Zhang Xun and Zhang Liao combined 30,000 troops to attack Xiaopei, but Liu Bei had no choice but to hold on to the city and defend it.
After Liu Bei captured Yang Feng's troops, Xiaopei's army increased to nearly 20,000. The food and grass in the city were enough to last for half a year. The Yuan and Lu coalition forces could not conquer it for a long time.
Yuan Lu had fought in the Huai River before. At this time, there was no principal in charge, so the generals and soldiers of both sides were not united. In addition, Guan and Zhang were brave and invincible. They could not win several battles before the battle, and the morale of the coalition forces was reduced.
A large army besieged the city, beating drums and shouting gold all day long, waving flags and shouting, and there was no day of peace in the surrounding villages.
The people were afraid of being harmed by the war, and many families fled north with their children and elders. Because there was a shelter in Ganjiazhuang, they just gave up spring farming and hid in the shelter to consume the food they had saved.
During this period of time in Ganji, he spent almost all of his time in the shelter. Seeing that no one came to plunder the village, Lantian returned home every day to get some simple hot food.
"Tian'er, when will they finish fighting? We still have hot steamed buns to eat. I don't know what happened to your sister in the city..." Ganji's corn flour steamed buns said worriedly.
"There are many soldiers and horses in Xiaopei City, and a lot of food was purchased when the troops were increased last year. Sister, I won't be hungry for a while, I'm afraid..."
"What are you afraid of?"
"I'm afraid Lu Bu and Yuan Shu will increase their troops..."
Ganji said with a mournful face: "Tian'er, you are so good at farming, if you had known we could live in a place without war, it would be better than living in fear here. Your sister has not lived a good life since she married Xuande... "
"These are troubled times. Where can the world not be in chaos? Even if there is such a place, it will be difficult for us to reach it..." Lan Tian sighed.
Ganji also knew in his heart that in this era of war and chaos, banditry was in full swing in all states and counties, and the people in Guizhou dared not travel far alone.
The coalition forces were unable to attack for a long time, but Yuan Shu was not in a hurry and Lu Bu was in a hurry.
Xuzhou's military rations have always been in short supply, and wartime consumption was even greater than usual. Zhang Liao was unable to capture Xiaopei, and Lu Bu's food problem became increasingly serious.
Last year, Lu Bu acquiesced to Han Xian and Yang Feng's plundering of prefectures and counties. If he now follows the old path of the two for military rations, then he, the Xuzhou herder, might really have done his best.
He sent messengers several times to order Zhang Liao to fight quickly and attack fiercely, but the news he received was that Liu Bei's defense was tenacious and that if he wanted to attack Xiaopei quickly, he would have to increase his troops.
In the midsummer of August, Lu Bu finally decided to increase his troops to Xiaopei.
When Lu Bu went on an expedition and needed to divide his troops, he always asked Gao Shun to lead an army. However, he was now in charge of the city defense of Xiapi, so he did not send Xiaopei. Now that he needed to increase his troops and select generals, he would either lead the army himself or choose Gao Shun.
After repeated thinking, Lu Bu decided to let Gao Shun lead an army of 10,000 to support Zhang Liao, while he stayed in Xiapi to prevent Yuan Shu from attacking. He believed in no one as much as himself.
When Gao Shun received the general order and was about to leave the house, Lu Lingqi stopped him again.
"Miss, I have to carry out military duties now. If you have any questions, wait until I come back to discuss anything." Gao Shun said anxiously.
"Father and Liu Bei are currently at odds with each other. I heard that there is a shortage of food and grass in the army. Will you go to Xiaopei..." Lu Lingqi's implication is whether Gao Shun will imitate Zhang Liao and Cheng Lian and plunder villages.
Gao Shun clasped his fists and said, "Don't worry, miss. Gao would rather starve to death than bully the weak. I will take care of Mr. Ziyu as much as possible..."
"And his sister..." Lu Lingqi reminded.
Gao Shun nodded and said: "I know this well. Miss, please take care of yourself. My lord and Yuan Shu are on good terms again. Maybe I will marry you to Shouchun..."
After Gao Shun finished speaking, he turned and left, leaving Lu Lingqi standing there blankly.
Lu Lingqi looked up at the scorching sun in the sky. She didn't know whether it was sweat or tears, but the drops fell to the ground and dried up instantly.
She sighed that she was always destined to be together, and if she really wanted to marry Shouchun, it would be her destiny.
"What are you doing standing in the sun? Come with me to the backyard to enjoy the cool air, and by the way, tell your father the story of "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" that you asked someone to copy." Lu Bu walked up behind her and said.
Lu Lingqi wiped the sweat from her face, turned around and responded: Got it.
The father and daughter walked into the back garden. Lu Lingqi took out many bamboo slips from the room and placed them on the stone table.
In the past two years, Lu Lingqi had nothing to do. She occasionally called Gao Shun to recall the plot of the story together, and asked someone to copy it out slowly. Because she had forgotten many places, the copying speed was not fast, and it was not until recently that the book was completed.
The number of words that could be recorded on the bamboo slips was very small, and the clerical staff was streamlined and streamlined, but in the end there were still more than a hundred volumes.
Because the text in the book is too concise, Lu Bu prefers to listen to Lu Lingqi's dictation. Recently, he has become quite addicted to it, so he often urges his daughter to read books for him.
Today's content is the last few volumes. Lu Lingqi was in a bad mood, so she didn't have any emotional fluctuations when talking about it.
Lu Bu thought his daughter was affected by the story. After listening to the story, he sighed: "Genghis Khan, who conquered the world, was only left with a pile of loess in the end. It's true that the emperor was talking and laughing about his dominance, and he couldn't bear the drunkenness of life. This story is very well written." good..."
"Father, should I pack up and go back to my room?" Lu Lingqi picked up the slip and said.
"Wait a minute. There are five unique talents in The Legend of the Condor Heroes. If your father is one of the five unique talents, who should he be?" Lu Bu asked with interest.
Lu Lingqi shook her head and said: "My daughter doesn't know, can this be compared?"
"Why not? I, Lu Bu, am invincible in martial arts. I should have that magical power, hahaha..."
Lu Lingqi didn't answer. She saw Lu Bu laughing heartily and she didn't refute him. She just didn't write much about his magical powers and didn't know what his nature was like.
Gao Shun, another narrator of The Condor, arrived at the camp outside Xiaopei City at the end of August. Zhang Liao directly handed over the command after seeing the ceremony.
Gao Shun's commanding ability is very powerful. The soldiers he trained can always obey orders and prohibitions, and are not afraid of death on the battlefield.
He was not like Lu Bu, who could promise his soldiers money and women after the war, but his arrival directly changed the situation in Xiaopei.
The prophet of Chunjiang Water Warmth, Liu Guanzhang discovered that the siege soldiers were more courageous. Xiaopei's defensive pressure suddenly increased, and the confidence of the defenders immediately dropped sharply.
In early September of the third year of Jian'an, Xiaopei was captured ten days after the arrival of Gao Shun's reinforcements. Liu Bei led his remaining troops to flee to Xudu, and his wife, concubines, and family members once again fell into the hands of the enemy.
During this period, Cao Cao sent Xiahou Dun to rescue him, but he was also defeated by Gao Shun.
After the smoke from Xiaopei cleared, the bankers hiding in the shelter in Ganjiazhuang had eaten up half of their profits for half a year. Most of them had almost exhausted their remaining food, so they had to come out for activities.
As soon as Lan Tian helped Ganji to the entrance of the courtyard, he saw banker Li Yang running over in a hurry.
"Young Master... Young Master... Xiaopei was captured by Lu Bu's army..." Li Yang gasped.
"Where's Xuande? Where's my daughter?" Ganji broke away from Lan Tian and asked.
After staying in the shelter for a long time, Ganji's legs and feet were no longer so agile. He originally thought that Liu Bei had repelled the enemy, but he was defeated again.
"It is said that General Liu escaped...your daughter fell into the city..." Li Yang lowered his head and whispered.
"Ah...my Qian'er..." Ganji was so furious that he fainted.
"Father..."
"The owner of the village..."
The two helped Ganji to the couch in the room. Ganji didn't open his eyes until evening, but his forehead was hot and he was very haggard.
Ganji was obviously ill. Lantian had never experienced such a battle before. He asked anxiously: "Little Lizi, is there a doctor in our village?"
Li Yang shook his head and said: "Now the war is in chaos. Many people in the nearby villages have fled. If our village did not have a shelter and fled, where would we find a doctor? There should be a doctor in Xiaopei City, but the situation in the city is unknown... "
"Tian...Tian'er...Qian'er..." Ganji called weakly.
