On the fifth day, Ma Chaobing came to the city of Hanzhong.

It is said that yesterday Zhang Quan and Zhao Yunfa were leading 20,000 troops and horses to break through Ma Chao's army, crossing Qishan and attacking the rear of Yangping Pass.

Fortunately, there is enough food, soldiers, and equipment in Hanzhong City, and the city wall is tall and strong, so Zhang Quan can't be closed, and see what you Ma Chao can do to him.

Ma Chaojun built siege equipment such as ladders and wooden beds under the city, and Zhang Quan asked Wu Yi and others to release cold arrows on the city, and from time to time there were roaring curses from the city.

On the sixth day, Ma Chao and Ma Dai inspected the city and saw that seven or eight ladders had been built, and the wooden bed had only made a prototype, and it was impossible to tell that it was a wooden bed.

"How did you make such a point, if you wait until the ladder wooden bed is built and then attack the city, what year and month will it take!" Ma Chao didn't get angry with the craftsmen either, and said to the air. The Xiliang soldiers are like nomads, charging on the plains, and they have not fought much siege warfare, so of course they don't know how to build siege equipment.

"Brother, the enemy army can't come out, Hanzhong City will be broken sooner or later, let's wait slowly!" Ma Dai said, "But what I'm worried about is that yesterday a team of more than 10,000 military horses broke through us and went in the direction of Yangping Pass, and I was afraid that Yangping Pass would be broken." ”

"What's so hard about that? If they dare to go out of the city to fight with our Xiliang Iron Cavalry, we can take them all. Ma Chao said with a fluttering expression, "In this way, I will divide your 20,000 military horses, and you will lead the army to sweep towards Yangping Pass and destroy the enemy troops encountered on the way!" ”

"Okay." Ma Dai replied, and after speaking, he went down to straighten out the military horses and set off.

On the city.

Zhang Ren said to Zhang Quan:

"Brother and nephew, this can't be done, our army is surrounded in Hanzhong City, and Ma Chaojun only needs to wait for the siege equipment to be built, and he can break through Hanzhong. Why don't you open the door and let me lead the army down and kill it? ”

"There's no hurry." Zhang Quan said lightly, "Ma Chao, I haven't taken him in my eyes yet, Shi Yuanyuan's combat power after turning into a straight dragon can completely subdue him." It's just that I don't want to expose Shi Yuanzhi's combat power yet, and I always feel that there is a pair of eyes looking at me now, and he will be the enemy he is about to face. Zhang Quan paused and said:

"However, even if we only use the combat power of ordinary humans, we are not afraid of Ma Chao. First, Ma Chao's soldiers are not very good at building siege equipment, and the siege will have to wait for a while; Second, we use infantry against their cavalry, which is too inferior to open the door to battle, and if we hold the walls, the number of people who will die in battle will be far fewer than them; Third, it is Zilong Xiaozhi's army, just waiting for them to threaten Yangping Pass, Ma Chao seems to be a decisive and brave person, but in fact, he is indecisive and indecisive, and he must be worried that Yangping Pass will be lost and will not dare to attack the city with all his might. To put it simply, we first guard the city walls, and the landscape changes. ”

However, it was said that Ma Dai led 20,000 cavalry to attack in the direction of Yangping Pass, and he was stunned not to see the enemy army along the way, and saw a majestic pass between the mountains, Yangping Pass arrived, and he was uneasy and decided to go to the pass to inform Han Sui. Han Sui said Ma Dai, don't worry, I won't lose if I guard Yangping Pass, you can rest assured to follow Ma Chao to attack Hanzhong. Ma Dai said that they are still building siege equipment on the spot, no hurry, I will send a letter to my brother, I will wait in Yangping Pass now, and I will lead the army to Hanzhong after the siege equipment is complete. Han Sui didn't say anything, and said in his heart: Aren't you Senior Brother Ma just worried that I am controlling Yangping Pass and want to spy on me, do you need to find an excuse for the disappearance of 20,000 enemy troops, thinking that no one can see it.

Ma Chaobing came to Hanzhong on the seventh day.

Ma Chao received a letter from Ma Dai, saying that he would wait in Yangping Pass first, and then call him when the city was attacked.

Ma Chao was like an aunt buying vegetables in the vegetable market to check in the camp, but he only felt that the wooden bed had not changed from yesterday's, but there were two more simple ladders. Turning around, I can't help but feel angry:

I'm riding in the West and sweeping the world, is it going to be blocked by a city? Do I have to wait for every city I attack in the future to fail to build siege equipment?

So he didn't want Ma Dai to lead the army back, and ran to the front of the battle alone, beating the drums.

When the soldiers gathered, they shouted:

"Boys, it's enough for my Xiliang Tiger and Wolf Division to attack the city with a dozen cloud ladders, isn't it?"

"Yes!" A large number of people replied.

"Good! Now follow me to the siege! Ma Chao shouted.

Immediately, the remaining 20,000 soldiers were divided into two parts, 10,000 were under the city and the archers on the city were fired, and 10,000 soldiers were led by Ma Chao to climb the ladder to attack the city.

At this moment, Zhang Quan was playing Go with Pang Tong in the house on the city wall, Huang Yueying made tea, glanced at the chess game a few times, and saw the white child in my hand, I couldn't help but shake my head slightly, Xu Shu Zhang Ren had already watched it from the side, and could only smile bitterly. On the chess game, my white son had no rules at all, and he was killed by Pang Tong's sunspot and fled, and outsiders would think when they saw it, I really don't know what to continue playing.

Pang Tong said: "Young master, do you want to continue?" ”

"Down, why don't you eat, if you eat my last one, I will lose." Zhang Quan said while looking for the open space on the chessboard.

Pang Tong and the others were embarrassed, it was the first time they heard that Go was going to be played to the last one.

"Report! The enemy army gathered under the city again, and it seems that they are preparing to attack the city! The communications soldier shouted at the door.

"Good! Ma Chao finally couldn't bear the loneliness, and he was about to attack the city before the siege equipment was built! ”

Zhang Ren Wu Yiwenpin looked at Zhang Quan, and Zhang Quan said to them: "You guys go and defend the city, it's still the same sentence, stick to the city!" ”

"Yes." They replied.

Xu Shu didn't move, Pang Tong leaned over and asked:

"Young master, should we also go and help?"

"How can it help? Continue to play chess with me. Zhang Quan said, "We strategists must have the self-knowledge of strategists, and only seek to strategize in the battle and win thousands of miles away; Things like marching and fighting, just leave them to the generals. Look at the people's Yuan Zhi, who is older than you, calm down, and well versed in the way of strategists. ”

"Quan is less than the prize, and Mr. Wenhe is well versed in the way of strategists." Xu Shu replied lightly.

The deafening and uplifting sound of snare drums sounded up and down the city wall outside the house, and the shouts came and went, Zhang Quan said as if he hadn't heard the movement outside the house: "Come, Yuan Zhi, you and Shi Yuan will play a game, let me see." Xu Shu Pang Tong saw that Zhang Quan was really not worried about the city being captured by Ma Chao, and began to play Go with a slight apprehension in his heart.

So Zhang Quan got up and knelt beside him, watching the black and white on the chessboard gradually increase, intermingling and intertwining, it seemed to be chaotic and vaguely hidden. Consciousness became hazy in black and white, and I saw in a trance that this land of China was a huge chessboard, on which the princes of all walks of life swallowed each other, and the chess pieces of various colors were annihilated into ashes in the impact and collision, and the chessboard became full of holes under the constant friction of the chess pieces, and the princes who set themselves up as kings on one side did not necessarily abide by the rules.

Thinking of the game of Go with Pang Tong just now, Zhang Quan didn't know that according to the rules of Go, he had already lost. It's just that, for example, Zhang Xiu in the Guandu period lost to the last particle, and now he has not been saved.

Rules? Hehe, between heaven and earth, what are the immutable rules?