Northern Prefecture Rivers and Mountains

Chapter 66 Raising the Flag
"Isn't this the commander-in-chief of all the military affairs in Lanling? If I give you a thousand soldiers, won't you be the commander-in-chief of Xuzhou as well?" Liu Zun said quickly.

Liu Daogui blew on the ink on the silk and said, "I'm not afraid of you, so why should you be afraid? If you want to pull the tiger skin, you might as well pull it bigger."

Yuan He obtained all the military power, and Tan Shao was promoted three ranks.

Liu Daogui took the risk to get rid of Huan Chengzhi. He made both contributions and hard work. No one should object to him occupying an unwanted city.

"Chishan Village..." Gao Xun reminded.

Liu Daogui waved his hand and said, "No more!"

Although Chishan Village is good, it is too close to the Taishan bandits. Once you leave the village, the road is flat and there is no strategic location to defend. It is still a question whether you can defend it after growing grain.

If the Xiao family of Lanling County is willing to form an alliance and form a pincer attack with the Chishan Village, it will be able to deter all forces.

But Xiao Tingzhi was unwilling to cooperate.

The first step in starting a business is always extremely difficult. Although Liu Daogui is not good at playing Chupu, he is determined to give it a try.

Zhao Lunzhi sighed, "You two brothers are both extraordinary people. In my opinion, you will definitely succeed in your mission when you go to the city of Prophecy."

Liu Daogui smiled bitterly in his heart. He was forced to do so. With a huge debt on his head, he had no choice but to take an unconventional path.

"Send the message, eat well today, and tomorrow the entire camp will rise up and head straight for the city!"

"Leader!"

Everyone responded in unison.

Early the next morning, the soldiers were ready to go, and the refugees from Chishan Village also pulled carts and took away everything they could.

Liu Daogui took a quick look and felt that something was missing, and the momentum was somewhat lacking.

After seeing the flag of the village, he had an idea and quickly ordered someone to knock down the flagpole, fetched a basin of blood, dipped the blood with a bundle of straw, and wrote five bright red characters "Zhenglu General's Mansion" on the flag.

It's a bit sloppy, but it's powerful and imposing.

"You are still very cunning!" Liu Zun took up the banner.

"Why do I feel like you are scolding me?" Liu Daogui glanced at him.

"Nonsense, I'm complimenting you."

A large flag was not impressive enough, as it only highlighted the General's Mansion. Liu Daogui simply removed Liu Zun's outer robe and wrote four large characters: "Pengcheng Liu Family", and asked Zhao Yuan to carry it.

As soon as the two flags were raised, things were indeed different.

The nine bright red characters were filled with murderous intent.

There were more than thirty soldiers standing under his banner, and a murderous aura arose.

The other soldiers carried long spears and held bows and crossbows. Not only did they not show any intention of retreat, but their eyes were full of anticipation.

Behind them followed six or seven hundred refugees from Chishan Village, holding all kinds of weapons, including broken swords, short spears, iron forks and so on.

During these days together, Liu Daogui and Gao Xun did not treat them as slaves and provided them with two meals a day.

So when they heard that they were going to attack Peicheng, they were very active.

In fact, their fate is tied to Liu Daogui. The Zhongbing can still return to Guangling, but they have no way to retreat and can only go all the way to the end.

"Everyone, be more alert and show the momentum of our Northern Army. If we meet a god, we will kill him. If we meet a Buddha, we will kill him!" Liu Daogui roared.

"Kill, kill, kill!"

Everyone roared loudly.

Dozens of half-grown children yelled with red faces.

"A-choo--" Liu Zun sneezed loudly, looked at the big flag with grievance, and then looked at Liu Daogui.

Everyone smiled.

Liu Daogui raised the torch and set fire to the huts in the camp one by one. Black smoke billowed and the fire surged, engulfing everything in the camp in the blink of an eye.

The soldiers and refugees stared at the blazing fire in a daze, with sparks gradually rising in their eyes.

You have to fight to the death to survive. If you can't take Peicheng, everything is over.

Those who share the same desire will win.

Now, no one had a way out. "Let's go!" Liu Daogui mounted his warhorse, with Liu Guangzhi on his left, Liu Heipi on his right, and six other riders following behind him.

Black smoke billowed all the way as they rushed towards the city.

The forts and villages we encountered all closed their doors nervously.

Several scouts watched from afar, not daring to move forward.

Compared with Chishan Village, the land in Cheng County is more fertile and vast, with winding rivers, crisscrossing fields, and forts and villages connected to each other.

Everything must be done in a legitimate manner. Liu Daogui used the banners of the General of the Expedition and the Liu family of Pengcheng, and indeed no one dared to stop him along the way. He had a smooth journey and arrived at the foot of the city in less than three days.

However, the gates were closed and the defenders on the city drew their bows and arrows, as if facing a powerful enemy.

A man in armor stood on the top of the city wall, "How dare you invade my Cao family's land!"

Liu Daogui asked Liu Zun and Zhao Yuan to carry the big flag and approach the area where they could shoot, and his subordinates carried wooden shields to guard them on both sides just in case.

As expected, no one on the city wall dared to shoot arrows, and there was fear on the faces of the soldiers.

Pengcheng is just south of Lanling County. It just so happened that Liu Laozhi was recommended by Wang Gong as the prefect of Pengcheng and was in charge of Pengcheng. As a neighbor, the Cao family could not have failed to hear of Liu Laozhi's name.

Don't give face to the monk, give face to the Buddha. Even if you don't give face to the court, you have to give some face to the Liu family of Pengcheng.

Attacking the city is the next step, attacking the heart is the top step.

Liu Daogui ordered Liu Zun and Zhao Yuan to carry the banner and cross the moat, completely exposing themselves to the range of arrows.

"If you come any closer, don't blame us for being ruthless!" The man's face looked extremely ugly, and he raised his arm in a pretentious manner.

Liu Daogui laughed in his heart. This sentence just exposed his cowardice. If he really had the courage, he would not sit idly by and watch Liu Zun and Zhao Yuan cross the moat.

"Watch this, one step, two steps, three steps, four steps, what do you think?" Liu Zun held up the big flag and moved forward step by step.

The city suddenly fell silent, and bows and arrows dared not fall.

Seeing that the time was almost right, when Liu Daogui was about to step forward, a feather arrow fell from the top of the city wall with a "whoosh" sound and shot in front of everyone.

Liu Zun and Zhao Yuan were both stunned.

The defenders on the city wall were also stunned.

Liu Daogui was also stunned, wondering if the Cao family was really so bold?

But in the blink of an eye, the soldier on the top of the city wall started cursing, "Who told you to shoot? Liu Laozhi's 20,000 Northern Army is in Pengcheng. Do you want our Cao family to be wiped out?"

"Hands...hands are shaking..." A crying voice came from the top of the city wall.

Liu Laozhi was a very famous person. Not only was he the best general in the Northern Palace, he was also one of the most powerful generals in the world. Even Murong Chui had suffered at his hands.

The Northern Army is the best army in the world.

Liu Daogui was speechless for a while, but he roughly understood what the Cao family was thinking, and they didn't have the courage to take action.

He then brought Liu Guangzhi and Liu Heibi forward and directly put a big hat on them: "I am a soldier from the expeditionary force, Liu Daogui of the Pengcheng Liu family. I have been ordered to come to Lanling to settle and guard the border. You have occupied the county city and resisted the imperial army. Are you planning to cause chaos?"

The greater your confidence, the louder your voice.

"It's a misunderstanding, it's all a misunderstanding..." The man apologized on the city wall.

"Since it's a misunderstanding, then open the city gate!"

"Lanling has five counties. Why would you seek out my city?"

"How dare you! Is the city of Xicheng yours? If you open the city gates today, you will be subject to the rule of the imperial court. If you don't, you will be bandits. I advise you to think carefully about whether you can withstand the 20,000-strong Northern Army in Pengcheng!"

Liu Daogui's voice became louder and louder. He felt refreshed both physically and mentally by taking advantage of the power of others to bully them.

In the past, no one paid attention to the counties north of the Huai River, and the Cao family was able to fish in troubled waters. Now Wang Gong has taken office and has made three major moves, and Liu Laozhi is leading the Northern Army to garrison Pengcheng. Everyone north of the Huai River is trembling with fear.

The Cao family no longer had any room to maneuver.

"In one word, open it or not!" Liu Zun roared ferociously.

"Open or not?"

The soldiers and refugees shouted together, and their voices shook the sky.

(End of this chapter)