As the Zhejiang Army galloped desperately towards the East Gate, their uniform shouts of "General Wang has surrendered to the enemy, the East Gate is full of Japanese pirates!" were heard by more and more soldiers with good hearing.
What?!
General Wang has surrendered to the enemy?! The ones entering the city are Japanese pirates?!
These two earth-shattering pieces of news were more shocking than the other, and immediately caused panic and chaos on the city wall.
"Asshole! It's already this late, and you're still making noises and making a fuss on the city wall. If you do it again, you'll be subject to military law!"
When Prefect Shang saw the chaos on the city wall, his face suddenly turned dark and he started cursing at the noisy place.
However, after Magistrate Shang cursed, he felt that the scene seemed to become even more chaotic, and many middle and low-level officers deserted their posts and came closer to him.
"Nonsense! It's already this time and you're still thinking about flattery!" Magistrate Shang's face turned even darker. He thought these officers were trying to get close to him and flatter him, so he became furious.
How can I not be angry? These people who are fawning on me, it would be better if they could use their energy in flattery and currying favor on defending the city, so that I could have less worries.
However, what surprised Magistrate Shang was that these flatterers were really stubborn. Even when he was so angry, they still came over here.
"This is intolerable, what is intolerable, you are simply..."
Prefect Shang had only started halfway through his scolding when he was interrupted by someone he saw as a flatterer and a sycophant.
"Your Excellency, Your Excellency, something bad has happened. Something terrible has happened..." the middle and low-level military officers reported in panic.
"That's right. It's really bad for you. It's very bad..." Prefect Shang glared at them.
All of you cannot escape, one by one. I will have people take note of you, and as soon as the war here is over, I will settle accounts with you one by one. If you still want to get close to me, I will exile you far away one by one!
The low- and middle-ranking officers who squeezed over were stunned for a moment, then realized belatedly that the governor had probably misunderstood them. They shook their heads helplessly and smiled bitterly, then all bowed and stepped forward to report, "Governor, many people heard the Zhejiang Army running outside the city shouting, 'General Wang has surrendered to the enemy, and the Japanese pirates are entering the city through the east gate.'"
"What?!"
After hearing this, Prefect Shang could not help but stagger. If the personal soldiers beside him had not supported him in time, Prefect Shang would have fallen to the ground.
"You said that the Zhejiang Army was shouting 'General Wang has surrendered to the enemy, and those entering the city through the East Gate are Japanese pirates'?! Is this true?!"
Prefect Shang shook off the support of his personal soldiers, walked up to the middle and low-ranking officers who were reporting, and asked in disbelief.
"Yes, Your Excellency. Many people with good ears have heard it. We also heard the words 'surrender to the enemy' and 'Japanese pirates'. It should not be wrong."
The mid- and low-ranking officers reported back.
"What do you mean there shouldn't be any mistakes?! Does that mean there could be mistakes?! Is this something that can be ambiguous?! What if the Zhejiang Army didn't shout 'General Wang has surrendered to the enemy', but 'General Li has surrendered to the enemy'?! What if the Zhejiang Army didn't shout 'The Japanese pirates entered the city through the east gate', but 'The Japanese pirates are chasing me'?!"
For a while, Prefect Shang found it difficult to accept the news that "General Wang has surrendered to the enemy, and the people who entered the city through the east gate are Japanese pirates." He couldn't believe it, or rather, he didn't want to believe it.
People all have preconceived subconscious minds. Prefect Shang saw with his own eyes General Wang returning triumphantly with the captured Japanese pirates and the captured armor and weapons. Prefect Shang also personally identified and confirmed that there was nothing wrong with General Wang.
However, now someone actually heard the Zhejiang Army shouting "General Wang has surrendered to the enemy, and those who entered the city through the east gate are Japanese pirates"!
One is returning in triumph, the other is surrendering to the enemy!
These are two completely opposite situations. For the city of Suzhou, one is exciting and the other is devastatingly bad news!
It is human nature for everyone to be willing to believe good news and find it difficult to accept bad news, and Prefect Shang is no exception.
In his heart, he was more willing to believe that General Wang had returned triumphantly, and was unwilling to accept the fact that General Wang had defected to the enemy. Moreover, he had carefully verified it himself and there was nothing wrong with General Wang's triumphant return.
Not to mention that it is not certain whether the Zhejiang Army shouted "General Wang has surrendered to the enemy, and the people entering the city through the east gate are Japanese pirates". Even if it was, so what? The Zhejiang Army was just talking nonsense. Is there any evidence to prove that General Wang has surrendered to the enemy and the people entering the city through the east gate are Japanese pirates? !
"Well, because many people with good ears have confirmed again and again that what they heard was 'General Wang has surrendered to the enemy, and those who entered the city through the east gate are Japanese pirates.' Comparing the two, there should be no mistake." The mid- and low-level officers explained in a low voice.
And you still say it should!
War is a matter of life and death, so how can we use an ambiguous word like "should"? !
Just as Prefect Shang was about to continue his rage, he suddenly heard the Zhejiang Army shouting at the top of their lungs, saying things like "surrendering to the enemy" and "Japanese pirates". Prefect Shang couldn't help but feel a pang in his heart.
"Sir, the Zhejiang army seemed to be shouting 'General Wang has surrendered to the enemy, and the Japanese pirates entered the city through the east gate'. I heard it."
This was said weakly by a personal soldier behind Magistrate Shang.
Prefect Shang turned his head, and the personal soldier who was talking behind him shrank his neck, but quickly straightened his chest and nodded again to confirm, "Yes, sir, what I heard was 'General Wang has surrendered to the enemy, and those who entered the city through the east gate are Japanese pirates'".
"Yes, sir, that's what I heard." Another personal soldier echoed.
Prefect Shang's face turned pale immediately. These two personal soldiers were from his hometown and were distant descendants of the clan. They were loyal to him and would never deceive him about such things. These two personal soldiers used to be hunters and had better hearing than most people.
That is to say, the Zhejiang army was really shouting "General Wang has surrendered to the enemy, and those who entered the city through the east gate are Japanese pirates."
This is trouble!
Why did the Zhejiang Army shout "General Wang has surrendered to the enemy, and the Japanese invaders entered the city through the east gate"? ! This is no joke, what evidence does Zihou have? ! You can't just smear someone's innocence out of thin air and say that a general who returned triumphantly was a traitor who surrendered to the enemy? !
Prefect Shang was extremely confused, as if he had been struck by thunder, and his brain was in a mess.
"I heard it, I heard it. The Zhejiang army really shouted, 'General Wang has surrendered to the enemy. The Japanese pirates are entering the city through the east gate.'"
As the Zhejiang army got closer, more soldiers on the city wall heard what they were shouting, and the situation on the city wall suddenly exploded like a boiling pot.
"General Wang actually surrendered to the Japanese pirates?! He even acknowledged the enemy as his father and helped the Japanese pirates to trick the city gate open?!"
"That means the Japanese pirates are entering the city now? No way? The Japanese pirates have already entered the city?!"
"What should I do? What should I do?"
"Quickly arrest General Wang, no, arrest the traitor Wang."
"What basis do the Zhejiang Army have to say that our general has surrendered to the enemy?! Did they see it with their own eyes?! They are far away in the Fengqiao camp in the south, how can they conclude that our general has surrendered to the enemy?! Isn't this a false accusation?"
... ...