Du Shisheng still didn't know the outcome of the Liangxiang War, so he was naturally very anxious. But he did not lose his dignity in front of outsiders, and immediately replied: "It's not necessarily a defeat. Maybe we can win this battle?"
Zhao Gongzuo thought he was being harsh and laughed loudly: "I heard that Jin Zhi became very important after joining Guo Ning. In Zhongdu City, you can now see prime ministers and marshals. With such status, it is different from those of us. People who are old and outdated are very different... So you hope that Guo Xuanshi will be safe, which is right. 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'm ashamed of myself for saying 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 a lot of people, which made the room very hot. Most of these people were powerful guild leaders, workshop owners, and powerful people who actually controlled important official offices such as the Cultural and Embroidery Department, the Tailoring Department, and even the envoys and salt envoys in the city. 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 stacked beds and frames 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 are the powerful figures who dominate this system. In the past two years, it was this group of people who had worked closely with Du Shisheng, not only maintaining the maritime trade route, but also making huge amounts of money for themselves and the people behind them.
At this moment, when they heard Du Shisheng lifting everyone up 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 shouting man's name is Tan Du, a powerful merchant in Zhongdu, whose main business is tea and medicinal materials. He said impatiently: "Let's get down to business! The situation is already critical now. We must have a charter to deal with it, right?"
Others smiled bitterly: "We people usually work under the nobles and earn some money. But besides money, what else do we have? Now the city is full of marshals and governors 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 what I said. 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.
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 wall for nearly a month. After Wanyan Chenghui went to Tongzhou, he initially heard that he was supplying grain and grass along the Lushui River and fighting several battles. At this time, he also severed contact with the Central Capital. After the reinforcements from Hebei and Shandong were defeated, the Mongolian auxiliary troops originally scattered along Zhongdu Road were able to withdraw their troops and attack the city on a large scale.
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In other words, what we will face next is not the Mongols, but the merger of the Mongols and the subordinate army. The subordinate army can make up for the weakness of the Mongols' lack of strength and unfamiliarity with siege methods. In order to show off in front of the Mongols, the generals of the subordinate army will be extra fierce and do not mind risking the lives of their soldiers to fill the trenches.
Can Shuhu Gaoqi withstand such a fierce enemy?
Someone sighed: "Marshal Shuhu Gaoqi is not incompetent, but if he can hold Zhongdu now, why did he lose Jinshan Mountain, Juyong Pass, 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 that a merchant was trying to put the teacup in his hand back on the cup holder, but his wrists shook so much that the porcelain pieces collided with each other. This is because I was completely panicked when I thought about the cruel and cruel methods used by the Mongols after they broke the city.
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 soon 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 powerful generals.
Pusan Anzhen was reestablishing Meng'an in Hebei Province to defeat the army. In half a year, he killed countless people and violated the interests of Zhongdu Guwei. The officials in the court suppressed their dissatisfaction and did not fight with him. Fall apart. Not to mention Guo Ning. He used the gold and silver he earned from this to train and prepare for war all day long. 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 Shuhu Gao Qi to suddenly show off his power, or do you expect His Majesty the Emperor to become a blockbuster after being silent for three years?
Everyone lamented.
But since they are sitting in their 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 tea cup and fruit plate next to him, making a loud clatter.
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 will be restored!"
"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! 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 official and secretly held a meeting in Xu Zheng tonight to facilitate the wealthy businessmen in the city. Flee to the Western Mountains.”
"Will it become a family?" 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 Shilie, the commander of the armed guards and the deputy commander of the Xuanzai in the east of the capital. Heshou. This guy has a little friendship with me."
Miao Daorun cursed.
In the past two years, with the emperor's connivance, many Jurchen officers had continued to usurp his power in the Guards. In the end, it was this man who actually controlled half of the Wuwei Army and forced Miao Daorun into 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 go back to your house to pack up now. Each of you will bring three or five marriage papers and some belongings with you, and you will be there in time. When you arrive at the meeting, you can take advantage of the city gate to open privately and rush 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: "During the war, 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 powerful general who is not serving in the army, but comes to Zhongdu, doesn't he necessarily abandon the city and flee at the 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 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? Stop entertaining the two of us. Don’t mention anything about escaping anymore... just talk about business!"
