From the map, Chengyang (now Pingqiao of Xinyang) in Chu State is adjacent to Nanyang County, next to Jiyi (now east of Tongbai County) and Biyang (now Bieyang) in Nanyang County. The border is about a hundred miles wide, but in fact, because the remnants extending north of Tongbai Mountain are intermittently intersected with the remnants of Funiu Mountain in the north, there are only two roads that can be accessed from Qin to Chu:

One is to start from Jiyi, cross the Huai River along Tongbai Mountain, and go eastward to Chengyang. The upper reaches of Huai River are like a horizontal character "Ji": the water exits Tongbai Mountain instead of going east, but flows to the north, and then turns to a 90-degree bend after more than ten miles, then turns to the east, 20-degree bend after 20-degree bend after 30 miles, and then turns to the south; it is also dozens of miles south, and then turns to the bend again by the Tongbai Mountain mountain. This time the turning angle exceeds one hundred degrees, pulling a deep V on the earth; it will only turn to ninety degrees again after dozens of miles, and spread to the southeast for seventy or eighty miles, gradually leveling and converging with the Xihe River, and heading east.

Jiyi is located on the left side outside the character "Ji", and Chengyang is located on the right side inside the character "Ji", which is the lower right inside V, and is close to the lowest end. The entire terrain is undulating. Because the Huai River flows eastward, the Huai River flows to the east, and the boats are not accessible, so you can only walk on the lower end of the land: cross the river and walk eastward along Tongbai Mountain, and then cross the river from Xieyi (now Pingchang Pass) and enter V, and finally enter Chengyang City. The subsequent journey is generally to Yingdu, the direction to Xi County, and to Huaibei, it is through Yiyi (now Zhengyang County) to Xincai, which is east of the Rushui River.

This road is more common. Although you need to cross the remnants of Tongbai Mountain from the Nanyang Basin to enter the Huaihe River Basin, that is, the section of Fuyi, but from Fuyi eastwards it is Jiyi. Jiyi is actually a small basin. To the south is Tongbai Mountain, to the north is a hilly area formed by the remnants of Funiu Mountain in Tongbai Mountain, and to the east is Huai River that is popular in the north. Businesses often get used to rest in Jiyi, crossing the Huai River to the east the next day and entering the hilly area at the junction of the two countries. This road only takes more than 80 miles to reach Chengyang in Chu. The itinerary is just a night. The next morning, the next day, you can enter Chu from Xieyi and arrive in Chengyang in the afternoon.

The other one is to enter Chu from Biyang. Biyang is also in the Nanyang Basin. Unlike Huyang (now Huyang Town, Tanghe County), the starting point of the first road, it is: it is more easterly and is separated by a mountain, located in the north of Fuyi. From the entire Nanyang Basin, Huyang is close to the northern exit of the Suizao Corridor connecting the Jianghan Plain. The basin shrinks here; Biyang is on the east and west axis of the entire basin, which is the easternmost end of the basin. To enter Chu, it is necessary to pass through the canyon at the southern end of the Wei State Daoyi (now Queshan County) and the Chu State (now Magutian Town, Biyang County - the line of Xinyang Maoji Town).

This canyon is northwest and southeast, more than 60 miles long, less than ten miles at the narrowest point, with high mountains and dense forests, and rugged and difficult to walk. After entering the Chu territory, you still have to walk more than a hundred miles in the hills before you can reach Chengyang. Therefore, business trips from Biyang to Chengyang generally choose to travel east, first enter Daoyi of Wei, and then go south to Chengyang of Chu.

A few days ago, the officials of the detention center reported that the number of business travelers from Qin to Chu decreased for no reason. To this day, business travelers have almost disappeared. Although some Qin people denied the rumors that it was their king investigating the remaining party of Lao Ai, the military and civilians in Chengyang had no doubt that the Qin army might come tomorrow. But, which route would they come from?

Should we start from Biyang in the north, pass through the Magu controlled by the two countries, and then travel more than a hundred miles to kill the city of Chengyang; or should we set out from Jiyi and sneak to the border, kill our border soldiers after night, and appear on the west bank of the Huai River early the next morning, and fight to the death to build a bridge and force the Huai River? Or, instead of attacking Chengyang, we conquered the west of Hengshan, and isolated the two counties of Sui and Tang, and finally advanced to the three gates of Minghe?

In the inner city of Chengyang, Xiang Chaoduan, who was wearing a leather helmet when sleeping, looked at the map inside his father, wondering where the enemy would attack.

He had not won the championship in 2018, and he had no official position in the county. He was just a personal guard beside his father. He didn't know how his father would fight in this battle. Now he didn't know, and he didn't know when he fought - his father did not arrange for him to go to the army, but asked him to send a letter to Xiang County. Where is Xiang County? Xiang County is three hundred miles away, which is clearly meant to keep him away from the battlefield.

"I will hand this letter to your Zhongfu after I go back." On one side of the case, Xiang Yan put his pen and blew the ink marks drying and handed the letter to his son. "Although it is a family letter, don't delay the road."

"Father, where do the Qin people want to attack? How should our army deal with it?" Xiang Chao took the book and put it in his arms carefully. Before leaving, he still asked unwillingly.

"Only the Qin people know where they want to attack, and how do they know for their father?" The military order had been issued long ago, and Xiang Yan had made his own judgment, but this was just his judgment, not the Qin people's decision. "Go."

Xiang Chao didn't want to leave, but he wanted to ask but didn't know what to ask, but scratched his ears and cheeks but touched Pi Zhou. He twisted for a few times and then bowed, "Father, the child has a ruthless request... Please ask the father to let the child fight."

"You?" Xiang Yan looked at him, shook his head and opened a book of books. "You have never been crowned in the year, and have never been a Fu Ji. According to the law of Chu, you cannot fight with him."

During the Warring States Period, everyone had a household registration. Fu Ji refers to the age of men and women who were at the age of age to register for service. The age of men to join the service was seventeen years old. The Qin State's law was the most detailed. It was found that the height of seventeen-year-old men was more than six feet and five inches (150cm), so the height condition of six feet and five inches was added: all men who were seventeen years old or above six feet and five inches needed Fu Ji to serve. The law was set like this. When it was really critical, they would go to the battlefield at the age of fifteen.

"But the child is over seven feet tall?" Xiang Chao argued, and his bowed body was erected, indicating that he was already seven feet (161cm).

"Go down!" Seventeen years old, six feet and five inches were the standard of Fu Ji, and the nobles were not listed here. Seeing that his son was chaotic, Xiang Yan's face sank, and anger appeared on his face, which scared Xiang Chao away.

"The general is really a tiger father and a dog son." While Xiang Chao went out, the army Sima Peng Zong came in with a smile.

"What's the matter?" Xiang Yan didn't like to have family affairs and looked at her cold face.

"Ling Yin just came to the news." Peng Zong smiled and began to talk about the serious matters. "That the Qin people may attack Chengyang."

"Oh?!" The Qin people had marquis spies in Chu State, and Chu State also had marquis spies in Qin State, but the news was slow. "The emperor told me in detail how many soldiers and horses the Qin people had, who were generals, and when would they attack me?" Xiang Yan asked anxiously.

"I don't know." What disappointed Xiang Yan was that he didn't want to know. Peng Zong said again: "It was only the request of the prime minister Lu Buwei, who was to force me to condemn my eldest son to enter Chu as a tyrant. The King of Qin wanted to attack Zhao, and he was resentful to Zhao State to marrow."

"Why did Lv Buwei force me to fight and force my eldest son to enter Qin as a staunch?" Xiang Yan thought. Sun Tzu said that war is a major matter of the country. Five things must be followed. The first of the five things is Tao, and Tao is politics. At this time, the Qin State had just ended its rebellion, and Lao Ai and his remaining parties had not been eliminated. Why should we rush to attack Chu? Could it be... Xiang Yan thought of a possibility?

"The emperor thought that Lu Buwei and Lao Ai had a close relationship. It is reported that Lao Ai entered the Qin Palace and was favored by Empress Zhao. Both of them did not want the King of Qin to be given a title and rule, so Lao Ai rebelled. Unfortunately, the Qinian Palace was defeated and Lao Ai had fled to the fief." Peng Zong said. "Now Lu Buwei asked for orders to attack me, so he added firewood to the bottom of the pot to increase the trouble. Although he fought in Chu in this battle, he actually fought in Qin."

Civil War, Foreign War, Foreign War and Internal Affairs. After the decline of the Zhou Dynasty, the countries fought for hundreds of years. Those who fought within were powerful outside, and those who fought outside fought within, and each had their own intentions. Lu Buwei initiated the war between Chu and Qin at this time, which was indeed for internal power struggle.

After Peng Zong finished speaking, he said, "General, as the emperor said, the Qin people had lost their power before the battle."

"Even if the Qin people lost their power, I did not have all the equipment. It would take a long time for the county division to go here. What can I do?" Xiang Yan was not happy. "Since Lu Buwei wanted to provoke a war, there must be many Qin troops, and the attack must be rapid. If not, how could the war endanger the King of Qin?"

"Of course." Dao Dao is just the overall situation. As the commander, Xiang Yan looked at the details. Peng Zong completely agreed with his judgment. He said: "Ling Yin also said: If our army wins in this battle, it may disrupt the Qin people's politics."

"Otherwise." Xiang Yan did not agree with Huang Xie's judgment. "With the wisdom of the Qin king's politics, we can definitely see Lu Buwei's plan. Once we see it, the Qin army will withdraw from Qin..."

I don’t know the number of Qin troops, who is the general, and when will the attack be launched. Xiang Yan still felt that he should think carefully about how to get benefits from this infighting between the Qin people. He waved his hand and asked Peng Zong to retreat.

Peng Zong was a close confidant of Yin Zhi of Chen County. The reason why he became Xiang Yan's army was because there were more than 10,000 soldiers guarding the border in Chen County, and Chen Gong personally recommended him as Sima. Seeing that Xiang Yan was meditating and not speaking, he had to quietly leave the room.

It was already the end of August, and the horses and people were neighing outside the Yin Mansion in the city, shouting, and heavy cars were lined up. The smoke and dust of the open space without rain for ten months were soaring into the sky, but the soldiers were doing their own things and packing their luggage. In the outer city, merchants and residents were also packing their luggage and rushing to leave the city. They were about to leave Chengyang before the Qin army attacked. Peng Zong suddenly was stunned when he looked at the busy soldiers: It has not been a war for too long, and the last battle was to destroy Lu.

"What do you say about General Xiang? Only one army defends Chengyang, and the last general is likely to bear the burden." A army led him to come over. It was Chen Gai. He was the Sima of Chen County. According to the Chu military system, he was the Sima of the Incoming State and the Army leader when he left.

"What is the one army? There are still half of the Xi army, half of the Cai army, and many General Xiang's personal guards are left behind." Peng Zong retorted. He knew the situation of Chen Shi. Chen County was the former Chen State. 'Its relationship between Chu and Xia, and its people were full of fish and salt goods.'. The people of the people were more merchants, and the Chen Gai clan were mostly merchants. "Besides, no matter how many soldiers there are, do you have enough food and fodder?"

Chengyang planned to stay for two months without losing it. Thinking about the food and fodder of more than 10,000 defenders, Chen Gai shook his head and said, "It's not enough."

"Since it's not enough, what's the use of more soldiers?" Peng Zong said, "Instead of asking General Xiang for troops, you might as well send someone to rob the grain into the city."

"The last time, I have sent people to Xi County to transport grain, but at this time the millet and rice are not ripe, and even if they are transported, there is not much food or grass." Chen Gai was asked to stay in Chengyang because he was meticulous and was good at guarding, although he was a little worried about gains and losses.
Chapter completed!