"Weishengjun said that someone discovered the plateau cavalry outside the city." the steward replied.
"Plateau Cavalry?" All the nobles panicked: "What should we do now?"
It is said that Danzhu and Gada, the leader of the plateau, have a relationship as if they were family members. In the battle of Damang Slope, Danzhu was captured by the black-armored team led by Da Zhuang and Monkey, and was killed in front of the battle. Gada was very likely to bring people to take revenge.
big.
Now that Jin Feng and the Ninth Princess are not in Xichuan, and Qing Xinyao has been deposed by them, who will fight against the plateau cavalry?
Does it depend on a eunuch?
The powerful are good at intrigues, but they are blind when leading troops in war.
"Father, how about letting Qing Xinyao lead the troops?"
Thanks to my family for suggesting it first.
"Don't panic, everyone!" Before the eunuch could answer, Goatee said first: "The matter is not clear yet!"
After saying that, he looked at the Xu family housekeeper: "When did the plateau cavalry appear? Did you see it with your own eyes?"
"Just this morning, I peeked into the north city gate in the woods one mile north of the city. I was spotted by the patrolling Weisheng Army and ran away immediately. The Weisheng Army sent two cavalry teams to chase, and then Meng Tianhai ordered
The city gates were sealed."
The steward of the Xu family replied: "Although I didn't see it with my own eyes, the defenders on the north city wall saw it at that time. I specially sent people to find out. The situation is true."
"I also sent someone to inquire about it, and this is what I said."
The housekeepers from other houses also spoke one after another.
"Master Zhou, the cavalry discovered in the morning must be the scouts sent by Gada to inquire about the situation. The plateau army may arrive soon. Let's withdraw!"
Fatty Xu said: "Otherwise, when the plateau army besieges the city, we won't be able to leave even if we want to!"
Other dignitaries quickly nodded in agreement.
People from the plateau are brave and good at fighting, and they are also ruthless in their attacks.
If Xichuan City is captured, even if Gada doesn't massacre the city, he will kill them and other powerful people to vent his anger.
The eldest eunuch also frowned tightly.
He is now nominally acting as the governor of Xichuan Prefecture. Jin Feng, Ninth Princess and Qing Xinyao won the battle before. If his side loses the battle, there will be no way to deal with them.
It's just that the chief eunuch had long developed the habit of not being alarmed by changes in the palace. Although he was confused, he was not as panicked as the dignitaries.
In fact, not all the nobles were panicking, Goatee's face remained calm.
He stroked his beard and thought for a while, then looked at the eunuch: "Father-in-law, please send someone to find Qing Xinyao and Meng Tianhai!"
"Yes, go find Qing Xinyao and Meng Tianhai!"
The dignitaries seemed to have grasped the last straw and nodded in agreement: "They have resisted the plateau cavalry. The Ninth Princess and Jin Feng are not here, so they have to fight first!"
The chief eunuch took a deep look at Goatee and felt that his intention in finding Qing Xinyao and Meng Tianhai might be different from what the powerful men thought.
But he didn't say anything more and signaled the guards to find someone.
The dignitaries did not enter the house again, but waited at the door.
The place where they met secretly was not far from Qing's house, and the guards of the great eunuch returned soon.
"Reporting to my father-in-law, the Qing family said that when Qing Xinyao heard that the plateau people were coming, he was so angry that he fainted and has not woken up yet!"
"Qing Xinyao is in his prime and a military commander. How can he faint at the slightest thought?"
Fatty Xu shouted: "Father, he must be faking it!"
"Even if you knew he was faking, what would you do?"
The chief eunuch glanced sideways at Fatty Xu and said angrily: "Can you still force him to lead the troops?"
Rights and obligations are mutual.
Qing Xinyao is no longer Xichuan Mu, and resisting the plateau cavalry has nothing to do with him.
Even if Xichuan City was beaten to pieces by the plateau people, the emperor would not be able to find any trouble with it.
Even if the dignitaries want to return the position of Prefecture Shepherd to him now, it is impossible. The appointment and removal of Prefecture Shepherd requires the emperor and the six ministers of the court to sign, and there is simply no time.
Therefore, no matter how hot the position of state pastor is, they still have to hold it together with the eunuchs.
The other dignitaries had sad faces, but Goatee showed a meaningful smile.
"Master Zhou, have you thought of something?" the eunuch asked.
"I thought of something, but I can't confirm it yet."
Goatee shook his head and said.
"It's getting to this point. Just say whatever comes to your mind. Don't be pretentious."
Fatty Xu had just finished urging the guards who went to see Meng Tianhai and came back.
Just as he was about to speak, Goatee stopped him.
"Did Meng Tianhai go out of the city to pursue the plateau cavalry and can't find him yet?" Goatee looked at the guard and asked.
"How does Mr. Zhou know?" The guard was stunned: "That's what the people from Wei Sheng Army said."
"Hahaha, I understand!" Goatee smiled while stroking his beard.
The great eunuch also breathed a long sigh of relief and relaxed his frown.
"Mr. Zhou, what time is it? Why are you still making riddles?"
Fatty Xu patted his legs and said, "What exactly do you understand?"
"In fact, there are no plateau cavalry at all. It's all Qing Xinyao and Meng Tianhai singing the double act!"
"No cavalry?"
"Yes, no!"
"Then what did the city defenders see?"
"It should be Weishengjun pretending to be it, who knows?" Goatee replied, "But it's not important anymore."
"Pretending?" Fatty Xu was stunned: "Closing the city gate is no small matter. Why are Qing Xinyao and Meng Tianhai acting like this?"
"Maybe it's delaying time for the Ninth Princess."
Goatee said: "The Ninth Princess probably didn't get the imperial edict, so she took this trick and asked the Wei Sheng Army to close the city gate in order to cut off our connection with the outside."
"How is that possible?" Fatty Xu said, "Even if the city gate is closed, we still have carrier pigeons."
"Do you have homing pigeons outside the city?" Goatee asked with squinting eyes: "If there are, how many are there?"
Although homing pigeons are also convenient, the information they can convey each time is limited, and the number of homing pigeons they keep in captivity is not large. The biggest advantage is reflected in transmitting messages over long distances.
The inside and outside of the city are so close that I only had time to tie a note to the pigeon's leg and have already delivered the letter on horseback.
Therefore, few of the rich and powerful have carrier pigeons outside the city.
"If this is the case, wouldn't it be enough if my father-in-law ordered the city gate to be opened?" Fatty Xu said.
"According to regulations, the city gate can only be reopened if the state pastor and the garrison general give orders at the same time."
Goatee said: "Meng Tianhai ran away, and my father-in-law couldn't open the city gate at all."
"Then how could Meng Tianhai close the city gate privately without an order from the father-in-law?"
"Master Xu, when you have nothing to do, read the laws and regulations more often!"
Goatee glanced sideways at Fatty Xu and didn't bother to pay attention.
Fatty Xu's housekeeper couldn't stand it anymore, so he came to the side and explained in a low voice.
Dakang did not have satellites, so when the defenders spotted the enemy with their naked eyes, the enemy was basically at the bottom of the city.
If you go to ask the state pastor for instructions again and complete the process, the enemy may have already occupied the city gate.
Therefore, when the general who defends the city discovers the enemy, he has the right to make the decision to close the city gate first.
But reopening the city gate is not so urgent. It requires the cooperation of the state herdsman and the garrison general to prevent one of them from betraying the enemy and opening the city gate privately to let the enemy in.
"So this is ah!"
After hearing the butler's explanation, Fatty Xu said with a smile: "Closing the city gate privately and lying about military information are both serious crimes of beheading. It seems that the Ninth Princess is really anxious, and she has used such tricks!"