PS: Thanks to book friend Ba_Dan and book friend Hecheng for promising rewards.
"General, Governor Mao is here." The guard ran in from outside to report.
Chen Zhong, who was already lying on the bed and ready to rest, hurriedly stood up from the bed, picked up the clothes on the side and put them on casually. At the same time, he said: "Quick, go with me to greet the commander-in-chief."
With that said, he tied his belt on himself and strode out.
Not far after he came out of the room, he saw Mao Wenlong walking towards the general's mansion with the support of two people.
Chen Zhong hurriedly stepped forward. When he got close, he saluted and said, "The general will see the commander-in-chief at the end."
"You're here just in time. Hurry up and gather your troops and follow me back to Pi Island." When Mao Wenlong saw Chen Zhong, he immediately asked him to gather his troops.
After hearing this, Chen Zhong looked at Mao Dusi who was following Mao Wenlong.
Mao Dusi hurriedly persuaded him: "Commander, please calm down. It's getting late now, so I think it's better to rest for a night and recuperate before discussing how to return to Pi Island."
At this time, Chen Zhong realized that something had happened to Pidao.
"What are you still doing? Why don't you go and gather the troops? Maybe my command has stopped you." Mao Wenlong did not listen to the advice of the people around him, and still ordered Chen Zhong to check the troops.
Chen Zhong had to speak at this time. He just heard him say: "Commander Commander, but Pidao was attacked by slave thieves?"
The slave thieves have always wanted to annihilate them, the Ming army and generals in the rear, especially Pi Island, which has been attacked by the slave thieves many times. If it were not across the sea, it would have been captured by the slave thieves long ago.
So when he heard that something happened to Pidao, his first thought was that slave thieves had taken Pidao.
"They are not slave thieves, they are the rebel thieves from the Tiger Character Banner." Mao Dusi explained.
Chen Zhong frowned when he heard this and said: "The Tiger Character Banner has always had a good relationship with our Dongjiang Town. Could it be because they expelled their people one year and cut off business with them, and they want to come back for revenge?" ?”
"It's hard to say. What I'm most worried about right now is that they won't leave after occupying Pi Island." Mao Dusi said with a worried look.
The battle between Dongjiang Town and the troops of Tiger Character Banner on Pi Island is enough to show that the officers and soldiers of Dongjiang Town are far from the opponents of Tiger Character Banner. Once Tiger Character Banner takes over Pi Island and refuses to leave, Dongjiang Town’s attempt to take back Pi Island will become difficult. It's hard.
Mao Wenlong listened to the conversation between the two people and said with dissatisfaction: "What? I have ordered you not to move? Why don't you hurry up and gather your troops?"
"Commander, calm down. I don't mean this. I just don't understand why this Tiger Flag suddenly attacked our Dongjiang Town. Even if they occupy Pi Island, it will not be of any benefit to them. Instead, they will suffer slave thieves." Threat." Chen Zhong said.
Things on Pi Island haven't been figured out yet, so he doesn't want to dispatch Tieshan's troops to Pi Island.
There are more officers and soldiers of Dongjiang Town stationed on Pi Island than here in Tieshan, especially Mao Wenlong's personal retainers, which number six to seven hundred people, and their strength far exceeds that here in Tieshan.
Before he figured out what was going on with the tiger flag on Pidao, he was worried that the officers and soldiers here in Tieshan would go to Pidao and never come back.
Mao Wenlong said dissatisfied: "Does a rebel need a reason for what he wants to do? Maybe they colluded with the slave thieves and came to attack Pi Island in order to help the slave thieves."
"If that's true, something big will happen." Chen Zhong's expression suddenly changed.
Pi Island is the foundation of Dongjiang Town. As for places like Tieshan and Kuandian, there is at most only a river between them. If the army of slave thieves wants to come, they can do it at any time. It is difficult to become a barrier to stop the slave thieves. Without Pi Island With this favorable location, it would be difficult for Dongjiang Town to contain slave thieves from the rear.
At this time, Mao Dusi frowned and said: "It shouldn't be so serious. It's not that the Tiger Character Banner is at odds with the slave thieves. They once killed the slave thieves on the grassland, and the people who came to attack Pi Island this time were all from the Tiger Character Banner." Soldiers and horses, not a single slave or traitor.”
The fact that the Tiger Character Banner killed slave thieves on the grassland has already reached Liaodong through the Mongols. Dongjiang Town, no matter how poorly informed, has heard of this matter. After all, there are Han people who dare to kill slave thieves. The military is still willing to publicize it.
"Are you sure there is no help from slave thieves?" Chen Zhong confirmed again.
Mao Dusi thought for a while and said, "Definitely not. The bald head of the slave thief can be seen from a long distance away. If there is a slave thief involved, it is impossible not to see it."
"That's strange. If it wasn't to help the slave thieves, why did the Tiger Flag attack Pidao just because of the previous discord?" Chen Zhong frowned.
The Tiger-Character Banner's attack on Pi Island made him feel unreasonable.
"Hmph!" Mao Wenlong snorted coldly and walked past Chen Zhong.
At this time, he also understood that Chen Zhong had no intention of sending troops.
Tieshan is full of people who have followed Chen Zhong for many years. Although he is the general of Dongjiang Town, in the battle on Pi Island, all his men were wiped out and only a few of them escaped. Chen Zhong did not intend to accept his order. , he had no choice.
Chen Zhong and Mao Dusi hurriedly followed.
Soon, several people entered the general's mansion and came to the hall where Chen Zhong usually summoned his generals.
"Commander, please drink some tea first. The general has arranged for people to prepare food." Chen Zhong, who was sitting beside him, poured a cup of tea for Mao Wenlong himself.
Mao Wenlong looked at him and asked, "General Chen, when are you ready to lead your troops and follow me back to Pi Island?"
"Drink tea first, drink tea first." Chen Zhong moved the tea cup forward.
Mao Wenlong's face was stern and he said: "Don't shirk the blame here with me. I'll give you one night to prepare. We must prepare all our troops and horses tomorrow morning."
"Commander, please take a sip of tea to calm down the fire first." Chen Zhong put down the teacup and continued, "It's not that I don't want to mobilize troops. It's actually that there have been slave thieves near Tieshan recently. I'm worried that if the troops here in Tieshan are mobilized, If you leave, you may leave an opportunity for the slave thieves to take advantage of."
After hearing this, Mao Wenlong snorted coldly and said: "As long as the leather island is there, Tieshan can be there. Without the leather island, Tieshan will be lost sooner or later. You, Chen Zhong, don't understand this truth."
"The general knows the importance of Skin Island to our Dongjiang Town, but the current situation on the island has not been understood by the general. Moreover, even if the general summons soldiers and horses, there are not enough ships to transport these soldiers and horses for skinning. Island." Chen Zhong cried out in pain.
The power of a general is not determined by his rank, but by how many soldiers and horses he has in his hands.
Just like the officers and soldiers on Pi Island obey the orders of Mao Wenlong alone, the soldiers and horses here in Tieshan are the soldiers and horses that Chen Zhong can control.
Even the elite officers and soldiers on Pi Island were no match for the Tiger Flag. The soldiers and horses here in Tieshan were not as good as those on Pi Island. He didn't want to watch his soldiers go to Pi Island to die.
