Liu Chao and Liu Neng are the two distant nephews of the county magistrate's hometown.

usually sends letters to County Magistrate Liu and runs errands. Go with you when you go out, even if it's a poop.

Since Erliu was in the Thousand Buddha Cave, he saw Xiangzi's ability and admired him.

Hard-winded, let Xiangzi accept them as apprentices.

Although Xiangzi did not officially agree, he also took the time to teach them a few hands, emergency tricks.

County Magistrate Liu also put down his words openly and secretly, saying that in the future, he would hand over Er Liu to Xiangzi and let him watch it.

To tell the truth, Xiangzi didn't take Er Liu seriously, he thought he was the two of them, he didn't use his brains in case of trouble, and he was still lazy.

But because of County Magistrate Liu's face, he had no choice but to carry the collar forward.

On the city wall, several cauldrons have been erected.

The chopping wood under the pot "crackled" and exploded with dazzling sparks.

The water in the pot is steaming hot.

By this time, the sun had slanted and pressed down on a large elm tree in the distance.

Everything on the earth seems to be dressed in dark or light red makeup.

Even the colors of the city walls have come to life.

Xiangzi put his hand on his forehead and looked to the northwest, and the horse bandits had retreated to the red willow canal in the west of the city.

Vaguely, they seemed to be resting and eating, and the messy cooking smoke drifted into a patch in the sky, a faint blue haze.

The frogs in the moat began to chirp again.

It's as if everything that happened here just now has nothing to do with them.

Even the corpses, half-hidden in the moat, turned a blind eye.

The cheerful cry is still so high-pitched.

As soon as the sky was dark, outside the city wall, oil brick lamps were lit one after another.

The trees and mounds that had been hazy were quietly hidden in the mysterious darkness.

The deep sky gradually had the twinkling of stars, and the earth began to be as silent as death.

The soldiers and civilians in the city, in addition to enjoying the coolness after a hot and tense day, have to deal with difficult mosquitoes.

Suddenly, sporadic gunshots rang out from afar, and the blue brick lamps hanging on the wall were extinguished.

Immediately afterward, after three bundles of wool, tongues of fire spat out.

On the city wall, a piece of slag immediately splattered.

At the same time, the tidal wave of shouts and killings has been quickly approaching the city from far and near.

At this time, County Magistrate Liu and Regiment Commander You had already gone up to the wall.

According to the plan for the afternoon, Regiment Commander You did not let people shoot indiscriminately, but only organized gunners to fire accurately at the machine guns.

The bullets of the machine gun, which are no longer so dense.

However, the Splitting Mountain Fort was accurately shot by horse bandits and gunners, and most of the personnel were damaged, and they lost their combat effectiveness.

Xiangzi hurriedly beckoned to the people and hid under the wall buttresses, each with a basin of boiling water and a water scoop by his side. Listen quietly to the movement outside the wall.

When he heard the sound of horse thieves under the city and building ladders, Xiangzi waved his hand, and dozens of water scoops, like heavenly maidens scattering flowers, splashed boiling water.

In an instant, the city was full of ghosts and wolves, and the cry quickly spread backwards.

For a while, in the moat, there was a "whooshing" sound of water like dumplings.

Shoko quietly stuck out her head and glanced at it.

The people of the city retreated to the other side of the moat.

Most of those who were burned were in the moat, dancing on the ground with their hands and feet, bringing water to relieve the pain of the burns.

Xiangzi smiled proudly, approached County Magistrate Liu, and described the situation under the city.

County Magistrate Liu patted Xiangzi on the shoulder with relief, and said with some emotion: "Thanks to you this time, otherwise, if the mountain splitting cannon is dumb, I am afraid that this city will be difficult to protect." ”

It's strange to say that after this toss, the horse thief took advantage of the night and quietly retreated.

The silence of the town was left only with the chirping of frogs in the moat and the barking of dogs in the city.

The mood of the whole town began to gradually calm down.

The boiling water tactics made County Magistrate Liu taste the sweetness.

He immediately found Zhang Guangqian and asked him to mobilize the big families in the city overnight, and all the big pots and iron buckets were moved to the city wall, except for those left for cooking.

For a time, there were dozens of large iron pots on the city wall.

Thus, the flame of boiling water becomes a red night scene on the wall.

Commander You arranged the sentry on duty, and then approached County Magistrate Liu with a smile and said, "This battle is really fucking happy."

It didn't take a few shots to scare away the grinning day. According to this way of playing, it will take ten days and a half months, and we are not afraid. ”

As he spoke, he playfully pounded Xiangzi with his elbow, and said with a smile: "You are really good!" Where do these fancy intestines come from? ”

Shoko smiled at him, but didn't squeak.

County Magistrate Liu smiled lightly and said, "This is the benefit of reading, our ancestors are the wisest." ”

At this time, a sergeant ran to report to Commander You, and the people who went out of the city to reconnoiter came back and said that the Ma army had all retreated to the west of the Hongliu Canal and was stationed.

Within two miles outside the city, there was no trace of the horse army.

County Magistrate Liu sighed lightly and said, "It seems that I can sleep peacefully tonight."

There are more and more corpses in the small temple.

The families of the deceased also rushed to hear the news.

In the small temple, crying and crying all day long.

County Magistrate Liu had no choice but to move his office from Xiaomiaozi back to the county office.

As soon as he had breakfast, he saw people coming up from the city wall, and said with a somewhat panicked expression: "The horse bandits are hiding behind the wool bundles and shouting, and the words are very miserable. ”

County Magistrate Liu hurriedly put down the documents in his hand and took Xiangzi to the city.

I saw that on the bundle of wool originally used to set up the machine gun, an iron horn was sticking out high.

Someone shouted hoarsely, "Listen, people of the city! Commander Ga said, as long as you obediently open the door and surrender, Commander Ga will not blame the past and ensure the safety of the lives and property of the soldiers and civilians in the city.

Otherwise, on the day the city is broken, all men, over ten years old, will be killed.

Females, over 10 years old and under 60 years old, were all rationed to the soldiers as mothers-in-law. ”

County Magistrate Liu listened quietly for a while.

Angry, he gritted his teeth and "gurgled".

Five hundred meters outside the city, the horse bandits lined up neatly, as if they were rushing at any moment.

At this time, the soldiers and civilians on the city wall also had a slight commotion and began to whisper in twos and threes.

Seeing this, County Magistrate Liu hurriedly roared and said, "The soldiers and civilians on the wall, don't listen to the horse bandits' shouting.

They can't attack us, and they scare us with nonsense.

As long as we work together, the horse thieves will not want to enter the city.

Everyone is in position and ready to fight the horse bandits to the death! ”

After listening to County Magistrate Liu's words, the mood of the soldiers and civilians stabilized again.

Each of them returned to their positions and was ready for battle.

Shoko glanced at the pile of wool in disgust.

When I saw the man, he was half-clinging to the bundle of wool, his head cocked, and he was still screaming desperately.

Then he took the gun from the soldier's hand and set the ruler.

With a "bang", the bullet was loaded, and a shot was aimed at it.

The tin horn was softly tilted to the side, and there was no more sound.

The soldiers and civilians on the city wall immediately let out a cheer of praise.

County Magistrate Liu observed Ma Jun for a while, and saw that he was still standing stupidly like that and did not react at all.

Then, as if he suddenly remembered something, he slapped his thigh and said, "Bad! Why don't I forget about this stubble? ”

He said eagerly to Xiangzi: "You are staring at the wall, I have to go down quickly." With that, he hurried down the wall.

County Magistrate Liu returned to the county government in a hurry and asked people to invite Head You.

When he saw that everyone had arrived, he said eagerly: "Horse thieves have always been good at digging holes, and back then, Zhangye City suffered this loss."

I saw the horse thief pretending to attract our attention, and he must have dug a hole in the ground behind his back.

We are to quickly organize the men to dig a man-deep trough on both sides of the north gate and the west gate, and fill it with water.

If the horse thief really digs a hole into the city, he will drown his dog's day. ”

So, Commander You arranged for the soldiers to be at the West Gate.

Zhang Guangqian led the people at the north gate.

When the sun was still a pole high, the trenches on both sides had been dug and began to store water.

At this time, Xiangzi also came down from the wall and said to County Magistrate Liu: "The horse thief doesn't seem to really want to attack the city, but it looks like he is waiting for something."

The group, now divided into several piles, squatted on the ground as if they were eating. ”

County Magistrate Liu, Chong Xiangzi smiled slyly and said, "They want to send people to dig holes in the ground and enter the city, and after occupying the city gate, the large army will start to attack." ”

Shoko nodded silently as if she understood something.

After a pause, County Magistrate Liu said to Xiangzi again: "You go to Commander You and ask him to send someone to set up a defense line in front of the two gates in the northwest, fifty meters away."

In the event that the gates of the city are blown open, they must be blocked with fire, and horse thieves must not be allowed to enter the city. ”

After Xiangzi left, County Magistrate Liu crossed around in the house, and he always felt unsure, so he walked to the north gate.

Seeing that the newly dug trench had been filled with water, a group of soldiers in front of the gate were loading soil with sacks to build fortifications. Then he turned around again and walked towards the west gate.

After only a few steps, he took a look at Xiangzi, who was walking back in a hurry.

County Magistrate Liu said that he was going to the West Gate, and Xiangzi followed.

As he walked, he said to County Magistrate Liu: "Regiment Commander You is in the northwest two gates, each arranging two squads of troops, and each gate has specially deployed a machine gun. ”

When County Magistrate Liu heard this, a relieved smile appeared on his face.

I turned around and saw that everything was in order.

smiled and said to Xiangzi: "In the past two days, I have also tired you enough, go back and rest early." ”

Xiangzi smiled disapprovingly and said, "I'm fine, but you should pay more attention to rest."

You can't boil your body, everyone in the county is counting on you. ”

County Magistrate Liu smiled gently at Xiangzi and walked forward silently.

County Magistrate Liu and Xiangzi ate something indiscriminately.

At the urging of County Magistrate Liu, they each turned their heads and became confused.

At this time, the city was lit up with stars.

I don't know whose dog tried to bark a few times, but the dogs from far and near began to respond.

For a time, the quiet town was filled with the noise of dogs.