Laojun Iron Dome Meeting, Zhao and Chuang Second Battalion officially joined hands, and a series of subsequent events in August were related to this.

Li Zicheng once said that the battalions of the "old Huihui" Ma Shouying and the "Ge Li Eye" He Yilong had secretly broken into the camp, and Zhao Dangshi was still suspicious, but the Hui and Ge 2nd battalions did indeed move from Qi and Huang to Nanzhili further east in the middle of the month, and there was even a wind claiming that they were going to enter the Fengyang Imperial Mausoleum. But no matter where their destination was, it was an indisputable fact that they would stay away from Zhao Ying and no longer harass Chubei. Liu Yuanbin, the eunuch of the Yongwei Battalion, led the army to pursue Hui and Ge, and the garrison of the Yongwei Battalion was also transferred from Henan to the southeast of Chu and An, Huai and other places, and the strength of the official army at the junction of Chu and Henan was further weakened.

Taking advantage of this emptiness, Li Jiyu and other Henan bandits also began to prepare for the "King of Storming", greatly raising sword soldiers, and the deputy general of the governor Li Xianfengfa Bu Congshan used magnetism and Huai soldiers to recruit and suppress, and responded with guerrilla Gao Qian, and Li Jiyu, Ren Chen, Zhang Ding and other Kou fought fiercely in Dengfeng, and won successive battles. Whether the bandits win or lose, Zhao Dangshi doesn't care, as long as they can mess up the situation in Henan, it is already a merit.

Yang Sichang, who was on the front line in central Sichuan, received the news that thieves in Chuyu and other places were rampant, and for fear of a fire in the backyard, he sent the Chu generals Wang Chongcheng and Yang Wenfu to return to Huguang from Kuizhou to assist Chu Fu and Song Yihe in stabilizing the situation in Chuzhong, and at the end of the month, he sent a letter to Zhao Dangshi, asking him to expand the scope of defense to Yunyang, De'an, Jingzhou, and Chengtian on the border with Xiangyang Mansion, and "kill thieves", especially the royal mausoleum "Xianling" in Chengtian Mansion, which must be fully protected. In this way, Zhao Ying's military operations on the Huguang ground north of the Great River were no longer restricted.

Yang Sichang's panic was obvious, and in September and October, he dismissed Shao Jiechun, the governor of Sichuan, and Zheng Chongjian, the governor of Shaanxi, respectively, and replaced them with Liao Daheng and Ding Qirui, and the governor of Shaanxi was replaced by Wang Yuxin. In connection with the previous ups and downs of the governors of Yunyang and Huguang, his style of slowing down and falling into the abyss and hurrying is almost the same as that of Emperor Chongzhen, who appointed and dismissed officials like a marquee.

Beacons have been in flames everywhere, but Chubei has always been calm because of the double protection of Zhao Ying's military and diplomacy. Not counting the battle of Suizhou that rushed to aid the foreign government and the several battles in the Yunyang Mountains that pursued Xiying earlier, just look at Xiangyang Mansion, since the second battalion of Hui and Cao, who attacked in the late eleventh year of Chongzhen, was repelled one after another, there was basically no major war. The stable environment for two years has revitalized the agricultural and commercial areas of Xiangyang Prefecture, which has an excellent geographical location, and Xiangyang Fucheng, Zaoyang County and other places can even be described as Fumin An.

The Zhao battalion also seized this opportunity to flourish, and at the beginning of November of the thirteenth year of Chongzhen, the Zhao Battalion Field Army had no battalion, Xiaojie battalion, Qihun battalion, Feijie left battalion, Feijie right battalion and Changhong front battalion, Changhong left battalion, and Changhong right battalion, a total of 14,000 people in eight battalions, of which the Feijie left and right horse battalions were basically one soldier and two horses, and the soldiers of the main battalion of the three infantry armies of Wujie, Xiaojie, and Qihun also each had a horse, mule or donkey to ensure their mobility, and the firearms equipment rate of the Xiaojie battalion was more than eighty percent. This large number of mounts, firearms and other weapons were not obtained overnight, all thanks to the continuous accumulation of Zhao Ying through various channels for a long time. In addition to the field army, the Zhao battalion still had 12,000 people in the Tuntian army, which served as both the main force of logistics supply and the reserve soldiers. The combat effectiveness of the training barracks in the Tuntian Army is also not bad.

Relying on military strength, Zhao Dangshi has now tightly controlled all the prefectures and counties above and below Xiangyang Prefecture, at least militarily, in the sphere of influence, and radiating outward to the surrounding provinces. Although some officials in Chu have begun to be uneasy about Zhao Ying's overpower, but in this turbulent season, there are more ferocious rogues and bandits rampant around, who of them has the courage to provoke internal disputes again?

In November, heavy rains continued to rise, and the waterline around Xiangyang Fucheng rose, submerging most of the low-lying land under shallow pools.

Zhao Dangshi braved the rain and walked along the outside of the Xiangyang city wall, his tall cowhide boots splashing muddy water on the pit. Only then did he arrive at the pier of a city gate, and Leng Buding's head hit the hat heavily and landed at his feet. Looking at it, it was a pomegranate that had been eaten most of it.

There was laughter on the head of the city, Zhao Dangshi looked up, through the rain that was dripping on his face, more than three zhang high, several officers and soldiers guarding the city were hiding under the city tower and leaning on the battlements to talk and laugh. Obviously, they didn't expect that the pomegranate they discarded would happen to fall on the head of the general soldier Yunxiang.

Zhou Wenhe was furious, and was about to scold immediately, but Zhao Dangshi stopped him and said, "That's it." ”

"I don't know what is good or bad, I have to teach them some lessons!" Zhou Wenhe said indignantly.

The officers and troops guarding Xiangyang Mansion City were divided into two groups. The internal allocation is the two troops of Lu Zhenguo and Li Anmin, the deputy commander-in-chief of the gate, and the external allocation is the three battalions of Wuyu and the left and right Feijie soldiers currently stationed in the suburbs of the city. The officers and soldiers of the internal allocation often had some friction with the Zhao battalion soldiers, and they relied on the high places in the city, just moving their mouths and not moving their hands, which made the Zhao battalion soldiers resentful. Hou Dagui, the commander of the Wu Yan battalion, even personally scolded the officers and soldiers who stood under the city and the city defenders, if it weren't for Zhao Dangshi, with his momentary anger, I am afraid that at that time he would have to raise his troops and horses to attack the city.

Zhao Dangshi, Lu and Li reported this kind of thing, and asked them to restrain some of their subordinates, and they naturally agreed in succession, but the actual effect of suppressing the officers and soldiers was not very good.

Like most of the vigorous Zhao Ying generals, Zhou Wenhe also had no good impression of the internal allocation of officers and soldiers, and now he dared to offend Zhao Dangshi, and his anger was really difficult to swallow, and he said to Zhao Dangshi: "Lord, the subordinates see that the internal allocation of officers and soldiers is a group of waste sitting and eating empty mountains, what is the use of occupying the city!" It's really chaotic, guarding Chubei is not to see my Zhao Ying's sons show their skills! Why don't you move to the city, so that you don't suffer from this flood again! ”

Zhao Dangshi held the hat firmly, shook his head and said: "The internal allocation of officers and soldiers is the subordinate of the Governor's Command, and how to arrange it is a matter for Yang Ge Lao." ”

Zhou Wenhe said: "The city is so big, our army can also go in!" ”

Zhao Dangshi smiled and said: "It's not just a 'big' word that our army can enter, this is related to the power and deployment of all things, and it can be explained in a few words." ”

Zhou Wenhe glared at the city, and said, "One day, it will be me Zhao Yingerlang standing above!" ”

"Let's go." Zhao Dangshi didn't look at the officers and soldiers at the head of the city from beginning to end, and took advantage of the cover of the piers of the city gate, wiped the rain that flowed wantonly on his face, and walked away.

In the tent of the station, there were already people waiting for him.

Taking off his coat and putting on a warm robe, Zhao Dangshi strode forward, walked to the top of the tent and sat down, Pang Jinming, who had been waiting in the tent, brought a middle-aged man up and said, "Lord, Luo Zhang's plate has arrived." ”

Zhao Dangshi nodded and said to the man: "Uncle Luo, I have admired the name for a long time." But his body was steady and motionless.

The middle-aged man didn't care, knelt down and kowtowed to Zhao Dangshi twice, then got up and said, "Villain Luo Dain, I can be received by Mr. Zhao, I am grateful!" ”

This Luo Dain is the uncle of "Cao Cao" Luo Rucai, who is not a few years older than Luo Rucai, knows how to go into the army, and is known as Luo Rucai's "heart" together with Zhao Yingyuan. He actually arrived yesterday, Zhao Dangshi deliberately delayed a day to see him, sure enough, he was afraid that Zhao Dangshi would be obsessed with the previous discord, and his words were full of caution and respect.

"Luo Dazhang asked you to come, you want to go back to Huguang." Zhao Dangshi's eyes were cold, without a trace of emotion, and he looked directly at Luo Dain, and saw that this middle-aged man was awe-inspiring.

"Yes, yes...... Mr. Zhao is clever, and our battalion does have the intention of returning to Chu in the near future......" Luo Dain's intention was broken by Zhao Dangshi, and some of the drafts prepared earlier were all useless, and Fang Cun was a lot of chaos.

"Then come back, there is no iron gate on the border of Huguang." Zhao Dangshi said with a slight teasing.

Luo Dain said embarrassedly: "Chubei is the territory of Zhao Zongzhen, how dare my battalion come and go easily, this must not come to Zongzhen first to ask for accommodation......"

Zhao Dangshi waved his hand and said: "As long as you don't disturb me, the people of northern Chu live and work in peace and contentment, everything is easy to say." ”

Regarding Luo Rucai, Li Zicheng had already made it clear when he was in Laojun Tieding, hoping that Zhao Dangshi would open up the net, and Zhao Dangshi knew that before Luo Rucai sent Luo Dain to him, he must have learned about the covenant between Zhao and Chuang Second Battalion from Li Zicheng, and now he is just coming to confirm and ask for peace of mind. Luo Rucai wants to vote for Li Zicheng, and Zhao Dangshi will not stop him. However, he thought about it for a while, and then asked: "The Sichuan affair is in full swing, why is your camp in a hurry to get out of Sichuan?" Defection to Li Zicheng was naturally the direct reason, but Zhao Dangshi was somewhat interested in the driving force behind this reason.

Luo Dain replied: "Mr. Zhao also knows that my camp is in Sichuan, and it has attracted much attention. Yang Gebu led the officials and troops of Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Chu to kill day and night, and even if our battalion could hide for a while, it was not a long-term solution after all. Moreover...... Moreover, the eight kings are so domineering, and our battalion has been humiliated by them, and it is difficult for them to work together. ”

Yang Sichang took Zhang Xianzhong and Luo Rucai as the key targets, and mobilized almost all the officers and soldiers who could fight in several provinces. Especially two months ago, Yang Sichang besieged Cao Ying with Zhongchuan General to guard the pass, and threw an olive branch to Luo Rucai to appease him, trying to divide the West and Cao Er Ying, Luo Rucai was exhausted and almost agreed, but was blocked back by Zhang Xianzhong with extremely strong means.

At that time, Zhang Xianzhong directly intimidated Luo Rucai, threatening that as long as Luo Rucai dared to surrender, no matter whether Xiying was destroyed or not, he would do his best to crush Luo Rucai's bones and ashes first. Luo Rucai was afraid of Zhang Xianzhong, and knew that he would do what he said, so he had to dispel the idea of being caressed, but from then on, there was no friendship with Zhang Xianzhong who fought side by side, only a kind of anger that was forced to be coerced.

Linked to Zhang Xianzhong's personality, Zhao Dangshi could imagine that Zhang and Luo would be at odds, and it was difficult for Sichuan to develop, break into camp and prepare for action, so it was not unusual for Luo Ru to give up Zhang Xianzhong and switch to Li Zicheng.

"If you camp out of Sichuan, it is equivalent to abandoning Xiying, and with the violence of the Yellow Tiger, how can you give up?" Zhao Dangshi continued.

Luo Dain hesitated at this time, Zhao Dangshi's heart jumped, he was keenly aware of some situation inside, and said directly: "My camp accepts your camp into Chu with open arms, and I also ask Uncle Luo to say it if you have something to say, don't hide it." ”

"The villain doesn't dare to hide it...... "Luo Dain nodded, and said with a sigh, "Out of Sichuan, not only my camp, but also Xiying." ”

"Hmm." Zhao Dangshi nodded solemnly. In Sichuan, because of Cao Ying's cooperation, Xiying has to have space to toss and turn, but if Cao Ying runs away, even if everyone in Xiying has the number of people who can go through the mountains and escape, it will be difficult to escape the fate of being wiped out by the concentrated firepower of several provincial officials and soldiers. And Cao Ying was taken by Zhang Xianzhong's authority, and he didn't dare to slip alone, so Luo Rucai must have said with Zhang Xianzhong that he would go out of Sichuan together, and then choose the opportunity to leave Xiying and go to the camp.

"Is the date set for Izukawa?" Zhao Dangshi asked.

With the camp as a guarantee, Luo Dain can face Zhao Dangshi as an official and soldier without scruples, in his eyes, the current Zhao Ying is a thief wearing official clothes.

"It snows in the middle of the river, and it is inconvenient to march, so if you want to go out of the river, you have to wait for the beginning of spring in January and February of the next year."

When Zhao Dangshi heard this, he bowed his head slightly, and under the electric thought, he suddenly came up with a bold decision. He pondered for a moment and said, "If you promise me one thing, I will ensure that your camp is unhindered in Chudi." ”