Chapter 191: The mantis stalks the cicada

Li Qingshan, Yuan Shizhong and more than a dozen leaders of all sizes welcomed Bian Yujing into the general's headquarters. Bian Yujing sat down honestly and unceremoniously. Li Qingshan and others then sat down one after another. Bian Yujing's beautiful eyes passed over everyone's faces coldly and asked Li Qingshan: "General, what is the situation in Hezhou?"

Li Qingshan hurriedly stood up and responded: "Report to the Holy Gu, the entire territory of Hezhou has been under the rule of the Holy Church, and the apologists of the Holy Church have also expanded to 100,000."

"very good."

Bian Yujing nodded gently, and the maid standing behind him had already handed over a jade bottle.

Seeing the jade bottle, Li Qingshan, Yuan Shizhong and a group of leaders of all sizes, my heart was suddenly shocked.

Bian Yujing said, "General, this is the antidote that the leader rewards you."

After saying that, he threw the jade bottle to Li Qingshan. Li Qingshan reached out to catch the jade bottle but did not kneel down and thank him as usual. Instead, he turned his head and secretly looked at Yuan Shizhong. Yuan Shizhong shook his head in a slight sense of observability. Li Qingshan then knelt down on the ground and said aloud: "I thank the leader Long's kindness."

"I am waiting to thank the leader for his kindness."

Yuan Shizhong and the other leaders, all the big and small, knelt down in the hall and responded three times.

Bian Yujing stood up and said softly: "The leader has an order. Except for leaving 5,000 troops to guard Hezhou, the rest of the army will return to Chuzhou today."

Li Qingshan and Yuan Shizhong kowtowed anxiously and said, "I am willing to understand the order of the leader."

"Two generals and all the hall masters, please invite them."

When Li Qingshan and others got up, Bian Yujing had already left with more than a dozen maids.

Yuan Shizhong waved his hand, and more than a dozen leaders from all over the hall retreated one after another. Only then did Li Qingshan lower his voice and asked, "Brother Yuan, why didn't he take action just now?"

Yuan Shizhong said: "Didn't Brother Li see that? The dozen maids brought by the little demon are people around the demon. They really need to start. The fifty swords and axe masters we had ambushed may not be able to win. If they missed, wouldn't they be alarmed? That would be a big trouble."

"What's the trouble?" Li Qingshan said, "The army is in your hands, are you and me afraid of those women?"

"Brother Li must not be careless." Yuan Shizhong shook his head and said, "Although the army is in your hands, this army is still the vassal army of the White Lotus Sect. Those generals leading the army may not be as close as us! It is better not to act rashly before you are fully sure."

Li Qingshan said: "It makes some sense. What should I do now?"

Yuan Shizhong said: "Return to Chuzhou, snatch the five thousand elite soldiers who have been trained in Chuzhou camp, and then take the opportunity to explore Liu Badao's words. If he is the same as us, it would be great. If he is foolish and loyal to the White Lotus Sect, he will do it and take his troops."

"Okay." Li Qingshan nodded happily, "That's it."

Three days later, Li Qingshan and Yuan Shizhong led an army of 100,000 to Quanjiao, which was still forty or fifty miles away from Chuzhou.

The so-called 100,000 army is of course just a bluff. Most of them are old, young, women and children. There are less than 30,000 people who are truly strong. Even these 30,000 people are just mobs lacking weapons and training. If they encounter a well-trained and well-equipped elite official army, they will be vulnerable.

Li Qingshan and Yuan Shizhong led their troops to greet them just after Quanjiao. Liu Badao came to greet them with his personal soldiers.

The three of them met. After a chill, Liu Badao gave a wink at Li Qingshan and Yuan Shizhong and whispered: "Two brothers, let's talk."

Li Qingshan and Yuan Shizhong exchanged a look and followed Liu Badao into the dense forest on the roadside.

The guards following Liu Badao had already dispersed, and they had seized the entrances of the dense forest and strictly prevented anyone from approaching.

In the jungle.

Liu Badao asked, "I wonder if Liu Banxian told his two brothers what he said?"

Li Qingshan nodded and said, "We all know."

Liu Badao said: "What do the two brothers think about the affairs of the leader and Wang Pu?"

Li Qingshan did not answer, Yuan Shizhong asked back, "I don't know what you think, Brother Badao?"

Liu Badao said solemnly: "I think the leader is probably already in love with Wang Pu."

Yuan Shizhong said: "Then what are your plans?"

Liu Badao said: "There is something I don't know if I should say it or not?"

Li Qingshan said: "Brother Badao has something to say, although you and my brother have not known each other for too long, they are still loyal. This time, the Holy Sect started a war in Chuzhou, and it was all up to the bleak operation of you and my brothers. They fought bloody battles. The Holy Sect was able to gain nearly 200,000 troops, to conquer Chu and the two states!"

"Then I'll just say it." Liu Badao said solemnly. "Have you ever thought about it? If one day the Holy Sect really becomes a big deal and will be in the world, who will be the founding emperor? The leader? But she is a woman! With her relationship with Wang Pu, it is likely that Wang Pu will get a big advantage at that time!"

Yuan Shizhong glanced at Li Qingshan and asked in a narrow voice: "What do you mean?"

Liu Badao said: "Why should we let Wang Pu sit in the country we have fought hard to win? I thought it was time to raise an army and escape from the White Lotus Sect! Speaking of which, did Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding ancestor of this dynasty, do the same? He first relied on the Ming Cult to raise an army, and after he had his own foundation, he kicked the Ming Cult away!"

"Now our army has captured Chu and the two states, with nearly 200,000 troops, and its foundation is stable. It can be completely separated from the White Lotus Sect and work alone. What do the two brothers think?"

"Hahaha..." Li Qingshan laughed, "It seems that Brother Badao wants to go together with us."

Liu Badao said in a narrow voice: "So that..."

"That's right." Li Qingshan shouted, "This time we go back to Chuzhou, we are planning to settle with the White Lotus Sect. Brother Badao thinks this way, it's right. It's just that you and my brothers are working together! Zhu Yuanzhang can sit in the world, and Li Zicheng can sit in the world, why can't I sit in the world?"

Yuan Shizhong's expression changed slightly. He didn't mean to go alone, but to join Li Zicheng.

But Li Qingshan had already said everything, so of course Yuan Shizhong could not propose to join Li Zicheng anymore, otherwise it would be possible for Li Qingshan to kill him in anger.

Liu Badao shouted: "I swear to follow Brother Li to the death!"

"Okay." Li Qingshan said in a deep voice. "There is one thing that matters most now. The five thousand elite soldiers in Monk Zhang's hand must be taken over as soon as possible."

"Brother, don't worry." Liu Badao said loudly, "Monkey Zhang is a brainless person. It's easy to seize his five thousand elite soldiers."

After saying that, Liu Badao said again: "Brother, there is something else."

Li Qingshan said: "What's the matter?"

Liu Badao said: "I have received reliable news. The leader has secretly returned to Chuzhou!"

"Oh, is that?" Li Qingshan said with a grim voice. "I'm back, I'm just about to catch it."

Liu Badao said: "Brother, Wang Pu is here too, and he has brought five hundred officials. He is now stationed at Wuliqiao!"

"Wang Pu is here too?" Li Qingshan shouted, "Okay, so this witch is really hooked up with Wang Pu."

Yuan Shizhong suddenly asked, "Brother Badao, do you know why Wang Pu came to Chuzhou for?"

Liu Badao shook his head and said, "But this little brother doesn't know."

Yuan Shizhong said to Li Qingshan: "Brother Wang Pu is not a good person. Before he figured out the purpose of his trip, I thought it would be better not to act rashly, so as not to fall into his tricks."

Due to the situation, Yuan Shizhong could only recognize Li Qingshan as his eldest brother.

"Crack? What kind of tricks can it be?" Li Qingshan said disapprovingly. "You and I have a 100,000 army in our hands, and the 30,000 men from the Badao brothers are working together. Isn't it enough to win Chuzhou? Just by the 100th female disciples under the witch and the 500 official troops under Wang Pu, can we still make a big fuss?"

"Brother." Yuan Shizhong said anxiously. "Don't forget that there are still monk Zhang's five thousand elite soldiers in Chuzhou City!"

"I almost forgot about this." Li Qingshan slapped his forehead and said, "Okay, let's talk about everything when I go back to Chuzhou first."

In Chuzhou City, the White Lotus Sect’s Headquarters.

The leader of Bailian Sect asked Bian Yujing, "Where has the army of Yu'er, Li Qingshan, and Yuan Shizhong?"

Bian Yujing said: "Quick Horse Reward has passed Quanjiao, and Liu Badao has brought people to welcome him."

"Yeah, okay." The leader of the White Lotus nodded slightly and said. "Yu'er, do you know why the army was transferred back from Hezhou as a teacher?"

Bian Yujing shook his head and said, "I don't know."

A strange color suddenly flashed through the beautiful eyes of the White Lotus Sect leader, and he whispered: "The army of Li Qingshan and Yuan Shizhong were transferred back to Chuzhou to seize their military power."

"Seize military power?" Bian Yujing said in surprise, "Master, is Li Qingshan and Yuan Shizhong unreliable?"

"No, it's not because of this." The leader of the White Lotus Sect shook his head, "They are greedy for life and fear death. They think they have accepted the poison of the secret master. I wish they would not dare to betray the Holy Sect."

Bian Yujing said: "Then why did they seize their military power?"

The leader of the White Lotus Sect said: "Because Li Qingshan and Yuan Shizhong are both mediocre talents, Wang Pu is the real talent."

"Master is saying..." Bian Yujing said in a low voice. "Want to seize the military power of Li Qingshan and Yuan Shizhong, and then hand over the military power of the Holy Sect to Wang Pu?"

The White Lotus Sect Master said: "That's right."

Bian Yujing said, "But Master, General Wang is the Admiral of Nanjing. If you hand over the army of the Holy Sect to him, wouldn't you hand over the fate of the entire Holy Sect to the court?"

The leader of the Bailian Sect smiled and said, "Yu'er, you are too innocent. You are planning to hand over the Holy Sect's army to Wang Pu to command, but you didn't say you want to let him go back to Nanjing to continue to be his admiral. Hehe, Wang Pu came to Chuzhou this time. Do you think your master will let him go back to Nanjing? From now on, there will be only the Grand Marshal of the Holy Sect, Wang Pu, and there will be no Nanjing admiral Wang Pu."

Bian Yujing said in a silence: "Master, General Wang may not be able to submit."

The White Lotus leader blinked his beautiful eyes and said with a giggle: "The master has a way to make him submit, giggle..."

Wuli Bridge in the east of Chuzhou City.

While Wang Pu was reading a book in the big tent, Lu Liu hurried in and whispered: "General, the smell is not right."

Wang Pu put down the book in his hand and asked, "What's wrong?"

Lu Liudao: "The White Lotus Sect Master has been in the city for a long time. Why haven't he sent monks out of the city to receive weapons and ammunition? There are also people around the camp with suspicious signs. It seems that we have been monitored by the White Lotus Sect."

"This is an unexpected thing." Wang Pu said calmly, "What's there to make a fuss about?"

Lu Liudao: "But general, we only have five hundred people after all. If the White Lotus Sect mobilizes a large army to surround us, things will be difficult to deal with."

"Stay calm down." Wang Pu said, "What we have to do now is to wait and see if it changes. In less than three days, there will inevitably be changes within the White Lotus Sect. Then we should come out and clean up the mess."

There is a steep mountain called Heifengling at the junction of Chuzhou, Luzhou and Fengyang Prefecture. There is a group of heroes gathering in the mountains, forests and green forests. The boss is called Shanli Leopard, and there are four or five hundred people under his command.

Because the leopard and Hongniang's father were old acquaintances in the mountains, when Hongniang was in the middle, Li Yan finally recruited more than 400 people half a month ago.

At present, in addition to the more than 400 brothers from the leopards in the mountains, there are also three thousand elite soldiers of Li Yan stationed on the Black Wind Ridge.

Li Yan personally led three thousand elite troops to sneak into Heifeng Ridge, rushing to the Bailian army entrenched in Chuzhou and Hezhou. Of course, the acquisition of the Bailian army was not Li Yan's ultimate goal. Li Yan's ultimate goal was to wipe out the south of the Yangtze River!
Chapter completed!