In the thirteen years of Chongzhen, the north and south directly under the jurisdiction, Shandong, Henan, Shaanxi, Shanxi, and Zhejiang suffered the largest famine in 300 years, and Henan was in the central area, and the disaster was particularly serious. From the autumn of the twelfth year of Chongzhen to the thirteenth year, the rain did not fall, the locusts covered the earth like dark clouds, and the grain grains were not harvested.
Melons, fruits, dates and persimmons were eaten before they were ripe, and later, grass roots, bark, chaff and mountain vegetables became the food of the rich and noble.
When Li Zicheng entered Henan, he was just in time for Henan to be hungry and smelly, and the people of several counties along the river in northern Henan were already dead. Some unscrupulous people are thieves, and the small number of Tukou is innumerable.
These people were only forced by hunger and cold, and had no choice but to take this road, far less than Li Zicheng had more than ten years of experience in the front, and the marching arrangement and logistical supply were as strict as the general's marching law. Therefore, as soon as Li Zicheng entered Henan, it was like a little spark igniting dry firewood everywhere, and the fire was raging into a burning trend.
Yang Sichang did not give up his surveillance of Li Zicheng. As soon as Li Zicheng arrived in Henan, Yang Ordered Zhang Jing, the commander of the Xing'an Army, Liu Hongqi, Wang Guangen, and Hu Congyao to enter Henan and assist In suppressing Li Zicheng. At this time, Li Zicheng actually had no need to go to Yingshan and Huoshan to unite with Zuo Jinyu and Ge Liyan, nor was there any need to go to Nanyang and Xiangyang to encourage the officers and troops to install ding in that area. He went east from Zhejiang To the east, through Neixiang out of Nanyang, north to Yiyang, killing Tang Qitai of Zhi County.
Hungry and angry people had heard of Li Zicheng's name for a long time in the past few years, and at this time, in the case of desperation, they came to the rescue one after another, and in the past few days, Li Zicheng's team of less than a thousand people increased to tens of thousands.
After breaking Yiyang, Li Zicheng broke Yongning again, killing the King of Wan'an and Wu Daren of Zhixian who were sealed in Yongning. At the same time, Li Zicheng's subordinates Gu Kecheng and Xin Sizong led an army to attack Xin'an, Yanshi, and Baofeng. Such a rebel army in this part of Henan really wants the wind to be windy and rainy, and where the soldiers pass, such as the wind rolling through the clouds, the blades breaking bamboo.
Along the way, the hungry people came to attach, and many frustrated people, who wanted to build a deed, also came to join the rebels, and lu's bull Venus was one of the most famous.
Niu Venus is a negative person, pays attention to the study of the scriptures, and thinks that he is the talent of Wang Zuo. His son Niu Yu (牛佺) was born in Xiucai and married the daughter of Wang Shijun (王士俊), a jinshi of Xiangfu County.
Since the Wang and Niu families are in-laws, the relationship is naturally very close. Although Venus is a reader, his cultivation of kung fu is a little worse, and he has words in his stomach, and he must say them no matter how he turns and turns. Wang Shijun and his daughter-in-law had something inexplicable, and Niu Jinxing did not hide it after drinking once, and shook it out in front of many people. Wang Shijun hated it to the bone, and the relationship between the two families froze when it was boarded.
The matter was not over, and Niu Venus provoked the zhi county of this county again. One day, he drank wine again and saw the county magistrate urging for food. The people were naked, skinny as wood, dying under the torture of a wolf-like tiger. Niu Venus was momentarily indignant and went forward to rebuke the two public lackeys.
The two of them were anxious about the strict order of the county order, when they suddenly saw someone forced their heads to embarrass their brothers, and they were also angry. They grabbed Venus the bull and beat him up, taking the opportunity to relieve the boredom in their hearts.
The excesses of these two bad people infuriated the people around them who were watching the hilarity. Everyone worked together to press the two messengers to the ground, and a punch and kick hit them both with blue noses and swollen faces. The two men suffered a loss and went to the county order, they did not know who the people who beat them were, but they remembered the bull Venus and finalized the account to him.
The county master was greatly dissatisfied with Niu Venus, but because he was a good villain and had a meritorious name, he suppressed his anger and found another opportunity to clean him up again.
The bull Venus was unlucky, and just when Wang Shijun and the Old Master of Zhixian were greatly dissatisfied with him, the opportunity for revenge came. For some reason, Niu's wife suddenly fell ill and died. Wang Shijun then colluded with Zhang Renlong of Zhixian county, accusing Niu Jinxing and Niu Yu's father and son of abusing people to death.
Zhixian beat up the Niu father and son without asking questions and detained them in the county prison. He also wrote a letter of submission to the imperial history, Zhang Renlong is a veteran of the officialdom, and he knows the key to it. Sure enough, soon Yushi Gaomingheng personally made a decision, stripped the father and son of Niu Venus of the name of the hero, and issued a charge army. The Niu family originally had hundreds of acres of land and a little family property, and this lawsuit was almost tossed.
Niu Venus's temperament was already violent, and this time he was even more violent, scolding Zhang Renlong for his personal vendetta.
Zhang Zhixian listened to him with a smile and groaned, and left with his hands behind his back. Niu Venus was so angry that he almost turned his back, but he had already been imprisoned, and there was nothing he could do but resign himself to fate.
Just at this time, Li Zicheng attacked Baofeng. When the prison was smashed open to release the prisoners, the two grandfathers and sons of Venus were released together. Niu Venus wanted to take revenge on himself by using the power of the rebels, so he threw himself into Li Zicheng's camp.
Coincidentally, in Li Zicheng's camp, there was a famous doctor named Shang Jiong, who was Niu Jinxing's childhood schoolmate. At first sight, the two people were taken aback, and later talked about their respective experiences, and they were overwhelmed with emotion.
Because Shang Jiong is a doctor, he is very familiar with the men, women, children, generals and soldiers in the army. Everyone respected him for his medical wisdom and called him Shang ShenXian . Shang Jiongsu knew that Niu Venus had great ambitions and had learned from the world, which was exactly the talent that the rebels lacked, so he strongly recommended it in front of Li Zicheng.
Li Zicheng talked to Niu Jinxing once, and deeply felt that he was a talent, so he left him by his side and acted as a counselor. Niu Venus tongtian official wind horn books, Yu Sun Wu's art of war is quite researched, just in line with Li Zicheng's needs, so it is quite important in the army.
Niu Venus's first official job after joining the rebel army was to bring a small group of rebels, find the two tolerances that did not have time to escape, and slaughter one by one, which was a bad breath. Zhixian had already died in this rebellion after the rebels attacked the city, and Niu Jinxing deeply regretted that he had not been able to personally report Zhixian Luo weaving for his hatred.
Subsequently, Niu Jinxing actively helped Li Zicheng plan to capture Kaifeng. Because Xiangfu was on the outskirts of Kaifeng, there was no reason to attack Xiangfu alone to avenge his hatred, and let tens of thousands of troops go on an expedition. Li Zicheng knew that although he had tens of thousands of people at this time, the core personnel were still less than a thousand. Once there is resistance, it will inevitably fall apart, and tens of thousands of people will scatter.
He gently stated his proposition and decided to train the team in small states and counties first, and when he had enough endurance, he would seize Kaifeng as the foundation for the construction of the capital. Niu Jinxing also felt that he was a little too urgent, and suddenly he had a clever move, remembering that a person had come, and hurriedly recommended it to Li Zicheng. It turned out that the person he recommended was Song Xiance, who was famous and mysterious in this area.
Li Zicheng said while smoking a cigarette: "Mr. Gu and you are similar to the planning, why should we have so much?"
Niu Jinxing disagreed, and said, "If the Great King wants to become a king and a hegemon, how can he be without a wise man?" Nowadays, there are dozens of military generals under the king, all of whom are generals who can fight in battle, but the strategists are only Mr. Gu and Venus. When the great king was trapped in the mountains of Sichuan, Shaanxi and Chu, where were the few fierce generals who could fight? What is missing is a man of intellect who can make good decisions, and cannot come up with a good plan to get out of danger. Therefore, Venus thought that the king's advisers were suffering from his widowhood and not from his many!"
Li Zicheng felt that it seemed to make sense, so he said, "Even if this is the case, Mr. Lao Niu will find a few more wise men!"
Niu Jinxing said, "In the past, the Great King used to laugh and play with the martial generals, and called him a brother and a brother, so naturally it was inevitable." However, if the king treats his courtiers with this attitude, he is suspected of insulting the magi and stealing from the king. If any strategists come, please ask the king to pay respects and courtesy, so that he is the demeanor of a wise lord?"
Li Zicheng was a little impatient, but he did not show it on his face, but said lightly: "Since Mr. Niu said so, Li Zicheng will pay attention to it in the future." After saying that, he spat out two smoke rings comfortably. At that time, the newly selected from the small colonel Li Er had already brewed a bowl of fragrant tea for him, and Li Zicheng took it and enjoyed it with his own leisure.
Niu Venus went and looked around for this jianghu qishi Song to offer advice. Sure enough, the kung fu paid off, and within a few days, he actually let him find it. Li Zicheng obeyed Niu Jinxing's wishes, made a appearance of a corporal, and personally led Liu Zongmin, Tian Mixiu and other cadres out of the camp to greet Song Xiance. The group waited for half a day before they saw Venus Niu slowly coming with a person.
Li Zicheng was greatly disappointed, in his impression, the mysterious Qishi should be the appearance of the Xianfeng Dao Bone, just like Zhuge Liang in the "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" he had read, lupine Ge Towel, talking and laughing. At least it should be like Gu Jun'en, although it is not a fairy wind Dao bone, but it also looks like a scribe; otherwise, like a bull Venus, tall and big, with a tiger's back and a bear's waist, it looks quite spiritual.
However, the Song military division in front of him was completely different, he was less than three feet long, like a child of several years old; his face was narrow and long, his face was like black charcoal, and he had a mysterious look; his right foot was limp, and he walked on a crutch, holding a crutch in his right hand to maintain balance. Li Zicheng could hear Liu Zongmin behind him softly "shh" and knew that he probably had the same thoughts as himself.
Li Zicheng still stepped forward and said, "Rice fat Li Zicheng, here is Mr. Song's big ride!"
Song Xiance said, "Song Moucun Nobita, Mengniu Military Division sincerely invited to come to serve the general, do not dare to labor the general!" Song Xiance had been walking in the rivers and lakes for decades, and he had already seen Li Zicheng's disappointed look, and he did not mind, and entered the rebel camp surrounded by Li Zicheng and others.
Li Zicheng asked Song Xiance to sit at the top, and then carefully asked: "Mr. Song, when Li Zicheng first entered Henan, although he fought several victorious battles, it is difficult to predict what the future will be. I want to take Kaifeng as a base for myself, in order to make progress, but I don't know if it is feasible or not?"
Song Xiance knew that Li Zicheng was taking the opportunity to test himself, and he was not humble at the moment, and said flatly: "Song Xiance thought that taking Kaifeng was not a plan. Kaifeng was rebuilt by the King of Jinhailing, and the fortification of the city was the first in the Central Plains, which could not be conquered between pawns. Although there are tens of thousands of generals, there are many rabble-rousers, and they are really unable to fight. If Kaifeng cannot be attacked for a long time, reinforcements from all over the world will arrive, and tens of thousands of horses will collapse and be difficult to harvest.
Instead of Song Mou's foolish opinion, it is better to change Luoyang. Luoyang is the prosperous place of Zhongzhou, and the people of Yinwufu have not been reduced. King Fu sealed Luoyang, rich enough to be an enemy of the country, and saw refugees rising up and did not give charity, and his unpopularity was long overdue. If a general takes the king's treasure and goods, half of it can be used for military pay, half can be used to help the victims of disasters, and the hearts of the army and the people will be collected, why not enjoy it?"
Song Xiance's words touched Li Zicheng, and he couldn't help but clap his hands in applause, saying: "Mr. Song's words really made Li Zicheng open up." Let's attack Luoyang first, and then kaifeng if it goes well!"
Niu Venus said, "Mr. Song has a clever plan, and he has won a lot of Venus." Venus asked the King to grant Mr. Song the post of military master, and to accompany the King's side to give advice. ”
Li Zicheng said, "Just according to what Mr. Niu said." ”
Song Xiance did not seem to be very grateful for Li Zicheng's appointment, but only thanked him out of courtesy. Xie, he said in a straight face: "Song Mou watched the sky at night, but he saw that the Emperor Star was dim, and the Broken Army Star was getting brighter, according to Song Mou's calculations, it should be on the Great King." Offering advice to search through the books of the group, there are book clouds, and eighteen sons are the main artifacts. The Eighteen sons, Li Ye, corresponded to the surname of the Great King. Sooner or later, I expect that the general will ascend to the throne and save the people from water and fire. ”
When Li Zicheng heard this, he was far more excited than the plan of attacking Kaifeng first or Luoyang first, and he suddenly stood up and said, "Is what Mr. Song said serious?"
Song Xiance nodded and said, "This is a heavenly opportunity, Song Xiance does not dare to speak in vain!"
Li Zicheng said, "Even so, Li Zicheng will rely on all of you here to help you build an immortal cause!"
The crowd said, "May you follow the king to achieve hegemony!"