The gurgling mountain stream shakes off scattered light spots against the moonlight. If you follow the flow of the light spots, you can see that it meanders far away. There are lush reeds and shrubs around the stream, swaying gently in the wind.
The night is beautiful. If Guo Ning has literary talent, he might be able to sing a few lines. But if combined with the buzzing sound of swarms of gnats and poisonous insects among the reeds, and the unique sour smell of horse sweat coming from the upwind stables, it wouldn't feel that good.
The environment of the village is also very simple. There are no roads connecting different areas of the village. At most, you can move a few flat stones to step on the steep slope, which can barely be called steps.
Near streams, this stone is soaked with moisture and becomes slippery. Guo Ning used his hands and feet to climb up, then took the torch from Ni Yi's hand and asked Ni Yi to climb up too. The leaders of the red coat army also followed one after another.
Just now, the two of them had dinner with the Ding Navy officers at the Split Mountain Military Camp opposite Xiong'er Mountain. The staple food was rice balls made of corn. This kind of rice balls can be stored for a long time after being steamed and dried in the sun. They are also very hungry because they are about to go on an expedition. There are also broth and scones. Those above the rank of corps commander can eat large pieces of meat, while ordinary soldiers have to Take a chance.
The meat in the broth belongs to various birds and beasts. Many birds and beasts in Nishan must have been killed recently. It can be seen that Liu Erzu worked hard to accommodate thousands of Dinghai navy officers.
Because no one expected Guo Ning to personally participate in the attack, there was no preparation for the big shot to settle down in the village at Xiong'er Mountain. The officers of the Ding Navy warmly invited Guo Ning to live in their military camp with a tent. Guo Ning immediately agreed.
But Liu Erzu quickly gave up his temporary residence in Xiong'er Mountain. He was the host, and Guo Ning had no reason to object.
So Guo Ning finished his meal and crossed the canyon with a torch. To be honest, walking in the mountains at night is not easy. In this journey alone, he felt that the two rice balls and two cakes in his stomach had consumed most of it.
Although the Red Coat Army has declined and is only supported by Guo Ning's secret support, as the leader of the Taishan bandits, Liu Erzu will have no problem even if he wants to build a house for himself with gold, pearls and treasures. However, he was born as a farmer and had been poor all his life, even when he was old. Therefore, the house in Xiong'er Mountain was quite simple, not much different from the dilapidated house that Guo Ning lived in when he first settled in Tangluo, Hebei Province.
Liu Erzu met Guo Ning at the top of the steps and accompanied him to the house.
He first introduced the furnishings in the room to Guo Ning. For example, the magpie-painted bow hanging on the wall was obtained from a tea merchant when he was hired by a wealthy family to guard the border for ten years when he was young; and the set of armor and stomach in the corner was from the attack on Jeju. Seized.
In the end, he himself felt a little embarrassed: "I didn't expect the National Congress to come in person, so it was really crude."
Guo Ning didn't mind at all.
He put his hands on his hips and glanced at the knife rack beside the bed, the small shield leaning against the window...these positions were chosen by experienced warriors. Guo Ning instantly simulated in his mind the scene where he woke up from his sleep, reached to the bedside for a knife, then raised his shield by the window and jumped out.
He stopped looking carefully and went to the corner out of habit, and sure enough he found two jars placed side by side. A jar of ointment and a jar of strong wine are used to relieve pain and resist dampness and cold.
This is not a coincidence, but a tip passed down by word of mouth among the veterans. The Jin Army's Pu Liyan and the senior Kao Jia Zhengjun were often equipped in this way. Guo Ning was like this in Tangluo, and he still retains this habit.
Guo Ning burst out laughing. Liu Erzu stood behind and looked at his two clay pots. He understood what Guo Ning meant and laughed too.
Whether he is farming or serving as a soldier, he is still a humble person from a miserable background. You have to sell your labor and your life, you have to endure beatings and insults from officials, you don’t have enough food and clothing, you have to struggle in an environment that becomes more and more difficult day by day. Some people can’t survive at all, so they rebel; some people don’t have time to rebel, and they are hit first. Defeating foreign enemies, the final path taken is no different from that of rebellion.
Guo Ning said calmly to Liu Erzu: "Dajin will not exist for long."
"What does the Duke mean?"
"I have always felt that when it comes to war, there is no need for hundreds of thousands of people to rush back and forth and fight for three to five years. It would be too hard for the people. As long as it is done beautifully, like two people fighting for three to five rounds, a knife wipes the neck. The outcome and life and death are determined. Therefore, this time, not only Xuzhou, but also the means to attract the Kaifeng Jin Army's northern troops from the Hebei direction, and the arrangements from Huainan and even the west of Beijing to encourage the Song Army to continue to entangle the Thirteenth Captain of Kaifeng have all been made. I will take Kaifeng, and King Sui's small court will be destroyed."
Guo Ning looked out the window at the deep mountains, then turned back and continued: "I personally led the troops and accomplished such great achievements with the dignity of the Duke of the country. How can I be promoted to two levels of officialdom in Zhongdu? I'll give you a title first. King, in another year or two at most, my subordinates will be unable to hold themselves back and want to give me a yellow robe to wear."
These words were very straightforward. Liu Erzu listened attentively and couldn't help but ask: "Dong Zhou Guo, are you wearing it?"
"The yellow robe may not be comfortable to wear, but if I don't wear it, who will dare to wear it? Naturally, I have to ask the Jurchens to get out of the way, and I will be the emperor."
"As for the Red Coat Army..." Guo Ning picked up a dagger from the knife rack and weighed it:
"My territory has expanded, my status has increased, and ministers from the Dragon Kingdom have come one after another. In the past two years, I have had many old ministers of the Great Gold under my command, but there are always ghosts in Zhongdu City or other places from time to time. The truly reliable ones will always be there. He is a warrior who started from humble beginnings and has been in the army for a long time. He has fought alongside me. Therefore, don’t take the small conflicts in the early years to heart. I hope that you will make more contributions this time so that you can advance to the next level... and get along with each other in the future. , and it is indispensable for everyone to have the opportunity to make contributions."
Liu Erzu was nearly sixty years old and had read many people in his life, so he could hear Guo Ning's sincerity.
In the past two years, bragging about Guo Ning, a loyal minister of Daikin, has been everywhere. The louder the bragging, the more everyone understands what is going to happen. But Guo Ning, as the focus of countless people's speculations, said it so frankly, which is really heartfelt.
With such a status as it is now, and the city being so deep that he has been putting on a show for more than half a year, just to kill the Kaifeng court with one blow, how can such a person make such random promises?
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Such people can also use the rebels who came from a bitter background to put the opportunity in front of them. He even promised his future military and political status. If you have doubts on your own side, how are you different from a fool? The current situation is not that the two families are working together to scheme, but that the Red Coat Army has to use its best skills to carve out a future for itself!
What's more...
If Guo Ning can really destroy the Kaifeng court and immediately overthrow the Zhongdu court, it will be a change of dynasty. When every one of the Taishan thieves goes to hell after death, he can pat his chest and tell his parents and family that we destroyed the Kingdom of Jin, and I have avenged the blood feud in our family that has lasted for many years!
Liu Erzu opened his mouth, and suddenly the door of the room was pushed hard, making a loud clang.
Peng Yibin came in with clenched fists and stared at Guo Ning: "I don't care about anything else. I just want to ask, Duke Zhou, you won't continue to be a dog for the Jin people, right?"
The door was just closed. Guo Ning and Liu Erzu wanted to talk privately. Most of their subordinates scattered far away, and only a few leaders gathered nearby. Peng Yibin was one of the guards standing at the door. When he suddenly rushed in, the other two guards were caught off guard and hurriedly ran to stop him.
As soon as Ni stepped into the house, he heard Peng Yibin keep talking about dogs. How can I bear this? Ni suddenly became furious: "Damn you!"
He raised his hand and went to draw the sword. Hao Ding, who originally wanted to control Peng Yibin with him, panicked and turned to dissuade him.
Guo Ning looked at the commotion with a smile and said slowly:
"I have never been a dog in the past few years. On the contrary, the people who tried to drive and overwhelm me died very quickly one by one. Therefore, the current imperial court of Dajin, including the sick Emperor of Zhongdu, dared to sit down The person above me is gone. Peng Yibin, of course you don’t want to be the Jurchens’ dog. However, I want to live my life and establish a new dynasty, can you step in for me?”
Peng Yibin's face was red and veins were pulsing on his forehead: "If you mean what you say, I will be the pioneer to clear the way!"
Guo Ning laughed.
Amid laughter, he stood in front of Peng Yibin: "It's seven hundred miles from here to Xuzhou, to Guide Mansion, and then to Kaifeng. Along the way, we have to trek through muddy tidal flats. Are you familiar with the hydrology and roads?"
Most of the Red Coat Army soldiers who contracted Mount Tai were local farmers and poor people. If it weren't for the oppression of the Jurchens, they would never have left their hometown more than ten miles in their lives. Only Peng Yibin often traveled to contact various parties for Liu Erzu, and he was a knowledgeable person.
He replied proudly: "You can walk with your eyes closed!"
"Being the vanguard of the army, you have to open roads across mountains, build bridges across rivers, attack strong points and defeat enemies, and clear out the enemies in front of you. Do you have this ability?"
"Whether you have this ability or not, it doesn't matter what I say. Why don't Duke Zhou give it a try? If it doesn't work, just chop off my head!"
Early next morning.
On both sides of the abandoned road at the foot of Xiong'er Mountain, small beasts and birds suddenly left their nests in groups. The little beasts felt the ground shaking.
The birds were hovering in the air, and they saw groups of armored warriors appearing in streams and valleys for dozens of miles around, and groups of cavalry riding horses. When the birds suddenly flap their wings and fly high into the sky. The lower part of its sight was replaced by one flag after another flying in the wind. At a glance, it looked like the tide gushing out from the deep mountains, the water waves rolling and boundless.
The remaining Taishan troops of the Red Coat Army did not act according to the plan agreed with Guo Ning beforehand.
They came out in full force.
