On the third day of July, Huizhou Prefecture, Guangdong Province, Heping County.

Ding Kuichu, the governor of Liangguang, was already in the county government with Wang Xianchuan, the chief military officer of Guangdong, and was planning against a public opinion.

"Governor, please see, this time our army mobilized soldiers and horses from Guangdong and Guangxi, and combined 120,000 troops in the area of Heping County, that is, the Northern Expedition from here to attack the territory of Jiangxi Province, as long as it can capture the people of the southern inspection group of the imperial court, it will be regarded as a victory in the first battle!"

Ding Kuichu frowned, and said: "Concentrate all the forces in one place, if the imperial court divides troops to invade Guangxi, what can be done?" ”

Wang Xianchuan said with a smile: "If the imperial court wants to fight Guangxi, let the imperial court fight well, anyway, Guangxi has no oil and water, exchange Guangxi for Jiangxi, we can be regarded as earning!" ”

"Liu Ge is such a shrewd person, he won't be able to settle this account. At most, it is to send a partial division into Guangxi to threaten the flank of our army, as long as we are in a group, the imperial court soldiers and horses will not have a chance to take advantage of it. ”

Although Wang Xianchuan said this, Ding Kuichu was still uneasy and said: "Li Zicheng's million-strong army has been wiped out, we only have 120,000 horses, can we really withstand the offensive of the imperial court?" ”

Wang Xianchuan said: "We are not really attacking the capital, we just want to make a situation in order to negotiate with the imperial court, so 120,000 horses are enough." What's more, there are Yungui and Fujian soldiers and horses to help, and our chances of winning this battle are very great! ”

Hearing this, Ding Kuichu nodded and said, "In this way, the governor will dispatch money and food for the general army of Wang in the rear, and the affairs of the front line will be entrusted to the general army of Wang!" ”

Wang Xianchuan laughed and said: "It's good to say, as long as the support of the governor is in place, this town will definitely fight a situation!" ”

On the same day, Wang Xianchuan led the 120,000 troops of Liangguang and Guangxi to the north from Heping County, and it took only one day to arrive in Dingnan County.

Dingnan County is named Dingnan because it is located in the southernmost part of Jiangxi Road, choking the throat of Jiangxi and Guangdong.

At this time, Wang Xianchuan led the army into Dingnan County, and the defenders did not resist at all, and directly surrendered the city.

Subsequently, Wang Xianchuan sent 10,000 soldiers and horses to raid Longnan County in the north, and at the same time sent 20,000 soldiers and horses to the south bank of the Taoshui River to deploy defenses along the river and clear the way for the main army.

"Haha!"

Seeing that the start was going well, Wang Xianchuan said to his subordinates: "I think the soldiers and horses of the imperial court are nothing more than that, our army is like a bamboo, and I haven't even seen the shadow of the soldiers and horses of the imperial court, it can be seen that the elite of the imperial court are all in the capital area, and the southbound are some second-rate goods!" ”

A group of generals are also complacent, all of them are ready to do a big job, maybe after this battle, everyone can be rewarded by the imperial court, after all, crying children have milk to drink.

At the same time, Guizhou Province Tongren Mansion City.

Xu Jiaming, the general soldier of Guizhou, gathered 87,000 soldiers from the Guizhou Guard, as well as 58,000 Tusi soldiers from all over the country, with a total of 145,000 troops and horses, gathered inside and outside the city of Tongrenfu.

After the army was stationed in Fucheng for two days, it directly rushed into the territory of Chenzhou Fu in Huguang Province, and it took only two days to capture Mayang County in Chenzhou Fu, which was regarded as occupying a "base area" in Huguang Road.

After the victory in the first battle, Xu Jiaming, the chief military officer of Guizhou, was complacent, and laughed at his subordinates and said: "It is said that the elite of the imperial court is good at fighting, and looking at it today, it is nothing more than that." Our army has been preparing for a long time, but the soldiers and horses of the court did not have any preparations, and they lost a city as soon as the war began. ”

Although some of the generals were cautious in their hearts, no one said anything at this time in the face of real results.

Immediately, Xu Jiaming ordered the army to rest in Mayang County for a day, and then the whole army divided its troops into two ways to attack, all the way to Chenzhou Fucheng, and all the way to the neighboring Baoqing Mansion.

Immediately, the soldiers and horses of Guizhou divided into two roads and began to spread out towards the hinterland of Huguang, and for a time there was a lot of noise in all parts of Huguang.

In Yunnan, at this time, Li Guozhi, the chief military officer of Yunnan, and Li Wei, the general of the general of Yunnan, together with a number of generals, had already gathered soldiers and horses from all over Yunnan, with a combined army of more than 140,000 people, and assembled in the territory of Wuding Prefecture in Yunnan Province, of which there were 80,000 Tusi soldiers from all over the country, and their strength should not be underestimated.

It's just that Mu Tianbo, the prince of Qianguo in Kunming City, was very indignant about the military behavior of Li Guozhi, the chief military officer of Yunnan, thinking that this was a rebellion, and then after Li Guozhi raised troops and gathered in Wuding Mansion, he led 18,000 soldiers and horses directly under Mu Wangfu to occupy Kunming City, and then announced to the outside world: Mu Wangfu is loyal to the imperial court and raised troops to recruit the rebellious Li Guozhi!

For a time, the Yunnan soldiers and horses had not yet invaded Sichuan as planned, and civil strife broke out first.

Li Guozhi, the chief military officer of Yunnan, was furious when he heard the news, immediately stopped the pace of marching to Sichuan, and led an army of more than 140,000 people back to the city of Kunming.

At the same time that the rebels of Liangguang and Yunnan and Guizhou raised troops together, Ding Kuichu, the governor of Liangguang, Li Guozhi, the chief military officer of Yunnan, and Xu Jiaming, the chief military officer of Guizhou, all sent envoys to Fujian to ask Zheng Zhilong for help, hoping that Zheng Zhilong could send troops to attack Zhejiang Province.

When the envoys from all sides arrived at the Fuzhou City Governor's Mansion, Zheng Zhilong received the envoys from all parties very ceremoniously.

It's just that after listening to the requests of the envoys from all sides, Zheng Zhilong didn't promise anything substantive at all, but only promised to provide some military equipment and money and food as support.

In the face of the requests for troops requested by the envoys from all sides, Zheng Zhilong immediately refused.

After sending away the envoys from all sides, Zheng Zhilong gathered a group of generals and informed everyone of the current situation in the south.

"Now that the south has been in turmoil, I can be loyal to the imperial court in Fujian, and I can join the southern army when I retreat, which can be said to be both advance and retreat. Therefore, the plan for the present is to wait and see and weigh. ”

Zheng Zhilong's face was overjoyed, and he said loudly: "From today onwards, all parts of Fujian will immediately block all passes and key roads, cut off the news exchanges between the imperial court and the southern provinces, and observe the trend of the situation first, and then decide on the next step." ”

Everyone thinks deeply, the current situation is complicated, although the imperial court is the strongest, but after the southern provinces raised troops, the momentum is also very huge, and it is difficult to guarantee that there will be no unexpected direction, so everyone has the same idea as Zheng Zhilong: wait and see first, wait until the situation is clear, and then make a decision.

It's just that in the face of Zheng Zhilong's decision, Zheng Sen frowned, such a speculative move is destined to be difficult to occupy a place in the general trend of the world.

So Zheng Sen immediately stood up and said loudly: "Father! Now that the imperial army has been stationed in various parts of the south of the Yangtze River, even if the southern provinces suddenly raise troops and horses, they may have an advantage at first, but after all, the imperial court is a corner of the enemy of the whole country, whether it is Liangguang or Yungui, the result of the army is doomed to defeat, and my Zheng family must not stand on the wrong side in such a matter of life and death! ”

"The most important thing for my father at the moment should be to immediately ask the court to fight and quell the chaos, and use the Zheng family's soldiers and horses to attack the land of Liangguang and quell the rebellion for the imperial court, instead of supporting the army and respecting itself, and fighting left and right!"

In the face of Zheng Sen's face-to-face opposition, Zheng Zhilong's face was a little ugly, and he said: "Such a big matter, when it should be discussed with you, how can it be decided by the vertical son!" ”

After speaking, Zheng Zhilong had a gloomy face, and without waiting for Zheng Sen to speak, he said directly to the generals: "From today on, all troops and horses will enter a wartime state, whether it is the soldiers and horses of the imperial court or the soldiers and horses of Liangguang, as long as they enter the territory of Fujian, they will all be repulsed, and there is no need to report separately!" ”

"In addition, the envoys of all parties enter the territory of Fujian and immediately send them to the city of Fuzhou, and no one shall make any promises without the consent of this governor!!"

Everyone clasped their fists and received their lives.

Zheng Sen's face was solemn, and he could only hold his fists at this time.

After the military discussion was over, Zheng Sen was worried, so he came to Zheng Zhilong's study again.

At this time, Zheng Zhihu and Zheng Zhibao were also in the house, and after Zheng Sen came in, he saw that the second uncle Zheng Zhihu and the fifth uncle Zheng Zhibao kept shaking their heads slightly to themselves, for fear that Zheng Sen would say the wrong thing.

Zheng Sen sighed in his heart, then saluted and said, "The child greets his father." ”

Zheng Zhilong's face was not good, and he said coldly: "What's the matter? ”

Zheng Sen said: "The child wants to ask his father for instructions, does the Iron Man Army need to be transferred? ”

Zheng Zhilong snorted coldly and said, "I have already said that my Zheng family's soldiers and horses must wait and see the situation first, and then make more decisions." Why ask! ”

Zheng Sen Zhengse said: "Father, the situation in the world is very clear today, don't look at the menacing soldiers and horses of Liangguang and Yungui, but where are those soldiers and horses the elite opponents of the imperial court?" Between children, as long as the soldiers and horses of the imperial court launch a counterattack, the soldiers and horses of Liangguang and Yungui will be crushed at the touch of a button. This seemingly huge war will end in a hurry, and it will never be delayed as my father expected!! ”

Zheng Zhilong frowned, and was about to speak, Zheng Zhihu on the side was worried that the father and son would quarrel, so he took over and said: "Sen'er thinks that how my Zheng family should decide, is there no other choice than to immediately send troops to help the court quell the chaos?" ”

In fact, in Zheng Zhihu's heart, he is also unwilling to make a choice now, after all, he will wait and see first, and then make a judgment according to the situation in the world, such a choice is the safest.

Now the foundation of the Zheng family is very huge, whether it is Zheng Zhilong, Zheng Zhihu, Zheng Zhibao and others, they don't want to make a hasty choice, after all, the family is big, once the choice is wrong, the consequences will be very serious.

Zheng Sen said: "Second Uncle Mingjian, today's court is no longer the dumb court of a few years ago, with Liu Ge Lao in charge, how to choose the forces of all parties has been put on the bright side. Who hesitates, who secretly rebels, and who is loyal to the imperial court, Liu Ge Lao's heart is very clear, doesn't this explain the problem? ”

"Do we have to wait until the imperial army is pressing, and our Zheng family is forced to choose to stand in line? At that time, what point is there! ”

Zheng Zhihu was speechless when he heard this, and Zheng Zhilong and Zheng Zhibao on the side were also silent.

Zheng Sen's words are very unpleasant, but the meaning of them is understood by several people, and they also recognize it in their hearts.

It's just that at this time, sending troops to help the court quell the chaos, how many benefits can be exchanged in the end, a few people really have no bottom in their hearts, so they want to wait and see, and they are not willing to gamble with the Zheng family's foundation.

Zheng Sen saw that everyone was hesitant, so he said: "If my father and two uncles can't make up their minds, then it's better to go like this: I will immediately go to the capital, ask Liu Ge Lao to fight on behalf of the Zheng family, and first get a reputation for the Zheng family as a loyal monarch, and then my father and the uncles will make a decision, how about it?" ”

Zheng Zhilong immediately said: "How do you explain the two Guangzhou, Yunnan and Guizhou? ? ”

Zheng Sen gritted his teeth and said, "If my father is still worried in his heart, then he still supplies money and food for the army, so what?" ”

At this time, Zheng Sen had already figured it out and understood that his father Zheng Zhilong had made up his mind to curry favor with both ends, and he would not go shirtless to participate in the war until he was forced to do so.

Therefore, instead of letting his father Zheng Zhilong unilaterally contact the rebels, it is better to take the initiative to stand up and get in touch with the imperial court.

So after listening to Zheng Sen's words, Zheng Zhilong nodded slightly, and Zheng Zhihu on the side immediately said: "Sen'er, your father has agreed, you must be careful all the way if you leave for the north as soon as possible." ”

Zheng Sen didn't wait for Zheng Zhilong to speak, he directly clenched his fists and took the order, turned around and left here.

After Zheng Sen left, Zheng Zhilong said to Zheng Zhihu and Zheng Zhibao: "Is this really feasible?" ”

Zheng Zhihu didn't speak, just sighed, and Zheng Zhibao said: "Big brother, although the imperial court is strong, its troops are contained in the north by the Manchu Tartars, so how to win or lose depends on the development of the situation." My Zheng family's bet is also caused by the situation, and there is nothing wrong with it. ”

Zheng Zhilong nodded and sighed, and said, "I'm afraid that Elder Liu Ge will be angry because of this, and when the time comes, he will be angry with Sen'er!" ”

Zheng Zhihu sighed and said: "Under the current situation, all forces in the world are taking advantage of the chaos, and my Zheng family is the same. Therefore, the risks that must be taken cannot be exempted from the children of my Zheng family! ”

Zheng Zhilong nodded and said, "Then mobilize a team of guards to go north with Sen'er, and be sure to ensure Sen'er's safety!" ”

"Yes."

Ten days later, the news of Zheng Sen's arrival in Beijing City arrived in Beijing City almost at the same time as the urgent news of the rebellion of the soldiers and horses of Liangguang and Yungui.

However, Liu Yan had already received a report from the Military Intelligence Department a few days ago, and he already had a certain understanding of the movements of the rebels in Liangguang and Yunnan-Guizhou, and had already held several meetings with Tian Huixu, Shangshu of the Ministry of National Defense, Xun Jingyun, Shangshu of the Ministry of Armament, Chen Xinjia, Shangshu of the General Staff, and Yue Ming, Shangshu of the Ministry of Finance, and formulated a series of corresponding strategies.

However, Liu Yan was still a little surprised by Zheng Sen's sudden visit, after all, he didn't expect Zheng Zhilong to send his most proud son over at this time.