There were two large camps in the east and west of Gaoling City, which originally housed 60,000 county soldiers. Last year, due to the civil war between Dong Du and Bao Zhong, more than 10,000 soldiers were killed. After Wei Jing took office, he naturally recruited reinforcements as soon as possible.

On the pretext of selecting the best, he recruited an additional 20,000 troops. Now there are a total of 80,000 county soldiers in the East and West camps. After half a year of training, the training has shown results.

Wei Jing led an army of 50,000, and selected generals such as Zhang Yong, Han Xi, Fan Ya, and counselors such as Ji Huan, Zhuang Yan, Kou Xuan to go into battle. The Anyang base camp is also very important and is entrusted to the hands of Chen Qi, the confidant.

All matters that needed to be discussed were discussed during the past ten days. Wei Jing gave an order and headed straight for the East and West camps from the county governor's mansion.

Shao Qing immediately turned around and hurried to the backyard.

The inspection was expected to be completed before noon. The time was tight, but fortunately everything that needed to be packed had already been packed. The rest of the things were handed over to the personal soldiers, and she took the small bag of makeup powder with her.

She led Wang Jing and a few others quickly to the coach house.

Ji Huanzhuangyan arrived half a step ahead of her, and Kou Xuanyanming arrived right after her.

Let's talk about Yan Ming briefly. Thanks to Kou Xuan's unremitting efforts, he finally agreed to be enlisted in the county barracks. He made three rules: he could serve as a military doctor during battles, but he could still run a clinic in his spare time.

Wei Jing agreed. Although this man had a bad temper, he was trustworthy and had a good background. His medical skills were also superb, so he felt safe to use him.

Yan Ming came leisurely. When he saw Shao Qing, he didn't even greet him. He just picked a horse and got on. Kou Yue, who followed closely behind, hurriedly bowed and glanced at Yan Ming, apologetically saying, "Madam."

Yan Ming doesn't get along well with others at all, so Kou Yue is his only assistant, so naturally he brings her along. Kou Yue was wearing a short men's robe that was convenient for walking. He looked much better after not seeing him for several months and looked the same as before.

Shao Qing smiled and waved her hand to indicate that nothing was wrong. Kou Yue smiled at her, also chose a horse and jumped on it very skillfully.

To be honest, Shao Qing had studied hard for a year and thought her riding skills were pretty good. However, talent was something that could not be envied. Kou Yue also took time out to learn for a few months after Yan Ming agreed to be on the list. She made rapid progress, and as a country girl, she had strong hands and feet, so she looked as good as her now.

Alas, she was personally taught by Wei Jing.

But diligence can make up for lack of talent, so isn't it the same if you put in a little more effort? And she is not stupid. Wei Jing said that she has decent talent and has learned quite well.

When Shao Qing thought about this, he instantly felt relieved.

Everyone quickly mounted their horses, and she and Ji Huan nodded: "Let's go!"

…

Shao Qing, wearing a specially made light soft armor, rode his horse through the bluestone main street leading directly to the city gate, left Gaoling City, and headed straight to the camp to meet up with Wei Jing.

The shouts in the parade ground were deafening, the military roll call was completed, and after the flag ceremony, the camp gates were opened and 50,000 soldiers marched out in a mighty procession.

After a rapid march, they arrived at Jinniu Road on the sixth day, where they ran into Lu Jian and his 40,000 Donglin soldiers.

Lu Jian was surprised and delighted: "Brother Yang, how come you came so quickly?"

Donglin County is two hundred miles closer to Jinniu Road than Anyang. After receiving the governor's order and the secret letter, he rushed here without stopping to mobilize his troops. Unexpectedly, he was caught up by Wei Jing.

As he was talking, Wei Jing rode his horse closer. Lü Jian took a closer look and said, "Hey! Brother Yang, you really shaved your beard!"

Still very handsome!

The red tasseled silver helmet covered his cheeks and forehead. "Yang Ze" had thin lips and a square jaw. Although the lower half of his face, which was previously covered by a beard, looked unfamiliar, his eyebrows and eyes were familiar. Lu Jian recognized him the moment he saw him.

But in a trance, he seemed to feel that something was different.

Wei Jing certainly would not let him think about it, and immediately said: "I found that the third young master had unusual behavior, which seemed to involve Hanzhong, so I wrote a letter to the second young master in Heyin. The second young master wrote back and asked me to prepare for war, saying that he might send troops soon."

Lu Jian suddenly realized that he received the first secret letter from He Hong on the fourth day after he returned to Donglin. With less time to prepare for the war, the troops could not be dispatched so quickly.

Wei Jing then said, "Brother Lu, Cai Yu and Zhou Peng have already led their troops into Hanzhong. We have lost the opportunity."

Among the four counties, Yongchang and Yiliang are closest to Hanzhong. Yiliang is even adjacent to Jinniu Road, and Yongchang is next door. He Hong suffered a loss in this regard, as the closest county to Hanzhong was Donglin in Lujian, while Anyang was even further behind Donglin.

"Indeed."

Before entering Hanzhong, they were already at a disadvantage. Speaking of this urgent matter, Lu Jian instantly threw away the inexplicable feeling just now and nodded solemnly: "We cannot afford to lose the first battle. Otherwise, I am afraid that we will be controlled by others in the future."

What's more, Hanzhong may eventually fall into the hands of others.

Lü Jian gritted his teeth in hatred: "It just so happens that Cai Yu and Zhou Peng have already occupied Fangcheng, and Pingchi City is small and narrow, so it is difficult to display our power."

He Hong secretly ordered that actual control of Hanzhong County be obtained by any means necessary, and He Xin must have done the same. But what can I say? Since we entered Hanzhong under the pretext of suppressing the rebels, we can't just go straight to Hanzhong County Magistrate Liao Fang, right?

It's so naked.

Even if they both know the truth, they cannot act like this, otherwise they will give the other party a handle. In Yizhou now, apart from He Yun who is on his sickbed, no one has the final say, and the consequences will be very serious.

Therefore, the best strategy is to surround the rebels first. After the fight starts, there are many excuses to find, such as you attacked me and I had to fight back to protect myself, and so on. All in all, as long as there is a fig leaf, it's enough.

So, no matter whether it was Cai Yu, Zhou Peng, Wei Jing, or Lu Jian, as soon as they entered Hanzhong, they would undoubtedly go to Zhenquan Army first.

Among the eleven cities in Hanzhong, the Zhenquan Army led by Xu Jin now occupies the two largest cities in the central and eastern parts, Shangyong and Xinyuan, and has become a powerful force.

Within a hundred miles of Shangyong and Xinyuan, there are only two relatively large cities suitable for stationing troops, namely Fangcheng and Pingchi mentioned by Lu Jian. If one wants to attack Zhenquan's army as quickly as possible, he must station troops in these two cities as strongholds.

Fangcheng has a high and deep city wall and a moat. It is backed by mountains and faces the plain, making it relatively easy to defend and difficult to attack. Pingchi is far inferior. The city is small and old, with no moat. There are mountains around it but they are dense and short, making it easy for the enemy to lurk close.

Cai Yu and Zhou Peng took the lead and were reported to have rushed to Fangcheng. They were one step slower and slower at every step. How could Lu Jian not hate them?

Wei Jing smiled faintly: "Brother Lu, don't worry. Pingchi has its own advantages. It is easy to attack but difficult to defend. The Zhenquan Army will definitely rush to Pingchi first."

As long as they win a battle, they will immediately gain a firm foothold; if they capture Shangyong or Xinyuan first, the so-called advantage or disadvantage will be reversed immediately.

"Can……"

How could Lu Jian not know the benefits of winning the battle first? However, Zhenquan did not look like a hastily assembled peasant uprising army. He was very measured in his advances and retreats. As for a city like Pingchi that was difficult to defend but easy to attack, he was not sure of winning.

He hurriedly said, "What good ideas do you have, Zi Kuang? Tell me now, don't keep me waiting."

Wei Jing smiled and looked back at Shao Qing, who immediately ordered someone to bring over the prepared map of Hanzhong.

"If I'm not mistaken, Zhenquan's next target is Pingchi. I'm afraid Xu Jin will take the opportunity to attack us before we can gain a foothold."

Wei Jing's description of Pingchi on the map: "It is only 80 li from Shangyong to Pingchi. We can reach it in the middle of the night by a quick march. It happens to be hidden among the nearby hills."

They are more familiar with the terrain than they are, so hiding should not be difficult for them. Once daybreak comes, we can attack the allied forces of the two counties by surprise. Even though the two counties were mentally prepared, the soldiers were still unfamiliar with Pingchi City and were doomed to suffer a loss.

Lu Jian nodded with a serious face. It was because of these difficulties that he was so worried.

"We can take advantage of their own tactic. Zhenquan wants to attack us when we are unprepared, but we can do the same." Wei Jing circled the mountains and forests near Pingchi City with his index finger.

There are many hills near Pingchi City, which are not rugged and have lush vegetation, making it very suitable for hiding troops. This is a powerful weapon of the Zhenquan Army, but it is also theirs.

If the Zhenquan Army can hide quietly in it, then so can Wei Jing's side.

"Here, here, and here." He tapped the map a few times swiftly. "Once the hidden troops are out, they will surround the Zhenquan army attacking the city. Then the city gates will be wide open, and with the help of the inside and outside forces, we will surely be able to defeat the enemy."

The time for encirclement can also be when the enemy is overwhelmed by the impending victory. Wei Jing said: "If we pretend to be defeated, we will surely be able to lure them in."

This plan was very clever, with many elements linked together, attacking the enemy's mind and luring them in. Lu Jian clapped his hands and said, "Excellent! Excellent!"

"After defeating the Zhenquan army, the two of us can take the opportunity to send troops to Shangyong. Who knows, we can take it! In this way, the situation will be reversed immediately!"

Lü Jian was delighted and admired Wei Jing very much: "Zi Kuang's talent is beyond my reach. Since this strategy is Zi Kuang's wisdom, I will trouble you to take care of the follow-up arrangements."

Lu Jian was very straightforward and handed over the first command without hesitation. Shao Qing, who had been following quietly behind, suddenly had a sparkle in his eyes. Very good, this guy is straightforward and saves a lot of effort.

"In that case, I will show you my ugliness."

Wei Jing bowed and immediately gave orders. Zhang Yong, Fan Ya and other generals in Anyang and Donglin received the orders one by one and made preparations.

Due to this plan, the Wei-Lu coalition forces did not enter Hanzhong until the afternoon through the Jinniu Road. It takes about four hours to get from the exit to Pingchi. It is almost Hai time when we arrive. The night is dark, which is perfect for covert operations.

…

"Ah Qing, you and Ji Huan, Zhuang Yan and others go into Pingchi first. I'll make some arrangements and come back later."

During the forced march, Wei Jing slowed down slightly and spoke to his wife in a low voice.

It is now mid-afternoon, and they have been in Hanzhong for just over an hour. Han Xi quietly came to report that they have discovered seven or eight groups of scouts, and the actions of four or five of them are clearly not like those of regular military training.

It is certain that the latter was sent by the Zhenquan Army. The reconnaissance is so intensive, and the other party must take action tonight.

Wei Jing's battle strategies were always complete and prudent, and he never underestimated the enemy or slacked off in battle. However, he had experienced countless battles, both large and small, so this small- and medium-sized battle was just ordinary in his eyes. He did not treat it as a major enemy as Lu Jian did. After giving his wife the order to proceed according to the plan, he rode his horse to his wife's side.

"Are you tired?"

Wei Jing lowered his eyes to look at his wife's face, and saw that she looked a little tired, and he felt distressed.

Shao Qing smiled and said, "I'm not tired."

After all, I can ride a horse, which is much easier than being an infantryman.

She looked up at Wei Jing. His eyebrows and eyes were made up, and he looked a little strange, but his eyes were so familiar that they couldn't be more familiar.

"I have so many personal guards around me, you don't need to worry. Swords are merciless on the battlefield, so you just need to be careful."

Whether they fight against gods or not, they are still flesh and blood. It is impossible for Shao Qing not to be worried when his relatives go to the battlefield.

The worry in her eyes could not be concealed, and she kept giving her advice. Wei Jing raised the corners of his lips, and couldn't help but pinch her hand, and responded with a "hmm".

"If everything goes well in taking Shangyong, I will come back to pick you up the day after tomorrow."

…

At 11:00 p.m., the allied forces of the two counties approached Pingchi. They used a sleight of hand that had been carefully arranged in advance, and 30,000 troops quietly sneaked into the mountains and forests.

Wei Jing disguised himself and went with him to make the specific arrangements, while Shao Qing entered Pingchi City under the protection of the central army.

She, Ji Huan and others contacted Lu Jian and made emergency arrangements according to the prior agreement.

Everything was going on in full swing. Not long after, Wei Jing came back, but he was very busy. The couple just exchanged a quick glance and went on with their own business.

In the second half of the night, Shao Qing finally had some free time. The battle was imminent and she was tense and not sleepy, but this was not a good thing and she should take time to rest. So she lay down with her clothes on, closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep.

Wei Jing took the time to come back and take a look at her, but without disturbing her, he whispered to the guards to keep a close watch and left in a hurry.

The scouts have discovered several suspected hiding places of the Zhenquan Army. He predicts that the other side will launch an attack before dawn.

…

In the dense forest near Pingchi, a dark figure approached quickly in the darkness, knelt down and bowed: "General, the reinforcements from Yizhou have all entered the city, and soldiers are already digging fortifications outside the city!"

Wang Ji named himself "General Tianyan" and appointed his trusted men as "General Diyan" and "General Renyan". He led the Zhenquan Army to launch uprisings in various parts of the country with great momentum.

This Xu Jin was none other than General Di Yan, in charge of Hanzhong County, the base that Wang Ji favored. After a month, the progress was extremely smooth and he was in high spirits.

"Dig and build fortifications overnight?"

Xu Jin frowned and said, "This guy named Yang and Lu is not stupid at all."

With reinforcements from Yizhou arriving and a powerful enemy on the scene, he did as Wei Jing had expected and planned to pick on the weak and take advantage of the unstable footing of Yang and Lu to launch the first attack.

There were scouts watching all the way. Since Wei Jing had been prepared, the outer perimeter soldiers remained loose while the inner perimeter was contracted, so according to the estimated range, there were about 60,000 soldiers.

Just now, when Yizhou entered the city, Xu Jin went to see it in person, and there were indeed about 60,000 people, which was absolutely correct.

He returned with peace of mind, preparing for a surprise attack on Pingchi the next morning.

But now it seems that we can't wait until tomorrow morning. The two county governors were quite foresighted. Knowing the weaknesses of Pingchi City, they ordered the construction of defensive fortifications overnight.

Even if only one layer of fortifications is completed, it will create an additional obstacle to attacking the city.

Xu Jin stood up and said solemnly: "Pass the order! The raid will be advanced, set off immediately!"

…

In the dark night, dull and dense footsteps suddenly arose, approaching rapidly from a distance, and shouts of killing were heard.

The soldiers who were digging fortifications outside the Pingchi city wall panicked and hurriedly turned around and ran back to the city. The city gates were hastily closed. On the top of the city, many torches could be seen moving rapidly.

Is this a report sent in a panic?

Xu Jin snorted and laughed, and drew his sword: "Pass the order! Attack the city with all our strength!"

…

“Here I come.”

Wei Jing and Lu Jian stood side by side on the wall, and heard the dull sound of horse hooves and footsteps like drumbeats in the distance. His voice remained steady, without much change.

Instead, Lu Jian clapped his hands and was overjoyed: "Zi Kuang! It really worked!"

Wei Jing nodded: "Pass the order and act according to the plan."

…

Suddenly, the sound of drums shook the sky, the shouts of killing resounded like thunder, and the dull "bang bang" sound of huge logs hitting the city gate seemed to hit people's hearts. The soldiers who climbed up the ladders and attacked the top of the city were like a surging tide.

The 40,000 well-prepared Zhenquan troops faced the unexpected Yizhou reinforcements, which were defeated step by step. By dawn, the city gates had become loose and the Pingchi city wall could no longer hold out.

Just one last shudder, Xu Jin yelled: "Soldiers! Let's take Pingchi in one go!"

It's time!

Wei Jing took a large bow, put an arrow on the bowstring, and aimed at the flagpole a hundred steps away with his eyes slightly narrowed.

His hand loosened suddenly, and the arrow flew towards the flag of the Zhenquan Army with a sharp whistling sound that tore through the air and a flash of silver light, like lightning.

There were three consecutive muffled "thump thump thump" sounds, followed by a loud "whoosh" sound, and the flagpole, which was as thick as a bowl, broke suddenly, and the flag fell to the ground with a "bang".

Folding the flag before the battle was a big blow to morale, but this was not the most important thing. The most important thing was why a sharpshooter with such amazing arm strength suddenly appeared in the Yizhou army?

Xu Jin's heart skipped a beat and he looked up suddenly. But before he could see clearly, there was a sudden rapid muffled sound of cowhide drums all around, and suddenly, shouts like mountains and seas broke out, the ground shook, and tens of thousands of enemy troops were surrounding and attacking from outside.

Wei Jing ordered: "Open the city gates and meet the enemy!"

The city gate that had been unable to be opened for a long time suddenly opened with a creaky sound. A young general with sword-like eyebrows and long eyes rushed out first, and his cold and lightning-like eyes suddenly fixed on Xu Jin.

Xu Jin felt a chill on his spine, swallowed his saliva, gritted his teeth and said: "Soldiers, break through with all your strength!"

…

The shouting and screaming started in the middle of the night and suddenly intensified at dawn. Although Shao Qing was worried, she knew that she was not good at martial arts, so she did not go to the top of the city to cause trouble. She just waited quietly in the government office with Zhuang Yan.

However, the battle reports never stopped coming in, and she was very clear about the battle situation outside.

At dawn, the encirclement of Zhenquan's army was complete and they had the upper hand.

At noon, our army won a great victory. Xu Jin, who had broken out of the encirclement in a panic, led the remaining troops to retreat hastily towards Shangyong.

But Shao Qing knew that Wei Jing's plan was only half completed, and the next step was the key.

Sure enough, Wei Jing led his army quickly to Shangyong.

He intercepted the remaining troops of Xu Jin, defeated and dispersed them, and then surrounded and attacked Shangyong with lightning speed.

The Zhenquan Army has grown very rapidly, and now has nearly 100,000 troops. Xin originally stationed half of them in Shangyong, and Xu Jin led 40,000 troops out. Now there are only 10,000 troops left defending Shangyong.

Shangyong City is empty and Xu Jin is unable to provide support. If we don’t take it now, when will we take it?

…

Wei Jing once told Shao Qing that if everything went well, he would come back to pick her up the day after marrying Shangyong.

But in fact, he rushed back that night.

He was worried about his wife, so as soon as he captured Shangyong, he issued more than a dozen military orders and ordered Zhang Yong to take charge of the situation temporarily. He then rushed back immediately.

In fact, he should come back tomorrow. His wife should be resting and asleep now.

But he didn't want to wait. After fighting for a whole day and night, he was still full of energy and didn't feel tired at all. When he thought that he would see her soon, he felt very happy and became more energetic.

After running for eighty miles, the soldiers guarding the city were surprised to see the master returning in the middle of the night and hurriedly opened the city gates.

He ran to the government office in one breath, dismounted and walked quickly into the main courtyard. He saw that the window frames of the main room were dark and the people in the room had blown out the lights and gone to bed. Only then did he realize what was happening and hurriedly slowed down his steps.

But before he could tiptoe up the stairs, he heard light footsteps in the room, and then the door in front of him opened with a creaky sound.

A cheerful voice said, "Husband?"

"Is my husband back?"

She sensed his return in her dream in the middle of the night, and joyfully got out of bed and opened the door to welcome him. At that moment, her heart became a spring, with indescribable joy and happiness gushing out. Wei Jing was extremely happy.

"Yeah, it's me, I'm back!"