It is dark before dawn, darkness is scary, fear is crushing
Everyone in Yingtian City is deeply aware of this. The darkness before dawn is not ordinary black. You can't even see your fingers with your hands out, let alone the soldiers and horses a hundred meters outside the city. It is impossible to see what flag they are playing.
It was impossible to tell whether it was an enemy or a friend. Since we had just experienced a siege by Japanese pirates during the day, everyone in the sky was as frightened as a bird. How could we not be frightened when we saw the unknown enemy and friend troops coming straight towards the city gate.
"Is it possible that the Japanese pirates have brought in reinforcements and turned around to attack Yingtian again?!"
"What? You said that the soldiers and horses outside the city were reinforcements from the Japanese pirates?! In the afternoon, the Japanese pirates only had about fifty people, and they almost knocked down the city gate. I'm afraid the reinforcements were not more than 800. My dear mother, this
But what to do?
People on the city wall had different opinions, and the more they talked, the more frightened they became.
Seeing the soldiers and horses under the city getting closer and closer, the general on the city's head was shaking nervously. While pressing his helmet with his hand, he said with a stern look on his face, "Who is coming? Stop quickly. If you don't stop, shoot the arrow."
Already."
At some point, Shi Pengfei, the Minister of War, took three steps back without leaving a trace. He retreated timidly and obscenely behind the generals and others, using their bodies as human shields.
He had good reason to suspect that the soldiers and horses under the city were Japanese pirates who had gathered reinforcements and then returned.
Hu Zongxian led more than a thousand elite veterans from the Beijing camp, and they were all killed by the Japanese pirates. The Zhejiang army only had about 800 people, and it was a militia that had only been established for less than two months. How could it beat away the Japanese pirates?! What a joke! Then
It was simply the Japanese pirates who deliberately showed me weakness in order to suddenly turn around and kill me!
Furthermore, the urgent message from the carrier pigeon that came from Moling Pass just now further confirmed his suspicion.
The reason why Luo Tuiguan and Commander Xu of Yingtian Mansion abandoned the pass and fled despite having a thousand elite soldiers sitting at the gate was that they must have found out that the Japanese pirates had gathered 700 to 800 reinforcements, and knew that they were no match for the Japanese pirates, so they had to abandon the pass and flee.
In summary, Shi Pengfei concluded that the soldiers and horses outside the city must have been Japanese pirates who had gathered reinforcements and killed them.
When the White Swan Japanese pirates attacked the city, the ferocity and cruelty of more than fifty Japanese pirates had already made him tremble in his heart. Now that the Japanese pirates have grown twenty times, with a strength of more than 800, how can he have the courage to face the Japanese pirates directly?
If you die as a Taoist friend, don’t die as a poor Taoist.
Therefore, he shrank insignificantly behind the generals and others.
Seeing the soldiers and horses outside the city getting closer and closer, he felt that this position was still not safe. If the Japanese pirates were too powerful, the arrow might penetrate two at once, so he took another step back, one step after another, and when he
When he took the fourth step back, he stepped on a foot. Shi Pengfei turned his head and was about to curse someone who didn't have long eyes. Then he opened his mouth and saw Zhang Jing's expressionless face.
It turned out that Zhang Jing heard the noise and panic outside getting louder and louder, and realized that the situation outside was serious. To prepare for the unexpected, he, Eunuch He, Duke Wei and other officials also hurried over to take charge.
"Ahem, Lord Shangshu, I am about to report to you that there are soldiers and horses from unknown enemies and friends outside approaching the city gate."
Shi Pengfei coughed awkwardly, found an excuse, and shamelessly explained to Zhang Jing.
Zhang Jing glanced at him, and his eyes made Shi Pengfei sweat break out on his forehead. He knew that Zhang Jing had seen through it, and he lowered his head in concern.
"The troops and horses of the unknown enemy and friend? How many troops and horses?"
Zhang Jing's voice came from above his head, and Shi Pengfei breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, Mr. Zhang did not expose it on the spot.
"There are about 800 soldiers. I can almost conclude that the 10,000 soldiers under the city are reinforcements gathered by the Japanese pirates."
Shi Pengfei replied with clear words.
"What?! The Japanese pirates have gathered more than 800 reinforcements?!" Upon hearing this, Eunuch He's face suddenly turned pale with fright, and he cried out in panic.
Wei Guogong's calves were cramped and he was unwilling to accept the news. He kept saying: "The Japanese pirates have eight hundred reinforcements?! Didn't Officer Luo Tui and Commander Xu of Moling Pass abandon the pass and escape?! Shouldn't the Japanese pirates go to Linling Pass?"
Have you gone?! Why did you turn around and respond to Tiancheng again?!"
When they heard that the Japanese pirates had gathered 800 reinforcements, all the officials suddenly became panic-stricken.
"The Japanese pirates have gathered reinforcements?! What about the Zhejiang army led by my nephew?! Didn't the Zhejiang army camp under the city? This troop appeared under the city. Why didn't I see any movement from my nephew's Zhejiang army? Didn't my nephew meet him?
Is it dangerous?!"
While Linhuai Marquis was panicking, he suddenly thought that the Zhejiang army led by Zhu Ping'an was still under the city, and he couldn't help but worry.
"Zhejiang Army? Hehe, I guess the people below got the news early and ran away without a trace. The camp was empty as early as midnight."
Shi Pengfei curled his lips disdainfully and spared no effort to belittle Zhu Pingan and the Zhejiang Army, intending to gain respect for himself through comparison.
Although I took a few steps back, Zhu Pingan led the Zhejiang army and ran away without a trace.
"The wise nephew led the Zhejiang army and ran away?" Linhuai Hou couldn't help but be startled, "Is what Mr. Shi said true?"
"Of course, I can still slander him. In the middle of the night, two of the Zhejiang Army's tents were blown down by the wind. Not only was there no one in the tent, there was no movement, but for so long, no other Zhejiang Army was seen setting up tents again.
It can be seen that the Zhejiang army had already disappeared in the middle of the night. If you don’t believe me, ask the defenders at the top of the city whether they told me about the collapse of the camp.”
Shi Pengfei sneered with the utmost slander, pointed at the soldiers and civilians on top of the city, and vowed.
"The Zhejiang Army camp was empty in the middle of the night?" Zhang Jing was startled when he heard this, obviously surprised.
"Zhu Pingan ran away long ago." Shi Pengfei nodded vigorously, and then said to him diligently
Zhang Jing, Eunuch He and others said, "Master Shangshu, Eunuch He, Eunuch Guo, the Japanese pirates are back with a vengeance, and their swords have no eyes. You are the people of Yingtian City. Just to be on the safe side, you should stay back."
Eunuch He was a little moved, but Zhang Jing did not care at all. He glanced at Shi Pengfei and said expressionlessly, "It is precisely because I belong to the people of Yingtian City that I cannot hide behind. I want to see the Japanese pirates."
With how many heads you have grown, if you dare to offend Yingtian again, no one will be able to bully me, Yingtian!"
After saying this, Zhang Jing took the lead and headed towards the city wall. Eunuch He sighed helplessly and had no choice but to follow.
Zhang Jing and Eunuch He both went, and the Duke of Wei, the Marquis of Linhuai and other officials had no choice but to follow.
Yu Dayou also came with elite troops. When he saw Zhang Jing and others approaching the battlements in person, he hurriedly ordered people to protect them with shields.
At this time, the general at the top of the city shouted again, "Who is under the city? Stop quickly and let go of the arrow if you move forward!"
Zhang Jing and others all stared at the bottom of the city intently.
This time there was a response from the city.
"General, we are the Zhejiang Army. I am Zhu Ping'an, the Minister of Punishment and Prosecution of Jiangsu and Zhejiang! General, please open the city gate. I have important military information. Please see Zhang Shangshu, Eunuch He and Duke Wei."
Zhu Ping'an stood a stone's throw away, raised his head and replied loudly.
"Zhejiang Army! It turned out to be the Zhejiang Army. We were shocked and thought they were Japanese pirates." The soldiers and civilians on the top of the city couldn't help but heave a sigh of relief.