As the old man who raised troops in the first year of Chongzhen, Ma Shouying and He Yilong, the "old Huihui", and He Yilong, the "Geli Eye", have been crisscrossing the north and south of the river for more than ten years, but they were captured at the same time at the end of June of the fourteenth year of Chongzhen.

Such a great achievement, Zhao Dangshi will not let it.

Even if Song Yihe, the governor of Huguang, was unwilling, facts speak louder than words, and Ma and He's final arrest was inseparable from Zhao Dangshi's insightful judgment of the current situation. Without Zhao Dangshi, the battle in June would probably have been an ordinary victory, and the Hui and Ge 2nd battalions would have wandered again after recuperating in the mountains, and Chu, Huai and other places would continue to be turbulent.

Therefore, in the good news of the court, he had to write after reporting in detail the casualty and seizure ledger -

Then he talked about his merits, led by the bloody battle of Wuchen, and the first person in the merit of Zhao Dangshi, who had been destroyed by the general soldier. In the past, the thief was cunning and fierce, regarded himself as a hero, a lonely party, and no one was the enemy. Since the first battle, the heart is broken, the wings are gone, and the hands are captured. It is not only a fierce edge that has not been defeated in the past, but also a blade that can be welcomed after opening. Try to look at the thieves, starting with the return of the thief, and the period of defeat will be determined one after another. This merit pushes the world to be the most, or the public comment of the government and the opposition, and it is not the favor of the ministers alone. ”

Although Huang Degong is greedy for merit and loves to be in the limelight, he can be impressed by Zhao Dangshi's unyielding courage in bloody battles and his strategic vision that is far from ordinary people, and he also recognizes Zhao Dangshi's overall performance in a series of battles against the Hui and the two thieves. Before Zhao Dangshi came, Chu Dongnan fought for several years without progress; As soon as Zhao Dangshi came, the situation was decided. As it is, there is nothing to say.

The second battalion of the Hui and the Revolution was destroyed, the remnants of the party were scattered, and there were naturally some mountain bandits and water thieves entrenched in the dense forests in the mountains on both sides of the river, but in the end, the rivers were declining and it was difficult to become a climate, and there was no need to worry about Song Yihe, Huang Degong, and Lin Baoguo continuing to attack. At the beginning of July, Zhao Dangshi paid tribute to the soldiers of Zhao Ying who died in the river at the military port of Makou Town, and then immediately resigned to Song Yihe. Song Yihe sent him out of Wuchang Mansion and returned, but Huang Degong sent him out of more than ten miles alone to the shore of Wuhu Lake in the southeast of Huangpi County.

The reeds rose and fell in the wind, the water was slanting with smoke and mist, and the two led the horses slowly. Facing the rippling blue waters of the lake, a few kingfishers swept by, lighting up the ripples. Huang Degong said angrily: "Brother Zhao has returned to Chubei, and the next thing he will face is probably the invincible army." Brother is uneducated, he can't say anything else, it's still the same sentence, be careful in everything. ”

Zhao Dangshi agreed and asked, "What are Brother Huang's plans for the future?" ”

Huang Degong replied: "Let's first exterminate the remaining thieves in Wuchang and Huangzhou." In August and September, I may have to go to Luzhou Mansion. Ahem, if it weren't for the military order, I would really want to follow my brother to the north and fight the thieves! "He belongs to the Yongwei Battalion and temporarily stays in Chu to help, but at present, his boss Lu Jiude is in charge of Lu'an Prefecture, the capital of Luzhou, and he can't help himself, and sooner or later he will have to return to the past.

Zhao Dangshi smiled heartily: "Why doesn't Zhao want to fight side by side with Brother Huang?" It's just that the thieves are powerful, and the southeast of Chu and Nanzhili are far from being truly stable after the Hui and Revolution. ”

"What is Brother Zhao worried about?"

"Brother Huang, don't forget, the giant thief is still there. Its machines are extremely powerful, and they travel to and from Chu, Huai and other places as fast as the wind. Although there are no two thieves in Hui and Ge, the remaining people will inevitably surrender to the thieves, and their momentum will be opened in the short term. In addition, the collusion between the thieves Yuan Laoshan and Yuan Shizhong and the thieves is also growing stronger day by day, and they should not be underestimated. ”

"Thank you Brother Zhao for reminding me, with someone Huang here, I can't tolerate the thief being presumptuous." Huang Degong grinned and got up, "If you really finish beating all the thieves, Huang's hands will be itchy and unbearable, so it will be uncomfortable!" ”

After chatting for a few more sentences, Zhao Dangshi said: "I brought Ma Shouying, Niu Youyong and other thieves back to Xiangyang Mansion, what can Song Junmen say?" At the foot of Dafu Mountain, Ma Shouying, who knew that the defeat was decided, did not resist stubbornly, and obediently surrendered. The main personnel of the second battalion of Hui and Ge became prisoners, and they should have been taken into custody by the imperial court such as Wuchang Mansion nearby, but Zhao Dangshi forcibly took away all the prisoners who returned to the camp with the army.

"How can you say anything? Without Brother Zhao, Song Junmen wouldn't be able to catch a single child! Huang Degong shouted, Song Yihe was not present anyway, and he didn't give face at all between his words, "The officer who is lacking the united front under the Song Army's gate mark, he has been planning to extricate He Yilong from the imperial court for the past two days, and he is also looking for me and Lao Lin to come up with ideas." ”

"I'm relieved to ......," Zhao Dangshi smiled easily.

After the rude of the water battle in Wuchang Mansion, he keenly felt that in the future, the training of the water army could not be ignored in the development of the dense water network. Niu Youyong has the ability to command water warfare, and Pan Duao, one of Zhang Xianzhong's military divisions who is being imprisoned in Xiangyang Mansion, also led his clansmen to train the water army in his hometown at the beginning. As for Ma Shouying, it's a different story.

Walking and walking, the two of them unintentionally came to a reed swing, and on the shore was a green meadow, and the mountains and rivers reflected each other in a painting, and the scenery was extremely beautiful. Huang Degong untied a cloth bag from the saddle sheath and took out a blue and white jar from it.

Zhao Dangshi said: "Brother Huang, what kind of trick are you?" ”

Huang Degong smiled and said: "Huang likes to eat wine, and there is nothing to do for Brother Zhao to practice, so after thinking about it, I still take my favorite Huadiao wine out." There are fewer drinks for a thousand drinks with a confidant, and when I think back to the drinking and chatting with Brother Zhao day and night in the past month, I can't let go of my heart. Brother Zhao is gone, I don't know what year and month I can see again, it's better to grab this tail and go to him with a 'three bowls of Turannuo, Wuyue is light'! ”

Zhao Dangshi laughed and said, "Who said that Brother Huang is uneducated? It's not an export anymore. ”

Huang Degong threw a big porcelain bowl to Zhao Dangshi, and said with a smile: "It's just about this forgetful thing, Huang still has some ink!" As he spoke, he opened the top flower with his mouth, clasped the mouth of the altar with his hand, and first filled Zhao Dangshi, and then poured it for himself, "If you want me to say, this wine can cure all diseases, and the heartache and sorrow that the doctor can't cure are all drunk." ”

Zhao Dangshi sipped his wine, squinted his eyes and praised: "Good wine!" ”

When Huang Degong said "curing all diseases", he suddenly thought of something, and when he came to the edge of the bowl, he stopped and said, "Brother Zhao, if you want to go to the north, you need to beware of a fierce god." ”

"Fierce gods? A thief? ”

"No, I'm afraid it's worse than a thief." Huang Degong's face was serious, not like a joke, "Earlier, a merchant traveler who came to Wuchang Mansion from the downstream river said that there is an outbreak of plague in the north and south and Qilu, Jiangsu and Zhejiang...... I didn't mean anything else, I just heard those people say it was terrifying, and I thought of it by chance, so I reminded Brother Zhao by the way. ”

Zhao Dangshi's heart was shocked, secretly thinking that because of the war and famine in Henan today, there are corpses all over the field, and there are swarms of insects and rats, if there is a major epidemic, it is indeed very easy to spread in a short period of time, and the disease will come like a mountain, once it infects the densely populated army, the consequences can be imagined. So he secretly paid attention to himself, and said with a smile: "Okay, I know." Didn't Brother Huang say that fine wine cures all diseases, I'm afraid that he will do something! ”

Huang Degong smiled and drank all the wine in the bowl. At that moment, the two sat on the ground, leaned on the side of the horse, drank wine in the vast lake and mountains, and talked and laughed at each other.

Zhao Ying's soldiers and horses were stationed in the suburbs of Huangpi County for a night, and did not go north to Xiangyang Mansion by going north to Xiangyang Mansion, but turned to the west, and entered Chengtian Mansion through Xiaogan and Hanchuan counties. It has been two months since he was sick like a tiger, and Zhao Dangshi plans to visit.

Fierce as a tiger garrison Chengtianfu Zhizhong Xiang County, wings cover the tomb. Zhao Ying's soldiers and horses passed through Jingling County, and only then did they arrive in Jingshan County, which is close to Zhongxiang County, and stopped the troops of Zhou Jin, the town in charge of peripheral defense.

"Zhenxiao" is the joint name of the Zhenxi Institute and the Pingzi Division in the territory of Guangchen Prefecture of Hu, the left is near Chuangui, it is a mixed area of military Tunding and Miao people, the people are strong, and the "Miao Chao" has always been endless, so there is a town and a city to set up the capital to sit in the town. Chenzhou Mansion has always been regarded as an excellent production area for soldiers, and military towns in Sichuan, Shaanxi, Chu and other places send people to recruit soldiers here every year. The buildings near the water are the first to get the month, and the commanders of the town are strong and strong, far surpassing the ordinary officers of the same level.

Zhou Yuanru, the former secretary of the town, was old and begging, and the imperial court had made meritorious contributions to protecting the territory for many years, even if the Zhou family belonged to foreign officials and was not a local official in the local era, he still acquiesced to Zhou Jinzi's behavior of succeeding his father. Although Zhou Yuanru's strength is strong, he has been fighting alone and has no connections, so it is difficult to advance an inch. Zhou Jin's political sense of smell is better than that of his father, when Yang Sichang was established, he took the initiative to take refuge, and now Yang Sichang is dead, and he is as fierce as a tiger, and his strength has been expanded to 2,000, which is almost the limit of the establishment of a capital division.

Zhao Dangshi was very famous in Chu, and Zhou Jin heard that he was a new thief, a thief, and made great achievements, so he was very polite to him. It's just that because of the particularity of Xianling, Zhou Jin did not allow Zhao Dangshi to lead troops to Chengtianfu City and Zhongxiang County, but asked him to temporarily stay in Jingshan County, personally lead Zhao Dangshi, and go to see the fierce tiger with a few light horses.

The fierce tiger military camp is outside the city, and he rented a small courtyard in the city because of his illness. The yard is not big, and after the front yard of the first entry, the fierce room is in a wing room on the left side of the second entrance. Zhao Dangshi saw that the door was hidden, and after calling outside, he pushed the courtyard door straight in. Inside he was as fierce as a tiger in civilian clothes, bending down to pour water, and when he saw Zhou Jin, he was a little surprised: "Zhou Dusi, why are you here?" Turning his eyes to see Zhao Dangshi, "Who is this?" ”

Zhou Jin introduced: "This is Zhao Shuai, the chief soldier of Yunxiang. After finishing the Kou from Wuchang Mansion, I came to greet the fierce handsome. ”

Fierce as a tiger, Zhao Dangshi saluted him, and first looked at him carefully from top to bottom, but saw that his face was pale, his lips were blue, and his expression was very haggard, so he walked over to support him: "Lord Meng, can your back sores be healed?" ”

"I didn't expect Lord Zhao to come, but I really missed it." Fierce as a tiger coughed twice, "Thank you Lord Zhao, the despicable back sores are almost better, but the body still needs to be slowly recuperated." ”

Zhou Jin said: "Back sores are really a vicious disease, and the fierce handsome can survive this catastrophe, which shows that the great fortune is full of heaven." ”

Fierce as a tiger smiled and said: "It's not a big deal, it's okay luck." This way is a national disaster, but you want to die on the bed in vain. Unexpectedly, ten days ago, a doctor passed by, was invited here by Lord Liu, and showed the contemptible people, it was really Bian Que reborn, only three days and nights, and pulled the contemptible people back from the ghost gate...... "Here" Lord Liu "guessed that it was as fierce as a tiger under the guerrilla Liu Guangzuo.

"Lord Meng is loyal and patriotic, touched by God, and has his own blessing." Zhao Dangshi sighed a few times and continued to ask, "I don't know what kind of doctor has such a wonderful ability to rejuvenate." ”

Meng Ruhu replied: "The doctor's surname is Wu, a native of Jiangsu and Zhejiang." He was going to Henan, and he only stayed in Chengtianfu for a short time. I have been observing the recovery of the despicable people every day for the past few days, and today is the last day. Lord Zhao will be able to see him later. ”

Zhao Dangshi sighed and nodded: "It's not in a hurry, the wind is blowing in the courtyard, and Zhao will help Lord Meng to speak in the house first." After that, he and Zhou Jinxian carefully helped the fierce tiger into the house to sit on the edge of the bed, and then made hot tea with his own hands and handed the teacup over.

Fierce as a tiger adjusted his breath, sipped tea, his face looked a lot better, and then said: "The contemptible mansion also saw the newspaper." Lord Zhao is brave and fearless, even breaking back, leather thief, solving my Daming's henchmen's serious trouble, and lying on the bed, I can't help but be fascinated and enthusiastic! I only hate that I have a weak heart, and I can't immediately throw myself into the army! ”

Zhao Dangshi said modestly: "It's still Song Junmen, Huang Zongbing and others who cooperate well." Zhao can make it happen, it's just a fluke. How can it compare to the consistent dedication of Lord Meng. The hero is only afraid of illness to grind, and when the fierce man recovers, it is not a problem to kill the thief. ”

Fierce as a tiger shook his head again and again: "I can't say, I can't say." A contemptible person is just a reckless man, and he will only be a vanguard. The ability to strategize and make a final decision is still what Lord Zhao is good at. Speaking of this, as if he knew Zhao Dangshi's intention, he took the initiative to say, "Although the contemptible person is embarrassed now, then Dr. Wu said that by the end of the month, the body should be able to recover seven or eight points." At that time, there will be a lot of strength to make, and if there is no shirk, he will definitely go north immediately and join forces with Lord Zhao to fight the thief! ”

As soon as these words came out, Zhao Dangshi's heart fell to the ground, and he was overjoyed.