On the tenth day of the seventh year of Chongzhen, he returned to the county government of Ningling County, Defu.

When Yao Liang walked out of the county office, he was still in a daze. Yao Liang was the head of the militia group arranged by the Runing Army in Ningling County. Early this morning, Yu Zilian, the magistrate of the county, summoned Yao Liang to the county government and ordered him to return to Defu City with urgent assistance from the militia group.

The Ningling County People's League was the first people's group established by Wu Shigong at that time, but it was also the most special people's group. The other militia regiments were completely controlled and commanded by the Runing Army, but the militia regiment of Keningling County was a little different.

At that time, when Wu Shigong established this militia group, it was jointly established with Yao Yuanwai, the gentry of Ningling County, and the personnel were basically natives of Ningling County, and the officers of the militia were the children of those gentry. Even the military salaries and stipulations of this militia were financed by the public fields and the gentry. And Yao Liang is also a cousin of Yao Yuanwai.

Originally, there were some instructors sent by the Runing Army in this militia group, but with the great expansion of the Runing Army, those instructors basically went to other units of the Runing Army to serve as officers, so the Runing Army's control over this militia group was even weaker.

However, because this militia was established at the earliest, Wu Shigong had a very close relationship with the gentry outside Yao Yuanwai, so Wu Shigong and the others never noticed this hidden danger. Because from the legal theory of the Ming Dynasty, this militia should have obeyed the orders and commands of Yu Zilian, the magistrate of Ningling County.

However, the Runing Army originally arranged for this militia to guard the county seat of Ningling, and Yu Zilian was the magistrate of Ningling County, and the gentry wanted these local soldiers to guard the local county seat, so no one ever regarded this issue as a problem.

But now a special situation has arisen. Qian Zhifu of Guide Mansion wrote a letter to Yu Zilian, asking him to organize local people to rush to Fucheng to help defend the city, and Yu Zilian wanted to lead this militia group to rescue in person.

Yu Zilian has been a local magistrate for almost six years. It's time for transfer or promotion, and the most important thing is the comment of the top boss Qian Zhifu.

To be honest, Yu Zilian, the magistrate of the county, is not comfortable at all, the key is that Wu Shigong's influence in Ningling County is too great. Although after Yu Zilian took office. Wu Shigong has a fundamentally indifferent attitude towards him, but rumors about the contradiction between the two have also spread throughout Ningling County through Wu Shigong's people. The situation of Yu Zilian's isolation can also be imagined.

However, it is also because of Wu Shigong's prestige that Ningling County has been calm. In addition, this is the earliest base of the Runing Army, so the work of disaster relief and relief is also carried out the best, so Yu Zilian's evaluation in the Ministry of Officials has been good for many years, so this time he also saved the idea of Xiangshang being promoted.

After receiving the letter from the prefect of Qian, Yu Zilian suddenly discovered this opportunity. Moreover, due to Yu Zilian's isolation, in fact, he did not know that the peasant rebel army on the East Road had entered Kaifeng Mansion, because no one in the Runing army would inform him of the latest information. Therefore, he thought that the biggest threat to Guide was only the peasant rebels on the North Road.

But Yu Zilian is the magistrate of Ningling County after all. When he ordered Yao Liang to rush to the rescue with the militia group. After showing Yao Liang the rescue letter from the Qian Governor's Mansion, Yao Liang agreed in a daze because of his awe of civil officials in adulthood.

This is also caused by Yao Liang's embarrassing position in the militia group. If this militia is controlled by the Runing Army, of course Yao Liangniao will not be Yu Zilian. If this militia had been established entirely by the local gentry, they would have disobeyed Yu Zilian's orders. For who would give away the army he had provided for without defending his homeland?

But after all, Yao Liang has been in the system of the Runing Army for a long time, and the idea of obeying the orders of his superiors is also deep-rooted. Although he also raised the threat of the peasant rebel army on the East Road to Yu Zilian. But when Yu Zilian patted his chest to lead the troops in person, and patted his chest to ensure the safety of Ningling County, Yao Liang also retreated, because Yu Zilian promised to keep his family in Ningling County.

But that's not the only thing that comes with it. Qian Qi, who was concerned about the movements of the peasant rebels on the East Road, happened to rush forward to reconnoitre, Yao Liang couldn't find anyone even if he wanted to ask for instructions, and Yu Zilian urged him tightly. So at noon on the tenth day of the first lunar month, Yu Zilian led the militia group to leave Ningling County.

The head of the militia stationed in the fortress of Qianhusu was shocked when he heard the news, and he immediately drove his horse to persuade him, but because he was at the same level as Yao Liang. Yu Zilian, the magistrate of the county, scolded him again, so in the end the persuasion was fruitless. The head of the militia could only send a fast horse to find Qian Qi.

Until the eleventh day of the lunar month, Qian Qi also learned of this shocking news. Although he was also a dead horse as a live horse doctor, Qian Qi still sent a messenger with his warrant on the one hand, asking Yao Liang, the militia group, to rush back to Ningling County as soon as possible; On the other hand, he personally took five companies of the Guide Corps and 300 regimental headquarters to retreat to Ningling County.

And now there are only five companies of the soldiers of the Guide Legion who remain outside, and the number is too small, and there is no point in mobile rescue of various fortresses, so Qian Qi simply arranged the remaining five companies into the fortress of Qianhusuo.

Objectively speaking, regardless of whether Yu Zilian's behavior is selfish or not, he is at least brave and fearless of soldiers. This is also rare in the dark officialdom of the late Ming Dynasty.

However, it was Yu Zilian's reckless move, coupled with Yao Liang's confused obedience, that immediately tore a big hole in the defensive circle carefully set up by Wu Shigong in Guide Mansion.

As if to sprinkle a handful of salt on the wounds of the Runing army, the peasant rebel army on the East Road ended their revelry in Kaifeng Mansion and, under the leadership of Gao Yingxiang and Luo Rucai, hurried towards Guide Mansion. Upon learning of this information, the 1,000 new troops sent by Xue Yongli immediately entered the nearest Evil Tiger Village to strengthen its defenses, preparing to block the peasant rebels on the East Road from attacking Runing Mansion in the south.

On the twelfth day of the lunar month, the detectives of the peasant rebel army on the East Road appeared in the suburbs of Ningling County, and the entire Ningling County was in chaos, and the people outside the city withdrew into the city one after another. At noon, the city gate of Ningling County was closed, and except for the gate facing the fortress of Qianhu, the other three were blocked with bricks and stones.

At the same time, Qian Qi and the lord Bo who remained in Ningling County took over the defense of Ningling County. It is customary to empty the prison, that is, to kill all the prisoners in the prison. More than 1,300 young men in the city were recruited to assist in defending the city.

At dusk, the fortress of Qianhusuo ventured to send twenty-three carts to deliver ammunition into Ningling County, relieving Qian Qi's lack of ammunition. At night, the vanguard of the peasant rebel army appeared in the county seat of Ningling. Late that night, Gao Yingxiang and Luo Rucai led the main force to arrive. At this time, there were more than 8,700 soldiers and civilians in Ningling County. (To be continued......)