Nanxiang Town, located in the north of Shanghai, is a lively and prosperous scene in the early morning on Xiuquan Street in the north of the town. This is where the early shops are concentrated, and every family has set up a stall in front of the store, setting up some simple tables, chairs and benches, but the business is good. Those who came here for breakfast, in addition to the locals, there were also many big-headed soldiers wearing uniforms, all of whom were green battalion soldiers stationed outside the town of Jiangnan Admiral Benbiao Right Battalion.

A shop with the best business is called "Rihuaxuan", and the door of the shop picks out a big signboard with the words "Nanxiang Big Steamed Bun". It is said to be a big steamed bun, but in fact it is a big meat bun, because it is delicious, the noodles are good and there is a lot of meat, so in these shops, I pulled out the first one.

At the door of the shop, there was an officer wearing a five-grade uniform, who drank the noodle soup in the bowl in one gulp, burped, and said with a smile: "Boss Huang, thank you." "I didn't pay the bill, I took two horses with me, and got up to leave.

The boss is called Huang Mingxian, not only did he not dare to argue at this moment, but he bowed his waist, carefully accompanied and said with a smile: "What should be, what should be, Zhang Ying, you go slowly." ”

This surnamed Zhang, called Zhang Fagui, is a battalion officer under Li Hengsong, who is in charge of more than 500 people. This gang of Qiu Ba, it is common not to pay the bills, and who dares to speak up to the people and merchants in the town? One is not right, even the shop can be smashed.

Hearing this, a young man wearing a blue cloth robe and a tiger's back was carrying his back to take the buns on the steamer at the door, and when he heard this, he walked towards the house with a drawer of hot buns, and said with a sneer: "The boss is also a small business, you eat and drink for nothing every day, who can stand it?" ”

"Yo?" Some people dare to fight grievances, which is a new thing. Zhang Fagui stopped, turned to the two horses, and the two soldiers rushed over, trying to pull the blue-robed young man, but he held the cage drawer in one hand, picked it up with the other, slapped it on the ground, and slapped it on the face of a soldier: "Blind? ”

"Jiang De?" Zhang Fagui walked over with his teeth and flowers, stood in front, and said angrily, "Aren't you also eating here?" I'm in the way of you, I'm out of the way, and I'm in charge. ”

This young man named Jiang De is also another battalion officer under Li Hengsong, who is brave and good at fighting, but he has always been unaccustomed to the corrupt habits in the green camp. However, he and Zhang Fagui are both battalion officers, and their rank is the same, they are both garrison titles of the fifth grade, so they really can't control Zhang Fagui's head.

"I eat, I give money." Jiang De said indifferently, "Unlike some people, they have to take advantage of the common people for dozens of dollars." ”

"Yes, we can't compare to you, who made you rich?" Zhang Fagui said with a grin, "I don't have any bitch in the yard who can post it upside down for me." ”

Jiang Dezheng was getting along with a girl in the peach courtyard in the town, and when he heard Zhang Fagui say this, he was furious, and with a wave of his hand, he smashed a drawer of buns on Zhang Fagui's body, and pounced on it. His martial arts are good, but there are three people on Zhang Fagui's side, and there was a tie for a while, and they became entangled.

When the gods fight, how dare others persuade each other? They all stayed aside to watch the excitement. But I heard someone in the room slap the table and scolded impatiently: "What the hell is it, you two bastards, can you stop Lao Tzu?" ”

"Master Li!" Zhang Fagui heard that it was Li Hengsong's voice, and was startled, so he naturally stopped, glanced at Jiang De stupidly, and said in his heart You know that Li Shenjiang is inside, but you still dig a pit for me to jump.

Li Hengsong was accompanied by Jiang De to have breakfast, but he was distracted by this play, and when he saw the two of them entering the house, he scolded a few words angrily, waved his hand, and asked Zhang Fagui to go back first.

"You too, he's always been like this, what are you doing for no reason?"

Jiang De's face turned red at what Li Hengsong said, and he replied aggrievedly: "He usually bullies people a lot, and when he sees long hair, he runs faster than anyone else." ”

Li Hengsong sighed, knowing that what Jiang De said was also the truth, but his 3,000 people were probably like this, and no one was much better, only Jiang De's battalion could still fight a dozen. Seeing that war is about to start, what should we do?

was upset, suddenly heard the sound of horses' hooves, after a while, came to the door, a personal soldier rolled off the saddle, came in to report: "My lord, Shanghai County ordered Guan Zhuofan to visit the lord, has arrived at the camp. ”

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Li Hengsong's camp was set up in Wuli north of the town, and when he arrived, Guan Zhuofan had been waiting quietly for a while.

"Yixuan, I'm sorry!" Li Hengsong hurriedly let Guan Zhuofan into his own Chinese army. He has a barracks here, and he doesn't have to live in a tent, and he is very comfortable.

"What did Master Li say, it was me who came out of nowhere and took the liberty of visiting." Guan Zhuofan was polite and sat down with him into the house. When he was waiting just now, he had already paid attention and roughly observed Li Hengsong's soldiers, and the result was naturally shaking his head in his heart. "I'm here to listen to Lord Li's instructions and see how Shanghai's defense should be arranged this time."

Li Hengsong heard this, glanced at Guan Zhuofan, and laughed: "Yixuan, Ming people don't say dark words, I'm afraid you can't say anything about it, right?" ”

Guan Zhuofan also smiled slightly and asked, "Why do you see that I am insincere?" ”

"I'm not going to beat around the bush, so let's just get to the point. The last time Changmao attacked Shanghai, I lost two battles in a row, and the fight was very bad. If it weren't for the shortage of troops in Shanghai, I am afraid that he would have been removed from his post long ago. Li Hengsong smiled bitterly, "I am guilty, and now those people in Shanghai look down on me, and I also know this." Although I am the general of the three products, but your identity, I know it in my heart, to tell the truth, even if it is the title of 'adult', please don't mention it again, so as to save everyone embarrassment in the future, if you can afford it, then call me 'Ha Tang' is enough. ”

These words were heartfelt and very honest, Guan Zhuofan was a little embarrassed about his crooked intestines, so his tone became very sincere.

"Yes, Cousin Haze. In my opinion, in this battle of Shanghai, there are many long-haired people and few officers and soldiers, and it is always up to the two of us to work together to make a difference. ”

"Why don't I know? If this battle is won, not to mention meritorious service, at least it can offset my mistakes in the previous battle; If I lose, then everything will be stopped, and I will probably have only one way to die! It's just ......" Li Hengsong shook his head, "These soldiers under my account, you must have seen it, they have been weak for a long time." If you hadn't asked for a military salary of 20,000 silver for me, I'm afraid I wouldn't even have the current morale, and the equipment is poor. ”

"Cousin Ai is by no means an ordinary person," Guan Zhuofan is about to hold Li Hengsong, "Sanpin general, in charge, it must not be a blessing, it must be an extraordinary ability." In the current situation, is it probably due to the burden of food? ”

This sentence went to Li Hengsong's heart, sighed, and said: "A hero can't die for a penny!" Yixuan, I won't tell you the truth, Zhang Fu, the academic administrator of this province, also praised me for 'being an extraordinary person in the army, and he will be a national soldier one day'——"

Li Hengsong is a native of Cheung Chau, grew up by Yangcheng Lake, and his family has been a tailor for generations. Ordinary children have this craft, which is the best way to survive. However, Li Hengsong refused to inherit his father's business, and said to his father, "A man should establish a reputation with a spear and halberd, how can he use a ruler and needle!" ", made his father blushing with shame.

Later, Li Hengsong studied hard and was admitted to the prison exam. When Qingpu Liu Lichuan led the "Little Knife Society" to make a rebellion, Xu Naizhao, the governor of Jiangsu, led Chuan Yong to suppress it, and Li Hengsong, who was strong-blooded, got the news out of nowhere, and hurriedly left his hometown and ran to Xu Naizhao's team. Perhaps it was tempered by the wind and waves of Yangcheng Lake since childhood, and developed a bold, brave, and not afraid of death character, he was flexible and agile, brave and good at fighting, when the city was broken, he first boarded the gate of Qingpu City, and afterwards, he was rewarded with six military merits. Since then, he has fought dozens of battles in the army, and gradually accumulated merit and was promoted to a third-grade general.

"Now it's not working, and if you fight a big battle, you can't rely on your will alone, and you can't rely on a hundred or dozens of hardcore brothers alone." Li Hengsong smiled bitterly, "I'm ashamed to say that I, more than 3,000 people, have been in arrears for a long time, and they have long been dispersed." My own spirit is gone, and my training is very sparse. ”

"There's no way around it, it's not to blame Cousin Ai, it's just ......" Guan Zhuofan pondered for a while, and then said: "With all due respect, there are good and bad everywhere, you can't say it, you can't even pick out a few hundred of the three thousand people who can fight?" ”

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(Xie Lu Xie Tianxia, Ni'an, YBCH, and Vaai's rewards, Xie Lu Xie Zongheng's guidance and full praise.) ）