Hai Hongzhu said: "We are not originally from Okura City, and we have only been in this city for a few months. Why should we accompany the people in the city to be killed by pirates? Why don't we find a boat and quietly Escape from the island and return to Middle-earth, okay?"
Hua Bushi smiled bitterly and said: "Now this island has been surrounded by pirates from the Black Dragon Palace. Their ships have blocked all routes out of the island. Even if we want to escape, how can we escape?"
Hai Hongzhu said: "Don't hide it from me. Cao Muyun was sent off the island by you a few days ago. Now we should have a way to escape!"
Hua Bushi said: "When Mr. Cao left the island, he took a small boat and took an undercurrent waterway. The 'Wanjintang' sent more than ten ships to feign attack and cover, and he was able to escape successfully."
Hai Hongzhu said: "Then let's escape through that undercurrent channel. I'll go find Sister Lan'er and ask her to send some ships to cover us." [
Hua Bushi said: "When Mr. Cao left the island, he went to Guangdong to ask for reinforcements. Now you and I are just trying to escape. How could Miss Lan'er agree to send a ship to cover it? What's more, the ship manpower in 'Wanjintang' is now We have suffered a lot of losses, and the gunpowder cannons are also insufficient. They are no longer comparable to what they were on that day, and they will not be wasted in vain to cover our escape."
Hai Hongzhu knew that what Hua Bushi said was true, and immediately lowered her head and frowned. But after a while, she raised her head again and said, "I have thought of a good idea! Why don't we take sister Lan'er with us? Escape by boat, she is the eldest lady of Wanjin Hall, Elder Yao and the others will definitely send a boat to cover her, well, I will talk to her right now!"
She stood up as she spoke and immediately went to the City Lord's Mansion to find Sima Rulan.
Hua Bushi said, "You don't have to go, Miss Lan'er won't agree."
Hai Hongzhu said: "How do you know she won't agree?"
Hua Bushi said: "You and Miss Lan'er are sisters, but you still don't understand her so much? This Okura City is the foundation that her father worked hard to create. For her, guarding this city is more important than life. How could she be willing to abandon the city and escape with us?"
Hai Hongzhu actually understood that with Sima Rulan's personality, she would definitely refuse to escape. She pouted and said: "This won't work, that won't work either. Can we just wait to die in this city? You usually There are so many tricks in there, why can’t you think of a way!”
Hua Bushi looked at Hai Hongzhu, who was getting angry again, and said softly: "Don't worry, in fact, the escape plan you just mentioned is not entirely impossible. I will go and tell Miss Lan'er tomorrow and ask her to send a boat You just leave the island and return to the mainland of Middle-earth."
Hai Hongzhu said happily: "So you can convince her? That's great!"
But as soon as she finished speaking, she realized something was wrong and asked, "You said you would send me off the island, but what about you?"
Hua Bushi said: "I definitely want to stay in the city and help Miss Lan'er defend the city."
Hai Hongzhu immediately bit her lip and said, "No, if you don't leave, I won't leave either!"
Hua Bushi said: "Although Okura City is not yet in despair, it is indeed in danger of being attacked by pirates, and everything here is none of your business."
He looked directly into Hai Hongzhu's eyes, but there was tenderness in his eyes, and said: "That day in Wuyang City, I forcibly invited your family of three to the Hua family mansion, but I didn't expect that the underworld was attacking, and the old boxer Hai was captured. It is indeed Hua Bushi's fault for killing the Chi brothers. I have always felt guilty. But now I will not make the mistake of that day again and put you in danger. Thanks to your reminder, I will go find you tomorrow. Miss Lan'er, ask her to send a boat to take you out of the island. As long as Hua Bushi agrees to stay and help defend the city, I believe even Elder Yao and the others will have nothing to say."
Hai Hongzhu stared at Hua Bushi, her eyes suddenly turned red, and said: "Who wants you to apologize? You killed my father, and now you want to leave me! I don't care, we are married anyway, you Even my husband, if you don’t leave, I will die in this city with you!”
For a man, having a woman who is willing to live and die with him is already a rare thing. Perhaps most men in this world will not be able to find such a confidante in their lifetime. But how lucky is Hua Bu Shi? He unexpectedly met two such women. Although God only gave him three centuries of life, he was not treated badly in this aspect.
It's a pity that a heart is divided into two halves, and the same is true for love. Although Hai Hongzhu is the wife he is marrying, the young master treats her as a little sister from the beginning, and this is still the case until now. And love cannot be replaced by gratitude, sympathy, appreciation or any other emotion, and it cannot even be fair.
Hua Bushi was silent for a long time and then said: "If you leave this island, I can feel more at ease. Why do you have to stay with me?"
Hai Hongzhu bit her lip tightly but said nothing. Suddenly, she threw herself on Hua Bushi and cried loudly "Wow".[
Hua Bushi hugged her into his arms, letting Hai Hongzhu's tears and snot wet the clothes on his chest, and said softly: "Don't cry, it doesn't matter if the wife doesn't want to leave, anyway, my husband is here. I will protect you from harm."
Hai Hongzhu cried and said: "You are such a useless young master... you can't even save your own life... I have to rely on your protection... I might as well die..."
Hua Bushi said: "My lady's words are wrong. Now I am full of confidence that I will be able to defend Okura City and I am determined not to let the pirates from the Black Dragon Palace attack!"
Hai Hongzhu said: "The pirates of the 'Black Dragon Palace' are so powerful... How can you defend it..."
Hua Bushi reached out and grabbed Hai Hongzhu's shoulder, pulled her out of his arms, stared into her eyes and said: "You know, the more difficult and difficult the situation is, the more you can't give up and hold on to the only chance you have. A glimmer of hope and things will turn around."
He gently wiped away the tears on Hai Hongzhu's cheeks with his fingers and said: "We were caught in a hurricane and thunderstorm on the Qing Chi that day. How dangerous it was. We were able to escape from that kind of desperate situation. , and the difficulties we are facing now are far less than the dangers back then. How could God not give us a chance to survive? Your unwillingness to leave this city alone makes me even more convinced that this city can definitely survive. Keep it!"
Hua Bushi's self-confidence is not so much a rational judgment of the situation as it is an intuition that transcends rationality. It may also be his insights from having experienced life and death many times.
Hai Hongzhu seemed to understand what Hua Bushi said, but finally nodded and sobbed: "You said you can hold on... I will believe you for now... If you dare to lie to me... I... I will never forgive you..."
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Five days later, the food reserves in Okura City were exhausted.
Not only the food, but also the ammunition for the artillery was used up a day ago. Now the more than one hundred Hongyi cannons on the forts on both sides of the bay channel have been turned into decorations, and no more cannons can be fired. .
Although "Wanjintang" had made arrangements a long time ago, and there was not much chaos in the city after the food shortage, Okura City is now facing a desperate situation, and the days it can hold on to are numbered.
Cao Muyun has been away from the island for forty-four days. Based on the time, reinforcements should have been brought in. Although Yao Yuanxiao and Chai Lin did not say it explicitly, Hua Bushi could already tell it from their expressions. They doubted whether reinforcements would arrive. In the opinion of these two elders of "Wanjintang", Cao Muyun must have fled after leaving Okura Island and would never come back again.
During these five days, Hua Bushi came to the observation deck on the seaside of Okura Port every day, firstly to observe the battle situation on the sea, and also to wait for the news of reinforcements from the Daming Navy. So far, the reinforcements are the only ones in Okura City. Although everyone else doubted whether this hope really existed, the young master firmly believed that Cao Muyun would not break his promise.
The weather today is as sunny as ever. When the sun rises, a layer of mist appears on the blue sea.
On the observation deck, which is more than five feet high, my vision is blocked by the fog and cannot reach far, but I can still vaguely see the dense blue-black sails of pirate ships outside the bay.
The forts on both sides of the bay originally looked like two sharp horns guarding the mouth of the gorge. But now that the reindeer's horns have been broken, is it time for the wolves to feast?
But at this moment, Hua Bushi heard a rush of footsteps. He looked back and saw Yao Yuanxiao and Chai Lin walking towards the high platform. Behind these two people, there were more than 20 people following them. They are all the leaders of the "Wanjin Hall", and each of them carries a weapon on his back. The helmsman Fu Ao who leads the navy is also among them.
Hua Bushi was startled and hurriedly stepped forward to greet him and asked, "Master Chai, Elder Yao, what are you going to do with all these people?"
Yao Yuanxiao said: "Now that Okura City has run out of food and the law can no longer be defended, I have discussed with Elder Chai to gather the remaining ship manpower of the 'Wanjintang' to fight to the death with the pirates of the 'Black Dragon Palace'. At the same time, Cover the eldest lady and break out!"
Hua Bushi was shocked: "Are you going to give up on Okura City? This is the foundation that City Lord Sima has spent his whole life building. Could it be that Miss Lan'er would agree to what you do?"
Yao Yuanxiao said: "It's not that we want to give up Dacang City. Most of the brothers in Wanjintang would rather live or die with this city! But now that the city has run out of food, it is even more unfavorable to delay it like this. We can only take advantage of the fact that there is still some time left. When fighting, fight to the death with the pirates. The eldest lady is the only flesh and blood of City Lord Sima, so she cannot make any mistakes. Even if she disagrees, Yao and Elder Chai will shoulder the responsibility!"[
Chai Lin said: "We have arranged the boat and sent people to the city lord's palace to invite the eldest lady. When the battle breaks out outside the port, we will let niece Lan'er get on the boat and break out from the undercurrent channel. Master Hua, go to the Waitian Tower to capture Hua. Madam, please come to the pier, and you can leave the island with Lan'er's niece later, so that you can take care of her in the future."