1

Tang Hai, Duan Qi, Tang Xi, and Jin Zi led 20,000 troops out of the city and stationed in Qinghe, and the next day they sent 10,000 horses from Duan Qi and Tang Xi to camp ten miles west of the city. When he had nothing to do, Tang Hai took a few entourages in civilian clothes to visit the people every day, and saw many soldiers of the righteous army who were arrogant and noisy, while the people were still poor and poor as usual. Whenever he saw this scene, Tang Hai had to shake his head helplessly, sighing a few times into the air, but he was often sullen from then on.

On this day, they went out with gold and two guards in civilian clothes, and the four of them walked to a village, and saw many sergeants walking through the village, and the villagers all had different faces. Tang Hai was puzzled, and asked an old woman: "Auntie, the rebels came to Beijing, did they harass you?" An old man next to him saw that although Tang Hai and the four of them were in civilian clothes, they looked majestic and spoke with a non-Beijing accent, so without waiting for the old woman to speak, he put her into the house, closed the door and did not come out. Tang Hai asked a few more people, either ignoring them, or waving their hands and not daring to say more.

The four of them walked a few more villages, and the situation was no different, and when it was time to eat, they could not find a wine shop or restaurant, so they had to go back to the camp. Just a few steps, I heard a burst of crying, following the voice, a big man with five sergeants was dragging an old man, dragging and scolding, from time to time punching and kicking, the old man just begged for mercy, crying sadly, tearing people's hearts.

"Stop, why are you arresting this old man?" When those people approached, they only heard the old man say that my family really has no money, and I will hand it all over to you, Tang Hai guessed that it was Li Guo's rebels chasing stolen goods, so he stopped and asked.

Seeing that Tang Hai and the four were wearing civilian clothes, the five people didn't know their true identities, thinking that they were people from a foreign country, and the sergeant headed by the sergeant said: "We are chasing stolen goods and helping to pay salaries, who are you?" ”

Tang Hai didn't answer, but said: "I see that this old man is full of wrinkles, his skin is dark, and his hands and feet are thick, he doesn't look like a big landlord, nor does he look like a gentry bully, why do you arrest him." ”

The big man said, "What do you know? This old thing looks kind, but it is actually a big family, with 50 acres of fertile land, a manor, and more than 10 cattle and horses. ”

The old man cried, "You didn't sell me this land?" ”

The big man said: "It was you who forcibly seized my family property, and now that the rebels are here, you still want to deny it?" As the big man spoke, he kicked the old man down.

Tang Hai felt strange when he heard this, and thought that there must be a reason for this, so he glanced at Jinzi, who showed the token and said, "Let him go, let's take him back for a good interrogation." ”

When the sergeant at the head saw the token, he immediately bent down and bowed: "It turned out to be General Guo Yi, and his subordinates obeyed the order." Then he said to the big man in civilian clothes: "Let him go, you can take us to other households." ”

The big man knew that the four people in front of him were the generals of Da Shunguo, and he didn't dare to disobey, so he had to let go of the old man and return with the five sergeants.

Jin Zi picked up the old man, looked at Tang Hai nervously, and said, "General, the old man is not guilty." He cried again.

Tang Haidao: "Boss, don't worry, the righteous army's pursuit of stolen goods and salaries is aimed at the big landlords and powerful squires who do evil, although your family has 50 acres of land, if there is no evil on weekdays, it should not belong to the list of those who are chased, why do they also arrest you?" ”

The old man said: "The general doesn't know, the old man's surname is Tian Mingchang, he is a poor family, only three acres of thin fields are struggling to survive, last year was unlucky, the old man actually ploughed out three silver bowls in the field when plowing, each weighing twenty taels. ”

When Tian Chang said this, he coughed a few times in a row, and the guard Wei Mingyue said: "You old man is so strange, you picked up such a big bargain and said that you were unlucky?" ”

The old man said again: "You don't know, our whole family was also very happy at that time, hiding at home as a baby, and the whole family was happy for a few months." The big man who led the rebels to arrest me is known as the 'Beijing machete', surnamed Inexplicable Huai, who is a big family in our Qinghe, with more than 200 acres of land, and is rampant and domineering on weekdays, and no one dares to provoke him. ”

Tang Hai was shocked and thought to himself: "He is the capital machete Mo Huai?" ”

Jin Zi had also heard about the battle between Alatai, Siren, and Shi'an and Mo Huai and Mo Sha brothers in Beijing, and secretly thought to himself: "How can this person be with the righteous army?" ”

The old man said: "Last year, Mo Huai and his sworn brother Mo Sha took seventy or eighty stateless villains to fight with Qian Jiu, a powerful man in Tong County, Mo Sha was killed, and Mo Huai was also injured. When the news came, Mo Huai's father begged people everywhere for mercy, and also opened up the joint of the yamen, and the middleman said that at least 800 taels of silver could be released to Mo Huai, otherwise he would be investigated and dealt with by law. The Mo family had a son, and Mo's father had no choice but to sell his real estate, sell his fertile land, and raise gold and silver everywhere, and finally owed sixty taels and couldn't make it up. Father Mo was eager to save his son, and let out his words, willing to sell the remaining fifty acres of land for sixty taels of silver. ”

Speaking of this, the old man was remorseful and sighed: "Alas, I also blame me for being greedy for his cheapness, and after getting the news, he happily exchanged these three silver bowls for his family's fifty acres of land." Later, Mo Huai came out of the prison, the whole family had no house to live in, so they had to live in a dilapidated temple to survive, the old father suffered from this great change, depression became ill, and soon died, Mo Huai has been more debauched since then, wandering around, causing trouble. But at this moment, your rebels called, he Mo Huai was a poor bastard with nothing, with a sign of 'Shunmin' on his chest, and suddenly became a poor person for the relief of the rebels, but my family became a big family of forcible grabbing, my land was also confiscated, and my home was searched cleanly, the old man's family was really wronged! ”

Tang Hai and Jin Zi all sighed when they heard this, and Tang Hai comforted: "Don't worry, my husband, our righteous army is to help the poor, eliminate the strong, and protect the good and the weak. ”

The old man only resigned, Tang Hai was in a heavy mood, and returned to the camp with the gold and the guards.

After entering the barracks, Tang Hai asked everyone to go to dinner, paced in the camp tent by himself, and said to himself: "We are known as the righteous army, how can we tolerate such villains!" ”

Jin Zi had something to say, so he didn't go to eat immediately, but stayed outside the tent and hesitated, and happened to hear Tang Hai's words, knowing Tang Hai's thoughts, so he turned around and entered the tent and said, "Why don't we get rid of this evil?" ”

Tang Hai turned around and saw that it was gold, and said: "The righteous man kills people, regardless of good and evil, regardless of enmity and hatred, and whether it is right or wrong. But the king had already issued a military order: kill the rebel and not the shun, and kill the rich but not the poor. Although Mo Huai is evil, now he is a obedient and poor person, if I kill him, will I not violate the king's military order. ”

Jin Zi said: "How can you talk about rich and poor by killing? ”

Tang Haidao: "Yes, but the king's military order is like this, what can I do." ”

Jin Zi went out of the camp tent and found Wei Mingyue and said: "You go to the village just now and recruit the man named Mo Huai, just say that my general heard that he is brave and extraordinary, and he has the reputation of 'capital machete' on the rivers and lakes, and wants to be promoted to a mighty general and stay under his command to serve." Wei Mingyue came out with the order, and Jin Zi was worried about the righteousness of Tang Hai's eighteen people in Daba Mountain, which Mo Huai thought about and knew that his enemies Alatai, Siren, and Shi'an were under Tang Hai's command, so he urgently recalled Wei Mingyue and instructed: "If he asks the name of your general, you will say that it is Liu Fangliang, the general of the left battalion." Wei Mingyue was puzzled: "But why?" Jin Zi smiled lightly: "The defense outside the city is a military aircraft, and it cannot be easily leaked." ”

About an hour later, Wei Mingyue led the overjoyed Mo Huai to come, and Jin Zi secretly instructed: "Take him to my tent." ”

After Wei Mingyue went out, Jin Zi came to the camp tent in advance to make some arrangements, and sat in the back to wait. After a while, Mo Huai followed Wei Mingyue into the camp tent, only to see the gold dress majestic, heroic posture, left and right standing a sword-wielding sergeant, couldn't help but panic.

Wei Mingyue said: "This is General Jinzi. Mo Huai saw that it was a female general, and thought it was Liu Fangliang's subordinate, so he bowed and saluted: "Meet General Jinzi." ”

A sergeant next to him said: "Bold, didn't kneel when you saw my general?" ”

Mo Huai wanted to be a general in the righteous army, so he had to obey in every possible way, and quickly knelt down and bowed again, saying: "The villain is a rough man in the rivers and lakes, he doesn't understand the etiquette in the army, the villain deserves to die, I hope the general will forgive his sins." ”

Jin Zi stood up, approached Mo Huai step by step, and asked: "I am a new person, it is the time to employ people, I heard that you are known as the 'capital machete', and you have been on the rivers and lakes for many years, is this matter serious?" ”

Mo Huai replied: "The villain is good at using machetes, and he has worked hard in Beijing for many years without an opponent, and his friends in the rivers and lakes are generous and give him such a nickname." ”

Jin Zi smiled: "Very good, very good, is this knife you wear the same machete you carry with you?" ”

Mo Huai said: "Exactly." ”

Jin Zi said: "Take it and let me see." ”

Mo Huai presented the machete, Jin Zi took it and looked at it carefully, and said to himself: "The blade is also sharp, but I don't know how hard it is." ”

Mo Huai said: "If my sword encounters other swords, it will never fall behind, if the general doesn't believe it, you can give it a try." ”

Jin Zi said: "You are fighting with people on the rivers and lakes, this knife may be okay, but when you go to the battlefield, the officers and soldiers are wearing armor, and some even have sheaths around their necks, can this knife work?" ”

Mo Huai said proudly: "Even if he is wearing an armor sheath, as long as he encounters my capital machete, he will be cut in two, and his head will fall to the ground." ”

Kaneko smiled, "Okay, then I'll try." ”

As soon as the words fell, Jin Zi suddenly raised his knife and slashed at the back of Mo Huai's neck, cutting off his head with a knife.

Wei Mingyue and the two sergeants were shocked, and Jin Zi grinned and said, "One knife and two sections, if it is a good knife." He said to the stunned sergeant and Wei Mingyue: "Put the head in a box, drag your body out and bury it." ”

2

"General, you haven't slept yet?" Jin Zi gently pushed open the door of Tang Hai's barracks.

"What, something?" Tang Hai raised his head and smiled slightly, seeing that Jin Zi wanted to speak and stopped, holding a booklet in his hand, he asked, "Is it that the casualties of the 18,000 brothers in Daba Mountain have been cleared out?" ”

Jin Zi nodded, Tang Hai was eager to know the result, but he was afraid to hear the result, so he asked "How?" ”

Jin Zi said: "Since coming out of Shennongjia, our battalion has gone through forty-nine battles, large and small, and there will be casualties among the Bashan disciples in each battle, or dozens, or hundreds, and now there are still ...... Sixty-six people, which is, the list of casualties of previous battles. ”

After Jin Zi finished speaking, he handed over the booklet, Tang Hai took it tremblingly, opened it carefully, and looked at it carefully for a long time, his eyes were suspicious, and his face was gloomy. After a long time, Tang Hai slowly raised his hand, waved towards the gold, and motioned to go out.

Jin Zi couldn't bear Tang Hai's sadness, and persuaded: "General, how can there be no casualties in the march and battle, we have 18,000 Bashan disciples to raise troops, and now there are 100,000 people, which is gratifying." ”

Seeing that Tang Hai was silent, Jin Zi said again: "General, the spies sent from Tangshan, Sanhaiguan, Rehe, and the Mongolian border have reported that no movements of the Manchu army and the Guanning army have been found so far. ”

Tang Haidao: "In this way, I am relieved." ”

Jin Zi saw that Tang Hai was sullen, so he had to withdraw slowly. When he was about to reach the door, Tang Hai instructed again: "There are two things you can do, first, take out these sixty-six Bashan disciples and be my general guard." Second, I heard that Liu Fangliang's army has also arrived in the capital, and is now stationed in Lugou Bridge in western Beijing...... You just go, just say that the eldest brother invited the brothers to eat and drink and catch up with the old days. ”

Jin Zi was overjoyed and bowed, "Yes." ”

Early the next morning, Jin Zi sent someone to inform Duan Qi and Tang Xi, and he took his knife and took Wei Mingyue and three other guards to the capital.

The five of them entered the city, and first looked for Liu Jia, Lin Yuan, Ye Yang, and Qiuguang in Liu Zongmin's military camp. The four of them were busy helping Liu Zongmin torture corrupt officials and corrupt officials, and recover stolen goods, when they saw Jin Zi coming, they each put down their sticks, welcomed her into the camp tent and asked, "How is the eldest brother?" ”

Jin Zi smiled: "You are happy here, how can you ask about the eldest brother." ”

Ye Yang said with a smile: "We torture these big officials every day, hand over the silver, beat them half to death, don't pay them, and then go to the house after they die, haha, it's more enjoyable than following the eldest brother to the rivers and lakes to kill people before." ”

Qiuguang said: "Hey, Jinzi, I heard that you are stationed in Qinghe, Qinghe is fun, isn't it?" ”

Jin Zi sneered: "It's not fun, it's the countryside, unlike so many big officials and rich people in the city, we can't find a partner if we want to kill people and practice swordsmanship." ”

Lin Yuan said: "There are some big landlords. ”

Jin Zi asked rhetorically: "There are some, but people are rich but not evil, how can they be killed just because they are rich?" In this way, what is the difference between a rebel army and a robber? ”

Liu Jia said with a solemn face: "Jinzi, although what we did violated the oath we made when we worshipped at the Phoenix Temple, we also acted in accordance with General Liu Zongmin's military order, and you also know that the military order cannot be violated, and we must not tell the eldest brother about this matter." ”

Jin Zi said: "The eldest brother pursues a 'righteousness' word all his life, and this righteousness is not only the righteousness of friends, the righteousness of the rivers and lakes, the righteousness of monarchs and ministers, but also the righteousness of the world." Although the four elder brothers are now under the command of General Liu, don't forget the teachings of the eldest brother back then. ”

Ye Yang smiled: "Sister Jinzi, we haven't forgotten the eldest brother's entrustment, but we will be disqualified from the foreign monarch's life, and we will come back after we are busy for a while, don't say to the eldest brother about this today, I Yeyang beg you." He bowed his hands and grinned as he bowed.

Jin Zi said: "I won't laugh with you anymore, the eldest brother will gather with the brothers tonight, no matter whether you are busy with affairs or not, you must go." ”

The four of them were overjoyed, and Ye Yang said, "Great, let's go." ”

Jin Zi said: "You go by yourself, I have to inform the other brothers." ”

Jin Zi resigned from them, and went to Li Guo's military camp to find Xiaolong, Shan Yong, Hong Shi'an, Zhang Chuan, and Wang Yu, and told the eldest brother that everyone had been invited to get together at night, and hurriedly went to the Li Fangliang military camp at Lugou Bridge to find Ala Tai and Siren.

3

Two or three miles away from the Lugou Bridge, I saw a battalion of men and horses staggering along with a team of prisoners, Wei Mingyue said: "General, isn't that General Ala Tai and General Si Ren?" The gold looked at it from afar, and sure enough, it was rushed up to meet him.

"Two brothers, what are you doing here? Where are so many prisoners going? "I didn't expect to meet Alatai and Siren halfway, and Jin Zi was overjoyed.

"Yo, what is the gold, what are you doing?" Siren didn't expect to come across gold here. Alatai said softly: "We escorted the prisoners to the execution ground, why are you here, could it be that the eldest brother has an order to send us back?" ”

Jin Zi said: "Big brother will hold a banquet tonight and specially invite all the brothers to get together. ”

Si Renxi said: "Okay, when we kill these 100 people, we will go back with you immediately." ”

Jin Zi was shocked and asked, "Why did you kill these hundred prisoners, and what did they do?" ”

Ala Taidao: "General Liu Fangliang has invaded Zhending, we were ordered to march to Beijing, along the way to capture landlords, big households, fugitive officials, bullies many, we agreed, catch a hundred concentrated execution, today counted the number, just one hundred, so decided to take to the suburbs to behead, I don't want to meet you." ”

Jin Zi knew that Tang Hai had been unhappy after being scolded by Cao Yin, and he was quite disgusted by the indiscriminate killing of the rebels, so he persuaded: "Cao Yin scolded the rebels, the eldest brother has been sad for the past few days, and you are killing here, just so that Cao Yin is scolded." ”

Alatai said: "What did Cao Yin scold ten times?" ”

Jin Zi said: "Scolding us for being unkind, unjust, indiscriminately killing and robbing, etc., you have arrested hundreds of people and beheaded them all, it doesn't seem appropriate." ”

Si Ren said: "Is it difficult to let it go?" That's not going to work, it's too cheap for them. ”

Allah Tai said: "What is the opinion of the gold? ”

Jin Zi said: "Pardon nine and punish one, punish nine and cut one, how about it?" ”

Si Ren said: "Ghost girl, what forgive nine punishments and punish one, punish nine and cut one?" Why can't I understand? ”

Alla thought for a while and praised: "Okay, now that the Ming Dynasty is dead, we Dashun should rule the world with benevolence and righteousness, and we will follow the gold." ”

Seeing that Alatai and Jin Zi had decided on a way to deal with these wicked people, Siren himself was still in the dark, and anxiously asked, "What are you going to do with it, why don't you make it clear to me?" ”

"The meaning of gold is that out of a hundred people, forgive ninety of them, let them go back, and punish ten of them, and out of these ten, nine will be punished and one will be beheaded." ”

Si Ren said "oh" and said, "That's not too cheap for them!" ”

Allatai said to Jinzi, "This method is good, but it is not time-consuming and laborious to choose ten evilers from among the hundred evildoers to punish them, and to choose the most evil one from among the ten evildoers to kill?" If we really do it according to your method, how can we have time to go to Qinghe today to meet with our brothers? ”

Si Ren laughed and said: "My brother is smart and confused for a while, this is not easy to do!" ”

Allathai asked, "You have a good idea?" ”

Si Ren said: "Look at me, you can leave for Qinghe in half an hour." ”

Ala Tai and Jin Zi couldn't figure out what good way Si Ren would have, but they saw him gather all the evils and reprimanded: "You are all evil parties, do evil for a lifetime, you must know that the way of heaven is clear, for evil will be punished, but I am the lord of the benevolence and righteousness of the king of Dashun, I can't bear to punish the people, today you and other hundred people, this general will let ninety go home, only punish ten people, after going home, you must be a good citizen of my Dashun Dynasty, and then dare to do evil, and will not be spared." Come, you and others come and cast lots, and whoever gets the word 'forgiveness' can go home, and whoever gets the word 'punishment' will stay and be punished. ”

All the evildoers thought that they would be put to death, but now they saw that there was a ninety percent hope, and they all rejoiced. But when Ala Tai and Jin Zi heard it, the two looked at each other, crying and laughing, but Siren had already announced it like this, and it could only be like this.

Si Ren asked people to make a hundred lots, of which ninety were forgiven lots, ten were punished lots, and all the evil people were ordered to come forward one by one, and those who got the word "forgiveness" were happy, and those who got the word "punishment" were sincerely afraid.

Si Ren let go of the one who got the forgiveness lot, leaving the unlucky ten people: "Don't be afraid, grandpa will give you another chance, grandpa will do ten lots, if you get the word 'life', you can go home with fifty boards, and whoever gets the word 'death', hehe, then you can only blame yourself for your thin life." After Siren finished speaking, he asked these ten people to cast lots, and everyone was panicked one by one, and their hands trembled to open the lots, but they were overjoyed to see that nine of them were overjoyed, and only one of them opened the lot, and saw that it was a "death" word, and immediately cried and worshipped to the ground.

Si Ren ordered the sergeant to pull the nine people out of the board, and said softly to the remaining man who was crying bitterly: "Brother, don't be afraid, I am ruthless on weekdays, and I can't wait to cut you wicked people with a thousand knives, but today is different, today my eldest brother invited me to drink wine and eat meat, time is urgent, I don't have time to play with you, in this way, I still do ten lots, and give you ten ways to die, how about it?" ”

The man exclaimed, "What are the ten ways to die?" Si Ren pinched his fingers and counted solemnly: "One chop, two hanging, three hanging, four drowning, five poisons, six stabs, seven hunger, eight burning, nine freezing, ten, ten is a thousand cuts." ”

When the man heard this, he was so frightened that he began to cry again, and while crying, he begged Siren for mercy and spared his death.

Si Ren ignored him, and ordered the sergeant to make ten lots, and brought the man to say, "Hurry up." ”

The man knew that he would inevitably die today, so he trembled and stretched out his hand to choose from ten lots, but he didn't dare to start, Si Ren said angrily: "Hurry up, I'll count three, if you don't do it, grandpa will give you a thousand knives." The man didn't dare to hesitate, and grabbed one with his eyes closed.

Si Ren snatched the lot in his hand and opened it, and sighed: "Alas, why are you so unlucky, but you just made a thousand cuts!" ”

When the man heard this, he immediately knelt on the ground with a thud, and cried out in sorrow: "Oh my God, I hurt the loyal and good Cao Yin, and I suffered a thousand slashes, it is really the cause and effect of heaven, and the retribution is not happy, and the retribution is not happy!" Whoop ......"

Everyone was shocked, and Jin Zi approached and asked, "What's your name?" ”

The man stopped crying and said, "Wicked...... Jiang Wen. ”

"How did you hurt Lord Cao?"

"At that time, Li Banghua, the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, and Wang Chengen, the eunuch, wanted to murder Cao Yin, gave me thirty taels of gold, and ordered me to lure Cao Yin and his four disciples to Nanhaizi. Prior to this, Wang Chengen persuaded the emperor to show his love for the people and distribute the ripe fruits in the Nanhaizi in the Imperial Garden to the surrounding people, and the people who picked peaches were arranged by Wang Chengen. Sijing caught the peach thieves, handed them over to the Nancheng Soldiers and Horses, tortured to death, and the people said that the emperor did not believe it, so they made a disturbance, and it was rumored everywhere that the emperor teased the people. When the emperor learned about it, Long Yan was furious and asked Cao Yin to strictly investigate the case. Cao Yin knew that the four disciples had arrested the wrong person, and he had no choice but to sentence Sijing to be beheaded, and because of his own negligence, he was sentenced to prison. All of this is my sin, my sin......"

Jiang Wen cried bitterly as he spoke.

Si Ren was furious: "Although Cao Yin is pedantic, he is also virtuous, his four disciples are all loyal people, you dog thing is very harmful, you should really cut a thousand knives, come to someone, take off your clothes, tie them up, grandpa do it himself." ”

Several sergeants stripped Jiang Wen and tied him to a tree on the side of the road, Si Ren took a knife and shouted: "Jiang Wen, Hugh blames Grandpa for being vicious." After that, he stabbed hard in this evil chest, and when he dug again, a piece of meat fell off, and Jiang Wen screamed in pain.

All the sergeants laughed when they saw it, and everyone praised Si Ren's good knife skills, and some of them were eager to try, wanting to step forward and operate, begging: "General, let me also have a good time." But he was pushed aside by Si Ren, who was very interested: "Get out, how can such a good thing be your turn, roll over and count it for me." ”

Everyone then counted together: "One, two, three......" Every time Siren slashed, everyone counted happily.

Si Renfu cut his arms and shoulders again, and not long after, Jiang Wen was in unbearable pain and fainted.

When Jin Zi saw it, he said, "Brother Siren, stop playing, but he has repented and will give him a good stab." ”

Si Ren said: "No, it's only about 30 knives, how can you call a thousand knives, wait for me to splash water to wake him up." ”

Alla Tai said: "You chop slowly, I and Jin Zi will take the first step, otherwise we won't be able to catch up with the eldest brother's banquet." ”

Seeing that Alatai and Jin Zi looked like they were about to leave, Siren immediately panicked and hurriedly said, "Wait for me, how can such a good thing as eating and drinking leave me." He turned around and patted Jiang Wen's face and said, "It's cheap for you, grandpa will give you a good time." After saying that, he stabbed a knife in the chest, ending the thief on the spot.