Eighth year of Chongzhen

Chapter 195 Suicide
After Lu Xiangsheng received the news that the thieves were driving the people out of the siege, he suddenly felt that his arrangement was wrong.

He underestimated Zhang Xianzhong's cruelty and shamelessness.

At the critical moment when he wanted to survive, Zhang Xianzhong could do anything. He didn't care about the adopted sons who were like his own on weekdays, let alone the people who were like pigs and dogs in his eyes.

He immediately ordered that in addition to the team entering the city, the Shenji Battalion and Wu Jun Battalion at the south gate should pursue Luo Yingshan nearby, and he personally led thousands of soldiers outside the north gate to Fangcheng Mountain.

Luoying Mountain and Fangcheng Mountain are not lofty and precipitous mountains. Although they stretch for tens of miles and most of the mountains are covered by shrubs and weeds, the terrain is not complicated.

Zhang Xianzhong didn't expect the officers and soldiers to react so quickly. The thousands of thieves who broke out from the east gate, including him, had been surrounded by tens of thousands of officers and soldiers in the two mountains, but they didn't know it.

Zhang Xianzhong sat leaning against the cave wall, and his trusted aides, Winged Tiger and others sat scattered around.

"My lord, we can't stay in this cave for long, we have to find a way to leave as soon as possible, or the officers and soldiers will search for it soon!" The fierce-looking winged tiger said anxiously.

Another confidant, Shan Jianhu, continued: "Old Li is right! Eighth King, we have to leave immediately when the scouts come back. We have to go over the mountains and go west, looking for a village to get some food first." Say it again!"

Zhang Xianzhong nodded and said: "Let's walk fast this time, the back mountain is still relatively safe, when the explorer returns, we will go out after dark!"

While he was talking, with the rustling sound outside, several soldiers who had been sent out to explore the way emerged from the weeds.

Ainengqi, who was guarding the entrance of the cave, quickly leaned forward and beckoned them in.

Zhang Xianzhong and others quickly got up and surrounded those people, and the Winged Tiger asked first: "Fourth, what's the situation outside? Did you encounter any officers and soldiers?"

The soldier named Lao Si replied nervously: "Your Majesty, something is wrong! Let's split up to explore the way, the brothers in front of the mountain are being chased by the officers and soldiers, and they are coming to the back mountain! I went to the back mountain After a while, I saw a cavalry team of officials and soldiers on the road below the mountain!"

The faces of everyone in the cave changed drastically. There were officers and soldiers in front of and behind the mountain. Could it be that they were surrounded?

One of the cronies said anxiously: "Boss, how good is this? The officers and soldiers have trapped us! I see it and hurry up! It won't be dark until dark!"

The Winged Tiger continued: "The old wolf is right! Your Majesty, we must leave quickly!"

At this time, shouts and screams came faintly from a distance, and everyone knew without guessing that this was the sound made by the men who were hunted down by the officers and soldiers before they died.

The strategy of waiting until dark before leaving was no longer possible. Hearing the voice just now, the officers and soldiers were getting closer.

Zhang Xianzhong waved his hand and said, "Let's go! Let's go separately! The one who escapes counts as one!"

Ai Nengqi, who was silent, walked in the front holding an iron rod, behind him were several personal soldiers, Zhang Xianzhong, who was wearing a short robe and cotton armor, walked in the middle, and the winged tiger and others followed behind.

As soon as the group of people left the cave, a group of officers and soldiers in the distance spotted them, and then they rushed towards this side with loud shouts. Then, the shouts of this group of officers and soldiers summoned several groups of officers and soldiers who were searching the mountain nearby. over here.

Without saying a word, Zhang Xianzhong turned around and ran down the mountain to the west, followed closely by his cronies, while Ai Nengqi and a few personal soldiers fell behind to cover him.

In terms of the ability to cross mountains and ridges, although Zhang Xianzhong and his group of thieves are good, they are still slightly inferior to the Sichuan army whose ancestors lived in the mountains for generations; After running for a while, the distance between the two sides has gradually narrowed.

Due to the undulating terrain on the mountain, there are many trees and weeds, and you have to pay attention to avoiding dense bushes when running, so you can't get up at all.

The Sichuan army running ahead quickly caught up to about thirty steps behind Zhang Xianzhong and others. The two Sichuan army archers stood still, drew out their arrows and only rested them on the bowstring. The long arrow shot out.

Several screams sounded, and several of the thieves in front were shot and fell to the ground.Since Zhang Xianzhong's rebellion, the mountain tiger that followed him was pierced by a three-edged arrow in his thigh, and he staggered and fell to the ground.More than a dozen Sichuan soldiers quickly approached the thieves, Ai Nengqi let out a low growl, and stopped with a few personal soldiers to turn around and prepare to fight the officers and soldiers.

The mountain tiger crawled forward on the ground with difficulty dragging its injured thigh. The fear of imminent death made him howl again and again: "Eight Great Kings, save me! Save me!"

Xiaoqi of the Sichuan Army who led the team was overjoyed when he heard the sound, and shouted: "Come quickly, here is the thief! It's Zhang Xianzhong!"

The following teams of officers and soldiers jumped over joyfully when they heard the shouts, shouting one after another.

"The thief offering is here!"

"Zhang Xianzhong is here!"

"Catching the thief is a great achievement!"

"Don't let him run away!"

"Catch the thief alive!"

Zhang Xianzhong knew something was wrong, so he sped forward and rushed forward, but the Sichuan army behind him knew that the giant bandits were here, so they rushed forward with all their might.

Although Ai Nengqi and several of his personal soldiers had fought with the officers who were chasing them, the officers who came after them didn't care at all, bypassing them and continuing to chase forward.

The road down the mountain is already visible from a distance, but there are teams of official cavalry galloping back and forth on the road.Zhang Xianzhong felt a burst of despair: Is this the place where I, Zhang Xianzhong, are buried?

Ai Nengqi waved the iron rod in his hand and slammed it down, and a Sichuan Army shield player vomited blood from being smashed with the shield and fell to the ground.Ainengqi stepped forward and was about to finish him off. The spears of several officers and soldiers had already pierced him. With a muffled grunt, he swung his stick to block, and blocked the two spear heads, but one spear still pierced his body. The lower abdomen, the tip of the gun pierced deeply into the abdomen.

Ainengqi grabbed the barrel of the gun with one hand, and threw the iron rod out. The spearman was unable to dodge, and was hit on the head by the iron rod from Feilaifu, and fell to the ground with a scream.

The Sichuan army team is composed of well-known township party members. Seeing that his comrades were bleeding all over his face, and his life and death were unknown, a Sichuan army soldier let out a loud roar, and rushed forward a few steps to Ai Nengqi's side, smashing his big stick in his hand. To Ainengqi.

Ainengqi took a step back, barely turning his head sideways to avoid it, but was still hit on the shoulder by the big stick.There was a sound of broken bones, and Ainengqi's left shoulder was smashed to pieces, and his left arm suddenly drooped.

A long triangular arrow flew from more than ten steps away with the sound of the wind, and pierced through Ainengqi's neck. Ainengqi didn't make a sound, and was carried away by the powerful kinetic energy of the bow and arrow for a few steps before falling to the ground and dying.

Zhang Xianzhong, who fled to the front, was overtaken by the officers and soldiers at this time, so he turned around and raised his sword to fight in desperation.After cutting off the arm of a Sichuan soldier, Zhang Xianzhong was stabbed in the thigh and ribs one after another. With a roar, he tried his best to cut off the barrels of several long spears, and then swept across with his knife, capturing several men who were about to rush forward. His officers and soldiers forced him away, and he cut off the main artery in his neck with a backhand knife, and blood gushed out. After Zhang Xianzhong let go of the knife and threw the knife, he fell slowly to the ground and died.

Seeing Zhang Xianzhong committing suicide, the remaining confidants threw away their weapons and knelt down in tears, begging for surrender, and the winged tiger burst into tears.

Lu Xiangsheng stood at the foot of Fangcheng Mountain with a serious face, looking at the officers and soldiers on the mountain who were searching the mountain without saying a word.Huguang governor Fang Kongzhen and Yunyang governor Song Zushun, who had just arrived from Xiangyang Prefecture and led their troops, chatted softly behind him.

Zu Kuan, Yang Maogong, Qin Yiming, Lu Xiangping and other generals gathered not far away to discuss something, and Zu Kuan's rough laughter came from the crowd from time to time.

No matter what this time, the thief must not be allowed to escape, otherwise he will flee to other places and continue to cause trouble for Ming Dynasty, and the court will have to spend a lot of money, food and materials to kill them.

Although I was a little careless this time, except for the part of the thieves who broke out from the east city, most of the rest of the thieves either died or surrendered.

The thief is really cunning and cruel, but thanks to Zu Kuan's quick response, Qin Yiming's Sichuan army could catch up with the thief immediately after he led the team to kill a bloody road. The thief is likely to take the opportunity to get away.

Lu Xiangsheng withdrew his thoughts, turned around and said to the two people who were talking: "Did Song Fuzhi bring food and grass when he came here? This time, all the chief officials of Zhushan and Zhuxi counties died for the country, and the food in the city was also stolen. The looting is gone, and the people in the two places are in urgent need of food relief. This official will explain this matter to the imperial court. Your Fuzhi needs to properly handle the post-war related matters as soon as possible, so that the people will suffer from hunger and cold after the disaster and become refugees. This is the top priority Song Fuzhi must not take it lightly, otherwise he will bear the consequences!"

Song Zushun looked a little embarrassed when he heard the words, and he cupped his hands and replied: "The lower officials will send people to Yunyang Mansion to adjust grain later, please rest assured that the Luge Ministry will do that. Both counties are under the management of the officials, and the officials will be ordered later. It will be dealt with properly!"

Lu Xiangsheng has already increased his bachelor's degree. This is not a temporary dispatch by a prime minister or something like that. A bachelor is already qualified to join the cabinet. According to Lu Xiangsheng's military achievements as a civil servant, it will be a matter of course to join the cabinet in the future.Although Song Zushun was jealous, he didn't dare to be as rude as last time.

Lu Xiangsheng nodded, smiled and said to Kong Xun, "Senior Fang has made a remarkable achievement this time. He recruited Liu Guoneng and captured Luo Rucai and others who have been raging in Henan and Huguang for a long time. This kind of credit is beyond the reach of Lu. ,hehe!"

Fang Kongzheng was secretly proud of himself, but on the surface he pretended to be indifferent, he cupped his hands slightly and said: "A little meritorious service is nothing, it is nothing compared to the meritorious deeds made by Lu Ge's troops for several years. , if I present a thief to give the head this time, there will be no great thieves in my Ming Dynasty, and no one will be able to match the contribution of the cabinet department, and no one will dare to question it when I enter the cabinet with military merits in my hand, haha!"

Lu Xiangsheng said disapprovingly: "Lu has been greatly favored by the emperor. Since the second year of Chongzhen when he gathered troops to attack the bandits, he has long put life and death aside; he only wants to serve the country with his own body and give us a stable place for the people of Ming Dynasty as soon as possible. If I haven't considered it, that's not my original intention!"

His frank words from the heart did not impress Fang Kongxuan and Song Zushun, both of them secretly disdain: If you don't want to be a high-ranking official, why do you work so hard?There are countless civil servants and military generals in the Ming Dynasty, do you think that without you, Lu Xiangsheng, others will not be able to suppress the thieves?It wasn't because he wanted to climb to a high position that he led troops to suppress thieves and make meritorious service.

Both of them cupped their hands at Lu Xiangsheng at the same time and said, "The Ministry of Cabinet is righteous, I admire you!"

At this moment, there was a sudden noise from the south, and several riders came galloping from a distance, tens of steps away from Lu Xiangsheng and the others, and the first rider shouted loudly: "Commander! Great joy! The thief offering has been given the head by Luo Yingshan!"

　Thank you book friends 20170720165630144 for your reward, all book friends vote and subscribe to support.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)