Luoyang stretched six li from east to west and nine li from north to south. Its walls stood several zhang high, towering above the city and giving the soldiers defending it a powerful sense of security.
It could be said that as long as the defenders did not lack morale or provisions, they could hold out until the enemy despaired.
Yet since ancient times, even in later ages, whenever an imperial capital was besieged, the defenders' morale was always extremely low.
This was easy to understand. Though imperial capitals were built to be sturdy and imposing, they had never been designed with defense in mind. If it came to defending the capital, that meant the dynasty had reached the brink of ruin.
Luoyang was no different now.
The Han Army defending the city clearly had the advantage in numbers and the mighty walls to rely on. The city had no shortage of food or weapons, yet morale was low. They viewed the Yellow Turban Army outside the walls as ferocious tigers, trembling with fear.
"Everyone, perk up!"
At Daxia Gate, Sun Jian had been ordered to patrol the ramparts. Seeing many soldiers with drooping heads, listlessly staring into space, he couldn't help but reprimand them.
The soldiers jolted at his scolding and cursed inwardly. "We're the ones standing guard in the cold wind, while you generals are just going through the motions. And you've got the nerve to lecture us?! Someone ought to let those Moth Bandits storm the city and skin you alive!"
A company commander complained, "Commandant Sun, the Moth Bandits haven't attacked for days. They aren't even building siege engines, just digging away. There's no need for us to be so wary. They can't fly up to the walls, can they? If you ask me, we ought to worry about someone secretly opening the city gates and letting them in."
If they weren't going to swarm the walls, they could only rely on inside help.
Sun Jian knew the company commander had a point, but kept his expression stern. "You don't need to concern yourselves with the gates. Just guard the walls properly and keep an eye on the enemy camp."
The company commander nodded helplessly. Suddenly, a tremendous, urgent drumbeat rang out from afar.
"That direction... It's the Moth Bandits' camp!"
Everyone's expression changed. Sun Jian hurried to the parapet and looked toward the Yellow Turban Army's camp. A tide of earth-yellow soldiers poured in orderly ranks from the open camp gates. Some carried spears and ring-pommel sabers; others wore leather armor and gripped swords and shields. They came out squad by squad, rank by rank. It would take quite some time just to assemble their formation.
"Are the Moth Bandits launching a major assault?"
Sun Jian was baffled. How could they attack without siege engines? Could they really fly up to the walls?
He waved his hand and gave a decisive order. "Beat the drums and sound the horns! Send word to every unit in the city—the Moth Bandits are attacking!"
Though he couldn't fathom what the Yellow Turban Army intended, Sun Jian immediately sounded the alarm.
At the thunderous drums from beyond the walls and atop them, the city erupted into commotion.
The Moth Bandits were finally attacking!
The great weight that had been hanging over everyone for days was finally about to be lifted!
If the defenders repelled the first wave, the hearts of the soldiers and the people of Luoyang would gradually settle. If they crumbled at the first assault, nothing else would matter.
General-in-Chief He Jin and Grand Commandant Deng Sheng hurried to the ramparts at Daxia Gate with their personal guards. Sun Jian bowed in greeting, but He Jin ignored him and went straight to the parapet to look outside. Across the flat ground, tens of thousands of Yellow Turban soldiers stood in solemn formation. Spears and halberds filled the ranks like a forest, banners fluttered, and warhorses neighed—a scene thick with the air of slaughter.
After helping Sun Jian to his feet, Deng Sheng went to the edge of the wall to observe. Seeing the Yellow Turban Army arrayed in orderly ranks and fully equipped with armor, he frowned. "The Moth Bandits have certainly grown formidable. They're no match for the Five Schools Elite Soldiers, but they're quite elite nonetheless."
He Jin disliked Deng Sheng, but with everyone now united in defending Luoyang, this was no time for discord. He picked up the thread. "The Moth Bandits defeated both Huangfu Song and Lu Zhi, and seized the weapons and armor of tens of thousands of troops. They've also been training their soldiers extensively in Ji Province. It's no wonder they're elite. It would be strange if they came to attack with pitchforks and hoes."
His words carried no small measure of resentment toward Huangfu Song and Lu Zhi.
If those two hadn't suffered one defeat after another, would the Moth Bandits be so well armed?
Deng Sheng, however, was sympathetic toward Huangfu Song and Lu Zhi and didn't echo He Jin. Instead, he asked, puzzled, "What use is it for the Moth Bandits to form ranks? They don't have a single ladder or battering ram for a siege."
He Jin was puzzled too and was about to say something when a commotion broke out behind them. His face instantly darkened. He turned to berate whoever was making the noise, but when he saw that familiar, pallid face, his body trembled in fright.
"Y-Your Majesty, what brings you here?" He Jin stammered.
It was Liu Hong. He wore a robe of dark black, with jade hanging from his waist, and looked every inch the noble ruler. Behind him stood a crowd of eunuchs, including the Regular Palace Attendants Zhang Rang and Zhao Zhong. Every one of them wore a sour expression, looking as though they'd rather be anywhere else.
Deng Sheng was equally shocked. He hadn't expected Liu Hong to leave the palace and come up to the walls. He hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, the Moth Bandits are about to attack. It's dangerous here. Please leave at once."
Liu Hong shook his head. "There's no hurry. I'll go down after the Moth Bandits start firing arrows and storming the walls."
He had come to the walls mainly because he was anxious and couldn't settle down in the palace. He also wanted to see for himself what the Moth Bandits who had driven him and the Han Empire into a desperate corner actually looked like.
"They look like an ordinary army..."
He surveyed the Yellow Turban Army arrayed outside the city and gave his quiet assessment.
As ruler of the realm, Liu Hong had a keen eye. Though the Yellow Turban soldiers were far stronger than ordinary Commandery Soldiers, in his eyes they still merited only the judgment of "ordinary."
As he continued to inspect them, more and more ministers and generals gathered on the walls: Zhang Wen, Yuan Wei, Liu Yan, Dong Zhuo, Cao Cao, Gongsun Zan, Liu Bei, Yuan Shao...
Some of them hadn't really wanted to come up. Yuan Shao, for instance, had been arranging an escape route through Dongyang Gate. But with the emperor himself ascending the walls to "boost morale," they had no choice but to follow, to show their loyalty and prove they harbored no ulterior motives.
After all, no one knew whether Luoyang could hold. If it did, anyone who fled in the face of the enemy would surely be called to account by Liu Hong later...
Surrounded by his ministers, Liu Hong suddenly felt much more secure. An idea struck him. Affecting a dismissive air, he pointed below and said, "The Moth Bandits haven't even built ladders or grappling hooks, yet they imagine they can take the city. Utterly laughable!"
The ministers chimed in with laughter. Seeing these great lords laughing so freely, the soldiers defending the walls felt their anxiety ease, and their morale recovered somewhat.
Seeing that his actions had worked, Liu Hong struck while the iron was hot. "Pass down my order: every defender on the walls today is to receive a thousand coins and two bolts of cloth!"
The order went out, and cheers rang across the walls. Morale soared. Liu Hong was secretly pleased with himself. I truly am born with exceptional talent. I've never served in the army, yet I know how to command and lead troops!
But before he could enjoy his triumph for long, cries of alarm rose one after another. Liu Hong was privately displeased. He was about to see what had so terrified the soldiers when he hurried to the parapet—and saw a sight that shook him to the core.
Across the plain below, tens of thousands of Yellow Turban soldiers knelt as one, shouting "Holy Venerable Huang Tian" in fervent devotion. At the same time, a young man dressed in a Cloud Pattern Daoist Robe slowly emerged from among the army. He walked to an earthen platform and gave a light sweep of his sleeve. A few wisps of pale cloud supported him, carrying him gently up to the platform, which stood more than three zhang high...