"Master Li, what is written in this letter?" Wu Liang asked with concern. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 info

"It's just that Li Maofang, the governor of Shandong, wrote a letter to intercede on behalf of Liu Zeqing. Saying that everyone is an official army in Shandong, although there is a conflict between the upper and lower parts because of the villain's provocation, I still hope that our army and Liu Zeqing will reconcile as soon as possible, and then release the prisoners, and the matter can be revealed. Hmph, this person is funny, our army finally managed to capture these prisoners, how can there be a reason to easily release the prisoners back with a letter from him! Li Xiao sneered, and then threw the letter aside.

"My lord, having said that, after all, since the beginning of the Wanli year, the governor has three divisions, and he also has the position of commander of Shandong, both civil and military, and his authority is quite large. Wu Liang replied solemnly.

Li Xiao pondered for a while, sighed and said: "Okay, just give this Governor Li a face, and the official will personally reply to a letter, explaining the ins and outs of this infighting, so as to save the governor from listening to and believing, just listening to Liu Zeqing's words, but he has misrepresented our army." ”

After Wu Liang left, Li Xiao laid out paper and ink, waved a book, and soon finished writing a long letter with enthusiasm.

In this letter, although Li Xiao did not explicitly name them, he had already explained in detail how Liu Zeqing and his gang secretly co-opted their own generals to make them cooperate with Zheng Longfang and want to seize Chifeng Fort in one fell swoop. Li Xiao said solemnly in the letter, Liu Zeqing, as a superior, how despicable it is to treat his subordinates like this! Fortunately, he had already made preparations, and he did not let his poisonous plan succeed. Li Xiao finally wrote at the end of the letter that he hoped that the governor would be impartial and judgmental, severely punish some of those who provoked trouble, and only discuss the return of prisoners after Li Xiaojun was innocent and fair.

After Li Xiao finished writing, sealed the wax seal, and handed it to the messenger, who was already resting in the fort, and asked him to return to Jinan with the letter tomorrow, the messenger promised not to mention it.

For the next few days, there was nothing to do in the fort except for the intensive construction of the storehouse.

Now, all the soldiers have changed their armor, and only part of the Xuanhu Heavy Cavalry, which was originally only worn by cotton armor, has been changed to wear iron armor, and the extra dozen or so pieces of iron armor are replaced by flying harriers wearing cotton armor. The existing spearmen and shield soldiers are all equipped with cotton armor. The mandarin duck battle jackets that were replaced from the spear and shield soldiers were distributed to the firearms troops, sailors and sailors, and the security brigade to wear.

The soldiers who have changed to better equipment are full of joy on their faces, and they are even more enthusiastic about training and drilling.

Li Xiaojun still had more than 1,000 pieces of captured cotton armor left unused, and Li Xiao planned to send them to wear after recruiting new auxiliaries.

Li Xiao didn't know that at this time, in the governor's mansion, Liu Zeqing, the general soldier of Shandong, and Li Maofang, the governor of Shandong, were having a fierce argument.

"My lord, look at what Li Xiaoxin said, it is complete nonsense, and how arrogant his words are! Saying that this official wants to plot against his Chifeng Fort, only to win over his subordinates and secretly send soldiers and horses to attack, it is really nonsense, and blood is spurting people! With 30,000 soldiers and horses under his command, if he wants to make this small Qianhu Fort, why bother so much, as soon as the army comes out, his Chifeng Fort will become a powder! Liu Zeqing sat on a nanmu chair with an angry expression.

Li Maofang, who sat on a plush official hat chair at the top, had a white face and long hair, and he had the leisure and elegance of a scholar. He listened to Liu Zeqing's words, but his face was calm as usual, and at the same time, a faint cold snort came out of his nostrils.

Li Maofang, the word Guohua, the number Yuwan, the Ming Dynasty Shangyu people, the Ming Dynasty Wanli forty-one years (1613) in the Jinshi, the first Fujian Xinghua County Order, and then all the way up, and finally the first assistant Zhou Yanru was promoted to the left deputy capital of the imperial history, Zhou Yanru was attacked by Wen Tiren after the fall, because of the result of the wrestling between the two factions in the DPRK and China, Li Maofang, who has always been lonely and self-controlled, does not participate in the formation of parties and private interests, and finally replaced the former governor Zhu Dadian, who was promoted to the governor of Caoyun, and succeeded as the governor of Shandong and the commander of Shandong.

Li Maofang's ability to become the governor of Shandong was not because of his outstanding ability, but because it was entirely the result of internal struggles and compromises in the imperial court, so when he was appointed, he himself was taken aback.

After coming to Shandong to take office, Li Maofang, a newcomer to the civil office, behaved relatively weak and mediocre, and was extremely despised by Liu Zeqing, who served as the commander of the capital and the commander-in-chief of Shandong, and took the lead in disobeying him. Especially in the military aspect, Liu Zeqing has the final say, although Li Maofang is extremely resentful in his heart, but he is helpless in his heart, after all, he does not understand military affairs, and he has no power to rely on, so he can only silently endure Liu Zeqing's arbitrariness.

It's a sigh that although Li Maofang is so bent and seeking perfection, Liu Zeqing looks at him more and more unpleasantly, and finally finds an opportunity later, at the end of Chongzhen's eighth year, he reported to Shangzuo that he was greedy for public funds during the disaster relief, did not care about the people's livelihood, and embezzled more than 20,000 taels of military salary. And the first assistant Wen Tiren, who was known for his treacherous appearance, originally wanted to promote his own people, so he took advantage of this opportunity to impeach Li Maofang and remove him from office, and then arranged for his own confidant Yan Jizu to succeed him as governor of Shandong.

Li Maofang, who went to work and returned home, was depressed and closed her door. A few years later, he died of grief.

Seeing Liu Zeqing so angry, Li Maofang glanced at him and said lightly: "Hezhou, since you said this, how could the three thousand soldiers and horses of Zheng Longfang's department run to Chifeng Fort for no reason, and how could they fight with Li Xiao's department, isn't it strange?" ”

Liu Zeqing choked when he heard this, he looked at the expression on Li Maofang's face that seemed to be smiling, and gritted his teeth with hatred in his heart. I had to bite the bullet and say: "My lord, why Zheng Longfang's department went to Chifeng Castle, the lower official doesn't know the reason, and after Zheng Longfang returns from release, this official will ask him for an explanation." ”

Li Maofang snorted coldly in his heart, and said secretly, Liu Zeqing, as the chief soldier of Shandong, the following staff generals took 3,000 soldiers and horses to attack Chifeng Fort, and you even said that you don't know the reason, hmph, you lie to the ghost.

He immediately thought again, this Liu Zeqing is really a thing that is not responsible, if something happens, he will push the responsibility to his subordinates, so Zheng Longfang is blind with such a person.

However, although Li Maofang thought like this in his heart, his face was still calm, he sighed, and said calmly: "Then according to General Liu's intentions, how should this matter be handled?" ”

Liu Ze stood up from his chair clearly, and he said loudly to Li Maofang: "I implore the governor to agree, let me immediately gather the soldiers and horses of the guards in Shandong, and after gathering the army, I will immediately send troops, and I will be able to quickly wipe out the Chifeng Fort, the lair of the thief Li Xiao, in one fell swoop, and the captured soldiers of our army can also be rescued immediately." ”

After Liu Zeqing finished speaking, he looked at Li Maofang with a sincere face, but Li Maofang only squinted his eyes and did not speak.

Seeing Li Maofang's calm and unhurried appearance, Liu Zeqing was ashamed and angry in his heart, and in his heart, he had secretly scolded his military advisor Li Huajing several times.

After the rout fled back to Jinan that day, Liu Zeqing, who heard the news, was almost angry, and more than 2,000 elite soldiers and horses were killed at the hands of Li Xiao like this, which was a great shame!

On that day, Liu Zeqing was so angry that he almost wanted to immediately behead Li Huajing, who was trembling in front of him, but fortunately, he suppressed the evil fire in his heart and suppressed it, only scolded Li Huajing fiercely, and fined him for half a year.

Damn, if it weren't for Li Huajing's guy, he would have to take shortcuts and make some kind of tricks to rebel and send troops to sneak attack, how could he be like this, lose his wife and lose his troops, and let Li Maofang, a useless civilian official, see the joke.

If he had been tougher at the beginning, he would have taken advantage of the fact that Li Xiao's Chifeng Fort had not yet been built, and the 30,000 troops would have attacked together, and now he would have cut off Li Xiao's dog's head. Why are you still here, subject to the bird's spirit of this civil official surnamed Li.

Liu Zeqing, who was angry that day, finally calmed down and began to face reality.

Now, among his 30,000 soldiers and horses, the 3,000 elites selected have all been killed or captured by Li Xiao, except for the nearly 800 who fled back. Liu Zeqing knew very well that after Li Xiaojun's victory, the morale of the army would definitely rise sharply. And their own elite is mourned, even though there are still many people, but the elite has been lost, and it is difficult to attack Li Xiao, who is already a strong and well-guarded city.

This is the reason why Liu Zeqing made a special trip to see Li Maofang a few days ago.

He wanted to use Li Maofang to issue a military order to mobilize troops and horses in various guards, so as to gather the army again, conquer the damned Chifeng Fort in one fell swoop, and cut the damned Li Xiao with a thousand knives.

To Liu Zeqing's consternation and shame, this seemingly weak and bullying Li Maofang actually rejected his request.

Li Maofang said to him, you and Li Xiao are both Ming officials and soldiers in Shandong, how can you fall into such a situation of killing each other. Our Shandong official army lasted two years, and by March last year, Fang had wiped out Kong Youde's rebels, and his vitality had been greatly damaged. Liu Zongbing, you act so recklessly, isn't it painful for relatives and quick for enemies. Besides, if the court blames it, not only will you Liu Zongbing and that Li Xiao not be able to eat and walk around, but I, the governor, will also be reprimanded by the saint.

Liu Zeqing was speechless by Li Maofang's words of clear persuasion and secret reprimand. In the end, he had to agree, and Li Maofang came forward to mediate and write a letter of persuasion to Li Xiao, hoping that Li Xiao would release the prisoners and reconcile the two families.

Unexpectedly, Li Xiao refused to give himself this step. Although he did not name him, he denounced his despicable behavior in the reply, and asked Li Maofang to severely punish himself, which made Liu Zeqing, who read the reply, feel angry again.

"Hezhou, you still have to calm down." Li Maofang sighed and said lightly: "Then Li Xiao's words in the letter also make sense. If you listen to and believe partially, it will be unfair in this constitution. Anyway, Benxian will give Li Xiao some more face, go to Chifeng Fort in person, investigate the matter clearly, and settle this reconciliation as soon as possible. ”

Liu Zeqing looked embarrassed: "Why do you have to be like this, why do you act like this, wouldn't you be too uplifting to Li Xiao's house." ”

Li Maofang shook his head: "This constitution is just a trip, if it can be exchanged for the harmonious coexistence of my Shandong officials and army, it is worth it." Hezhou, you should go back, and after this constitution understands the facts clearly, you will make a decision on this matter. ”

Liu Zeqing had no choice but to leave.

Liu Zeqing walked away, and from behind the screen in the living room, a young man dressed in a cyan Confucian shirt with a white and round face walked out with a smile and said to Li Maofang: "Dong Weng, now that Liu Zeqing has settled down, but you have to decide when to leave for Chifeng Castle?" ”

Li Maofang looked at him with a happy look and replied with a smile: "Wozi, it seems that the evolution of this matter is under your control." ”

The young man laughed and arched to Li Maofang: "Where, the student only put forward a superficial opinion, and the adult can adopt it, which is really a blessing." ”

This young man, known as Wozi, was a young celebrity at that time, whose full name was Chen Zilong.

Chen Zilong, a native of Songjiang Huating, Nanzhili, is a famous writer and a famous scholar of the Fushe Society. The first name is introduced, the word Wozi, Maozhong, Renzhong, No. Otaru, Haishi, Yifu, etc. This person is loyal and upright, both civil and military, and is a rare talent. He once served as a Shaoxing magistrate, and he was in the middle of the military promotion department, but he was appointed to the Ming Dynasty and died. After the Qing soldiers captured Nanjing, he contacted the Taihu People's Armed Organization to carry out anti-Qing activities, and was finally arrested after the defeat and died in the first year of Yongli.

At this time, Chen Zilong had just married the daughter of Zhang Liangduan, Shaoyang Zhixian County, Baoqing Prefecture, Huguang, and went to the capital at the beginning of this year to participate in the seven-year examination of Chongzhen in order to gain fame.

Unexpectedly, because he spoke freely about the difficulties of state affairs in the meeting, it was the inaction of many high-ranking officials in the imperial court, and he was deeply hated by the first assistant Wen Tiren and others, so that he did not return to his hometown.

After returning south from the capital, Chen Zilong went to Jinan to meet Li Maofang, who was then the governor of Shandong. Chen Zilong's father, Chen Suowen, used to be a waiter in the Criminal Department, and Li Maofang was an old friend. Later, he found that Chen Zilong spoke well, spoke wittily, and his talent seemed to be above his father, and he admired it very much in his heart, and he had the intention to recruit Chen Zilong as a staff member. Unexpectedly, although Chen Zilong had already called him Dong Weng, he never explicitly agreed to become his staff. Li Maofang cherished his talent, so he invited him to live in the house for a longer time, but Chen Zilong was difficult to refuse, so that he could live in the house temporarily.

Li Maofang looked at Chen Zilong, who was in the wind in front of him, and said with a smile: "It seems that Wozi wants to go to the Chifeng Fort with Benxian?" ”

Chen Zilong replied with a smile: "Dong Weng, the student has this intention. The students want to see who this Li Xiao, who has made a name for himself in Liaodong, who can create his own foundation in Shandong, and who has greatly defeated the majesty of the military leader Liu Zeqing. ”