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're 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. See him coming out and kowtow immediately.
"Xiong Yi, it's all your fault this time."
"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 more questions about what happens next. Find a way out for yourself." 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 Yongning Wei's old house, and you will be settled there."
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 convene, but they automatically gathered in the front hall of the government office. Almost all of them put on their gear and prepared to break out with Governor Xiong.
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 rush 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 he piles heads, he will have to get rid of the governor Xiong. 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 appeared from time to time and ordered his servants 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, "I thought about the strategy last night and talked to several masters. I didn't go to bed until the fourth watch. I'm sleeping soundly now."
The magistrate of Wuzhou and the 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 Kun".
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.
But his wife walked around the room in panic, wringing her handkerchief with her hands. Since the siege of the city, she had not put on any 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, all the merchants gathered together to "reward the army". This was originally a matter of allocating some money among each household. It was inevitable to pay a few taels of silver. However, my husband not only paid the money, but also specially bought wine and meat, and went to the city with Pai Jia to give food and drinks to Qiu Ba, during which he spent several more taels of silver. This kind of thing where he stretched his neck to be 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 bones. Although my husband had social interactions with people in the government office in the past, they were all doing business for the sake of safety. He just maintained a good relationship and did not have a deep friendship. At this moment, I don't know why, through Wen Tietou's relationship, I managed to win over these people regardless of the cost, and gave them dozens or dozens of taels of money. Don’t know what to draw? !
This money was 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 destroyed and chaos breaks out, what use can these strong government officials, who usually act like a fake but a tiger, be of 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 secretly cry again at night: Why is his life so miserable! A few years after Ansheng's life, he encountered war and chaos again. It was the time when he needed to rely on his man, but he showed signs of losing his mind again.
If she is really going crazy, what will she do if she is an orphan and a widow? !
After Luo Yangming finished sending information on the city wall, his mind was already made up. Although he didn't know what measures the leaders would take, but since the elders had received the news, they would definitely take measures, and Xiong Wencan's trick would not succeed. And he himself 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 is on the local Zhuangban and Weisuo military training in Wuzhou.
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 the family members, relatives and friends are in the city or in the suburbs, so they dare not do anything to the best of their ability. 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 a 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, it is also the key target for him to strive 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, but he became an excellent assistant to him.
Wen Tietou was the leader at the dock, and all the gods had to deal with him. 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 is 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. What he said to his face was so touching that he was so righteous that he swore and swore; he could turn around and report people without even frowning.
Luo Yangming thought over and over again and decided to go to the head of the rice industry guild first.
Grain wholesale is a big business in Wuzhou, and the leaders of the meeting were already worried about the siege of the city. After Luo Yangming came to the door and expressed his concern that "the officers and soldiers will not be successful in the war, and Wuzhou may be destroyed together," the meeting 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 battle to defend the city in medieval society, the support of the wealthy gentry in the city was crucial. Not only do they control a large amount of social and material resources, they also have a great say. It is very effective in mobilizing people. In the Ming Dynasty, several extremely difficult and dangerous city defense battles were finally able to persist because of the efforts of the local Jin gentry.
But on the other hand, if there is a huge disparity in strength between the two sides, the enemy may secretly want to surrender. It is very likely that these people will make secret arrangements 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 knew all the legends about the Kun thieves in the past. The Australians never massacred or looted a city that could surrender in time. However, if there is fierce resistance, although the city will not be massacred and looted after the city is broken, the big gentry family in charge will 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 too active in the guild on weekdays. To suddenly come to talk to him about such a topic was obviously someone's instigation.
"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 quite a crush on several of the shopkeepers. Ripe."
Dachang is an Australian industry. This is no secret in Guangdong, and it is well-known in Wuzhou. As an important grain market in Guangdong and Guangdong, Wuzhou has many rice shops that have traded with Dachang. The leader 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."
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Next update: Volume 7 - Guangzhou Governance Chapter 318
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