Xu Di's words sound simple, but there are still many difficulties in actually implementing them.

The road between the valleys stretched for seven or eight miles from east to west, its narrowest point only wide enough for a single carriage to pass. This was the place Xu Di had in mind. Initially, he wasn't sure how many people were coming, nor whether Wei Lang at Yanmen Pass had received the message, so Xu Di hesitated to act on his plan. Now that the situation was clear, he had no more reservations.

Xu Di was a very crisis-conscious person. When he went to a place, he would always check if there was any danger nearby. Because he often went to the manor, every time he passed through the valley, he would check where landslides were likely to occur. And that's where the hidden danger was discovered.

I was planning to fix this place properly when I had time, but thankfully I haven't started yet. I'll take this opportunity to pry down some of the loose rocks on the mountain.

Xu Di led his men directly through the valley. Once they arrived, under the dim moonlight, they pried the rocks off the cliffs on both sides. Seeing that there was a gap in the middle that was big enough for a person to pass through, they cut down two dead trees and stuffed them in.

After finishing all this, it was almost midnight. Xu Di felt his palms were sweaty. He led his men to hide on the mountain, and soon they heard the sound of horses' hooves in the distance.

After that, Ma Ming sent someone to escort Xu Di into the city. Xu Di was worried and waited at the city gate until Ma Ming and his men returned victorious and gave Xu Di a lot of spoils. By then it was already dawn, and the eastern sky was a hazy blue. Slowly, the rosy light shone through the blue sky and fell on the vast land.

Xu Di watched as people led horses or carried things into the city. He took a deep breath and felt refreshed, without any of the weariness from not having slept all night. He was incredibly energetic.

Xu Di then slowly entered the city with his men, and after entering the city, he headed towards the county government office.

Last night, Zhang Zhaoci used the county government office as the treatment center for the wounded. He found a secluded spot under the east city gate as the site for bandaging and examination of the wounded. Zhang Zhaoci was busy all night, wearing a protective suit, a sanitary cap, and a mask made of fine cotton cloth. Every wounded person who came in had to undergo a brief examination by Zhang Zhaoci before being assigned to a different doctor. Some needed simple bandaging, some needed simple surgery, and some needed suturing. Most of these wounds were arrow wounds. The Northern Di people must have brought enough arrows this time. Although their numbers were not large, the rain of arrows was still coming in waves.

Zhang Zhaoci was very experienced in treating such external injuries. After she treated them, there were usually no major problems, and the rest was just a matter of recuperation. Therefore, many wounded people hoped that Dr. Zhang would examine them and treat them properly. As a result, Zhang Zhaoci became even busier, working from the city gate all the way to the county government office after the Northern Di people left.

As the magistrate of Hexi, Xu Rao naturally had to lead the people in the city to guard the city gates well when the Northern Di people came to attack. They had many drills and emphasized the importance of guarding the city gates. In addition, it was winter, and the people on duty at night dared not sleep, so they kept a close watch on the outside. Before the Northern Di people even reached the front of the city wall, the people on duty at night discovered them and then sounded the alarm. The alarm was specially selected by Xu Rao. It was a thin iron basin with a long-handled iron ladle. The sound it made was very loud. It could be heard at the east gate and the west gate as well.

If one of the four gates is knocked, the other three gates must also be knocked. This is so that the people in the city can know what has happened as soon as possible. Then, everyone will temporarily hide as they have practiced. When the time is right, the county government will give a signal, and everyone will then organize an orderly evacuation.

When the alarm signal sounded at the East Gate, it startled the Northern Di people who had sneaked in under the cover of darkness. They had originally planned to quietly take down the city gate, but now that their whereabouts had been exposed, they had no choice but to launch a full-scale attack.

Under the fierce attack, the people on the city wall were initially stunned. No one expected that the first thing they would encounter was a hail of arrows as fast as locusts. Many people fell to the first volley of arrows. Later, when everyone was on guard, fewer people were injured.

Xu Rao had a signal with Yanmen Pass. If they were attacked, they would burn beacon fires during the day and set off fireworks at night. These fireworks were specially made; they flew high and brightly at night, and made a loud noise. Xu Di had helped modify them, and the test results were excellent. This was Xu Rao's first time using them, and he really didn't know what the effect would be, but he still followed the agreement and set off three fireworks in a row in the courtyard of the county government office.

This is why Yanmen Pass, which is more than ten miles away, was able to know in time that the Hexi region was under attack. Yanmen Pass had people specifically assigned to guard the Hexi region. They set up a watchtower in a high place and did nothing else but observe the situation on the Hexi side day and night. As soon as there was enemy activity, they would sound the alarm by banging a gong loudly. This way, Yanmen Pass would naturally understand what was going on and could organize rescue efforts and arrange follow-up matters effectively.

These were all ideas that Xu Di helped come up with. Yanmen Pass and Hexi are interdependent, and if anything happens between them, they must make the right response as quickly as possible. Anything can happen on the battlefield at any time, and if one is not handled properly, both places may be completely wiped out.

Xu Rao had been stationed at the government office, directing manpower. His men had conducted numerous drills, and although they hadn't experienced such a sneak attack in three years, they dared not slack off because Xu Rao always emphasized the importance of drills, and because of his position. Under Xu Rao's command, they remained calm even when faced with a sneak attack.

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