Chapter 177: The Chuang King Li Zicheng (Silver Alliance Leader Warm Sun 1314 Extra Chapter)

Chongzhen Spacetime, Jing City, Zhou Mansion.

The original master, Zhou Guozhang, had already been sent off to accompany his son-in-law after enduring three full days and nights of Kang Xiang.

The new master, Marshal Lin, was currently eating.

"I hear you are skilled in dance?"

Lin Dao, shoveling food with his bowl and chopsticks, asked casually, "Can you do the squat dance?"

Gu Heng Bo, who was serving the meal, shook her head in reply, "Never heard of it."

Setting down his bowl and chopsticks, Lin Dao took out his phone, pulled up a video, and showed it to her.

Gazing at the slender figure on the screen half-squatting before a table, swaying to and fro, Gu Heng Bo's pretty face flushed slightly red.

She was of Ming Qi origin, but Ming Qi valued qin, chess, calligraphy, painting, singing, and instrumental performance.

Such a thing as entertaining with beauty, they would absolutely never do.

Only

Sighing softly in her heart, Gu Heng Bo spoke lightly, "This dance is not difficult, only Concubine needs time to make dance attire."

Lin Dao, having picked up his bowl and chopsticks again, appeared slightly surprised, "You still know how to make clothes?"

"Concubine is a daughter's family, so naturally understands women's work."

Women's work is women's labor — needle and thread, spinning and weaving, embroidery and sewing.

In the Ancient world there were no ready-made clothing shops, unless one went to a pawnshop to seek clothes pawned to death.

Daily wear was all stitched out stitch by stitch by women.

"Fine."

Lin Dao wolfed down his rice, speech muffled, "As fast as possible, in a few days I must send troops."

The Guan Ning Army had already departed, recovering lost territory all the way along the Liaoxi Corridor, heading straight for Shen Yang Cheng.

Liu San Dao's side had already pacified Xuan Da Shanxi and other areas; next only the bandits in Shaanxi remained.

Two days later, Lin Dao, who would depart on the expedition tomorrow, finally got to appreciate the Great Ming version of the squat dance.

Gu Heng Bo, possessing a dance foundation, performed it effortlessly.

Specially made dance attire, moving dance posture, charming smile.

Without a doubt, Lin Dao passed a wonderful night.

"I have already arranged manpower."

The next morning, while dressing under Gu Heng Bo's service, Lin Dao instructed, "Send you to Jinling City."

"Li Xiangjun, Dong Xiaowan, they are all your acquaintances, no need to worry."

"Yes." Gu Heng Bo lowered her head, tidying Lin Dao's clothes.

Reaching out, pinching her chin and lifting her pretty face, Lin Dao asked, "Why always so gloomy and unhappy?"

"Concubine has no..."

"Speak the truth!"

"Concubine merely has a wretched fate, originally thought I had found a haven."

"Never expected, in the end I am still treated as an object and bestowed away."

Lin Dao smiled, "That is you meeting an unworthy person."

"Gong Dingzi and them, in the next two days they will go to West Market Execution Ground; do you want to go see them off?"

Gu Heng Bo's beautiful eyes revealed a trace of hatred, "I originally gave my heart to the bright moon — never expected to encounter such trash!"

"See them off? He is not worthy!"

Worthy of one with Chivalrous Spirit, Gu Heng Bo — gratifying vengeance, never hesitating or affected.

"Good."

Lin Dao laughed loudly, "Not seeing them off, you can also find a wine house, watch him go on his way, vent the silt accumulated in your heart."

Two days later, Gu Heng Bo, wearing a Confucian Robe, arrived at the second floor of a wine house near West Market Execution Ground.

Sitting by the window, holding a wine cup.

Batch after batch, former dynasty meritorious nobles and civil and military officials wearing prison garb were dragged onto the execution platform and dealt with.

The surrounding Jing City commoners spectating the bustle burst into warm cheers from time to time.

When she saw Gong Dingzi, fearful and stumbling, dragged onto the execution platform, the hand holding the wine cup exerted force and gripped tight, her beautiful eyes full of hatred.

This man had betrayed her expectations.

He handed her over like goods, attempting to save his life thereby.

Now seeing this vile person reduced to this, Gu Heng Bo's heart held only endless satisfaction.

"Deserved!"

The huge official ship heading south to Jinling City sailed on the Grand Canal.

Gu Heng Bo, looking forward in her heart to reuniting with Li Xiangjun, Dong Xiaowan and the others, in high spirits came to the deck to play the qin.

A piece ended, and cheers sounded from behind.

Turning to look, she saw a young girl dressed in official attire, smiling and nodding at her.

Gu Heng Bo thought this was a beauty Lin Dao had collected in Jing City, thinking they would afterwards share the same roof, she actively rose and went forward to greet her.

"May I ask who younger sister is?"

The girl's bright eyes moved slightly; she curtsied in return.

"Zhu Meichuo."

The family members left behind by the Chongzhen Emperor, naturally could not be left in Jing City.

These people all carry strong identity implications; once utilized by someone with ulterior motives, they would cause unnecessary trouble.

Of course, the Chongzhen Emperor's several sons are not included in this.

Shaanxi, Xi'an City.

"Chuang King." Liu Zongmin, like an iron tower, entered the room. "The rebel army has been completely wiped out."

"I didn't want this either." Li Zicheng closed his eyes and shook his head. "We are brothers who have eaten meat and drunk wine together; who would have thought there would come a day when we'd face each other with weapons, sigh~~~"

"Chuang King need not be like this." Niu Jinxing at the side spoke to comfort him. "It's Cao Cao, Ge Li, they don't know what's good for them."

"The realm is about to be settled, yet they still think of establishing their own separate power bases, acting against the trend."

"Chuang King disposing of them is in accord with the people's hearts."

Song Xiance and the others all spoke up to advise and comfort, expressing that the Chuang King did right.

For those who do not obey orders, they should be severely punished.

"Sigh~~~"

Li Zicheng opened his eyes. "After all, we were brothers once; give them a thick burial."

"Received the order~~~"

After attacking Kaifeng, Li Zicheng went south to Xiangyang and proclaimed himself the New Shun King.

Upon learning the Eight Great Kings were destroyed by Lin Dao, he dared not go south and instead turned north, fighting a bloody battle with Sun Chuanting who came out of Tongguan.

After winning a great victory in the field battle, he captured Tongguan, killed Sun Chuanting, and seized all of Shaanxi.

He intended to establish a true regime, wanting to absorb and merge Luo Rucai and the Ge Zuo Five Camps who fought alongside him.

Luo Rucai and the others, having been wandering bandits for many years and long since grown wild, were unwilling to be annexed.

Luo Rucai and them attempted to divide their forces, wanting to take away their respective troops and horses.

But to Li Zicheng, these veteran soldiers had long been regarded as things in his pocket; how could he possibly agree?

The result was Li Zicheng launched an attack, killed Luo Rucai and the others who had the nickname Cao Cao, and seized their troops and horses.

From then on, the Li Chuang Regime reached its peak.

"Chuang King."

Niu Jinxing spoke again. "Now Heaven's Mandate, terrain advantage, and human unity are all present; we ministers request you establish the capital and proclaim yourself King!"

Liu Zongmin and the others all spoke up in agreement.

Only Song Xiance expressed doubt. "Chuang King, Lin Dao is already leading a great army to kill over; as for establishing the capital and proclaiming King, should we wait a bit?"

"How absurd these words are!"

Niu Jinxing immediately scolded. "Precisely because the bandit Lin has come to kill, the Chuang King should all the more establish the capital and proclaim King, to rally military hearts and civilian hearts, only then can we unite as one and defeat the bandit Lin!"

To put it bluntly, those in high positions at certain times are also forced by circumstances to act.

Just like now, almost everyone proposed establishing the capital and proclaiming King.

The fundamental reason still lies in that they want to advance too badly.

After all, only when the Chuang King proclaims King and establishes a regime can they achieve merit and fame and rise to high position.

It concerns everyone's welfare; no one can stop it.

"Since it is so."

Li Zicheng stood up. "Then we'll do as the Chancellor says."

When Lin Dao's great army entered the Central Plains, Li Zicheng formally proclaimed himself King in Xi'an, established the capital in Xi'an and established a regime.

From then on, he transformed from wandering bandits into a formal nation.

All the civil and military officials under his command received titles and rewards.

Afterwards he gathered a great army at Tongguan, waiting for the decisive battle with Lin Dao.

"Hold Tongguan?"

In the military camp outside Luoyang City, Lin Dao learned the news that Li Zicheng did not come out of the pass to meet in battle, and also laughed. "Can it be held?"

Tongguan in ancient times was indeed a natural fortress.

But the present is not the same as the past.

This era has firearms, has cannons.

No matter how sturdy the city walls, they cannot block the fierce shelling of firearms.

"Since you want a decisive battle at Tongguan, then let's fight."

Several days later, the Righteous Army vanguard arrived before Tongguan.

The news sent back was that the Shun Army deployed in formation relying on the mountains before the pass, built fortified camps and garrisoned.

The Righteous Army's various departments arrived one after another, the two sides forming a standoff.

"Chuang King."

Inside Tongguan, Liu Fangliang, enfeoffed as Magnetic Marquis, voluntarily requested to go. "Let me take the brothers to night raid."

Li Zicheng looked at Song Xiance.

Compared to Niu Jinxing who focused on political affairs, Song Xiance who was more proficient in military matters was Li Zicheng's strategist. "Trying is also fine."

That night, Liu Fangliang led over a thousand veteran soldiers, sneaked out of the camp in the dark, and rushed straight for the Righteous Army camp seven or eight miles away.

"These southern barbarians are really useless."

Liu Fangliang, whose journey had been smooth all the way, sneered in his heart. "They don't even have a single hidden sentry or prone sentry."

"How did the Eight Great Kings lose to these southern barbarians?"

He had night-raided all this way yet had not seen the Righteous Army's ambush sentries, and instantly a contemptuous heart arose.

What Liu Fangliang didn't know was that just a mile away in a patch of grass, sentries holding thermal imaging devices observing had already reported their movements back to camp via walkie-talkies.

*Clang-clang-clang~~~*

The Shun Army attempting to climb over the iron wire net triggered the iron wire net.

As it swayed, the various canned food tins hanging on the iron wire net made a crisp sound.

The next moment, many torches lit up in the rebel camp not far away.

Before Liu Fangliang could order a retreat, several searchlights lit up one after another in the rebel camp.

The snow-white light swept over, making it hard for the Shun Army veterans to open their eyes.

The booming sound of firelocks rang out, and the Shun Army soldiers coming for the night raid were knocked down in rows.

"Get down, everyone get down!"

Liu Fangliang, with his eyes closed, threw himself to the ground and shouted, "Run back!"

The gates of Da Men opened, and a large batch of rebel cavalry holding flashlights charged out.

They passed through the iron wire net and moat via the specially left passage, rushed into the Shun Army soldiers coming for the night raid, and slaughtered them at will.

Liu Fangliang stomped his foot in anger, but there was nothing he could do.

The night raid was discovered, and they were even chased by cavalry; they truly couldn't even run away.

Fortunately, having been a bandit for many years and not wiped out by the official army, he had his own Survival Way.

Without hesitation, he found a pit and threw himself into it, then covered himself with grass, branches, and dirt.

As long as the rebel soldiers around dispersed a bit, he could quietly escape.

He had used this trick many times before.

But this time was different.

When the Auxiliary Soldiers came to clean the battlefield, the rebel soldiers following them held Thermal Imaging Devices.

Those Shun Army veterans feigning death were found one by one.

Liu Fangliang, hiding in the pit, heard the dense footsteps around him, but he dared not move and could only continue feigning death.

Then~~~

The beam of the flashlight suddenly fell on him.

More than ten long spears stabbed down one after another!

Liu Fangliang never understood how he was discovered until he died.

They didn't even search; they just came up and stabbed him to death with a barrage of spears.

He naturally wouldn't understand what technology was.

Over a thousand Shun Army veterans who came to sneak attack were almost totally annihilated.

This news dealt a heavy blow to the morale of the Shun Army.

The opposite side seemed terrifyingly strong.

End of Chapter