The severe cold weather did not make Wuqiao County quiet. The sudden arrival of the army made the local people restless and uneasy.
It is said that the soldiers who came here are from Liaodong, and they are all like bandits. If they disagree, they will break into homes, loot houses, burn, kill and loot.
The people were frightened.
Those with connections quickly ran into the city, while those without connections closed their windows.
In the wind and snow, the army camped outside the city.
Kong Youde is only thirty years old now, in the prime of life. However, sitting in the tent, he looks desolate under the depression.
The curtain of the big tent was opened, and a gust of cold wind rushed in, carrying the two of them.
First there was a young man in his early twenties, followed by a man in his early forties.
This man was wrapped in a leather jacket. At first glance, he looked like a merchant walking from the west entrance. But his eyes hidden under the scarf were full of fierceness and fierceness.
Seeing these two people, Kong Youde jumped up and was impatient.
"Brother, you are finally back."
The man took off his hat and scarf, revealing a bronze face. It was none other than Dongjiang Town guerrilla Li Jiucheng.
And that young man is Li Yingyuan, the general manager of Dongjiang Town, who is also the son of Li Jiucheng.
Li Jiuzheng didn't have time to say anything, so he grabbed Kong Youde's arm and asked hurriedly: "What do you guys say?"
Kong Youde's face showed anger.
"What else can I say? We are all blessed by the commander-in-chief. Who is willing to go to Liaoxi and listen to those bastards in Jiangmen? There was a big fuss yesterday. If there is nothing we can do today, I'm afraid you and I won't be able to hold it back.
."
Li Jiucheng touched the wine bottle on the table and took a sip. The coldness disappeared. At the same time, his eyes were full of cunning.
"The Dog Emperor has no good intentions. He asked us to go to Liaodong because he wanted to attack us."
Li Yingyuan kept wandering around anxiously.
"Then what should we do? If we don't go, the Dog Emperor will definitely not let us go."
Kong Youde felt the same as him and asked impatiently: "Brother, what do you say over there?"
Li Jiucheng carefully scanned the surroundings before lowering his voice and said: "Mr. Fan said that the battle over the Daling River has been completed, so we just went there for no reason. It's not even the icing on the cake, and people don't like it."
Eye. For the current plan, we must have a name certificate."
Li Yingyuan pondered for a long time.
"Submit a petition? When we arrive in Liaodong, kill the governor of Liaodong and offer the city of Jinzhou, won't we be just around the corner to be rich and powerful?"
"inappropriate."
Kong Youde was very resourceful and knew immediately that this method would not work.
"Hundreds of miles to the west of Liaoning, who knows where we will be sent? Those dog officers don't trust us either. They're afraid that we won't be able to reach the critical place. Besides, there are large armies gathering in the west of Liaoning, and we're afraid that we won't be able to respond by ourselves.
I'm stuck in it."
Li Jiucheng nodded heavily.
"Mr. Fan means the same thing. He said that although they won the battle there, his family was in trouble and had no time to plot against Jinzhou. So if we really go to Liaodong, we will definitely get stuck there."
When Li Yingyuan saw that his method was rejected, he slapped his forehead anxiously.
"We've run out of food. If we drag it on any longer, the people down there will be hungry and they'll bite us."
Li Jiucheng had obviously made up his mind.
"We definitely can't go to Liaodong, so we'll turn around and go back to Dengzhou. If we can't get there by land, we'll take the water route. Shandong is the foundation of Liaodong. Before we leave, let's have a good cause and destroy Shandong. It can be considered a great achievement.
Isn’t it?”
Upon hearing this plan, both Kong Youde and Li Yingyuan's eyes lit up, but then Kong Youde looked worried.
"Although Shandong is now empty of troops, Zuo Menggeng is still there, so I'm afraid he will jump out and do bad things."
Hearing Zuo Mengeng's name, Li Jiucheng and his son's faces were inevitably nervous. But the arrow was on the string and they had to take action.
Fortunately, Li Jiucheng's preparations were very detailed, and what he said really comforted the two of them.
"My dear brother, I don't know. Zuo Menggeng has captured the White Lotus Sect and is trapped in Yimeng Mountain. For a moment, his army will not try to pull it out. We won't fight south and go to Dengzhou alone. What have we to do with him?
?”
This news greatly excited Kong Youde.
"If that's the case, then let's do it."
Li Yingyuan is not so optimistic.
"It's a thousand miles back to Dengzhou. We've run out of food and grass, and we're afraid we'll starve to death on the way."
At this time, Kong Youde's ruthlessness became apparent.
"Humph, since the Ming Dynasty won't give us a way to survive, then we can't be polite. Let's make a plan tomorrow and make money in Wuqiao County first."
Li Jiucheng and Li Yingyuan understood.
Kong Youde planned to capture Wuqiao County, obtain grain and grass supplies, and then return to Shandong.
That night, the three of them summoned the other generals in Dongjiang Town and discussed their plans one by one.
Since Mao Wenlong's death, life in Dongjiang Town has been worse than death, and everyone in the town has hated the Ming Dynasty for a long time. When they heard that Kong Youde and the other three wanted to rebel, none of the generals and colonels below had any objections, and they all applauded.
On the second day, before dawn, Bi Ziyin climbed to the top of the city in Wuqiao County and looked at the military camp in Dongjiang Town in the distance.
There have been many reinforcements from Shandong passing outside the city these days, but this one is very strange, actually stationed here.
"Immediately organize the government officials to notify each family to contribute money and food, and also ask the people to go to the city. Well...the cannons are also arranged."
The master was startled and asked in fear: "Proprietor, you mean..."
Bi Ziyin slowly shook his head.
"Don't be afraid of ten thousand, just be afraid of what happens."
The master didn't dare to say anything anymore and got busy getting ready.
After lunch, Dongjiang Town finally moved.
Standing at the top of the city and watching Dongjiang Town pack up their camp and head north, Bi Ziyin couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
As long as these plague gods leave Wuqiao, everything will be fine.
However, when Dongjiang Town walked to the school grounds, it was obvious that the military ranks were in chaos, and noisy shouts could be heard in the distance.
Bi Ziyin panicked, lying on the top of the city and trying hard to see. However, he was far away and couldn't see clearly. Anyway, he only knew that those plague gods were not leaving anymore.
Bi Ziyin hurriedly sent someone to inquire.
Not long after, the people below came back and reported that some soldiers were making trouble and kidnapped the general. Because the general did not give them money or food, he left them hungry.
If you want them to release the general, you must give them money and food.
"Mingfu, the top priority is to send these plague gifts out of the country first. We only have some money and food, and each of our families has to contribute."
The gentry in Wuqiao County spoke one after another, always thinking the same thing.
If you want money, give money, if you want food, give food. I just want the soldiers and horses of Dongjiang Town to leave quickly.
Bi Ziyin instinctively felt that there was something fishy in it, but it was difficult to go against the consensus, and he had no choice. After thinking about it, he said: "The true and false situation in the army is not yet known. Why don't I personally investigate it, so that I can teach you what to think about it?"
Countless."
The gentry did not expect him to be so bold, so they all admired him and stopped making noises.
Bi Ziyin left the city and went straight to the military camp. However, he made a precaution and ordered the soldiers guarding the gate not to close the city gate first.
If he does not come back within an hour, the door will be closed and locked, and no matter who calls, the door will not be opened.
Before Bi Ziyin arrived at the military camp, a small flag from Dongjiang Town greeted him.
"We brothers went to Liaodong to work for the imperial court. The officials themselves enjoy the good and the hot food, but let us brothers drink from the northwest wind. There is no such thing in the world. County Lord, can you bring us the money and food we need?
?”
Bi Ziyin had a smile on his face.
"My lord, please forgive me. Wuqiao is a remote and remote place, and it is difficult to raise money and food for the time being. Furthermore, I still don't know how many soldiers your army has and how much food it needs. That's why I came here to discuss it."
While speaking, his eyes were constantly observing the situation of Dongjiang Town soldiers and generals in front of him.
The more I look at it, the colder my heart becomes.
These Dongjiang soldiers kept saying they were hungry, but their expressions were red and full of energy, and there was no sign of unbearable hunger.
Kong Youde, Li Jiucheng and others had decided to rebel, so they took out the remaining grain and fed the entire army, just to have the strength to fight.
Unexpectedly, Bi Ziyin, who has become a mature man, saw the flaw.
The little flag didn't know it yet, so it moved in and yelled.
"Just ask my general how much food you need."
How could Bi Ziyin dare to step into the military camp? He rolled his eyes and thought of rhetoric.
"Haha, the military master doesn't know. How much money and food are needed is just a few accounts. There is a rough number, and I can easily communicate with you. Today, I see that your army has strong soldiers and horses, and the food and grass are needed. I'm afraid.
It's not more than ten thousand. So, I will return immediately and ask for food and grass to be sent over. There are also a hundred jars of fine wine and a hundred fat pigs to reward you for your dedication to serving the country."
When they heard that there was not only food and grass, but also fine wine and fat pigs, the Dongjiang Town soldiers couldn't help but swallow their saliva. What they were thinking about was simmering pork in a big pot and drinking heavily.
Even when Bi Ziyin turned around and left, they had forgotten their original purpose.
Bi Ziyin broke out in a cold sweat and returned to the county seat. Without saying a word, he immediately ordered the city gates to be closed and the gates to be closed and locked. Everyone in the city, men, women, old and children who could move, all went to the city. The whole city was frightened and stared at the people of Dongjiang Town.
Every move.
Kong Youde, Li Jiucheng and others hid in the military camp, fully waiting for Bi Ziyin to come in, kidnap the county magistrate, and then defraud Wuqiao County.
As a result, I waited and waited, but Bi Ziyin did not come.
Li Yingyuan went out to ask questions and learned that Bi Ziyin had come and returned. He immediately knew that the matter had been exposed.
"We can't fight Wu Qiao. Let's leave quickly and go back to Shandong."
Kong Youde was very decisive. As soon as he learned that his deeds had been exposed, he immediately mobilized his entire army and embarked on his return journey.