The grenade once again shows the power of the melee king! Patches of peasant soldiers who were covering behind the shield cart were blown over, and many of the royal hands who controlled the shield cart were also killed and injured! The attack of the peasant army was again in disarray.

"All of them, charge with bayonets and prepare for a white-knuckle battle!" Seeing the peasant army retreating one after another, Xiao Maoce shouted!

The poignant trumpet sounded suddenly. Countless soldiers of the New Army, who were furious by the shield carts, rushed into the peasant army formation with bright bayonets and began hand-to-hand combat.

Under the double blow of the infantry cavalry of the new army, although Sun Kewang's tactics were quite advantageous at the beginning, due to the absolute disparity in strength, he still collapsed in the end.

The battle lasted all afternoon, and it was not until the sun set that it was bloody.

Sun Kewang fled long ago under the escort of the 5,000 Chinese army, and the peasant army suffered 20,000 casualties, more than 10,000 were captured, and more than 10,000 fled. The casualties of the new army were not small, with the loss of more than 1,000 people, and the infantry cavalry accounted for half of them. Fortunately, a lot of money, food, and weapons were seized, including tens of thousands of taels of silver that Sun Kewang threw away when he was troublesome when he escaped, which was also an unexpected gain.

Xiao Maoce watched his subordinates clean up the battlefield with a cold face, and his mood was extremely heavy. The so-called careless loss of Jingzhou, I didn't expect to suffer a lot of losses here in Sun Kewang this time, and the ammunition was also exhausted.

After discussing with Zhou Dayi, he couldn't continue the pursuit, so he joined forces and returned east and went back to Zhu Hao.

The two returned to Suizhou and told Zhu Hao about the general battle situation, but Zhu Hao did not reprimand them, but pondered for a long time.

When the two of them were playing drums in their hearts, Zhu Hao spoke: "I don't blame you for this incident, I was careless, and your command was not wrong." I'm changing, and so is the enemy! ”

"Yes, I didn't expect Sun Kewang to come up with such a tactic with this straw bag!" Zhang Huangyan also said a little heavily.

"Sun Kewang is not a straw bag, this person can be ranked as the No. 1 general under Zhang Xianzhong, and he must have his merits. The solution was figured out by people, they suffered a big loss last time, and they must have been thinking about how to deal with us all this time. Zhu Hao said solemnly: "I estimate that in a few years, our advantage in firearms will be further reduced, and we have to pay attention to it." ”

"Then what should I do this time, why don't you take the opportunity to solve Zhang Xianzhong once and for all?" Zhang Huangyan was eager to try.

"No, it's not up to the mark yet! Let Zhang Xianzhong jump for a few more days. As long as we uphold the concept of the supremacy of firearms and continue to step up the research and development of new firearms, we will not be afraid of them becoming big. If we want to reach our current level, we can't do it without ten or eight years, and they won't have such a long time. Hmph, in less than five years, I'll completely destroy him! Zhu Hao snorted coldly.

"What should I do next, will the class teacher return to Xuzhou?"

"Well, it's not a short time for us to come out, it's time to go back, Xuan wants you to stay here and sit in town, Zhang Xianzhong will beat him hard if he dares to attack, but don't rush deep, you can't jump over Xiangyang at the farthest! The others followed me back to Xuzhou. ”

"Yes, Dashuai!"

In April of the 14th year of Chongzhen, the war in the Central Plains, which lasted for nearly half a year, ended. Li Zicheng lost more than half, but he still occupied Luoyang and did not lose it at all. Zhang Xianzhong is entrenched in western Hubei and his foundation is still strong. Li Yan established a base in south-central Henan. In general, the imperial court's encirclement and suppression this time was only half successful, and by the time Zhu Hao returned to the division, the officials and troops in the north were still fighting with Li Zicheng, while Zhang Xianzhong in the south had no time to take care of it.

However, although Zhang Xianzhong's strength is not small, he still does not dare to cross the thunder pool and attack Xiangyang, which also reduces his pressure from the other side, and prepares for the next step of shrinking defense and separating Sichuan.

Zuo Liangyu, who was stationed in northern Xiangbei, seemed to have reached a tacit understanding with Zhang Xianzhong, and the two sides retreated at the touch of a button. Zhang Xianzhong also talked about "righteousness", and when he was close to the left defense area, he did not make a fuss, and each of them developed his own strength, but he suffered the Ming army in Sichuan, and was overwhelmed by Zhang Xianzhong, and the entire eastern Sichuan area was pocketed by him.

It's been more than three months since I left Xuzhou, I don't know what the situation at home is, whether Sun Yujiao, who is pregnant, is safe, Zhu Hao is now like an arrow. rushed back with his personal guards, and it took less than five days to return to Xuzhou.

Without alarming the others, Zhu Hao changed into civilian clothes and quietly entered the Marshal's Mansion with a few entourages. Looking at the familiar scenery, Zhu Hao thought about what happened in Zhuxian Town, and his expression was a little trance-like.

"Ahh A scream shattered his reverie. When he looked closely, a maid was looking at him with her mouth covered in surprise.

Zhu Hao smiled kindly and said, "What are you yelling for, what are you doing?" Don't tell Madame yet! ”

"Yes, yes!" The little maid came to her senses, and hurriedly ran to the inner courtyard and shouted: "The eldest lady, the second lady, the third lady, and the fourth lady, come quickly, the handsome man is back!" ”

"What? Where is it? ”

"Really? If you lie, see how I'm going to clean you up! ”

"Quick, Xiaocui, hurry up and change my clothes!"

Bursts of screams were heard. Hearing this movement, Zhu Hao was a little laughing and a little emotional.

Except for Sun Yujiao, the other ladies quickly came to the front of the hall and looked at Zhu Hao quietly, and after a while, three delicate figures rushed into his arms almost at the same time! Tears instantly wet his chest.

"Okay, I'm not back, don't cry!" Zhu Hao was busy comforting these wives.

The three women did not answer, but cried regardless of it, and it took a long time for them to gradually stop sobbing.

It is calculated that Sun Yujiao is seven or eight months pregnant, and she has more than a month to give birth. Zhu Hao put aside all entertainment during this time and accompanied his wife at home, which can be regarded as a comfort to them for being frightened.

The night was naturally a toss in the dark, Chen Xiyao and others asked about his assassination, Zhu Hao briefly recounted it, and never mentioned the ambiguity with Bai Ling, Chen Xiyao and the three of them were only frightened, and did not notice the strangeness in his language.

The next day, Wang Fu came to see him, first cared about it, and then reported to him the work of the past few months. Speaking of the property looted from Luoyang, Zhu Hao couldn't wait to ask: "What's the matter, can it be counted?" ”

"Back to Dashuai, it took me a full five days to take people to complete the inventory of this batch of property, guess what's the value?" Wang Fuzhi was also very excited, and even made a joke.

"Haha, and Nong, you usually don't smile, but today you actually made a joke about this handsome, I can't wait, why don't you hurry up!" Zhu Hao laughed at him.

"There are five million taels of silver alone! There were also five thousand ingots of gold, which were converted into about two million taels of silver. Wang Fuzhi said with his fingers.

"Wow! Rich, what else? Zhu Hao's voice trembled a little.

"Then there are some precious jewelry and antiques, jade porcelain and the like, which are worth more than 3,000 pieces, and the market value is innumerable, and it has not been calculated for the time being, I am afraid that it is more than twice as much as those gold and silver!"

"Good, good! You come up with a way to reward all the people of the Grand Marshal's Mansion and the soldiers of the new army. But take care that goods other than gold and silver are sealed and no one is allowed to touch them. Zhu Hao commanded.

"Yes, I'll do it, Dashuai."

When I returned to the inner mansion, I saw Chen Xiyao's sisters chatting, Zhu Hao didn't care, and vaguely heard what jewelry Wang Suxian was showing off, his heart moved, and asked, "Suxian, where did you get this jewelry?" ”

"I picked it from the warehouse, what's wrong with it, husband, is it good-looking?" Wang Suxian said unconsciously and coquettishly.

Zhu Hao's face became more and more ugly, and Chen Xiyao hurriedly grabbed Wang Suxian when she saw this.

"Humph! If any of you have taken the jewelry from the warehouse, return it to me at once. Zhu Hao reprimanded with a straight face.

"Husband, what's wrong with you, what's the big deal? Isn't it all your stuff. It's nothing to take one, is it? Wang Suxian was a little unconvinced.

"Nonsense! You remember for me, these things are the official property of the Great Marshal's Mansion! It can only be used for official purposes, and no one, including me, is allowed to use it for personal use, unless you buy it with money! Seeing that Wang Suxian didn't understand, Zhu Hao gradually raised his tone.

"Husband, I'm angry, let's go back!" Liu Ru hurriedly played a round game.

"Not only do you have to give it back, but you also have to understand the truth! These things were all bought by the soldiers of the new army in exchange for their lives, but you treat them as my own playthings, wouldn't it be chilling if this was passed on? People will say that I, Zhu Hao, have worked hard to train the new army and implement the new policy, but I am just greedy for my own glory and wealth! How is this different from a robber? How will I serve the public in the future? How do you do big things? Zhu Haotie said with a blushing face.

Chen Xiyao and the three of them were red-faced by what he said, and lowered their heads and remained silent.

Seeing this, Zhu Hao was inconvenient to reprimand again, and sighed and said: "You all have your own property and private money, you can buy it yourself if you lack anything, I have never paid attention to my own food, clothing, housing and transportation, but I have never asked you to be the same as me." It is the nature of women to love beauty, I don't want to restrict you, but you have to be prepared to endure hardships with me, my lifelong wish is to prosper the Han nation and save this dying country, to do this, you must work hard and be self-disciplined at all times, do you understand? ”

"Yes, husband, I know what to do, don't worry, our sisters will definitely be your helpers!" Chen Xiyao said with red eyes.

Liu Ruis and Wang Suxian also nodded with tears in their eyes, their expressions extremely firm.

Not only Chen Xiyao, but also among the high-ranking officials and generals who have wives, in addition to Wang Lang, who has not yet married a family, and Wang Fuzhi, who has not yet married, resolutely resigned, even Luo Yunqu's wife Shang Cailian and Wang Boda's wife and other high-ranking generals have also received gifts from the handsome lady. However, after hearing Zhu Hao's reprimand, they were also very ashamed and returned their jewelry and belongings one after another. Zhu Hao was also very satisfied, and specially took a sum of money from his account to buy some elegant gifts for these meritorious officials, and everyone was happy.

Through this incident, everyone in the Marshal's Mansion also understood Zhu Hao's hard work better, and the exaggerated wind that gradually formed during his absence was well contained. Even Wang Yinzu gave up his plan to accept a concubine in the sixth room.