I don't know how long they slept, maybe only for a short while, before they were woken up. The person who woke them up was unknown to anyone. He was dressed in scholar's clothes, but he was disheveled. He was holding the jade pendant that they had just escorted over. Seeing that they were awake, the man bowed his head and said, "A certain Mr. Zhang, how dare you invite Mr. Zheng!" His attitude was serious, but there was something indescribably funny about it.
Zheng Anping suppressed his laughter, knelt down by the fire, straightened up and bowed: "Mr. Zheng, I dare not trouble Young Master Zhang!"
The man bowed his head again and said: "Someone... Oh, let's just say it straight. I invite Mr. Zheng to come to the city. There is something important!"
Zheng Anping asked in confusion: "Master, who is...?"
The man handed over the jade pendant. Zheng Anping glanced at it but did not take it and asked, "How to enter the city?"
The man said: "Follow me!"
Zheng Anping followed the man to the city gate. The man took out a bronze bell, shook it twice, and placed a leather belt on the city wall. Zheng Anping hesitated a little when he looked at this thing that had caused him so much trouble.
The man said: "Put your feet all the way in...yes, push on the city wall...ok!" Seeing that Zheng Anping complied, he shook Tongling twice more, and a strong force pulled Zheng Anping off the ground.
"Hold on to the city wall, go up, and hold on!" The man reminded loudly, but his voice became farther and farther away. Zheng Anping followed what he said, and the two of them stepped on the wall vigorously, as if walking on the city wall. As expected, they went up to the city without suffering so much.
After Zheng Anping went to the city, the first thing he saw was Lord Xinling standing by the city gate tower. Next to him stood Jin Bi, followed by a group of warriors following Lord Xinling.
Lord Xinling waited for Zheng Anping to take off his belt, then waved for him to come over. Zheng Anping walked over as instructed, raised his hands according to the soldier's rules and said: "Soldier Zheng Anping, obey the order!"
Lord Xinling asked, "Has Mr. Mang seen the army? What's the situation now?"
Zheng Anping replied: "Mang Gongzi ordered his ministers to station in the post outside Guancheng, and he went forward to meet the army. Later, a soldier holding a jiepei came to deliver the order. The army should not be far from Guancheng."
"Can we see the defeated army on the road?"
"I didn't see it. But I met five sharp soldiers of the Qin army outside Guancheng."
"Then how do you get out?"
"After the soldiers arrived, the elite soldiers of the Qin army were frightened away. They did not meet them again on the way back, nor did they meet other Qin troops."
Jin Bi interjected: "It's not that I haven't encountered him. Maybe he is hiding in the dark."
Zheng Anping replied: "That's right. My old minister and the other five people returned together to support each other in case of any unexpected events!"
Lord Xinling said: "Well done! Can you recognize the way and return?"
Zheng Anping said: "It should be okay."
Jin Bi said: "The goal of managing the city is very big, and it usually can't be missed. It's just that there are high risks on the way."
Lord Xinling said: "Soldiers need to be quick. Set out immediately before they get over it."
Jin Bi said: "Now, how do you get out of the city? Go out with a hammer? If you open the city, what if a few sharp soldiers come and kill you? Wouldn't it be a small loss but a big loss?"
Lord Xinling said: "I have already thought about it. Now we will open the city. We will only send out one car and close the city immediately. I don't think the Qin army will be able to recover."
Jin Bi was surprised and said: "A car, that's too dangerous!"
Lord Xinling said firmly: "It's just one car, General, Mr. Zheng and Bucai! After leaving the city gate, we drove straight to Guancheng without stopping. When the Qin army knows about it, we will also arrive at Guancheng."
He turned to the warriors and said: "When I leave the city, you will be on guard on the city tower. If the Qin army attacks, immediately fire arrows. Don't pay attention to me. You must protect the city. When I leave the city, the city gate will be closed." , you will then leave the city through the secret passage, and be led by the postmen below the city, to meet me in the army. Follow Zhang Jue's instructions on the way."
Everyone agreed: "Yes!"
Lord Xinling bowed deeply to Zheng Anping and said, "Master, please follow me to the city!" He turned around and walked towards the city. Jin Bi followed and wanted to go down to the city, but stopped halfway and said to the gatekeeper: "Find Mr. Zheng a shield and armor!"
The city guard replied: "There is it in the car!"
Zheng Anping went down to the city and saw a man leading a chariot.
Jin Bi said to Zheng Anping, "Master Zheng, please change your clothes!"
Zheng Anping looked at the car. On the left side of the car was a bow, and on the right side were a shield, a pair of leather armor and a leather bow. Zheng Anping got in the car, put on his leather bean, put a layer of leather jacket on top of his leather armor, and wrapped the leather jacket around the front and back. He put a shield on his left arm and stuck his halberd on the cart.
While Zheng Anping was putting on his armor, the city guard, at the signal of Lord Xinling, issued the command to "raise the city gate". The warriors on the city stood beside the city wall, setting up their bows and arrows, and getting ready to shoot. A few soldiers shook a windlass, and a huge stone slowly rose from the city gate.
Zheng Anping suddenly said: "Where is the golden festival that I asked you to inspect?"
Lord Xinling was stunned.
Zheng Anping said: "If there is no golden festival, how can I return to life!"
Jin Bi jumped into the car, took out the copper festival from his arms, handed it to Zheng Anping, and said with some dissatisfaction: "I just remembered it now!"
Zheng Anping took the copper festival in the car and put it in his arms, feeling a little uneasy. Jin Bi didn't look at him, he just adjusted the reins and whip.
Zheng Anping put on his armour, and the thousand-jin gate was raised above the city gate. Jin Bi shouted: "Master, get in the car!" Lord Xinling jumped on the car and stood on the left side of the car. Jin Bi held the reins of the horse, while Zheng Anping supported Che Shi with his hands. The soldiers on both sides of the city gate are holding their swords and halberds, ready to fight at any time.
Seeing Lord Xinling jump into the car, the city guard shouted: "Open the city!"
Two soldiers stepped forward to lift the door bolt, and the other two men each pulled a door knocker, and the city gate slowly opened to both sides.
While the soldiers were walking towards the city gate, Jin Bi also started the chariot and walked slowly towards the city gate. When the city gate opened, Jin Bi suddenly shook the reins, and the four horses changed from slow pace to fast pace. Rush out of the city gate. Almost at the same time as the carriage rushed out of the city gate, the city guard shouted: "Guan the city!" The doors on both sides were pushed back, and the carriage had already accelerated its pace under Jin Bi's adjustment. When the Thousand Jin Gate fell to the ground again, the carriage had disappeared in the moonlight.
The movement in the city was obviously beyond the expectations of the five people outside the city. They heard the sound of the Thousand Jin Gate rising and saw that the city wall was suddenly covered with archers. They also guessed that someone was about to leave the city, so they quickly retreated and stood close to the city wall to avoid being hit by arrows. Then the city gate opened, and a chariot rushed out. The city gate closed immediately, and even they didn't react. I could only hear Lord Xinling's voice: "Follow me later!"
After an unknown period of time, a city wall suddenly opened outwards, and the warriors bowed their heads and walked out. After the warriors completely walked out, the city wall was closed again, and there was nothing strange about it from the outside.
Zhang Jue, who was the first to leave the city, saw everyone leaving the city and said: "Everyone is out and ready to leave." He then said to several postmen: "Please lead the way forward!"
Ma San and the other four people have to go in front. Zhang Ye stopped them: "Now some Qin people have sneaked in. We are going to advance in several formations. Don't be in front, just walk in the formation."
Zhang Zhe divided the people into six teams and moved forward one by one. Masan and others who led the way were arranged in each team, and each team covered them in turn and advanced layer by layer. When the time comes, stop to rest and eat solid food. By the time they reached Guancheng, it was already the evening of the next day.
In the dark night, the chariot bumped on the grass. Jin Bi tried his best to keep the four horses at an even trot and reduce the shaking as much as possible. Lord Xinling held Che Shi's hand, keeping his balance on his feet, and his eyes searched for suspicious signs in the grass under the moonlight. He was confident that as long as a figure moved within fifty steps, he could definitely shoot him to death within two steps.
But he still had to spend more time thinking about what was ahead: How could Mang Mao suddenly retreat? What if the Qin army followed Mangmao's army and infiltrated into Daliang City? What should I do to stabilize the situation?
He asked Zheng Anping again: "General Mang's army is indeed in charge of the city?"
"In the northwest of Guan City! There is no one in Guan City. When I set out, a group of soldiers just arrived outside the city."
"Didn't you see any scattered soldiers along the way?"
"No!" Although Zheng Anping was a little surprised as to why Lord Xinling asked the same question again in the city, he still answered calmly. He was mentally wary of an arrow flying out of nowhere, worried that he would not have time to raise his shield to block it. Lord Xinling's question bothered him a lot, and he was even more worried, but he didn't show it.
Jin Bi, who was driving in the middle, said harshly: "Mang Mao is the most slippery person, he won't really fight for it!"
Lord Xinling said thoughtfully: "With the beam behind us, it's hard not to fight!" His tone was calm, but he probably greeted Mang Mao many times in his heart. One hundred thousand troops and fifteen thousand soldiers were a force capable of attacking cities and territories, but they were defeated by the Qin army without making a sound.
"You don't have to worry, sir. As long as the 100,000 troops are still there, there will be no problem in fighting behind the city." Jin Bi said again.
But Lord Xinling knew how big the difference was between a large army attacking a city and turning it into a defensive city. What was originally intended to be a huge profit turned out to be a loss of capital! Even if the capital was saved, the business would still be a loss. But he still calmly said to Jin Bi: "This will definitely be a bloody battle, and it all depends on the doctor!"
The three of them were talking wordlessly, and the light of torches appeared in front of them. Apparently, they arrived outside Guancheng very smoothly and met up with the soldiers sent by Mangmao to meet outside Guancheng.
Somehow, Zheng Anping felt a little disappointed. Of course he knew it would be best if nothing happened, but he seemed to hope that something would happen!
Jin Bi slowed down slightly, and Zheng Anping jumped out of the car and ran towards the bridge, shouting as he ran: "Pay the order!... Pay the order!..."
The soldier commander over there had obviously heard the sound of horse hooves, and was already standing by the bridge waiting. He saw Zheng Anping, and during the festival, Lord Xinling's carriage had already driven over. The soldier commander jumped on the car and shouted: "Five miles westward!" He also shouted to the soldiers: "Disperse!"
The carriage rushed through the dispersed crowd, crossed the bridge, and headed west along the river. This pawn gathered up the team and ran forward in the direction of the carriage. Zheng Anping hurriedly caught up with the person who seemed to be the leader and asked, "What should I do?"
The man glanced at Zheng Anping and said, "No order, you still go on the original errand!"
The original errand?
Zheng Anping seemed to have just remembered that his original errand was to guard here; if Mang Shen sent someone to contact him, he would be responsible for passing the received Jiepei to the next station and handing it over to Masan. Originally he didn't know what these errands meant, but now he knew that all of this was just to allow Lord Xinling to rush to the front line.
But because he discovered the scouts of the Qin army, the mission became different: he and all the postmen returned to the Great Wall, and he took the Warring States of Lord Xinling back to Guancheng; and according to the original deployment, He should have stayed at Masan's post.
He shook his head in disappointment, not knowing whether he should stay where he was or return to Masan's station where he should stay. And he couldn't help but remember that Masan actually found a woman there...
