"This is the head of the braided dog thief Zhu Yi."
Outside Yunyang City, by the Han River, Wang Guangen of Huaguansuo placed a head in front of Pan Shiliang.
Pan Shiliang looked at the bloody head and frowned, "It's not very clear."
"The Zhu thief insulted me several times, so I surrendered to Pan Fuyuan, led my soldiers to seize the city, and killed the thief. When the thief was arrested, he cursed at me, so I ordered someone to hook out his tongue and cut it out, but the thief still refused.
If he glared at me, I would have his eyes dug out and crushed to pieces. If he scolded me with his handwriting, I would chop off all ten of his fingers." Wang Guangen pointed at the blurred head,
"I was so angry at the time that I forgot to preserve my appearance."
Pan Shiliang stroked his beard, "This doesn't prove that this person is Zhu Yi braid."
"Don't worry, Fu Zhi. I've always been honest. If I surrender, I will surrender. I really blame me for not keeping the head of this red thief, but don't worry, I still have one alive. Xu Qiyuan is the governor of Xunyang, and Gao Doushu, the governor of Hanzhong, is now the governor of Hanzhong.
Those who are obsessed with me have been persuaded by me and are willing to join the Qing Dynasty."
Pan Shiliang frowned.
He was not very willing to surrender Gao Doushu and Xu Qiyuan.
"If Mr. Fuyuan is not willing, I will chop off their heads as well. I promise not to cut out their tongues and eyes this time. I will definitely let you see them clearly."
Pan Shiliang waved his hand, "Since you are willing to surrender, then forget it."
"Then Fuyuan promised me the position of chief soldier?"
"I am reporting to the governor that he has drafted a document to appoint you as the chief military officer of Xiangyang Town, and your two brothers have also been appointed deputy generals."
Wang Guangen was dissatisfied, "Why is it the General Soldier of Xiangyang? There is no General Soldier of Xiangyang in Huguang, only the General Soldier of Yunyang and the Deputy General Soldier of Xiangyang. Does Fuyuan have any dissatisfaction with me?"
"Of course not. The imperial court attaches great importance to the return of generals. You are indeed awarded the title of Chief Soldier of Xiangyang, not the Deputy Chief of Soldiers. This is a new designation. This is also considering that Yunyang has been besieged for a long time and is very dilapidated. The soldiers are exhausted and the people are tired.
That’s why we specifically stationed the general in Xiangyang, where there is enough money and food to facilitate the general’s recovery.”
The two of you say something to me.
"Okay, I trust Fuyuan."
"Then without further delay, please ask General Wang to take over the city defense now, and Yunyang City will be handed over to General Yang Wenfu."
Wang Guangen gritted his teeth and said, "Okay."
The Yunyang City Gate slowly opened.
This iron wall, which had been defended for more than ten years and had never been breached, finally took the initiative to open the city gate.
The three brothers Wang Guangen, Wang Guangtai and Wang Chang came out first, leading the soldiers and horses in the city.
More than 4,000 soldiers asked Pan Shiliang, the governor of Yunyang, to surrender. Pan Shiliang accepted the surrender surrounded by a group of Qing generals and reviewed the troops.
Looking at these soldiers with tattered clothes and sallow faces, he was surprised. It was hard to imagine that these people had protected Yunyang for more than ten years from the beginning of Chongzhen to the present, protecting it from the destruction of Li Zicheng, Zhang Xianzhong, etc., and even in the Qing army
In front of me, I persisted for so long.
But looking at these dishonest soldiers, Pan Shiliang also believed why Wang Guangen and others wanted to surrender. They were so hungry that it was difficult to hold on.
"Brothers, thank you for your hard work." Pan Shiliang comforted him hypocritically, "General Wang, ask your people to come to my place to collect food and have a full meal immediately."
"Thank you, Lord Fuyuan."
Pan Shiliang hesitated for a moment, and finally added, "Each person will be rewarded with one coin!"
"Thank you, Lord Fuyuan." Thousands of Yunyang soldiers weakly thanked him.
Pan Shiliang frowned, a little dissatisfied.
Gao Doushu and Xu Qiguang followed with the officials in the city to surrender.
Pan Shiliang looked at these two Ming ministers with admiration and disdain in his heart. He despised them for not understanding current affairs. What would be the consequences of persisting?
But on the surface, he still came forward with a smile, holding one hand and saying comforting words.
"General Soldier Yang, you lead the troops to defend Yunyang City. The brothers in Xunyang have worked hard. From now on, you will be responsible for the city defense. Let the brothers in Xunyang go to Xiangyang to rest and replenish supplies."
Yang Wenfu drove into the city with 3,000 troops who had been prepared. Everything went well.
After Yang Wenfu sent someone to report that the entire city had been defended, Pan Shiliang finally breathed a sigh of relief.
On the same day, Pan Shiliang impatiently entered Xunyang City and moved into Yunyang Fuzhi Yamen, finally living up to his name.
The next day, Pan Shiliang summoned the Wang brothers.
"Commander Wang is familiar with the situation in Yunyang, so he stayed to help me familiarize myself with the local situation. The more than 4,000 soldiers in Yunyang, according to the imperial government's management system, are the 3,000-person model battalion of the general town. Two deputy generals, Wang Guangtai and Wang En, will lead each
In the first battalion, the remaining old and weak will be eliminated and sent away."
Pan Shiliang ordered more than 4,000 troops in Yunyang to surrender, leaving only 3,000. Wang Guangen temporarily stayed with him in Yunyang, while Wang Guangtai and other generals led the 3,000 troops to Xiangyang to garrison.
Wang Guangen looked reluctant, and finally agreed reluctantly.
On the same day, more than a thousand Xunyang soldiers were dismissed. Each of them was given only two dou of grain and one dou of silver before sending them away. The remaining three thousand were used as a guide for Xiangyang, and each of them was given one dou of silver and one dou of grain before setting off.
Moved to Xiangyang.
Gao Dou Shu and Xu Guangqi were also left in Yunyang.
Yunyang fell without a fight, and Pan Shiliang was so proud that he wrote a letter to the new governor Luo Xiujin, who was still in Henan and had not yet taken office, reporting his victory.
Because Yunyang City was already in his hands, the Yunyang soldiers surrendered honestly, and even accepted the dismantling and relocation of defenses. In addition, Wang Guangen, Gao Doushu, Xu Qiyuan and others were also in his hands, so Pan Shiliang felt that everything was under control.
.
He reorganized some of his troops into his own Fubiao, recommended Yang Wenfu as the commander-in-chief of Yunyang, and made his headquarters the commander-in-chief of Yunyang. Although they took over a dilapidated and hungry Yunyang city, they were very happy.
This fortified city has not fallen down for more than ten years. Now that they have taken it without any blood, that is their credit.
However, within two days of being happy, news came from the south that the bandits were besieging Jingzhou and Wuchang. This scared Pan Shiliang quite a bit, so after some discussion, Pan Shiliang decided to recruit troops.
When they came, they only brought 3,000 people with them, 3,000 for the town and 2,000 for the support. There were not enough soldiers, so they immediately posted a recruitment notice.
You can get food and pay if you join the army.
Yunyang was poor and hungry, so the recruitment notice was very effective, and two thousand soldiers were recruited in three days.
There were even several nearby troops who came to ask for their allegiance, such as the bandit Chen Jiao, and the former Yunyang left cavalry general Wang Bin, who had previously been at odds with Wang Guangen and led his troops to Fang County to recruit soldiers and horses to become independent, and now they also asked for their allegiance.
Pan Shiliang did not refuse anyone who came, and at one time he recruited more than a dozen groups of men, large and small, claiming to be tens of thousands of men, and ordered them to divide the towns outside Yunyang into Junzhou, Fangxian, Zhushan and other places.
Wang Guangtai, Wang En, Li Maochun, Liu Tiaoyuan and others led 3,000 Yunyang soldiers and followed Qi Shangyou's 1,000 troops to move to Xiangyang, down the Han River, stopping and stopping all the way, and arrived in Xiangyang in ten days.
After arriving in Xiangyang, Qi Shangyou led his troops to garrison the city of Xiangyang, but asked Wang Guangtai and other three thousand troops to garrison outside the city.
After Wang Guangtai complained a few times, he accepted the arrangement.
So they were divided into three camps and stationed outside the city.
Everything progressed as planned by Pan Shiliang.
For several days in a row, they practiced casually a few times during the day and then had nothing to do. However, Qi Shangyou and Xiangyang's sub-inspector, prefect and other officials, as long as they did not enter the city, the rest would not visit, and they would be given food every five days, and only five days at a time.
of.
A few days later, it was the birthday of Gan Wenkui, deputy patrol officer and military commander. All the officials from Xiangyang City, big and small, attended the banquet. Wang Guangtai and other Yunyang officers were also invited. A group of officers each brought their servants into the city.
Yunyang and Xiangyang both belong to the Han River Basin. Yunyang is in the upper reaches of Xiangyang. You can reach Xiangyang directly by boat from the Yangtze River, but it is very difficult to go up from Xiangyang. There are many dangerous shoals and rapids, which require segmented transportation and even fiber pulling.
In comparison, Yunyang is more dangerous, and Xiangyang is located at an important intersection connecting the Jianghan Plain and the Nanyang Basin. You can even go to Hanzhong via Yunyang along the Han River, and you can pass Shangluowuguan and enter Guanzhong along the Dan River.
Pingyuan, Xiangyang and Jingzhou have always been the two major strategic support towns in the Jinghan Plain.
Especially since Xiangyang is located upstream, it has the advantage of subduction.
It's just that Pan Shiliang was immersed in the pride of regaining Yunyang at this time and didn't care about the important town of Xiangyang.
Wen Anzhi rode a donkey into the city, claiming to be the accountant of a trading company. He handed over a penny of silver to the guard guard and was let through.
After entering the city, Wen Anzhi quickly connected with the people in the city.
In a warehouse, there was a group of people waiting for Wen Anzhi's arrival.
"Everything is ready, all we need is the east wind." A man dressed as a warehouse manager told Wen Anzhi.
"Since the establishment of the Xiangyang Brotherhood, it has attracted many members, including squires who have become officials, young scholars, officials and servants in the government, and traders and ordinary people. Many members have been recruited from all religions and nine streams."
"Is it reliable?"
"The Xiangyang Brotherhood is also divided into peripheral, inner and core layers. Different levels have different access to information and tasks."
In the eyes of different people, this brotherhood is a different organization, but in fact it is an intelligence organization of Zhu Yihai, with sufficient experience and efficient operations.
Xiangyang City has been penetrated into all strata.
At this time, the banner of the Ming Dynasty was pretty good, at least better than that of the Chuang Army and the Qing Army. From the gentry to the common people, it was quite supportive. According to the person in charge in Xiangyang, they were developing well here. During this period, they had also followed the rules of Wen'an.
All required activities are ready.
"Mr. Wen, are brothers Wang Guangtai really trustworthy?"
"The Wang brothers have been sticking to Yunyang for several years and have already proven themselves." Wen Anzhi replied, "It's time for us to prove ourselves."
Night falls.
The city gates in Xiangyang City were guarded and a curfew was implemented.
But a large house in the city was brightly lit, and there was a birthday party for Gan Wenkui on the patrol road and military preparation platform. All the prominent officials and gentry in the city went to celebrate.
Not only did Xiangyang garrison deputy general Qi Shangyou and his officers come, but so did Wang Guangtai and others who were stationed outside the city.
At the city gate, a group of soldiers were enduring mosquito bites and drinking the cool breeze.
"What time is it?"
"About Xuzheng (8pm)"
"All Men Are Brothers!"
"Brothers working together can cut through gold!"
"What are you talking about?"
What responded to him was a flash of sword light.
Several city gate guards suddenly drew their swords and slashed people, then opened the city gate, raised their lanterns and shook them.
Outside the city, three thousand Yunyang soldiers who had already been fully armed and recharged received the signal and quietly entered the city.
The banquet was still going on in the city, but soldiers and horses outside the city had already entered.
Suddenly, fire broke out in countless places in the city, and people with red scarves on their foreheads and arms were everywhere. They shouted the slogan "We are brothers everywhere" and rushed out.
Yunyang's soldiers went straight to the banquet mansion and hacked their way in.
Everyone at the banquet was panicking, but the Wang Xingtai brothers stood up with a big smile and welcomed their subordinates in.
"Surround the courtyard and don't let anyone escape!"
Brothers Wang Guangtai raised their swords and in the banquet hall, they cut down Gan Wenkui, the patrol officer, Yang Kuang, the prefect of Xiangyang, Li Shifa, the official of Xiangyang, and Pan Chaoyou, the magistrate of Xiangyang. They also captured Qi Shangyou, the deputy commander-in-chief.
After one night, Xiangyang City returned to calm, but the owner had changed.
The green camp flag was taken down and replaced with the bright sun and moon flag hanging high.
Wen Anzhi was invited to the Xiangyang government office to take charge of affairs.
"Send a message to Yunyang immediately. Xiangyang has been captured. You can start closing the net there!"