Li Yan was waiting for the supply of materials in Qi County, and he was still waiting for Li Mu from Zhecheng to bring his troops over. He can't let one unit continue to fight, and all units must have actual combat experience.

Three days later, Li Mu finally came over with 4,000 soldiers and horses. When he saw Li Yan, he said excitedly: "Fourth brother, I finally thought of me." Listening to you fighting Luo Rucai in Qixian, my heart is itching. ”

Li Yan asked, "Have the defenses of Zhecheng and Luyi been handed over?" ”

"It's all done," Li Mou still said excitedly, "When are we leaving?" I heard that Li Zicheng and Luo Rucai have 500,000 people, and I don't know how many percent of them are true. ”

Li Zhong said with a smile: "When you fight for a while, you'll know." Luo Rucai has nothing to praise, but there are just a lot of soldiers. ”

"Second brother, you're really getting more and more belligerent." Li Mu said in surprise: "You used to be the most cautious, and after a few fights, you became a different person." ”

Li Zhong only began to think back at this time, he was indeed more respectful and cautious before. So he shook his head and smiled: "In the past, I only knew that soldiers were fierce and dangerous, but after a few big victories, I also knew that as long as the wartime dispatch was proper and the soldiers were urged to train hard in peacetime, there would naturally be no problems." ”

At this time, Li Mu said suspiciously: "It's strange to say, why did the second brother meet the second brother in several battles?" I try to have a good fight here every day, but I can't get a chance every time. ”

Li Yan also said with a smile: "You have a chance this time." Li Zicheng has an army of more than 100,000 under Kaifeng City, and this is a veritable war. ”

"And when are we leaving?" Li Mu asked excitedly.

Li Yan said: "Let your men rest for a day, and set off the day after tomorrow." ”

"Are all the food, grass and ammunition ready?" Li Mu asked: "Once you go out this time, you will definitely be besieged, and there is not enough ammunition, food and grass, but it will not work." Also, how many troops will be sent this time? ”

"You don't have to worry about this, ammunition has been prepared these days, and food and grass are ready-made. This time it was against hundreds of thousands of troops, so 20,000 troops were sent to protect everything. Li Yan explained.

"Okay, I'll rest assured." Li Mu nodded and said: "But back then, I fought with Li Zicheng for a few years, and I also had a fateful friendship." Now that they are going to meet each other, it is really a bit contradictory. ”

Li Yan looked at Li Mu and said, "If you can't do it, stay here to defend the city, and my second brother and I will go out." ”

Li Mu shook his head and said, "No." We all said at the beginning, even if we meet Li Zicheng in the future, we will never be merciful. I'm just sighing, and I'm not going to show mercy on the battlefield. ”

Li Yan nodded and said, "Well, you just have to know it in your hearts." ”

In the fifteenth year of Chongzhen, on the eleventh day of the first month, Li Yan and Li Mou took an army of 20,000, as well as a musket team and a cavalry team, from Qixian County to Kaifeng.

They had long known that Chenliu County had become a ruined wall, and the residents there had also been taken away by Luo Rucai. But along the way, they still sent out scouts and marched carefully.

When they entered Chenliu County, they all had smiles. This Luo Rucai demolished the city wall is really very level, and the root of the city wall just left a residue of five or six feet high, and it is a good fortification to clean up. So Li Yan immediately decided to camp here.

Li Yan said with a smile: "Luo Rucai has done a good thing for us." Look here, the camps are all saved. Ten miles to the north is the camp of the thieves, and more than 20 miles is under the city of Kaifeng. It's really good that we have set up our big camp here, so that we can attack and retreat. ”

Li Mu also nodded constantly and said, "Well, it's good." I don't know when Li Zicheng will send troops over, so we have to pack up quickly. ”

Li Yan ordered: "Huang Desheng, take people to form a guard outside the city." Zhao Datong led people to prepare for the reception in the city. Others began to sweep the ruins of the city to facilitate the movement of troops and to prepare for fires. ”

"The last general commands!" The generals agreed, and they all went to carry out their orders.

Li Yan and Li Zhong took their own soldiers to inspect the city. Chen Liu was not big, and the houses inside were basically demolished and burned, a scene of decay.

There were still many untreated corpses scattered everywhere, and Li Yan instructed: "Let the soldiers take the corpses to the south, dig a pit and bury them, and sprinkle some lime." Fortunately, it is the middle of winter, and when spring begins, there may be no epidemic. Send a letter to Qixian and ask them to bring some lime from their next baggage. ”

"Yes." Sun Sifu agreed to come down and immediately went to order someone to give orders.

Li Mu sighed: "Last year, it was also the time when Li Zicheng attacked Kaifeng. We were still thinking about entering here to defend ourselves, but we didn't make it. Look at now, there's no one left. ”

"The world is unpredictable." Li Yan also sighed.

At this time, Luo Rucai also received a report and learned that an official army had come from Qi County and entered Chenliu County.

As soon as he heard that he was from Qixian County, he knew that it was Li Yan's troops. And at this time, the only one who dared to bring troops to Kaifeng was Li Yan, who had just beaten him with heavy losses.

He ordered, "Let our men withdraw first." ”

Xuan Jue immediately dissuaded: "General, this is not good. It is better to inform General Li first. ”

"No!" Luo Rucai vetoed: "It's not too late to notify him after our people have withdrawn." If we had been notified first, our people would have been pushed to the front. You don't know, that Li Yan's troops are very strong, and there is no good fruit to eat against them. ”

Xuan Jue still advised: "Now everyone cooperates, we must be sincere." ”

"Sincerity fart!" Luo Rucai said dissatisfiedly: "Doesn't he Li One-eyed know how powerful Li Yan is?!" Did he tell me when I went to avenge my men?! That's it! ”

In fact, while they were arguing, the heralds had already gone to give orders. Although Luo Rucai trusts Xuanqi, he is far from the point of obeying his words, especially the things on the battle array, which have never been influenced by scholars.

A nerd under Li Zicheng actually suggested that Li Zicheng plant the naked @ naked @ naked woman upside down outside Kaifeng City, saying that the cannon of the Kaifeng defenders would naturally not be able to fire, and it was also known as what kind of yin @ door array. Thanks to the fact that they are all veterans of the battle for a long time, and they have seen a lot of firearms, they did not take this stupid suggestion.

Almost at the same time, Li Zicheng also received information that officials and soldiers had come from Qi County. He immediately sent someone to find Luo Rucai, wanting Luo Rucai's troops on the periphery to guard against this group of officers and soldiers.

But he waited for almost an hour and didn't wait for Luo Rucai. The people he sent out couldn't find where Luo Rucai was, one moment said it was at the east gate, another time it said it was at the north gate, and another time it said that he went to the wounded barracks, in short, he couldn't find any trace of Luo Rucai. On the contrary, it was his sentry who reported that Luo Rucai's troops on the periphery began to retreat.

...