With the arrival of 30,000 rebels led by Li Jiucheng and his son, 50,000 rebels had gathered outside Laizhou City.

There are quite a few food and grass needed for 50,000 people every day. The food and grass supplies for the rebels are all caused by burning, killing, and robbing. Seeing that Laizhou City cannot be captured for a long time, some of the 50,000 troops must burn and kill and raise food and grass everywhere.

So Kong Youde summoned the main rebel generals to discuss countermeasures and made redeployments to the rebels.

Li Jiucheng, Li Yingyuan, Wang Bingzhong, Liu Chengzu and other rebel generals continued to siege Laizhou City. Kong Youde and Mao Chenglu, Chen Guangfu, and Cao Shao led 20,000 elite rebels to attack Pingdu City.

For a long time, Kong Youde has always had a wish, which is to kill all members of the Cui family in Pingdu City to relieve the shame of his mother remarrying the Cui family in Pingdu. Therefore, this time he led his troops to Pingdu and prepared to kill the Cui family on the day of breaking the city.

The straight line distance from Laizhou to Pingdu is less than 100 miles, but there are many peaks outside Daze Mountain in the middle blocking it, so the official road between the two places cannot be a straight line. The official road from Laizhou to Pingdu must circumference of Daze Mountain, and the distance between the two places must be at least 100 miles.

Kong Youde led more than 20,000 infantry and cavalry, including 5,000 cavalry, 1,000 artillery battalions, and more than 14,000 infantry.

It is logical that a small Pingdu city only needs to send one general to capture it, and the rebel generals don’t know why Kong Youde mobilized so much.

Don’t you know that Kong Youde had already deliberately killed all the Cui family and razed the entire Pingdu City to the ground to relieve his shame.

Twenty thousand rebels marched fifty miles that day, and in the evening of that day, Panshiguan camped. Of course, the military rules for the 20,000 people were strictly required. The camp gate was surrounded by cavalry, observation posts, open posts, and secret posts. The farthest of the mailers, the cavalry explorers were thirty miles away.

Therefore, it is almost impossible to sneak into the camp and set up a village in this era.

In fact, in the minds of rebel generals such as Kong Youde, Pingdu City is like other prefectures and counties. It is just a military camp practice to marching and camping to send sent posts to detect any dangerous situations around.

The military camp was so vigilant that there would certainly be no accidents, but there were a group of whistles that night to go out to investigate and never return home.

The general of the whistle detective cavalry reported the news to Kong Youde. Kong Youde felt that if the 20 whistle detectives were attacked, at least one or two cavalry would have to rush back the letter, but there was no return now. Perhaps the whistle detectives found something chasing. Therefore, Kong Youde did not care, but ordered the cavalry general to send people to respond along the way.

Kong Youde and other rebel generals did not expect that this group of whistle cavalry was now captured by the Zhenshan Camp Hunting Office, and was silenced after obtaining the information they wanted.

The next morning, Kong Youde ordered 20,000 rebels to set up camp and continue to march towards Pingdu City along the official road. Kong Youde estimated that according to yesterday's march speed, the army could reach the outer periphery of Pingdu City at the latest tomorrow evening, and would launch an attack on Pingdu City the next day.

On that day, the marching was more than 60 miles away, and camped near Tashan. The cavalry generals came to report. The whistle cavalry who went out to investigate yesterday had no news.

There are many villages and forts nearby, so Kong Youde blamed the disappearance of the whistle cavalry on these innocent people and ordered the inhumane massacre of the riots. In one night, more than a dozen nearby villages were bleeding into rivers.

The next day, the rebels set off the camp and left Tashan. At this moment, the area of ​​Tashan within a radius of more than ten miles became a dead place!

After noon, 20,000 rebels marched to Xiaohuakou, which was only twenty miles from Pingdu City. Twenty thousand rebels could arrive at the foot of Dapingdu City before evening.

Kong Youde rode on the horse, beside him were rebel generals such as Mao Chenglu and Chen Guangfu. Kong Youde pointed to Xiaohuakou Mountain, three or four miles east of the official road and said: "Although this mountain is not steep, it is continuous, and it happens to be stuck on the side of the official road entering and leaving Laizhou Peace. The strategic location here is very important. Our army must dispatch some troops here to prepare for emergencies."

Mao Chenglu, who was riding a horse behind Kong Youde, said: "The marshal is very concerned. This is indeed a key point. "We should send a horse to investigate and then decide how many soldiers remain. In short, we cannot leave any future troubles."

Kong Youde nodded and said, "Chen Guangfu stays, and I will give you two thousand infantrymen to guard this place. Don't stop the rest of the cavalry and chariot battalions and continue to head towards Pingdu City."

"Don't worry, Marshal, no matter whether there are thieves or entrenched on the mountain, I will occupy it and relieve the army's worries."

"Okay, I am waiting for your good news in Pingdu City." As he said that, he waved his horse whip and rushed forward. Mao Chenglu and other rebel generals followed closely behind, and the rebels in the roar of horses galloped towards Pingdu.

"Room" horse hooves, chariots, and soldiers' footsteps raised waves of dust on the official road, winding towards Pingdu City.

When he led the rebels away, Chen Guangfu waved his hand and ordered the central army beside him: "Send a team of explorers into the mountains to explore first, and the large group of troops will take a break, and send a team of explorers into the mountains to explore first..."

In the evening, Kong Youde's rebels arrived outside Pingdu City. Kong Youde ordered the rebels to camp ten miles north of Pingdu City. While it was still early, Kong Youde, Mao Chenglu, Cao Shao and other rebel generals and their personal guards rode their horses to Pingdu City to personally check the defense of Pingdu City.

In the impression of Kong Youde and others, the defense soldiers at the front of Pingdu City should have been temporarily driven to the front of the city, and the front of the city should be in chaos.

But seeing that the city was so strict at the top of Pingdu, the flags on the top of the city were in order, and the guards could be seen coming and going on the city walls, constantly transporting various guards to the city. Rows of soldiers waiting for battle stood at the entrance of the city wall.

Seeing the tense and orderly preparations for the war at Pingdu City, rebel generals such as Kong Youde were shocked and confused. Judging from the situation of Pingdu City, they seemed to be prepared for the arrival of their own army. Judging from the situation, this situation seemed to be even more difficult to deal with than Laizhou City.

Kong Youde and others rode their horses around Pingdu City and found that the four gates of Pingdu City were tightly closed, and the suspension bridge was hanging high, looking at the entire city with a tense and orderly atmosphere.

Kong Youde secretly suspected and couldn't help asking Mao Chenglu beside him: "Where did the soldiers who came from the guards of Pingdu City? Could it be the reinforcements of the court?"

Mao Chenglu shook his head and frowned and said, "The reinforcements of the court are not as fast as possible, and they will not rush to defend the city. I see these defenders like the generals and soldiers under the army general in Pingdu City."

Cao Shaozhong interrupted, "Marshal, could it be the garrison guarding Xun Camp in Pingduzhou? This person is named Feng Jian. He was born as a thief in Daze Mountain. It is normal for him to have some soldiers under him."

Kong Youde's eyes jumped slightly and said viciously: "I think it's probably because of the garrison of the Xun Camp in Pingduzhou. This kid really can't underestimate him. Wang Hui said that all the warships of Dengzhou Naval Camp were transferred by him, but he didn't know where they were transferred."

Mao Chenglu said: "It turns out that the Dengzhou Navy warship was taken away by this man. This is just right. When our army breaks through Pingdu City and catches this man, and forces us to find out whereabouts of the Dengzhou warship, wouldn't it kill two birds with one stone!"

Kong Youde shook his head and pointed to the south of Pingdu City, saying, "Things are not that simple. I just checked the other party's military camp on the banks of Jiaolai River and found that there was no one here, and there were no ships in Jiaolai River. It is not difficult to see the other party's determination to protect Pingdu City. I guessed that the Dengzhou Navy warship had long been taken back by the court and I don't know where to transfer it. Don't think about the Dengzhou Navy warship!"

As he said that, he shouted viciously: "Hmph, no matter how tight the defense of this Pingdu City is, I will swear to razor this Pingdu City to the ground!"

As long as the interests of the rebels were not harmed, Mao Chenglu, Cao Shaozhong and others would naturally not object, and they followed Kong Youde and let him roar.

After patrolling the defenses of Pingdu City and its surrounding areas, Kong Youde and others felt that Pingdu City should not be taken lightly. Kong Youde's face became gloomy and he pulled his horse to gallop towards the camp first.

The generals behind Mao Chenglu and Cao Shaozhong also felt that there were fewer relaxed jokes on Pingdu City, and everyone rode their horses and followed Kong Youde toward the camp without saying a word.

...

At this time, there was a solemn atmosphere in the garrison hall of the Pingdu City Governor's Governor's Office. Chen Suo, who heard the long beards of the Liaohai Sea Defense Road, said to Feng Jian anxiously: "Kong Youde's 20,000 rebels are coming, and we only have 3,000 soldiers to defend the city, which is a bit lingering!"

"Mr. Chen is extremely worried, and the officials are also worried about this!" Fang Zengwei said, shaking his head, "If I had known that Kong Youde had 20,000 rebels were coming, I should have selected some people who fled to participate in the defense."

Zhao Shougang, Fan Li and Huang Jinjiang stood behind Feng Jian and couldn't say anything, but they looked at Fang Zengwei with a look of contempt.

Feng Jian looked as usual, facing Chen So-he laughed and said: "Twenty thousand rebels flocked to him, and it is normal for his father-in-law to worry. Perhaps the rebels will compete with us more fiercely, but Pingdu City will never fall into the hands of the rebels."

Chen Suwen's expression improved slightly and said to Feng Jian: "I know that many arrangements have been made to deal with the rebels. I also believe that you and the generals and soldiers guarding the city can defend Pingdu City. Although Lord Fang and I cannot come to the city to participate in the offensive and defense in person, we will provide you with everything we need in the rear. Only by being sincere and consistent can we repel Kong Youde's rebellion."

Fang Zengwei was still worried and sighed: "As long as these rebel soldiers retreat, they would not come to harm the local people in Pingdu. The rebels of Kong Youde are very cruel, so try not to anger them. Alas, I hope Kong Youde's rebel soldiers can retreat when they meet the difficulties!"

Feng Jian stood up and bowed slightly to his father-in-law, nodded to Fang Zengwei and said, "Kong Youde led the rebels to Pingdu to harm the village. For this reason, I have made sufficient preparations to welcome the enemy. I promise that he will regret it for life. Pingdu City is the place where he and his rebels buried their bones."

Feng Jian then said to Zhao Shougang and Fan Li: "The rebels set up the camp ten miles outside Cheng'en Gate, which does not mean that the other party will attack from the north gate alone. You must always be alert to the other party and dispatch superior forces to the enemy at any time."

Zhao Shougang nodded and said, "From the information sent back by Chen Xiaoshan, I learned that Kong Youde's rebellion soldiers were carrying a gun battalion, with more than 50 Western cannons and more than 200 Folang machine cannons. According to Xilao, these more than ten Western cannons were built in Dengzhou. Their power was the same as the Western cannons installed on our city walls. My subordinates were worried that the other party's artillery fire would cause damage to the city walls."
Chapter completed!