Cao Hong's thunderous methods immediately shocked many leaders of aristocratic families and prominent families in Xuchang City.
They were very angry at Cao Hong's gangster-like behavior, but they had to obey.
If a good man doesn't suffer the immediate consequences, who makes them all weaklings?
Since Cao Hong has already killed someone, naturally no one dares to confront him in this situation. They should save their lives first and let's talk about the rest later.
Under the threat of the bloody head, the noble leaders of Xuchang City immediately changed their tune and expressed their willingness to triple the original donation to provide Xuchang City with money, food, craftsmen, iron tools, wood, and even manpower.
Seeing that they became so honest after being frightened, Cao Hong even scorned their behavior.
With such a bunch of weaklings, it's ridiculous that Xun Yu had to discuss everything with them. It's simply ridiculous!
If grandpa kills one person, everything will be solved. Why bother with that?
After frightening the gentry leaders, Cao Hong began to recruit large numbers of ordinary people in Xuchang City to serve as laborers, carry supplies, and repair city walls.
Originally, this was considered a matter of duty, but what Cao Hong did was a bit too much.
In order to punish the people for not taking the initiative to help him, which caused him to lose face when compared with Xun Yu, he recruited the people to serve as husbandmen, but he didn't even provide food for them, leaving each family to take care of themselves!
Taking up productivity and using coercive means, isn't this exactly what the Qin Dynasty did?
For a time, the people in the entire city were miserable, and their resentment deepened.
The city defenses of Xuchang City were quickly repaired to perfection. Cao Hong felt very satisfied and had a sense of accomplishment.
But with such a move, what he lost was the hearts of the people and the hearts of the scholars.
All that was left to him were the hearts of the animals in the city, and there was no heart left.
The solid city wall is only on the surface, and the inside of the city wall is already in a state of falling apart.
…
Xuchang, Tianfu.
When the Xuchang noble family Tian learned that the Jinling Army was attacking the city again, and all Cao's troops in the city went to defend the four gates of the city wall to respond to the order, Tian secretly found several noble leaders who were close to him and discussed it in the secret room of his mansion.
.
"Cao Hong bullied people too much. Not only did he imprison Wen Ruogong and force the people in the city to repair the city for him, but he also killed Duke Boshen and threatened us to provide him with money, food and iron tools. Such cruel and inhumane tigers and wolves,
How can you be our Xuchang guard general? I invite you here today to discuss a countermeasure...either I die or he dies!"
Tian Chang, the leader of the Tian family, slapped the table angrily and said.
The other leaders of the noble clans looked at me and I looked at you, but they didn't speak for a while.
Tian saw this, raised his brows, and said: "What? Is it possible that you all think what I said is wrong? Anyway, since you are willing to be Cao Hong's flesh, I won't stop you, you can go to Cao Hong now.
Report me there."
Zheng Yu, a wealthy family in Xuchang, said hurriedly: "Don't be angry, Mr. Tian. We are all from a distinguished family. How can we associate with Cao Hong, a murderous man who is narrow-minded and doesn't understand etiquette? In fact, from what I can see, the Jinling pottery merchants support the emperor and serve the emperor."
The prime minister of the Han Dynasty is the orthodoxy of the world, and he leads the royal army to the Central Plains. We are all subjects of the Han Dynasty, and our ancestors have also been favored by the Han Dynasty. We should have surrendered and become kings long ago...if it weren't for it at the beginning
For Xun Wenruo's sake, how can it have anything to do with his Cao family's rebellion!"
The rest of the noble clan leaders nodded and said, "Not bad!"
"That's right!"
"The taxes we pay every year all go into Cao Cao's treasury, and none of it is handed over to the emperor. What is this?"
"If I hadn't worried about my friendship with Xun Yu, I would have moved my family to Jinling long ago, and I would still be feeling cowardly here!"
"When the pottery merchants conquer the city and come to us one by one to liquidate it, then we will be just like Cao Cao, a traitor to the Han Dynasty!"
"I have long been unwilling to be involved with the Cao family. To think that they actually kill people!"
When Tian Chang heard this, he slammed the table and said, "Then why are you still hesitating?"
Zheng Yu said hurriedly: "That's what he said, and so is Li'er, but we are going to offer the city right now, so how can we do it? After all, the four gates are under Cao Hong's control, and we also
I don’t have any friendship with the pottery merchant, so I’m going to offer the city rashly, I’m afraid something will go wrong again.”
Tian Chang stroked his beard and said: "Don't worry, as long as you and I are of the same mind, we will definitely find a solution!"
Everyone hurriedly said: "Mr. Tian, you are highly virtuous, shrewd and cunning. May I ask what you can do to resolve this situation?"
Tian Chang slapped his mouth and frowned, feeling a little uncomfortable.
The word "cunning and shrewd"...why doesn't it sound like a compliment to him?
"Everyone, our immediate priority is to contact people with the same ideals to see if there are any other prominent families in the city who are trustworthy and can stand with us."
After everyone heard this, they all lowered their heads and began to make calculations.
"Then, we collectively went to ask Cao Hong for help, saying that in order to assist in city defense, we were willing to send domestic slaves, servants, and men from each family for Cao Hong's disposal."
Zheng Yu asked doubtfully: "Will Cao Hong agree to us?"
Tian Chang nodded and said: "Of course it will. I think that although Cao Hong is narrow-minded and irritable, he is also greedy and arrogant. As long as we act weak and fearful, as if we are shocked by him, he will not be confused.
It would only encourage his arrogance and prestige."
Everyone nodded after hearing this: "That makes sense."
Tian Chang continued: "As long as Cao Hong agrees to let our people go to the city, hey, we are all a century-old noble family, who hasn't raised some dead soldiers in his family? Let these people mix with ordinary domestic slaves and act according to the situation. When the time comes, we will want to
It’s not difficult to contact the pottery dealer!”
Everyone suddenly realized it and gave Tian Chang a thumbs up, saying: "High! Really high!"
…
The Jinling Army has been attacking the city for three consecutive days!
Xuchang City can be said to be a bloody mess.
"Prime Minister, have you noticed that the city's defenses in Xuchang City seem to be much stronger these days than before." Xu Rong stood behind the pottery merchant and admonished him.
The pottery merchant nodded and said, "I can see that there may be changes in Xuchang City."
Xu Rong stared at the pottery merchant with one eye and said, "What are the variables?"
Tao Shang smiled lightly and said: "If my guess is correct, either Cao Hong released Xun Yu, or Cao Hong himself used some method against the nobles in the city."
Xu Rong whispered: "Which one do you think is more likely?"
The potter squinted his eyes and looked at the city wall in the distance: "I can't tell, but the first guess is not good for us, but the second guess is very beneficial to us... Let's look back at the situation. By the way, today
The fight is almost over, Ming Jin! Let the soldiers of the three armies evacuate and clean up the battlefield."
"promise!"
The potter's troops withdrew again, leaving Xuchang City in a mess.
About half an hour later, Pei Qian galloped to the pottery's side.
"Prime Minister, there is a situation!"
The potter raised his eyebrows: "What's going on?"
Pei Qian handed an arrow to the pottery merchant and said, "Prime Minister, this is an arrow shot from the city!"
The pottery merchant asked doubtfully: "What do you do for me with the arrows shot in the city? What use do I need them for? Can they be used as a stirrup?"
"No, Prime Minister, look at it, there is a letter!"
The potter looked carefully and saw that there was indeed a letter on the arrow.
"I'm sorry, my eyes have been a little dry recently. I always look far away from high places..."
The potter took the arrow, took off the letter on it, and read it carefully.
After a while, I saw a smile on his lips.
Seeing his strange smile, Xu Rong couldn't help but said: "Prime Minister, why are you laughing?"
"The nobles in Xuchang City have surrendered and are willing to act as internal correspondents. They have agreed to open the city gate for us tomorrow night. This is a good opportunity."