"Sir, are you going into the city? That's great, can you take us with you?"
When the common people crowded in front of the city gate heard Zhu Ping'an's words, they couldn't help but get excited.
"Great, great, the Marshal is coming into the city. We are saved and can follow him into the city."
"Make way, make way, make way quickly."
The common people became excited and cheered as if a drowning man had found a piece of drifting wood.
Zhu Ping'an shook his head and was about to speak, but when the common people saw him shaking his head, the smiles and excitement on their faces withered. However, they ignored their disappointment and cried and begged one after another:
"Sir, if it really doesn't work, you can take my baby in. My baby is only two years old, she hasn't seen this world yet. I still have my wife, so I won't go in. I just ask you to take my baby in."
"Wow, sir, please bring my wife in. I have disliked this woman for a long time. Divorce her now and let her warm your bed and serve you tea. But, don't sell her to those dirty places..."
"Sir, please take my mother in. I am an unfilial son. I have always lived a simple life and never had any rich food to show my filial piety to my mother. But my mother gave me this life. I can't let my mother wait to die with me. Please take my mother into the city. I will give you all the silver I have."
... ...
The common people knelt on the ground and kowtowed, held up their babies, took out their purses, and begged in various ways.
"Dear fellow villagers, please stand up quickly. I am not here to enter the city, but to send you into the city..." Zhu Ping'an hurriedly stepped forward to help the old man beside him up, and spoke loudly to the kneeling people.
"Ah? What? You're not here to go into the city, but to take us into the city?"
"Come and take us into the city?!"
"Really? You're not going into the city?! Send us into the city?!"
After hearing what Zhu Ping'an said, all the common people opened their mouths in shock, with a look of disbelief on their faces.
This doesn't make sense!
No Sister Li!
The Japanese pirates are coming, and everyone wants to hide in the high walls and deep moats of Suzhou City, but you don't want to go in?! In this critical moment, you are not here to enter the city, but to send us into the city?!
Is this true or false?!
Are you so noble?!
People looked at Zhu Ping'an with suspicion.
"Get out of the way, get out of the way, everyone, get out of the way, let him pass! Who cares if he's real or fake? If he is real, then we have met a good official who truly serves the people. If he is fake, then we won't suffer any loss. When they enter the city, we will follow them in."
A man shouted.
"That's right, that's right, that's right, let's make way for him."
People thought it made sense and quickly made way for Zhu Ping'an to go straight to the city gate.
"Dear fellow villagers, please be patient." Zhu Ping'an bowed to the common people and walked quickly towards the city gate.
"Governor Su is on the city wall. I'm Zhu Ping'an and I want to see you for something." Zhu Ping'an came to the city gate, looked up and shouted.
"Lord Zhu, I'm on the city wall." Suzhou prefect Shang Weiwei poked his head out from the top of the city wall.
"Sir Zhu, the Japanese pirates are approaching. Your Zhejiang army is not on guard at Fengqiao camp. What are you doing here? Sir Zhu, are you going into the city?" The head of the Ministry of War of Suzhou Prefecture immediately stuck his head out and asked first.
Everyone in the city looked at Zhu Ping'an.
"Prefect Shang, my lords, I am not here to enter the city. Our Zhejiang Army will not enter the city. I am here for the tens of thousands of people living under the city."
Zhu Ping'an shook his head vigorously, pointed his right hand at the people under the city, and replied seriously.
"Ah? You're not going into the city? Are you here for the people living in the city?"
Suzhou prefect Shang Weizhi and a group of officials and soldiers were stunned. They opened their mouths in disbelief. They never expected that Zhu Ping'an was not coming to the city but for the people living in the city.
"Sir Zhu, you are here for the people living in the city? What do you mean?" Prefect Shang asked hurriedly.
"Please ask Magistrate Shang to open the city gates and let the people outside the city enter." Zhu Ping'an bowed.
"No, no, absolutely not!"
"If it is the Zhejiang Army under Lord Zhu who enters the city, it is understandable, but it is absolutely unacceptable to allow ordinary people to enter the city!"
"There are so many people outside the city, and they can't get in for a while. If the Japanese pirates come and seize the city gates, who can take responsibility? There are still hundreds of thousands of people in the city. Lord Zhu, we have to be responsible for their lives."
Before the Suzhou prefect could even open his mouth, his subordinates could not wait to loudly object.
Prefect Shang looked at Zhu Ping'an with embarrassment. Although he did not say anything, his expression showed what he meant.
"Please rest assured, Lord Shang and all the other lords. Our Zhejiang army will be lined up outside the city and wait for them. If the Japanese pirates come, they will first step over the corpses of our Zhejiang army. We will swear to stop the Japanese pirates and leave enough time to close the city gates."
"In order to let the people in as soon as possible, please ask Lord Shang to open one gate in the east, south, and north to allow the people to enter the city. Our Zhejiang Army will dispatch 400 soldiers to each gate to stand in full battle array 300 meters in front of the gate and swear to stop the Japanese pirates to the death."
"Our Zhejiang Army is closely monitoring the whereabouts of the Japanese pirates. They are still half an hour away from here, which is enough time for the people to enter the city."
"With our Zhejiang army blocking the city from entering, we will not give the Japanese pirates a chance to seize the gate. It won't be too late to close the gate then."
Zhu Ping'an bowed towards the city and spoke loudly.
After hearing what Zhu Ping'an said, Magistrate Shang was obviously moved, but a group of officials around him expressed opposing views.
"The Zhejiang army is small, can it stop the Japanese pirates?"
"The Japanese pirates came and ran away on horseback. Didn't they sell us out? Please, Mr. Fu, for the sake of the hundreds of thousands of people in the city, don't open the gate."
A group of officials objected again and again.
"Sir Shang, all the lords, our food, clothing and salaries all depend on the people. How can we ignore the lives of the people?! Now the Japanese pirates are still 20 miles away. There is still time to open the gates and let the people enter the city. Our Zhejiang army is lined up outside the city and swears to stop the Japanese pirates to the death. Not a single Japanese pirate will pass before the gates are closed."
"I am willing to guarantee it with my life! I, Zhu Ping'an, will bear all the responsibilities!"
Zhu Ping'an pointed at the head on his neck and shouted loudly below the city, the veins on his neck bulging.
"Okay! Lord Zhu has the responsibility, and I am not a fool! I will guarantee your life with my own!"
"Open the city gates! Open the east, south, and north gates! Please let the people in!"
After hearing this, Shang Wei hesitated for a moment, gritted his teeth, slammed the city wall hard, and regardless of the objections of his subordinates, he gave a loud order!