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At the same time when Cao's army invaded Xiangyang in a large-scale invasion of Xiangyang, Liu ushered in the New Year's Day in Xicheng County, Tianshui County. According to the original plan, the entire Liu family will participate in the clan festival in Xiangyang for the first time today, but Liu obviously will not go to Xiangyang again. He entrusted Liu Hu to go to Xiangyang on his behalf.

In the early morning, when the first ray of sunlight shines through the clouds and reflects the rays of rays above the city, looking from the city to the distance, Qishan is still a snowy world, with golden light shining under the sun.

More than a thousand soldiers guarding the city survived the cold and long night, cheered up and prepared to change their guards and return to the military camp to rest. At this moment, a riot suddenly appeared on the top of the city.

The Han army commander Liu actually appeared on the top of the city, which surprised the soldiers and was both surprised and unexpected.

"State Mu Zai"

When several soldiers saw Liu Arriving, they hurriedly bowed to him. Liu nodded with a smile, "Everyone is early in the New Year."

At this time, several guards surrounded him, "Mr. Prefecture, Happy New Year." Everyone greeted Liu loudly. On the New Year's Day, the provincial governor was actually with them, and the soldiers were very moved.

Liu smiled and waved his hand, "Thank you all for your hard work. Today, there will be wine and meat, so I'll reward you all."

Everyone was thundering. At this time, a soldier pointed to the distance and shouted: "Prince, the grain team is here."

Liu Xiang looked south at the official road and saw a long line of troops coming towards the winding. Han army was waving flags, and wooden oxen were running fast on the official road, heading towards the west city. These were grain trucks coming from Qishan Fort, about 2,000.

After taking over Xicheng, after nearly two months of running-in and a large number of wooden cattle were delivered to the military, the Han army had initially established a grain transportation line and implemented segmented transportation.

The grain transport from Xiabian County, Wudu County to Fengyun City, then from Fengyun City to Licheng, then to Qishan City, and finally from Qishan City to Xicheng. It is divided into four sections, with two thousand wooden cattle in each section. On the one hand, it will reduce the hardship of grain transport soldiers for long journeys, and on the other hand, it will speed up grain turnover and reduce transportation risks on the way.

An average of ten days from Qishan City to Xicheng has been transported four times so far, and a total of 40,000 stones of grain have been transported, making the grain stored in Xicheng reach 100,000 stones. This is no longer the same as when the first northern expedition to Xicheng, when the military camp had less than 10,000 stones of grain stored in the military camp.

Sufficient food became the most solid guarantee for the success of the Northern Expedition. Once the military rations in Xicheng were accumulated to 200,000 shi, the time for the Northern Expedition was ripe.

The gate of Xicheng slowly opened, and wooden oxen grain trucks entered one after another. Two thousand barbarian grain transport soldiers were sweating profusely, and their faces were filled with joy of completing any kind. They finally delivered the food to Xicheng on the first day of the New Year.

At this time, the grain delivery soldier found the provincial governor standing inside the city gate with a smile on his face. The grain delivery soldier immediately cheered.

Liu walked up, patted the shoulders of several food delivery soldiers, comforted them, and said loudly: "Dear brothers who deliver food, all the soldiers guarding the city, thank you for your hard work in the past year. In the new year, as long as you work hard, I believe that everyone will have a better income and improve their family's lives. Your parents, wife and children will be proud of you."

Two thousand barbarian soldiers listened quietly to Liu's New Year's greetings. Not only them, but also tens of thousands of defenders surrounded their lords, looked up at Liu, and listened to his words.

"Today, we entered the 17th year of Jian'an. At this time, Cao Cao was leading a hundred thousand troops to suppress Xiangyang. He wanted to force us to stop the Northern Expedition, but he was wrong. We still want to fight the Northern Expedition. This year will be the year for the Han army to create glory. This is why I appeared in Xicheng today. Brothers, heroic soldiers, let us work together to go north and create glory of the Han army."

Liu's words infected tens of thousands of Han soldiers inside and outside the city. He shouted together, "I wish to follow the provincial governor to fight the Northern Expedition" and rushed into the sky. Every soldier felt his blood boiling. They longed from the bottom of their hearts to arrive soon.

The main general who transported the grain was Wang Ping. He walked in the middle of the team. When the team began to slowly enter the city, he urged his horse to run to the front and saw the lord who was about to return to the city. "Prince of the State, please stay," Wang Ping shouted loudly from behind.

Liu turned around and saw that it was Wang Ping calling him. He walked up with a smile and asked, "Isn't General Wang in Qishan City?"

Wang Ping turned over and got off the horse, stepped forward and bowed, "I was a little worried about transporting grain north this time, so I specially followed the escort."

Liu heard something in his words and asked, "Is something wrong?"

"Report to the provincial governor, the patrol I sent found a cavalry in the area of ​​North Qishan Road. It was definitely not the Han army, but an army of unknown origin, with about a thousand people."

"When did it happen?" Liu's expression became solemn. He actually found more than a thousand cavalrymen. Could it be the Cao army? If he only found a dozen Cao army patrols, it was normal and the problem was not big. However, if there was a team of more than a thousand Cao army, the problem would be a bit serious. The key is how the Cao army got through it.

"I discovered it four days ago. Because it was discovered at night, I couldn't be sure whether it was Cao's army, so I didn't report it for the time being."

"Did you meet again when you go north this time?" Liu asked again.

Wang Ping shook his head, "I sent a group of scouts to search for them, but they disappeared without any trace."

Liu pondered for a moment and said, "Come with me."

Liu turned over his horse, and under the left and right escort of several guards and cavalry, he led Wang Ping to the camp outside the city.

At present, the Han army has 40,000 troops in the West City. Except for 10,000 people stationed in the city, the other 10,000 people stationed outside the West City. Soon, Liu came to the gate of the camp. He turned over and got off the horse and walked into the camp, and ordered his personal soldiers, "Go and find Liu Zheng for me."

In the big tent, Huang Zhongzheng and Fa Zheng discussed the New Year reward of the army. At present, Huang Zhong is still the chief general of the Han army in Xicheng, and Liu just came to inspect and did not replace Huang Zhong's chief general. At this time, a soldier loudly reported at the door, "The governor of the state is here."

Liu quickly walked into the big tent, followed by Wang Ping and Liu Zheng, Huang Zhong and Fa Zheng quickly stood up, bowed and bowed, "See the governor of the state"

Liu waved his hand and smiled, "Today is the New Year, and we shouldn't have talked about military information, but General Wang Ping brought a message, which I think should be taken seriously, so I'll discuss with you."

Liu Kuaibu came to the sand table and said to Wang Ping: "General Wang will say it again."

Wang Ping bowed to everyone and said, "About four days ago, the patrol I sent found a cavalry of more than a thousand people in the north of Qishan Road. The origin was unknown. I followed him later and they lost their traces."

Everyone looked at each other. Qishan Road should have been controlled by them. How could an army of more than a thousand people appear? And it was a cavalry? This is definitely not the Han army. Who would have been the one who discovered a small army?

At this time, Liu picked up the wooden pole and pointed at Mumen Fort on the east and said, "I suspect it is Cao's army from Mumen Fort or Cao's army from Shangxian. Come from the small path, do you think it is?"

Huang Zhong shook his head, "I don't think it's possible. Now, except for the official road that is barely feasible, the mountains are still covered with heavy snow in the rest of the places. The soldiers I sent to patrol, and even the upper road cannot be accessed, let alone other roads."

Fa Zheng pondered for a moment and said, "Will that be the Cao army or the Dihu army coming from the west?"

"The Cao army in Nan'an County to the west has no cavalry, so it would not be them. As for Di Hu, it is possible, but even if they want to come, they must go around Jicheng. Besides, what is Di Hu doing here?" Huang Zhong did not think it was Di Hu.

At this time, Liu Zheng hesitated and said, "I heard from my subordinates that although the mountains are covered with heavy snow, the river surface is frozen. You can walk over from the river surface."

This sentence immediately reminded everyone that they looked at the sand table and soon found two glacial rivers. One was from Mumen Fort and along Yangshui, you could walk south of Qishan, and the other was Baishui, which led to Longxi County. If these two rivers were unable to march in spring and summer, the river surface was frozen in winter and covered with snow, you could march on the ice.

At this time, Liu slowly said: "A cavalry of more than a thousand people, a small military camp with wooden gates, cannot afford to raise so many war horses. I suspect it was Dihu from Longxi. Because of the first Northern Expedition, Dihu helped Cao Cao deceive us. They knew that I would settle the old accounts, so they would help Cao Cao again this time."

"If it were really Di people, there would not be only more than a thousand people. There should be more Di people to cut off our food route."

After Fa Zhenggang finished speaking, a soldier outside the tent urgently reported: "There is urgent news in Qishan City"

Everyone suddenly felt a bad feeling, and Liu immediately ordered: "Let the informant come in."

After a moment, a report soldier was taken in. He knelt down and cried, "The governor of Qibingzhou, Qi Nanyi was attacked by unknown people the night before yesterday. A fortification soldier suffered heavy casualties, only dozens of people escaped. In addition, the grain transport team from Licheng to Qishan City was also attacked, with more than two casualties, and nearly five wooden cows were burned down. It was said that they were surrounded by at least a thousand cavalrymen and were killed. It seemed to be Cao's army, but not like Cao's army. Now the food route has been cut off."

"Bang" Liu punched the table hard, and he gritted his teeth and said, "Except Dihu, it's not someone else. This must be the food route sent by Yang Qianwan to attack us."

Wang Ping felt ashamed and apologized: "I am guilty of being a crime and I am unable to report it in time. Please let the generals of the humble officer lose their merits and lead their troops to wipe out this cavalry."

Liu thought about it and ordered him, "Go and find Ma Dai."

After a moment, Ma Dai rushed over. He had already understood the situation roughly. He bowed to Liu. Liu said to Ma Dai and Wang Ping: "You two can lead a thousand people to go south with the Eagle Strike Army, and wipe out this cavalry for me without leaving any one."

Ma Dai and Wang Ping bowed together to receive the order, "Abide by the order"

The two of them left after receiving the order, but Huang Zhong next to him was a little worried: "I am worried that there should be more than a thousand people, and there should be a supply team behind him. Can we go and pick them up?"
Chapter completed!