When Geng San returned to Jiangdu City, it was already past mid-September.
Since it was already getting late, he planned to visit Zhang Yangquan the next day. After entering the city, he went straight back home.
When he got home, it was already Xu time. Geng Sigong had just returned home from the office and was having dinner in the lobby. He heard a knock on the door and quickly got up and opened the door.
"Brother, you are back. How is the situation in Haozhou?" he asked.
"Everything is fine."
While answering, Geng San entered the lobby, found a chair and sat down, and suddenly said: "By the way, brother, do you have any information on Zhang Shicheng recently?"
Geng Si was helping him add food. Hearing this, he raised his head and said, "What information?"
Geng San took the job, took a bite, and muttered: "That's the information about Zhang Shicheng's collusion with the Tatars!"
Geng Si was surprised and said: "I haven't heard of it. How did you know this news?"
Geng San then told Lan Yu’s sister and brother about the eavesdropping.
Geng Si pondered for a long time and said: "Although my men did not find out about Zhang Shicheng's collusion with Yuan Ting, they did find that there is something abnormal about this person!"
Geng San raised his head and asked: "How do you say it?"
Geng Sidao: "According to reports from Gaoyou secret agents, Zhang Shicheng has changed a lot since he was defeated by Dong Tuanxiao several times. He entertains some literati in his house every day and listens to them praise him!"
Geng San touched his chin and smiled: "Hey, it seems that he has lost his enterprising spirit. It is not impossible that Yuan Ting took the opportunity to bribe him!"
Geng Sidao: "If he really defected to the Yuan Dynasty, we would just raise troops to attack him!"
Geng San grinned and said: "We don't need to take action, I guess Liu Futong and Zhao Junyong will deal with him!"
Geng Si shook his head and said: "Gaoyou is too close to Jiangdu, which is always a thorn in our side. Only when it is controlled by ourselves can we be safe!"
Geng San nodded and suddenly asked: "By the way, what's going on over there in Jiqing? Have they surrendered?"
Geng Si frowned and said: "Not yet, the king is no longer patient. He sent an order two days ago for Marshal Xu to go to Jiqing and issue an ultimatum to the Jiqing defenders, but..."
"But what?"
Geng Sidao: "Marshal Xu has not left until today. Although the king did not say anything, many officials said behind his back that Marshal Xu is proud of his favor!"
Geng San was shocked and said: "Xu Baisheng is arrogant because of favor? Isn't this a joke?"
Geng Si touched his nose and said: "Yes, we are all familiar with his temperament, so naturally we think it is impossible, but many officials don't know him well, so when they see him slacking off the king's orders, they naturally have ideas!"
Geng San said in a daze: "Speaking of which, this is really a strange thing. Xu Baisheng has always been unambiguous about the king's orders. What happened this time?"
Geng Si sighed: "I don't know either. The only one who has a good relationship with Marshal Xu is General Hou. When he's not around, no one dares to ask more questions!"
……
Xu Baisheng stood silently outside the house, holding his hands tightly and his forehead covered with cold sweat.
Suddenly, there was a faint sound of sobbing in the house. He was taken aback and was about to break in. He hesitated for a moment, but finally held back and continued to wait outside the house.
After another quarter of an hour, the door was pushed open, and Mr. Xue ran out of the house, hugging him tightly and sobbing softly.
Xu Baisheng patted her back gently and whispered: "It's okay. It doesn't matter if it can't be cured."
Wang Meng followed Xue out. After hearing what Xu Baisheng said, he was surprised and said: "Marshuai Xu, your wife has been cured!"
Xu Baisheng was surprised again and said to Mrs. Xue: "Madam? Is it really cured?"
Mr. Xue whispered "Yeah".
"Then why are you crying?"
"I'm... so happy!"
Xu Baisheng laughed twice, cupped his hands towards Wang Meng and said, "Wang Jiancheng, thank you very much!"
Wang Meng twisted his beard and said with a smile: "Shuai Xu is too polite. From now on, Madam must pay attention to her diet and try to eat as little fishy food as possible!"
Xu Baisheng nodded repeatedly and thanked her again and again before leaving the palace with his wife and heading back to his own residence.
After arriving at the door of the house, I knocked on the door and the old maid opened the door immediately with a nervous expression on her face.
"General, the king and princess are here!"
Xu Baisheng was shocked and hurriedly pulled his wife into the house and found two rows of guards at the entrance of the lobby.
When I entered the lobby, I saw Zhang Yangquan and Qin Lingjun sitting at the top, drinking tea and talking.
Xu Baisheng hurriedly pulled his wife forward to pay homage and said: "Your Majesty, Xu Baisheng, pays homage to the king, and pays homage to the princess!"
Zhang Yangquan smiled and said: "Marshal Xu, there is no need to be polite. We were praising you just now. There is probably only one such a simple mansion in the world!"
Xu Baisheng said: "Both I and Zhuo Jing like to be clean, so they didn't invite too many servants."
Qin Lingjun said calmly: "That's very good. Among the old brothers who came down from the village, you have always known how to be content. Your Majesty and I both see it!"
Xu Baisheng heard the hidden meaning of this sentence and hurriedly knelt on the ground and said: "I am guilty, please punish me by the king and princess!"
Mr. Xue was startled and immediately knelt down.
Qin Lingjun said with a straight face: "Do you still know that you are guilty?"
Zhang Yangquan picked up the tea cup and drank the tea without saying a word. They came here this time just to ask why Xu Baisheng refused to go to the front line.
Xu Baisheng knocked on the ground and said: "I am willing to accept any punishment!"
Mrs. Xue was so anxious that she burst into tears and said, "Your Majesty, Princess, I don't blame my husband for this, it's all my fault!"
Zhang Yangquan asked in surprise: "What does it have to do with you?"
Mrs.
Zhang Yangquan frowned and said: "What disease is being treated?"
Mr. Xue's face suddenly turned red and she bit her lower lip tightly.
Qin Lingjun was a woman, so she immediately guessed that this disease was difficult to talk about, so she pulled Zhang Yangquan and winked at him.
Zhang Yangquan coughed and said: "Okay, we are just here to ask. Now that we have asked clearly, this matter is over! You guys should get up quickly, sit down and talk, don't be restrained!"
Xu Baisheng thanked him and pulled Mr. Xue to stand up and sit on the chair.
Qin Lingjun suddenly said: "Actually, it's okay that you didn't leave. There is new news from Jiqing!"
Xu Baisheng's eyes lit up and he said, "Did they agree to surrender?"
Zhang Yangquan nodded and said: "Chen Ye has already convinced most of the officials in Jiqing to surrender. Around the end of September, Fengtai Mountain will surrender!"
Qin Lingjun said: "This matter is of great importance. Uncle Fang's adaptability is not as good as yours, so we want you to go to Jiqing and be responsible for accepting the surrender!"
After Xu Baisheng returned to Jiangdu, Fang Yuan took Xu Baisheng's place and commanded the army around Jiqing.
Xu Baisheng cupped his hands and said: "I accept your order!"
Early the next morning, Xu Baisheng left Jiangdu City and headed towards Jiqing.
In the middle of Chenshi, the Geng brothers came to the palace and reported the situation to Zhang Yangquan in the study.
Geng Si said: "Your Majesty, all ninety-nine scholars except Li Shanchang have been investigated clearly, and there is no suspicious person!"
Zhang Yangquan said happily: "Okay, you go directly to the Zhongshu Province and tell the Left Prime Minister and others that the scholars can be sent to various places!"
Geng Si promised to go.
Geng San then stepped forward and explained the situation in Haozhou.
Zhang Yangquan was originally lying on the back of the chair. After listening, he suddenly sat up straight and said in surprise: "You said that boy's name is Lan Yu?"
Geng San was stunned for a moment and said: "Yes, does your Majesty know this boy?"
Zhang Yangquan smiled slightly, without explaining, and said with a smile: "I know Zhang Shicheng. In times of adversity, he will become more courageous with frustrations, but as long as times are good, his will is easily corrupted!"
Geng San hurriedly said: "Are you saying that he is very likely to defect to Yuan Ting?"
Zhang Yangquan thought for a while and said: "Now that the rebel army is strong and Yuan Ting is weak, even if he does collude with Yuan Ting, he will only do it secretly, so there is no need to worry about him for the time being."
Geng San hurriedly said: "As long as my Shenji Battalion is equipped with cannons and cavalry, I am sure that with ten thousand troops, I can defeat Zhang Shicheng!"
Zhang Yangquan sighed and said: "I also hope that the blunderbuss can be produced faster, but unfortunately it can only be made by hand now, and it can't be done faster even if I want to."
Geng San secretly wondered: "What else can be used without using manual labor?" He cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, that subordinate also resigned!"
Zhang Yangquan waved his hand.
As soon as Geng San left, Geng Si suddenly left and returned, saying solemnly: "Your Majesty, news just came from Wuwei that Zhu Yuanzhang gathered his army and left Wuwei!"
Zhang Yangquan was surprised and said: "Where does he want to go?"
Geng Sidao: "Xiangxi! He seems to want to fight Ming Yuzhen's 100,000-strong army in the field!"
Zhang Yangquan was stunned. Zhu Yuanzhang now had less than 20,000 men, so he dared to fight Ming Yuzhen's 100,000-strong army head-on?
With Zhu Yuanzhang's character, he would never commit suicide, which shows that he has a chance of defeating Ming Yuzhen's army.
Thinking of this, a flash occurred in his mind and he asked: "Is the army led by Ming Yuzhen this time the same as when he attacked Wuwei last time?"
Geng Sidao: "It's not the same. The 100,000 men who attacked Wuwei last time were from Xu Shouhui's headquarters. Half of them stayed in Hanyang and were replaced by 50,000 men under Ni Wenjun!"
Zhang Yangquan's eyes flashed and he sighed: "I understand why Zhu Yuanzhang took the initiative to attack. Tian Wanjun is afraid that he will suffer another big defeat!"