Licheng.

Wen Ping stood on the city wall, watching the soldiers pour buckets of water on the outer wall of the city wall, and there was no expression on his face.

Lou Gui stood beside him, his face tightened, and he looked at Wen Ping several times, wanting to say something, but he still didn't say anything after all. Wen Ping saw it in his eyes and said softly: "Brother Lou, you don't have to worry, I will ask the general for you." If it weren't for you, it would be difficult for Licheng to hold so firmly. ”

Lou Gui breathed a sigh of relief, and his face finally relaxed. "Zhongye, if I have to do it, I don't want to embarrass Zhongye. Alas, if I had known that General Sun had such a mind, why would I have made mistakes again and again and ended up in this position today. That Chen Yu said it clearly, who would have thought that he would be so vulnerable and taken down by General Sun in one fell swoop. Alas, these celebrities are really unreliable. ”

Wen Ping did not answer Lou Gui's words. He wanted to intercede for Lou Gui, but he didn't know if Sun Ce could accept Lou Gui. Five days ago, he led his army to Licheng, and when he learned that the Xiliang soldiers were coming, he immediately changed his original plan and entered Licheng. Licheng is just a county town, the city wall is low, and there are no city defense facilities, it was originally difficult to defend, but at this time Lou Gui came and gave him an idea to water the city.

The city defense of Licheng is rammed earth, and it is easy to collapse after watering, but Lou Tu's suggestion is strange here, watering that night, the night is cold, and the city wall is covered with a thick layer of ice, not only did not collapse, but was stronger, and smooth. The same is true under the city walls, let alone attacking the city, and even standing on the ground.

Duan Xuan sighed at Wangcheng, and could only be stationed outside the city, so as not to let Wen Ping have a chance to escape.

Lou Gui took a plan to avoid the danger of Licheng being raided by the Xiliang soldiers, and gave Wenpin a chance to adjust. Taking advantage of these few days, Wenpin strengthened the city defenses, and Lou Gui contacted the wealthy households in the county and asked them to provide grain and grass for the army. In the face of the Xiliang soldiers outside the city, the rich families were very cooperative and took out the food stored at home, which was enough for the army of Wenpin to eat for half a year.

It can be said that Licheng was not sacked by the Xiliang soldiers, and half of the credit was given to Lou Gui.

With Wenpin's understanding of Sun Ce, it should be no problem to ask Sun Ce to spare Lougui's life. Sun Ce really wanted to kill Lou Gui, but Lou Gui had already died. But he knew that Lou Gui would not be satisfied with his life. The reason why Lou Gui came from Wancheng was because Sun Ce allocated two batches of men and horses to him one after another, and the total number reached 4,000 people. You must know that the troops led by Huang Zhong, the general under Sun Ce's account, are nothing more than that, and he can get Sun Ce's trust in a blink of an eye by hiring a general, Lou Gui felt that he also had a chance, so he was moved and wanted to take refuge in Sun Ce.

However, Wen Ping knew that it was no problem for Lou Gui to be a strategist, but it was not possible to lead the troops in person, and Sun Ce was unlikely to fulfill his wishes.

But these words, he is not good to say to Lou Gui. Lou Gui considered himself a poor family in front of Zong Cheng and others, but he often had a sense of superiority as a scholar in front of him. Not long ago, he was still Lou Gui's subordinate, and now if Lou Gui is asked to admit that he is inferior to him, Lou Gui is unlikely to have this awareness.

How so? It was very difficult to hire a clerk.

"Zhongye, look." Lou Gui suddenly leaned against the city wall, pointed to the distance, and said loudly: "The Xiliang soldiers seem to be crossing the water. ”

Wen Ping also saw that the Xiliang soldiers who were originally in the west of the city went around to the north of the city, and they were sending people to probe the depths of the turbulent water and find a place to cross the water. Licheng is on the west bank of the turbulent water, with the turbulent water as the moat, the bridge leading to the east bank is not far from the east gate of Licheng, the bow and crossbow are within the range, Duan Xuan wants to cross the turbulent water, and can only find another place. The south of the city is a piece of fertile land, and only the north of the city can walk. In winter, the water is shallow, as long as you find a suitable place to occupy, even if you don't need to build a bridge, the war horse can wade through the water.

However, for safety reasons, bridges should still be built. Xiliang people don't have this patience and want to wade directly.

"Reinforcements should have arrived." Wen Ping raised his eyebrows and said to Lou Gui: "Uncle Zi, you stay and defend the city, and I will take two thousand people out of the city to respond." ”

Lou Gui was overjoyed and nodded again and again. He looked at Wen Ping's face, knew what Wen Ping was worried about, patted his chest and said, "Don't worry, I will never go out of the city and wait for you to come back." ”

Although Wenpin is not very reassured, it can only be so.

——

Duan Xuan sat on the back of the horse, gently shaking the horsewhip, and his thin and long face was as gloomy as iron. He craned his neck and tightened his skin. The weather in Nanyang is really weird, wet and cold, it is even colder than Wuwei in his hometown for a few days, it is useless to wear thick winter clothes, the iron armor is always wet, with a dampness, even the beard is wet and sticky together, and there is no dry time.

But his heart is even more tidal, just like the Zedi in the south of Licheng, full of stagnant water and weeds.

Sun Ce came out of Wancheng, but he didn't come for him Duan Xuan, but for Zhang Liao.

What is Zhang Liao? A twenty-three-year-old boy from Bingzhou, with no more than a thousand soldiers, no more than a lieutenant, although he is skilled in arches and horses, he is just a warrior after all, how can he be compared with his Duan Xuan. After the righteous warrior, how many people still remember Zhang Liao's distant ancestor, can they be compared with his famous brother Duan Cheng? Ignorant children!

Duan Xuan felt that this matter was not so simple, no matter how ignorant Sun Ce was, he would not make a special trip to duel with Zhang Liao. There must be a conspiracy in this.

None of the people in the state can be trusted. They can betray Ding Yuan, and they can also betray Dong Gong.

Duan Xuan raised his head, squinted his eyes, and looked at Zhang Liao, who was checking the terrain by the river in the distance, his slender eyes full of suspicion.

Zhang Liao didn't look back, but he knew that Duan Xuan was definitely looking at him. Although he reported to Duan Xuan as soon as he received Sun Ce's battle letter and showed the letter to Duan Xuan, Duan Xuan still didn't believe him. Duan Xuan was already suspicious, coupled with the mutual distrust of the Liang people, Duan Xuan was not surprised to do this, but he knew very well that if he couldn't trust each other, this battle might not be easy to fight.

Sun Ce pursued Cao Cao all the way, from Xiangyang to Wancheng, and in the case of Cao Cao's occupation of Wancheng, he actually took less than a month to recapture Wancheng, such a record even the general Xu Rong couldn't believe.

Attacking the city is not an easy task, especially Wancheng, which is a famous city in the world, and the city is high and deep. Under normal circumstances, let alone a month, it would be good to be able to win it within half a year. This is even more unlikely if you take into account that there is not much difference in the number of troops inside and outside the city. The example in front of me is that there are four thousand in the city and five thousand outside the city, and Licheng is only a small county town, which cannot be compared with Wancheng at all, but they just can't conquer it.

Zhang Liao knew that this was the opportunity Xu Rong gave him. Repel Sun Ce, hold Licheng, buy time for Xu Rong to attack Xixian and Shunyang counties, and collect grain, he will have merit, and Xu Rong will be able to justifiably promote him and let him lead an army alone, instead of being a deputy general like now. He originally thought it wouldn't be difficult, but when he received Sun Ce's challenge, he felt that this wish was a little ethereal.

Before the two sides met, Sun Ce used a letter to expose the previously vague suspicion between him and Duan Xuan.

This is a cunning opponent, and you must not fall for his tricks. Zhang Liao looked at the horizon in the east and secretly reminded himself.