Early the next morning, Li Zicheng retreated westward with his troops and the old battalion. However, 10,000 cavalry were left behind, patrolling the gates outside the city and monitoring Kaifeng.

After receiving the instructions from the palace, Cao Chengfeng of the palace found Chen Yongfu and said, "Chen Dashuai, the prince hopes that your ministry can send an army of officers and soldiers to test it outside the city. ”

Chen Yongfu waved his hand and refused: "No, the people outside the city are all cavalry, there are tens of thousands of horsemen, and now if you go out, you will be sent to death Once our department is lost, Li Chuang will turn around and continue to attack Kaifeng." At that time, there are not enough guards in the city, how can we keep Kaifeng safe?"

Cao Chengfeng said disappointedly: "Okay, I will report to the prince." ”

"You go back and ask the prince to send some wine and meat," Chen Yongfu commanded condescendingly: "This is the New Year's Day, tomorrow is the Shangyuan Festival, and it just so happens that Li Chuang has also retreated, just let the sons and daughters also celebrate." ”

"Okay, the contemptible will convey the words of the great commander to the prince." Cao Chengfeng nodded in agreement.

He was about to leave when he heard a soldier shouting, "Look, yesterday's troop is here again"

Cao Chengfeng immediately looked out of the city and saw an army heading towards here. This time, however, they did not form a phalanx, but came in a marching formation. The troops were divided into small phalanxes, mixed with cannons dragged by mules and horses, as well as baggage, neatly rowed, and drove towards Kaifeng City.

Chen Yongfu sneered in his heart: "I really think you are heavenly soldiers and generals, more than 10,000 cavalry, enough to trample you into meat sauce." Hmph"

Everyone looked at the army coming from afar, and also watched the cavalry of the thieves begin to assemble, preparing to attack Li Yan's troops.

Li Yan received a report early in the morning and knew that the thieves under Kaifeng City had begun to retreat. So he immediately set off with his troops to Kaifeng City, he wanted to see if he could get some good things from Li Zicheng.

Luo Rucai's four Franc cannons are very good and new, and they can be used in the army as long as they are slightly improved. Moreover, the thieves also have a lot of weapons and armor, although his regular troops do not use them, but they can be used to arm his village soldiers and protect the stability of the place. He also needed gold, silver, and silk, and he had to use the silver money to buy such important goods as copper, lead, tin, saltpeter, brimstone, and flint.

Li Yan got a report from the scout in front of him, saying that the cavalry of the thieves was gathering. So he immediately halted the advance of his troops and began to line up.

Under the command of Bai Zong, the small phalanx began to move forward, backward, left, and right, and they finally formed a formation on all sides in battalion units. A gap was left in the middle of the queue for the artillerymen to place their artillery. A hollow phalanx was formed in half an hour.

At this time, the rogue cavalry had just gathered from all directions, and they were not ready to start the attack.

It was Li Guo who stayed to lead the cavalry, he frowned and looked at the phalanx that had been prepared in front of him, as well as the artillery in front of him, and he could only confront the officers and soldiers in place.

At this time, the cavalry generals under Luo Rucai also came over, and he said, "General Li, they are ready. If you still want to charge, we won't go. ”

Li Guo glared at Luo Rucai's subordinates and said angrily: "When Cao Cao left, I asked you to listen to me."

Luo Rucai's subordinates said disdainfully: "Whatever you say, we're leaving." It's been two hours since the army left, and it should be safe. After finishing speaking, without waiting for Li Guo to say anything, he greeted and left first with four thousand cavalry.

Li Guo gritted his teeth and watched Luo Rucai's cavalry leave, but he could only watch. If there is infighting now, it will only be the officials and the army who will benefit.

He continued to confront Li Yan from a distance, and he wanted to buy some more time for the large army. He had already seen that there were some cavalry in Li Yan's military array, and at the same time, he also knew that the defenders in Kaifeng City also had cavalry. The old battalion and the displaced people will not move very quickly, and if they are caught up and dragged by the official army, they may be besieged by the official army. So he also wanted to hold on a little longer and give Li Zicheng and them more time.

Li Yan watched as half of the thief's cavalry left, but half of it remained. He knew right away that it was wasting time with him. So he ordered: "Troops go forward, fight them away"

"Knock", "knock" drums began to sound, and the phalanx marched towards the thief's cavalry to the beat of the drum.

Hearing this drum, Li Guo's cavalry immediately panicked. Seeing the officers and soldiers moving towards them, they couldn't help but hold the reins of the horses, so that the horses began to slowly retreat. They had all heard that the artillery of this group of officers and soldiers could hit more than a thousand steps. I don't know where this statement came from, but one of these cavalrymen counts as one, and none of them will doubt it. After all, General Liu's cavalry suffered heavy losses, which is true.

Li Guo looked back at the frightened subordinates, and commanded helplessly: "Let's go, let's withdraw too." ”

The cavalry finally breathed a sigh of relief, quickly turned their horses' heads one by one, and followed Li Guo to the west to pursue the large army.

Chen Yongfu at the head of the city was very surprised when he watched the thieves' cavalry withdraw in waves. Unconsciously scolded: "The seed is still two miles away, why did he run away?"

Cao Chengfeng glanced at the disgruntled Chen Yongfu, then left the city and went back to the palace to report the situation.

"General, do you want to pursue," Bai Shixiong asked.

Li Yan waved his hand and said, "Forget it, there are many of them, and you can't take advantage of them if you catch up." ”

He was about to send someone to check on the thieves' camp, but he found that the gate of Kaifeng City had been opened, and more than a thousand officers and soldiers rushed out from it and rushed towards the thieves' barracks. They shouted loudly, like another desperate attack, and bravely rushed into the camp of the thieves. And this kind of thing didn't just happen at the South Gate, but also broke out a lot of officers and soldiers or social soldiers in other places and occupied the bandit barracks outside the city.

"What are they doing" Li Mou asked with some confusion: "Is there still a thief inside?"

Li Yan sneered: "I guess they will say in their report to the imperial court that they stuck to Kaifeng and caused a lot of casualties to the thieves. When the thieves were demoralized, they rushed out of the city, and with all their might, the soldiers used their lives to defeat the thieves in one fell swoop, killing countless people. ”

"So I'm here to take credit." Li Mu said angrily: "We worked hard to come over and scare the thieves away, but in the end, we cheapened these bastards."

Li Yan sneered: "Let them rob it, the rewards of the imperial court are not interesting, what we want is real benefits." ”

"How do you get it?" asked Li Mou.

"The troops were divided into four groups and blocked the gates of the four large battalions on the south side. When the officers and soldiers who went in came out, let them hand over all their things, and treat them as if they were working as coolies for us. Li Yan explained with a smile.

At this moment, a man ran over on a horse and was stopped by Li Yan's cavalry from a distance. The man shouted loudly: "I am the guard of the Zhou Palace, and I have come to see General Li Yan on the order of the King of Zhou." ”

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