The weather in August is hot, the sun hangs high in the sky, constantly pouring heat on the earth, and the temperature has reached nearly 40 degrees at this time. It is said that in this kind of weather, even the most industrious farmers have to find a shady place to stay, otherwise if they suffer from heat stroke, it is not a joke, there is no 120 ambulance on call this year, there is basically no medical condition, and people who suffer from heat stroke will have to burp if they can't get it.

But in this weather, there is a team of people wearing different types of weapons and hurriedly walking on the mountainside, led by two people, one tall and one short, the tall one is named Yang Chengzu, the short one is named Wang Long, they are Luo Rucai's henchmen, Luo Rucai was killed by Li Zicheng's design, and immediately launched a purge of Luo Rucai's old department, in this purge, most people reluctantly took refuge in Li Zicheng, and a small number of people who were unwilling to surrender were either killed or escaped, Yang Chengzu and Wang Lung were the two who escaped.

Yang Chengzu looked back at the people behind him and saw that there were only less than two thousand people, and a sad mood surged up on the piano, since he followed Luo Rucai to rebel, most of the time he was eating and drinking spicy, and at the peak of Luo Rucai's army was three or four hundred thousand, at that time, even Li Zicheng had to respect them for three points, what a majesty it was at that time, but now it is like a lost dog being chased and killed by Li Zicheng's men and horses all the way, this contrast is really too great.

Wang Lung on the side was also panting, beads of sweat did not stop flowing on his face, and the clothes on his body were so wet that he could wring out water, he took out a water bladder from his waist and was about to pour it into his mouth, but only poured out a few drops of water for a long time, so angry that he threw the water bladder on the ground. Wang Lung cursed breathlessly, and then said to Yang Chengzu: "Old Yang, it's not okay to continue running like this, if you continue like this, it is estimated that it will not take two days for us all to die in this mountain forest." ”

"Don't run? If we don't run, we'll die now! Yang Chengzu gritted his teeth and said: "The miscellaneous pieces in the back are so tight, we have to be caught up by them as soon as we stop a little, and there are all officers and soldiers outside, we are rats in the bellows, and we have to finish playing any of them!" ”

"Not necessarily." Due to not drinking water for a long time. Wang Lung's lips were foaming at this time, and there was a hissing and hoarse sound in his throat from time to time when he spoke, which was a symptom of extreme lack of water, and I saw him stare at his bloodshot eyes and shout: "Since Li Zicheng's anti-bone boy doesn't give us a way to live, then we can simply go to the officers and soldiers, it's better than dying of thirst and starvation!" ”

"Surrender to the officers and soldiers?" Yang Chengzu hesitated for a moment before saying: "It's not that I haven't thought about this, but we have been fighting with the officers and soldiers for so many years, and the hatred is as deep as the sea, can they want us?" ”

Wang Lung reminded: "Lao Yang, we are mortal enemies with Lord Nalu and Master Sun, but this time it is not only them who will exterminate our officers and soldiers, but also the Xuan army!" ”

"What...... Xuan Dajun? Yang Chengzu immediately shuddered when he heard this. Although the sun was already high at this time, he suddenly felt that the originally hot weather suddenly became a little cold, and the situation when he fought against the Xuan army a few days ago flashed in his mind like a lightning flash. Thunderous noises and fires flashed, and countless brothers who were charging forward fell to the middle of the road like mowing grass, and the name of Xuan Dajun has been haunting their hearts like a dream demon ever since.

Thinking of this, Yang Chengzu gritted his teeth and said, "Old Wang, are you trying to kill us?" Those people in the Xuan army are all demons who kill people without blinking, isn't it death if we go to take refuge in them? ”

"Not necessarily." Wang Lung suddenly smiled a little mysteriously: "I have already inquired, and the treatment of Xuan Dajun is good." Those who serve as soldiers are paid two silver dollars every month, and they have meat to eat every day, and after five years of service, they can retire and go home, and the government will also distribute fields to you when they return home. Don't you want such a good thing? ”

"What? And such a good thing? ”

Hearing this, it was not only Yang Chengzu, but even the people around him gathered around and asked.

"Boss Wang, what you said is true? Is Xuan Dajun's treatment really so good? ”

"Isn't it true, there really is such a good thing in the world?"

"Nonsense. I can still lie to you, this is what I asked many people, of course it is true! Wang Lung looked impatiently at the rogues behind him with green eyes and said impatiently, "Anyway, the road is now in front of you." How to go and see what to do. ”

Yang Chengzu thought for a long time before slapping his thigh, "Fuck it, it's better to die sooner or later anyway." These days, I can see clearly, when every thief has a good end, it is better to take refuge in the imperial court, if we get it right, maybe we can still have a future. ”

"Right...... Anyway, if it goes on like this, it will be a death, so it is better to take refuge in the imperial court and fight for a future. ”

"That's it...... Since Li Zicheng's son of a bitch is so vicious, we can't be polite to him and go to the court! ”

A group of people shouted in a hurry, and then the remnants of the army were defeated and walked out of the mountain......

I have to say that the saying that fools have foolish blessings is sometimes quite right, when Yang Chengzu and then Wang Lung stumbled out of the mountain with this group of half-starved rogues, they happened to run into the Xuan army who came to search the mountain at night. When these more than a dozen people returned to the camp of the Xuan army with nearly 2,000 rogues who did not suppress it overnight, even Yang Guozhu and Hu Dawei were shocked.

"What...... Luo Rucai was killed by Li Zicheng? ”

In the handsome tent of the Xuan army, Yang Guozhu and Hu Dawei exclaimed at the same time.

Yang Chengzu and Wang Long both knelt on the ground and said tremblingly: "My lord, what the villain said is true, and the villain is dissatisfied with Li Zicheng...... Well, it was the thief who was too domineering and killed Luo Ye to come out. Now that the villain has repented, the two of them have decided to abandon the darkness and turn to the light, and ask the two adults to give the villain a chance to make up for his mistakes. ”

Yang Guozhu and Hu Dawei glanced at each other, and Hu Dawei shouted: "Whether the two of you can make up for it depends on the decision of the imperial court, but if you two can really make great contributions to the imperial court, this official can also intercede with the imperial court for you, and maybe you can be crowned an official and a half-post." ”

"Lord Xie promoted!"

Yang Chengzu and Wang Long were overjoyed and kowtowed, they escaped with great difficulty and joined the official army, in order to save their lives and ask for an official and a half-position, if they can really have a future, it will not be in vain for the two of them to fight hard.

Looking at the two people who were still kowtowing on the ground, Yang Guozhu frowned slightly, under the influence of Yue Yang, the etiquette of kowtowing is no longer popular in today's Xuan army, in Yue Yang's words, if the head is kowtowed too much, the whole person's knees will become soft, if even the bones are not hard, then what kind of soldier is it.

Yang Guozhu waved his hand: "Okay." You all get up, we can't kowtow to people in the Xuan Army, and if you have something to say, stand up and say! ”

"Yes...... Thank you, sir. ”

After Yang Chengzu and the others stood up, Wang Lung boldly asked, "Dare to ask your lordship, if the imperial court exempts us from the sin, I wonder if we can join the Xuanda army and continue to serve the imperial court?" ”

"Join the Xuan army?" Yang Guozhu was stunned for a moment, and then showed a playful look: "Why do you want to join the Xuan army?" ”

"The salary of the Xuan army is high, and I heard that it can also give us land, of course you want to join!" Wang Long was in a hurry, and a dialect of authentic Shaanxi suddenly blurted out.

"Puff ......" Hu Dawei on the side was immediately happy when he heard this. Even an old and serious person like Yang Guozhu smiled.

"Okay, I'll talk about this later, after all, the two of us can't be the master of this matter, but the only thing I can promise you is that if you can really make a contribution, this official will help you plead with the court and be lenient." In the end, Yang Guozhu finally slapped the board and sent the two out.

After Yang Chengzu and Wang Long went out, Yang Guozhu said to Hu Dawei: "Old man, what do you think about this?" ”

Hu Dawei pondered for a while and said, "Lao Yang, we have been here to suppress the bandits for several months, don't you want to quickly exterminate Li Zicheng and these thieves and then return to Xuanda?" Or return to Governor Lu? ”

"Hmm...... What do you mean? Yang Guozhu asked with a straight expression.

Hu Dawei sighed: "Old Yang, don't you still understand? Don't look at the thieves who are still hiding in the mountains and have not been wiped out. But they are grasshoppers after the autumn and can't jump for a few days, as long as we work harder, it will be a matter of time before we annihilate them, and now it's time for us to choose to take sides. ”

Hear here. Yang Guozhu's expression became more and more solemn: "Dawei, you make your words clearer." ”

"You...... Do you really want me to get it through? Hu Dawei sighed and said: "Marquis Yue has already made a break to the imperial court a few days ago, asking the imperial court to give him a fief, which is a major event that has never been done in the Ming Dynasty for more than two hundred years. Think about it. If the imperial court agrees to give the big man to the Hou Ye, the imperial court will inevitably gradually take back Shanxi, Liaodong, Shandong, etc., what should the Xuan army do? What about us, the old courtiers of the Hou Ye? ”

Yang Guozhu stopped talking. Although he is a military general, he is not a reckless man who can only fight in battle, and he is even higher than Hu Dawei. If the imperial court really gave Yueyang a fiefdom, then Yueyang would naturally have to be a permanent member in the future. So now he is the governor of Xuanda, the governor of Shanxi, the governor of Shandong, and the positions he is currently holding have to be handed over, but most of Yueyang's interests are in these places, especially Shanxi, where Yueyang started, and there are too many entanglements of interests here. Once Yue Yang leaves, will he be able to shelter those old subordinates next? Where will these people go in the future?

As soon as he thought of this, Yang Guozhu felt that his head began to swell. Since ancient times, standing in line has been a very important knowledge, so what is the importance of Cheng dù? It is not an exaggeration to say that it is so important that it is related to your life and death, because this matter is related to your future and destiny.

And now there are two paths in front of Yang Guozhu and the others, one is to continue to follow Yue Yang with all his heart, but once he chooses this path, he will have to follow Yue Yang to Dayuan, a place that is a barren place in the eyes of today's people. The other way is to change the court and choose a new backer, but this road is also not easy to take, after all, according to their current status, there are not many people who can be their backers, and even fewer people are willing to accept them.

After being silent for a long time, Yang Guozhu said: "Dawei, do you say that this time the Hou Ye sent us to test us?" ”

"Hmm...... Quite possibly! Hu Dawei nodded, "If we pick up relatives from near and far, we are not as good as Wu Chengfeng's brother-in-law of the Hou Ye, and even less than General Hu and Yue Shunbao, who have followed him since they were young, we are at best just monks who have become monks halfway, and it is normal for the Hou Ye to have doubts about us, so now our decision is related to the rest of our lives." ”

Yang Guozhu suddenly asked, "What about you...... What are your plans? ”

"Me?" Hu Dawei smiled bitterly: "What else can I do, anyway, our bodies have been branded with the mark of the Hou Ye, and we can't erase it, so let's just go all the way to the black." Isn't it just to stay in Dayuan for the rest of your life? If Master Hou can go, why can't I go? ”

"Yes......" Yang Guozhu also sighed.

Hu Dawei asked, "How about the old man, have you thought about it?" ”

"Of course I thought about it!" Yang Guozhu laughed: "Since you have made a decision, how can I lag behind you?" Walk...... Let's meet Lu Duchen together, quickly wipe out these thieves, and then go back to Xuanda to prepare things! ”

"Let's go!"

The two looked at each other and smiled, then stood up and strode outside......

Three days later, somewhere in Yellowstone, in a cave in the middle of a mountain range

After several days of purging, Li Zicheng finally combed through the more than 20,000 people and horses left by Luo Rucai, mixed with sand and sand, and executed secretly, and now he finally has completely controlled this force of more than 30,000 rogues. Today he summoned his men to discuss the matter that was now imminent.

Li Zicheng was still wearing the pale cyan robe, with a sword hanging from his waist, and a longbow and arrow pot all behind him, he looked at the more than ten generals in front of him and said: "Brothers, the officers and soldiers have surrounded us here for more than two months, and our food is about to run out. ”

"What else can we do, since the Dog Court doesn't give us a way to live, then let's fight with him! What's more, we just swallowed more than 10,000 people and horses of Cao Cao. I don't believe it, with more than 30,000 horses, we can't fight our way out! The person who spoke was Li Zicheng's number one general, Liu Zongmin.

Li Dingguo on the side also agreed: "Mr. Liu is right, we still have more than 30,000 horses, with these horses, we may not be able to fight a bloody way!" It's just that Sun Chuanting and Lu Xiangsheng are both old treacherous and cunning people. Let's also be careful of their ambushes. ”

There was another person on the side: "Sun Chuanting and Lu Xiangsheng are nothing, the most difficult thing to deal with is those Xuan army, if they are entangled, don't think about running away!" ”

As soon as they heard this, everyone's faces were a little difficult to look at. The reason why Li Zicheng and Luo Rucai fell into such a field was entirely because of the Xuan army. Liukou Liukou, only the flowing thieves can be called Liukou, Li Zicheng can wrestle with the Ming Dynasty for so many years with the magic weapon of continuous flow. Today in Kaifeng, tomorrow in Macheng, the day after tomorrow in Zhengzhou, although the court is outnumbered, but there is nothing to do with them.

Even if Lu Xiangsheng and Sun Chuanting tried every possible way to encircle and suppress them, they could always escape through the gaps, but since a few months ago, after the Xuan army also joined the battle, Li Zicheng and them were like Sun monkeys who were put on a tight spell, no matter where they went, they would be caught up by the cavalry of the Xuan army, and then use their long-range firearms to hang them like kites, these people can't be shaken off like kraft candy, and finally Li Zicheng and Luo Rucai were forced into this mountain range step by step by them, In the end, it came to this point.

"I'm cǎo his grandmother, these Xuan army is really evil, they don't have more than 2,000 cavalry, why are they so difficult?" Li Guo angrily kicked a tree stump at his feet.

"It's not that the cavalry is difficult, it's that their firearms are too sharp!" Sun Kewang said faintly: "Their firearms can kill people at a distance of four or five hundred steps, what else can we do?" Have you forgotten the lesson outside Kaifeng last time? ”

As soon as they heard this, everyone's hearts trembled, it was the battle two months ago that destroyed the arrogance in the hearts of Li Zicheng, Luo Rucai and others. In that battle, Li Zicheng and Luo Rucai, who did not believe in evil, led 780,000 Liukou to attack the Xuanda army's Huojiao phalanx, and the consequence was that less than half of the 70,000 or 80,000 Liukou survived in the end. The corpses of tens of thousands of people were spread all over the land for more than ten miles, and Li Zicheng and Luo Rucai, who were frightened, took the remaining tens of thousands of people to quickly drill into the ravine, and then Sun Chuanting and Lu Xiangsheng made dumplings, and also led Luo Ru to be killed by Li Zicheng.

The distraught Liu Zongmin said angrily: "This can't do this, that's not good, just everyone is here and waiting for death!" ”

Just when everyone couldn't think of a way, there was a sudden rush of footsteps outside, and a leader stumbled in and shouted: "King Chuang, leaders, the big thing is not good, officers and soldiers...... The officers and soldiers are coming! ”

"What nonsense are you talking about, how can the officers and soldiers find us!"

The leader was so anxious that he almost swore by his fingers: "It's true, the villain saw it with his own eyes, and the two who took the lead were Yang Chengzu and Wang Long!" ”

Everyone was shocked in their hearts, and everyone ran out of the cave in unison, looked outside, and heard a faint sound of shouting and killing from a mountain peak not far away, accompanied by bursts of roaring in the middle. It turned out that the officers and soldiers really killed me...... (To be continued......)