The dim haze between heaven and earth has never dissipated, Hu Zongmao inspected the construction of the city, and then went out of the city, surrounded by his subordinates, to inspect the trenches outside the city.

Thousands of people from Hezhou City, according to Hu Zongmao's design, dug several trenches outside the city in a row, and the wooden stakes transported were buried in the trenches, barbed upwards, and covered with a thin layer of cover, outside the four gates, the heads of people were densely packed, above the city heads, human figures shuttled, and there were soldiers patrolling back and forth on every street in the city.

Hu Zongmao, of course, understands how to defend a city, defending the city not only requires a strong city, but also needs a stable heart, since ancient times, many cities, often not by the enemy from the outside to break through, but from the inside of the collapse, once the city is out of balance, then can not use the enemy's attack, they will collapse.

After he took control of Hezhou City, he immediately issued an order to implement martial law, Hezhou City was allowed to enter and not leave, and he made a big fanfare to spread public opinion, so that the people of Hezhou knew that he raised troops, not to rebel, but to resist the tyranny of the new governor, the people were confused, they did not understand what Hu Zongmao said about tyranny, on the contrary, after Chu Huan arrived, he brought them a way to resist the plague, they only felt that this was a great favor, and did not understand why Hu Zongmao wanted to raise troops.

But people are swords, I am fish and meat, Hu Zongmao has the power of the army in his hands, and he controls the city, who dares to say that Hu Zongmao is wrong.

A squad of four cavalrymen galloped from the gray wind and sand haze, with a small flag behind them, high above their heads, the small flag fluttered in the wind, and when they got closer, they turned over and dismounted, Hu Zongmao's subordinates all looked over, knowing that this was a scout sent out to inquire about the news, just as Chu Huan did, Chu Huan marched close in this weather, and his line of sight was greatly restricted, so there were many scouts sent, and the number of scouts sent by Hu Zongmao was definitely not under Chu Huan, His subordinate scouts have a wider range of exploration, Chu Huan's soldiers and horses will approach at any time, knowing oneself and knowing the other, in order to survive a hundred battles, Hezhou City is strengthening and building fortifications, once Chu Huan's soldiers and horses arrive within the warning range, everyone will naturally immediately advance into the city and hold the city.

"Report ......!" After the scouts dismounted, they galloped back, knelt down on one knee, and said, "General, the enemy army has arrived at Rabbit Ridge, and it is less than a hundred miles ...... from here!" ”

Everyone around Hu Zongmao looked at each other, the corners of Hu Zongmao's eyes twitched, the look in his eyes was complicated, his two hands were released and his fists were clenched for a while, excited, but with a trace of nervousness, he couldn't help but say: "It's finally here......!" ”

"General Hu, with the current weather, no matter how slow the march is, before midnight today, Chu Huan's soldiers and horses will inevitably arrive." A half-hundred-hundred-year-old man in a long-sleeved brocade robe beside Hu Zongmao said respectfully: "Before they arrive, we will withdraw everyone to the city." ”

Hu Zongmao turned his eyes to the little old man, this is his military secretary, surnamed He Mingkui, and he is also one of the few people around him who can give him some ideas, Hu Zongmao heard He Kui say this, and he already nodded and said: "Secretary He is right, although Chu Huan came earlier than the general expected, but we are ready in time, and the reinforcement of the city is almost the same, with the current situation, we can't help us." ”

An adjutant general next to him had already smiled and said: "The general is wise, Chu Huan personally went out this time, it seems that he is bound to win, but it is a pity that he met the general, the general is in his chest, and he has already thought of countermeasures, Chu Huan will inevitably return this time, and the general will also be famous in the northwest ......!" ”

"Famous in the Northwest?" Another general next to him had already said: "Chu Huan is tyrannical, the general is the first to raise troops to resist, and if he hits Chu Huan again this time, it will not be famous in the northwest, but in the famous town of Huanyu." ”

All the generals laughed, but He Kui's eyes flashed and asked the scouts, "Have they passed Rabbit Ridge?" ”

The scout immediately said, "We have already passed Rabbit Ridge, but as soon as we have crossed Rabbit Ridge, they stopped marching and set up camp next to Rabbit Ridge!" ”

Hu Zongmao frowned and said, "You mean they camped in Rabbit Ridge?" ”

"Yes!"

Everyone looked at each other, and Hu Zongmaoqi said: "Even if Chu Huan doesn't understand military affairs, the gang under him won't be wine bags and rice bags...... If it is delayed, it can only be harmful to them, if it is replaced by a general, at this time, it will definitely be a rush to the city of Hezhou ......! He was suspicious and thoughtful.

"Chu Huan doesn't know the art of war, maybe in his opinion, the long-distance march, Hezhou City is close at hand, and he needs to be stationed in the camp to rest and recuperate!" A general sneered: "Such a mediocre talent, naturally he will not seize the opportunity." ”

Hu Zongmao squinted his eyes, and there was another person next to him: "General, if we had known that this was the case, we should have set up an ambush in Rabbit Ridge, in this kind of weather, the visibility is very low, if we set up an ambush in Rabbit Ridge early, get ready, and wait until they pass Rabbit Ridge, we will take the opportunity to attack ......!" ”

Before this person finished speaking, Hu Zongmao had already shook his head and waved his hand: "You are short-sighted. The battle between the soldiers is not in one place at a time, but in the overall situation, you think that an ambush at Rabbit Ridge is a good strategy, but you don't think it's smart. They came from Shuoquan, passing through Rabbit Ridge, naturally knew the terrain of Rabbit Ridge very well in advance, and must beware of Rabbit Ridge with ambush, the so-called ambush, to attack it unprepared, if the other party is prepared, it will lose its sudden surname, and the attack will become a decisive ......! ”

The first general said: "The general means that if we ambush at Rabbit Ridge, it is possible to turn an ambush into a decisive battle?" ”

"Exactly." Hu Zongmao smiled proudly: "Chu Huan has three battalions of men and horses, nearly 20,000 men and horses, we only have a few thousand soldiers and horses on hand, unless we can succeed in one fell swoop in Rabbit Ridge, otherwise once a decisive battle is formed, there will be more than one bad luck...... Since it is such an adventure, why not stick to Hezhou City, as long as we can defend Hezhou City, Chu Huan will have nothing to do with us. ”

"That's what the general said." The clerk He Kui nodded and smiled: "The general is very good at defending the city, Hezhou City is a fortified city, and the general personally commands the city defense, the current Hezhou City is impregnable, don't say that Chu Huan only has less than 20,000 troops, even if he doubles the number of troops, it is impossible to capture Hezhou ...... in a short time!" ”

The general next to him smiled and said: "General, you said that Chu Huan attacked our Hezhou City and never broke it, will he turn around and go to Jinzhou to fight Zhang Shuyan?" If Chu Huan chose to attack Zhang Shuyan from the beginning, Zhang Shuyan might not be able to withstand Chu Huan. ”

Hu Zongmao said: "Let's guard Hezhou well, don't care about Zhang Shuyan, as long as we can last for half a month, the morale of Chu Huan's side will inevitably be greatly damaged...... Their food and grass won't last long......! The corners of his mouth crossed a cold smile, "This time we have to compare whose patience is enough, we can't hold it, that is, we lose, they can't hold it, that is, they lose, everyone, this battle is related to your future, I will assure you that as long as you defend Hezhou City and force Chu Huan to retreat, then you will be able to increase the glory and wealth of the official and enter the knighthood, and you can get it at your fingertips!" ”

When the generals heard this, they rejoiced.

Hu Zongmao actively prepared for war, waiting for the arrival of Chu Huan's army, but the Chu army was currently stationed in Rabbit Ridge, which was nearly a hundred miles away from Hezhou City, and the camp was actually some distance away from Rabbit Ridge, where there was a freshwater lake, and the camp was adjacent to the water.

It has entered the middle of summer, the climate is dry, the climate in the northwest is also very hot, it is strange to say, the climate of Hezhou is very strange, it is just at night, the wind and sand are blinded during the day, the air is always floating in the dust, gray, this strange weather, is a native of the northwest man, but also complains.

Chu Huan led the army across the Rabbit Ridge, didn't go far, and camped on the edge of the freshwater lake, which made Fang Rushui and other generals a little anxious, they were all veterans with enough experience to fight in the battlefield, according to common sense, the faster the march, the more hasty the preparations on the side of Hezhou City would be, and the delay of one day would be equivalent to giving Hu Zongmao one more day to prepare, this is not a head-on battle between the two armies, the enemy and us rush back and forth, if that's the case, even if they prepare a little more, Fang Rushui and the others will not be too worried, this is a siege battle, What the other party needs is time to prepare, and this side is to grab time to kill it, but Chu Huan ordered the whole army to camp near the water, which made Fang Rushui and the others really a little confused.

Fang Rushui and Han Ying originally wanted to see Chu Huan and ask the reason, but unfortunately the governor's tent was guarded by Qi Hong's personal guards, Qi Hong was also happy, and left a sentence, the governor is not in good health, he needs to rest temporarily, and he will not meet anyone, Fang Rushui and Han Ying are anxious, but they can't break into the camp, they can only be helpless, they had hope for Chu Huan before, but this time Chu Huan's order made all the generals start to doubt, thinking that Chu Huan was afraid of war and did not dare to march quickly.

Chu Huan was not in the big tent at this time, he disguised himself, only brought two guards, and found a small village near Rabbit Ridge, where there were only a dozen families, leaving behind all the old and weak women and children, when Chu Huan entered a villager's house, there was only one old man in the house, the family was poor and four-walled, although the old man was a country man, but he seemed to have seen through the warmth and coldness of the world, his eyes were empty, when Chu Huan brought people to his house, he did not have any fear and nervousness, when Chu Huan claimed to come over to ask for a glass of water to drink, The old man casually pointed to the water tank in the corner of the house, which was broken and there was not much water left in it.

"Old man, are you the only one living here?" Chu Huan looked at the shabby house with four walls, looked at the old man with empty eyes and skinny eyes, and felt a little unbearable in his heart, sitting next to the old man, "Where have all your family gone?" ”

The old man obviously had good ears, turned his head, his wrinkled face was still calm, and shook his head: "There is no family anymore, and the one who should leave has already left...... I wanted to come back, but my son had already been arrested and used as a strong man...... There's going to be a war, so let's go...... When the soldiers come, everyone will rob them, and a few of you who are strong will be arrested to be ...... strong men! ”