The artillerymen of each company charged out from the ranks.
They quickly set up their mortars, fitted the fuses, and looked to their company commanders.
Fire!
Boom, boom, boom, boom!
A barrage of shelling!
According to the previous military regulations, each company had three mortars, making twenty-seven mortars for a regiment.
In just one round, from four directions, eighty-one shells were fired into the town!
Boom, boom, boom, boom!
Continuous explosions and plumes of smoke rose from the town.
Cries of agony filled the air.
The head of the Lu family was stunned.
Why, why did the intelligence from Chang'an not mention this weapon at all!
He did not know that the people from the Lu family who had witnessed the mortars had all been killed by Hou Junji at the Dragon Head Canal.
Looking out, countless houses in the town had collapsed, and members of the Lu clan were struggling beneath the ruins.
Yet, even so, he felt no regret.
Instead, he looked at his son, Lu Xuanyi, and the over a thousand personal guards behind him.
"Charge out for your old man! Carve a path! After today, I will ensure the Li Tang dynasty knows no peace!"
"After this is accomplished, each of you will be rewarded with ten thousand taels of silver!"
With that, he waved his hand fiercely.
"Kill!"
His son, Lu Xuanyi, charged ahead, followed by the family guards.
Just then, the second round of shelling arrived.
Boom, boom, boom, boom!
More houses collapsed in the town, and countless clansmen were blown to the ground.
The valuables loaded onto the ox carts were scattered by the explosions.
Frightened oxen began to stampede through the town.
The head of the Lu family was caught off guard and rammed by an ox.
Its curved horns lifted him high, sending him flying straight out of the town.
The panicked ox ran quickly, and its rampage soon overtook Lu Xuanyi and his men, who had to navigate the debris.
Lu Xuanyi stared dumbfounded as his father dangled from the ox's horns.
It took him a moment to realize that his father was the one impaled on the horns.
"Quick! Save the patriarch!"
And so, a bizarre scene unfolded.
The Lu family forces, who were supposed to be breaking out of the town, turned into over a thousand people chasing after an ox, trying to rescue someone.
The ox, driven by its primal instinct, fled the town.
The commander of the First Division, Second Regiment of the Yangwei Army outside the town, was about to order the third round of shelling when he saw an ox charging towards them.
An old man was on its head.
Before he could marvel at the sight, over a thousand people chasing after it appeared in his view!
"At eight hundred meters ahead, fire!"
"Yes!"
"At eight hundred meters ahead, fire!"
Boom, boom, boom, boom!
Eighteen shells landed instantly in the Lu family's ranks.
One shell struck directly in front of Lu Xuanyi, its immense force flinging him through the air.
When he landed, he was riddled with shrapnel and clearly dying.
The family guards were also thrown about by the explosions.
Fewer than five hundred remained standing.
The ox, fortunately, once again evaded the shelling and charged straight towards the Yangwei Army.
"Blade!"
The First Regiment's commander roared.
A personal guard handed him a Zuo Dao, a large, two-handed saber.
He raised the Zuo Dao high and brought it down with immense force as the ox charged.
Swish!
A massive ox head, carrying the Lu family patriarch, fell to the ground.
The headless ox body staggered a few more steps before crashing down.
The onlookers, seeing their patriarch on the ox horns and the deceased Lu Xuanyi, were dumbfounded.
What the hell were they fighting for now?
They immediately knelt and surrendered.
The First Regiment's commander, being cautious, ordered them to discard all their weapons, remove their upper garments, tie their hands, and march out of the town.
Once everyone emerged bare-chested and bound, the commander handed his Zuo Dao to a subordinate and walked up to the surrendering men.
"Who is the head of the Lu family?"
The bound family guards collectively turned their gazes toward the Lu family patriarch, who lay on the ground, disoriented from the collisions and falls.
The First Regiment's commander's mouth twitched.
Had he cut the wrong head?
They had kindly sent the Lu family patriarch over, only for him to be beheaded?
"Ah, well, extra rations tonight!"
He walked over, picked up the Lu family patriarch, and looked at the old man whose face was disfigured from the fall.
"You are the head of the Lu family?"
The old Lu merely glanced up at him and did not reply.
"Take him to General Cheng for identification!"
He then threw the old Lu at his feet.
Two soldiers emerged from the ranks, grabbed the old Lu, and dragged him towards the convoy.
The First Regiment was delayed by taking prisoners, while the Second and Third Regiments, along with the Second Division's First Regiment, continued their bombardment.
The sounds of artillery fire in the town rarely ceased.
"Great General, the Lu family servant reports that this is the head of the Lu family. Please examine him, Great General!"
Two soldiers dragged the old Lu to the armored vehicle where Cheng Yaojin stood, and pulling the old Lu's hair, forced his face towards Cheng Yaojin.
Cheng Yaojin took a glance.
"Hmm."
He confirmed it was the right person.
"It's him!"
"Send a command: cease shelling, enter and search! Leave no one alive!"
Cheng Yaojin tossed the butt of his scalding cigar, a hint of reluctance on his face.
He jumped down from the vehicle, grabbed the old Lu, and walked to Li Shimin's vehicle.
"Your Majesty, we have captured the head of the Lu family!"
Li Shimin pushed open the car door and stepped out.
He surveyed the old Lu from head to toe, using the hilt of his sword to lift his chin.
Then he said to Cheng Yaojin, "Bind him securely. Upon our return to the court, he will be presented as a sacrifice to the former Emperor!"
"Yes!"
Next was the battlefield cleanup.
The five thousand soldiers of the Yangwei Army turned the entire town upside down, eliminating all members of the Lu clan.
They confiscated over a million strings of cash in silver.
Gold, silver, and copper coins filled dozens of ox carts!
This made Fang Xuanling, who was accompanying them, beam with joy.
"Damn it, we should have ransacked them earlier!"
Li Shimin looked at the treasures being reloaded onto the ox carts, his gaze filled with even greater killing intent.
"Listen up, Hundred-Riding Division."
A subordinate of the Hundred-Riding Division walked up to the vehicle.
"Your Majesty."
Li Shimin said, "Return to Chang'an swiftly and inform Fu Ji. Order the Jinwu Guard and the Xiaoji Guard to arrest officials from powerful clans!"
"Do not concern yourselves with any unrest!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
After responding, he turned back, gathered a few riders, and galloped towards Chang'an.
Watching their retreating figures, Li Shimin said to Cheng Yaojin,
"Change course, head for Boling Commandery!"
Cheng Yaojin rejoiced.
Li Shimin's intention was now clear.
He planned to deal with the powerful clans of Hebei province one by one on the way back to the capital!
This suited his taste perfectly.
He glanced at the old Lu beside him, who was now bound like a rice dumpling.
He grabbed him and tossed him into the bed of the pickup truck.
"Depart!"
The Yangwei Army set off again, first meeting up with the grain convoy, and then heading south towards Boling Commandery.
Anping County, Cui Family!
The Hundred-Riding Division, having received Li Shimin's orders, had already moved ahead, galloping to scout the way. If the Cui clan of Boling were to flee, they would be able to report back early.
ps: First update.