In Macheng County, Huangzhou Prefecture, the Mei family and the Li family can be regarded as wealthy families.

The Mei family style is rigorous, Yunwen Yunwu, and there was a Mei Guozhen in the Wanli period, and the official was a squire in the military department, and he was prominent for a while.

Mei Guozhen's nephew Mei Zhihuan is also both civil and military, brave and good at fighting, and the official is the governor of Gansu.

The Li family has been cultivating and reading for generations, and the literary style is at its peak, and by the time Li Changgeng arrived, the family's prestige reached its peak.

Li Changgeng Wanli 23 years of Jinshi, successively served as Jiangxi's left and right political envoys, the right deputy capital of the imperial history, the governor of Shandong, the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of Officials and other positions.

During the Chongzhen period, the young Chongzhen Emperor couldn't listen to different voices, and demoted a large number of officials who did not meet his wishes, and even demoted them to commoners.

Mei Zhihuan and Li Changgeng were both dismissed from their posts for angering Emperor Chongzhen, and have been living in their hometown of Macheng.

The Mei and Li families strengthened and consolidated the relationship between the two families through marriage.

Li Changgeng married Mei Guozhen's daughter, who is Mei Zhihuan's cousin.

Therefore, in Macheng, Mei Zhihuan's words are more effective than the county master.

are all at home, Mei Zhihuan and Li Changgeng's usual pastime style is completely different.

Mei Zhihuan built a strong village fortress in his hometown of Fengjia Village to resist the harassment and attacks of bandits. He also organized the training of young men in the vicinity, went into the mountains to hunt from time to time, and took the initiative to attack the bandits in the vicinity from time to time.

Li Changgeng took advantage of the rare leisure time to calm down and sort out the articles and works of the past, and sort out the experience of governing the country over the years.

At the end of Chongzhen's sixth year, Mei Zhihuan found that there were more and more bandits around Macheng, and they were becoming more and more ferocious and arrogant.

Mei Zhihuan led the villagers back to Macheng, found Li Changgeng and said: "Youqing (Li Changgeng is Youqing), the future is getting more and more chaotic, and the Liukou in the Central Plains of Shaanxi have all come to Huguang, you and I have to prepare early." ”

Li Changgeng didn't raise his head and said: "You and I are idle at home, and we have no power in our hands, what can I do?" Do you think that the hundreds of village soldiers you have trained are capable of turning the tide? ”

Li Changgeng covered the scroll and sighed: "Today, I am anxious for quick success and quick profit but my ears are shallow, close to the villain and far away from the virtuous minister, and the disaster in the world is also." ”

Chongzhen has been on the throne for six or seven years, and the ministers originally thought that he was a saint who was decisive and hardworking, but who knew that he was a mean and short-sighted tyrannical king.

Since Chongzhen ascended the throne, the Ming Dynasty has become more and more corrupt, the world has become more and more chaotic, the whole situation has poured thousands of miles, the people are full of smoke, and the alien Koubian outside the border has been a decadent scene in the last years of the imperial dynasty.

Li Changgeng has lived in the court for a long time, and he knows all kinds of unbelievable things in the court, so he is even more disappointed in Emperor Chongzhen and more worried about the situation in the Ming Dynasty.

Mei Zhihuan has always governed the locality, and his feelings for the government are not as deep as Li Changgeng's, and his character is not as sentimental as Li Changgeng's.

"I don't care what happens in the future, but as long as I, Mei Zhihuan, is in one day, Liukou shouldn't think about wreaking havoc in Macheng."

………………

In the seven years of Chongzhen, there were more rogues in the entire Huangzhou Mansion. These rogues captured the village, plundered and did all kinds of evil, and then burned down the houses of the villagers, coercing the villagers to join the team.

Mei Zhihuan led the township soldiers to fight several battles with the Liukou near Macheng, and each had a victory or defeat.

Mei Zhihuan did not have many troops at hand, so he had to retreat to Macheng, close the city gates, and let the rogues do evil outside the city.

"If only Lao Tzu had enough troops in his hands......" Looking at the black smoke and flames coming from the houses lit by the rogues outside the city, Mei Zhihuan hated his teeth.

After the Lantern Festival, the rogues who were ravaging near Macheng actually disappeared.

"The rogue is brewing a big move." Mei Zhihuan said: "I just don't know what the purpose of the rogue is?" Governor Lu evacuated the troops in the southeast of Huguang, but let the Liukou go south, what kind of calculation did he make? ”

Soon, the movements of the rogues were identified.

Liukou sailed up the Yangtze River and gathered at the foot of Wuchang City, preparing to take Wuchang in one fell swoop.

"Wuchang City is in danger!"

Li Changgeng and Mei Zhihuan were amazed at the same time.

Wuchang is the seat of Huguang Prefecture, the thoroughfare of several provinces, rich in products, a large number of people, and it is the residence of the king of Chu.

If Wuchang falls, the world will inevitably shake, the morale of the rogues will be greatly boosted, and the strength will soar. The already precarious government of the Ming Dynasty was even more critical.

Mei Zhihuan got up and said resolutely: "Although the emperor is unfair, the people of Macheng are innocent. I, Mei, am not talented, and I vow to live and die with Macheng. I'm going to gather men and horses to guard Macheng. ”

"I am not as good as you in war, and you are not as good as me in governing the world. I want to improve the work at hand, so that I can leave it for future generations to refer to, and I won't go crazy with you. Take care. Li Changgeng was still indifferent, not in a hurry or impatient.

In the eyes of the two, Liukou chose a good time to suddenly attack Wuchang City, which was empty of troops. Nine times out of ten, Wuchang City will fall.

Wuchang is less than 300 miles away from Macheng. If the Liukou capture Wuchang, will they let go of the prefectures and counties around Wuchang? Are there any eggs under the nest?

The two began to prepare for the situation after the capture of Wuchang.

The two waited worriedly for the news from Wuchang.

There were nearly 100,000 Liukou, and they attacked Wuchang City from both east and west directions at the same time. Near Wuchang City, the city defense was in jeopardy.

Wuchang City survived the attack of the rogue, and it seemed that it could continue to hold on.

Liukou went crazy and continued to attack the city regardless of casualties, and the corpses were piled up on the ground, and blood stained the Yangtze River red. Wuchang City has not fallen.

……

"Who is the Wuchang Shou General?" Mei Zhihuan felt a little incredible. Nearly 100,000 people attacked a city that was negligent in defense, and they were actually forced to red-eyed, and it seems that the generals guarding Wuchang still have some ability.

"Lord Fang knows about military affairs, and I think it was he who dispatched the people of Wuchang to resist stubbornly." Li Changgeng guessed.

Mei Zhihuan shook his head: "Fang Kongzhi is a literati, he fights with the wind, and it's okay to win more and less, and the defensive battle of such intensity still forces the Liukou to be anxious, not like Fang Kongzhi's handiwork." ”

"Could it be the newly appointed Huguang General Zhu Shunming? Does he have the ability? Li Changgeng hesitated.

"Zhu Shunming? How is it so familiar. Who is he? ”

Li Changgeng served as a secretary of the ministry and knew a lot about the promotion of court officials.

Last year, Wen Tiren recommended Zhu Shunming, who was also the commander of Changsha Wei, to go to Yunnan to quell the rebellion, and the Manchu civil and military forces thought that he would be buried in southern Yunnan. But who knew that Zhu Shunming had quelled the native rebellion in Yunnan in less than half a year. The emperor Longyan Dayue promoted him to the chief soldier of Huguang, and also named his wife as the lady of the command. ”

"It must be him." Mei Zhihuan affirmed: "The natives are not easy to mess with, and half a year to quell the rebellion is not something ordinary people can do." Huguang has a capable person, Mei someone doesn't know? If you have a chance, you have to get to know him. ”

Mei Zhihuan has fought many battles with foreign races outside the Guanwai, and although he won in the end, he has a deeper understanding of the combat effectiveness of foreign soldiers than ordinary people.

Zhu Shunming has such a credit, why is his reputation not obvious? Was he suppressed by traitors in the DPRK or did he do it on purpose? If it is the latter, then Zhu Shunming's plan is very big and cannot be underestimated.

Within a few days, the news came that the rogue was defeated and fled in embarrassment.

Li Changgeng and Mei Zhihuan couldn't believe it. After confirming it again and again, he sighed: "Incredible, incredible...... Such a good talent is also the well-being of the country. ”