Yang Sichang and Hong Chengchou hadn't spoken yet, Zuo Liangyu got angry first, and walked out of the crowd and shouted at Jiang Beiming: "Zhuzian dares to talk nonsense." You instigated your subordinates to attack our army for no reason and kill our soldiers, and now you are here to reverse right and wrong and deceive the two adults. ”

Jiang Beiming finally knew what Zuo Liangyu looked like: "It turned out to be General Zuo." I don't know what General Zuo did, and no one knows. There are witnesses in the camp of the lower officials, and whether the chief soldier wants the lower officers to bring the people here, tell me in front of the two adults. ”

Zuo Liangyu was still angry, Hong Chengchou said: "Don't argue between the two, put aside the rights and wrongs of this matter first." The most important thing for us to deal with the rogue now is not to start infighting at home. ”

"The lower official has a lot to say." Jiang Beiming stepped aside.

Zuo Liangyu glared at Jiang Beiming and stopped talking.

Hong Chengchou said: "Now that the imperial court has sent reinforcements, we have been fighting fiercely with the rogues here for several months. This official discussed with Lord Yang, we must give the Liukou a head-on blow, all the generals go back and prepare, and we will make a decision tomorrow. ”

Jiang Beiming, Zhang Hai and others stood on a high slope, holding binoculars and looking at Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong's camp. The total strength of the peasant armies on both sides combined was as high as sixty or seventy thousand, and the main of their camp was quite orderly and not very easy to attack.

"Beiming." Zhang Hai asked, "What is Yang Sichang's plan?" ”

"I haven't made a final decision yet, but I guess Yang Sichang wants to fight Li Zicheng."

"He's going to fight here?" Zhang Hai said, "How do I remember that he should have put forward a proposal of four positive and six corners and ten sides of the net." ”

"That was before." Zhou Lei said at the end, "The situation has changed now, the main forces of Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong have gathered in Xi'an, and our Yulin army is also here, so Yang Sichang wants to annihilate them in one fell swoop." ”

"The question is, is it possible?" Wang Qianxiang said, "Li Zicheng is getting more and more difficult to fight now. ”

Jiang Beiming listened to the discussion of the three people and didn't speak again, picked up the telescope and looked at it quietly for a while.

"Do you think that if you want to fight Li Zicheng and them, which place is the weakest of them." Jiang Beiming put down the binoculars and turned around and asked.

"I don't think they're weak anywhere, they're all hard bones." Zhang Hai said, "Over the years, Li Zicheng has become more and more capable of fighting, and they still have the artillery and flintlock pistol provided to them by Tao Min. ”

Jiang Beiming's idea is that Zhang Hai is the same, Li Zicheng's combat effectiveness in the peasant army under the mountain should be the strongest, and on the Ming army's side, his own combat effectiveness is also the strongest. Jiang Beiming felt that Yang Sichang and Hong Chengchou should let themselves fight to the death with Li Zicheng, and other Ming troops attacked Zhang Xianzhong.

But Jiang Beiming didn't want to do this, because the casualties would be very large, and it would not necessarily be able to defeat Li Zicheng. Jiang Beiming was thinking about what method he could use to persuade Yang Sichang to attack Zhang Xianzhong himself, and let other Ming troops, preferably Zuo Liangyu, drag Li Zicheng. Just like silkworms eating mulberry leaves, they consumed the strength of the peasant army little by little, and finally dealt a fatal blow to Li Zicheng.

It's just that Jiang Beiming doesn't know if Yang Sichang will agree to this idea, let alone whether Zuo Liangyu will agree. Jiang Beiming felt that Yang Sichang and Hong Chengchou were now in a hurry to fight a decisive battle, and I was afraid that there was another reason, the Ming army had no food and grass, after all, they had been fighting in this area for several months.

Just as Jiang Beiming was participating in the encirclement and suppression of Li Zicheng in Xi'an, Yulinwan received an emergency sent back by Liang Er from Beijing, and Phi Dao was lost. Tao Min mobilized six warships and more than 20,000 new Korean troops to capture Phi Dao, and Shen Yingkui, the defender of Phi Dao, committed suicide in defeat, and his nephew Shen Zhixiang surrendered.

This news shocked Yulin Bay, Phi Dao was gone, and the plans to recover Arthur and march into Japan in the future would be greatly affected. The General Staff convened an urgent meeting to study the possible impact of the loss of Phi Dao.

"I'll tell you about the situation first." Xu Lang sat in the middle and said, "According to the latest information, Tao Min's new Korean army has completely occupied Phi Dao. They captured about thirty warships from Phi Dao, which was nothing, but they captured three or four thousand sailors, and Tao Min's step should be to expand the naval force. ”

"Sir." Gao Chen asked, "Do you mean that the Tartars may attack Dongying next?" ”

Xu Lang looked at Yokoji Keiji: "Yokoji-kun, what do you think?" ”

Keiji Yokoji stood up and said, "It's not okay for the Tartars to attack Dongying, we have to stop it." ”

Xu Lang waved his hand and motioned for Yokoji Keiji to sit down. Xu Lang was about to go to Vietnam to find Mu Suide to understand the situation and determine the landing plan for Annan, but who thought that Phi Dao was gone again. Xu Lang didn't care much about the loss of Phi Dao, but what he was most worried about now was, as Gao Chen said, whether Tao Min's next step would really be to attack Japan. Yulin Bay has only two warships led by An Yuhang in Dengzhou, and Tao Min cannot be stopped no matter what. However, now that the Combined Fleet is making all-out preparations for the landing on Annam, if Vietnam is abandoned and Japan is to be taken first, then the policy decided at the crossing meeting will not be subject to another major change. No one wants to see this, but how can they stop Tao Min from going to Japan.

No one spoke for a while, and Leng Tianbing asked, "Chief of General Staff, do you think Tao Min will definitely go to Dongying?" If he does go to Dongying, when should it be? ”

"Theoretically, he's going to go." Xu Lang replied, "As for the time, I think it should be the beginning of next year at the latest, that is, when we land in Annan. ”

"Sir." Li Wenqing said, "The subordinates think that what Henglujun said just now is very right, we must find a way to prevent the Tartars from going to Dongying." ”

"I know that." Xu Lang asked, "What good way do you have, our combined fleet still has to go to Annam, there are only two warships in Dengzhou, how can we stop the Tartars." ”

"Sir." Gao Chen said, "Can you use the power of Taiwan's Zheng Zhilong and let him stop the Tartars from marching into Dongying." ”

Leng Tianbing also thought about this method, but felt that it was not feasible: "Senior Staff Officer, although Zheng Zhilong is of the same mind as us now, if we don't move and only let him go by himself, he may not go." Although Zheng Zhilong is very interested in Dongying, he should be unwilling to fight with Tartar. ”

Xu Lang suddenly asked, "Tianbing, do you think Dongying's own strength alone can withstand Tao Min?" ”

"It's hard." Xu Lang explained, "The Shimabara Rebellion is now happening in Dongying, and more than 100,000 troops are busy quelling the chaos. Tao Min will not fail to seize this opportunity, and it is estimated that it is unlikely that Zhu Taomin will want Dongying to resist by himself. ”

In fact, Xu Lang did not say another reason, that is, the revenge of the nation. Korea has been invaded by Japan several times in history, and has lost almost every time, especially the Imjin War, which almost brought the destruction of Korea. If Tao Min grasped this point, took advantage of the Korean people's national revenge mentality, and raised the banner of revenge, then the Koreans would follow him on an expedition to Japan one after another.

After a long day of discussions, the General Staff was unable to come up with any good opinions in the end. Everyone felt that either they could use Zheng Zhilong's power, or they could only watch Tao Min and Japan fight to the death, and the combined fleet could not go north.

Gao Chen asked if he could let Westerners or British people come to Japan's aid, but Xu Lang and Leng Tianbing collectively vetoed it. Now that Japan is persecuting Catholics, it will be difficult for Westerners to cooperate with the Japanese if they are allowed to go, and it will be even more troublesome if they cooperate with Tao Min again. Second, if the Westerners are allowed to interfere in Japan, it will also bring trouble to Yulin Bay in the future, and Yulin Bay will not be able to let the Westerners go to Japan after finally driving the Westerners out of Taiwan.

The General Staff Department reported this resolution, which could not be called a resolution, to the Military Commission, and the Military Commission had no choice but to send Wang Zhaoxing to Taiwan to ask Zheng Zhilong's intentions, and at the same time strictly ordered An Yuhang in Dengzhou to pay close attention to Nanpu Taomin's movements.

Sun Tianhao's Qiong Fair is currently in full swing, and commodities from all over the country have been continuously transported to Yulin Bay, and Wang Zhaoxing went to Taiwan this time to see how Zheng Zhilong was prepared.

Sun Tianhao found a place about five miles from Yulin Bay in the middle of Yulin Bay and Yazhou, and asked Di Chong to build a new exhibition hall through the committee. The exhibition hall uses a technique that has never been used in the Ming Dynasty, and the entire building is surrounded by large glass, and glass windows are installed on the roof, which makes the whole exhibition hall have the best lighting effect.

The Industrial Development Bureau has exhibited the original flush toilets and other exhibits, and has recently developed several daily products, especially the improvement of papermaking. The Bureau of Industry has developed a writing paper that can be fully adapted to pencils, which will be a big project of the Qiong Fair, and Qin Zhigang thinks that at least Westerners will be very interested, and it will make their quill pens much easier to use.

Xu Lang handed over the affairs of the General Staff to Leng Tianbing, and took Gao Chen to Vietnam.

In Yang Sichang's tent, Jiang Beiming and Zuo Liangyu quarreled again. Yang Sichang and Hong Chengchou accepted Jiang Beiming's suggestion and ordered Zuo Liangyu to attack Li Zicheng and the Yulin Army and the Quick Gun Team to annihilate Zhang Xianzhong. Jiang Beiming did a great job, and more than 10,000 troops defeated Zhang Xianzhong. Zhang Xianzhong asked Li Zicheng for help several times, but Li Zicheng refused.

However, Zuo Liangyu did not go well, and his troops suffered heavy casualties in front of Li Zicheng's flintlock pistols and artillery. Zuo Liangyu didn't dare to get angry at Yang Sichang and Hong Chengchou, so he could only point the finger at Jiang Beiming, blaming Jiang Beiming for not saving him when he saw death.

Jiang Beiming didn't bother to quarrel with him, he only said that he was ordered by Yang Sichang and didn't do anything wrong.

"Jiang Beiming, you have obviously defeated the rogues, and you can use the advantage of firearms to attack the thieves from the side, but you ordered to stop the attack and sit back and watch our troops fight the rogues and ignore it." Zuo Liangyu said in a more tone, turned to Yang Sichang and said, "My lord, our department has suffered heavy casualties in the past few days, and I am afraid that we will not be able to fight again tomorrow." ”

"General Zuo, don't be impatient." Yang Sichang could only comfort with good words, "This arrangement is also the overall consideration of this official and Lord Hong, the two generals are very brave, and this official will reward them with the Ming Sheng." ”

"Thank you, Lord for your grace." Jiang Beiming didn't care about Zuo Liangyu and thanked him first.

"Only, General Chiang." Hong Chengchou said, "What General Zuo said is also the truth, the firearms of the thieves are very strong, I am afraid that you Yulin Army and the fast gun team will not be able to resist." ”

"My lord." Jiang Beiming is still reluctant to fight Li Ziying, "After these few days of fighting, Zhang Xianzhong's first department is already at the end of the strong crossbow. Moreover, the contradiction between the thief and the thief is very deep, and the thief has not excluded reinforcements from such a fierce attack of our department. Therefore, the lower officials thought that Zhang Thief should not be given a respite, and he must work hard to annihilate this tributary. As long as the thief is destroyed, the thief will be alone. ”

"It's easy to say." Zuo Liangyu snorted, "The general also knows that Zhang Xianzhong only has one breath left, but how can you not beat him with this breath, how many days has it been, why has Zhang Xianzhong not been annihilated." ”

Jiang Beiming did not give Zhang Xianzhong the final blow, because Jiang Beiming was worried about one thing, whether Zhang Xianzhong would surrender to the Ming Dynasty under his own blow.

Zhang Xianzhong's surrender and rebellion are famous in history, and for this person, Jiang Beiming's plan is that it is best for him to die on the battlefield. If he pushes him to be anxious, then he is likely to choose to surrender, and once Zhang Xianzhong surrenders, it will be equivalent to giving him another chance.

"Don't argue just yet." Yang Sichang began to make peace with the mud again, "General Zuo's headquarters is indeed fighting for days, and the soldiers are very hard. Tomorrow, General Zuo will rest for a day, and this official will choose other generals to go on the expedition. ”

As soon as Yang Sichang's words fell, the generals in the big tent lowered their heads one after another, for fear that Yang Sichang would call his name. Everyone knows that Li Zicheng's firearms are not something they can deal with, in fact, everyone feels that Jiang Beiming should be allowed to go, only his Yulin Army and the fast gun team can fight with Li Zicheng.

Yang Sichang looked around, and finally stopped his gaze on He Renlong's body: "General He, you have followed Lord Hong for many years, and you have always been brave and good at fighting, tomorrow you can meet the enemy in front of the battle, and you will definitely be able to inflict heavy losses on the thieves." ”

He Renlong bowed his head for a long time, but he didn't expect that in the end, Yang Sichang still called his name, and he was reluctant in his heart, but he had to stand up and say: "The last general will take the order." ”

Yang Sichang said: "Generals, you still need to fight with the Liukou tomorrow, so let's go back and rest early." ”

The generals were about to disperse, and a sergeant came in to report: "My lord, Cao Bianjiao, the chief soldier of Lintao, asks to see him outside the tent." ”

The people in the big tent are all the same, Cao Bianjiao should have followed Sun Chuanting to fight in the east of Xi'an at this time, how could he suddenly come to the city of Xi'an.

"Declare him into the account."

Cao Bianjiao hurriedly walked in, picked up his clothes and knelt down: "The last general will knock on the two adults." ”

"General Cao, please get up." Yang Sichang asked, "Why did you come here now, but is there anything going on with Lord Sun?" ”10