Wuhua Mountain was shrouded in an atmosphere of slaughter and terror. On the loess official road between Yunnan City and the palace, the soldiers lined up in an endless square brigade according to the sentry posts, sheds, and battalions, and marched quickly and orderly to the outskirts of the city. The generals above the guerrilla level were all gathered on the colonel's field next to the lawn in front of the main hall of the palace, and hundreds of people stood solemnly, not knowing why the prince suddenly gathered in a large group, one by one with drums in his heart, and his face was pale.

At the time of the card, Xia Guoxiang, Hu Guozhu, Wang Yongning, Wang Yongqing, Wu Yingqi, Ma Bao, Gao Dajie, a cronie general, a minister, and Wang Sun Wu Shipan, one by one, calmly faced, from the Yimen fish out, and then more than 300 cages were carried out by the military academy, and a row was neatly placed on the empty field of the arrow road. Everyone was surprised, Wu Sangui paced out from the back of the hall, but he was wearing a green cloth cotton robe, covered with a bamboo cloth gown, and stepping on double-beam mille-feuille bottom soap boots, which contrasted with the golden clothes of the entourage guards, looking very shabby. He glanced at everyone, exhaled with a gloomy expression, waved his hand, and commanded:

"Open all the cages!"

The military academy silently said a thousand words to Wu Sangui, and stepped forward to open the boxes together. In the sun, but see gold, silver, pearls, jade, Qiong, Yao, Qi, Lin, Gui, Bi, Zhang, Cong, Wan, Yu, Bei, Pu Gong bright and dazzling. Everyone didn't know what it meant, and they were stunned for a while.

"You ...... They are all people who have followed the town for decades, and they are all two generations who have crawled from the pile of dead people and the broken city walls. These things were originally intended to buy some property for the brothers, so that they would not be frozen in the second half of the life......" After a while, Fang listened to Wu Sangui say in a low and slow voice. His complexion was blue and white, and his qi was insufficient, and he was so emaciated by sorrow that he seemed to be too weak to wear. Speaking of this, his tone changed again, and he became extremely aggrieved and tactful, "Wu is not a miser, these things are not brought in life, and they are not brought in death, there is nothing to be reluctant to, I originally wanted to use them slowly so as not to attract people's attention, but now that the situation has changed, I can't help but share them with everyone at once." ”

As soon as the words fell, there was a slight commotion among the soldiers, and a short staff general raised his head and asked loudly, "What is the difficulty of the prince?" Even if we say, we should share the worries of the king! ”

"Is it Zhao Yong?" Wu Sangui glanced at him, "Back then, if it weren't for you, I would have almost been shot by a stray arrow." That's when you were promoted to an officer, right? Brother Xian, I can't take care of you now! The imperial court sent Lord Zhe and Master Fu to sit in Yunnan City to urge me to go back to Liaodong for retirement...... Guanhe is thousands of miles, Yunshan Road is far away, and this time it is more ferocious and less auspicious, I am afraid that I will say goodbye to your life and death from now on! ”

These words were so emotional that hundreds of generals and colonels let out a sobbing sound. Zhao Yong couldn't help but take a step forward, and asked in a voice with his sword in his eyes: "Please tell the prince clearly, why did the imperial court order to withdraw the feudal domain for no reason?" ”

"Alas, that's hard to say." Wu Sangui said, "The power of heaven is unpredictable - most birds hide their bows, rabbits die and dogs cook, this is a difficult reason for the ages!" I, Wu Sangui, don't complain about anyone now, I only complain that I made a mistake back then and led the wolf into the house! Today, the wind and candle are ordered to be on the edge and do not know the place of death, and it is also self-inflicted...... It's really too much to regret! I just pity you many old brothers, who have made a lot of hard work, once they disappear......" Speaking of this, Wu Sangui burst into tears, and he was moved by his words. After a long time, he blew his nose, pointed to the treasures, and said in a sad voice: "I am useless to these things, please take them, or put them in the farmland, or use them as the basis for the livelihood of the merchants, and also show my little heart." He may be a big murderer every day, and the brothers can also see things and think about people - come and come! Come forward and I'll hand it out! ”

When the generals saw that he was sad and indignant, all of them wept like rain, and knelt down and kowtowed together. Wu Sangui Zhang Huang said: "This ...... It doesn't have to be this way! This cannot be delayed any longer! The envoy and Zhu Zhongcheng urged me three times a day, urging me to go on the road, and if I dragged it on, the sin would become heavier. Do you not make it difficult for me to excuse you like this? After saying that, he hid his face and wept, whimpering and sobbing silently.

"What the fuck is not a messenger, not a messenger, not a middle!" Ma Baohuo jumped out of the shift and shouted, "We only know the prince! If the prince does not move the domain, if he dares to force his life, I will dare to kill him! ”

"Ma Bao, you tired me so hard last time, and now you are so rude?" Wu Sangui hurriedly said, "You are such a envoy, don't you put me to death?" ”

"The Qing Dynasty has no prince, how can there be today?" Xia Guo saw the crowd and was agitated, raised his arms and raised his eyebrows and shouted, "Today, a stinky Yidi boy enjoys the dignity of the Ninth Five, where does he know that it is difficult for us to start a business?" How do we swallow this breath? ”

Wu Sangui was shocked and said: "Prime Minister, you have read poetry and books since you were a child, why do you say this?" Gu Xunyun: 'The king wants the minister to die, and the minister has to die!' Xia Guo replied in response: "There is another sentence in the ancient precept: 'The king regards the ministers and the countrymen, and repays them with the countrymen; The king regards the passers-by and repays them with passers-by; The king regards his ministers as mustard, and he should repay them with revenge! Wu Sangui was stunned for a long time, and Fang Chang sighed: "I have been a Ming minister for half my life, just because of the thieves and thieves, I borrowed soldiers to take revenge, and I have returned to the imperial court, how can I talk nonsense now?" The Prime Minister doesn't need to say it anymore! …… Now I only have one thing on my mind, the first year of Kangxi Emperor Yongli came to Yunnan, although I tried my best to preserve, but the secret decree of the court insisted that I kill him, so I had to let him die and bury him well - it has been twelve years! Before leaving, you want to make an offering at his grave, will you go with me? ”

"Obey the king!" The generals were already in tears, and when they heard Wu Sangui ask in a trembling voice, they arched their hands and responded in unison like thunder. After Wu Sangui finished speaking, he went inside to change his clothes. When Shaoqing came out, the generals couldn't help but be surprised: it turned out that he was wearing a python robe and jade belt from top to bottom, wearing a Mingchen costume, and a white braid tucked into the official hat, and there was no Qingchen atmosphere all over his body.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Wu Sangui's face became paler and paler, stroking his official uniform, "I have pressed this dress at the bottom of the box for thirty years, and I finally wore it out again!" I first dressed in a majestic manner, and it is indeed better than the Rausch I am wearing now! This tail-like braid dragged back his head, how to go to see the first emperor? I wore it today, went to the tomb of the first emperor to cry bitterly, and accepted the punishment of the first emperor, and I was also willing! Wu Sangui raised his head, looked at the sky with teary eyes, and ordered: "Let's drive!" ”

Wu Sangui went to pay homage to the Yongli Mausoleum, and on the night of Zheerken, he knew it completely. After a night of urgent secret discussions, Zhu Guozhi still insisted on going up the mountain alone to see Wu Sangui. Zheerken and Fu Dali took all the remaining silver in the treasury and appointed Fu Ya's personal soldiers to escort them to Guizhou to meet Gan Wenkun.

Zhu Guozhi's robe and crown were neatly belted, and he sat on an eight-lift sedan chair and went straight to Wuhua Mountain. Peeking out from the window, three steps, one sentry, five steps and one post along the way, the checkpoints are tightly checked, and they can't help but worry about Zheerken: I'm afraid they can't escape! Approaching the official hall at the foot of the mountain, he saw that he was heavily guarded, and every other stone's throw there was a captain standing with his sword standing upright, looking at this majestic sedan chair with fierce eyes. Near the stone gate in front of the palace, a thousand general blocked the way, and said loudly: "This is the forbidden place of the palace, please get off the sedan chair and move into the pilgrimage!" ”

"Joke!" Zhu Guozhi replied from the sedan window, "I am an important minister of the Son of Heaven, and I will give the Forbidden City to ride a horse!" What kind of place is this, dare to block my sedan chair? - Carry it in! ”

Several sedan chair drivers and the front of the opening of the road, are Zhu Guozhi several years of selected outlaws, hearing this, "oh" sound, the big gong sifted the mountain sound, straight to the door of the instrument entered, until the main hall before the sedan chair.

Zhu Guozhi came out with a huff and saw more than 100 soldiers standing in front of the hall, motionless as if they were cast in iron. He thought for a while, stood at the entrance of the hall and reported loudly: "The crown prince of Qin, Taibao, and the title of Yunnan governor Zhu Guozhi, are hereby honored to His Royal Highness the King of Pingxi!" As he spoke, he lifted his robe and climbed the stairs and entered.

The arrangement inside is even more strict, Wu Sangui is sitting on the yellow embroidered dragon and silver chair, there is no smile on his face, Hu Guozhu led a cadre of Wenchen and military generals to form a figure of eight like goose wings, standing with majestic and high-minded eyes, only Xia Guoxiang and Wu Shipan sat on both sides, looking away with a big grin.

"Zhu Guozhi," Wu Sangui waited for Zhu Guozhi to pay homage, and asked with a sneer, "Are you here to force the lonely family again?" ”

"Don't dare to force it." Zhu Guozhi replied loudly, "I came to ask the prince about the date of the king's trip. At this time, who is Zhu who dares to persecute in private? ”

"Why don't you dare?" Wu Sangui said coldly, "Of course you dare!" How many years have you been forced to be alone! How have I done you wrong! ”

Zhu Guozhi glanced at Wu Sangui provocatively, and said without saltiness: "The prince is a heavy vassal, and Zhu Guozhi is just a scholar, so Guozhi doesn't dare to accept this!" Let me ask, I have no strength to bind the chicken, and I have no size blade at the waist, what can I do to persecute the prince with heavy soldiers? ”

"Bold!" Wu Sangui roared, his voice shook the hall and buzzed, he was very angry with Zhu Guozhi on weekdays, and yesterday he agreed in front of the grave to start an incident today, but the surname Zhu actually sent it to the door himself. Seeing that Zhu Guozhi was still unruly and unruly, Wu Sangui couldn't help but be furious, "You are just a corrupt official, this clan looks at all Han people, and you have always been tolerant, but you don't know how to lift up!" ”

"What bribes did I take? Who is the bribe? Who testifies? How much is the bribe? Zhu Guozhi straightened up, stared at Wu Sangui without blinking, and asked like a cannonball, "If it is corruption, why doesn't the prince have the right to participate in the impeachment?" ”

"I'm too lazy to join you!" Wu Sangui roared, "The imperial court allocates 10 million silver to me every year, why only give me 9 million?" Who will take the remaining million? ”

"This," Zhu Guozhi said, "The prince said a little less. The imperial court allocated 20 million silver every year, and distributed it to the three feudal clans through my hands. The prince alone got nine million, which is really insatiable! ”

Before he finished speaking, Hu Guozhu shouted beside him: "You don't have to be hard-mouthed. You are just a poor Confucian student, and by chance you are proud, so you put on such a villain face! "How am I a villain? Am I rebelling against my father? Zhu Guozhi twisted his face, and the anger in his eyes burst out, forcing Hu Guozhu to dodge in a hurry.

"Hu Guozhu is right, you are a villain!" Wu Sangui said, "How did you get started in the first place?" It's just a five-rank hall official, with a big future of sesame, just for the first imperial concubine, you go to offer a picture of a beauty, and get promoted by patting your ass! Ben Fan Qu said you didn't? "Wu Sangui doesn't want to take the topic away, he has a long-standing hatred for this nail, and he wants to humiliate him before he dies," - I, Wu Sangui, am not good, and I rely on blood and sweat, which foot I lift, it is cleaner than your face! ”

"Oh?" Zhu Guozhi was stunned at first, and suddenly laughed loudly, "The prince can really speak unexpectedly!" Heaven, earth, king, parent, teacher, supreme and upright. And the talk of sycophancy? At that time, the first emperor was immortal for Empress Dong to pass away tea and dinner, dying, I recommended Wumen painters to paint Niangniang Yurong, in order to comfort the holy bow, such as a good doctor, the right medicine for the symptoms, what is the fault? When it comes to the feet of the prince, it is even more difficult to say, which is in response to a folk saying - it is impossible to say that there is no confidant at the end of the world, and who in the world does not know the king? ”

Although it is not explicitly said, it is clear that it refers to the story of Wu Sangui who first surrendered to Li Zicheng for fame, and then turned his back on his father for a woman. Wu Sangui was so angry that he trembled, he didn't want to grind his teeth with him anymore, and shouted: "Take down this Tartar dog slave for me!" ”

"Wow!" Outside the corridor of the hall, there was a thunderous promise, and several school captains pounced, and tied Zhu Guozhi firmly like a duck.

"I'm so strange," Wu Sangui looked at Zhu Guozhi mockingly, "Gan Wenkun has already run to Guizhou, and Zheerken and Fu Dali are also going to escape, why don't you leave?" You're so unlucky, you just happened to meet me and I want to kill people and sacrifice the flag, and the rebels expel Yidi! ”

"I'm really strange," Zhu Guozhi was strangled and his face was flushed, but he still pushed back, "The emperor treats me as a countryman, and I repay him as a countryman, although I know that you have bad intentions, how can I leave my post without permission in the face of difficulties?" - As a 'veteran of the Three Dynasties', why don't you know this? Seeing that he was unconvinced, Wu Shipan stepped forward and slammed Zhu Guozhi's arms, and asked viciously: "Do you dare to be hard-mouthed?" Zhu Guozhi was drenched in cold sweat, and without a word, he turned around and spat a mouthful of blood on his face.

"Zhu Guozhi!" Xia Guoxiang had no words, and seeing that Zhu Guozhi had no intention of lowering his mind, he got up and said: "Tell me the truth, and let you die clearly!" The prince could not bear the shame of the Ming Dynasty, and he had decided to take the lead in advocating the righteous division, kill back to Yanjing, and help the third prince of Zhu to restore the throne, Xuanye's days are numbered! ”

"Wu Sangui!" Zhu Guozhi was so angry that he scolded, "You act against the sky, the cruelty of the people, you are a well-dressed beast inferior to a pig and a dog!" The people of the world will eat meat, and ......before he finished speaking, Ma Bao had taken off his chin, and he was still babbling and insulting.

"Kill him and sacrifice the flag!" Wu Sangui coldly commanded, sat back in the chair, and frustration, tiredness, annoyance, and confusion hit his heart together.

Three cannons swept through the air, and the trumpeter raised the long painted horn high, and there was a sad cry of "woo", and the echo of the empty peaks and mountains curled. Under the miserable white sun, a bright yellow dragon flag was raised, and the thirteen big characters of "Emperor Zhou and the whole world recruited soldiers and horses generalissimo Wu" were embroidered on it, dancing in the cold wind.

In less than a moment, thousands of sergeants all changed into white clothes and white armor, braided their hair, and tied it on the top of their heads according to the Xianming hairstyle, but the shaved hair on the forehead did not come out for a long time, some were blue, some were white, and some were unkempt, which looked a little funny. Wu Sangui walked out of the hall, ascended to the school platform, personally inspected the honor guard of the three armies, and ordered Zhu Guozhi to be dragged under the flag, and then nodded to Xia Guoxiang.

Seeing Wu Sangui's order, Xia Guo strode up to the stage with a solemn expression, and said loudly to the executioner: "Open-knife-sacrifice-flag!" ”

Then there were three loud bangs, and Zhu Guozhi's bloody head rolled down on the wet grass. Here, Prime Minister Xia praised again: "Soldiers, please listen to the generalissimo's discussion of the Qing text!" ”

Hu Guozhu hurriedly cleared his throat, climbed onto the school platform with the text in both hands, and saluted Wu Sangui. Wu Sangui hurriedly got up and returned the salute and stood aside. The officers and men of the three armies listened quietly, and Hu Guozhu read aloud in a low voice:

The generalissimo of the world has recruited soldiers and horses to tell the world: this town is deeply talking about the Ming Dynasty Shijue, Tongzhen Shanhaiguan, for a while, Li rebelled and advocated chaos, gathered millions of people, rampant in the world, and swirled in the Jingshi, painfully the collapse of the Empress Yi, and the upheaval of the East Palace......

Wu Sangui bowed his head and listened to the text, moved over, and bowed three times and kowtowed to the tablet of "Emperor Ming Lie" Chongzhen, which was offered after a cigarette, and held a bowl of sake, solemnly facing the sky, and drinking lightly. Fang said loudly: "There is little help for the unjust, but there is a lot of help for the righteous!" I would like to inform the officers and men of the three armies that Geng Jingzhong in Fujian, Shang Zhixin in Guangdong, Sun Yanling in Guangxi, and Wang Yishi in Shaanxi have raised their flags and raised their troops to fight against the ugly prisoners, and they will be able to join forces on the banks of the Yangtze River within a few days! ”

The sergeants below suddenly thundered with joy, and raised their spears in unison and shouted: "Long live!" My Generalissimo Chitose! Chichitose! ”

Wu Sangui rushed back to Lie Cuixuan, but bad news followed.

"Lord Wang," Gao Dajie held a stack of documents in his hand, handed them to Wu Sangui one by one, and said: "This is Sun Yanling's urgent report, Fu Honglie's seven thousand men and horses gathered in Cangwu, as if they were going to attack Guilin——"

"Well," Wu Sangui said, "tell the letter and tell them to respond." ”

"Taiwan's Zheng Jing's men and horses have crossed the sea to seize Geng Jingzhong's three counties, and Geng Jingzhong said that they must be eaten before they can go north." Gao Dajie handed over another piece.

Wu Sangui nodded silently, although the three feudatories had an alliance first, it seems that they still have different aspirations!

Gao Dajie handed over another piece and said: "This is the text sent by Loushanguan, the party affairs ceremony in Guizhou, Samuha brought Gan Wenkun and Zhu Guozhi's son to escape from Qijiang into Sichuan!" ”

"Bastard!" Wu Sangui suddenly changed color, "Loushan Pass can be sealed with a mud pill, how can they be told to escape?" ”

"Back to the words of the marshal," Gao Dajie said, "Zou Ming, the garrison guarding the pass, is Gan Wenkun's old department, Gan Wenkun killed himself in front of the pass, begging him to let go of the two sons, and he ......"

"What about them?"

"Party affairs ceremony, they pretended to be a son. This is only after the fact...... "Gao Dajie said," Zou Ming has been sent to Guiyang, please send the marshal. ”

"What is there to say," Wu Sangui said coldly, "Kill!" ”

"And this one," said Gao Dajie again, "that Erken and Fu Dali have also disappeared last night. ”

Wu Sangui snatched the newspaper with his hand, quickly read it, and said dejectedly: "Thirty-two people committed suicide in the Governor's Mansion...... Hahahaha! He laughed a little out of shape, and his voice was a little like crying.

"Marshal," Hu Guozhu leaned in and asked, "what's wrong with you, can they also escape?" Wu Sangui said: "Of course they can't go, this is Yunnan, different Guizhou - I wonder in my heart, Kangxi is only nineteen years old, what kind of virtue and kindness do they have, why are these people willing to work for him like this?" ”

Xia Guo felt very unlucky when he saw Wu Sangui so upset, and on the day of the first righteousness. Although he knew that *** and Sun Yanling were also unreliable people, he comforted: "Let them escape if they escape, and it is just for Kangxi to know for a day or two." Rebel against the Qing Dynasty, and I are just at the corner, the first priority at the moment, we must hurry up to capture Hunan, create a big atmosphere, and all roads will echo each other! ”

"That's right," Wu Sangui gritted his teeth and said, "*** If you reverse, the western front will be fine, and I can rest assured that I will go east!" This person finally has backbone, and his son Wang Jizhen is also in Beijing, so he has such courage! He thought of Wu Yingxiong abruptly, and felt sad for a while, and there was hope in his heart: I hope Kangxi is willing to negotiate peace, and it is not impossible to negotiate the rule of the river.