"My lord, everything in the four gates is safe and sound as usual. All the soldiers are on guard duty attentively. They are all in high spirits and their eyes are as wide as copper bells. Let alone Japanese pirates, not even a mosquito can fly into the city."
After a while, the officer who went out to inspect the situation came back panting and reported to Magistrate Zhao.
"Okay, okay, let's work together, the soldiers will serve, and Jiaxing will be worry-free. I have asked people to prepare hot soup and hot dishes for you. Go down and have a good rest. I will not forget people who work hard."
After hearing the officer's report, Magistrate Zhao happily said the word "good" three times. He breathed a big sigh of relief, patted the officer's shoulder very kindly, and gently asked him to go down and have a good rest.
The palace official patted me on the shoulder. The officer was flattered and his face flushed with excitement. He repeatedly expressed his willingness to die for the palace minister.
After the officer left, Magistrate Zhao looked around at the people in the meeting hall, like an old lion with a gray mane. As the head of the house, he still had some prestige, and everyone who was whispering among them was silent.
"I know that some of you are saying that you are too cautious, making a fuss out of a molehill, or even being as timid as a mouse..."
Magistrate Zhao cleared his throat, looked at everyone, and said slowly.
After hearing what Magistrate Zhao said, all the civil and military officials in the meeting hall lowered their heads, not daring to look at Magistrate Zhao. They had something in their minds. Almost most of them had said this openly or secretly. Even if they had not said it, they still felt the same in their hearts. Thought about it.
"It's normal for you to think this way. After all, what I do is very cautious to the point of timidity. The Japanese pirates who fled from Suzhou only appeared in a small village in the north. When the number of people is unknown, I always After a while, I will send people to the fourth gate to check. There are obviously more than 2,000 soldiers and horses in the city, but they still sent people to Yangcheng Guards for help as soon as possible, etc., so I will not blame you."
Magistrate Zhao said slowly, then glanced at everyone and asked, "Do you know why I am doing this?"
All the civil and military officials in the chamber did not know how to answer.
"I'm telling you. Because I am the prefect of Jiaxing Prefecture, and as the head of the prefecture, I am responsible for the safety of hundreds of thousands of people in Jiaxing Prefecture, especially Jiaxing City. I have to be careful, cautious, and cautious. , even to the point of being as cowardly as a mouse. As long as Jiaxing Mansion has no worries, it doesn’t matter if I am said to be as cowardly as a mouse." Magistrate Zhao said slowly and emotionally.
"Your Majesty has a heart for hundreds of thousands of people in Jiaxing Prefecture. We are so narrow-minded. Please forgive me for our sins."
A number of civil and military officials complained one after another.
"It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter, haven't I already said that I won't blame you for this. But..." Magistrate Zhao paused at this point, his eyes were like fire, and he slowly scanned everyone, which put great pressure on everyone.
"Your Majesty, please speak. We will strictly abide by your orders." A group of civil and military officials stood up to express their stance.
Magistrate Zhao waved his hand and told everyone to sit down, and then warned the civil and military officials present with a serious look, "However, you need to remember that we are not only responsible for our lives, but also for the hundreds of thousands of people in Jiaxing Prefecture." To save the lives of the common people, you must be as careful and cautious as I am! Japanese pirates are no ordinary bandits. They are ferocious and good at fighting. They commit all kinds of crimes including burning, killing and looting. A month ago, more than a hundred Japanese pirates roamed thousands of miles south of the Yangtze River, burning and killing. Everyone is familiar with the news that they have plundered Yingtian City. The Japanese pirates who occupied Tuolin as their lair did not make any concessions. This group of Japanese pirates gathered fifty or sixty thousand soldiers, and Songjiang Prefecture suffered greatly. The officers and soldiers were defeated in succession, and the county The number of them was defeated, and the common people were reduced to fish in the bowl of Japanese pirates. Even Governor Zhang was afraid of it and was unable to attack them. Don't underestimate the Japanese pirates who fled in Tuolin, don't think that they don't care if they are defeated, and don't think that they have few people. Just relax your vigilance and raise everything to the highest level.”
"We will keep in mind the teachings of the Prefect, and we must be more careful, more cautious, and more cautious." A number of civil and military officials expressed their stance one after another.
"Very good, now let's study Jiaxing's defense matters. I am in charge of the general command. The specific supplies such as grain, grass, ordnance, etc. are in charge of Chief Wang, and the departments of households, barracks, workshops, etc. will cooperate with each other. The mobilization and command of troops and horses are in charge of Chief Zhang. , All the generals here must work together. When the Yangcheng Guard reinforcements arrive, I will explain to them, and Chief Zhang will be responsible for mobilizing and commanding."
Magistrate Zhao sat down with satisfaction and made arrangements for Jiaxing's defense. A group of civil and military officials stood up from time to time to take orders.
"Everyone should also discuss how to do better in the affairs that you are responsible for and cooperate with." Magistrate Zhao ordered a group of civil and military officials.
At the end, Magistrate Zhao turned to look at the corner of the meeting hall and asked, "Secretary Sima, have you recorded today's events truthfully?"
It turned out that there was a table in the corner of the conference hall. In front of the table, a clerk in his fifties was writing furiously.
"Go back to me, what I did and said today, especially my emotional explanations and stern warnings to everyone, I have recorded them all truthfully, word for word."
Secretary Zhang stood up and replied.
"Good. Secretary Zhang deserves to be born in the Sima family and has the style of a historian." Magistrate Zhao nodded with satisfaction after hearing this.
There are words and truths. When the Japanese pirates attacked, he had the whole people in mind and endured the humiliation. He did not hesitate to be stigmatized for being cowardly as a rat, but he was also cautious and careful in deploying defenses, so that Jiaxing Mansion avoided a catastrophe.
These records can not only be used as a basis for reporting merits, but can also be included in the local chronicles of Jiaxing Prefecture, and they themselves will be remembered for generations along with the local chronicles of Jiaxing Prefecture.
While Magistrate Zhao was feeling complacent and all the civil and military officials in the council room were brainstorming, a massacre was imminent dozens of miles outside the city.
"The Ming army is about to arrive. Hide carefully and pull up the horse rope! Brother Ma, you lead two hundred people to ambush in the back, and I will lead the rest to ambush in front. When the Ming army is tripped by the horse rope, we will rush out from both sides at the same time. Attack him from a flank and kill him until he bleeds like a river. Remember not to kill them all, but leave dozens of him alive. I will be of great use." Xu Hai hid in the dark and whispered an order to a group of Japanese pirates.
"Okay." Maye nodded and led the Japanese pirates to move back.
More than a dozen Japanese pirates pulled up three hemp ropes as tripping ropes. In order to prevent the Ming army from discovering them, the hemp ropes were dyed black.
The black trip rope blended into the dark night, like a giant beast with its mouth open.
"Drive! Drive! Drive!"
More than a hundred Ming troops came at high speed from the bottom of the high slope, not knowing what was waiting for them in front.
They only knew that the governor ordered them to quickly ask for reinforcements. How could they have imagined that a group of Japanese pirates were secretly ambushing them. (End of chapter)
