattered.
Xiao Ji, as if slicing through vegetables, instantly killed over a hundred Northern Di soldiers and then laughed heartily.
"It's our reinforcements! It's the Iron Eagle Guard of the Ding King's Army! They've come to our aid!"
Not a single soldier present had never heard of the Ding King's Army. These three words were like a strong stimulant, more effective than any elixir!
The excited crowd hunted the Northern Di soldiers as if divinely aided.
The Northern Di army of over a hundred thousand that had arrived gradually fell silent under the setting sun and burning flames.
If the war with Southern Yue in the past had caused Southern Yue to collapse and become a third-rate small country, then today's battle with the Northern Di had essentially annihilated their elite forces.
For twenty to thirty years, let alone fighting again, it would be incredibly difficult for them to even raise a generation of Northern Di men.
The flames of war burned for an hour. Except for a small portion who surrendered with their armor discarded, the rest were all slain.
Tens of thousands of soldiers lay dead on the battlefield, a scene that was both tragic and desolate.
Those who surrendered saw the leader of the Iron Eagle Guard throw King Keda's head towards them, and their world collapsed.
"Your Majesty!"
They wailed and collapsed, both for their king's tragic death and for their own future.
The leader of the Iron Eagle Guard was a man wearing a mask. His contingent, though only two thousand strong, possessed immense destructive power and combat effectiveness.
Although the Northern Di army had attacked Liangzhou with all their might, the royal tent was, after all, heavily guarded.
A mere two thousand men could set the camp ablaze, kill the enemy king, and still arrive to reinforce them unharmed.
This terrifying combat power made Xiao Ji deeply respectful!
"General, may I know your name?"
Xiao Ji's curiosity about the Iron Eagle Guard was the same as everyone else's. In the eyes of the Great Jin soldiers, they were a mythical existence.
Now that he finally saw their true faces, he naturally wanted to pay his respects.
Unfortunately, the leader of the Iron Eagle Guard did not give them this opportunity, and said in a detached tone.
"The Prince sent us to reinforce Liangzhou. We arrived several days ago and have been lying in wait within the Northern Di army, waiting for today when their main force would be deployed, to cut off their roots. Now, the Northern Di are incapable of rising again, and the surrounding restless small countries have also been suppressed. General Xiao, please rest assured and recuperate."