Shaanxi, Xi 'an.
In order to protect the Great Xi Kingdom, Zhang Xianzhong was even prepared to fight before he set off. When the Northern Expedition truly began, the progress was completely different from what Zhang Xianzhong had expected. In fact, it was completely different.
Zhang Xianzhong had never imagined that the Great Xi Army would be able to successfully take down Xi 'an, the former capital of the Great Shun Kingdom, in less than five days.
Zhang Xianzhong was still in a daze when the Great Xi Army entered Xi 'an.
However, he was still a formidable person.
Zhang Xianzhong finally woke up when he moved into the magnificent palace in Xi 'an. He immediately realized that a great opportunity was in front of the Great Xi Kingdom.
The ambition to unify the world surged uncontrollably in his heart again.
"Nothing is impossible!"
Zhang Xianzhong sat on the cold dragon throne and thought for an entire night before he finally made up his mind. The next morning, Zhang Xianzhong ordered the rest of the 120,000 Great Xi Army soldiers to leave Xi 'an.
"Occupy territory!"
Zhang Xianzhong did not hide his desire for territory and told the generals of the Great Xi Army, "Go ahead and do it. Take all the territory that you can get under the rule of the Great Xi Kingdom."
"Yes!"
The Great Xi General received the order and led his troops out.
Zhang Xianzhong stayed in Xi 'an and was busy comforting the people. At the same time, he urgently contacted the country and asked the imperial court to arrange for officials to be stationed in Xi' an to help him manage the ancient capital.
He had already planned to move the capital of the Great Xi Kingdom to Xi 'an.
"The Qing army has retreated, and there is no ruler in the north. It is time for the Great Xi Kingdom to rise." Zhang Xianzhong was full of confidence.
…
Henan, Kaifeng.
Two days after the Western Army "took down" Xi 'an, the Middle Army successfully entered Kaifeng.
Li Jing did not lead his troops into the city. Instead, he stayed in the military camp outside the city. The 60,000 Imperial Guards of the Great Xia Dynasty led by E Lai were like the most loyal guards, guarding the tent of the Middle Army.
Night fell.
The tent of the Middle Army was still brightly lit. Under the flickering candlelight, Li Jing's weathered face could be seen.
Li Jing had encountered a problem.
Ever since the army entered Henan, bad signs began to appear.
In the beginning, the soldiers of the Great Shun Army and the Nanming Army did not go out on time or acted shamelessly in their marching speed. They did not dare to really contradict Li Jing, the Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Army.
As time passed, these soldiers became more and more unbridled.
Some of them did not return to the camp at night and indulged themselves in the city's feasting. Some of them had dirty hands and feet, accepting gifts from the common people or gentry to fill their own pockets.
There were even some impudent officers who directly brought prostitutes into the barracks.
Military discipline was lax.
Li Jing immediately took measures and transferred the Imperial Guards to form a law enforcement camp. He caught a group of typical people and either whipped them, hung them up, or executed them directly.
No matter who they were, they would not tolerate those who did not follow military rules.
As a general of the army, Li Jing knew the importance of military law. He could not be merciful at that moment. Otherwise, if they allowed it to continue, the entire army would collapse without a fight.
Once the army was scattered, it would be as difficult as ascending to the heavens to gather again.
After killing a group of "troublemakers", the discipline in the army had indeed improved, and the bad signs seemed to have been suppressed.
However, Li Jing did not think so.
"I'm not convinced at all!"
After all, they were not soldiers of the Great Xia Dynasty. How could they be willing to be manipulated by Li Jing?
Especially the Great Shun army. From the beginning to the end, they had always regarded themselves as reinforcements. They had never thought that they were under Li Jing's command. If they were too strict, there might be a backlash.
If not for the 60,000 Imperial Guards of the Great Xia Dynasty guarding them, there would have been trouble long ago.
The Great Shun army was originally a group of peasant rebels. From the generals to the soldiers, they had long been used to the days of burning, killing, and plundering. They could not resist the temptation of gold, silver, jewelry, wine, and delicacies. They were no longer as impassioned as they were at the beginning.
Now that they were restrained by Li Jing, they naturally felt uncomfortable.
The current barracks was like a huge barrel of gunpowder. They were just short of a fuse that would explode.
Zhang Xianzhong's crazy encirclement in Shaanxi was the fuse. When the generals of the Great Shun army learned that Zhang Xianzhong had actually "shamelessly" occupied Xi 'an, they were completely enraged.
"Bastard, that's our territory!"
The eyes of the generals of the Great Shun army were all red, as if someone had seized the treasure in their hearts. It was as if they had forgotten that just a few years ago, the Great Shun army had been chased all over the map by the Qing army.
Following the death of the Roaming King Li Zicheng, Shaanxi no longer had anything to do with Great Shun.
The generals of the Great Shun army didn't think so. "If this can be tolerated, what can't be tolerated?!" Immediately, a general of the Great Shun army reported this matter to Li Jing, hoping that Li Jing would step forward and mediate this matter.
"Get Zhang Xianzhong out of Shaanxi!"
Li Jing was only the commander of the army. This matter involved a territorial dispute. How could a general like him mediate?
Besides, the Great Western Army was only cooperating with the Southern Ming Dynasty's northern expedition. They were not Li Jing's subordinates. If Zhang Xianzhong was unhappy, he could use Li Jing's letter to wipe his ass.
"Since the marshal can't solve it, then we'll solve it ourselves!"
Just like the Great Western Army, a peasant rebel army like the Great Shun Army had always believed in the saying, 'Whoever has the bigger fist is the one in the right'. Since they couldn't convince the other party, they could only resort to force.
The Great Shun army immediately requested for battle, hoping that the army would shift to Shaanxi and reclaim Great Shun's territory.
Of course, Li Jing would not agree. If Da Shunjun really left, perhaps the two parties would immediately fight each other in Shaanxi. If that happened, would there still be a need for the northern expedition?
One wanted to leave, while the other wanted to stay.
That day, the two sides quarreled incessantly in the central camp. The atmosphere was extremely tense.
In the end, perhaps because they were intimidated by the sharpness of the Imperial Guards, the generals of the Great Shun army left the central camp angrily. From then on, they never mentioned this matter again until the army entered Kaifeng.
Li Jing knew that this matter was definitely not over.
Sure enough, that night, Li Jing received bad news.
Under the cover of the night, the 30,000 Great Shun army ignored the military orders and quietly left the camp, disappearing into the vast wilderness. It was obvious that they were heading for Xi 'an.
If it weren't for the Imperial Guards holding the line, the entire camp would have exploded. The Southern Ming Army camp, which received the news, was in an uproar. It was very late before it gradually subsided.
"Marshal, do you want me to lead my troops to chase them back?" Er Lai asked.
Under the candlelight, Li Jing's face became even more blurry. After a long silence, he shook his head and waved his hand, saying, "Forget it, forget it. A melon that is forcefully picked won't be sweet. Even if we chase them back this time, they will still escape next time."
"…"
Er Lai didn't know what to do.
If the Great Shun army was determined to leave, there was no way they could stay. Rather than forcing them to stay and burying a huge hidden danger, it was better to let them leave and think of another way.
"I want to write a letter to the king."
Li Jing immediately realized that the northern expedition had caused a huge commotion.
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