As early as when Li Zicheng, Ge, and the Fifth Battalion of the Left attacked Luoshan, Ding Qirui and others gathered in Xiangyang, Suizhou, Yingshan and other places, and watched Sun Yingyuan die alone without help. Pen % fun % Pavilion www.biquge.info

After all, Ding Qirui shouldered the heavy responsibility entrusted by the imperial court, and asked the Ming army to take the initiative to attack to relieve the siege of Sun Yingyuan, but Zuo Liangyu, the strongest general soldier, advocated holding on and not going to war. ”

He said so, and other Ming army generals were reluctant to fight, lest they be surrounded and sent to help, until Sun Yingyuan died in battle, and the thieves and other leading troops went north, and they were collectively relieved.

Li Zicheng and other coalition troops went all the way north, capturing Runing Fuzhou County along the way, and also tried to attack the capital city of Ruyang, but they didn't capture it, so they led the army to retreat, Ding Qirui and other armies watched the same and were helpless.

Repeated confirmation confirmed that the armies of Li Chuang, Ge, and Zuo 5th Battalion left Runing Mansion with the intention of forcing Kaifeng, and under the strict order of the Holy Decree, Ding Qirui and others hurriedly went north from Xiangyang, through Nanyang Mansion and other places, to Kaifeng Mansion.

However, depending on the distance, they will not be able to reach the outside of Kaifeng until at least mid-June.

……

When the Baoding army arrived on the north bank of the Yellow River, Cao Bianjiao and Wang Tingchen were training their soldiers and horses.

After the two returned from Henan Mansion, the station was a place not far from Chenliu County in the southeast of Kaifeng City, on the edge of Suishui.

These places are all plains, originally a dense place attached to the Guo town, but after the wanderers swept back and forth, one town after another, all of them became ruins, piles of rubble, barren grass, and occasionally some people wandered in it, like a ghost town.

However, after the two earls set up camp here, because they severely cracked down on bandits and exterminated some small groups of bandits and bandits in the surrounding area, they also began to gather around the camp in nests. or those who buy and sell, or those who grow vegetables, or those who take advantage of the opportunity to grow some grain. It's a lot more lively than ever.

Although they imitated the Jingbian Army, Cao Bianjiao and Wang Tingchen tried their best to enforce strict discipline and try not to worry about the people, but gathered near the barracks. Many people are somewhat worried in their hearts, after all, the reputation of officers and soldiers is too bad.

Just no matter how bad the order. It is better than having no order, and if they do not dwell in a great city, or if they are not able to defend themselves, there are now many poles and bandits in the land, and they will swallow them up to the bones.

These goods are "robbing the rich and helping the poor", "doing the right thing for heaven", and "eliminating violence and peace". Not only did they burn and rob large households, but they also did not let go of the poor people, not to mention the chickens, ducks, cattle and sheep, and the only remaining grains were snatched up.

The little ladies in each household have robbed and spoiled them. Those who dare to resist will be killed immediately, and those who do not resist will be killed inexplicably, plus they snatch and tear each other apart, and they want to cultivate and live in peace, but it is just in vain.

Because the thieves swept back and forth, the weaker the power of the government, many places in Henan have entered early, and many protagonists of novels like the era of the jungle, the law of jungle darkness, and the prevalence of anarchism.

It's just that the reason why people are not beasts is that there is order and has a certain moral bottom line, if you really talk about the law of the jungle, it is often the end of the dynasty, the life of the people is the most miserable, and the era of Ding Kou is not a good experience.

Seeing that the army of the two counts is different, the people around the nest even suggested that they charge some fees, so that they are protected by the army, and can effectively avoid the harassment of the blockade, the soldiers, the soldiers, and the green-skinned villains.

Inside the camp.

"Shoot!"

Several rows of bird soldiers pulled the board machine, the crackling sound was endless, the fire and smoke were loud, and the sawdust in front of the target flew sideways.

"Good!"

Wang Tingchen applauded loudly, asked his subordinates to bring targets, looked at the big holes broken on them, and laughed: "The Hades are the Hades guns, how can there be life if this hits people?" ”

Cao Bianjiao nodded: "Donglu Bird Gun, it is indeed sharp, but Brother Wang, will it consume too much sub-medicine if you train like this?" You must know that we do not produce it, and this child is used for medicinal purposes. Although there are guns in the place, not to mention the small power, the sub-medicine guns are often not in style, so it is necessary to save a little. ”

Wang Tingchen said: "It doesn't matter, there are more bird guns and sub-medicines in the library...... Moreover, when we fought against Yongning Hou Liaodong, didn't he say it? The most important thing is to train on weekdays, and if you train well, you will be sharp when you fight. He also said that when he participated in the war, his bird-fired soldiers, every time they fired two or three shots, a battle would be over. ”

Wang Tingchen said: "Of course, you can't sit and eat empty, but fortunately, you and I have a good supply of food and salary, and we have recently suppressed bandits and also obtained some money and food." I heard that the Sanjin Commercial Bank, in Pingyang Mansion, Lu'an Mansion, Shanxi, has set up several places called "offices", specializing in selling guns and medicines, not far from this place, hurry up, and then buy some medicines back. ”

Wang Dou's experience is now widely spread, and the process of suppressing bandits when he first made a fortune has also been concerned by many well-intentioned people, so Cao Bianjiao and Wang Tingchen are fine, and they also send troops and horses to suppress bandits everywhere.

Don't underestimate those bandit villages, now all over Henan, people who can form a village, either a strong gentry, or a bandit, often have hundreds of hectares of land, as well as many cattle and sheep, Li Zicheng was in Shangluo Mountain, is to survive by attacking the village, often break through a village, can let the army eat and drink for a long time.

When officers and soldiers passed by, they often "borrowed grain" from various large and small villages.

Wang Tingchen said this, Cao Bianjiao was somewhat relieved, and now in the two-person army, the bird soldiers are the decisive combat power, so the dependence on the power of the power is also increasing.

"Shoot!"

Another wave of birds spewed out puffs of smoke and fire in front of them.

The two of them were patrolling the camp, and at this time in the camp, the horns were continuous, the sound of killing shook the sky, the officers and soldiers were training, and the rising glow was reflected on everyone, shining.

These officers and men looked fierce, but obviously, their number was a little smaller than when they first went south, and it was not easy to replenish the number of people who were trained according to the Jingbian Army.

Moreover, the military of the two people generally only practice for a while in the morning, first, the weather is hot, and second, they have to practice for a long time, which is a severe test for the food in the army, and there is no or less supply of meat, which is obviously impossible.

In particular, pikemen and sword and shield soldiers, which consume a lot of physical strength.

Only the Bird Gun Soldier only needs to have sub-medicine and training time, but it can last longer than other troops.

I was watching. Suddenly, a sentinel came to report that Yang Wenyue, the governor of Baoding, led the general soldier Hu Dawei and others. Came across the Yellow River.

Wang Tingchen laughed: "Hu Shuai is also here, and he must go to greet him." ”

……

On the second day, I heard that an envoy from the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of War came from Lu'an Mansion. Accompanying the escort of a large number of East Road fine bird guns and sub-medicines, they took the road of Shanxi, but from this side. More secure.

Accompanying them, there was also a team called the "Xuanfu Town Military Observation Group", which was composed of some Jingbian military praise paintings, scribes, suppressants, military attachés, etc., and a group of Jingbian military birds and soldiers accompanied the guard. One of the leading figures is Wen Shiyan, who has the rank of Captain of the Left Colonel, but he came to observe the war in Henan.

Taking other people's hands is short, eating other people's mouths is soft, Wang Dou sent 10,000 bird guns to the military department. A lot of gunpowder, for his strange request, the court can only pinch its nose and admit it.

However, they also demanded that the regiment only have the right to observe, and no other powers.

……

June 14, Taikang.

Taikang left the city about 400 miles southeast of the city, there is a whirlpool flowing through the north, at this time the city has already been captured by Li Zicheng and others, along the two banks of the whirlpool, it seems to be an endless camp.

Early in the morning, Li Zicheng took his subordinate generals to inspect the camp, as well as the soldiers' drills, they joined forces, and stayed here for a few days, mainly because everyone heard that most of the officers and soldiers were reinforced, especially there were many strong generals in the army, and the doubts and worries arose.

For the soldiers of the fifth battalion, Li Zicheng's drill was very tight, this was a habit he had developed when he was in Shangluo Mountain, of course, limited to provisions, and their training time could not last long.

For the infantry team, the main thing is to practice spears, in the Ming army, the Yang family marksmanship is generally passed, fighting in formation, coming and going, that is, so a few moves, the same is true for the army, the requirements for them, it is impossible to have too much, it is good to be able to stab forward, it is good to be able to line up the formation, of course, tens of thousands of people practice the gun formation, quite spectacular.

The more elite soldiers practiced swords, shields, bows and arrows, etc.

"The ranks of the rebels are getting bigger and bigger."

Listening to the neighing of the war horses and the shouts of killing, all the generals beside him were excited, only Li Zicheng sighed: "It's just that the grain and grass are difficult to support." ”

As soon as Li Zicheng said this, everyone also sighed, indeed, grain and grass are difficult to do, the army divides the fields and land in Henan Mansion, does not pay grain for five years, and cannot receive a single rice, which cannot be a help, can only continue to attack the city, and then add men and horses, and increase the difficulty of grain and grass, and the cycle continues.

Li Zicheng has lamented the suffering of grain and grass supply more than once, and Hou Sui has also said that Li Chuang is in such a situation in history.

“…… The people who come from the thieves in the township all say millions, and now they are 500,000 people, 100,000 horses, one liter of people's solar eclipse, and three liters of horse's solar eclipse, which is 8,000 bells of millet every day everywhere they go, and the Central Plains are thousands of miles away, and they are not populated......

In order to support his huge "army", Li Zicheng had to keep wandering and sweeping.

I have seen it everywhere, and it is almost noon, and the heads of various ministries have been invited.

"Let's go, is it going north and forcing to Kaifeng, it's time to make a decision today."

The old camp is stationed, in a temple in the southwest of the city.

"I heard that King Chuang lived frugally, shared weal and woe with the soldiers, ate coarse grains and wild vegetables, and drank coarse rice wine, and sure enough."

"Yes, how can you say that there are hundreds of thousands of soldiers and horses under his command, why should King Chuang treat himself like this?"

In the main hall, there are several large seats, the five camps of the left are in charge, the old Hui Ma Shouying, the Ge Li eye He Yilong, the left Jin Wang He Jin, the ruling king Liu Xiyao, the king of the world Lin Yangcheng, as well as Luo Rucai of Cao Ying, Sun Kewang of the original camp, Li Dingguo and others sat on the table.

The generals under their command are accompanied by their respective generals, guessing and punching, and drinking with each other.

Looking at the banquet, the wine and food were shoddy, a few chickens, or they were temporarily killed for the entertainment of the masters, some people admired, and some people disagreed, what is the rebellion for, not to live a good life? To live such a hard life, it is better not to rebel.

Especially Luo Rucai, he is used to enjoying it, no matter how difficult it is, he will never give up the hundreds of wives and concubines who have collected him, and he will never give up, coarse tea and light rice, it feels really difficult to swallow, but he is sleek, so he naturally will not show it.

Of course, this time I came to discuss the matter, eating and drinking was just a trivial matter, and after a hurried lunch, everyone sat down to discuss.

"The officers and men are powerful, especially there are many elite border troops, and it is really difficult to predict the outcome of the battle."

Touching his two whiskers, Luo Rucai, who looked like a rich businessman, sighed. (To be continued.) )