In the hall, rows of candles were burning, making the room particularly bright, and several peasant-looking men were squatting there, with dark and thin faces, showing a simple attitude, eating noodles with gusto, as if they had not eaten for several days.

At this moment, Li Zicheng was standing at the door of the hall, watching all this, Tian Jianxiu and Gu Junen were standing behind them, both silent, listening to Gao Yigong's narration.

"Brother-in-law, at the beginning, these people just wanted to look for rebels from all walks of life in Henan, and they didn't necessarily have to invite us. They were just passing through Yingzhou, and they happened to hear that there was a rebel army attacking Yingzhou, so they changed their route to come here. ”

Hearing this, the last trace of doubt in Li Zicheng's heart was gone, he nodded lightly, and then said loudly: "Yigong, after they have eaten, sort out the city defense situation of Fengyang Mansion, write it into a document, get a few more copies, and discuss it with the leaders tomorrow." ”

A day later, in Fengyang City, in the governor's yamen and hall, the governor Yang Yipeng and the commander Yuan Ruizheng sat on the top, and on the lower sides sat the prefect Yan Daxuan, Lu Chengyin, and the official Wan Wenying.

At this moment, Yang Yipeng's face was full of different colors, his eyes swept over everyone, and he said in a deep voice: "Everyone, according to the Tanmalai report, just a few days ago, Huoqiu and Shouzhou fell one after another and were broken by the chaotic army. A day ago, the thieves Li Zicheng and others captured Yingzhou and killed Yin Menglong, Zhao Shikuan, and Zhang Heming. ”

The atmosphere was stagnant, and it suddenly became solemn, but the commander Yuan Ruizheng looked disapplied, and said lightly: "Lord Yang, colleagues, don't worry, Fengyang Mansion does not need other state capitals and counties, but the command envoy has more than 6,000 troops, which is enough to defend Fengyang Mansion and protect the emperor's mausoleum." ”

As soon as the words fell, immediately afterward, the prefect Yan Daxuan's fat face trembled, and with a smile on his face, he echoed flatteringly: "Lord Yang, what Commander Yuan said is good, you are too worried." We have more than 6,000 troops here, all of whom are elite divisions of the imperial court, specializing in guarding the safety of the imperial tomb. Moreover, even if it is defeated by the rebel army, it is more than enough to protect itself. If the rebel army really dares to attack Fengyang Mansion, it only needs to hold out for three or two days, and the reinforcements from Jinling Mansion will arrive. ”

The other commander nodded slightly, with a thoughtful look on his face, and also said: "Yes, with these more than 6,000 soldiers and horses, even if you can't defeat the rebellious army, as long as the grain and grass in the city are abundant, it will be no problem to hold on for ten days and half a month." What's more, with the wolf smoke on our side, the surrounding garrisons are bound to come to help. ”

For a while, as a civilian official who didn't understand military affairs, Yang Yipeng didn't know what to say to refute, his expression was still dignified, and he could only say leisurely: "Hmm... However, Yuan commanded the envoy, although there were more than 6,000 elites in Fengyang Mansion, which was enough to protect himself and wait for reinforcements. But for the sake of safety, we should still strengthen vigilance and increase patrols around Fengyang City. ”

Speaking of this, Yang Yipeng's gaze lingered on the faces of the generals, and finally stopped on Yuan Ruizheng's body, his tone became a little heavier, and he continued seriously: "After all, Fengyang Mansion is different from other state capitals and counties, there is a royal ancestral tomb here, once there is a mistake, you and I will not escape the death penalty." ”

In an instant, everyone's hearts sank, and Yuan Ruizheng put away his contempt, nodded heavily, and echoed: "Lord Yang, what you said is right, even if Fengyang City is saved, once the royal ancestral tomb has a mistake, everyone will not be able to escape the death penalty." ”

While speaking, Yuan Ruizheng nodded lightly and continued emphatically: "Lord Yang, don't worry, after we finish talking, I will immediately send additional manpower to strengthen the security posts near Fengyang City. ”

Hearing this, Yang Yipeng secretly breathed a sigh of relief, his face was slightly relieved, but he still had a feeling of uneasiness in his heart, and he was restless, and he didn't know that there was an omission there, and he didn't do it properly.

......

In the early morning of the next day, the fog was thick, and the entire Fengyang Mansion was shrouded in a sea of white, with barely five fingers stretched out, and the visual range was only two meters in radius.

In the northwest direction of Fengyang City, a group of soldiers and horses appeared in the dense fog, and their bodies were completely covered by white fog, even if there were nearly 100,000 people, the garrison of Fengyang Mansion did not find any clues, they only felt that the whole world was white.

In the thick white mist, there was a soft sound of conversation.

"Leader Zhang, are your people back? Is there a problem with the official and military deployment maps provided by the people of Fengyang Mansion? ”

"Leader Gao, I arranged a few people in Fengyang City to come back, under the verification of the two phases, there is no problem with the city defense map of the official army, it is very accurate, and it records in detail that a certain family is rich and there are no soldiers somewhere."

"Hey, hey... Unexpectedly, Fengyang City actually has no castles, and he should really thank the Ming Emperor for believing in Feng Shui. Otherwise, if you want to take Fengyang Mansion, you have to spend a lot of money and lose a lot of soldiers and horses. ”

"Fortunately, there are a few ordinary people leading the way, in such foggy weather, let alone fighting, even Fengyang City can't be found, so you have to be blind."

......

On the drum tower in the west of Fengyang City, two officers and soldiers were standing guard, looking lazy, and one of them complained: "Made, it's really unlucky to stand here on a cold day!" The sky is full of fog, and you can't see anything, I really don't know what those people above think? What's the use of keeping a sentry like this? ”

"Shhhh Be quiet, if the guerrilla general listens to it, you and I will have to eat military sticks! Another officer and soldier hurriedly stopped, and further said: "It's better to be cautious, if the rebel army really comes, it's better to be prepared, after all, it involves you and me..."

Suddenly, a commotion came, interrupting the conversation between the two.

"Ah~ not good... Enemy attack! Enemy attack! Go and report to Master Zhu! ”

"Quick! Fast! must be blocked, if the city is lost, you and I will die after all! ”

Ding Ding Dong ...

Sonorous ...... Qiang Qiang ......

The sound of all kinds of swords is echoing, and the sound of fighting is resounding, intensifying, although you can't see the situation on the battlefield, you can judge from these alone, how tragic the battle on the battlefield is!

The two officers and soldiers were only stunned for a moment, the sound of the killing made their bodies tremble, their scalps were numb, their backs were in a cold sweat, and a sense of fear and fear arose, and one of them immediately reacted, and hurriedly urged: "Hurry up... You go and beat the gongs and drums, and I will report to the left-behind adults! ”

Shout!

A steel arrow struck, and the gong "banged" for a while, and the officers and soldiers who struck the gong were instantly shot, and the steel arrow sank into their chests, and their mouths were "gurgling" with blood, and they fell to the ground suddenly, and with a "bang", they suddenly woke up another officer and soldier who was stunned.

The other officer and soldier's eyes were full of horror, and he recovered in an instant, and understood the key question, why was that officer and soldier shot under the thick fog?

Staring at the gong stiffly, and looking back at the big drum, another officer and soldier trembled, stopped his steps, stopped beating the drum, gave a warning, turned away, quickly ran away from the drum tower, and went straight to Fengyang City.

Soon after, in a military general's mansion near the city gate, there was a shouting and shouting, and there was a complete chaos.

"Oh no... The chaotic army is coming, and it has hit near the drum tower outside the west gate, go and call the left-behind general! ”

Soon, in the hall, Zhu Xiangguo, who was left behind, walked in in armor, and without waiting for the generals in the hall to say anything, he immediately ordered: "Gather all the soldiers and horses, immediately follow me to meet the rebels, go to block them, and win more reaction time for the other troops." ”

"Yes, General!"

"Whoa... Whoa..."

With the sound of armor rubbing, the hall was already empty, and soon after, there was a sound of fighting outside the west gate.

At this moment, there are some weirdness in Fengyang City, especially near the West Gate, although the shouting and killing sound are shocking and the smell of blood is permeated, but no ordinary people run out of their homes and go to the Yamen to report the news, as if at that moment, a tacit consensus was reached.

The dense fog dissipated and gradually faded, and the visual distance had expanded to a radius of more than ten meters.

Outside the West Gate, the sound of all kinds of fighting became smaller and smaller, and more and more rebel armies kept approaching Fengyang City.

In the slightly forward position of the rebel army, the King of Sweeper, the King of Taiping and others were commanding their respective troops, fighting with the officers and soldiers, blood flowed everywhere, and corpses were everywhere. The rebel army was like a tide, constantly pouring into Fengyang City, black and oppressive, with no end in sight.

Coupled with the white eyes and thick fog, the rebel army is like soldiers from another world, swarming in.

At the same time, in the commanding embassy of Fengyang City, Yuan Ruizheng appeared in the hall sleepy-eyed, still wearing a white pajamas, the whole person looked lazy and lazy, and the prefect Yan Daxuan walked in at this time, and hurriedly asked: "The general hurriedly summoned the subordinate early in the morning, what happened?" ”

"Whew... You ask him..."Yuan Ruizheng rubbed his eyes, and pointed at the soldiers standing in the hall disapprovingly, without the slightest sense of crisis.

"General, what the subordinates said is true, the rebel army is really coming, and it has reached the west gate. Before the subordinates came, a group of people dressed as civilians, armed with weapons, rushed to the city gate. ”

Yuan Ruizheng still didn't look anxious, but yawned, and the prefect Yan Daxuan asked sharply: "Hey.. I said, if the rebel army is really coming, why are you the only one who comes to report the news? Although the fog is thick, why don't you hear the sound of gongs and drums? Get out! Otherwise, you will be punished for lying about the military situation! ”

"My lord, what my subordinates said is true, Zhu Liushou has already rushed out of the city to meet the battle, if he doesn't send troops to support, General Zhu will be more auspicious; If you don't send troops to recapture the West City Gate, Fengyang City will fall. ”

"Come on, drag out this person who lied about the military situation, and severely punish thirty military sticks as a punishment." Yuan Ruizheng shouted impatiently, showing dissatisfaction, still without any anxiousness, in the process of the two soldiers dragging the messenger out, he yawned again, and continued as if talking to himself: "General Ben has planted so many open and dark posts outside the city, and there are so many guards and patrol personnel, if the rebel army really attacks, how can there be no sound?" ”

No matter what the messenger shouted and requested, Yuan Ruizheng showed a hint of apology, looked at the prefect Yan Daxuan, and said embarrassedly: "I'm really sorry to disturb Lord Yan in the morning, please go back, with this commander here, Fengyang Mansion will be fine." ”

After that, Yuan Ruizheng didn't wait for Yan Daxuan to have any response, and immediately went to his bedroom, yawning, muttering and cursing.

Seeing this situation, Yan Daxuan was dumbfounded, all this happened too fast, from the messenger being dragged out, to Yuan Ruizheng's eviction order, it was just a few breaths, and he didn't have a chance to speak at all.

At this moment, Yan Daxuan swallowed his saliva with difficulty, and wanted to persuade Yuan Ruizheng in his heart, in an extraordinary period, regardless of the authenticity of the news, for the sake of insurance, he should still take someone to take a look.

Seeing that Yuan Ruizheng had already walked into the bedroom, Yan Daxuan swallowed back the words that came to his mouth, hesitated slightly, and then showed a resolute expression, seemed to have made a decision, nodded heavily, and muttered as he walked: "It's better to report this matter to the governor, anyway, it's already up." ”

Not long after, when he came to the crossroads, he seemed to think of something, Yan Daxuan suddenly changed his decision, turned around and went straight to the direction of the West Gate, and walked quickly, but before he had gone far, he immediately heard a burst of fighting.

"Oh my god, the rebel army is really coming!" Yan Daxuan listened attentively, and after confirming it, he couldn't help but exclaim, he was about to return the same way, preparing to inform the commander Yuan Ruizheng, his footsteps froze, and he muttered: "You can hear the intention of fighting here, it seems that the rebel army has broken through the West Gate, Fengyang City is probably no longer guaranteed, it is better to save your life and talk about it." ”

However, Yan Daxuan just walked a few steps, stopped again, and said to himself: "No, the people in the city have too much opinion of me, it is easy for them to recognize, once I am rescued, even if the rebel army does not kill me, the people of the whole city will not be able to spare me, it is better to find a safer place to hide, no one can recognize it, it is the best policy." ”

"Hmm... Where is the safest place to be? Yan Daxuan muttered, a flash of light suddenly flashed in his mind, as if he had figured out something, his eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but say: "Yes, once the rebel army enters the city, there is no place safer than there?" When the time comes, it is completely possible to come and escape from Fengyang City while the chaos is in chaos. ”

I don't know when, the fog is gone, the sun is hanging, there is no sound of fighting in Fengyang City, there are remnants of searching for officers and soldiers everywhere, the thick smell of blood fills the air, but Fengyang City is filled with a festive atmosphere.

On the mountain range not far from Fengyang City, there were even bursts of smoke, as if something had been burned in half.

Outside Fengyang City, Li Zicheng looked at the corpses everywhere, blood flowing, and Li Mu reported the results of the battle on the side.

"Boss, this battle went extremely smoothly, more than 6,000 officers and soldiers in Fengyang City were killed more than 4,000 people, and 1,500 people knelt inside, begging for mercy and life, and kept calling for Chitose. Moreover, they have already burned down Huangjue Temple, and Zhang Xianzhong and others are digging the royal ancestral tomb, and many local people are also involved, which shows how much Fengyang people hate the imperial court. ”

"Captain Li, there's nothing strange about this, the people of Fengyang Mansion have had a grudge with the royal family for more than two hundred years." Gu Junen looked natural, and then explained: "Even when the founding of the People's Republic of China, Zhu Yuanzhang became the emperor, the favor was just the grace of acquaintance, and the people of Fengyang were still heavy taxes and heavy taxes. ”