Zhou Lei walked into the big tent anxiously: "Someone, have the scouts sent to Luoyang replied?" ”

"Report sir." The commander of the guard company replied, "I haven't received any reply yet." ”

"Why haven't you replied yet, I'll send out another team right away."

Zhou Lei sat down on the chair and untied the armed belt. When Zhou Lei's cavalry division arrived in Yan'an, it happened to be when Lu Xiangsheng and Andreas were about to lose their hold. Lu Xiangsheng did not let the Yulin army go out again, he wanted to use this elite as the last force. After a few days of hard fighting, Lu Xiangsheng's troops were already less than 8,000 people, and relying on the infantry and cavalry guns of the 1,000 cavalry division, Lu Xiangsheng barely managed to hold the camp.

At this critical moment, Zhou Lei and Yang Tinglin arrived with 5,000 cavalry, but at the same time, Li Zicheng also went to Yan'an to increase troops after receiving Liu Zongmin's report. Zhou Lei and Andreas led the cavalry division to fight fiercely with the Mongols and Liukou for several days, and suffered many casualties. Zhou Lei sent two groups of scouts to Luoyang to find out where Han Wantao was, but he never waited for news, and the battle would not be so smooth without artillery.

Zhou Lei sat in the camp tent and gasped for breath, it is said that Han Wantao should have arrived, he has been here for more than ten days, even if it is slow, Han Wantao should send someone to inform him, could it be that Han Wantao encountered an obstacle on the road? Will Li Zicheng be so smart, he also knows how to encircle the point and send reinforcements?

As soon as the curtain was lifted, Yang Tinglin walked in: "General Zhou, Lord Lu is invited." ”

"Lord Yang." Zhou Lei stood up and grabbed the armed belt, "But what's new?" ”

Lu Xiangsheng and Zhou Lei had a division of labor, Zhou Lei's cavalry division was placed in front to deal with the Mongol cavalry, and Lu Xiangsheng's men resisted Liu Zongmin's peasant army in the back.

Hearing Zhou Lei's question, Yang Tinglin's face was embarrassed: "Don't hide it from General Zhou, the rogue has increased his troops again." Li Guo and Zhang Xianzhong are here, and the current strength of the Liukou is not less than 50,000, and Lord Lu asked General Zhou to go to discuss the military situation. ”

Zhou Lei and Yang Tinglin walked into Lu Xiangsheng's tent, and Lu Xiangsheng was sitting on the Taishi chair without saying a word.

"See Lu Shuai." Zhou Lei stepped forward and gave a salute.

Lu Xiangsheng slowly raised his head: "In the past few days, General Lao has been fighting hard against the Tartars, and the commander has thanked the general." ”

Zhou Lei didn't understand the meaning of Lu Xiangsheng's words, and stood in place without answering.

Lu Xiangsheng continued: "The thieves have sent reinforcements again, and there are currently as many as 50,000 soldiers and horses of the rogues, and 20,000 Mongolian Tatars. There are less than 8,000 under the command of this commander, and the soldiers of General Zhou are less than 6,000. ”

Zhou Lei was even more confused, did Lu Xiangsheng have the idea of retreating?

"What Lu Shuai said is very true, but the officials are bold, dare to ask Lu Shuai what his plans are?"

"Ugh." Lu Xiangsheng sighed deeply, "Ben Shuai is deeply favored by the emperor, so he will naturally stick to it here." It's just that you Yulin Army don't have generals, and Ben Shuai hopes that General Zhou can bring your people to Luoyang. Your Yulin army is the elite of my Ming Dynasty, and you have been loyal to my Ming Dynasty all these years, please General Zhou tell General Jiang Beiming that the safety of the Ming Dynasty in the future depends on you. ”

Zhou Lei heard that Lu Xiangsheng was determined to die, and opened his mouth to persuade: "Lord Lu must not be like this, the emperor still needs Lord Lu, and Daming still needs Lord Lu." Xiaguan starry night is also because of admiration for the prestige of adults, if adults don't leave, my Yulin Army won't leave. ”

"General Zhou doesn't have to be like this." Lu Xiangsheng shook his head, "Ben Shuai has also figured it out over the years, the northern rejection of the Tartars, the internal stratocracy, and even the peace and stability of the country still need you Yulin Bay." At present, the reinforcements of the Liukou have just arrived, and the commander will stay behind to cut off for you, once the Liukou and the Mongolian Tatars form a siege, General Zhou will not be able to leave if he wants to. ”

"Yes, General Zhou, it's better to leave early." Yang Tinglin took out a letter, "This is a letter written by Lord Lu and this official to the imperial court, and I also ask General Zhou to forward it to the emperor." This time, General Zhou resisted Yang Sichang's military order to come to the rescue of Lord Lu, and Lord Lu and the official made it clear in the compromises that the imperial court would not hold the general responsible. ”

Zhou Lei took the letter and put it in his arms: "Xiaguan thank you two adults, but Xiaguan still said the same thing, if Lord Lu doesn't leave, my Yulin Army won't leave." ”

Suddenly there was a commotion outside the tent, and Andreas burst in: "Sir, our scouts are back. Commander Han's vanguard is only two days away from us. ”

"Han Wantao is here?" Zhou Lei grabbed Andreas, "Is the artillery division coming, how many cannons?" ”

"Back to sir." Andreas replied excitedly, "The two artillery regiments have a total of 144 cannons, but according to the scouts, the artillery division will take about four or five days. ”

"Four or five days is four or five days." Zhou Lei turned to Lu Xiangsheng and said, "Lord Lu, General Han Wantao is about to arrive." We can have more than 100 cannons, and with these cannons, it doesn't matter what kind of rogue Tartars are. ”

A smile finally appeared on Lu Xiangsheng's face: "Pass the order, the whole army will strengthen its vigilance, and it will not be allowed to fight, just hold on and wait for the arrival of the Yulin army." ”

Xia Yang finally arrived in Luoyang, but when he arrived in Luoyang, he found that there was no Yulin Army in the entire Luoyang, and Zhou Lei and Han Wantao had already gone to Yan'an.

Sun Chuanting and Yang Wenyue have also arrived in Luoyang with 30,000 people*** According to the news from Nanjing, Shi Kefa has now returned to Nanjing, and the first army has also been dispatched, and it will be possible to reach Luoyang in about ten days. Qin Liangyu's white pole soldiers stopped advancing 150 miles from Xi'an, and sent people to Luoyang to inquire about the next arrangement.

Yang Sichang and Hong Chengchou held a meeting of all officers, and Xia Yang also attended this meeting as a representative of the Yulin Army. Originally, Yang Sichang and Hong Chengchou didn't know Xia Yang at all, but Yang Sichang received a secret letter from Xue Guoguan in Beijing, asking him to put aside the disobedience of the Yulin Army first, and at present, Chongzhen's intention is to reuse Yulin Bay. Xia Yang received the news from Jiang Beiming from Beijing in Luoyang, and Xia Yang went to visit Yang Wenyue in private, and Yang Wenyue's attitude towards Yulin Bay was still friendly, so Xia Yang also participated in this meeting.

The entire Chinese army's big tent was full of military attachés above the rank of general, and Yang Sichang, Hong Chengchou, Sun Chuanting, and Yang Wenyue sat on it.

"Generals." Yang Sichang glanced at the people in the big tent, and was the first to speak, "At present, the Liukou troops are stationed in Xi'an, and the reinforcements from the imperial court have also arrived one after another, how do we act next, this official has discussed with several adults, and I want to hear your opinions." ”