Aspiration

Chapter 31 Attacking Kaifeng (1)

After Wang Si finished speaking, he regretted it. He knew that this was too unrealistic.I feel sorry for Li Laiheng who is still so naive now, he has put so much effort into training them, and when it is time to take the lead, he is still so whimsical, it shouldn't be.

Li Laiheng did not speak.There was no surprise, no blame on his face, and of course, no approval.

"I'm sorry. We were wrong." Luo Hu and Wang Si felt ashamed like someone who did something wrong.

Li Laiheng still did not answer.

Luo Hu and Wang Si became uneasy.

It has been more than a month since I left Shangluo Mountain, how is your family doing?Due to the uncertainty, the intelligence system was basically paralyzed, and the military situation of Shangluo Mountain could only be learned a little bit from the merchants and the enemies who captured the enemy.Yang Sichang went south, mainly to deal with Zhang Xianzhong, Luo Rucai, Lao Huihui and other ministries. Li Zicheng of Shaanxi handed him over to Ding Qirui, governor of Shaanxi.It stands to reason that Shangluo Mountain should not be under too much pressure now.The purpose of coming out to train soldiers this time has been achieved, and it is time to return to the mountain.However, Li Laiheng seemed to still have a kind of regret in his heart, what exactly is this regret?He couldn't tell either.

Now, when Wang Si and Luo Hu proposed to open the seal, his heart suddenly thumped.

Kaifeng, south of the Yellow River, was the capital of the Seven Dynasties and a strategic location in the Central Plains.It is still the land entrusted by the uncle of Emperor Chongzhen.To attack it, hundreds of thousands of troops are necessary.According to historical records, Li Zicheng attacked Kaifeng three times, all of which ended in failure.Now, Luo Hu and Wang Si are eager to give it a try. Could it be that their own heartbeat just now also had this kind of thought?
"I'm sorry." Seeing that Li Laiheng hadn't spoken for a long time, Wang Si apologized again.

"I'm sorry. Tomorrow, we'll march eastward!"

Li Laiheng's eyes seemed to see the city of Kaifeng, and there was a hint of cunning and sternness in his eyes.

A mysterious and fast army came out day and night, and they galloped eastward.One day, they bypassed Pingdingshan, quietly passed through Xuchang City after midnight, and on the third night, they came to the outskirts of Tongxu County.

Eight hundred light cavalry were fully armed, all dressed as officers and soldiers.

The magistrate of Xutong County and others suddenly received a military report saying that a unit of Yang Sichang would be stationed in Xutong County.The county magistrate hurriedly got up and recruited various officials and staff to discuss the garrison.

According to the rules of the Ming Dynasty, the local government has the right to refuse the temporary garrison.However, this army is Yang Sichang's army, and not letting them enter the city is tantamount to taking off the black hat and sending it to Yang Sichang.However, with thousands of troops and horses, how can they be stationed in the city for a while?Could it be that the garrison in the city was driven away in the middle of the night?

Xutong County is no different than other cities. To the north is Kaifeng City. His Royal Highness Zhou Wang, the uncle of Emperor Chongzhen, is in Kaifeng City. This is also the main road from Beijing to Jiangnan. When going south to Xiangyang, Yang Sichang’s transportation line passes through here, so , the garrison in Xutong County is much more than the average county town.

However, the [-] army horses in the city mixed with thousands of new army horses from outside the city, so it would be strange if nothing happened.

Therefore, magistrate Xu Tong was in a dilemma.

What annoys Xu Tong County Magistrate the most is that his officials and staff at all levels seem to have the ability to reach the heavens and the earth. I understand everything, but at the critical moment, they are all speechless when they are asked to come up with some ideas. Even if a few people make a sound, it is all nonsense like "ah, it's difficult, it's difficult" ,nonsense.

The soldiers outside the city waited for a while to see that there was no conclusion in the city, and became impatient.

"Hey, Xu Tong county magistrate, listen, Mr. Yang has worked hard to suppress thieves. We followed him around and came to your Xu Tong, but we didn't even give you a place to rest. When we, Mr. Yang, know, you Xu Tong County Do you want Ling's black hat or not?" a man outside the city shouted loudly.

When Xu Tong County Magistrate heard this, why didn't he feel anxious?It is absolutely impossible to let soldiers and horses from outside the city enter the city.

In the middle of the night, unidentified soldiers and horses were released into the city, which is more than auspicious. Even if they are indeed Yang Sichang's direct descendants, what will be the military discipline after entering the city?No one can guarantee that, besides, if they get together with the soldiers in the city, something might happen. It's not just a gang fight, but there will be a war, and there will be a war.

Since no one gave him advice, he himself is more intelligent as a scholar, he said: "Prepare wine and meat, and go out of the city with me to reward the army."

When everyone heard it, it was a good idea.

Li Laiheng had no intention of entering the city at all, they were going to spend the night here, and tomorrow, they would march into Kaifeng swaggeringly during the day.

The county magistrate Xu Tong thought he had a plan.The people under him, when it comes to eating and drinking, their ability to do things is not bad, order to go down, kill pigs and cattle, hold a big feast, and the coriander will be cooked within an hour.Eight hundred troops started eating and drinking outside the city.

Of course the county magistrate and others would risk their lives to accompany the gentleman. As long as these young generals don't mention the matter of going to the city, they are willing to die drunk.

Li Laiheng marched eastward all the way without disturbing the states and counties along the way. They will go to Kaifeng tomorrow. It cannot be as easy and simple as attacking the county seat. They are going to outsmart them, so they deliberately make a publicity here.Driving to Kaifeng City suddenly without showing any traces will alert the Kaifeng defenders, so from now on, they will be swaggering.Let Kaifeng know that there is a team of Yang Sichang here.

"Master Yang is an important minister of the court, and the students have admired him for a long time, but they have never had the chance to meet Master Yang himself. This expedition will surely be a great success, and the meritorious service will be unrivaled. I don't know where Master Yang is now?" The county magistrate had to ask Yang Sichang's subordinates Flatter Yang Sichang a few words.

Li Laiheng smiled and said to the county magistrate: "Master Yang is now in command of Xiangyang City. The suppression of bandits in Shaanxi, Huguang, Henan, Anhui and other provinces is under the personal command of Mr. Yang. It is natural to defeat the enemy. The military affairs of Huguang and Shaanxi have been settled properly. Well, the old man is worried about Henan and Anhui. There are many hungry people here. If Li Zicheng and others come here with a wave of their arms, the hungry people will be overwhelmed, and there will be tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands of troops immediately. If that happens, it will be troublesome. This time we came to Kaifeng Mansion to assist the governor, Lord Futai, and of course His Royal Highness Zhou Wang to prepare the military affairs of Henan. Do you have enough troops to defend the city in Xutong County?"

"Enough is enough. Oh, it's not enough." The magistrate Xu Tong first said that enough is enough. He has more than 3000 soldiers in a county. Too many soldiers is not a good thing. Three thousand is enough for him to have a headache, so he said without thinking, " Enough is enough", but then I thought again, what are people doing in Kaifeng?Isn't it here to help Kaifeng defend against the enemy?Xu Tongben is a county under the rule of Kaifeng. Isn't it a slap in the face to say that there are enough people?Therefore, he hastened to say "not enough".

Everyone laughed.The county magistrate Xu Tong was embarrassed for a moment, but fortunately, being an official has the advantage of being flexible and thick-skinned. When Li Laiheng and the others laughed, he also laughed.

Li Laiheng and the others flattered each other with the county magistrate, and then brought up the topic of Yang Sichang. That night, the banquet was kept open until dawn, and everyone felt exhausted after eating until dawn, so they fell asleep in the tent.

(End of this chapter)