The longest night has finally passed.

Li Yan's worries did not come true, the official army did not take advantage of the retreat of the rebel army to pursue and kill, and the officers and troops of the eastern, northern, and western gates of Datong did not take the opportunity to go out of the city to sneak attack the camp of the rebel army.

Li Yan was puzzled, why didn't Wang Pu take advantage of the victory to pursue?

However, even if the officers and troops did not take advantage of the victory to pursue, the righteous army also suffered heavy casualties, more than 5,000 people were killed in direct battle, and more than 10,000 soldiers were wounded, among which the casualties of the return camp were the heaviest, and almost half of the more than 12,000 people in the battalion were killed or wounded, as well as Li Xuan's Gushan Battalion and Jing Maocheng's Crow Battalion, which were also broken.

The most important thing is that after this battle, the morale of the rebels was low, and they had lost their confidence and determination to attack Datong.

Now, a serious question has been placed in front of Li Yan, where should the rebel army go? There was not much food left in the army, and Li Yan had to make a decision as soon as possible.

There is definitely no chance to stay in Datong, and now there is only a transfer to other state capitals, and it is definitely not possible to return to Mizhi the same way, after all, the grain has not been obtained, but if you don't return to Mizhi, which direction can you turn in? Did he follow Wang Pu's example and go north to attack the Mongols' territory? Or go south to kill Taiyuan Mansion? Or simply go east to Jingshi?

Li Yan fell into deep contemplation and did not speak for a long time.

The dozens of rebel generals gathered in Li Yan's tent also hung their heads, their faces full of frustration, and when they occasionally looked at Li Yan, the expressions on their faces were not so respectful, it was obvious that this painful defeat had seriously weakened Li Yan's prestige, and also greatly weakened the cohesion of the thieves.

A thief is a thief, and when things go well, morale is like a rainbow, and when you lose, you will become a plate of loose sand.

The only thing to be thankful for is that Ma Shouying and the five of them have already caught fire and died, otherwise, after this defeat, the Shaanxi rebels would immediately be in danger of falling apart.

Just when the generals were about to get impatient of waiting, Li Yan finally made a decision: "Order the whole army, immediately pull out the camp, bypass the east gate of Datong and march north!" ”

"What, to the north?"

"Where can I go north?"

"Do you want to rob the Mongols' cattle and sheep?"

The generals of the rebel army in the tent looked at each other, and they couldn't believe their ears, and the idea of going to the steppe to rob the cattle and sheep of the Mongols was too crazy!

In fact, of course, Li Yan didn't want to go to the grassland to compete with the Mongols for food, although Wang Pu did it, but there were many conditions, Li Yan didn't think that the rebels could do it, the reason why he let the rebels pull out the camp and march north was actually just to bluff and put on a posture of marching to Mongolia.

Li Yan's real goal is the Jingshi, and he plans to lead the righteous army to the north to the Yanghewei area first, and then suddenly go east to the Xuanfu, and then from the Xuanfu to the south to the Jingshi! Li Yan believes that instead of being trapped in the poor ravine of Shaanxi and dealing with the elite officers and troops of Wang Pu, Zhou Yuji, and Jiang Jiao, it is better to follow Wang Puqi's attack on Shengjing, lead the army to take the Beijing division, and stab the heart of the Ming Dynasty with a sword!

It's an adventure!

But Li Yan thinks it's worth it, because if it succeeds, the Ming Dynasty will fall with a bang, and the Dashun regime of King Chuang will be able to replace the Ming Dynasty.

Even if this adventure fails in the end, it is bound to make the Ming Dynasty busy, and then Emperor Chongzhen will strictly order Hong Chengchou, Wang Pu, Zhou Yuji, and Jiang Bao to lead the elite of the Ming Dynasty to go to King Qin, so that the offensive of the Ming official army against Henan will be frozen and collapsed, and Li Yan will also have an explanation for King Chuang.

■■■

South Gate, Arrow Tower.

The bearded man hurriedly entered the arrow room and shouted, "General, why do you blow the trumpet to collect the troops? It's a shame to let go of such a great opportunity......"

"Yelling what? What is there to shout about! Wang Pu stiffly interrupted his beard and shouted, "A well-planned counterattack that is inevitable has made you fight like this, let me ask you, how many brothers have been killed and injured in this attack?" ”

The bearded man whispered, "Sixty-nine dead, thirty-seven wounded." ”

"Sixty-nine!?" Wang Pu gasped and breathed a sigh of cold air, "These are all veterans who have experienced a hundred battles, the Battle of the Suppression Sea, the bloody battle of Sanbulachuan, and the long-distance march of thousands of miles in the ice and snow failed to kill them, but today you are down, bearded, there is really you." ”

One of the bearded faces immediately turned the color of pig liver, and he sneered and defended: "Humble position...... I didn't expect the thieves to lay an ambush outside the city gate......"

"What happened to the ambush?" Wang Pu said angrily, "The guys in the hands of the brothers eat dry rice? Seeing the thieves approaching, instead of ordering the brethren to fire a volley of guns, but only allowed to bombard with the dragon king, and finally forced to stab with a bayonet, what do you always eat? Why not give the order to open fire? ”

"Humble ......" The bearded man's head drooped down, and he said in a low voice, "The humble post was also in a hurry at that time. ”

"Confused!? You, you ......"

Wang Pu was so angry that he couldn't speak, but after thinking about it, he couldn't blame the beard completely, because the bearded man was always appointed by Wang Pu, and he was also responsible for the failure of the counterattack last night, but the matter of Tongdi also sounded the alarm for Wang Pu, and the ability of these thousands of subordinates needs to be improved.

Fortunately, last night's opponent was just a thief, if it was replaced by Jiannu, there would never be only sixty-nine brothers killed in battle, and the thousand-man team with bad beards has been wiped out, and it is even possible that Datong will be lost!

But then again, last night's counterattack defeat was not without gain, at least let Wang Pu have a clearer understanding of the ability of his subordinates, especially the bearded and scarface, under the direct command of Wang Pu, they are rare warriors, but if they want to stand alone, it will be unsatisfactory.

"Alright." Wang Pu relieved himself and said in a deep voice, "You go down first." ”

"Yes."

The bearded man answered, and went down in a gray manner.

Wang Pu breathed a sigh of relief, turned around and asked Lu Liudao again: "Liu'er, how about the casualties of Zhao Liujin's two thousand-man team?" ”

Lu Liu replied in a low voice: "Last night's battle was very fierce, Zhao Liujin's two thousand-man team suffered great casualties, more than 600 people were killed in the battle alone, and more than 200 people were seriously injured, even if they could be saved, they were scrapped, and there were even more others who were slightly injured, and almost none of them were intact." ”

"Well, the casualties are a bit bigger." Wang Pu nodded and said, "But these brothers are all good, they have withstood the onslaught of tens of thousands of thieves, and they are all good!" Liu'er, you immediately take someone to the silver vault to withdraw the silver, as long as there is still a breath left, you will be rewarded with 100 taels of silver, and those who have died in battle, just wait until this battle is over. ”

"Yes."

Lu Liu agreed and took the order.

Wang Pu asked Xiao Qi again: "Xiao Qi, how is the matter for you?" ”

Xiao Qidao: "I have inquired clearly, that guy's name is Jiang Xuan, a native of Yulin, Shaanxi, his father used to be the chief soldier of Yulin, this guy has been practicing martial arts since he was a child, and he is skilled in bows and horses, and he was transferred to Datong by Zhang Zi'an a month ago to be promoted to a thousand households, oh yes, his eldest brother Jiang Rang is now the chief soldier of Yulin, and his second brother Jiang Jian is also the chief soldier of Guyuan Town." ”

"Ginger?" Wang Pu lost his voice and said, "You mean that this guy's second brother is Jiang Ting?" ”

Jiang Pavilion's name Wang Pu is not unfamiliar, in real history, Jiang Pavilions is the general army of Datong after Wang Pu, when Li Zicheng led the Dashun army to Datong after the surrender of the Dashun army, and then from the Ming Dynasty's Datong general army to the Datong general army of the Dashun Dynasty.

Later, the Manchu Qing Dynasty entered the customs and drove away Li Zicheng, Jiang Jian betrayed Li Zicheng and took refuge in the Manchu Dynasty, and this guy changed from the Datong General Soldier of the Dashun Dynasty to the Datong General Soldier of the Manchu Dynasty.

Later, in order to guard against the invasion of the Khalkha Department of Mobei, Dolgon sent the Eight Banners army to settle in Datong, Jiang Ting thought that Dolgon was going to attack himself, so he raised troops against the Qing Dynasty, and returned from the Datong army of the Manchu Qing Dynasty to the Datong army of the Southern Ming Dynasty, which can be said to be the real "elder of the four dynasties"!

"You can't be wrong." Xiao Qi nodded and said, "This guy is the third brother of Jiang Rang and Jiang Ting." ”

"It turned out to be Jiangmen Huzi." Wang Pu said angrily, "No wonder you are not afraid of danger. ”

Xiao Qi asked in a low voice, "General, do you want to call Jiang Xuan up?" ”

"Don't rush yet." Wang Pu shook his head and said, "Let's talk about Jiang Xuan later." ”

"Huh." The young lady on the side suddenly snorted and shouted, "General, the thief seems to be abandoning the camp and fleeing." ”

"Really?"

Wang Pu was shocked when he heard this, and looked back with Xiao Qi in a hurry, and sure enough, he saw that the camp of thieves was already busy, and Xiao Qi said: "General, it seems that the thieves are really going to turn in." ”

"It seems that Li Yan already knows that he can't bargain in Datong." A faint smile suddenly appeared on Wang Pu's face, and he said, "I just don't know where Li Yan plans to go?" Should you return to Shaanxi the same way, or go south to Taiyuan Mansion? Or go north to the desert and east to Jingshi? ”

"Needless to say." Xiao Qidao, "It must be the same way to return to Shaanxi." ”

"No, it won't." Wang Pu shook his head and said in a low voice, "Li Yan will never return to Shaanxi the same way, because it is too poor there, and going back can only be a dead end!" ”

Xiao Qi said: "Where will the thief go?" ”

Wang Pu said: "Soon, you will know where the thieves are going right away." ”

■■■

Henan, Jiaxian.

Li Yan's plan to divide and disintegrate has completely worked, because of the containment of Li Guo and Li Yan, Ma Shiying's army has retracted to Fengyang, Fu Zonglong's army has also withdrawn from Tongguan to Xi'an, and now the enemy opposite Li Zicheng is only Hong Chengchou in Xiangyang City.

On the one hand, Li Zicheng was happy that he could have a talent like Li Yan under his command, but on the other hand, he was worried, he was worried that Li Yan would have different intentions, and he was afraid that Li Yan would set up another mountain and fight against him.

The urgent secret letter sent from Datong aggravated Li Zicheng's worries.

Li Zicheng also invited two major confidants, Niu Jinxing and Song Xiance, to analyze whether Li Yan would set up another mountain? If Li Yan really has different intentions, what should he do?

After reading the urgent secret letter sent by Datong, Chief Strategist Niu Jinxing shook his head and sighed: "Amazing, too powerful!" The king, Li Yan's hand is not simple, in ancient times, there were two peaches to kill three soldiers, and now there are four doors to seize five camps, this Li Yan, he doesn't want the ancients to be beautiful in the past. ”

"Two peaches kill three soldiers?" Li Zicheng frowned and asked, "What two peaches kill three soldiers?" ”

Niu Jinxing shook his head and explained: "It is said that during the Spring and Autumn Period, there was a famous man named Yan Zi in the Qi State, who was rich in five cars and eight buckets, uh, to put it simply, his knowledge may be a little more profound than in the Xia, at that time, there were three warriors in the Qi State, Gongsun Jie, Tian Kaijiang and Gu Yezi, and the three of them were arrogant and rude because of their own merits. ”

"Once Yan Zi passed in front of them, and walked briskly to show respect, but they did not get up to return the salute, Yan Zi thought that the three did not know the etiquette, and they would definitely become a scourge in the future, so he offered two peaches, and let the three of them choose the two people with the greatest merit to eat the peaches."

"Gongsun Jiehe and Tian Kaijiang each described their own merits, and they both thought that they had the greatest credit, so they ate the peaches, and Gu Yezi also said their own merits, and said that my merits are greater than those of the two of you, why did you eat the peaches, but I didn't eat the peaches? Take out the peaches. ”

"Gongsun Jiehetian Kaijiang felt that their credit was not as great as Gu Yezi, so he drew his sword and committed suicide in shame, Gu Yezi saw that both of them committed suicide, and he felt that he had no face to live in the world, so he also committed suicide, this is the allusion of the two peaches killing the three soldiers, Yan Zi used only two peaches with his wisdom to kill three warriors who could fight the tiger."

"Understood." Li Zicheng nodded and said, "You mean that Li Yan used the same method to kill Ma Shouying and the five of them, and then seized the military power of the fifth battalion of Gezuo without bloodshed, right?" ”

"Exactly." Niu Jinxing said, "Ma Shouying The five of them all think that they have the greatest credit, and they all think that they are the rightful commanders of the Shaanxi Righteous Army, so they will fall for Li Yan's plan, kill each other, and die together, and finally cheapen Li Yan's kid for nothing." ”

Li Zicheng said: "Then according to the meaning of the military division, will Li Yan set up another mountain?" ”

"Definitely!" Niu Jinxing said without thinking, "This is an obvious thing. ”

"Really?" Li Zicheng frowned for a moment, and asked Song Xiance on the side, "What does the deputy military division mean?" ”

"This ......," Song Xiance said to him, "this subordinate was still short when he joined the rebel army, and he still lacked enough understanding of General Li Yan, so he really didn't dare to say whether Li Yan would set up another mountain." ”

Niu Jinxing glanced at Song Xiance dissatisfied, and proposed: "King, my subordinates have a plan to test whether Li Yan has different intentions. ”

"Oh?" Li Zicheng happily asked, "What's the plan?" ”

Niu Jinxing said: "When the battle of Datong is over, the king can send another general to Shaanxi to replace Li Yan, and then let Li Yan return to Henan to resume his life, if Li Yan can't shirk the blame, then he has a different heart, if Li Yan returns to Henan, hehe, whether he has a different heart or not, it doesn't matter." ”

"Hmm." Li Zicheng nodded and said happily, "This plan is good, but there is no need to wait until the battle of Datong is over, this king will send Liu Zongmin to Shaanxi to replace Li Yan now, and let him return to Henan immediately." ”

Niu Jinxing and Song Xiance hurriedly complimented: "The king is wise." ”

"Someone." Li Zicheng turned around and shouted outside the tent, "Immediately summon Liu Zongmin to come." ”

■■■

Datong.

Li Yan didn't know that Li Zicheng had become suspicious of him, and he was leading the remaining more than 60,000 righteous troops to open a posture and drive through the east gate and the small east gate of Datong, marching north with great fanfare.

When Li Yan was riding a horse parallel to the red lady, a rapid sound of horses' hooves suddenly sounded from the front, and when he looked up, he saw that the front was dusty, and Jing Maocheng, who was in the dust, had already galloped back, and when he rushed to Li Yan's horse, he pulled the reins of the horse fiercely, and the crotch mount suddenly stood up, and stopped the momentum.

Jing Maocheng shook his fist at Li Yan on horseback, and said loudly: "Dashuai, it's not good!" ”

Li Yan frowned and asked, "General Jing, what's wrong?" ”

Jing Maocheng gasped and said: "Just now, I found a large group of cavalry twenty miles north of Datong!" ”

"Brigade cavalry?" Li Yan's face changed, and he asked urgently, "How many rides?" ”

"I'm not sure about the specifics, but there are at least seven or eight thousand riders!" Jing Maocheng said with a solemn expression, "Because I was afraid that the enemy scouts would find out, the Tanma didn't dare to get too close, and after a glance from a distance, he galloped back to report the news, the other party is also a cavalry, and it will come quickly, which may be less than ten miles away from our army." ”

"Woo woo woo ......"

Jing Maocheng's voice fell, and the continuous sound of horns sounded in front of him, and when Li Yan, the Red Lady and Jing Maocheng looked back hurriedly, they saw that billowing smoke and dust had risen on the northern horizon, connecting with the sky, and the sky was boundless......

(To be continued)