After Prefect Shang directed the craftsmen and soldiers to install the fishing rods and the arrow racks on the front and top according to Zhu Ping'an's requirements, they immediately discovered that these three items brought great benefits to the defense of the city, making it twice as effective with half the effort.
After the fishing rods were installed, the efficiency of transporting materials such as wood ash and stones from the city walls increased by more than ten times.
The supplies on the city wall were piled up like mountains, and the defenders could throw stones, rolling logs, scatter wood ash, and pour boiling hot water and gold juice down to the city. The screams of the Japanese pirates attacking the city were one wave higher than the other, continuous and echoing through the sky.
After the installation of the arrow shields on the front and top, the casualties of the defenders on the city walls became almost negligible.
Originally, the Japanese pirates' archers were suppressed by the Zhejiang Army. Now with the arrow shields in front and above, the few arrows shot from below the city were almost all blocked by the cowhide of the arrow shields. The casualties caused by the Japanese pirates' bows and arrows to the defenders on the city were almost zero.
With their safety guaranteed, the defenders on the city walls no longer felt sore in their waists and legs, and they became braver. The soldiers, who were originally cowards, now rushed to throw stones, boiling water, gold juice, etc. at the Japanese pirates below the city.
You can even chat and laugh while beating up the Japanese pirates, bragging to people around you and showing off your achievements.
The casualties of the Japanese pirates under the city increased exponentially.
Zhu Ping'an's other commands also had significant effects that were visible to the naked eye.
Not to mention the boiling water, gold juice and wood ash, half of the screams of the Japanese pirates under the city were caused by this.
The use of long-handled weapons also became a nightmare for the Japanese pirates who were climbing up the ladders. They were nearly two meters away from the top of the city wall, and the more than one-meter-long swords and spears on the city wall were stabbing down.
They held the ladder in one hand and the weapon in the other, how could they deal with the seven or eight swords and spears on the city wall? They could only block one but not two. They could only curse and scream as they were stabbed off the city wall.
Not to mention the wolf tooth shot.
The wolf-tooth paddle made of elm and locust wood is five feet long and four feet wide, as thick as a wide door panel. The bottom of the wolf-tooth paddle is inlaid with cold and gleaming blades, and iron rings are nailed to the four corners. It is hung on a pulley with a rope, and it creaks and falls with each pull...
Every time the wolf-fang bat fell, the Japanese pirates climbing the ladders were slapped down with screams like slapping a fly.
No matter how brave or skilled the Japanese pirates were, they were helpless against the Wolf Fang Bat and had only one way to go, death.
After a few hits, the wolf's fangs slapped the blade, as if it had been drawn from a pool of blood, and blood dripped...
There is also the Yaksha Lei, which is equally famous as the Langya Pai and is no less powerful. It caused heavy casualties to the Japanese pirates as it rolled.
In addition, there are ramming poles. The Japanese pirates' ladders were made in a hurry, and the hooks on the top of the ladders were not strong enough. After the craftsmen destroyed the hooks, the soldiers used ramming poles to ram the ladders hard, and sometimes they were successful. Every time they were successful, none of the Japanese pirates on the ladders could escape, and they all fell to their deaths under the city.
As for the Zhejiang Army, there is no need to mention it. The dense and orderly sounds of muskets were like the death knell for the Japanese pirates. The Zhejiang Army also had a small iron cannon called the Tiger Crouching Cannon, which was much more powerful than the musket. The Tiger Crouching Cannon could not only fire solid bullets, but also fire a large number of lead shotgun shells with a wide coverage. With one shot, a large number of Japanese pirates under the city fell.
... ...
In short, after Zhu Ping'an took over the command, the defense of the city was far superior to his own.
Watching Zhu Ping'an command the defense of the city, Shang Zhifu felt like the great Tang Dynasty poet Du Fu watching Gongsun Da Niang's sword dance, as if watching an art feast. Whether it was the overall view, or the flexibility and courage to seize the opportunity, find the loopholes of the Japanese pirates, and accurately hit them, Shang Zhifu was amazed.
"As the saying goes, it is easy to get thousands of soldiers, but it is hard to get a general; it is easy to get thousands of generals, but it is hard to get a commander. And a Confucian commander like Zhu Ping'an, who can pacify the world with his writing and determine the fate of the world with his martial arts, is even rarer in the world and can only be encountered but not sought after."
Prefect Shang couldn't help but sigh.
As the sun set, the bodies of the Japanese pirates piled up under the city walls were piled up in countless layers, and blood flowed like a river.
The Japanese pirates have already called off their troops, but they have not yet withdrawn. They are like a wolf with a broken leg, still in pain but reluctant to leave.
"Brother Xu, do we still want to continue fighting in Suzhou City? We lost at least 3,000 brothers in this battle last night."
Ma Ye said somewhat bitterly.
"The death of more than 3,000 people is secondary. The key is that we see no hope of capturing Suzhou. After Suzhou City was replaced by the commander named Zhu, it has become impregnable and there is no flaw to be found. If it continues like this, I'm afraid that even if we put all our men in there, it will still be difficult to capture Suzhou City." Chen Dong said bitterly.
"The main reason is that we lack large-scale siege equipment. We are preparing to launch a sneak attack on Suzhou City, not a forceful assault. If we bring the two Portuguese cannons we bought from the red-haired barbarians in our old nest, and the three large cannons removed from the city wall of Songjiang Prefecture, I am confident that I can capture Suzhou City and capture Zhu Ping'an, the bastard who has repeatedly ruined our plans, and chop him into pieces!"
Ma Ye slammed the table hard and said with regret and indignation.
Chen Dong looked at Xu Hai and suggested with gritted teeth, "How about we send someone to bring those cannons over here, blow up the city gates at night, and take over Suzhou City?!"
Xu Hai was somewhat tempted, but after thinking for a moment he shook his head, "No, that is our foundation for defending our home base. If Suzhou City cannot be taken, our losses are bearable, but if our home base is lost, we cannot afford it."
"So what should we do next?! Should we continue to sacrifice our lives and gamble on a hopeless hope?! Or should we follow the principle of revenge that it is never too late, and keep our lives safe so that we will never have to worry about having no firewood..."
Ma Ye looked at Xu Hai, hesitant to speak.
Although the last words were not stated explicitly, the meaning was very clear: he wanted to withdraw his troops.
Chen Dong had the same idea.
After closing his eyes for a moment, Xu Hai slowly said, "Let's wait and see at night. If there is no chance, we will withdraw our troops in the early morning."
To be honest, although Xu Hai was unwilling, he had the idea of retreating earlier than Ma Ye and Chen Dong.
However, he refrained from mentioning it, waiting for Ma Ye and Chen Dong to first propose to withdraw the troops. In this way, he also found an excuse for the failure of the Suzhou attack. It was Ma Ye and Chen Dong who wanted to withdraw the troops, and I was forced to withdraw the troops. If I hadn't withdrawn the troops, there might have been a chance to turn defeat into victory.
"Okay, let's see if there is any chance tonight. If there is no chance, we will return to our base. Suzhou City cannot be escaped anyway, so we can get back at it another day." Ma Ye and Chen Dong looked at each other and nodded.