Ji Han Liu Zhang

Lueyang.

Gan Ning, who was ordered to attack Lueyang City, led his elite soldiers and marched non-stop all the way to Lueyang in Longyou.

After a while, the dusty Shu army arrived at the city of Lueyang.

Because the two heroes of Liang Province, Ma Teng and Han Sui, were not in harmony at that time and the two sides were at war and at the critical juncture of deciding the winner, Ma Teng and Han Sui did not care about the important place of Lueyang City, but only focused on defeating each other and becoming the wolf leader of Liang Province.

As a result, Gan Ning easily took over the important city of Lueyang as if it were just a meal or a drink.

Gan Ning is now walking slowly around the city of Lueyang, carefully inspecting the city defense facilities of Lueyang. After all, if there are any loopholes in the city defense of Lueyang, it will be unfavorable for defending the city, and it will endanger him, the lord of Lueyang.

After a careful observation and a circle around the city, Gan Ning leaned on the battlements on the city wall with both hands and sighed unconsciously.

There was no other reason. Lueyang's city defense facilities were indeed somewhat dilapidated. For example, several battlements on the city wall showed signs of cracking. Perhaps with a slight push, the battlements would collapse. Another example was the city gate tower, which had a large hole on the top. Under wind and rain, the wall of the city gate tower was at risk of collapse.

There were other problems everywhere, such as the moat of Lueyang City. It had not been dredged for a long time and was blocked in many places. It had lost its function as a moat, and the enemy could easily reach the city of Lueyang.

"The death of Lueyang's county magistrate was not unjust." After sighing at the city's defense facilities, Gan Ning complained about Lueyang's county magistrate, the former Lueyang city lord who was hacked to death by Gan Jiu, who entered the city first.

"General Qu?" Gan Jiu, who was accompanying Gan Ning, was confused and asked Gan Ning in confusion.

Gan Ning explained, "As the county chief of Lueyang, he did not repair the dilapidated defense equipment of the city, which shows that he has never been serious about governing Lueyang. In addition, a lot of gold, silver, grain and silk were found in his house, which shows that he is greedy for money and is not a good county chief."

"Even if he is dead now, it is a worthy death. There is nothing to complain about." Gan Ning looked down on the former Lueyang County Magistrate.

"That's right." Gan Jiu confirmed. He sneered and said, "Now the world is in turmoil, and there is a shortage of food and grass everywhere. The Lueyang County Magistrate has a round belly, which looks like a Cuju ball. Judging from his figure, he is not a good person... Judging from his face..."

Gan Jiu paused, recalling the appearance of the previous Lueyang County Magistrate. After a moment, he complained: "Two mustaches, sparse eyebrows, eyes, nose and mouth squeezed together, and that chubby face..."

"How can such a person, with such a face, be appointed as a county magistrate?" Gan Jiu judged people by their appearance and clicked his tongue twice.

After Gan Ning and Gan Jiu chatted for a few words, they forgot about the deceased former Lueyang County magistrate. He was just a corrupt and incompetent official. The two felt that if they talked a few more words about him, they would probably taint each other's lips.

"General Qu, it was because Jiehou Laishe launched a surprise attack here that Wei Xiang of Longyou was defeated for some reason." Gan Jiu brought up an event from the founding of the Eastern Han Dynasty, but this was not something he learned from history books. Instead, it was a record he saw on a stone stele in Lueyang City.

"Yes." Gan Ning nodded. He looked at the mountains and rivers outside Lueyang City and said with emotion: "Back then, Wei Xiang occupied Longyou and was disloyal to Emperor Guangwu. He gathered heavy troops in Longdao in an attempt to prevent the Han army from entering Longyou."

"It's like trying to stop a chariot with a mantis arm." Gan Ning showed a look of contempt on his face, mocking Wei Xiang, who was once a powerful figure in Longyou: "Wei Xiang's deployment was light on the inside and heavy on the outside, which was discovered by Jie Hou Lai Xi. So Jie Hou led his own 2,000 soldiers and horses, crossed mountains and valleys, cut down forests to open a road, avoided Fanxu and other key passes in Longdi, came here without anyone noticing, and took Lueyang without any effort." "Once Lueyang was lost, Wei Xiang was shocked. Although Longdao was still in Wei Xiang's hands, the soldiers under Wei Xiang knew that the important Lueyang was lost, and the morale of the army was low, and the outcome was clear."

Gan Ning was slightly touched as he recounted the past. Lai She's surprise attack on Lueyang was exactly the same as what he was doing now, as if the same story was being performed twice.

Perhaps Lai Xie was just like him back then, standing on the city wall of Lueyang, looking at the sunset and the mountains outside Lueyang, thinking about sharing the worries of his lord and restoring the Han Dynasty.

"Oh, then General Qu, aren't you also a marquis?" Gan Jiu expressed Gan Ning's thoughts and compared Gan Ning to the marquis Lai Xie.

Gan Ning did not respond to Gan Jiu's words. Gan Ning just shook his head and said, "Jie Hou is a man of faith in the world. He is brave and resourceful, and he is not afraid of death. He can be called a hero. However, I am who I am, and I cannot be compared to others."

"However, what I did with the Marquis of Tongjie was similar. They both attacked Lueyang by surprise and threatened Liangzhou. Their actions were similar, but the people involved were different."

Gan Ning has a sense of pride in his heart. He does not want to be compared to others or be someone else's shadow. He is himself, the one and only Gan Xingba.

Gan Jiu laughed awkwardly when he heard this. He knew he had said the wrong thing, so he looked into the distance for a moment and changed the subject: "If Ma Teng and Han Sui are both defeated, Liang Province will be easy to conquer."

Gan Jiu had hope in his heart. He hoped that Ma Teng and Han Sui, the two heroes of Liang Province, who were currently fighting, would be defeated and unable to fight again. Without these two obstacles, Ma Teng and Han Sui, Liang Province could be easily taken by them.

"The best outcome is that both Ma Teng and Han Sui suffer heavy losses, but human nature is unpredictable. If Ma Teng and Han Sui put aside their old grudges, get along harmoniously, and come together to fight against us, then we must prepare early." Gan Ning did not wish for the best, he was preparing for the worst.

"If Ma Teng and Han Sui join forces to attack, if we want to hold on to Lueyang, Lueyang City needs to be repaired. Otherwise, it will be difficult to hold on."

"Besides, the treasury is empty due to years of military operations. Although Shu is rich, it can no longer sustain the situation." Gan Ning thought about the overall situation and said, "Don't expect reinforcements to arrive in Lueyang until next summer's harvest. You and I must defend Lueyang until next summer's harvest."

“Hmm…hmm…” Gan Jiu nodded, expressing his approval.

In the following days, Gan Ning urged his soldiers to begin repairing Lueyang's city defense facilities, in order to make Lueyang City impregnable before the enemy arrived to attack the city.

Ten days later, enemy cavalry appeared outside the peaceful Lueyang City. The flags hung by the enemy cavalry had the words "Ma" and "Han" on them. The scouts of the two enemy families gathered together to scout Lueyang.

Gan Ning stood on the top of the city wall and saw the scouts of Ma Teng and Han Sui coming and going. He chuckled. Just as he had planned for the worst, after hearing that Lueyang was occupied by Shu soldiers, Ma Teng and Han Sui put aside their old grudges and joined forces to march towards Lueyang.

A powerful enemy is approaching the city. (End of this chapter)