"Mr. Lu, Li Xiao wanted to ask, if there is a person who is weak and weak, has many diseases, but is forced to go out to work and suffers from wind and rain, then will this person last for a long time?"

"Of course, this person who is weak and sick but has to work hard will not be able to live for too long."

After Lu Xiangsheng answered, he immediately shouted vigilantly: "Li Xiao, what does this mean when you ask me about this?"

Li Xiao smiled and said, "Mr. Lu, let me tell you the truth. The Ming Dynasty is such a person. The wind, sun and rain outside can be described as the invasion and plunder of the Tartars, their own weakness and weakness, and the current state of the national strength of the Ming Dynasty, and the various diseases in the body can be described as the various bandits who are rampant in the country at present. With the joint efforts of many parties, this person has rarely been long."

Lu Xiangsheng's face twitched: "Li Xiao, you are afraid that this metaphor is not appropriate."

Li Xiao sighed: "Mr. Lu, this is the last word. In the following view, if the Ming Dynasty's official army still runs back and forth to fight against the Tartars and suppress bandits, the Ming Dynasty, which has been founded for more than 200 years, will probably be exhausted in the end."

"My emperor's glorious national destiny for more than 200 years is not so good, right?" Lu Xiangsheng's face suddenly became melancholy and gloomy.

"Does Lord Lu think that under the joint attack of the Tartars and the bandits, the Ming official army, which was already short of wages and weak, could withstand such consumption?" Li Xiao's words were calm and cold.

Lu Xiangsheng was stunned for a moment, his face became more and more ugly, and he finally sighed a long time.

"Mr. Lu, according to the view of the last general, since the early years of Chongzhen, there have been constant famines in Zhongzhou, and the people are unable to survive. The people everywhere have become increasingly popular, providing the bandits with almost endless source of troops. Even though our army is now about the invading Gao Yingxiang, Scorpion block and other bandits, it is estimated that it will not take long. These bandits can pull up new troops, and we are worried about how to wipe out the newly emerged big and small bandits. It can be seen that it is not easy to wipe out the bandits in a short period of time." Li Xiao talked happily.

"With General Li's opinion, how can we completely eliminate the bandits?"

"There is only one way, the North and the Tartars, and the South to destroy the thieves! Apart from this, there is no other way at the moment." Li Xiao said word by word.

"What? Li Xiao, I heard it right, you actually want to make peace with the Tartars?! Do you want my glorious Ming Dynasty to make peace with the despicable pseudo-jin who betrayed my benefactor, invaded my territory, and killed my soldiers and civilians?"

Lu Xiang rose up from the chair, her face flushed in anger and incredible feeling, and blue veins on her forehead also burst out.

Looking at Lu Xiangsheng's angry expression, Li Xiao suddenly thought of an allusion about Lu Xiangsheng recorded in Ming Dynasty.

According to historical records, in September of the ninth year of Chongzhen, after the Qing army entered the pass for the third time, Emperor Chongzhen was tortured by the Tartars and bandits who were attacked on both sides like huge stone mills on both sides, and could not stand it. So he prepared to make peace with Huang Taiji according to the opinions of Yang Sichang, Gao Qiqian and others.

Unexpectedly, Lu Xiangsheng, a stern leader in war, found out about this. He was shocked and angry and asked to see the emperor. He cried and knelt down in front of the steps, angrily scolded Yang Sichang and others for selling the country and seeking honor, and shouted loudly: "Your Majesty, I am willing to die if I receive the favor of the country! If I send me to the battlefield, I will sacrifice my life to repay Your Majesty!"

Emperor Chongzhen was ashamed of his passionate enthusiasm, so he asked him what strategy he had to do with the Qing army. Lu Xiangsheng looked up hatefully and said loudly: "I am the lord of fighting!"

Chongzhen changed his expression when he heard this. He was accustomed to his own face. In order to save his family, he had to take the blame: "This is the discussion of Yang Gao and others in the foreign court, not my original intention."

Li Xiao smiled bitterly in his heart. He knew that he had said frankly for a moment that he wanted to understand the most famous late Ming Dynasty, who did not even give the emperor's face, and went to make peace with the Tartars, which was like a fool.

However, now that he has said this, Li Xiao can only treat it as a living person.

"Mr. Lu, let me ask you, during the Tianqi period, when the bandits had not yet taken shape, my Ming Dynasty official army fought with the Tartars many times. Did you ever have any success?"

Li Xiao looked at Lu Xiangsheng's angry gaze coldly without any evasion or fear.

"If you remember correctly at the end of the world, since the end of Wanli, the old slave betrayed the Ming Dynasty and established the pseudo-jin outside the pass. First, he unified the Jurchen tribes, and then began to invade the Ming land. In the past twenty years, our Ming Dynasty has successively lost six forts, Fushun, Chenyang, Liaoyang, Guangning, and all the land in central and southern Liaoning. The Tatars have won the battles and triumphs all the way, and the Ming government army has accumulated more than 200,000 elite troops. Until now, most of the land in Liaodong has been lost, and only a corner of western Liaoning remains. However, in addition to occupying a large area of ​​land in central and southern Liaoning, the Tatars have also wiped out all the Mongolian tribes this year. The national strength is as high as the peak and it is already a great country that has traveled thousands of miles. Do Lord Lu know these situations at all?"

Before Lu Xiangsheng could speak, Li Xiao continued: "Since the early years of Chongzhen, the Tartars have entered the pass several times. Every time they enter the pass, they have attacked cities, seized land, and plundered people and animals, and they have defeated the Ming official army everywhere. The Tartars have such strong combat power, and the soldiers in the Ming Dynasty have long been afraid of the Tartars as tigers. Moreover, our Ming army has not maintained food and wages and is depressed in fighting spirit. In this short period of time, how can we fight against the Tartars, who have already grown their strength with the Han army and Mongolian forces!

When Li Xiao said this, he sighed with a heavy and helpless expression.

"Li Xiao! What you said cannot be a reason to make peace with the Tartars!"

Lu Xiangsheng shouted loudly and interrupted Li Xiao's words.

"Of course I know that the national strength of the Tatars is already a world of difference compared to the late Wanli period. I know even more that with the weak combat power of the Ming Dynasty's official army, it is difficult to fight against the Tatars at its peak. But I want to tell you that my Ming Dynasty is the orthodox Han family. Since the Taizu raised troops to attack the Mongolian Yuan that day, there has been no reason to kneel to the alien race! Could it be that over the past two hundred years, I have to kneel to the Jin people like the Southern Song Dynasty, and I am really outrageous!"

After Lu Xiangsheng roared, his eyes looked out the gray window and sighed in a low voice: "As the Ming Dynasty's official army, we should sacrifice our lives to serve our country and die in the battlefield. How could we fear the enemy and avoid war? We have the intention of making peace with peace! Li Xiao, you really disappointed me."

When Lu Xiangsheng said this, he clenched his fists and looked at Li Xiao with an inexplicable look of regret.

In the room, there was a suffocating silence.

"Mr. Lu, do you think Li Xiao is a coward who is afraid of death?" Li Xiao said with a sneer.

Lu Xiangsheng looked at him silently and complicatedly.

"brush!"

Li Xiao quickly pulled out the Dragon Yin sword from his waist, half-kneeled and raised the sword with both hands, and handed it to Lu Xiangsheng.

"Li Xiao, what do you mean?"

Li Xiao raised his head and said to him directly: "If Lord Lu thought that just one courage could serve the country and save the people, and reverse the situation, then Li Xiao would rather let the Lord cut off the coward's head and motivate the soldiers and soldiers to defeat the Tartars and bandits."

Lu Xiangsheng's face trembled for a moment. Li Xiao's provocation made him feel uncomfortable. He waved his hand and sighed: "Li Xiao, don't do this. You have something to say, and put away the sword."

Li Xiao put away his sword and waited for Lu Xiangsheng to sit down again, he said lightly: "Mr. Lu, let's talk about the original topic. The Ming Dynasty is now a weak and sick person. If he can get a chance to rest and recuperate, he will no longer have to work hard outside with illness. I will think that in time, this Ming Dynasty may not have no day to cure the disease and rejuvenate. At that time, the Ming Dynasty, which is strong and strong, will be more likely to win if it goes out to compete with the Tartars for the world?"

Lu Xiangsheng remained silent.

"Mr. Lu, I want to ask another question, but I don't know if this reputation is important or is it important to save the country and the people?"

"Naturally, it is important to save the country and the people."

"Since that's the case, why do you have to show off your blood and courage when the country is in a trepidation? Although the last general is not talented, he also knows the story of Gou Jian lying on firewood and tasting gall for ten years, and also knows the principle that a real man can bend and stretch his mind." Li Xiao said sincerely.

"So, General Li is determined to negotiate peace with the Tartars?" Lu Xiangsheng said indifferently.

"That's right, there is no other way." Li Xiao twisted his finger and said calmly: "I don't ask that the Tartars will always keep the contract and not violate each other. I only hope that even if I can get ten or even five years, or even three years of rest and recuperation, my Ming Dynasty official army will definitely be able to eliminate domestic bandits, train troops, and then go out of the pass to fight against the Tartars. The last general dare not say that he can immediately regain the lost territory in Liaodong, but it should be possible to compete with the Tartars."

Lu Xiangsheng raised his head and said in a complicated look: "Li Xiao, I don't need to say more. I already understand your intentions. I am not a person who is unscheming, but I understand the profound meaning of your words. But what I want to say to you is that when you can get to my position in the future, you will understand that things are not that simple."

Li Xiao looked directly at Lu Xiangsheng's face with a sad expression. He wanted to say more, but Lu Xiangsheng stopped him.

"No need to say more." Lu Xiangsheng stood up, and his voice was faintly heard: "Li Xiao, what I can tell you is that I am not a person who only cares about reputation but does not value reality. I just don't want to step up to the fate of General Yuan that day."

Li Xiao's heart tightened: "Sir..."

Lu Xiangsheng waved his hand and signaled that he didn't need to say it. Then he stood up and walked out: "I have been sitting here for so long, and I should go back."

"Sir, the last party has already set up a banquet in the city. Please give me a banquet and leave after I want you to enjoy the banquet." Li Xiao said after him.

"No need, I have a lot of things to do, so I will rush back to Yucheng today." Lu Xiangsheng said this, stood there and asked Li Xiao again: "But I don't know if I draw your troops, how many troops can you bring?"

Li Xiao pondered for a moment, bowed to Lu Xiangsheng and replied, "I can bring 10,000 troops and follow the adults to Henan to suppress bandits."

"Okay." Lu Xiangsheng smiled on the face. He patted Li Xiao on the shoulder and said, "Although you and me have many different ideas, I hope that on this Henan battlefield, General Li can be with the governor and serve the country with all his loyalty."

Li Xiao clasped his fists and bowed his head: "Please rest assured, I will follow the arrangements of the Governor."

In the end, Lu Xiangsheng rejected Li Xiao's request for a banquet that he stayed and led a group of guards out of the city and crossed the river.

Li Xiao and others sent them far away until they looked at Lu Xiangsheng and others, disappeared on the other side of the Yellow River, and led the crowd back.

In fact, during this short conversation, Li Xiao only talked about military content with Lu Xiangsheng. There were many suggestions and opinions on politics and economic aspects that were not expressed to Lu Xiangsheng.

However, Li Xiao knew that in other aspects, he would never talk to Lu Xiangsheng again.

After all, the way is different and there is no plan for each other.

Is the Ming Dynasty really hopeless now?

When Li Xiao thought of this, his heart was filled with sadness.

Looking at Lu Xiangsheng's misty back as he became more and more distant, thinking of Li Xiao, who later had a tragic fate, he felt helpless and desolate.

Although Li Xiao deliberately kept his calm expression, many people saw this young general who had always been brave and generous, with a faint look of melancholy on his face.

.........

Henan Province, Qi Township.

On a high hill outside the city.

Gao Yingxiang, the nominal leader of the bandits, looked down at the almost boundless vast crowds under the hills under the guards of dozens of iron-armored heavy cavalry. The bandit leader nicknamed the King of Chuang, had a look of emotion on his face.

Before I knew it, I had been a rebel army for eight years.

He remembered himself eight years ago.

The young man who rose from An'ansai, Shaanxi, shouted on the verge of being trapped and hungry: "It is better to get up and become a thief than to sit and die of hunger!"

Under his call, he quickly pulled a team of rebels from his hometown and served as the leader. He once used to sell horses, had too long arms and excellent shooting skills, and every time he went to battle, he was in white robes and white scarves, leading by example. Because of his bravery and good fighting, he quickly emerged from many bandit leaders.

In June of the fourth year of Chongzhen, the leader of the rebel army, Wang Jiayin, was killed by Cao Wenzhao, the general general of Nanshan. The bandits from Shaanxi and Shanxi formed a thirty-sixth battalion. Gao Yingxiang was one of the leaders and called him "King of Rebellion". For the first time, he had his own nickname.

In November of the seventh year of Chongzhen, Gao Yingxiang summoned the leaders of the 72nd Battalion of the Thirteen Rebel Army in Xingyang. Because the former Communist Party leader Zijinliang King was dead, he was brave and good at fighting, and was quite unpopular, Gao Yingxiang was elected as the nominal leader by the 72nd Battalion of the Thirteen Rebel Army.

Thinking of this, Gao Yingxiang's face showed a faint smile that could not help but appear.

The young man who was purely trying to solve the problem of hunger, cold, food and clothing on that day would never have thought that there would be such a day that he would become the co-leader of all the rebels.

The memories that follow will be much clearer.

At the end of last year to the beginning of this year, I led my rebel army to defeat Huoqiu, attack Shouzhou, enter Yingzhou, and trap Fengyang. I burned the Fengshui treasure land where Emperor Zhu started his family into white land, and dug up the emperor's ancestral tombs and robbed them. I also became the self-proclaimed Emperor Guyuan Zhenlong for several days. It was so fucking good.

Thinking of this, Gao Yingxiang suddenly felt his heart full of passion and passion.
Chapter completed!