Henan, Xuzhou, Zuo Liangyu Mansion.

"Report to the marshal," a small colonel came in and reported: "Beijing has come to report that the army of King Qin, who has come to the rescue, has marched south from Dacheng and will look for a decisive battle with the main force in the east of Shandong. ”

"A decisive battle?" Zuo Liangyu sneered and said, "That is, what can be seen in the newspaper." Inform the camp, pack your bags, and go north tomorrow, let's go to Beijing Qinwang to receive the reward. ”

"Yes!" Xiao Xiao smiled and agreed, and quickly went out to give the order. They followed Zuo Dashuai, that is the right person, the casualties are small, the benefits are large, Zuo Dashuai is really their good official.

The staff hurriedly came over and reminded: "Marshal, what do you want the governor to say?" There is also Lichen (Xiong Wencan), if there is no explicit order, I am afraid that there will be unforeseen things. ”

Zuo Liangyu didn't care, and said with a smile: "This army is going to King Qin's protection, who dares to object?" We're not vassal kings! The emperor's edict of King Qin is clearly written, we just encountered a rebellion and hurt our vitality. Let's only rest for a month, and then immediately go north to King Qin, if a loyal and diligent person like us is convicted, then who else in the world is willing to be loyal to the king? ”

The staff felt that it made sense, so they stopped persuading and retreated.

The relationship between Zuo Liangyu and Xiong Wencan was not very good, and as soon as Premier Xiong came, he was put on the spot by Lao Zuo. Zuo Liangyu excused himself that Xiong Wencan led the troops and did not listen to Xiong Wencan's dispatch. Premier Xiong had no choice but to send back the officers and soldiers he had brought from Guangdong under the pretext that he was not suitable for the soil and water, leaving only 50 of them as his own soldiers. Later, on the question of Zhang Xianzhong's true and false surrender, the two also had their own opinions.

None of them said that the eunuch Lu Jiude, the eunuch is naturally concerned about the emperor, if the emperor is gone, then they will become rootless trees, and all their power will disappear. Wei Zhongxian was in power and was known as nine thousand years old, but as soon as Xizong (Emperor of the Apocalypse) died, he was killed in less than a year. Therefore, Lu Jiude is the most supportive of Zuo Liangyujun's going to King Qin as soon as possible, and at this point, they can talk about going together.

Zuo Liangyu's army marched north, and Henan, which was already full of bandits, became even more lively. In mid-February, the bandits "Yidou Valley" attacked Tuocheng County, and Qi County was on guard.

"Childe, news came from the county seat, saying that Tuocheng County was being attacked, and Su County ordered that the thieves would attack, so they issued a martial law order, and the defenders in the city went up to the city wall." Zhang Yi deliberately rode a horse from the county town to report the news.

Li Zhong asked, "Who is fighting Tuocheng County?" ”

"It seems to be a bandit called 'Ichito Valley'." Zhang Yi replied.

Li Mu then asked, "How many people are there in 'Yidou Valley'?" Has Tuocheng been defeated? ”

Zhang Yi shook his head and said, "I don't know, it's just that the bandit 'Yidougu' is attacking the county seat, and I don't know anything else." ”

"It's coming really fast." Li Yan sighed: "It's only been a few days since the locusts? These guys started to attack the city and plunder. ”

"There is news that Zuo Liangyu led a large army to the north," Zhang Yi said: "The new governor asked General Zuo to help exterminate the bandits, but Zuo Liangyu did not agree, and he had already crossed the Yellow River." ”

"I see." Li Mu laughed and said, "There are no tigers in the mountains, and the monkeys are the kings." ”

Li Yan asked, "Have you been to Blacksmith Zhou?" How's his receiver built? ”

"I only got two," Zhang Yi replied, "He said he hadn't done it before, so he was slower." ”

Li Yan shook his head helplessly and said, "Forget it, let him build it slowly." You take a few people back and bring some food out. ”

Zhang Yi said: "I can't go back, the city gates are closed." I ran out before the gate was closed, saying that it was to guard against thieves and that the gate would be closed and only open for one hour a day. Moreover, the export of grain is expressly prohibited. ”

"As for it?" Li Mu said disdainfully: "How far away are the thieves, they are nervous like this." If you really come to fight the county seat, won't you be scared to death? ”

"The walls of the county town are freshly repaired and very strong." Li Zhong said suddenly: "Even if the 'Yidou Valley' comes, it may not be able to fight. But we are here, and we will bear the brunt of it. ”

"If there are few people, it is enough to destroy them, but I am afraid that there will be many of them. Those who can attack the county seat must have at least two or three thousand. If we all come here, I'm afraid it won't be good. Li Mu touched his beard and frowned.

Li Yan thought for a moment and asked, "Second brother, is our food enough to eat for a few days?" ”

Li Zhong lowered his head and thought for a while, and replied: "Seven days, if you save a little, it is estimated that it can support it for two more days." ”

"Let's make some preparations," Li Yan said, "Although Tuocheng County is far from here, it may come here." We're prepared. ”

In the afternoon, the soldiers stopped training and began to widen and dig the fire trenches that were dug when the locusts were set on fire. The ditch should be widened by one zhang, and the depth should be reached by one zhang. The excavated soil was piled up on the side of the stockade to form a four-foot-high and three-foot-thick earthen wall, leaving only a six-foot-wide passage to the east of the gate. The rest of the remaining soil was bagged and placed in the stockade to strengthen the defense of the wooden fence of the stockade.

The people in the stockade were all notified that the thieves might come to attack the county seat, and they would also join in the reinforcement of the stockade. And told them that the thieves had come to steal the food, and if any of the registered population surrendered to the bandits, then the food for their whole family would not be supplied. Moreover, the officers and troops of Kaifeng, Guide, and Huaiyang are preparing to encircle and suppress the bandits, so that they don't have to be too nervous.

Li Yan has been going back and forth between the county seat and the village for the past two days, and he feels that this is an opportunity to get the name of a township soldier. He had been avoiding the banner of a thief or a bandit, and he didn't quite know why, but there was a strong worry in his heart that made him try his best to avoid the banner of a thief, at least not for the past two years.

"Fourth brother, what have you been doing in the past two days? Why do you always run to the county seat? Li Zhong asked.

Li Yan sat down, took a sip of water, and said, "Go to the county seat to inquire about the news, see if you can talk to Su County Ling, and ask for a place for a township soldier." ”

"What's so good about the villagers?" Li Mu said dissatisfiedly: "Even if 'Yidougu' is called, we have the name of a township soldier, can those cowards in the county come out to save us?" Or do you want to take these brothers and their families and hide in the city? ”

"Let me tell you," Li Yan said: "The benefits of the township soldiers are great, with the name of the township soldiers, we can develop here with peace of mind, and we don't have to worry about the threat of the official army." You also know that at this time, the thieves are weak, and if we don't have the banner of the villagers, it will be very dangerous. ”

Li Mu didn't say more, they were scattered by the official army. If it weren't for the containment of the Qing soldiers, they probably would have become the first rank of the official army's meritorious service, so he was not too opposed to Li Yan's expediency.