When we got to the shore, everyone heard the news that Sima Yu was killed in battle, and when they thought about his past kindness, they all lamented and gritted their teeth to avenge "Sima Yu".
When the grief and anger subsided, Min Guang remembered Cao Zhi and others, and introduced Cao Zhi to the water thieves. Min Guang specially pulled over a person who looked like the leader of the water thieves, pointed at Cao Zhi and introduced him: "Captain Cao."
He is a hero with great loyalty and generous methods. He defeated the barbarians many times in Wancheng. Zheng Bao was really praised by everyone. Not only that, Captain Cao also learned the skill of firearms and was highly appreciated by the governor. Now,
We brothers all follow him to kill thieves and make meritorious deeds."
Min Guang was originally among this group of water thieves. In terms of martial arts and knowledge, he was considered a first-class hero among thousands of thieves. When the thieves heard what he said, they all believed it and they all rushed over to fight with Cao Zhi.
He gestured with his hands raised.
The man Min Guang brought over to introduce to Cao Zhi was named Jiang Mingqin. Min Guang said that this man was good at water. He hid in the water for three days to avoid being rounded up by the army. Not only did he not die, he also successfully attacked several people.
A single officer and army became a legend.
Jiang Qin was one of the heroes who didn't want to surrender to the army. Seeing that Cao Zhi was a captain, he didn't want to have any more friendship. He just gave Cao Zhi a cold look without any courtesy and just talked to Min Guang.
He said a few words and looked quite arrogant.
Cao Zhi saw that this man was thirty-four years old, dark and lean, wearing a short cloth shirt. It was so cold, but he was still barefoot and his eyes were bright. Cao Zhi knew that this man must have some skills, so he did not force himself to join him.
he.
Cao Zhi glanced at Min Guang, who looked embarrassed, and said, "I'm ashamed. I thought that Cao Zhi could be as blessed as I am today? I don't know how much incense I burned in my previous life, so that I can make so many brothers in this life. It's really amazing."
It's not in vain, little brother, I have been a man for the rest of my life. I, Cao Zhi, have a cut-and-dry temper. I never learn the sticky, roundabout tone. I came here today just to go to Ruxuwu to fight with Zheng Bao's thieves and return the favor.
I hope all heroes can help me. It is said that when people pass by, they leave their names, and when geese pass by, they leave their voices. Instead of being buried in the dust and grass, why not be a hero with great vigor, and if you can make an extraordinary contribution to pacify the enemy and put an end to the chaos?
, it will be passed down through the ages, and its praises will be immortal, so that future generations will know that there was a trade name like our Ruxuwu gang in the world."
Cao Zhi also knew that these people were all from poor backgrounds, and the so-called "people are poor but have short ambitions, and horses are thin and hairy". To this group of people, it was not enough to just treat these people with righteousness, talk about loyalty to the emperor, patriotism, and leave a name in history, so he continued to lie.
Hu Bian said: "Since the rebellion, Jiangxia barbarians, Zheng Baoshui bandits and others have looted everywhere, taking away an unknown amount of gold, silver and silk. These undivided gains are much richer than those of the past traders. Moreover,
It is said that Zheng Bao was once a wealthy man, and he has been living in the Chaohu area for the past few years. He is almost fat. His subordinates carry a lot of money with them. Now the court does not distinguish between big and small matters, and all are determined by pacifying thieves.
The bandits are the first, and they only hope that the rebellions will be wiped out as soon as possible, and whoever has the ability and courage to take the stolen goods of those people will only belong to his grandmother, and the officials will never pursue it in the future."
Cao Zhi had previously distributed some money to the navy soldiers, and now a report from the Prime Minister was sent. The thieves heard the news that the enemy soldiers were carrying gold and silver treasures with them, and heard from soldiers they knew that Cao Zhi was very generous, and he absolutely meant what he said.
After hearing the letter, the crowd was really excited and expressed their willingness to fight to the death to kill the enemy.
Jiang Qin was immediately moved by this. He joined these three or five friends on this trip to make a fortune. Unexpectedly, he went ashore this morning and saw that there were villages around Wancheng, and he had not even caught a single living thing.
Just as he was about to go further and have a look, he met Min Guang and others. At first, he thought that Min Guang and others were here to round them up, but later he heard that was not the case. Instead, they were Zheng Bao who was preparing to ambush Chaohu.
Because Zheng Bao was powerful, Ruxuwu was close to Chaohu Lake, and the water thieves in Ruxuwu were not united and only worked in groups of three or five, so they were often bullied by Zheng Bao's men.
When he heard that Zheng Bao was going to teach Zheng Bao a lesson, he became excited and even came out. He couldn't go back empty-handed! Min Guang on the other hand promptly proved that what Cao Zhi said was true and encouraged him. Jiang Qin was also a
The cheerful man immediately agreed to join. In addition, Jiang Qin also colluded with some horse bandits in the surrounding area and arranged for people to send a message to find all the bandits who could come nearby. At present, there is war and natural disasters, and there is no way to survive everywhere.
, saw that there was such a thing that could make a fortune, they were all willing to take risks, and in one day they gathered more than a thousand people, divided into several teams on the flood and drought roads, each under the command of officers from Cao Zhi's camp. Some of these people didn't even have weapons.
He took a fire stick and used it as a weapon. Cao Zhi didn't make much preparation when he set out, so he had to use local materials, cut more bamboo spears and shoot arrows, and improvised dozens of bamboo rafts. A group of people rode on the bamboo rafts in confusion.
Went to Ruxuwu to ambush Zheng Bao.
A large group of people drove the sampan, and the bamboo rafts traveled for more than a hundred miles. Looking in the distance, the water surface was vast, and the reeds growing in clumps gradually became denser. Finally, they entered the boundary of Ruxuwu, and the boat reached the reed marsh.
As far as the eye could see, a gust of wind blew by, causing scattered reed catkins to fly all over the sky. In the gray sky, occasionally a few stray birds passed by sadly, not knowing where they were fleeing.
Min Guang pointed out the terrain for Cao Zhi, Xu Zhu and other generals: "This reed swamp was originally a semi-dry lake. It has always been a place where wild geese migrate from north to south. It is close to Chaohu Lake in the north and Wancheng in the south.
For an unknown number of miles, the situation is extremely dangerous. There are countless water rats in the reed swamps and natural dams made of clean mud, shaped like three rings surrounding the moon. Rats are extremely talented and can regulate the rise and fall of the lake water, so no matter what happens outside,
No matter how much tide passes by, the water level in the reed marsh will not change. It is always half mud and half water all year round. Min Guang and the water thieves have been fishing and hunting birds in Ruxuwu since they were children, and they know every place.
Potholes, swamps and water depths.
Zheng Bao's navy, which besieged Wancheng, no matter whether there were ships to support it or not, had no choice but to retreat from here to Chaohu Lake in the north because of the lack of food and grass supplies. The barbarian army and Zheng Bao's navy attacked Wancheng for several days and fought fiercely, but they were still unable to capture Wancheng and continued to drag on.
He will fall into a desperate situation with no way forward or retreat, especially since Zheng Bao has been out for a long time, and he is afraid that his lair will be taken away, so he can't wait for the end of the battle anyway, and will definitely flee northward from the water rat embankment in the Ruxu dock.
, fled back to his hometown in Chaohu first.
As the leader of the thieves, Jiang Qin knew nothing about marching and arranging troops. He thought that Zheng Bao's navy was coming with great force. He only had more than a thousand brothers here, plus Cao Zhi's 2,000 troops.
, it was said that there were less than 4,000 people at most, and the difference was very large. When the war came, I couldn't help but feel a little worried and difficult to deal with it.