Chapter 63 Section 16 Fighting by Hooligans

Among the leaders of the rebel army, Zhang Xianzhong likes to recruit desperadoes the most because of his congenial temperament.Like Zhang Xianzhong, the main constituents of Zhang’s army were “rebels, fugitives, postmen, hungry people, thieves (robbers who blocked the road), and refugees”, especially many people who had transformed from professional soldiers. Among them, there are many "bandits, hooligans, beggars, prostitutes and many superstitious professionals" as Mao Zedong said. "Wars rely on hooligans", this is a special phenomenon at the beginning of the Peasant War.In special times, "rogue elements" can also play a special role.

After many years of fighting, Zhang Xianzhong's subordinates have become veterans and "brave elements".This makes his army more effective than the rest of the rabble.An officer of the Ming Dynasty once said that Zhang's troops were "accustomed to combat. Everyone has no body, lead, arrows, everywhere. They are not afraid of death. When they heard When the officers and soldiers came, they were all very excited. They were as happy as hunting when they heard that there was going to be a war. Our troops were watching and fearing, but they were not afraid, and they were old at this.”

From such a record, we can see the superb combat quality of Zhang Xianzhong's rebel army.When Zhang Bu captured Ji'an, the brigade was behind, and only "one rode to the city of Ji'an". Seeing that there were few people coming from the city, they all "gathered to watch" what this man was going to do.I saw this man took out an iron hook from his arms, hooked it on the shrubs and small trees protruding from the city wall, and "jumped up" three times and two times.The guards turned pale with fright, "The defenders were shocked, the brigade rushed in, and the city fell."Such a brave fighting style and superb combat skills are of course beyond the reach of most of the Ming army.