After turning back and continuing, using various excuses to send Chen Sheng's envoy Li Pan away, according to the original plan, Xiang Kang personally led the main force of the Young Commander Army, which had more than 7,000 people, to set out west from Tancheng to attack the city of Liu County, which was unwilling to surrender.

With the current military strength of the Young Marshal Army, attacking a small county town with only county soldiers, which is only garrisoned by county soldiers, is logically unnecessary for Xiang Kang to take action himself. Xiang Zhuang, Chao Zhi, Zheng Bu and Ding Ji, who were gradually trained in actual combat, would be sure to take it directly. The reason why Xiang Kang chose to take action himself was mainly because the location of Xiang County was relatively important. The Xionger Mountain area to the north, the Lotus Mountain Range to the south, and the Xue County with many population cities to the west, which can attack and retreat or defend. If a military base is established here, the Young Marshal Army can not only ensure the safety of the northern part of the East China Sea, but also from here to Xue County to capture Lu at any time. Therefore, Xiang Kang attached so much importance to the small town of Liu County. At the same time, if conditions permit, the main force of the Young Marshal Army did not rule out going south from Liu County to capture Fuyang and Pengcheng.

The war is indeed not difficult to fight. The Qin army in Xiang Ben and Lanling who had just been recruited, expanded the western conscription force to nearly 9,000 people. Xiang Kang had already figured out the general situation of Guan County through various channels. He knew that the defenders in the city were less than a thousand, and he also knew that the conflict between the county magistrate and the county magistrate in Guan County was very serious, and it was very easy to separate and alienate. At the same time, the government of Guan County was also unsupported by the people. As soon as the vanguard of the Young Marshal's Army had stepped into the territory of Guan County, the people of Guan County who were unable to withstand the tyranny of the Qin court all carried slurries and took the initiative to reward the soldiers of the Young Marshal's Army. It can be said that before the city attacked, the Young Marshal's Army had already had a stable chance of victory.

However, there was something unexpected to Xiang Kang. The people of Qing County, who came to work hard, also provided important information to the Young Commander's Army. Two days ago, an anti-Qin rebel army from the northern part of Sishui County suddenly entered Xuejun Xue County, which bordered Qing County, and was still besieging Xue County. After inquiring about the origin of this anti-Qin rebel army, Xiang Kang, who was actually quite stingy, could not help but have a vein on his forehead. This anti-Qin rebel army with about 3,000 people was actually the Pei County army of Liu Ji and Liu Laosan. Fan Kuai, who used fake gold to deceive Xiang Kang away sixty steel knives, happened to be in this army.

"The enemy is so narrow! The surname Fan, you owe me what you do. If you don't ask you to spit out your money and profits this time, I will still have the face to hang out in this world in the future?"

While gritting his teeth, Xiang Kang also once thought about whether to take this opportunity to kill Liu Laosan and directly eliminate the biggest enemy in the future for the Xiang family. However, after careful calculation, Xiang Kang found that he could not do this. The reason was that his army was not famous and attacked other anti-Qin rebels for no reason would definitely destroy their reputation and lose their support. Secondly, after killing Liu Laosan directly, the impact would be too great, which would seriously disrupt the future historical process and make Xiang Kang completely lose the advantage of a historical prophet. The third reason is more critical. For Liu Laosan and his gang who opened up the prosperous Han Dynasty, Xiang Kang, who had traveled through the Han people before, was actually full of respect, and he was a little cruel to kill them directly.

"Let's make a decision." After thinking about it, Xiang Kang chose to endure it for the time being and said to himself: "It's easy to kill Liu Laosan, but after killing him, if Xiang Yu and I can't get along, who can help me deal with Xiang Yu in the future? Let's see the situation first. If Liu Bang may threaten me, I must not be lenient. But if he has value to me, he doesn't need to kill him quickly, and Hu Hai and Xiang Yu will be cheap."

With a somewhat contradictory mood, Xiang Kang quickly led the main force of the Young Marshal Army to outside the city of Guan County. As a result, the Qin army in Guan County decisively chose to close the city and protect themselves. However, Xiang Kang was not in a hurry. While asking the army to rush to manufacture siege weapons, he sent people to shoot letters onto the head of Guan County with bows and arrows, threatening that if the defenders of Guan County did not take the initiative to open the city and surrender, the Young Marshal Army would definitely kill all the officials in the city after the city was broken. At the same time, the Young Marshal Army, who had previously mixed into the city, took the risk of sending Xiang Kang's letter of persuasion to the county magistrate of Guan County, who had a deep conflict with the county magistrate.

…………

The next day, Liu Laosan, who was born with certain military talents, also found out about the general situation of the Young Marshal's Army through a detailed investigation. At the same time, without much confidence in taking down the target Xue County in front of him, Liu Laosan, who already claimed to be Pei Gong, couldn't help but regret it. He said to his brother-in-law Fan Kuai with regret: "It's a pity that if we didn't buy a knife with fake gold, we can immediately send someone to contact Xiang Kang, that stupid boy, try to borrow soldiers from him, and ask him to help us attack Xuecheng. Most of the soldiers of this stupid boy are elite soldiers with good weapons in the tyrannical Qin army."

"There is no way. Who told us that we were short of money at the beginning, and if we wanted to buy a knife, we could only rely on cheating?" Fan Kuai, a famous dog nemesis in the late Qin Dynasty, was also a little regretful, and then said: "By the way, Pei Gong, remember you said before that we can return the money to him first, and then slowly trick him. Why don't we try it first now, send someone to repay the money and apologize to him, and then ask him to send troops to help us attack Xue County?"

"Is that easy?" Liu Lao San shook his head and said, "If it were you, someone cheated you of money. After that, the person returned the money to you, and asked you to make great efforts and spend the money to help him do something difficult. How could you agree?"

When Fan Kuai was discouraged, Liu Laosan suddenly changed his mind and thought, "But you can also try it. It's not okay to repay the money and borrow soldiers directly. We might as well sell him a favor while paying back the money, and then promise to share half of the money and grain in Xue County to him. He might be able to agree. And if we do this, even if we can't borrow soldiers, we can repay the favor we owe him, so it's easy to talk to each other when we meet again in the future."

"A clever plan." Fan Kuai praised and asked hurriedly: "How can I sell him a favor?"

"Send troops to help him take down Liu County."

Liu Bang's readily answer surprised Fan Kuai, and also made Fan Kuai scream in shock: "Send troops to help him attack the city? Pei Gong, aren't you joking? What if the little clerk of the Youkang took the opportunity to annex us? Besides, even if he doesn't have this ambition, the little clerk is strong and his weapons and equipment are much better than us. What can we help him when we send troops to help him?"

"Sure enough, I'm eating too much dog meat, so stupid as if I was a dog." Liu Laosan smiled and scolded, and then said: "Of course we don't have to mobilize the main force to help him. Just as we just divide an army to do it, we don't have to really help him. Just say that he was going to help him, it would be like he owed us favors. We don't want to smear people. If we do this, wouldn't it be much easier to wipe away the past and borrow soldiers from him?"

"Good idea." Fan Kuai clapped and said, "There is another function to do this, which is to take the opportunity to test the attitude of that stupid boy towards us. If he really wants to be unfavorable to us, it will be easier for our partial teacher to retreat."

Liu Laosan was a person who was ready to do things. After making this idea, he immediately called Cao Shen, the general he trusted very much, and asked him to lead a thousand troops eastward to sell short favors under the banner of reinforcement of the Young Commander Army. At the same time, in order to prevent it, Liu Laosan made clear instructions to Cao Shen, saying that if Xiang Kang really mobilized Cao Shen's troops to participate in the siege, Cao Shen must not be greedy for preserving his strength and must really fight hard. It is necessary to let Xiang Kang see the sincerity of Liu Laosan's army's three army hoping to be friends with him, and also let Xiang Kang take a look at the morale and fighting spirit of Liu Laosan's three army - the weapons and equipment are a little bit bad, but the army is definitely not a good person!

According to Liu Laosan's order, Cao Shen led his army to march eastward early the next morning, and walked lightly and rushed all the way. He arrived near the border of Xue County in just one day. He walked out of Xue County the next morning and entered Liu County. He immediately met the young commander's scout patrolling the border. Seeing that Cao Shen was crowded with people, he did not dare to come forward rashly, and chose to shout loudly in the distance to Cao Shen's purpose.

It was indeed coming with kindness. In order not to let the young marshal's army misunderstand, Cao Shen of course immediately ordered the army to stop advancing and let someone come forward to express his identity. After hearing the general's belief, the scout of the young marshal's army replied: "We must report to the young marshal Xiang before we can answer you. But if you really come to help us, it is best to wait here and not move, because our army is siegeing the city, and you will go directly, and it will be bad if you make any misunderstandings. Also, if you have any envoys to visit our young marshal and explain the reasons in person, we can take him away."

The soldiers who came forward to contact brought the news back to Cao Shen. Cao Shen did not hesitate and immediately asked the army to rest on the spot and maintain appropriate vigilance. At the same time, he sent his subordinate Cao Wushang, as an envoy, to carry the knife money that Fan Kuai had owed Xiang Kang before and the handwritten letter written by Liu Bang to Xiang Kang. He followed the envoy of the Young Commander's Army to visit Xiang Kang first.

With endless curiosity about the Young Marshal's Army, Cao Wushang, who received the order, came out and met Xiang Kang with the scouts from the Young Marshal. However, just as he saw the city of Yan County, Cao Wushang was extremely shocked to find that the city walls were already full of cheering young Marshal's soldiers, and the Chu flag floating in the wind. It was obvious that the Young Marshal's Army had successfully taken the county seat. In shock, Cao Wushang subconsciously looked up at the sky. Seeing that the winter sun had not yet risen to the top, it was obvious that the noon time had not arrived yet, Cao Wushang couldn't help but be even more shocked and blurted out: "It's so fast? What kind of army is this?"

He did not tell Cao Wushang that the reason why the Young Marshal Army was able to quickly pull the county was because the county magistrate of the county suddenly attacked the young army when the Young Marshal Army attacked the city, cut off the head of the county magistrate who hated the extreme, and took the initiative to open the city gate to welcome the Young Marshal Army into the city. Therefore, Cao Wushang's praise and envy continued. Because after approaching the battlefield, what Cao Wushang saw were line by line of young Marshal soldiers holding Qin army-style weapons, with guns and swords covering the sky, flags covering the sky, a large number of cavalrymen, as well as hundreds of flag-standing chariots, strong soldiers and uniform military appearance, leaving behind the Liu Lao Sanjun, who had just started the army, more than eight streets were left.

Still don’t know that Xiang Kang deliberately brought the main force to show off his military power in order to threaten the Qin army guards in the city. Cao Wushang, who was already quite awe of the young marshal’s army, inevitably became more careful. He was led to Xiang Kang’s flag formation. Before he could see Xiang Kang’s appearance clearly, Cao Wushang immediately saluted politely and said, “Cao Wushang, the commander under Pei Gong, has seen the young marshal Xiang of the Great Chu.”

"The person who lied to me for a knife is here." Xiang Kang opened his mouth and sprayed poison. When he smiled and was about to say a few more jokes, he suddenly changed his words when he spoke to him and asked in surprise: "What's your name?"

"I will win Cao Wushang." Cao Wushang answered truthfully, and then he saw Xiang Kang's appearance clearly. He looked a little weak, but his facial features were quite upright and his skin was quite fair, so he could barely have the capital to eat soft food.

Although history is scattered, what kind of person Cao Wushang is? Xiang Kang, who has seen the Hongmen Banquet, is still clear. It is precisely because Cao Wushang is a little bit of the value of bribery and win over that Xiang Kang immediately changed his mind and said with a smile: "It turns out to be Cao Duwei. I just said a joke, don't blame the Duwei. I won't worry about only sixty knives. Moreover, I also admire your Pei Gong's brother-in-law General Fan Kuai. He looks so rough, but in fact he is as careful as a hair. He can even deceive me. I admire you, admire me."

"Young Magistrate, forgive me for your crime." Cao Wushang said nervously: "We Pei Gong and General Fan were forced to play tricks at that time, and they kept repenting afterwards. So when they heard that you were leading your army here, Pei Gong quickly asked us Cao Shen and Cao Zhongjuan to lead our troops to reinforce for the day before. In addition, Pei Gong asked the envoy to bring the knife money that had been owed before, so please accept it with a smile."

After saying that, Cao Wushang quickly untied the package on his body and opened it, revealing a pack of gold and a jade wall representing interest. Xiang Kang thought for a moment and quickly smiled: "Some small money is not worth mentioning, but if I don't accept it, Pei Gong might suspect that I still remember the past. Since that's the case, I will accept it. The person who came, took over the things that Cao Duwei brought, set up a seat to welcome Cao Duwei to the dust."

According to Xiang Kang's order, the left and right guards immediately took the package brought by Cao Wushang, set up seats, and invited Cao Wushang to the seat. Cao Wushang was flattered. After being humble again and again, he sat down tremblingly and presented Liu Laosan's handwritten letter. Xiang Kang took it and saw that the letter was full of apology and apologizing, and couldn't help laughing again and said, "Pei Gong is so polite. Why do you need to apologize again and again for a small matter?"

After laughing, Xiang Kang asked Cao Wushang again: "Master Cao, Pei Gong asked you to come here. Is there anything else besides trying to help me take down Guan County? If you have any, please just say it bluntly. If you can help, I will try my best to help."

"The Young Marshal is so quick to speak, so the general will be brave." Cao Wushang said very carefully: "To be honest, my Pei Gong also wants to ask you to extend a helping hand to our army after capturing the city of Guancheng and send a army to help us capture Xue County. After the matter is completed, my Pei Gong is willing to take out half of Xue County's money and grain to thank the Young Marshal."

"Everyone says that the gangster Liu Laosan is indeed well-known. I sent a group of mobs to pretend and sell me a short favor. I not only wiped out the previous incident, but also took the opportunity to borrow soldiers from me, and I had a good plan. No, I must not be fooled!"

Xiang Kang snorted coldly in his heart, but his face still had a smile, and he said, "Emperor Cao, then this time I will probably make you a waste of time. The young marshal personally led the troops here. How could the purpose be to a small town in Li County?"

"The Young Marshal also plans to attack Xue County?" Cao Wushang asked in surprise.

"It's not certain, but our next target is either Fu Yang or Xue County." Xiang Kang said, "So there is no way. For both anti-Qin rebels and also for Prince Pei to actively lend a helping hand, at most I can only agree not to attack Xue County during your besiege of Xue County. But it is not enough to ask us to send troops to help you take Xue County. We cannot let you take Xue County, blocking our way to the hinterland of Xue County."

Cao Wushang was speechless and could only reply to report the matter to Liu Laosan and ask Liu Laosan to make a decision. Xiang Kang laughed and kept inviting Cao Wushang to raise a glass to drink together, and was very intimate with Cao Wushang. During this period, several young army officials came to report the situation after the young army entered the city. Xiang Kang shook his hand and ignored it, letting the young army generals deal with it themselves. His respectful attitude towards Cao Wushang made the young army and the civil and military soldiers next to him inexplicably, and made Cao Wushang feel even more flattered.

The matter was not over yet. When Cao Wushang, who had been in vain, offered his farewell, Xiang Kang asked someone to give him a reward of Jin Yuhou. Cao Wushang refused, but Xiang Kang refused, and forced Cao Wushang to accept his gift and handed over to Cao Wushang. As a result, it was also after Cao Wushang left that Zhou Zengcai next to him asked: "Young Marshal, are you really planning to attack Xue County?"

"Of course not." Xiang Kang replied: "Although Xue County is still important, our main force is too far away from the rear of the lower court. The next step is to take Fu Yang and Pengcheng and consolidate our western front wings is a wise choice. I deliberately replied to Liu Ji, hoping to see his reaction and test his attitude towards us."

Zhou Zeng nodded to show his understanding and asked again: "Young Marshal, why are you particularly respectful to Cao Wushang? With his identity, you are not worthy of being so polite to him?"

Xiang Kang certainly couldn't tell Zhou Zeng that Cao Wushang was one of the most dangerous traitors around Liu Laosan. He found an excuse and said, "Of course it was for Liu Ji to show him. He knew that I was so good to one of his generals. When he was desperate, he would think of joining us. If we had the opportunity, it would be easier for us to recruit and recruit Liu Ji's army."

…………

Cao Wushang brought Xiang Kang's reply and the news that the young marshal's army had taken down the city of Yancheng back to Cao Shen. Cao Shen, who continued to advance eastward, had no effect, and immediately withdrew the army that had come to do short favors to retreat to Xue County and met with Liu Laosan again. After Liu Laosan learned Xiang Kang's reply, he did not hesitate at all. After a moment of calculation, he said, "Retreat the army, rescue the siege, and go west to attack Hu Ling!"

"Pei Gong, why did you withdraw your troops?" Fan Kuai was anxious when he heard this and hurriedly said, "Are you afraid of that stupid boy Xiang Kang?"

"What's wrong with him afraid of him? We have to pretend to be timid when we should be timid. Xiang Kang's little clerk has already made it clear that we will block his way to the hinterland of Xue County. If we insist on continuing to attack Xue County, it would be like we deliberately make things difficult for him. We have just started the army and our strength is far from enough, so we can't offend a strong friendly army for a county town."

Liu Laosan snorted coldly and said, "Anyway, we are not sure to take down Xue County. Instead of doing this, waste food and grass, it is better to withdraw the troops immediately, find another place that is easier to attack, and then make a favor to Xiang Kang Xiaoshouzi. Moreover, if this little master really advances to Xue County, it will not be a bad thing for us. At least he can restrain the tyrannical Prince Xue County's tyrannical Princess Xue for us. He is strong and I am weak. Xue County's tyrannical Qin army will only prevent him with all his strength and will not directly target us. We will have the opportunity to take advantage of the situation. Do we understand?"

He has always been afraid of Liu Laosan's boss style. Fan Kuai and Cao Shen and other generals didn't say much. They immediately followed Liu Laosan's order to prepare for retreat and withdrew from the battlefield in Xue County on the same day. At the same time, Liu Laosan naturally had to send a letter to Xiang Kang, and he would respectfully express his willingness to give Xue County to the Young Marshal's army. Xiang Kang sighed when he heard the news and sighed: "It's indeed a hooligan! He pretends to be more like anyone else when he should show weakness. No wonder my cousin with developed limbs can't play with him. If he really becomes my opponent in the future, it will definitely give me a headache."
Chapter completed!