I

Xinyu County.

The county magistrate Chen Yanyi stood on the city tower, looking at the rebels outside, and in his heart he scolded the eighteenth generation of Wen Tiren, the chief minister!

He was a new scholar last year. Although he was ranked at the bottom of the top three, he was chosen to be a junior scholar in the college. After leaving the college, he immediately studied engineering and became a scholar.

Chen Yanyi is young and passionate, and as someone who is in trouble, he naturally wants to impeach powerful people to gain reputation. By accident, Wen Tiren's party members were impeached, and then he was released as a local official.

It just so happened that the previous magistrate of Xinyu County was successfully promoted with money, so Chen Yanyi was thrown into the post of magistrate of Xinyu County.

Unfortunately, Chen Yanyi had only been in office for less than five days. He had just recognized all the county officials, and before he even got hot, the rebels had already attacked the city.

Before Chen Yanyi had time to hire a master, he could only ask the chief clerk: "Are there just these dozens of officers and soldiers guarding the city?"

The chief clerk replied: "The former magistrate of the county raised more than 500 people from the countryside to bravely defend the city."

"Where are those local heroes?" Chen Yanyi asked.

The chief bookkeeper said: "The county magistrate has left office, and the township hero has also left, because the county government has no money to pay."

"Where's the money?" Chen Yanyi asked.

"Why should the county magistrate ask questions knowingly?" the chief clerk said angrily.

There are rats running out of the county government's treasury, and the money has been taken away by the former county magistrate. There was still some left over, and it was divided among the chief bookkeeper, Dianshi and others. If traced, it could be blamed on the former magistrate.

After the Lantern Festival, Thief Zhao passed by and extorted a sum of food and grass.

Everyone felt that since the Zhao thieves chose to withdraw their troops, they would not attack the city again in the short term. After all, if they took the waterway, there were still three counties in between. Who would have thought that the Zhao thieves just went back to do spring plowing, and then suddenly sent troops to kill them after the spring plowing was over.

Fei Ruhe was also very depressed. He originally wanted to deceive the city, but Zhao Han made too much noise in Zhangshu Town, so he led his troops here, and the gates of Xinyu County were closed.

Xinyu County is located at the intersection of Yuan River and Kongmu River. Fei Ruhe can only land in the north and west. The east and south of the county are surrounded by rivers.

While he was asking people to carry earth to fill the moat, he was also asking people to build siege equipment.

A few days later, when they saw that the moat had been filled with several lanes, the chief bookkeeper and Dianshi came to Chen Yanyi and said, "Your Majesty, please surrender."

"As the county magistrate, I have the responsibility to defend the territory. How can I surrender to the rebels?" Chen Yanyi angrily shouted, "You must not mention such words of betraying the emperor and abandoning the master again!"

The chief clerk said: "The county magistrate is not aware of this. This Zhao thief keeps his word. Unlike ordinary thieves, he will not kill people indiscriminately."

Chen Yanyi sneered: "Rebels still have credibility?"

Dian Shi said: "The Zhao thief in Luling keeps his word. Who knows in several counties around him?"

"Qiang!"

Chen Yanyi unsheathed his sword and said, "Whoever dares to surrender again will be killed by me!"

The chief clerk and Dianshi sneered and backed away, and a group of government officials surrounded them.

Chen Yanyi was instantly desperate. He had only been in office for a few days and was a loner in Xinyu County.

After the rebels besieged the city, Chen Yanyi lobbied the wealthy gentry, hoping that they would donate money and grain, and recruit young men from the city to defend the city. But those big families are pretending to be deaf and mute, and they don't seem to be afraid of rebels and breaking the city. Until now, he has no money, no soldiers, and no food!

Under normal circumstances, a newly appointed county magistrate like Chen Yanyi would have to wait until summer grain was collected before he had money and grain to do things.

Zhao Han's credibility worked, and everyone from officials to big households were unwilling to resist.

If you resist, you may not be able to hold on, and you will be liquidated by the rebels.

If they surrender directly, the rebels will not burn, kill, loot, and they will have nothing to lose.

"Do you still want to rebel?" Chen Yanyi backed away with his sword and angrily scolded the government officials who came around.

Dian Shi advised: "Your Majesty, please surrender."

"Don't even think about it!"

Chen Yanyi said angrily.

Dian Shi immediately waved his hand, and the government officials began to surround Chen Yanyi.

Chen Yanyi was completely desperate and could only say: "After I die, let my long follower go back to Fujian and at least bring news back to my family."

"Why bother." The chief clerk sighed.

Chen Yanyi suddenly knelt down towards the north: "Your Majesty, I have failed the emperor's favor and can only die for my country."

After kowtowing a few times, Chen Yanyi knelt down toward the southeast again: "Father, mother, my child is unfilial and cannot repay the kindness of my two elders for raising him!"

After kowtowing a few more times, Chen Yanyi stood up and said, "How can a person who is unfaithful and unfilial have the dignity to live in this world?"

Then he raised his sword across his neck and killed himself on the spot.

The chief bookkeeper and Dianshi looked at each other, both sighing. Then, carrying Chen Yanyi's body, he ordered the city to open to meet the rebels.

Fei Ruhe was still preparing to attack by force, but suddenly the city gate opened wide and a group of officials came out carrying the corpse of the magistrate.

"Master, Master!"

Suddenly, a house slave ran over, fell on Chen Yanyi and cried loudly.

This was also a loyal servant who would not leave even if he was allowed to go. Instead, he came to protect his master's body.

After Fei Ruhe understood what happened, he sighed and said, "Oh, loyal ministers and righteous servants are rare in this world. Burn this magistrate to ashes and let the servant take him back to Fujian for burial." Fei Ruhe said to the slave again He said, "You can also take away the items belonging to the county magistrate. I will write another letter. If you are detained by our army after arriving at Zhangshu Town, you can show the letter and let them go."

"Thank you, General, thank you, General!"

The domestic slave kowtows repeatedly. He does not know what it means to be loyal to the emperor and serve the country. He only knows how to be loyal to his master's family.

After staying in Xinyu County for two days, Fei Ruhe left 500 Anfu soldiers to guard the city, and then led the rest of the troops straight to Fenyi County.

The sweeping king is also rating Yixian!

Fenyi County is even more interesting. The county magistrate was killed by Zhao Han during the Chinese New Year. Now the county government does not even have a chief official.

However, all the officials and wealthy households in the city spontaneously spent money and sent people to defend the city, because the one who attacked the city was the King of Sweepers. Even the people in the city actively joined the army. It was really because of the bad reputation of the King of Sweepers that Yuanzhou's capital city was plundered by this guy for several days.

"Go and call the city again," the Sweeping King said angrily, "If you don't surrender, then after I enter the city, I will kill all the rich people in the city!"

A peasant soldier rushed to the city and just said a few words when an arrow suddenly shot out and landed two feet away from his feet.

Although Zhao Han took away Yuanzhou's elite, some of them inevitably escaped. Now there are more than ten archers guarding the city.

The Sweeper King felt restless. He occupied three counties, but Yuanzhou Fucheng (Yichun County), Pingxiang County, and Yongxin County were all easily occupied by stealing the city. This was the first time that he, a great rebel, had seriously attacked the city. After half a month of siege, he was completely unable to conquer the city.

"Your Majesty, officers and soldiers are coming!"

"What? Get the people back quickly and retreat to the camp to hold on!"

The Sweeping King had studied elementary school for two years. When Fei Ruhe's army approached, he immediately laughed: "Did you see that flag? The world is unified. Those are the soldiers of Brother Zhao in Luling. Don't be afraid, we are our own people."

This fellow took a boat to meet him in person, shouting from a distance on the river: "I am the sweeper king of Pingxiang, is Brother Zhao from Luling here?"

After Fei Ruhe got the news, he also went out of the cabin and stood on the bow of the ship and shouted: "I am Zhao Yaonian."

"It turns out that Brother Zhao is in front of you," the Sweeping King said flatteringly. "I have heard about Brother Zhao's reputation in Pingxiang for a long time. How about we become sworn brothers?"

In the King of Sweepers, Zhao Han is the eldest brother Zhao, and Fei Ruhe is the second brother Zhao.

Fei Ruhe said angrily: "Let's talk about the sworn vows later. My main town has taken a liking to Fenyi County. You must withdraw your troops quickly and let me attack the city."

Of course, the sweeping king was not happy and said: "Fenyi County is the territory of Yuanzhou Prefecture. Since I have occupied Yuanzhou Prefecture, it is my turn to occupy Fenyi County. If Brother Zhao wants the territory, he can go and occupy Linjiang Several counties in the prefecture have been occupied. We are all rebels, so we must abide by the rules and don't hurt the harmony among our own families."

Fei Ruhe sneered: "According to your statement, Yongxin County is under the jurisdiction of Ji'an Prefecture, then hand over the territory of Yongxin County!"

"Uh..." The sweeping king was suddenly speechless.

Suddenly, a government official descended from the city in a basket and rushed to the riverside shouting: "General Zhao, I am Li Er from the Fenyi County government office. We met during the Chinese New Year. General Zhao, please enter the city quickly and don't let that person go." The Pingxiang thieves took the city!"

The Sweeper King was furious when he heard this: "Damn it, I'm attacking the city, so you guys have to hold tight. This second brother Zhao is here, and you surrender before the fight begins. Are you looking down on me, Liu...Sweeping King!"

The yamen servant angrily said: "You are killing innocent people indiscriminately. You broke into Yuanzhou Mansion two months ago and killed all the big families in the city. You also robbed ordinary people and harmed many women from good families. You just risked your life." Life, I, Li Er, will fight with you to the end!"

"I'm so angry, hurry up and sail over!" The Sweeping King felt deeply insulted.

The yamen servant was so frightened that he turned around and ran away, sitting on the basket and returning to the tower.

Fei Ruhe couldn't help but laugh and said: "Haha, this is what the people want. Wu Na, the sweeping king, quickly withdraw your troops and give up the county seat."

The Sweeping King shouted: "I came here first, and things must be done on a first-come, first-served basis."

"Ashore." Fei Ruhe was too lazy to say more.

Three thousand five hundred soldiers landed at the dock outside the city, and then swaggered across from the city.

This was within the range of the city's archers, but the city's defenders did not fire an arrow. They regarded Fei Ruhe as one of their own, and the rebels under King Sweeper were the real mortal enemies.

King Sweeper came with more than 6,000 troops, nearly twice as many as Fei Ruhe.

The two sides lined up to fight outside the city, and the winner seemed to have been decided before the fight even started.

On Fei Ruhe's side, the military looks majestic and the formation is neat. Facing twice as many enemies, he showed no cowardice and did not take the enemy troops seriously.

The Sweeping King's side is composed of several groups of rebels, large and small, and the Sweeping King is only the nominal leader. He controlled three counties alone, which made his rebel leaders very unhappy. The purpose of attacking Fenyi County this time was to expand the territory and distribute it to his tribe.

It was clear that the number of troops was twice that of Fei Ruhe, but before the formation was completed, the morale of the troops was already weakening.

Firstly, Luling Zhao Yan's reputation was too great, which caused huge psychological pressure on the rebels; secondly, Fei Ruhe's army was powerful, and even their weapons were far superior to those of the rebels.

Not to mention regular soldiers, even Zhao Han's peasant soldiers had their bamboo spears equipped with iron spearheads, and some of the Sweeping King's soldiers still held hoes.

After Fei Ruhe gave the order, the ordering soldiers immediately waved the order flag.

Except for the five hundred Chinese soldiers who were advancing slowly, the remaining three thousand soldiers were all marching forward.

The wolf soldiers clear the way, the rattan players cover, and the pike soldiers are ready to attack.

Only halfway through, with the two sides still dozens of steps away, a group of rebels suddenly collapsed. But he was a rebel leader, and he took more than a thousand soldiers under his command and ran away without even asking for the food, grass and baggage in the military camp.

"Run quickly, Zhao Tianwang's soldiers are coming!"

Luling Zhao Tianwang is the bandit name given to Zhao Han by the surrounding rebels.

I saw the rebels collapsing one after another, and even the soldiers from the Sweeping King's headquarters kept running away.

The Sweeping King roared: "Come back, I haven't been beaten yet, it's not too late to run away after I've been beaten!"

There were also some rebels who, after running far north, knelt on the ground and surrendered one after another. They were local farmers in Fenyi County. They were coerced by the King of Sweepers to attack the city. Although they killed the landlord, ordinary rebels could not divide the land. They had to be Laoying (veteran rebels) to divide the land.

"Damn it, I'm running away too!"

The sweeping king was so angry that he stamped his feet and fled quickly with his troops.

"good!"

"Long live General Zhao!"

The defenders of Fenyi County cheered in unison and regarded Fei Ruhe as their patron saint.

Fei Ruhe led his troops in pursuit for a while, but was too lazy to pursue him any more. When he returned outside the city, the gates of Fenyi County were already wide open.

No matter they were officials or wealthy people, they all wanted Fei Ruhe to stay, otherwise the sweeping king would definitely come back.

Fei Ruhe led his soldiers into the city and muttered: "If you do this, I will forget that I am a rebel."