Du Shisheng never knew the news about the continuation of the Liangxiang War, so he was naturally anxious. However, he did not lose his dignity in front of outsiders and immediately replied: "It may not be a defeat. Maybe we can win this battle?"
Zhao Gongzuo just thought he was being tough and laughed loudly: "I heard that Jinzhi became very important after joining Guo Ning. In Zhongdu City, you can now see prime ministers and marshals. Such status is outdated for us old people.
People are very different... So it is reasonable for you to hope that Guo Xuanshi is safe. Haha, come on, let's go into the room and talk."
Du Shisheng cursed in his heart, followed Zhao Gongzuo, and said, "Old sir, I am ashamed to say this. Isn't the food I eat in Zhongdu a favor from you all?"
There were twenty or thirty people gathered in the room. The room was not big, but there were many people, making the room very hot. Most of these people were powerful guild leaders, workshop owners and the actual control of the Cultural and Embroidery Department in the city.
There were powerful people from the Taipei Bureau, even the Qu Envoy, the Salt Envoy and other important government offices, and there were even a few gangster leaders sitting in the corner.
Zhongdu Daxing Prefecture is a large city with a population of hundreds of thousands, and nearly one million at its peak. Although the imperial court has many institutions with overlapping structures to control it, its governance is accustomed to being rough. The so-called control is often just superficial.
set.
Under the water that the imperial court could not see, there was its own operating system. These people were the powerful figures who led this system. In the past two years, it was this group of people who worked closely with Du Shisheng, not only maintaining the maritime trade
At the same time, they and the people behind them made huge amounts of money.
At this moment, when they heard Du Shisheng lifting everyone up very high, some stood up and expressed their gratitude, while others sneered slightly, thinking that Du Shisheng was talking sweetly because the backer behind him was about to fall.
Someone else shouted: "Stop saying nice things!"
Du Shisheng ignored it and sat down.
The yeller's name was Tan Du, a powerful merchant in Zhongdu, whose main business was tea and medicinal materials. He said impatiently: "Let's get down to business! The situation is already critical, and we must have a charter to deal with it, right?
"
Others smiled bitterly: "We people usually work under nobles to earn some money. But besides money, what else do we have? Now there are marshals in the city, the governors are talking, and the warriors are like wolves and tigers, we can't mess with them
It started! Where did the regulations come from!"
Zhao Gongzuo shook his head: "That's not to say, just because you can't offend the nobles, doesn't mean you have to wait for death in the city. If you don't prepare in advance, do you have to wait for the city to be broken and everyone to be destroyed?"
After hearing what he said, the room suddenly became silent.
After a while, someone lowered his voice and said, "Old sir, can't we defend the capital city?"
"What do you think?"
"Zhongdu City is not that easy to fight!" someone shouted loudly.
The room continued to be quiet.
Shuhu Gaoqi led an army of tens of thousands in Zhongdu, but he had been hiding within the city walls for nearly a month. After Wanyan Chenghui went to Tongzhou, he first heard that he was supplying grain and grass along the Lushui River and had fought several battles.
After the battle, contact with Zhongdu was cut off at this time. The reinforcements from Hebei and Shandong were defeated, and the Mongolian auxiliary troops originally scattered along the Zhongdu Road were able to withdraw their troops and attack the city in a large scale.
In other words, what we will face next is not the Mongols, but the merging of the Mongols and the Affiliated Army. The Affiliated Army is enough to make up for the Mongols' lack of strength and lack of familiarity with siege methods.
In front of the Mongols, he would be extremely fierce, and he would not mind risking the lives of soldiers to fill the trenches.
Can Shuhu Gaoqi withstand such a fierce enemy?
Someone sighed and said: "Marshal Shuhu Gaoqi is not incompetent, but if he can hold Zhongdu now, why did he lose Jinshan and Juyongguan and retreat all the way back to Zhongdu?"
As soon as these words came out, everyone sighed at the same time.
At the same time as the sigh, there was a clear rattling sound. It turned out to be a merchant who wanted to put the teacup in his hand back into the cup holder. As a result, his wrists shook so much that the porcelains collided with each other. This was thought of after the Mongols broke into the city.
Ku Lie's cruel methods completely frightened him.
Someone in the corner of the back row frowned: "When there was a war earlier, we should have fled immediately. It is better than waiting to die in the city."
It's not that everyone can't see the situation clearly. The key is that when the Mongolian army first appeared in Zhongdu, the prices of various materials in the city skyrocketed, especially the price of rice more than twenty times. The Shandong fleet came to Tongzhou once and transported
The food can make everyone present make a lot of money... At that time, everyone's eyes were red, they were really reluctant to part with it!
Who would have thought that not long after, the reinforcements from Hebei and Shandong would collapse in front of the Tatar Khan?
These two families are usually known as elite soldiers and strong generals.
Pusan Anzhen rebuilt Meng'an in Hebei to conquer the army. In half a year, he killed countless people and violated the interests of many nobles in Zhongdu. The officials in the court suppressed their dissatisfaction and did not quarrel with him.
Not to mention the bad face. Guo Ning, who took the gold, mountains and silver seas he earned from this, spent all day training and preparing for war. In the past year, he made trouble everywhere from Liaodong to Shandong and never stopped.
As a result, their battle ended like this.
Both of them have lost, who can Zhongdu City count on?
Do you expect Marshal Gao Qi to suddenly show off his power, or do you expect His Majesty the Emperor to become famous in one fell swoop after being silent for three years?
Everyone lamented endlessly.
But since they are sitting in the current position, they must all be cunning and cunning. While lamenting, they also figured out one thing at the same time.
"So..." Someone mused: "The old gentleman summoned me today. Could it be that he has a good plan to escape?"
Under everyone's eager eyes, Zhao Gongzuo nodded.
"To be honest with you, I have secretly communicated with a commander in charge of the military. He is willing to show his noble hand and secretly open a certain city gate to let us out of the city."
"Oh?" More than ten people in the room stood up eagerly. Someone moved too much and knocked over the table with a tea cup and fruit plate next to him, making a loud noise.
The next moment, everyone was shouting, everyone was asking questions, and everyone was trying to overpower others: "How could such a good thing be possible?"
"Can the old gentleman really do this? If he can really do this, this kind of kindness is like being recreated!"
"Ahem, my whole family of more than forty people can all leave?"
"Opening the city gate privately has a lot to do with it. Old sir, is the person you contacted reliable?"
"Everyone, everyone! After leaving the city, you might run into the Mongolian cavalry, which would be even more dangerous! We need to discuss it again! We need to discuss it again!"
An hour later, when the sun began to turn westward, Du Shisheng came out of the wine shop and returned to his courtyard in a carriage.
Zhang Rou and Miao Daorun came forward together: "How do you say it?"
"The big shots in the court still maintained their composure, but the people below were shaken badly. Zhao Gongzuo, the envoy of the Commercial and Taxation Department, urgently bribed a capital commander to secretly hold a meeting in Xu Zheng tonight so that the wealthy merchants in the city could escape to
Xishan.”
"Will it be a success?" Zhang Rou and Miao Daorun looked at each other.
Du Shisheng nodded: "There is only one official who leads the troops and is stationed at Huicheng Gate, and has the power and courage to open the city gate privately to trade with others. He is the commander of the armed guards. The deputy commander of the Xuan Dynasty in the east of the capital is to control He Shilie.
Heshou. This guy and I have a little friendship."
Miao Daorun cursed.
In the past two years, with the emperor's connivance, many Jurchen officers had continuously usurped his power in the Armed Guards. In the end, it was this man who actually controlled half of the Armed Guards, forcing Miao Daorun to become an empty commander.
Du Shisheng seemed to have disappeared, and continued: "Both of you said before that you want to leave Zhongdu as soon as possible. So, please hurry back to your house to pack up. Each of you will bring three or five relatives with you, and you will arrive at the right time."
The gate will be formed, and while the city gate is privately opened, people can pour out."
"Then what?" Miao Daorun asked.
"Then? After leaving Zhongdu, from now on, the sky is high for birds to fly, and the sea is wide for fish to jump. With your talents, if you can't go anywhere, why should you ask me?"
"Hey!" Miao Daorun was choked and speechless.
"We want to ask, what does Mr. Shinzhi want to do next?"
Zhang Rou chuckled twice: "When the war was fierce and dangerous, Guo Xuanshi kept Mr. Jinzhi in Zhongdu. Isn't it just for the benefit of the grain business? Before the battle with the Mongolian army, Master Huifeng
Such a fierce general doesn't serve in the army, but comes to Zhongdu, doesn't he necessarily abandon the city and flee at a critical moment?"
Du Shisheng said seriously: "Of course we have our own things to do, but this has nothing to do with you two. If you two leave safely, I have fulfilled my friendship as a friend. What happens next is beyond your knowledge."
Miao Daorun only felt that he had been underestimated, and his face suddenly turned red.
Zhang Rou pondered for a moment and shook her head. He put his hands on his knees, leaned forward, and stared at Du Shisheng: "If it really doesn't matter, why did Master Huifeng come out to meet him the day before yesterday?"
When Du Shisheng's expression became serious, Zhang Rou continued: "Mr. Jinzhi, I think that Ambassador Guo Xuan will be useful to us. You have big things to do! This big thing should start from Huichengmen
Yes, right or wrong? Don’t entertain the two of us anymore, don’t mention anything about escaping anymore... just talk about business!"