"The main reason for inviting you here today is to discuss the next plans, and you can all speak freely. Matilda, let me make a comment first. ”

"No." Zhang Hao stood up and saluted to the people present: "The juniors are not talented, so they will take the lead in speaking in front of the elders." ”

"I think that three days ago, the thief army could have taken advantage of Jixian's defenselessness and attacked Jixian in one fell swoop, but it didn't succeed. And now that we have taken precautions, it has become an extravagant hope for the thief army to break through Jixian again. Most of these people were poor people in rags, with no decent weapons and equipment, let alone food and baggage.

Their offensive has been getting weaker and weaker in the past three days, and it can be seen that the rebels are exhausted. In my opinion, if we hold out for a few more days, the rebels will surely collapse on their own. ”

For a while, everyone turned their heads to each other, some people nodded slightly, and some people were silent.

Those who sat closer to Zhang Zhen and Fang Chong whispered good things about Zhang Hao. Exaggerated Zhenzhen's son is well-behaved, and his son can protect his hometown at a young age, and it is definitely indispensable to be promoted to a knighthood after quelling the rebellion. In addition, he praised Fang Chong's good vision and took a fancy to Zhang Hao as his son-in-law.

Although it was a low voice, it happened that Zhang Fang's two family heads heard it.

The two sat there without speaking, stroking their beards and smiling at each other.

Guo Xun interjected: "In the past few days, the rebels have relied on a large number of people to drain the water around the county, and we can't send people out to ask for help." Today, they have slackened a lot, and the official feels that for the sake of prudence, he should send someone out to ask for help in addition to holding on. At that time, even if the rebels do not retreat, reinforcements can be attacked from inside and outside. ”

Zhang Hao bowed; "What Lord Assassin Shi said is extremely true, it is the lower officials who have not thought it through and omitted it."

"Hmm." Guo Xun nodded with satisfaction.

At this time, a casual voice sounded: "The old man thinks that he should gather all the young men in the city, distribute weapons, and go out of the city to fight the rebels. One blow of strength, then decline, three and exhaustion. At this moment, the rebels have been unable to attack for a long time, and their morale is exhausted, and the decisive battle against them will definitely be a complete victory. ”

Zhang Hao looked at the person who spoke, and the person happened to be staring at Zhang Hao.

He was Zhao Kun, the head of the Zhao family, Zhang Hao felt that his eyes were full of indifference, resentment and hostility towards himself, but Zhang Hao didn't remember when he offended him.

For a while, there were many words, and I felt that what Zhao Kun said was also reasonable.

"The head of the Zhao family is right, in the Spring and Autumn Period, Cao Di waited for the Qi army to fight after the three drums, and led the Lu army to defeat the Qi army in one go."

"At this moment, the rebels are like the Qi army that has exhausted its three drums, and it will win the battle."

Zhang Hao didn't care what others said, but he realized in his heart: It turned out that he was the head of the Zhao family, no wonder he looked at me so terrible. Presumably he had guessed from the point I was alive that I had killed his son. I only paid attention to the surface, and I didn't realize that there was such a hidden danger as the Zhao family.

"But all the young men in this city together are only 10,000 men, and they have not received any training. It's barely okay to defend the city, but you have to go out of the city to engage the rebels outside, hehehe. ”

Zhang Hao shook his head and smiled, if it is the Western Han Dynasty, you can also give it a try. At that time, it was still mainly based on the compulsory military system, supplemented by the conscription system. What is particular about is that "if you don't teach, you can't be levied". Men are required to serve in the military for two years from the age of twenty-three, one year in the county and one year in the border county. After that, whenever there is an affair in the country, these people who have served in the military over the age of twenty-three will be conscripted, and they will not be exempted from military service until they are fifty-six years old.

The Eastern Han Dynasty was dominated by conscription, and although she was also very strong, she was certainly not as strong as the Western Han Dynasty. After all, at that time, men would receive military training as long as they reached the age, and they could directly go to the battlefield to fight the enemy.

"Why does Zhang Xianling want to increase the morale of the thief army and destroy his prestige? Everyone has seen your performance in the past few days, and the old man believes that with Zhang County's talent, he will be able to lead my Jixian children to victory. Zhao Kun said with a smile, but it was a little eerie for Zhang Hao.

"Zhang Xianling doesn't need to be presumptuous."

"Yes, yes, Mingde's talent is obvious to all."

Some people were heckling there.

"The elders have a good reputation, and the younger generations have limited abilities, so it's a bit stretched to defend this city, let alone go out of the city to lead the army to fight."

Zhang Hao still refused: "Besides, the things on the battlefield are unpredictable, it's okay to win, if you lose, don't say that my Jixian disciples have lost their lives in vain, I'm afraid that the city will be taken advantage of by the thief army, and the younger generation will be unable to atone for their sins." It's better to defend the city, and it's safe. ”

Zhao Kun cursed Zhang Hao in his heart: It's good if the little animal lives and dies.

"It's just that in the past few days, a few people from outside the city have fled back one after another, and they all say that the thief army is burning, killing and looting in the villages. The old man was worried that they would ignore the city and attack the manors outside the city, knowing that each manor was stocked with food and property, and it would be even more difficult to defeat the thief army once it was supplied. ”

Zhao Kun's words reminded all the family heads present, and a frightened expression appeared on everyone's faces. The own manor outside the city is too weak, even if it is defended by a dock fort. The strength of each family is limited, and the number of soldiers in the dock fort is no more than five hundred, where can they withstand the attacks of several times or dozens of times the thief army.

In addition to food and belongings, some of the clansmen also lived on the estates, and some of the heads of the families even sent their sons to manage the affairs. If this is breached, then these people will die without a place to bury.

The more they thought about it, the more confused they became, and they all agreed with Zhao Kun's statement that they should take the initiative to attack and break the thief army to save the people outside the city.

Zhang Hao sneered in his heart: Those Yellow Turban thieves are not stupid, don't they know where to eat when they are hungry? Naturally, it was in the estates of those large families. It's been three days since they attacked, and those manor dock forts must no longer exist. The people inside either died or fled.

Fortunately, after Zhang Hao returned to Zhang Fang's family and took away all the family soldiers, he asked the rest of the people to bring everything they could bring to Fang County.

Zhang Zhen suddenly stood up and reprimanded: "Zhao Kun! After so many days, it is still important to say whether the Zhuangzi outside the city exists, and when he sees that things are wrong, won't the people in the Zhuangzi run away?

You can sit here and talk now, and thank my son Mingde for saving his life. Now you dare to incite everyone to blackmail Mingde to fight with the thief army, why don't you go in person, you ungrateful shameless! ”

Zhao Kun's chest rose and fell, and he was choked by Zhang Zhen's sudden angry reprimand, and he quarreled with him regardless of the demeanor he had upheld in the past.

The people present were also divided into two factions, and those who were in favor of sticking to it were some elderly family heads who wanted to be safe and ensure that they were foolproof; In favor of attacking are 'young men' in their thirties and forties, who are somewhat adventurous and want to fight while maintaining their current state and then try to recover their losses.

"That's enough, shut up all of them!" Guo Xun slapped the table a few times and roared angrily.

Everyone slowly fell silent, but they all glared at each other.

Both sides quarreled fiercely just now, and although there were no vulgar words between the words, all the greetings were received. When it comes to self-interest, no one will be calm.

Guo Xun saw that everyone was quiet, so he said slowly: "Although there is merit in going out of the city to face the battle, but the outcome of the battle is unpredictable, which is equivalent to gambling with the lives of us and the people in the city. Therefore, according to Zhang County's order, he could not hold on to it, waiting for the imperial court to reinforce.

Therefore, Jixian County entered military control, and asked the heads of the families to take out half of the food at home and send it to the government after they returned. However, in wartime, if anyone does not obey the orders of the government and secretly makes trouble. He was court-martialed. ”

This meeting was not so much about asking these family owners to come to discuss, but rather about Guo Xun, Liu Wei and Zhang Hao discussing to inform everyone and ask them to pay money and grain.

"No."

The Diehards quickly agreed, while the Attackers were bustling and reluctantly agreed.

……

Back at home, Zhao Kun still had fire in his eyes, as if he wanted to eat people.

"It's too much of a deception! It's too much of a deception! This Zhang Hao killed my son first, Zhang Zhen humiliated me in public, and now he wants to take away my family property, is it unbearable! ”

After smashing the things in the study, Zhao Kun calmed down the resentment in his heart a little.

"In that case, then I'll let you know the cost of angering me. Come! Go and call the steward Hou. ”

Soon, a man walked in, he was small and had a sharp beak and cheeks, which matched his last name commensurate.

He was originally a scout, but after retiring due to injury, he had no money for medical treatment because his mother was seriously ill, and he was caught stealing things from the Zhao family. Zhao Kun remembered that he was also filial, so he let him work at home.

"Master, are you looking for me?"

"Xiaohou, do you remember that you didn't have money to treat your mother's illness at the beginning, but the old man paid for the treatment?"

Steward Hou replied: "The villain should remember that the master rescued the villain's mother, and let the villain be the steward of the Zhao Mansion, so that he would not do those dirty things, and he could be an upright person." The lord is kind to the villain, and he dare not forget it, and there is nothing to repay in this life. ”

Zhao Kun looked at Steward Hou, said in a cold tone with an expressionless face: "You have a chance to repay the old man now." Are you willing to do it? ”

"I will live up to my lord's trust."

"That's the case, the old man wants you to bring a message, tonight you sneak out of the city, go to the rebel camp to find the rebel leader, and tell him that tomorrow on the night of the third watch, with the east gate as a fire, someone will open the east gate for them and let them into the city."

Steward Hou was shocked and trembled, his master actually wanted to abandon the people of the city and let the rebels enter the city! He had also been a soldier before, and he knew that even those elite Han troops could not do it without committing a crime after attacking the city, let alone the undisciplined rebels outside.

And Zhao Kun can't control so much at the moment, the hatred of killing his son and the hatred of humiliation make him a little crazy.

"You don't want to go?" The tone was cold and emotionless, Zhao Kun had already decided, if he didn't want to, then kill him. This kind of life-threatening plan must not be leaked.

Steward Hou struggled for a moment, but finally agreed.

Or, let's use my life to repay the kindness of the master.