The name of Niuxinzhai sounds reckless, but in fact it is more like a town market. Liu Hongqi, the owner of the village, was a native of Xiping County, Runing Prefecture, and returned to the camp to pass through Xiping, and then because he was unwilling to move to the mountainous area of Anqing Mansion with the army, he broke away from the township party Zhao Fawu and returned to the camp to stand on his own.

Liu Hongqi had the courage to speak of righteousness, Zhao Fawu to help, and the response of Mao Xianwen, a township tyrant in Tongbai County, Nanyang Prefecture, and soon gathered thousands of people to capture Niuxin Village in Tongbai Mountain in the north of Yingshan County. There are many hunters in Yingshan County, superb archery skills and good at medicinal arrows, Zhang Xianzhong has suffered losses in the hands of these hunters in the previous attacks on Yingshan County, but Liu Hongqi got along well with these hunters by virtue of the convenience of similar customs, and also recruited a lot of his subordinates.

Han Huamei, a native of Suiping County, Runing Prefecture, and Ma Shangzhi, a native of Xinyang Prefecture, were surrounded and suppressed by officers and soldiers in their hometowns, and they successively defected to Liu Hongqi, who was growing stronger. Everyone originally recommended Liu Hongqi as the leader, but Liu Hongqi knew some ways to advance and retreat, and under the pretext that Mao Xianwen was older, he regarded him as the greatest, claiming that he was only an assistant. However, in essence, all the villages in Tongbai Mountain District are centered on Niuxin Village, and Liu Hongqi also relied on the advantage of the stars to hold the moon and slowly recruited displaced people to enrich and expand Niuxin Village. The so-called "village" has already been built with rammed earth walls, and thousands of people have settled, and their exchanges are orderly and orderly, which is not inferior to the scale of large counties and towns.

It can be seen that Liu Hongqi is ambitious, and he is definitely unwilling to be a robber village owner forever. His recent goal is obviously to be the same as Li Jiyu, who integrated the local bandits of Henan Province, with the title of "big palm plate".

It was noon when Hei Bangjun and Li Jiyu and his party arrived at Niuxin Village, and Zhao Ying did not have to surface during this trip.

In the mountains of November, the cold wind roars through the forest and the valley, and although the sun is big, it still can't withstand the chill when it shines on people. Li Jiyu is the first powerful faction in Henan in recent years who can be called "big palm plate", and Liu Hongqi led the village owners down the mountain to greet him, without slacking off at all.

The two sides just met, and Shen Wandeng, nicknamed "King Shunyi", also arrived. His village is in Suiping County, Runing Prefecture, and he himself has actually stayed near Niuxin Village for a long time, but he has not gone up the mountain for a long time, and he did not come to the meeting until Li Jiyu appeared at this time. The reason is simple to think about, although he was born in Zhenyang County, Runing Prefecture, but after all, he started very early, and his qualifications are completely higher than Liu Hongqi and others, and now he is determined to break into the army, and he has the arrogance of being different from Liu Hongqi and others.

When everyone arrived in the village, the most magnificent building was a renovated temple, and the temple had long since lost its monks, and it became Liu Hongqi's daily affairs and daily living place.

There are few guards in the courtyard of the temple, and there are not many soldiers in the whole village, only to see all kinds of old and young women and children walking hand in hand, shuttling back and forth. Hei Bangjun secretly inquired and learned that most of the people living in the village were people, Liu Hongqi was worried that the soldiers would disturb the livelihood of the people, so he set up a new village in the back mountain to garrison soldiers. If there is any disobedience or even bullying of the people, Liu Hongqi will personally control the sword and behead him under the banner of "Acting for Heaven" in front of the main hall of the temple.

Hei Bangjun secretly claimed to be surprised, but when he heard the slogan of the palace, Liu Hongqi invited everyone to enter the palace of the Heavenly King. In the middle of the hall, there is a large round table made of fragrant sandalwood, and several chairs are of different materials, but they also use luxurious wood such as red sandalwood and sour branches. The table is full of wine and meat, full of delicacies, and the bowls, chopsticks and wine utensils used also have their own names. The houses and furnishings inside and outside the hall are simple and even a little cold, but this table of banquets is particularly precious and dazzling, revealing a strangeness that is incompatible with the scene.

However, the owners of the villages didn't care, and as soon as Liu Hongqi finished his toast, he began to feast like a wild horse, eating the vulgarity of Haisai's behavior, which made the onlookers laugh. The wine was eaten to the upswing, and the eighteen kinds of martial arts were used, and all kinds of meat jokes and boastful words were dispatched together, which caused bursts of laughter in the banquet, which was very lively.

The wine and meat were slightly exhausted, Ma Shangzhi, the owner of the cottage, felt that it was not enjoyable, and shouted, asking Liu Hong to go outside to pick a few Zhou Zheng's women to accompany him to drink and have fun, Liu Hongqi politely refused, Zhao Fawu helped him speak: "Lao Ma's unruly name is really worthy of his name, but after the sacrifice of the five visceral temples here, we still have business to do. ”

Ma Shangzhi was not happy, so Liu Hongqi persuaded: "Brother Ma, don't worry, when you finish cooking, you will spend two more days in my village." Brother, how can I treat you badly? He gave him a look.

"Zhong, I love to hear what Lao Liu says!" When Ma Shangzhi heard this, he immediately smiled so much that he couldn't see his teeth, and clapped his hands with joy.

"Then don't forget me!" Han Hwa-mi also screamed, and everyone laughed again.

"A bunch of dirt buns." Shen Wandeng sneered in a low voice. He sat upright from the beginning, his face was indifferent, and he quickly put down his chopsticks when he occasionally moved, and he seemed to look down on Liu Hongqi and his gang.

After Li Jiyu stopped, Liu Hong clapped his hands, everyone got up, and the small servant took the banquet. Ma Shangzhi was still unsatisfied, and he was still holding a chicken leg in his hand and gnawing on it again and again. After taking a seat, a few small servants added tea to everyone, Shen Wandeng was extremely disgusted by Ma Shangzhi's ugliness, and said sarcastically: "Master Ma Zhai, your mouth full of oil and water mixed with tea, I'm afraid it won't taste good!" ”

Everyone laughed, and Ma Shangzhi glanced at him and said, "I eat me, can you control it?" Don't you envy my old horse and chicken legs to eat, red-eyed? After that, he looked at Han Huamei and laughed, and even threw away the remaining bones of the chicken leg and landed at Shen Wandeng's feet, "If you want it, I'll give it to you, no thanks." ”

Shen Wandeng was hit by a counterattack, and he became angry, Liu Hongqi hurriedly coughed, and immediately a sensible little guy ran over and picked up the chicken leg, regardless of the dust, put it in his mouth and gnawed on it: "Grandpa Xie rewards meat to eat!" ”

Liu Hongqi smiled and said: "Brother Shen is righteous and generous, and he gave me food to the people in the village, and I thank you here." ”

Shen Wan got the steps, and when he saw Li Jiyu nodding to him over there, he walked down and said coldly, "It's okay, the courtesies are still exchanged." "In this way, the stubble is over.

Liu Hongqi said to Li Jiyu at this time: "Li Dazhang plate, we all understand your intentions." But you know, we have all privately promised Zuo Shuai. A gentleman promises a thousand gold, do you have to let us be the untrustworthy and unrighteous people? ”

Li Jiyu shook his head and said: "You and I are both from the green forest, and righteousness is the first priority. He treats me with kindness and righteousness, and I will repay it with righteousness, right? ”

Liu Hongqi said with a smile: "Li Dazhang is really knowledgeable and knowledgeable, and it makes sense when he speaks." ”

Li Jiyu said again: "But who is Zuo Liangyu?" Lack of kindness and lack of righteousness, to such a person, isn't it to play the harp to the cow? ”

Zhao Fawu said: "Is Li Zicheng righteous, if he is righteous, why are Ma Shouying and Luo Rucai dead one after another?" ”

"Put your mother's fart, Ma Shouying and Luo Rucai will not die, and they have something to do with King Chuang?" Shen Wandeng slapped the table, "They themselves are going to touch the hard nails in Yunxiang Town, and they can't blame others for finding death!" ”

Liu Hongqi clapped his hands and said: "The matter of righteousness is not clear, so I don't care." The current situation is that our village is surrounded by the Zuo army, Zuo Shuai nodded, and it is not impossible for him to have tens of thousands of soldiers and horses step on my cottage. People often say that 'far water can't quench the thirst of the near', although the camp is strong, but it is far water, in order to protect ourselves, we have to take refuge in Zuo Shuai. ”

"Brother, that's the other way around."

"What is the opinion of Li Dazhang's plate?"

"You only saw that there was a Zuo Liangyu beside you, but you didn't think about whether Zuo Liangyu really had the intention of beating you. If you are only afraid of Zuo Liangyu's words and words, it is completely the behavior of a cowardly person who is afraid of things, so don't be righteous and unjust. ”

Zhao Fawu was dissatisfied: "Li Dazhang's words are too aggressive. ”

Li Jiyu arched his hand and said, "If you have any offense, please forgive me." ”

Zhao Fawu continued: "There are more and more Zuojia troops gathered in Xinyang Prefecture, and a month ago there were only a few thousand, but now I know that there are twenty or thirty thousand people. Our village is lonely, and Zuo Shuai is angry and can't resist it. ”

"I just said, why don't you think about Zuo Liangyu's purpose of gathering the soldiers and horses, and judge whether he really has the heart to crusade against you and others."

"What if not?"

Li Jiyu replied: "The heavy snow season has just passed a few days ago, and although the snow has not yet fallen, it will not be too long to think about it. As soon as the snow falls, do you think that with the danger of the mountain, Zuo Liangyu will fight hard when the snow is flying? Anyway, if it were me, I wouldn't dare. ”

Shen Wandeng laughed and said, "Zuo Liangyu really has this momentum, King Chuang can't get along for a long time." ”

Li Jiyu continued: "Once the heavy snow comes, it will not stop until the spring of the next year, and the snow in the mountains will melt late, and it will be possible to pass the carriages and horses, not to mention that it will have to wait until March." According to this reasoning, even if you immediately tear your face with Zuo Liangyu now, he must have no other way than to move his mouth to intimidate you. ”

"Then we really rely on the sky for food?" Zhao Fawu shook his head, "Wouldn't it be bad if the snow really came late this year or the snow was light?" Who could have predicted this? ”

"No need to predict. Falling snow is only one aspect, and I will not pin your brothers' future on celestial phenomena. Li Jiyu waved his hand, "But please know one thing, the Zuo family army gathered in Xinyang Prefecture to fight the stockade." ”

"What's that for?" Liu Hongqi asked.

"Fight the intruder." Li Ji said with a straight face, and then looked at Shen Wandeng, "That's right, Lord Shen Zhai." ”

"Yes, there is news from the army that the officers and armies in various places have recently moved, and judging from past experience, the officers and troops may be organizing a new round of large-scale encirclement and suppression. Under King Chuang's order, all armies and departments have begun to prepare to deal with it. Shen Wandeng said loudly with a sense of superiority, although he was not qualified to attend the military meeting, but through the relationship, he was able to find out some rumors in advance, which already made him very proud, as if he had become the former commander of Li Zicheng's account, "What's the use, didn't he end up like Fu Zonglong?" ”

"Zuo Shuai actually wants to fight a decisive battle with the breaking army......"

As soon as the news came out, Liu Hongqi and others immediately began to talk about it, and they all showed an unexpected attitude.

"The momentum of the invading army is soaring, and it has spread out to attack the city everywhere, so it is not an exaggeration to say that most of Henan has fallen into the hands of the invading army." Li Jiyu clasped his hands together and said, "The mountain road is rugged, the camp is difficult and dangerous, and there are thousands of people in total, even if Zuo Liangyu wants to destroy you and others, it may not be possible to do it in a hurry, and it will also cost a lot of energy." In such a critical situation, do you brothers think that Zuo Liangyu dares to temporarily divide troops and horses to attack your stockade? ”

"But if we turn against Zuo Liangyu now, wait for him to settle accounts after the decisive battle, what can I do?" Zhao Fawu said with a sad face.

Li Jiyu responded: "King Chuang didn't want you to turn your face with Zuo Liangyu now, you can wait for a showdown when necessary." He said, "What's more, there will be damage when the two tigers fight, how do you brothers know that after the decisive battle, Zuo Liangyu still has the energy to take care of you and others?" ”

Shen Wandeng also said: "Zuo Liangyu didn't even want his old nest Xuzhou, and fled to Xinyang Prefecture in a hurry, and he really lost his family's dog." That's it, still hoping to win the army that is blooming everywhere? Pipe dream! ”

Li Jiyu answered: "Even if the army is defeated, it is a big deal to surrender to western Henan, and soon it will be able to gather sand into a tower, and there is still room for maneuver." Zuo Liangyu's foundation has been lost, and once it fails, it will collapse like a thousand-mile embankment, and there is no possibility of turning over. The reason why I came here is not only to be a lobbyist for King Chuang, but also to consider the future of your brothers. ”

Speaking of this, Mao Xianwen and Zhao Fawu fell into silence, Ma Shangzhi and Han Huamei couldn't hide their thoughts, and even began to nod their heads and say yes.

Liu Hongqi pondered for a moment, raised his eyes and asked, "If we really belong to King Chuang, what does King Chuang want us to do?" "To tell the truth, if Li Zicheng asked them to do anything after the war to attack the rear of the Zuojia Army or to respond to the main force, they couldn't do it, they couldn't do it together, and they couldn't reach more than 10,000 people, and their combat power was not strong, and they didn't have the ability to attack fortifications.

Li Jiyu knew that the overall situation had been decided, smiled, and said slowly: "Don't be in a hurry for the time being, just as I just said, everything will wait until the decisive battle between the Chuang army and the Zuojia army." And lest the brothers look ahead and look backward and be restless. As he spoke, he suddenly got up and said in a loud voice, "Brothers, success or failure is often in an instant, King Chuang remembered that all brothers have the friendship of rebelling against the imperial court, so I am here to solicit them." With the strength of the army, it is our blessing to see us, and there is no such store in this village. The brothers can trust me and the king, so they will make a blood alliance, first form a heart of allegiance to the king, and then listen to the arrangement. But rest assured, King Chuang is incomparably benevolent and righteous, and he will not let you do the act of jumping into the fire pit, otherwise I will lose my Li Jiyu's life and the foundation of the Imperial Village, and I will help our own brothers resist to the end! ”

When Liu Hongqi heard this, he first stood up, nodded and said: "Li Dazhang is righteous, and Wang Renyi is both affectionate and righteous. ”

As soon as he spoke, Mao Xianwen, Zhao Fawu, Ma Shangzhi, and Han Huamei did not hesitate any longer, and got up one after another and agreed in unison.