On February 13 of the sixth year of Chongzhen, Dengzhou Kong Youde and Geng Zhongming led 10,000 rebels to break through the siege, abandoned the city and boarded the ship, and fled to the direction of Liaodong.

Huang Long, the general soldier of the Ming Dynasty, expected that Kong Youde would defect to Houjin through Changshan and Lushun, and set up an ambush, Kong Youde was ambushed when Lushun landed, and captured Kong Youde's generals Mao Youshun and Mao Chengfu.

Kong Youde and Geng Zhongming led the rest of the troops to flee to Gaizhou, and wrote a letter of surrender and ordered people to send them to Shenyang to beg for surrender to Huang Taiji.

Huang Taiji was overjoyed, and urgently ordered Jierharang, Azig, and Du Du to lead their troops to the mouth of the Yalu River to meet Kong Youde.

In the Kong Youde rebel army, in addition to a large number of artillery, there were also many artillery craftsmen and Franco gunners summoned by Sun Yuanhua.

……

February 14 of the sixth year, the Forbidden City, the Hongde Hall of the Qianqing Palace.

Chongzhen Emperor Zhu Youzhen looked at a secret note in his hand, and picked up a good news on the case, his face was pale, and his fingers trembled.

Looking at it, Zhu Youzhen suddenly threw the good news in his hand to the ground and scolded: "Be bold and reckless!" Are they trying to play with me? ”

Wang Chengen, the eunuch in the court, and Zhang Yixian, the eunuch of the prime minister of Hugong, hurriedly knelt on the ground and could not bear it.

"Humph! Xuanzhen supervisor Wang Kun and governor Jiao Yuanqing reported that the Dongyu pretended to be Mongolians and entered Zhangjiakou Fort to plot against him, which coincided with Wang Kun's inspection of Zhangjiakou Fort, saw through the tricks of the Dongyu, and killed one hundred and fifty-four. ”

"One hundred and fifty-four heads, Wang Kun and Jiao Yuanqing have made great contributions."

"But Liu Yunzhong, the Shanxi supervisor, wrote a secret letter, saying that a group of Jiannu suddenly appeared west of Taiyuan before the Lantern Festival, sneaked into the Lou Fu area and attacked and killed Qinchuan, a thousand households in Ninghua, but was defeated by Qin Chuan with only 100 personal soldiers, and beheaded more than 120 and captured 27."

"After interrogating the prisoners, I learned that this was the elite of the Eastern Captives, because Qinchuan and the Qingshui River and the snake belly ditch outside the Guanxi defeated the Eastern captives, the emperor Taiji was furious, so he sent two hundred elites, including fifty bayala and one hundred and fifty vests, which were brought into the side wall by the Fan family, a salt merchant in Zhangjiakou Fort, and led to Lou Fu, wanting to attack and kill Qinchuan to avenge the Qingshui River and the snake belly ditch."

"In that battle, Qin Chuan was seriously wounded, almost died, and woke up in a coma for three or two nights, after waking up, Qin Chuan sent more than 120 heads and 27 captives to Yangqu, and abandoned them in front of Xu Dingchen, the governor of Shanxi, threatening that if Xu Dingchen could not punish the officials and businessmen who collaborated with the enemy, he would definitely bleed!"

"Xu Dingchen did not send the head and prisoners to the Beijing Division, but transferred them to the Xuanfu, and ordered the Xuanfu generals to strictly investigate the affairs of the officials and merchants collaborating with the enemy, and the twenty-seven captives went to the Xuanfu and died suddenly."

"Not only did the matter of officials and businessmen colluding with the enemy, but the Xuanfu came with a good news and one hundred and fifty-four heads."

Zhu Youzhen paced back and forth in the Hongde Palace, his face was pale.

Hearing his words, Wang Chengen, who had already seen the good news and the secret performance, had no change in his expression, and only lay quietly on his stomach.

And Zhang Yixian, the eunuch of the prime minister of Hugong, trembled slightly, and a bean-sized cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

Zhu Youzhen suddenly walked up to him and asked lightly: "Zhang Banban, you see, these two good news and secret music, should I believe in that good news, or should I believe in that secret music?" ”

Zhang Yixian trembled slightly, and hurriedly responded: "Return to the emperor, minister...... The minister thought that the slave thief sneaking into Taiyuan was too unbelievable, no matter how bold the officials and businessmen of the Xuanfu Mansion were, they would not dare to do such a rebellious thing. ”

"What's more, the slave thief Bayala is fierce, with one enemy, the vest soldiers are also the most elite warriors of the nine sides of the Ming Dynasty, Qin Chuan was only a new hundred households at that time, and the soldiers under his command were newly recruited soldiers, and their combat power was limited, and the defeat of the slave thief fifty Bayala and one hundred and fifty horse armor soldiers with one hundred new soldiers was too unbelievable, and it was really unconvincing."

"Oh?" Zhu Youzhen frowned, "You are, what Liu Yunzhong mentioned in the secret music is a non-negligent thing?" ”

"The minister does not dare to judge the government, the matter is serious, and I hope that the emperor will see it."

Zhu Youzhen didn't ask, only frowned and continued to pace back and forth.

After a long time, he walked up to Wang Chengen again and asked, "Wang Banban, what do you think?" ”

Wang Chengen raised his head slightly and said, "Back to the emperor, the slave thinks that the good news and the secret music are credible and untrustworthy. ”

"Oh?" Zhu Youzhen frowned again, "Look, there are credible and untrustworthy things about that good news and secret music?" ”

"Do you still remember that Shen Di privately discussed peace in July last year?"

Zhu Youzhen was slightly stunned, then his face was gloomy, and he snorted heavily.

……

Out of the Hongde Palace, Zhang Yixian's face was solemn, and he hurriedly walked outside the palace.

As soon as he came out of the Qianqing Gate, he saw Wang Dehua, the eunuch in charge of the sixth branch of the ceremonial eunuch, coming towards him.

"I've seen Grandpa Zhang."

From afar, Wang Dehua saluted with a smile on his face.

Zhang Yixian's face was still solemn, and he walked straight to Wang Dehua, and said in a low voice: "Something happened to the Xuanfu, Liu Yunzhong and Wang Chengen chewed their tongues in front of the emperor, and the emperor wanted to thoroughly investigate the matter of Shen Di and Xuanfu last year." ”

Wang Dehua was taken aback: "Really? ”

"Our family just came out of the Hongde Palace, and the emperor lost his temper."

"This ...... How good is that? ”

"Don't panic, this matter is very involved, the two pavilion elders and many officials in the court will not let the emperor find out, you send someone to deliver a message to the two pavilion elders, and they will naturally deal with this matter."

"Okay, let's go."

"By the way, you tell them to push Feng Quan out and give the emperor a target, and the matter will be closed soon."

"Okay."

Wang Dehua nodded, turned around and hurried away.

After not taking a few steps, he suddenly ran back and asked in a low voice, "What about Gonggong Cao?" ”

"Relax, Cao Huachun is a smart man, he is now busy with Wei Wei's rebellion against the rest of the party, let's push Feng Quan out, he will get off the donkey, not to mention, even if he wants to investigate, he can't fight the two pavilion elders and many court officials."

"Grandpa Zhang's opinion."

Wang Dehua breathed a sigh of relief, bowed with a smile, and then hurried away.

Zhang Yixian turned his head and took a deep look in the direction of the Qianqing Palace, and then raised his feet and left.

……

Qin Chuan safely sent all the soldiers and hungry people back to Lou Fu, and there was no one on the way.

Wang Jizong had already set up a mourning hall in Lou Fu, and as soon as Qin Chuan returned, he immediately buried Fang Renwu and other sixteen Guan Emperor soldiers who died in battle.

The more than 200 surrendered soldiers were all placed in the Black Mountain mine to mine, Qin Chuan asked Lao Huang to pick 50 Guan Ding troops into the mine, and the mine protection team monitored these surrendered soldiers day and night, not allowing any of them to escape, and their families were placed in Lou Fu, and monitored day and night.

In addition to the dozen or so guard towers built earlier, Qinchuan also added six teams of guards to patrol day and night.

As soon as the funeral was over, Qin Chuan called Wang Jizong, Liu Youzhu, Zhao Wu and others to the official room.

When the personnel arrived, Qin Chuan put a map of the hinterland of Luliang Mountain on the table, knocked on Lou Fu's position, and said: "Everyone, although we have done this to the death without proof, those dog officials must know that we did it, in your opinion, when will the imperial court use troops against us?" Where will it come from? ”

Luo Daniu and the others came over one after another, staring at the map and thinking hard.

Only Wang Jizong sat on the chair peacefully and said thoughtfully: "My lord, from the perspective of students, the imperial court will not use troops against us in the short term, at least not for the time being, at least for two or three months. ”

"Why?"

"My lord still remembers Zhao Wusuo, the Jin merchants in the three places of Jin Xuan are not so simple, there are many involvements behind it, and now the adults have set off a wave, which is related to the black yarn hats of many officials in the three places of Jin Xuan, and even many officials in the imperial court, which is bound to cause a dispute between the court, and before the reason is found, the court has no time to pay attention to us for the time being."

Qin Chuan pondered for a moment, then nodded with a smile: "Indeed, they shouldn't have time to pay attention to us." ”

"Even so, we have to prepare early."

"That's right, those five hundred militiamen should also be incorporated into the Guan Di Army and start training day and night."

Wang Jizong said again: "The students think that if the imperial court uses troops against us, they will only come from Ningwuguan and Lanxian in the north, because the rogues in the southeast have not been completely pacified, and they are still fleeing back and forth at the junction of Hebei, Henan and Shanxi. ”

"Shaanxi's rogues are also revived, and Lin Dan Khan is looting in Qinghai and into the territory of the Ming Dynasty, Hong Chengchou is too busy to take care of himself, and he has no time to pay attention to us."

"The only soldiers and horses that can be mobilized around here are the border troops of Xuanda and Da, we have already offended them all over the place, and they will definitely take the initiative to invite Ying to come and kill us."

Qin Chuan nodded: "Well, it is clear and reasonable, let's focus our defense on Ninghua and Jingyou Town." ”

"That's right, my lord, when the imperial court sends troops, we must take Jingle County with lightning speed, if Ninghua can't hold it, we will retreat to Jingle County, and block it layer by layer."

"That's a good idea, Lao Huang, you and the Bobcat will order fifty clever brothers, sneak into Jingle County in batches, set foot in it, and act when the time comes."

"Liu Youzhu, I'll give you two hundred more people, and give you enough seven hundred Wudang battalions to garrison Jingyou, remember to dig more fortifications, low walls and high walls, and ditches to repel horses."

"Zhao Wu, spread the sharp whistle far away, and keep an eye on the movements of the Ming army in the direction of Datong and Lanzhou."

"Chen Zhan, the artillery cast by the artillery factory is first equipped with Liu Youzhu's trapping camp and Li Dingliang's first camp, and after trying the artillery, I will pull it to them after making sure that there is no problem."

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'm not very good at talking, in short, just one sentence: whoever comes, will do whom."

……

In winter, the city of Taiyuan is empty and lonely, and there is a white expanse everywhere, with only the occasional pedestrian who goes out of the city and enters the city, trudging through the thick snow with difficulty

Not long after Liang, a group of city defenders went out of the city to inspect the city as usual, lazily riding on horses, yawning, and staggering out of the north gate.

According to the previous route, when patrolling to a dirt slope in the northwest direction where a few lonely trees had grown, the last flag couldn't help but raise his head and yawn.

The yawning continued, and the expression on the flag's face suddenly froze.

Immediately after, there was great horror in his eyes.

"Ah......h

Qi turned the horse's head suddenly, kicked on the horse's belly, and galloped in the direction of Taiyuan City.

The soldiers in front of them looked at each other, puzzled.

One of the soldiers frowned and glanced up.

With just one glance, he shuddered violently and fell off his horse.

The others also raised their heads and looked upwards.

I saw that overhead, the bare branches of those old trees were full of miserable, hideous and terrifying human heads.

It's like an old tree that has become a demon, and suddenly has countless human heads.