Li Zicheng left Yin Xianmin to stay in Xuzhou, and he left Xuzhou with the cavalry of the first battalion Li Guobu and the third division of the fourth battalion He Jinbu and went south along the official road.

He Jin's troops were all infantry, and the marching speed was slow, Li Zicheng did not wait, after leaving the south gate of Xuzhou, he took his own soldiers and the cavalry of the second battalion to Fengyang quickly.

When I went to Suzhou, I had a convenient message: The fourth battalion defeated the main force of Gao Jie's department in Guzhen, and won countless victories, Gao Jie could not escape into Fengyang, and the fourth battalion had chased over!

Li Zicheng held the message, both angry and funny.

Among the four towns in the north of the Puppet Ming River, Gao Jie's combat effectiveness should be the strongest, and he was defeated by Li Ji and Liu Zongmin so quickly, in front of the firearms of the Heavenly Mandate Army, no matter how powerful the army is, the soldiers are always made in the flesh.

However, the third division of the fourth battalion had not yet returned, and Li Ji only had two divisions of 60,000 people around him......

Li Zicheng pondered for a moment and decided to let the cavalry of the second battalion rush over for reinforcements as soon as possible, even if there were no reinforcements sent by the puppet Ming Dynasty, Li Guo's 16,000 cavalry could also assist the fourth battalion in encircling and annihilating Gao Jie's department.

The second battalion is an empty downhill tiger, hungry!

When Li Guo heard that there was a battle, he hurriedly led the cavalry south, leaving Li Zicheng and his personal soldiers behind, but he didn't have to worry about the emperor's safety, the emperor's side, there were two pro-military battalions and more than 10,000 cavalry!

Li Zicheng slowed down the pace of the march, first, waiting for the He Jinbu of the 3rd Division of the 4th Battalion, and second, responding to both sides of the official road, and the remnants of the puppet soldiers suddenly cut off the back road.

What Li Zicheng didn't expect was that when he was still twenty miles away from Fengyang, Li Ji had already sent a herald over: with the assistance of the cavalry of the second battalion, the fourth battalion annihilated Gao Jie's department in Fengyang, Gao Jie was killed in battle, and his subordinate soldiers were captured countless times, and it was too late to count.

Li Zicheng couldn't help but be overjoyed, he knew that Li Ji should be someone to report the good news as soon as the battle was over.

He whipped his horse quickly and galloped away in the direction of Fengyang.

Li Ji, Liu Zongmin, and Li Guo were already waiting outside the city gate, and when they saw Li Zicheng's war horse from a distance, they turned over and bowed: "The ministers knock to see the emperor!"

"Hurry up!" Li Zicheng snapped his whip and said with a smile: "The soldiers are fast, doesn't Gao Jie know that you are following behind?" ”

Liu Zongmin patted the dust on his body and said with a smile: "Your Majesty, it's useless for Gao Jie to know, Fengyang doesn't have a city wall, so he can't rely on the city wall to hold on!"

Li Ji didn't smile either, "Fortunately, General Li's second battalion arrived, if there is no cavalry, Gao Jie may be like Xuzhou, and he will have to break through again." ”

Li Zicheng raised his eyes to look around, and sure enough, he didn't see the city wall, and he couldn't help but wonder, Fengyang is the central capital of the Ming Dynasty, where the ancestral tomb of the Zhu family is located, why is there no city wall?

However, I am afraid that only the people of the old Zhu family know the answer to this question.

The soldiers quickly cleaned up the battlefield, and Li Zicheng was dining with Li Ji, Liu Zongmin, and Li Guo, and suddenly a herald came to summon the news: The fifth battalion has taken Huai'an Mansion and has entered the Yangzhou territory!

Li Zicheng Li Ji put down the bowl, opened the marching map and looked at it, and couldn't help but be happy: although the fifth battalion only had four regiments and 20,000 soldiers, the speed of the march was very fast, almost at the same time as the fourth battalion!

He laughed and said, "The hypocritical Ma Shiying and Shi Kefa are afraid to be restless at this moment when they hear such information, right?" ”

Liu Zongmin said worriedly: "Your Majesty, the four towns of Jiangbei in the Puppet Ming Dynasty should be just around the corner, but the capital of the Puppet Ming Dynasty is in the south of the Yangtze ......River, across the Yangtze River."

"Since ancient times, 'guarding the river must guard the Huai', losing the Huai River, only the Yangtze River is left with a natural danger, how can it be guarded for a long time?" Li Zicheng knew in his heart that Zhou Kun's army had already gone down the river, and it should not be far from Nanjing at this moment.

Li Guo nodded and said, "Your Majesty, have we fought the Yangtze River in one go?" ”

"From the Jingshi all the way south, the army has traveled thousands of miles, and the soldiers are already exhausted," Li Zicheng said: "Temporarily advance to the south, and consolidate Fengyang first." ”

…………………………………………………………………………

The Mandate of Heaven Army stormed the four towns of Jiangbei, and the news of Gao Jie and Liu Zeqing's successive defeats reached Nanjing, Ma Shiying was almost stupid, he really didn't expect that Gao Jie and Liu Zeqing were both paper tigers, they only knew how to rob the people, and they were vulnerable in front of the Mandate of Heaven Army.

I knew that I would face a predicament so soon, and I shouldn't have sought the position of first assistant that day, and let Shi Kefa clean up the mess!

He was restless, so he summoned his cronies and left attendants of the military department, Ruan Dacheng, to discuss countermeasures with him.

Ruan Dacheng is not a resourceful person, the Mandate of Heaven army is pouring towards the Yangtze River like a tide, and the heavy troops of the four towns in Jiangbei are almost vulnerable, and in the blink of an eye, the two towns have been defeated, and even Gao Jie has been killed, he is so frightened that he is at a loss.

But he is the left squire of the military department, and at the critical moment, he can't be silent.

After sitting in front of Ma Shiying for a while, Ruan Dacheng said tentatively: "Lord Shoufu, for today's plan, the only way to make peace with Huaxia is to divide the river and govern the two countries!"

"Divide the river and rule?" Ma Shiying muttered softly, this seemed to be a good idea, "I'm afraid that Li Zicheng will not will." ”

"The key to the success of the peace negotiation lies in the envoy," Ruan Dacheng said: "Although Gao Jie and Liu Zeqing have suffered a fiasco, there are still Liu Liangzuo, Huang Degong, and Shi Kefa's army in Jiangbei, which is also deployed in the south of Yangzhou, and the Mandate of Heaven Army has not yet broken through Jiangbei, Li Zicheng does not know the reality of Jiangnan at all, maybe ......"

Ma Shiying faintly felt that Li Zicheng might not agree to negotiate peace, the Mandate of Heaven Army came out of the northwest border, captured the Beijing division all the way, and established the Huaxia State, didn't Li Zicheng want to unify the country?

However, there seems to be no better way than to negotiate peace!

"Shousuke-sama......"

Ma Shiying pondered for a long time, then nodded and said, "Pass on all the important ministers, let's go to see the emperor together." ”

In less than half an hour, the important ministers of the court and the central government were concentrated in the Qianqing Palace of the Nanjing Imperial Palace.

Hongguang Emperor Zhu Yousong was drinking imperial wine, while enjoying the two Liyuan Xiaoyou in the drama, hearing that the important ministers of the court asked to see together, he hurriedly left Xiaoyou behind, and took the celebrant eunuch Han Zanzhou to summon the important ministers in the Dongnuan Pavilion.

"The ministers knock on the emperor!"

"Zhong Aiqing is flat!" Zhu Yousong raised his buttocks slightly, thought about it for a while, and then went back to the dragon chair, and said, "Give you Aiqing a seat and tea!"

Seeing that everyone was silent with a straight face, thinking that it was about summoning Xiaoyou into the palace, they knew about it, so they said tentatively: "You Aiqing entered the palace at this time, is there anything important?" His eyes swept over Ma Shiying and Shi Kefa's faces, and he felt uneasy in his heart.

Ma Shiying lowered his head slightly, glanced at Ruan Dacheng, Ruan Dacheng hurriedly said: "Emperor Qiqi, Emperor Li Zicheng of Huaxia Kingdom, more than 100,000 elite soldiers went south, Gao Jie died in battle, and after Liu Zeqing was defeated, he has retreated to the boundary of Yangzhou......"

"Ah...... How good is that? Zhu Yousong was shocked, this is much more severe than summoning Liyuan Xiaoyou into the palace, and if you don't get it, the country will be gone......

Shi Kefa stood up and played: "The Mandate of Heaven Army moved quickly, which greatly surprised the ministers and others......

Zhu Yousong was angry and afraid, but he didn't dare to be angry with Shi Kefa, so he said: "Shi Aiqing, Gao Jie and Liu Zexin are defeated, how will you meet the enemy?" ”

Shi Kefa smelled the smell of alcohol coming from the dragon chair, and his heart was very displeased, and at this time, he actually asked me how to retreat from the enemy...... This greedy and lustful, alcoholic person should not have been appointed as the emperor in the first place, if it wasn't for Ma Shiying's obstruction......

He didn't reply, but looked at Ma Shiying, hoping that Ma Shiying would explain.

Ma Shiying seemed to sense Shi Kefa's gaze, and he didn't look at him, but he got up and arched his hand to the emperor and said: "Master Shi is not only the crown prince Taibao, a scholar of Wuyingdian, but also a scholar of the Ministry of War. ”

Shi Kefa also got up and said angrily: "Master Ma is the first assistant of the court, so he can't share the emperor's worries?" ”

Ma Shiying glanced at Shi Kefa and said, "The ministers naturally share the emperor's worries, but ...... Sharing worries is based on military strength!"

Shi Kefa glared at Ma Shiying angrily and said, "What do you mean by Master Ma?" ”

Ma Shiying sneered: "May I ask Master Shi, can Huang Degong and Liu Liangzuo stop the Heavenly Mandate Army in Jiangbei?" She arched her hand to Zhu Yousong and said, "Your Majesty, if the ministers know this answer, they can make corresponding arrangements!"

On the battlefield, how can there be absolute victory? Shi Kefa's face was flushed, and after a while, he arched his hand to Zhu Yousong and said: "Liu Liangzuo and Huang Degong are afraid that they will not be able to hold Luzhou and Chuzhou, and the minister cannot guarantee to hold Yangzhou," paused, gritted his teeth, and said: "However, the minister will not take half a step back, the Heavenly Mandate Army wants to break through Jiangbei, unless it climbs over the body of the minister!"

Zhu Yousong's face was pale, and he was about to speak, but Ma Shiying said: "Master Shi is my important minister of the Ming Dynasty, how can he risk his life?" After a pause, he said, "However, since Jiangbei can't hold it, it's troublesome......"

Shi Kefa was stunned and said, "What is the best plan for Lord Ma?" ”

Zhu Yousong also cast an inquiring glance at Ma Shiying, and said, "Yes, does Ma Aiqing have a way to deal with it?" ”

Ma Shiying deliberately closed his eyes, his lips moved, pondered for a while, his eyes secretly opened a slit, and glanced at Ruan Dacheng, Ruan Dacheng understood, got up and played: "Jiangbei can give up, but you must not let the Mandate of Heaven army cross the Yangtze River moat......"

Shi Kefa frowned and said, "What does Lord Ruan mean?" ”

Ruan Dacheng didn't look at his immediate boss Shi Kefa, but arched his hand to Zhu Yousong, and said: "Since Lord Shi thinks that Jiangbei can no longer be defended, it is better to withdraw the garrison in Jiangbei as soon as possible, deploy intensively along the river, and then collect the ships by the river, concentrate on the south bank, and prevent the Heavenly Mandate Army from crossing the Yangtze River......"

Shi Kefa also bowed slightly, although he and Ruan Dacheng did not want to see him, but at the critical juncture, he couldn't care about personal grievances, Ruan Dacheng's method may be the best way, since Jiangbei can't hold it, it is better to withdraw the army as soon as possible and rely on the Yangtze River to defend Jiangnan.

It's just that in this way, Daming has lost the forward position in Jiangbei, and it will be difficult to counterattack Huaxia in the future!

Zhu Yousong didn't advocate at all, and seeing that Shi Kefa had no objection, he said: "It's a pity that the great rivers and mountains in Jiangbei are ...... The people of Jiangbei are going to suffer again......"

Ma Shiying pouted secretly, when the army is not withdrawn, the people will suffer! There are a large number of sergeants in the four towns of Jiangbei, but the imperial court does not have a penny of food at all, do the sergeants all drink the northwest wind?

The chief general of the four towns, which one is the fuel-efficient lamp? Without military salaries, they can only ask the people for it, and the people on the land of the four towns may have already scolded their mothers......

Ruan Dacheng saw that Zhu Yousong and Shi Kefa had agreed with his idea, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously showed a slight smile, and continued: "Jiangbei's army has withdrawn to Jiangnan, Li Zicheng may not attack Jiangnan, it is better to ......"

"Why not as good as what?" Shi Kefa felt that Ruan Dacheng had something to say, and frowned unconsciously.

"Anyway, the soldiers and horses in Jiangbei are going to withdraw to Jiangnan, so it is better to sell Li Zicheng a favor," Ruan Dacheng said: "Taking advantage of the fact that the soldiers and horses in Jiangbei have not been withdrawn now, if you send an envoy to negotiate peace with Li Zicheng, and the two sides will divide the river and rule, maybe Li Zicheng will be confined to the peace treaty and will not attack ......Jiangnan in the future."