"Eat his mother, wear his mother, open the gate to welcome King Chuang, and divide the fields when King Chuang comes..."
Songs to welcome King Chuang rang outside Jiangling City. But it was not the poor and lower-middle peasants inside and outside Jiangling City who were singing, but the bandits of the Zuo Family Army who had just plundered Jiangling City.
Oh, actually it's not the Zuo Family Army anymore, because Zuo Menggeng has lost the control of his opponent's group of generals, deputy generals, and staff generals. What he can control now is his own thousand-plus households, and the more than 10,000 people under his direct command - the troops originally under the jurisdiction of the Wuchang garrison general.
As for the large and small generals such as Li Guoying, Lu Zuguang, Xu Yong, Hao Xiaozhong, Ma Jiaolin, Zhang Yingyuan, Wu Xueli, Chang Deng, etc., they all have their own troops, either six or seven thousand, or three to five thousand, and some have one or two. Thousands of people lined up on both sides of the official road, all kneeling on the ground and singing the song "Welcome to King Chuang".
As for the people of Jiangling, even those who were not killed were detained outside the Great North Gate, where they knelt down behind the soldiers and sang along. However, the singing was not good, and they sounded like they were crying no matter what!
These people in Jiangling are not all poor and lower-middle peasants. Many of them are landlords and businessmen. They ran to Jiangling to avoid Li Zicheng. As a result, they encountered a large-scale plunder by Zuo's army... Now all of them have lost their families and have nothing. How can they not do it? Sad?
Li Zicheng's army was vigorous and high-spirited. Although they marched for more than a day and night, no one felt tired.
Emperor Dashun himself was also in the army at this time, wearing a blue coarse cloth arrow jacket and a white felt hat on his head. Behind him was a strong man holding a big flag with the word "Chuang", fluttering in the wind.
"I, Duke Zuo Mengeng of the State of Xiang, respectfully welcome the emperor of Dashun Yongchang. Long live my emperor, long live, long live..."
Just outside the Great North Gate, Zuo Mengeng, together with his generals and officials, knelt down to greet Li Zicheng on horseback.
"I'm free of charge!" Li Zicheng waved his hand boldly, "Duke Xiang, mount your horse and enter the city with me."
Zuo Mengeng was overjoyed when he heard that Li Zicheng called himself the Duke of Xiang and invited him to enter the city with him.
He also knew that the titles of the Dashun Dynasty were valuable, and that people like Liu Zongmin, Tian Jianxiu, and Li Guo were marquises! And now that he is the Duke of the country, he is undoubtedly the number one person under Li Zicheng!
Zuo Menggeng, who felt good about himself, accompanied Li Zicheng into the city from the Great North Gate. The streets inside the Great North Gate were the hardest-hit areas where Zuo's army robbed - this was the last stronghold of the King of Chu's army in Jiangling City. Zuo Jiajun, who had finished looting elsewhere, finally came here to grab it. Is there still one left? After the robbery, they were still not satisfied. They actually set fires everywhere, burned dozens of streets and alleys, and killed many homeless people. Li Zicheng had not cleaned up when he came. Although many people were still kneeling on both sides of the street, singing the song "Welcome the King of Chuang" with tears in their eyes, who was Li Zicheng? Although he only has one eye, his eyesight is sharp!
At a glance, you can tell that this place was slaughtered, looted, and burned... Needless to say, this kind of immoral thing was done by Zuo Mengeng!
Because it is impossible for Zuo Mengmei to do such a thing. Most of her soldiers are from Jingzhou. Even if they rob something, they will not kill people and set fire to them. They can't do it! Li Zicheng knew this rule and did not act like a robber to rob his own home.
Li Zicheng is now the lord of benevolence and righteousness supported by all the people. How can he tolerate the Duke of Dashun Xiang who harms the people?
However, he did not attack immediately. Instead, he rode his horse forward while issuing orders to his left and right - he had to capture the dangerous locations first, and he also had to gather Zuo's army into the city!
We can't let these cannon fodder get away!
Li Zicheng moved to Jiangling not only to grab territory, but also to fight Zhu Cixiang in Jiangling!
He already knew that the Dashun Army was at a disadvantage on the Hanyang-Wuchang line. No matter how they fought, they would lose. It was just a delay.
So he simply took advantage of the internal strife in Zuo's army and moved the battlefield to the Jiangling line where it was more beneficial to him.
If Zhu Cihong followed up, he would have to walk 700 miles overland to enter the Jiangnan area of Jingzhou Prefecture without breaking through Hanyang and opening up the Yangtze River waterway.
Zhu Cixiang's cavalry and infantry can move, but his heavy artillery cannot. Moreover, it was impossible for Zhu Cixi to leave the east part of Hudong (Dongting Lake) of Wuchang and Yuezhou Prefecture undefended while the whole army marched westward. In that case, Li Zicheng could use his inside advantage to cross the river in the Baling area and get behind Zhu Cixiang.
Therefore, when fighting in Jingzhou, Zhu Cixiang must divide his troops!
If Prince Zhu does not fight, then Li Zicheng will seize the entire territory of Jingzhou Prefecture, the Huxi (Dongting Lake) part of Yuezhou Prefecture, Changde Prefecture, and Shizhouwei. In this way, Dashun's army can advance into Hunan and retreat into Sichuan. It can be said that it has taken the initiative.
But before the decisive battle with Zhu Cixiang in Jingzhou Prefecture, Li Zicheng had to settle the score with Zuo Mengeng about the massive plunder... Now that the Dashun Army is a benevolent and righteous army that has won the hearts of the people, they are not allowed to burn, kill and loot!
"Duke Xiang, do you know your guilt?"
In the original palace of Prince Chu, in a large hall that had not gone too far, he had just sat down on a chair covered in blue cloth (Li Zicheng was from the Blue Army, and blue was the most precious thing) when he fell out in front of everyone. .
Convicted? Zuo Mengeng was stunned when he heard this: I am not guilty! Ah, no, I committed many crimes in the Ming Dynasty, but I didn’t have time to commit any crimes in the Dashun Dynasty...
After thinking for a while, he actually said confidently: "Your Majesty, I don't know that I am guilty!"
"Ignorant of the crime?" Li Zicheng smiled, "The good-looking Jiangling City was robbed and burned down, and so many good people were killed by your people. You still don't know the crime?"
Zuo Mengeng's reaction was a bit slow, but at this time he also felt that something was wrong... What did Li Zicheng mean? Are you going to kill the donkey? This falling out is faster than flipping through a book!
"Your Majesty," Zuo Menggeng refused to give up, "I used to be an officer of the Zhu Thief, and the soldiers I brought with me were the Zhu Thief. The Zhu Thief had no way to pay for it, and they refused to give the army enough pay and food. The soldiers below were If the generals don’t let go, they won’t have food and clothing... As a general, I can’t watch them starve and freeze!”
"Yes, yes, yes... Your Majesty Mingjian!"
"We are all forced by the red thief!"
"It's all Zhuthi's fault, wuwu..."
"Once I vote for the Emperor, I won't dare to harm the people anymore, oh wow..."
The commander-in-chief and deputy generals of the Zuo Family Army who came with Zuo Mengeng also spoke up to defend themselves. They were each more aggrieved than the other, and two of them started crying!
"Don't cry, don't cry... Well, it's not unreasonable!" Li Zicheng said with a smile, "Well, now I'm only talking to Duke Dashun Xiang, and it has nothing to do with you. You were all officials of the Ming Dynasty before. , I have just voted and have not been appointed an official yet, so of course I do not have to be bound by the military laws of Er Dashun."
Not to mention, Li Zicheng actually knows the law. I know that I cannot use Dashun's military law to investigate the mistakes of my group of thieves before they joined Dashun. This is contrary to the principle of rule of law. Moreover, he could not look back to the past and investigate everyone's fault for burning, killing and looting before the Dashun Military Law was promulgated.
Li Zicheng smiled and pointed at Zuo Mengeng, "But he is different. He has surrendered to Dashun and been granted the title of Duke of Xiang. He has the highest title among the generals of E Dashun. He should have set an example and abided by the law, but He chose to test the law and sent troops to massacre the city... Tell me, did he ask you to send troops to burn and kill?"
Hurry up and become a tainted witness!
"it's him!"
"That's what he ordered..."
"I can testify!"
"Zuo Menggeng is nothing!"
"..."
It's either that the people under my command are unloyal, or that your Zuo family is not good - you should have taken refuge with Zhu Cihong as soon as possible and sent Zuo Mengmei to the palace. With those little girlish methods, what else do you have to worry about?
It's fine now, it's almost like a lost dog! And you two brothers and sisters are still fighting among themselves in Jiangling City! One is colluding with He Tengjiao, the other is seeking refuge with Li Zicheng... Anyone who continues to mess with your Zuo family is being careless!
Zuo Mengeng was dumbfounded. These people were all promoted by the Zuo family, and now they were betraying themselves like this?
"You, you..." He saw Huang Shu, "Military advisor, save me!"
Huang Shu sighed, took two steps forward and knelt down in front of Li Zicheng, "Long live your Majesty. Although the crime of the Duke of Xiang cannot be pardoned, after all, it is the first offender, and he also takes credit from Jiangling. Maybe he can compensate for it?"
"Yes, yes, I have merit!" Zuo Mengeng quickly bowed to Li Zicheng, "Your Majesty, please spare me this time!"
Li Zicheng nodded: "Since Military Advisor Huang has spoken for you, then I will spare you...the whole body!" He glanced at the former Zuo family generals present with a cold look, "What do you think? ?”
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!"
"Your Majesty is benevolent and righteous!"
"The emperor's benevolence and righteousness are unparalleled, his virtue is worthy of heaven and earth, his Taoism is the highest in ancient and modern times..."
"Zuo Mengeng, why don't you kowtow and thank me!"
Hearing these words, Zuo Mengeng felt so cold in his heart that he sat down on the ground, not knowing how to beg for mercy.
Huang Shu spoke again at this time: "Your Majesty is indeed the master of benevolence and righteousness. Zuo Menggeng must be very grateful in his heart, but Your Majesty can still give him one last chance to redeem himself and make meritorious deeds!"
Zuo Mengeng felt warm in his heart, and looked at Huang Shu with tears streaming down his face.
Li Zicheng thought about it and said, "How can he commit a crime and perform meritorious service? Ask him to rob the Ming army's fortress?"
"No," Huang Shu said, "Since ancient times, those who win the hearts of the people win the world. Now the people of Jiangling have to be won from Zuo Mengeng... Your Majesty, why don't you punish Zuo Menggeng with the full family and the canonical punishment?" By being strangled in front of the people of Jiangling, Zuo Menggeng can be regarded as repaying the great favor of the emperor."
Kill the whole family!
"Huang Shu, you bastard..."
Zuo Mengeng suddenly jumped up and was about to pounce on Huang Shu, but before he could jump very high, he was pulled to the ground by Li Guoying and Lu Zuguang beside him.
Huang Shu shook his head and said: "Zuo Mengeng, thank you quickly!"
Li Zicheng waved his hand, "No need to thank you...Who is called "E" with a kind heart? Come here, tell the whole city, "E" has issued an edict, ordering Zuo Menggeng's family to hang themselves in public, to give justice to the people of Jiangling! "His tone suddenly became serious again, "Dashun's military laws are like mountains, and no one is allowed to violate them. Do you people know that?"
"Everyone knows it!"
