Chapter 46 The embroidered messenger made a surprising calculation
In the besieged city of Kaifeng, food, vegetables and firewood became more and more difficult day by day for several months.
Ordinary small families simply cannot live a life. Rich people try every means to hoard food. The more they hoard, the more panic they get about food, and the more food prices rise. Grain merchants are unwilling to sell out all the food because the source of food has been cut off.
, often using the excuse of lack of food to close the door and drive up market prices.
At first, the government issued repeated orders to strictly prohibit grain price increases, requiring grain merchants to sell at the price set by the government. But in fact, not only was the prohibition impossible, it actually prompted every grain store to close its doors and stop selling. Later, the government strictly prohibited grain merchants from closing their doors and suspending sales.
, the price can be unlimited. In this way, food prices are like a flood, rising continuously. Only those rich and powerful families can buy food, and poor families have no choice but to cry.
Waiting to starve to death.
Li Xianfeng, the governor of Henan, and Gao Mingheng, the censor of the governor of Henan, were still busy in the party struggle. They passed the buck to each other, including Li Xianfeng's staff Chen Xin, Gao Mingheng's promotion official Huang Shu, and two generals of the Henan army Chen Yongfu.
and Gao Qian, were both involved in political disputes.
They fought constantly, and many civilians could only eat one meal a day, and one meal could only be half full.
There used to be many open areas in the city with weeds growing there. Recently, many people carried baskets to dig up weeds, but there were so many people and there was so little grass, that they were all dug up within a few days.
The people's hearts in Kaifeng are now very different from some time ago. At that time, many people listened to the government propaganda and thought that Li Zicheng's men were raped, burned and killed, which was very terrible, so they were willing to join the government to defend the city. After these few months
, people gradually realized that the military discipline of King Chuang's men was actually quite good, not to mention that no matter how bad it was, it was impossible to be worse than the officers and soldiers.
Only Luo Rucai's troops harassed the people and robbed women, but his troops also had to obey King Chuang's military orders. Maybe King Chuang would not let his troops enter the city to cause trouble. Because food shortages have become a reality, and with these thoughts, Kaifeng
Ordinary people were no longer enthusiastic about defending the city, especially those poor families who were hungry and looked forward to the invading army entering the city as soon as possible.
The next day, on the third day of February, exactly one month after the battle at Zhuxian Town, the invading army shot many of Li Zicheng's handwritings into the city.
The content of the handwriting is: Li Yu, the civil and military marshal who advocated righteousness from heaven, said that if Kaifeng is trapped, the poor people will be innocent. According to reports, hungry people are lying in the streets, and the old and the weak are dying in large numbers. This marshal comes from a farmer's family and knows the people well.
We are suffering; we raised troops to Henan to punish the people, but how could we endure the provincial capital and the common people to starve to death! Today, we specially inform the officials and gentry in the city: From tomorrow onwards, women, children, the elderly and the weak will be allowed to go out to pick green grass every day after sunrise.
, return to the city before sunset. The rebel patrols and rangers will no longer go within the embankment, and those who approach the embankment to pick green grass will be properly protected. If there are brave soldiers from the city wandering around with the intention of spying and harassing, they will be arrested and killed without mercy. Please strictly observe this decree!"
According to common sense, since it is a siege of Kaifeng, the city should be destroyed because there is no way to attack it. Why did he suddenly propose to let the old and weak women in the city go out to pick green leaves? This is not death from siege, but
It’s about releasing animals. How can there be such a truth since ancient times?
Both Li Xianfeng and Gao Mingheng felt that this was Li Zicheng's deception, and that the intruders might be trying to mix spies into the city among the citizens picking greens. Therefore, they were unwilling to let the citizens go out to pick greens.
However, the famine situation worsened, and many wealthy families could no longer endure it. The gentry all rushed to the government offices and strongly demanded that people be let out to pick green crops to make a living. The officers and soldiers had no choice but to let people out, but Gao Mingheng was particularly careful and he would not allow them.
When the people went out of the city, they asked the officers and soldiers and the social soldiers organized by the official Huang Shu to take off their military uniforms and go out to pick green grass.
Sun Tiejiang was one of them. He joined the social soldiers in Kaifeng City. This time, he went out of the city in makeup with the officers and soldiers to pick some wild vegetables and go back to make military rations.
He originally thought that after leaving the city, he would encounter some rangers of rogue bandits, and he was very nervous. However, he did not expect that the invading army restrained the siege troops outside the embankment and did not harass them to pick green leaves.
Li Xianfeng and Gao Mingheng were relieved. In the next few days, they arranged for soldiers to go out to the city to pick green flowers, and the scope of green picking became larger and larger.
On the fourth day, Sun Tiejiang became more courageous and ran to the other side of the embankment to pick wild vegetables. At this time, another battle broke out between the official army and the intruder army in the south of Kaifeng City, and the situation became chaotic. Sun Tiejiang
At this moment, he suddenly saw a group of intruder cavalry approaching. He was shocked and wanted to escape, but suddenly found that the person coming was an old friend he knew!
"Song...Song Dwarf!?"
The ugly-looking dwarf who was riding on a maroon war horse looked very familiar to Blacksmith Sun, as if he had seen him somewhere before. However, he couldn't remember it, but he suddenly called out his name.
Isn't this man Song Xiance, the dwarf of Song Dynasty who used to sell divination in Xiangguo Temple?
Song Xiance came closer. He had become Li Zicheng's military advisor. He became more generous and his demeanor was very different. He smiled and said: "Isn't this the old grandson from Gulou Street? I helped you choose your son's name!"
Sun Tiejiang was first afraid that he would be killed by this group of intruders, but what Song Xiance said reminded him that the friendship between the two was not ordinary. In fact, Song Xiance had a wide circle of friends in Kaifeng. Regardless of the three religions, he had his friend Li Zicheng.
The purpose of letting the Feng people go out to pick green crops was to use Song Xiance's connections to mobilize the Kaifeng defenders to open the city.
In addition to Sun Tiejiang, Song Xiance has also found many other people. When the invasion army launches a general attack, these people will attack the city at the same time. But Song Xiance naturally will not tell Sun Tiejiang these specific plans, but only gives him some
For the money, let him take care of himself and not get into trouble with Chuangjun.
Based on Song Xiance's many years of traveling experience, he naturally knew that after Sun Tiejiang accepted these silver coins, he would be very likely to take advantage of the chaos and help the army attack the city in the future.
Song Xiance was indeed a charlatan. How could there be any extraordinary magic in the world? But his contacts in the Jianghu were indeed of great help to the Chu army in their offensive.
However, just when the intruders arranged their internal support, gathered troops and horses, and prepared for a general attack, Li Xianfeng and Gao Mingheng finally put aside their conflicts temporarily because of the critical situation in the isolated city of Kaifeng. They called Chen Yongfu and others to the Yamen and sat in the inner study room.
Business plan.
At present, the food supply in the city is about to run out, and there are rumors that Li Zicheng will attack the city, or that the hungry people in the city will come in to help. If this is the case, Kaifeng will be very difficult to defend.
The governors and governors were very worried. If Kaifeng could not be defended, not only would they and their whole family be in danger, but the Duke of Zhou's palace and many officials and gentry in Kaifeng would also perish. Li Xianfeng and Gao Mingheng were the heads of the feudal officials in Henan.
, even if he could escape from Kaifeng by luck, he could not escape punishment from the court.
"General Chen stood firm at the top of the city last month and shot a thief Li blind. He was highly praised by the court. I wonder if he has any good plans for today's situation?"
Chen Yongfu was a truly reliable force in Kaifeng. After the defeat of the official army in Zhuxian Town, the Chuang-Cao coalition took advantage of the victory to attack the city. If he hadn't organized archers to shoot an eye of Li Zicheng, Kaifeng would have fallen on the same day. How could it still be defended?
What about last month?
But recently, his old friend Chen Xin, Li Xianfeng's staff, has been urging him to be cautious in his words and deeds and to observe the development of the situation, so Chen Yongfu only said: "Kaifeng City is high and deep, making it easy to defend but difficult to attack. Although the army has Zhuxian Town
However, please rest assured, adults, if the bandits attack the city immediately, the army and the people will work together to defend the city. Our town can guarantee that there will be no unexpected risks in the city. I am afraid that if the stalemate lasts for a long time, the city will run out of food...
"
Li Xianfeng said worriedly: "But there is less and less food in the city."
Huang Shu gritted his teeth and said: "As a last resort, I would rather starve to death more people than starve the soldiers."
Li Xianfeng was a little dissatisfied with the meaning of Huang Shu's words, but Huang Shu was Gao Mingheng's confidant, so he couldn't deal with it, and he had no other choice, so he nodded and sighed.
"But sticking to it is not a long-term solution." Gao Mingheng said, "Huang Tuiguan has an idea, which may be able to save the situation."
Chen Xin has not spoken much in Kaifeng City recently. He has received a letter from Chen Kexin and knows that Chen Kexin has joined Li Laiheng. He first served as a village envoy in Luotian County and was now promoted to a field envoy in Qishui. He responded to what was written in the letter.
Li Laiheng was very curious about all the new policies and laws.
He had lost confidence in the Kaifeng officials and gentry, but after hearing what Gao Mingheng said, a terrible guess suddenly emerged in his mind, and he hurriedly asked: "What is Huang Tuiguan's clever plan? Could it be to use water to drive away the enemy?"
Huang Shu had always been jealous of Chen Xun's knowledge and talent. Unexpectedly, Chen Xun revealed his long-planned water attack plan with a subtle look on his face.
, the seven armies will be flooded, the Li thieves will be banned, and all the rogue bandits will be buried in the belly of the fish."
"Once the embankment is dug, can you ensure that the flood will only rush towards the Chuangjun camp and not Kaifeng City? Even if Kaifeng City is not submerged, the flood will surge within hundreds of miles. I don't know how many villages will be destroyed and how many will be washed away.
Humans and animals!”
Chen Xin argued hard, but Li Xianfeng and Gao Mingheng were obviously very moved. Gao Mingheng and Huang Shu were from the same faction. Chen Xin knew that he could not persuade him, so he tried his best to persuade Li Xianfeng: "Futai, once the Yellow River breaks through, Kaifeng
The whole city is in danger of being flooded, and the palace of the King of Zhou may also be affected by the flood. Even if the city of Kaifeng is not flooded, many gentry's properties will be destroyed. When the time comes, these people will demand punishment from the court. How will we deal with it?"
Chen Xin focused on Li Xianfeng's most important official title, claiming that even if the flooding invasion was successful and the property of countless gentry was destroyed, and these people would launch an attack in the court to impeach Li Xianfeng's official position, he tried to persuade Futai from this perspective.
Li Xianfeng hesitated, but Gao Mingheng suddenly said: "Yesterday, I reported this matter to His Highness the King of Zhou. His Highness the King of Zhou has agreed and promised that if anything happens in the future, he will be solely responsible. During this time, the King of Zhou sold out
He has a lot of wealth to help us defend the city, and you should trust his character."
King Zhou's decision made Li Xianfeng unable to object, and he felt lucky. He felt that with the protection of King Zhou, even if he dug a river, he would not be settled by Chongzhen's queen. What's more, if the city of Kaifeng was destroyed and he was killed by Li Zicheng, everything would still be over.
What is there to say.
Li Xianfeng made up his mind and said with a serious look: "Since His Highness the King of Zhou has nodded, I have no other opinion. Once the Yellow River is blocked, no matter whether Kaifeng will be flooded or not, Li Zicheng will be greatly shaken and can only withdraw his troops. If Kaifeng
If Kaifeng is not affected by floods, then things are best; if Kaifeng is affected by floods, then we must organize soldiers and civilians to evacuate now, just in case."
Gao Mingheng and Huang Shu were relieved to see that Li Xianfeng finally agreed to break the dike. However, they had different opinions on Li Xianfeng's idea of organizing an evacuation. However, the situation was critical now, and neither of them wanted to waste any more words with Li Xianfeng.
Instead, be prepared to let him be the scapegoat if something happens.
After leaving the study, Huang Shu said to Gao Mingheng: "Sir, once the Yellow River bursts, and the city sees the yellow water rushing towards it, there will be a lot of discussion. We must prevent the news from leaking, and say that it is a bandit who broke the river.
This is very important.”
Gao Mingheng nodded and said: "Of course, of course, what did you say when you went to His Highness King Zhou yesterday?"
"His Royal Highness the King of Zhou has all nodded. If the flood does not reach Kaifeng, everything will be fine. If the flood reaches Kaifeng City... His Highness the King of Zhou has already given out 150,000 taels of silver. I have given this money to Gao Qian.
He dug the Yellow River one day in advance. We will be prepared for the flood to affect Kaifeng, collect all the boats in our hands, and leave Li Xianfeng and Chen Yongfu in the city to drown themselves."
Gao Mingheng was extremely dissatisfied with Li Xianfeng's efforts to restrain him, which had led to the deterioration of the situation in Henan to what it is today. He and Huang Shu made up their minds to dig the river a day in advance, so that if the water attack went smoothly and defeated the Chu army, everything would be easy. If the water attack was self-defeating,
, flooded Kaifeng City, they could also let Li Xianfeng and Chen Yongfu take the blame, and put all the blame for the breach of the dike on these two people.