Nanming Engineer

Chapter 194 Liu Jinzhong's Rebellion

December of the second year of Daxi Yongchang, that is, the winter of the second year of Hongguang in the Ming Dynasty, and the end of the second year of Shunzhi in the Qing Dynasty, is destined to be a rare and lonely period amidst turmoil. The three forces that separated the land of China, the Qing Dynasty, Nanming and Daxi regimes, Unanimously, the large-scale military operations were stopped, the troops were withdrawn, and the blood-spattered Shenzhou was temporarily calmed in the icy cold wind.

Zhang Guangcai, the commander of the Baotao Battalion of the Daxisu Guards, huddled his body in a bearskin cloak, and stretched out his hands to roast the charcoal fire in the house. He still felt chills all over his body. The gaps in the fur, the cuffs, and the top of the head poured into his body everywhere, making him sneezed uncontrollably.

"Ah!"

Zhang Guangcai wiped his nose with his cuff indiscriminately, and complained: "The weather, the place, it's colder than the winter in Shaanxi, what a land of abundance, if things go on like this, I will freeze to death here."

Picking up the gourd at hand, he poured a sip of strong wine into his mouth, and after drinking the strong wine, the feeling of coldness penetrating into his bones subsided a little, and his body suddenly felt warm, and Zhang Guangcai's complexion slightly improved, he praised : "The Dukang wine from my hometown is better, take a sip and shake your spirits."

He leaned against the stove in the middle of the room, and was about to stretch his feet out of his leather boots to get some air, when the door of the room was pushed open with a bang, and the rain scattered outside was mixed with cold wind, whistling. poured in.

Zhang Guangcai shuddered suddenly and opened his mouth to curse, but saw the man who came in rushed in and knelt on the ground, shouting urgently: "Captain, the emperor has sent a message from Baili!"

After Zhang Xianzhong founded the People's Republic of China and became emperor, he imitated the feudal dynasty and enjoyed various official positions, but he was neither fish nor fowl. After all, the talents under his command were limited. It is a bit difficult to set up a complete imperial team, so things that should be done by mid-level officials, such as announcing decrees, are all reduced to sending a messenger. Therefore, when Zhang Guang heard the roar of the guards who broke in, it was not I was very anxious, so I just swallowed back the curse words that came to my mouth.

The messenger handed the cylinder with a layer of yellow paint to Zhang Guangcai with both hands, then bowed his head and retreated, closing the door behind him.

Zhang Guangcai stood up, first checked that the wax on the mouth of the cylinder was correct, then tore off the yellow paper on the seal, poured out a roll of yellow silk from the cylinder, and unfolded it for a closer look.

"Emperor Daxi Yongchang ordered Zhang Guangcai, the governor of the Baotao Battalion in Tongchuan Prefecture, to reorganize the army and horses, wipe out the rebels in the territory before the end of the month, and clear away the remnants of the Ming army, so as to prepare for the eastward advance in the coming year. I admire this."

There were only a few words on the yellow silk, Zhang Guangcai was originally a general of the Shaanxi frontier army of the Ming Dynasty, he was fluent in writing and ink, but he could understand it. After reading it with a frown, he put the yellow silk on a huge desk respectfully, with an ugly expression on his face stand up.

He turned around and came to the door, opened the door, a gust of cold wind wrapped in drizzle immediately blew in, and the fur wrapped around him was blown up, but Zhang Guangcai didn't respond, and shouted loudly: "Hurry up!" Get your horses ready, summon the guards, the governor is going out!"

A moment later, a group of cavalry surrounded Zhang Guangcai and rushed out from the gate of the Baotao camp built in the prefecture of Tongchuan Prefecture, and galloped away along the muddy official road against the wind and rain.

In another Daxi Army camp five miles away, Liu Jinzhong, the governor of Baoning Mansion of the Daxi Army, also held a yellow silk edict in his hand. The soldiers reported loudly: "Qi report to the governor, the commander Zhang of the Baotao camp has arrived!"

There was a flash of light in Liu Jinzhong's eyes, and he quickly got up and said, "Please hurry up!"

Before the words were finished, Zhang Guangcai rushed in from the outside in a hurry, covered in rain and cold wind, and his face was covered with water.

He took a face cloth from the personal guard, wiped it carelessly, and while the cloth was still in his hand, he couldn't wait to ask: "Has General Liu received the imperial edict?"

Liu Jinzhong pursed his lips toward the cylinder on the table.

Zhang Guangcai followed Liu Jinzhong's gaze to see the cylinder, his body shook, he quickly took out his yellow silk cloth from his arms, handed it to Liu Jinzhong and said: "The last general also received a copy, General Liu please Take a look first."

Liu Jinzhong took it, glanced at it briefly, threw the silk cloth on the table, stretched out his hand to Zhang Guangcai and said, "Dudu Zhang sit down first, it's such a cold day, drink some hot tea before we talk."

Zhang Guangcai swung his butt on the chair beside him, dismissed the tea served by the soldiers, stared at him and said, "General Liu has a good manner, he can calm down on such a big matter, I don't know your share." What is written in the decree?"

Liu Jinzhong asked the soldiers to serve hot tea, and said casually: "What else can I have? It's the same as your share, let me quickly clean up the situation in Tongchuan Prefecture, and the whole army will go south in the spring of next year to Jinshanpu and the emperor. Let's go east."

Zhang Guangcai's eyes widened, and he roared, "A meeting? A meeting with the emperor? General Liu, is this the first time you know the emperor? In the past six months, how many surrendered generals and horses have he swallowed under the banner of meeting the emperor? You can’t count with your hands, do you really dare to rush to meet him?”

Liu Jinzhong coughed lightly, rolled his eyes and said, "Speak carefully, cough cough, Dudu Zhang speak carefully."

Zhang Guangcai looked around, he and Liu Jinzhong were the only two people in the hall, and they had nothing to listen to, so he leaned closer and said in a low voice: "General Liu, you and I are both generals of the Ming Dynasty, and we were forced to surrender to Demon Zhang, what's the matter?" I want to tell you my heart out, my brother. In the past six months, Zhang Xianzhong has treated me and other surrendered generals as kindly as he used to. Watching him do things, he became more and more suspicious. He found an excuse to kill Feng Jin in May, and in June Gao Zongbing was also beheaded. From July to now, the heads of the beheaded generals can be hung on the four doors of the CD. Isn’t that clear? I’m afraid Zhang Motou is crazy!”

Liu Jinzhong's eyes were half-closed and half-opened, as silent as a clay bodhisattva.

Zhang Guangcai swallowed his saliva and secretly cursed the old fox in his heart.But for this reason, I have to continue.

"I won't go to this meeting at Jinshanpu." Zhang Guangcai roared in a low voice with a livid face, "The Ming Dynasty is not over yet, and the Tartars killed Li Zicheng again. I reckon that the good days of Zhang Motou are coming soon. At the end of the day, look, the territory has been getting smaller and smaller in the past six months, the Ming government army has occupied many state capitals from the east to the south, He Zhen is guarding Hanzhong and will not let go, and the rebels near CD are like inexhaustible leeks , Killed one crop after another, what does this mean? It means that the people are against each other. Have you heard about the incident at the Dabei Temple a few days ago? Eight thousand scholars, it just disappeared overnight, and it is said that it was burned to death Yes, do you believe it?"

Liu Jinzhong didn't speak, just shook his head slightly.

"That's right! He dared to kill all the disciples of Confucius and Mencius, and he killed so many at one time. Isn't this crazy?" Zhang Guangcai puffed up his cheeks and chattered endlessly: "Killing scholars, won't this offend the scholars of the world? In the future Who will give him advice, who will govern him? Those scholars can scold the Daxi Kingdom to death with just their pens."

He shook his head and looked at Liu Jinzhong. He glanced outside the door first to confirm that no one was eavesdropping, and then said in a voice that only the two of them could hear: "Brother Liu, you and I joined Zhang Mo from Shaanxi. Head, these battles in all directions are worthy of him. There is a saying that a good bird chooses a tree to live in. Seeing that the Great Western Kingdom is declining, Brother Liu is a hero in the world. Isn't it a waste of his ability to stick to this rotten tree? I heard that the soldiers and horses of the three provinces of Ming Dynasty Governor Wang Yingxiong and King's Pavilion drove Wang Huan, the chief soldier of Kuizhou, all the way westward, and had already taken over Zeng Ying's three eastern Sichuan mansions. The troops were overwhelming, so it's better for us to go anyway. Erlang, are you afraid that you won’t be able to find an official position? Besides, Daming is in the midst of employing people, so he won’t care about our past when we surrendered to the devil, and if we ask for a letter of pardon, it will be a world of cancellation, how about it?”

Liu Jinzhong closed his eyes and listened to the talk for a long time. After he calmed down and looked at himself, he slowly opened his eyes and said slowly: "Are you telling the truth?"

Zhang Guangcai slapped his heart and swore viciously: "Of course! If there is even half a false statement, it will definitely be a thunderbolt from the sky!"

Liu Jinzhong sneered: "Good Zhang Guangcai, the emperor treats you well and appreciates your martial arts, making you the commander of the Baotao Camp of the Suwei Army, but you are double-faced and do the thing of selling the seller for glory. How can I tolerate it?" you!?"

Zhang Guangcai's expression changed when he heard that, and he hurriedly called out: "Dudu Liu, I'm here for you..."

Liu Jinzhong shouted angrily: "Shut up, someone is here! Drag this guy out and tie him up!"

A few burly men rushed in outside the door, grabbed Zhang Guangcai, who was still dazed on the chair, and dragged him outside. Zhang Guangcai was out of his wits, and shouted like a pig: "Liu Dudu, General Liu, my younger brother has ventured to persuade you. You can't treat me like this! If you don't listen to me, you will regret it sooner or later!"

Several big men dragged Zhang Guangcai to the yard like a dead pig. One of them took out a knife from his waist and put it on Zhang Guangcai's neck. Qi Liu yelled loudly in his throat, but he couldn't make a sound.

At this moment, there was a shout in the hall: "Stop!"

Zhang Guangcai looked over with tears in his eyes, and saw Liu Jinzhong walking over with a big smile. He personally pulled Zhang Guangcai up from the ground, helped him stand upright, and said nonstop: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, it's a big deal. Please forgive me for offending brother Zhang."

Zhang Guangcai was both surprised and happy, he wiped the tears and snot from his face and asked in a trembling voice: "Is General Liu trying to test me?"

Liu Jinzhong supported his arm, walked towards the hall, and said in a low voice with a smile: "Brother Zhang, don't blame Zhang Xianzhong, Zhang Xianzhong has many eyes and ears. If I didn't test it out, I'm afraid I would have died in his hands long ago. Now I just Confirm, Brother Zhang, you really want to oppose him, so you dare to tell you the truth."

He helped Zhang Guangcai to a chair in the hall and sat down, waved his hands to let the big men watch from a distance, then sat on another chair and said to Zhang Guangcai: "To be honest, Brother Zhang, I have already thought about it." .”

Zhang Guangcai was stunned, and then overjoyed: "Ah? General Liu had this intention long ago? Have you already contacted the Daming King's Department?"

Liu Jinzhong shook his head speculatively and said: "Zhang Xianzhong is a militarist. He doesn't know anything except killing people. If he follows him, he will die sooner or later. I'm waiting to betray Daming. What is it for? Isn't it just wealth and glory? Since Zhang Xianzhong can't be relied on, then Just find another master!"

Gritting his teeth, he continued: "Da Ming can't go back either, you and I are rebel generals, there will be no good fruit to eat, don't look at the group of ministers in the Ming court who are now wanting generals anyway, but it's uncertain It is not the best policy to let go of the mill and kill the donkey and return to Daming."

Zhang Guangcai blinked, his eyes a little confused, and couldn't help but ask: "Then, what does General Liu mean..."

"This time we have to rely on the master of great talent and general strategy, and the person who will rule the world in the future. Now that the world is in chaos, who has the strength to sit on the nine tripods? Only the Tartars!" Liu Jinzhong said with hatred: "Look at Wu Sangui, he was just like me back then. He is the chief soldier, but now he is the king of Pingxi. His honor as a prince shows how courteous the Tatar emperor treats his meritorious ministers. I have been thinking about it for a long time. No, at least it's an earl."

Zhang Guangcai was startled suddenly, his face turned pale, and he said guiltily, "Tartar, Tartar? Those savages are really tough. Will we go there and end well?"

Liu Jinzhong said with a dark smile: "You don't have to worry about this. I have already had secret letters with the Great General Dingxi of the Qing Dynasty and the first-class Lazhang Jinghe Luohui. To give us the position of Zhangjing in the Eight Banners of Han Dynasty, if we make meritorious service in the future, the reward will definitely not be less."

"The Qing Dynasty is like the rising sun, and it is many times stronger than the sluggish Ming Dynasty. I think you have turned your back on it. Why don't you vote for the Qing Dynasty with me, dedicate Sichuan to the Qing Dynasty, and seek prosperity together?"

Zhang Guangcai heard this, raised his eyebrows, slapped his thigh, and said in a vibrating voice: "Since General Liu has made a plan, I dare not follow orders, and I have to ask General Liu in the future, oh no, Lord Liu, please tell me more." Take care!"

Liu Jinzhong laughed loudly, touched a strand of goatee on his chin and said, "Okay! Right now, He Zhen, the remnant of the burglar in Hanzhong, is still stubbornly resisting. Once it starts, it’s when the two of us make a move, before that, we have to lower our heads temporarily, in case Zhang Xianzhong notices it.”

Zhang Guangcai cupped his hands with a charming smile and said in a respectful voice: "Everything is under the orders of Lord Liu."

The two laughed out loud again, the drizzle and slanting wind outside the door knocked on the window casement, as if it was the accompaniment of the shameless laughter, it became more and more urgent and more intense.

(End of this chapter)