After knowing the news that Wu Shigong and they were going to go on the expedition again, the families of those officers on the city wall staged a scene of tears with those officers. Wu Shigong also watched his tearful wife and son refuse to leave for a long time......

Although Qin Liangyu is actively seeking war, she is not brainless. Although Qin Liangyu took the initiative to invite Ying as a striker this time, she also wanted to squeeze enough benefits from the imperial court. After all, the poor life of the white pole soldiers has been long enough.

Therefore, Qin Liangyu did not immediately set out of camp, but kept crying to the court and Sun Chengzong, asking the court and Sun Chengzong to add another batch of mules, horses, grain and grass. And in order to recover the four cities of Yongping, the imperial court and Sun Chengzong basically met Qin Liangyu's requirements. Even when he arrived in Zuihou, he made an exception to open the south gate of the capital and transported a batch of supplies to Qin Liangyu from the capital.

Seeing that he had basically met his requirements, Qin Liangyu officially announced that he would set off from the camp. And by this time it was already the middle of February. Because this was a unified operation, Wu Shigong and his main officers were also by Qin Liangyu's side and obeyed Qin Liangyu's unified command.

But not long after she set off, Qin Liangyu ordered the army to slow down the march, and then she sent a messenger to the surrounding cities, and sent a team of soldiers to the countryside to begin to recruit the young men nearby. Moreover, Qin Liangyu also ordered these young men to prepare their own weapons, tools and dry food, and set off with the army.

Qin Liangyu's order made Wu Shigong very surprised after hearing it. Isn't this a naked pull of the strong ding? As Wu Shigong, who has modern thinking, he never imagined that the regular army of the Ming Dynasty could be so blatantly pulled in the vicinity of the capital. And what is even more exaggerated is that it is okay not to pay those villagers, but if these villagers are asked to prepare their own weapons, tools, grain and grass, isn't this forcing these villagers to death?

These days, Wu Shigong also has some friendship with Qin Liangyu, so he stepped forward and persuaded: "Qin Zongbing, aren't you afraid of causing a civil uprising if you keep doing this?" ”

Unexpectedly, Qin Liangyu turned around and shouted loudly: "Nonsense! For the sake of the country, why should we divide the army and the people? ”

Then Qin Liangyu felt that his tone was a little heavy, so he lowered his voice and explained to Wu Shigong: "This time I went out to recover the four cities of Yongping. The four cities were located at the border, and they were originally built very strongly. Plus there is a large army of Tartars stationed there. ”

"Although the old man's sons are brave, the number is indeed too small, and with your army, there are only more than 8,700 people. The old body is eager to divide one person into two people to use. ”

"The sons are going to fight with the Tartars, how can they do it if they don't have the strength? It's up to these young men to do the heavy work. Attacking a fortified city also requires these young men to dig trenches and fill in moats. ”

"The old body is helpless to do this. These young men will also bring a maximum of ten or eight days of food, and the old body will also provide them with a bite to eat. In the future, when there is a war, the old body will try to protect their safety as much as possible. ”

"Do you think it's so easy for us to attack these four fortified cities this time? According to the old body, there is no half a year, and it will definitely not be able to attack. Besides, the armies that follow us will also recruit young and strong people in this way. They don't treat these young men as human beings, and they kill them at will. In comparison, those young people who stay by the old body's side are better. ”

Wu Shigong was speechless by Qin Liangyu's words. He understood that the young men who were brought in were to be used as coolies and cannon fodder. But compared with the losses of his own army, Wu Shigong also knew that Qin Liangyu's approach was correct. There's no way, a soft-hearted person can't be a leading general at all, and Ci is not in charge of the army!

When they arrived in Zuihou, more than 3,000 people gathered from the nearby city and young men from the countryside. Although Wu Shigong looked at those young men with yellow faces and thin muscles, he felt that they were relatively pitiful. However, Wu Shigong still urged these young and strong groups to immediately replace the heavy work done by his soldiers, such as camping and cooking.

At this time, what Wu Shigong didn't know was that near their march, there was an old acquaintance of Wu Shigong in Guide Mansion, who had been reinstated by Emperor Chongzhen and was now the squire of the military department.

After the Tatars entered the customs, Hou Sui led a large army to be stationed in Changping to defend the imperial tombs of the emperors of the Ming Dynasty. And at this time, there was a personal soldier who was very trusted by him - Zuo Liangyu.

We already know earlier that Zuo Liangyu was dismissed by Yuan Chonghuan, the governor of Liaodong at that time, after the mutiny of Liaodong in the first year of Chongzhen. However, because Zuo Liangyu did not participate in and instigate the mutiny, after Yuan Chonghuan's anger subsided, he was soon reinstated, and Zuo Liangyu also served under the guerrilla general Cao Wenzhao.

And after the Tatars entered the customs this time, Zuo Liangyu followed Cao Wenzhao to rescue the danger of the Beijing Division, and fought meritorious battles in the battles of Yutian, Fengrun and other four cities. But when passing through Changping, when Cao Wenzhao sent Zuo Liangyu to Hou Sui to ask for grain and grass, Zuo Liangyu, who was very martial spirit, was taken by Hou Sui, who had a special love for Haode. Hou Sui asked Cao Wenzhao for Zuo Liangyu, and Zuo Liangyu, who had a strong sense of fame, stayed by Hou Sui's side and became Hou Sui's personal soldier.

Not long after, Zuo Liangyu, who was very admired by Hou Sui, was promoted to general by Hou Sui. A few days before Zuo Liangyu became a general, he once went to Hou Sui's bedroom to "talk all night". And the next morning, whether Zuo Liangyu came out with a chrysanthemum, this author really doesn't know!

Since then, Zuo Liangyu has been favored and promoted by Hou Sui, and has begun to embark on his career history.

What Wu Shigong didn't know was that near his march, there was an official and the army of King Qin he raised, which would be famous in the history of the late Ming Dynasty in the future. That is Lu Xiangsheng and his Tianxiong army.

Lu Xiangsheng is a native of Yixing. But although he is a southerner, he is both civil and military. In addition to studying diligently, he also studied military books and practiced martial arts. It is said that his practice sword weighs one hundred and thirty-six pounds. This is much more than Guan Yunchang's eighty-two-pound Blue Dragon Glaive Knife!

At the age of twenty-two, Lu Xiangsheng became a jinshi and served as the head of the household department. At the age of twenty-seven, he was appointed as the prefect of the daimyo. After the entry of the Houjin army this time, Lu Xiangsheng recruited more than 10,000 people in the Daimyo Mansion and entered Beijing to assist in the defense, making a small contribution. also in the imperial court, leaving Lu Xiangsheng's reputation as a military strategy.

Soon after, Lu Xiangsheng was promoted to the right political officer and deputy envoy, responsible for rectifying the military garrison of the three prefectures of Daimyo, Guangping, and Shunde. Based on the more than 10,000 people he had recruited, he strictly enforced military discipline, strengthened military training, and greatly boosted the appearance of the army. Zuihou created a strong force in the late Ming Dynasty - Tianxiong Army.

At this time, Amin, who was ordered to lead the blue flag and garrison the four cities of Yongping, was of course also aware of Huang Taiji's sinister intentions. At this time, he was discussing with the deputy marshal Shuotuo, as well as Gushan Ezhen Namutai, Turge, Tanggudai and Baduli how to defend the four cities of Yongping.

At the beginning of the military discussion, the outspoken Baduli said: "Lord Belle, although we are raised by our stepmother, we are all sons of the country. Our nation was originally an eagle on the grassland, and what we pay attention to is riding and shooting. But now it is framed by those four cities. When the time comes, if we fight hard under the city, our sons and daughters with blue flags will definitely lose a lot. The lives of the minions were originally Belle's, and it was nothing to hand them over to Belle, but Belle's need to think about it, without the support of the minions, Belle's life in front of the Khan King would not be easy in the future! ”

Seeing that Baduli's words became more and more disheartening, Deputy Marshal Shuotuo immediately stopped him: "Don't talk nonsense. There is no one with a door. Batuli shut his mouth in a huff.

Then, Shuoto turned to Amin and said, "But what Batuli said is still reasonable. There are nearly 300 people in each of the other flags, and there are only 200 people in each of our blue flags, and there are only 5,000 soldiers and horses in our blue flags. ”

"And with our blue flag, there are more than 3,000 Mongolian soldiers. These Mongols are also useful when fighting a good war, and they are also good at burning and killing, but in case of war, they are just herdsmen. ”

"And the more than 2,000 Ming troops who surrendered to us, that is even more unreassuring. When the Ming army comes, it will be very good for them not to fight back! But we have to face tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of Ming troops, but we still have to divide our troops to defend the four cities. This battle is indeed difficult to fight! ”

Listening to Batuli and Shuoto's words, Amin touched the bald scalp in front of his head in annoyance. He said: "The Khan has an order, and we will not be able to keep it. Well, let's prepare for both. ”

Then, Amin, Shuoto, and the generals of the Houjin army discussed. Zuihou They decided: Namutai, Turge, Tanggudai and others led a thousand soldiers with blue flags, cooperated with a thousand Mongol troops and a thousand surrendered Ming troops, and held the first city, Luanzhou City.

Amin took the main force with the blue flag and Yongping City, which was guarding the back, as a backup. And Shuoto led some soldiers to the back two cities to defend. In addition, Shuoto will take with him the property and mules and horses seized by the four cities, and in case the first two cities cannot hold on, he will immediately withdraw with these things to the outside of the pass.

In addition, Ba Duli led 800 soldiers with blue flags and 1,300 Mongol troops to take the initiative to attack, delaying the movement of the Ming army as much as possible through night raids and looting grain routes. It is better to knock out one or two of the Ming army's troops. And Amin will also ask for help from the Khan Emperor Taiji outside the pass, and ask him to send some reinforcements.