On March 20 of the fifth year of Chongzhen, Liu Fan finally bid farewell to the people of Laizhou and embarked on the road to Dengzhou, originally Liu Fan did not have to go, Zhu Dadian saw that Liu Fan suffered heavy casualties so he did not ask Liu Fan to participate in the siege of Dengzhou City, Liu Fan himself was worried that Kong Youde would be like in history, with a large number of artillery to Houjin to be a traitor, so regardless of his own heavy casualties, he also fought for this opportunity, with the remaining more than 600 people, came to Dengzhou.

Zhu Dadian and Gao Qiqian met Liu Fan in the big tent of the Chinese army outside the city, and the generals in the camp did not know at this time that they were ordered to make every effort to relieve the siege of Laizhou and Liu Fan had a lot to do with it, and Zhu Dadian and Gao Qiqian did not tell the generals for some reason, so Liu Fan came to merge this time and was inconspicuous, because almost every day a small group of troops received orders from all over Shandong to participate in the encirclement and suppression of the rebels.

In the big tent of the Chinese army, the three of them sat down separately after seeing each other, Zhu Dadian and Gao Qiqian sat at the top, Liu Fan sat at the bottom, and Zhu Dadian spoke first and said, "Jimin, didn't I let you rest in Laizhou?" Why are you coming to Dengzhou again? ”

Liu Fan hurriedly hugged his fists and said, "My lord! Please forgive your sins! The lowly position is also worried about the situation of the rebel extermination, so come and see if you can help! ”

Before Zhu Dadian could speak, Gao Qiqian preemptively said, "Jimin defended Laizhou and fought bloodily, and while suffering heavy casualties, he did not forget the state affairs, he is really a model for my generation, no wonder Your Majesty values you so much!" While talking, he gave Zhu Dadian a look, which means don't embarrass Liu Fan for this little thing, people are being valued by the emperor! Don't you see that I'm going to say good things?

Zhu Dadian saw Gao Qiqian's eyes and immediately understood, "Since Jimin can come, this official is naturally very happy, Jimin is stationed in Laizhou this time, the rebels have besieged the city for more than a month, and they still haven't captured it, Jimin has made a lot of contributions!" ”

"Your Excellency is polite, this time the defense of the city is all thanks to the unity of the people in the city, the three adults have done their best, and even martyred because of this, and the humble duty is just a little bit of duty! I can't afford to be praised like this! Liu Fa hurriedly explained that he didn't want to take the credit that others had exchanged for their lives!

"Alas! The death of three colleagues at the hands of thieves is really suffocating! Fortunately, the rebels are about to be exterminated, and it can be regarded as comforting their spirits in the sky! Zhu Dadian said with a sad face

"Are the rebels about to be wiped out? I didn't know anything about it, can I explain the current war situation in Dengzhou for the lowly position? Liu Fan hurriedly asked

"Hmmm! Then I'll tell you about it! Zhu Dadian spoke slowly

It turned out that at this time, Dengzhou City had already been surrounded by officials and troops for more than ten days. After asking Liu Fan, he learned that at the beginning, the official army carried out several siege battles, but the rebels had too many artillery, more than 20 powerful Hongyi cannons, hundreds of Western rapid-fire guns combined with powerful power, so that the besieging officers and troops suffered enough, a few days down all the armies were heavy casualties, Zhu Dadian had no choice, had to change the siege of the city to the siege, the official army began a huge siege project, in Dengzhou City on three sides to build a high city wall, so that the rebel artillery could not attack the official army, And the rebels besieging the city made it impossible to escape. A few days ago, Kong Youde sent the generals Li Jiucheng, Chen Shishi, Mao Chenglu, Geng Zhongming and other four people to fight, the official army and the rebels were close to each other, the official army won a big victory, killed Li Jiucheng, Chen sometimes two, at this time the rebels have been trapped in the city, according to the captured soldiers, there is not much food in the city, as long as the official army besieges the city for a few more days, the rebels will inevitably break through. However, the rebels still occupied Shuicheng, and the officers and troops could not attack it for a long time, and the rebels still had Shuicheng to escape, but they still refused to surrender.

After Zhu Dadian finished speaking, he opened his mouth to Liu Fan and asked, "Jimin, Laizhou is brave and strategic, I don't know if there is a way to break through Shuicheng and help us take Dengzhou City in one fell swoop!" ”

Liu Fan lowered his head and thought for a long time, there was no good way, and he was about to open his mouth when he suddenly thought that the Ming army in history seemed to use explosives to blow up the city gate before taking Dengzhou in one fell swoop, which was the first time in history to start attacking the city with explosives, so Liu Fan's memory was particularly deep, and after thinking about it, Liu Fan still opened his mouth and said, "My lord, humility is another immature idea, maybe we can use gunpowder to attack the city, we dig a tunnel in advance at the place leading to the gate of Shuicheng, and wait until the tunnel is dug through, and bury a large amount of gunpowder under the city gate, Once the gunpowder is detonated, it will definitely be able to break through the city gates! But I am not very familiar with the terrain of Dengzhou City, and there is no way to operate it! Adults can ask someone who is familiar with the terrain to do this, or maybe it will work! ”

Zhu Dadian praised the festival, "Jimin, it's really amazing, no wonder Your Majesty values you so much, this method seems to be really wonderful from the old man's point of view!" When Liu Fan heard Zhu Dadian's words, his face was embarrassed, and he complained in his heart that I thought that the method was also someone else's, and how this matter had anything to do with Chongzhen, it didn't matter at all!

"My lord praised it, it's just a small idea! I'm glad to be able to help an adult! Liu Fan humbled for a moment

"Haha, Jimin is too modest! In this case, the official will not praise you, and when the time comes, the official will remember you for breaking Dengzhou! Well, Jimin came from afar, and the boat and car were tiring, and the official delayed Jimin! Go back and rest first! When the army is in order, the official will send someone to inform you! "Liu Fan should be, politely leave the Chinese army camp and return to the garrison of the Broken Army!

On the other hand, Kong Youde is in Li Jiucheng, and Chen sometimes feels bad after he dies. Seeing that the official army has such a large formation, I am afraid that Dengzhou City will not be able to be saved this time, Kong Youde immediately began to think about a way out! At this time, Kong Youde suddenly remembered the Houjin secret envoy who was locked up by himself, and it seemed that it was time to get in touch!

That night, Kong Youde brought his cronies to the prison where the golden envoy was imprisoned, and the secret envoy saw Kong Youde coming in person, and said with a smile: "Master Kong came in person, it seems that Dengzhou is about to be lost!" How? Has Master Kong figured out a way out? Do you want to take refuge in our Dajin? No! It's the Qing Dynasty now! If Master Kong has figured it out, the conditions promised to you will remain the same! As long as you go to the Qing Dynasty with the craftsman cannon, the emperor will make Lord Kong the king! Isn't it ten million times better than sitting in a lonely city and waiting to die now? ”

The secret envoy opened his mouth in the official language of the Ming Dynasty, and he was not a Manchurian, but a Han Chinese! It turns out that this person's surname is Fan, no one else is the side of Fan Yongdou, the head of Shanxi Jin merchants, in addition to sending materials to the Manchu Qing Dynasty, they are also responsible for collecting intelligence, recruiting useful figures for the Manchu Dynasty, this time to Dengzhou, is for the Manchu Qing to say that Kong Youde came, the Manchu Qing knew the importance of artillery firearms, and also suffered enough on the cannon, even the founder of the Manchu Qing Nurhachi was killed by the Ming army with artillery, this time for the surrender of the Emperor Taiji is also a blood capital, not hesitating to Kong Youde to be crowned king, You must know that in addition to Nurhachi's descendant brother Manchu, there are not many princes, let alone Han princes, even Fan Wencheng, a loyal lackey who was loyal to the Manchus at the beginning and made great contributions to the Manchu calendar, does not even have a title, he is just a lackey in the eyes of the Manchus! Kong Youde has been very familiar with the Manchus for many years with Mao Wenlong, and he can't understand this matter anymore! Even Kong Youde, who is an enemy, was moved by this sincerity!

Hearing Fan Mi's words, Kong Youde's face was cloudy, and he thought for a long time before he sighed and said, "Okay! I promise you terms! But not too many people will be brought over! After all, most of my subordinates are children of Liaodong, and there won't be too many people who will follow me to surrender to the Qing Dynasty! ”