Feng Yi asked: "Lord, should we go back to Kunyang directly?"
Liu Xiu said: "Go to Xiangcheng first, and then return to Kunyang." After a pause, he smiled at Feng Yi again and said, "Gongsun, the kerosene in Nanying was well arranged just now!"
Feng Yi bowed and said, "Princess, you're flattered."
After resting for a while, Liu Xiu and others remounted their horses and headed straight for Xiangcheng.
When they arrived at Xiangcheng, it was already dark. Ji Zun, who was stationed in Xiangcheng, heard the news of Liu Xiu's arrival and immediately ordered the city gate to be opened. He quickly came out of the city to welcome Liu Xiu, and when he saw Liu Xiu, he quickly bowed and saluted, saying:
"Lord!"
"There is no need to be polite, grandson." Liu Xiu said, "grandson, hurry back home and take your family with you. We have to go to Kunyang!"
Ji Zun took a breath and asked: "Princess?"
"The reckless army will arrive immediately, go quickly, there is no time!"
Ji Zun's expression changed and he said: "My subordinates know." As he spoke, he said to his subordinates: "Assemble the county troops immediately and prepare everyone to evacuate Xiangcheng!"
Liu Xiu added: "Also, send someone to notify He Lu and ask the He Lu family to evacuate Xiangcheng as soon as possible!"
Ji Zun said seriously: "My lord, Mr. He is not in Xiangcheng now."
Seeing Liu Xiu frowning, Ji Zun explained: "Two days ago, Mr. He went out of the city to collect grain, grass and medicinal materials, and he has not returned to the city yet!"
Liu Xiu nodded and said: "I understand, Di Sun, you go back home to prepare first!"
After leaving Ji Zun, Liu Xiu rode a horse and went straight to He Mansion. Although He Lu was not there, his wife, young wife, and children were all there.
Upon hearing the news of Liu Xiu's arrival, He Lu's family came to the lobby of the vestibule one after another. After seeing Liu Xiu, Mrs. He, his wife, the young masters of the He family, and the ladies all saluted and said in unison: "I have seen you, little man."
General!"
Liu Xiu waved his hands and said, "Everyone, please get up quickly!" After Mrs. He and others stood up, Liu Xiu said seriously: "The reckless army is about to reach Xiangcheng. Xiangcheng is about to be lost. Everyone, please pack up your belongings and follow me."
Leave Xiangcheng!"
Everyone in the He Mansion was shocked, and Mrs. He asked in a trembling voice: "General, where are we...where are we going to hide?"
Liu Xiu said: "Let's talk about these on the way! Don't take any heavy things with you. As for servants, if you can, don't take them with you. When your life is at stake, keep everything simple!"
After all, Mrs. He was He Lu's wife and a woman who had seen the world. She quickly calmed down, knelt down and saluted Liu Xiu, and said, "Thank you so much, General, for coming to tell me personally. I would like to thank the General on behalf of my husband!"
Liu Xiu hurriedly stepped forward, stretched out his hand to help him, and said seriously: "Mr. He is not in the city now. I can't let his family suffer!"
When the matter became urgent, Mrs. He didn't waste any more time. She took a group of concubines and children back to the backyard to pack away the soft and valuable things.
Some wives were full of dissatisfaction and said angrily to Mrs. He: "Madam, the imperial army is coming, what does it have to do with us? Why should we run away?!"
Mrs. He glared at her and didn't say a word. The concubine didn't understand what was going on, but she did. During this time, her husband had been helping the Han army, collecting grain, grass and medicinal materials for the Han army.
As long as the Mang army captures Xiangcheng, the Mang army will definitely find out these things. When that time comes, will He's family have any good fruits to eat? No one in He's family can escape being burned to death.
.
After packing up all the valuable items, Mrs. He specially set aside a portion of the money and distributed it to the servants and slaves in the house, asking them to take the money and leave the He house as quickly as possible. When they left Xiangcheng, they should stay as far away as possible.
Far.
Liu Xiu had noticed Mrs. He's performance. Through Mrs. He, it was not difficult to see that He Lu was a person. Although he was a businessman, he was inevitably a bit philistine, but he was also a kind and righteous person.
Ji Zun's family, He Lu's family and Wang Ba's family, escorted by Liu Xiu and others, left Xiangcheng overnight and headed south.
When it was dawn, a Han army spy from the rear was chasing him. When he saw Liu Xiu, the spy intervened and saluted, and said breathlessly: "General, the reckless cavalry has passed through Xiangcheng and is chasing him!"
It came so fast! Liu Xiu frowned. Wang Ba urged his horse forward and said to Liu Xiu: "Master, we can go to Pingding Mountain and set up an ambush above the valley to block the pursuit of the reckless army!"
Liu Xiu was deeply impressed by the canyon in Pingding Mountain. When he led his army through there, he said that it was very easy to set up an ambush here.
Wang Ba continued with excitement on his face: "Above the valley, my brothers and I have laid out a lot of jade stones a long time ago to prepare for emergencies. I thought they wouldn't be used, but they can come in handy this time.
!”
Liu Xiu's eyes suddenly lit up and he nodded and said, "Okay, let's go to Pingdingshan!" As he spoke, he turned his head and looked at the carriage behind his team and the county soldiers who were retreating with them, and he frowned secretly.
Frown.
The speed of the carriage and the county soldiers is too slow. At the current speed, I am afraid that we will be overtaken by the Mang army before we reach Pingding Mountain. Once caught by the Mang army, Ji Zun, Wang Ba, and He Lu's family members may be caught.
No one can survive.
Thinking of this, Liu Xiu said categorically: "Zizhang, next time, you lead five hundred troops and stay with me to temporarily hold back the Mang army. Gongsun, Yuan Bo, and Di Sun, you lead the army to escort your family members and quickly cross Pingding Mountain.
, and set up an ambush on the top of the mountain!"
"I obey my orders!" No one had any objection, and the troops were divided into two groups and acted on their own.
Feng Yi, Wang Ba, and Ji Zun took part of the cavalry and all the county soldiers, escorted their families, and headed straight for Pingding Mountain.
Liu Xiu, Ma Wu, Yao Qi, Jia Fu, Zhu You, Gai Yan, Fu Jun and others stayed where they were, resting while waiting for the arrival of the reckless army.
When the sky became darker, a dust mist rose on the horizon ahead. Gradually, the dust mist became clearer and clearer. Among the dust mist, the flag of the reckless army was faintly visible.
Here it comes! Liu Xiu and others who were resting under their horses got up one after another, got on their horses, and raised their eyes to look at the oncoming reckless cavalry.
There were more than 3,000 cavalrymen in the Mang army. This time, Dou Rong and Ju Guuba did not run away separately, but joined forces together.
Looking at the reckless army coming from the opposite side and getting closer and closer, Liu Xiu took a deep breath and said word by word: "Chenshi! We only need to delay this battle until Chenshi and then we can evacuate!"
Everyone looked at the sun subconsciously. It was only half past midnight at best. If it were to be delayed until Chen hour, they would have to hold off the reckless army for at least half an hour. With five hundred people against more than three thousand people, this battle was extremely dangerous.
Zhu You pondered for a moment and whispered: "Master, we... actually... don't need to stay here and fight against the reckless army!"
Liu Xiu's face darkened, and he said with displeasure: "Uncle Yuan, Di Sun, and Mr. He do things for me. This is loyalty. I protect their families and their families. This is righteousness. Treat me with loyalty and repay them with righteousness."
This is the way to be a human being! In this world, life and death are not the only things that matter most!"
When Zhu You heard this, his old face turned red, he shrank his neck, and said no more. Ma Wu, Yao Qi, Jia Fu, Gai Yan, and Fu Jun also heard Liu Xiu's words, and everyone was deeply moved and filled with emotion.
Although the lord is young, his moral character is far higher than that of the world. As a subordinate, I am lucky enough to follow such a lord who values love and justice. Even if I have to go through mountains of swords and seas of fire, I am willing to do so without any regrets.
The distance between the reckless soldiers was even closer, and the rumble of horse hooves and the tinkling of bells could be clearly heard.
Liu Xiu picked up a spear and said to the people on his left and right: "In this battle, we have no retreat. We can only fight to the death with the enemy. Brothers who are afraid, it is too late to withdraw now!"
"We will follow the lord to the death!" The surrounding soldiers all looked at Liu Xiu and shouted in unison.
Liu Xiu nodded and had nothing more to say. He shouted: "Brothers in our army, follow me into the battle!"
"Roar--"
In the army, the words that officers and soldiers are most willing to hear are, "Brothers, come with me." The words they hate to hear the most are, "Brothers, come with me." As the saying goes, generals have a will to die, and soldiers have no desire to live. This truth!
Five hundred Han cavalry led by Liu Xiu launched a countercharge against more than 3,000 Rang army cavalry. The cavalry on both sides marched in the opposite direction, and in the blink of an eye, they came into contact.
Bang, bang, bang——
The collision of war horses was a continuous sound. The bones of the horses that collided with each other were broken, and the cavalry on the horses were also thrown far away. Before they had time to get up from the ground, they were trampled to the ground by the cavalry behind them.
Liu Xiu was holding a spear. First he dodged a spearhead, and then he stabbed the opponent in the chest with his spear. Poof! The cavalryman on the opposite side was knocked off his horse, and the ownerless horse jumped from Liu Xiu's side. Run by.
He spurred his horse forward, and in one breath, he knocked down three reckless cavalrymen in succession. At this moment, a general stepped in front of him. This man had no cavalry, and was just standing on the ground. He stood out among the cavalrymen. .
This reckless infantry general was a giant. In the chaos of the army, he could still meet this 'eldest man'. Liu Xiu had to sigh that his luck was so good. But he didn't He gave way and urged his horse to go straight towards the Big Mac.
Before he could get close, Liu Xiu threw the spear fiercely on his horse. The spear was hung in the air with harsh wind, and flew straight to Big Mac's chest. The latter snorted coldly, and casually moved the giant hammer in his hand. waved outward.
Bang! The flying spear flew out in a diagonal direction. Big Mac took a step forward, picked up the other giant hammer in his hand, and swept the two front hooves of Liu Xiu's horse.
Liu Xiu pulled the reins with one hand, and the horse roared, its two front hooves raised high, almost standing upright on the ground.
Huh! The giant hammer made a muffled sound and swept past the horse's hooves. Liu Xiu was on the horse, his legs tightly clamped on the horse's belly, and he drew out his sword with his other hand. When the horse fell back to the ground, he struck with the sword. Cut forward.
Juwuba disapprovingly used his single hammer to parry upward.
Bang! With a loud noise, the Chixiao Sword that was struck on the giant hammer bounced up more than a foot high. Liu Xiu felt that his tiger's mouth was hot and sticky. He glanced sideways and saw that the tiger's mouth had been cracked open by the shock. , blood flowed out.
The sword he used with all his strength was almost like scratching an itch for Ju Wan Ba. Ju Wan Ba chuckled strangely, raised his two hammers, aimed at Liu Xiu's head, and smashed it hard.
He couldn't resist it! Liu Xiu didn't even have to try. He knew clearly in his mind that with his own strength, he couldn't withstand the giant's heavy hammer. But at this moment, if he tried to dodge, he had no chance.
In desperation, Liu Xiu couldn't care less about the horse under his crotch. He leaned to the side and rolled down the side of the horse.
The moment he rolled off the horse, a click was heard in his ears, and two giant hammers hit the horse's back.
This heavy machine not only smashed the waist of the war horse, but also broke all four legs of the war horse.
With a bang, the war horse fell to the ground, motionless, and was killed by a single blow. Liu Xiu, who rolled to the side, got up from the ground, stared deeply at the Big Mac opposite, raised his sword and rushed over.
"You're looking for death!" Big Mac swung the hammer with one hand, prepared to hit Liu Xiu, and struck it with one hammer.