Remarried to a top-tier playboy, her reborn ex-husband is filled with regret.

Chapter 174 Reorganizing and Deploying Defenses

Inside the central command tent, the lights were on.

Xiao Fang placed the tiger tally on the general's desk, while the old marquis and several veteran generals surrounded the map on both sides.

Lu Zhao and Ming Rui were also there.

Xiao Fang pointed to the five marked passes on the northern border defense line.

"These five areas are the weakest links in the defense map."

If the Northern Hu want to seize grain, they will definitely start here.

Gu Jinghuai knew this, and so did the Northern Hu people.

So, we simply turned these five locations into five coffins.

The old marquis frowned.

"But these passes are usually not heavily guarded."

To deploy a large force, it would have to be transferred from elsewhere.

"If we make too much noise, won't the Northern Hu people notice?"

Xiao Fang shook his head.

"Don't move during the day."

At night, no fires are lit, no flags are displayed, and people enter from the back of the city, traveling in small groups, moving at night and hiding at dawn.

They couldn't find it.

Lu Zhao leaned closer.

"So we deliberately exposed the bait to the Northern Hu people?"

"Yes," Xiao Fang said. "Didn't Gu Jinghuai leak all the defenses?"

Then the Northern Hu people will definitely come.

Since they're determined to come, let's lay a trap and wait for them to walk right into it.

Xiao Fang pointed to a pass on the map.

"This is the weakest point."

The city walls are old, the garrison is small, and it is a key city for harvesting autumn grain.

The northern barbarians, wanting to seize grain, absolutely cannot resist.

Mingrui asked in a low voice.

"But with five entrances, how can we determine which one they're targeting?"

Xiao Fang looked at the veteran generals.

"All five are deployed, but the main military force is concentrated in the three richest cities."

No matter which one they attack first, none of them will escape.

The old marquis pondered for a long time before nodding.

"The younger generation is truly formidable. This approach is far superior to the previous one of simply blocking the way."

In the past, border defense was one of the most troublesome things.

The border between Beihu and Daliang is narrow and long, making it difficult to form a very tight defense.

That night, the border troops secretly mobilized forces in several cities.

There were no torches, no banners.

The soldiers entered the city through the back gate, divided into several teams, and seeped in like water.

Before dawn, everyone had been positioned according to Xiao Fang's instructions.

One morning three days later.

It was the busiest time of day for the morning market inside the pass.

The wonton vendor lifted the pot lid, and steam filled his face.

An old man selling autumn pears called out in a loud voice, and several women squatted in front of his basket, picking through the pears.

The sounds of bargaining filled the streets, and no one would have guessed that danger had already crept up to the outskirts of the city.

Suddenly, a mournful cry came from the city gate.

"The Northern Hu people are coming! The Northern Hu people are coming!"

Then came the clatter of horses' hooves breaking through the wooden frame and sword sheaths slamming against the door.

A troop of several thousand Northern Hu cavalrymen charged in.

The leader rode a black horse, brandishing a curved sword and laughing wildly.

"Han people! Hand over all the grain!"

"Anyone who tries to run, kill!"

The northern barbarians scattered like a pack of wolves, rushing towards both sides of the street.

The people were so frightened that they ran around in panic, some grabbing the copper coins from their stalls, others knocking over entire baskets of autumn pears.

The vendors and ordinary people were so frightened that they scattered and fled.

"Help!"

"Run!"

The pot for selling wontons was knocked over, and boiling water was spilled all over the ground.

Several women fell down, then helped each other into the alley.

The Northern Hu people became increasingly smug, and several of them rode their horses around the streets, swinging their knives overhead with a whooshing sound.

"Where are the soldiers of Daliang? Are they all dead?!"

"With your Prince of Zhenbei dead, Great Liang has no one left!"

Just as the commotion was raging, a sharp whistling sound suddenly rang out from the city tower.

Immediately afterwards, rows of crossbowmen appeared simultaneously from all four city walls.

The crossbow bolts were all aimed at the city.

The city gates slammed shut.

The smiles on the faces of those Northern Hu soldiers froze instantly.

From deep within the streets and alleys, the sound of horses' hooves could be heard.

It's very stable, not fast.

Each step felt like a footstep on everyone's heart.

The northern barbarians reined in their horses and raised their heads.

At the end of the long street, a group of people slowly approached.