Delong

Chapter 186 The Knight's Walk (16)

Zhang Xing, who was separated from the masses, gnawed sweetly on the chicken legs, but Taoist Wei and the others inevitably changed their expressions... No one else, although they were all rebels, and although their slogans were loud, hundreds of thousands of people attacked cities and conquered territories, sweeping up states and counties. Some Ye Gong like the dragon's attitude.

In fact, this is the most direct reason why Daoist Wei and Xiong Bonan came over directly to express their friendship, because Zhang Xingzhen turned around and killed Zhang Jincheng who he had promised to kill before.

That's [-] to [-] people.

And it is precisely because of this that they are extremely cautious about this issue.

"Could it be possible that Cheng Dalang...was deliberately giving a hand to the gang center, us, and Mr. Zhang?" Daoist Wei spoke first, but he seemed a little suspicious. "Let's push the matter to us, and when something happens, it is natural that we direct it blindly, and the matter is resolved, but Po Tai's side does not know that it is our decision, but it is his hard work."

"There must be."

After Zhang Xing gnawed the chicken leg, he resisted the desire to continue eating, and tried his best to maintain his posture to answer.

"It would be strange for a person like Cheng Dalang to not have such a mind... However, it is natural for people to ask for advice when encountering difficulties. If he is victorious in all battles, loves soldiers like a son, and keeps the people safe, we can't stop him from turning the land and army of Putai into his own manor; When the rewards and punishments are well-founded and the rewards and punishments are reasonable, no matter how bad his intentions are, we can always catch the first and second leaders..."

At this point, Zhang Xing restrained his color and said seriously: "I still say the same thing. If you want to do things, some secret calculations are inevitable, but if you want to do great things, you have to have something upright... Cheng Dalang sent a letter to ask for instructions. We It should also be considered for him in an open and honest manner, and a reply should be made."

Others are fine, Daoist Wei couldn't help but nod his head when he heard this: "Indeed, it is true!"

Niu Da understood it, so he also asked: "If this is the case, should Cheng Dalang go?"

"If you don't go, Gao, Sun, and Wang's combined troops will have hundreds of thousands of soldiers. After sweeping Dengzhou, they will get this year's autumn grain and local money and silk. Will they cross the Bohai Sea and swallow the Putai?" Taoist Wei said earnestly. opinion.

"But if we go..." Xiao Zhou seldom opened his mouth, but it was only after he opened his mouth that he realized that he cupped his hands during the banquet as a sign of respect. "Isn't it just a matter of connecting with the local prefectures and counties in vain? And gathering hundreds of thousands of people to attack the prefectures and counties, no matter how difficult it is, the imperial court should urge the Hejian and Xuzhou camps to come out. Isn't it afraid that Putai will be easily swept away by the imperial army? What's more , According to my observation, most of the people in Putai were gathered with military officials from all over Hebei, and they actually had a lot of resistance to the rebels. This time, we are willing to belong to the Dragon Gang, and there is also a promise from the third brother before, so that they can unite Prefectures and counties, to avoid the imperial army coming to suppress them in the future."

"I understand a little bit about this, and it's really a dilemma." Niu Da sighed with emotion. From his standpoint, he actually understood the difficulty of stepping on the tightrope.

"I don't know strategy." Hearing this, Xiong Bonan clearly showed his attitude. "But I think, since our Dethrone Dragon Gang is clearly going to rebel and cut off the violent Wei, we should stop pretending like in the past... Rebellion should have the appearance of rebellion... It really can't, I'll go to Pu Taiwan, Gao Shitong and Sun Xuanzhi are two people, and I also usually communicate with each other. It is also necessary to build a foundation for Cheng Dalang and attack Dengzhou. The big deal is to let him bring less people."

"Actually, it might not be impossible." Daoist Wei smiled slightly, and wanted to continue speaking, but unexpectedly, his eyes caught Zhang Xing, and he was surprised instead. "Why is Master Zhang frowning?"

In other words, when several other people were discussing, Zhang Xing had gradually realized the problem... That is, ideas are always good, plans are always feasible, and in fact there will always be accidents and people out of control. It's just that some of these people and things are on the good side, and some are on the bad side.

Changing to the current situation, Zhang Xing also immediately realized a particularly serious problem, and it was a problem that he hadn't thought of before, and it seemed that none of the others had thought of it before.

"I have an explanation." Hearing Wei Xuanding's question, Zhang Xing rubbed his shiny lips and answered seriously. "Have you ever thought about one thing? In the fight against Zhang Jincheng that day, in order to ensure victory, you also took a fancy to Cheng Dalang's ability and strength, and because of geography, the largest nearby family is his family, so Cheng Dalang was attracted, and He promised him the land of Putai half county and the first army... But it is precisely because of this that the territory and tribes that he actually controls are also divided into two, half in Henan, half in Hebei, and half in the core They are court officials, and half of the core are local tyrants..."

"I see." Daoist Wei suddenly came to his senses when he heard this, which attracted other people to watch. "His manors, ancestral property, and his hometown in Henan are one, while Putai, Hebei is another. In other words, he should take the initiative to cater to the rebels in order to protect his hometown and property; but from Putai, Hebei, he should stand on the sidelines and even assist Bohai County in the early preparations! No wonder Cheng Dalang would be embarrassed! He should want to cater to the rebels and protect his hometown , but they are newcomers, so it is not easy to force the Putai army to dispatch, and ask us for an explanation!"

At this point, Taoist Wei went to see Xiong Bonan again: "Boss Xiong Dalang, you really have to go... If Mr. Zhang is not going, then Boss Xiao Zhou should also go together to help Cheng Dalang persuade his subordinates to cross the river to meet with him... The rebels gather."

Xiong Bonan was overjoyed, but was stunned because Zhang Xing just shook his head this time.

"Master Zhang?" Xiong Bonan asked seriously. "Is there anything wrong with what Duke Wei said?"

Taoist Wei and others also came to see Zhang Xing.

"What Wei Gong said is right, it should be like this." Zhang Xing seemed a little hesitant. "But one thing... I have a guess."

"The third master is here to teach you." Daoist Wei then cupped his hands, but seemed to have a slightly disapproving gesture.

"Actually, it's nothing, but I think Gao Shitong, Sun Xuanzhi, and even Wang Hou will sell face to Xiong Tianwang and Cheng Dalang, and promise not to touch Cheng Dalang's one-third of an acre of land... But even if they promise, I'm afraid they can't stop Cheng Dalang The neighborhood around my hometown is dilapidated." Zhang Xing spoke cautiously. "Because I don't think they have the ability to restrain tens of thousands of people. It's okay to have a goal in front of them, but once they win or lose, they may immediately become chaotic... Especially Cheng Dalang's place is clearly the most affluent around Dengzhou. safe place."

Xiong Bonan was a little dazed, because he had no memory of this kind of thing, even if he tried hard to think about it, he couldn't think of what was going on, while Niu Da and Xiao Zhou nodded slowly... because the latter two had seen the rebel army What happens once the large forces of China get out of control.

But Taoist Wei thought for a moment, and instead asked: "I actually believe what Zhang San said, but the question is whether Cheng Dalang believes it or not?"

"That's exactly what I mean." Zhang Xing also nodded. "So after thinking about it for a while, there are some things that can't be helped, just do our best to do our best...Xiong Tianwang!"

Xiong Bonan was startled, and immediately responded.

"Go as usual!" Zhang Xing replied earnestly. "Go to see Cheng Dalang, Gao Shitong, Sun Xuanzhi, and set up a line for them, how to say what to say, what to do, what to do, what to do, what to do, what to do, what to do, what to do, what to do, what to do. The things discussed by the side should also be formally written in the letter, please take it over formally, including saying that his hometown may not be able to keep it."

Xiong Bonan nodded heavily, but he was much more dignified than before.

"Bull leader." Zhang Xingfu looked at Niu Da again.

Niu Da had a lot more things to do than Xiong Bonan Xiao, so he immediately got up and cupped his hands: "Third Brother, please tell me."

"You go to Xu Dalang's place tomorrow, and ask him to gather his family's boats, as well as the brothers on the river of the Lu brothers, all get together and go downstream. In case of emergency, there is such a force on the river that will always It will be much more convenient...Xiao Zhou will go down with the fleet."

"Understood." Niu Da immediately sat down in response, and Xiao Zhou hurriedly stood up and made a salute before sitting down.

"Wei Gong." Zhang Xingfu came to see Taoist Wei again. "Do you think this is feasible? If it is possible, then you will write this letter, and the two of us will sign it together... Explain our judgment clearly, and understand his difficulties, and let King Xiong Tian help him contact Gao and Sun , and make preparations here on the river?"

"Of course it is appropriate." Taoist Wei thought for a moment with his beard, then nodded. "Of course it is. How else? How else?"

Zhang Xing nodded, feeling hungry again, and immediately ate half a roast chicken before giving up.

After the meal was over, everyone just removed the noodles from the small table and spread them out on the table, asking Daoist Wei to write a letter in the name of the chief of the Dragon Gang, and then Zhang Xing also signed his name, and then sealed it together, but also sent The matter was settled.

After dealing with this matter, Xiong Bonan went to Putai by himself, Zhou Xingfan also went to join the Lu brothers, and the fleet was ready to go down the river, while Zhang Xing and Zhang Longtou stayed outside Puyang City to continue his symposium.

Frankly speaking, although the effect is getting better gradually, it still seems a bit difficult... Zhang Xing himself is a little drumming, and he doesn't know if it will work, but according to his experience and thinking, it would be a bit unacceptable if he doesn't try it.

However, compared with Zhang Xingwan's painstaking behavior in the Zhengmai stage, in the same period, other parts of the Chulong Gang were like the Qijing Eight Meridian stage, but they were easily opened at every turn.

In Hebei, Li Shu almost got the assistance of the Fang family. Taking advantage of the vacant period of Zhang Jincheng's collapse, under the banner of Fang's stable place, he quickly expanded his power in Qinghe County. In fact, he controlled many territories and In terms of manpower, many old Hebei veterans from noble backgrounds also came to vote.

At the same time, in the upstream of Jishui, Shan-Wang-Xu-Liu and others are also progressing smoothly.

Xu Dalang successfully won the approval of the prefect of Dongjun, and was appointed as Baima County Captain. He grandly brought his own armed forces into Baima City, which was the city of Dongjun at this time, and even controlled the most critical Baimajin on the Dahe River.

Shan Dalang's internal response strategy also had a miraculous effect. He asked Liang Jiading to lead people into Juye Ze, and cooperated with the inside and the outside. He has successfully attracted a considerable number of deserters in Juye Ze, and also let another subordinate Xiahou Ningyuan lead the crowd to Dongping Lishan County, Jiyin County, and Dongjun County at the junction of the three counties, echoes Liang Jiading in Juye Ze... It can only be said that although Shan Dalang focuses on cultivation and force, his chess skills are also solid. not bad.

Wang Wulang was also not idle. When Xu Dalang was on his way to officialdom, he accepted a large amount of ordnance sent by Zhang Xing. The bandits living in the water have merged and controlled it on a large scale, and their forces have actually reached the upper reaches of Huanshui, echoing the people of the Huaiyou League.

And Wang Wulang's move also made his family, that is, Wang Zhen, who entered Mangdang Mountain with the acquiescence of the Huaiyou League, quickly become stronger, faintly annexing other leaders, and completely controlling Mangdang Mountain.

Under such circumstances, the Huaiyou Alliance, which was supposed to be helpful before, now faintly became an obstacle to the second king's expansion of strength.

Even Taoist priest Wei Xuanding and Wei have not been idle these days. Under the banner of dethroning the chief of the Dragon Gang, he is unscrupulous in the safety zone surrounded by Xu, Shan, and Wang, wooing low-level local officials everywhere, and the effect is outstanding. .

In the two counties of Dongjun and Jiyin, almost every city has dark and bright lines of the Dragon Gang.

This kind of progress is of course understandable, because this is the time when the army is at its weakest...or at least it seems to be at its weakest, because Wei's counterattack is about to start, but it hasn't started yet.But here in the hometown of the Eastern Qi Dynasty, the local elite group, whether it is aristocratic family or a powerful small official, almost everyone wants to change... Often a letter, a visit, or at most a show of power can easily win people over.

Not to mention, the two rebels who were well-known and well-known in the Dragon Gang, together with the financial resources, material resources and manpower of several local tycoons, easily became the beacon of rebels in the upper reaches of Jishui.

In this situation, Zhang Xing was both a little excited and a little worried.

Needless to say, I am excited. After all, I created it by myself, or the organization I participated in, is making great strides in expansion... The cause of revolution is in full swing.

The worries come from two aspects.

On the one hand, he has always been very wary of Wei, or the counterattack of the central imperial court in this world with a sense of practice. The "heroes of the world" that Li Ding said will definitely appear, and the imperial court's counterattack will definitely appear. It was bound to be intense...but on the other hand, he had already been mentally prepared.

The real problem lies in another aspect...Zhang Xing vaguely realized that when facing such a situation of strong expansion within the Dragon Clan, ambition and arrogance were gradually nourished.

In fact, he had seen this kind of arrogance and ambition during the Battle of Douzigang that day. Cheng Dalang's "nothing more than that", it's just that Cheng Dalang was older and more cautious, plus Li Ding and Zhang Xing His performance, and relying on these two to hand over the Putai army to him smoothly, he forcibly restrained himself.

And now and then, changing to the upper reaches of Jishui, the things in the lower reaches of the river will only stimulate the competitive spirit of the leaders here... Besides, as I said before, none of these leaders They are easy to get along with, they all have their own calculations, and the main leaders have their own independent territory and influence, it is impossible to completely suppress them by relying on an empty leader status... In fact, even Taoist Wei has some Zhang Xing is not easy to restrain the impatient attitude.

Not to mention, there is an existence like Li Shu who obviously wants to fight against Zhang Xing.

Therefore, these days, Zhang Longtou is also thinking about how to face the coming tide, whether it is sparse or blocked.

Only things always come faster than expected.

Around the end of August, the Dengzhou county town in the lower reaches of the river had not yet been broken, and the soldiers and horses of Hejian Daying and Xuzhou Daying had not been dispatched yet. Shan Dalang, who had been active near Juyeze in Dongping County, suddenly met with the leader Xiahou and Ningyuan came to Puyang in person together, and handed over a letter to Zhang Xing and Taoist Wei.

The letters are very simple. The most common ones I see recently are similar letters. They are nothing more than some local elites in the old land of the Eastern Qi Dynasty. With the large-scale expansion of the Dragon Gang and it has actually become an open secret in the upper reaches of Jishui, they can't help but seek Private contact, promise, refuge.

The same goes for this letter.

But the problem is that the person who wrote the letter is very special... To put it simply, this person is actually Zu Chenyan, the son of Zu Hu, the former governor and power minister of the Eastern Qi Dynasty, and this person is undoubtedly of great appeal in the old place of the Eastern Qi Dynasty In the letter, the celebrity directly asked Shan Dalang if he was a member of the Dragon Gang, and whether he wanted to make trouble?If there is an incident, he is willing to defect with his family and try his best to donate the county seat of Dongping County, or use documents to help defraud other counties in the county.

His family will also be fully invested in the gang.

Of course, before that, he hoped to be recommended by Shan Dalang, to get direct contact with Zhang Xing or Li Shu, the two world-renowned leaders, and at worst, he also wanted to meet that chief Wei.

"It's hard to say whether it's true or not." Wei Xuanding who hurried back from Puyang City read the letter with a strange expression. "It is reasonable to say that Zu Chenyan hated the Great Wei, but the rumors are too absurd, so many people don't believe it. And he has such a background... Although Zu Hu has a bad reputation, the so-called typical talent but no virtue, but After all, it was the ruling power of a country in the past, and its disciples and old officials were all over the old land of the Eastern Qi Dynasty...do you want to come to us in such a humble manner?"

"What rumor?" Zhang Xing asked sincerely.

"It is said that Zu Chenyan was recommended to His Majesty by Yang Shen when His Majesty first ascended the throne." Wei Xuanding took the letter and explained. "But instead of using it, Your Majesty mocked Zu Chenyan in front of everyone and asked Zu Chenyan if he was the treacherous son who harmed Dong Qi back then? Zu Chenyan had no choice but to kowtow and say yes. Then the saint said that he would never In order to use it, Zu Chenyan was also specially sent to be a local scribe, and the place was rotated, and he was not allowed to enter the hall or house for life, and was promoted to the fifth rank."

After finishing speaking, Daoist Wei, who was in new clothes again, just stared at Zhang Xing's expression.

But Zhang Xing understood, but smiled wryly: "This is indeed something that saint can do."

Daoist Wei immediately nodded, but held up the letter high, turned around and looked behind Shan Tonghai, Xiahou Ningyuan, and Niu Da, Zhou Xingfan and others who came to inquire: "Everyone, this letter is true! Dongping County is also ours. It's over!"

Shan Dalang and the others began to breathe heavily.

Daoist Wei looked again at Zhang Xing, who had become expressionless at some point: "Master Zhang! Don't hesitate! If you don't miss this opportunity, don't come again. Immediately invite the rest of the leaders, including Mr. Li, to come over and make trouble together! Notes , At this time, we can immediately sweep between Dahe and Jishui!"

Everyone went to look at Zhang Longtou, but the latter just looked as usual and seemed unmoved by it.

Seeing this, Chief Wei gritted his teeth and continued: "Don't forget Zhang Longtou. The two big leaders Cheng and Xiong have already said before that the city of Dengzhou was captured. It's just a few days... when the time comes, we will depose the dragon. The gang is governed by Dahe and Jishui. Let us go down the river, and then let Cheng Dalang and the others go upstream. As long as we capture Lu County, Qi County, and Jeju County in the middle, we can take all the lines along the Dahe River, and then let us If you use the means to form an alliance and even merge Gao Shitong, Sun Xuanzhi, and Wang Hou, then the twenty counties in the eastern region will really be our world! Isn’t that what you planned before? A little risk is worth taking!”

In his words, he actually ignored the core risk discussed that day, that is, the court's north-south attack.

However, at this point, ignoring the previous discussion, it is not just Taoist Wei alone?

Zhang Xing glanced at these obviously agitated people, and was silent for a moment, and just when Shan Tonghai couldn't bear it for a while, and seemed to be about to speak, the founder of the Dragon Gang also laughed again:

"The time and the situation, as Chief Wei said, the situation at this time is really a gift from God, and if we do not fight hard and do big things first, won't the world laugh at you? Hurry up and invite Mr. Li." With Xu Dalang, Wang Wulang and others, we will have another gathering at Niujiazhuang outside Puyang City... Whether we want to make a big deal, we are only here to hear everyone's discussion!"

Taoist Wei was overjoyed, he twirled his beard and smiled, Shan Tonghai and other leaders were also relieved, and then cheered up.

PS: Good night everyone.

(End of this chapter)