On the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month of the ninth year of Chongzhen, Lu Xiangsheng's headquarters outside Yunxian County was filled with laughter and joy, and the generals and soldiers in each camp were filled with joy.

He Kai, the doctor of the Ministry of War Military Selection Department, arrived here with relevant people. After reading the imperial edict in public and the imperial court's promotion and reward for the generals and soldiers, the entire army was full of joy.

After He Kai finished his edict, he went to Yunyang Prefecture for a while and then rushed back to the capital. Seeing that he was still arranged to stay away from the capital for the New Year, He Kai was of course unhappy. Besides, although he was a doctor in the Ministry of War, he never liked people from the army, and this time he was not very good at going on a business trip. With a new Grand Secretary like Lu Xiangsheng, he did not dare to openly ask for bribes.

After learning about his promotion, Zu Kuan and others' previous dissatisfaction completely disappeared.

Zu Kuan jumped from general to a first-class general, surpassing his father, and was comparable to his uncle, and also had a sense of gratitude. While he was satisfied, he felt a little indescribable.

Li Chongjin smiled even more happily.

When he and Zu Kuan were ordered to come to the mainland to suppress the thieves, they were also very dissatisfied. Unexpectedly, over the past year, he was promoted from a guerrilla to the title of general. He knew in his heart that it would be good if he had been staying in Liaodong until his death.

People are selfish, who doesn’t want to be promoted and wealthy, and to shine their ancestors?

However, the number of senior generals and officials in Liaodong is limited. Even if the court approves them, the promoted people will be related to the ancestors.

In Liaodong, military generals are promoted regardless of their military merits, but nepotism.

It doesn’t matter or background. No matter how much you have, it’s useless. It’s the end of guerrilla warfare.

But once there is a war, you must take the lead in fighting, and you will be unlucky if you die in battle.

Li Chongjin was not in the small circle of the Zu family. If he had not been guarding Liaodong for more than a hundred years and could fight or withstand, he would not have been able to even be a guerrilla.

I have tried my best in Liaodong. The kindness of the Zu family has been repayed. I, Li Chongjin, no longer owe anything to the Zu family. Next, I should repay the priest's appreciation.

Li Chongjin made up his mind secretly.

Huang Degong, Qin Yiming, Gao Qixun, Wu Qun and others were naturally more loyal to Zhu Youjian. Everyone felt that they had not done their work in vain, and all their hard work was rewarded the greatest reward.

Lu Xiangsheng looked light and calm on the surface, but in fact, his gratitude to Zhu Youjian in his heart was difficult to express in words.

A scholar dies for his confidant.

I was promoted from the prefect of Hejian to the high position of Grand Secretary. Although I was devoted to the Ming Dynasty wholeheartedly, if I had not appreciated and grace from the saint, if I had not blocked countless attacks in the court for him, my career would not be as smooth as it is now.

Lu Xiangsheng knew his weaknesses: he was too straightforward, disdained for conspiracy, good at planning things but not good at planning.

Such a personality is not suitable for being in the court. If you meet an emperor with a soft ear, no matter how much you make, you will leave the stage in disgrace under various frame-ups, and may even end up ruining.

Today, the emperor is a wise ruler with a broad mind. Eight years after Chongzhen, the emperor changed his previous impetuous and suspicious personality and became steady, generous, wise and wise.

Whether it is for himself or Hong Chengchou or Sun Chuanting, the emperor always uses people without doubt and does not use them. He repeatedly encourages his ministers to let go and take bold tasks. He also provides strong support and guarantees in terms of logistics supplies, which makes the originally extremely difficult battle to fight against thieves becoming easier.

Nowadays, whether it is civil officials, military officials, or officials, soldiers, they are full of confidence in completely eliminating the bandits. They have eliminated the previous pessimism and doubts and low morale. The previous crisis has been completely reversed.

The thieves have been awarded the title of the head, and Shaanxi has basically been pacified. As long as the thieves and other troops in front of them are killed, all the thieves who have suffered disaster in the Ming Dynasty will be wiped out, and the leap outside the pass will eventually be unable to escape the fate of defeat.

All the people who have been fighting abroad for many years do not pay much attention to the New Year. Especially the soldiers of the Tianxiong Army, who followed Lu Xiangsheng to fight in the north and south since the second year of Chongzhen, have not returned to their hometown for several years. Compared with the brothers who have already died, they are content to be able to live, and it doesn’t matter if they can celebrate the New Year.

On the eighth day of the first lunar month of the 10th year of Chongzhen, two soldiers and horses from Jingying finally arrived at Yunyang Prefecture after more than a month of long-distance marching. After learning that Lu Xiangsheng was camping in Yun County, Mao Yuanyi, general of Shenji Camp, and Feng Xun, general of the Army Camp, had arranged the camping matters, each led his personal soldiers to Yun County 30 miles away to meet the Grand Secretary of the Dongge and the Five Provincial Ministers, and obeyed Lu Xiangsheng's deployment and arrangements for the various troops in the battle of Yunyang.

In the lobby of Zhushan County, the eight kings Zhang Xianzhong sat in the big case where the magistrate was the office of the magistrate. His adopted son Ainengqi was dressed neatly and stood beside him with his hand pressed his waist knife.

Two rows of chairs were placed under the hall. Old Hui Ma Shouying, Ge Li's eyes were He Yilong, Cao Cao Luo Rucai, Liu Guoneng took his generals to sit on the chairs.

Luo Rucai glanced at Zhang Xianzhong, and said in his heart: Damn, everyone is a rebel army, why are you sitting on top? We have even become your subordinates?

Liu Guoneng thought to himself: Li Laosi didn't know if he had seen the governor, nor did he know what the court thought about us surrender.

Before receiving Zhang Xianzhong's request for leaders from all walks of life to come to Zhushan to discuss the major events, Liu Guoneng had already sent Li Laosi, who had been away from home for many years, to Xiangyang, asking him to bring a lot of money to buy the people in the government in order to meet Fang Kongzhang, the governor of Huguang in Xiangyang.

Luo Rucai said carelessly: "I'm talking about the Eight Kings, what's the matter that we have asked us to do this? Could it be that we have captured many more beauties and wanted to share with us?"

He Yilong, who was familiar with his nature, Lao Huihui and others burst into laughter.

Luo Rucai was lustful by nature. After he led his troops to travel around and destroyed the prefectures and counties, his first thing was to ask his subordinates to collect beautiful women to offer him lust. Now there are dozens of women from all over the Ming Dynasty in his tent, and it is common for him to preach lust during the day.

Zhang Xianzhong waved his hand and smiled and said, "What are some women? I'll give you a few Lao Luo when you leave later!"

When Luo Rucai heard that there was such a beautiful woman, his dissatisfaction disappeared immediately. He clapped his hands and smiled and said, "The Eight Kings are so happy! I, Cao Cao, accept your love!"

Zhang Xianzhong put away his smile and said seriously: "I invite the leaders of all families to come today. I have something to discuss with everyone! This is a major matter that concerns the life and death of our various rebels! All leaders must cheer up!"

Seeing that he was so serious, everyone put away their laughing and playful expressions and sat up straight and listened to him continue to talk.

Zhang Xianzhong looked at everyone's performance with satisfaction, leaned forward, put his arm on the arm of the chair, and supported his other elbow on the big case. His eyes looked back and forth at everyone and continued: "My child went to Xiangyang to buy supplies and found a letter: King Gao Chuang was captured in Shaanxi, and was shattered by the court after being sent to the capital! The King of Chuang was completely wiped out!"

Everyone in the hall was disgusted after hearing this.

No matter what everyone said something strange and unpopular, he had to admit in his heart that Gao Yingxiang's power was far beyond his own. Especially with the nearly 20,000 tyrants under his command, the rest of the thieves were all not a single one.

Such a powerful person, why is it gone if he says nothing? Which official army is so powerful?

It's not their fault. In this generation with extremely closed information, they knew nothing about the news of the Battle of Shouzhou a few months ago. For the past few months, they had been wandering in Xiangyang Prefecture, which was densely covered with mountains and rivers, and had no way to know what happened outside.

After coming back to his senses, He Yilong spoke first: "Eight Kings, is this letter accurate? Which official army defeated the King of Rebellion?"

He is from Suidezhou, Yan'an Prefecture, and is a village party with Gao Yingxiang. Although he joined Gao Yingxiang's team because he is intolerant of human control, he still admires this village party.

Cao Cao asked, "The 20,000 elite cavalry under King Gao Chuang are not vegetarians! We have been fighting with the official army for many years, and we can only fight a few people. I have never heard of any official army with the ability to eat King Gao Chuang in one bite?"

Zhang Xianzhong said in a deep voice: "A few months ago, I joined forces with King Gao Chuang to attack Shouzhou. Unexpectedly, I was ambushed by the inside and outside the official army. Then I led my subordinates to run here from Nanzhili. The loss of Gao Chuang's troops was also considerable. Seeing that the army of officials gathered, they had to go to Shaanxi. As a result, they asked Shaanxi Governor Sun Chuanting to take people to capture him in Xi'an Prefecture!"

When Zhang Xianzhong talked about Gao Yingxiang being captured, his expression was very heavy on his face, but he still felt extremely comfortable in his heart.

Old Hui Hui Ma Shouying said in surprise: "Where did Sun Chuanting come from? Is it even more powerful than Hong Chengchou? It seems that Shaanxi is amazing!"

Zhang Xianzhong nodded and said, "Old Ma is right, you can't go to Shaanxi anymore! Hong Chengchou is already there, and now there is another Sun Chuanting who is more capable of fighting! What I want to say is not just about King Gao Chuang, we are in trouble now!"

Everyone who had already been unconscious of Gao Yingxiang's capture and killing became even more nervous when they heard his words.

Zhang Xianzhong said in a stern voice: "Before the Chinese New Year, my subordinates reported to me, as if there were an official army provocation coming to spy on us! I then sent people all the way north to investigate, but when I arrived south of Yun County, I saw the official army set up a card on the road. I couldn't go forward anymore! That is to say, there are now an official army in Yun County, and I don't know how many people there are! I thought that the person who came must be King Lu! The official army was fighting us ambushed in Shouzhou!"

Although Lao Huihui had heard of Lu Xiangsheng's name, he had never fought with him.

Cao Cao asked hurriedly: "I have heard of the name of King Lu. It is said that he is very good at fighting. Eight Kings, you have fought with him. Tell me, who is better than King Lu, Hong Chengchou or the defeated King of Chuang?"

He Yilong said: "It's another matter whether it's powerful or not. Now the important thing is to explore the Qing government army. If there are too many people, we will run away. If there are too few people, we will fight him!"

When Zhang Xianzhong learned that an official army had come, he immediately knew that it was Lu Xiangsheng who came.

Now that Gao Yingxiang is defeated, the famous ones in the rebel army are him, Lao Huihui and others, and the court will never let them go.

Zhang Xianzhong knew that the government army would come to find him, but he didn't expect it to come so quickly.

Only by defeating or repelling Lu Xiangsheng, his strategy of planning to operate in Huangmaoguan for a long time will continue, otherwise he will have to continue running away.

Pan Duao and Xu Yixian also highly agreed with his strategy of occupying Yunnan as a base, and used the example of Taizu of this dynasty to encourage him: If you want to achieve great things, you must have a place to occupy it. If you still flow everywhere as before, you will always be a bandit.

However, Pan Duao believes that although the terrain in Huangmao Pass is dangerous, it is not enough to be regarded as a real stronghold, and the best base for offering camps is Shuzhong.

As long as you enter the Sichuan-Shu land where the road is difficult to walk, and then find a suitable place to settle down, the camp will undergo a complete transformation within a few years.

Although Zhang Xianzhong felt that what the two said was reasonable, he was reluctant to give up the two counties that had been operating for several months. Just when he was hesitating, the official army had already arrived.

According to the investigation by his subordinates, there have been official troops near Banqiao Mountain in the northeast of Zhushan, with the number of people reaching thousands.

Banqiao Mountain is only more than forty miles away from Zhushan. If it starts to retreat to Dachang and Daning in the southwest, the officials will soon catch up with it after they notice it.

If you run south, you will enter Jingzhou Prefecture, which is densely covered with water. If you encounter city barriers, the government army will still make dumplings.

Going east was Xiangyang Prefecture. Not long after Lao Huihui and others were defeated there, there were also quite a few officials and soldiers there.

Running away is not the best choice now. On the battlefield, as long as one side starts to retreat, even if it is a normal retreat, if the other side pursues it closely, retreat will easily turn into a defeat. Especially for thieves with extremely poor organizational and disciplined nature, this kind of thing will happen.

What's more, if you want to retreat from Zhushan to Dachang, the road is hundreds of miles in the middle, and there are several rivers in the middle, making the road complex and difficult to walk.

More importantly, no one leads the way.

Zhang Xianzhong was not a talented person. After he arrived in Yunnan, he did not think about going to Shuzhong, so he did not send anyone to explore the way.

With the unknown way forward and there are pursuers in the future, it is basically impossible to evacuate safely with 10,000 or 20,000 troops.

There is only one way to go now: join hands with Lao Huihui and others to guard Zhushan and Fangxian areas, and it is really impossible to run into the mountains.

But if you really want to lose again, it depends on luck to restore your vitality.
Chapter completed!