Looking at the growing dusk outside the window, he called a servant:
"Have all the masters arrived?"
"Waiting in the garden."
"Where are you gentlemen?"
"They are all waiting at the back."
"Yes." He nodded, stroked his beard, and looked at himself in the Australian crystal mirror.
Xiong Wencan in the mirror had taken off his loose robe and changed into a military uniform.
He nodded, and the two servants immediately put on the armor for him - this was just a very ordinary armor, only slightly better than ordinary soldiers and servants.
Dressed neatly, he nodded slightly, and a servant immediately opened the door for him without lifting the lamp. Several others followed him closely and went down the steps.
A servant in green clothes and a small hat was already kneeling at the foot of the steps. When he saw him coming out, he kowtowed immediately.
"Xiong Yi, I'll thank you for the hard work this time."
"The master's words are serious. I will definitely live up to my mission."
"You just need to survive until dawn, and you don't have to ask about what happens next. Just find a way to survive." Xiong Wencan whispered, "Your family will be taken care of by me, so there is no need to worry about being cold and exhausted; if this battle ends with you and me,
We still have the relationship of master and servant, so go back to Wei's old house in Yongning, where you will be accommodated."
Xiong Yi kowtowed again. Xiong Wencan didn't say anything and went back with the others.
The sky was dimming, and the staff who had spent the night in panic did not receive the order to summon them, but they automatically gathered in the front hall of the government office. Almost all of them put on their traveling gear and prepared to follow Governor Xiong to break out.
They probably knew that the number of thieves besieging the city was limited. Apart from controlling the key points on the water in the Xijiang and Guijiang rivers, the blockade on land was not comprehensive. As long as there were enough people and horses to cover the city, and fast horses, it would not be a problem to break out.
Although Xiong Wencan has a big goal, he is the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, and he has a supervisory standard with him, as well as more than a hundred soldiers and servants. When the time comes, even if they pile up heads, they will have to get rid of Xiong Wencan. If they follow the breakout, there is a possibility of escaping alive.
At least 89%.
However, Governor Xiong has not shown up yet. Only his personal servant Xiong Yi appears from time to time and orders his subordinates to prepare items.
If Xiong Yi is here, Governor Xiong should be there too.
Someone who was familiar with Xiong Yi quietly inquired about Governor Xiong's health. Xiong Yi's answer was, "Last night, I was thinking about strategies and talking to several masters. I didn't go to bed until the fourth watch. I will be sleeping now."
It has to be cooked.”
The magistrate of Wuzhou and the county magistrate of Cangwu were crying and reluctantly coping with the various demands of the staff and attachés of the Governor's Mansion - others could run away, but they could not. After the city was broken, they would either commit suicide or "surrender".
The governor's office had breakfast as usual, and a group of people were holding tea bowls and chatting and picking their teeth. Suddenly, there was another rumbling sound of cannon outside. The staff and local officials who had not seen Xiong Wencan couldn't help but feel a little commotion-could Governor Xiong still be there at this time?
With such a big heart, you still can't sleep when you hear the sound of cannons?
In a private house in the city, Luo Yangming listened to the sound of cannons with a smile on his lips.
His wife, however, walked around the room anxiously, wringing her handkerchief with her hands. Since the siege, she had not put on makeup, and even her bun was carelessly done.
Seeing the smile on her husband's lips, Ding Atao felt that her husband was probably going crazy. A few days ago, various merchants gathered together to "reward the army". This was originally a matter of allocating some money to each household, and there was no way to avoid it.
Just pay a few taels of silver. But my husband not only paid the silver, but also specially bought wine and meat, and went to the city with Pai Jia to give food and drinks to Mr. Qiu Ba. During this period, he spent a few taels of silver. This kind of stretching his neck
The fact that he was beheaded and came back smiling made Ding Atao feel for the first time that her husband might be going crazy.
In recent days, he didn't know where he got his nerves, and he hooked up with the leader of the strong class in the city - Ding Atao always kept a distance from such people in the public family. These people are not good people, and they eat
People don't spit out their bones. Although my husband had social interactions with people in the yamen in the past, it was all for the sake of safety. He just maintained a good relationship and did not have a deep friendship. Now I don't know why, through Wen Tietou's relationship, regardless of the cost
To win over these people, I gave away dozens of taels of white money. I don’t know what they were planning for?!
This money had been accumulated penny by penny over the years, and her husband gave it away so lavishly. She didn't say anything, but she felt very miserable in her heart.
She has been deeply taught the "Three Obediences and Four Virtues" since she was a child, and has never dared to interfere in her husband's affairs, but she really does not see the need for these things. If the city is really going to break up and a chaos breaks out, what can these strong government officials who usually act like a fake and a tiger have to do?
What's the use?
He said he was going crazy, but when I saw him doing things and talking, it was normal. But every time he heard the sound of cannons and made others panic, he would always smile - Ding Atao couldn't help but cry secretly again at night.
:Why is my life so miserable? A few years after Ansheng's life, he encountered war and chaos again. It was the time when he had to rely on his man, and he showed signs of losing his mind and going crazy.
She is really going crazy. What will she do if she is an orphan and a widow?!
After Luo Yangming sent the information on the city wall, he had already made up his mind. Although he did not know what measures the leaders would take, but now that the elders had received the information, they would definitely take measures, and Xiong Wencan's trick would not succeed. And he himself
He also became active in the city.
His activity was actually to win over the armed forces in the city who were planning to rebel. The focus was on Wuzhou's local Zhuangban and Weisuo troops.
The personnel of both are native to the township, especially the "Minzhuang" in the Zhuang class. Almost all of them are from Cangwu County, and at most they are from the suburbs. Most of their family members, relatives and friends are in the city or the surrounding suburbs, so they dare not do things.
Absolutely. Moreover, after the influx of a large number of guest troops, these troops have actually been reduced to the "marginal". Not only can their food and salary supply not be guaranteed, they have also been bullied by the strong "guest troops". There are deep conflicts between them.
Once Xiong Wencan sets fire and Wuzhou is destroyed, the families, houses and properties of these people will also be destroyed. Emotionally and rationally, they are the people who are least willing to burn the city. Therefore, they are also the key targets for him to fight for.
The channel through which he instigated rebellion was through Wen Tietou. Wen Tietou rushed into the city that day to warn his "brother-in-law". Unexpectedly, he was imprisoned in the city and could only temporarily stay at the Luo family.
Became an excellent assistant to him.
Wen Tietou was the leader at the dock, and all the gods had to deal with it. He was familiar with the people in the yamen, and he also had contacts with the officers and soldiers of the local guard station. It was a suitable channel.
But I can’t openly say that I am a spy for the bandit. Firstly, others cannot believe it easily. Secondly, this group of people has always been shameless and has no faith at all. It is so touching to say it to my face, and I swear to you.
Swear; turn around and report someone without even frowning.
Luo Yangming thought over and over again and decided to go to the head of the Rice Industry Association first.
Wuzhou's grain wholesale business was a big business, and the leader was already worried about the siege of the city. After Luo Yangming came to the door and expressed his concern that "the officers and soldiers would not be successful in the war, and Wuzhou might be destroyed together," the leader immediately understood what Luo Yangming meant.
This kind of understanding is not only common among businessmen, but also among the wealthy gentry in the city.
In the defense of the city in medieval society, the support of the wealthy gentry in the city was crucial. They not only controlled a large amount of social and material resources, but also had a great say. They were very effective in mobilizing the people. There were several dangers in the Ming Dynasty.
The desperate battle to defend the city was able to persist in the end because of the great efforts of the local gentry.
But on the other hand, if there is a huge disparity in strength between the two sides and the enemy secretly wants to surrender, these people will probably conspire with the enemy and surrender the city in order to save their own wealth and lives.
The Kun thieves are very powerful in Guangdong and Guangxi, and they have always been known as "lenient and strict". Naturally, the wealthy gentry in the city are not willing to accompany Xiong Wencan to fight against the Kun thieves. They all know the legends about the Kun thieves in the past.
In the surrendered cities, the Australians never massacred or looted them, and they were considered innocent. However, if there was fierce resistance, although the city would not be massacred and plundered after the city was broken, the big gentry family in charge would not end well.
"You are right about this!" the leader said in a low voice, "I also think so. The people of Wuzhou Hecheng cannot fill the ravines in vain."
"I just don't know..." Luo Yangming pretended to be timid and cautious.
"Don't worry about this," the leader narrowed his eyes slightly, "the sages in the city also understand. It's just--" his voice became lower and lowered to a whisper, "brother, why do you want to talk about this?
?Could it be..."
Luo Yangming was only a mid-level businessman in the guild, and he was not very active in the guild on weekdays. To suddenly come to talk to him about such a topic was obviously someone who instigated him.
"Exactly." Luo Yangming knew that if he didn't show some trump cards at this time, the other party would not easily believe him. "I usually go to Guangdong to sell grain. I have a lot of contacts with Dachang, and I have a lot of friendships with several of the shopkeepers.
Ripe."
Dachang is an Australian industry. This is not a secret in Guangdong, and it is well-known in Wuzhou. As an important grain market in Guangdong and Guangxi, Wuzhou has many rice shops that have done business with Dachang. The president nodded slightly.
"...Before Wuzhou was besieged, someone from Dachang came to our city and had a talk with me at my house," Luo Yangming said. "He said that if the war breaks out, Wuzhou is the key to Guangdong and Guangxi, and there will inevitably be a fierce battle.
If both the jade and the stone were destroyed, wouldn't it be a huge disaster?"
The head of the meeting nodded and said: "You are right." He sighed, "It would be better if other people were stationed in the city. Now it is Commander Xiong who is personally guarding the city - in the current situation, he must have saved the city.
With the intention of fighting to the death, there are many foreign troops in the city, and several highly respected gentlemen are hiding in the stronghold. Nowadays, none of the gentry in the city has such a high reputation, so even if they are willing to speak out, it will be of little use."
＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝
Next update: Volume 7 - Guangzhou Governance Chapter 318
－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－
The first volume of the physical book collector's edition is now on pre-sale. If you are interested, please follow the WeChat official account. It is now on sale through the WeChat WeChat store channel.
There is currently no sales channel on Taobao, please note