weaving

Chapter 498 Could it be Zhang Cheng's soldier?
At noon on December 13, 24th year of Chongzhen, Ming Dynasty, outside the west gate of Kaifeng Fucheng, the vanguard cavalry of Chuang Wang Li Zicheng had arrived.

However, Zhang Nai's surprise attack on Ximen failed to come true. Instead, he lost forty or fifty of the old battalion's fine cavalry. Now thousands of cavalry are guarding the banner outside Xiguan. Although their formation is not neat, it is not scattered. , Five 600 people are grouped into one pile.

Chuangwang Li Zicheng led the general sentinels Liu Zongmin, Liu Tichun, Zhang Nai and others into Xiguan to observe the defense of the city wall on the west gate. He knew that the city wall of Kaifeng was strong before, but now he can feel its majesty when he looks closely.

"what a pity!"

Liu Zongmin sighed, and he continued: "If it wasn't for the hungry people blocking the way, my army would have rushed into the city at this moment, and I'm afraid they are attacking the old man's palace of King Zhou."

Zhang Nai was already very annoyed because he failed to capture the Ximen of Kaifeng, but now he felt his face burning hot after hearing the words of Master Liu, the chief whistler.

But Li Zicheng said with a smile: "The strategy of surprise attacking Ximen is to steal a chicken. It's the best if you can steal it. If you can't steal it, you don't have to be afraid. Even if Kaifeng is more solid and tight than Luoyang city defense, so what?
Even if we can't fight this time, let's fight again next year! "

Liu Tichun also said: "King Chuang, since the surprise attack is not successful, let's wait for Mr. Niu and the military adviser to arrive before planning to attack the city."

Li Zicheng nodded, and said: "Alright, you and Xiao Naizi stay here and wait for the army, Jiexuan and I will take a detour to the North City."

Liu Tichun seemed a little worried, he said: "Let's ask Xiao Zhang Nai to bring a few hundred horsemen to guard his safety."

Liu Zongmin smiled and said, "Er Hu, do you think Brother Li and I are made of mud?"

But he immediately realized that he was looking for a step for Zhang Nai to come down, and he turned his head and smiled at Zhang Nai and scolded: "Little brat, what are you waiting for, go recruit a hundred cavalry, follow me and Chuang Wang went to Beicheng to have a look."

Li Zicheng watched Zhang Nai happily riding his horse to gather the cavalry, turned his head and smiled knowingly with Liu Zongmin.

…………

Gao Mingheng on the west gate tower saw that the invading army who went deep into the west gate to observe the city gate retreated, he felt relieved, he turned his head to guard Su Zhuang and asked: "Is there any news about Vice General Chen's troops?"

"Several messengers have been sent, but no news has been sent back so far."

He pondered for a while, and then said: "However, there was news just now that a troop of horses appeared in Tao's shop twenty miles north of the city, and there were about two thousand troops."

Wang Xie, magistrate of Xiangfu County, interjected: "Didn't there be news that Vice General Chen accompanied the Governor to suppress bandits in Hebei, could it be that Vice General Chen returned to Kaifeng with his army?"

Su Zhuang shook his head, and said: "No, the news also said that although the people in Tao's store are dressed as officers and soldiers, they have a lot of horses and horses. I don't think they are local officers and soldiers.

Besides, if Deputy General Chen returns to aid, he will go straight to Kaifeng, and he will never garrison Tao's shop. "

"There are many carriages and horses?"

Huang Shu, the promotion official of the Kaifeng government, said with some doubts: "Could it be Zhang Cheng, the general who came from Xuanzhen to aid the suppression?"

"Zhang Cheng?" Gao Mingheng turned to look at Huang Shu.

I just heard him continue to say: "I remember that this commander-in-chief has a lot of carts and horses. Since he left Fucheng to aid Luoyang in the west, he only knew that he had recovered Yanshi and rescued the son of Fufan. The traces are elusive, could it be his soldiers and horses!"

Gao Mingheng said anxiously: "No matter what kind of soldiers and horses it is, it should be generally the official army. At this time, the bandit army has not yet gathered, so quickly send someone to call him to help. If the bandit army surrounds the city, it will be difficult for us to go out of the city to ask for help. La."

Su Zhuang, guarding the way, said at this time: "My lord, please go to Tao's store in the north of the city to have a look, and risk your life to bring that soldier to Kaifeng."

"That's how Mrs. Lausu is."

As soon as Gao Mingheng finished speaking, Cao Kun, the entrusted officer in the royal palace of Zhou, said, "Lord Su, please tell the general of the official army in Taojiadian that if he can come to help Kaifeng and try his best to ensure that Kaifeng is not lost, the prince will write the letter himself." , take credit for it!"

After Su Zhuang and Cao Kun saluted, he clasped his fists and said to the officials, "It's not too late. I'll take a few of my followers and go to Tao's store to find out!"

"Hurry up, hurry up, I'm waiting for your good news!"

A moment later, the north gate of Kaifeng was reopened, and a group of more than ten riders rushed out of the city gate on horseback, and then rushed out of Beiguan, disappearing in the bone-piercing cold wind.

…………

"The furious waves of the Yellow River came to the sky, and the noise was as loud as thunder."

The cold wind was howling, and the Yellow River was surging, like ten thousand horses galloping together, unstoppable.

Standing on a big boat, Zhang Cheng felt like a leaf falling in the river and sea, erratic, and the violent shaking made him a little dizzy.

Regardless of previous life or this life, this is the third time for him to cross the Yellow River by boat, but he still can't get used to it. He can't help thinking that in his previous life, he once crossed the sea on a big ship, going back and forth between Liaodong and Shandong, but never like this bumpy.

Yang Liying was standing beside him, but her condition was much better than that of Zhang Cheng. She asked softly, "Husband, can you hold on?"

Although Zhang Cheng's face was a little pale, he still persisted. He forced a smile first, and then said: "It's okay, the last two times were not as big as today's waves, nor as bumpy as today's."

"Husband, there are fewer boats. Look at the women's army under my command, which is much better than the elite soldiers under your command."

Zhang Cheng looked in the direction she pointed, and saw all the soldiers under his command sitting on the board of the boat, looking sluggish, and most of them were vomiting in a mess. On the other hand, those female soldiers did not have such a situation, although some of them had expressions of embarrassment. Pale and sluggish, but not serious.

At this moment, the captain of the boat came over with an apologetic expression on his face, lowered his head and said: "Commander, today's wind and waves are strong, and the boat is running a bit fast, please forgive me, Commander."

How could Zhang Cheng care about him, he just asked: "Boatman, how long will it take before we can get to the south bank?"

"Hurry up, hurry up, there was a strange wind just now, the boat traveled a little longer, and it was going to dock at the small ferry below!"

"Go ahead, I'm fine here, it's okay to be a little further away."

…………

Su Zhuang, the governor of the Henan branch, was sitting in the barracks south of Taojiadian. Now he had confirmed that the troops stationed here were the frontier aid troops led by Xuanzhen Zhang Cheng. He felt very lucky to have this strong army here. , Kaifeng has no worries.

Especially when he heard that Chen Zongbing's army in the Beijing camp would cross the river to aid Kaifeng in a few days, he felt at ease, and he was already thinking that he would take the risk to come to Tao's shop for help. Although the journey was risky, it was worth it.

It turned out that he had just left Kaifeng Beiguan with a guard of ten cavalry, and met Li Zicheng, Liu Zongmin and other bandits who came here to watch the city defense.

As for Zhang Nai, he was angry because he failed to attack Ximen by surprise. Now when he saw someone in the city leaving the city, he knew that he wanted to go to another place to ask for help, so he led dozens of horsemen to chase after him without waiting for the King Chuang's military order.

Su Zhuang was also panicked, he only had ten riders on his side, but the bandit army had hundreds of riders, how could he not be disturbed, he called for his guards to intercept the bandit army, and at the same time beat the mount under his crotch vigorously, desperately ran north.

He heard the wailing screams behind him, but he didn't even dare to turn his head. Fortunately, these guards were quite loyal, and they tried their best to block the dozens of trespassing cavalry, and he was able to save one. lives, but none of the ten knights survived.

(End of this chapter)