The end of the Ming Dynasty swept the world

Chapter 374 Little Whirlwind

In July of the seventh year of Apocalypse (1627), the Wang Er uprising broke out due to famine in Guanzhong and Weibei, Shaanxi, which opened the prelude to the peasant uprising in the late Ming Dynasty. The local hungry people responded.

After Wang Jiayin's uprising, leaders such as Gao Yingxiang, Wang Ziyong, and Zhang Xianzhong responded one after another. For a while, the flames of war ignited all over Shaanxi, and spread to Shanxi, Ningxia, and Gansu provinces. The uprising team grew to more than 2 people.

In May of the fourth year of Chongzhen, Wang Jiayin's troops advanced to Qinshui and Yangcheng in southeast Shanxi.Although the Ming court sent the mighty general Cao Wenzhao to follow and pursue them, they could not win because of "there are too many thieves".

Cao Wenzhao saw that he could not defeat the peasant army, so he resorted to other means. One of his soldiers was Zhang Liwei, whose sister was Wang Jiayin's wife, so Cao asked Zhang Liwei to act as an internal response and sent him to Wang Jiayin.

Wang Jiayin didn't take too much precautions, and appointed Zhang Liwei as the front account commander.

On the second day of June, after Wang Jiayin fell asleep drunk, Zhang Liwei and Wang Jiayin's men sneaked into Wang Jiayin's tent and stabbed him to death.

After Wang Jiayin's death, Wang Ziyong was promoted by the rebel army as the leader of the alliance, numbered 36 Battalion, with a population of 20. This 36 Battalion basically included all the major peasant army giants later: Gao Yingxiang, Li Zicheng, Zhang Xianzhong, Luo Rucai, He Yilong and so on.

Not long after, Zhang Xianzhong and Luo Rucai formed an army alone and separated from him first.

Wang Ziyong led his troops to be active in northern Henan first, and then entered Shanxi and other places. In the sixth year of Chongzhen (1633), he returned to northern Henan. Afterwards, he was injured in the battle with the Ming army in Wu'an. Jiyuan.

At the end of May, somewhere in Jiyuan, several battalions of peasant troops gathered here.

In the big tent of the Chinese army, Gao Yingxiang, Li Zicheng, Laohuihui, Huntianwang, Chuangshatian, Ge Liyan and others are all there, as well as Sweeper King, Xing Honglang, Heisha God, Chaotic King, Man Tianxing, Li Jin Wang and other battalion leaders.

Eighty percent of the 36th Battalion is there.

Everyone's faces were solemn, and the atmosphere in the big tent was dull.

Because the leader Wang's own injuries are getting worse and worse, it seems that he will die soon.

Everyone went to see Wang Ziyong just now, and hoped that Wang Ziyong could say something before he died, such as pointing out a successor or something, someone could justifiably be the leader of the alliance, but it is a pity that Wang Ziyong can't even speak now. There is only breath out, but no breath in. Whether you can survive tonight is a question.

It doesn't matter if Wang Ziyong is dead, what about such a large peasant army?
What about the brothers of the 36th Battalion?
Previously, Zhang Xianzhong and Luo Rucai formed their own battalion, which had already separated the brothers. Recently, Lao Huihui and Hun Tianwang also wanted to work alone, and they also wanted to work separately.

When Wang Ziyong was around, his prestige was able to hold the brothers back. Once Wang Ziyong died, I was afraid that the leaders of the camp would soon part ways.

"Everyone said that the officers and soldiers are coming soon, so we can't just wait." Gao Yingxiang's eyes flickered, and he spoke first.

Among this group of people, he was the first to respond to the king's own use, and he also had the most soldiers and horses under him. If you want to say that the person here who can succeed as the leader of the alliance is of course Gao Yingxiang.

It's just that he still wants to save face, and he can't let him say this by himself.

However, many people in this camp do not accept him, so right now, he can only raise a topic before reading.

Seeing Gao Yingxiang speak, all the generals were silent, they were all watching each other.

Standing behind Gao Yingxiang was a young man, Li Zicheng who was known as the "breakthrough general".

Li Zicheng used to be a postman of the imperial court, and was laid off because of the imperial court's saving of expenses. After returning home from unemployment, he was sued by the creditor to the county government because he couldn't pay the debt in his hometown. He killed the creditor in a fit of anger, and then found out that his wife had committed adultery He killed his wife again, and then took his nephew Li Guo to join the army in Ganzhou.

At that time, Yang Zhaoji served as the general of Ganzhou, and Wang Guo served as a general. Li Zicheng was soon promoted by Wang Guo to the general of the army.

Not long after, the Jin soldiers went south in a big way, and the capital was tight.In order to keep Beijing, the imperial court urgently dispatched troops from all directions to defend Beijing.Li Zicheng's troops marched to the capital with the Kingdom of the General, passing through Jin County (now Yuzhong, Gansu). The soldiers demanded payment, but the Kingdom of the General refused to pay, so the soldiers launched a mutiny in Yuzhong.

After Li Zicheng's incident, he first joined Wang Guizuo's peasant army, then he joined Buyuni, and finally went to Shanxi to join his uncle Gao Yingxiang.

In the current situation, Li Zicheng is very anxious, and really wants to come out and shout, my uncle Gao Yingxiang can be the leader of the alliance.

But he just voted for Gao Yingxiang this year. In terms of identity and qualifications, the one in the account is no better than Li Zicheng.

If he wants to call out first, it will only make people laugh and overwhelm themselves.

So he kept winking at his uncle Gao Yingxiang, but Gao himself was embarrassed to say, how could he say this?
In the history of the change of dynasties, the person who becomes the emperor, whoever speaks by himself, is the one who speaks, and he has to decline three times.

Even the emperor couldn't speak, so how could this little leader have the nerve to speak?
If Gao didn't say it, Li couldn't say it, and the other generals didn't know, the atmosphere in the camp suddenly became a little funny.

Just when everyone was silent and Gao Yingxiang was very annoyed and embarrassed, Li Zicheng finally couldn't help it. He fought hard. As soon as he gritted his teeth, he wanted to speak.

"Let me speak to be fair." Suddenly someone in the tent shouted.

Swipe, and all the eyes on the scene looked over.

Most of the 36 battalion did not know this man, and a few knew him.

Gao Yingxiang stared at this person, and quickly remembered that this person, nicknamed Little Xuanfeng, had just joined the Rebel Army half a year ago.

Wang Ziyong, who just voted for it, has been fighting with everyone for half a year. He is very brave and has killed countless officers and soldiers. He calls himself 'Little Xuanfeng'.

"Wang Weiguo, do you have the right to speak here? How long have you been here?" Sure enough, as soon as Little Whirlwind Wang Weiguo opened his mouth, Old Hui Hui took the lead in shouting angrily.

Li Zicheng's face turned red immediately, if he had spoken first just now, he would have been the one who got sprayed.

The old man was about to spray again.

Gao Yingxiang hurriedly said: "We are all brothers, so we can say whatever we want. Are we the officers and soldiers? Can't the officers and juniors even speak?"

The leaders were speechless for a moment.

Wang Weiguo said in a deep voice: "The situation is urgent now, we can no longer hesitate, we should push for another leader, lead everyone to guide the direction, and break out of the encirclement."

"I'm just speaking to be fair. The overall situation is the most important thing. It's important to stabilize the morale of the army and unite brothers. But we must not compete with each other and hurt the brotherhood."

Everyone looked at each other in blank dismay, and soon someone in the crowd said: "Then who should be promoted as the leader?"

Wang Weiguo immediately said, "Of course it's King Chuang."

Gao Yingxiang was ecstatic in his heart, and shook his head repeatedly on the surface: "Impossible, in terms of qualifications and skills, Lao Huihui, Ge Liyan and others are all my big brothers."

Lao Huihui and Ge Liyan also looked embarrassed. They are definitely not as good as Gao Yingxiang in terms of qualifications. Of course, it is hard to say in terms of ability.

"Snakes can't do without a head, and soldiers can't fight without a leader. Please don't refuse, King Chuang." Wang Weiguo suddenly knelt down on one knee and begged loudly.

"Impossible, what can I do." Gao Yingxiang pushed for the second time.

"I respectfully invite King Chuang to be the leader of the alliance." Li Zicheng shouted and bowed at the same time.

At this time, many people in the crowd began to bow down.

Some old brothers from the 36th Battalion looked around and began to bow down one after another.

"Brothers, hurry up, please get up, what is this for, don't force me--" Gao Yingxiang pushed three times.

At this time, Lao Huihui, Ge Liyan, Hun Tianlong and the others looked at each other, they looked at each other, and clasped their fists helplessly: "Please also ask King Chuang to be the leader of the alliance."

"Hey, such a heavy burden, I really--I am ashamed to accept it--" Gao Yingxiang laughed.

Afterwards, Gao Yingxiang summoned Wang Weiguo, Xiaoxuanfeng, and learned that he belonged to Kong Youde's tribe in Shandong. Kong Youde rebelled against Daming and fled to Houjin. , he naturally wanted to find another backer.

Gao Yingxiang was overjoyed, and since then relied on him as his confidant and reused him.

(End of this chapter)