Yang Sichang watched Fang Kongzhao's back out of the Yimen, then returned to the back of the public case, encouraged and admonished, and ordered everyone to go down to rest, wait for the separate meeting, and then slightly bow his hand and retreat to the inner courtyard. All the civil and military officials bowed down and crossed their hands to see each other, and then withdrew solemnly from the White Tiger Hall in turn, waiting in Xingyuan. didn't make much effort, and shouted: "The superintendent has an order, please Huguang General Soldier Zuo!" ”

Zuo Liangyu panicked for a while, and didn't know why the supervisor was preaching. Futai Fang Kong Zhao did not commit this, but escorted the captain out of the hall, arrested and sent to Beijing to be investigated, and he failed miserably in Luo Monkey Mountain, only degraded by three levels, is it that the emperor has changed his mind and wants to be punished heavily? But on second thought, if there really is any secret order, the overseer should read it in public. He is a complementary respecter, and he is also the minister of the heart of the Son of Heaven, and he just took the opportunity to establish his majesty, to set an example, and never betrayed the truth of everyone. Zuo Liangyu followed Cheng Qiguan around the White Tiger Hall with trepidation, and then passed through the courtyard, and came to the small courtyard behind, still unable to think through. In front of the moon cave door of the small courtyard, stand these two guards with knives, through the moon cave door, see a verdant bamboo forest, deep reflection of a bright three dark five blue brick ridge hall, neither grandiose, nor carved beams and paintings, but in front of the hall hangs a red lacquer plaque, on the book "Festival Hall" two black lacquer characters, revealing a bit of murderous and majestic. This place Zuo Liangyu is no stranger, Xiong Wencan was also here a few times when he was prime minister, but today he feels a little unusual. As soon as I arrived in front of the hall, I heard a message: "Zuo Zongzhen has arrived in ----"

"Please!" Zuo Liangyu walked a few steps, climbed the stairs and reported loudly: "Huguang General Soldier Zuo Liangyu see the Cabinet Lord!" A lieutenant general of the Chinese army raised a scarlet satin black-trimmed plywood curtain and welcomed him in. Zuo Liangyu entered the door, glanced at Yang Sichang who was sitting, and hurriedly knelt down and saluted.

Yang Sichang straightened up slightly, smiled, returned the salute, and ordered the seat to be arranged. Zuo Liangyu took a seat, and Yang Sichang said in an intimate tone: "General Kunshan! ”

Zuo Liangyu stood up in fear, crossed his hands and saluted: "I really don't dare to call it that." ”

"You are a talented person, and your background and resume have long been known by this supervisor", Yang Sichang looked at the burly Zuo Liangyu and stood solemnly, and said unhurriedly: "You were born in the twenty-seventh year of Wanli, a native of Wulizhuang, Linqing, Shandong. Since he was a child, his parents died, and he was raised by his uncle, learning martial arts, and being able to shoot a bow left and right. From Liaodong to the army, he was promoted to the capital of the right battalion of Liaodong Che. Chongzhen participated in the Ningyuan Mutiny in the first year and was dismissed, and became a junior colonel in the Changping Army. In August of the fourth year of Chongzhen, the Dongyu besieged the Daling River, and the emperor urgently ordered the Changping garrison to go to the aid in the starry night. The governor of Changping and the right attendant of the military department, Hou Sui, strongly recommended him, and was exceptionally promoted to deputy general, leading his troops out of the customs, and winning two battles in Songshan and Xingshan. Is there any omission from the Inspector? ”

"It's true."

Yang Sichang sighed: "In fact, if Brother Gu pulls out the general in the army and puts him in the position of the commander of the army, although it is a lesson for people, but the most admired thing is the courage to recommend people, how much risk he takes, you must understand." Once you defeat Da Linghe, I am afraid that he will not be able to wear the three-grade court clothes on his body. "Hou Sui is a Jinshi in the forty-fourth year of Wanli, later than Yang Sichang's third branch, and he is also one year younger. Although he and Hou Sui did not have a deep relationship, he had always had a good impression of the Donglin Party. Hou Sui was promoted to the head of the household department, and soon returned to Shangqiu's hometown. Li Zicheng broke through Kaifeng, arrested the Beijing division for questioning and detained him for the crime of not saving the soldiers. In the past few years, things are not people, and seeing the heroic Zuo Liangyu, Yang Sichang couldn't help but feel sorry for Hou Sui.

"The last general will be grateful to Lord Hou for the rest of his life, and he will never forget it." Zuo Liangyu recalled the past, and his feelings of gratitude came spontaneously, and his voice was a little choked.

Yang Sichang nodded and said: "It's good to be grateful, the general is loyal, and this superintendent has already heard about it." Kaifeng City was broken, and Brother Ruogu was imprisoned for a long time for the crime of not saving the soldiers. I heard that every time Kunshan passes through Shangqiu, he does not avoid suspicion, and he will go to the hall to bow to his father, Mr. Bitang, and he is very respectful. This incident can also be seen that the general is loyal, virtuous will be repaid, and will not forget the old kindness. ”

"The last general came from a humble background and didn't read any books, but he also knew the three outlines and five constants, and he was confident that he was not an ungrateful person."

"The first one of the Inspectors of this division has been reported to the general, and he knows that you are an outstanding general! Nowadays, Liaozuo is frequently spreading beacon smoke, and the Central Plains is not determined, just when the country is employing people, the general is born in troubled times and has made great achievements. Today, the heavens are wise, make great efforts, make meritorious contributions to the ministers, and learn from the details, and punish those who are guilty. The emperor was furious at the defeat of Luo Monkey Mountain, but he took pity on the rare talents of the generals, and only demoted them to the third level. When His Majesty resigned, he implored the emperor to be extra gracious, pardon the previous sins, and seal the general of the thief, thinking that there would be a will soon, and the seal letter of the general of the thief was also sent immediately. The general looked up to the emperor's hard work and made several great contributions to repay the grace of the saint and the heavens and the earth, and he also lived up to the high hopes of the superintendent. ”

Since the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, the general of the Ping thief has only been given to Qiu Cheng once by Emperor Zhengde. Zuo Liangyu, as the general soldier of Huguang of Wu Yipin, was crowned as a general of Pingjiao, although his official rank could not be promoted, but it was a rare honor in a century, and his identity and reputation were above the lieutenant general. He was overjoyed, knelt down and kowtowed again and again: "The emperor's grace and the courtesy of the cabinet are kind, and the last general will be broken bones, and it will be difficult to repay in case." The thieves will not be destroyed for a day, and the generals will not stop the army for a day, and they are willing to fight with the thieves all the time, and they will die. ”

"Hahaha......" Yang Sichang touched his slender beard and laughed loudly: "It's a good death, this is what the superintendent wants!" Come on, sit down and talk, don't be formal. He waited for Zuo Liangyu to sit down, and said: "Since ancient times, those who have been great generals have often been proud of their achievements, so most of them have been ruined and have no good end. "Poetry" cloud: There is no beginning, there is an end, it is really the eternal truth. You were born in Longmu, and you are in the town of Yipin, and you are all fighting with a knife and a gun, and you fight with your life, it's really not easy! If you can have today's wealth, you should cherish it even more, and you must not indulge yourself, be greedy for a momentary pleasure, and ruin half a lifetime of fame. ”

"The overseer admonishes me."

Yang Sichang took a sip of tea, and then said: "Xiong Wencan has just arrived in Xiangyang, and he brought two thousand firearms from Guangdong, using newly purchased Western firearms from Macao and other places, and the charge and raid are the most effective, but the general forced Wencan to send them back, it is indeed Meng Lang!" And you and Liu Guoneng joined the Beijing Division, returned to the army to recruit the thieves in Henan, passed through Botou and Wuqiao, and plundered the troops, how is it different from the thieves? Seeing that Zuo Liangyu was silent, he paused for a moment, as if to exhort and excuse himself: "The arrogant soldiers are lazy, not the general, but the same disadvantage of the military camp, the imperial court order only extends to the governor, and the governor does not work for the general, and the general does not work for the soldiers, which is worrying." Since Cao Wenzhao and Ai Wannian, you and Cao Bianjiao, as well as the newly emerging Wu Sangui, are only a few famous generals in the dynasty, and there are only a handful. In today's troubled times, it is the time for the husband to leap on the horse with a sword and win fame, the general should sweep away the accumulated habits, lead the army, and kill the king, why can't he exterminate the thieves! ”

"The last general really can't get used to seeing him like a thief like a tiger, blindly appeasing ......" Zuo Liangyu still had to argue, but when he saw a cold light suddenly shooting out of Yang Sichang's eyes, he hurriedly changed his words: "I won't dare to do it again in the future." ”

Yang Sichang wanted to say a few more words, but he thought that it was all caused by Xiong Wencan's overly lenient imperial majesty when he was in Xiangyang, and after the generals went to Xiangyang to meet him, unless the military situation was urgent, he would have to stay for a few days. Yang Sichang secretly complained: "This is the only thing, Wen Can'an is undefeated!" He knew that it was not good to force Zuo Liangyu alone at this time, so he couldn't bear it, so he changed his words and asked: "Now that the thieves are newly defeated, dormant in the mountains of Shangluo, Zheng Chongjian, the governor of Shaanxi, sent troops to seal and suppress them from all sides, and they will not be destroyed overnight. The other three bands, Zhang Xianzhong stationed troops at the junction of Chu, Shu and Shaanxi in the west, Ge Liyan and Zuo Jinwang and other four battalions wandered in the east of Suizhou, Yingshan, Macheng, Huanggang area, Cao Cao, Guotianxing and other ten battalions, scattered in the south between Nanzhang, Fangxian, Xingshan, Yuan'an. Although Zhang Xianzhong's troops are not as good as Cao Cao, he is the most cunning and fierce, and he has Xu Yixian and other well-dressed scum as his wings, which is really a big trouble at present. Capture the thief first capture the king, and use all your strength to exterminate the thief, then the thief can surrender without a fight. The leather and left thieves have no long-term plans, but the disease of ringworm and scabies is not enough to worry about. Therefore, the current strategy of using troops: to encircle and suppress the thieves with all their might, and the service period will be flattened. The siege of the thieves was tightened to prevent them from escaping, and after the thieves were leveled, they moved to sweep Shangluo. Cao Cao, Ge, and Zuo thieves, for the time being, prevent them from wandering, once they offer and confer the head, they will not have to worry. What are the high opinions of Kunshan? ”

"It's all up to the superintendent. The last general was just worried that Zhang Xianzhong would enter Bashu and it would be difficult to contain it. ”

Yang Sichang twisted his beard and said: "This governor has strictly guarded Shao Jiechun, the governor of Sichuan, to strictly defend the passes in Shu and cut off the road to Shu. What the Inspector was worried about was that he had fled to Shaanxi, and the thieves had always been hit hard. Zheng Chongjian, the governor of Shaanxi, has been fortified along the Han River and cut off his road to Qin; The vast army of the lake urged it from the east to encircle and exterminate it. He saw that Zuo Liangyu still had some suspicion in his eyes, and secretly thought: This person is unreasonable, it is really difficult to control, and he must think of a way to make him fearful. He took a teacup and said, "Let's drink tea!" ”

Zuo Liangyu understood that the summons was over, and bowed to leave. Yang Sichang left his seat and sent him outside the curtain, and summoned several commanders, supervisors, and adjutant generals in batches. Yang Sichang has been in the sea for a long time, and he is very thorough and knowledgeable, and he knows the psychology of being an official, as long as he summons his boss and gives a few good words of encouragement, he is flattered and willing to do things with his strength. After summoning more than a dozen generals with military exploits, it was almost evening, but he still ordered everyone to return to the defensive ground in the starry night, and they were not allowed to stay in Xiangyang arbitrarily.

Knowing that the court and the superintendent are so heavy on themselves, Zuo Liangyu is very happy, but he is a little uneasy, Yang Sichang and Xiong Wencan are indeed very different, not to take it lightly, he usually indulges the soldiers to harass the people, kills the good and riskes the merits, the court already knows, if there is any handle in the hands of the cabinet, he will be secretly folded and participated, the light will be degraded, and the heavy will lose his life, wouldn't it be troublesome? When he returned to his lodgings, he drank alone, and after a while he became a little drunk, and ordered his soldiers to find someone to play and drink. The soldiers were embarrassed: "It's going to be a quiet street, if the Inspector knows......"

"The superintendent lives in the middle of the road, how does she know when you take a small sedan chair to carry people? Just go! Zuo Liangyu's eyes rolled, and the soldiers didn't dare to argue anymore, so they secretly went to the Qinglou to find a prostitute.

When it was over, Yang Sichang had no sleep, sat up in his clothes, thinking that Zuo Liangyu would bow his head and stick to his ears, otherwise all the generals would follow suit, and he would become a loner, even if he had a clever plan like Zhang Liang and Zhuge Liang, it would be difficult to perform. It is necessary to nurture a man who can contend with him, so that he can be encircled and obey the expulsion. "Two peaches kill three soldiers", he suddenly thought of a plan in his heart, the seal letter of the general of the thief should not be lightly given, and it should be used as a profit to make the two compete for the best. He took out the general's resume copied from the military department, flipped through it carefully, and stared at the name of He Renlong, the deputy chief soldier of Shaanxi: a native of Mizhi County, born in Xiucai, and later put pen to paper from Rong, he was admitted to the martial arts and was a garrison under the command of Hong Chengchou, the governor of Yansui. Brave in battle, people call him "He Crazy", repeatedly made war exploits, and was promoted step by step from the commander of the capital to the general, deputy chief soldier, and chief soldier. Yang Sichang immediately wrote a document to Zheng Chongjian, the governor of Shaanxi, and summoned He Renlong to rush to Xiangyang before the generals of the conference a month later.

After more than two months of work, the soldiers, horses, grain and grass have been raised, and it is already the middle of winter, and it is much more difficult for thieves to loot and hide than in summer and autumn. Three cannons rang out, and there was a shout in front of the White Tiger Hall, and Song Yihe, the new governor of Huguang, led the generals to enter through the two gates. Yang Sichang was still wearing the bullfighting suit given by the emperor, and sat down behind the big case in the hall. Song Yihe was wearing a new four-grade Yunyan supplement uniform, bowed down and walked into the lobby, bowed in front of the desk and said: "Song Yiniao, the lowly right and right prince, and Song Yiniao, the governor of Huguang, see the cabinet lord!" ”

"Please." Yang Sichang nodded and smiled, and Song Yihe stood up solemnly. The staff and attendants on the left and right snickered in their hearts, Song Yihe, in order to avoid Yang He's name, always wrote his name as Song Yiniao every time he submitted the notebook, but now he has publicly changed his name, and his ability to flatter is really unmatched. Subsequently, Zuo Liangyu and other generals and supervisors entered the hall to pay respects. Suddenly, Cheng Qiguan hurriedly walked in and presented a red silk shell title handbook to the Chinese army. The Chinese army saw it, bowed to Yang Sichang and said: "He Renlong, the general soldier of Shaanxi, is waiting outside the gate. ”

"Please!" Yang Sichang was overjoyed. The Chinese army retreated outside the hall and shouted loudly: "The superintendent has an order, please invite He Zongzhen to enter the hall to see!" Several people at the second gate echoed the voice, and the sound was transmitted all the way to the gate.

He Renlong was fully clothed, full of energy, and strode forward to sign up for worship. Yang Sichang glanced at Zuo Liangyu and asked, "The general has traveled thousands of miles, tired all the way, look at the seat!" ”

The governor of Huguang and the general soldiers and others all stood solemnly, but they set up a seat for He Renlong alone, and everyone was stunned. He Renlong was flattered and thanked him: "Inspector Jun, don't dare to delay." Running on a light horse is not tired, and he does not dare to sit in front of the superintendent. ”

Yang Sichang just made a show for Zuo Liangyu, but he didn't want to do anything out of line, stimulating Zuo Liangyu's group of fierce generals, and nodded: "The general has worked hard." ”

"Don't dare."

He went to the meeting for thousands of miles, and the answer was so deferential, Yang Sichang secretly chose the right person, and said with a smile: "The general retreated aside, and after the meeting, he will talk in detail." Then he looked around at everyone, and said solemnly: "This superintendent has been sitting in Xiangyang for nearly three months, and the reason why he has not moved his troops and has not yet marched to the thieves is to prepare for food and armor, and the other is to transfer troops. Now that everything is in order, the harsh winter has arrived, and the thieves have nowhere to forage for food, it is best to enter the army to encircle and suppress, comfort the emperor's worries about the night, and relieve the suffering of the people. Yang Sichang paused, his voice became more and more severe, and said: "The sage said: If you don't teach, you will be punished. Since the governor arrived in Xiangyang, he gave three orders, but the accumulated habit of arrogance in the army still exists, and he flouts the law and discipline, and does not obey the order, as in the past, thinking that Shang Fangjian is just an ornament and insignificant. The army attacked, and the first order was given. If the command does not work, how can the thief be exterminated? Liu Bei earnestly warned his son Liu Chan not to take evil as a small thing. The history is known as Zhuge Kong's Ming army, the good is not rewarded, and the evil is not degraded. …… Within the state, those who are afraid and loved, and who have no grievances despite the severity of the penal government, admonishes Ming Ye with their intentions. The emperor has repeatedly instructed that it is advisable to use heavy rituals in troubled times, and not to be appeased. There is no thunderbolt means, and the bodhisattva's heart is not revealed. Yin Taibai, are you guilty? ”

Yin Taibai, the supervisor of Xingshan Dao, knelt on the ground in fright, kowtowed, and said: "It is also an unintentional mistake to humble one, and the original committee has been stated to the superintendent to understand, and I ask for the grace of the cabinet minister!" ”

"Don't quibble! Tie it out and cut it off! ”

"It's a shame!"

Yang Sichang sneered: "What have you wronged! At that time, Sun Wuzi tried the art of war with a woman, and the king of Wu had a favorite concubine who did not listen to the order, and the head was shown to the public, and the palace people were all shocked, and the army was cleaned. What's more, we are responsible for the heavy task of suppressing thieves, and it is by no means child's play. He left his seat and bowed four times to the north, invited Shang Fangjian, took off the yellow silk set, and awarded it to the Chinese army. The Chinese army knelt on the ground and took it with both hands and held it out of the lobby. In a moment, he came back and knelt down and said, "Yin Taibai has been beheaded outside the gate!" ”

Yang Sichang looked at everyone, sighed and said, "This superintendent is not easy to kill, it is really a last resort. I can tolerate him, but the French military order can't tolerate him. I hope that all the gentlemen will take Yin Taibai as a warning, abide by the military orders, work hard to kill thieves, don't fail the court, don't fail the country's grace! ”

When everyone saw him borrow Yin Taibai's first-level tree power, they were all frightened, and they hurriedly replied: "Obey Jun's instructions!" ”

Later, He Renlong was arranged after Song Yihe, and he was summoned separately to arouse Zuo Liangyu's jealousy. Yang Sichang's face was full of spring breeze, just like the gossip of the children of the world, and there was no supervisor at all. asked about the number of soldiers and the salary, personally sent He Renlong out of the festival hall, and admonished: "The general and the Zuo Marshal are both rare talents in the city, and now the Zuo Marshal has been crowned the general of the Ping Thief, the general is not a person who is willing to be behind, and he will make a few more military exploits, I will be like the general of the Zuo Marshal, and I feel that there is no impartiality." ”

"Master Xie cultivates!" He Renlong was ecstatic.

"The Governor has just received a secret report that Zhang Xianzhong has fled to Taiping County in Sichuan, and his men and horses are stationed at Agate Mountain, seventy miles to the northwest. Since ancient times, Taiping County is the key to Qinchuan, north to Shaanxi, south to Chongqing, east to Wuhan, west to Chengdu, just around the corner. General, don't give all the credit to Zuo Liangyu! Then you can't ask the emperor for a seal. ”

"The last general rushed back to the defensive ground overnight and marched into the army immediately." He Renlong hurriedly said goodbye and left with his own soldiers.