In the middle of the night, Shi Liancheng and Yulan still couldn't sleep. Yulan curled up and shed tears silently, while Shi Liancheng stared at the ceiling in a daze.
Suddenly, footsteps came from outside, walked into the bedroom, and finally stopped behind the screen beside the bed. Then Xia Lan's voice came over: "General, the guard brother said that there is an urgent military situation to report to the general."
Shi Liancheng immediately got off the bed, picked up a robe, put it on, and walked outside. Magnolia turned around, looked at her husband's leaving figure, and couldn't help but sigh.
Shi Liancheng, accompanied by Xia Lan, came outside the study room in front. The guard who was waiting for him bowed to him: "General!" Shi Liancheng asked: "Is there any urgent military situation?" The guard said: "The Governor just sent someone to come. If there is an urgent military situation, please ask the general to go to the Governor's Mansion." Shi Liancheng nodded and prepared to leave. Xia Lan said hurriedly: "General, please wait a moment." Shi Liancheng stopped and looked at Xia Lan in confusion. Xia Lan glanced at the guard and said to Shi Liancheng: "General, please take a step to speak." Shi Liancheng frowned and said to the guard: "You go to the door and wait first." The guard agreed and left.
Xia Lan said worriedly: "General, there is something strange about this matter! The Governor-General has something to do, why can't he come to report to the General, but ask the General to go to the Governor's Mansion? It's so late at night, what things can't be said tomorrow morning?"
Shi Liancheng asked: "Are you worried that Zhang Xiaochun will be detrimental to me?"
Xia Lan nodded.
Shi Liancheng laughed loudly and said proudly: "I, Shi Liancheng, can walk and stand upright, and I am not afraid of them playing tricks!" Then he ignored Xia Lan and went straight outside. Xia Lan looked at Shi Liancheng's back, frowning tightly.
In the latter half of the night, before early morning, Shi Liancheng came back. Yu Lan and Xia Lan, who were waiting anxiously, couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief when they saw that she had returned safely. Yu Lan looked like she wanted to ask but didn't dare to ask, so Xia Lan asked: "General, the governor asked you to come over, I wonder what the reason is?" Shi Liancheng smiled and said: "It's not a big deal. In fact, it's nothing at all. It was an urgent military situation, but he didn’t know what to do with the two thieves I handed over to him. He couldn’t sleep, so he called me over and wanted to return them to me, but naturally I didn’t agree.”
Xia Lan quickly said: "The general should take over."
Shi Liancheng glanced at Xia Lan, "Why did you take over? Did you kill them? Although I am a general, I can't kill people casually. If the two of them died here, wouldn't it immediately make the court suspicious? "
After listening to Shi Liancheng's words, Xia Lan seemed to be less determined to betray than before, and seemed to be somewhat dissatisfied with the court. He couldn't help but feel happy, and said quickly: "General, please reconsider the suggestion made by slave Bai Tian! Now it's not that the general wants to betray the court or the emperor, but it is the emperor who is doing so chilling! Since the emperor is so unkind! Righteous, why should the general be foolishly loyal to him? If the general is thinking about his old feelings, it is fine not to invade the Ming Dynasty, but why not protect himself? Now at the critical moment of life and death, the general should separate his own country! This is not that the general betrayed the emperor, but that the general himself It's just a protective measure!" Yulan looked at Shi Liancheng pitifully.
This time, Shi Liancheng was not as decisive as before, with a thoughtful look on his face.
Seeing that Shi Liancheng's attitude had relaxed, Xia Lan hurriedly struck while the iron was hot: "General, if the emperor is thinking about his original friendship, how can he send people to lurk beside the general? He has long been worried about the general! Now those two bitches The so-called evidence was sent up again. The servant thought that there was no evidence. It must be evidence they had fabricated, because the emperor had long been worried about the general and wanted to get rid of him, but he could not attack the general casually, so he wanted to accuse him. Why bother! General, you are a great hero, how could you be manipulated by these villains! Now it is not the general who wants to rebel, but they are forcing the general to rebel!"
Shi Liancheng snorted coldly, with a look of resentment on his face. Xia Lan continued: "Even if the general does not think about himself, he must also think about his wife and the child in her belly! If the general is killed, what will happen to the wife and the young master? Even if the emperor is hypocritical, he will definitely end up with the young master. The fate of living alone on the streets!"
Shi Liancheng said angrily: "I will never let this happen!" Xia Lan was overjoyed, but held back. Shi Liancheng walked up to Yulan who was already in tears, held her delicate hand, raised his right hand to smooth her hair, and said categorically: "I will never let my woman and children suffer because of me!" Turning to look at Xia Lan, "You are right! The current situation is not that I want to betray the emperor, but that the emperor wants to harm me! In this case, how can I sit still and wait for death! How can I, Shi Liancheng, be slaughtered by others? ?" Xia Lan said excitedly: "If the general can make up his mind, not only will the general's life be saved, but also the lives of his wife and son. The general will also be able to create an empire powerful enough to rival Yanyun, just like the Western Liao Empire. Same! From now on, honoring our ancestors is far better than being a minister under others!"
Shi Liancheng said angrily: "I'm just trying to protect myself, the rest is not what I want!" Xia Lan said nothing more. Shi Liancheng said to Yulan, "Madam, have a good rest. I'm going to the military camp." Yulan nodded. Shi Liancheng left quickly. Xia Lan looked at Shi Liancheng's back, her face full of excitement.
After dawn, Xia Lan found an excuse to leave the mansion and came to Dali Street. After twists and turns, he walked into a remote alley and stopped in front of an inconspicuous courtyard. He looked around and knocked gently on the courtyard door.
An old servant came out, walked straight to the door, and opened the courtyard door. Xia Lan immediately walked in. The old servant stuck his head out, looked around, and then closed the courtyard door. Xia Lan went straight to the back hall. At this time, a middle-aged man in casual clothes was standing by the window with his back to the door. Xia Lan cupped her fists and bowed: "Sir!"
The middle-aged man sighed and said: "The mountains and rivers are so beautiful that they have attracted countless heroes to bow down! Our Dali rivers and mountains are so magnificent!" Turning around, he revealed his true face in Lushan. He turned out to be the original man who had surrendered to Yan Yun. Duan Zhichun, the general of Dali.
Duan Zhichun smiled slightly and said: "I have been waiting for you. You are here, which means that things are developing as I expected."
Xia Lan couldn't help her excitement and said: "Although Shi Liancheng hesitated for a while, he finally decided to raise troops to fight against Yang Peng! This is really the result of your master's clever plan, forcing Shi Liancheng to resist!" Duan Zhi Chun laughed, "Human nature! Although Shi Liancheng is a great hero, he cannot escape the weaknesses of human nature! In the face of crisis and prosperity, he finally made a decision as I expected!"
Xia Lan said: "Shi Liancheng just wants to pay it back. This time, even the Emperor of Ming Dynasty was played with by adults. I'm afraid the Emperor of Ming Dynasty will be very angry if he finds out about this in the future!"
Duan Zhichun laughed loudly and thought: "Since Shi Liancheng has decided to raise troops, I will also take action." He looked at Xia Lan and said: "I will leave Dali immediately to plan important events. You continue to stay in Shi Liancheng. If there is any situation around you, you can send the news to Old Wu here. Old Wu will always stay here." Xia Lan responded. Duan Zhichun said: "Now can be said to be the most critical moment, there must be no mistakes! You go back quickly, don't make Shi Liancheng suspicious!" Xia Lan responded and left.
When Duan Zhichun waited for Xia Lan to leave, he immediately called a few cronies, gave detailed instructions, and then left in a hurry. Duan Zhichun left Dali City in an inconspicuous carriage and saw an army under Shi Liancheng's command leaving the military camp and mobilizing toward the northeast. Duan Zhichun couldn't help but smile. Then he lowered his profile and said to the coachman: "Hurry up, I want to reach Lanxi before tonight." The coachman responded and waved his whip harder. The horse was in pain and ran faster and faster. It rotates quickly and makes a loud noise.
In the evening of that day, the carriage drove into Lanxi. Then Duan Zhichun went straight to the government office. The prefect Duan Jiang was originally a close associate of Duan Zhichun. After he followed Duan Zhichun and surrendered to the Ming Dynasty, he was appointed the prefect of Lanxi. Lanxi is located in the southwest of Dali, east of Gaoligong Mountain and Nujiang River, and west of Jinsha River. The terrain is dangerous and it is a strategic location in the central and northern parts of Dali.
When Duan Jiang heard that Duan Zhichun was coming, he hurried out to greet him, and then the two of them went straight into the study at the back to discuss matters. Duan Jiang asked: "Your Excellency is here. Could it be that your plan has succeeded?" Duan Zhichun smiled and nodded. Duan Jiang couldn't help but get excited and couldn't help shouting: "Great! We can finally restore our country in Dali!"
Duan Zhichun asked: "How are you preparing for what I asked you to prepare before?" "Everything is prepared according to your instructions. It's just..." The last thing Duan Zhichun wants to hear now is 'just' Hearing what he said, he couldn't help but frown and asked: "Just what?" Duan Jiang sighed and said: "Your Excellency, you should also know. Our original army has been disarmed and returned to the field. Now I have only secretly contacted two thousand people." Just people and horses.”
Duan Zhichun was surprised, "There are only so many people? Will there be no way to contact us after being disarmed and returning home?" Duan Jiang shook his head, "That's not the reason. The civilians have benefited a lot from the series of policies implemented by the Ming Dynasty. , especially ordinary civilian families who have received five acres of fertile land for free! Their hearts have already turned towards the Ming Dynasty! My subordinates dare not contact these people. If I contact them, I am afraid that it will not only be useless, but will be reported! Therefore, my subordinates received orders from your Excellency. After receiving the order, we secretly contacted those nobles who hated the Ming Dynasty, and only about 2,000 of them were reliable!"
Duan Zhichun frowned and said: "This is 90% less than the number I expected! Common people are really unreliable!" Duan Jiang said mockingly: "For common people, having milk is a mother, and the Ming Dynasty gave them a taste of the sweetness , they will naturally move towards the Ming Dynasty! Huh, these people have long forgotten that they are the people of Dali!" Then he said: "Although the number of people we have to contact is limited, if your plan succeeds, this number of people will be enough. !”
Duan Zhichun nodded and said: "Dali will be in chaos soon! You must gather those people immediately. When the chaos occurs, you will immediately send your troops to occupy Lanxi County and Shanju County and display our banner of Dali!"
Duan Jiang frowned and said, "I'm just worried about whether Shi Liancheng can succeed?"
Duan Zhichun thought for a while and said, "There should be no problem. Shi Liancheng held hundreds of thousands of troops, was brave and good at fighting, and powerful in the south, and the southwest land has high mountains that are easy to defend and difficult to attack. Although the Ming Dynasty was strong, but faced with such In such a situation, even if they use all their strength to attack, it will be difficult to succeed! Humph, after all, it is not our Dali Army that is fighting against them in the southwest now, but their own Ming Army! The advantage their Ming Army had is gone Wu Cun! This is using Zi’s spear to attack Zi’s shield!”
Duan Jiang nodded and said worriedly: "After Shi Liancheng becomes independent, I wonder if it can accommodate us?" Duan Zhichun smiled and waved his hand, saying: "Don't worry! Shi Liancheng is weaker than the Ming Central Committee when it becomes independent. He must concentrate all his strength to deal with it. How can we distract him? As long as we surrender to him, he will never do anything to us! We in Dali can survive in this delicate relationship. Okay, you can Just do as I say. I'm leaving."
Duan Jiang asked puzzledly: "Now that a big event is about to happen, won't you stay here?" Duan Zhichun said: "In order to ensure that there are no mistakes in our big event, I have to go to Shanju County first. The matter of raising troops I'll leave it to you. When you lead your troops to the city of Shanju County, I will cooperate with you inside and outside!" "Yes!" Duan Jiang bowed and promised.
At the same time, all the nobles in Dali who had lost their glory and land because of the Ming army began to act secretly. Everyone was excited, feeling that the dark days were about to pass, and the good days in the past were about to come. , everyone is eagerly waiting for big changes to happen.
At this time, Yang Peng was still far away in Kumamoto Castle on Kyushu Island, standing at the highest point of Yonghito Palace, looking at the sea and sky in the distance with a thoughtful look on his face.
Yan Ji hurriedly ran behind Yang Peng, handed a red envelope to Yang Peng, and said: "Brother, my people have sent urgent information, it must be about Shi Liancheng!"
Yang Peng hummed and said, "Read it."
Yan Ji responded, opened the envelope, took out the letter paper, unfolded it, and read: "Your Majesty Emperor Jincheng, we have been ordered to monitor Dali. Now there is an urgent situation. All the armies under Yang Peng are mobilizing, marching direction All in the northeast direction. According to the intelligence coming from inside, Shi Liancheng has decided to rebel and is preparing to separate and stand on his own to fight against the central government!"
Yang Peng asked: "Have you finished reading?"
Yan Ji said angrily: "Husband, why are you still so relaxed? Shi Liancheng has already rebelled!"
Yang Peng said: "I heard it."
Yan Ji said depressedly: "It would be great if my husband had taken countermeasures earlier!"
Yang Peng smiled, "It's not too late to take countermeasures now." Looking at Yan Ji, "Immediately send an order to the cabinet to mobilize all military and civilian troops in Sichuan, Henan, Jinghu North Road, and Jinghu South Road to prepare for response! Yan Ji said: "Husband, the soldiers and horses under Shi Liancheng's command are all elites from hundreds of battles. I'm afraid the military and civilian armies will not be able to withstand them. If we don't mobilize the elites to quell the chaos as soon as possible, I'm afraid Shi Liancheng will invade Sichuan." ! If he takes over Sichuan, the situation will be very bad for us!"
Yang Peng waved his hand and said: "I know it well, just follow my instructions and pass the orders." Yan Ji frowned, responded, and ran down.
News that the military and civilian armies in Sichuan and other places began to mobilize urgently reached Dali. The former Dali aristocrats who were eagerly waiting for the great changes and the old officials of Dali who were unwilling to fail were inexplicably excited. Originally, everyone still had some doubts about whether Yang Peng was the It was really the other way around. At this moment, no one doubted it. But the people were worried. Riots began to appear in various places in Dali. It was because the old nobles could not restrain themselves and began to counterattack. However, since the big change had not yet happened, although the old nobles could not restrain themselves, they did not dare to be too arrogant. The scale of the riots in various places Not that big yet.
The news that Yang Peng was leading an army to gather at the Sichuan border had spread throughout the streets and alleys of Dali. No matter what their thoughts were, everyone could not help but feel that a chaos unprecedented in scale since the founding of the Ming Dynasty was about to break out.
Yan Ji conveyed the order in accordance with Yang Peng's request, returned to Yang Peng, and couldn't help but said: "Husband, I don't think you did the right thing!"
Yang Peng asked with a smile: "What's wrong?"
Yan Ji frowned and said: "My husband obviously still has illusions about Shi Liancheng, which is wrong! At this time, how can my husband still have illusions about Shi Liancheng? He has already raised an army to rebel! Your husband should not just mobilize the army The government army and the civilian army, although I know nothing about military affairs, I also know that sooner rather than later, my husband should immediately mobilize the main force and annihilate them with thunderous force!"
Yang Peng said: "Although Shi Liancheng's actions were somewhat inappropriate, he did not claim to be independent. There may be room for change."
Yan Ji said anxiously: "He did this on purpose! He is paralyzing her husband! He is taking advantage of her husband's kindness towards him!"
Yang Peng waved his hand, "Don't worry, I don't think things will develop as you fear!" Yan Ji was furious and didn't understand why her husband, who had always been wise and wise, couldn't make sense on this matter. Yan Ji couldn't help but have the urge to beat her husband.
Also anxious are Liu Yan and Zhao Xiang'er under Yan Ji. Liu Yan said to Zhao Xiang'er: "Yang Peng's rebellion was too sudden. Your Majesty and the court must not have reacted yet. I am afraid that Shi Liancheng will really sweep Sichuan!" Zhao Xiang'er frowned and nodded, saying: "We should do something What’s better, you can’t just watch it like this!”
Liu Yan said: "I have an idea, it may be useful." Zhao Xiang'er asked hurriedly: "Sister, tell me quickly!" Liu Yan said: "Then Shi Liancheng is one of the strongest generals in our Ming Dynasty. He is invincible across the battlefield. This way All men have a problem, that is, they look down on women! We can pretend to surrender, and then wait for an opportunity to assassinate him! As long as he sees us, we have a great chance of success!" Zhao Xiang'er nodded, "Sister is right, as long as he kills Once Shi Liancheng is defeated, the rebellion will naturally collapse!"
Liu Yan said: "I am responsible for this situation. I must make up for my own mistakes! For your majesty, I will not hesitate to be broken into pieces!" She glanced at Zhao Xiang'er and said, "Sister, you don't have to go with me. Hua Xu next to you still needs you to take responsibility!" Zhao Xiang'er said angrily: "Sister can die for your majesty, but I can't? This is a matter between you and me. If you want to go, go together! You and my sister can be our companions on the road to hell. , that’s pretty good!” Liu Yan was moved and nodded.
At this moment, a Hu Xu secret agent rushed in and reported anxiously: "The two cabinet leaders have just received intelligence from the north. Duan Jiang and Duan Zhichun suddenly rebelled and have occupied Lanxi. Heshan Jujun, and raised the banner of Dali, declared his surrender to Shi Liancheng!"
Liu Yan sneered: "What kind of clown has jumped out!" She looked at Zhao Xiang'er and said: "Sister, the matter is urgent, let's take action immediately!" Zhao Xiang'er nodded.
Liu Yan immediately found the three assistant leaders who stayed at the stronghold and made them responsible for Hua Xu's actions in Dali. Then he and Zhao Xiang'er put on men's clothes and left the stronghold on horseback. Huaxu's stronghold is located in Diancang Mountain outside Dali City. The two of them galloped out of Diancang Mountain and quickly ran onto the official road, running along the official road towards the Sichuan border. Along the way across the state and through the mansion, I saw that all the city gates were closed, and the air was filled with tension.
After Shi Liancheng assigned the tasks to the generals, he saw that the generals had doubts on their faces and asked, "Do you have any questions?" General Hu Yanbixian cupped his fists and said, "General, I have heard some rumors recently. I feel very uneasy. I would like to ask the general, what does it mean to mobilize troops to approach Sichuan? Is there an order from His Majesty and the cabinet?" The other generals all agreed and expressed difficulty in understanding this action.
Shi Liancheng glanced at the doubtful generals and asked, "Do you believe me?" The generals looked at each other and said in unison: "Of course we believe in the general!"
Shi Liancheng said: "In that case, don't ask any more questions. Don't listen to rumors. It makes sense for me to do this!" The generals kept the promise. At this time, a soldier rushed in and reported: "General, Huaxu Liu Ge and Zhao Ge are outside asking for a meeting!"
Shi Liancheng felt a little surprised, thought for a while, and said to the generals: "You all can go down." Everyone hugged Shi Liancheng and filed out of the tent. Shi Liancheng said to the soldiers: "Bring them in." The soldiers agreed, ran down, and a moment later led Liu Yan and Zhao Xiang'er in men's attire. Although both women were dressed in men's attire, they could not hide their beautiful faces and slender figures.
When the two women saw Shi Liancheng, their expressions changed, and they clasped their fists together and said, "I've seen the general!" Liu Yan secretly observed the situation around her, and found that there was no one else in the tent except Shi Liancheng, so she couldn't help but secretly said: You... The traitor shall die at the hands of my sister today!
Shi Liancheng looked at the two women and said angrily: "What a good thing planned by the two ministers, they actually planted spies around me!" Liu Yan said: "We are acting under orders. We have no choice but to ask you. Forgive me, General!"
What happened after all, let’s see what happens next.
