The Revolt of the Three Feudatories: All-in at the start in Beijing

Chapter 163 Li Tingyu: Forget Lu Bu at the White Gate Tower?

These people came on their own initiative, naturally because they were dissatisfied with Wang Fuchen, but they were just grumbling, or some of them didn't want to rebel and wanted to return to Guanzhong.

But to let them touch Wang Fuchen...

I was still afraid.

Seeing the fear on everyone's faces, he immediately reprimanded them.

"A living Lü Bu? The Northwest Hawk?"

"They still can't beat that Li Yong, can they?"

"Even if it were the real Lü Bu, so what? Wasn't he still captured alive at the White Gate Tower and handed over to Cao Cao?"

Because Nurhaci used Romance of the Three Kingdoms as a military manual for his Eight Banners generals, and because the Manchu Qing dynasty greatly admired it after entering the Central Plains, the people were quite familiar with Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

Upon hearing that Lü Bu had been captured alive at White Gate Tower, these people suddenly felt less afraid. One of the commanders even rolled his eyes and revealed a sinister look.

"That Wang Fuchen is at the Lao Jun Temple tonight. I'm acquainted with the commander of the personal guards; I'll lead him away later!"

Upon hearing this, the others were overjoyed.

Even if we capture them alive, we still need to know where they are.

As the commander-in-chief of an army, he usually lives in the main tent, but he may also become paranoid and go to sleep in the barracks of his personal guards.

……

The moon was tilted, and in the dilapidated Laozi Temple, Wang Fuchen knelt on a prayer mat, bowing to the Laozi sculpture above.

"By the Supreme Lord Laozi, your disciple Wang Fuchen pays his respects!"

"Now that our northward advance is blocked, returning to Hanzhong will not be enough to support our 30,000 troops, and we will have to rely on others again. We hope that Laozi will give us a way out."

After Wang Fuchen finished speaking, he closed his eyes to pray for blessings. In fact, deep down, he regretted his decision to declare himself emperor and rebel, and even cursed Zu Zeqing.

I knew that being a marquis in the Han Dynasty was already extremely rare. Maybe if I followed the army to defeat Wu Sangui, I could actually get the title of duke.

Now it's all over. The Han Dynasty can never be restored. After all, his subordinates all know about his claim to the throne.

No matter how magnanimous Liu Mu is, he could never forgive him.

Just then, shouts of killing came from outside the temple, and they grew closer and closer. Without thinking twice, Wang Fuchen grabbed his long sword and rushed out.

Li Tingyu led more than a thousand musketeers and surrounded them from both sides of the valley. His three hundred personal guards fell dead one by one in the surprise attack.

Upon seeing Wang Fuchen, Li Tingyu immediately waved his hand, and the soldiers, armed with flintlock pistols and illuminated by torches, surrounded the Lao Jun Temple.

Wang Fuchen and Li Tingyu looked at each other.

"Li Tingyu, you've been with me since you were ten years old. Am I so unpopular that even you want to rebel against me?"

Upon hearing this, Li Tingyu immediately knelt down and kowtowed to Wang Fuchen. Then he stood up and pointed at the soldiers.

"Your Excellency, the Han Dynasty has established military garrisons and agricultural settlements, ensuring that their parents, wives, and children no longer suffer from hunger and can even wear new clothes. Why should we rebel?"

"And look at their eyes! They only have fear in them, no respect for you. If we don't arrest you today, my head will be chopped off tomorrow!"

Wang Fuchen looked disdainful upon hearing this.

"When I said I wanted to establish a separatist regime in the Northwest, you were the one who jumped the gun. You captured me today, but Galdan won't let you off the hook tomorrow, understand?"

Li Tingyu did not answer, but simply waved his hand.

Immediately, three bodyguards stepped forward, each holding a hemp rope as thick as a thumb. Wang Fuchen did not resist, or rather, no matter how high his martial arts skills were, they were useless against so many muskets.

At this moment, Li Yong was sitting on a rock on the mountain. They dared not rest in the valley, for fear of being attacked by Wang Fuchen's troops at night.

Niu Er scratched his neck and instantly killed a mosquito the size of an ear pick, causing blood to splatter everywhere.

"Commander Li, what's going on down there?"

"Why did they fire the gun?"

The others were equally puzzled, since it was the middle of the night and there couldn't possibly be any drills taking place, and there was no way reinforcements could be arriving at this time.

Li Yong was also puzzled, so he joked:

"Could it be that they started fighting amongst themselves?"

Upon hearing this, everyone else looked incredulous.

But the next day, when Li Tingyu led ten personal guards to escort Wang Fuchen to the foot of the mountain, they couldn't help but complain.

"Commander Li, you're amazing!"

Li Yong didn't get cocky; instead, he stepped forward and, upon seeing that Wang Fuchen had indeed been arrested, immediately spoke up.

"General Li, I cannot send my troops over yet. We must wait for Governor Zhao of Shaanxi to arrive."

Faced with Li Yong's neither humble nor arrogant demeanor, Li Tingyu was annoyed, but he also knew that Li Yong was a criminal under investigation, so he put on an indifferent expression.

"Of course, of course!"

"Then I'll join everyone in welcoming them!"

Li Yong knew that Li Tingyu was afraid he would exaggerate, so he cupped his hands in greeting and went to rest aside.

Although it is cold in the Qinling Mountains in mid-March, spring is already in full bloom. In addition to trees, there are colorful flowers on the mountains, but it is not too difficult to see them.

Just as the army was running out of food, on the third day, Zhao Ning, the governor of Shaanxi, who was about fifty years old and extremely thin, arrived with three thousand troops. He was wearing a bright red round-necked robe with a flying crane pattern.

These three thousand infantrymen were all garrison troops of Chang'an City.

As the first scholar-official to serve in the government, having returned from his internship on the grasslands, and being a native of Hanzhong, Zhao Ning naturally knew that guarding the Qinling Pass was more worthwhile than guarding Chang'an.

These three thousand infantrymen were all garrison troops of Chang'an City.

As the first scholar-official to serve in the government, having returned from his internship on the grasslands, and being a native of Hanzhong, Zhao Ning naturally knew that guarding the Qinling Pass was more worthwhile than guarding Chang'an.

Upon receiving Li Yong's intelligence, he immediately led his troops out. As for whether to believe it or not, if Wang Fuchen did not rebel afterward, he could simply send Li Yong up to be beheaded.

But what if?

That would mean he loses his head.

As a second-rank governor, Zhao Ning was bowed to by everyone, including Wang Fuchen, who, despite being bound by ropes, still knelt before him.

"Brother Zhao, we've had drinks together before. I was truly confused this time and fell into Zu Zeqing's trap. Please, brother, put in a good word for me before His Majesty!"

At this moment, Wang Fuchen is just like Lü Bu in the book.

I don't want to die, I really don't want to die.

He also wanted to be a marquis, or even a duke!

Upon seeing this, the surrounding generals, regardless of whether they themselves were afraid of death, all showed disdain.

Having just learned of the situation, Zhao Ning immediately dodged and took seven or eight steps back, without even being tripped by the stones on the ground.

"Who calls you brother?"

"I am loyal to His Majesty and the Han Dynasty. How could I possibly collude with a traitor? Do not speak nonsense!"

Zhao Ning was genuinely afraid. He had only had a couple of drinks with Wang Fuchen over the matter of provisions and pay. If he were to be dismissed from his post because of this, what would become of him?

It should be noted that he studied and worked diligently on the grasslands, achieving political harmony and social stability within two years, and popularizing Chinese language and characters to 50% of the population. He then passed the Ministry of Personnel's examination before becoming the governor of a province.

He now has no desire to return to the grasslands and live the life of cattle and sheep grazing amidst the swaying grass.

It's best to avoid too much contact.

Thinking of this, Zhao Ning immediately gave the order.

"All generals and soldiers who followed Wang Fuchen in the rebellion shall be disarmed and taken back to the main camp in Chang'an for safekeeping!"

Which one is Li Yong?