Chu and Han contend for the throne

Chapter 294
Outside Jiameng Pass, two thousand sharp men from the Sirius Camp had set up canvas tents one after another.

Amidst the chaotic footsteps, Qu Bucai and Tang Tong walked into Xiang Zhuang's tent with a dozen powerful locals. Qu Bucai first bowed to Xiang Zhuang, and then pointed to the dozens of locals behind him. Hao Qiang said to Xiang Zhuang: "General, these are local tyrants in Langzhong, and they are organizing people to grab door panels, wood, and iron nails here."

Just as Qu Bucai finished speaking, a dozen or so tyrants shouted loudly: "I will never disgrace my life."

Xiang Zhuang bowed his hands in return, and asked Tang Tong: "Brother Tang Tong, can you find some craftsmen?"

Tang Tongdao: "I don't know what craftsmen the general wants?"

Xiang Zhuang said: "It's best to be a weaponsmith. If you really can't find it, a carpenter will do."

Tang Tongdao: "The general is asking the right person. Our Tang family has carpenters for generations. There are hundreds of people in the family. They all know how to do carpentry. I dare not say anything else. At least in Bashu, there is no other family whose craftsmanship can surpass our Tang family."

"It's kind!" Xiang Zhuang said happily, "Then brother Lao Tangtong will be there!"

"It's easy to say." Tang Tong bowed his hands to Xiang Zhuang, then turned around and walked away.

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In the middle of Jiameng Pass, Jin She went to the Yuan.

The old wound doctor was changing Jin She's dressing. In the fierce battle at Shiliting in the east of Langzhong City three days ago, although Jin She beheaded several people in a row, he was also stabbed dozens of times, and he could hardly find it all over his body. A good piece of meat, the only good thing is that Jin She has avoided the critical point with years of experience in fighting.

Even though he avoided the vital point, when Jin She fled back to Jiameng Pass in embarrassment, she eventually fell into a coma due to excessive blood loss. Before falling into a coma, Jin She only had time to say a word and asked the guards of Jiameng Pass to quickly call Langzhong's strong man stood guard at the pass, and he didn't even have time to tell Jiameng, the guard of the pass, to ask Xianyang for help.

It was not until more than half an hour ago, when the Chu army arrived, that Jin She just woke up.

The old wound doctor untied the layers of sackcloth wrapped around Jin She's body, revealing the hideous and terrifying knife wounds, and the two Han soldiers who stayed beside him couldn't help but take a breath , They really can't imagine that a person can survive after being hacked so many times?
To change the dressing, the old medicine had to be peeled off, which would inevitably affect the wound. It was extremely painful, and Jin She endured it so that she could not groan.

While changing the dressing, a small senior suddenly stepped in and said: "General, the Chu army outside the pass suddenly brought in a lot of door panels, wood, and many craftsmen, and they are building a ladder for attacking the city, and the ladder of the ladder The style is very weird, and the villain has never seen it before, but this may not be a good thing for our army."

"Huh?" Jin She's eyes narrowed, and she said in a deep voice, "Take me to close it."

The old wound doctor hurriedly stopped him and said: "No, general. During the day, despite the old man's dissuasion, you had to be carried up to the top of the wall, and the wound has already caused a lot of blood loss. If the wound is affected again this time, the blood loss will only worsen." Too much, maybe he will be in a coma again, and if the general falls into a coma this time, let alone three days, I am afraid that he will never wake up."

"I need to be more careful, general." Jin She didn't listen to dissuasion at all, and ordered the two soldiers beside him, "Go, quickly bring over the stretcher over there, general is going to the top of the city!"

The two soldiers had no choice but to carry the stretcher.

Half a quarter of an hour later, Jin She was carried up to the top of the city again, and the soldiers were asked to set up the stretcher slightly.

Lying on the top of the city and looking down, I saw that the Chu army was busy building an unheard-of and never-before-seen cloud ladder outside the pass. In fact, it was not a cloud ladder, but a serious staircase, the kind of Guandong folk house The stairs used to connect the ground floor and the second floor are enlarged many times, and there are special column supports.

Many soldiers on the top of the city were whispering, and all of them looked dignified.

"It's broken, it's broken, once this big ladder is built, the Chu army can directly kill the top of the city!"

"What are you afraid of? How can such a heavy and bulky guy get close to the city wall without wheels?"

"What look in your eyes, kid? Didn't you see that Chu Jun placed a long row of rolling logs under the ladder? Relying on the alternating front and back of these rolling logs, they can push this big ladder in front of our eyes. Alas, if I knew this, I should have done it in the first place." Dig a moat in front of the pass, and the Chu army will be caught blind."

"Digging a moat is useless? Wouldn't the Chu army fill it in?"

"If you want me to say, don't be afraid, this ladder is made of wood, just set it on fire."

"It's a good idea, if you can set it on fire, the Chu army will not be on guard? They will definitely be covered with cowhide!"

"What the hell are you fighting for? Just go out and charge him for a while, and destroy this bird ladder."

"You're a pig-headed kid. You go out to fight? The Chu army is easy to provoke. Can they guard against it?"

The soldiers at the top of the city were arguing in low voices, but an imperceptible smile appeared on the corner of Jin She's mouth. The scale of the project to build this giant ladder is really not small. The Chu army only has dozens of craftsmen. It takes five days, but Xiang Zhuang knows how to calculate. After five days, the army of Chu State will arrive, just in time for a large-scale attack on the city.

But after all, this was just wishful thinking of Xiang Zhuang's son. At that time, Xi Juan, the governor of Hanzhong County, should have brought an army to help, and the army of the King of Han should have marched into Hanzhong.

At that moment, Jin She ordered the little school next to him: "Pay close attention to the movement of the Chu army, and report immediately if there is any abnormality!"

After a pause, Jin She specifically warned: "Immediately block the gate with huge stones, and then tell the whole army that everyone is not allowed to go out to fight without authorization. Anyone who violates the law - will be killed without mercy!"

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Outside Jiameng Pass, the camp of the Chu army.

It was dusk, and hundreds of pine torches had already been lit around the open space in front of the camp. In the light of the fire, more than a dozen Tangmen carpenters were sweating profusely, building a giant staircase day and night. The giant staircase designed by Xiang Zhuang was actually There is no technical content at all, just an enlarged version of the independent staircase.

The height of this staircase is more than four feet, the top width is more than two feet, the bottom width is more than four feet, the front and rear depths are six feet, and the length of the steps on the slope is more than ten feet. Such a huge ladder, the amount of work is natural. It is very big, even if dozens of Tangmen craftsmen are rushing to build it day and night, it is impossible to finish it in less than five days!

Under the firelight, Xiang Zhuang was standing silently beside the open space watching.

Five days later, the reinforcements from the Han army would have arrived at Jiameng Pass long ago, and the day lilies would have been cold by then.

Therefore, this giant staircase is just Xiang Zhuang's cover-up, and his real trump card is not this!
After watching for half an hour from the side of the open space, Xiang Zhuang brought Hu Yan and a dozen Sirius Guards to a dense forest near the camp. The bed crossbow, the giant ladder outside is just for decoration, this giant bed crossbow is the real killer!

It takes five days to build a giant staircase, but it only takes half a day to build a bed crossbow that does not require high craftsmanship.

Because there are century-old mulberry trees ready-made in the dense forest, Xiang Zhuang doesn't need a high-precision and durable bed crossbow, he only needs a rough giant crossbow.

At this time, the bed frame of the giant crossbow has been built, and the front and rear triple crossbow arms have also been installed in place.

Tang Tong and the craftsmen are tightening the arm of the crossbow through the winch, preparing to install the bowstring made of stored hemp and as thick as a thumb. Once the bowstring is installed, the giant crossbow will be considered complete, because there are many holes in the middle. The key point is that this giant crossbow may not be fired a few times, but for Xiang Zhuang and the Chu army, as long as this giant crossbow can be used is enough.

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Nanzheng, the prefect's mansion.

Xi Juan, governor of Hanzhong County, is throwing a banquet in honor of Bai Mo, Prime Minister of the Left, and Zhou Guanfu, the accompanying general who protects the law.

With the deepening of the reform and the continuous strengthening of the national power of the Han Dynasty, the people and officials gradually realized the benefits and necessity of the reform, and Bai Mo gradually gained prestige in the hearts of local officials, unlike at the beginning of the reform, Bai Mo still needs to rely on Zhou Guanfu's sharp butcher knife to establish his prestige.

"Left Prime Minister, I would like to respect you." Xi Juan held up her glass and respected Bai Mo from afar, showing great respect.

"Mr. Xi is very polite." Bai Mo raised his cup in salute, then covered his sleeves and drank it all in one gulp.

Xi Juan put down the glass of wine, and sincerely invited: "Master Zuo, when you come to Hanzhong this time, you should stay for a few more days anyway, so that the officials can show their friendship as a landlord. Although Hanzhong is closed, there are quite a few places. It's a fun place, and there are quite a few delicious game dishes, the next official will definitely ask the left minister to taste them one by one."

But Bai Mo sighed, and said, "I'm afraid I'm not so lucky."

Zhou Guanfu, who was accompanying him, said: "Governor Xi, Prime Minister Zuo still has to inspect Bashu."

"Then wait for Prime Minister Zuo to come back from his tour of the two counties of Bashu." Xi Juan said anxiously, "When we return, Prime Minister Zuo must stay in Hanzhong for a few days, otherwise, Prime Minister Zuo will look down on our old Xi."

Bai Mo said happily: "Okay, then it's settled."

Xi Juan was overjoyed when she heard the words. He didn't want to curry favor with Bai Mo, but sincerely wanted to treat Bai Mo a little bit, because since the implementation of the new law of Jun Yao's servitude and equal calculation of Fu, Hanzhong's treasury has become more and more abundant day by day, and so have the common people. One day is rich, as the sheriff of Hanzhong, Xi Juan admires Bai Mo from the bottom of her heart.

At this moment, a small official from the door hurried in, and before he could see the ceremony, he shouted out of breath: "Master Zuo, the sheriff, the big thing is not good, the big thing is not good!"

Xi Juan frowned slightly, and before he could ask, Zhou Guanfu had already shouted, "Why panic?!"

This loud thunderous shout startled the little official in the door, and he remained silent for a while, until Xi Juan yelled and asked several times in succession, the little official woke up like a dream, and said in a low voice: "Jun Shou, I just received an urgent report from Bajun, saying that King Xiangzhuang of Chu has raised his own army and entered Shuzhong!"

"Huh?" Zhou Guanfu suddenly got up on his knees, and said sharply, "The Chu army broke into Shuzhong?!"

The little official at the door nodded and said tremblingly, "Xiangzhuang, the king of Chu, is leading an army to attack Jiameng Pass. Governor Jin asked the county guard to lead Hanzhong County soldiers to rush to help. Otherwise, Jiameng Pass will not be safe, and Hanzhong may not be safe either. where."

(End of this chapter)