My brother Ying Zheng, who dares to kill me?.

Chapter 696 Li Mu's wrong decision! Licheng Song and Dance Troupe is officially established!
No rest at all.

As soon as he received the order, Sima Shang personally led 80,000 troops along the narrow Fukou Pass and marched westward in a forced march!

February 9th, noon (00:).

After crossing more than a hundred miles of mountain roads, a city that had gone through the ups and downs of the Shang and Zhou dynasties but remained as fresh as ever finally appeared before the eyes of the Zhao army.

An inhumane campaign of "Xibo conquering Li" led to the near-annihilation of the ancient Li Kingdom, which had once shocked the world during the Shang Dynasty, by King Wu of Zhou. Licheng, the capital of the ancient Li Kingdom, was even more devastated!
The tragic experience of three destructions and three restorations made the New Li Kingdom, which was established by King Wu of Zhou, suffer from war and devastation.

However, when Duke Jing of Jin went back on his word and sent troops again more than 300 years ago, this place completely became an important battlefield for the powerful countries such as Jin, Zhao, and Qin to fight for Fukou Xing.

The city walls are getting thicker and thicker.

City defense closely follows the development of the times.

Thousands of years of accumulated blood and flesh have turned the land around this city into a deep black.

Sima Shang looked out at the city and listened quietly to the reports from the scouts:

"Reporting to the commander, the current Licheng city wall is about five zhang (11.55 meters) high, the base is twelve zhang (27.72 meters) wide, and the top is one and a half zhang (3.465 meters) wide."

"There are only two gates in the city, one in the east and one in the west. Both gates have barbicans. The north and south walls are connected to the mountain and are difficult to cross."

"Every twenty feet on the city wall, there is a horse-faced shield protruding from the wall to counter the cloud ladders. There are also a large number of water tanks and sand boxes to counter fire attacks, and there are ground-hearing urns to counter hole attacks, and there are..."

"There are about 40,000 people in the city, with complete smelting, forging, pottery, and leather tanning workshops, and they can produce and repair armor, weapons, and shields by themselves."

"The Licheng Arsenal is located in..."

Listening to the reports from the scouts, even though he already knew the general information about Licheng, Sima Shang couldn't help but sigh softly: "It is indeed a fortress that exists for war."

"If our army had not captured this city before the main force of the Qin army arrived, how much would our army have to pay to break through this city?!"

"But where is the main force of the Qin army?"

"Why didn't I see any trace of the main force of the Qin army?"

The scouts told Sima Shang a lot of news that he already knew, but he just updated it further.

But the news that Sima Shang wanted to know most was never brought back by the scouts.

Where is the main force of the Qin army?

The scout general said solemnly: "We have not found any trace of the main force of the Qin army!"

"Yesterday, Licheng opened the city gates as usual, and I sneaked into the city myself and confirmed that there were only 5,000 county soldiers in the city."

"Given the layout of Licheng, Licheng can only quietly hide more than 10,000 soldiers and horses at most, and it definitely cannot hide the main force of the Qin army."

"If the main force of the Qin army arrives, it is absolutely impossible for them to leave no trace at all given their number!"

The main force of the Qin army consists of hundreds of thousands of people!
Even the Qin army's detachment had 100,000 men.

If a hundred scouts can't even detect the slightest trace of a hundred thousand people, then there's no point in having these eyes!

Sima Shang tightened his grip on the reins, and a little excitement and worry rose in his heart: "Could it be that... the commander's prediction is wrong?!"

Sima Shang found it hard to believe that Li Mu had made a wrong judgment.

But reality told Sima Shang that Li Mu had made a wrong judgment and there were no Qin troops stationed in Licheng!
Sima Shang couldn't help but feel worried because Li Mu made a wrong battlefield reading, but it was also hard not to be happy that he had such an opportunity.

If Sima Shang could lead his troops to capture Licheng, what a great achievement that would be!

But Sima Shang's trust in Li Mu made him speak cautiously: "Quickly send a message to the commander."

"We have not yet discovered the location of the main force of the Qin army, nor have we found any traces of the main force of the Qin army in Licheng. As of yesterday, there were still only 5,000 county soldiers in Licheng."

"I will send scouts to carefully scout the surrounding area."

"If there is indeed no main force of the Qin army around, this is a great opportunity for our army to capture Licheng and advance to Changzhi!"

"The opportunity for battle is fleeting. If I still haven't discovered the main force of the Qin army tomorrow, I will lead my troops to attack Licheng!"

The messenger bowed loudly: "Yes!"

With mixed feelings, Sima Shang shouted, "Order the rear troops to set up camp!"

"All scouts are to leave the camp and explore the surrounding area forty miles. We must find out the location of the main force of the Qin army!"

Even after two days and two nights of long-distance raid, the scouts under Sima Shang still shouted excitedly: "Yes!"

They vaguely felt that military merit was beckoning to them!
"It's his mother's fault!"

"Lord Zhao Wuan has no moral principles. He has already killed his way to Licheng in just half a month!"

Ge Ping paced back and forth with his hands behind his back, and every time his eyes fell on the Zhao army flags fluttering outside the city, he felt heartbroken.

Although Licheng is important, there are several cities in front of it, so the number of regular garrisons in Licheng is not large, only 5,000 county soldiers.

Even if we include the young and strong soldiers such as Cao, the guards and the soldiers, there are no more than 8,000 soldiers.

But now, there are 80,000 Zhao troops stationed outside the city!

This is a ten-fold difference in military strength!
How to fight Ge Ping?
Ge Ping angrily slammed the table and said, "I shouldn't have accepted the position of county magistrate."

"I am just a bandit leader. How can I be qualified to be a county magistrate?"

"If I had not been the county magistrate, how could I be facing such a dangerous situation!"

After the war to destroy Chu, E Ao was selected as the magistrate of Yancheng County.

Ge Ping was also selected as the magistrate of Licheng County.

However, the Qin Dynasty chose E Ao as the county magistrate in order to use E Ao's banditry to suppress the powerful people in Yancheng.

The Qin Dynasty selected Ge Ping as the magistrate of Licheng County in the hope that Ge Ping, a general who performed outstandingly in the war to destroy Chu, could play his role at the critical moment and defend the strategic location of Licheng for the Qin Dynasty!

Ge Ping, who had just returned victorious at that time, had a high opinion of himself and accepted the appointment without hesitation.

But when 80,000 Zhao troops arrived outside the city one after another, Ge Ping was isolated and helpless. Ge Ping finally realized that fighting against the bandit-suppression officers and soldiers was different from fighting against regular troops.

Fighting against the Chu army is different from fighting against the Zhao elite. Fighting under the command of Ying Chengjiao is different from leading the county soldiers alone to fight against an enemy force ten times larger than yours!

Just as Ge Ping was getting impatient, Ge Ping's eldest son Ge Ying also walked up to the city wall and asked in a low voice: "Are you worried about the soldiers outside the city?"

Ge Ping sighed softly: "Of course."

"Although the main force of the Zhao army did not attack our Licheng, this Zhao army alone has at least 70,000 to 80,000 soldiers and horses."

"On the other hand, our Licheng only has 8,000 soldiers!"

"Even if we recruit all the young and strong men in Licheng, we will still have less than 20,000 soldiers and horses."

"How can we contend with this Zhao army?"

Ge Ping knew that his eldest son was smart since he was young.

When he went out to take up his post, Ge Ping left his parents and all his other children in Xianyang City to prove his loyalty, and only took his wife and eldest son with him.

Ge Ying, who is fifteen years old this year, is already an adult, and Ge Ping is not reluctant to confess all the difficulties he faces.

With a soft sigh, Ge Ping patted Ge Ying's arm and said in a complicated voice: "It is impossible to win this battle."

"But Naiweng won't leave."

"Nai Weng turned against Chu on the battlefield in the past, and he was already a traitor. If he escapes and rebels again, the world will not tolerate him, and it will also implicate Chang'an Jun and many brothers."

"But you have to go."

"The old man has asked the mother to pack her bags."

"Later, you will leave the city from the west gate of Licheng and rush to Chang'an Township at full speed. First, meet Madam Han and tell her the details of Licheng, and then go to Xianyang to look for your grandfather and your brothers and sisters."

"Since Naiweng died on the battlefield, Madam Han might take better care of you."

Even though he believed that the battle was impossible to win, and that he would die defending the city, Ge Ping still decided to stay.

There is no way, Ge Ping has his weaknesses and also his pursuits.

However, Ge Ying looked at Ge Ping sincerely and said, "Aunt, the situation is not that bad yet!"

Ge Ping laughed: "The situation is not that bad?"

"The 80,000 Zhao troops outside the city are not the weak bandit-suppression troops of the former Chu State!"

Ge Ying said firmly: "But we are no longer the bandits of Fuli Guishan!"

"Lord Chang'an sent a military report yesterday, ordering our troops to hold on, and saying that they are not far from Licheng."

"As long as Aweng can hold on for a few days, not only will he not die in battle, but he will also become a meritorious official of the Qin Dynasty and be valued by Chang'an Jun."

"Aweng, this battle is a danger, but also an opportunity!"

“It’s Aong’s chance to take off!”

Ge Ying, the son, painted a big picture for Ge Ping, the father.

But Ge Ping didn't want to eat a single bite.

He just looked at the Zhao army outside the city, which was beginning to form a battle array, and sighed softly: "How many days can they hold out?"

"What can you hold on to?"

Hearing this question, Ge Ying also fell silent.

Yes.

Although as long as we hold on for a few days, reinforcements will arrive.

However, they were facing an enemy force that was clearly determined to win the battle quickly and had a troop advantage of more than ten times.

What do they hold on to?
"County magistrate!"

A burst of shouts suddenly rang out, and the county magistrate Li Qiong came galloping over with a group of messengers.

As he dismounted, Li Qiong repeatedly said, "Lord Chang'an has given an order!"

Ge Ping's eyes, which had been calm from despair, suddenly burst into a bright light, and he turned to look at the messenger behind him: "I am the magistrate of Licheng County, and I am... five hundred masters?!"

"Why haven't the five hundred masters ever served under Lord Chang'an?!"

Looking back, Ge Ping unexpectedly saw a familiar figure.

Egg husband!

Originally, Dan Fu, as a messenger specially assigned to deliver letters back to Xianyang City by Ying Chengjiao, seldom interacted with the generals in the army.

But the Battle of Judu made Danfu's name famous throughout the army!
Danfu said solemnly, "Just following orders."

"Licheng County Magistrate Ge Ping, come forward and receive the order!"

Ge Ping also suppressed his surprise, hurried forward, and took the scroll of silk from Dan Fu with both hands. Li Qiong also took a big step forward and moved to Ge Ping's side.

After checking the seal, Ge Ping hurriedly unfolded it, and familiar handwriting caught the eyes of Ge Ping and Li Qiong.

[If a small group of Zhao troops arrives and they hold their ground, I can lead the vanguard to rescue Licheng in two days.]

[If a large force of Zhao troops arrives, open the city gates, do not set up defenses, withdraw the garrison, and ignore the enemy.]

【Order four or five old men to sweep the outside of the city, and then County Magistrate Ge will play the zither and the qin on the city wall.】

[If Zhao Wuanjun arrives in person or the main force of the Zhao army arrives, withdraw immediately without any hesitation! ]

Ge Ping: (O_o)??
Li Qiong: (o_O)! !
After reading the military order, Ge Ping and Li Qiong looked at each other.

As their eyes met, Ge Ping and Li Qiong asked in unison:
"what???"

(End of this chapter)