The king yelled in despair: "Why are you untrustworthy! ”

Xu Liang looked at him innocently, spread his hands and said, "If you feel wronged, otherwise, I will let you go now, and you will fight this official again?" ”

Wang Ziyong glared at Xu Liang, naturally knowing that what Xu Liang said was unrealistic, and couldn't help shouting angrily: "I, I don't accept it!" ”

Xu Liang looked at Wang Ziyong's two brothers innocently, and waved his hand to signal the Tsing Yi guards who were holding them to hurry up and escort the two goods out.

Seeing that the discussion was ineffective, Wang Ziyong's tone softened suddenly, and he said to Xu Liang with a shy face: "Lord Governor, I heard that as long as the other leaders of the people's army pay the money, they can live?" I, I've got money, I've got many, many dollars! I can give you all the money, and you can let us go, right? ”

Xu Liang looked at him, just sighed incessantly, and then in Wang Ziyong's confused gaze, Xu Liang sighed deeply and explained: "Wang Ziyong, Uncle Wang, with your IQ, I can't imagine how you can still mix up until now?" Why don't you understand, you're different from other militia leaders! They can only be considered accomplices at best, and you are different, you are the mastermind and the kind of person! Accomplices can be punished lightly, and the mastermind, the official is going to carry his head to the capital to receive the reward. ”

Wang Ziyong trembled, holding on to the last glimmer of hope and said: "Lord Xu, Lord Governor, I know that you are different from other court officials, you are reasonable!" I'm timid, I have a lot of money, a lot of money! As long as the governor agrees to release me, the king will swear by himself that he will give all his money to the governor. ”

When Xu Liang heard this, he just shook his head regretfully, and then said, "Wang for his own use." Don't you understand? Others can surrender, and you act as one of the masterminds. But they must not surrender. For the sake of the property in your name, you can rest assured. After you die, the official will erect a monument for you. ”

Wang Ziyong was angry, jumped to his feet and scolded: "Xu Liang, you are treacherous, you must not die well!" ”

In the first battle of Taibai Mountain, Xu Liang led more than 50,000 officers and soldiers and spent nearly ten days to break through the mountain defense fortress that Wang Ziyong, the leader of the people's army, was proud of, and recruited tens of thousands of people's army. Tens of thousands of people were killed, the leader of the people's army, Wang Erzhu, was beheaded, and the first starry night was sent to the capital.

The news reached the trilateral governor Hong Chengchou's mansion, Governor Hong looked complicated, and the military report was reported to the cabinet of the Beijing division and then presented to Emperor Chongzhen's desk after two days, and Emperor Chongzhen saw it, although there were a thousand in his heart, and ten thousand were reluctant. However, he also had to issue a decree to praise Xu Liang, the governor of Shaanxi, and the generals of Shaanxi.

After Xu Liang returned to Xi'an Mansion, it happened that the court's commendation decree also arrived, and after Xu Liang received the decree, he threw the decree aside. For such a non-nutritious compliment to the court. Xu Liang is not eye-catching. In contrast, Wang Qinian, a member of Shaanxi's political staff, raised the level of money demanded by Xu Liang to a new level for the looting of the surrendered people's army. Xu Liang was on Taibai Mountain that day. There are also specific financial requirements only for the leaders and leaders of the People's Army. However, when Wang Qinian was treating ordinary civilian soldiers, he clearly marked the price. Specifically, ordinary soldiers can be spared death by paying ten taels, and the amount of money paid by a small leader with more than ten people rises to twenty taels, and the amount paid by a leader with more than 100 people is 100 taels, and a leader with more than 1,000 people is 500 taels.

If you can't make up these amounts, and you are among the people who are buried alive as specified by Xu Liang, then you can't live and you will definitely die.

Xu Liang was greatly appreciative of Wang Qinian's ability to draw inferences from one case and learn so quickly, and with a stroke of his pen, he specially rewarded Wang Qinian for a big house with three entrances and three exits in the bustling streets of Chang'an City.

Shaanxi deputy commander-in-chief Cao Wenzhao followed Xu Liang back to Chang'an City, at the celebration banquet held by the governor's yamen, Cao Wenzhao saw He Huchen, He Renlong, Luo Rucai, Wan Wenshan and other generals, Luo Baiguan, Wang Qinian, Deng Shuiqing, He Zhun, Qi Chu and other civil officials have received a lot of rewards, and his own dignified Shaanxi deputy commander-in-chief, because he did not make an inch of merit in the war to exterminate the king for his own use, and because he was not in Xu Liang's reward list, Cao Wenzhao did not get any benefits.

The celebration banquet was organized by the governor's yamen, and the most famous restaurant in Chang'an City was invited.

At the banquet, the captains of various armies in Shaanxi, Zuo Generals, all smiled, and the Qingyang guerrilla He Renlong even lifted his armor without any image, revealing a big belly and a layer of black hair on his belly, and the dripping wine stains dripped onto his chest.

"Ahh He Renlong took Pingliang's guerrilla Luo Rucai's hand, and he was reluctant to put it down, and shouted with a loud grin: "In this battle, General Lou Luo's reward is the most generous, five thousand taels of silver!" Wowhaha, that's almost twice as much as our old he! Come on, you have to go one! ”

Luo Rucai blushed and smiled happily, then shook his head and said, "General He, you are wrong, the most rewarding person is not me." Didn't you see the house that the governor rewarded Wang Qinian, good guy, three in and three out, so arrogant! ”

He Renlong patted his head and couldn't help shouting angrily: "Yes, yes, yes, how did you forget this stubble!" Then he glared and looked around: "What about Lord Wang?" I've got to go and congratulate you! ”

The surrounding generals pushed the cups and changed the lamps, but Cao Wenzhao, the deputy commander-in-chief of Shaanxi, sat in the corner and drank silently, drinking the fragrant wine into his mouth, but the taste was all bitter. He Renlong and Luo Rucai's conversation he heard clearly. The richness of the reward given to his subordinates by Xu Liang, the governor of Shaanxi, far exceeded Cao Wenzhao's imagination. This time, the king used to suppress the king, like Luo Rucai, He Renlong, He Huchen and other military generals, and the least of them received a reward of 1,000 taels, and more than 5,000 taels. Even like Wang Qinian, he suddenly got a big mansion with three entrances and three exits.

Xu Liang's reward was so generous, which made Cao Wenzhao envious and disappointed at the same time. You must know that a third-grade deputy general soldier like Cao Wenzhao, if he only relies on the little money given by the court, it will only be less than two hundred taels of silver a year. And after Xu Liang came down in a battle, he rewarded his generals with a reward of 1,2000 taels of silver at every turn.

The words that Xu Liang had said to himself involuntarily sounded in his head again: The five thousand elite cavalry of the Liang army is still one less cavalry commander, Cao Wenzhao, you are very suitable!

Cao Wenzhao raised his neck bitterly and drank all the wine in his cup. Then he stood up and pushed aside the generals who were pulling and drinking with each other in the middle of the road. walked straight to Xu Liang's desk.

Xu Liang, the governor of Shaanxi, was talking and laughing quietly with Wang Qinian next to him, and suddenly felt a darkness in front of him. When he looked up, he saw Cao Wenzhao standing in front of him, looking straight at him, and couldn't help but look up and smile: "What's wrong?" General Cao? ”

Cao Wenzhao snapped, pressed the wine glass in his hand to the table, and arched his hand towards Xu Liang and said: "Lord Governor, I remember that you once said that the cavalry battalion of the Liang army is lacking a cavalry commander, I want to ask, can Cao be qualified to serve?" ”

Xu Liang was stunned at first. Then Zhanyan laughed, stood up, grabbed Cao Wenzhao with his hand, and laughed happily: "General Cao can bend, this official is welcome!" ”

Cao Wenzhao's face seemed to be much more relaxed, he picked up the wine glass, filled it with a full glass of wine, and solemnly arched his hand towards Xu Liang: "The last general Cao Wenzhao, a glass to the lord!" ”

Xu Liang smiled and served the wine. Clink glasses with Cao Wenzhao: "Dry!" ”

A few days later, after the armies had rested, Xu Liang once again convened a meeting of the generals at the governor's yamen to announce the battle mission. Lingqingyang guerrilla He Renlong, Hanzhong garrison He Huchen, Pingliang guerrilla Luo Rucai. Gongchang garrisoned Wanwen Mountain, and each led a large army to attack the people's army in the territory. Cao Wenzhao, deputy commander-in-chief of Shaanxi, led 5,000 cavalry of the Liang Army as the vanguard officer, and supported all the armies.

Time. The good days of the people's army in Shaanxi came to an end, and for several days in a row, officers and men in various localities launched successive attacks, and the people's troops in various localities suffered heavy losses.

Among them, Gao Yingxiang, the leader of the people's army, initially had a cavalry of more than 2,000 people under his command, which was more or less effective in blocking the offensive of officers and soldiers, but the good times did not last long, only five days later, the 5,000 elite cavalry led by Cao Wenzhao, deputy commander of Shaanxi, joined the battlefield, and Gao Yingxiang's cavalry, the combat effectiveness was more than one or two grades higher than that of white.

In November of the fourth year of Chongzhen, Shaanxi's victorious chapter flew to the Beijing court like snowflakes, and the rebel people's armies that had been entrenched in Shaanxi were either exterminated or their leaders were killed. At first, many of the people's troops once again played the trick of surrendering, thinking that they would get through this difficult period and return to their old jobs after the situation improved.

Then they forgot that there was also a political officer named Wang Qinian in Shaanxi, who was in charge of managing the surrendered people's army. The people's army that fell into Wang Qinian's hands was either stripped of their family funds, or they were buried alive by Wang Qinian, and the remaining ordinary soldiers of the people's army who had no previous conviction of rebellion were all brought together by Wang Qinian to the new barracks.

When the Shaanxi Clean-up Campaign lasted until early December, more than a dozen people's armies that were originally active in Shaanxi were all extinct in Shaanxi. It's not that all of them have been wiped out, but in view of the fact that the situation in Shaanxi is too grim to go on, they have fled from Shaanxi, a dangerous place in dire straits.

Shaanxi's great victory, the faces of civil and military officials in various parts of Shaanxi were filled with a festive atmosphere. At the invitation of Xu Liang, the governor of Shaanxi, Hong Chengchou, the governor of the three sides, came to Chang'an City to participate in the celebration reception organized by the yamen of the governor of Shaanxi.

In the front yard of the Governor's Yamen, hundreds of tables were arranged, and the civil and military forces of Shaanxi were gathered together, talking and laughing, and on the stage set up at the front desk, the troupe invited to perform was performing Peking Opera in a playful manner.

Xu Liang sat at the table on the rostrum with Hong Chengchou, the governor of the three sides, with a faint smile on his face.

A hand placed on the thigh of the trilateral governor Hong Chengchou beat the beat again and again with the opera on the stage. Then he looked at Xu Liang and said with a sigh: "Guozhong, the civil unrest in Shaanxi can be quelled so quickly, it is really beyond the expectations of this governor." Shaanxi quells the chaos, and Guozhong should take the lead! ”

Xu Liang pursed his lips and smiled lightly, and said faintly: "Lord Hong, Shaanxi is in turmoil, and this official is just fulfilling his promise to Lord Hong. Whether there is merit or not, it is all the same. The credit for quelling the chaos should be given to the Governor-General. ”

Hong Chengchou listened and groaned, of course Hong Chengchou knew Emperor Chongzhen's attitude towards Xu Liang. It has been half a month since the civil unrest in Shaanxi subsided, and Governor Hong has already submitted the performance of asking for merit for Shaanxi's civil and military affairs, and then until now, the court still has no response at all.

Hong Chengchou understood the thoughts of Emperor Chongzhen and the cabinet, and in the face of the Shaanxi officers and soldiers who showed such strong combat effectiveness, Chongzhen and the cabinet elders did not feel relieved, but only more vigilant!

Hong Chengchou sighed lightly, and he didn't want to say anything. He changed the topic and said: "Then again, although there are no more than a dozen people's troops in Shaanxi, Shaanxi is temporarily peaceful. But Shanxi was lively, and more than a dozen rebellious people's troops were squeezed in at once. The governor of Shanxi has already made several moves to impeach his own official. But fortunately, the emperor still thought that we had killed nearly 100,000 people's troops and made great achievements, so he did not reprimand. I heard that the governor of Shanxi has asked the emperor to send powerful generals to Shanxi to quell the chaos. ”

Xu Liang pouted indifferently and said: "This is the matter of the governor of Shanxi, and the official is not interested in inquiring." ”

Hong Chengchou was silent for a while, and then glanced at Cao Wenzhao, the deputy chief soldier of Shaanxi, who was staring at Hua Dan on the stage, and said: "According to the official's estimate, the war in Shaanxi is over, and the emperor will most likely transfer Cao Zongbing to Shanxi. General Cao, you should be prepared. ”

Cao Wenzhao was stunned for a moment, and then sneered: "Governor Hong said that he laughed, this eight characters have not been skimmed!" ”

Hong Chengchou looked at Xu Liang's expression, looked up at the play, and stopped talking.

The next day, Hong Chengchou found an opportunity to ask Cao Wenzhao, the deputy chief soldier of Shaanxi, to the teahouse alone, and after Cao Wenzhao sat down, Hong Chengchou asked with a straight face: "General Cao, have you gone back to think about what the governor told you yesterday?" ”

Cao Wenzhao first poured tea for himself, then poured it for Hong Chengchou, drank it in one gulp, and then said with a smile: "What the lord said, but the emperor may transfer the general to Shanxi?" ”

"That's it." Hong Chengchou nodded.

Cao Wenzhao smiled again: "Lord Governor, Cao is a courtier of the Ming Dynasty, and the emperor wants to use Cao, so Cao is naturally in accordance with the holy will." What else to consider? ”

Hong Chengchou saw that Cao Wenzhao didn't seem to understand what he meant, so he simply picked it out, stared at Cao Wenzhao and said: "This governor naturally does not want General Cao to consider the question of whether to go or not, but how to go and what soldiers to bring!" General Cao shouldn't have forgotten, right? The 5,000 elite cavalry you are bringing with you now are, in the final analysis, Xu Liang's private army, not the soldiers and horses of the court. When General Cao was chasing the people's army in Shaanxi, Xu Liang could rest assured that you would lead this cavalry. But once you are ordered to enter Shanxi, is it still possible for Xu Liang to let you bring those 5,000 cavalry into Shanxi? ”

Cao Wenzhao was stunned, and then his expression became serious.

Seeing this, Hong Chengchou nodded a few more words: "According to your and my understanding of Xu Liang, there is basically no possibility that Xu Liang will allow you to bring the cavalry battalion into Shanxi!" In that case, does General Cao plan to go to Shanxi alone? (To be continued.) )