From Geng Quan's sending troops to support Liu Xiu when he was in danger, to Geng Yi following Liu Xiu's eastern expedition to the west to fight for his military achievements, to Geng Yi's brothers and nephews also serving in the army, the Geng family was known as a family with rich generals. Among these generals, there is a character who is known as the protagonist of the war blockbuster, Geng Gong.
In 74 AD, the Eastern Han Dynasty re-established the Western Regions Capital Protector, and Geng Gong and Guan Yu were stationed at Jinpu City and Liuzhong City respectively to prevent the Xiongnu from invading the Northern Western Regions. Each of the two cities was guarded by only a few hundred soldiers. Probably the Xiongnu saw that the Han army had few defenders, and 20,000 Xiongnu soldiers surrounded Jinpu City, and they wanted to occupy the fortress with troops in order to facilitate the plundering and attack of the Eastern Han Dynasty.
Hundreds of men dealt with twenty thousand Xiongnu soldiers, and Geng Gong did not have the slightest timidity, and he shot the Hun soldiers with poisoned arrows. At night, he took advantage of the storm to rob the camp. The Xiongnu leaders were frightened by the position of the Han army, and they repeatedly lamented, "The Han warrior god, it is really terrible!" ”
The Huns were defeated, but Geng Gong knew that the Huns would have to return sooner or later, and he took his troops to shule City. It is surrounded by mountains and rivers, and the terrain is dangerous, which can be held for a long time.
Sure enough, the Huns came again. The siege began, and the Xiongnu had an absolute advantage in numbers, but they suffered countless casualties and still could not be captured. They began to think of other ways to cut off the water source in the city from outside the city. This trick is very vicious. The defenders began to run short of water, and at one point "drank the dung juice of the horse". Geng Gong ordered a well to be drilled in the city to get water. However, after fifteen zhang, there was still no water. Pray and pray. At this time, a miracle appeared, "The fountain rushed out, and everyone said long live." "It's almost as if there is divine help." Geng Gong sent soldiers to stand at the head of the city and splash water on the Xiongnu to show that the Huns, the Han army is the divine army, the Xiongnu soldiers, play.
The siege and defense of the city lasted for several months, the Cheshi state that had originally defected to the Han rebelled, and together with the Xiongnu against the Han army, the grain in the city was long gone, and the soldiers boiled and ate the strings made of animal tendons on the bows and crossbows and the leather on the armor, but the people who died of hunger were still one after another. Despite this, the Han army led by Geng Gong still held the fortress, and the banner of the Han army still flew high above the city. While holding out, Geng Gong sent his subordinate Fan Qiang to Dunhuang for help.
The Xiongnu could not attack the city and began to recruit Geng Gong, promising to crown the king and send beautiful women. Geng Gong flatly refused.
In the winter of 75 AD, the three counties of Zhangye, Jiuquan, Dunhuang, and the army of Shanshan, totaling 7,000 people, began to rescue Geng Gong. Fan Qiang is also among them. In the first month of 76 AD, reinforcements successfully rescued Liuzhong Castle. Liuzhong City was still hundreds of miles away from Geng Gong's troops, separated by the Tianshan Mountains. Most of the generals believed that the cost of rescue was too great during the snowy season, and they all felt that Geng Gong and his army might have been completely destroyed. But Fan Qiang insisted on rescue.
In this way, Fan Qiang and 2,000 soldiers crossed the Tianshan Mountains and met Geng Gong in the victory of Shule City. The moment they met, they all cried. At this time, only 26 of the defenders in Shule City could set foot on their way home. Fighting and retreating against the Xiongnu soldiers, the heavy snow in the Tianshan Mountains was also a heavy risk, and in the retreat, people kept falling. In March, they entered the Jade Gate Pass, and only 13 of the 26 people remained, each of whom described it as withered.
Zhonglang, who was stationed at Yumen Pass, was touched by Zheng Zhong's return to see the return of the 13 warriors, personally bathed and changed their clothes, and asked the emperor to pay tribute to the 13 warriors. This was a great victory and truly demonstrated the courage of the Han army.