"Brother Yun learned that Zuo Mengeng was bent on surrendering to the Qing Dynasty and committed suicide by throwing himself into the water when the Zuo army was about to arrive in Anqing, what a pity!"

Listening to Lin Yu ask about He Tengjiao's whereabouts, Yuan Jixian couldn't help but burst into tears, "Brother Yun Cong is loyal to the monarch and patriotic, capable of literature and martial arts, but in the end he died at the hands of Zuo Mengeng, a thief, the way of heaven is unfair!" ”

Lin Yu remembered that He Tengjiao did not die after diving in the official history, but arrived in Changsha, gathered the old department, recruited troops in Changsha in the name of the governor of Hubei, formed an army, and actively opposed the Qing.

The Qing army then conquered Nanjing, Zhu Youxiang was captured, Ma Shiying was martyred, Ruan Dacheng surrendered to the enemy, and Zhu Yujian, the king of Tang, ascended the throne in Fujian with the support of Zheng Zhilong, and appointed He Tengjiao as the governor of Huguang.

He Tengjiao, as the governor of Huguang, recruited Li Zicheng's generals Hao Shaoqi and Liu Tiren, and added officials to the knighthood, treating them with courtesy, and the two of them were deeply grateful; He also helped He Tengjiao win over Li Guo, Gao Yigong, Liu Tiren, etc., which made the strength of He Tengjiao's command soar to 300,000.

It's just that although He Tengjiao's political ability is excellent, but the military means are lacking, and the surrendered departments are separated from Germany and fight on their own, but they were defeated by traitors such as Wu Sangui and Shang Kexi in two years, and He Tengjiao himself became a prisoner and died of hunger strike.

"Since He Tengjiao can recruit Li Zicheng's old ministry as a governor, as the governor of Fengyang, and I have the reputation of Yangzhou's great victory, I can completely concoct it in the same way."

Lin Yu was inexplicably excited when he thought of this, this is a battle-hardened army, and there is no loyalty to Da Ming in his bones, so it is easier for me to use.

"Yuan Butang, please be relieved, Governor He may say that the Ji people have their own natural appearance." Lin Yu raised a bowl to toast, trying his best to appease.

Yuan Jixian nodded and said: "Brother Yun Cong has been an official in Hubei for many years, and he is proficient in water, so it is not necessary to be able to escape death. ”

Lin Yu asked again: "The left army is known as 800,000, there must be a lot of water in it, since Yuan Butang was coerced by the left thief to follow the army, do you have any mastery?" ”

"800,000 is naturally fake, but after removing the 300,000 old and weak women and children who accompany the army, there are always more than 200,000 soldiers and horses."

Yuan Jixian sighed helplessly, "More than 200,000 soldiers and horses, just like this, all of them have become the army of the Tartars, if there is a spirit under Zuo Liangyu Jiuquan, I don't know if it is blind?" ”

Lin Yu could only smile bitterly.

More than 200,000 troops surrendered without a fight, except for Zuo Mengeng, the commander, who played a decisive role, which of the other soldiers was a person with backbone?

Yuan Jixian suddenly remembered something and asked in surprise: "I heard that Governor Lin led reinforcements from Nanjing to Fengyang to relieve the siege, but for some reason he suddenly appeared in Anqing Mansion?" ”

Lin Yu roughly explained his intentions, and finally said: "The Tartars are powerful, if I continue to adhere to the strategy of 'uniting and leveling the Kou', Nanjing will be in danger, and the Ming Dynasty will be in danger!" ”

"What Governor Lin Dudu said is good, this Tartar is a Hulu, not of my race, and his heart will be different. Now that our Han nationality is in danger, it is really the best policy to drive out the Kou, and this official is willing to write to the court to support Lin Dudu. Yuan Jixian was full of praise for Lin Yu's strategy.

Lin Yu asked again: "This governor is going to go to Jiugong Mountain to contact Li Zicheng, I don't know what Yuan Butang's plans are?" ”

Yuan Jixian said: "Azig has conquered Wuchang, and it will not take long to cross the river to attack Hunan, and this governor plans to go to Changsha to gather the old troops to resist the Qing army and resist the enemy in Jiangbei." ”

"How many people does Yuan Butang estimate can recruit?"

"About 50,000!"

Yuan Jixian folded his fingers and calculated, "The commanders of Changshawei, Chalingwei, Hengzhouwei and other guards were all promoted or recommended by me, and they should be able to move them." ”

Lin Yu was overjoyed: "Then it will trouble Yuan Butang, I will definitely persuade the Dashun army to join forces with my Ming to fight against the Qing Dynasty." With the fifty or sixty thousand guards led by you, plus more than 100,000 Dashun troops, with the natural danger of the Yangtze River, it is enough to entangle the Manchu Qing Western Route Army led by Azig.

After I have relieved the siege of Fengyang, I will divide my troops to attack Wuchang and Henan to the west, so that Azig will be difficult to take care of, and force the Qing army to retreat, so that the collapse situation can be stabilized. ”

Yuan Jixian originally wanted to follow Lin Yu to Tongcheng to see Li Zicheng, but Lin Yu politely declined, he went to Jiugong Mountain to take the Dashun army for his own use, but he didn't want them to return to the imperial court. With Yuan Jixian by his side, the governor of Huguang will definitely affect his authority.

"I didn't intend to reveal my identity when I went to see Li Zicheng, and Yuan Butang should not come forward. The Qing army may cross the river to attack Hunan at any time, but Yuan Butang should rush to Changsha as soon as possible to raise troops. ”

Yuan Jixian nodded: "That's fine, then I will bother Governor Lin to send this official to Ruichang County on the other side of the Yangtze River." Liu Zhixian there was my student, and I asked him to send someone to send the governor to Changsha. ”

At dusk, the truck arrived at a ferry port on the bank of the Yangtze River, and Deng Yan ran to a nearby town to contact a medium-sized fishing boat of more than ten zhang and ferried to the south bank of the Yangtze River before dark.

The continuous rush made Gu Jinxi tired, and after crossing the river, he changed to Lin Yu to drive.

The rain in Jiangnan is lighter, and the roads are much wider.

Lin Yu stepped on the accelerator suddenly, raised the speed to fifty kilometers per hour, galloped like flying, and under the illumination of a ray of light, the trees on both sides of the post road continued to retreat.

Yuan Jixian sighed with emotion as the truck bumped: "This official has lived for more than 40 years, and it is the first time to see a vehicle that is so fast, but not bumpy, it's amazing!"

Twenty miles ahead is the county seat of Ruichang, and it is nearly three hundred miles away from Nanyang, where the official was rescued, to Ruichang. It was also rainy and muddy, and it took at least two days to ride a horse. I didn't expect this tin car to arrive in half a day, it's really incredible! ”

Half an hour after the truck arrived in Ruichang County, Yuan Jixian revealed his identity, and the messenger guarding the city hurriedly went to report to Liu Kui of Zhixian County.

Knowing that the Governor of Huguang and the Governor of Fengyang had arrived together, Liu Zhixian, who was frightened by the Qing army pressed by the army, hurriedly went out of the city with the county lieutenant, the chief bookkeeper, the inspection inspector and other subordinate officials, and set up a banquet to entertain them.

After the meeting, Liu Zhixian told Yuan Jixian a good news: "Three days ago, Governor He came to Ruichang County alone, saying that Zuo Mengeng had led his troops to surrender and was ready to dedicate his teacher to Azig.

In grief and anger, Governor He jumped ship to escape, fled to the south bank of the Yangtze River in the dark night, and rushed to Dongliu County, borrowed horses and errands from the county government, and prepared to rush to Changsha. When I passed through Ruichang, I told the students the news. ”

Yuan Jixian cried with joy when he heard this: "Brother Yun Cong is really auspicious, with the help of him, the governor of both civil and military affairs, this governor can also have an arm!" ”

There are still about 400 miles from Ruichang County to Jiugong Mountain, and tomorrow is the first day of the new year, and there is still one day and one night before the second day of the fifth month when Li Zicheng was attacked, and the time is completely in time.

After being full of wine and food, Lin Yu took his entourage to stay at the Ruichang Post House, and said goodbye to Yuan Jixian after breakfast the next day, and continued to rush towards Jiugong Mountain.

In Lin Yu's plan, Li Zicheng could not be saved, but his body must be taken back.

It is best to save Li Zicheng's entourage as an eyewitness, so that it will inevitably play a role in recovering Li Zicheng's old department, and when the hundreds of thousands of peasant troops start, I, Lin Yu, can take off!