Ready to make a move

The next day, after seeing off Xu Wenqi, who had stayed for the night, Li Ping lay on a lounge chair in the yard while still drunk, unscrupulously admiring Liu Xiaohui and Li Jing who were "busy", and thinking wildly.

.

Liu Xiaohui and Li Jing were at a loss in their thin and somewhat revealing clothes that they had not yet had time to change out of. They didn't know whether to continue pretending to be busy or go back to the house to change clothes.

They rarely encounter this kind of situation, but they are familiar with it.

And there were only three of them in the yard.

They were dressed like this for Xu Wenqi, who stayed in the outer courtyard last night.

This is the play Li Ping has always played for Xu Wenqi, and it is also the impression Li Ping has always wanted to create on the outside world, otherwise some things will not be explained clearly.

But Xu Wenqi didn't know whether Li Ping believed it or not, but he actually wanted to make it look real.

People who have never tasted power will never know the beauty of power, and no one can maintain the same mentality as before if they hold power without restrictions for a long time.

Expansion is basically inevitable, it’s just about size.

With the crazy growth of impure thoughts, Li Ping's heart began to move.

Li Ping knew that he could only be promoted to the rank of Commander-in-Chief without the strong recommendation of Yuan Jixian and Xu Wenqi. Although they did not say anything to him in the end, Li Ping knew that they could not have no expectations for him in their hearts.

People are very particular about people, so Li Ping felt that he should reciprocate kindness in some way. He couldn't bear others being kind to him.

And he knows that he is not without strength and ability.

When he was first stationed in Hanyang, although Li Ping's number of troops, including the navy (excluding the support battalion), had dropped to less than 5,000 because he began to allow soldiers who were unwilling to continue to follow him to leave, with most of the soldiers who had left

He quickly returned, and his strength once again cannot be underestimated.

Especially during the month he was stationed in Hanyang, many young people from Wuchang, including Huangpi and other counties, came to join the army for various reasons, which further strengthened his strength.

Qin Yi and Yuan Ye, who were sent to the Yinghuo Mountains to search for Luo Rucai, the remnants of the Fifth Battalion of Ge Zuo and Xiao Yuan Camp, also successfully brought back more than 2,000 people. In particular, Yuan Ye successfully persuaded a group of more than 100 Yuan Ye.

Luo Rucai's Mongolian cavalry joined them.

Both Luo Rucai and Li Zicheng had many Mongolians, most of whom were former Ming Dynasty border troops.

Li Zicheng killed Luo Rucai, He Yilong, and Yuan Shizhong. Although he unified the peasant army, some were subdued by the killings, and others were chilled by the killings.

This is a good move and a bad move!

Those killed were all rebels together, and some were even leaders of various circles who were very benevolent to Li Zicheng. Li Zicheng's character and ambition could not help but arouse great criticism.

Countless people will definitely think that Li Zicheng did this before his rebellion was successful! What will happen when he succeeds in his rebellion?

The example of Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang is right there!

Therefore, there are many people who are unwilling to obey Li Zicheng no matter what.

Then most of the people here still looked down on Huang Hu and Zhang Xianzhong, who also had a bad character, and few people went to seek refuge nearby.

Most of these people ended up defecting to the army in the north due to their geographical location. A small part of them, who liked eating, drinking, having fun and doing bad things, defected to Zuo Liangyu. Others scattered into the mountains and fell into the grass and were finally lost in history.

.

What Li Ping picked up was the bargains scattered in the mountains. Although only a small part of them could be lured out by Li Ping, most of these people had a conscience and a bottom line, and were unwilling to help others do evil, otherwise they would not end up in poverty.

In the Yinghuo Mountains.

As a result, Li Ping's total troop strength directly exceeded 10,000, and the cavalry force increased by leaps and bounds to over 1,000.

Li Ping also further organized his troops into four five-battalion infantry regiments and one cavalry regiment, plus a naval battalion that continued to be called a battalion.

Originally, Li Ping did not intend to continue the relatively large five-battalion infantry regiment. He wanted to reorganize each regiment into a three-battalion regiment with a total strength of about a thousand people, so that it could carry out more flexible tasks.

However, another surge in military strength made him temporarily give up this idea.

He must consider the continuation of the establishment.

Always being reorganized and reorganized, the troops are prone to chaos, and what Li Ping fears most at this time is chaos.

In addition, the training of the staff of the agency (including officers and assistants) is a complex and long-term process. It requires mentoring and time to learn and experience. At this time, reducing the regiment-level troops means adding a large number of troops.

regiments and regiment agencies, but they were simply unable to select sufficiently useful or even barely adequate staff officers.

Therefore, Li Ping's final choice was to only add an infantry regiment and upgrade the cavalry battalion to a cavalry regiment.

It was precisely with such a strong military force that Li Ping dared to stay for a long time in a place with Li Zicheng in the west, Zhang Xianzhong in the south, the Han River in the north, and the Yangtze River in the east.

Of course, Zuo Liangyu also liked the position Li Ping occupied, and it served as a warning and buffer for him, so he was even less willing to disturb Li Ping.

But with such a strong military force as the backing, Li Ping's ambitions are also growing.

Since Jiayu and Puqi counties in Wuchang Prefecture, which are still under the control of Zhang Xianzhong, and Yuezhou are all on the east bank of the Yangtze River, which is the other side of the Yangtze River where Li Ping is located, and Zhang Xianzhong's current strength is too strong, Li Ping

I didn’t intend to touch Zhang Xianzhong’s butt to cause him to come back and bite me.

Li Ping thought he could touch Li Zicheng's buttocks, which was adjacent to him.

As far as Li Ping knew, Li Zicheng's main force had already moved north, and he guessed that historically Li Zicheng's use of non-military means to resolve Zuo Liangyu's uncertainty should have been non-military (he was unable to use military means).

So Li Ping was not afraid of Li Zicheng.

He thought he could try fishing in troubled waters and set some fire in Li Zicheng's backyard, which might make Li Zicheng upset in the far north. This would not only repay Yuan Jixian and Xu Wenqi, but also help the Ming Dynasty.

If it really interferes with Li Zicheng, that would be even better.

The longer Daming can survive, the better it will be for Li Ping. At least he will definitely be able to live longer.

The more he thought about it, the more this happened, the more excited he became, the better his mood became, and Li Ping's eyes became hotter and bolder.

But suddenly, Li Ping found that Liu Xiaohui and Li Jing's bodies froze. He had a premonition that something bad was going to happen. He quickly turned his head and saw Gao Lei standing at the door of the yard with an angry face, while his cold eyes were on him.

on the tent...

Unlike Li Ping, who was enjoying the nightlife early in the morning, Shi Ming, who was far away in Taihu County, was licking blood from a knife in a small village that morning.

Although Shi Ming unexpectedly captured Taihu County through a series of bloody battles half a month ago, he did not enjoy the peace and quiet in the city in the past few days. Instead, he led the army to continue adventurous trekking in the mountains.

Shi Ming received a secret report that someone in several villages had secretly taken in thieves a few days ago, violating his notice that no one should take in thieves and that anyone who sees a thief must report it immediately.

These villages must pay a price for this, and Shi Ming also needs to take this opportunity to further establish his authority and let everyone understand that the continuous sitting method he implemented is not a joke, and it is not limited to the city, regardless of distance.

They are not allowed to move without permission, supervise each other, and report each other. If they are not exposed, ten neighboring families will be killed. This is a very cruel policy that Shi Ming posted and announced everywhere in order to effectively control Taihu County, which has a strong folk custom and is located in a mountainous area.

decree.

Shi Ming is very aware of the power of fear and is good at using it.

Before capturing Taihu County, he continued to implement the policy that people and armed forces along the way would die if they did not take the initiative to show their loyalty or surrender, creating an atmosphere of terror, and ultimately played a decisive role in his capture of Taihu County.

After capturing Taihu County, Shi Ming even launched an army to plunder and carry out a horrific massacre. He killed everyone in the city except those who participated in stealing the city gate and their families, and then forcibly moved large and wealthy households from the countryside to fill the city.

.

Although Shi Ming couldn't bear it when he did this.

However, the failure of Wu Xueli's attack on Taihu County with 5,000 troops made Shi Ming, who had fewer troops, feel that there was no other way. Moreover, because the military discipline of Wu Xueli's troops was so poor, they not only suffered a failure, but also aroused the people of Taihu County to become more violent.

and widespread opposition.

In order not to fail or even die and to make his subordinates willing to accompany him in danger, Shi Ming has been convincing himself that he must be ruthless, ruthless, and even more ruthless.

Just like now, Shi Ming stood next to the headless corpses on the ground and the heads of men, women, old and young hanging in the wind, looking at the villagers who were forced to watch and were not punished by sitting together with only cold eyes.

He has long been numb.

He didn't say anything, and he didn't want to say anything more. Harvesting life is worth a thousand words.

But someone still wanted to say something.

Li Shengcai picked up the head that had just been beheaded by Shi Ming himself and started talking fiercely to the trembling villagers. He was very good at pretending to be powerful, and he also liked to show his presence.

This head belonged to one of their own, and the deceased had taken advantage of troubled waters and robbed other villagers who were not punished by being punished, so Shi Ming took action himself.

Shi Ming not only showed ruthlessness, but also fairness, and attached great importance to fairness.

Otherwise, there would be no difference between him and Wu Xueli, and it would be even less possible for him to conquer Taihu County!

However, Shi Ming did not interfere with Li Shengcai's unreasonable nagging. He knew that Li Shengcai could not threaten him, and he knew that Li Shengcai's hateful mouth and arrogance would sometimes have better effects.

Just like now.

This is also the reason why he only brought Li Shengcai out.

But Shi Ming himself began to wander, and his mind was drifting into the distance.

Shi Ming knew very well why he was ordered to abandon Susong County and attack Taihu County, and also knew why Zhao Jin was transferred to Yuanzhou.

Shi Ming knew that the situation was changing. He knew that his situation was uncomfortable. He knew that he had better show his difference from Zhao Jin and Li Ping. He knew that he had to find a new way out.

He suddenly thought of Macheng.

He had already heard about Fengyang Governor Ma Shiying's interference in Macheng, and due to special inquiries, he heard about the ups and downs of Liu Qiao, the largest landowner in Macheng, before leaving the city this time.

Although he had meritorious service in instigating Zhou Wenjiang's rebellion, Liu Qiao was widely criticized because of his previous flattery to Zhang Xianzhong and his appointment in Zhang Xianzhong's government. His life was almost in danger, and he had to flee to the mountains to be ordained as a monk.

But Liu Qiao recently turned the corner again by bribing Ma Shiying.

Including Zhou Wenjiang, I heard that he also followed Ma Shiying's path. Not only did he land safely, he was even assigned the task of commanding Macheng's military power, and officially became a member of the Ming Dynasty officialdom.
To be continued...