Several generals strode out, and the other civil officials in the hall looked at each other, and they also got up one after another, and left with a salute to the governor of the three sides, Hong Chengchou.

Hong Chengchou saw Xu Liang standing up, so he walked down the hall and said to Xu Liang: "Go up to the city tower with this official to have a look." ”

Xu Liang nodded, waiting for Hong Chengchou to walk in front. The two walked out of the prefect's yamen and walked to the west gate of Pingliang City.

Ascending the tower, I saw a dark cloud floating in the air in the distance. Under the dark clouds, there were 100,000 people's troops besieged by the court officials and soldiers.

Hong Chengchou looked at the railing, and suddenly asked Xu Liang: "Xu Liang, do you still remember the original intention of the official to give you the table character?" ”

Xu Liang smiled and said, "How could you not remember." At that time, I was still a petty official in Shaanxi, and thanks to the Governor-General's admiration, I was given the name Guozhong. It means to be loyal to the country. ”

Hong Chengchou sighed lightly, his expression was complicated, and he said slowly: "You are a person that the governor values very much, and I give you the word national loyalty, and I also hope that Xu Liang will have a heart of loyalty to the country when you can." It was only later that the governor gradually understood that the governor took the words for you, but there were very few opportunities to use it, and it seemed that in addition to the governor's memory, the entire court and the entire Shaanxi officialdom had never heard anyone mention it. ”

Xu Liang was silent, although Xu Liang knew in his heart that unless he was an extremely close official, he would not know that he still had a table. Of course, all this is the result of Xu Liang's deliberate actions. Guozhong Guozhong, it sounds awkward!

"Today, above the prefect's yamen hall, Shaanxi's military generals only have the governor of Shaanxi in their eyes, but not the court." Hong Chengchou said in a deep voice: "Guozhong." That's not the way to be a minister. Such a situation in Shaanxi is very easy to arouse the jealousy of the emperor and the court, and lose trust in the king. How long will it last? ”

Xu Liang pulled the corners of his mouth and said secretly, I am doing nonsense in Shaanxi, and Emperor Chongzhen in Beijing has long gritted his teeth with hatred, and even the top ten masters of the East Investigation Factory have been sent out, but they were beaten back by me. Xu Liang said indifferently: "Your Excellency the Governor has bothered, the situation in Shaanxi. Both the emperor and the court can see it clearly. Whether this official can last for a long time is no longer up to the emperor and the court. ”

Hong Chengchou narrowed his eyes and stared at Xu Liang. suppressed his anger and said, "Xu Liang, do you really have a heart of disobedience?!" ”

Xu Liang smiled, watched the city gate under the city tower open, and several groups of people left the city in a row. Those are all Shaanxi generals who received Xu Liang's orders.

"Lord Hong. It doesn't matter if I Xu Liang has a disobedient heart. Xu Liang said: "What this official did today. The original intention was not to oppose this court, but to protect oneself! Don't be oppressed! The emperor and the court are afraid that I have heavy troops in my hands, and they have been trying to kill me for a long time, but they have never succeeded. At least to this day, I, Xu Liang, can still maintain my respect for the court! ”

Hong Chengchou's pupils shrank when he heard this, and he looked at Xu Liang thoughtfully.

Xu Liang continued: "This official doesn't want to be an enemy of the court, Lord Hong can rest assured. However, there is a limit to the patience of this official, if the court repeats it. repeatedly challenged the bottom line of my patience, and forced me to pull the flag and rebel. That's also the court's own fault, and I can't blame Xu Liang. ”

Hong Chengchou looked at Xu Liang and asked suspiciously, "Guozhong, you really won't rebel?" ”

Xu Liang watched Luo Rucai, He Huchen and others go out of the city one after another, pointing to the bottom of the city tower and chuckling: "Your Excellency Governor, please see, I have ordered Luo Rucai, He Huchen, He Renlong and others to lead the army to attack the people's army." If I Xu Liang wanted to rebel, then the 100,000 people's army outside the city would have already become the soldiers and horses of this official. ”

Hong Chengchou listened and didn't say a word for a long time.

The two stood in silence for a long time, and suddenly heard three cannon shots outside the city, and then shouted to kill, and looked from a distance, they saw that the officers and soldiers besieging the people's army launched an offensive at the same time, waving flags, horses' hooves, and the sound of killing shook the sky. The officers and soldiers from all walks of life rushed to kill, like a tornado in the flat ground, the dust rose, and the yellow sand covered the sky, gradually obscuring the sight of the city tower. The rising dust and the black sky above gradually glued together, and with Xu Liang's line of sight, he saw a large yellow wind in front of him, and flags flashed in the yellow wind from time to time, and the deafening shouts of killing came clearly.

Seeing this, Hong Chengchou was in high spirits, and ordered loudly to the defenders on the city tower: "Quick, beat the drum to strengthen the army of the court!" ”

The guards around him got the order and arranged it, and soon there was a passionate drum sound from the west tower of Pingliang City.

The shouting and killing in the distance, the drums in the near distance, there is a tearing outside Pingliang City!

The fierce battle in the distance lasted for nearly an hour, and under the large-scale attack of the official army, it was finally torn open by the desperate counterattack of the civilian army and rushed out.

Luo Rucai, He Huchen, He Renlong and other troops all shrank their troops and horses to clear the remnants of the people's army. However, Cao Wenzhao, the general of Liaodong, led 3,000 cavalry, closely chasing the butt of the defeated people's army, chasing and killing the past.

The news of the victory of the official army was transmitted back to Pingliang City, and Xu Liang accompanied Hong Chengchou out of the city to inspect the battlefield.

Five miles outside Pingliang City, on those two small hills, you can see discarded weapons, civilian soldiers killed in battle, and war horses that are injured and fall to the ground. The officers and soldiers of Shaanxi scattered in all directions, cleaned up the battlefield, and collected the spoils of war.

Xu Liang and Hong Chengchou walked around at will, and Luo Rucai, He Huchen, He Renlong and others who got the news surrounded them and reported the results to Xu Liang and Hong Chengchou respectively.

Xu Liang verbally rewarded him, and then said: "The captives who surrendered will be escorted back to Pingliang City for the time being, and the weapons, horses, and armor that have been packed up are carefully kept by all the armies, so don't waste them." On the other hand, the number of people killed by each army was accurately recorded, and the reward for meritorious deeds was returned. ”

Luo Rucai, He Huchen, He Renlong and others grinned and agreed.

The governor of the three sides, Hong Chengchou, looked around, only saw his own Hong soldiers, but did not see Cao Wenzhao's Guanning iron cavalry, and couldn't help but ask in surprise: "Why didn't you see General Cao?" ”

Luo Rucai heard this and sneered: "Cao Wenzhao is eager to make meritorious contributions, and led his Guanning iron cavalry to chase the ass of the people's army to the north. ”

Hong Chengchou heard this and exclaimed: "He went alone?" ”

Luo Rucai, He Huchen, He Renlong and others looked at each other and turned their heads away.

"Nonsense!" Hong Chengchou was worried about Cao Wenzhao's rash pursuit. The meeting was surrounded by the people's army, and shouted angrily at Luo Rucai: "General Cao led the army to chase after him, why didn't you follow the pursuit?" ”

Luo Rucai rolled his eyes. He spread his hands and said to Hong Chengchou: "My Governor, the last general wants to chase after him, but General Cao walks on four legs, and the last general's men and horses all walk on two legs." The last general just wanted to chase, but he couldn't catch up with the speed of General Cao. ”

Hong Chengchou listened, stomped his feet angrily, and left Xu Liang and the others behind. returned to the ranks of the Hong soldiers, gathered the Hong soldiers he brought, and followed the route of Cao Wenzhao's pursuit. rushed out to answer Cao Wenzhao.

Xu Liang, Luo Rucai, He Huchen, He Renlong and others watched the trilateral governor Hong Chengchou rush away with people. Luo Rucai muttered, "These two-legged ones." Can you catch up? ”

He Huchen took a sip and scolded: "It's good if you can't catch up." Cao Wenzhao really thought he was a peerless general, and he dared to pursue tens of thousands of people with 3,000 people! Trapped in and unable to get out, it is relieved. ”

Qingyang guerrilla He Renlong looked at He Huchen and quipped: "Old He is generous, you are also a person who has been a chief military officer, why bother to compete with the hairy boy!" ”

"That's just as well!" He Huchen thought about it and said with a smile.

No one mentioned the matter of pursuing the people's army, and Xu Liang seemed to have forgotten about it. Standing and chatting with Luo Rucai and the others. After cleaning up the battlefield, the Shaanxi officers and soldiers transported the dead soldiers back to the city. Then bring back the prisoners of war, the booty, and as for the corpses of the civilian soldiers who died in battle, that ...... It's already lunchtime, so let's talk about it after eating.

The Shaanxi soldiers withdrew to Pingliang City, and the Pingliang prefect Lu Yifa and Pingliang Zhixian and others had already prepared a steaming lunch and sent it to the barracks.

In the Yamen compound of the Pingliang Prefect, the Lu Prefect specially set up a table full of wine and food to reward the meritorious soldiers. Xu Liang, Luo Rucai and others ate with their mouths full of oil and drank warmly. Suddenly, I heard an urgent report from the spies: Hong Chengchou, the governor of the three sides, and Cao Wenzhao, the general of Liaodong, have returned to the city!

"Coming back so quickly?" Everyone was very surprised, couldn't help but put down their wine glasses and chopsticks, and looked at Xu Liang, the governor of Shaanxi, hesitantly.

Xu Liang sighed lightly and beckoned, "Since the Governor has returned to the city, let's go out to greet him." Looking at the messy banquet in front of him, Xu Liang said to Lu Yifa, the prefect of Pingliang: "Lord Lu, remove all these things." ”

"Xia Guan understands." Governor Lu nodded in response.

Xu Liang took his subordinates out to meet the governor of the three sides, Hong Chengchou.

On the street, I received Hong Chengchou, who was rushing to the prefect's yamen, seeing that Hong Chengchou's face was calm, he couldn't see his joy and anger, and Hong Chengchou had no traces of a fight, presumably there was no large-scale battle. However, Cao Wenzhao, the Liaodong staff general who was walking behind, was covered in blood on his armor, and he didn't know if it was someone else's or his own, Cao Wenzhao raised his eyes and looked at Xu Liang and the others, but he didn't have any expression.

Xu Liang and others accompanied Hong Chengchou back to the prefect's yamen. Hong Chengchou ordered someone to bring water to wash Cao Wenzhao's face, and then said to Lu Yi, the prefect of Pingliang: "General Cao and the men and horses of this governor pursued the people's army for dozens of miles, tired and hungry, Lord Lu arranged for someone to send some food to the past. ”

Governor Lu nodded and said, "The lower official has already arranged it." Then he said to the table of wine and food that had just been served in the prefect's courtyard: "Your Excellency the Governor and General Cao have worked hard, please sit down and eat something." ”

Hong Chengchou saw that there were dishes on the table of wine, all of which were full of color and flavor, and couldn't help frowning, wanting to refuse, and then seeing Cao Wenzhao's tired face, he stopped his tone, nodded towards Governor Lu, and said, "Lord Lu has a heart." ”

Then he beckoned to Xu Liang and the others: "Come on, has Lord Xu eaten?" Why don't you sit down and eat together? ”

Xu Liang held back a smile in his heart, shook his head and said, "Your Excellency, please take care of it, this official has already had lunch." ”

Hong Chengchou looked at Luo Rucai, He Huchen and the others again, and saw that these generals were flushed, full of alcohol, and the corners of their mouths were oily, obviously before they arrived, these people had already eaten a beautiful meal.

Hong Chengchou stopped his mouth and sat down to have lunch with Cao Wenzhao.

Xu Liang, Luo Rucai and others rested and chatted for a while, and when Hong Chengchou and Cao Wenzhao finished eating, Hong Chengchou ordered to enter the house for a meeting.

Xu Liang and several civil and military officials entered the lobby of the prefect's yamen, and Hong Chengchou said in a deep voice: "In the morning, our army fought against 100,000 people's troops and won a complete victory. Generals have worked hard! ”

When everyone heard this, they all said, "Fortunately, I didn't disgrace my life." ”

Hong Chengchou continued: "What is especially commendable is that after the great victory, General Cao Wenzhao personally led 3,000 iron cavalry to pursue the people's army for dozens of miles and annihilate countless people's army!" The Governor was deeply impressed. Now that the people's army has suffered this defeat, it has become the end of the crossbow, let's take advantage of the victory to pursue and never suffer in the future! ”

Hong Chengchou said, turned to Xu Liang, and asked with a smile, "Lord Xu, what do you think?" ”

Everyone in the hall looked at Xu Liang and waited for Xu Liang to speak.

Xu Liang smiled slightly and said, "What the Governor said is very reasonable. The official also strongly agreed. As the governor of Shaanxi, this official shoulders the important task of stabilizing a province and purging the thieves in the territory, and it is his duty to do so! However, before continuing to pursue and suppress these people's troops, this officer believes that the military exploits made by the generals in the morning should be clearly liquidated and rewarded for their meritorious deeds, so that our armies from all walks of life will have the motivation to continue to pursue and suppress! What do you think, Lord Doge? ”

Hong Chengchou frowned and didn't reply, but Cao Wenzhao, the general of the patrol east, snorted sarcastically and said, "The governor said this, this general does not dare to agree!" You must know that the war situation is changing rapidly, and a little more delay will give the fleeing civilian army a chance to breathe and recuperate! The last general thinks that he should immediately go out and pursue the fleeing civilian army with all his might! ”

When Xu Liang heard this, he looked at Cao Wenzhao with a faint expression, and said, "The consistent concept of this official is that rewards and punishments are clear!" According to the official's opinion, it is better to first honor the military exploits of the first battle in the morning. ”

Hum! Cao Wenzhao snorted lightly.

Xu Liang's face sank, and he said coldly: "If General Cao is in a hurry to send troops to pursue, then please take care of yourself." This official knew that General Cao Shen would be a person who had seen the world and made great contributions, and naturally he would not look down on the small military exploits of the first battle in the morning. ”

Cao Wenzhao's face suddenly turned red, and he clenched his fists and sat on the seat, he was so active in suppressing bandits, for the sake of the word military merit. Without military merits, Cao Wenzhao will always be shaking in the position of general.

"Okay," Hong Chengchou, the governor of the three sides, saw that Xu Liang and Cao Wenzhao were about to quarrel again, so he interrupted them and said, "Since Lord Xu insists on calculating military merits now, let's start now." Saying that, Hong Chengchou said to Luo Rucai, He Huchen, and He Renlong: "In the first battle in the morning, how many people were killed by the troops of several generals and how many people were captured, please report them one by one." ”

Pingliang guerrilla Luo Rucai said first: "The last general killed 6,000 enemies and captured more than 1,800 people. ”

Then He Huchen, the general of the Hanzhong garrison, said: "This general killed 3,000 enemies and captured 1,002. ”

Then there was the Qingyang guerrilla general He Renlong......

Hong Chengchou and Cao Wenzhao listened quietly, and when Xu Liang's generals had finished reporting, it was Cao Wenzhao's turn, Cao Wenzhao sneered, and said: "Several generals are really good at arithmetic, the battle in the morning, when cleaning up the battlefield, the number is very clear, this battle killed a total of more than 17,000 enemies, only with Luo Ruzhu, He Huchen, He Renlong, the number of enemies killed by the three generals reached more than 15,000!" Could it be that the general's Guanning iron cavalry, plus the thousands of Hong soldiers in the Governor's Palace, combined with the number of enemies killed by the two is only more than 2,000 people? Hehe, what's even more ridiculous is that there are only more than 4,000 prisoners in the prisoner camp, and you actually said the number of 5,002! Dare to ask how to explain? (To be continued.) )