Chapter 328: Forcing Xi'an

In Chengdu, the original Shu Palace has become Zhang Xianzhong's Daxi Palace.

Half an hour ago, Zhang Xianzhong had just met Prime Minister Niu Jinxing in the Golden Palace, and also knew Niu Jinxing's purpose. Zhang Xianzhong did not dare to neglect and urgently summoned the left prime minister Wang Zhaolin, right prime minister Yan Xi, Shangshu Wang Guolin, Jiangding Town, Gong Wanjing, Pingdong King Sun Kewang, Funan King Liu Wenxiu, Anxi King Li Dingguo, Dingbei King Ai Nengqi and other civil and military confidants came to the palace to discuss matters.

When everyone arrived, Zhang Xianzhong said in a deep voice: "Li Zicheng sent Niu Jinxing to us for help, saying that Wang Pu personally led 100,000 Central Army to attack Yan'an Prefecture, and said that if the Daxi Army could help the Dashun Army repel the attack of the Central Army, Li Zicheng was willing to give up the entire Shaanxi outside of the Xian Prefecture and Yan'an Prefecture to the Daxi Country. Everyone talked about what to do about this matter?"

Compared with Li Zicheng's Dashun Kingdom, Zhang Xianzhong's Daxi Kingdom is much stronger and more stable.

It should be emphasized that Zhang Xianzhong is not the devil king of Tuchuan. In fact, Zhang Xianzhong has never massacred innocent people. The one who really massacred nearly ten million people in Sichuan to less than 500,000 was Jiannu He Luohui! In order to embellish Jiannu's achievements, Zhang Tingshu and other slaves used the trick of transferring flowers and wood to pour the sewage from Tuchuan on Zhang Xianzhong.

Since suppressing the counterattack of the old Ming army in Shu, Zhang Xianzhong has issued a series of policies to restore production and reduce taxes. The situation in Shu was quickly stabilized and the people's lives were stable. In addition, the wealth in Shu was rich, and the money, grain, silver and wealth copied from the Shu palace was enough for the expenses of the Daxi Army for several years.

Unlike the Dashun Army's lack of food and salary and falling apart, the Daxi Army had sufficient food and salary and was well-trained.

The Daxi Kingdom had a total of 200,000 elite troops, divided into 120 battalions, Sun Kewang led 20 battalions, Li Dingguo led 16 battalions, Liu Wenxiu led 14 battalions, Ainengqi led 10 battalions, Zhang Xianzhong personally led 60 battalions, and set up the front, back, left, center and right five armies governor's office to rule the army of these 60 battalions.

The left Prime Minister Wang Zhaolin pondered for a moment and said first: "Long live, I think I should send troops, but it is not to save Dashun."

Zhang Xianzhong said: "How do you say this?"

Wang Zhaolin said: "The Dashun Army is no longer the Dashun Army two years ago. The Dashun Army two years ago has a million troops and swept across the five northern provinces. However, the Dashun Army now has only tens of thousands of defeated soldiers and defeated generals. Moreover, the morale of the army is weak and the soldiers are not motivated. In addition, the food and salary are scarce, almost all the veterans in the army have fled. Such an army is not worth our rescue at all."

Zhang Xianzhong said: "Then why do you still have to send troops?"

Wang Zhaolin said: "In order to annex Shaanxi and expand the strategic space of Daxi Country."

Zhang Xianzhong said: "Oh?"

Wang Zhaolin said: "At present, our Great Western Country is only in Sichuan, and the space for strategic detour is very small. If the Central Army launches attacks from Shaanxi, Huguang and Yunnan at the same time, it will inevitably be impossible to deal with it. If Shaanxi is occupied, the space for strategic detour and buffering will be greatly expanded."

"Well, it makes sense." Zhang Xianzhong nodded and asked someone else, "What about you, what do you think the Zuo Prime Minister said?"

Everyone agreed, but only Li Dingguo remained silent.

The Daxi Army rarely fights with the Central Army. Although the reputation of the Central Army has spread all over the world, it is rumored that this thing is not as impressive as you personally experience it. However, Li Dingguo is an exception. Among the Daxi Kingdom, only Li Dingguo had direct confrontations with the Central Army and knew the power of the Central Army.

The Central Army's strength was beyond imagination. The battle to defend Xiangyang left a deep impression on Li Dingguo. Such dense musket volleys were irresistible to the flesh and blood of the Daxi Army. This time, Wang Pu personally led 100,000 Central Army to attack Shaanxi, with the purpose of not just for the Shaanxi province. After capturing Shaanxi, he was afraid that he would march into Sichuan.

Therefore, Li Dingguo thought that the Daxi Army should not consider sending troops to Shaanxi, but strengthening the defense lines in Badong and Hanzhong, and using natural dangers to block the Central Army from the country. If Wang Zhaolin's opinion, all the elite troops of the Daxi Army were out and they entered Shaanxi to fight the Central Army in a decisive battle, in Li Dingguo's view, it would be a self-destruction!

Zhang Xianzhong looked at Li Dingguo and asked in a harmonious voice: "Dingguo, what do you think?"

Zhang Xianzhong was not interested in women. Although he married many wives and concubines, he never gave birth to a man or a woman. Therefore, no accident, the emperors of the Great Western Kingdom had to be inherited by one of the four adopted sons. Originally, Sun Kewang was the best candidate for the crown prince. Unfortunately, when he went to Huguang last time, Sun Kewang refused to save his life when he saw that he died, and almost killed him by Zhang Xianzhong. It was still the third prime minister who begged the emperor to save his life. However, his status in Zhang Xianzhong's heart was much worse than before.

Zhang Xianzhong personally asked Li Dingguo about his opinion, and in the eyes of everyone, he had already treated him as the crown prince.

Li Dingguo sighed and said tactfully: "Father, the power of the Central Army is beyond imagination. The power of its intensive shooting in the musket battalion is by no means able to resist it. In the past, in the battle of Xiangyang, three thousand elite soldiers of his sons guarded the city. The Central Army lined up to shoot at a distance of 100 steps. In less than a cup of tea, our army suffered more than a thousand casualties!"

Zhang Xianzhong frowned and said, "That's what you mean..."

Li Dingguo said firmly: "Our army must not leave Sichuan rashly!"

The left Prime Minister Wang Zhaolin and Sun Kewang were very close and retorted at that time: "Have the Second Prince ever thought that if you miss this opportunity, it will never happen again in the future."

Li Dingguodao: "If our army defends according to natural dangers, or can still keep the Central Army out of the country, if we leave Sichuan and fight with the Central Army, we may be..."

Zhang Xianzhong said sternly: "What's wrong?"

Li Dingguo said sadly: "I'm afraid there is a lot of danger."

Zhang Xianzhong was silent, but Sun Kewang sneered: "How is the danger? In my second brother's heart, is our Western Army such a vulnerable native chicken and tile dog?"

Ainengqi, the King of Dingbei, who was in a turmoil with Sun Kewang, also sneered: "Yes, the second brother exaggerated the strength of the Central Army so much, but he didn't know what it meant? Oh, by the way, I remembered that the second brother had 3,000 elite troops under him and defended the city of Xiangyang. The eldest brother's army of 80,000 was close at hand. The fighter was so advantageous, but the second brother failed to defend Xiangyang. It really made people unbelievable..."

After all, Li Dingguo was also a young man, so he immediately said angrily: "Fourth brother, what do you mean?"

Ainengqi groaned and said coldly: "Everyone understands what I mean."

Ai Nengqi's meaning was obvious, that is, Li Dingguo deliberately exaggerated the combat effectiveness of the Central Army, just to find excuses to abandon Xiangyang. How could Li Dingguo bear this anger? He said angrily: "Fourth, what do you mean is that I deliberately exaggerated the combat effectiveness of the Central Army?"

Ainengqi said coldly: "Isn't it? When we moved to Huguang and Nanzhi, our Daxi Army had not fought with the Ming army's musket team. Although the Central Army and the Ming army had different names, they all used muskets, and they were both muskets. The Ming army's musket team was vulnerable, and the Central Army could still fly to the sky? You said that you did not exaggerate the strength of the Central Army and deliberately made excuses to excuse yourself. Who believes it?"

"Exaggerate the strength of the Central Army?" Li Dingguo said hungryly, "More than 200,000 Dashun Army and 100,000 Daxi Army attacked Qingtong Pass for several months without going down, but there was only one mixed battalion in the Central Military Region guarding less than 5,000 people. So what do you say? The Central Army is not powerful, and can block hundreds of thousands of troops with less than 5,000 people for a few months!?"

Aineng said in a strange way: "This, this..."

Sun Kewang retorted: "The defeat at Qingtong Pass was not entirely because of how powerful Zhao Xin's mixed camp was, but because of the ambition of the Dashun Army and unwilling to do its best. This does not mean anything."

"What about it later?" Li Ding Guodao, "Later, the Central Army dared to counterattack the entire line with less than 50,000 troops. More than 200,000 Dashun Army and your 80,000 elite soldiers were defeated on the whole line. The Dashun Army was destroyed, and the army under the eldest brother was almost doomed. So what do you say?"

Sun Kewang said in a speechless manner: "This..."

"Enough." Zhang Xianzhong shouted, "Stop quarrel. After all, I and Li Zicheng have been in love for decades. When I was in trouble, Li Zicheng also helped me. Although I helped him once later, this favor was not so easy to pay off, so I decided to send troops this time."

Li Dingguo said anxiously: "Father, you can't send troops."

"No need to say more about my son." Zhang Xianzhong suddenly raised his hand to stop Li Dingguo and shouted, "This time, I am determined to lead the army in person."

"Ah?" Li Dingguo said more and more anxiously, "The father must be in charge of the army, so you must not!"

The other left prime minister Wang Zhaolin, right prime minister Yan Xi and others also dissuaded: "Long live, no."

"Your dear friends don't have to persuade you anymore." Zhang Xianzhong said solemnly, "This time, I hope that I can lead the 30th battalion of troops of our headquarters to follow me in person. After I go to the expedition, Dingguo will take charge of the position of the country, and all the affairs of Sichuan will be decided by Dingguo! If this time, if the troops are won, everything will be fine. If you lose... the two prime ministers know what to do."

Wang Zhaolin looked miserable, but Yan Xi bowed his head sadly. Zhang Xianzhong deliberately brought Sun Kewang and Ai Nengqi to fight together. The intention was obvious, to clear the obstacles for Li Dingguo to rise to power, because Liu Wenxiu and Li Dingguo were kind-hearted since childhood and were strong supporters and followers of Li Dingguo. In this way, it would be natural for Li Dingguo to succeed to the throne.

Sun Kewang was unwilling to accept his wish, "Father, it's enough to send troops to Shaanxi with your sons. Why do you need to be the emperor to personally fight?"

"No need to say it." Zhang Xianzhong said decisively, "This matter is settled."

After saying that, Zhang Xianzhong immediately left, and soon, his tall and strong figure disappeared outside the hall. At this moment, no one knew what the hero was thinking?

In fact, it is difficult for anyone to understand the complex relationship between Zhang Xianzhong and Li Zicheng. Both came from the bottom of the class and were both leaders of the rebel army at the Xingyang Conference. They appreciated each other, but they never stopped fighting openly and secretly. They kept telling each other and tried their best to suppress the other's limelight...

The two's fight had even extended to the founding of the country and the reign. As soon as Li Zicheng ascended the throne in Beijing, Zhang Xianzhong immediately succeeded to the throne in Chengdu. Li Zicheng founded the country and became the Great Shun, Zhang Xianzhong founded the country and the Great Shun, Li Zicheng changed the reign to Yongchang, and Zhang Xianzhong changed the reign to the reign to the Dashun. This kind of struggle can even be said to have been integrated into the bones of the two.

As a result, in some unofficial legends, Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong are actually homosexuals, and they also give serious examples that Zhang Xianzhong, as a hero of a generation, does not like women very much, and also likes to kill beauties indiscriminately. This is completely different from ordinary heroes who like beauty and are obsessed with beauty. It sounds like that.

Zhang Xianzhong chose to lead troops to fight in person this time, and he was completely aware that this might be Li Zicheng's last journey, so Zhang Xianzhong wanted to help Li Zicheng. He wanted to prove to Li Zicheng that I am a little better than you. You see, I have to save you in the end...

Suide, Wang Pu, the Central Army camp, held the tent.

Since crossing the Yellow River, the Central Army's march speed has slowed down. They only drove forward fifty miles a day before setting up camp. Therefore, they walked from the Yellow River Ferry to Suide for several days!

The Central Army is not unable to speed up the marching speed, nor is it because it is cautious and afraid of being ambushed by the Daxi Army.

The Central Army deliberately slowed down the marching speed completely on purpose. First, it was to put strong pressure on the Daxi Army to achieve the strategic goal of defeating the troops without fighting. Second, it was to lure the snake out of the cave, lure the Daxi Army in Sichuan out and lead it to the Shaanxi battlefield to eliminate it, so as to clear obstacles for the Central Army to enter Sichuan in the future.

There were only Wang Pu and Liu Rushi in the tent, and they were looking at the map to study the route and timing of entering Sichuan.

When the war reaches this point, there is no suspense about regaining Shaanxi. The only thing to consider is how to regain Sichuan? After all, the Western Army in Sichuan still has strength and does not fight with the Central Army. It is not psychologically disadvantageous when facing the Central Army's military. In addition, the natural dangers in eastern Sichuan and northern Sichuan are not easy to recover Sichuan without bloodshed.

Liu Rushi blinked her beautiful eyes and asked in a sweet voice: "Prince, do you think Zhang Xianzhong will send troops to Shaanxi?"

Wang Pu pondered for a moment and said, "Zhang Xianzhong should know the truth that the lips are dead and the teeth are cold, but it is hard to say whether Zhang Xianzhong will send troops."

Liu Rushi said: "Is the prince worried that Li Dingguo will disrupt the situation?"

"Yes." Wang Pu nodded and said in a narrow voice, "Although I did not participate in the Battle of Huguang last year, from a practical perspective, Li Dingguo's strategic thinking and tactical thinking are very unusual! In addition, Li Dingguo and the Central Army had direct confrontation and knew the strength of the Central Army. He should know that the Western Army would only be a dead end if it leaves Sichuan."

Liu Rushi said: "Although Li Dingguo is powerful, he is still young after all, so Zhang Xianzhong may not listen to him."

"I hope." Wang Pu said, "I hope Zhang Xianzhong won't listen to Li Dingguo, otherwise it will take some effort to recover Sichuan."

"Prince, Rushi's sister, good news."

Amid the light footsteps, the intelligence secretary Liu Qingyan walked into the tent with the spring breeze.

Wang Pu took back his gaze from the map and asked happily: "Saohoo, what good news is there?"

Liu Qingyan said: "According to reliable news, Zhang Xianzhong has led his army out of Sichuan."

"Oh?" Liu Rushi exchanged glances with Wang Pu and asked in a delicate voice, "How many troops did Zhang Xianzhong lead?"

"Not many." Liu Qingyan said, "The main force of the Great Western Army seems to be still in the middle of Sichuan, and Zhang Xianzhong only brought 50,000 troops."

"Where is Li Dingguo?" Wang Pu asked, "Have you ever left Sichuan with Zhang Xianzhong?"

"No." Liu Qingyan shook her head and responded, "Li Dingguo was entrusted by Zhang Xianzhong with the important task of supervising the country and stayed in Sichuan."

"Yeah?"

Wang Pu frowned when he heard this.

"There's another thing." Liu Qingyan said, "Li Zicheng's general Liu Zongmin has sent someone to deliver the letter."

"Liu Zongmin?" Wang Pu said coldly, "Do you want to surrender in the city?"

"Yeah." Liu Qingyan nodded lightly and said, "However, Liu Zongmin also put forward two harsh conditions in his letter. One is that he must be the governor of Shaanxi, and the other is that after the Dashun Army is reorganized, he will join the Central Army's sequence, accept the weapons and equipment of the Central Army, and enjoy the treatment of the Central Army. Moreover, Shaanxi Province will no longer set up another admiral, and the Central Army under his command will still be led by him."

"Hmph." Wang Pu sneered, "The generals who defeated the army dared to speak out? It is ridiculous to have such inappropriate thoughts as Liu Zongmin dared to put forward such inappropriate thoughts."

"This Liu Zongmin is really..." Liu Rushi shook his head and chuckled, "It would be fine if he wanted to be the governor of Shaanxi, but he actually wanted to join the admiral of Shaanxi. He also dreamed of reorganizing the Dashun Army into the Central Army, uniformly changing the weapons and equipment of the Central Army, and enjoying the same treatment as the Central Army. I really don't know what to say about him."

"Just a fool who doesn't know the current affairs." Wang Pu said coldly, "Reply, let him wait for him to be stripped alive."

"Prince." Liu Qingyan said charmingly, "Why not be able to settle accounts with him after he has recovered Shaanxi?"

"No need." Wang Pu shook his hand and said, "I don't have to do anything to such idiots. Let him spend the last half month in fear and suffering."

Xi'an, Liu Zongmin's mansion.

Tian Jianxiu visited overnight, and Liu Zongmin led him into the secret room.
To be continued...