After occupying Tanzhou, the grass army entered Dongting Lake along the waterway in the style of continuous combat. After crossing the Yangtze River, the land route was changed. Huang Chao led the right army, and Shang Rang led the left army to advance to Jiangling at the same time. On the way from Guangzhou to this point, the grass army has grown to two or three hundred thousand people. Jiangling City was outnumbered, and the commander Wang Duo was expected to be difficult to hold onto, so he decided to go to Xiangyang in person and meet with Liu Jurong, the envoy of Shannan Dongdao, to discuss the matter of joining forces to resist thieves. Some scholars believe that Wang Duo is using excuses to slip away.

In all fairness, this kind of wronged him. Liu Jurong is also a fierce general, just imagine, if he sends his subordinates, the level is low, will he buy it?

Liu Hanhong, the general who stayed behind to defend the city, is really not a thing, and he is not a good government official, but he wants to be a thief. He took thousands of soldiers under his command, and after plundering Gangneung, he left with a full load, and Gangneung was easily lost. Then, the monk Huangchao joined forces again and swooped towards Xiangyang City. Of course, they know that Xiangyang has always been a battleground for soldiers in the Central Plains.

Fortunately, Wang Duo's trip to Xiangyang was not in vain, he took out the edict of the Son of Heaven and said to Liu Jurong: "It is the intention of everyone (the emperor) to join forces to reject thieves, and it is difficult to do so." You still have to help Liu Jieshuai. ”

"The king's envoy is polite, and Jurong obeys his orders."

Liu Jurong did his best, and all the more than 10,000 troops who could move were pulled to Jingmen to resist the enemy. Pocket formations were set up in the woods on the outskirts, just waiting for the grass army to come in. In a few hours, there will be a rare miracle in history. It was enough to break the Guinness World Record - Huangchao's 300,000 troops were caught off guard by Liu Jurong's more than 10,000 officers and troops, and the loss of troops was as high as more than 100,000. The course of the battle is like this:

Liu Jurong saw that the enemy's vanguard was approaching on the tower of Jingmen City, and ordered his subordinate Shatuo army to fight. In front of the grass army. Five hundred Shatuo cavalry dismounted and fled, and let all the horses run to the enemy position. The enemy soldiers cheered when they saw it: "Who said that pie will not fall from the sky?" Isn't it? ”

The grass army is basically infantry. Horses were priceless to them, and now God gave them five hundred at once. The soldiers who walked in front rushed up and grabbed the horses. They rode on horses. One by one, they are full of pride and ambition.

Suddenly, there was a call in the Shatuo language in front of the right, and the horses heard the call and galloped away towards the woods in front of the right. The "knights" couldn't control it, but they couldn't get off the horse, so they could only be in a hurry. The brigade of the grass army behind did not understand the situation in front at all, and still followed closely and entered the pocket formation.

Although there were 300,000 grass troops, most of them were rabble and vulnerable. Those who did not die fled backwards like a mountain of seas. The officers and soldiers captured only twelve important generals. Huang Chao took the remaining less than 100,000 people across the Yangtze River and flowed eastward.

Just as Huangchao was flowing eastward, the central government of the Tang Dynasty in Chang'an was holding an emergency meeting. Someone complained: Hehe, is it okay not to talk nonsense? Why do you keep having meetings?

It's a fact. Because Xuzong is not Taizong, nor is it Xuanzong, Xianzong, Wuzong, or Xuanzong. Almost all major military affairs have to rely on the brains of the prime minister and the ministers. This meeting was extraordinary for the Tang Dynasty and was a meeting that had a significant impact on history. On this day, the date shown on the wall calendar of the government hall is: New Year's Day of the first year of Guangming (880).

The convening of this meeting is actually related to a person who hurried to Chang'an from other places. He was a eunuch. The position is the deputy envoy of the Zhongwu Town Supervision Army and the East Camp Recruitment, and his name is Yang Fuguang.

At the mention of eunuchs, people feel a sense of disgust. People who are physically handicapped deserve sympathy, and they are to blame themselves. Since the Middle Tang Dynasty, his reputation has stinked. For example: Bian Lingcheng, Li Fuguo, Yu Chaoen, Qiu Shiliang, and later Liu Jishu and others. In fact, there are also good people among the eunuchs, or "loyal eunuchs". For example: Colliers, Yang Fuguang, Chen Jingsi, Zhang Chengye, etc.

Yang Fuguang came to Chang'an this time. Shouldering an important mission: to overturn the case for Li Keyong! Its purpose is mainly considered from the perspective of safeguarding Li Tang's country, and of course it also carries some personal feelings. Because his family and Li Ke's family are world friends. According to Yang Fuguang's own words: "His family is in trouble with my ancestors. ”

Yang Fuguang said to Li Yi, the Son of Heaven: "Chu Ke used rebellion to find a thief to instigate. Now living in Tatar, he also hopes that the saint (the name given to the emperor) will forgive his sins. Today's nest thieves are rampant, which is a big disaster for Tang Sheji, and it must be eliminated. Shatuo is known for his bravery, and he can be used for military duties, so that he can go south and drive the king, so good! ”

Li Yi attached great importance to Yang Fuguang's suggestion and immediately convened a meeting of the prime ministers. At the end of the meeting, the following decisions were taken:

1. An edict was issued to pardon Li Keyong and his family, and he was not to blame for the past. Li Keyong was appointed as the envoy of the Yanmen Xingying Festival (jurisdiction over the two prefectures of Dai and Xin. Quickly reorganize the soldiers and horses, and prepare to go south to King Qin.

2. Li Kerang (Li Keyong's younger brother), the former Jinwu general, will resume his original post from now on and enter the Beijing Division.

3. Appointed Wang Chucun as the envoy of Yiding (later renamed Yiwu), and as an envoy, summoned to Li Keyong and Li Kerang.

Fourth, Zheng Zheng was appointed as the envoy of the Fengxiang Festival.

5. Appoint Gao Biao, the envoy of Huainan Jiedu, as the commander of the Zhudao camp (commander-in-chief of the suppression of bandits), and at the same time recruit Zhaoyi, probation, and Yiwu soldiers to the south.

Wang Chucun had a task in his body, and he did not dare to delay, so he left for Yiding to take office a few days later. Pass through the town of Hezhong and meet with Wang Chongrong, the envoy of the festival in the river. The two kings hit it off at first sight, and Wang Chucun told him about the Son of Heaven's pardon of Li Keyong 1510. Unexpectedly, Wang Chongrong was particularly enthusiastic about this matter. It turned out that Yang Fuguang had already met him before he came to Chang'an. At that time, Wang Chongrong said to Yang Fuguang: "I have heard that the nest thief is also in the Central Plains, so we must take precautions as soon as possible." In my life, I share the sorrow with Li Keyong, his people are loyal and do not care about difficulties, and death is as righteous as it is, if he begs for a teacher, things will not help! Please ask Yang Jianjun to quote the sage. ”

"What Wang Jieshuai said is exactly what I want, and I should do my best." Yang Fuguang was glad that he had found a revolutionary comrade.

So, Wang Chongrong and Wang Chucun jointly wrote a handwritten letter to do Li Keyong's ideological work. The letter sincerely advised Li Keyong: We should ignore past suspicions and put national interests first. The eldest husband has a body of martial arts, and it is a pity to waste it. Now is the time for heroes to gain fame and show their talents, don't miss it!

Where do they know. Li Keyong is looking forward to this day.

Messengers with edicts and letters were dispatched. They rushed all the way to Yinshan......

Wang Chucun said goodbye to Wang Chongrong. Continue on your way. Passing through Taiyuan, I visited the old leader - Zheng Congyan, the envoy of Hedong Jiedu. The two reunited after a long absence, and after a period of greetings, Wang Chucun told the Son of Heaven about pardoning Li Keyong as he did when he was in the river. What is Zheng Congyan's attitude? Wang Chucun didn't expect it again, but he didn't expect him to shake his head again and again and say, "Which one is this who is full of food and has such a bad idea?" Wasn't it enough for our Datang to be tossed by Li Ke two years ago? In the future, the country will have no peace! ”

"Not really, right? It is not known whether people will become evil or change from good. If you give him a chance, you can also give us Datang a chance. Eun Sang, do you say yes? ”

Zheng Congyan was silent. Wang Chucun saw that he had such a deep prejudice against Li Keyong, so he didn't say anything more. The next day, he bid farewell to the old leader, continued to hurry, and went to Yiding to take office.

Let's say that after Huang Chao was defeated and fled from Jingmen, Liu Jurong collected his troops and returned to the camp. Some staff advised him to beat the water dogs so that the thieves would not have a chance to breathe. Liu Jurong waved his hand and said, "No! Don't chase after the poor, let him go. It's not that I'm afraid of thieves working hard, just because the court often plays white slips and doesn't keep promises, and in times of crisis. Only then did I think of us, and when we had a little peace, we abandoned it. Raising Kou with self-respect, this way of wealth is also. ”

Listening to his remarks that are not unfamiliar, how can it not be sighed? The people who hold this kind of thinking are not only Liu Jurong! I think. The theory of "raising self-respect" should have been invented in the Tang Dynasty. Who has a patent for invention? Who else could there be? Servant Gu Huai En.

Liu Jurong's behavior of raising a coward allowed Huang Chao to regroup. and captured Ezhou (now Wuhan, Hubei) in one fell swoop.

Exterminate the Yellow Nest

In general, in the Tang government army. Positive energy is still dominant. Some of Liu Jurong's subordinates dared to say no to his instructions! Who ate leopard gall bladder? It turned out to be his deputy, the deputy envoy of Shannan Dongdao Jiedu, the whole day government. The whole day government gathered the troops and horses of the headquarters, and the ships were also ready. He was about to cross the river to pursue the thieves. However, the envoys of the imperial court arrived early or late, and arrived with the edict at this juncture. Let him return to Chang'an, and the position will be replaced by a person named Duan Yan Moyan. The battle to cross the river was over.

In the outer city of Ezhou (only the outer city is occupied), Huang Chao has been nervous and has insomnia for several nights in a row. What was he thinking? It turned out that among the booty captured in the capture of Ezhou, there was a topographic map of the Central Plains. Huang Chao didn't know if he didn't see it, and he was shocked when he saw it: Ezhou is located south of the Yangtze River, and most of the elite soldiers and strong generals of the government army are in the north, and the Yangtze River in the north has become an insurmountable natural danger for himself. To the northeast is Huainan, and the opponent is Gao Yu, the number one player at the time, who has suffered a lot of losses from him in the past. To the west and northwest is the Jing Xiang of the opponent Liu Jurong, where he has just planted a fight.

Whenever Huang Chao closes his eyes, he seems to see that he has become a "turtle in an urn". In fact, he is really not scaring himself, if he doesn't have a little strategic vision, he can't get this far.

So, after careful consideration, Huang Chao decided to give up Ezhou. He believes that the successful experience of getting rid of Gao Yu two years ago can be replicated today. The 100,000 grass army moved southeast to the area of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and swept away 15 prefectures including Rao, Xin, Chi, Xuan, She, and Hangzhou with lightning speed, and the army rapidly grew to 200,000 people.

In the nearly 300 years of the Tang Dynasty, there has been almost no war along the coast south of the Yangtze River, which is the military weakness of the central government. The officers and soldiers in Jiangnan are not only small in number and poorly equipped, but also far less powerful than the soldiers in the north, which is also an important reason why Huang Chao can make a difference in this area

Among the rebels, there was one man who stood out. Wherever there is a superior leader, there will be a figure of him bravely rushing to kill. He wields a long knife that is fierce and deadly. Sometimes a knife passes, and several heads fall off at the same time. His outstanding performance soon attracted the attention of the leading figures of the grass army, and the officers became bigger and bigger, from a captain who was originally in charge of only a few dozen people, to a general commanding thousands of people -- he was the aforementioned Zhu Wen.

There is often a saying that "women in the Tang Dynasty regard fat as beauty" (the "fat" here is not actually fat, but refers to plumpness. But it can't be generalized, the women in Jiangnan are characterized by being beautiful. In Hangzhou, Zhu Wen snatched a village girl, who was quite beautiful and beautiful. As soon as he arrived at the house, he couldn't wait to hug her, and a rough salty pig hand reached into the girl's clothes, and Zhu Wen was completely drunk......

At this time, someone outside the door shouted: "Report! Zhu Wen was immediately furious, and immediately wanted to pull out a knife and kill him, but when he saw that he was not wearing clothes, he held back, and only shouted loudly: "You stupid pig, what do you say will die tomorrow!" ”

Later, this village aunt (whose name is not recorded in the history books) became pregnant and gave birth to a baby boy, and Zhu Wen named him Zhu Youyu. Zhu Youyu grew up in the barracks, and he has been trained since he was a child.

One day, just a month after Li Keyong invited the Tatars to drink, more than a dozen fast horses appeared in the Yinshan Gorge, and those horses were probably tired from running, and white foam was spitting out of their mouths. The men on the horse were all officers and soldiers, fully armed—this was the envoy sent by Wang Chucun.

They finally delivered the edict and the letter to Li Keyong's hands, and Li Keyong looked at it, his hands trembling slightly, and his eyes blurred. This iron man, who is only in his twenties and has never shed blood without tears, shed tears for the first time in his life.

Is this true? Yes! The edict clearly wrote: "Appoint Li Keyong as the envoy of the Yanmen Xingying Festival", and the inscription is the inscription of the emperor Li Yi, the signature and date of the governors of the three provinces, and the jade seal. Li Ke almost shouted: The Son of Heaven has forgiven me! I am now the grandiose and justifiable envoy of the Tang Festival!

Then, another edict was sent to Li Kerang, who was as excited as his eldest brother but more urgent, and he immediately wanted to leave for Beijing to take up his post. It will be the Spring Festival in a few days, Li Kerang couldn't wait, and the next day he said goodbye to his father and brother, relatives and friends, and set off with Ji Gang, Hun Jintong and a few other old subordinates. But when he saw him, he was equipped with a horizontal knife on the left and a bow and arrow on the right, straddled the horse and held the lance, and ran to Chang'an......

But who would have expected that the farewell of the young hero would become a farewell!

3. Exterminate the Yellow Nest (9)

The emperor gave Li Ke the official position of envoy of the festival, but did not give him the army, and the problem of military resources had to be solved by himself. In other words, at present, Li Keyong is just a light commander. The first thing he had to do now was to find the Tatar chieftain and make him fulfill the promise he had made the last time he drank.

When Li Keyong took the edict and went to the chief in a hurry, the chief regretted it a little. At the beginning, because he drank too much wine and was dizzy, he said without thinking that he would hand over all the Tatar warriors to Li Ke. After some bargaining, he promised to give him 10,000 Tatars. 10,000 is 10,000, it's better than nothing, Li Keyong immediately discussed with the future Shuaifu staff Gai Yu and others, and determined the next action plan and specific time. (To be continued......)