In the Guanyun Caotang in Funiu Mountain, Wu Ruyi whispered in front of King Chuang Li Zicheng: "King Chuang, are you familiar with this Luo Ruming?"
Li Zicheng felt that his question was strange, so he turned to Wu Ruyi and said: "I only met him once in Cao's camp, and I am not familiar with him. Do you know his background?"
Upon hearing this, Wu Ruyi turned around and winked at the soldiers standing at the door to retreat outside the thatched cottage.
He then whispered to Li Zicheng: "King Chuang, although I don't know his details. But someone in our old camp knows his details. He just told me that he specializes in doing dirty work for Cao Cao and has assassinated more than two people."
Three thieves who were at odds with Cao Cao.
This Wu Ruming is not afraid of death. If Cao Cao asks him to assassinate anyone, he will do it without hesitation. In his mind, Cao Cao is the only one."
After hearing this, Li Zicheng nodded silently. He turned around and walked to the window and stared at the green outside. After a moment, he said, "Well, I have heard about what you just said, but I didn't expect that person."
It could be him!"
Li Zicheng didn't say anything else. He turned to Li Shuangxi and said: "Invite Mr. Niu and Mr. Li to come here to discuss matters. Then Luo Shi will tell him to rest for a while. You don't have to do anything else in the afternoon. Just
Accompany him everywhere."
Wu Ruyi reminded Li Zicheng from the side: "King Chuang, you have to guard against Luo Ruming! Don't be careless and get caught by him unexpectedly..."
Li Zicheng smiled indifferently. He waved his hand to stop Wu Ruyi from talking any more. He only said to him: "Go and ask for the military advisor and Mr. Niu. Lin Quan is coming quickly. Then tell the old battalion secretary that I will hold a feast for Luo Shida here tonight."
, I only invite Mr. Niu and the military advisor to accompany me."
Wu Ruyi said again: "King Chuang, please be careful about Luo Shi!"
Li Zicheng did not answer him. He just paced back and forth in the thatched cottage, bowing his head in thought, waiting for secret discussions on important matters. Wu Ruyi did not dare to disturb him, so he quickly turned around and left to invite Song Xiance, Li Yan and others.
…………
Li Zicheng, Song Xiance, Niu Jinxing, Li Yan and others were discussing in the study room of the thatched cottage the issue of several big thieves in eastern and southern Henan.
Although the Chuang army is now dormant in Funiu Mountain to train their troops, they still never forget to come back again, conquer Kaifeng in one fell swoop, and seize the heart of the entire Henan province.
In the east and south of Henan, there are several powerful bandits. They are Liu Hongqi who is active in Runing, Han Jiadi in Xuzhou, Li Hao in Yuzhou, and Liu Xuan in Xiangcheng. They have separate jurisdictions.
Each one is hundreds of miles away, and the number of supporters is more than 100,000.
Originally there was Li Jiyu in Dengfeng and Mi County, but unfortunately he was severely defeated by Zhang Cheng at the gate of Mi County and was promoted to one of his battalions. Now he has marched into Liaodong to fight against the Tartars.
These people are all local bandits in Henan, and they are local snakes that are difficult to deal with. They have been wavering between the imperial court and the big thieves such as King Chuang.
Li Zicheng's purpose is also very clear, that is, even if these people are not willing to join him for the time being, at least they cannot be recruited by the imperial court and become accomplices of the imperial court to kill him.
In order to keep local bandits like them neutral, he also sent Li Guo, Yuan Zongdi, Liu Tichun and others to visit various parties with generous gifts. On the surface, they all promised very politely that they would never help the government deal with him.
However, in the past two months, Li Zicheng sent troops out to collect grain, and many of them entered the boundaries of Yuzhou and Xiangcheng. They were attacked under the noses of Li Hao and Liu Xuan, which made them both unhappy and scared.
For this reason, Li Hao and Liu Xuan were worried and contacted Liu Hongqi. Han Jiadi and others wanted to fight against King Chuang's army together. They also began to have contact with local officials and even had relations with the Henan Governor's Yamen.
Contacted.
Gu Jing
Regarding this issue, Li Zicheng had long understood it and had discussed it several times with his close associates, both civil and military.
After everyone discussed it, it was finally decided that Li Yan would write a letter to Li Hao and Liu Xuan each, and then Li Cao was sent to carry the letter and gifts and set off overnight to Yuzhou and Xiangcheng to meet them.
He persuaded them that as long as they were not favored by the imperial court and did not act as accomplices of the government, the invading army would never enter their territory to collect food in the future. Moreover, when the official army invaded and suppressed them, the invading army would also send troops to support them if necessary.
.
Because this matter was urgent, after everyone agreed, Li Yan got up and left the study, preparing for Li Dong to leave for Yuzhou and Xiangcheng tonight.
As soon as Li Yan left, Li Zicheng asked Niu Jinxing and Song Xiance: "According to you two, what is the purpose of Cao Cao sending Luo Shi here?"
Niu Jinxing pondered for a moment and then said: "I think Cao Cao is definitely not just sending people to greet him. It must be that he and Zhang Jingxuan don't get along well and he has the intention of leaving Jingxuan, so he came to test King Chuang.
manner?"
Li Zicheng nodded and asked, "What does he want to test?"
Niu Jinxing was not able to answer the question asked by King Chuang for a while.
There was no news in the camp about the recent situation between Zhang Xianzhong and Luo Rucai and whether they were harmonious.
On the contrary, although Luo Rucai and Chuang Wang have not fallen out in recent years, they have become estranged on the surface, which is known to everyone.
Today, he suddenly sent Luo Ruming to greet him. Of course, there must be a deep meaning in it, so he guessed that he came to test him, but it was difficult to explain clearly what he wanted to test.
He thought carefully before replying: "If Cao Cao doesn't want to tolerate Zhang Shuai and wants to come to the throne to challenge the king, this is the best thing.
Even if we don't come right away, we might as well send Luo Ruming to see our situation and see what King Chuang's attitude is towards him, so I said this is just a test."
Li Zicheng originally had this suspicion in his mind, but at this moment he shook his head slightly and said deliberately: "I don't think so. Cao Cao, like Jingxuan, established his own banner after the uprising, and was never a general of King Gao Chuang.
So I usually think that their qualifications are higher than mine, but when I see that I am now the king of Chuang and have the ambition to seize the country, I feel quite unconvinced.
Besides, you are worshiping me, and I have always called him brother. Normally speaking, it would be difficult for him to bow down and worship me as my Lord."
Song Xiance suddenly smiled and said: "I understand. Cao Cao had no choice but to form a partnership with Zhang Shuai, and there would be unspeakable suffering. That's why he deliberately came to Henan to rely on King Chuang to avoid Zuo Liangyu's attack.
He came to rely on King Chuang, but not to serve King Chuang as his chief, just like he and Zhang Shuai were in partnership, that's it."
Li Zicheng said with some hesitation: "If he has this intention, how should we treat him?"
Song Xiance continued: "If he really has such thoughts, King Chuang must express his sincere welcome and sincerely invite him to come, and the sooner the better."
Li Zicheng asked again: "What will we do after he comes?"