Hearing someone calling the door, the guards on the city wall hurriedly reported to the county magistrate Wang Bin.
Wang Bin hurriedly took the county magistrate, Lord Bo and others to the city wall to answer the question.
"It's already dark. May I ask the name of the new prefect?"
Wang Bin ordered the torches to be lit and stared at the bottom of the city wall with wide eyes, fearing that the rebels were coming to deceive the door.
Zhu Renxia, who had just changed into a scarlet official robe and a gold-embroidered gauze hat, rode out on horseback and said: "I, Zhu Renxia, was originally the magistrate of Guiyang County. Later, I was awarded the title of patrol censor by the Holy Emperor. This time I received the title of censor. I was sent by the Governor to serve as the magistrate of Tongren Prefecture to stabilize the situation."
"It turns out to be Mr. Zhu!"
Wang Bin hurriedly clasped his fists and saluted, "I've heard your name for a long time in the past six months, but it's a pity that I haven't gotten to know you. I'm afraid there may be fraud, and I hope you will forgive me if you offend me."
Zhu Renxia nodded and said: "You did the right thing. It is better to be cautious in the chaos of war, so as not to fall into the rebels' tricks."
A bamboo basket was placed on the city wall: "Please, the prefect, put the voucher inside for inspection. Only after it is verified to be correct can the door be opened."
"Ding Xiao, go."
Zhu Renxia personally handed the seal and appointment letter to Ding Xiao and asked him to go forward and check with the officials on the city wall.
Ding Xiao took it in his hand, stepped forward quickly, put all the vouchers in the basket, and shouted at the top of his lungs: "Okay, it's time to rise."
After checking and confirming that everything was correct, the officials on the city wall hurriedly opened the city gate to welcome the new prefect into the city.
"I hope the prefect will forgive me for offending me!" Wang Bin apologized again.
Zhu Renxia looked this man up and down and saw that he was about thirty-five or six years old, about seven and a half feet tall, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, and he looked upright.
Being able to refuse Tian Zongyi's surrender shows that this county magistrate is an official with integrity.
"Haha... Magistrate Wang, there is no need to be polite. The war is in chaos, so there is nothing wrong with being cautious."
Zhu Renxia patted the other party's shoulder and encouraged him amiably.
Wang Bin personally sent Zhu Renxia to the post house, and more than a hundred of his entourage were arranged to live in the minzhuang camp, and then held a banquet to entertain the magistrate.
Zhu Renxia simply drank a few drinks and expressed his feelings briefly.
Then Wang Bin was asked to find several civil servants and write letters to the magistrates of other counties under Tongren Prefecture.
The letter stated: The new magistrate has arrived and is temporarily stationed in Sinan County. If your counties need to report anything, just send envoys to Sinan County.
After writing the letter, Zhu Renxia took out the magistrate's seal and stamped it, and then said to Wang Bin: "Thank you, Magistrate Lao Wang, for sending officers to the other five counties overnight, so that the whole group will not be leaderless."
"I obey your orders."
Wang Bin agreed and immediately sent five envoys out of the city overnight to deliver messages to Dejiang, Wanshan, Wuluo and other counties.
After sending the letter, it was already late, so Zhu Renxia got up and went back to the posthouse to sleep.
Magistrate Wang led all his colleagues out of the county office: "Master Magistrate, please go slowly. The conditions in the small town are poor and there are many mosquitoes. Please bear with me."
"You are wrong!" Zhu Renxia got on his horse and said, "I am here to share the joys and sorrows with you, not to enjoy the blessings."
After a stick of incense, Zhu Renxia returned to the post house, where Jin Zhu was waiting for her return.
"Husband, it's been a long journey, let me help you take a bath."
When the prefect arrived, all the people in the post were emptied and the Chang'an army took over. No one disturbed the post in the dead of night.
"It's been a bumpy journey, and Madam is also tired. Let's wash it again tomorrow!"
"That won't work. You are now a fourth-grade prefect. You must keep your appearance neat and tidy to avoid being laughed at."
Jin Zhu refused to give up, and directly helped her husband take off his black gauze hat, official robe and boots, and pressed him into the wooden basin.
It's midsummer now, and the well water can be heated a little for a hot bath.
With a pair of delicate and gentle hands helping to wash away the dust on his body, Zhu Renxia felt very comfortable, "It's comfortable, it's comfortable...ahhhhh, it's so comfortable!"
Jinzhu couldn't help but burst out laughing: "Mr., what the hell is your name? If someone heard it, they would think we were doing that..."
"Haha... Anyway, you are already my concubine, so what are you afraid of?" Zhu Renxia couldn't help laughing loudly, "How about the madam also takes off her clothes and we take a bath together?"
Jin Zhu sneered: "Looking at your expression, I know you don't mean anything good. Don't worry, I've already taken a shower."
After Zhu Renxia finished taking a bath, Jin Zhu helped him dry his body. The couple entered the room together, hugged each other and fell asleep. Of course, the clouds and rain of Wushan and the joy of bed were indispensable in the middle.
Before dawn the next day, there was a rapid knock on the door.
"Mayor, mayor, wake up, don't sleep, the county magistrate has something to ask for." A close soldier knocked on the door and announced his intention.
"Is there something urgent?"
Zhu Renxia hurriedly put on his clothes and came to the yard, saying, "Let Magistrate Wang come in to see me quickly."
After receiving the summons, Wang Bin hurriedly entered without bothering to salute: "Master Magistrate, something serious has happened!"
"Why are you panicking?"
Zhu Renxia stroked his beard and tried his best to show off his demeanor without changing color even if Mount Tai collapsed.
This Wang Bin is really a court official and a seventh-grade county magistrate. Why is he so irritable all of a sudden?
"No, a troop of soldiers and horses came from the west. It looks like there are about two thousand people. They are obviously coming for our county." Wang Bin said anxiously.
"More than two thousand people?"
Zhu Renxia couldn't help being surprised when he heard this.
At the banquet last night, he once asked about the military strength in Sinan County. There were only 300 civilians and more than 120 officers. Including the followers he brought, there were only more than 500 people.
If there are really more than 2,000 rebels coming, they are four times as many as ours.
Moreover, Sinan is only a small county town with low city walls, only more than two feet high, which is not even as high as the city walls of Chang'an Town. If the rebels launch a strong attack, it will be difficult to defend.
"Don't panic, don't panic!"
Zhu Renxia stroked his beard and tried to calm down, "Is it possible that they are our officers and soldiers? Our government has given orders to General Jiang Guanjun to lead his troops to our Sinan County for reinforcements."
Wang Bin shook his head and said: "The spy said that the flag was not officers and soldiers, but definitely Yang Yinglong's rebels."
"Have the rebels attacked Sinan before?" Zhu Renxia asked for details while thinking hard about countermeasures.
"Never been here."
"This is strange. Why did the rebels suddenly mobilize their troops to kill them without any reason?"
"Obviously I'm here for you, Lord Magistrate." Wang Bin said.
"Are you here for me?"
Zhu Renxia didn't understand. "I just arrived yesterday evening. How did the rebels and Tian Zongyi know that I, the new prefect, was here?"
Wang Bin stamped his feet and said, "It must be Song Yi who went to report the news to Tian Zongyi."
"You are talking about Lord Song Bo? But why?"
Zhu Renxia thought of the man in his forties who had a goatee and yellowish skin at the banquet last night.
Wang Bin said: "The prefect doesn't know that the reason why Song Yi was able to sit in the position of Sinan County Lord Bo was entirely promoted by Tian Zongyi. It is not an exaggeration to say that Tian Zongyi is his mentor."
Zhu Renxia suddenly realized: "It turns out that there is such a relationship between them. You should have been on guard."
Wang Bin said: "The official has been wary of Song Yi, worried that he would collude with the rebels. But he is the boss, and I am the county magistrate, so I have no power to remove him. I was a little careless last night and did not send anyone to keep an eye on him. I know this guy rode out of the city in the middle of the night yesterday."
Zhu Renxia slapped his forehead: "Listen to what you said, then this matter is correct. Song Yi must have tipped off Tian Zongyi, and he sent rebels to kill me."
Wang Bin said anxiously: "Master, please mount your horse and leave the city from the south gate. I swear to live or die with Sinan."
Zhu Renxia clenched his fists and said: "I, the prefect, abandoned the city and fled for my life on the day I took office. Wouldn't it be laughed at if it was spread? First call all the people and officials to climb the city wall and compete with the rebels."
Seeing Zhu Renxia's tough attitude, Wang Bin had no choice but to agree: "Since the magistrate is determined, I won't persuade you anymore. Please don't wear official uniform, so as not to attract the attention of the rebels. If you have any shortcomings, I will dissuade you." I can’t bear it.”
Zhu Renxia laughed and said: "Don't worry, Magistrate Wang. I have participated in many wars, large and small, and I am not a powerless civil servant. You first mobilize all the people and officers to board the The city wall is being defended, I will arrive immediately with my soldiers!"
"I obey your orders."
Wang Bin clasped his fists in agreement, turned around and left the post house.
