The next day, Yang Lin, King Backing the Mountain, led Yuwen Chengdu, Li Yuanba, Pei Yuanqing, Luo Cheng, Qin Qiong, Luo Shixin, and Dengzhou's hundred thousand troops toward Shuofang City.
Traveling light, the army raced toward Shuofang City at full speed. Along the way, they caught up with the other armies coming to defend the emperor and joined forces, bringing their combined strength to six hundred thousand.
After Yuwen Chengdu left, Jieli Khan flew into a rage and berated the Ten Eagles of the Grasslands. "Aren't you the ten strongest warriors on the grasslands? How could all of you together fail to defeat a single Yuwen Chengdu? You're a pack of useless fools!"
Shayantuo seethed inwardly but did not argue. It was indeed humiliating that the ten of them together had failed to defeat Yuwen Chengdu. But that was Yuwen Chengdu, the greatest warrior of the Great Sui.
After venting his anger, Qaghan Jieli ordered them to launch an all-out assault on Shuofang City. They had to breach it and capture Yang Guang before the Great Sui's reinforcements arrived.
The ten men ordered the army to storm Shuofang City. Six hundred thousand troops attacked in shifts, day and night, while the defenders held firm and repelled wave after wave.
The soldiers of the Eastern Göktürks excelled at mounted archery. Making them storm cities and fortresses was asking too much of them. Without siege engines, they could only pay for every advance with their lives.
The army battered Shuofang City for three straight days. The city teetered on the brink, yet still refused to fall.
But Yang Guang, Yuwen Huaji, and the others knew that if this continued, Shuofang City would not hold out much longer.
Meanwhile, seeing that Shuofang City still resisted, Qaghan Jieli gave the Ten Eagles of the