Yazhou, like Qiongzhou, Meizhou, Luzhou and Jiading Prefecture (now Leshan City), is a Zhili Prefecture under the jurisdiction of the Sichuan Political Division. IN ADDITION TO THE STATE CITY, IT ALSO HAS THREE COUNTIES UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF FAMOUS MOUNTAIN, LUSHAN AND YING. Yazhou controls the two avenues of Sichuan-Tibet and Yunnanyi, and to the west are Tianquan, Yanzhou (now Luding), and Dajian Furnace; To the southwest, it passed through Yingjing and Lizhou (now Hanyuan) and arrived at the Sichuan Xingdu Division located in Jianchangwei (now Xichang City). There are five guards and eight institutes in Sichuan, which govern most of today's Liangshan Prefecture and Panzhihua City, and is an important way to connect Sichuan and Yunnan provinces. To the south of the Sichuan Xingdu Division, there is the Wuding Mansion adjacent to Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province. Because of the important political and military geographical location, Yazhou is known as the "throat of western Sichuan" and "the gateway to Tibet", and because of the continuous rain all year round, it is also known as the "rain city".

"Thirty-six tributes in the southwest, or three or five years of tribute, its way is from Yazhou", this is the Ming Dynasty's regulations on the tributary route of the southwest Yi, so Yazhou is the starting point of the southwest Silk Road, and occupies an irreplaceable and important position in the southwest border trade.

Yazhou City is built on the south bank of the Tsing Yi River, narrow from north to south, wide from east to west, there are four formal city gates in the southeast, northwest and northwest, and there is a convenient gate on the west side of the north city wall, called the small north gate. Xingshui and Jingshui converge in Yingjing County to form the Peng (FEN or PEN) River, which winds along Yunnanyi Avenue from the southwest, bypassing the southern city of Yazhou, and is blocked by Zhangjiashan head-on, forced to divert to the north, and flows into the Tsing Yi River in the northeast corner of Yazhou City. The southeast corner of Yazhou City is a hill that is not high, and Zhangjiashan outside the city faces each other across the city wall and the Lijiang River. Although it is not high, standing on it, you can overlook the whole city of Yazhou, so it is the main point of city defense. The state government of Yazhou and the guard of the thousand households were built on the hill.

The time has passed. Under the dim yellow sky, the city of Yazhou was lit with fires. Countless people ran from the north to the south, or from the east to the west, hoping to find a way out of the city that would turn into hell in one day. However, the official army had abandoned all the city gates, and all of them had retreated to the state government and the thousand households, so the five city gates were occupied by the rebels. There were only three ways for them to escape, one was to climb over the walls and escape outside the city; The second is to escape into the Guanyin Pavilion in the southwest corner. Pray that the chaotic people can look at the face of Guanyin Bodhisattva, do some good deeds, and accumulate some yin virtue; The third method of escape has nothing to do with the majority of ordinary people, that is, they are fortunate enough to squeeze into the state government or a thousand households, relying on the protection of more than 200 officials and soldiers and more than a dozen families of gentry and large families, waiting for the officials and troops near Yazhou to be able to break the siege in time.

Outside the gate of the state office, the lanterns that were usually lit early were not hung. In the open space in front of the Bazi Gate, several scholars stood in the darkness, anxiously observing the movements in the city.

"Look, Brother Qihui, it seems to be your home! Come and see, is it the house of Brother Hui's family? A scholar in his thirties pointed to a burning house in the southern city and exclaimed.

The three scholars of similar age next to him hurriedly tiptoed to look into the distance.

Another scholar stomped his feet and wept: "It's over! It's all over! The family business passed down from our ancestors is lost to our unfilial descendants! ”

The third scholar comforted him: "Lord Zhizhou has already sent a messenger to Futai and Sansi Yamen for help, maybe wait two more days, and the reinforcements will arrive." ”

"Phew! I'm afraid that before the official army arrives, our family business will be in ashes! The fourth scholar spat black phlegm on the ground, his face angry.

The scholar who found out about the fire was very dissatisfied with the behavior of his friends and reprimanded: "What are you making a fuss? Look at other people's brothers, they are not shocked when they change, and they are not broken when they are humiliated, this is the true color of a reader! ”

The scholar who is respectfully called his brother is named Hong Qihui, the scholar who found the fire is named Zhang Shilin, the scholar who stomped his feet and wept is named Tang Mo, the scholar who is looking forward to reinforcements is named Zhong Zhishou, and the scholar who spits on the ground is named Hu Dasheng. They and Hong Qihui's two younger brothers, Hong Qiren and Hong Qixin, as well as the Fu brothers who escaped from the city and bumped into Zhu Pingjin, are all classmates of Zhouxue, and they are also children of famous families in Yazhou City. And Hong Qihui, who is the oldest, the most knowledgeable, and the most calm in character, is the leader among them.

Hong Qihui did not fight with his classmates. He sat alone under a large tree with his sword, looking at the burning home, his eyes flashing with fire.

"The eldest young master, it's not right that they are all old slaves, and I didn't persuade the master to prepare early! If the old man listened to the words of the eldest young master, he would have trained the villagers outside the city for a month and a half, and now there are also people to rescue the emergency! A man who looked like an old servant made amends to Hong Qihui with a face full of remorse.

Hong Qihui shook his head and said, "It's too late to talk about it now!" Besides, the family is not so reliable, and the one who may take the lead in burning the house is the family member! Ay! If you know today, why bother in the first place! If you can get through this difficulty, you will remember in the future: the world will be chaotic, and you must be more encircled by the subordinate households, and don't force people too much! What about a few stones of millet missing? Why is it that rent collection causes death? Tang Taizong once said, 'Water can carry a boat, and it can also overturn a boat'. Now look at how much grain has been burned in! ”

Humber was the old servant. He reluctantly agreed, and Hong Qihui said: "Hong Ya and Yingjing have no soldiers, and there are soldiers too far away in Lizhou." Now the nearest soldiers are in Feixian Pass, and there are also Tianquan and Dong Bu's Tusi soldiers, I wonder if Lord Wang sent a letter to ask for reinforcements? ”

The old servant said: "The old slave asked Mr. Liu and Mr. Cheng. They are also helpless! The king closed the door and refused to accept the guests, and no one was seen! "The two gentlemen Liu and Cheng in the mouth of the old servant refer to Liu Daozhen and Cheng Xiangfeng. They are all the teachers of the state school, that is, the teachers of a cadre, and now they are all taking refuge in the state government.

"What a good thing this is!" Hong Qihui finally got angry. He held the hilt of the sword at his waist and scolded: "The family and country are in turmoil, and the people are in misery!" As a local land guard, how can Wang Guochen sit in the corner of the state office! What is the purpose? (Note 1)

At this time, Lord Wang, who was in Hong Qihui's mouth, was in the back house of the Yamen and Ruan Shiqi of the Thousand Households of the Yazhou Imperial Palace.

"Ruan Qianhu, can your soldiers hold the state office?" The governor of Yazhou, the king of the kingdom, sternly questioned Ruan Shiqi, who was kneeling on the ground.

"Your Excellency, you know that I only have two hundred officers and soldiers! Including the subordinate family members, the total number is only more than 20 people. Coupled with the officials who ran out and the families of those gentry and big families, there were only four or five hundred people. There are tens of thousands of people in the city! Ruan Shiqi reported to the kingdom ministers with a helpless face.

"You also collect a lot of money on weekdays, why do you only raise such a small family?" Wang Guochen did not salute the corporal as usual, and immediately helped the warriors who worshiped to stand up. It was clear that his emotions were teetering on the brink of spiraling out of control.

"My lord! The money collected by the subordinates is all sent to you! Ruan Shiqi felt that he was very wronged, and hurriedly argued: "None of them are in the camp, and the imperial court has no military salary at all, and they are all supported by their subordinates out of their own pockets!" My lord, it costs a lot of money to raise a family, and I will count it for you......"

"Enough!" Wang Guochen finally got out of control. The tea cup on the table was swept by the flicked sleeves of the robe and shattered with a thud.

"What's the use of you saying that now? You and I can't find a way to defend the state government, where else can we escape? ”

Ruan Shiqi smiled cautiously and said, "Don't worry, adults! The subordinates prepared two ropes on the back city wall, both tied with bamboo baskets. If the rebels attack, my subordinates will guarantee to protect you and your family from the city......"

"You fart!" Wang Guochen scolded angrily, "You and I are both officials who guard the land. As long as you and I are in the city, we can have an explanation from top to bottom. Once you and I leave the city, wait to be impeached in prison! But you don't have the right to go to jail. You are a martial artist, and your grade is too low to enjoy that treatment...... I can kill you right now! ”

Ruan Shiqi cried and mourned: "I can't hold it, and I can't run it." What do you say, sir? ”

Wang Guochen's body spread out into the Taishi's chair: "Until now, only by desperately guarding the yamen can we have a way to live." The official boy studied hard, 20 years of cold window, 12 years of eunuch journey, in exchange for today's high hall. It's pitiful, it's ruined, but what! How! ”

Ruan Shiqi gritted his teeth: "Since the adults said so, then the subordinates also spelled out!" It's a big deal that the subordinates scattered their family wealth, made up the salaries for the soldiers, and took them to fight hard! There will be brave men under the reward! It's important to save your life now, and you can't spend your life if you keep the money! ”

Hearing this, Wang Guochen immediately straightened up: "You are right to think so!" However, you and I don't need you to pay for the soldiers' rewards," he said, turning his mouth out of Nunu, "Whoever has money stays outside!" They can't control their own subordinates, so don't blame the officials and the people for being unskilled! ”

Ruan Shiqi raised his thumb and praised: "My Dao Lord is so kind, put them all up the mountain, and they are waiting here!" ”

The two looked at each other and laughed.

The main force of the caravan led by Song Zhenzong and Shu Guoping arrived at the big stone bridge outside the north gate of Yazhou on time before the time. When they arrived, Zhu Pingjin had already led the territorial division to easily occupy the north gate and the small north gate of Yazhou. It was so easy because the two north gates were not defended at all. It's not that there is no one to defend, but that those chaotic people saw the official cavalry rushing quickly, and immediately ran away, and they didn't even close the city gate. Outside the north gate, there are many shops along the riverbank wharf of the Tsing Yi River, and the rioters who are making a fortune also disperse in a hurry when they see the official and military brigade. After occupying the north gate, the Tusi soldiers immediately moved along the city wall and controlled the entire north wall. If it weren't for Zhu Pingjin's ghost in his heart, he stopped any next move in the name of waiting for reinforcements, and it is estimated that the five city gates would have been taken down tonight.

Zhu Pingjin inspected the caravan that had just arrived on the Beicheng Tower, and then met with Song Zhenzong and Shu Guoping on the second-floor arrow tower. In the days since Zhu Pingjin left Bifeng Gorge, the caravan finally received the long-awaited cotton shoes, and each of them also received a six-sided straw hat with a narrow brim. Although the red cherry blossoms on the top of the hat are missing, it still feels like an official army.

Training troops for a thousand days, using soldiers for a while. The soldiers were fully nourished and underwent intensive physical training, and as soon as something happened, they immediately received results. After hastily mobilizing and forcibly marching dozens of miles of mountain roads, they were still full of spirit and high morale. The strength of the caravan brought out this time was twenty-three squads and two hundred and seventy-six people. In addition, four squads of the fourth company remained in Bifeng Gorge according to the order.

Song Zhenzong's iron armor was sonorous, and his voice was loud: "The son! The last general asks for an immediate army to slaughter these rebels! ”

"No!" Zhu Pingjin immediately vetoed Song Zhenzong's proposal and gave reasons.

There are three reasons for the veto: first, it is late and the situation is unclear; Second, there are a lot of people in the city, and the governor and the official army don't know where they are now, so they can only enter the army after they have figured it out; Third, the whole army marched long distances and was extremely tired, so it was not suitable to fight overnight. Zhu Pingjin's third point was agreed with by most people except Song Zhenzong. The Tusi soldiers set off this morning and walked from Feixian Pass to Yazhou, and fought a battle in the afternoon; Although the troops in Bifengxia walked less, they were forced to march, and the physical strength spent would not be less.

"Therefore, this prince has decided: I will not enter the city tonight to clear it. We only need to occupy a few gates. I'll have a ...... tomorrow morning. ”

Note 1: In real history, Yazhou students were the only surviving group of scholars in Sichuan at the end of the Ming Dynasty. Zhang Xianzhong conspired to massacre Sichuan scholars, and in November of the second year of Dashun, under the pretext of holding a "special department", he ordered all the students from all prefectures and counties to be sent to Chengdu. Due to the landlord and bad elements who had infiltrated the Great Western Army, Hao Mengxuan, who was in charge of the army, plotted against the water, Jiao Zhao recovered the Yazhou students who had already set off for Chengdu, and as a result, their lives were saved. Those students from all over Sichuan who arrived in Chengdu, except for Ouyang Zhi, who was the younger one, was exempted, and the rest were killed in Chengdu Daci Temple. It is known as the Daci Temple Incident in history. There are more than 5,000 people killed ("The Bag"), and there are also 22,300 people (Kangxi Nian's "Xichong Phoenix Mountain Zhu Zhang Xianzhong Ji"). There are also people who killed people in Qingyang Palace, in short, the later the book is written, the more nonsense it is.

Ouyang Zhi got out of trouble and wrote his experience into the book "Shu Chaos", "I will never forget it for future generations". Yazhou students were lucky to escape, and then returned to their hometowns to raise troops to resist, and later most of them died on the battlefield.

It is particularly noted here that there are a large number of records about the Daci Temple incident in the existing local chronicles of Sichuan, and there are even eyewitness testimonies. The history of the Qing Dynasty is clear, and it is not a few two-pole mouth artillery parties that can overturn the case at will.