In the fifteenth year of Chongzhen, under the first month. Pen? Interesting? Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 ｉｎfo

Cao Bianjiao and Wang Tingchen's army entered Weihui Mansion, under the pressure of hunger and cold, the sergeants of the two soldiers either looted even more, or fled one after another, and there were already officials and generals along the way, impeaching the two subordinates for looting the villagers and killing the people.

When the army arrived at the city of Zhangde Mansion that day, what they harvested was also very different from what the two expected.

The local government provided food, forage and bean fodder purchased by themselves, and could not support it for a few days, after all, the two of them together had an army of more than 10,000 people, and there were many war horses, mules and horses, which consumed a lot.

Like the officials and generals along the way, the prefect of Zhangde Mansion and the local guards, when faced with all kinds of praise from the two, their words were humble, and their faces were also very polite, but as long as they mentioned the grain and grass, they immediately complained bitterly, or shirked in front of them, or disobeyed the yang behind their backs.

Looking at the ten stones of grain and grass supplied by the prefect of Zhangde Mansion, Wang Tingchen could no longer hold back the anger in his heart, and beat the prefect and the local generals to the point that they screamed like killing pigs.

Afterwards, the two of them must have written to impeach, but Cao Bianjiao and Wang Tingchen couldn't take care of it, along the way, the two impeached the officials and generals from all over the country, or the impeachment of the two, I am afraid that it has been piled up on Emperor Chongzhen's desk, and it doesn't matter if there is more or less.

It's just that this kind of after-the-fact lawsuit doesn't help to solve the immediate embarrassment, and the two of them also understand a little, why Wang Dou is so domineering, and everywhere he goes, he is extremely tough, not tough, I'm afraid that he can't do anything.

The power of the royal courtiers was not without harvest, and the local grain and grass supply in Zhangde Mansion was increased from ten stones to two hundred stones afterwards, although strictly speaking, more than 10,000 troops, men and horses had to be fed, and these grains and grasses were only enough for two or three days. But something is better than nothing.

On this day, the army reached the Qingshui River and crossed the river. On the opposite side is the city of Weihui Mansion, at this time the army left Fengfu, it was not very far, only a few more states and counties. After crossing the Yellow River, we arrived at the city of Kaifeng.

Looking at the river, both of them were excited. At this time, their hair was unkempt, their beards were messy, their clothes and armor were dirty, and they did not identify themselves, and outsiders would never know that they were counts, but only that they were refugees.

"General Cao. Let's set up camp. ”

"Okay, Brother Wang."

For the next trip to Weihui Mansion City, neither of them had much hope, so it was better to eat and rest early.

The army was about to make a fire to make food, when suddenly a general outside the tent jumped over to report with joy. Outside the camp, there were merchants on the East Road who asked to see him, accompanied by a huge convoy full of grain and grass, as well as pigs and sheep, fine wine, and other things, and all the camp brothers were a sensation.

"Come in...... No, we went out to meet ......."

Cao Bianjiao and Wang Tingchen were very excited, marching all the way, and the merchants of the East Road helped a lot, they were all grateful, and at this time they sent a large amount of grain and grass, which was even more charcoal in the snow.

When the two arrived at the camp gate, it was already crowded with people, all pointing excitedly, and sure enough, there were many vehicles outside the gate, full of grain, rice and beans, and some cars carrying wine jars, or tying some pigs and sheep.

Among the soldiers, a slightly chubby merchant stood there with a smile.

……

This batch of grain and grass is more than 2,000 stones, save some food, enough for the army to eat for many days, I haven't eaten enough for a long time, Cao Bianjiao and Wang Tingchen can no longer care about playing reserved in front of outsiders, they are all gobbling up.

The merchant sat quietly aside, and when he saw that the two were nobles and counts, but they were unkempt and unkempt, like the reincarnation of hungry ghosts, he could not help but show pity on his face, and sighed heavily.

Finally satisfied, Cao Bianjiao remembered that he had not asked the name of the person in front of him, and he was extremely rude, so he was busy complaining about his crimes, clasping his fists and saying: "Ben Bo is rude, and he hasn't asked the shopkeeper's honorable name?" ”

The merchant said that his surname was Sun, a native of Baozhou, and he responded to the shogunate's call to go abroad to open up trade routes, but in fact, he secretly used to collect information, and of course he would not tell outsiders.

He sighed and said: "Disasters are everywhere, there is a shortage of soldiers, and it is difficult for businessmen to walk." ”

According to what he said, the current Ming Dynasty, the road is becoming more and more unpeaceful, there are many bandits on the road, that is, those villagers who have formed a village to protect themselves, as long as they are profitable, they can become bandits who block the road and rob them, and even in some places, for a few pieces of dry food, some villagers can kill women and children passing by without hesitation.

People's hearts have changed, and the merchants of the troubled times, as long as they need financial strength, do not dare to walk long distances at all, which is also the reason why the East Road Dart Bureau is more and more prosperous, many caravans need to be escorted, and many retired soldiers have joined.

However, now that the famine is everywhere, there are displaced people everywhere, and tens of thousands of them are gathered into a strand, even if the caravan is escorted, in the face of the extremely hungry people, it will not help to protect them, unless the army is sent to escort them, which is impossible for many caravans.

There are also officers and soldiers from all over the country, such as officials, village warriors, militia groups, etc., who are like wolves and tigers, and it is good to extort money, and there are often caravans slaughtered and taken away with cars and goods.

This is one of them, and for the merchants of the East Road, there is also ......

The merchant surnamed Sun sighed: "At the end of last year, all the places were faintly hostile to my East Road, and the same was true of Weihui Mansion, and business affairs were even more ......."

He sighed, remembering that he was in Weihui Mansion, making friends with officials on weekdays, doing good deeds and accumulating virtues, known as Sun Dashan, but now the rumors have changed, inside and outside the city, threatening to hoard Juqi, but he is actually a profiteer, and there are already hungry people in the city eyeing him, wanting to impact his rice shops.

He became excited and shouted indignantly: "I don't know what I know, everything the general does is for the country and the people, why do the government and the opposition treat it like this?" ”

Cao Bianjiao sighed: "If you want to make a difference, you will inevitably cut off other people's financial routes, and many people hate Yongning Hou to the core." ”

Wang Tingchen said angrily: "Who is disrespectful to Shopkeeper Sun? Tell me, I'll bring some people into Weihui City and cut him down! In Lao Wang's heart, the fire is very big now. ”

The businessman surnamed Sun said gratefully: "There is Lao Ning Nanbo's concern, this matter has passed, because there is no military support from outside, the general has ordered the foreign businessman Jia to withdraw, specializing in Shanxi, Xuanda and other places...... I have transferred all the shops in the city and exchanged them for this grain and rice, and brought them to the barracks. ”

Cao Bianjiao and Wang Tingchen were very moved, and Cao Bianjiao stood up: "These grains and rice...... Shopkeeper Sun, Cao Mou put down his words here, every liter of grain and rice, Brother Wang and I both buy double the market price, how can we let Shopkeeper Sun suffer? ”

Wang Tingchen hurriedly said: "Yes, yes, you need to give more silver." We don't have much food and grass in the camp, but we still have silver. ”

The merchant surnamed Sun arched his hand and said: "The two uncles don't have to be like this, the uncles fight for the country." The villain can't go into battle to kill the enemy, and only has a little heart. Besides, I also acted according to the order and returned to Xuanzhen. The shogunate will pay me money and food, reward me for meritorious service, and I really don't dare to accept silver taels from my uncle. ”

He got up. solemnly gave a salute: "It's not far from Kaifeng Mansion, and when I arrive in Kaifeng City, I think Chen Yongfu and Chen Zongzhen will provide convenience, and the two uncles will have a better life." ”

He hesitated slightly, but still said, "However, I heard that Mr. Chen." Now life in Kaifeng Mansion is not easy, the new governor Gao is very crushed to him, and the two uncles must be prepared. ”

He made a gesture: "Precious! ”

"Precious."

Looking at the back of his departure, Cao Bianjiao and Wang Tingchen were standing in a daze.

……

Under the first month. Henan, Ye County.

Yexian County is known as the capital of rock salt, but at this time, over the entire city, the sound of killing shook the sky, and countless thieves were attacking the city with ants.

The overwhelming flow of people surrounded the small Yexian city pool, and among the besieging people, the main force was the hungry people who were attached, especially those who fought in the front, and most of them were the old and weak women and children who were coerced.

The attack of the hungry people was divided into many waves, one wave after another, and they were armed with simple weapons, and they attacked day and night.

Behind these hungry people, there was a huge tide of infantry troops, all of them armed with spears, and in the many days of siege battles, they only made a few sorties, and behind them the horse team and the old battalion rode hard, and did not move.

In the elite cavalry array, a big banner with the word "Chuang" danced in the wind, and under the tumbling flag, a middle-aged man wearing a felt hat, wearing an arrow coat, wearing a cloak, with a high nose and deep eyes, similar to the color of the race, quietly planned on the horse, but it was Li Chuang.

Behind him, there are literati such as Song Xiance, Niu Jinxing, Li Yan, and Liu Zongmin, Gao Yigong, Yuan Zongdi and other generals.

Chongzhen's fourteenth year of defeat in Luoyang, a short period of time and again, the momentum is more vibrant, to be honest, even Li Zicheng felt surprised, he said to his subordinates: "The people's hearts are not clear in me." ”

Looking at the city at this time, Li Zicheng was full of ambition at the same time, but his heart was full of hatred.

The guard general of Ye County is the deputy general Liu Guoneng, Liu Guoneng once became brothers with Li Zicheng and Luo Rucai, and called himself the sky.

Later, Liu Guoneng returned to the official army, Li Zicheng and others hated it deeply, so they did not go down in Kaifeng, and turned to capture Xuzhou, Tongxu, Weishi, Weichuan, Yanling, Linying, Changge, Xinzheng Zhuchengchi, and immediately waved troops to Yexian.

Looking at the city in front of him, Li Zicheng calculated in his heart, Yexian has been besieged for many days, the defenders are tired, it seems that the city can be captured today, and he is also looking forward to what kind of expression Liu Guoneng will face after he is captured.

drove the hungry people to attack the city, whether it was Li Zicheng, or the generals under his command, or Niu Jinxing and other literati, they didn't care, only Li Yan couldn't bear it, but he didn't say anything.

Before that, there was an overwhelming cheer from under the city: "The city is broken, the city is broken!" ”

Li Zicheng looked at it, couldn't help laughing, and shouted: "Enter the city!" ”

Breaking into the city and swarming into the city, the sound of crying in the city is endless, men and women staggering like ants, surrounded by the generals' staff, as well as the elite horsemen, Li Zicheng rode into the city.

After entering the city, the streets and alleys were full of corpses and blood stains, as well as a strong smell of blood, Li Zicheng saw a lot of such situations, and he didn't care, what he was most concerned about was Liu Guoneng's whereabouts.

However, each future reported that at the head of the city and at the gates of the city, there was no figure of Liu Guoneng as a thief, and Li Zicheng thought for a while: "Go to his mansion." ”

Everyone came to the general's mansion, the door of the mansion was wide open, and they looked in, empty, and the general Yuan Zongdi entered first, and soon after, he came out, with a different complexion.

Li Zicheng frowned: "Brother Yuan, what's wrong?" Liu Guoneng ran away? ”

Yuan Zongdi said in a low voice: "King Chuang will know when he enters and sees it. ”

Everyone followed Li Zicheng into the hall, and they couldn't help but be stunned, and saw two corpses in the hall, one of which was a female corpse, with a blue face and a protruding tongue, which seemed to have hanged herself, but it was Liu Guoneng's wife's room.

Next to the female corpse, there was a big man in armor, with blood marks on his neck, a pool of blood on his body, and a bloody sword still held in his right hand.

Between the two corpses, a child of about seven or eight years old could not get in love, he would push his mother's corpse, and then shake his father's corpse, crying and crying: "Daddy, mother." ”

Seeing Li Zicheng and others coming in, he looked timid, and a pair of small hands tightly grasped the clothes on the corpses of his father and mother.

Li Zicheng's footsteps stopped, he stretched out his hand, and sighed: "Liu ...... Brother Liu, why are you doing this? ”

He stepped forward and picked up the child, placed it on his lap, and said softly, "What's your name?" ”

"Fu'er."

Li Zicheng said: "I adopted you, and in the future, you will be my son." ”

But when he saw the child struggling hard, he ran back to his parents' corpses and said timidly, "Fu'er is not a thief." ”

Li Zicheng was stunned, then furious, and shouted: "What did you say? ”

The generals beside him were also very angry, only Niu Jinxing, Li Yan and others trembled, looking at the little child, and couldn't believe their eyes.

When the boy saw an adult staring at him fiercely, he was so frightened that tears flowed, but he still clung to the clothes on the corpse of his father and mother, and timidly, insisted in a childish voice: "Fu'er is not a thief. ”

Then he saw a movement, pulled out the small dagger at his waist, slashed it on his neck, and immediately blood spurted out, and he struggled and fell between his parents.

"This ...... This ......"

The situation in front of him made Li Zicheng and the others feel a chill rushing up behind them, especially Niu Jinxing, Li Yan and a few others, taking a few steps forward, and then paused in a daze.

The smell of blood spread, looking at the three corpses on the ground, everyone in the hall, and finally fell silent.

The people of the time sighed: "Liu Guoneng died a martyrdom, it is true for thousands of years, and the most strange person is that an eight-year-old child killed himself, which is not recorded in the history books." ”

……

In the fifteenth year of Chongzhen, in early February.

In the lobby, Wang Dou looked at a copywriter, the shogunate's official hall, and the copywriter Zhong Zhengxian was waiting beside him.

After reading it carefully, Wang Dou nodded, signed "Agree" on it Two strong and powerful characters with everyone's style, and then stamped his own big seal.

Because there were various members of the shogunate who were responsible for specific matters, a large part of Wang Dou's daily affairs were signed and sealed, and the two words of consent were very familiar.

After Zhong Zhengxian went out, Wang Dou stretched his waist, paced back and forth in the lobby, and slowly paced to the bookshelf to see if he could find a history book to see.

As the general military yamen of a town, and the palace of the Marquis of Yongning, the lobby of Wang Dou can be described as magnificent, with a huge painting wall, several tall screens, and a more prominent feature, that is, there is a row of antique mahogany antique shelves on the north wall, which is full of neat and neat book volumes.

As a yamen, near the lobby, there are naturally two halls, three halls, and various public houses, etc., as a place for the shogunate to do things, but Wang Dou rarely goes to those places, except for adding unnecessary pressure to his subordinates, there is no other benefit.

When he has free time, he reads books.

was looking for it, the guards came to report, and Du Xun, the eunuch guarding Xuanfu Town, asked to see him.

Soon, Du Xun came in with a frown, and as soon as he saw Wang Dou's face, he said impatiently: "Yongning Hou, what about the silver taels you promised me, until now, you have only given 50,000 taels, where have you gone with 150,000 taels?" (To be continued.) )