In Dingzhou City.

Military parade on the playground.

Xu Dayong sat on the stage and drummed the three passes, but there were very few people on the playground and the soldiers were dragging their feet.

General Hai Shixing of Dingzhou was sitting on the stage drinking tea with a group of lieutenants, generals and guerrillas. They were leisurely and leisurely, not even remotely like soldiers.

Xu Dayong stood on the reviewing stage, worried.

Dingzhou is an important town in Hebei Province. The city was the base of the old Han Dynasty. In the early Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty, the city wall was expanded to a circumference of more than 26 miles, a height of three feet, and four gates. It is a proper big city and important town.

During the previous dynasty, there were three guards in the city: Dingzhou Guard, Tengxiang Guard, and Wugong Guard.

However, at this time, just looking at the state of disrepair and decay of the city wall, we also knew the details of Dingzhou. The Qing Dynasty had been in the customs for several years, and also spent money and food to let local soldiers and civilians repair Dingzhou City, but local officials and garrison

However, they used chicken feathers as arrows and engaged in various kinds of corruption. In the end, the wealthy gentry were deprived of a lot of money, and the people worked hard, but in the end only one city wall was built.

The ten rivers around the city, which are two feet wide and two feet deep, have not been dredged for a long time and have almost become silted up.

"Haizong Town?" Xu Dayong waited for the meeting but there were still many people who had not arrived, so he had to turn around and ask Hai Shixing.

"Sir, the brothers are also in a difficult situation. The imperial court has not issued food and salary for a long time. Since we moved to Dingzhou, we can only cultivate the fields and be self-sufficient. Many brothers are still working outside the city. Wait."

Xu Dayong wanted to curse.

Although it is basically true that the imperial court has not distributed food and wages for a long time, it has also taken out some money and allocated fields to them as military fields. The profits belong to them, and they are even allowed to raise their own wages locally. He is a sub-guard soldier.

Bei Dao, who is in charge of this area, how could he not know the situation of Hai Shixing's soldiers and horses?

Usually everyone divides the money together, but he still gets the big share. He knows very well that the soldiers and horses in Dingzhou are not hungry, and they even secretly engage in smuggling transactions with Taihang thieves (Tu national treasures, etc.).

Not to mention, the Chinese New Year is coming soon, what crops can be planted in the fields?

Who doesn't know that during the sea voyage, the soldiers under his command were half Mongolian and half Han, and their military discipline was the worst. Their soldiers were like bandits. Wherever they were stationed, they were a disaster, and the sky was angry and people complained.

"Haizong Town, please urge me."

Although Xu Da used this fourth-grade guard rank to be inferior to the second-grade general soldier, he was a civilian official and also had a military rank. He was Hai Shixing's superior, and he was responsible for food, salary, and military affairs. But Hai Shixing was domineering and arrogant.

, but he was helpless.

"Go and hurry up, tell those bastards to hurry up and stop dawdling." Hai Shixing waved his hands to the Chinese guerrillas.

After another half an hour, the three thousand troops finally arrived.

Xu Dayong first asked for a royal order flag given to him by Governor Ma Guangyao, quoted Governor Ma's order, explained the great power of thieves in Zhengding Prefecture, and reprimanded Dingzhou soldiers for their lack of discipline.

Finally, the conversation changed and the tone slowed down.

"We are deeply trusted by the Governor-General, who has entrusted us with important responsibilities and vowed to destroy the thieves. All officers and soldiers are also the guards of the country. They have raised troops for thousands of days and used them for a while. Now they should all work together to serve the imperial court.

All armies use their orders, and those who have merit will be rewarded, and those who make mistakes will be punished.

If there is anyone who ignores military orders and is ineffective in fighting, we will kill him first and then report him with the royal flag given by the governor!"

After saying that, he also asked the servants to display the royal flags again. Each flag and flag were given to the governor by the emperor. He gave him a pair to control the soldiers and horses of the state.

He shouted loudly on the stage, but under the stage, the Dingzhou soldiers gathered lazily below, neither forming nor responding. They looked unconcerned, and some were even chatting below.

"The imperial court will not treat you badly. Governor Ma also took out the reward silver and now asks General Hai to distribute the reward."

These words seemed to arouse some interest in the Qiu Ba people below, and they finally became more serious.

Hai Shixing stood up and scanned the audience with majestic eyes.

He didn't say anything, but he just turned around and looked around. After a while, the three thousand people and horses gradually became quiet, and finally the whole place was silent.

"Governor Ma was in Baoding and sent an order for our Dingzhou soldiers to go to Zhengding Prefecture and brought 10,000 taels of silver. However, I have never seen so much silver until now.

I checked.

Governor Ma indeed ordered to withdraw 10,000 taels of silver, but Xu Bingbei only took 9,000 taels of silver out of Baoding, and when he entered Dingzhou City, he only brought in 8,000 taels.

After entering the city, he first summoned the prefect and other civil officials, and finally gave me seven thousand taels."

"Brothers, in three days, 10,000 taels from Baoding to Zhengding turned into 7,000 taels of silver. However, the imperial court owes us three thousand men and horses, as well as rewards and provocations. We have been waiting for two years. The amount owed is much more.

Seven thousand?”

Lieutenant General Hou Sichang stepped forward and asked Xu Dayong loudly, "Xu Shenzheng, what's going on? Where's the money? My brothers worked hard and shed their blood for the court, but why was the money still withheld? Who took it, and where did it go?"

Already?"

Another guerrilla came up and asked loudly, "We must explain this matter clearly today, otherwise the brothers will not agree!"

Xu Dayong hurriedly looked at Hai Shixing, "Hai Zongzhen, what do you mean?"

"Brothers, if you have something to ask Xu Bingdao, just answer it truthfully."

Xu Dayong looked at the turbulent situation and knew that Hai Shixing had second thoughts, so he angrily pointed out, "Hai Shixing, are you going to rebel?" His Daobiao Camp Commander Zhang Sixuan also immediately came to protect him.

Hai Shixing had 3,000 men and horses under his command, and established four battalions at the front, rear, and left, each with a guerrilla commander. The guerrillas were guarded by the Chinese army. He himself was also promoted to the rank of general of the Chinese army, and his old brothers were promoted to deputy generals.

Hai Shixing's troops were actually affected by the situation since they surrendered, and were severely overstaffed. However, the Tatars did not have the energy or spare energy to rectify it. In the end, they raised their own money and food anyway, so they no longer cared about whether they were overstaffed or not.

.

Because of this, although Hai Shixing moved several times, he had strong control over this group of people.

Zhang Sixuan wanted to protect Xu Dayong from leaving this place.

Guerrilla Kong Guozhen shouted, "Don't leave!" He drew his sword and stepped forward, slashing Du Si Zhang Sixuan to the ground with one blow. Then he pulled Xu Dayong over like an eagle catching a chicken, and directly held the bloody knife to him.

on his neck, "Where are you going, sir?"

At this time, several battalions of men and horses in Hai Shixing also became agitated. They picked up the guys and surrounded the battalion road sign used by Xu Da.

There were only over 300 people in this battalion. Even the battalion officers were chopped with swords and the Taoist platform was captured. Those who knew the current situation quickly raised their hands and knelt down to surrender. Some people even directly shouted to kill the thief Xu Dayong.

Hai Shixing looked at Xu Dayong with a smile, "Master Xu, I can lend you something."

"Take it. Take whatever you want. If you have anything to say, just take it."

Hai Shixing drew his sword and chopped it down.

Xu Dayong's screams suddenly stopped.

A huge head flew up.

"Thank you, Mr. Xu, for lending me your head.'

He bent down, picked up the head and held it high.

The whole camp cheered.

"Brothers, follow me into the Zhizhou Yamen and take back the money we worked for!" Instigated by Hai Shixing, the Dingzhou town troops mutinied and divided the garrison into preparations. Xu Dayong and Dao Biaodu Si Zhang Sixuan, whose way

More than 300 people surrendered.

So more than 3,000 people attacked the Zhizhou Yamen.

The magistrate Li Huang and other officials were all massacred.

After the rebels massacred the state government, they began to plunder the state treasury. Then, not satisfied, they began to loot the entire city. All the big and powerful households in the city, including the shops in the state city, were robbed.

Hai Shixing ordered his men to lock the four gates and let his troops loot and kill wantonly.

However, he himself cut off his braids in the General Military Office, changed into Ming Dynasty clothes, and then went south with a few generals to worship, and had people temporarily sew the sun and moon flag, calling himself the Ming Dynasty, Hebei Dingzhou Pioneer Admiral and Chief Military Officer.

Dingzhou is a Zhili Prefecture, with three counties under its jurisdiction during the Ming Dynasty and a population of over one million. More than 20 prominent families in Dingzhou City were all looted by the rebels, and more than 300 gentry, wealthy and powerful businessmen were killed.

The soldiers closed the city and looted for three days before sealing the sword.

Everyone looted countless things, but Hai Shixing asked the rebels to seize half of the loot and hand it over, and keep the other half. Everyone was happy, and no one cared about the tens of thousands of taels of silver anymore.

Hai Shixing took 10,000 taels of silver and sent a team of servants and Qingqi to rush to Shijiazhuang to meet with Tu Guobao, the governor of Tianjin, and Ma Guozhu, the governor of Zhili.

He took control of Dingzhou himself, and then divided his troops to plunder Quyang, Tangxian and other places.

······

Shijiazhuang.

In the last years of Chongzhen, this was still a small village. According to the county household registration records, there were only 94 households with 308 people in the village, but there were 15 surnames, more than 300 rooms, and only

Two hundred and forty-one acres of land.

It can be said that this is indeed a very small village.

However, after the Qing army entered the pass, this small and inconspicuous village changed because it was located on the important Jingxing road between Taiyuan, Shanxi and Zhengding, Hebei. Especially when the rebels such as Zhang Ding from Shanxi withdrew into the Jingxing area, the Tuguobao

He also led his troops into Zhengding Prefecture.

The Qing army once increased its troops at Niangzi Pass, Jiuguan Pass and other passes, and at the same time increased its troops in the Zhengding area to the east, trying to ensure the safety of Jingxing, an important Yan-Jin passage, and at the same time besiege the Ming army in the mountains.

However, the more the local treasure Zhang Ding and others suppressed, the stronger they became. More and more failed rebel armies gathered in the Taihang Mountains, and the mountains were dominated by the Ming army.

The Qing army captured several counties in Lu, Jingxing and Pingshan, but they could only defend the county seat.

In order to ensure the safety of Zhengding City, the Qing army set up camp in Shijiazhuang, not far from Zhengding City, and built a post station. Of course, there is another more important reason why this small village quickly became lively.

smuggling.

Tu Guobao fought guerrillas in Taihang, and also joined many rebel forces from Shanxi and Hebei. Relying on the dangers of Taihang, he developed in the mountains. It would definitely not be possible to be self-sufficient in the mountains, but Tu Guobao has always made money. When he led troops in various places in the past,
To be continued...