Luoyang, inside Fu'an Hall in Fuwang Palace.
Zhu Changxun looked angrily and said: "In recent years, there have been constant droughts and locust plagues, and thieves are everywhere. This vassal has no income, but the expenses in the palace are still the same, and we cannot make ends meet. How did you know, sir!"
Sir, please stop trying to absolve the civil and military officials who defended the city from their crimes. If they failed to defend the city and caused the vassal to fall, we have the laws of the Ming Dynasty and there is no need for you to enter the palace to force me to pay for food! "
Lu Weiqi looked at Prince Fu in surprise and disappointment. He couldn't help but sigh secretly, his eyes filled with crystal tears, and he shouted in his heart: "Luoyang is over! The Ming Dynasty is in danger!"
But after all, Lu Weiqi is also an old man who has been in official circles for a long time, and he is familiar with these superficial articles. In addition, he knows that his family business is all in Luoyang City, and so is King Fu.
Although King Fu Zhu Changxun did not believe that the intruders could break into Luoyang City, he was not indifferent to the matters of Luoyang City Guards. He just did not want to take money or food from his own pocket.
King Fu breathed heavily and said with dissatisfaction: "When it comes to defending the city, you know that you need money, you need money! How do you know the difficulties of the poor, as if there are money trees and cornucopias hidden in the palace!
Furthermore, Li Xianfeng was not on the way to help. There was also Ming Dynasty fierce general Zhang Cheng, who led the army to come to help. The civil and military officials guarding the city only had to wait for help, so why did they need more money and food? "
Lu Weiqi's face was full of helplessness, and he could only continue to persuade: "The intruders are no longer what they used to be, and there have been severe droughts for many years, and the people have been suffering for a long time. They are no longer what they were in the eighth year of Chongzhen. What's more, the officers and soldiers guarding the city are indebted to them." As time goes by, there will be complaints.
If we don't provide timely relief to the hungry people in the city and increase pay to stabilize the morale of the army, I'm afraid that Luoyang won't be able to get reinforcements to rescue it. If it turns into an elbow or an armpit, Luoyang can be defeated in a day or night. Even if reinforcements come to rescue, I and His Highness Prince Fu have already fallen into the hands of thieves, so what will happen. "
King Fu shook his fat head and thought for a while, then reluctantly said: "Then...then...what should we do?"
He thought for a moment and then said painfully like he was chopping off flesh: "I have worked hard for the soldiers guarding the city, so I will give you a thousand taels of silver as a reward for your hard work."
Lu Weiqi said with a bitter smile: "There are thousands of soldiers guarding the city, but how can we use it with only a thousand taels of silver? Your Highness has this intention, so he should give it generously to encourage the soldiers to stand firm and wait for help, protect the important territory of the vassal, and protect the country." Your Highness is safe."
King Fu thought for a while, and said with a little cry: "Then...then...how about I reward you with three thousand taels? I really can't get one more tael!"
Lu Weiqi didn't want to plead anymore, but he knew that the situation in the city was really a last resort, so he kowtowed and said: "I really have an idea for Your Highness. All the civil and military officials, gentry and wealthy households in the city have already made donations, and so have I. Donate a thousand taels of silver and a hundred stones of grain.
However, the intruders suddenly arrived. The Jin gentry's families had limited money and food, and they really could not afford more. The intruders had been attacking the city for several days, and the soldiers were hungry and tired. The army was demoralized and morale was low. If they were not appeased in time, a mutiny might be imminent. .
I also hope that Your Highness will allocate more money and food to stabilize the country forever, so as to reassure the military, stabilize the people's sentiments, and make Luoyang impregnable. Otherwise, there is nothing I can do. I can only prepare more fuel and wood, and we will die together with Luoyang! "
Seeing Lu Weiqi's sad words, King Fu Zhu Changxun also felt a hint of danger. He closed his eyes and leaned on the round chair to meditate. His face looked extremely painful. After a long time, he opened his eyes and narrowed them into a thin line.
I heard King Fu say in an extremely painful voice: "... I... took out five thousand taels of silver, a thousand stones of grain... and took my life..."
Lu Weiqi knelt on the ground and sighed softly. He thanked with tears in his eyes: "I thank Your Highness for the reward on behalf of the soldiers guarding the city!"
Immediately, an eunuch sent five thousand taels of silver and one thousand stones of grain to Luoyang Zhentai Yamen. After receiving it, Wang Shaoyu, the commander-in-chief, first kept one thousand taels of silver for himself, and then sent another thousand taels of silver to Fenxundao Yamen. Wang Yinchang.
In the end, only three thousand taels of silver were used to reward the soldiers who defended the city. Seeing how little they got, the soldiers scolded them even more fiercely. Some people even openly said that they would no longer defend the city for the officials.
Wang Shaoyu, the commander-in-chief of the valley, just pretended not to hear it and didn't take it seriously at all.
…………
On the same night, in the large tent of Zhang Cheng, the commander-in-chief of the aid and suppression campaign in Kangzhuang Town, Gongxian County, a temporary terrain map of the surrounding Luoyang was hung. Chen Zhong, the commander-in-chief of the Ranger Department, was introducing the intelligence of the patrol to everyone.
"The current band of bandits is entrenched in Yanshi. The leader is Gu Dacheng, one of the eighteen cavalrymen who escaped with the bandits in Tongguan. They have thousands of bandits, most of whom are newly attached bandits from Henan Province. The main force is There were only a few hundred people around Gu Dacheng.
Yanshi has Wan'an Mountain to the south and Mang Mountain to the north. Between the two mountains, the Yiluo River flows under Yanshi City. The county is covered with hills, but the valley plain in the middle is slightly flat, suitable for large armies to pass through. "
Zhang Cheng looked at the hung map and said, "Is there any exploration in the mountains in the north and south of Yanshi? Are there any thieves or bandits ambushing the army?"
"Going back to the commander-in-chief, there have been inspections in Wan'an Mountain and Mang Mountain. There are no bandit troops inside. There are some strongholds built on the mountains with strong walls and extremely tight protection. Many of my cavalry sent out to look after me. I hope my army will attack and suppress the bandits." Chen Zhong replied.
Zhang Cheng nodded and said: "My army will be preparing here for a day. At midnight on the following day, we will set up camp after breakfast. We will first take back Yanshi and then march to Luoyang."
"I will obey the commander's military orders!"
Zhang Cheng added: "Before, the thieves who invaded and conquered the city had to work hard to level it, but now they are defending the city, which is very different from before. It can be seen that there must be experts around them to join them. , which made him change his previous behavior as a bandit.
The intruders are originally one of the most stubborn and cunning groups among thieves, and now they have more than 100,000 followers. The core of them is the Lao Ba Team, who were thieves in the early days. They have been defeated and resurrected several times. They must not be underestimated. .
When fighting against them, remember to be cautious, never advance rashly, and don't be greedy for success. It has been said that thieves are best at ambush. Don't be careless when marching into the wild. You must check the front, rear, left and right before taking action. When defending a city, be careful. Should be within guarding against thieves.
As the saying goes, we must despise our opponents strategically, but we must pay great attention to them tactically! "
When he spoke at this moment, his eyes stopped on Zhang Guodong and said: "Guodong, you will lead the infantry battalion as the vanguard in the future and be responsible for the battle to recover Yanshi. I will hand over the two cavalry units of Su Laohu and Mo Rigen. You take command and dispatch and guard the flanks for you."
"Here. Don't worry, Commander, Guodong will live up to his command!"
"Wei Zhice, you lead the car camp behind and are responsible for escorting the entire army's supplies and food."
"Here. The last general takes orders."
"Chen Zhong, your sentinels and cavalry need to step up their inspections in the past two days. You can pass through Yanshi and investigate in the direction of Luoyang. Zhang Guangda leads the heavy cavalry and light cavalry with me to support Guodong's infantry camp at any time."
"Here!"
After everything was agreed upon, the generals continued to discuss the situation in Henan in Zhang Cheng's Chinese army tent. Naturally, they ate, drank and chatted until late at night.
