The Dongjiang rebels were trapped in Chou City, and Li Yingyuan's words were even more frightening.
Guangrao, where they currently occupy, is not a big city, and the surrounding area is even more desolate. Even though Guangrao has been robbed of all the supplies for tens of thousands of troops, they are still unable to supply them.
When marching and fighting, logistics comes first.
Without food and grass, everyone knows what the consequences will be waiting for Dongjiang Town.
"Captain, what should we do?"
Chen Yongfu's eyes rolled around, obviously his will was not very firm.
The generals were all in gloom, and no one noticed this.
Kong Youde crossed his legs, took the last puff of dry cigarette, and reluctantly pinned the cigarette pot to his waistband.
"You can't go back to the east, and you can't go to the west either. In my opinion, let's go south."
He is the commander-in-chief, and he directs every battle. Therefore, at this time, he can only make the decision.
"Going south?"
Li Jiucheng looked over.
"Yes, go south."
Kong Youde became more and more enthusiastic.
"We have no food, but to the south is Yidu, where the Qingzhou Prefecture is located, so there must be plenty of food and grass. As long as Yidu is captured, we will have the capital to survive."
Mao Chenglu couldn't help baring his teeth.
"Yidu is a big city. If we can't defeat it, then Zuo Mengeng will outflank us and we will die without a place to die."
The previous attack on Laizhou left a deep shadow on the rebel generals.
Kong Youdeqi is not everywhere.
"Confused. If we fight Yidu, we still have a chance of survival. If we don't fight, we will starve to death immediately."
The generals suddenly realized that they had no choice but to fight Yidu or not.
"Listen to the commander-in-chief and fight Yidu."
Li Jiucheng also made up his mind.
Everyone in the rebel army knew that this time it was really a matter of life and death, and their enthusiasm was very high.
In the afternoon of that day, the whole army set out, and at night they attacked Linzi, the north gate of Yidu. They burned, killed, and looted, and collected a considerable amount of supplies.
On the morning of the next day, the rebels surrounded Yidu.
Regarding the arrival of the rebels, everyone in Qingzhou Mansion was in panic.
Apart from quickly ordering the city gates to be closed and summoning the young men, there was no other way.
Nowadays, there are no military forces in all parts of Shandong. Yidu seems to be the seat of government, but in fact it is empty.
Lying on the city wall, watching the rebels setting up camp in the distance, digging trenches and deploying cannons, the prefect Zhao Jiang was shaking like chaff.
"Everyone, what has happened so far...what can I do now?"
Zhao Jiang was born in the top three Jinshi in the first year of Chongzhen. It stands to reason that just six years is not enough to serve as the prefect of a state.
But who said that the Ming Dynasty had lost too many officials in recent years, and it also gave rising stars the opportunity to quickly rise to power.
Zhao Jiang was originally quite happy to succeed Wang Qiaonian as the prefect of Qingzhou and felt that his future was bright.
Unexpectedly, Dongjiang Town rebelled soon and went back and forth in Qingzhou Prefecture several times, causing considerable damage to the surrounding areas of Yidu.
Zhao Jiang wrote several times to the imperial court and the province, hoping to strengthen the defense of Yidu, but all of them came to nothing with no response.
Unexpectedly, this time the rebels really came.
When it comes to defending the city, all the officials of Qingzhou Prefecture, big and small, are all stunned.
Everyone is a master at tasting tea, discussing Taoism, drinking wine and having sex with prostitutes.
fight……
When did you read "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu?
After not receiving any advice for a long time, Zhao Jiang almost burst into tears.
Gu Hao
Jiang Yumin and Zhao Jiang, who were both acquainted with each other, were Jinshi in the same discipline and were originally very unconvinced by Zhao Jiang.
Why are we all top three, you are the prefect, and I am just a co-prefect?
But now that the soldiers are approaching, everyone is just a grasshopper on a rope, and they can't care about that much.
Jiang Yumin racked his brains and finally got a little clue.
"Sir, there is a saying in the art of war: before the troops and horses are moved, food and grass go first. If you want to defend the city, you must have plenty of money and food. In my opinion, we should quickly spend money and food and recruit warriors, which is the way to defend the city."
The promotion officer Shao Yichuan couldn't help but asked: "Now that the treasury is empty, where will the money and food come from?"
As soon as these words came out, all the officials blushed.
When Zhao Jiang took office, he saw the ruins of the government office and felt that it was damaging to the dignity of the imperial court. So with a stroke of his pen, he spent a sum of money from the government treasury to repair the government office.
He withdrew 980 taels of silver from the treasury. The account also showed 980 taels of silver, but the actual expenditure was 426 taels...
After Jiang Yumin arrived, he saw that the tables, chairs and benches in the magistrate's sitting hall were all new, but his own was full of rotten wood, which made him feel unbalanced.
After some quarrel, I withdrew two hundred taels of treasury silver to replace office facilities. The actual cost was eighty-five taels.
Seeing that his two bosses were so loyal to the country, Shao Yichuan felt that he had to show his loyalty, so he proposed that all officials in the yamen should be paid back their monthly salary arrears.
Zhao Jiang and Jiang Yumin both praised him for his kindness, and received a total of 427 taels of silver reissue.
Officials at all levels actually received two hundred and five taels, and they still praised them and respected them like gods.
Now we have to defend the city...
Jiang Yumin felt that there was still a way.
"The rebels are ferocious. Once they break the city, will they be able to survive? For the current plan, we can only successfully defend the city by asking Heng Fan to come forward and provide money and food to boost morale."
Everyone immediately became happy.
Yes, this country belongs to your Zhu family. If it is ruined, the losses will also belong to your Zhu family.
Doesn’t it make sense that your Zhu family won’t pay?
So Zhao Jiang, Jiang Yumin, Shao Yichuan and other officials went to Prince Heng's Mansion to ask for an audience with Prince Heng's eldest son, Zhu Youyi.
"Your Highness, where Dongjiang's rebellion has passed, there have been murders, devastation, and rivers of blood. Now that the army is approaching the city, the people of the city are in danger. I have the favor of the emperor and I must swear to defend the city to the death. I am afraid that your highness, your body, will be attacked by the army.
If it is damaged, I will die without redemption. For this plan, I implore Your Highness to think of the great favor of the country and the safety of the country, and give a little charity to fulfill the great righteousness!"
Zhao Jiang cannot fight.
He is good at flattery, threats and warnings, and extreme exaggeration.
The core meaning is just one.
If you want to defend the city, you need money.
Zhu Youyi sat upright like a bell. Hearing the situation, he immediately became solemn.
"This is a matter of life and death. Since I am of royal blood and enjoy local support, how can I stay out of the matter? Come on, hurry up and get some money to help defend the city."
Seeing Zhu Youyi so happy, Zhao Jiang, Jiang Yumin and others were really overjoyed.
Isn’t it said that the princes of Lao Zhu’s family are all iron roosters?
Well, it seems that this alternate prince is younger, which is different.
However, when a brilliant silver ingot was placed in front of everyone, their smiles suddenly stopped.
"Five...fifty taels?"
The plate carrying the silver was very large, covering an area of more than a foot. However, the plate only contained one ingot, weighing fifty taels.
This is the generosity of Prince Heng’s crown prince Zhu Youyi, which moves heaven and earth!
"Your Highness, this..."
Zhao Jiang was about to cry, but he realized that the prince of the Zhu family was indeed no different.
But Zhu Youyi really cried.
"Mr. Zhao, don't say any more. Although I don't have enough food to eat, and I don't have enough clothes to cover my body, I vow to live and die with the elders in the city. This money is Gu's savings over the years, and I originally planned to exchange it for some chaff and millet to tide over the difficult times.
But when the nest is overturned, what else can be said? But I can’t care about that much anymore.”
Looking at Zhu Youchun, who was in tears as the commander-in-chief, all the officials in Qingzhou felt as if they were mourning for their heirs.