Hu Xin was full of confidence. Tongzhou City was already on guard at the fastest time. In fact, Tongzhou City was still a bit chaotic during the Zhao Guangqing era. However, after that, Xu Congyang personally took charge and improved the various facilities and people's hearts in Tongzhou City while preparing for the operation of money and grain in the northwest. The situation was tense at that time. Xu Congyang once ordered the strengthening of Tongzhou City's defense and the city walls were also reinforced to a certain extent.

After Xu Congyang left, Wei Tianqing also stayed in charge for a while. Xiao Gui and Cao followed him, and according to Xu Congyang's deployment, he continued to improve Tongzhou City.

At this time, the gates of Tongzhou City were closed. Xu Qing issued an order to draw the strong men from the city, and promised that after repelling the Northwest Army, they would give rewards according to the head. There were many wealthy families in Tongzhou City, but they sent their guards to the top of the city. This was certainly because of the rewards promised by Xu Qing, but the main reason was that the gentry and wealthy families in the city knew in their hearts that if the Northwest Army captured Tongzhou City and they would plunder, the first thing they suffered was their wealthy families.

The mining sites scattered all over Tongzhou were no longer at all, and they had no time to withdraw all the people distributed outside. Hu Xin could only dispatch the existing troops at his hands to various gates. The Northwest Army came to the west, so the West Gate was naturally the focus of defense. More than half of the Tongzhou Prefecture Army deployed here. When they reached the city, everyone felt a tense atmosphere. Although there was no trace of the Northwest Army, everyone knew that the danger was approaching.

At noon, the sun shone on the earth. The defenders at the city finally saw a dark shadow appearing on the horizon in the west. The first one was a group of infantry, lined up in two groups, like two walls of man, slowly heading towards Tongzhou City. These infantry were all wearing Qin army armor, but they were the surrendered soldiers under Cheng Yishi.

Not far behind the infantry are cavalry teams with neat lineups and slowly advancing.

The Northwest Army spread like ants. Chu Huan, who was in the military formation, calmed down and looked at Tongzhou City in the distance. Chu Huan was not unfamiliar with this city, even very familiar with it. He had a sharp look and had seen Tongzhou defenders rushing over the city, lowering their bodies, waiting in rows, rows and rows of troops.

Everyone hid behind the battlements, staring at the Northwest Army that was rushing towards them, fighting for life and death, and was about to break out.

The spear and knife were shining with a chilling light, and the stars were dotted. The entire Tongzhou City, with bows and arrows and crossbows, were already like a hedgehog, erecting hard thorns all over the body, waiting for the arrival of the Northwest Army.

On the top of the city, Hu Xin clenched his fists. Although he was quite confident in defending the city and Tongzhou had already discussed countermeasures, he was still a little nervous when he saw the Northwest Army with a strong lineup.

Xu Qing lay behind the battlements, looking at the Northwest Army slowly approaching. Although the Northwest Army was not huge, in Xu Qing's eyes, his heart was still a little cold, his face turned slightly pale, he turned his head to look at Hu Xin, and asked in a low voice: "Hu Qianhu, defending Tongzhou is all up to you."

Hu Xin bowed, "Don't worry, sir, they really don't have siege weapons. Can these cavalry break through the city gate?"

Xu Qing nodded, but saw Hu Xin's face sinking, and he hurriedly asked, "Hu Qianhu, what happened?"

"Sir, they stopped." Hu Xin frowned, "Look!"

Xu Qing looked over the battlements and saw that the Northwest Army had indeed stopped. Less than a few miles away from the city, including the Qin army prisoners who were the vanguard, had also stopped.

"Hu Qianhu, what are they selling in gourds?" Xu Qing frowned.

Hu Xin shook his head, but said, "No matter what tricks they are, we are soldiers and generals who block the water and soil. Don't worry!" But he looked at other places. On the vast land, he did not see other troops, and his confidence suddenly increased a little.

Suddenly, someone shouted: "Master Qianhu, they are moving!"

Hu Xin immediately pressed the hilt of the knife with one hand, looked up and saw a group of people and horses flying out of the northwest military formation. However, six or seven cavalrymen, a small number of archers on the top of the city had already set their bows and arrows, aiming at the cavalry. Hu Xin felt a little strange and raised his hand and said, "Don't act rashly without the order of Thousand Houses."

When the cavalry came to the city, they saw several cavalrymen surrounded by a cavalry general. The general was holding a spear and stopped at the city. Xu Qing could see clearly and showed a look of doubt. Hu Xin whispered: "Sir, I'm afraid I'm coming to persuade him to surrender."

"Oh!" Xu Qing was stunned, but heard a full voice from the city: "I am Xu Shao, northwest, please see Xu Qing and Xu, the governor of Tongzhou!"

"Sir, I'm looking for you." Hu Xin whispered: "Do you want to talk to them?"

Xu Qing was about to wave his hand, but suddenly he thought of something, but he got up, tidy up his clothes, stood beside the battlements, and whispered: "I am Xu Qing, I don't know what's the point of doing?"

Xu Shao smiled and said, "Mr. Xu, you are a smart man. My northwest army is at the city. You should know what we want to do. When the two armies fight, they will inevitably suffer from misfortunes and suffer heavy casualties. We, the governor of Chu, are kind and generous, and do not want the soldiers of the two armies to be killed or injured in vain. Therefore, we specifically advised Lord Xu that it is better to open the city to surrender, and peace is the most important thing."

"Caicheng surrender?" Xu Qing sneered: "What a joke. The emperor is so arrogant to Chu Huan, but this man is ambitious and ungrateful. He ignores the court's kindness. He does not want to serve the court, but rebelled in the northwest. If he knows to repent, the court may be able to make a fuss. If he insists on his own, he will be doomed."

Xu Shao laughed and said, "Mr. Xu is indeed smart, but why didn't Lord Xu think about it? The court blocked Xigu Pass and regarded the millions of people in the northwest as grass, regardless of their lives and death. How could the court win the hearts of the people? The Chu Governor worked diligently in the northwest and devoted himself to the people. If the court was not foolish, how could the Chu Governor be angry? Now that my army in the northwest is at the city, the strength of Tongzhou City is weak. If it were to resist, it would undoubtedly be a mantis arm to chariot. Lord Xu, you are the parents and officials of the people of Tongzhou. Could it be that you are so ignorant of the current affairs and trap the people of Tongzhou in the midst of water and fire?"

Xu Qing was about to curse, but his lips moved, but he didn't say anything.

Seeing that Xu Qing did not speak, Xu Shao said loudly again: "Mr. Xu, Duke Chu knows that you are a scholar, and your mind is loyal, filial, chaste and righteous. If you just open the city and surrender like this, you will inevitably be unable to think about it for a while. However, Duke Chu also said that since you are the governor of Tongzhou, you cannot be as corrupt as ordinary scholars. Since you are in his position, you should put the overall situation first. Duke Chu will give you half a day to consider it. If you can't give an accurate reply at night, my power of the Northwest tiger and wolf will easily break the city." He bowed his hand, and said nothing more, turned his horse's head and led the team away.

Xu Qing looked at Xu Shao's departure back and his eyes flashed, but Hu Xin smiled coldly and whispered: "Sir, they are so generous, they actually give us half a day to consider. There may be fraud in the middle."

Xu Qing took Hu Xin's hand, walked aside, and whispered: "What does Hu Qianhu mean?"

"Don't you find it strange?" Hu Xin whispered: "Chu Huan only sent cavalry, but he couldn't even see a ladder. He really wanted to attack the city?"

Xu Qing said: "That Qianhu said that Chu Huan had other plans?"

Hu Xin sneered: "Sir, Chu Huan is bluffing as he sees the last general. He deliberately sent thousands of cavalry over here, perhaps because he knew that our Tongzhou defense was weak, he pretended to be in power and wanted us to open the city to surrender. After all, in his opinion, the troops were very disparity, and we might not be able to resist this army. It was just a tool he used to persuade him to surrender!"

"Oh?" Xu Qing nodded slightly and said, "I also think it's strange. Chu Huan defeated Zhu Lingyue and Xiao Huanzhang one after another in the northwest. Such a person is certainly not an ordinary person. If he really wants to attack the city, he will not be able to send only cavalry here!"

"So the general thought that he gave us half a day, and on the one hand he was lucky, thinking that we might open the city to surrender. Another reason was probably to delay time." Hu Xin's eyes flashed, "The general thought that Chu Huan's baggage team might be still behind, and the cavalry team was too fast, so the baggage team could not keep up. But they were worried that after we knew the news of the fall of Xigu Pass, the Governor would strengthen the defense of Tongzhou. So in order to gain time, he sent cavalry to take the lead in the city. The purpose was just to make us surrender without fighting."

Xu Qing stretched his eyebrows and clapped his hands and said, "Not bad, Hu Qianhu, you really hit the nail on the head. I also felt that before they took Xigu Pass, they might not have thought about continuing to use troops to Tongzhou, so the siege troops were not prepared. But after they successfully took the pass, they regarded our Tongzhou as a thorn in their eyes. However, the northwest road was difficult to move, and the baggage troops were slow. If the siege troops were waiting for the siege troops to attack the city, the troops from other places had already arrived in Tongzhou, and they could not attack at all. So they thought of this move, trying to scare us and let us surrender without fighting."

"Their siege troops have arrived, and the Governor has already deployed heavy troops in Tongzhou. As long as they defend the city to the death, they will not be able to make a long time." Hu Xin sneered: "So they will bluff this time and even give us half a day. Otherwise, if they are really capable, why should they delay time?"

Xu Qing laughed and said, "They don't know that although they have to delay time, we have to delay time waiting for reinforcements!" His eyes turned and he whispered: "Hu Qianhu, I have a way to use the trick. What do you think?"

Hu Xin hurriedly said, "Please show me!"

Xu Qing leaned close to Hu Xin's ear and whispered a few words. Hu Xin's eyebrows stretched out and said with a smile: "Sir, it's true that sir. In this way, we will be more sure. This plan is very wonderful!"—
Chapter completed!