Chu and Han contend for the throne

Chapter 105 Hulao Pass ([-])
In Luoyang, Xiang Zhuang was patrolling the arsenal in the north of the city, surrounded by generals Wei Liao, Huan Chu, and Ji Bu.

Huan Chu's face was flushed, and while leading the way, he said excitedly: "General, we are really rich this time. The arsenal in Luoyang is full of swords, halberds and shields. At least we can arm an army of [-]!" After a pause, Huan Chu said regretfully, "It's a pity that we don't have so many people, heh..."

While talking, Xiang Zhuang and his party walked into one of the warehouses.

I saw a whole row of bungalows filled with war robes and leather armors, the height of which was almost as high as the beams of the houses.

The remaining rows of bungalows are stacked with double-edged long swords, long halberds, large shields and other weapons, as well as a small amount of armor.

Xiang Zhuang was not too surprised by these unexpected gains. Luoyang is the county government of Sanchuan, and with Lu Ze's painstaking governance, it has faintly become the leading city in the Central Plains. In the base camp of the Kanto, it is therefore not unusual to have so many swords, halberds and shields hoarded in the arsenal of Luoyang.

Even the warehouses in Luoyang are full of grain. Hundreds of thousands of shi of military rations are enough to feed five thousand Chu troops for several years. These grains were sent to Luoyang from Xianyang Taicang. Those who went to Puyang to supply Liu Bang's army have now become the spoils of the Chu army.

However, the heavy siege equipment that Xiang Zhuang wanted most, such as ladders and siege vehicles, were nonexistent. Until he inspected the entire arsenal, Xiang Zhuang did not find a ladder or a siege vehicle!

Xiang Zhuang was inevitably disappointed, and asked Huan Chu, "That's all? Are there any other warehouses?"

"Uh, it's gone." Huan Chu was a little at a loss, and whispered, "General, aren't these enough?"

"What we need most now are ladders and siege engines!" Xiang Zhuang paused, and then said, "I asked you to collect the blacksmiths, carpenters and weaponsmiths in Luoyang City. How are you doing?"

"Don't worry, General, this matter has been settled." Huan Chu patted his chest, not without complacency, said, "The last general caught Luoyang's arsenal order, this old boy has hundreds of craftsmen under him, blacksmiths, There are carpenters and weaponsmiths." After finishing speaking, Huan Chu turned back and ordered his soldiers, "Go, bring that old boy here."

The personal soldiers led away, and soon came to Xiang Zhuang with a dry little old man.

The little old man was unattractive, but he had good eyesight. He immediately saw that Xiang Zhuang was the leader of this group of people. He bowed to Xiang Zhuang tremblingly, and said respectfully: "Old man loses the chariot, I have seen the general."

"Mr. Gongshu, you're welcome." Xiang Zhuang returned the salute, and said, "I wonder how many carpenters the old man has under his command?"

Bus lane: "There are always more than 300 people."

Xiang Zhuang asked again: "Will you build ladders and siege vehicles?"

"Yes, of course, you can even build wells." The public transportation lane said, "However, ladders, siege vehicles, and wells are all heavy equipment, and it takes a lot of time and effort to build them. Also, I don't know if the general wants to attack Which city? Because the walls of each city vary in height, the height requirements for siege equipment will also be different."

Xiang Zhuang said: "What if this general wants to attack Hangu Pass?"

"Hangu Pass is the first pass in the world. The wall is more than six feet high, so the height of the ladder and the well fence needs to be at least seven feet! I don't know how many ladders and well fences the general needs?" Cooperative, even enthusiastic, he did not refuse to do things for the Chu army just because he was the arsenal order of the Han army.

In fact, this was also a major feature of the times at that time. At that time, people in the Central Plains had very weak national concepts. For example, Wei Yang was born in Wei, but he was able to serve Qin with peace of mind. The mortal enemy Wei Guoren, but in the end he became the Taiwei of Qin State, and single-handedly formulated a strategy to destroy Wei State!
Scholars like Wei Yang and Wei Liao don't have a deep national concept, so craftsmen like Gongshuche are even less likely to have any national concept. Moreover, most of these craftsmen are passionate about craftsmanship. You just need to give them a chance It is not a problem at all to engage in what you like, and to serve for any country.

Xiang Zhuang thought for a while and said, "Twenty ladders, twenty well rails, plus five siege engines, how long will it take?"

Gongshuche calculated silently in his heart for a moment, and then replied: "General, three days is enough!"

"Okay!" Xiang Zhuang said, "This general will give you three days. Within three days, just ask for anything you need. This general will definitely meet your requirements. But if you can't produce twenty ladders after three days , twenty well rails and five siege vehicles, then don’t blame this general for being rude to you.”

Bus lane: "Don't worry, General, the craftsmen have all the materials ready-made, and it will be ready in three days!"

"Very good." Xiang Zhuang nodded happily, "In addition to asking carpenters to build ladders, well rails, and siege vehicles, your blacksmiths can't be idle either. The general is in urgent need of a weapon, and the general will provide some later. Ten sample knives, let your blacksmith open the door to make them in the past few days, as many as you can make!"

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Returning from the arsenal to the Sheriff's Mansion, Xiang Zhuang and Wei Liao couldn't help feeling a little heavy.

It takes at least three days to build the ladder, the well fence, and the siege engine, but can the news of Luoyang's fall be blocked for three days?Although the Chu army locked the four gates in advance when they attacked the city, none of the defenders or civilians in the city escaped, but the scattered people outside the city would hear the movement to some extent, and traffickers and pawns were not allowed to enter the city for three days. Some people are sure to be suspicious.

Once Lu Ze of Aocang gets the news, he will definitely rush back to help Sanchuan County, and then the trouble will be big.

I don't know if Wu She's divorce plan was successful. If Lu Ze had already started fighting with Peng Yue, then the Chu army would have nothing to worry about.

But now, Xiang Zhuang has no other way to think about. He can only send more scouts to guard the passage to Hangu Pass in the west and Hulao Pass in the east, intercepting and killing suspicious people, so as to block Sanchuan as much as possible. All the news of the county, the news of the Chu army's capture of Luoyang will definitely spread, but before it spreads, it will be as long as it can be delayed.

Wei Liao was still worried, and told Gao Chu again: "General Gao Chu, have you sent out all the scouts?"

"Don't worry, the military division has already been dispatched." Gao Chu said sternly, "More than a dozen scout teams have been dispatched in the direction of Hangu Pass and Hulao Pass, and the Chidao that runs through Sanchuan County is completely under the control of the scout teams. Now, it’s still the same sentence that the general said, I would rather kill the wrong one than let it go, as long as it looks suspicious, I will kill it without mercy!"

Wei Liao sighed, "During this extraordinary period, there is nothing we can do about it."

As soon as the words were finished, Gongsun suddenly strode into the hall of the government office, bowed his hands to Xiang Zhuang and Wei Liao, and said, "General, military advisor, Mr. Wu She finally has news!"

"Oh?" Xiang Zhuang suddenly turned his head and asked anxiously, "Where is the person?"

Gongsun then turned his head and waved, a dead soldier walked in boldly, and then saluted Xiang Zhuang and Wei Liao respectively: "Little man Shi Dunzi, I have seen the general and the military adviser."

Xiang Zhuang waved his hands and said anxiously: "Quickly tell me, how is Mr. Wu She going?"

Shi Dunzi immediately told Wu She from the beginning of entering the Liang camp to the time he persuaded Chen Xi to attack Hulao Pass, from beginning to end.

Xiang Zhuang was overjoyed when he heard this. He really didn't expect that Wu She would actually drive a wedge between Lu Ze and Peng Yue. Although he failed because of Liu Bang's sudden appearance in the end, the short scuffle between the Han army and the Liang army was still for Chen Xi Breaking through created an opportunity, and what surprised Xiang Zhuang even more was that Wu She even attracted [-] young men from Chen Xi!
Wei Liao was also overjoyed, and said repeatedly: "General, God's will, God's will!"

"Yes, God's will, the sky is not destroyed, my great Chu, ha ha ha." Xiang Zhuang laughed three times, then turned his head and shouted, "Gongsun Sui, beat the drums and gather troops. This general will lead the camp first. Climb to the camp and attack Hulao Pass!"

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At Hulao Pass, the rebel attack was repelled again, and hundreds of corpses were added to the East Pass.

Amidst the sound of chaotic footsteps, surrounded by more than a dozen generals, a young general in white robe strode up the wall along the horse path. Armor with silver scales, a silver crown with hair on the head, a sword on the waist, and the scabbard is inlaid with colorful gems, which is very luxurious and eye-catching.

A Han general who was soaked in blood immediately came forward, bowed his hands to the young general in white robes and said, "Young Master, these rebels are so inexperienced that they have already piled on top of each other before they even got close to the wall." Hundreds of corpses were sent back, and according to this strategy, even if the rebels came with 10 people, they would all have to be locked up in Hulao.”

The young general in white robe is none other than Lu Ze's eldest son, Lu Tai.

Lu Tai waved his hand and said disapprovingly, "General, don't be careless. I think the rebels are deliberately showing weakness."

Having said this, Lu Tai said again: "Just now, by the light of the fire, I faintly saw a big banner with a Chen character in the rebel army. If there is no accident, the leader of the rebel army should be Chen Xi. This person likes to raise It is said that there are 800 diners under the door, and these [-] people are all with unique skills, Chen Xi probably wants to stay in the end and use it as a trump card."

The Han general said in amazement: "Chen Xi? Isn't he trapped in Aocang City?"

"Something happened in Ao Cang." Lu Tai sighed, and said, "Peng Yue, King of Liang, listened to Kuai Che's slanderous words, and had a conflict with my father a few days ago. Chen Xi probably took this opportunity to break through from Ao Cang." , Lu Tai sneered again, "However, Chen Xi really shouldn't have come to attack Hulao Pass, hehe."

General Han nodded, and said again: "Young Master, why don't you take [-] elite soldiers out of the customs and attack him for a while?"

"That's not necessary." Lu Tai waved his hand and said calmly: "If there are no accidents, the next wave of attacks on Chen Xi should send out his [-] disciples. Why don't we come up with a plan and give the rebels a ruthless blow?" !"

After finishing speaking, Lu Tai went to Han Jiang's ear and whispered a few words, Han Jiang nodded again and again, and said: "The last general will go down to prepare, and the guards of Chen Xi will come and go, hehe."

(End of this chapter)