: Raising a thief

Two days passed quickly.

The most worrying thing that the people in the city did not happen. In the past two days, the thieves did not launch any attacks on Datong, and even did not have a tentative attack.

Wang Pu did not dare to be careless at all and guarded the South Gate Arrow Tower all day and night. This place had become the de facto headquarters of the general.

Since donating 500,000 taels of silver, Zhu Chuanqi has never appeared in public again, let alone suggest that the city towers are now encouraging the morale of the defenders. What's even more ridiculous is that in broad daylight, he actually closed the four doors of the royal palace tightly, for fear that Wang Pu would come to him again to ask for money.

However, Wei Daben ran to the south gate every day, and also recruited the old, young, women and children in the city to make fires and make meals along the street, and handed tea and water to the city tower. He also organized young men to carry rolling wood and rocks to the city tower to assist in defending the city. He also fulfilled his responsibilities as the prefect. After all, the survival of Datong is related to his life and death, and he couldn't even think about it.

The surface looked very calm these two days, but under the calm surface, there was actually a rush of undercurrents. Wang Pu and Li Yan were both desperately touching each other's bottom. The infiltration of the two secret spies and the battle between the patrol teams had reached a heightened level, especially the small-scale fierce battles of the patrol team, which occurred at least a dozen times a day.

Wang Pu and Li Yan are like two masters who meet on a narrow road. They are afraid of the other party's strength and do not act rashly. They both want to first find out the opponent's strength through any subtle clues revealed on the opponent so that they can have a clear idea in their hearts, so that they can be targeted when making moves.

After two days of testing and surveying, Wang Pu and Li Yan gradually grasped the opponent's background.

The south gate of Datong, the arrow tower.

Both bearded and scarred faces are rough people. They are good at fighting, so their brains are not that good. Zhen Youcai is not in the city, so Wang Pu can only discuss with Zhao Xin if he has anything to do.

Zhao Xin was actually a scholar. He was once a scholar. He was forced to follow the thief because the thief captured his hometown and became a general in front of the tent of the King of Breaking King Gao Yingxiang. Later, Gao Yingxiang was captured by Hong Chengchou. Zhao Xin and Tang Sheng and Tang Sheng took hundreds of thieves to the darkness and turned to the darkness and became the Datong official army.

Zhao Xin said: "General, I have already found out clearly. The main general of this group of bandits is Li Yan. He is from Qi County, Henan."

"So it's Li Yan?" Wang Pu's heart was thrilled when he heard this, and he said in a deep voice, "No wonder."

Based on Wang Pu's understanding of history in the late Ming Dynasty, Li Yan can be said to be the only land general under Li Zicheng's tent. Others such as Liu Zongmin and Tian Jianxiu could not get rid of the habit of bandits, and even Li Zicheng had no political vision. If Li Yan had not proposed the strategy of "equalizing land and exempting taxes", Li Zicheng would not have accomplished anything. He would not have been the Emperor Dashun.

Zhao Xin said: "General knows Li Yan?"

"I've heard of it." Wang Pu said, "It is said that Li Yan is a rare general."

"No wonder." Zhao Xin nodded, "I was wondering just now. The bandits have always had bad military discipline and often rob and kill wherever they fight. But the behavior of this group of bandits is completely different. They have strict military disciplines and have no harm to the people around Datong. It really makes people unable to believe it."

Wang Pu frowned and asked, "Is this really the case?"

Zhao Xin said in a deep voice: "It's true."

"Awesome. So awesome!" Wang Pu stood up and said in a narrow voice, "What kind of person is this Li Yan? What kind of power does he have that can turn a group of mobs into a disciplined army in such a short time? It can still be in danger to the people? It is incredible, incredible!"

"This Li Yan is nothing special." As soon as Wang Pu finished speaking, Scarface suddenly stepped in and said loudly, "The gang of thieves outside the city are just mobs. General, Wei Zhi only needs a thousand musket teams in his headquarters to destroy all the more than 10,000 thieves outside the city!"

Scar did not brag about this. Among the five thousand servants under Wang Pu, half of them were iron-blooded veterans who had experienced the test of life and death. Yan Ehai used 400 cavalry to kill two thousand Mongolian cavalry, and Sanbulachuan, three invasions and three bleeding battles, and they survived the bloody storm of the day. Will they take more than 10,000 thieves outside the city seriously?

Scarface has enough confidence. He only needs a thousand people. He only needs one charge to defeat the gang of thieves outside the city!

"Shut up!" Wang Pu shouted in a deep voice, "This group of thieves outside the city is not as easy as you think."

Of course, Wang Pu believed that Scarface could defeat the thieves outside the city. He could overestimate Li Yan, but never overestimate the group of thieves under Li Yan. Li Yan is a general. He could restrain the thieves' discipline in a short period of time, but he could not improve the thieves' equipment in a short period of time, and he would not be able to make the thieves become a real elite soldier overnight.

However, what Wang Pu thought was different from Scarface. Scarface was just trying to defeat the group of thieves outside the city, while Wang Pu thought about how to use the thieves outside the city to try to expand his own interests!

It is obvious that Li Yan's thief cannot pose a real threat to Datong.

The soldiers in Datong City were full of food, and it was impossible for Li Yan to fight in with more than 100,000 behind-the-arms of mobs under Li Yan! Originally, Wang Pu was worried that the bandits would burn, kill and loot in Datong, which would hurt the people of Datong and in turn hurt Wang Pu's foundation in Datong. But now it seems that the bandits' military discipline is quite strict, and this concern can be dispelled.

In fact, Wang Pu's strategy has changed now. Since the bandit army in Li Yan would not endanger the people outside the city, why should we rush to defeat and drive them away? Let them stay outside the city and make them a bargaining weight in Wang Pu's hands. Wouldn't it be better to squeeze out some oil and water from Zhu Chuanqi?

There is a saying that goes, this is called raising a thief to be respectful!

However, Scarface didn't know what Wang Pu was thinking, and continued to shout: "General, Jiannu is awesome, right? How powerful is the Mongols? But they are not still fucked by us? I don't believe that this group of thieves outside the city can be more powerful than Jiannu and the Mongols. General, just let Beizhi fight once!"

"Stop it." Wang Pu said angrily, "When Jiannu fought in Liaodong, and when the Mongols fought in the desert, they were all on the enemy's territory. We fought as much as we wanted. If we lost, we could pat our butt and leave, but don't forget that this is Datong, this is our territory! If we lose, can we pat our butt and leave? Are you willing to give up the sweet girl and Hongxing at home?"

Scar's face rolled his eyes and stopped talking.

Outside Datong City, the rebel camp.

He was in a relaxed mood and was planning to raise a thief and respect himself. However, Li Yan's mood became heavier and heavier. Knowing that the more thin the Datong and Wang Pu were, the heavier the Li Yan's mood was. In just under two days, Wang Pu had become a huge rock pressing on his heart!

No one has ever brought such a strong sense of oppression to Li Yan like Wang Pu!

The subsequent army led by Li Hu was less than twenty miles away from Datong, and he would be able to arrive at Datong City tonight at the latest, but Li Yan still couldn't feel relieved because the news that the people of Datong and the prisoners of the border army shocked him and even dumbfounded him.

After three days, he drove five hundred miles, and defeated naturalization in one fell swoop;

Uprooted the Tumots and plundered nearly one million cattle, sheep and animals;

In Yanyehai, less than four hundred cavalrymen killed two thousand Mongolian cavalrymen;

He led his army to attack Sanbulachuan for a long distance, defeating more than 20,000 Korchin cavalry with three thousand cavalry and returning all over his body!

These deeds that sound like myths are all connected with one person. This person is Wang Pu, and then the battle in Jining was recalled. The three thousand bandits under Hong Niang were destroyed by Wang Pu's battle. Li Yan's heart seemed to have a lead, thallium and thallium fell into his heart, which made him breathless.

After returning to the information of all parties, Li Yan can already conclude that Wang Pu has an army beyond his imagination!

This army has at least 5,000 people. They can easily uproot the Tumotes and retreat calmly from the thousands of troops in the Korqin. This is a well-trained and well-equipped elite army. It is stronger than any Ming official army that Li Yan had encountered before.

However, what puzzled Li Yan was that this army did not seem to have the intention to take the initiative. Li Yan had a very clear understanding of the combat effectiveness of the rebel army. If Wang Pu led this elite force to attack the rebel army, the eight thousand people outside the city would not be able to resist it anyway.

Why didn’t Wang Pu take the initiative?

What was he waiting for? Should he wait for more than 100,000 rebels in the subsequent land to arrive at Datong City and then eliminate the rebels in one breath? This idea flashed through Li Yan's mind and put his heart in his heart. Li Yan believed that Wang Pu would never use the lives of his subordinates as a joke.

So what is Wang Pu waiting for?

"My husband." The Hongmao on the side couldn't help but say. "Don't think about it anymore. Wang Pu's dog official was just afraid. He didn't dare to go out of the city to fight."

"No, no." Li Yan shook his head and said, "Wang Pu dared to fight Shengjing with only one thousand men. How could such a person be timid and afraid of trouble?"

The Hongmao curled her lips and stopped talking.

"There must be articles here." Li Yan frowned and said, "It's a pity that we can't guess."

The Hong Madam suddenly said, "My husband, why don't I take a few brothers to climb over the city wall at night and sneak into the city?"

"No." Li Yan shook his head, "This is too risky."

While the two were talking, Jing Maocheng suddenly entered the tent with dust, clasped his fists and bowed, "I will meet the Grand Marshal."

"Senior Brother Jing is not a gift." Li Yansu said in a brief moment, "Have the terrain of Leigong Mountain been cleared?"

"I've explored it clearly." Jing Maocheng breathed, "The terrain of Leigong Mountain is very steep. There are steep cliffs on the north, west and south sides. There is only one road to the east to go up the mountain. Moreover, the mountain road is narrow, so the team of people cannot spread it. Finally, I think it's difficult to attack."

"Where is the water source?" Li Yan asked in a deep voice, "Is there any water source on the mountain?"

Jing Maocheng said: "I was unable to catch the survivor of the government army in Leigong Mountain, so I did not find out the details of the mountain. However, I would lurk in the woods at the foot of the mountain for a day and a night, and I did not see the government army going down the mountain to draw water. It seems that there should be springs on the mountain."

"Okay." Li Yan nodded, "Thank you for your hard work, Senior Brother Jing, you go down and rest."

"yes."

Jing Maocheng responded and turned around and left.

That night, more than 70,000 rebels led by Li Hu also arrived outside Datong City. Out of caution, Li Yan did not let the rebels camp separately, but instead set up six camps outside the south gate, leaving the 80,000 troops closely together. In this way, although there was no iron wall encirclement of Datong, it could at least ensure that they would not be defeated by the official army.

The next morning.

When Wang Pu and Li Yan were both guessing what each other would do next, an emergency occurred that neither of them expected.

About 50,000 people in Datong suddenly appeared outside the west gate of Datong. These people were helping the elderly and young, with disheveled hair and looked hungry and tired. They seemed to have not had a good meal for several days and had a good sleep. When they arrived at Datong City, they all fell to the ground, begging the defenders on the city to open the city gate and let them go to the city to take refuge.

This matter has to be said from the beginning.

At the beginning, King Zhu Chuanqi of Dai instructed Zhang Zi'an to rob the food of the people in Datong. Zhang Zi'an also passed the orders to the Daying in the north of the city and the surrounding guards, sects and forts. Later, Wang Pu came forward to stop the border troops in Daying in the north of the city and the sects and forts from robbing the people, but the border troops in the surrounding guards, sects and forts still took the opportunity to rob the people in many nearby villages and towns.
Chapter completed!