On 21 June, the order to set out was finally given, and the garrison battalion was to dispatch the First Army to take up this combat mission together with the 15 corps of the regular army and the fifteen corps of the militia regiment that had already assembled at the border. However, Fang Xiaoyu was stunned to find that the first army of the garrison camp had actually become a logistics unit, and Fang Xiaoyu, who couldn't figure it out, came directly to the staff headquarters.

When he came to the General Staff, Fang Xiaoyu found Xia Ziqing waiting outside the door with a smile, and when he saw Fang Xiaoyu coming, he stepped forward and said with a smile: "Brigadier General Fang, you are finally here, I have been waiting for a long time." Fang Xiaoyu was stunned and said, "How do you know that I am coming?" Xia Ziqing said with a smile: "I don't know what to say, but the marshal said that as long as you receive an order from your superiors, you will definitely come, so the marshal asked me to wait for you at the door, because he wants to see you alone." ”

Fang Xiaoyu nodded and followed Xia Ziqing into the staff headquarters. Fang Xiaoyu had been to the General Staff many times, but he had only been to one place in the hall, this time Xia Ziqing led him to Marshal Xia Jun's separate office, obviously Marshal Xia Jun didn't want the conversation between the two to be heard by others.

Opening the door, Fang Xiaoyu was invited into the office by Xia Ziqing, and then he exited and closed the door. Marshal Xia Jun, who was looking at the documents at the table, raised his head, took off his reading glasses and said, "You're here." Fang Xiaoyu nodded and said, "Yes, I came to ask if there has been any change in the marshal?" For what I became a logistics unit. ”

Marshal Xia Jun sighed and said: "The imperial court is too optimistic about the form of this time, so the emperor decided not to send any marshal to the expedition, but instead appointed the Cheng family's Admiral Cheng Yu as the commander-in-chief this time. ”

Fang Xiaoyu said: "If the Cheng family wins this battle, even if it is a miserable victory, their presence in the military will be greatly strengthened." In other words, if this victory is won, the Cheng family will completely turn the tables, and the military can also compete with the Xia family. ”

Marshal Xia Jun snorted coldly and said, "As long as I am here, they will not be able to make any waves in the military." Fang Xiaoyu defended: "But the Cheng family can say that the disastrous victory is a complete victory, as long as they use propaganda, they can package Cheng Yu as the new god of war of the empire." ”

"A new god of war? It's possible. Marshal Xia Jun nodded and said, "But don't forget the form we analyzed together a few days ago, this battle is not so easy to fight." Fang Xiaoyu smiled bitterly: "This is what I'm most worried about, if Cheng Yu loses the battle, not only will the security of the empire be threatened, but I will also be implicated, how can I become a lord?" ”

A cold light flashed in Xia Jun's eyes: "My promise to your grandfather will definitely be fulfilled, I will draw ten regular army troops from other places and deploy them in Makita County and Huining County, if the situation changes, they will immediately advance to the five mountain passes and block the army of the Monte Empire, as long as the attack of the Monte Empire is blocked, I will have a way to make you change from a general of the defeated army to a successful minister, and you can also become a lord." ”

With Xia Jun's guarantee, Fang Xiaoyu was much more relieved, and he said, "I want to send someone to keep in touch with the troops you have arranged at any time to ensure the rapid delivery of news." Xia Jun smiled: "That's okay, anyway, I also plan to let Fang Weihong lead the troops this time." ”

"Father leading the troops? That's great. Fang Xiaoyu said excitedly: "Marshal, I promise that even if I lose, I will definitely be able to defend the border." Xia Jun nodded with satisfaction: "I'm afraid it really depends on you father and son this time." ”

Fang Xiaoyu frowned again and said, "I don't know what the Dao Imperial Court will do this time to let Cheng Yu's straw bag lead the army, after all, this is also a national war, how can it be so rash." Xia Jun sighed: "Isn't it all because of you?" ”

Fang Xiaoyu was puzzled: "What does this have to do with me?" Xia Jun said: "It's because you were too ruthless last time, which made the Cheng family lose too much." In order to balance the strength of each family, the emperor handed over the errand of leading the army to the Cheng family, hoping that supporting the Cheng family can make the two of us have scruples. Fang Xiaoyu nodded, the military really serves politics, and for the sake of political balance, the emperor does not hesitate to take such a big risk.

Back at the station, Fang Xiaoyu received the order to pull out, this time the garrison attack was actually led by Xia Houde himself, and his relationship with the Cheng family can be seen. However, the task of the first army of the garrison battalion is only to protect the logistics troops in the back, and Xia Houde is still very satisfied with this errand, he is at ease, and there is no danger of going to the battlefield, and when the time comes, he can get some combat merits by virtue of his own connections.

Xiahoude, who was close to the Cheng family, naturally would not give Fang Xiaoyu a good face, so Fang Xiaoyu was assigned the hardest and most tiring job, which was to escort arms. Munitions are flammable and explosive, so you have to be very careful, if it rains, it will be even more troublesome, and it will be difficult for those heavy cannons to get out as long as they get into the mud puddle.

Fang Xiaoyu has always been careful to protect the munitions and materials, and together with the brigade, he advanced towards the general logistics base of this attack, located in Ulan City, Ulan Province, Makita County.

Along the way, Xia Houde slowly advanced with the mood of touring the mountains and rivers, and when he led the team to Wulan Mansion, Cheng Hub was already in a hurry to take a large group of men and horses, and use the materials prepared in advance, and the troops advanced out of Helan Pass to the Monte Empire.

Ulan City was founded three hundred years ago at the beginning of the Lanfang Empire, it occupies the main road of Helan Pass, and is a city built specifically to defend against the Monte Empire, and there are similar cities in several other mountain passes, but not as majestic as Ulan City.

Ulan City, which was built as a border fortress, is only medium-sized, but it has a thick city wall that is not inferior to the capital. Although with the increasing use of hot weapons, the city wall, a fortification of the cold weapon era, has become more and more inadequate, but the thickness of the Ulan city wall of nearly ten meters is still very useful in the face of the Monte army that lacks artillery.

As a border fortress city, Ulan City not only has high walls, but also many warehouses in the city, even if the garrison camp brings a large amount of ammunition and food, there is still a place to accommodate it. After coming to Ulan City, Xia Houde was very unkind to let the already exhausted Ninth Brigade once again serve as the most dangerous guard of the North City Gate.

The city of Ulan is square, and the city wall here has four gates and four corner towers, among which the north gate is the most dangerous, because it faces the Helan Pass, and once the troops of the Monte Empire invade, the north gate will bear the brunt.

Eight of the nine brigades of the First Army of the garrison used these eight places as fulcrums, each guarding a section of the city wall, and the second brigade was stationed in the city as a general reserve.

Fang Xiaoyu paid attention for a moment and found that Xia Houde had actually placed his closest first brigade at the south city gate. Fang Xiaoyu pouted secretly in this regard, this Xiahoude didn't forget to leave a way for himself to escape in such a safe situation, and it was really a straw bag.

Fang Xiaoyu had no objection to guarding the north gate, since the large army was led by Cheng Hub, a big straw bag, he had already estimated that he might have to fight a difficult battle of city defense, so these days he personally inspected the city walls, repaired the battlements, and made adequate preparations for a possible battle.

At this time, Cheng Hub was proud to ride on a horse, he led an army of 900,000 to take the initiative to attack, and as a result, the border Monte Imperial army was about to collapse, and the Lan Fang army went deep into the Monte border for hundreds of kilometers. Cheng Hub, who won the first battle, was already a little fluttering at this time, as if he had seen the people who welcomed him when he returned with the victorious soldiers, the special summons of the emperor and the shining marshal epaulettes. The fourth marshal of the Lanfang Empire, what a high honor.

Just when Cheng Hub was immersed in a sweet dream, an adjutant leaned over and whispered, "General, our heavy weight has been robbed." Cheng Hub exclaimed: "What? Isn't there a militia of three armies to press the ship? The adjutant smiled bitterly: "General, those militia groups are still using the front-loading guns eliminated by the regular army, and it takes half a day to shoot a bullet, how can they stop the Monte cavalry who come and go like the wind." What's more, those militia groups were poorly trained, and they were defeated at the slightest contact. ”

Cheng Hub suddenly thought of something, and his face changed: "How long can the food in our camp last?" The adjutant said with a bitter face: "Five days at most." Cheng Hub's face turned pale suddenly, he quickly understood the intentions of the Monte people, but he couldn't retreat anymore, if he retreated in a hurry now, then the Monte cavalry that caught up would scatter them like ducks, fortunately, the army was not far from the Monte Empire, and there was still salvation.

His voice trembled slightly and ordered: "Send cavalry to inform Xiahoude immediately, let him lead the elite garrison to escort him, and then transport food and ammunition." The troops were ordered to build fortifications on the spot and stand firm for reinforcements. ”

It's a pity that Cheng Hub doesn't know what a stupid decision he made, if he chooses to retreat immediately, although he will suffer relatively large losses, he will not be wiped out. Now Cheng Hub chose to defend in situ when he had no food and grass inside and no reinforcements outside, but he lost a trace of his last life.