The weather in August is scorching hot.
Liu Yan led the soldiers from each battalion of the New Army into the city. People along the way lined the streets to welcome him, and the entire Jimo camp was boiling.
Shen Wen walked in the team and looked at the cheering people along the way. He felt proud and involuntarily puffed up his chest.
The captain Lao Bai who was walking in front did the same. He straightened his body and walked with extra strength.
"Captain, if we enter the city once, I will be willing to die!"
"shit!"
Lao Bai said in a low voice: "In the future, you will lead us to conquer the world. If you want to die, you will die. I still want to follow you and make more achievements!"
Shen Wen smiled and said: "Yes, the captain is right. The most right thing I have done in my life is to join our new army. It is so happy."
Behind the rear camp, the officers and soldiers of the middle camp were also marching in formation. Xu Mingde and Xiao Dongzi followed the formation on horseback, constantly looking around.
"What are you looking at, boss?"
Xu Mingde looked at it for a while, and then said excitedly: "Look at the tavern in front of you. I'm almost exhausted from the month of the expedition. I'm going to take a vacation. I'll take you to drink and get drunk!"
Xiao Dongzi nodded repeatedly and said, "Boss, it's settled, don't go back on your word."
"When did I ever regret it?"
Xiao Dongzi smiled, looked at the cheering and celebrating people around him, and said, "Boss, I didn't know until I went out with the army this time that our Jimo camp is really a paradise. Look at Henan and Shaanxi. What a scourge caused by thieves, it’s hell on earth!”
Xu Mingde said: "Yes, so we must follow you even more, risking our lives to protect this pure land, just like what you said: protect China with our blood!"
The army was marching forward. Liu Yan was riding in the center of the army, and Miao Shao and Xu Ming were riding beside him.
Suddenly Xu Ming pointed in front and shouted: "Girl! Sir, look, it's that girl, Miao Shao's..."
Before he finished speaking, Miao Shao got angry and hit her. Xu Ming screamed and ran away, still shouting: "It's the girl from the cotton shop!"
Liu Yan suddenly became interested. He looked in the direction and saw a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl crowded among the crowd. She was looking anxiously at the army formation, looking for someone!
"Miao Shao!"
"grown ups."
Liu Yan looked at Miao Shao, who was blushing, and said with a smile: "What are you waiting for? We haven't gone over yet!"
"grown ups!"
Miao Shao couldn't wait to find a crack in the ground and crawl into it, saying, "How, how can we get through here?"
Liu Yan said with hatred, "Idiot, if you don't go now, why don't you wait until the girl gets married?"
After saying that, Liu Yan whipped Miao Shao's mount, and the horse neighed in pain and ran out of the queue, causing the people around him to scream in surprise.
In the crowd, the girl's eyes suddenly lit up. At this time, she ignored the surprised looks of the people around her, waved the sachet in her hand, and shouted to Miao Shao: "Here, I am here!"
Miao Shao couldn't help feeling a sore nose when he saw this, and immediately rushed over on his horse, then picked up the girl from the crowd, put her in front of him, and held her in his arms.
At this time, the girl lay in Miao Shao's arms very docilely and whispered: "It's good to come back, it's good to come back!"
The people around him were stunned at first, and then cheered loudly. The officers and soldiers of the new army even booed. Miao Shao changed his previous shyness, changed his attitude, and rode his horse to Liu Yan. around.
"Sir, this is the embroiderer from the cotton shop in the city."
When the girl saw Liu Yan, she was so nervous that she couldn't speak. Liu Yan smiled and said, "Don't be nervous. It's his blessing that the girl likes this guy. Don't worry, I'll have him come to my door in a few days." Propose marriage!"
The embroiderer blushed with embarrassment, but she still smiled and said, "Thank you, sir!"
After the interlude, Liu Yan returned to the residence of the general, and the soldiers of each battalion began to return to the military camp to rest.
Liu Yan led the commanders of each battalion to rest in the city for two days, and then returned to their respective stations. Chen Xun, Zhang Yi, Shen Tuo, Wang Bo and others cheered and invited them to have a drink together.
Miao Shao, on the other hand, was anxious to send the embroiderer home. He confessed his crime and fled on horseback, causing everyone to scold him for focusing on sex over friends.
When Liu Yan returned to the backyard, he saw Wang Yunhe, Shang Shan, and Ruoshui all dressed in costumes. When Liu Yan entered the house, they all kowtowed and saluted.
"I am waiting to welcome my husband on his triumphant return!"
Liu Yan was moved and helped the three of them up one by one, smiling and saying, "Where is Sheng'er?"
"At the wet nurse's side."
"Haha, it's just right. As the saying goes, a goodbye is better than a wedding. Everyone is here today, so it's just right..."
Wang Yunhe immediately glared at Liu Yan angrily and said, "Husband, you are not doing anything right."
Shang Shan and Ruoshui were also startled and turned around to run away, but Liu Yan grabbed him and held Wang Yunhe in his arms.
Then, Liu Yan just hugged the three of them, as if he was exhausted, closed his eyes and stopped talking.
Seeing this, Wang Yunhe asked distressedly: "Husband, are you worried?"
"too messy."
Liu Yan said in a deep voice: "On this expedition, I saw with my own eyes that the world is in too much chaos. If you want to rebuild the country, it will be very slow, very tiring, and many people will die!"
Wang Yunhe snuggled into Liu Yan's arms and said, "Husband, you don't have to put the world on yourself, as long as you do what you do to be worthy of your conscience."
Shang Shan and Ruoshui didn't know what to say, so they could only listen quietly.
After a while, the three of them did not hear Liu Yan's reply. When they looked closely, they found that Liu Yan had fallen asleep.
"Husband, you are too tired."
Wang Yunhe sighed.
At the same time, in the imperial city, Emperor Chongzhen received the good news of the victory at Agate Mountain, and Long Yan was overjoyed.
There are two main internal problems of the Ming Dynasty, Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong. Now Yang Sichang led his troops to kill Zhang Xianzhong and severely damaged his army of thieves. He beheaded tens of thousands of people in one battle and solved half of the internal problems of the Ming Dynasty. Chongzhen suddenly felt like the sun was shining through the clouds. .
"Shandong soldiers? Liu Yan!"
This was not the first time that Emperor Chongzhen heard Liu Yan's name. First it was the Battle of Julu, then the Battle of Jinan, and now the victory at Agate Mountain was also the main force of Liu Yan's battle. He had made the first contribution. Emperor Chongzhen looked at his hands. I was very pleased with the good news: "My Ming Dynasty has another good general. It shows that the sky will not stop our Ming Dynasty!"
The victory report also mentioned that the traitor general Zuo Liangyu died in battle. Emperor Chongzhen felt sorry for him, and issued an edict to provide better care for his family, and was prepared to ratify all Yang Sichang's aftermath.
Then Emperor Chongzhen received the news that Yang Sichang was seriously ill, and he immediately panicked. At this time, Yang Sichang was already as important as Optimus Prime in the heart of Emperor Chongzhen. When he heard that his illness was serious, he was naturally uneasy. He immediately sent an imperial doctor to diagnose and treat him, and gave him a large amount of supplements and medicines.
On the same day that the imperial doctor left the capital, Yang Sichang's memorial was also sent to the capital, and was soon obtained by Wang Cheng'en, the eunuch of Bingbi.
Wang Chengen did not dare to neglect, and hurriedly came to the imperial study room to present the memorial to Emperor Chongzhen.
"Mr. Yang Ge is here to memorialize again?"
Emperor Chongzhen opened it hurriedly, and then his face became a little solemn.
"Your Majesty, what's going on?"
Emperor Chongzhen put down the memorial and said: "Mr. Yang Ge recommended Liu Yan in the memorial. It was Liu Yan, the general of the Jimo camp in Shandong, who wanted to recommend Liu Yan as the chief military officer."
Wang Chengen was also very surprised and said: "The Shandong General Army is different from other places. He is in charge of the entire Shandong Dusi military force, which is no small matter. Is it too fast for Liu Yan to jump from a staff general to the Shandong General Army?"
"Yang Sichang mentioned in the memorial that Liu Yan led his troops to kill the two thieves Zhang Xianzhong and Zhang Wenxiu. With these two great achievements, it is understandable to be promoted to chief military officer. It's just..."
"What concerns does Your Majesty have?"
Emperor Chongzhen said: "It's just that Yang Sichang recommended Liu Yan as the general military officer. He was not the general military officer of Shandong. He suggested that Jimo Camp be set up as a separate town and Qinglai Town be established to take charge of Qingzhou Prefecture, Laizhou Prefecture and Dasong Guard of Dengzhou Prefecture. , Liu Yan was appointed as the chief military officer. As for the rest of the troops in Shandong, they were directly placed under the control of Lu Xiangsheng."
"In this way, the Shandong General Army has been effectively abolished, and Shandong's military power has been divided into two. Is this appropriate? Will Lu Xiangsheng have any objections?"
Wang Chengen immediately understood what Yang Sichang meant, which was simply to drive a wedge between Liu Yan and Lu Xiangsheng, and to win over Liu Yan, Lu Xiangsheng's number one general.
So Wang Chengen said: "Your Majesty, this old slave should not discuss military affairs arbitrarily. The addition of Qinglai Town is only related to the stability of Shandong. Should we summon Lu Xiangsheng and Yan Jizu to the capital and ask your Majesty their opinions in person?"
Emperor Chongzhen pondered for a while and nodded.
Ten days later, Lu Xiangsheng and Yan Jizu arrived in the capital after a long journey, and Emperor Chongzhen summoned them on the platform.
The monarch and his ministers sat down, and Emperor Chongzhen showed Yang Sichang's good news and the memorial to them.
After Lu Xiangsheng and Yan Jizu circulated it, they couldn't help but look at each other, and they both sneered at Yang Sichang's tricks.
"My dear friends, what do you think of Mr. Yang Ge's suggestion?"
Lu Xiangsheng said: "Your Majesty, I believe that Liu Yan made great achievements in the battle at Agate Mountain, killing two thieves, Zhang Xianzhong and Zhang Wenxiu, and beheading more than 10,000 people. Such military achievements deserve a heavy reward. Although Liu Yan is a general at the moment, With this merit, it is not an exaggeration to be promoted to two levels in a row and become the chief military officer."
"As for whether to serve as the Shandong Commander-in-Chief or to establish the new Qinglai Commander-in-Chief, I think it should be the former and appoint Liu Yan as the Shandong Commander-in-Chief to take charge of Shandong's military affairs."
Yan Jizu subsequently seconded the proposal and recommended Liu Yan as the chief military officer of Shandong.
Emperor Chongzhen was a little surprised. He did not expect that Lu Xiangsheng would give up his military power, and he suddenly had a doubt in his heart.
"Why?"
"Your Majesty, Liu Yan is my general, and I know him very well. Liu Yan is good at running and training troops. If he is allowed to take charge of Shandong's military affairs, he can organize and train tens of thousands of new troops for the imperial court in just two or three years. .”
"Moreover, Liu Yan is also good at managing politics. He handles the military and political affairs of the Guard Office in an orderly manner. By handing over Shandong's military affairs to Liu Yan, His Majesty can sit back and relax. When the new army is expanded and trained, His Majesty only needs a piece of edict. Then you can order Liu Yan to lead his troops on an expedition to pacify Li Zicheng's thieves internally, and to recover the mountains and rivers of Liaodong externally!"
Emperor Chongzhen was a little moved when he heard this, but he was still not very familiar with Liu Yan and did not dare to rashly hand over such an important place in Shandong to Liu Yan for guarding.
Lu Xiangsheng looked at Emperor Chongzhen with a troubled expression and sighed in his heart, knowing that it was not Liu Yan's turn to be the Shandong commander. Yan Jizu also noticed it and looked at each other with Lu Xiangsheng, both of them letting out a long sigh in their hearts.
Sure enough, Emperor Chongzhen said after a while: "Liu Yan is a newly promoted general. It is said that he is only in his twenties this year. He still needs some experience. I think it is a bit too hasty to rashly hand over the defense of Shandong to him. It is better to be promoted first." Liu Yan is the commander-in-chief of Qinglai, so I will give him some experience, and after he has achieved results, I will promote him as appropriate!"
Lu Xiangsheng and Yan Jizu couldn't talk anymore. Emperor Chongzhen gave a banquet in the palace that day. After the two thanked him for using it, they hurried back to Jinan Fucheng.
On August 19, the Ministry of War appointed Liu Yan as the chief military officer of Qinglai Town. The appointment documents and official status were delivered. Liu Yan and his subordinates were deeply encouraged. Liu Yan immediately reported the promotion list of the meritorious soldiers, and then Then he summoned his subordinates to discuss how to garrison in Qingzhou City.
Some people died, but not completely...
