As soon as the operational enlargement meeting began, it took two hours.

At the meeting, the public will argue fiercely, and the public will say that the public is reasonable, and the mother-in-law will say that the mother-in-law is reasonable. Zhu Pingjin had a headache when he heard this, and he didn't know how to choose for a while. Without Xu Hanqing's 300 Tusi soldiers, the available troops are too small, and if you want to prepare for a decisive battle, you must concentrate your troops, and you can't divide your troops in all directions. Therefore, accurately judging the marching route of the bandit brigade has become a top priority.

In the end, the person who helped Zhu Pingjin make up his mind was Zhang Guangpei, the younger brother of the bandit leader Zhang Guangzu, and Zhang Guangpei, the former sixth master.

Zhang Guangpei believes that if the bandits know that the lair has been seized, they will definitely try their best to take it back. Because most of the families of the old and new bandits are in the mountains, and they can't afford to lose them. He also believes that Zhang Guangzu actually has no ability. His decision-making is highly dependent on the advice of the second master, Chen Huainian, almost to the point of obeying his words. The characteristics of Chen Huainian's use of troops are that he is more than prudent and lacks cunning. It is a short way to cross the Min River diagonally through the Longquan Mountains and return to Niujiaozhai, but the mountain is high and the road is dangerous, and it is easy to be ambushed halfway. It is likely that Chen Huainian made a detour to Shuangliu, Meizhou or Renshou County to return to Niujiaozhai because of this.

The bandits' route back to Niujiaozhai via Meizhou and Renshou was again denied. Meizhou is now in the hands of the government, Renshou is blocked at the end of the Heilongtan Gorge, and with the combat effectiveness of bandits, it is impossible to pass through Renshou County through a strong attack.

"Then, there is only one way left: starting from the north gate of Pengshan, crossing the Minjiang River in Jiangkou Town, then going north along the Neijiang River of the Minjiang River, and then crossing the river through Yongxingchang, and then passing through Wangzhuang at our feet, crossing Longquan Mountain, and returning to Niujiaozhai!" Zhang Guangpei's words are conclusive.

"We first show the shape in Niujiaozhai, and the second show in Shuangliu Wangzhuang. The enemy does not know where I am going. Sun Tzu's Art of War: Those who are good at attacking, the enemy does not know what to defend; Those who defend well do not know what they are attacking (Note 1). The Niujiaozhai bandits thought that we would be distracted by the roaming rioters, and they never imagined that we would fight him specifically. Good! Then we will quickly catch up, and on that high platform, we will stage a wonderful decisive battle for the spectators! ”

In the end, Zhu Pingjin made the final word:

"This battle can only be won, not defeated!"

The manager is determined and his subordinates act efficiently.

The route of the march was quickly planned, especially the short road ahead from Wangzhuang to Yongxingchang was very clear. Yesterday, when the Tusi cavalry was searching, they had already entered the periphery of Yongxing Field.

Marching columns were also drawn up. Gao Rongxuan led the Tusi cavalry as the vanguard, seized bridges and ferries, and reconnoitred the enemy; Song Zhenzong led the caravan to advance in the order of the first, second, third, and sixth companies. Zhu Pingjin led the palace guards as the Chinese army, marching between the second and third companies; A hundred selected cottage soldiers marched between the third and sixth companies; Gao Antai and Shu Guoping led the Tusi battalion of 200 infantry to break off. Not counting the copycat soldiers, the whole army totaled more than 1,200 people.

The big drum that had been painstakingly transported from Renshou County finally had a chance to beat. The whole army pulled out the camp, and the cavalry units of each infantry went west in turn to the sound of rumbling drums, and embarked on the road to Pengshan County. Zhu Pingjin also rode his big white horse, led He Youyi, Liu Hongting, Cheng Xiangfeng, Li Sixian, Zhang Guangpei and other staff officers into the long marching column.

In less than half an hour of marching, two fast horses galloped along the country road from the north and headed straight for the Chinese army.

The rider, Zhu Pingjin, recognized that it was the Tusi Tanma he had seen by the Tsing Yi River, a pair of young brothers who looked very similar. I don't know if it's my brother or my younger brother, one of the horses saw Zhu Pingjin, the horses were still running, so they jumped off the horse's back dexterously and chicly, and the other tacitly reached out to catch the reins, took the horse around, and ran back to the same place.

The tanma ran over and reported: "Shizi, there are three or four hundred cavalry of the official army galloping towards our army in the north, and the distance is less than five miles!" ”

"Okay, please come over as soon as possible!" Zhu Pingjin couldn't hold back the joy in his heart and commanded loudly.

The rider clenched his fist, and another rider was already galloping with his horse. The rider jumped onto the horse, and the two men beat their horses away, leaving a trail of smoke and dust.

"The essence of riding is breathtaking!" Zhu Pingjin sighed to He Youyi beside him: "If we have horses in the future, it does not mean that we have cavalry. Only by practicing for a long time can you temper a feather forest flying horse! Mr. He, order the whole army to stop advancing and tighten the formation in a company! ”

He Youyi hurriedly gave the order. Liu Hongting leaned in front of Zhu Pingjin and chuckled: "If the little girl is not mistaken, it must be the guest that the prince is looking forward to has arrived." ”

Zhu Pingjin has no personal interest in this Shanghai eldest sister, he uses Liu Hongting's ability. If Shu Guoping is interested, he might as well be a matchmaker again. It's just that Shu Guoping is filial piety, and it may not be convenient to fall in love at this time. Zhu Pingjin thought again, why does this Liu Hongting's filial piety have no sad look? Zhu Pingjin thought of this and decided to ask him to explain Liu Hongting's life experience in detail the next time he corresponded with Li Chongwen.

The cavalry of three or four hundred officers was more than a mile away from the Chinese army, and when they saw the banner of the caravan, they slowed down their advance and finally stopped a hundred zhang away. A tall red-faced general wearing mountain pattern armor rushed out of the cavalry, shouting in unskilled Sichuan Chinese:

"Are you the military horses of the prince of Shu?"

Zhu Pingjin had already given an order to act in the name of Tusi soldiers in the vicinity of the provincial capital. So when the other party's general asked, He Youyi greeted him and replied: "We are Tianquan Tusi soldiers!" What kind of officers and soldiers are you? ”

"We are the Futai Liao's Fu Biao!" The general saw that He Youyi was dressed in a gray cotton robe, and there was no armor, so he didn't expect to be a person, and his face showed a slightly arrogant look.

"Where is the prince of Shu? Bring Ben to the shrine! ”

"Tell me your name, position, and purpose!" He Youyi replied solemnly.

"Who are you?" The general was not happy.

At this time, a large cart was squeezed out of the cavalry group, and two people, one tall and one short, stood on the cart early. As soon as the car stopped, the two hurriedly jumped down and ran, shouting as they ran:

"General Dong must not be rude! This is the prince's own soldier! ”

"I'm not surnamed Dong! I've said it hundreds of times along the way! The general was indignant, turned his horse's head and disappeared.

One tall and one short, one tall and one low, stepped over from the dry field. When they arrived in front of He Youyima, the two of them laughed and said, "The general doesn't have to be as knowledgeable as that Dong Buman!" They don't know the etiquette of the Han people, and they ask the general to understand! ”

He Youyi saw that they were two scholars of the same age, so he changed his kind face, but his words did not change at all: "Report your name, position, and intention!" ”

The tall and short were stunned at the same time, and He Youyi repeated.

Oh! The tall one was the first to react: "Contemptible Qian Weihan, Lord Liao's staff, is ordered by Duke Liao to see the prince." ”

The short man also said: "The contemptible Li Maoquan is also Lord Liao's staff, and he will see the prince together." ”

"He Youyi, the prince of the world." He Youyi removed the word "long" from his position, and immediately bowed his hand to the two masters.

"Oh! It turned out to be the newly protected inspector of the kingdom's ministers! The tall and short ones suddenly realized, and bowed their waists.

"Laugh! It's just from the end of the nine pins! The Son of the world is ahead, and I will show you. He Youyi replied lightly.

When the tall man heard this, he hurriedly stretched out his head to watch. But except for a few people in front of them wearing mandarin duck robes, the rest are all gray cotton robes. The tall man scanned back and forth a few times, but he didn't find where the prince was. The only bright color in the ranks came from a red-robed female general.

He Youyi smiled and said, "Mr. Qian doesn't have to look for it, the son of the world is in front." Don't be rude, two gentlemen, and go with this staff officer. After speaking, he turned his horse's head and walked in the direction of Zhu Pingjian.

Master Qian was not good at equestrianism, so he had to walk closely behind He Youyi's horse's buttocks. Maybe he followed too closely, making the big black horse He Youyi ride nervous. The big black horse swept it with its black tail, hitting Master Qian's eye socket.

Master Li also doesn't know how to ride a horse. As soon as he heard that Shizi was in front of him, he turned around and pressed down with both hands, signaled Fubiao to dismount, and then followed behind.

When the two approached, Master Qian rubbed his eyes, blinked his eyes, and finally saw a teenager in the crowd. He was dressed in a gray cotton robe like an ordinary soldier and rode on a tall white horse. The only thing that stands out from the rest is that he wears a crown of wings with two wings upturned.

He Youyi stepped forward to report first. Seeing the head of the prince, the two masters hurriedly stepped forward to pay respects.

"Students, see the son!"

The old rule that scholars do not kneel when they see officials based on fame and fame is not used here for the princes of the pro-domain. The two masters kowtowed on the dry dusty soil.

Zhu Pingjin asked Li Sixian to call up. The two masters got up, looked at each other like lightning, and bowed to Liu Hongting again: "Students, see Miss Luo!" ”

Zhu Pingjin couldn't help it, and laughed, laughing so much that Liu Hongting blushed. Zhu Pingjin forced a smile and said: "The two gentlemen have recognized the wrong person!" This is Miss Liu, the only daughter of Liu Sance of Renshou Zhi County, and the staff officer of this son. ”

The two masters said again: "Oh! It turned out to be Miss Liu, after Zhongliang! Student faux pas! ”

At this time, Zhu Pingjin said to He Youyi: "Mr. He, order the whole army to rest on the spot, for a quarter of an hour!" This prince has something important to talk about with the two gentlemen. ”

He Youyi turned around and gave the order. After a while, following the orders of the officers, the soldiers sat down in place and rested cross-legged on the avenue.

Zhu Pingjin jumped off his horse and said to the two masters: "There may be a battle ahead, and our army is speeding up the march!" Please ask the two masters to be on the side of the road and briefly explain the meaning of Liao Gong! As he spoke, Zhu Pingjin walked more than a dozen steps forward, turned around and sat on a ridge on the side of the road, and beckoned the two masters to sit down as well.

Both masters were wearing new and bright robes today. Seeing that Shizi was sitting on the ridge and beckoning, it was impossible for the two of them to stand condescendingly and talk, so they had to sit on the ridge as well.

Master Qian took out Liao Daheng's handwritten letter from his arms and held it to Zhu Pingjian. Zhu Pingjin tore up the envelope, shook off the letter and looked at it.

After a while, Gao Antai arrived quickly. Zhu Pingjin introduced each other, continued to read his letter, and handed it to Gao Antai after reading it.

Gao Antai read a few lines, and then called: "What? Let's sell our lives and not give a reward? ”

A few pieces of letter paper were thrown into the air by him, scattered like dust in the wind.

Seeing that something was wrong, Master Qian hurriedly explained: "General Gao! All the money in the treasury of the feudal division has been allocated to the thieves, where is the surplus silver? Lord Futai means that the capture of the Tusi soldiers belongs to the Tusi! ”

Gao Antai didn't listen to any explanation at all: "Lao Tzu's soldiers are native soldiers!" Lao Tzu is also a native! When the natives fight, they always have to pay money before and after the war! The front is issued with silver extraction, and the back is beheaded with a reward! I don't pay a penny, I haven't fought this battle yet! ”

Saying that, Gao Antai sneered: "Captured? Surrounded by Wang Zhuang! The son of the world is in front of him! Did you ask Lao Tzu to rob Wang Zhuang? ”

As soon as Master Li heard Master Qian's explanation of failure, he hurriedly said, "No, General Gao!" Definitely! Some things are not easy for Lord Futai to write in the letter, so I ordered the two of us to convey them verbally.

Lord Futai said that as long as Tusi is willing to fight, he will support him with all his might, and all the weapons and armor will be allocated! As long as Tusi quells the civil unrest, he will all approve the list of merits and ask the court for merit for you! Even if one of your soldiers plunders the people, he will hand them over to the Tusi to dispose of himself......"

Seeing that Gao Antai didn't continue to go crazy, Master Li was overjoyed in his heart, and hurriedly struck while the iron was hot, and threw out the killer plan he prepared on the road:

"As for the recent acceptance of contributions by the royal palace, there are already officials and gentry who have reported to Lord Futai! Lord Futai suppressed all the forms and said: The palace is a Tianhuang noble, Taizu is a descendant, what is it to collect some contributions? It's just that Lord Futai has been difficult lately......"

Note 1: Excerpt from "The Art of War: Fiction and Reality"