Li Zicheng slowed down the march and focused on the people, he sent most of the soldiers to publicize the laws of the Mandate of Heaven to the people, and the most important point was to pay taxes, if the people were submissive to the Mandate of Heaven, they only had to pay taxes according to the standard of fifteen taxes and one one.

The Mandate of Heaven Army adheres to God's will to save all the people in the world, so that the people "have food, clothing, housing, and land".

At the beginning, the people were not at ease, and most of them were in a wait-and-see situation, if they paid taxes to the Heavenly Mandate Army, in case the officials of the imperial court came, they were very likely to pay double taxes to the imperial court and the Heavenly Mandate Army, which invisibly increased the burden.

Li Zicheng knew the thoughts of the people, and he asked the soldiers to promise the people: The Mandate of Heaven Army will not levy taxes for the time being, and only after defeating the officers and soldiers and completely stabilizing the situation will they collect taxes from the people, in order to give the people a life and recuperation, they will not be taxed this year, even if they defeat the official army, they will not be taxed until tomorrow, and if there is a famine year, the Mandate of Heaven Army will also distribute coarse grain to the people to help the people survive.

The people will be suspicious, but these soldiers in tea and green costumes not only did not offend them, spoke kindly, and even assisted them to turn the ground, only then did they gradually believe everything in front of them, and there was indeed a big difference between the Mandate of Heaven army and the officers and soldiers.

There are no taxes this year, and they have saved at least half a year of taxes, which is always a real blessing......

The people gradually moved closer to the Mandate of Heaven Army, and told the soldiers of the Mandate of Heaven what they knew about the government and the Ming army without reservation.

Li Zicheng got a lot of information, but most of it was rumors, and it was impossible to distinguish the authenticity, just as a reference, and it should not be true.

The soldiers spent a lot of time to publicize the Mandate of Heaven Army to the people, and the marching speed slowed down, half a month's time, the journey was only 200 miles, and the villages passed, there were only eight villages: Savage Ditch, Arm Valley, Banqiao, Xianshen Village, Niu Groove River, Junling, Malianyu, and Taibaiyan.

Li Zicheng was not in a hurry, he came to Shangluo Mountain this time, originally waiting for Li Jibu to go east to Henan together, and Shangluo Mountain was just a temporary foothold.

However, because of the government's repeated tax increases, the people of Shangluoshan have long been impoverished, and they have become a powder keg to rebel against the government.

The soldiers of the Mandate of Heaven made a lot of propaganda in the villages along the way, and it was entirely possible to establish a permanent base in the Shangluo Mountains, which could not only go north to herd and protect the pass and threaten Xi'an, but also enter Henan and Huguang in the east, and enter the heart of the imperial court.

The rear of Shangluo Mountain is Xing'an and Hanzhong in the upper reaches of the Han River, which can be attacked and defended, and there are already the seventh and second battalions of the Heavenly Mandate Army stationed......

In the evening of this day, Li Zicheng and Li Zicheng set up camp outside Liangshuisi Village, preparing to wait for tomorrow after dawn, and let the soldiers go to the village to publicize the Mandate of Heaven Army.

He Xiaomi was extremely dissatisfied with the speed of the march, "Metropolitan Governor, with such a slow march, when will it be possible to reach the main vein of Shangluo Mountain?" ”

"Xiaomi, it's not difficult to rush to the main vein of Shangluo Mountain in a hurry," Li Zicheng retracted his gaze and shook his head slightly, "But there are people and Ming troops hostile to us on all sides, how will we survive?" How will the subsequent grain and grass be brought in? ”

"Grand Governor, aren't we temporarily stationed in Shangluoshan?" He Xiaomi shrank his neck slightly, looking afraid of the cold, "When General Li arrives, we will enter Henan ......"

"We are indeed going to enter Henan," Li Zicheng put his hands behind his back, his eyes had already penetrated countless bare branches, "Since we have come to Shangluo Mountain, how can this treasure land of feng shui be left to the Ming army?" ”

He Mi pondered and said, "Governor, are we going to station an army here?" ”

Li Zicheng turned around, looked at the busy infantry, and said in a deep voice: "This thousand households of the seventh battalion don't need to withdraw to Xing'an, let the Song Wen Department move closer to the northeast and connect with Shangluo Mountain!" ”

"Governor, my subordinates understand!"

"It's good to understand!" Li Zicheng smiled faintly, "Shangluo Mountain is not a plain area, the grain output is not much, but the mountains are heavy, it is an opportunity for our army to develop here, if we gain a firm foothold, we can also meet the Heavenly Mandate Army that penetrates deep into Henan in the future." ”

The Mandate of Heaven incorporated the villages along the route into its territory, and although the speed of its advance was not too fast, by mid-December, it was still very close to Shangzhou City.

Shangzhou is located in the depths of Shangluo Mountain, the surrounding mountains overlap, only along the official road of Danshui, Shangzhou is guarding this passage.

Going down the river, but more than 100 miles, is the south gate of Guanzhong, Wuguan, which is the first line of defense in the direction of Danshui in the Guanzhong Plain; Tracing the Danshui upstream, crossing the Zunling Mountain, is the Muhu Pass, which is the second line of defense in the direction of the Danshui Plain in the Guanzhong Plain, once the Muhu Pass is broken, the important town of Xi'an, Guanzhong, is like a beautiful woman who has stripped naked, and can only be trampled on......

Li Zicheng stopped marching in Yangxie Village in Junlingchuan, the soldiers were camping, and Li Zicheng was on a raised rock, unfolding the marching map, staring at it for a long time, silent, but thinking quickly in his heart.

Is it to occupy Shangzhou first, or to occupy Longju Village further downstream of the Danjiang River first, and then turn back to clean up Shangzhou?

Li Zicheng pointed on the march map, carefully analyzed the terrain of Shangzhou and Longju Village, the prefectures and counties, and the surrounding situation for a long time, until it was dark and his own soldiers came to invite him back to the camp for dinner, and then he packed up the march map.

At dinner, Li Zicheng talked and laughed with his soldiers, and he didn't look like he was thoughtful at all, but after dinner, he returned to the big tent, immediately lit the lamps and candles, and unfolded the march map again.

Occupy Longju Village first, and then go down the river, take Wuguan, it is a good choice, around Wuguan, the mountains are heavy, and there are Liukou infested, there will not be a large number of Ming troops from behind the attack.

But the appearance of the Mandate of Heaven Army in Wuguan, must have aroused the vigilance of the Ming army of Shangzhou, Shangzhou is backed by Lantian County, where the Muhuguan is located, after the source of Danshui, it is Xi'an, once the reinforcements of the Ming Army of Xi'an, the soldiers in their hands are too few, it will be difficult to take Shangzhou, even if they can survive in Shangluo Mountain, they will fall into an endless tug-of-war, which is really unfavorable for the Mandate of Heaven Army, which is seriously understaffed.

It should still be taken by surprise, first take Shangzhou, and then rely on Shangzhou, go down the Danshui, and then take Longju Village and Wuguan, establish a complete defense line, and let the Mandate of Heaven Army take root here.

But how can we take Shangzhou?

The Mandate of Heaven Army has just entered Shangluo Mountain, and there is only one thousand households of cavalry and one thousand households of infantry, can they raid and take Shangzhou? How many Ming troops were there in the city of Shangzhou? How is the combat effectiveness? Is it loyal to the imperial court?

Li Zicheng's eyes were almost black......

While looking for Wang Anping's Han Qing Bureau, hoping to get the most detailed information to support him, he also sent a large number of rangers, disguised as ordinary people, to Shangzhou, and found out the information of the Ming army along the way, especially the number of Ming troops and the location of their station.

If the Ming army stationed heavy troops in Shangzhou, it must not attack rashly unless it was on the verge of collapse.

The camp of the Mandate of Heaven will not move for the time being, and a large number of soldiers have been sent out, not only to publicize the Mandate of Heaven Army to the people nearby, but also to use all possible methods to find out all kinds of information about the Ming Army.

The rangers kept sending back messages, but they were vague and there was little important information, and it was obviously unrealistic to make important decisions based on these messages, and it was necessary to go to the city to find out more detailed information.

Li Zicheng walked out of the big tent, rested on a raised bluestone with one foot, and looked at Shangzhou City in the distance, but unfortunately the distance was too far, and it was blocked by countless dead branches......

Could it be that a small Shangzhou city can still stop the pace of the Heavenly Mandate Army? For the imperial court, the north and south directions of Shangzhou are their own land, so will they still be stationed with heavy troops?

If it doesn't work, you have to storm it......

"Governor Dadu, the Han Qing Bureau is asking to see you!" He Xiaomi's words interrupted Li Zicheng's contemplation.

"Han Qing Bureau?" Li Zicheng was overjoyed in his heart, but his face was unusually calm, and he just said lightly: "Xiaomi, have you checked your identity?" Are you sure it's someone from the Han Qing Bureau? ”

"Back to the Grand Governor, it has been checked, and it is confirmed that it is our people......"

"Let him come!" Li Zicheng's body did not move, still staring at the distant mountains in front of him.

"Yes, Grand Duke!"

But in a moment, He Xiaomi brought a man in a blue-gray coarse cloth shirt over, the man obviously knew Li Zicheng's identity, he took two quick steps, turned over and knelt on the ground, "Subordinate Feng Yuanbiao, knock on the Metropolitan Governor!" ”

"Feng Yuanbiao?" Li Zicheng turned around, glanced at it, and it was exactly the appearance of the local people, so he nodded and said, "Get up and speak!" ”

"My subordinates have thanked the Grand Governor!" After Feng Yuanbiao got up, he stood five steps away from Li Zicheng, and presented a white sealed paper on his hands, "My subordinates have been ordered to send a message from Shangzhou City to the Metropolitan Governor!" ”

He Xiaomi took it and handed it to Li Zicheng.

Li Zicheng sealed his mouth when he saw the message, and said, "Feng Yuanbiao, do you know the situation in Shangzhou City? ”

Feng Yuanbiao hurriedly arched his hand and said: "My subordinates only know that there are about more than a thousand Ming troops in Shangzhou City, and the villain is mainly active in Shangluo Mountain outside the city, and I don't know the detailed information in the city, there are two other brothers in the city, and the detailed situation is in the information." ”

Li Zicheng said lightly: "Only two people? ”

Feng Yuanbiao lowered his head and said, "Metropolitan Governor, Shangzhou is not the focus of the Han Qing Bureau's investigation, including subordinates, there are only three people in total. ”

"Ao," Li Zicheng understood, neither the Heavenly Mandate Army nor the imperial court would think that Shangzhou was an important place, let alone that a part of the Heavenly Mandate Army suddenly came to Shangzhou, he nodded slightly, and said, "Brothers in the city, can you earn the city gate?" ”

Feng Yuanbiao's eyes suddenly showed a hint of gloom, and he shook his head, "Back to the Grand Governor, we have not been in Shangzhou for a long time, and we have not yet had a deep layout, so I am afraid that we will not be able to open the city gate for the time being...... Subordinates and so on are really damn ......"