Qiu Yizhi thought: If I reveal my true identity, I'm afraid you will be scared to death, but she said: "So, you have agreed to the reinforcements from outside the city entering the city?"
Fatty Tang immediately smiled and said: "I agree, agree, of course I agree. Lord Qiu must have men who are tigers and wolves under his command. After entering the city, the young ones will naturally have to pool money to reward him."
Qiu Yizhi is such a smart man. Listening to what the fat man said, it was clear that except for his more than two hundred men, the rest of the soldiers outside the city could not enter the city - this was something Qiu Yizhi could not accept.
So he sneered and said bluntly: "You fat man, do you think I am a three-year-old child? Let me tell you, not only my soldiers, but also all the soldiers outside the city have to enter the city to rest and recuperate, and they have entered the city in three or five batches. This is the final bottom line. If you only let my men in, are you going to ask Liu Jiedu to have a bad reputation for being close?" As he said this, he turned his head and glared at Liu Qing, who had been silent for a long time.
Liu Qing had just been startled by Qiu Yizhi, and as soon as his eyes made contact with Qiu Yizhi's, he was so frightened that he quickly lowered his head and said something indifferently.
When Fatty Tang saw him, he had a troubled look on his face. He didn't tell Qiu Yizhi any more, and instead winked at He Jiugong.
He Jiugong was also good at observing people's emotions. Knowing that Fatty Tang had something to say to him, he smiled and cupped his hands at Qiu Yizhi and said: "Young Master, don't be impatient. I'll go down and listen to what they say. I won't disappoint you." ”
With that said, He Jiugong walked among the businessmen and started discussing and arguing.
After about a cup of tea, He Jiugong said with a sad face: "Master, this matter is very difficult to handle. Master knows that we Zhou officials are not the superiors of these people, and these people do not have to listen to the officials. You can’t just give orders, it’s just that the officials speak and act thoughtfully to convince them.”
"Does Mr. Jiu mean that you can't even say it?" Qiu Yizhi said coldly.
He Jiugong said: "This matter is indeed difficult to handle. There is a saying that 'cutting off a person's wealth is like killing his parents'. If more than 10,000 people from outside the city come in and no one can be saved, they must be able to control it properly. If anything happens, Zhou Daguan's prestige in Jiangnan shopping mall is about to be wiped out..."
When Qiu Yizhi heard this, his face became clouded, and he said: "If your words reach the ears of the sergeants outside the city, I don't know how they will hate you. Maybe you will arouse thoughts that they didn't have before! Don’t blame me for my lack of control then.”
"What? What did you say? Are you going to launch an army and plunder?" A sharp accusation suddenly came from the hall.
Qiu Yizhi turned his head and looked around, only to see Qian Feng, the governor of Jiangnan Province, twisting his skinny face and grinning, saying: "You Qiu Yizhi, how dare you support your own troops and threaten good people, you know Sin?"
Qiu Yizhi turned his head and looked around, only to see Qian Feng, the governor of Jiangnan Province, twisting his skinny face and grinning, saying: "You Qiu Yizhi, how dare you support your own troops and threaten good people, you know Sin?"
Qiu Yizhi was stunned by Qian Feng's words. After being stunned for a long time, he recalled that his words did contain some threatening meaning intentionally or unintentionally. He bowed quickly and explained: " Mr. Qian, this subordinate just made a mistake in a moment of impatience, please forgive me."
"Forgive me? It's easy for you to say that! Everyone heard what you said just now. It was clear that you wanted to send troops to rob good people. You have committed a serious crime. Even if I intend to protect you, I am afraid of harsh words and ruthless national laws! "Qian Feng said without mercy, "Also, since just now, you have been occupying the magpie's nest in my lobby, showing no respect for your superiors. Where do you put me and the court? This is also a serious crime!"
Qiu Yizhi was enlightened when he heard this. He thought to himself: It turns out that he acted in a hurry and did not consider his boss, which caused him to lose face and lose his fortune. Then he was nitpicking, trying to make up for the few words he said. Make a fuss about your own sins.
Qiu Yizhi was originally a person who never gave up or showed weakness in words. When he encountered such injustice, he would naturally refute him with some words. Moreover, with his status in front of the emperor, it would not matter even if someone accused him of treason. However, he had already tasted a hint of suspicion from the emperor's previous personal letter to him. If Qian Feng made a complaint at this juncture, although the emperor would not punish him for it, over time, it would be difficult to protect the emperor. What thoughts do you have about yourself.
After thinking about this, Qiu Yizhi quickly said: "Sir, this is all because Xiaguan is young and ignorant, and speaks freely. Xiaguan must admit his mistake first." After saying that, he bowed deeply, stood up and said, "But Xiaguan I really didn’t mean what I said, I hope you’ll forgive me!”
Qian Feng felt proud when he heard Qiu Yi relenting and begged for mercy. He became even more reluctant and said, "I am willing to let you go, but what you just said has been heard by so many businessmen in the hall. What can you do if everyone is talking about it?" Of?"
After saying that, Qian Feng raised his head and asked the merchants in the hall: "You all took seriously what Mr. Cai Qiu threatened you just now, but you must leave a witness."
But he didn't expect that as soon as Qian Feng finished speaking, He Jiugong said, "What did Lord Qiu just say? We didn't hear anything!"
This time it was Qian Feng's turn to be stunned. Seeing that He Jiugong had white hair and an innocent and honest face, he thought he was old and deaf. He really didn't hear Qiu Yizhi's words clearly, so he asked loudly: "Just now Lord Qiu, do you all hear what you said? Tell me the truth!"
He Jiugong immediately said: "You didn't hear Master Qiu's words clearly, but you heard Master Qian's words clearly, right? If you have anything to say, you must think it over and tell it truthfully. If anyone talks nonsense, I, the Nine, will not spare him!" "
The dozen or twenty businessmen in the hall were as silent as a chill after hearing He Jiugong's stern lecture. No one dared to speak out.
Upon seeing this, He Jiugong smiled with satisfaction, knelt down in front of Qian Feng, and said, "Reporting to your lord, no one seems to have heard what Lord Qiu just said!"
Qian Feng was also a man who had been in officialdom for decades. Of course, it was obvious that He Jiugong was suppressing the businessmen and not letting them speak. However, this old man was extremely humble in both his attitude and words, making it impossible for Qian Feng to find any fault. .
Just as Qian Feng was blowing his beard and staring, too angry to say a word, he saw a soldier staggering in from outside the door. He knelt down in front of Jiedushi Liu Qing and said, "General, General, it's not a big deal." Okay, something bad is going to happen!”
Liu Qing's private bribery from businessmen had just been exposed. When he was upset, he heard the soldier's irritable tone and said angrily without thinking: "Why are you panicking? Didn't you see that we are discussing something? What's the big deal?" Don’t let me go down yet!”
The soldier said "yes" but did not get up and exit the hall. Instead, he said: "This is an urgent military situation. The Japanese pirates are attacking. There are about seven or eight hundred people. Please let the general decide!"
Liu Qing listened for a moment and thought to himself: The news he heard before said that the Japanese pirates were sparse and in groups of three to five, with a total of only four to five hundred people. How could there be so many seven or eight hundred people? But this Liu Qing is a man who has been in battle for a long time after all. It is very rare to know that the information obtained from ordinary scouts is half reliable. If the situation reported by this soldier is true, nearly a thousand Japanese invaders attacked Jinling. That is a huge thing.
So Liu Qing said to the kneeling messenger: "Where did the seven or eight hundred Japanese pirates come from? You don't want to hear rumors. If you talk nonsense and shake the morale of the army, see how I punish you!"
The messenger hurriedly said: "How dare you talk nonsense? General, if you don't believe it, go to the top of Dongcheng and have a look. The Japanese pirates are all gathered in a big crowd. You can invite them all!"
"What? All the Japanese pirates came to Jinling City?" Liu Qing secretly exclaimed. Just as he was about to run to the east of the city wall, he suddenly remembered that there was an emperor's adopted son standing next to him, so he gave Qiu Yizhi a military salute and said: "Sir, how about we go to the city to check on the situation?"
Qiu Yizhi nodded, then led Lin Shuhan and galloped towards Jinling with Liu Qing. After following Qiu Yizhi into the lobby of the government office, the two lieutenant generals, who had not said a word like scarecrows, also followed him out.
The city wall of Jinling was built with great care and neatness. Not only were the city wall bricks made of high-quality blue bricks, but even the cracks between the bricks were filled with glutinous rice paste. Therefore, this wall was nearly two hundred years longer than Zuo, the Han Dynasty. , in the past four hundred years, despite all the wars and attacks, not even a single brick has been loosened.
It is said that such a strong city wall was actually funded by a wealthy businessman from the previous dynasty. However, his flattery just hit the mark. Such a wealthy country violated the sacred taboo. Soon after the city wall was built, the emperor found an excuse. , not only all his family property was confiscated, but he was also exiled for three thousand miles, and eventually died in a foreign country.
Starting from that wealthy businessman, businessmen all over the world, no matter how rich they are, always have to secure an official position before they can rest assured. Otherwise, if the government becomes more serious, they will become the piggy bank of the imperial court.
Despite this, the city wall of Jinling City is still reassuring enough. For this reason, Liu Qing, the governor of Jiangnan Province, stood on the city wall and felt relieved when he saw that although the Japanese pirates were numerous in number, they did not carry any siege equipment. He took a breath and said to Qiu Yizhi beside him: "Sir, the Japanese pirates don't have ladder artillery carts. It seems they have no plans to attack the city. Don't worry, sir."
"Why don't you worry?" Qiu Yizhi said angrily, "You know that in this three-acre area of Jinling City, don't you see that there are nearly 10,000 reinforcements outside? This group of people has not rested, and their morale and combat strength are not high. With limited resources, how can we withstand the Japanese pirates' attack? Hurry up, organize the officers and soldiers in the city, go out of the city to fight, and kill the Japanese pirates first."
Liu Qing said, "Sir, you have to listen to me on this matter. Think about it, Jinling City is related to half of the country in the south of the Yangtze River. If something goes wrong, it will shock the world. Anyway, my head can't bear it... "
He pointed to the city again and said: "Look here, sir, although there are many Japanese pirates, they are less than a thousand. However, there are nearly ten thousand reinforcements from outside the city. Even one person urinating can kill the Japanese pirates. Just don't worry, sir." good."
Qiu Yizhi listened to what Liu Qing said so eloquently, but he knew in his heart: Japanese pirates are very capable of fighting alone. If ordinary people fight against them for the first time, even five or six people may not be able to get close to them. Therefore, small groups of seven or eight people are often Japanese pirates can defeat hundreds of soldiers, not to mention the nearly a thousand Japanese pirates gathered under Jinling City now
While he was thinking about it, the garrison soldiers in Jinling City were already holding bows, arrows and spears, one after another, ascending the city wall and standing at the top of the city. They moved very quickly and orderly, and were obviously much stronger than the Jiangnan officers and soldiers that Qiu Yi had dealt with before in Shanyin County.
Suddenly, I heard a soldier at the top of the city point his hand towards the bottom of the city and shout loudly: "Look, the Japanese pirates are coming." There was some panic in his tone. (To be continued)