When the holy decree appointing Hong Chengchou as the governor of Jiliao arrived, Hong Chengchou was taking Sun Chuanting and leading the army to encircle and suppress Li Zicheng in the Shangluo Mountains.

The time is February 13 of the seventh year of Chongzhen.

The Chinese army was camped in Shangzhou.

However, Hong Chengchou himself, together with Sun Chuanting, searched for the whereabouts of the peasant army along the road from Shangzhou to Wuguan.

On an unnamed hill, Hong Chengchou was wearing a cotton jacket and holding a monocular bought from Portugal in his hand, observing the situation on the opposite mountain.

Nothing came of it.

A large number of heavily armed Ming troops, under the leadership of Zuo Guangxian, had already entered the mountains.

"It seems that there is no harvest today!"

Hong Chengchou handed the telescope to Sun Chuanting, a little irritable.

Li Zicheng is immortal, and Hong Chengchou can't feel at ease.

Sun Chuanting also glanced at the opposite mountain with a telescope and said: "The Shangluo Mountain Area is connected to Yunyang Mansion, the mountains are high and the forests are dense, and it is not easy to search and arrest. ”

"Why don't you withdraw all the soldiers and rest for a few days before going into the mountains to search for them?" Sun Chuanting put down the binoculars and turned his head to look at Hong Chengchou.

"No way!"

Hong Chengchou categorically refused: "The thief is the leader of the Shaanxi thief army, and he must not let it go." To live is to see people, and to die is to see corpses. ”

Seeing the inadvertent sense of fatigue on everyone's faces, Hong Chengchou emphasized: "The thieves are different from other thieves, in December last year, it was found that the thieves were actually haunting southern Shaanxi, and it is estimated that they were gathering the old department. ”

From April to September last year, Sun Chuanting led his army to encircle and suppress the peasant army, and won successive battles.

Hong Chengchou also led the rested Ming army to arrive.

The two worked together to force Li Zicheng to the Shangluo Mountains and went into the mountains to encircle and suppress.

Rao was like this, Li Zicheng actually appeared in southern Shaanxi in December and contacted some old ministries.

If it weren't for Ma Ke's timely discovery, he would have asked Li Zicheng to take these people away.

It's just that this is not enough to make Hong Chengchou afraid.

During the two-year war, Li Zicheng led his troops to climb snow-capped mountains and grasslands, and went deep into the Qiang-Tibet region, and in April last year, he divided his troops to break through the siege and attack southern Shaanxi.

Such organizational and combat effectiveness is frightening.

If the tiger returns to the mountain, he will surely have endless troubles in the future.

As he spoke, a herald flew down the hill and ran up the hill.

Coming to Hong Chengchou and Sun Chuanting, the herald took off the bamboo tube behind him and took out a roll of yellow cloth from it.

Hong Chengchou and the generals took a look and knelt down one after another.

This is the decree of God.

"Governor Hong, the father-in-law who delivered the decree fell ill halfway through, and ordered the villain to bring the decree."

After that, the herald handed over the holy decree to Hong Chengchou.

Hong Chengchou raised his hands above his head and respectfully accepted the holy decree.

Then, when he got up and opened the holy decree, Hong Chengchou's face was a little ugly.

"What's going on?"

Sun Chuanting didn't dare to look at the holy decree, and turned his head to look away just now, until he found that Hong Chengchou's face was a little wrong, so he asked.

"Your Majesty summoned me to Beijing and ordered me to serve as the superintendent of Jizhen, Liaodong, Baoding and other military affairs."

Hong Chengchou sighed and said, "Seeing that it is done, how could this happen!" ”

"Jiliao Inspector? Hey, Yan Guo's justice as Ji Liaowu Jingluo? Isn't he mentioned in the Divine Decree? ”

Sun Chuanting felt a little strange.

"That's why I'm helpless. The holy decree only mentions that His Majesty enshrined the Duke of Yan as the king of Zhou, but there was no official promotion. ”

Hong Chengchou said: "The meaning of the imperial court is to let me control King Zhou. How is this possible!

Also, Xiong Wencan, the governor of Liangguang, took over from me to continue to encircle and suppress the thieves. It stands to reason that the senior officials who participated in the encirclement and suppression should be appointed, rather than the governors of Liangguang taking over. ”

Sun Chuanting smiled bitterly: "I heard that Xiong Wencan bribed the power gate in order to get the governor of Liangguang. probably thinks that the current situation is very good, and Lord Xiong wants to come and get a piece of the pie. ”

"Opportunistic!" Hong Chengchou muttered, but didn't dare to say too loudly.

Although he had complaints in his heart, the holy decree could not be violated, and Hong Chengchou had to temporarily hand over the affairs of suppressing bandits and the seal letter to Sun Chuanting.

When Xiong Wencan took office, Sun Chuanting handed it over to Xiong Wencan.

"Governor Hong, my subordinates have a question, I wonder if Governor Hong can explain?"

Sun Chuanting looked at the letter and the booklet, and his heart was heavy.

Hong Chengchou said: "You ask." ”

"The governor went to Jiliao, why did he take Zuo Guangxian, Ma Ke and other strong generals away?"

Sun Chuanting was a little puzzled and said: "And his subordinates are still resting, which will give the peasant army an opportunity." ”

"It's not that I want to, it's the times. Shanhaiguan is the gateway of the Ming Dynasty, and it is not possible to rely on the city wall, but also on people. ”

Hong Chengchou explained: "The situation in Liaodong is complicated, and if I don't bring my descendants, I'm afraid I won't be able to control the situation." ”

"This is also the case, and the heart of guarding against people is indispensable." Sun Chuanting said.

The imperial court is now guarding against Yang Chengying, which is more cautious than guarding against Tartars.

"With the assistance of He Renlong, it is difficult for Li Zicheng to turn over for the time being."

Hong Chengchou comforted: "Also, Gao Jie abducted Mrs. Li Zicheng out, this person is worth reusing." ”

"My subordinates understood."

Sun Chuanting didn't want to say anything, only congratulated Hong Chengchou on his bright future.

However, Hong Chengchou's departure made things complicated.

It stands to reason that Sun Chuanting is the governor of Shaanxi and has no right to control the army other than Shaanxi.

What's more troublesome is that Hong Chengchou took Zuo Guangxian, Ma Ke and other generals with him before leaving.

Without their help, the other generals began to disobey the dispatch.

As for Sun Chuanting's old department, they are still resting because of the continuous fighting.

The encirclement is loosened!

This change was sensitively perceived by Li Zicheng's unit of the peasant army.

Gao Yigong, who was in charge of intelligence investigation, quickly returned to the place where King Li Zicheng settled with his subordinates.

After listening to the report, Li Zicheng was overjoyed: "Hong Chengchou was really transferred? ”

"It's true, I overheard the conversation of the soldiers of Zuoguang's first department, and I knew that the Tartars were destroyed, but Yang Chengying, who was prevented from destroying the Tartars, was better than the Tartars."

Gao Yigong said excitedly: "So Hong Chengchou was transferred to Shanhaiguan to garrison, Hong Chengchou was afraid that he would not be able to control the Shanhaiguan soldiers, so he took Zuo Guangxian and Ma Ke away." ”

Gao Yigong is the younger brother of Li Zicheng's new wife Gao Guiying, and he can't believe his words, and there is no one in the world who can believe it.

Li Zicheng walked around happily and rubbed his hands.

"Without Hong Chengchou, we have a chance to breathe." Li Zicheng said, "I think we have to find an opportunity to go to Gucheng and recruit Zhang Xianzhong and others to make a comeback." ”

"Zhang Xianzhong is capricious, I am afraid that he will tie up King Chuang as a step for him to become an official and a knight."

Li Guo said worriedly.

"If Zhang Xianzhong sincerely surrenders, he will not stay in Gucheng and not leave. He also divided his subordinates into four battalions, accumulated grass and grain, and built weapons! ”

Li Zicheng sees this very clearly.

"What if he competes with King Chuang for the general position?" Gao Yigong said worriedly.

"It's okay, let's give him the position of general leader, as long as he raises troops, let us get through this time."

Li Zicheng said very generously.

However, considering that he did not know Zhang Xianzhong's true intentions for the time being, Li Zicheng did not go to Gucheng in person.

But the nimble Hao Shaoqi went on his behalf.

Hao Shaoqi took the order, dressed himself as a fleeing victim, sneaked out of Shangluo Mountain, and went straight to Gucheng County, Xiangyang Prefecture.