Leaving the naval warships that could not enter the inland river cruising off the coast of Quanzhou, Zheng Zhilong left Quanzhou with an army of 50,000 and marched towards Nan'an.

According to the report, the total strength of the Ainengqi rebels is more than 30,000, and there are 10,000 troops of Zheng Hongkui and Zheng Cai in Nan'an City, plus his own 50,000 people, the strength is twice that of the rebels, even if the rebels cannot be annihilated, it is still not a problem to hold Nan'an.

Yes, after a year of successive defeats, Zheng Zhilong's army was demoralized, and even in the face of rebels who were far fewer than him, he was not sure of victory.

In fact, in another time and space, in the face of the Qing army coming from the mountains in Zhejiang, Zheng Zhilong, who had more than 100,000 troops, did not dare to resist at all, and how many troops were there at that time? Coach Bolo only has three or four thousand eight banners in his hands, plus tens of thousands of green battalion soldiers who have just surrendered.

It is said that the Zheng family has a huge strength in Fujian, but it is just a powerful naval army. Relying on the large number of ships to crisscross the southeast coast, but the ability to fight on foot is no different from that of other Ming troops. Zheng Zhilong, who was born as a pirate, did not have any ambitions, only wanted to protect his interests at sea, and did not attach importance to the army at all.

In fact, not only Zheng Zhilong, but also Zheng Chenggong, who later became the national surname, also had poor land combat ability, and in the battles with the Qing army for more than ten years, he always relied on the fleet and navy to fight everywhere, and he couldn't even beat a stable territory. The attack on Nanjing along the Yangtze River was Zheng Chenggong's most glorious time, but when his ally Zhang Huangyan led the Zhoushan army to attack the city and plunder the vast territory of more than ten prefectures, Zheng Chenggong could not even capture Nanjing, resulting in the last chance for Nanming to reverse was ruined.

It's a bit too much, and I'll get back to business. Zheng Zhilong led an army of 50,000 towards Nan'an, and it took three days to reach Nan'an. When he arrived, he was shocked to see that the rebels had surrounded the county seat of Nan'an.

A rebel army of 10,000 people lined up in the east of Nan'an, blocking the way for the army to enter Nan'an.

"Big brother, let me take the lead!" Zheng Zhibao asked.

Zheng Zhilong looked in the direction of Nan'an, with a suspicious look in his eyes: "Third brother, did you find that something is wrong?" ”

"What's wrong?" Zheng Zhibao asked.

Zheng Zhilong said: "Since your second brother went to Nan'an to take over Zheng Cai's command of the army, it has been three days until today, right?" Why didn't you even send us a letter? ”

"This ......." Zheng Zhibao also sensed that something was wrong when he heard this, "Could it be ......?"

Zheng Zhilong: "No, no matter what, your second brother should also report the situation in Nan'an to me, even if the rebels come suddenly, they won't even have a chance to deliver the letter." Unless, unless Nan'an has fallen......."

"How is that possible?" Zheng Zhibao was dumbfounded, "There are 10,000 of our brothers in Nan'an City, how can they be captured by the rebels silently?" ”

"That's why I'm surprised, it doesn't make sense." Zheng Zhilong sighed, feeling that his brain was not enough.

As the emperor of Quanzhou for more than ten years, the rebels silently defeated Nan'an to eliminate the 10,000 army led by his brother without knowing anything, Zheng Zhilong could not accept it no matter what.

However, out of prudence, Zheng Zhilong ordered the whole army to set up a large camp twenty miles away from Nan'an to confront the Ming army opposite, and at the same time sent sentry detectives to Nan'an along the land and water routes to get in touch with Zheng Hongkui.

However, before the sentinel returned, a shopkeeper of the Zheng family's firm in Xianyou County sent someone to the front of the army, bringing news that shocked Zheng Zhilong.

"It turns out that Zheng Cai has been defeated a long time ago, and it is not Zheng Cai's subordinates in Nan'an City at all, but the rebels are made up of makeup!" Zheng Zhilong gritted his teeth and said.

"What's going on?" Zheng Zhibao took the letter and looked at it, the shopkeeper reported that a few days ago, a rout army fled over the mountains and mountains to the territory of Xianyou, and reported the news that Zheng Cai's troops were defeated by the rebels at the foot of Gaogai Mountain.

After the shopkeeper found out the news, he did not dare to slack off, and immediately sent someone to Quanzhou to deliver the letter. However, due to the delay of the rout army over the mountain, coupled with the rapid advance of the rebels, the news has not reached Quanzhou until now.

"Damn rebels, damn Enench!" Thinking that he asked Zheng Hongkui to go to Nan'an to take over the army for unknown reasons, and sent his own brother to the tiger's mouth, Zheng Zhilong's heart was like a knife.

"Big brother, we must be saved to save the second brother!" Zheng Zhibao shouted.

Zheng Cai is just a side branch of the Zheng family, but Zheng Hongkui is the brother of Zheng Zhilong and Zheng Zhibao.

"Save? How to save? Zheng Zhilong asked sharply. Since he has fallen into the hands of the enemy, it is impossible to rescue him, unless the rebels can be defeated, but Zheng Hongkui's life may not be there at that time.

"Negotiate, spend money to ransom people! Big brother, you have to rescue the second brother no matter what. Zheng Zhibao pleaded.

"We're not here to live at home, we're going to fight the rebels to the death! What kind of money to ransom people, do you think we are still pirates? Zheng Zhilong reprimanded sharply.

Two lines of tears flowed from Zheng Zhibao's eyes, and he shook his head desperately, "Big brother, we are brothers, are you just watching the second brother die?" What kind of life-and-death battle, even if the rebels are won? Now that most of Fujian has fallen, and the strength of the rebels has increased like a snowball, how can our Zheng family be the opponent of the rebels?

Big brother, let's negotiate, as long as you can save the life of the second brother, as long as you can save our Zheng family, no matter what. “

Zheng Zhilong was stunned for a moment, his eyes flashed, and he was a little tempted.

What Zheng Zhibao said is not unreasonable, Zheng Zhilong naturally knows the combat strength of the rebels, he has not had the upper hand in the battle with the rebels in the past year, if it were not for the imperial court to send Wang Yin to supervise the division, if it were not for the army of several neighboring provinces to enter Fujian to encircle and suppress, maybe the entire Fujian would be occupied by Ai Nengqi. Now that Ai Nengqi has surrendered and rebelled, Zheng Zhilong is not sure to deal with the rebels on his own.

Perhaps, negotiations are a good way out.

"If the court knows about the private negotiations, I'm afraid it will be detrimental to our Zheng family?" Zheng Zhilong hesitated.

"Big brother, it's all this time, what kind of court do you care, the imperial army's troops have withdrawn from Fujian, it is our Zheng family who resists the rebels alone, if you don't negotiate, can you hold the imperial army back?" Zheng Zhibao shouted.

"Okay," Zheng Zhilong sighed, "Negotiate with the rebels, but this matter must be kept secret, and in any case, it can't be known to Lin Chongshan, the prefect of Quanzhou." ”

"Big brother, don't worry, let's find an old brother of ours to explore the rebels, and we will definitely be unaware!" Seeing that Zheng Zhilong finally agreed, Zheng Zhibao said happily.

"Who should I send to get in touch with the rebels?" Zheng Zhilong hesitated.

"What do you think of the blessing?" Zheng Zhibao proposed.

Zheng Zhilong nodded: "Okay, it's him!" ”