Just when Liu Ruyi led his army to Xingshan County overnight, 'Cao Cao' Luo Rucai came to Bazhong to show off his victory to Zhang Xianzhong!
In fact, Zhang Xianzhong's path to Sichuan was not smooth!
As early as the end of September, he sent troops to attack Wushan County, the gateway to northeastern Sichuan. However, they suffered a tough sniper attack from the white-pole soldiers under the command of Qin Liangyu, a legendary female general in the late Ming Dynasty. Zhang Xianzhong suffered heavy losses. Zhang Xianzhong had to temporarily withdraw to Badong to recuperate!
From Huguang to Sichuan, the mountains were steep and the land route was difficult to pass. Coupled with the obstruction of Qin Liangyu, Zhang Xianzhong had to change his original intention and prepare to march to Sichuan by water.
And Zhang Xianzhong had already seen through Luo Rucai's mind. Although this man was cunning and clever, his greed for pleasure and his enterprising spirit had already been largely worn away by the glory and wealth!
However, after all, Luo Rucai is also a high-ranking figure. They all started their careers in Shaanxi with Lao Chuang Wang Gao Yingxiang. Zhang Xianzhong had to give him some face!
The most important thing for Chinese people is face, especially among the rebels, face is bigger than the sky!
Zhang Xianzhong held a grand banquet in his residence to entertain Luo Rucai.
After three rounds of wine and five flavors of food, Luo Ru smiled and said: "Eight Great Kings, we now occupy most of the rich land in Jingzhou, and the government and army can't help us. Why do you have to go to Sichuan to find all these troubles?"
Let's slowly wear down the army together with them, and when they are weak, we will capture Xiangyang City in one fell swoop. By then, we will share the world, wouldn't it be great?"
Zhang Xianzhong couldn't help laughing. He had to admit that what Luo Rucai said was very tempting. However, Huguang is located in the heart of the Ming Dynasty and there is basically no danger. Can they be free for a while or for a lifetime? The imperial court will definitely not
Let them grow bigger in Huguang!
Not to mention, the current Pavilion Elder Yang Sichang is from Wuling!
"Cao Cao, what you said is good! What a pity, I, Lao Zhang, have already decided to go to Sichuan!" Zhang Xianzhong glanced at Luo Rucai and said with a smile.
Luo Rucai was stunned for a moment. He was such a smart man. In a blink of an eye, he understood Zhang Xianzhong's thoughts and hurriedly smiled and said: "I, Lao Luo, have always admired the vision of the Eight Kings! However, this road ahead is extremely difficult, I'm afraid.
It’s not that easy to leave!”
Regarding Zhang Xianzhong's choice, Luo Rucai actually didn't want to interfere, and even wished that he would leave quickly!
But in the current situation, the imperial court still has hundreds of thousands of troops, but he has less than 20,000 troops under his command, which is completely unbearable!
The reason why he retained Zhang Xianzhong in this way was just to use Zhang Xianzhong’s name to share some of the court’s ‘firepower’ with him!
Zhang Xianzhong also knew this very well. The two of them were like wolves and embarrassed. The reason why they got together was just to get what they wanted!
"I heard that Liu Ruyi, the Shandong general who just defeated Dorgon in Pinggu City, also came to Huguang recently. Cao Cao, you'd better not think so far and take care of yourself first!" Zhang Xianzhong looked at Luo Rucai.
He glanced at it and laughed.
"Liu Ruyi?" Luo Rucai was stunned. He was still a little unfamiliar with this name!
"That's right! It's this man! Cao Cao, you must never underestimate him! Back then, I fought with him at the gate of Nanyang City! This man is brave and resourceful, and his officers and soldiers are not weak in combat.
Hopefully, I also suffered at his hands back then!" Zhang Xianzhong warned.
"Oh? What the Eight Kings said was the time when they could expect to be captured alive?" Luo Rucai asked quickly.
Although he did not go to the Battle of Nanyang back then, he had been paying close attention to it, so he naturally knew what happened back then!
Zhang Xianzhong nodded, "That's right! If I, Lao Zhang, hadn't changed his face so quickly, I'm afraid I would have fallen into his hands!"
Luo Rucai couldn't help but take a breath of cold air. He couldn't understand who Sun Kewang was. Even he was like this, so he really had to be more careful!
"But, Eight Great Kings, Liu Ruyi's troops have been here for more than a month, but they have been staying in Baokang County. He, he will come to Xingshan to cause trouble for me?" Luo Rucai asked, somewhat deceiving himself.
Although he is 'Cao Cao', as long as he is a human being, he will have a sense of luck at such a time!
"Haha!" Zhang Xianzhong suddenly smiled, "Maybe he wouldn't have done it before! But this time, you have broken off two of his minions. Do you think he can still tolerate you?"
Luo Rucai couldn't help but change his face when he heard this. Only then did he realize that rushing to kill Yang Shien and Luo Anbang was not entirely a good thing!
"Eight Great Kings, I have something urgent to do, so I'll take my leave first!" Luo Rucai had no time to talk to Zhang Xianzhong, so he hurriedly got up and left!
Zhang Xianzhong looked at Luo Rucai's back and couldn't help but reveal a playful smile. He had disliked this 'Cao Cao' for a long time!
At this time, after marching for several days, Liu Ruyi's Colored Stone Army had passed Maoer Pass and arrived in Xingshan County.
It was already the end of November, and the weather was extremely cold. Although there was no snow in the Chu region, the dampness and coldness in the deep mountains and old forests made Liu Ruyi and other northerners particularly uncomfortable!
"General, go thirty miles further and you'll find Xiangyouping! It's still early in the morning. If we hurry up and hurry up, we'll be able to camp at Xiangyouping before dark!" Luo Anbang pointed at the south end of Xiangxi River and said to
Liu Ruyi explained.
Liu Ruyi nodded, but ordered the army to rest on the spot and set up camp in a wide area beside the Xiangxi River!
Luo Anbang couldn't help but be puzzled, "General, this, this? It is said that soldiers are valuable and fast, don't we have to rush to Xingshan County quickly? Why is the general here..."
Liu Ruyi smiled and glanced at Luo Anbang, "Brother Luo, if we rush to Xingshan County in a hurry, what should we do if we encounter the situation like you and Deputy General Yang again?"
"This..." Luo Anbang couldn't help but was speechless, and hurriedly knelt down and said: "General, it's because of your low position that you are eager to take revenge. I beg you, General, to punish you!"
"Punishment is certain! However, General Luo, I can give you a chance to make up for your past mistakes! It just depends on whether you are willing or not!" Liu Ruyi looked into his eyes and said coldly.
"I am willing to die for the general in my lowly position!" Luo Anbang also knew that at this level, he had no room for bargaining, so he had to bite the bullet and said.
"Very good! Come over here!" Liu Ruyi called Luo Anbang to his side and whispered instructions in his ear.
"Yes, yes! The humble position will be fulfilled for the general!" Luo Anbang nodded desperately, and soon, he took his more than a hundred remaining soldiers and rushed towards Xiangyouping!
"What? Liu Ruyi has led his army into Xiangyouping?" In Xingshan County, Luo Rucai couldn't help but turn pale with shock!
"Commander, the news is absolutely true! This is the news from the Miao brothers under my humble command. They have set up camp on the east side of Xiangyouping. There are more than 500 large tents. I am afraid there are no less than 5,000 people.
That!" Babu, the leader of the Miao people, hurriedly explained to Luo Rucai.
"Do they have any further movements?" Luo Rucai hurriedly asked.
"This, that's not true! However, they have brought enough food and grass, nearly a thousand mules and horses. They have been in Xiangyouping for three days and have not found a guide. They seem to be standing still!"
"Oh?" Luo Rucai couldn't help frowning and was speechless for a long time.
"Commander, do you want us to give him a hard blow like last time?" Thinking of the last big victory, Babu couldn't help but said.
Luo Rucai was startled, but did not speak. He thought for a long time and then said: "There is no need to rush this matter. You can ask your clansmen to continue to monitor the movements of Liu Ruyi's tribe. If there is any trouble, come and report it immediately!"
"yes!"
~~~~~~~~~~
Xiangyouping.
Liu Ruyi’s ‘army’ camped here for five days!
For five days, we cooked when we needed to cook and practiced when we needed to practice in the camp. Other than that, there was no extraneous action!
They did not interact with the local villagers, but they also strictly prohibited the local villagers from approaching the camp. For a while, they seemed a bit mysterious!
On the top of the mountain to the east of Xiangyouping, several men dressed as Miao people were carefully peeping at the situation in the army camp at the foot of the mountain. A thin boy, about seventeen or eighteen years old, said with some confusion: "Brother, these officers and soldiers
What's going on? Why don't they come out? Aren't they here to beat us?"
On the side, a man about thirty years old with a vicissitudes of life shook his head, "No! I see that their lineup is well-organized and well-equipped, far beyond the ordinary officers and soldiers. There must be some ulterior conspiracy! I
Don't be anxious, lest you fall into the tricks of these officers and soldiers!"
The young man hurriedly said: "But, the commander is still waiting for us to go back and report the news! Brother, I also hope to ask for more rewards from the commander, and to ask for a mother-in-law as soon as possible!"
"You little melon, how old are you, but you already want a woman! Ah!" The man slapped the young man on the head angrily.
The young man couldn't help but said in disbelief: "You are all from my mother-in-law, so of course you are not in a hurry! But not yet! Hey, it's true that a full man doesn't know how hungry a man is!"
At this time, a dozen figures suddenly appeared in the military camp, carrying bows and arrows on their backs, running straight to the foot of the mountain nearby. It looked like they were going out to hunt!
"Fuck! These dog officials are really in a mood. Erbazi, do you have the guts? Let's go down and catch someone alive. If we ask, we will know everything!" the man said hurriedly.
The young man who was called 'Er Wazi' swallowed hard and said, "Well, there's nothing you dare to do! The commander-in-chief is my uncle, I have to make meritorious deeds for him!"
After the few people finished speaking, they disappeared silently into the dense forest on the top of the mountain like ghosts.
~~~~~~~~~~
At the foot of the mountain, Ah Si led a dozen of his brothers, slowly marching towards the deep mountains and old forests.
In fact, in the military camp of Xiangyouping, apart from Luo Anbang's more than 100 remnant soldiers, there were only more than 200 brothers from their scout camp!
The so-called drills on weekdays are nothing more than wooden targets wearing official and military uniforms, while Liu Ruyi's real army is hidden in a valley on the north side of Xiangyouping.
The purpose of Ah Si and others is to create an illusion to make the refugee army think, 'The official army is powerful and cannot be approached!'
In the dense forest, Ah Si and others had already hunted more than a dozen pheasants and a roe deer. They were resting under a huge rock. Ah Si cursed and said: "Brothers, please cheer me up, let's
The general wants to eat wild boar meat. Today, even if we turn over this mountain, we will hunt one for the general!"