Li Zicheng let Tang Qitai wander around Yiyang City for a day, and finally persuaded him, Tang Qitai agreed to serve as the new Yiyang magistrate, and immediately pacified the people inside and outside the city.

Yiyang is only seventy miles away from Luoyang, fast horses can be reached in half a day, city defense is also very important, Li Zicheng gathered the troops in the city, and recruited some strong men from the people, and formed two hundred households of the city defense army.

The city defense troops are directly under the county governor of Yiyang, and in accordance with the worrying methods of the Mandate of Heaven Army, they immediately stepped up their training and assumed the heavy responsibility of garrisoning Yiyang.

Because of the urgency of time, Li Zicheng did not participate in the land distribution in Yiyang County, but only told Tang Qitai the relevant system of the Heavenly Mandate Army, let him implement it at his discretion, and left half of the military rations, so that Tang Qitai could relieve the people of the county as much as possible.

Tang Qitai's four major guards, Li Zicheng also inspected, they were originally caught fast, and did not serve in the army, but they were more loyal to Tang Qitai, after comprehensive consideration, Li Zicheng gave up the idea of letting them serve as the officials of 100 households, just let them return to the post of catching fast, to ensure the stability of Yiyang County.

Tang Qitai expressed his attitude to Li Zicheng that as long as the food was sufficient, he would definitely be able to settle the people of Yiyang Xian properly.

Li Zicheng was not worried about Tang Qitai's rebellion, and threw himself into the arms of the imperial court again, there were only two hundred soldiers in the city, and people from the Han Qing Bureau were secretly watching.

Li Ji didn't expect the Metropolitan Governor to rush to Yongning so quickly, he attacked Yongning City, before and after, it had been a day, but he had not made any progress, he was a little ashamed in his heart, knelt in front of Li Zicheng, and refused to get up for a long time, "Metropolitan Governor, subordinates ......"

"Get up and speak!" Li Zicheng's light tone was irresistible majesty, "I know everything, what about the casualties of the brothers?" ”

Li Ji stood up and whispered: "Back to the Metropolitan Governor, his subordinates are incompetent, and the brothers have suffered nearly 100 casualties ......."

Li Zicheng nodded slightly, his eyes became a little gloomy, under the small Yongning City, nearly a hundred soldiers were lost, and he felt a little sorry in his heart, but how could there be immortals in a war, especially in siege warfare, "Victory or defeat is a common thing in soldiers, don't take it to heart!" ”

Although Li Ji was comforted, he was even more ashamed in his heart, wherever the Heavenly Mandate Army went, unless it was for strategic reasons, it had always been invincible, but the fourth battalion was blocked under Yongning City......

"It's only been a day, Yongning City may not be able to be captured," Li Zicheng muttered: "It's also our lack of preparation, it seems that from now on, we will organize craftsmen and start to build all kinds of siege equipment, ladders, siege vehicles, etc., ......"

He had already thought of Luoyang, Luoyang was a fortified city, by no means comparable to Yongning City, if there were not enough siege equipment, I am afraid it would be difficult to take it at that time.

Li Ji frowned and said: "Governor, only now will we build a cloud ladder, and then we will go south to Yongning City......"

"It's okay," Li Zicheng smiled faintly, but turned around and said, "Xiaomi, how many people from the Han Qing Bureau are there in the city?" ”

"Back to the Metropolitan Governor, there are only three or five people from the Han Qing Bureau in the city, and they are still the ...... who have only recently entered the city."

When Li Ji heard the message of the Han Qing Bureau, his heart didn't move, but after listening to the second half of He Xiaomi's sentence, the hope that had just risen was shattered in an instant, there were only three or five people, and they had just entered the city, so I am afraid it would not be of much help.

Li Zicheng frowned lightly, but he didn't speak, just nodded to Li Ji, and took a few personal soldiers to patrol along the city wall, and there were almost no defenders on the city, maybe he was frightened by rifles, but he knew that behind the city wall, there must be soldiers of the Ming army watching in secret.

After checking for a week, he didn't find any flaws in the stars, and Li Zicheng returned to He Xiaomi's camp that they had just set up.

Li Ji came to ask for battle, Li Zicheng asked the details of the situation, and said with a smile: "Do you still want to break open the city gate?" ”

"Governor, do you want to let Yongning City cross in front of us," Li Ji was determined to atone for his sins, "My subordinates have told my brothers that they will spend their ...... in the city."

"General Li is old, why is he more impatient than a hairy boy?" Li Zicheng was not in a hurry, he came to Henan, originally to contain the Ming army, he had already conquered the entire Ruzhou and half of Nanyang Prefecture, and now he has taken some county towns in Henan Prefecture, which has already exceeded the original expectations.

To be able to take Yongning, and even Luoyang, that is the best, you can establish a base in Henan, plus Ruzhou and Nanyang, half of Henan is in your own hands, but the war is in a hurry, let alone for a specific day and hurry, Li Ji said at the beginning, to take the county towns around Luoyang before the new yuan, he did not agree, as a slogan, to inspire the soldiers can, but not as a set goal.

The battlefield is changing rapidly, and who can guarantee that everything is in their own calculations?

Zhuge Liang had no last resort, but he didn't calculate that he was going to die five zhangyuan......

"Metropolitan Governor ......" Li Ji's face was a little ugly, he also understood that he was a little greedy for merit, if he affected the overall situation of the Heavenly Mandate Army for his own selfish interests, he was the real sinner, and the crime was unforgivable!

"If the sneak attack can't be successful, the city gate can't be opened, these methods are no longer possible," Li Zicheng said: "Then you can only be honest, follow the conventional old road, and immediately arrange for people to cut down trees and build ladders!" How do you storm a city without a ladder? ”

"The subordinates are just delaying time......"

"What we have is time," Li Zicheng said: "At least we have contained the Ming army in Henan and achieved the expected goal, and now it is not us who is anxious, but the Ming army!" ”

"It's the subordinates who are less worried, and the subordinates are guilty!"

"It's not a sin to actively seek war," Li Zicheng still wanted to say a few more words, it was estimated that Li Ji didn't take Yongning City, and he felt uncomfortable, so he said: "The matter of attacking Yongning City, don't worry, you go down and prepare first!" ”

"Yes, the subordinates are retired!" Li Ji saluted before leaving Li Zicheng's big tent.

Li Zicheng lay on the marching bed, thinking about it, except for building a cloud ladder to forcibly attack the city, there is really no good way, besides, the cloud ladder will not be wasted, and it can still be used when attacking Luoyang in the future.

Seeing that the sun was about to set, Li Zicheng got up and left the camp tent, came to the shore of Luoshui, and looked at the vast Bears Ears Mountain on the opposite bank, thinking in his heart.

From the north, Bears Ears Mountain looks like a giant centipede, lying prone on the south bank of the Luohe River, with ancient trees towering to the sky, although it is winter, there is no lack of green.

He Xiaomi didn't know when, standing behind Li Zicheng, "The metropolitan governor is watching the female mountains opposite?" ”

"How many mountains are women?" Li Zicheng said: "Isn't it Bear's Ears Mountain on the other side?" ”

"It is indeed Bears Ears Mountain," He Mi said, "Bears Ears Mountain is the general name," he pointed to the right front with his hand, "This female mountain is a remnant of Bears Ears Mountain, which almost extends to the Luo River!" ”

"How does Xiaomi know how many mountains a woman has?" Li Zicheng smiled: "It seems that this is the first time to come to Yongning, right?" ”

"It's the first time for my subordinates to come to Yongning," He Mi said: "My subordinates heard that this Nuji Mountain is the Huaguo Mountain in "Journey to the West". ”

"How many mountains are the women, is Huaguo Mountain?" Li Zicheng's heart moved, but he was not sure, I don't know if "Journey to the West" has been written, "Has Xiaomi read "Journey to the West"? ”

"When my subordinates were in Lanzhou, I saw it in high school, and I heard about the female mountains in high school!"

"I see!" Li Zicheng measured, Wu Chengen, the author of "Journey to the West", should be from the Ming Dynasty, the exact time can't be remembered, now it is the end of the Ming Dynasty, it should have been written, "Xiaomi, on the mountains of that woman, is there really a so-called water curtain cave?" ”

"Water Curtain Cave?" He Xiaoxiao said in his heart, it turned out that the Metropolitan Governor had also read Journey to the West, "This, my subordinates don't know, my subordinates haven't been to Nuji Mountain, and I forgot to ......inquire about it at that time."

"Haha," Li Zicheng laughed, "Xiaomi, since you have come to the Huaguo Mountain depicted by Wu Chengen, when it is time to appease the people of Yongning, let's go and take a look, maybe Mr. Wu Chengen really came to Nuji Mountain back then." ”

He Xiaomi, he has always been very yearning for Huaguo Mountain, which is like a fairyland, "his subordinates listen to the ...... of the governor"

The two stood by the Luoshui River for a long time, until it was dark, they returned to the camp tent, ate hot soup and rice, He Xiaomizi went to arrange the sentry, Li Zicheng returned to the camp alone, put out the candle and fell asleep.

I don't know how long it took, but I was woken up by He Xiaomi, "Metropolitan Governor, the message of the Han Qing Bureau!" ”

"Han Qing Bureau?" Li Zicheng sat up with a bone, it was so late, He Xiaomi sent the message over, it must be an urgent message, could it be that something happened in Lanzhou? It has been more than a year since he left Lanzhou, and he came to Henan for the peace of Lanzhou and other places, Lanzhou is now one of the central cities on the land of the Heavenly Mandate Army, but don't let anything happen!

At this time, the lights in the camp tent had been lit, it should have been lit after He Xiaomi came in, Li Zicheng did not answer the message, but glanced at He Xiaomi first, and saw that He Xiaomi's face was not anxious, and he was a little fixed in his heart, knowing that it was a false alarm.

"Grand Governor, it's a message from Yongning City!"

"In the city?" Li Zicheng took the message and said, "What does the message say?" ”

"The subordinates don't know, the subordinates didn't look at it," He Xiaomi said: "The subordinates only know that the people of the Han Qing Bureau in the city took advantage of the darkness to shoot arrows from the city." ”

Li Zicheng bowed slightly, tore open the seal, unfolded the message, and only glanced at it, "Xiaomi, is the message sure that the message came from someone from the Hanqing Bureau?" ”

"It won't be wrong," He Xiaoxiao said: "The subordinates and the people of the Han Qing Bureau have privately confirmed the secret record, and it will definitely not be wrong!" ”

Li Zicheng read the message carefully, pondered for a moment, suddenly raised his head, and said, "Xiaomi, let Li Ji come over immediately!" ”

"Yes, Grand Duke!" He Xiaomi's heart was full of questions, but from the face of the Grand Duke, he couldn't see anything, he didn't think much about it, agreed, saluted Li Zicheng, and turned back to leave the camp.