My father is Chongzhen? Then I have no choice but to rebel.

On the other side, after returning to the camp, Zuo Liangyu stood obediently in front of Zhu Cilang.

Zhu Cilang glanced at Zuo Liangyu, then smiled and said:

"Zuo Liangyu, are you somewhat dissatisfied with my battle plan?"

Zuo Liangyu's expression changed, and he quickly cupped his hands and said:

"Your Highness, what are you talking about? I greatly admire Your Highness's battle plan!"

"I believe that as long as His Highness the Crown Prince's plan is implemented, we will definitely be able to defeat Li Zicheng and completely eliminate the scourge of the peasant army!"

Zuo Liangyu's voice was firm and sincere, and his expression was also very genuine.

Because he was telling the truth. Although he had some dissatisfaction before, it was only Zhu Cilang's arrangement for him that he was dissatisfied with, not Zhu Cilang's plan.

From a commander's perspective, Zhu Cilang's battle plan for the peasant army was perfect, so how could Zuo Liangyu dare to have any complaints?
At this point, Zhu Cilang continued:

"If that's the case, then it must be because you're dissatisfied with what I've arranged for you to do."

As he said this, Zhu Cilang's eyes were sharp, as if he had already seen through Zuo Liangyu's thoughts.

Seeing that his secret had been exposed, Zuo Liangyu's face flushed red instantly, and he quickly tried to explain:
"Your Highness, what are you saying? Whatever Your Highness commands me to do, I will not dare to have the slightest complaint!"

Zhu Cilang found this amusing, as he was fully aware of Zuo Liangyu's little schemes.

Seeing that the cooking time was almost right, Zhu Cilang smiled and said:

"Alright, do you think I can't see what you're thinking?"

"You're just thinking that I promised you a title after you killed Zhang Xianzhong and Li Zicheng, but in the end I put you in the rear, so you'll miss out on the title, isn't that right?"

Upon hearing this, Zuo Liangyu was speechless, for Zhu Cilang's guess was so accurate that he had no way to refute it.

Before Zuo Liangyu could say anything more, Zhu Cilang continued:

"You've been a long-time adversary of Zhang Xianzhong and Li Zicheng, so you should know that they've never truly fought the imperial court to the death."

“Whenever the imperial court sends a large army to besiege them, they will flee, and when the imperial army retreats, they will launch an attack.”

"In my opinion, the situation this time is probably the same."

"Although I have made the corresponding arrangements, I still think that when Li Zicheng faces Zhu's army, he will choose to retreat as soon as he senses something is wrong, and they will definitely try to escape into the Qinling Mountains again."

"Now is the time for you to make a contribution."

"Therefore, my previous promise to you still stands, and you still have the opportunity to kill Zhang Xianzhong and Li Zicheng."

"Even if you can't kill them, as long as you can surround them and prevent them from escaping into the Qinling Mountains, this will be a great achievement for you!"

"As for what you want, I will give it to you!"

Upon hearing this, Zuo Liangyu's eyes widened in surprise and excitement.

Because the meaning of this statement is already quite clear:
That is, as long as the peasant army scourge can be completely resolved this time, regardless of whether he personally killed Zhang Xianzhong or Li Zicheng, Zhu Cilang's previous promise will stand, and he will definitely be able to get the marquisate he wants!

However, the Duke definitely has no chance!
Thinking of this, Zuo Liangyu quickly bowed and kowtowed, saying:
"Your Highness, please rest assured, I understand what you mean! I was truly deserving of death for misunderstanding Your Highness's intentions!"

"Your Highness, please rest assured, I will do my utmost to fulfill my duties and will never allow Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong to escape back to the Qinling Mountains!"

"I hereby swear that if Zhang Xianzhong and Li Zicheng are allowed to escape into the mountains this time, I will cut off my own head as an apology!"

When Zuo Liangyu said this, his voice was loud and firm, as if he were making a solemn pledge to Zhu Cilang!
Seeing this, Zhu Cilang nodded in satisfaction.

You see, he came today to appease Zuo Liangyu, otherwise this guy would always be thinking about other things and not doing his job properly.

Having had this conversation, Zuo Liangyu should now know what to do.

Just then, the tent flap was opened again, and a member of the Imperial Guard walked in carrying a food box, which he then placed in front of Zhu Cilang.

When the food box was opened, there was the vegetable tofu and hot rice noodles that Zhu Cilang had been longing for.

The tofu was as white as jade, garnished with green vegetables, and emitted a faint aroma of soybeans.

The hot rice noodles were translucent and glistening, topped with sauce and garnished with bright green scallions, making them look incredibly appetizing.

Seeing this, Zhu Cilang didn't stand on ceremony. After instructing Zuo Liangyu to get up, he began to eat by himself.

He picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of tofu, put it in his mouth, and chewed it gently. The delicate texture and rich bean flavor spread in his mouth, making him nod in approval.

Then, he picked up a piece of hot rice noodle, and its soft, chewy texture and delicious taste made him praise it highly.

The only pity is that chili peppers were not yet widely available at that time, so the local people in Hanzhong probably used Sichuan peppercorns and ginger instead of chili peppers for seasoning, but it still had a unique flavor.

After eating vegetable tofu and hot rice noodles at Zuo Liangyu's place, Zhu Cilang finally left.

Zuo Liangyu stood at the entrance of the tent, watching Zhu Cilang's departing figure, his heart filled with an inexplicable determination!
This time, he must make a great contribution and live up to His Highness the Crown Prince's expectations!
Time flies like an arrow, and in the blink of an eye, two days have slipped away amidst tension and anticipation.

In these seemingly short two days, Zhu Cilang finally completed the final arrangements.

He was like a master strategist, meticulously planning and placing each piece in the most crucial position.

He carefully considered every detail to ensure that nothing went wrong!
Amid this tense atmosphere, all the armies made their final preparations, and a solemn and tense atmosphere permeated the various military camps.

Everyone knows that a great battle is about to begin!
At the same time, Li Zicheng did not disappoint Zhu Cilang's "expectations" and was leading the peasant army on a great march toward Hanzhong.

At this very moment, in the mountains not far from Yangxian County, Li Zicheng's army, like a giant black dragon, was winding its way forward.

The trees in the mountains were lush and green, and sunlight filtered through the gaps in the branches and leaves, creating dappled patterns of light and shadow. The sounds of soldiers' footsteps, the clash of weapons, and the occasional chatter mingled together, making the otherwise quiet mountain forest seem unusually lively.

Because there were no more obstacles ahead, and once they entered Hanzhong, they could obtain sufficient food and supplies, Li Zicheng had recently shown unprecedented generosity.

He ordered that there was no need to conserve food anymore, and that from then on, except for breakfast which was still porridge, lunch and dinner would be rice!
Even the peasant soldiers who could only drink thin porridge on weekdays were able to eat two meals of dry food every day at this time!

After all, they were about to reach Hanzhong, and they would have enough food and other necessities, so Li Zicheng felt that there was no need to be stingy with his soldiers at this crucial moment.

On the contrary, making sure they are well-fed is the only way to proceed with the next steps!
At this moment, Li Zicheng was riding a tall warhorse with great majesty, his gaze fixed firmly on the troops ahead.

A gentle breeze swept by, causing his battle robes to flutter and rustle.

This filled him with a sense of pride, as if he could already see himself successfully arriving in Sichuan.

He felt that since he had been able to overcome numerous difficulties and reach Hanzhong, he would surely be able to reach Sichuan smoothly, expand his territory, and achieve great success there!
Clearly, at this point, Li Zicheng had no idea that the imperial court would mobilize more than 200,000 troops to attack him.

In his understanding, the Ming Dynasty was riddled with internal conflicts at this time, and even if it won the Battle of Songjin, there would still be many things to resolve, making it impossible for it to mobilize hundreds of thousands of troops to besiege him.

Moreover, he had already reached Hanzhong, which is very close to Sichuan.

Throughout history, Sichuan has never experienced any major battles due to its geographical environment, which is described as "the roads to Shu are difficult, more difficult than ascending to heaven".

Therefore, he naively thought that he could rest and recuperate here safely, and then continue his march into Sichuan until he completely occupied the whole of Sichuan!
However, it is clear that Li Zicheng miscalculated this time.

Because Zhu Cilang had already seen through all his plans and was determined to eliminate him completely in Hanzhong!

Just then, the sound of rapid hoofbeats shattered Li Zicheng's illusions.

When Li Zicheng came to his senses, he saw scouts galloping towards him on horseback.

Upon arriving before Li Zicheng, the scout did not dismount but instead reported to Li Zicheng from his horse:

"Reporting to the King, Yangxian County is just ten miles ahead!"

Upon hearing this, Li Zicheng was overjoyed, and a bright smile appeared on his face.

In that instant, he seemed to see the fertile land of Hanzhong, its abundant resources, and the people lining the streets to welcome him!
Then, as if he had thought of something else, he decisively gave the order:
"By my order, cook a meal on the spot. After everyone has eaten and drunk their fill, then we will enter Hanzhong."

Upon hearing this, the scout quickly replied:
"As ordered!"

Then the message was relayed.

Before long, the army began to cook on the spot.

The peasant soldiers busied themselves, and soon wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys, filling the entire camp.

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, the next step was simple: to begin a large-scale looting of Hanzhong!
Grain, livestock, silver, people—everything was subject to the peasant army's grasp!
All of this was already commonplace for the peasant army!

After all, this has always been how Li Zicheng's army obtained supplies and manpower!

Moreover, this time they don't care about the "no taxes when the rebel king comes" rule anymore. They'll just rob whoever they can, and take as much as they can!
There was no other way; Li Zicheng had been suffering terribly in recent months, with a shortage of food and supplies and a severe loss of troops. Therefore, he needed to obtain supplies and more troops as soon as possible in order to successfully enter Sichuan.

As for the damage it would cause to Hanzhong, to be honest, Li Zicheng didn't care at all!
Just like his previous actions in Shaanxi and Henan, he only cared about whether his power could develop rapidly and whether his army had enough food. He didn't care at all about the impact he would have on the local people.

In his view, it was the imperial court, not him, who should be concerned about this matter!

Not long after, the army finished their meal, and then Li Zicheng gave the order for the army to march toward Hanzhong once again.

After having eaten their fill, the peasant army quickened their pace and arrived in Yang County in less than an hour!
When the peasant army leaders saw the Hanzhong Plain before them, they burst into cheers and shouts of joy!
They jumped and cheered excitedly, as if they had forgotten their previous fatigue and hardship.

Keep in mind, they had been making a difficult journey through the Qinling Mountains for more than seven months!
The rolling mountains, the rugged mountain roads, and the harsh natural environment caused them immense suffering.

Countless people have died in the Qinling Mountains!
But at this moment, they finally arrived at the Hanzhong Plain!
Soon, Li Zicheng finally left the Qinling Mountains and arrived in Hanzhong, the place he had longed for.

At that moment, Li Zicheng dismounted and stepped onto the land!

When his feet finally touched the ground, he was instantly filled with excitement.

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and felt the essence of this land.

At that moment, Li Zicheng suddenly felt that all the hardships he had endured were worthwhile!
He finally arrived in Hanzhong, one step closer to his destination, Sichuan!
Just then, Zhang Xianzhong noticed something was wrong.

He looked around and felt that the place was too quiet, so quiet that it was almost eerie.

As far as the eye could see, there was not a single person in sight, nor a single crowing of a rooster or barking of a dog; it was as if this were an abandoned, ghost town.

Thinking of this, Zhang Xianzhong quickly looked at Li Zicheng, frowned, and said:

"Chuang Wang, something seems amiss here. Why is there not a single civilian in Hanzhong?"

Li Zicheng, however, paid no attention to these words and simply said nonchalantly:
“We were ambushed by the Ming army in the mountains before, which means that the Ming army must have made some deployments in Hanzhong, and may even have relocated some of the people. I guess the people of Yangxian County have been relocated to other places.”

"But how easy is it to relocate all the people of Han? If we go a little further ahead, there will surely be people there!"

At the end of the Ming Dynasty, there were about 300,000 registered people in Hanzhong. This does not include those who were not registered. If all of them were added together, the number would probably be around 500,000.

Therefore, in Li Zicheng's view, even if the Ming army knew they were coming and moved some of the local people in Hanzhong in advance, it was impossible for them to move all of them.

After all, Hanzhong is not like other plains areas. It is surrounded by mountains, and it is simply impossible to get people to move their families and trek over mountains to leave the place where they have lived for generations.

Moreover, the relocation would require a great deal of time, resources, and financial strength, and the Ming army simply could not complete such a massive project!

Zhang Xianzhong seemed to have realized this as well, and then fell silent. (End of Chapter)