In the city of Pu'an (Jiange County, Sichuan), Li Changzai, the superintendent of the camp who had just returned from Jianmenguan to supervise the transportation of grain and grass on the spot, has also become an ant on the hot pot. The so-called "just out of the wolf's den, and then into the tiger's den" was fulfilled in his body.
He thought that after leaving Jianmenguan, where the war was fierce and dangerous, he would be able to live and cultivate for a few days in the back; however, he did not expect that there would be traces of thieves in the back. Since then, the heavy responsibility of resisting Jiangyou’s enemy forces naturally fell on him.
Fortunately, before that, his old family and life-saving benefactor had already taken the risk of being robbed by rebels and thief troops and had robbed him of a batch of grain, straw, clothing, quilts, money, silk, wine and medicine; otherwise, If that is the case, he really doesn't know how he can hold on to himself in this city of Pu'an.
Despite this, he still lacked confidence in his heart, and he dared not send out the thousands of defenders remaining in the city to search for and confront the enemy. After all, he is not good at martial arts, nor is he like the "Second Yang" and his fake sons. He is the experience and experience immersed in the military for many years.
He was able to get this position only because he, as the adopted son of Li Daliao, escaped from Shanxi after the defeat, and became one of the few "thieves known" among the eunuchs. He didn't think that things would be so sinister at the beginning, otherwise, how could he volunteer to be the superintendent/supervisor of the army
In fact, he prefers that he doesn't know anything, because at the beginning he always thought of the scene of the Xichuan army in front of the thieves' weaponry, like mowing the grass, it was enough to make him have nightmares for several days. That's why he decided to leave the front line of Jianmen on the grounds of supervising food to avoid seeing the thief again.
Therefore, at this moment, he didn't even dare to dispatch the defenders in the city. This is because too many dispatches weaken the city's defenses, but they cannot be used when they are really needed; if there are fewer dispatches, it will be of no avail, and it may even cause the generals leading the team to run away and slip away halfway through.
As one of the imperial court’s military envoys and one of the adopted sons of Li Diaodang, he naturally knows the information channels and has more inside information than ordinary people. Now the situation in Xichuan is really exhausted. Although there are two large camps in the south and east, and there are guards in Chengdu, but it is supported, but this is the result of exhausting local power.
You know, whether it is the Wenmo in the southwest under the imperial court or the Qiangs of the Xishan Mountains, almost all the Ding Zhuangs who can be used have been recruited. Now it is either going north to help the pass, or trapped in Shanxi Dao. The remaining people in Xichuan are also reduced to bandits; it can be said that there is no hope.
And although the imperial court headed by the line has promised to make peace with Nanzhao, and on this condition borrowed troops from Nanzhao to help out; it also withdrew most of the garrison north of Qingxi Pass. However, the reinforcements promised by Nanzhao did not arrive after the beginning of spring. It is said that there was trouble in the country and there was no time to take care of it.
Therefore, in the face of thieves from the north, south, east, and north, the locals can only fight separately; and because of the repeated mutinies and loss of control, the coordinating orders for all walks of life have begun to become no longer inspiring. Therefore, the current Chengdu Fuhe Xing is not necessarily safer than the town of Pu'an, Jianzhou (now Jiange County, Sichuan) where he is located.
Then the facts were rectified. Even if he wanted to avoid some things, he couldn't avoid them at all. At the moment, Li Changzai, except for the new army of God's strategy that was brought from Chengdu on the 10th, the force that can be trusted and counted on is a group of grain soldiers who are stranded in the local area because the return road is cut off. .
At least most of them are long-term travels to and from the southwestern frontier of Qianzhong. The salt dealers are from the caravan men. They are obviously more reliable and effective than those who recruited Ding Zhuang from the refugees in Chengdu. . Thinking of this, the position could not help but call the head of the grain squad, and now he is a guard dog with a thousand cows.
As soon as he met, he gushed in a report:
"Report to the supervisor that the number of defenders at the four gates and the stock of grain and equipment in the depots have already been preliminarily counted..."
"There was a difference of twelve people after the gathering in the North Gate Tower. They should have escaped and returned to their homes; they have been responsible for the corresponding team to be in charge and the fire chief, and they have been asked to take the lead..."
"The Changping warehouse near Nanmen City has a large inventory of vacancies, and there is a shortage of 957 shi in the account books, and the Cura is currently seeking follow-up..."
However, Li Changzai was a little absent-minded after listening to what he said for a long time before he smiled and said again:
"Ambassador Lin (Shenhe) is indeed a capable generation, which is the envy of the miscellaneous family..."
"I have been supervised, the villain is just doing his best..."
Wei Puppy is just a little respectful:
"But I don't know, if something happens in the city, can the miscellaneous family count on one or two?"
Then, I saw Li Chang hesitating before opening his mouth:
"All monitor and feel at ease. If something happens, the villain should do his best to protect all of them, just in case..."
Hearing this for the puppy, he quickly patted his chest and said:
"..."
However, Li Chang was increasingly worried and vacillated when he heard the words. After thinking about it again, he groaned for a while before he hesitated and said again:
"Wei Qianniu... I heard that you have been to the southwestern region over the years... and don't know, do you know some people who have had contacts with the south..."
"Dare to ask the Superintendent... What does this mean? But Qianzhou..."
Wei Puppy's heart moved, but he was puzzled:
"The miscellaneous asked Yuzhou... over there Yuzhou..."
After saying these words, Li Chang was thinking that he had taken the time out of his whole body, and collapsed on the tumbler.
"The superintendent laughed. The villain is an obedient citizen of the court. How dare you interact with the thieves?"
Wei Puppy was unmoved and surprised:
"The natural history of the Guizhou Guild Hall is loyal to the king's affairs, but how about the salt production of your generation for many years, can you ensure that every single cent is produced in Rongzhou, and there is no other source?"
However, Li Changzai had obviously taken the risk, and looked at him earnestly and said:
"As the prison said, the villain doesn't understand this...Salt goods are dead things, how can there be loyalty and traitor?..."
Hearing this, Wei Puppy couldn't help taking a step back, and then respectfully said:
"Well, I don't want to earn you or trap Ambassador Lin, I just want to find a way to survive in this desperate situation..."
Li Changzai smiled bitterly and said:
"..."
However, Wei Puppy still bowed his head respectfully and said nothing, but still inadvertently held the hilt of the saber with his palm.
"The miscellaneous family just wanted to invite you, if there is a chance to pass a word for you? As long as you can save your life, everything can be discussed..."
And Li Changzai was leaning on Tatzi again, his eyes erratic and self-consciously said:
However, the horizontal knife beside Wei Puppy was inadvertently pulled out in silence. At the next moment, I heard Tongbing's voice hurriedly coming from outside:
"Report, the prison, near Jitou Mountain in the south gate, suspected to have found the trace of the thief..."
So in an instant, the horizontal knife in Wei Puppy’s hand was re-sheathed, as if it had never been pulled out; and Li Changzai also raised his eyes again with a tired face, facing him unhurriedly. Said:
"Also ask Wei Du to lead the team and go outside the south gate for me to check the enemy's situation..."
"Telling!!"
After rolling his eyelids a few times, Wei Puppy replied in a deep voice:
Until the next day, thousands of reinforcements from Jiange, led by Zhang Zao, the former deputy envoy of the "Five Capitals" in the east, finally arrived under the city of Pu'an. However, they were greeted by the Taiping Green Banner waving on the head of the Zhouzhicheng, and ambushing soldiers with banners like forests smashed out of the mountains behind the side;
As a result, this exhausted teacher who had traveled a long way, was frightened by the enemy and was frightened by the hunger, thirst and exhaustion, and collapsed and fled out of control on the spot. In fact, the Taiping Army who arrived in Pu'an at this moment was just the first more than a thousand troops of the Sixth Regiment led by Li Hanzhi. (End of this chapter)