Li Xin ordered the boat to stop and dock, and Zhang Fangyan was shocked and asked, "What is the Hou of Zhenyu doing?" ”

"What? The elder of the pavilion is going to seize Li Xin's military power, if Li Xin doesn't go ashore to fight the thieves, won't he even be able to hold the 3,000 people in his hands? ”

Zhang Fang was speechless in one sentence, and soon the boat docked, Li Xin ignored the old man, quickly got out of the cabin, and jumped onto the shore before the gangplank was set. happened to meet Kong Youde, the battalion officer of the Second Artillery Battalion, who didn't have the slightest arrogance in front of Li Xin, nodded and said, "How did Master Hou go ashore?" What is the command, why do you have to work yourself? ”

"The matter is urgent, immediately send the order, the whole army crosses the Grand Canal in the shallow water ahead, and goes south along the left bank!"

Kong Youde was in high spirits for a while when he heard this, "Master Hou, this is going to be ......" Before the word war could be spoken, a scout beat horse hurriedly came to report: "Report!" General Niu encountered the thieves in Zhuzaozhuang in front, and he was already surrounded by regiments, and it was difficult to get out! ”

"How? Dongchang rebels, a group of rabble, how can they be the opponent of General Niu? Kong Youde looked indifferent. The scout said: "The thieves should not be local rebels, among them, there are many accents in Shanxi, Henan and other places!" ”

Li Xin knew that this was clearly the Fifth Battalion of the Revolutionary Left, and time was running out, and we must act immediately, otherwise if we delay for a moment more, the cow and egg will be more dangerous.

"Master Hou, let's go and fight the thieves?" Kong Youde obviously believed the scout's report, if it was an encounter with the thieves, they would only rely on these thousand soldiers and a thousand auxiliaries, and the outcome would be really unpredictable.

Seeing Li Xin's heavy nod, Kong Youde's mind was racing, but he persuaded in his mouth: "Master Hou, if you leave the green mountains without worrying about no firewood, if you rush up so rashly, wouldn't you hit a stone with an egg?" ”

Li Xin glared at Kong Youde, did not answer again, and turned to look at Gu Shishi, who was coming over on a horse.

"Fourteen brothers, it's good for you to come, have the cavalry ever been on standby?"

Gu Shishi obviously heard the rumors, so he immediately arched his hand and said: "A thousand cavalry is ready for battle, just waiting for the general to give an order, and then they will level the thieves in front!" ”

"Okay, the shoal ahead, cross the river ......"

Gu Shixi had always maintained the habit of carrying out Li Xin's military orders to the letter, and after Li Xin's order to cross the river was issued, he led the cavalry across the river. However, this can make Kong Youde embarrassed, his artillery is absolutely impossible to wade across the river, not to mention that each cannon weighs hundreds of pounds, and there is even a little damp gunpowder that cannot be bearable, if it is stained with water, his artillery battalion will really become a deaf man's ear, and only furnishings remain.

"Master Hou, how does this artillery wade through the water?"

Li Xin had already thought of a way to get hungry for the artillery, and pointed to the five large official ships docking, "With these five big ships ferrying, you must follow within an hour!" Ben Shuai and the cavalry are one step ahead! ”

However, this was a bitter pain for Zhang Fangyan, because of the need to transfer cannons and gunpowder, Zhang Fangyan and all the attaché staff were put on the left bank of the Grand Canal, and then all the empty ships were used to transfer cannons and gunpowder.

The cavalry took the lead, the infantry auxiliaries followed, and Kong Youde's artillery had to wait for all the transfers to be completed before marching to catch up.

"Dongchang Mansion, Dongchang Mansion!" Kong Youde looked at the banks of the canal with a busy scene, and secretly nagged in his mouth, he never expected that Li Xin's ultimate target would be Dongchang Mansion City, not the thieves near Zhu Zaozhuang!

Li Xin carefully inquired about the soldiers who fled back from Dongchang Mansion, and concluded that the brigade of the 5th Battalion of Gezuo was determined to be in Linqing, so it must be a nest dispatch, even if there would be some defenders left in Dongchang, they would also be shrimp soldiers and crab generals. Then the defenders of Dongchang Mansion can only be dominated by the local rebels in Dongchang. And the local rebels in Dongchang are not to be feared, and it is not difficult to take Dongchang Mansion. In fact, Li Xin's decision also has an element of luck, if the thieves do not send the main force of the brigade out, the effect of this surprise attack is bound to be greatly reduced.

The soldiers around Kong Youde casually complained a few words, "The general didn't go to save General Niu, but went to attack Jiancheng." And what about General Niu? Besides, what if, what if there are bamboo baskets on both sides to draw water? ”

"You know! Master Hou, this is Wei Wei to save Zhao! Wei Wei rescued Zhao, have you heard? ”

The pro-soldier pretended to be extremely serious, and after thinking for a while, he said, "I haven't heard of it!" ”

Kong Youde didn't bother to explain to him, "Work hard, hurry up and catch up, otherwise it will be late to eat the meat, and we will even drink the soup cold!" ”

One sentence aroused everyone's enthusiasm, for fear that if one step was slow, this surprise attack on Dongchang would lose its own share! saw Kong Youde looking at the dust raised in the south with a worried face, and silently prayed that God must be on Li Xin's side.

Li Xin had no doubt about God, he firmly believed that God must be on his side, and he had not led troops to fight on the front line for a long time, and there was a faint sense of excitement in his heart. However, instead of going all the way south along the Grand Canal, they made a small circle to the east to avoid the thieves who were fighting with the cows and eggs on the right bank of the Grand Canal. At the same time, there was also a faint sound of cannons and muskets that came into Li Xin's ears. He secretly prayed, cow eggs, cow eggs, he must persevere! As long as Dongchang Mansion is taken, the grain route and back road of the Fifth Battalion of the Revolution Zuo will be cut off, and once the news spreads, it will inevitably stir up the morale of the army.

Speaking of the thieves, they were also careless, and there was not even half a scout on the right bank of the canal, Li Xin galloped with the cavalry, a distance of forty miles, but in an hour, he could already faintly see the city wall of Dongchang Mansion.

This year was a year of great drought, and the water level of the canal dropped sharply in late autumn and early winter, and there were shoals almost everywhere, so Li Xin categorically ordered the cavalry to cross the river and go to the right bank. In just a few moments, thousands of cavalry crossed the Grand Canal. But there was a scout who crossed the river first and caught the tongue of a Dongchang rebel.

Li Xin personally interrogated, but listening to the other party's Luxi accent, he knew at a glance that it was a local disorder.

"Boldly rebel against the people, do you know what kind of crime should be committed for breakfast?" The chaotic people had never seen such fierce officers and soldiers, and they trembled with fright, and stammered: "I, I know, I don't know!" ”

Li Xin deliberately sneered: "Do you know? Gu Shishidang even followed, "Let you know now, you have to be punished by a thousand knives, three thousand six hundred knives, one knife is not much, one knife is not a lot!" Not only you, but all your members must be punished as well! ”

How did the rebellious people not know that breakfast was the crime of Zhu Jiu Clan and Ling Chi, but they were frightened by Gu Shixi, and they were already frightened.

"The military master spares his life, the military master spares his life, I don't dare anymore, I don't dare anymore!"

To scare him like this is just to break the vigilance of this chaotic people, and once all his backbone is gone, he can be interrogated without danger. Li Xin asked at this time: "I am the Marquis of Daming Town, as long as you answer Ben Shuai's question truthfully, I can spare your life!" ”

When the chaotic people heard that they could live, they kowtowed desperately, and said: "Thank you for the grace of the military master not to kill, thank the military master for the grace of not killing." If the military master has something to say, just ask, if what I want to say is untrue, it will make it difficult for me to hit five thunders! ”

"Good! Ben Shuai asks you, who is the commander of the rebels in this city? Terracotta geometry? ”

"Back to the military master, the person in charge of the city is called He Yilong! No, it's not our locals, I heard, I heard it's a return! ”

It's He Yilong? After listening to what the chaotic people said, Li Xinzhong's confidence sank, could it be that He Yilong did not go out to attack Linqing, but took his subordinates to sit in Dongchang Mansion? Then his surprise attack may be a little more variable. Even if there are not many thieves in the city, it is not easy to take Dongchang Mansion with minimal casualties!

Li Xin's heart instantly cooled half, he never thought that he couldn't count God even if he didn't count it. But it was only for a moment, he was ready to attack Dongchang Mansion, just waiting for Kong Youde's artillery to be in place, that is, he would do his best to take this Dongchang Mansion, otherwise Niu Dan would not be able to save it, not to mention, even they were in a dilemma.

But I heard the chaotic people stammer: "But this morning, the leader of Nahe, you took his people out of the city and went north, but there were some people left, but they were all injured, and now the city is temporarily talking about our Cao leader!" ”

In this way, Li Xin almost had the urge to kick that goods! I didn't finish talking in one go!

"How many people are in the city?"

"The city is full of our folks, there are about 5,000 people, but our leader He said that he can't tell outsiders the real number, so he said that there are 50,000 people! At that time, even the officers and soldiers will have to be afraid of us, and they will not dare to attack the city lightly! ”

It seems that this He Yilong still has some ability, and he doesn't have any impression of this person Li Xin from the memory of his previous life, but he saw that this person was mentioned in the military newspaper of the Beijing Division. For the people he can name in the fifth battalion of Gezuo, only Ma Huihui, but only Ma Huihui is the nickname, and no one knows what the specific surname is.

Li Xin confirmed again: "So what you said, there are not many thieves in the Fifth Battalion of the Revolution in Dongchang Mansion?" ”

"The Fifth Battalion of the Left Battalion?" The chaotic people looked dazed, and they didn't know what kind of battalion the fifth battalion of Gezuo was in the mouth of this Hou Ye, but he immediately said suddenly: "Hou Ye is talking about our leaders?" ”

Gu Shishi's voice rang out coldly, "Congratulations to the leader?" Do you still want to receive the three thousand six hundred swords? ”

The chaotic people were so frightened that they almost collapsed to the ground, and they changed their words repeatedly, "The villain should die, the villain should die, it's a thief!" If Hou Ye wants to attack the city, I, I can give Hou Ye an internal response, and I will redeem the merit for the crime, and the merit for the crime! ”

Gu Shishi sneered, "Thinking beautifully, I let you go, wouldn't it be a report to the thief leader in the city?" ”

"The villain will never dare to die, and he will not dare to die!"

Unexpectedly, Li Xin said: "Okay! Let you go back to the city! ”