Tibet

Li Ye pointed to the junction of Sizhou and Xuzhou with a wooden pole and said to Ma Lin: "This is the northern part of Haozhou across the Huaihe River, very close to Zhongli County. Wang Zhongsheng's army is currently in Zhongli County, and it is also Li Xilie's target.

You don't need to be in a hurry to cross the Huaihe River, and don't be in a hurry to show up. When Li Xilie quickly retreats towards Hefei, you can cross the Huaihe River again and capture Zhongli County. At this time, Nan Jiyun should also have entered the southeast of Haozhou. "

Ma Lin bowed and asked for instructions: "I would like to transfer Caozhou's 20,000 troops here. I beg your Highness to agree!"

Li Ye pondered for a moment, Ma Lin was facing a head-on battle, and the 30,000 troops were indeed a little less. He immediately said to Xi Wanli: "Give Zhang Boyi's 20,000 troops to General Ma, and I will take care of you here!"

"I humbly obey my orders!"

Ma Lin took a reassurance and said quickly: "I will definitely cooperate with the troops to trap Li Xilie to death in Haozhou!"

Li Ye immediately sent Zhang Dian to lead a thousand scouts to the city. Since Zhang Luanzi promised to arrange for a thousand people to enter the city, he would be given a chance to make meritorious deeds.

Li Ye sent an envoy eight hundred miles away to Xiangyang in a hurry, and ordered Lai Ai to immediately lead an army of 30,000 to Hefei.

On the morning of the next day, Xi Wanli led 30,000 cavalry and galloped towards Feishui, thus starting the campaign to encircle and suppress Li Xilie.

On the same day that Xi Wanli set out, Li Xilie also led 30,000 troops into Haozhou to meet Wang Zhongsheng, the fat sheep.

After Wang Zhongsheng was defeated by Xi Wanli in Luyi County, Bozhou, he led thousands of remaining troops to flee back to his hometown in Xuzhou, where his younger son Wang Qinian led an army of 10,000.

But Xi Wanli did not let him go and continued to attack, defeating Wang Qinian's army in two battles in Xiao County and Pengcheng. Wang Qinian was beheaded by Xi Wanli.

Wang Zhongsheng also knew that Xuzhou could not be defended, so he took his eldest son Wang Ying and led 8,000 troops and 300 cargo ships to retreat to Sizhou.

Inside the three hundred cargo ships was naturally the wealth that Wang Zhongsheng had accumulated over the years, mainly consisting of silver and copper coins, about one million taels of silver and three million taels of copper coins.

Wang Zhongsheng also knew that he had no choice but to go to Li Xilie, and one million taels of gold was the wealth he planned to use to bribe Li Xilie.

The team marched along the south bank of the Huaihe River. With the Huaihe River as its support, they did not have to worry about Xi Wanli's cavalry coming over.

In fact, they didn't know that after Xi Wanli learned that they entered Haozhou, he led his army to Ruyin County.

"Father, everyone says that Li Xilie is cruel. It feels a little inappropriate for us to go to him!" The eldest son Wang Ying whispered to his father Wang Zhongsheng.

Wang Zhongsheng waved his hand, "Li Xilie is a tyrant. A tyrant treats the people as trivial. His cruelty is reflected in his rule over the people. But if he wants to form an alliance with Li Zhengyi, Tian Chengsi and others, he must follow the rules.

It is a rule to treat allies well. You see, he did not kill Huangfu Qian, but appointed Huangfu Qian as the governor of Lujiang. This is where he follows the rules. After he kills his allies, who will dare to form an alliance with him in the future? "

Wang Ying sighed and said: "I'm just afraid that he will be greedy and take our money, but he is still not satisfied and wants to steal our money!"

"If he wants to rob it, just rob it! We still have a lot of real estate and land in Xuzhou, which is enough to keep our family wealthy for several generations."

Not far behind them, King Li Tan of Shu also followed the team. He was actually very reluctant, but he could not help himself. There was no bodyguard around him, and more than a dozen soldiers arranged by Wang Zhongsheng were watching his every move. .

This can only be said that he brought it upon himself. He gave up Lai Yi's protection and could only become a piece of fish on someone else's chopping board.

Among the three kings, only King Yun, Li Rong, was lucky. He met Guo Ziyi and was taken back to Chang'an. Empress Dowager Zhang renamed him Prince of Jiyin and reunited with his family, becoming an idle king.

Two days later, the team arrived at Zhongli County. Wang Zhongsheng ordered the army to rest and wait for the arrival of Li Xilie's relief army. According to his negotiation with Zhang Luanzi, Li Xilie would send an army of 10,000 people and thousands of carts to Zhongli County to take them to Hefei. .

According to the agreement between the two parties, Li Xilie settled them in Shuzhou on the bank of the Yangtze River. It was a rich land with fertile land, dense water networks, and a large population. Wang Zhongsheng was full of expectations.

At night, an army of Li Xilie arrived in Zhongli County. A soldier informed Wang Zhongsheng that the supporting army had arrived. General Dong Daiming invited him to discuss the retreat.

Wang Zhongsheng immediately took his son Wang Ying and 300 confidant cavalry to the Huaixi Army camp.

The night was very dark, with only a large tent lit up in the distance. People were walking with torches in their hands. It felt like there were resting soldiers on both sides of the official road. I don't know how many people there were?

A flag officer came forward and said: "The main force of the Guanlong Army has been discovered on the north bank of the Huaihe River. We cannot stay here for a long time and must retreat overnight!"

Wang Zhongsheng had no doubts and came to the big tent. He turned back to his son and said, "Take your brothers and wait for me here. I will come out right away!"

Wang Zhongsheng lifted the curtain and walked into the big tent, but there was no one inside. When he was wondering, he suddenly heard a bang, 'Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! ’

Wang Zhongsheng was shocked and turned around to run away, but it was too late. Thousands of arrows were fired from all around.

Wang Zhongsheng and his son and their three hundred soldiers were shot like hedgehogs and died on the spot.

The flag officer leading them jumped into a large hole dug in advance at the same time as the bang sounded, and escaped the deadly rain of arrows.

Li Xilie's 30,000 troops immediately surrounded the 8,000 troops. Several generals had no choice but to surrender. The King of Shu, Li Tan, did not escape and was caught in front of Li Xilie by several soldiers.

"Are you the prince who traveled thousands of miles to find a wet nurse?" Li Xilie said sarcastically.

The generals around laughed, and Li Tan's face turned pale. He was ashamed, annoyed and afraid, so he had to lower his head and say nothing.

Li Xilie hit Li Tan on the head with a riding crop and said coldly: "Be more honest in front of me from now on. Maybe I will make you emperor, and then I will be my father-in-law and supervise the country!"

Li Xilie immediately ordered the killing of pigs and sheep to reward the three armies, and then allowed the soldiers to go to Zhongli County to find a place to stay. This was actually allowing the soldiers to enter the city and plunder.

There was a cry in the county. During the epidemic last year, Zhongli County was the outbreak site. Tens of thousands of people died and ran away. In the end, only a few thousand people were left. But even these few thousand people were killed by the army. The devastation was horrific.

This is where Li Xilie became infamous. No ruler would attack the people under his jurisdiction.

Generals such as Tian Chengsi and Li Baochen, who were murderous and aggressive, immediately restrained military discipline after getting their own territory, and soldiers were not allowed to disturb the people, let alone looting, burning, killing and raping.

The people in your own family are always more cherished.

But Li Xilie couldn't do it. He was cruel by nature and regarded the people as trivial. He made life in the area under his jurisdiction miserable. The Huaixi Army was also infamous, making other warlords look down on him.

Li Xilie is also destined to not have a good end.

It was getting daylight, and Zhongli County became quiet. They were killing, raping, and robbing. The soldiers were exhausted and fell asleep one after another.

At this moment, the rapid sound of horse hooves was heard in the distance, and a messenger troop rushed towards Zhongli County, rushed into the county seat, and soon arrived at the county government office.

Li Xilie also slept with two women in his arms in the county government office. One was Wang Zhongsheng's concubine and the other was Wang Ying's wife.

The soldiers ran into the room and reported at the door: "Your Majesty, there is an urgent military situation!"

"What military situation?" Li Xilie asked in a daze.

"About 20,000 Guanlong cavalry came down from Shouchun and cut off our retreat."

Li Xilie was shocked. He sat up and shouted, "Get me dressed!"

The two women were so frightened that they put on clothes for him tremblingly, but they did not know how to wear armor. Li Xilie was so heartbroken that he pushed the two men away and went out with the armor.

The two women quickly put on their clothes and found a place to hide.

Li Xilie immediately ordered, "Beat the drums and gather the troops!"

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Fierce drums beat outside the city, and 30,000 troops got up and ran towards the outside of the city.

Li Xilie's Huaixi army was very brutal, but also very powerful and well-trained. Soon all 30,000 troops arrived, including the newly recruited 8,000 troops of Wang Zhongsheng.

Originally, Li Xilie was planning to break up all the 8,000 troops and organize them into his own army, but now he was too late.

Guan Long's army marched into Shouzhou, which meant that Li Ye had taken action against him, and he must withdraw to Hefei immediately.

More than a thousand carts were loaded with Wang Zhongsheng's million silver and three million copper coins, and followed the army toward Luzhou.