Gou was a member of the imperial family in the late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 587 Conspiracy
Two days later, Gao Yingxiang ordered his troops to continue advancing eastward and directly attack Huaiqing. The Ming army in Huaiqing was immediately terrified and quickly dispatched troops to stop them, while at the same time asking for help from Zuo Liangyu who was in Zhangde.

However, the Ming army did not expect that Gao Yingxiang's goal was not to capture Huaiqing, but to use Huaiqing to attack Zhangde in the north. Gao Yingxiang was also good at using troops. He sent a part of his forces to pretend to capture Huaiqing Prefecture, but in fact the main force went from the north and headed straight for Zhangde.

When Zuo Liangyu received a request for help from Huaiqing, he led his troops from Zhangde without thinking. Just as his troops had just crossed the Qi River, the main force of Gao Yingxiang, who had arrived earlier, suddenly appeared out of nowhere and caught him off guard.

Zuo Liangyu was shocked and quickly commanded his troops to fight hastily. Although his troops were much stronger than Gao Yingxiang's, their number was small, only 2,800 people.

Facing the sudden appearance of tens of thousands of rebel troops led by Gao Yingxiang, Zuo Liangyu was totally unprepared. Moreover, Zuo Liangyu, who had just crossed the Qi River, had no time to react. Soon after the battle began, he was broken through by the rebel troops who rushed over. Seeing that the situation was not right, Zuo Liangyu immediately led his men to break out and escape. Once Zuo Liangyu ran away, his troops had no idea of ​​resisting and were defeated. Nearly half of the 2,800 government troops were killed. Zuo Liangyu himself almost didn't get out. He finally ran to Qi County in one breath, and was still terrified until he entered the city.

After defeating Zuo Liangyu's main force, Gao Yingxiang did not continue to attack Qi County because his goal was not there but in Zhangde.

After seizing Zuo Liangyu's boat and crossing the Qi River, Gao Yingxiang's rebel army quickly captured Tangyin and Anyang, and temporarily rested. At the same time, they tried to contact Zhang Xianzhong's troops who followed Gao Yingxiang, ordering them to move north quickly, and after the two armies joined forces, they attacked northern Zhili.

The news that Gao Yingxiang defeated Zuo Liangyu and captured several cities in Zhangde soon reached the capital. Emperor Chongzhen was shocked when he heard the news. He never expected that Gao Yingxiang, who had been defeated in Sichuan before, suddenly fled to Henan, defeated Zuo Liangyu's troops, crossed the Qi River and occupied half of Zhangde.

The geographical location of Zhangde is very important. Henan is a place of strategic importance in the Central Plains, and Zhangde is located in the bulge in northern Henan. To the west of Zhangde is Shanxi, to the east and north are Northern Zhili and the capital, and continuing eastward can also go directly into Shandong. Now that Gao Yingxiang has taken Zhangde, it directly threatens the capital area of ​​the Ming Dynasty. How can Emperor Chongzhen tolerate this?

In order to ensure the safety of the capital, Emperor Chongzhen immediately ordered Lu Xiangsheng, the prefect of Daming and the military governor, to lead troops to block Gao Yingxiang's way to the north and east. There was no way out and Gao Yingxiang could not enter the northern Zhili area.

Daming Prefecture is just east of Zhangde. Although Lu Xiangsheng is a civil official, he was born in the Ministry of War and has a good understanding of military affairs. He is a capable official who is both civil and military, and he has also made military achievements in suppressing bandits. Now that Zuo Liangyu has just been defeated, Lu Xiangsheng is the closest to Gao Yingxiang. Who else can he use if not him?
In addition to issuing an order to Lu Xiangsheng to encircle Gao Yingxiang, Emperor Chongzhen also specially appointed Governor Chen Qiuyu to lead the troops from Shanxi, Shaanxi, Henan, Huguang, and Sichuan, to advance with Lu Xiangsheng by land and sea to surround and attack Gao Yingxiang from all sides.

For a time, the situation was turbulent and officers and soldiers from all over the place were urgently mobilized. Henan, especially Zhangde, became the focus. But at this time Gao Yingxiang was still waiting for Zhang Xianzhong in Anyang. He did not expect that the court would react so quickly.

Thirty miles south of Anyang is where Li Zicheng's rear army is located. Because they are at war, the main force of the rebels advanced very quickly after crossing the Qi River. However, the rebels are not as organized as the officers and soldiers. The command and marching of these mobs are very difficult, which caused some disconnection between the front and back of the rebels.

In order to quickly gather the rebel forces in the rear, Li Zicheng specially sent Gao Jie here. On the one hand, Gao Jie could gather and reorganize the troops in the rear, and on the other hand, it was also for logistical considerations. So not only Gao Jie, but also Li Zicheng's wife Xing Qiaoer was here.

Late at night, somewhere.

Gao Jie and Xing Qiaoer were in the same room.

Slightly different from Xing Qiaoer, Gao Jie, who had just entered the sage time, seemed a little worried, staring blankly at the beams.

"What's wrong with you? Are you feeling unwell?" Xing Qiaoer asked with concern, reaching out her hand to his forehead.

"I'm fine, I'm still strong." Gao Jie forced a smile and shook his head, "I'm just worried about what's going to happen next..."

"Are you talking about that living turtle?" Xing Qiaoer turned over, one hand around Gao Jie's neck, the other hand drawing circles on Gao Jie's chest: "What are you afraid of! Not to mention that he doesn't know anything about us, and these people are all our own. He and his men are in Anyang now, there is no way they would come here in the middle of the night."

"That's not it." Gao Jie sighed and said, "Of course he doesn't know about our relationship. Even if he does, I'm not afraid. We love each other very much. How can we compare to his forced marriage? Besides, it would be unfair for you to be with him. I will protect you no matter what, unless I die first."

"Good man..." Xing Qiao'er was very moved and hugged Gao Jie even tighter, pressing against his chest: "I am Xing Qiao'er, and I have not lived in vain to meet you in this life. Please don't talk about life and death. If anything happens to you, I can't live alone."

"I know, I know..." Gao Jie patted Xing Qiao'er with relief and continued, "I'm not only worried about Li Zicheng, but also the current situation of the rebel army. This time, the rebel leader was too risky and actually set such a route. Although he defeated Zuo Liangyu first and captured Tangyin and Anyang, it seems that the future is bright, but in fact it is already full of crises."

"What do you mean?" Xing Qiao'er was smart, but she didn't know much about military affairs. The morale of the rebels was high these days, and everyone admired Gao Yingxiang's plan. In a few days, when Zhang Xianzhong's troops arrived, Gao Yingxiang would join forces with him and continue to march directly, and then march to northern Zhili to attack the capital. In this situation, everyone was full of confidence, but Gao Jie had a different opinion and seemed to be worried, which made Xing Qiao'er a little confused.

Hearing Xing Qiaoer's question, Gao Jie did not hide it from her and immediately told her his concerns in detail, especially his guess about the court's next move and the problems faced by the rebels. As Gao Jie explained, Xing Qiaoer, who was not very positive at first, gradually became serious. Although she was a woman and did not understand military affairs, she was born in a merchant family and had some experience. Xing Qiaoer was very smart. After listening to Gao Jie's explanation, she also felt that there were many crises.

Besides the fact that what Gao Jie said made sense, Xing Qiaoer also had absolute trust in Gao Jie.

In her heart, her husband Li Zicheng was an outsider, and she had no feelings for him at all. Gao Jie, who was by her side, was her true love. It was not easy for Gao Jie to take the risk to be with her, and he had that attitude just now. Gao Jie would never lie to her.

"If it is true as you said, it will be dangerous next. What are your plans?" Xing Qiaoer asked.

Gao Jie shook his head and said, "What else can I plan? We can only take things one step at a time. I'm afraid I'll have to follow the army for the next few days, so I won't be able to take care of you. But don't worry, I'll send some people to protect you. If you're in danger, just run away, no matter where you go. You're a woman, as long as you don't reveal your identity and keep your name secret, you'll always be able to survive in this world."

"What about you?" Xing Qiaoer asked worriedly.

Gao Jie smiled bitterly: "What else can I do? I can only act according to circumstances. I will not sit still and wait for death if things are impossible. Besides, King Chuang's plan is not completely hopeless. Maybe I am worrying too much."

Xing Qiaoer frowned when he said this. Although Gao Jie spoke in a relaxed tone, she could hear the helplessness in his words. Thinking of Gao Jie's plans and arrangements for her just now, Xing Qiaoer was moved and worried about Gao Jie. She thought about it and suddenly thought of a solution.

"Why not surrender to the court?"

"surrender?"

"Yes!" Xing Qiaoer said seriously, "Let's not talk about the fact that what happened between you and me will eventually be discovered by that living turtle. Once he knows about this, he will definitely not let us off with his temper. Rather than being passive at that time, it is better to take the initiative to avoid more trouble."

"And you just said that this time, the King of Rebellion will face a very dangerous situation. If the advance fails, the rebel army will probably be surrounded. Even if we can escape by chance, can you guarantee that both you and I will be safe? On the battlefield, swords and guns are merciless. Even a leading general will inevitably die in battle!"

"Besides, starting a rebellion is not the same thing after all. I think although King Chuang is capable, he does not have the appearance of an emperor. At best, he is just a bandit leader, not to mention Li Zicheng, a living bastard."

"How can the world be conquered so easily? Emperor Zhu has been the emperor for more than 200 years, and his court is strong and powerful. Can he conquer the world by relying on these rioters? Isn't that a fantasy?"

"In my opinion, it is better to surrender directly. Anyway, your brothers are here, and King Chuang and Li Zicheng are leading their troops in the north. While they are not paying attention to us, you can surrender to the court with your brothers. This way, you can not only protect yourself, but also stop at the brink of disaster. What's more, the court may even give you a position if you surrender voluntarily."

"Also, don't forget that I am the daughter of a good family. I was forced to marry Li Zicheng. But you are different. You and I are truly in love. We want to grow old together! If I continue to stay in the rebel army, I might lose my life one day. If you die, how can I live alone?"

"This..." Gao Jie was immediately tempted. He had long had the idea of ​​accepting the amnesty, but unfortunately his position in the rebel army was not high. He was merely a general under Li Zicheng. All the important affairs of the rebel army were in Gao Yingxiang's hands. Li Zicheng could barely have a say, but he, Gao Jie, was nothing!
Xing Qiao'er was right. If they wanted to be together for a long time, living together till old age, there was no future for them to continue to be bandits. Instead, surrendering to the imperial court was a way out. But Gao Jie was worried that he had no one in the imperial court. What if he surrendered and they didn't recognize him? Wouldn't that be like walking into a trap?

At this time, Xing Qiaoer said that there was no need to worry. The court was currently worried about Gao Yingxiang. If it was a normal day, it would be fine. But now Gao Yingxiang was the biggest worry for the court. If Gao Jie surrendered at this time, the court would definitely not treat him badly, because they wanted to use Gao Jie as an example. If Gao Jie was not treated well, who would do the same thing in the future? Wouldn't it be like blocking this road? Anyone with a little bit of brains would know how to choose.

As soon as these words came out, Gao Jie's eyes lit up. What Xing Qiao'er said made sense! Why didn't he think of it? In an instant, Gao Jie became happy, hugged Xing Qiao'er and kissed her hard, and then laughed.

(End of this chapter)