Jaring Fort (later Jaling Town).

In a mansion vacated by Jin merchants, Xu Dingchen, a forty-year-old man with three long beards, sat on a Taishi chair with his eyes closed, and let the two little maids behind him, who were also let out by Jin merchants, beat him on the shoulders and head.

Xu Dingchen also got the news of the defeat of Jiang Wu's troops guarding Xu Muqiao in Qing at this time, and Xu Dingchen almost fainted after learning the news.

Demolition of the Wenqi wooden bridge (the wooden bridge from Wenshui County to Qi County on the Fen River) is naturally his idea, originally he thought that once the Wenqi wooden bridge was demolished, the thieves on the west bank of the Fen River would be locked on the west bank, and if heavy troops were set up on the Qingxu wooden bridge, it would be able to completely turn it into a lone army!

Of course, the biggest reason why he ordered the demolition of the Wenqi wooden bridge was obviously not the military arrangement, but that he happened to be in Chengzhao Fort at that time, only more than ten miles away from the wooden bridge, and in fear, he demolished the wooden bridge in the name of "isolating the enemy army on the right bank".

Then he ordered the Fu Shan Department of Taiyuan City to go south, in addition to holding the Qingxu Wooden Bridge, but also strengthening the defense of Xugou County - before that, he simply did not do anything and demolished the Shitong Bridge near Jiexiu County!

At this time, on the east bank of the Fen River, because Cao Wenzhao was stationed in Pingyao County, Wang Pu had been stationed in Qi County, that is, there was no general stationed in Taigu County, only Wang Pu's infantry army was guarded, so Xu Dingchen planned to come to Taigu County first, and then "strategize" and set the big plan to encircle and annihilate the small and strong brigade.

What he didn't expect was that the marching speed of the small strong brigade was too fast, and he came to the vicinity of Dongguan Fort very quickly, and at this time, although he set a "big plan" to burn down Dongguan Fort, he and Zhang Quanchang rushed to Jialingbao!

It's not that he doesn't want to enter the city, but he doesn't want to enter a city that is already guarded by a general, and if so, it's hard to say whether his orders can be effectively transmitted out of the city.

"Military!"

So, after learning that the Qingxu wooden bridge defense line set up by him under the willow was easily broken through by the thieves, he immediately hesitated a little and had no owner, so he had to summon two Xinna's maids to massage himself to relieve his anxiety a little.

When his mood calmed down a little and he was thinking about the next step, there was a sound of heavy footsteps outside the door, and then a rough voice came.

Xu Dingchen is a native of Jiangnan (Changzhou), and he pays the most attention to rules and laws in his life, and when he heard this sound, he couldn't help frowning, but now that he had no one around him, he could only rely on this person, so he put away the anger that had just sprung up, and said softly: "Quanchang? Come in."

Soon, a three-thick general walked in.

This person is Zhang Quanchang, one of the three members of the Zhang family of the Jiangmen family, and his eldest brother, Zhang Yingchang, the former chief soldier of Shanxi, died at the hands of Long Thirteen, which made Long Thirteen a great enemy of life and death for his Zhang family.

However, Zhang Yingchang was also reported by Xu Dingchen with the title of "fighting to death", and in the end, the title of Shanxi General Soldier still fell to his younger brother Zhang Quanchang, which can be regarded as a manifestation of the court's sympathy for the Zhang family.

"How?"

At this time, the two maids had already avoided the inner room, and Xu Dingchen, who was already sitting on the Taishi chair, asked in a deep voice.

"Junmen, Long Thirteen's family was originally patrolling under the city of Qi County, but when he saw that the city was heavily defended, he had no chance to take advantage of it, so he took the army and went to Xugou County.

"Really?"

"It's true, from Qi County to Xugou County about 70 miles, they drove overnight, and my spies followed me for 30 miles before they dared to come back to report."

At this time, Xu Dingchen finally put his mind at ease.

"So what are you waiting for? This Jialing Fort is too small, how can it be used as the location of the big tent of Benfu, hurry up to Taigu County!"

"Junmen, now? Now that it's approaching, the military gate will still rest for one night, and it's not too late to go to Taigu County early tomorrow morning."

"No, the night is long and there are many dreams, I finally caught an opportunity, how can I easily miss it?"

......

At the beginning of the hour (just after three o'clock in the morning).

East Tube Fort.

From Jalingbao to Taigu County, the total mileage is about mileage

, in the middle is Dongguan Fort, that is to say, if you want to go to Taigu County, you must pass through Dongguan Fort!

During the day, Xu Dingchen gave an order, and the entire Dongguan Fort was in a raging fire, and when Xu Dingchen and others rode past this place with about a thousand steps, they could still smell the smoky smell of fire emitted by the black shadow.

As a castle deep in the plains, Dongguan Fort also has four city gates, but now the four wooden city gates have long been wiped out, and it seems to open a big mouth in the dark night, and sparks flash from time to time in the big mouth, it is estimated that the things that have not been burned out in the day are still burning.

Facing this place, including Xu Dingchen, they all shuddered.

Usually, even if he is commanding the battle, Xu Dingchen, as a civilian official, is sitting in a sedan chair, but today it is rare to see an honest and obedient old horse, otherwise according to the speed of the sedan chair, it is impossible for Zhang Quanchang's department to arrive in Taigu County overnight.

They had no idea of entering Dongguan Fort to find out what was going on, and they wished they had left this place earlier.

But the problem is that in the past, the post road passed through Dongguanbao, and if you didn't enter the fort at this time, you could only shuttle through the fields outside the city, and the plain, which is the best part of the Fenhe River Valley, was full of vertical and horizontal ditches, and it was impossible to cross quickly.

"Military Gate"

At this time, Zhang Quanchang spoke.

"The post road enters from the south gate of Dongguanbao, and the north gate exits, and it is only a mile of horizontal and vertical road, and it will soon be crossed, if you detour through the fields, there are at least several ditches, and there is water in the canal, although the water is not deep at the moment, but once the horse stumbles, it is not good to startle the military gate, not to mention that it is dark tonight......

Xu Dingchen hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded, "Okay, just go through Dongguan Fort!"

Like all Daming castles, the main street in the fort is built very wide, although the Dongguan Fort is only a thousand households, but the street is also wide, and the large group of people and horses do not look crowded at all after stepping on the street full of ashes.

The dark night, the dark castle, the smell of smoke and fire, and the stumps and broken arms that can be stepped on from time to time make Zhang Quanchang's army tremble a little!

Gradually, the team involuntarily ran, and this run became chaotic, but fortunately, there was also Zhang Quanchang, a battle-hardened veteran, who followed him after killing a few running infantry soldiers, this formation stabilized.......

However, just as the front army was about to cross the north gate, the whole castle suddenly trembled!

That's when the cavalry of the brigade appears!

However, in the hearts of the Ming army, including Xu Dingchen, at this time, this tremor means different movements.

"Bang ......"

"Whew......"

At this moment, many heads suddenly appeared on the courtyard walls on both sides of the street, and then the sound of firecrackers and bows and arrows was endless!

It didn't take long for the cavalry of the brigade to appear, they blocked the four exits of the castle, and then killed them in four directions!

.......

At dawn.

A large group of people appeared near Taigu County, led by Xu Dingchen, the governor of Shanxi!

It is not a matter of one or two days that Xu Dingchen wants to come to Taigu County to take command, not to mention that not long ago, Xu Dingchen also passed the order to the guards of Taigu County.

After receiving the governor's seal, documents, banners, tokens and other items that were hoisted up through the hanging basket, the guards of the city hurriedly opened the city gates.

In the morning, Wang Pu of Qi County and Cao Wenzhao of Pingyao County both received orders from the governor to quickly go to Taigu County to discuss matters.

At this time, Cao Wenzhao had already received a message from Wang Pu, and was taking two thousand men and horses north to the vicinity of Qi County.

At noon, the two arrived in Taigu County.

Taigu County is the hometown of Jin merchant Tian Shenglan, and now the Tian family has given up his mansion as a temporary governor yamen, and the families of Cao Wenzhao and Wang Pu are placed in the military camp of Daxiaochang.

Cao Wenzhao and Wang Pu jointly stepped into the "Governor's Yamen".

Along the way, although Cao Wenzhao was full of suspicion, he was still pulled over by Wang Pu.

Cao Wenzhao was puzzled not by Xu Dingchen coming to Taigu County, but by Xu Dingchen coming to Taigu County so soon!

This is because, in the past, Xu Dingchen was commanded in a sedan chair, according to him, "Zhuge Kongming usually sits on a two-wheeled car, he can make a two-wheeled car, but I can't sit in a sedan chair?"

Of course, Xu Dingchen is not without horseback riding, but he is a civilian official who has never been on the battlefield, it is impossible for him to gallop quickly on horseback, otherwise the delicate inner thighs will soon be ground into flesh and blood, and he wants to rush from Jialingbao to Taigu County, without a whole day's hard work.

"It is estimated that it is because the thief is in Xugou County, surrounded by strong enemies, so he has to speed up his pace, it is really difficult for him."

Thinking like this, Cao Wenzhao and Wang Pu stepped into the hall of Xu Dingchen's deliberations.

As soon as he entered the lobby, Cao Wenzhao suddenly felt that the atmosphere was wrong.

"Xu Junmen summoned the two of us to come to discuss the matter, there should be no one else involved, President Fu Shanlian of Xugou County is currently surrounded by an army of thieves, obviously he can't get by, why are there so many strange faces here?"

And Wang Pu was also a little puzzled, only to see that the handsome chair in the middle was empty, obviously Xu Dingchen's, and the left and right sides of his head were almost full of generals, but there was a place left in the middle of each side.

This time, Cao Wenzhao was even more puzzled.

"This general is already a commander-in-chief, why didn't he leave a seat in the first position on the left side of the military gate? Could it be that the people in front of me are all civil officials, but judging by their clothes, they are all military generals......

"The military gate has arrived!"

At this time, there was a shout from the back hall, which seemed to be shouted by a young man.

Not long after, as the bead curtain of the door between the hall and the back hall shook, three people walked in!

One of them was about twenty years old, tall and straight, with a handsome face, a slightly dark complexion, and a hint of a playful smile on the corner of his mouth.

He wears a brown cloth face armor covered with copper nails and carries a long knife around his waist.

On the left and right are two teenagers.

They are all years old, they are all dressed up in the Ming army, one is handsome, and he looks forward to Shenfei.

A narrow forehead and wide face, a tiger head, a flat face, and a pair of small eyes that show a fierce light from time to time.

"Could it be that the imperial court has sent another great man who has never seen before to preside over the overall situation of suppressing thieves? Or maybe it's an insider?"

I saw that the three of them were very young and had not yet grown a beard, so Cao Wenzhao thought so.

"I heard that the most favored eunuch by the emperor's side is a eunuch named Wang Chengen, who is only in his early twenties, and his face is slightly dark, could it be him?"

Thinking of this, Cao Wenzhao couldn't help but get nervous.

The two hurriedly sat down in the empty seats on both sides, only to see that the young man did not sit down after walking to the main seat, but stared at the two of them and said with a smile: "Hard work, two, by the way, let me introduce myself, my name is Long Thirteen!"