In the early morning of the next day, it was very hot under the sun. Li Laiheng led Chu Chuang's troops and horses, marching under the rising sun. The soldiers were sweating like rain, and their clothes and pants were soaked, as if they had just emerged from the water.
It was as if they were fished out. The flying dust fell on their bodies and heads, outlines of messy face lines left and right.
Although it was a rapid march and the soldiers were indeed thirsty and tired, everyone still maintained a strict formation, showing the Chu soldiers' extraordinary discipline and combat effectiveness.
No one dared to speak loudly, there was only the sound of footsteps and the tips of spears and broadswords shining brightly in the sun.
A group of cavalry guards surrounded Li Laiheng and others into the city. Liu Fangliang took off his helmet and wiped the sweat from his forehead. After he arrived at Daming City, he discovered that the rest of the Dashun soldiers were in better spirits than the depressed Chu Chuang.
And the soldiers of Zuoying actually looked even more depressed and miserable.
Even the guards at the city gate were so listless. It seemed that the country of Dashun Dynasty had really become a broken house. As long as someone kicked on its door, the whole house would fall apart.
Liu Fangliang couldn't stand it anymore. He quickly jumped off his horse, rushed into the crowd of Daming Mansion defenders, hugged an old brother from northern Shaanxi he knew, and laughed loudly:
"You boy, aren't you still alive and well? There are no missing arms or legs. This is much better than the condition of the dog Tatars! When Leghorn and I were really determined to break through, I killed him with my own hands.
One of the Lieutenant Commanders of the Han Army Banner of the Dog Tartars cut off all five fingers on that guy’s right hand with one knife. Look, the Dog Tartars were defeated even more miserably! Why are you looking so gloomy?"
The officer was speechless with a grimace at first. After being questioned by Liu Fangliang, he rubbed his hands uneasily and said:
"Then...then maybe. Is the defeat of the Tatars really so miserable?"
The shrewd Fang Yiren quickly spoke a few words into Li Laiheng's ear, and Li Laiheng immediately asked his soldiers to pull several Manchu prisoners to the city gate.
Hao Yaoqi drew out his sword, pointed at the prisoners and introduced them to the Shun army guards: "Look, come and see. Haven't many of these Manchu soldiers been captured alive by our followers? Come and take a closer look."
Look, the Manchurian soldiers are just two arms and two legs, and their casualties are also tragic. I don’t think the Manchurian soldiers are anything special!"
In fact, these prisoners were not Qing troops before and after the Huolu War, but prisoners who were captured alive by Li Laiheng as early as the Battle of Dangshan.
Most of these prisoners were captured and taken to Shandong. They "toured" every day in various states and counties in Shandong and used them as performance props for public trials for the local people.
Among them, several prisoners from the Battle of Dangshan were imprisoned in Linqing. After Li Laiheng learned that Li Guo had established a foothold in Daming Mansion, he decided to take these Manchurian prisoners to Daming together, which might stabilize the morale of the army.
effect.
So when Fang Yiren saw that Liu Fangliang's words to encourage the soldiers were not effective. He knew that his words were not as effective as living prisoners, so he discussed with Li Laiheng and quickly pulled out these captive soldiers for the soldiers to vent their anger.
Sure enough, after the defenders saw these Qing prisoners, their frustration gradually turned into anger. The expressions on everyone's faces changed slightly, and the hope in their eyes became more vivid.
Li Laiheng clapped his hands and praised: "Leshan's words can calm people's hearts."
The soldiers guarding the city gate were reassured, and then the soldiers at the watchtower blew the horns, and the long blast resounded throughout Daming Mansion. People finally knew that Li Suihou was back!
Gu Junen, Chen Yongfu, Niu Chenghu, and Li Guo's deputy general Ma Chongxi all rode to the city gate to welcome Li Guo in person. The soldiers were at the front, and the knights held Li Guo's banner high and rode on.
The personal guard rushed to Li Laiheng's side and raised a small yellow cap to Li Laiheng's head.
Li Laiheng was slightly surprised, and then asked: "How straight, where is my adoptive father? What is the situation of the army now? Can we still gather our troops to fight again?"
Gu Junen and others had different expressions. Gu Junen himself coughed twice first, and then replied: "Junhou, after a fierce battle in Huolu, Jinghou had to fight to the death to recapture the body of Emperor Daxing... Yihou was seriously injured.
Heavy, the current physical condition is not optimistic. Niu Xiang and others seem to be disobeying the call to show their virtues. Now the situation is critical. Whether Dashun Jiangshan can turn around from danger, everything depends on the king to make more preparations.
.”
After listening to Gu Junen's answer, Li Laiheng and Liu Fangliang immediately realized the urgency of the current situation.
Li Guo was seriously injured and his physical condition was not optimistic. So, could Li Zicheng's last edict "My nephew should be the King of Wu" be persuaded by other generals in the Dashun army who had the same status as Li Guo and other barbarians to accept Li Guo?
What about ascending the throne?
Liu Fangliang waved his hands and said angrily: "I never thought that Qi Weng would be such a person! I never thought that Shuangxihui and Qi Weng were the same person! I, Liu Fangliang, am really a blind man!"
Fang Yiren slapped his horse and stepped forward and said: "How straight, what about Tian Jianxiu? Has Commander Tian expressed any attitude? Marquis Jing...Has Marquis Jing himself said when will the enthronement ceremony be held and he will inherit the throne?"
Perhaps the current war situation is urgent and it is indeed impossible to hold a grand ceremony, but it is still necessary for Marquis Jing to announce his proclaimed emperor as soon as possible in order to stabilize people's hearts."
Looking back, Jun En did not answer, but Li Guo's deputy general Ma Chongxi answered for him.
Ma Chongxi was nicknamed Ma Guaizi in the army. He was good at using cavalry. He was also a general who could act independently, was both civil and military, and was also resourceful.
After the Huolu War, the Dashun Army's generals declined a lot, and the importance of generals like Ma Chongxi who had an overall view of the situation was greatly increased.
Ma Chongxi continued: "Taiyuan is now being attacked by the Qing army from the north and east. The situation is very serious. Therefore, Tian Shuai did not say a word about Jinghou. He just asked Zhangde and Damingfu many times.
, send additional reinforcements as soon as possible to support the Taiyuan front line.
Tian Shuai was a mud bodhisattva who crossed the river and could not save himself, so he didn't say much. As for his replacement... he always said that he had to wait until his health recovered before he could consider proclaiming himself emperor. He also said that the most important thing at the moment was not
The purpose of proclaiming the emperor and succeeding to the throne is to stabilize the position of the Dashun Army as soon as possible, and to establish a new line of defense as soon as possible along the terrain of southern Shanxi, northern Henan and other places, so as to prevent the dog Tatars from advancing into the land of Zhongzhou."
From Ma Chongxi's hesitant words, Li Laiheng could also tell that Li Guo did not intend to proclaim himself emperor for the time being.
“If God doesn’t take what he wants, you will be blamed for it!”
Li Laiheng sighed for Li Guo's prudence and selflessness. At this time, when people's hearts are still uncertain, Li Laiheng really hopes that Li Guo can be a more selfish and ambitious person.
"That's all, that's all. The adoptive father himself must understand his physical condition, and he must also understand the critical situation that the Dashun Army is facing now. We are not in a critical situation now, but the Tatar's blade is already on our side.
On the neck, if you don't cheer up, you will be killed!
It's easier said than done. Oh, Uncle Ma, please take me to see my adoptive father quickly. I must personally persuade him that time will not wait for me, and the great cause of the world cannot tolerate three retreats and three concessions."