The army set off on time.
Before setting off, Liu Cheng sent people to Huai County to notify Shi Tao and Zhu Jianping and others, asking them to follow them with grain and grass supplies and recruited soldiers.
Hanoi County was handed over to the new prefect Han Hao to manage.
Arrangements have been made for the stay and stay of the prisoners.
The old and weak were left to work in the fields, while the strong were taken away to serve as auxiliary units to assist in the battle.
The distance from Linlu County to Huguan is not very far, but the weather and terrain make the road difficult to travel.
After a few days, Liu Cheng felt that he had not walked very far, and his marching speed was much slower than before the snow.
But he also knew that there was no way around it.
Although the road had been cleared by the auxiliary soldiers, it was still not suitable for rapid marching.
That evening, Liu Cheng called Zhang Liao and asked: "Wenyuan, we have been walking for three days, why haven't we arrived at Huguan City yet?
Is this the same road I took last time to lead my troops to kill the Huns?"
Zhang Liao cupped his fists and replied: "Yes, my lord, we have passed the position where we blocked the Xiongnu's left and right kings last time.
According to the marching speed of the past few days, we should be able to reach Huguan City tomorrow morning.
The maximum daily march these days is It is indeed a bit slower if it exceeds thirty miles, but with this kind of weather and reason, coupled with the terrain, it is already very good to be able to walk thirty miles.
If you go faster, it will easily cause fearless casualties."
At this time, a soldier walked into the big tent and reported: "General, Ma Jun, the deputy commander of the siege equipment battalion, wants to see you."
"Let him in" Ma Jun was led in.
He bowed to Liu Cheng and saluted: "General, in the past few days, according to legends, Xiaguan had people build parts for making drum carts.
After setting up camp just now, Xiaguan couldn't wait to ask the carpenter to make it.
We assembled it, and a drum cart was assembled.
Just now, my subordinate had someone pull it for a while, and the effect was very good."
Liu Cheng said curiously: "Oh, what is the drum cart in this story?
Did you figure it out based on the legend and who built it first?"
Ma Jun cupped his hands and said: "To tell the general, the drum cart is a tool for measuring the marching distance.
It beats the drum once for one mile and thirty times for thirty miles.
This way the general can clearly know the army.
It is said that Zhang Heng was the first to make it, but no production diagram of this thing has been handed down.
When he was riding on horseback and thinking about how to improve the timing of firing, he heard the soldiers around him talking and didn't know how far they had gone, so he remembered the drum cart made by Zhang Heng and thought about it.
Finally I had a rough idea, so I had people build some parts according to the idea.”
When Liu Cheng heard this, he immediately became interested.
Seeing that it was not dark outside yet, he stood up and said, "Let's go out and see if this drum car really beats the drum once every mile."
When he came outside the camp, Liu Chenggong saw a two-wheeled wooden cart made of wood parked not far away.
He walked to the drum cart and looked at it.
He saw a drum standing vertically in the middle of the wooden cart, with a drum underneath.
The wooden frame is fixed and supported.
The wooden frame is fixed on the wooden cart.
Next to the drum stands a wooden figure.
This wooden figure holds a drumstick and is vividly carved.
The wooden cart is also carved with various patterns and is very well made.
Exquisite and beautiful, artistic and ornamental.
Who is he?
He said that the ancients were rigid, stubborn and ignorant of taste.
Liu Cheng cursed in his heart.
He looked up and saw that the circumference of this camp must be more than one mile, almost two or three miles.
He immediately said to Ma Jun: " Let someone pull it for a quick lap and see."
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"Nuo" Ma Jun agreed and immediately assigned a strong soldier to pull the drum cart.
This drum cart was not heavy.
A strong soldier pulled it and ran very fast on the flat ground.
However, its wheels made a creaking and friction sound when they turned, which was almost the same as an ordinary carriage.
"Dong" records that the drum truck soon heard a sound of drum sound.
Liu Cheng took a look and found that the drum truck did beat the drum once after almost a mile.
Soon there was another solitary sound.
It was not until the drum sounded five times in a row that Liu Cheng ordered the soldiers pulling the cart to stop.
He happily said to Ma Jun: "Ma Jun, you made this drum cart."
Very good.
For those who can let the generals at all levels know clearly the marching speed of the army and how many miles they travel every day, I will reward Ma Jun and the craftsmen who made the drum cart together with two thousand yuan.
How to distribute it will be determined by Ma Jun.
Jun has the final say” "promise" Ma Jun immediately raised his hands and bowed in thanks: "Thank you, General, for the reward."
"This general has said that as long as you make something useful that can benefit the march, I will not hesitate to reward you."
After Liu Cheng finished speaking, he patted Ma Jun on the shoulder and said: "Keep working hard, come on."
Ma Jun was extremely excited and said, "I will obey my orders."
Early the next morning, according to the original plan, the army was going to continue moving forward, but heavy fog arose in the early morning.
The army had just walked five miles and found that it had lost its way.
The terrain here was dangerous and rugged, and it was easy to fall down the hillside.
Liu Cheng had no choice but to The army can be ordered to stay where they are and rest, and no one is allowed to leave without authorization.
Even if they want to go for convenience, two or three people do not have to be together.
Liu Cheng thought that the fog would dissipate soon, but what he and his generals and officials did not expect was that until noon, the fog was still thick and thick.
Wherever he could see, he could only see within three feet of the surrounding area, and further away.
It's blurry.
The soldiers took off their backpacks and sat on the ground.
One by one, they took out the sesame cakes and gnawed them.
When they were thirsty, they grabbed a handful of snow from the ground and stuffed it into their mouths.
Liu Cheng was very anxious at this time.
If the heavy fog does not dissipate in one day, tens of thousands of people and horses will have to stay on this mountain road today and have to endure it slowly.
At this time, Ma Jun hurriedly came over to Liu Cheng and said: "General, there is a legend that when the Yellow Emperor fought against Chi You, the army lost its way due to heavy fog.
Later, the Yellow Emperor ordered people to make a compass, and then relied on the compass to identify the direction.
Xiang defeated Chi You.
The compass car is just a legend and no one has ever seen it.
However, I heard that Master Zhang Heng once made a compass car.
I have some understanding of Master Zhang Heng's ideas and methods of making instruments.
I just thought about it and thought it would be good to make it.
It’s not difficult”
Liu Cheng became energetic for a while and immediately said: "How long will it take?"
Ma Jun cupped his hands and said: "Xia Guan already has an idea and asked the craftsmen to make the parts.
I believe they will be made soon."
Sure enough, it didn't take long for a craftsman to push a small cart over.
There was a wooden figure standing on the wooden cart.
The wooden figure was also carved vividly.
It stretched out its right arm and only thought about the front with its index finger.
No matter how the cart was pushed, its movements continued.
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Keeping your arms pointed in the same direction, the car turns and it turns with it.
When Liu Cheng saw it, he was overjoyed and laughed at Ma Jun: "Hahaha, Ma Jun, you are such a great talent, so good."
After laughing, Liu Cheng thought for a moment, took a token from the guard, handed it to him and said, "Take this token.
If anything happens, you can come to see me at any time without reporting it."
"Thank you, general, for your trust.
I have no way of repaying you.
I will do my best to repay my lord, even if I die."
Ma Jun took the token with both hands and knelt down and shouted.
"Okay, get up.
You go first.
The army is about to set off.
We will try to reach Huguan City before dark today."
Liu Cheng patted Ma Jun on the shoulder and sent him away.
He immediately ordered the entire army to set off and personally Lead the way at the front of the team according to the guide car and map.
With the compass and the map, the combination of the two can identify the direction of travel.
Tens of thousands of troops finally arrived at Huguan City before dark.
When Zhang Liao left before, he sent his deputy and a thousand troops to station in the city for defense.
When the army arrived, the garrison stationed here immediately opened the city gate and led people out to greet them.
After dinner at night, Liu Cheng called Wang Cangping, the guard general, to ask about the situation in Bingzhou.
Huguan City was the administrative seat of Bingzhou.
It was originally very prosperous, but after being occupied by bandit troops, it became a mess.
Many people brought their The whole family ran away, and not even one of them was left behind.
Liu Cheng looked at Wang Yue and asked: "General Wang, where are the Shangdang's bandit troops currently?
Who is commanding them?
How many soldiers and horses are there?
What is the composition of the troops?
Who is the guard at Hu Pass in the north?
How many soldiers are there in Hu Pass?"
horse" Wang Yue stood up and clasped his fists and reported: "Returning to my lord, according to the report from the spies, the Shangdang bandit army is currently led by Han Xian and Hu Cai.
Han Xian leads 5,000 people in Yishi, and Hu Cai leads 5,000 people in Gu.
Far away, the two of them each occupied a county.
They plundered a lot of horses in Hedong.
They each had a thousand cavalry, and their combat effectiveness was hard to say.
The rest were infantry.
Among them, there are mostly spear soldiers, and there are only less than a thousand sword, shield and crossbow soldiers.
General Mu Shun is stationed at Huguankou under the command of Zhang Yang, the governor of Shangdang.
There are 3,000 defenders.
Zhang Yang himself is currently in Xiangyuan.
There are more than 5,000 troops, but most of them are newly recruited strong men who have not undergone much training.
According to reliable information, Zhang Yang is still recruiting troops."
After listening to Wang Yue's report, Liu Cheng asked Wang Cangping: "Wang Cangping, you have been stationed in Huguan City for the past few days, have you seen any movement from the bandits?"
Wang Cangping clasped his fists and said: "The Han Siam bandit army in Yi clan sent scouts and horses every two days to spy on our army's military situation.
They also sent hundreds of cavalry to harass them.
I ignored them and just closed the city gate and let them go.
After insulting and provoking them, they realized they were bored and left.
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As for Hu Cai's bandit troops in Guyuan, there was no movement.
They may be worried about Zhang Yang's men."
Liu Cheng thought for a while and asked, "Has Mu Shun from Huguankou sent someone to contact you?"
Wang Cangping clasped his fists and said: "I sent someone to contact you, and I even hosted a banquet in my humble position.
I guess Zhang Yang should know the news that the general will arrive soon."
Liu Cheng nodded and told Wang Cangping: "Tomorrow morning, you personally take my arrows and go to Huguankou to see Mu Shun and ask him to come to see me quickly.
If he doesn't come tomorrow, he will be punished for treason."
Wang Cangping's heart trembled, and he clasped his fists and agreed: "Take the order":