Ni Yuanlu and Lu Zhenfei had a very pleasant conversation. After the two confirmed the main details of the welcome, Ni Yuanlu could not rest and hurried back on her horse.

Lu Zhenfei also immediately summoned Wang Hui, the governor of the Governor's Model Battalion, and asked him to assemble the only field force in Huai'an Prefecture City to prepare for the northward escort.

However, when Wang Hui walked out of the Governor's Office of Water Transport in Huai'an Prefecture, Lu Zhenfei was not by his side, and the order passed to the military camp became to exterminate the small group of thieves who entered Huai'an Prefecture.

Liu Zeqing was coaxed and deceived by Lu Jiude and stayed directly in the manor where Prince Fu lived. It was called an interview, but it was actually a delay.

Among the four generals under him, Ma Huabao and Bo Tianfu, who had a close relationship with Lu Jiude, both received orders to suppress bandits.

However, compared with the reckless and brutal Ma Huabao who immediately led his troops to dispatch, Bo Tianfu kept delaying. He was not decisive in his actions. Now that he had not seen Liu Zeqing, he did not dare to act without authorization.

Lu Jiu De also immediately ordered his two thousand elite soldiers hidden in Quy Nhon Chi to prepare to cross the river and outflank the holy cavalry from the rear.

As a result, Wang Hui's more than 1,000 governor's pacesetters, Ma Huabao's more than 1,500 soldiers, and Lu Jiude's 2,000 elite soldiers will outflank them from three directions: south, north, and east.

The so-called "small band of thieves" were tightly surrounded in Qinghe County, which was facing water on both sides.

In order to confuse Zhou Shixian, Lu Jiude also asked Wang Hui to continue to use Lu Zhenfei's name, intending to give this army that had come all the way from the capital a sudden blow.

By the time Ni Yuanlu rushed back to the convoy overnight and met the holy convoy head-on, it was already noon on the second day. Zhou Shixian and his party had already set off from Cui Town and continued southward along the canal.

After returning to the motorcade, Ni Yuanlu was already very tired. After he and Zhou Shixian briefly talked about the details of the conversation with Lu Zhenfei and where to meet the driver, he couldn't hold on any longer.

He didn't sleep for almost two days and two nights, and he was bumpy on horseback for nearly two hundred miles back and forth. For this minister in his fifties, it was already the limit.

Zhou Shixian asked Wang Chaodong, who was traveling with him, about the rest of the situation.

From Lu Zhenfei's demeanor to his words to the measures he took, Wang Chaodong remembered it very clearly and came to Zhou Shi Xian one by one.

He was a confidant of Zhou Shixian's men and a royal guard. This kind of secret observation, analysis and description were his strengths.

Of course, Lu Zhenfei was not without doubts. Even though Ni Yuanlu came in person, how could a minister of the Ministry of Households command the capital camp and even the Jinyi Guards, fight out from thousands of troops, thousands of miles away, and face countless obstacles?

From Beijing to Huai'an.

But Ni Yuanlu didn't say more. He also noticed the recent changes in Emperor Chongzhen, and he really didn't dare to praise Zhou Shixian anymore, for fear that his words would cause trouble for the Ming Dynasty in the future.

Fortunately, Lu Zhenfei just asked out of curiosity and had no intention of getting into the details. Regardless of whether this matter was true or false, he had to go and see it. Just like Shi Kefa had received the imperial edict and had now led the Nanjing camp northward, for them

For these few loyal people in the Ming Dynasty, believing that Emperor Chongzhen is still alive is a kind of "political correctness".

"Lu Jiude and Liu Zeqing appeared at Lu Zhenfei's house together?" Zhou Shixian couldn't help but frowned and asked after hearing this.

"Yes, Prince Consort, I saw it with my own eyes." Wang Chaodong was extremely sure.

During this period, Zhou Shixian sent a large number of sentries and guards to inquire about the news. He had already known about the rumors that "the empress had passed away", but he did not expect that Lu Jiude, Lu Zhenfei, and Liu Zeqing were appointed heirs in history.

It will be earlier than this time.

"Did Lu Jiude and Liu Zeqing go together, or did they go one after the other?" Zhou Shixian asked again.

"We walked together. Lu Zhenfei also said that Lu Jiude brought Liu Zeqing to see him." Wang Chaodong continued to report.

"Go and call Wu Xingye!" After hearing this, Zhou Shixian felt vaguely certain about something in his heart, and immediately ordered without any hesitation.

Prince Fu is in Huai'an, and since Lu Jiude has already arrived and hooked up with Liu Zeqing, Lu Zhenfei is also wooing him, which means that the other party has been planning for a long time and has a plan.

Zhou Shixian couldn't help but hesitate in his heart when he recalled Lu Zhenfei's attitude towards King Fu in history, and how he was dismissed from office because of his disagreement with those in the Hongguang court after supporting him.

In particular, Lu Jiude personally took action. Lu Zhenfei, the governor of water transportation and governor of Huaiyang, was recommended as a guarantee by the other party.

And Lu Jiude was not a servant eunuch like Wang Chengen, but a leading eunuch who had been on the battlefield for more than ten years. Even Ma Shiying, the governor of Fengyang, had to give him seven points.

Things have developed to the point where they are now. As more and more people are involved and all forces are getting involved, some things may become unavoidable.

Zhou Shixian can only be more careful and decisive.

Soon, Wu Xingye came to Zhu Cixiang. After Wang Chaodong retreated, Zhu Cixiang gave the order: "Pull the sentries back and reduce the reconnaissance range to within ten miles. Pay special attention to the other side of the canal and behind us."

.”

"Consort, something happened in Huai'an?" Wu Xingye asked doubtfully.

Zhou Shixian shook his head: "We're not sure yet, but it's better to be careful. Let Xue Changfu gather the troops as quickly as possible. The trackers will rest on the spot between Cui Town and Sanyi Town, and then he will bring his troops over.

meet."

"Yes, Prince Consort!" Wu Xingye heard this and knew that the situation in Huai'an might have changed a lot, so he didn't dare to ask any more questions and immediately went to take action.

Nowadays, Xue Laoer's headquarters only has a small number of horses. It is a distance of thirty miles. Including the preparation of troops and the placement of trackers, it would take a long time to get there. In addition, Wu Xingye sent people to inform him, and it would probably be the fastest to arrive.

They could only arrive at noon on the second day, and with such a rapid march, they could not immediately enter the battle. This was something Zhou Shixian needed to consider.

The convoy continued to march and arrived at Sanyi Town in the evening. They were now less than twenty miles away from Qinghe and within sixty miles away from Huai'an. However, to get to Huai'an, they had to find a boat to cross the river.

After Zhou Shixian ordered the convoy to rest on the spot, he immediately sent Jin Yiwei to contact the magistrate of Qinghe County. If there was any accident, they could go in and take shelter and wait for help.

However, although Jin Yiwei was entertained by the Qinghe County Magistrate, who was also very enthusiastic, he was always vague when it came to specific matters, as if he was deliberately avoiding something.

Moreover, the city defense was very cautious, and hundreds of brave warriors stood on the city wall.

Zhou Shixian guessed that Lu Jiude was behind this. Wang Chaodong originally wanted to launch a surprise attack on Qinghe County, but Zhou Shixian was worried that he had fallen into Lu Jiude's plan to divert the tiger away from the mountain. Moreover, without artillery, Qinghe County was already prepared.

, and it won’t be possible to get it in a short time.

Early on the next morning, the convoy had just set off, and after walking less than five miles, Zhou Shixian saw the sentry scouts sent in front galloping back.

"Prince-in-law, Huaiyang Governor Lu Zhenfei has sent the Governor's Model Battalion to pick him up!" Wu Xingye hurriedly came to report.

As soon as these words came out, everyone was happy, and at the same time they all breathed a sigh of relief, they were finally safe!

"Is Lu Zhenfei here?" Zhou Shixian asked, "How many troops are there in the welcoming team?"

"The scouts said there was a skinny official wearing a second-grade official uniform, who should be Mr. Lu." Wu Xingyezai reported carefully: "It looks like there are five to six hundred people, and the leader is Wang Hui, the commander of the Standard Barracks."

"Don't worry, Prince Consort, this man is Lu Zhenfei's confidant and is quite capable. Lu Zhenfei told me yesterday that he would personally lead the troops to escort him." Ni Yuanlu regained some energy after a night's rest.

.

"Okay, let's go there and don't stop the convoy!"
Chapter completed!