The moon was dark and the wind was high, and the 3,000 horse army of Zhao Ying arrived at Nanyang Fucheng.

The military commander Guo Ruke, the deputy army commander Yingzhao Dangshi, Zhou Yuji, Han Gon, and Ma Guangchun entered the yatang. After sitting down, Zhao Dangshi didn't even bother to drink tea, and asked, "How is the situation in Kaifeng Mansion?" ”

Guo Ruke said with a solemn face: "The water is huge, flooding hundreds of miles, and the army has now withdrawn from the siege and gathered troops to Xuzhou. ”

Zhao Dangshi shook his head and said: "Thousands of calculations, I didn't calculate that Kaifeng Mansion still gave birth to such variables." ”

Two days ago, Guo Ruke Pegasus passed the urgency of Kaifeng Mansion, only to pass the Yellow River on the side of Kaifeng Mansion, and the water flooded Jinshan and poured into the city.

"Kaifeng Mansion has been raining heavily for ten years, breaking the embankment overnight, the cross-stream rises sharply, the flood is like a tiger, and the momentum is heard for hundreds of miles." Guo Ruke said, "The river is bottomless, it is said that only the bell and drum towers in the city, the Xiangguo Temple and the towers of the temple above, and the towering roofs of the palaces can emerge from the water, and the southwest and northeast camps of the army outside the city have been severely damaged, tens of thousands of people have drowned, and more than 10,000 officers and soldiers have been lost. The people inside and outside the city even drifted away with the water, and eight or nine out of ten died. ”

Zhou Jin added: "Kaifeng Mansion has a major epidemic spreading, besieged for several months, epidemic, hunger, and millions of households before the flood were lost two or three percent, which can be worth more than 800,000 households. As soon as the flood came, it was completely wiped out, and so far I am afraid that tens of thousands will remain. ”

Zhao Dangshi sighed, and only listened to Guo Ruke continue: "Yufu Gao Mingheng, the government official Huang Shu and the king of Zhou rescued Wang Xie and the peripheral officials and soldiers by boat, but the thousands of mansions in the Zhou Wangfu can only be wasted. ”

"It's good, why is it overflowing?"

"I don't know, it's probably because the army has been attacking the city for a long time, and they are digging the river in anger." Zhou Jin guessed.

Guo Ruke laughed dryly and said: "I don't think so, this matter is likely to be done by the officials and soldiers themselves." ”

"Officers and soldiers do it themselves?" Zhou Jin was stunned, "Why do you have to do this?" In this move, there is no plan for the destruction of lives and corpses, isn't it worse than breaking into the army and poisoning? ”

"Kaifeng Mansion will be surrounded again, and the city will be broken only on the eve of the day, how can you and I guess the little Jiujiu in the hearts of those big officials in the imperial court?" Guo Ruke pouted and said, "At present, the water is monstrous, and the vicinity of Kaifeng Mansion is full of oceans, forcing the army to break the siege." But the lives of some people are more than the black gauze hats on their heads in the eyes of some people. ”

Zhou Jin said with a face full of disbelief: "But the river embankment is outside the city, and the army is besieging the city, how can the officials and soldiers move around and even dig the river embankment?" ”

Guo Ruke smiled and said, "Do you think that river embankment is difficult to dig?" It's not bragging, give me two or three hundred people from Lao Guo, and I can dig it up in a few days. "And said, "Kaifeng Mansion is an important town in the Central Plains, the city is very vast around the city, and more corner towers and fortresses outside the city are guarding each other, and the roads are intricate. Although the invading army has an advantage there, there are also many officers and troops wandering around, and the invading army cannot spread the troops too loosely, saying that it is a siege, and I think it is only guarding a few main roads and passes at most. It is not too difficult for the officers and soldiers to dig the river secretly. ”

Zhou Jin was speechless for a while, and Guo Ruke continued: "What's more, the whole city was flooded, but Gao Mingheng and King Zhou were immediately rescued, if you want to say that there is no arrangement in advance, I don't believe it,"

"If this is the case, the Henan official army can really be described as a strong man with a broken wrist." Zhou Jin couldn't help but shake his head.

"If you don't do this, you will not be able to escape the catastrophe of breaking into the city." Guo Ruke's face was indifferent, "Whether it is the Kaifeng Mansion City or the official bodies of the big officials, flooding the city by flooding the city can save more." Hehe, I only pity the people in the city. ”

"It's too bizarre......" Zhou Jin looked at it, and it was always difficult to accept the statement that the official army was digging the river.

"What can't be done in this world and in this heart?" Guo Ruke said coldly, "It is said that thieves harm the people, I want to see who harms the people in the end!" ”

Zhao Dangshi knew that Guo Ruke's attitude towards the court had always been very intense, and when he heard this, he interrupted: "What is the specific truth of this matter, and don't care about him." For our army, the most important thing is the aftermath. Then asked, "Where did the Henan official army go to Xuzhou?" ”

Guo Ruke immediately said: "Retreated to Kaocheng County, Hou Sui just arrived there." ”

Zhao Dangshi thought for a while and said, "I'm afraid Hou Sui didn't know about this matter in advance. Now just look at the results, flooding Kaifeng, the war in Henan is even more unfavorable to the official army, if there is no recent victory to cover up, I want to come to Hou Sui, the position of the governor has not yet been hot, you have to go home. At the same time, he asked, "Has Sun Chuanting arrived at Nanyang Mansion?" ”

Guo Ruke replied: "Arrived, a few days ago, his troops went to Ruzhou first, it is estimated that they heard about Kaifeng Mansion, yesterday the army went south to Nanyang Mansion, Lintao General Niu Chenghu, Guyuan General Zheng Jiadong and Huamachi Deputy General Dong Xueli three troops and horses have been stationed in Yuzhou, and Zuo Xun and Bai Guangen followed Xu Zhi. ”

Zhao Dangshi frowned and said: "Niu, Zheng, and Dong are all old people in Shaanxi, what is Zuo Xian's whereabouts?" ”

Guo Ruke replied: "Zuo Guangxian's son, who was a deputy general under Zheng Jiadong at a young age, should be a relation. "Zuo Guang was a fierce general in Shaanxi at the beginning, and he was an old man in Guyuan Town, Zhao Dangshi wandered to Shaanxi in his early years, and he suffered his losses. Hong Chengchou entered the guard, and he and Cao Bianjiao and others accompanied the expedition. After Hong Chengchou became the governor of Jiliao, he served as the governor and ordered the Central Association to train the general army, but later he was squeezed out by the generals of the Liaodong Military Department, and he was old again, so he was sent back to Shaanxi by Hong Chengchou to live in idleness, but he went through the road and brought his son up.

"Why did Bai Guangen come back?"

At that time, Bai Guangen also went to Liaodong with Hong Chengchou from Shaanxi to resist the captivity. This person was a group of thieves at first, and later surrendered to Cao Wenzhao, who served Hong Chengchou after his death, and had been fighting against the Qing in Liaodong before.

"This guy didn't mix well in Liaodong, and after the defeat of Songshan, he simply led the army to retreat into the pass, and helped the Jin soldiers fight the thieves for a while, and they were unhappy and plundered everywhere. The court was afraid that he would relapse into his old state and fall into the grass again, so he sent it to Sun Chuanting. I heard that Sun Chuanting relied on him very much, and handed over the newly established elite train battalion to him to take charge of. Guo Ruke snorted and said, "Sun Chuanting is talented, but his vision is almost meaningful, and I don't think the appointment of Zuo and Bai is satisfactory." These two people are arrogant and arrogant, and they may be hidden dangers. ”

Zhao Dangshi said thoughtfully: "After all, Zuo Guangxian has some forces in Shaanxi, and it is necessary for Sun Chuanting to stabilize the situation in Shaanxi and promote Zuo Xian to win over the old generals in Shaanxi." Bai Guangen was arrogant, looking around the whole Shaanxi, there were few people who could beat him. Then he nodded and said, "That's it, the meaning of the imperial court, I wanted Hou Sui and Sun Chuanting to work together to defeat the Chuang army in Henan, but Hou Sui has not yet arrived at Kaifeng Mansion, Kaifeng Mansion has changed, if Sun Chuanting gets the news in advance, he will not rush into Nanyang Mansion to wait and see." ”

Guo Ruke muttered: "Yes, Kaifeng Mansion can be attacked with a snap of a finger, where can the army be attacked by water." Sun Chuanting is on the way, and it stands to reason that he should arrange a field battle. I think that the group of mediocre officials in Kaifeng Mansion made their own opinions, which ruined the situation. ”

Zhou Jin was puzzled: "Maybe the Chuang army heard the news of the Shaanxi soldiers, so they were in a hurry to break the city." ”

Guo Ruke retorted: "Before the battle of Zhu Xianzhen, was the strength of the official army weaker than that of Sun and Hou joining forces? At that time, the army was still able to divide its troops to meet the attack in a hurry, and then panicked? Doesn't make sense. ”

In Zhao Yingzhong, Guo Ruke's strategic vision and analytical ability have always been outstanding, and Zhou Jin heard it and nodded yes.

"The Shaanxi soldiers want to enter Nanyang Mansion and rectify one after another, and it will take a few days. Sun Chuanting has already sent someone to deliver a message, and he will rush to the capital tomorrow to meet the lord. Guo Ruke said with an embarrassed smile, "The Shaanxi soldiers have actually arrived in Fucheng, and they are stationed outside the city, ready to welcome Sun Chuanting tomorrow, who is just a few small fish and shrimp, and I didn't mention it before." ”

Zhao Dangshi asked, "Which one?" ”

"Sun Chuanting's standard guerrilla attack on Gao Jie's department, counting Sun Chuanting's Chinese army, outside the city is his nephew Li Benshen."

"Gao Jie?" Zhao Dangshi frowned.

Guo Ruke is a veteran of Zhao Ying, and he is very aware of the discord between Zhao Dangshi and Gao Jie, and said with a smile: "Li Benshen, this kid has not dried up, and he is very crazy. ”

Zhou Jin also said: "Li Benshen still wants to extort money and grain from our city, so as soon as Manager Guo came forward, he obediently took the dry food he carried and buried it in the pot to make food. ”

Zhao Dangshi couldn't help but smile: "The wicked have their own wicked grinding, and I have the door god Lao Guo in Zhao Ying, so I have to take my hands and feet when Yama comes." As soon as these words came out, everyone laughed.

The next day, the sky was bright and cloudy. Zhao Dangshi rode more than ten people out of Nanyang Mansion City twenty miles to the southern foot of Baizhong Mountain, and when he didn't wait much, the smoke and dust in front of him suddenly rose, and a big flag stood tall and upright, followed by hundreds of horses from behind, a bright helmet and bright armor, straight to Zhao Dangshi and others, as soon as he looked at his face, his expression froze.

Zhao Dangshi hugged his fists and smiled: "Brother Li, don't come unharmed." The person opposite is Gao Jie's subordinate general, Li Chengdong, known as "Li Hezi". A few years ago, when Zhao Dangshi was still in Li Zicheng's camp, he pursued Li Chengdong, who defected with Gao Jie, and almost killed Li Chengdong, which was deeply impressed by both parties.

"I don't know Zhao ...... Zhao Shuai is in person, there are a few rudeness......" Li Chengdong looked awkward, jumped off the horse and arched his hand, his eyes wandering, "Sun Junmen is behind." ”

"Is Master Gao here?"

"Coming, coming." Li Chengdong coughed dryly

As he spoke, a few more riders followed. Zhao Dangshi looked at it, and in the flying dust, a person wearing a black gauze hat and a crimson peacock supplement was being helped off the horse by the left and right attendants. Approached two steps, but saw that the man was about fifty years old, with a national face, a handsome appearance, and a faint authority between his eyebrows, it was Sun Chuanting, so he bowed and saluted: "Zhao Dangshi, Yunxiang Town, has seen the military gate." ”

Sun Chuanting, who was in the dust, raised his eyebrows and raised his hand to hold him and said, "Why do you need to be polite to General Zhao. Mr. Zhao is the main soldier, and Mr. Sun is the guest, so Mr. Sun should give Mr. Zhao luggage. "As soon as they touched each other, they could feel that he must be wearing armor under the supplement.

At this time, Zhao Dangshi squinted and saw a burly officer standing beside Sun Chuanting, and hugged his fists at him with a smile and said, "Lord Gao, I haven't seen him for a long time." The other party is Li Zicheng's old subordinate, Gao Jie, the "mountain harrier" who defected to the official army.

Gao Jie nodded, pursed his lips with a tense face. After he defected to the official army, he followed He Renlong for a long time, and He Renlong was beheaded by Sun Chuanting, he and Chen Yong, Dong Xueli and others took the initiative to attach, but they got cheap, and now they are Sun Chuanting's guerrillas and lead the pro-army. If it weren't for the fact that he had to accompany Sun Chuanting because of this identity, he would not want to come to Nanyang after he was killed.

Soon after, Li Benshen also led his troops to pick up, Zhao Dangshi and Sun Chuanting walked side by side in the direction of Fucheng, only a few words, Zhao Dangshi found that although Sun Chuanting's voice was smooth and seemed to be easy-going, he had a kind of stubbornness in his bones, liked to dominate the topic, and was not willing to follow the words of others, and his personality was quite tough. Therefore, some of the topics prepared earlier were put away with interest, and secretly thought: "No wonder Sun Chuanting is talented but not favored by the emperor, these two people are afraid that they are both conceited and arrogant people, how can they be harmonious with Mai Mang." ”

With Fucheng in sight, Sun Chuanting said: "Just wait for two more days for the Shaanxi soldiers to gather in Yuzhou, and Sun will lead the army north to drive away the thieves." The grain trucks transferred from Shaanxi are endless, and they will also arrive in Yuzhou one after another, and they will also ask Zhao Zongbing to help them comprehensively. ”

Zhao Dangshi said first: "Don't worry, with me, the rear is worry-free." He took the opportunity to ask, "Can the military know about the flooding of Kaifeng Mansion?" ”

"Yes." Sun Chuanting stared ahead and remained silent.

"I heard that Lord Hou is still in Kaocheng County, and Lord Yang is also in the Runing Mansion, Zhao thinks that the military gate can be slowed down." Zhao Dangshi suggested. Hou Sui and Yang Wenyue are the only remaining officers and soldiers in Henan Province that still have field combat capabilities.

Sun Chuanting's eyebrows gathered slightly, and he didn't say a word, as if he hadn't heard what Zhao Dangshi said. Zhao Dangshi knew that his intention to go north was unshakable, so he said: "Zhao has a roundabout opinion, this time to fight the thief, there is no big war, the situation of Kaifeng Mansion and Lord Hou is uncertain, you can first dismantle the various departments to sweep the southern part of Kaifeng Mansion, harass the thieves, exhaust their army, disturb their hearts, and when the time is ripe, they will meet all the soldiers to fight and settle the situation!" ”

However, Sun Chuanting still ignored him.

Zhao Dangshi sighed secretly, and inadvertently swept his gaze to Gao Jie, but saw that his eyes looked straight over, quite gloomy.