Chapter 79 The considerations of the Chuzhou gentry!
This posture is definitely unusual!
"My father-in-law, what do you want me to do?" Guo Jiang immediately saluted and asked.
Regarding his son-in-law, a military commander, Lu Wendao lost his usual politeness and asked directly.
"Zhong Tao, do you know that the Red Scarf Army forward has appeared outside the city now?"
Guo Jiang immediately replied: "I know, it does happen, but I heard that the number of people is very small, only one or two hundred people, so there is nothing to worry about."
Even if they did not go to Qingyuan Town to participate in the battle, Guo Jiang and other Han generals knew the weakness of the Red Scarf Army, which was the extreme lack of cavalry. There were only one or two hundred cavalry at most, which could not stop the Chuzhou army from retreating.
Lu Wendao, dressed in Confucian uniform, did not express an opinion after hearing Guo Jiang's answer, but continued to ask.
"Is it true that the family property savings of tens of thousands of people in Chuzhou City for generations are going to be reduced to ashes before their eyes?"
Hearing these words, Guo Jiang also felt very distressed.
The Guo Jiang family migrated from the north to Chuzhou and spent nearly a hundred years accumulating a large amount of land, real estate and shops, all in and around Chuzhou city. If they were burned to ashes in a fire, Guo Jiang would be as distressed as anyone else.
"Master Zhongcheng has made a decision and it is difficult to change it!" Guo Jiang sighed.
When Lu Wendao heard this, he suddenly whispered: "It depends on people. Why don't you unite with the other Han generals and persuade Mr. Zhongcheng!"
"Persuasion, how to persuade? Zhongcheng Da is not very popular now. If anyone tries to persuade again, his head may be in danger." Guo Jiang immediately shook his head in denial.
The accumulated prestige of the Mongols had a great influence on these Han generals.
"No, you must try to persuade me again!" Lu Wendao said in a tone that left no room for doubt.
Guo Jiang immediately noticed something unusual in it, "Master Yue-in, how do you want me to persuade you?"
Lu Wendao paired up with the family heads such as Zhuo, Gu and Zhang, and then said to Guo Jiang.
"Ahema's semu cavalry are all outside the city to suppress the rebellious people. The defense of Chuzhou City is in your hands and mine. If Mr. Zhongcheng still refuses to listen, what if some red scarf thief sneaks into Chuzhou City and assassinates Mr. Zhongcheng?
Maybe!" Lu Wendao said.
Next to him, Zhuo Hong, the head of the Zhuo family, followed up and said: "The red scarf thief sneaked into the city. There must be an internal agent. Maybe it is the semen who colluded with the red scarf thief. In order to protect the safety of Chuzhou, the semen in the city must be captured and imprisoned!"
When Guo Jiang heard this, he finally understood what his father-in-law Lu Wendao and others meant.
This was intended to give Zhongcheng Aruhui the last chance. If he still insisted on burning Chuzhou and retreating to Jiangdong, then these Chuzhou powerful men would have to overthrow the table and stop mixing with the Mongols.
"Okay, then I will go and persuade Mr. Zhongcheng!"
Guo Jiang thought for a moment and made a decision immediately.
The interests of the Han generals and their families have long been aligned with those of the local tycoons in Chuzhou. It would be absolutely unacceptable for them to destroy their families, save their families and follow the same path as the Mongols.
After Guo Jiang left his father-in-law Lu's house, it was almost nightfall.
Unable to wait, he found several other closely related Han generals overnight.
They all came to the Chuzhou government office together and asked to see Mr. Zhongcheng Alu Hui.
In the Chuzhou Zhongcheng Mansion, Alu Hui was ordering people to collect gold, silver, treasures and valuables.
According to the information sent back by the scouts outside the city, a vanguard cavalry force of the Red Turban Thieves has appeared outside Chuzhou City, and the army of the Red Turban Thieves must not be far away.
Alu Hui is already preparing to give an order to burn Chuzhou City tomorrow and retreat to the south of the Yangtze River with his troops.
While he was busy, he suddenly received a report that Guo Jiang and other Han generals came to ask for an audience.
"Let them wait first!" Aru Hui said impatiently.
He is compiling a trial report.
When the Yuan army retreated from Qingyuan Town, they captured several Red Scarf Army soldiers, brought them back to Chuzhou City and tortured them. Finally, they got a lot of information about the Red Scarf Army.
In particular, the information on several red scarf thief leaders is rare and valuable information for Yuan Ting.
Among them, the intelligence of Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Han brothers made Alu Hui feel very important. From the beginning of the attack on Chuzhou, to the later defeat of Timur, then to Dingyuan, and finally the defeat of Qingyuan Town, it was all because of Zhu Yuanzhang.
Han's contribution.
Aluhui was sorting out the information and planned to leave a few hidden stakes behind when evacuating Chuzhou, looking for opportunities to assassinate Zhu Yuanzhang or Zhu Han brothers.
As long as any one of them is eliminated, the strength of this group of Red Scarf Army will definitely be greatly reduced!
After Aluhui thought of several potential candidates, he then remembered the Han general Guo Jiang and others waiting outside.
"Let Guo Jiang and the others come in!" Alu Hui ordered loudly.
Soon, Guo Jiang and others entered the study. As soon as they saw Alu Hui, Guo Jiang led several Han generals to kneel down and plead.
"Lord Zhongcheng, please stay in Chuzhou for the last time. The city is here and the people are here!"
"Sir, Chuzhou City is dangerous and the red scarf thieves will definitely not be able to break it. Please don't burn the city and abandon the defense!"
"We are willing to live or die with Chuzhou, please take back our orders!"
Guo Jiang and others kowtowed and begged not to burn down Chuzhou City.
They have repeatedly stated that even if the city is in danger, they will set fire to the city with their own hands and will never leave a single plant or tree to the red scarf thieves.
However, in the face of their kneeling requests, Alu Hui was completely unmoved.
Alu Hui smiled coldly and said contemptuously.
"You Han people are the most capricious. If you are allowed to stay in Chuzhou, what is the difference between that and offering the city to the red scarf thieves?"
When Guo Jiang and others heard this, they felt ashamed and angry.
Since their great-grandfather's generation, they had followed the Mongols to attack the Jurchen Jin Kingdom, and later went south to destroy the Song Dynasty. It can be said that they worked hard and made great achievements, but they were still so despised by the Mongols.
Faced with repeated pleas from Guo Jiang and others, Alu Hui finally got angry.
"You Han troops are just a bunch of disobedient dogs! I have summoned Ahema back to the city and will burn the city to the south early tomorrow morning. If anyone dares to say more, he will be punished immediately!" Aluhei said without a doubt.
Cursed.
Guo Jiang and others' faces were ashen, and their last efforts failed.
After Aluhui reprimanded them, he ordered these Han generals to leave.
Everyone walked out dejectedly, except Guo Jiang who stayed where he was and remained motionless.
There was something strange in Guo Jiang's eyes, as if he was making a difficult decision.
At this time, a Han general next to him felt a little confused, pulled Guo Jiang's arm, and asked softly.
"Brother Guo, let's go!"
Unexpectedly, Guo Jiang had no reaction to this, but suddenly shouted at Alu Hui.
"Lord Zhongcheng, be careful, there is an assassin!"
Guo Jiang drew out his saber and slashed forward!
Outside Chuzhou City.
More than a dozen cavalrymen were hiding in a woods and resting.