"But make the dragon city fly general, do not teach the thief army to cross the Yellow River......" The name of the speaker is Fu Shanzi, the green master, philosophy, medicine, Neidan, Confucianism, Buddhism, poetry, calligraphy, painting, gold and stone, martial arts, examination and so on are all knowledgeable. It is a famous person in Taiyuan City, but at this moment, Fu Shan thought a few words in his heart, but he couldn't help but lament the city defense of Taiyuan.

It is now February of the 267th year of the Ming Dynasty, the weather is getting warmer, and the offensive of the peasant army is becoming more and more rapid. Quwo, the hometown of Li Jiantai, a cabinet scholar, was also captured, and the peasant army crossed the Yellow River and killed in several ways, and Taiyuan was in danger.

"Don't say that this Dragon City is a flying general, even if you can have a good general, you won't be in a panic in the city." Han Lin, who was beside Fu Shan, said: "Right now, we can only count on Taiyuan City, and it is not easy for thieves to attack." ”

Han Lin is also a celebrity in Shanxi, and he did not have any dealings with Fu Shan in the past. Fu Shan is a Taoist, and his knowledge is complex and proficient, and he can be called a learned and famous person. Han Lin is a Christian, who followed Xu Guangqi to learn the art of war, and what is even more rare is that he also followed Gao Zesheng to learn the art of artillery, which can be called a rare modern military talent in the late Ming Dynasty.

Since the peasant army occupied Shaanxi and established the country, the people of Shanxi have felt unusual. Cai Maode, the governor of Shanxi, frequently sought medical advice from the Shanxi gentry in current affairs, which made many exchanges between these two celebrities. After a long sigh, they all became friends.

The circumference of the Ming Taiyuan city wall is 24 li, with a total of 8 city gates, 8 city towers and 4 corner towers. The Taiyuan city wall is about 12 meters high, 6~10 meters wide at the top, and about 15 meters wide at the bottom. The eight city gates are called: Zhenyuan Gate (Great North Gate); arch gate (small north gate); Yichun Gate (Great East Gate); Yinghui Gate (Small East Gate); Yingze Gate (Great South Gate); Cheng'en Gate (New South Gate, Shouyi Gate); Zhenwu Gate (Shuixi Gate).

Because Taiyuan is located in the north, it is one of the border towns, the city wall is tall and majestic, easy to defend and difficult to attack. Cai Maode, the governor of Shanxi, saw that the thief army was strong, and the river defense was suffering from lack of money and food, so he put his mind on the Taiyuan city defense. Fortunately, the safety is close at hand, and this time Cai Maode finally raised some money and food to repair the city defense.

Among them, Han Lin contributed greatly, not only to help in the classical city defense, but also to introduce Western city building methods into it to enhance the ability of fire prevention artillery.

"The walls of the city are high, but it is a beautiful thing. If people's hearts are scattered...... If you want to defend this Taiyuan, it's difficult......" Fu Shan looked around the city wall behind him, and under the towering city tower, there were more than 100,000 houses in Taiyuan City. Inside, hundreds of thousands of people in Taiyuan live in peace. But the people here also have different minds. Shanxi Governor Cai Maode worked hard to hold on, but the officials behind him were full of ugliness, staring at Cai Maode's position uncontrollably. The powerful thinks about their own wealth. More consciously aggrieved, who have not been able to get ahead in the Ming court for a long time, even fantasize about being able to get a background in the new dynasty.

The gentry who received the grace of the Ming Dynasty for a hundred years stood on the sidelines, and even the largest type of landlord in the empire, the prince Jin Wang who was sealed in Taiyuan, was also a dime, Cai Maode begged several times, and saw that the peasant army was coming, so he took out three thousand taels of silver to raise the dead.

Three thousand taels, what can you do in front of the main force of the Shun army, which claims to be one million and at least one hundred thousand?

As for the official treasury, it has long been empty. I don't know if it was misappropriated by big officials or ...... This Ming is really poor.

"I don't know...... What kind of life is the so-called Dashun Army? Unexpectedly, this huge empire with a size of thousands of miles revealed such an unbearable face as soon as it touched it......" Han Lin looked at the west from afar, as if he could see the Shun army.

They were ordered by Cai Maode, the governor of Shanxi, to go to Zhending Mansion to find Li Jiantai for help, but as soon as they arrived, the two of them felt cold in their hearts. Because, Li Jiantai did not have many troops at all, and there were less than 2,000 soldiers and horses in total, and the only thing he could count on was the 1,000 men of the Qishan Department who escorted the military supplies to go together, but there were only 300 soldiers among them. What's more, since his hometown was captured by the thief army, Li Jiantai lost all motivation, and he decided to wait and see in Zhending Mansion and delayed his move.

Compared with Da Ming's internal pulling each other's hind legs, and the catastrophe was imminent, Han Lin couldn't help but be disheartened when he thought of it, but was curious about the ability of the other side.

……

On the 23rd day of the first month of Chongzhen 267, Dashun's army arrived in Pingyang, and the prefect Zhang Xuanran surrendered. The main force of Dashun occupied Binh Duong without blood. Li Zicheng took Pingyang as a base, raised grain and grass, appeased the officials and people, and set off to the north, and the peak of the army pointed directly at Taiyuan.

3 Lingshi County is the southern end of the Jinzhong Basin, known as "the main road of Qin and Jin, the thoroughfare of Sichuan and Shaanxi", 300 miles away from Taiyuan Mansion, north of Jiexiu City, south of Huozhou, east of Qinyuan, west of Jiaokou, filial piety, and also has the name of Yan Ji Yu, Qin Shu Jing. In other words, this is a key node to hold the north of Yanjing and Gyeonggi River.

At this time, on the official road of Lingshi County, the official road leading to Taiyuan took on a new look, and the carriage of Li Zicheng, the former king of Chuang and the current emperor of Dashun, walked smoothly on the avenue, and it was rare to tremble.

This is the result of the officers and men of the Forward Battalion. They conquered cities all the way, and everywhere they went, they either passed the word or broke through in a battle. The officials of the Ming Dynasty either hanged themselves in despair or opened the gates of the city to the cheers of the local civilians.

"Welcome the king, he the king, the king will not pay the grain when the king comes!"

"Eat his mother, wear his mother, come and meet the king together!"

"Roar! The gates are open! It's on! ”

…

The enthusiastic cheers came from a distance of one or two miles and could be heard clearly, making Li Zicheng smile.

He understands that Li Yan, the general of the forward battalion under his command, has achieved another victory.

At the gate of Lingshi County, Wei Xu stood at the door, looking at the cheering people, and at the white-haired old man who was surrounded and scolded by countless poor people, a trace of unbearability flashed in his eyes: "Huang County Ling has been in office for two years, and he has never done bad deeds, so he shouldn't be like this..."

But in an instant, when Wei Xu found the Shun army outside the city gate waving countless flags waving and crowded, this thought quickly went down again: "The number of Da Ming Qi has been exhausted, can those old and sour Confucians still stop the surging trend of Da Shun?" The big families in the county are all waiting and seeing, such a great opportunity, how can I, Wei Xu, let it go? ”

He turned around, looked at the sparsely numbered local gentry around him, and said, "Everyone, how the glory will be, it will start today!" ”

After saying that, Wei Xu strode out of the city, and outside the door, Li Yan looked at Wei Xu and the gentry who went out of the city to greet him, and laughed: "All the squires are well aware of the righteousness and resist tyranny. This credit, this will also tell my emperor one by one! ”

Wei Xu was overjoyed when he heard this, and led the gentry of the county to salute one after another.

Li Yan immediately laughed, and incorporated the poor people of Lingshi County into his command, and then trained them into a civilian camp to pave the way.

Wei Xu had already prepared, and the new soldiers of the Shun army paved the road with the equipment they had prepared long ago, and not long after, Li Zicheng's car arrived.

Wei Xu even kowtowed nine times and led the gentry and poor people to worship. Although the gentry were small, the number of the poor was large. Everyone shouted long live, and Li Zicheng smiled again and again.

Wei Xu saw that Li Zicheng was in a good mood, plucked up his courage, and said: "Shengshang, Wei Xu, the grass people, has a house, which has been carefully built by the master craftsmen of Jiangsu and Zhejiang for three years, and I am grateful to my emperor for saving the grass people from fire and water." Please make offerings and pay a meager tribute to the grass people. ”

When the rest of the gentry saw Wei Xu coming out, they all opened their mouths: "The grass people are also pleading to reward the army!" ”

"The grass people please..."

Li Zicheng looked at Niu Jinxing beside him and said with a smile: "Military, do you think this is the one who eats pot pulp to welcome the king in the history books?" ”

Niu Jinxing smiled: "The saint is really well-read and strong, it's really so." From the perspective of Weichen, the people's support cannot be disappointed. Why don't you take it from the saints! ”

Li Zicheng slowly bowed his head: "Okay." ”

After speaking, Li Zicheng led his troops into the city. After walking not far, Li Zicheng suddenly called out to Li Yan and said, "The county magistrate of Lingshi County will give Wei Xu a don't let down the people." ”

Li Yan responded with a smile, but soon thought of a question: "Holy Lord... The food of the last general's forward battalion... It's running out of options. ”

Li Yan said it one by one, and Li Zicheng saw it in his eyes and frowned.

Niu Jinxing was dissatisfied at the moment: "If you talk about the military, when will there be a shortage of forward battalions." Replenish the military quartermaster, this is the third time! ”

Li Yan's expression suddenly darkened, and he lowered his head.

Li Zicheng waved his hand, but: "Strategist, you can't say that." You're going to be the prime minister, too. Think more about what it was. The forward battalion took the lead all the way, and all states and counties have assessed it, what does it matter if there are a few big-bellied men for such a meritorious service? ”

Niu Jinxing lowered his head and muttered in a low voice: "This is twice as much grain and grass as used in other battalions." If only there was enough food and grass. But where is the grain and grass in the army...

"Ahem..."Li Zicheng coughed lightly.

Niu Jinxing suddenly turned around and said: "Old Chen, this is to replenish the military supplies for the forward battalion!" ”

Li Yan felt a little awkward in his heart. Hearing that it was finally resolved, he relaxed a little, and hurriedly but: "Thank you, Prime Minister, long live my emperor!" ”

After speaking, Li Yan hurriedly retreated.

Li Zicheng's mood was a little unhappy in vain, and it wasn't until he silently entered the house of the gentry of Lingshi County that his mood was a little more relaxed.

As soon as you enter the gate, you can feel that you have a lot of intentions, rockeries and waters, eaves and paintings, all of which are attentive. Even compared to the many palaces and gardens that Li Zicheng saw along the way.

What's more, although it seems that the martial arts have been great all the way to the siege before. But in fact, Li Zicheng was not very stable before he invaded Xi'an, and no matter how great the results he achieved, he was still driven and encircled by the official army.

Now it is very different, Li Zicheng established the Great Shun Kingdom, drove the expedition in person, and went north to attack the city and pull out the village is another experience.

At this time, the situation was reversed, the defense turned into an offensive, and after the initiative was gained, the sense of security was also greatly increased.

With such a psychological experience as a foundation, Li Zicheng's mood living in this house is completely different and much more comfortable.

"Food shortages are not always a solution, and... Along the way, you have to give money to set up government counties. The more turf. But there are few gains. It's just too far away from the summer tax right now... Everywhere in the prefecture and county is a group of bottomless holes of oil bottles! Li Zicheng muttered: "Right now, the matter of chasing stolen goods has to be picked up." ”

Otherwise, the military quartermasters and officials of the Great Shun Kingdom would not be able to send out.

Li Zicheng did not say this sentence.

Li Zicheng's territory expanded rapidly, and after breaking one state and county, he found that the treasury of the Ming Dynasty was all poor, and it was not as thick as the ordinary local tyrant's family background. But one by one, the officials and the snowballing Dashun army had to wait for Li Zicheng to feed.

At the same time, the Shun army also began to enter the city. There were many vacant defenses in the city, and many of the gentry returned to the countryside, and the city was like a no-man's land.

To the relief of many people, the Shun army did not disturb the people, as the rumors said.

The new county magistrate Wei Xu got the big seal from Li Yan's hand, he laughed and walked to the county office, along the way, the county's once proud government officials and clerks complimented one after another, and threw out all kinds of good words like money, and Wei Xu laughed again and again: "Haha, good." After this official takes office, he will not forget you! Come on, bring the official to office! ”

How can the county commander have a reason to take office alone, if he can't call forward and hug back, where is the prestige of this big lord?

It's just that when Wei Xu was surprised, the officials and clerks who were originally making a lot of noise to show their loyalty suddenly fell silent, looked at each other, and didn't speak.

The atmosphere suddenly became awkward.

Wei Xu grimaced, looking unhappy. This is a loss of face!

"No... It's not that subordinates make it difficult... It's really... Yes..."

"Hey, who, Li Yong, you go open the door..."

Li Yong pushed a younger official next to him and said, "You go..."

"Me?" The officer's face turned pale.

Wei Xu sensed that something was wrong, looked at the county office, and strode over. Behind him, a few family members rushed over and pushed open the door.

Inside the door, a gray-haired old man hung in the hall, his hair scattered, causing several family members to retreat one after another.

Wei Xu silently glanced at the court, turned his head, looked at several team leaders and said, "I sent a funeral to Lord Huang and called me in, and I will solve this matter before dusk today!" ”

A cadre of people only promised and responded.

In this matter, a man dressed in brocade clothes and with a three-point smile on his face strode away and said: "The expenses here, the villain will do his best." Please also take a step to speak..."

"Oh?" Wei Xu carefully looked at the person in front of him, and suddenly guessed something: "You are from Jiexiu..."

"The county is a good person...", the person who came smiled and did not deny it.

…

Li Zicheng relaxed in the new house and arranged the matter of recovering the stolen goods, and said to Liu Zongmin, who was in charge of the matter: "This matter." It is the first priority of my Dashun. We can't let those corrupt officials and corrupt officials get cheap and still be powerful in the new dynasty. If necessary, you can take it! ”

"Emperor, don't worry, old Liu will do things, properly!" Liu Zongmin's eyes rolled, and he responded with a smile, as if he had seen countless silver.

At this time, Wei Xu asked to see him, and Li Zicheng answered.

After a while, Wei Xu excitedly knocked on Li Zicheng and said, "Holy Lord, the Fan family in the north has come to ask to see you!" (To be continued.) )