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Licheng is the southernmost part of Tianshui County, close to Wudu County. The so-called military city is a city dominated by military defense. It has a larger area and is called a military city or above the military personnel. Otherwise, it is called a military city.

Licheng is about ten miles in circumference, with two thousand garrisons, commanded by a general named Yang of Cao's army. This area belongs to the defense zone of General Yu Jin.

In addition to the two thousand garrisons, there were also two civilian households, all of which were family members of the army. These soldiers opened taverns, hostels, shops and brothels at the city gates to provide some necessary services to the garrison. Among them, brothels and brothels were necessary businesses. In the early era of heroes fighting for hegemony, people were lives like grass, and there were a large number of military prostitutes in each army.

But as Cao Cao unified the north, people's minds were settled, the army began to become regular, and military prostitutes gradually disappeared, but the demand still existed, so it changed into brothels and brothels.

In fact, the same is true for Liu Jing's army. There are many brothels and brothels in the big cities where the army is stationed. For example, in the past, Xiazhi County, all the private shops were moved away, but the brothels were retained.

A dangerous place where Licheng established Qishan Road was built on the mountainside, located on the hillside, it was high and easy to defend but difficult to attack. Two thousand troops were enough to defend against the attack of ten thousand troops. In addition to guarding the key points, Licheng also controlled a beacon tower below, which monitored the army heading north.

On a densely shaded mountain road about ten miles south of Licheng County, a scout team of twenty people was led by a guide to head towards the top of the mountain. This scout team was a small team of the Eagle Strike Army.

The leader was a military marquis named Ren Ping, the officer who made great contributions to seizing Zigui County and was transferred to the Eagle Strike Army. He has been promoted to the Eagle Strike Army for many achievements. This time, the ten scout teams sent by Liu Jing were all elites of the Eagle Strike Army, and the team led by Ren Ping was one of them.

Ren Ping accepted the task of exploring the information of Licheng, including pulling out a beacon tower. He had pulled out two beacon towers, and now it is the last and most important beacon tower.

The mountain they are now in is called Niutou Mountain, which looks like a huge bull head and is also called the Two Jun Mountain. It is named because this mountain that is more than ten miles long spans the two counties of Tianshui and Wudu.

On the Niujiao Mountain Rock near Tianshui County, there is a Cao army beacon tower, which can directly monitor the movements of the mountain road in Wudu County.

Ren Ping led his men to run on a mountain road for herb collection. At this time, the guide suddenly said, "It's here."

Ren Ping immediately waved his hand, and everyone quickly leaned in the bushes. The guide pointed to a huge rock on the top of the mountain and whispered to Ren Ping: "We call that rock Niujiaoyan. The beacon you are looking for is on the rock."

Ren Ping nodded, turned around and said to the two subordinates: "Go up and take a look."

Two flexible soldiers rushed up the mountain. Soon, the two soldiers quickly returned and reported: "We saw the beacon tower, a wooden medium-sized beacon tower that can accommodate up to twenty people."

"There are sentinels around"

The soldier shook his head, "There are no sentries, but it is difficult to get on this rock. He should have used a rope ladder to go up, but the rope ladder has been pulled up."

Ren Ping pondered for a moment, climbing the mountain rocks was no longer a problem for them, the key was that they could not be discovered. He looked up at the sky. It was already afternoon, and he immediately ordered: "Retreat five miles and rest until night to go up the mountain."

Everyone turned around and headed down the mountain. Time passed little by little, night fell, the moon rose, and the light shone in the mountains like mercury. A rock almost dyed a piece of green leaves into silver.

The mountain is a huge rock mass. It is composed of two wedges of one tall and one short. The tall rocks are thin and long, about ten feet long, like a horn piercing the sky. The slightly short rocks are like half a wooden barrel, huge in size, about seven or eight feet tall, and a wooden beacon tower is built on the platform of the short rock.

The beacon tower is made of thick tree trunks and looks rather simple, just like a huge eagle nest. Under the rendering of the moonlight, the beacon tower is wrapped in silver and full of mystery.

Twenty scouts were already standing under the rocks. Although the rope ladder was pulled up, they could not stop them. Ren Ping slowly climbed up the rocks like a sloth, and any protruding convex or gap was his focus.

Soon, he was less than one meter away from the top of the rock. He hid himself in the crack, took out a roll of rope around his waist and tied it firmly to a rock, and threw the rock at the other end.

At this time, he stretched out and rushed up the rock top like a monkey, hiding under the beacon tower. Only then did he realize that the rock top was actually very spacious and flat, two acres in size. Standing on the rock top, looking at the mountains, you can clearly see the Qishan Road in the distance. If the Han army goes north, it will be discovered by the soldiers on the rock top for more than ten miles away, thus igniting the beacon fire.

More than a dozen subordinates climbed up the rock top. They hid under the beacon tower and waited for the orders they received. Ren Ping looked at the beacon tower on this floor and said to the two subordinates: "You go up from behind first, control the hot pot, and I will kill the enemy."

The two scouts nodded and quickly climbed up from behind the beacon tower. There were only two sentries on duty. One of them was curled up in the corner and sleeping, while the other leaned on the wooden stake and was dozing. Beside them, a large iron pot filled with tinder oil. Cao Jun is now burning tinder oil to report the news.

The two scouts looked at each other, and they rushed forward like lightning, cut the throats of the two sentries with a sharp and sharp dagger, and then killed them with one knife. Like a rabbit rising and falling, a scout waved to the bottom.

Ren Ping gave a low order, and the remaining dozen soldiers rushed into the beacon tower. Before the eight Cao soldiers in their sleep understood what had happened, they were all killed, leaving only a living mouth to ask about the regulations of the beacon tower.

The sky gradually became brighter, and a wisp of beacon smoke floated up on the beacon tower. At this time, the beacon fire was lit to indicate safety. There was no enemy situation. It was extinguished after only one stick of incense. Shortly after it was extinguished, a vanguard of Han army appeared on the Qishan Road in the distance. Under the leadership of General Zhao Yun, he drove towards Licheng in a mighty manner.

This army crossed the mountains of the two counties and entered Tianshui County, which means that the battle for Guanzhong has officially begun.

This 10,000-man elite Han army was the vanguard of the Northern Expedition, commanded by Zhao Yun, the deputy generals were generals Wei Yan and Zhang Ren, and there were also military mentors who were engaged in Pang Tong. There were also several Shu generals who were good at mountain warfare, such as Deng Xian, Zhang Yi and Wu Ban.

Zhao Yun rode on the war horse, looking at the beacon towers on the tops of the two counties from afar, and smiled at Pang Tong: "It seems that our scout is very capable, and he pulled out the pile under his eyelids."

In this Guanzhong war, Liu Jing mainly used Fazheng and Pang Tong, with Jia Xu responsible for defending Jingzhou, while Sima Yi responsible for stabilizing Yizhou. It can be said that this was the first time that Pang Tong served Liu Jing in military service. He also worked extra hard and volunteered to follow Zhao Yun's pioneer northward.

Pang Tong also stroked his beard and said, "Our scouts are indeed very effective, but the first battle is to capture Licheng. Is the general considering fighting this hard battle?"

Zhao Yun shook his head, "Before leaving, the provincial governor had made a clear statement and did not agree to a hard attack on Licheng, because the first battle is very important to us. Once it cannot be conquered, it will greatly affect morale. This is also the profound meaning of the provincial governor asking Mr. Pang to fight with the vanguard."

Of course, Pang Tong knew that if the first battle suffered heavy losses due to the hard attack on Licheng, even if he was conquered, Pang Tong's future would be over. Pang Tong was good at tactics but was weaker than strategy. He could not come up with a significant plan in strategy. He could only use his talents in one battle after another to win his position.

Pang Tong smiled and said, "I probably have a vain case, but I need to ask the scout in detail."

As soon as he finished speaking, the soldier came to report and the scout came. Zhao Yun laughed, "Whatever you want, you will come."

He immediately ordered the army to rest on the spot for an hour. At this time, two soldiers brought Ren Ping up and knelt down on one knee to salute, "Horse of the Eagle Strike Army Ren Ping met General Zhao and Military Advisor Pang."

Zhao Yun nodded, "Thank you for your hard work."

He pointed at Pang Tong again and said with a smile: "Mr. Pang wants to know some of the situation from you."

"Abide by the order"

A soldier lay a mat next to him. Pang Tong sat on the ground, and another small table was placed in front of him. He waved his hand and smiled at Ren Ping, "Mr. Ren Jun, please sit down."

Ren Ping sat down opposite him. At this time, Wei Yan and Zhang Ren also rushed over and sat aside with Zhao Yun to pay attention to Pang Tong's question. Pang Tong smiled and said, "I want to know the situation and terrain of Licheng."

"Reported to the military advisor, there are about two thousand Cao troops in Licheng. The commander General Ya is named Shan Ting, who is Yu Jin's general. The circumference of Licheng is about ten miles long, the city wall is two feet and five meters high, and there is no moat. The two city gates in the north and south are all made of pig iron, which is very strong. In addition, Licheng is built on the mountain and located at a high place. It is condescending for us, and is an easy to defend and difficult to attack."

Pang Tong pondered for a while and asked again: "Are the buildings in the city made of wooden? I heard that there are also stone buildings, which is true."

"Reported to the military advisor, most of the city are tents, and there are not many buildings, they are made of wooden, mainly warehouses and some residential shops. As far as I know, there are no stone buildings."

Pang Tong waved his hand and two soldiers came up. They carried a wooden box and opened it. There were various models inside, including mountains, cities, bridges, rivers, woods, tents and soldiers. They were made vividly and could form various terrain at any time, which was very conducive to marching and fighting.

Pang Tong smiled and said, "Can the military marquis use these models to form the terrain of Licheng for me?"

Ren Ping took out a map he drew, compared it with the map, and slowly built it with various models. Soon, he built the topographic map of Licheng and surrounding environment. He bowed and said, "Although I dare not say that it is very accurate, it is almost the same."

Zhang Ren next to him looked carefully for a moment and said, "I have been to Licheng, that's it."
Chapter completed!