Chapter 35: Pei County Uprising Begins

  With over 3,000 soldiers under his command, Liu Shanhe's desire to expand outward also began to stir. Although he knew that just having control of Pei County was a small territory and a limited space, which could not bring him lasting peace from any aspect. Plotting in all directions was inevitable. However, Liu Shanhe himself did not expect that he would so quickly possess an army of over 3,000 soldiers, this development momentum was also beyond his expectations! Nevertheless, since he already had such wealth and power, if he didn't go out to fight, it would be too ungrateful for the blessings of heaven and earth.

  Considering that Xiao He and Cao Shen were not good at leading troops in battle, Liu Bang decided to leave them both by his side in the city of Pei County, while ordering Vice-General Fan Kuai and Xiahou Ying to lead the more than 3,000 newly recruited soldiers to march towards Huling County and Fangyu County.

  According to the strategy previously set with Xiao He, the recent combat target is Fengyi County. To know that Liu Bang's occupied Pei County is only one of the more than a dozen counties in Fengyi County, and their development space is really too small. However, if you want to capture Fengyi, you must first attack Hu Ling County and Fangyu County on both sides of Fengyi County, so as not to be attacked by the Qin army forces of Hu Ling and Fangyu when attacking Fengyi.

  At present, Fan Qiang and Xia Houyan, two senior generals, are riding on high-headed horses, leading more than 3,000 newly recruited soldiers and horses to march towards the direction of Huling County and Fangyu County. Of course, they also have a division of labor, Fan Qiang's target is Huling, while Xia Houyan's target is Fangyu.

  As for the garrison of Hu Ling and Fang Yu, they were naturally in a state of panic. They knew that although the rebel army's strength was not necessarily much stronger, their morale was quite high, and it seemed that the fall of the Qin dynasty was only a matter of time. However, as officials of the Qin dynasty, they were unwilling to surrender to the rebel army unless absolutely necessary. Fortunately, they still had the high city walls on their side to block the enemy's invasion, and at the very least, they could hold off those bandits for some days.

  Now, General Fan Kuai is riding his war horse and standing not far from the city of Huling. He looks up at the city with General Xia Houyan, each leading over 1,500 soldiers who have just received some training and do not have much combat experience. However, they are all equipped with exceptionally sharp knives and guns, but without armor on their bodies. This is only because the war is urgent and there has been no time to further arm the soldiers. The troops led by Fan Kuai have high morale and are eager to fight the enemy army. However, the city gate in front of them is tightly closed, and it will take some thought to attack the city.

  Fan Kuai also shot an arrow into the city with a letter tied to it, just like when they first broke into Pei City. However, this time the effect was not ideal. The defenders did not buy his account. On one hand, Fan Kuai didn't have any great writers like Xiao He by his side. On the other hand, the county magistrate defending the city was a capable military leader and administrator who had not yet lost the hearts of the people under his rule. Therefore, Fan Kuai's method would naturally not work this time.

  And Xia Houyan also encountered the same thing.

  Since the strategy didn't work, Fan Kuai decided to launch a strong attack. However, just at this moment, a lone horseman suddenly appeared, and it was one of Liu Shanhe's officers who brought a letter worth 100,000 taels of silver. The content of the letter was that Fan Kuai and Xia Houyi should retreat their troops. The truth was that Liu Shanhe's mother had passed away, and he had recalled his two main forces from outside to hold a funeral for her.

  On that day, just as Liu Shanhe was thinking about whether Fan Kuai and Xia Houyi had succeeded in attacking the city, someone reported that his mother, Liu Ai, from their hometown of Fengxiang Zhongyang, had passed away due to illness. As soon as he heard this news, Liu Shanhe felt like he had been struck by five thunderbolts, and his eyes went black. To be honest, if we talk about the feelings towards his parents, his feelings towards his mother were naturally deeper than those towards his father. This was because although his mother didn't know how to read or write, she loved him extremely deeply and had put a lot of thought into his growth. Of course, Liu Shanhe also thought that just because he had deep feelings for his mother, it didn't mean he felt the same way about his father. After all, even if his father was sometimes too harsh on him, that was just his father's helpless "hate iron for not becoming steel" towards his son, and Liu Shanhe still looked at this point very openly.

  Anyway, no matter what, his mother has passed away, and as a son, he must hold a grand funeral for her to repay the kindness she showed in raising him.

  However, Liu Shanhe was also very clear that his current situation was not safe. Although he had already captured Pei County, there were still many forces around him, mainly from the Qin dynasty. Of course, there were also various anti-Qin forces, making it a complex situation. His own force, although present, could not guarantee his safety in case other forces came to eliminate him while he was busy with his mother's funeral. If that happened, not only would his mother's funeral be ruined, but he might also lose his own life. Thinking of this, Liu Shanhe's heart felt heavy. But what could he do?

  After careful consideration, Liu Shanhe still called Xiang Yu's general Xiao He to come over and told him the situation, asking for his advice on what to do. Xiao He thought for a moment and said: "Your Excellency, this matter is not difficult to handle. To be safe, just recall Fan Zeng and Xiahou Ying's troops back to prove their loyalty. This way, we can expand our influence and repay the kindness of the Queen Dowager to Your Excellency; secondly, it will also ensure the safety during the funeral period."

  "But, however, the two generals are currently outside attacking and plundering, how can I possibly call them all back?" Liu Shanhe felt very helpless.

  "Lord, there's no need to worry so much. Although Fan Kuai and Xiahou Ying are currently fighting outside, the outcome of war is unpredictable, let's first complete the funeral for Madam Bo and then talk about other matters." Xiao He consoled Liu Shanhe.

  Liu Shanhe thought for a moment, it seems that there is no other way, so he gave the order to withdraw the troops of Fan Kuai and Xia Houying who were about to launch a forced attack on the city, as well as the more than 3,000 soldiers under their command, back to Pei County, then turned to Liu Shanhe's hometown - Fengxiang Zhongyangli.

  After half a day, Fan Kuai and Xiahou Ying's troops of over 3,000 people will all gather at the Zhongyangli Old Liu Temple Village in Fengxiang, Pei County. According to Xiao He's deployment, Fan Kuai's over 1,000 people were stationed in the east of the village, while Xiahou Ying's over 1,000 people were deployed in the west of the village, stretching for tens of miles, all wearing white mourning clothes, looking very majestic. Liu Shanhe's own "family soldiers" of over 500 people were responsible for some supporting tasks during the funeral process. According to Xiao He's deployment, if something happens, these three troops can be deployed at any time, so as to ensure the safety of the entire funeral.

  It's not that Liu Shanhe is being overly cautious, but at the same time he was busy making arrangements for his mother's funeral, a remnant force of the Qin dynasty in the direction of Sishui Pavilion, where Liu Shanhe used to serve as the pavilion master, was secretly stirring and planning to take advantage of Liu Shanhe's distraction with the funeral to launch a surprise attack on him...

  Now, Liu Shanhe was under the auspices of Xiao He, handling his mother Liu Ai's funeral in an orderly manner. As a civil official, Xiao He and Cao Shen were good at handling such affairs, so the entire funeral was handled with great momentum and grandeur. The luxurious scene and solemn atmosphere are self-evident, making Liu Shanhe feel very satisfied.

  In Liu Shanhe's subconscious, through such a grand funeral, on the one hand, he also expressed his condolences for his mother's passing. On the other hand, it was also a way for him to show off his strength and status. Although he is not yet powerful enough, after all, he is still the master of a county. Such a position naturally requires some display when his own mother passes away. Yes, Liu Shanhe had to admit that he has some tendency to show off in this aspect, as the saying goes, "riches and honors do not return to one's hometown, like wearing brocade at night". What is the purpose of his hard work, dedication, and raising the banner of justice against Qin? In the end, it is all for his own glory and wealth. Although it is not yet time for him to show off, a person only has one set of parents. Such funeral arrangements cannot be delayed until later. Therefore, although recalling troops from battle to attend the funeral may not be very appropriate, he had no choice but to do so.

  And just on the second day of Liu Shanhe's funeral for his mother, that one branch of the Qin dynasty's old forces who had been lurking in Sui Shui Pavilion for a long time actually made their move. What they wanted was to take advantage of Liu Shanhe being busy with the funeral and catch him off guard. However, they underestimated Liu Shanhe's ability to think carefully.

  Liu Bang's scouts also arrived in the first time to report to Xiao He, saying that when they were on patrol outside Fengxiang, they found 700-800 Qin troops heading towards their location. It seems likely that they are planning to attack our army.

  Xiao He listened to the scout's report and naturally didn't dare to slack off, so he urgently informed Liu Shanhe. Fortunately, today was the last day of the funeral, and everything had been basically taken care of. No matter what happened, Liu Shanhe was not afraid now.

  After he heard Xiang Yu's report, he couldn't help but think for a moment, then asked Xiang Yu: "I don't know what the general wants to do?"

  "Get rid of them! These guys are taking advantage of our weakness, and they actually dare to launch a sneak attack when our lord is holding a funeral. It's simply despicable!" Xiang Yu said.

  Then Liu Shanhe called up Fan Kuai and Xiahou Ying, two generals, and ordered Xiao He to be the commander-in-chief, directing Fan Kuai and Xiahou Ying's two branches of troops to try to annihilate the enemy outside Fengxiang. Liu Shanhe's idea was not to bring the war fire into his own village, so he deployed it this way.

  Later, under the command of General Xiao He, Fan Kuai and Xiahou Ying's two powerful troops, one on the left and one on the right, launched a pincer attack. The more than 3,000-strong army simultaneously attacked the small group of Qin soldiers who came to take advantage of the situation, defeating them. They hastily retreated back to Suiyangting. Liu Bang did not continue to send troops to pursue them because his mother's funeral had not been completed yet.

  "Damn it, just wait till I've finished my mother's funeral, and then you'll see me come after you to settle the score! Just wait till I've finished my mother's funeral, and then you'll see me come after you to settle the score!" Liu Shanhe cursed silently in his heart.

  Finally, after Liu Shanhe finished his mother's funeral, he led the army of more than 3,000 people to march towards Sui Shui Ting. Before leaving, Liu Shanhe was worried about his hometown and feared that other forces would come to his hometown for revenge, so he came up with a plan to divide some troops to garrison his hometown, Fengxiang. This way, he could also be considerate of his hometown's elders and leave himself a last resort. In case he lost the battle, he still had this old nest to return to.

  As for the person to be left in charge of Fengxiang, Liu Shanhe also racked his brains. After some thought, Liu Shanhe set the following conditions for the person to be left in charge: Firstly, leaving this person behind should not affect the combat effectiveness of his own troops. In other words, even the most capable and victorious general would not be spared by Liu Shanhe. Secondly, this person should be a native of Fengxiang and have relatively high prestige; otherwise, he could not calm down the people of Fengxiang. If that were the case, it would be better not to make arrangements for someone to stay behind! So, who was this person? After some thought, Liu Shanhe finally thought of one person - Yong Chi.

  This man, Yong Chi, is a native of Fengxiang and comes from a prestigious family with some influence in the local area. However, as a fellow townsman of Yong Chi, Liu Shanhe has a certain understanding of this person. In fact, he doesn't have much talent, and his nature is narrow-minded and fickle, not someone worth associating with. Nevertheless, Liu Shanhe had no other better options, so he reluctantly let Yong Chi take on the heavy responsibility of guarding Fengxiang.

  That day, the city gate of Fengxiang was wide open, and Liu Shanhe's three thousand soldiers marched out of the gate in a mighty manner. Liu Shanhe had made up his mind that no matter what, he would take down the Si River guard who had stabbed him in the back while he was busy with his mother's funeral. As the saying goes, "A gentleman does not repay kindness, and a man does not avenge grievances."

  Of course, Liu Shanhe was so eager to get rid of the small group of Siwater guards who stabbed him in the back. On the one hand, it was for revenge, and on the other hand, it was to kill a chicken to scare the monkeys, making all the forces within dozens of miles look at him, Liu Shanhe, and see that he was not easy to bully! Not to mention others, at least in this Pei County, Liu Shanhe still had the final say! If he couldn't even protect his own territory, what else could Liu Shanhe do? Therefore, the enemy of Siwater, no matter what, Liu Shanhe had to get rid of them first.

  Banners and flags are fluttering, wind and sand are flying. The sky is high and the clouds are light, autumn is high and the air is refreshing, it's a good time to use troops.

  As his three thousand soldiers walked out of the Fengxiang city gate, Liu Shanhe felt that it was necessary to issue the order for Yōng Chǐ to stay and guard Fengxiang at this time. He then said to the crowd of people who had been following him: "General Yōng Chǐ, listen to the order!"

  A short and somewhat chubby guy with a big head and ears responded loudly.

  Liu Shanhe's eyes shone brightly as he stared intently at his fellow townsman, issuing a stern command: "When our righteous army first rose up, we had few soldiers and generals, and it was not easy to occupy the land. Since you are from a prominent local family with great reputation in the surrounding areas, I, the king, have specially ordered you to defend your hometown, comfort the local people, recruit soldiers to make up for our deficiencies, and serve as the main base and rear headquarters of our righteous army. You must understand that this is the source of our army's uprising! At the same time, you must also do a good job in defending against external attacks, lest others come to capture the city. This task is of great importance, and I hope you can fulfill your duties and complete the mission entrusted to you by me. What do you think?"

  "End of order ~" Although Yong Chi was dissatisfied with Liu Shanhe's arrangement, he couldn't openly protest at this time.

  This naturally makes sense of a very superficial truth, that is, although this garrison in Fengxiang is relatively safer compared to others, avoiding the huge risks brought by the attack on the city, it is also a kind of unattackable and thankless job. Such a job is naturally a very obvious "chicken rib" job. Even if you guard Fengxiang well, that is still your duty, and there is nothing remarkable about it. However, if the city falls, you will be held accountable for a great crime, not to mention that your own life and property will also be difficult to protect. Thinking about it, this is really a suffocating job. But as one of Liu Shanhe's subordinates, he was powerless. Because everyone knows that in the military camp, there is no room for argument. Everything follows the principle of subordinates obeying their superiors.

  "He originally thought that this rascal Liu Bang, since he had risen in revolt, would be a good opportunity for himself, as a talented young man from a prominent family in Fengxiang, to borrow his power and develop himself, and gain some capital. But Liu Bang was actually squeezing him out everywhere, it's infuriating!" ~ Following Liu Shanhe's orders, after returning to Fengxiang, he was extremely stifled, pacing back and forth in the rooms of his local government office, constantly sighing.