Rebel

That night, Yongchi assigned the various troops to the various armies and finished their duties. Yongchi said: "That old man Liao Yong, during the Eight Kings' Rebellion 20 years ago, was the best at the one-word long snake formation, and now his son Liao Quji is also the same. Everyone, please see— —With Yingchuan as the boundary, the seven cities of Hongnong, Jiyin, and Xiapi are now lined up in a row, as if the head and the tail correspond. If you hit the head, the tail will respond;

However, the defeat of the long snake formation was due to Yu Jia, the prefect of Qianzhong County, who had originally agreed to fight with the King of Jin, but was controlled by Yu Gongzi Junfan in Bashu, which made it impossible for the Liao family army to expand south of the river.

Now we want to break the thief and rebel, we only need to cut off the head and tail, and cut it down the middle, so so... What do you think? "

All the generals replied: "General Yingjuan, we are willing to obey the order of the general."

That night, Gu Ao also received the military order, that is to lead his troops to attack Yingchuan with all their strength - to cut off the tail of the snake.

The troops under their command immediately pulled out the stronghold and set out at Xing Ye, Gu Ao was appointed and left; while Lu Mouzhong was kept in the tent by Yong Chi to continue discussing important matters.

Gu Ao walked out of the large tent of the Chinese army, the fire was uncertain, and he walked to a remote place outside the camp, but suddenly a young man on horseback rushed out from the side, shouting: "Brother Ao!"

The man got off his horse, Gu Ao took a closer look, the person in front of him was Tian Rong whom he hadn't seen for a long time?Gu Ao hurriedly walked forward, sizing up and down the visitor—I saw that Tian Rong was dressed in brocade clothes, and his appearance and temperament also carried a sense of aristocratic family at this time, Gu Ao smiled and said: "Brother Rong, I I saw Mr. Xiao in the tent just now, and wondered if you came here too...I didn't expect you to be here!"

Tian Rong laughed, and teased, "It's fate to meet you from thousands of miles away! Brother Ao, do you want to go to my place and have a drink?"

Gu Ao said: "I'm afraid I won't make it in time. I'm going to leave at night. When I go back, I'll make food at three o'clock and five o'clock. I appreciate Brother Rong's kindness. I will meet you again when I return."

It turned out that Gu Ao had written to Tian Rong since he settled down in Longshan Mountain, saying to Tian Rong, "This place is desolate and the people are hungry. Although I miss Rong Rong as a brother, if Rong Rong stays here, he will not be able to show his strength." It’s too late, it’s useless to use up all your talents. Why don’t Brother Rong follow Mr. Xiao first, and then talk about your ambitions when you have a chance to open your mind.”

Tian Rong replied: "Anything is fine, everything is arranged by Brother Ao."

Now that they met unexpectedly, Gu Ao was very happy, but he was busy with military affairs, let alone leisurely.Talked a few words with Tian Rong, made an appointment to see you again, Gu Ao was about to leave, but Tian Rong pulled Gu Ao aside, and said in a low voice: "Brother Ao, I came here for no other reason, but because of I'm very confused and want to tell you."

Gu Ao turned away from the guards who followed behind him, and said: "If you have anything to say, Brother Rong speak directly."

Tian Rong said: "Originally, the Jin rebellion army was very powerful, not to mention the elite soldiers and good generals from the five fertile counties in the south of the Yangtze River, and the 20 Yu family tribes from the two counties in central Guizhou, Bashu, and Sichuan. The momentum to encircle the capital is obvious."

Gu Ao nodded: "Yes?"

"However, the situation is changing so fast that it is really unexpected. The well-known Mr. Yu, one of the four sons, has suddenly ruled the prefect Yu, and now the offensive and defensive forces are different..."

Gu Ao nodded. Indeed, in terms of military strength, if the two counties in central Guizhou and Bashu surrendered to King Jin, the capital would be in jeopardy.But now that Qianzhong Bashu was seized by Yu Junfan overnight, and he is still loyal to the imperial court to guard it, and even sent troops to fight against the rebellion, the chances of winning the king of Jin's rebellion have been greatly reduced.However, since the King of Jin rebelled, the arrow has already been fired, and the Liao family can give it a try with strong help.

So Gu Ao asked: "So?"

Tian Rong said with some concern: "I just find it strange. Mr. Xiao was personally invited by the general to sit in the township. What he revealed to my students yesterday was that the general wants to recruit the Liao family and is willing to send Mr. to be a lobbyist on the condition that Make him the king of Jiangqu..."

As he said that, Tian Rong pursed his lips and looked at Gu Ao: "I wanted to write to you, but I just found out that you are here today, so I will look for it."

Gu Ao frowned lightly when he heard the words, Tian Rong meant, how could he not know... this matter is indeed strange.

The war is about to break out, what is Yong Chi's plan behind this preparation? ... If real swords and guns are fighting, compared with the rebellious army, the rebellious army has more people, the main force has better swords, armor, chariots and horses, and stands on the principle of justice, why should they subdue their ambitions and use profit to lure the enemy?

Gu Ao nodded with some doubts, and said solemnly: "I see, thank you Brother Rong."

Tian Rong nodded and said, "I'll stay soon, if there's anything to do, I'll come back to you later."

"it is good."

Tian Rong turned and left, Gu Ao led the people back to the camp, immediately called the small commander, the chief of staff and others, discussed and decided how to attack Yingchuan on the second day, everyone was ordered to stand on guard and put on armor before dawn cross the river.

The Yingchuan rebellious army is the left army of the King of Jin Army, with the brother of Liao Yong in Jiangqu County, the brother of Liao Xing in Hejian County, and Liao Jing, the prefect of Yingchuan County, as the generals guarding the city.Gu Ao led the crowd to attack Yingchuan, where Liao Jing was located, in order to cooperate with Yongchi's attack on the forward general Liao Quji, and to restrain the winger of the rebel army.

Jiangnan is not as flat as the north, and Yongchi's tiger and cardinal cavalry can't be as powerful as the plains, but the Hanzhong army led by Gu Ao, they were originally from the mountains, and they are very good at mountain climbing and galloping.

In addition, when Gu Ao traveled to Yingchuan, he knew the mountains and veins very well. Now that he had just crossed the river in the dark, Gu Ao led his troops all the way, and the passage through the mountains did not stop at all.

The army is moving fast, that is to say.

Among the mountains not far away, Gu Ao took advantage of the golden brilliance of the rising sun to look into the distance, and called Dian Buzhi: "That place, isn't it the place where we once talked with Nashi Chang about rewards and punishments in the army?" Is it a pass?"

Dian Bushi said: "Exactly, at that time, a meritorious deputy from a poor family was beheaded in the barracks, but it was because he drank an extra pot of wine while on duty, and he was about to be killed by that aristocratic family to gain prestige."

Gu Ao laughed and said: "That's right. Yingchuan County seems to be ready for battle, but in fact, it is tough on the outside and soft on the inside, so it is afraid of a 'surprise'!"

Mei Zhao said again, "But there is a pass blocking the front of this mountain, and there is a cliff beside it, so it is easy to defend but difficult to attack."

Gu Ao nodded and sighed: "That's right, unless you fly over the mountain from the cliff behind..."

Dian Bushi laughed: "I'm not a birdman, how can I fly over the mountain? I think it's better to attack from the front and catch him off guard!"

Chen Jiang thought for a while, and said from the side: "Brother, what do you mean, if we can fly over the mountain, we can conquer this pass?"

Gu Ao glanced at Chen Jiang, nodded appreciatively, Mei Zhao was slightly taken aback, and said, "I understand, brother-in-law's intention... Could it be that the army selects mountaineering experts, as long as they can climb the cliff, they will be able to climb the cliff by surprise?" But when we attack, the morale of the army inside is broken, and the army waits in front of the pass, can they attack head-on?"

Gu Ao said: "Exactly, do you think it can be done?"

Mei Zhao thought for a while, and said, "I used to be from the mountains, and there are quite a few experts in mountain climbing. I'm going to order the Xiaotong to find them."

"Okay, it's not too late."

Before long, Mei Zhao selected one hundred climbers who were best at mountaineering from an army of 5 people, formed a team, and prepared to climb into the back mountain and go straight to the pass.Gu Ao said: "Tell me, who can take on the responsibility of the captain?"

Mei Zhao said: "Brother-in-law, I was born in the mountains since I was a child, and I am most familiar with mountain nature, let me come!"

Gu Ao said: "Okay! If there is chaos in the village, you and I will agree on a code, and when the code is given, I will lead the army to attack from the front."

Mei Zhaodao: "Among the people I selected, there is one who is as good at singing as a bird. Every time he sings, all the birds in the mountain will sing along with him. If there is a gap in the pass, I will make people use the bird's song as a name."

Gu Ao happily said: "Very good." Then Gu Ao gave instructions on how to disturb the barracks, how to capture thieves and kings, and so on, and Mei Jun answered them all.

After all things were assigned, Gu Ao commanded the main army to take advantage of the dawn and hid in the mountains, while Mei Zhao led a 100 men and attacked the inner mountains.After waiting for three hours, the sun had already risen, the soldiers were all thirsty, and Dian Bushi also crawled to Gu Ao's side, and asked, "Brother, why is there no movement inside? Could it be that little brother Mei met something on the road?" Let’s go? Do you want me to take someone to have a look?”

Gu Ao thought for a while and said, "Not busy, just wait."

"Well."

Sure enough, another hour passed, and suddenly a hundred birds sang in the empty mountain. Gu Ao, ignorant of Dian, said to Chen Jiang, "Pass the order down, don't need to hide anymore, just attack and take!"

"Yes!"

It turns out that among the 100 people led by Mei Zhao, many of them used to be people who ran over the wall and did business without money.Now they happened to be on the right path, and the group of people lightly climbed over the unguarded cliff and sneaked into the pass from the back mountain.

On the way, no one noticed that Mei Zhao led them into the pass one by one, and under Mei Zhao's command, they were divided into several teams.They quietly climbed up to the beacon tower, killed several people in a row, poured water on the beacon fire, and threw the wolf dung as kindling from the beacon tower. At this time, more defenders found out Only then did they attack.On the beacon tower, there was a series of scuffles and many casualties. Mei Zhao led another team and rushed to the place where the pass was guarded, and fought against the rebels guarding the pass's rock-falling equipment. People blew the birdsong.

Gu Ao led the army and came up in the mountains like a divine soldier, and took the opportunity to attack the pass from the front. For a while, arrows from outside the pass rained into the pass, but the pass was in chaos, and there was no time to organize the defense... Dian didn't know He took the lead and rushed into the pass with the people.

The battle ended with the capture of 8000 defenders and 700 casualties among the Guao army.

All the captives were tied up and gathered in the pass, and the drums were beaten up to the stage. The leader of the family guarding the pass was also bound at this time, and was dragged up to the high stage with dirt stuffed in his mouth.Gu Ao stood in the middle of the high platform and said loudly: "Everyone, don't be alarmed! We are the righteous teachers of the court! Unlike the rebellious army, we will never do anything to kill captives. You just need to listen to me! From now on, not only will we not be captives, There may be riches and honors in the future!"

Those who heard it in the audience looked at each other, and a captured poor general boldly said: "It's a blessing not to kill, how can there be wealth? A defeated general, how dare you say such a thing?"

Gu Ao said: "Chen Jiang!"

"exist!"

"The account book found in the sleeping room! Read it to everyone!"

"Yes!"

It turned out that the leader of the family guarding the pass in Yingchuan County not only withheld military rations every day, but also misappropriated the general's salary for other purposes. He spent his whole day's salary and pleasures. Arrived at this incriminating evidence that records daily expenses in detail.

Chen Jiang took a step forward, and said in a clear voice: "Everyone, you fight every day in front of the battle, you know this..." Chen Jiang kicked the leader of the family who was tied up together, and the leader of the family was killed. The dirt stuffed his mouth and he couldn't distinguish, so he could only whine, Chen Jiang kicked him again, and the man stopped barking, Chen Jiang continued: "Do you know this one, when you are waiting to bleed and cry, What is he doing? He is recruiting prostitutes! Drinking alcohol! Embezzling food and pay! Next, let me read to you how much blood and sweat he has taken from you since he took office—”

Gu Ao stood aside, watching Chen Jiang recite the words of the leader of the Yingchuan defenders one by one, with ups and downs, he couldn't help admiring him, and thought: "Chen Jiang's words are good just now, but I haven't noticed him before. He still has such talent; it seems that he is not prestigious among Chencun students, even if he has never met an enemy, he is good at persuading them in a large crowd."

After finishing the reading, Chen Jiang said loudly: "Everyone, you say that such a commander does not treat his brothers as brothers, but treats his brothers as cattle and horses. Should he be beheaded?!"

The people below looked at each other in blank dismay, and Dian Bushi shouted loudly: "Such a person! He should be beheaded!"

At this time, some of the captives also shouted: "It's time to be beheaded!"

Gu Ao nodded, and said to everyone in the audience: "Okay! If that's the case, I will enforce the law impartially today and punish this disrespectful soldier for you!"

The huge guillotine was moved to the stage, and the leader of the aristocratic family kept twisting his body, whimpering, staring at Gu Ao, as if he had something to say, Gu Ao said without hesitation: "Cut!"

With a bang, the head fell to the ground, there was no cheering, no jumping for joy, only silence.Gu Ao said: "Everyone, you are all from a poor family, and I am also from a poor family. You know why, no matter how much meritorious service you make and how many enemies you kill, you can't be promoted to high officials; but we can reward you for your meritorious deeds." What?! Do you want to know why I can be the commander in chief of the army even though I am a commoner?"

Someone yelled: "Want to know!"

Gu Ao said to Chen Jiang: "Now you say on the stage, let the bureau chiefs be in charge of a hundred people each, go down and talk!"

"Yes!"

On the stage, Chen Jiang started talking like a chatterbox: from the separation of scholars and common people in the world, to the injustice of the world, from the injustice of scholars and common people, to the injustice of heaven, to the injustice of heaven, to Hanzhong County and beyond. The impoverished family is the prefect, regardless of the world, and rewards for merit!People from poor families can also rely on military merits, high officials, and generous salaries to seal their wives and sons!

Gradually, more and more people responded to the audience, their courage grew, and more and more people spoke... More than [-] students from Chen Village came to the audience one by one, and explained to everyone in detail how "a poor family can pass military merits". Become a master'.

After three days and three nights like this, if the prisoners wished to go home and farm, they would be dismissed immediately, and if they wished to join the Gu Ao army, they could do so immediately.Someone said: "My lord! I really want to join the army to serve my lord, but my wife and mother are all in my hometown... If I join the army, I am afraid that the government will arrest my wife and children..."

When Gu Ao heard about it, he sent someone to inquire. It turned out that most of the guards in the pass were people from several villages in Lin County not far from here.Gu Ao made a decisive decision and led his army straight to the county.The county is not an important place in the war, so apart from some private soldiers, there are not many guards. Gu Ao soon led his army to occupy the county seat, searched the county official's mansion, and used the account books to sue the elders of the county. Several villages of Yurou Township were found out, and they were punished by the county court!

After killing Lizheng, he divided the land of Lizheng equally among the villagers in the village, and equally divided the property of the county magistrate among the poor households in the county... Such a mighty march, every time Gu Ao passed through a county, he would punish the magistrate in the name of the way of heaven and open a storehouse to help the poor. The people in the county join the army enthusiastically, every time they pass through a village, whoever gets the land divided by Gu Ao, once the army passes by, there are few young and strong men in the village...

In this way, after marching for a month, when Yongchi stormed Jiyin, which was guarded by Liao Quji, and besieged the city for 20 days, and finally got a clue, Gu Ao was in the frontier, not only restraining the large number of defenders in Yingchuan County, Even more quickly, it has grown to [-] people!

Yong Chi paced back and forth in the tent, finally dropped the battle report in his hand, and said angrily: "This Gu Ao! He was going to fight bloody battles here! But he wandered around, not attacking counties, but fled in various counties, Buy people's hearts! In addition to the [-] soldiers in his hands, he has now gathered more than [-] mobs! He spends all day in the countryside, robbing rich families of rich families for food!"

"Young lord, calm down!" The middle-aged man who looked like an aide took a step forward, and suggested, "I think the people from the poor family in Hanzhong County are really disrespectful. At that time, Gu Ao was so famous among the juniors from the poor family. Now that he joins the army, he is only doing such careless things...Young Master is nothing to worry about."

"Hmph..." Yong Chi paused, snorted coldly, and raised his eyebrows: "Is it nothing to worry about?" He then asked another general from Huben who was standing beside him, "Tell me about it!"

The general Huben who was asked was also a member of a noble family, he thought for a while, and said: "A poor family is a poor family, it is true that a slut can't change his scum... On the battlefield, he doesn't know how to fight bravely, but avoids the edge of the enemy and doesn't fight the county. Fortunately, it also restrained the garrison of Yingchuan County, otherwise, I think military law will take care of it!"

"A bunch of trash!" A gleam flashed in Yong Chi's eyes, scanning the crowd, "A bunch of trash, none of them spoke the truth! Can't you see it? He's digging up the foundation of my family! Under the banner of the imperial court's army Shake the foundation of the family! Liao Quji is also a useless thing! What happened to the person sent to persuade him to surrender? Tell him that if he refuses to accept the surrender and resists in the corner, the poor family will benefit in the end! The most important thing is, I hope he won't ruin the family's plan because of his own interests!"

"Report—" a long voice came, and the soldier with three feathers on his shoulders rushed into the tent and knelt down, saying: "Mr. Xiao's letter, the young master personally wrote it!" When it was presented, the middle-aged staff hurriedly walked over, picked up the bamboo tube and took it apart a few times, and put the silk cloth in it under Yongchi's eyes.

Yong Chi shook off the silk cloth, glanced at it, and said to the crowd in a gloomy voice: "The Liao family accepts the title of King Jiangqu as a deed."

At this time, someone congratulated and said: "The young master has a wonderful plan... I can't wait!"

Immediately everyone congratulated in unison: "Great General Yingduan!"

There was no joy on Yong Chi's face. He paced up and down the hall without saying a word, his gloomy expression gradually dissipated. With an army of millions suppressing the land, would it be necessary to kneel down and ask the Liao family for peace?"

"Great general, you recruited him to pacify the south without harming the general, and respected my emperor's majesty. How can you say that you are kneeling for peace?"

Yong Chi said indifferently: "The hidden danger has not been eliminated, is it because you have bent your knees? If the prefect Lu hadn't lightly tolerated Shangjun, Yuyang County and the Rong people, I would not be in such a mess today; just change clothes with me, and I will go to the alliance platform , to see the members of the Liao family."

"Yes!"

At this time, Lu Mouzhong, who was mentioned by Yongchi, was also distressed. He finally realized that he really underestimated Gu Ao. After a trip to Yingchuan, there were 20 entourages at once. If I was able to restrain him with the strength of my troops before, then now that Gu Ao has returned to Hanzhong County, what kind of position can he be allowed to make him willing? For your own use?

Lu Mouzhong contemplated for a long time, and finally wrote to Yu Junfan to inquire, and Yu Junfan replied: "Since the benefits are not enough, why not bind him with love? The eunuch can accept Gu Ao as his adopted son."