It should be said that Zheng Zhilong's attitude towards the Northern Expedition at this time was still positive. After gaining the dominant control of the Longwu court, Zheng Zhilong still pinned his hopes on the Northern Expedition to further expand the influence of the Zheng family in the center and among the people. Previously, the Zheng family lived in a corner of Fujian, but now they are in the center, and their goals are very different from before.

For this reason, Zheng Zhilong began to train and mobilize the troops under his command, including He Tengjiao in Hunan and Yuan Jixian in Jiangxi, and the two most powerful governors of the Ming court in Jiangnan also voted in favor at this time.

Zheng Zhilong's strategy was to go north along the Yangtze River, first seize Jingxiang, and then he could enter Shanxi, echoing with Zhu Ping'an's headquarters in Shandong and Henan, and after seizing the land of Guanzhong, the world would be at his fingertips. At that time, whether it is the Manchu Qing Dynasty or Zhu Ping'an, they will have to fall into a state of strategic passivity.

It can be said that according to the current strength, this kind of strategic deployment made by Zheng Zhilong is extremely practical. At present, although the shape of Huguang is complicated, relatively speaking, the strength of various forces is incomparable to the military strength of the Zheng family.

But there is one key point, which makes the Longwu court and Zheng Zhilong a little hesitant. Unlike Zhu Ping'an, who resolutely resisted the Qing Dynasty and eliminated the Great Shun, although Zheng Zhilong and the Longwu Imperial Court also insisted on eliminating the Ming Dynasty's Great Shun regime, there were great differences of opinion about the Qing army. Among them, the most mainstream opinion, that is, Zheng Zhilong and others believe that Wu Sangui and other Hanchen are using the strength of the Manchu Qing to avenge Emperor Chongzhen, from this aspect, Zheng Zhilong and others did not treat the Qing army as the number one enemy.

After Li Zicheng withdrew from Shanxi, among the various forces in Huguang, it should be said that he was the strongest. But he also has great hidden dangers. It is that the morale of the army is depressed and the supply is difficult. The slogans of "Juntian free grain" and "no grain when King Chuang comes" can no longer attract displaced people to participate in the Shun army, because of the war in the north, a large number of displaced people have moved to Jiangnan and Shandong, which are relatively much more stable, and the sharp downward trend of Dashun itself has made many people feel uneasy and avoid it at this time. So. Although the Shun army still retains the scale of more than 100,000 troops, it is actually the most uncertain factor.

Other local factions, such as Huang Degong, all supported the army and divided the party, and even He Tengjiao planned to expand his strength with the Northern Expedition. When Bai Wang divided his troops out of Jingxiang, in order to prevent someone from copying his nest, he once sent someone to contact He Tengjiao privately and agreed to cut down together, but He Tengjiao resolutely refused. After Bai Wang had to send troops, He Tengjiao sent troops and horses to attack Xiangyang. was repelled by Bai Wang's subordinates. After Li Zicheng's army retreated into Huguang, it threatened He Tengjiao's safety in Huguang, forcing He Tengjiao to frequently ask Zheng Zhilong for help.

Zheng Zhilong's soldiers and horses were also able to enter the Huguang area naturally, but Huang Degong, who controlled Luzhou and Wuchang Mansion, did not buy Zheng Zhilong's account at all, but only guarded his own territory and did not let a single soldier of the Zheng family enter.

After Sun Chuanting's death, Luo Rucai, under the instruction of Zhu Ping'an, sent troops from Yinghuo Mountain. It also entered the first line of Huguang. In Zhu Ping'an's view, although Luo Rucai's own strength is not good. But there is absolutely no problem as a-stirring stick, and he is also looking forward to how much Luo Rucai, known as "Cao Cao", who does not play too many roles in real history, can do.

In mid-July of the first year of Yixing, after bargaining with Huang Degong, the Zheng family sailor and Lu Shi finally entered the Huangzhou Mansion. The capital city of Huangzhou has also become lively. Every day, a large number of Fujian soldiers wearing iron armor and wearing shorts and water shoes arrive here, and more than ten water villages have been set up on the Yangtze River outside the city for the use of the Zheng family's army.

On July 23, which was also the hottest day this year, Zheng Zhilong led Zheng Hongkui and other henchmen and generals to Huangzhou Prefecture.

Li Zicheng has entered Xiangyang. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Zheng Zhilong, if he can take the opportunity to exterminate the thieves who have suffered a lot of vitality, it will be of extraordinary significance to Zheng Zhilong. He, Zheng Zhilong, will become a famous minister of Zhongxing in the Ming Dynasty, which can be compared with Guo Ziyi and Li Guangbi in the front hall.

Because of this, Zheng Zhilong was particularly cautious about this march, and dispatched the elite of the Zheng family soldiers and horses to enter Huguang, and actively contacted He Tengjiao, Yuan Jixian and other governors, Jiangxi soldiers, Guizhou soldiers, and Jiangsu and Zhejiang soldiers are also continuously entering the Huguang territory, with a total strength of 300,000 people, known as 500,000 people.

As the saying goes, "Huguang is ripe, the world is full", although it does not mean that Huguang at this time has surpassed Jiangsu and Zhejiang to become the most developed area in the Ming Dynasty, but at least as the most important grain-producing area in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, reflecting the incomparable outstanding role of Huguang in the current Ming Dynasty.

Also because of the development of the economy, in the Ming Dynasty, Huangzhou Prefecture was the most prosperous area of Kejia, and it was in the leading position in the entire Huguang. From the founding of Hongwu to the Chongzhen Dynasty, the Huangzhou Mansion launched 406 Jinshi, unparalleled in the Huguang area, looking at the whole country, it is also a remarkable achievement.

But also because of the extreme prosperity, after the thieves became chaotic, Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong successively set their sights on the Huguang area, because of the frequent wars, the once prosperous Huangzhou Mansion gradually withered.

There are many wealthy businessmen in the city of Huangzhou Mansion, when Zhang Xianzhong passed through the lake, Huangzhou has also been repeatedly robbed, so the rich businessmen in the city were slaughtered, Yongpingfang as the most prosperous area at that time, there were many mansions of wealthy families.

Among them, there is an ancestral house of the nobles in the Wanli period in the Xiaoyi Lane, but now it has become Zheng Zhilong's line in Huguang.

Early in the morning of July 25, Zheng Hongkui came to visit in a hurry. These days, Zheng Hongkui has been busy with his feet not touching the ground, as the head of the Wenchen under Zheng Zhilong, and the marquis of the Longwu Imperial Court, the supply of grain and grass for the Northern Expedition army has all been pressed on him. The army of hundreds of thousands of people, the daily consumption of food and drink is an astronomical amount, with the wealth of the Zheng family, it is also a little unbearable, Zheng Hongkui has to argue and discuss with various forces every day, in order to loot a little bit of wealth, converge into a river, and ensure the use of the army of the Northern Expedition.

originally thought that Zheng Hongkui was just here to cry about the consumption of money, grain and grass, but Zheng Zhilong was a little impatient, but as soon as Zheng Hongkui entered the backyard, he was a rare anti-guest who sent away Zheng Zhilong's concubines and subordinates, and ordered the guards and others to strictly guard the house. A series of abnormal behaviors surprised Zheng Zhilong.

"Gradually! With the expedition on the horizon, what's all the fuss about? Zheng Zhilong's voice was full of uncertainty.

"Brother! Someone from the north? Although there was no one else in the entire courtyard except for a few henchmen and guards, and there were only two brothers in the study, Zheng Hongkui still tried his best to lower his voice and replied.

"What official is it a thief? Is it enough? Zheng Zhilong didn't figure out the meaning of Zheng Hongkui's words for a while.

"It's not a thief, it's a ......, it's a captive!" Zheng Hongkui had to say clearly.

"What?" Zheng Zhilong was taken aback. "What are they sending people for?"

"The person who came directly found the little brother's house, the little brother didn't dare to call the shots, so he could only bring it over, brother, do you see, see or not?"

Zheng Zhilong hesitated, and Zheng Hongkui immediately said: "There are only a few people who come, and the leader and the younger brother had a few encounters in the Beijing Division back then, which was the review of the Hanlin Academy during the Chongzhen Dynasty, and he also served as a rogue soldier of the military department, and now he is the etiquette department of the Dongyu Dynasty, named Yang Shicong!" ”

"What do you mean?" Zheng Zhilong is not familiar with this name, but as soon as he heard Zheng Hongkui's introduction about his person, it is enough to prove that this person is nothing more than a wall grass. This time, on behalf of the Qing army, he came to Huangzhou Mansion on behalf of the Qing army, and it seems that there is something important to discuss.

After the matter of the Zheng Cai brothers, Zheng Hongkui has become much more cautious, in the face of this clever and ruthless brother, Zheng Hongkui will never dare to have too much conversation with Yang Shicong, the more he knows about such a thing, it is not good for himself.

Seeing Zheng Hongkui shake his head decisively, Zheng Zhilong could only nod. Since this time, the Zheng family has also sent a lot of people to infiltrate the north, and send all kinds of news back to the south of the Yangtze River, in order to prepare for the future war, Li Zicheng is a lost dog, not to be afraid, but the Manchu Qing Dynasty, which has occupied a huge part of the north, is a behemoth that must not be ignored. Since people have taken the initiative to send people to contact, it is good to meet and understand the reason.

Unexpectedly, Yang Shicong did not have the sad look after the destruction of the country, on the contrary, he was a smug villain, which made Zheng Zhilong a little disdainful of him.

After some politeness, Yang Shicong couldn't wait to enter the topic, "Dare to ask Master Hou, now that the army has gathered in Huguang and exterminated the Liukou, what are your plans for next?" ”

Zheng Zhilong drank tea by himself, but ignored Yang Shicong's question. In fact, in her heart, there is indeed no plan for the next step. Now the Longwu Imperial Court seems to be a new dynasty and full of vitality, but in fact, it is self-aware that the operation of the entire imperial court and the preparation of soldiers and horses are all controlled by the Zheng family. After exterminating Li Zicheng, whether to continue to go north or accept it when he sees it, Zheng Zhilong has not made up his mind until now.

Continuing the Northern Expedition and recovering the lost territory undoubtedly has a great attraction for Zheng Zhilong, but the risks are also obvious. The Qing army is not a rogue, and its combat power cannot be compared, once the war encounters a setback, it is the Zheng family that suffers actual losses, and has nothing to do with the imperial court. Zheng Zhilong was born in the maritime business, and he was absolutely unwilling to do a loss-making business. (To be continued......)