On the twenty-third day of the lunar month, the sacrificial stove.

"According to the ancient legend, on the twenty-fourth day of the lunar month, the stove king wants to say something. The cloud car wind horse is small and stays, and the cups and plates at home are abundant. The pig's head is cooked and the fish is fresh, and the bean paste is sweet pine powder bait. The man sacrificed his daughter to avoid, and drank and burned the money stove Junxi. The servant fights against Jun Mo Wen, the cat and dog touch the filthy Jun Mo Anger, send the king drunk and full to the gate of heaven, the spoon is long and the spoon is short, and the begging is to return to the city. This is the Southern Song Dynasty Fan Chengda's sacrificial stove words, depicting various scenes during the festival stove solar term.

Judging from the offerings of the sacrificial stove, the level of reverence for this stove god who can make small reports has been decreasing. Earlier, he also used yellow sheep, porpoise wine and other livestock to worship prudently, but later he simply drunk him with wine. Since the Song Dynasty, the god of the stove has become the object of jokes. The Song people used a kind of stove sugar called "glue tooth cake" in the sacrificial stove, which was not intended to make the god of the stove say sweet words after going to heaven. Some people also say that it is to make the teeth of the god of the stove stick to the sugar and be speechless.

The sacrificial stove pays attention to the so-called official three people four, and the official eunuchs are carried out on the twenty-third day of the lunar month, while the ordinary people can only send the stove prince to heaven on the twenty-fourth day of the lunar month. Moreover, for the poor, from the twenty-third day of the lunar month, it has officially entered the New Year's Pass. According to the rules that China has cultivated for many years, merchants pay attention to the settlement at the end of the year. At the end of the year, the merchant has to settle the accounts for the whole year. Therefore, it is also a time when debt collectors and debt collectors are on the way. However, debt collection can only be done until Chinese New Year's Eve at most. After the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner, even if the debt has not been received, when the host and guest meet, they have to bow their hands and congratulate each other. Therefore, there is a saying in the north: "Deadly Kanto sugar, life-saving dumplings" (eating dumplings on Chinese New Year's Eve), which describes this situation.

However, for the rich and powerful, this day is also the beginning of the New Year. The Governor of the Five Armies, the Zuo Governor, Luo Mingzu, who handled the Beijing camp drill and the new military, and Tan Chery, were in the warm pavilion of Luofu. The daffodils are blooming just right, the charcoal fire is blazing, and through the whole glass, you can clearly see the heavy snow falling outside. set up a sumptuous table of resignation wine, ready to take advantage of this opportunity to invite people to dinner.

can make these two celebrities in the officialdom of the capital look at them eye-catching. And the guests who come to the house are naturally not ordinary people. A white-faced and beardless man on the seat, although he was dressed in a sea dragon fur and dressed in casual clothes, but from his complexion, demeanor, voice, and the faint smell of urine, he wordlessly proved that this person was a eunuch.

Not bad! This is none other than Wu Liangfu, a popular eunuch in the palace. However, he was not an invited guest, but half host and half accompaniment. Sitting in the guest seat was a person with a Shaanxi accent.

This person's name is Luo Ruxuan. He is a brother in the Luo Rucai clan. has been following Wang Lung to do things. Speaking of Wang Lung's elders, however, although the seniority is high, the ability to fight is mediocre. But there is also a strength, that is, good looks, convenient speech, knowing how to eat, drink, prostitute and gamble, and being good at seeing people and talking about people. It is most suitable for running and delivering messages. Speaking of which, he is also the same character as the prodigal son Yanqing.

This Luo Ruxuan is also an old acquaintance with Luo and Tan in Shandong. It is also a friendship that has drunk together, prostituted together, fought together, and shared spoils together. Therefore, Wang Lung sent him to the capital at this time to deliver a letter to the two generals of the Beijing camp and keep them safe.

"Gonggong Wu, this is our old brother in Shandong, and now the right-hand man under the account of Prince Li, Luo Ruxuan and Brother Luo!"

Luo Mingzu and Tan Chery affectionately took Luo Ruxuan's left and right hands, and introduced his good brother to Wu Liangfu.

"It turned out to be Gonggong Wu! Mark this time to go to Beijing to do business. The eldest prince mentioned it many times, and asked the standard to ask Gonggong Wu for more advice if he had the good fortune to see Gonggong Wu. "In the end, it is Luo Rucai and Wang Long's people who specialize in this kind of work, and when it comes to polite words that don't require money, it is really a set. Nonsense comes when you open your mouth, and you don't blink your eyes.

Wu Liangfu also said a few polite words, and asked the eldest prince how he was in good health, how is Grandpa Guo now, and so on. "Although our family is eggless, but Grandpa Guo has never regarded our family as an outsider, and he has never regarded these poor people in our family as wasters, tens of thousands of husbands up and down in and out of the palace in this palace, speaking of Grandpa Guo's kindness, isn't that person all tearful?!" Although Wu Liangfu is also a person who has been talking nonsense for many years, this time it is from the bottom of his heart.

Li Shouhan and his son, for these eunuchs, they have never been like those righteous gentlemen, who were flattering back then, and they couldn't wait to kneel down and lick the soles of their boots, and then turn around and scold and criticize them. But there is something to scold in person, but after scolding, it is the general treatment of his own subordinates, although there has never been any undressing and pushing food, but it is to make every eunuch who has dealt with the Li family and the Nanyue army have a warm forehead in their hearts, and they are very comfortable.

What's more, Li Shouhan and Li Huayu's father and son are like fortune boys, constantly creating ways to make a fortune for these poor people who have a perverted pursuit of gold and silver goods.

Wu Liangfu had already learned about this Luo Ruxuan's details from Luo and Tan, but it didn't matter, in this situation, one more friend was always better than one more enemy.

Soon after the fire merged with Luo Rucai, Li Zicheng suddenly concentrated all his forces and rode westward, conquered Tongguan in one fell swoop, and broke into the 800-mile Qinchuan. In the military report I got yesterday, if there were no figures similar to Zhou Yu, Yu Yunwen, Zhang Xun and the like, there should be no doubt that Li Zicheng would celebrate the New Year in Xi'an. At present, the Yellow River between Shaanxi and Shanxi is a boundary river, and the barriers on both sides of the river are strict and distinct.

In the face of the tremendous pressure surging silently from the northeast and west, the civil and military ministers of the court and the noble eunuchs have found a way back and backers for themselves in private.

In the past, Liang Guogong's father and son were all scolded by a group of adults, gentlemen, upright gentlemen, and gentlemen, and quietly replaced those words such as "****, silverfish, chaotic ministers and thieves" with "the pillar of the country, the dry city of the country".

It is precisely because of this that Luo Mingzu and Tan Chery, two generals who hold tens of thousands of new troops in Beijing, are also rising in the officialdom of the capital.

"Brother Luo, is the eldest prince having a hard time in Shandong?"

After the four guests and hosts sat down politely, after three rounds of wine, they couldn't wait to ask each other.

"Naturally, the days are busy! However, there is also a benefit, and that is to make the law follow! The whole of Shandong is under our gun. Even the Confucian and Meng families dare not listen to the orders of the eldest prince! ”

After drinking a few glasses of wine, Luo Ruxuan's conversation box gradually opened. He proudly described the scene of the unimpeded government decree in Shandong.

"Besides, I offended the eldest prince, and the eldest prince gave an order. All the shops are not allowed to buy their cotton, they are not allowed to sell grain to them, and those big families can only cry with their heads in their arms when they guard a pile of cotton! "Cotton plantations of varying sizes have begun to emerge across Shandong, and landlords have abandoned growing food crops in favor of cotton, a plant that can be exchanged for a lot of money.

From August 15 onwards every year, a large number of ships anchor at various coastal ports, ready to ship the harvested cotton south to Shanghai, Guangzhou, or further south to spin and weave. It was cotton that was transported south. It is the population, and what is transported north is grain, oil and salt. Grain for cotton and population is a very mature trading industry chain.

With the strategic adjustment of the Nanyue Army, more and more ships went north, and in addition to carrying grain, oil, salt, and cloth, a large number of military supplies, gunpowder, and artillery shells were greatly increased. Projectiles, medicines. Life-saving bags, military uniforms, shoes and socks, meat porcelain jars, all kinds of pickled and air-dried meat, etc. It's all eye-catching goodies.

However, there are also some more eye-catching and heart-warming goods.

With the gradual recovery of the metallurgical processing industry in Foshan and other places, the Nanyue Army began to relocate some processing enterprises in Hejing to the north in a planned and step-by-step manner, and settled down in Foshan and other places for production. Some of the staff went north with the equipment, and some of the equipment and some technicians went north, and the skilled workers stayed in Ha Tinh for the upgrading of the new factory.

These factories, which were transported by large ships to Foshan and Shanghai, are more exciting than the grain and cloth transported by boats in the eyes of those who care!

"Brother. How does the eldest prince plan to settle the Wang Lung brothers and you? Luo Mingzu filled Luo Ruxuan with a glass of wine, and because of the same surname, he called Luo Ruxuan a brother very affectionately.

"The eldest son, there is nothing to say!" Luo Ruxuan first praised Li Huayu without words, and then had a toast with Luo Mingzu, Wu Liangfu and others, and then talked proudly about the situation after returning to Shun.

According to Wang Lung's own thoughts, the soldiers and horses took a little rest to recover their strength and morale, and asked Li Huayu to replenish some food, grass and ammunition for him, and he immediately counterattacked back, "Let's give Li Blind some color and see!" To take back the territory of these prefectures in Henan is our vote! ”

However, he and Yang Chengzu and others, who were eager to try, were stopped by Li Huayu. "You go back to Caozhou Mansion to rest, and I will allocate 3,000 Tuntian soldiers to you to supplement the personnel and horses. You don't have to worry about the rest. ”

Being able to have 3,000 Tuntian soldiers replenished to the battalion was a good thing that Wang Lung and the others had never imagined in their dreams. The benefits of these tuntian soldiers have long been widely spread. Wu Sangui of Liaodong relied on the Tuntian soldiers and his descendants allocated to him by Li Shouhan to have that confidence, wantonly annexed miscellaneous cards, incorporated the team, and turned the Guanning army, which had a complicated battalion and many officials, into a situation where the Wu family was uniform.

These peasants, who receive military pay and enjoy food according to the standards of the Nanyue Army during military training, work in the fields on weekdays, are responsible for maintaining local law and order, and also protect their own homes and fields. Once you receive an order, it's time to put down your hoe and pick up your knife and gun. From this point of view, it is quite like the guards, but the guards, according to Zhu Yuanzhang's words, "raising millions of soldiers does not cost the people a penny", they have no military salary, not only do they not have military salaries, but they also have to hand over part of the income from Tuntian to the imperial court. This is probably one of the reasons why the health center system is gradually abandoned.

Li Huayu has such good intentions, if Wang Long, Sun, Yang and others go to Caozhou Mansion to see peonies, drink mutton soup, and eat beef to rest, they really don't know what to do.

The front foot sent away Wang Long and the remnants of Luo Rucai, and the back foot Li Huayu met with the messenger sent by Luo Hu on behalf of Li Zicheng!

"General Luo Hu is also very helpless, and he is also very sad about this misunderstanding." The envoy who broke into the camp was also a typical diplomat, and all kinds of hollow gnocchi were brought out one by one.

You have a spear, I have a shield. As for the behavior of the diplomatic envoy sent by Li Zicheng to find out the bottom and plan to take away the things that cannot be obtained on the battlefield from the diplomatic occasion with rhetoric, is it in the eyes of Li Huayu, who has used books such as "Guanzi" and "Warring States Policy" since he was a child and did not teach the way of loyalty, filial piety, benevolence and righteousness? He had already prepared a good negotiation partner for Li Zicheng who was familiar with the inside of the camp. Chen Guoxi.

"For the incident that happened between your army and our department on the ground of Guide, your army must make an explanation to our department! Otherwise, our troops will have to consider continuing to deal with your army until you are willing to make compensation. ”

One up. Chen Guoxi, who was smiling, showed his attitude. Either apologize and apologize. Pour tea and admit your mistake. Or, let's fight until you are willing to apologize.

This time, I originally planned to spend some silver and get some people. Obey a soft attitude and let this matter pass with rhetoric, it is best to let the young marshal of the Nanyue Army hand over several leaders and backbones of the Luo family to break into the camp and be immediately discouraged. The Nanyue Army can afford to fight and consume it, but it can't afford to break into the camp. Once this eldest prince Li loses his temper and fights all the way west from eastern Henan, at that time, I am afraid that the pit dug for Sun Deaf not long ago will be used on the head of the camp. How many lives can be lost in the camp to fill the thousands of ravines in western Henan?

What's more, there are also sailors who are heading west along the river. At that time, everyone's hard work in the past few years will be in vain. Can you go back to Shangluo Mountain and hide? Moreover, a large part of the military salaries, materials, grain and grass that broke into the camp now relied on trade with Shandong. Tian Jianxiu, who was in charge of civil affairs and reclamation affairs in eastern Henan, was instructed not to break down the negotiations with Shandong, otherwise, it would be difficult to raise grain for the next year's march into Shaanxi, and there would be no place to sell the cotton obtained from the pass. Everyone is still happy with chickens and eggs.

As the commander-in-chief, Li Zicheng. Naturally, she will not be as indecisive as Tian Jianxiu, who is in charge of civil affairs in Tunken, (to digress.) The reason why the Liaodong rebels were able to quickly seize Shaanxi and pursue Li Zicheng all the way to Huguang was that Tian Jianxiu's kindness was definitely an important factor. At the beginning of 1645, when Li Zicheng decided to abandon Xi'an, he ordered General Quan and Zehou Tian to see the palace, and asked him to burn down all the grain and other stockpiles and official houses that could not be taken away. so as not to make enemies. Tian Jianxiu did not carry out Li Zicheng's instructions on the grounds that "the Qin people are hungry and leave this rice to live", and only set fire to the East Gate Tower and the Nanyue City Tower, and rushed to tell Li Zicheng that he had obeyed the order. Li Zicheng looked at the smoke and flames from afar. Be credible. As a result, Tian Jianxiu's villainous benevolence enabled the Qing army to get a large amount of supplies in Xi'an, and the soldiers were full of horses and Teng, and they soon caught up. The Dashun army did not get enough time to rest and recuperate during the transfer process, and Tian Jianxiu could not escape the blame. He was worried about military issues, because he had just forcibly united the two major factions of the peasant army, Luo Rucai's Cao Battalion and Ge Zuo's 4th Battalion, by force. If you can't quickly divert attention with a big victory, then internal contradictions will immediately accumulate and spread. However, if Li Huayu launched an attack in the back and smashed him with a stick when he was preparing to attack Tongguan in a big way, what was waiting for him would inevitably be internal disintegration.

"As long as the Nanyue Army does not attack Tongguan and take Shaanxi, it will be easy to say anything!" This was the conclusion that Li Zicheng came to when Lu Shi was teaching the envoy face-to-face, frowning at the map hanging on the wall.

On the map, his back was exposed under the muzzle of Li Huayu's Shandong soldiers and horses, and with the combat effectiveness of Luo Hu and Liu Fangliang, he still suffered a defeat, how could those local armies be opponents? What's more, there are many officials in the Cao Ying system? On the flanks, the newly arrived Xiangyang, De'an, Jingzhou, and Chengtian were exposed to the guns of the Nanyue Army's naval divisions, and if the gunboats stationed in the big battalion of the Xiaogushan Water Division went up the river and pointed to the large and small cities on the north bank, Li Zicheng didn't even think about being able to keep these places!

However, the envoy was able to be sent by Li Zicheng to negotiate with Li Huayu to resolve the friction incident of Guide, and naturally he was also at the level of a personal master. Even when facing the hole cards proposed by Chen Guoxi, he also showed his attitude of breaking into the camp.

"Then, after the agreement between your and our armies has been reached, the trade activities between your army and our army must continue without interference or influence. In the event of a military operation of our army, your army must not act against the rear and flanks of our army! ”

This is equivalent to a bargain in a business negotiation, and if I agree to your terms, you must agree to my terms.

Everyone's handicap has been opened, the Nanyue Army is asking for an apology, and the Peasant Army is demanding that the Nanyue Army ensure the safety of its rear and flanks, and at the same time continue to carry out commercial activities. It may seem like a far cry, but it has a great point of relevance.

The big tone is set, and then all sorts of technical bargaining begins!

"Wang Lung and Luo Rucai's family members broke into the camp and no longer pursued them. The captured members of the Luo family were all handed over to Shandong. ”

"Guide Mansion and Chenzhou Mansion handed over Shandong soldiers and horses, and Shandong soldiers and horses advanced to the front line of Qi County, Sui County, to protect the Yellow River waterway and ensure smooth business and trade between the two sides. Kaifeng Mansion serves as a buffer place for both sides, and their respective personnel come and go at will. ”

This is the truth of Li Huayu's troops recovering Chenzhou Mansion and Guide Mansion, and advancing to Kaifeng Mansion with soldiers and horses. With this guarantee, Li Zicheng was relieved to boldly raise troops and horses to attack Tongguan! (To be continued.) )

PS: Continue to ask for a monthly pass and ask for a subscription! Happy Women's Day to all mothers, wives, girlfriends, and sisters!