Lao Sheng said: "Please come to King Qin, and we will do it." ”

Gao Junshan said: "This matter will not be difficult for you, I want to use you as a basis to set up an opera troupe in our army, specifically to promote the ideas of our righteous army to the surrounding people, and to promote heroic characters to my righteous brothers." ”

Lao Sheng said: "King Qin, we don't have enough manpower!" ”

Gao Junshan said: "There are not enough people, you can recruit and train yourself, in short, there is no hurry, you can cultivate talents while singing." ”

……

On April 1 of the tenth year of Chongzhen, Gao Junshan rested in Zaoyang for more than ten days, and then led his troops to cross the water and enter Henan and march to Xinye.

At this time, stationed in Nanyang is the Shanxi general soldier Wang Zhong, after Wang Zhong arrived in Nanyang, he said that he was ill, resulting in the emptiness of Xinye's defense, except for the three hundred regiments to practice in Xinye, there was no Ming court army.

Gao Junshan sent his subordinate soldiers "Zhou Shichen Battalion", "Jiang Guorong Battalion", and "Liu Da Battalion" to attack Xinye, and under the fierce attack of the three battalions, Xinye Zhixian abandoned the city and fled to Nanyang.

After only one day of occupation of Xinye, Gao Junshan waved his troops to the Lu clan.

They went over the mountains and waded through the water for five days to reach the Lu family, the Lu county magistrate Bai Ying personally went to the city tower to supervise the battle, the city defenders resisted bravely, Cao Wenzhao attacked under the Lu city for three days, and failed to break the city.

"King Qin, let me go!" Cai Zhishan came to ask for battle.

Looking up at the Lu Clan's city tower, Gao Junshan was a calm person, he pulled up the collar of his sheepskin jacket, turned his back to the cold wind, and scolded: "Paralysis, this ghost weather!" This year's weather seems to be particularly unusual. ”

Cai Zhishan thought that Gao Junshan didn't hear what he said, and emphasized again: "King Qin, Cao Wenzhao didn't attack for three days, let us go to the first brigade!" ”

Gao Junshan turned his head and glanced at Cai Zhishan: "It seems that the Lu family doesn't welcome us!" Let Cao Wenzhao withdraw it, and we will find another way. ”

Cai Zhishan insisted: "Let me go!" ”

Gao Junshan shook his head: "Again, your artillery must be used at a critical time, after all, our gunpowder is limited." ”

Li Xin, the military advisor, came over and said, "King Qin, the siege is not good, because the weather is too cold, the walls are frozen, and it is difficult to build the ladder. ”

Gao Junshan nodded: "I also noticed it, so I ordered Cao Wenzhao to withdraw." This hell weather, it's still so cold in April! ”

Li Xindao: "The people who came from Shanxi told me that it is still snowing in Shanxi. ”

Gao Junshan sighed and said, "The weather is so strange this year? God won't help me! ”

Li Xin comforted Gao Junshan: "King Qin doesn't have to be so discouraged, I don't think the Lu clan will last long, as long as we strengthen the offensive again, the Lu clan will be broken." ”

Gao Junshan said: "What if it is broken? Can you bear to see the corpses of my rebels all over the city? ”

"This—" Li Xin was speechless.

Gao Junshan returned to the big tent of the Chinese army, there was a brazier in the center of the big tent, which made the tent much warmer, he took off his sheepskin jacket and huddled together with Bailisha, Liu Hongru, and Tian Wenju to roast the fire.

At this time, the personal soldiers sent a copy of the information transmitted by Feng Shuangli, Gao Junshan took it and saw that it was specially encrypted, knowing that it was something that Liu Lishun gave him, and he ordered several military advisors around him to leave before opening it to see.

Sure enough, it was a secret letter written by Liu Lishun, the content was very miscellaneous, involving all aspects, Gao Junshan sorted out this information one by one, and selected some important information to mark.

The letter said that this year's weather is abnormal, and the winter is delayed by nearly a month, which is likely to affect the harvest of the following year, and a large-scale hunger riot is expected. The Mongol Ezhe had surrendered to the Qing Dynasty, and Korea had surrendered to the Qing Dynasty; Zhu Youzhen also showed signs of negotiating peace with Huang Taiji, and it seemed that the imperial court was bent on suppressing the Emperor; Shaanxi Governor Sun Chuanting was meritorious in capturing thieves and supervising Henan military affairs, Xiong Wencan served as the secretary of the military department and the right deputy capital Yushi, acting as Wang Jiazhen's prime minister Nangi, Henan, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Huguang, and Sichuan military affairs;

The letter also mentioned Zhao Shichun, Zhu Youzhen's triennial imperial examination was held as scheduled, and Zhao Shichun had finished the examination and was waiting for the release of the list in Beijing.

The letter also said that Zhang Xianzhong went out of the hidden mountain, broke Taihu Lake, Qizhou, and Huangzhou, and beheaded more than 40 generals, shocking the government and the opposition; Li Zicheng broke Ningqiang, attacked Qipanguan and Chaotian Pass in Shu, occupied Guangyuan County, and had the potential to enter Shu.

Gao Junshan put away the secret letter and thought about what he should do alone.

Zhu Youzhen had already made up his mind to destroy the righteous army, Zhang Xianzhong was making trouble in Hubei, and Li Zicheng was victorious in Sichuan......

No, no. Gao Junshan suddenly woke up, there are only two rebel armies in history who insisted to the end, that is, Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong, if they make trouble in Henan, it is the rhythm of death, they are in Henan, they are a lone army, there is no other rebel army to cooperate, and the first to die is themselves.

Thinking of this, Gao Junshan gasped, he reflected on himself, thinking that he was too presumptuous, although Zhang Xianzhong had his own problems, after all, he was his collaborator, and he couldn't stop cooperating with him because he had gangsterism and defects. In such a harsh environment, if you don't cooperate with Zhang Xianzhong, you are likely to embark on a road of death.

At this time, Sun Kewang came over to report that Cao Wenzhao had withdrawn, and asked what to do next, Gao Junshan stood up from the brazier and said to Sun Kewang: "Pass my order and go back to Zaoyang!" ”

Gao Junshan was halfway back and found that the original road had been cut off due to a landslide, and now he had to make a detour to Dengzhou to go back.

……

Dengzhou Governor Mansion.

Zhizhou Liu Zhenshi heard the news that Gao Junshan was coming to attack Dengzhou, and on the one hand sent people to Nanyang to move rescue troops, and on the other hand recruited villagers to defend Dengzhou.

On this day, he summoned Sun Zesheng and Xue Yingling to discuss the strategy of defending the city.

He fidgeted and asked his two subordinates: "Do you have a good plan for the thieves who have invaded the realm?" ”

Xue Yingling said bluntly: "The lower officials all listen to the orders of the assassin. ”

Liu Zhenshi said: "I invited the two of you to come just to hear your high opinions, to be honest, this high thief is quite scary." ”

Sun Zesheng said disdainfully: "The soldiers come to the enemy, and the water comes to the earth weir, what is terrible?" ”

Liu Zhenshi coughed dryly: "Benzhou appointed two people to strengthen the inner city wall, you won't refuse, right?" ”

Sun Zesheng asked, "So, what about the outer city wall?" ”

Liu Zhenshi coughed again: "With this bit of soldiers and horses in Benzhou, do you think you can hold the outer city wall?" ”

Xue Yingling reported to Liu Zhenshi: "The construction of the city is a big matter, and I am afraid that it will be difficult to find a craftsman for a while, and it will not be completed on time." ”

Sun Zesheng said: "Now that the thieves have come to the city, we have built the city in a hurry, not only can the craftsmen not be found, but even the people can't get together!" ”

Liu Zhenshi slapped the case and said angrily: "If you can't get it together, just give me a raff!" ”

Sun Zesheng and Xue Yingling were not squeaking, and Liu Zhenshi waved his hand: "You all hurry up and do it, and you can't relax in the matter of building the city." ”

Sun Zesheng and Xue Yingling left the yamen of the state capital, and went to the barracks to see Yu Chengyin and Li Xiguang, deputy of the thousand households.

After listening to Sun Zesheng's talk about building the city, Yu Chengyin said: "The assassin is also for the people of Dengzhou, and I, Yu Chengyin, am willing to obey the two of them to build the city wall." ”

Sun Zesheng said: "There is no need for Yu Qianhu to work hard, aren't there hundreds of anti-thieves in our prison cells in Dengzhou?" All you have to do is send out your troops and keep a close watch over these thieves, and let them go up to the city and build the walls honestly. ”

Yu Chengyin said happily: "I'm good at such things. ”

"Without further ado," Xue Yingling said, "now you will take someone to the cell with us." ”

Yu Chengyin and Li Xiguang glanced at each other, and Yu Cheng**: "Okay, you guys wait, I'll go and gather people." ”

After Yu Chengyin left, Li Xiguang asked Xue Yingling with concern: "Lord Eryin, the high thief is here, how many of you Ding Yong can participate in the war?" ”

Sun Zesheng said: "Don't worry, deputy thousand households, we can send 5,000 people to the city tower to defend against the enemy." ”

"There are so many people?" Li Xiguang didn't believe it.

Xue Yingling patted Li Xiguang's chest and said, "Don't worry! Lord Assassin Shi has already posted a mobilization notice in the whole city, and we are united in Dengzhou, and no one wants to enter it. ”

Li Xiguang wanted to ask something, but Yu Chengyin came back, and he said to a few people: "I have gathered the team, we can go." ”

Dengzhou Cell.

A team of more than 100 heavily armed soldiers, led by Yu Chengyin and Li Xiguang, stopped outside the prison gate and waited to hand over the prisoners.

Sun Zesheng said to the two thousand households: "The two of you follow me to the house to have a cup of tea!" ”

Yu Chengyin nodded in promise, then turned back to the neat team and said, "Brothers, wait here, and Li Qianhu and I will go back as soon as we go." ”

Sun Zesheng led Yu Chengyin and Li Xiguang into the door of the cell. Xue Yingling also followed into the gate, he walked directly to the entrance of the cell, and said to the officials guarding the door: "You take someone to bring out all the anti-thieves inside." ”

This official's name is Li Guoxi, and he asked Xue Yingling: "What?" Want to kill them? ”

Xue Yingling glared: "What are you doing with so many idle things?" ”

"Don't dare, don't dare."

"Don't go yet!"

Two hundred and fifty-four anti-thieves were brought out, they were not captured rebels, but were forced by Sun Zesheng to be anti-thieves of the bandits, Dengzhou territory in recent years has been hungry and poor, in order to urge the 'three salaries', often use heavy punishment on the people, and even do not hesitate to kill people to deter the people, so that many people flee their homes and gather as bandits.

Li Guoxi took a few of his servants in to release them.

More than 100 men of Yu Chengyin and Li Xiguang detained 254 prisoners by the city wall.

The prisoners tinkered with the inner city wall for seven days, and Sun Zesheng, who was in charge of supervising the work, was finally satisfied, and the repair work was completed. The completion is completed, but Sun Zesheng did not let these prisoners go back, he forced the prisoners to stay where they were, ready to be cannon fodder at any time.

In the past few days of repairing the city wall, Liu Zhenshi, the governor of Zhizhou, really recruited 5,000 townships to defend Dengzhou.

When Gao Junshan's men and horses appeared outside the city, Sun Zesheng personally led three thousand villagers to quietly go around to the Purple Mountain, and he wanted to launch a surprise attack on Gao Junshan.