The storm in Ningxia Prefecture had gradually subsided. Although there was still some sand and wind, it no longer hindered travel.
With a loud bang, several Wei soldiers on the city walls of Ningxia Prefecture were unfortunately struck by Roman projectiles.
Since Ningxia Prefecture was located in the northwest, it was unlikely to find a sufficient quantity of large stones. Therefore, the usual practice was to use hardened shells, baked by fire, as a substitute for stones.
Outside the city, one could vaguely see earth and stones splashing against the walls, with dust flying everywhere. Although they were not stone projectiles, these missiles were very heavy and powerful, smashing city wall bricks and leaving pits.
Now was the time for true battle.
Under Kong Li's strict orders, the Western Army dared not delay any longer. Over a hundred thousand troops had entered Ningxia Prefecture city. As the capital of Ningxia Prefecture, the city's defenses were undoubtedly excellent, and Kong Li was confident in his ability to resist the Romans here.
To the east of the prefecture city, the Western Army had also mobilized and established several defensive lines.
The Romans attempted an assault, but this time it was a frontal engagement, and the Romans also felt that the Western Army's combat strength was quite formidable.
It was not necessarily impossible for the Romans to break through the defensive lines with their full might, but with Ningxia Prefecture city lying in front of the defense line, the Romans also worried about being attacked from both front and rear, so they had to turn their attention back to attacking Ningxia Prefecture city.
In fact, this was also Kong Li's plan: to use Ningxia Prefecture city to bog down the Romans and consume their forces.
Vasili stood at a distance from the prefecture city, gazing at it in the distance. Vasili knew that to establish a foothold here, this city had to be captured.
In the northwest, Ningxia Prefecture city was the foremost formidable city. Whichever side occupied this city would gain the initiative in the situation.
As for other smaller cities, they could only serve as auxiliary administrative centers or temporary garrisons, possessing no particular value. After all, their city walls were too low, and their defenses were of no consequence.
Actually, Vasili also had a personal ambition: he wanted to possess his own territory.
As Vasili was already a Marquis, his position within the Roman Empire's noble hierarchy was already very distinguished. In principle, Vasili should have been granted his own territory.
However, in the past, when the current Roman Emperor was still the Crown Prince, Vasili had incurred his enmity. Consequently, Vasili was severely ostracized within the Roman Empire.
Furthermore, Vasili had become entangled in the religious disputes of the Roman Empire. These disputes were very fierce. Although the faction Vasili supported had emerged victorious, because Vasili's commitment was not strong enough, he did not gain sufficient support and instead made a large number of enemies.
Among the troops led by Vasili, the number of men loyal to him was very small. Vasili understood that after this eastern expedition, he might be sidelined and possibly dispatched to some remote region.
However, Vasili was unwilling to accept such a fate. He fought desperately during this eastern expedition, and after conquering Central Asia, he resolutely led the army to East Asia. Vasili intended to make this place his territory.
Moreover, this place was very far from the capital of the Roman Empire. Once incorporated into the empire, it would be difficult for the empire to directly govern it. It would likely be established as a special administrative region, much like those border dukedoms.
And Vasili had set his sights on this very position.
Therefore, unlike others who intended to plunder the area and leave, Vasili truly regarded this place as his future stronghold.
Of course, Vasili had never spoken these words to anyone, keeping them hidden in his heart. However, the desire for this city had consumed his mind.
Vasili looked at the city in the distance, drew his sword, and shouted, "Attack!"
At Vasili's command, the Roman soldiers surged towards the city walls like a tide, charging towards them.
The Roman soldiers were trained through the conquest of countless nations and peoples. They had fought fiercely in different lands. In the eyes of many, this was just another normal invasion.
As before, they would gain victory, wealth, women, and land.
The Romans also employed siege engines and scaling ladders, but their siege engines and scaling ladders were rather ordinary, in fact, not even as good as those of the Yue Kingdom.
Although these Western Army soldiers did not frequently encounter siege equipment like other armies, such rudimentary machines did not pose a significant threat.
In the northwest, wood and stone were difficult to find. Therefore, the Western Army, during their defense, used hardened shells similar to those used by the Romans, and many soldiers even reused the hardened shells that the Romans had previously launched into the city with their catapults.
The Roman soldiers at the very front were the most miserable, directly hit by dense projectiles and arrows, falling to the ground.
Some soldiers were not standing very high, so even if they fell, they sustained no serious injuries. However, Ningxia Prefecture city was tens of feet high, nearly twenty feet tall. Many fell directly and suffered severe injuries. Those lucky enough were carried away by their comrades, while the unfortunate ones could only wait to die.
As for those soldiers who were not severely injured, they continued to climb upwards while screaming. It had to be said that these Roman soldiers possessed courage. Even when faced with such a scene, no one was intimidated.
Some Roman soldiers had lost large chunks of their armor but were still focused on climbing onto the city wall.
At this moment, the defending troops on the city wall saw the Romans densely gathered in one place and immediately threw down a large barrel filled with sticky naphtha, which was poured onto the scaling ladders and the soldiers.
Naphtha was a formidable weapon in warfare. Once ignited, it was difficult to extinguish on a person. Even if they survived, they would need months to recover from their injuries, thus inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy.
The Roman soldiers had encountered such weapons used by many enemies along the way. This time, instead of being intimidated, it ignited their ferocity, and they charged upwards, brandishing their swords and blades.
Wei Bao was a general of the Protectorate. Kong Li had ordered the Western Army to send troops, and this time he led the Western Army to defend the city.
Kong Li also knew that Wei Bao's military command abilities surpassed his own. Therefore, he did not try to show off and handed over the command on the city walls to Wei Bao, while Kong Li led his men to boost morale from behind.
Wei Bao looked at the Romans, who seemed unafraid of death, and frowned slightly. In cold weapon warfare, morale was extremely important.
The current morale of the Romans was too high, even somewhat suppressing the spirit of the Wei army on the city wall.
"This won't do," Wei Bao murmured to himself.
"Prepare the golden broth!" Wei Bao shouted to the soldiers around him.
Originally, Wei Bao had not intended to use the golden broth so soon, but seeing the Romans' high morale, he had no choice but to use it now.
The Wei soldiers on the city wall immediately raised enormous vats of foul-smelling, boiling, and bubbling golden broth, which they poured onto the Romans below and on the scaling ladders.
The Romans did not pay much attention to this substance at first. Although they smelled the foul odor, they did not pay much heed. The cities they had conquered in the Indian subcontinent previously had a similar smell.
Therefore, the Romans did not take this matter seriously. However, after being splashed with the golden broth, the Romans began to writhe on the ground.
Countless soldiers splashed with golden broth fell to the ground, struggling desperately.
Seeing this, the Wei soldiers on the city wall more quickly poured naphtha onto the Roman soldiers below who had not been attended to.
The Roman soldiers, scalded by the "golden broth" but not dead, thinking they had escaped disaster, were then doused with black oil from head to toe. At this point, they still hadn't understood their fate.
A moment later, a torch was thrown, and the naphtha caught fire instantly. With a roar, the naphtha ignited, and the Roman soldiers saw a flash before their eyes, as if they were in a sea of fire. Extreme fear and pain overwhelmed them, and their bodies became uncontrollable.
Many Roman soldiers shed tears and looked at the city wall in despair.
The scaling ladders also erupted in flames, or soldiers covered in golden broth, or those burning from head to toe, fell screaming from above. The area from the city walls up and down seemed like a purgatory.
At this moment, the Roman soldiers finally felt fear. Unsure who started it, they all began to flee back.
The Wei soldiers on the city wall saw this and prepared to shoot them down by drawing their bows and arrows, but Wei Bao stopped them.
Wei Bao looked at the fleeing soldiers and thought to himself, "These men are a great burden. They cannot just be shot dead at the foot of the city. They must be sent back to be properly supported by the Romans."