After Lu Jianchen and Guo Zeng'an finished the negotiations, they hurriedly returned to Yangzhou to prepare for the opening of a new salt farm next year. If they travel quickly, they may still have time to go home for the Chinese New Year.

And because the rebels have been besieged for a long time, the local situation in Shandong has gradually calmed down. The communication between Wu Shigong and Runing Mansion was finally unimpeded.

And this time, the Ru Ning Army who stayed behind sent five messengers to send a large package of letters to Wu Shigong. Those were all replies written by the families of the soldiers after receiving the letters from the soldiers. And after receiving these letters, the soldiers were also jubilant.

Wu Shigong himself also received a long letter written by Deng Qifan, telling Wu Shigong all the things that had happened to the Runing Army Headquarters recently. What made Wu Shigong somewhat satisfied was that in addition to seizing the Nanyang Iron Mine, there were no other tricky things that Wu Shigong needed to deal with.

Of course, he also brought Wu Shigong's family letter. In the family letter, the four pregnant wives who made Wu Shigong the most worried all gave birth. Wu Shigong added two boys, two girls and four children. Li Xin and Mei Yun both gave birth to a girl, and Zhao Ruya finally had a son. There is also Qiongniang who also gave birth to a little son for Wu Shigong.

In this regard, Wu Shigong couldn't help but feel a little proud. By now, the number of Wu Shigong's children has reached ten. And they're all healthy, too. Compared with the danger of production in the Ming Dynasty and the high mortality rate of children, Wu Shigong was really lucky. It seems that from the perspective of genetics, Xue Lian took a fancy to Wu Weizhong's son as a son-in-law at that time, and he was really very discerning!

In addition, in the letter, Wu Shigong also learned a good news. At this time, Wu Shigong knew that Zhou Yanru, the first assistant who posed the greatest threat to his stay in Henan, had also stepped down. The stone that had been pressed on his heart for a long time fell to the ground, which made Wu Shigong ecstatic. To celebrate, in the evening of the same day. Wu Shigong and Carreli partyed all night.

And because the Chinese New Year was approaching, Wu Shigong specially approved the distribution of more than 11,000 taels of silver, and gave all the soldiers of the Runing Army who were now fighting as bonuses. However, this time it was not cash silver that was issued, but a slip on how much silver each soldier received.

It's not that Wu Shigong is stingy. With this article, as long as they return to Runing Mansion, the silver of these soldiers will be distributed in full. Now these soldiers have food and drink in the big camp, and they don't need cash at all. Besides, Wu Shigong also understands a truth: soldiers will become bad when they have silver, and soldiers will become bad for silver.

In fact, the current Wu Shigong is already very satisfied with this expedition. With the departure of the first assistant Zhou Yanru. The biggest worries have been dispelled. I thought that I would fight to the death with the Houjin army in Liaodong, and I might have suffered heavy losses, but I didn't expect to be involved in a civil war.

Even more pleasing was the expansion of the army, and the acquisition of huge sums of money and ordnance. He also observed the battles of the highest level of troops of the Ming Dynasty, and even obtained dozens of Portuguese military advisers. For Wu Shigong. What's not to like?

It's like recuperating before Zuihou's fight. The Ming army and the rebels invariably stopped fighting around the Chinese New Year. The eyes of both sides are also fixed on the signal of war - the sea is freezing.

In a blink of an eye, it was February of the sixth year of Chongzhen. At this time, Kong Youde's rebels were already short of food. They ate all the coolies as well. Even the military prostitutes ate a seven-seven-eighty-eight. However, by this time, the sea water has begun to thaw.

Kong Youde began to order the rebels to prepare to flee by boat, but then an accident happened. There was a former general of Dongjiang Town on Phi Island, taking advantage of the fact that the sea water had just thawed, and rowed a boat to Dengzhou City with several cronies, bringing a piece of news to Kong Youde that shocked him: Huang Long, the general soldier of the Ming army stationed in Phi Dao and Lushun. He will lead the sailors to block Dengzhou City from the water, and will completely besiege the rebels to death. This made Kong Youde lose a lot of money.

"Let's take a boat according to Jihua. This vast sea may not necessarily meet the intercepting sailors. As long as the time comes, find a small island to settle down, with our strength. Maybe you can also make a career that Mao Shuai made before, and when the time comes, it is a good choice to take refuge in which side or even to become the king of yourself! ”

"You're talking lightly. Anyway, you are also a single, and you have no worries. You know, we still have more than 7,000 people on board. When the time comes, when we meet the sailors, we can't fight, we can't run, we can't run away, will we all go to death? ”

"Running away one is one. Anyway, it's worth it after such a scene, and it's unlucky for us to meet a sailor. I don't believe it, can't we run away from a boat? ”

"Alright! Don't make any noise! But I also have a question, who will break off? Not necessarily that we have all boarded the ship, and the officers and soldiers will still stay outside the city stupidly when they see that Dengzhou City has become an empty city, right? ”

"What's so difficult to solve here, the old way, let's draw lots!"

"Fart! The lottery you played, Lao Tzu had already seen through it. Either go together or neither. If you want Lao Tzu to die, no way! ”

…………

Looking at the noisy rebel military attachés, Kong Youde finally got impatient. He slapped the table and frowned and shouted, "Shut up!" Listen to what my old Kong has to say! ”

"We were all together at the time, and it was good for the two brothers to eat and drink spicy and play with women, but now that we encounter some small problems, do we have to pinch each other? Regardless of my brother's life or death, my Lao Kong has never done it before, and I will never do it in the future. All prepare, tomorrow with the horse team as the lead, the infantry team follows closely behind, and rushes out of the Ming army outside the city. It is divided into three roads, and I, Lao Geng and Ying Yuan each lead one way. Rushing out is life, you can't rush out, and everyone is a good man after 18 years! It's all gone, go back and let the sons and daughters have a full meal, and tomorrow let the officers and soldiers outside the city see the demeanor of our old Liao army. ”

After the military attaches of the rebel army were dispersed, Geng Jingzhong, who was left alone, said to Kong Youde with some concern: "There are tens of thousands of officers and troops outside the city, they have several trenches and earthen walls, and they are related to Ning Tieqi, there is not much chance for us to rush out tomorrow!" ”

"Even if we rush out, we will become the rogues who hit the state and the government, and sooner or later there will be a day when the mountains and rivers will be exhausted. Also, the family members of those old Liao soldiers are also women, children and old people, and they will definitely not be able to escape, so it is better to try their luck by boat. ”

Kong Youde sighed and replied, "Why don't I understand this truth?" But if you look at the people who are arguing today, they are arguing with each other, but they are all looking at our actions. If we arrange for any of the troops to be broken, I am afraid that those who are not ours will immediately draw their knives. Now there is only one way to break through together! ”

"However, tomorrow you will be more leisurely. As soon as he saw that the situation was not good, he hurried to recycle. Let Li Yingyuan stand in front, anyway, he is young and vigorous, so let's fly separately when this catastrophe comes. You and I will each send some of our families, and we must guard the water city well. If something goes wrong, get on board immediately! ”

Geng Jingzhong nodded and said, "That's the only way!" ”

But this sudden bad news completely shattered the morale of the rebels. That night, one of the rebels' general banners crossed the city at night and reported this important military situation to Zhu Dadian and Gao Qiqian. And Huang Qiqi also sent his younger brother Yuecheng to the army of the Henan Army.

Wu Shigong, who was woken up from his dream, immediately interrogated Huang Qiqi's own brother, and also learned that the rebels would break through tomorrow. Moreover, Huang Qiqi's own brother is willing to stay in the Henan army as a hostage to prove the authenticity of his report.

At this time, Wu Shigong was a little hesitant, whether to tell the coach Zhu Dadian and Gao Qiqian about this major military situation first? Or should you discuss with Liu Zeqing first and prepare to take advantage of the chaos to attack the city? But at this time, the messenger who summoned all the generals of the Ming army with Zhu Dadian and Gao Qiqian also arrived.

Wu Shigong hurriedly dressed up and rushed to the Chinese military tent, and at this time the military discussion had already begun. And when Wu Shigong learned that Zhu Dadian and Gao Qiqian had also gotten the rebel report anyway, he immediately hid in the corner of the Chinese military tent and watched the changes.

Regarding the accuracy of this information, all the military attachés of the Ming army in the Chinese military tent are of the same opinion. This kind of major event is always better to believe in what it has than what it does not have.

Then it's time for the specific arrangement. The first was to arrange an ambush-for-tat to ambush the three rebel armies that had broken through. Then it was arranged for the Ming army to take advantage of the chaos to attack Dengzhou City.

Among these achievements, the first unit to enter Dengzhou City must be the first to merit. And the Ming army that ambushed the rebel breakout force was also a great achievement. As expected, Zhu Dadian and Gao Qiqian arranged for the Liaodong Army to be the force to attack Dengzhou City, while Qiu Lei's Ming army was the main force to ambush the rebels. Liu Zeqing and Wu Shigong, the troops of the coalition army, were once again honored to drink the northwest wind.

The entire military discussion was carried out for a short time, and after it was neatly arranged, Wu Shigong and Liu Zeqing, who had a blue face, went out of the Chinese military tent together. After leaving the Chinese army camp, Wu Shigong looked around and saw that there were no other military attaches of the Ming army, so he whispered to Liu Zeqing: "Brother Hezhou, junior brother, there is also someone from the rebels here tonight. ”

Liu Zeqing's eyes suddenly lit up, and he immediately asked, "Is the news accurate?" What did the messenger say? ”

Wu Shigong smiled and said, "That's the news from a thousand generals of the rebel army who guards the southern city wall. The messenger was his own brother. That Qian is always willing to sacrifice Nancheng in times of chaos. Therefore, Brother Hezhou must also be ready to go back, and the younger brother estimates that the most likely time for the rebels to break through is early tomorrow morning. At that time, we will find a way to enter Dengzhou City first. ”

Liu Zeqing was immediately overjoyed, and he said, "Okay! Brother is waiting for the good news of Changjing brother! ”

After returning to the main camp of the Henan army, Wu Shigong immediately gathered all the officers and arranged for the troops to get up after midnight to eat and prepare for tomorrow's battle.

On February 12 of the sixth year of Chongzhen, the offensive and defensive battle of Dengzhou City finally began. (To be continued......)