Outside the city of Hanchuan, Liujia is next to the town. This place is less than ten miles away from the county seat of Hanchuan, and it was originally far away from the attack range of the Restoration Army. It should not be affected by the attack of the Restoration Army, but due to the strong walls of the Qing court, a large number of people gathered in this inconspicuous town.

The town, which was originally a small town of just over 2,000 people, is now home to tens of thousands. The government had no choice but to temporarily appoint a security chief in Liujiajie Town to maintain order. After a busy day, looking at the gradually quiet town, Zhong Ning, who was forcibly pulled to be a servant, walked back to his shed.

Zhong Ning was originally from Qianjiang, but he was directly arrested here by the government. I have been living in Liujiajie Town for five or six days, and no one has come to arrange errands. No one told everyone what they were doing here, but more and more people were coming. Slowly, Zhong Ning inquired. It turned out that the army of the Ming Dynasty was about to fight, and now the Qing soldiers can't beat it, so let's let everyone come here on the runway.

There are more people, and naturally there is a lot of chaos. The government asked them to choose some of them to work as coolies and build some simple sheds. Zhong Ning went to move the grain for another day, and then he was left in Liujiajie Town as a servant, and the personnel in charge of this area asked them not to run around.

After walking back and forth for a day, Zhong Ning's legs seemed to be filled with lead. As soon as he entered the shed, Zhong Ning fell directly on the laid straw mat. After a while, Zhong Ning began to snore.

At this time, in the woods outside the town, many shadows were shaking. If you look closer, you'll see that there are people underneath the shadows of these trees. These people are, of course, the First Army of the Restoration Army led by Gou Xingwang, who was ambushing outside Liujiajie Town at this time.

Ma Rong on the side said: "My lord, the front is the town of Liujia, should we take it directly?" Gou Xingwang said: "We can't act rashly now, if the defenders of Hanchuan find out, we won't be able to cross the river, and then we won't be able to fight Hanyang." ”

On the other side, Chen Fuyi sighed and said: "Before, there was no one, and we couldn't find a supplement to bother us, but now that we have found the people, and we are afraid that the news will leak out, we are still annoyed." We came all the way like this, not fighting in the city, not entering the county. My lord, we don't have much food and grass to eat, just enough to eat for two days. If we continue like this, we won't have anything to eat the day after tomorrow. ”

Gou Xingwang said: "That's why we have to take Hanyang unknowingly, once we alarm the Hanyang defenders, can we capture Hanyang?" Ma Rong said: "My lord, but we can't wait here, anyway, when we conquer Hanyang City, we will also find Minzhuang to defend the city." Why don't you arrest the people here and take them to Hanyang, so that when we defend the city, we can use it to defend the city. ”

Chen Fuyi also said: "Yes, my lord, if our 10,000 troops want to cross the river, it is impossible not to alarm the Qing soldiers in Hanchuan, but if we take these people strong, can't we also confuse the Qing army?" ”

"Confusing the Qing Army?" Gou Xingwang repeated it once, and then looked at the town of Liujia, which had disappeared into darkness. Gou Xingwang said: "How can we confuse the Qing army? As long as we move Liujia Town, Hanchuan will definitely get the news, and if Hanchuan gets the news, Hanyang will definitely know that our army is coming. ”

Ma Rong said: "Why don't we do it together?" Take three places in one fell swoop? Chen Fuyi said: "You have such a big appetite, do you think we have an army of 100,000?" Also, the Qing army is on the mountain behind Hanyang, but there are cannons arranged, and if the cannons go off, we will have no chance to take Hanyang at all. ”

Gou Xingwang said: "Yes, this is really a headache, if only I didn't fight to come at that time, then I wouldn't have such a headache." ”

Ma Rong and Chen Fuyi were speechless for a while, Gou Xingwang actually regretted leading the army for this reason. Ma Rong said: "Then what should I do?" If we can't take Hanyang, we won't be able to mobilize the Qing army. When the time comes, His Royal Highness will lead a large army to storm Wuchang, but there will be trouble. ”

Chen Fuyi thought for a moment and said, "I think so, let's take here first, and then attack Hanchuan and Hanyang at the same time." Gou Xingwang said: "How can you fight this?" Isn't it the same as what Ma Rong said just now? Don't bother me yet, I'm going to blow up. ”

Gou Xingwang said to himself: "If you hit here, Hanchuan will know, if you hit Hanchuan first, both places will know." No, if we hit here first, Hanchuan will come to support. But Hanyang won't, they will only strengthen their defenses. ”

Ma Rong's eyes lit up and said, "My lord, you just said that Hanyang would not come to support?" Gou Xingwang said: "Yes, is there anything wrong with this?" This Liujia town is too small, Hanyang will definitely not take care of it here, even if the people in Liujia town riot, it will only strengthen its own defense. ”

Ma Rong said: "My lord, what if we fight Hanchuan first? Chen Fuyi said: "You are crazy, hit Hanchuan first, aren't both places alarmed?"

Gou Xingwang said: "No, it's not crazy, but the troops in two places have been mobilized. If Hanyang found out that Hanchuan was going to be lost, it would definitely not be so easy, just strengthen his own defenses. ”

Gou Xingwang was just about to say more, when a person suddenly walked out of Liu's house, Gou Xingwang saw this, and immediately signaled to the sentry and asked him to arrest this person.

After a while, two soldiers came over with a man dressed in the clothes of a servant. The man looked at Gou Xingwang and the others in horror, his face pale. He was still muttering: "Grandpa Mountain God, I haven't done anything bad, please spare me." If I hit you sometimes, I'll go back and burn you some more paper money. ”

Seeing this, Chen Fuyi pulled the man over: "Don't talk nonsense, if you don't shut up, I will kill you directly." Gou Xingwang pulled away Chen Fuyi and said, "You don't have to be afraid, I'll ask you some questions." What's your name? Where are you from? How many people are there in this town? ”

When the man saw that under the branches, he actually spoke human words, and he was immediately frightened. Trembling and trembling: "Grandpa Mountain God, the villain is from Qianjiang, my name is Zhong Ning." There are more than 10,000 people in this town, all of whom are from all over the world. ”

Gou Xingwang pondered for a moment and said, "Are there any Qing soldiers in the town?" Zhong Ning was stunned, why are the mountain gods afraid of the Qing soldiers? But he still replied: "No, there are no Qing soldiers in the town at all, only more than 500 of our temporary servants." The others are all members of the chief family. ”

Ma Rong said disbelievingly: "No? How is it possible, so many people are here, and there are no Qing soldiers to take care of them, you don't know how to run? Zhong Ning said: "We can't run, we're here to serve as a servant, and if we run back, we don't want to be killed." ”

Chen Fuyi was shocked and said: "Serving in conscription? What does it take so many people to do in conscription? Zhong Ning said: "I don't know what to do, I guess it's to carry food." Hankou is a place where the lake is widely transported and stored, and the grain there is piled up. Later, I heard that it was the soldiers of the Ming Dynasty who were going to fight, but everyone had never seen it and didn't take it seriously. ”

Gou Xingwang was stunned for a moment and asked, "There is so much grain in Hankou?" Zhong Ning said: "Of course, I have come here twice to carry food, both of them are for labor, and I went to carry it once two days ago." There is a lot of grain, I have never seen so much grain in my life, and the pile is as high as a mountain. ”

Hearing this, Gou Xingwang immediately walked back. Ma Rong grabbed Zhong Ning and followed. After a while, Gou Xingwang walked to a sheltered place, and then was surrounded by a fence. Then some soldiers brought a torch and lit a torch.

Then Gou Xingwang and the other three began to check the map of Hanyang, and this look, sure enough, there is a small city in the east of Hanshui, which is Hankou. Gou Xingwang said: "Since this is the storage place of grain, there must be a lot of grain." Ma Rong, you take these 3,000 men to seize Hankow and hold it. If they couldn't hold it, they burned the grain directly. ”

As soon as he heard that he was going to burn food, Zhong Ning immediately said: "You can't burn it, it's a pity to burn so much food." Hey, if you don't go up to the mountain god, why do you still have hair? Who the hell are you? ”

Chen Fuyi said: "Lao Tzu is the army of the Ming Dynasty, and now it is going to attack Hanyang, if this grain is not burned, will it be left to the Qing army to fight us?" ”

Zhong Ning exclaimed: "You are the army of the Ming Dynasty? How is it possible, Da Ming has been gone for so many years, and what they said is actually true. Ma Rong said: "I'm too lazy to tell you this, aren't we right in front of you?" Then he turned to Gou Xingwang and said, "My lord, if I take 3,000 people away, there will be fewer of your people, how can you capture Hanyang?" ”

Gou Xingwang said: "It's okay, as long as you capture Hankou, I think the defenders of Hanyang will not have the military heart to hold Hanyang anymore." ”

Suddenly, Zhong Ning said: "Generals, can you give us food, and we will help you defend Hankou." Hearing Zhong Ning's words, Gou Xingwang and the three of them were suddenly startled, and said in unison: "You help us guard Hankou?" Then Gou Xingwang said: "No, you obviously only have one person, where are there other people." ”

Zhong Ning said: "General, you don't know, now that the Ming army has been discovered, whether we help you or not." When the Qing army comes, they will kill us to vent their anger, and I have seen a lot of these things. So why don't you gamble on it, in case you win? We can get some food, too, can we? ”

"It's ......." Gou Xingwang and the three of them looked at each other, how could they not believe that good things came so suddenly. Gou Xingwang said: "It's okay, since you are willing to help, I can promise you that when we defeat the Qing army, I will give you food." But how can you guarantee that more than 10,000 people in this town will listen to you and help us defend Hankow? ”

Zhong Ning said: "There is no need to guarantee, as long as we go and deceive Hanchuan City, then they will have no way out." ”

Chen Fuyi said: "How to deceive? Zhong Ning said: "I was selected as the official of this Liujiajie Town, and I can go directly to Hanchuan City, and when the time comes, I will say that it is the people's riots in Liujiajie Town, and let the lord of Hanchuan County send troops to suppress it." At that time, we can directly send people to sneak attack, and we can capture Hanchuan. ”

Gou Xingwang thought for a moment and said, "Let's think about it, what you said is very good, but how can we believe you, you have nothing to guarantee." ”

Zhong Ning said: "I really don't have this, if you don't want to believe it, forget it." I can't help it, but when you go to attack Hanyang, I'll go to another place and be incognito. ”

Chen Fuyi sneered: "I still have a way to make you dare not lie." Looking at Chen Fuyi's expression, Zhong Ning suddenly had a premonition of uneasiness. Sure enough, Chen Fuyi said: "In ancient times, there was a mother-in-law tattoo, and we would like to give you a tattoo." ”

Zhong Ning hurriedly said, "What are you doing here?" I'm here to help you. Chen Fuyi said: "This is also something that can't be helped, if I find out that I was wrong afterwards, I can kowtow to you to make amends, but now it must be like this." ”

Seeing this, Zhong Ning immediately panicked, he just wanted to get some food, but he caused such a big trouble for himself. immediately begged Gou Xingwang for mercy: "General, I didn't want to lie to you, I was sincere." ”

Gou Xingwang said: "Now that I have reached this point, I have to be sorry for you." If you are really loyal to the Ming Dynasty, you will be the captain of my Gou Xingwang's personal soldiers at that time. dragged it down, on his back, and tattooed him with the words 'Restoration of the Great Ming'. ”