The same family is actively preparing to open the city gate from the inside to welcome the arrival of the official army, at this time, Duan Xiaohu, who is the guard general of Yun'an County, is not idle, don't look at this guy's five big and three brainless, but it doesn't mean that others don't know the situation. On the contrary, this is a very military-minded guy, otherwise Wang Qing would not have handed over such an important position to him to take care of.

Although Yun'an is a small county, it is not too far from Nanfeng, it can be said that the north gate of Nanfeng, once Yun'an County is lost, then Nanfeng will open the door. You must know that Wang Qing's palace is in Nanfeng, which means that the small city of Yun'an is a military important place and is very valued.

Although the county seat of Yun'an is not large, there are 10,000 garrisons in it, not only that, but the rebels still did not commit any crimes against the people of Yun'an, and also gave a certain degree of compensation and care.

On the first day, the attack of the official army was still good, but on the second day, it was dry and thundering and no rain, and at this time Duan Xiaohu realized that something was wrong. In the absence of heavy casualties, the attack was no longer launched, but turned into a feint, which shows that something was seriously wrong in the middle.

What exactly is the problem? Duan Xiaohu, who couldn't figure it out for a while, called the military Hu Wan and his brother-in-law Wang Hua over to discuss countermeasures.

Hu Wan, the military advisor, said: "General, generally speaking, the purpose of a feint is nothing more than the following three points: first, use a feint to delay time, paralyze the enemy, and wait for reinforcements to arrive; The second feint attack is only a means of concealing people's ears, in fact, there are other ways to attack the city, such as digging tunnels, there are people in the city to respond, and the inside and outside should be combined to attack the city; The third besieging party did not think about attacking the city at all, but just put on a show to cover up the real purpose. ”

"And what do you think should be the case?"

Wang Hua interjected: "I think it should be the second type, after all, Yun'an County is very close to Nanfeng, and if there are reinforcements from the official army, the King of Chu will also send reinforcements over, so we don't have to worry about reinforcements at all." It can be said that the official army is not waiting for reinforcements, but waiting for the opportunity to break the city, and it is obvious that the second one is more likely. Now I just don't know whether to dig a tunnel or wait for the people in the city to respond, so it's hard to say. ”

Duan Xiaohu is also a ruthless person, he gritted his teeth and said: "It seems that there will be two possibilities, whether it is digging a tunnel or someone to respond, we have to guard against it." In this way, Wang Hua, you send someone to check if there are those people who may be planning to deal with the official army, and you would rather kill by mistake than let go, and you must not let those bastards succeed. By the way, you go and ask the Xue family, see how their young lady Xue Yu is thinking about marrying the prince of Chu, if not, destroy the Xue family and snatch Xue Yu over. ”

"Yes!" Wang Hua looked down on Duan Xiaohu the most lustful, and this guy was still eyeing Miss Xue's family. But it's no wonder that the Xue family is a scholarly family, how could they let their daughter marry Wang Shizi as a side room? If people are not the concubines of Wang Shizi, they will rob it, and they will destroy the Xue family. However, the biggest advantage of this Wang Hua is that he is obedient, no matter how dissatisfied he is, he will strictly implement Duan Xiaohu's orders, and he will definitely not discount it.

After Wang Hua left, Duan Xiaohu said to Hu Wanyu: "Now the question is, when the official army digs a tunnel, will they dig in that area, will they dig it to the gate of the city and blow it up, or dig it into the city?" ”

"General, it seems that you still don't know about the officers and soldiers, it is said that when the officers and troops were fighting on the Western Front, they had a very powerful gunpowder explosion and the power was very huge. This time, the officers and soldiers did not need to blow up the city gate at all, they could directly blow up a section of the city wall, and they could kill in, and there was no need to blow up the city gate at all. Speaking of this, Hu Wan pondered for a moment and said: "The moat in Yun'an County is connected to the river, but there is a section in the northeast corner of the city where the tunnel can be excavated, and it is estimated that the officials and soldiers will also dig from there, and then blow up a section of the city wall, and it is impossible to enter the city without using it at all." Generally speaking, digging tunnels is to enter the city, but every time after entering the city, the success rate will be very low, so the official army is definitely blowing up the city wall. ”

"Blowing up the city wall, how should you prevent it?" Dig into the city, then it is very easy to prevent, but digging outside the city, it is very difficult to prevent, this Duan Xiaohu is clear, he is a little difficult, and he has no idea for a while.

"General, I have a way, Baozheng can make the officers and soldiers unable to eat and walk around." Hu Wan said mysteriously: "The officers and soldiers dig from the outside to the inside, we dig from the inside to the outside, when the time comes, our soldiers will strictly guard the tunnel under the city wall, as long as the officers and soldiers dare to come and blow up the city wall, we will destroy them." ”

"Yes, you can handle this matter." After all, Duan Xiaohu doesn't have much military mind, and with his IQ, this is indeed a clever plan, as for whether it is a clever plan or a poisonous plan, who can say clearly?

The Xue family, the head of the family, Xue Yunqi, has been in a very bad mood recently, he doesn't want to marry his daughter to the prince of Chu as a side room, but his arm can't twist his thigh, and he finally marries his daughter.

The reason why Xue Yunqi is in a bad mood is that he can't afford to provoke his wife, you must know that Mrs. Cai is from a wealthy family, and she was originally a lion roar in Hedong, and now she lets her daughter be a side room, especially a traitor's side room, which makes Cai very unhappy, and she makes trouble all day because of this matter, and the more trouble it gets, the bigger it gets.

Just when Xue Yunqi was upset, Wang Hua came.

Wang Hua and Lin Dalu, the elder brother of Xue Yunqi's second aunt, are friends, so they and Xue Yunqi can be regarded as acquaintances, and the relationship is not good, but they often drink together.

Seeing Wang Hua coming, Xue Yunqi said very unhappily: "Are you here to propose marriage again, my daughter will never be a side room, if you have to marry the prince of Chu, then you must be the main room, otherwise you don't need to talk about it." ”

Wang Hua's face was not very good-looking, and he said coldly: "Brother Xue, do you think that the official army is coming, so you have an idea, let me tell you, it's better to die, otherwise you will be burned and regret it!" ”

"What do you mean, you're here to threaten me?" Xue Yunqi patted the table and said, "You and I can be regarded as having a relationship, my daughter is your niece, can you bear to let her be someone's side room?" ”

"If you don't have a side room, then you guess the fate will be even more tragic than the side room. I often come to my brother's place to beg for a drink, how can I not have a little friendship in my heart? At this time, Wang Hua didn't plan to go around in circles, he said: "Duan Xiaohu said that if you reject the prince of Chu, then you will destroy the entire Xue family, and you will snatch your daughter over." You have to know what a miserable situation it is to rob the past. ”

"What, what do you say, destroy my whole family."

"Brother, do you think I'm joking with you? To tell you the truth, when I came, I brought a hundred soldiers, just waiting for my brother's words. Wang Hua still didn't want to kill in his bones, and besides, killing people in this situation, he said bitterly: "Old brother, if your daughter marries the prince of Chu, whether it is the main room or the side room, she can be clothed and fed for a lifetime." ”

Since Wang Hua has dug out his heart, Xue Yunqi does not plan to hide it, he said: "Why don't I understand these truths? However, my wife is unwilling, and you know that I can't afford to mess with her. Besides, what is the fate of the King of Chu, you should know better than me, can you really fight the official army? If the king of Chu is defeated and captured in the end, then my whole family will not be implicated. ”

Wang Hua sighed and said, "Big brother, let's take care of the present, as for the fate of the King of Chu, it is not for you and me to consider." If you can mix, you can't mix, we can go, we can be sincere. But if you don't agree in front of you, that paragraph Xiaohu said that killing people is definitely not a joke. ”

"Okay, go tell Duan Xiaohu, I agree to this marriage, and don't embarrass my brother." Xue Yunqi finally chose to give in, he couldn't care so much, who can tell what will happen in the future, and living is the last word.

Wang Hua knew that Xue Yunqi felt uncomfortable, so he comforted: "Big brother, there really is a day when we can flee far away from home, or we can join the official army, but before, we must stabilize our position, otherwise even if we surrender to the official army, we will not be taken seriously." ”

After Wang Hua left, Xue Yunqi, who was extremely uncomfortable in his heart, walked towards the backyard with heavy steps, he knew that it was not easy to persuade his wife, but how could he hide this important matter from his wife?

Cai's was with his daughter Xue Yu Liaotian, and when he saw her husband entering the house, she said coldly: "What are you doing here, do you have to push your daughter into the fire pit?" ”

"It's not that we push our daughter into the fire pit, but that our whole family will fall into the fire pit if we don't get it right." Xue Yunqi said Wang Hua's words again, and finally he said: "The situation is stronger than people, the lives of the whole family are in the hands of others, if you don't agree, you will destroy the door, how do you let me choose?" ”

"What do you say, they want to destroy us?"

"You think I'm joking?" Xue Yunqi looked at his daughter and said very guiltily: "Daughter, you are your father's heart, how can I bear to push you into the fire pit?" However, dozens of members of the whole family can't all be sent to death! ”

"Father, don't say it, my daughter is willing to marry." Xue Yu burst into tears, she knew that no one could change the arrangement of fate, she would rather jump into the fire pit by herself than let the whole family die.

Cai was also dumbfounded at this time, she hugged her daughter Xue Yu and cried bitterly.

After a long time, Cai choked up and said: "Is it true that my daughter is going to fall into the fire pit, if the court destroys Wang Qing's traitor in the future, then our whole family will not become a chaotic minister and thief." ”

"No poison is not a husband, and the amount is not a gentleman." Xue Yunqi's eyes showed a trace of anger, and he gritted his teeth and said, "I will make Duan Xiaohu and Wang Qing pay the price." Although it is said that my daughter is married to Wang Qing's son, I will try my best to delay the marriage, and strive to win the trust of the officials and soldiers before the wedding, and lead the officials and soldiers to destroy Wang Qing, a rebellious minister and thief. ”

"That's right, destroy Wang Qing, a rebellious minister and thief." Mrs. Cai's ruthlessness also came up, and she gritted her teeth and said: "I will write a letter to my father and ask him to go to the capital to meet Taishi Cai to win the support of the imperial court." ”

Mrs. Cai's father is the brother of Taishi Cai Jing, which is also Mrs. Cai's biggest barrier. Mrs. Cai firmly believes that with the support of Mrs. Cai, she will be able to keep her daughter and the Xue family.

Just when the husband and wife were talking about it, the housekeeper came to report it, saying that it was from the same family.

"It looks like the leopard is here, I'll go and meet this guy for a while." Xue Yunqi and Tongbao often go to the Qinglou to drink flower wine together, gamble together, and do business together, and the relationship is not bad.

The relationship is good, and it is indeed good, but it is not a fateful friendship, after all, Xue Yun was born in a scholarly family, and he still looks down on a rough person like Tong Leopard in his bones.

"Brother Tongbao, don't come unharmed!"

"Brother Xue, the younger brother is here to ask for a glass of water and wine." Tong Bao was ordered by his brother to win over the gentry and eunuchs, and the first thing he thought of was Xue Yunqi, after all, this guy's father-in-law is from the Cai family, and he can work many issues, not only that, but the influence of the Xue family in Yun'an County is far greater than that of the same family.

"Drink, okay, I don't know if to drink here, or go to Yunyue Tower?"

"Go to my house for a drink." Tongbao wants to talk about big things, at a critical moment, he still wants to be safer in his own home, if Xue Yunqi refuses, then kill him, after all, it is a matter of the safety of the same family, so he has to be cautious.

Tongbao was afraid that Xue Yunqi would refuse, so he said: "I got a jar of old wine at home, let's not get drunk today." ”

"Okay, have a drink today." Xue Yunqi was very depressed in his heart, and he also wanted to drink and get drunk.

Something is wrong, after arriving at the same mansion, Xue Yunqi felt that something was wrong, but this guy was very deep in the city, pretending not to know anything, but he was secretly concerned in his heart.

After three rounds of wine and five flavors of food, Tongbao said: "I heard that Duan Xiaohu wants your girl to make a side room for the prince of Chu, I don't know if Brother Xue agrees." ”

"The military power is in the hands of others, Brother Ling's eldest son was killed, I am a literati, what can I do, hey, don't talk about it, drink, drink, I'm sorry for my daughter in my life. Thinking of this, my heart is like a knife, and I have no interest in living. Xue Yunqi told the truth, and of course he felt uncomfortable when he gave his daughter to someone as a side room.

Tong Leopard was waiting for this sentence, he lowered his voice and said: "The official army is pressing, do you think you can take Yun'an County?" ”

"What do you mean?" Xue Yunqi was very sensitive, and immediately guessed a rough idea, but he didn't show it when he was very deep in the city, as if he didn't know anything, he just wanted Tongbao to jump in directly.

"If, Brother Xue thinks that the official army can win, then the junior brother has some ideas. Of course, if Brother Xue thinks that the official army can't win, then the little brother also has ideas. Tong Leopard still has a bit of a brain, and he is not mentally retarded enough to reveal it all at once, he just wants to know what Xue Yunqi means, and then make a decision.

"The imperial court sent the legendary 'jade-faced god of war' to put down the rebellion in the south of the Yangtze River, how can the rebels resist. The Western Xia god of war Li Chage personally led 100,000 iron horsemen to be captured alive, and the Western Xia Emperor Li Qianshun led 100,000 iron horsemen, and there were also iron harriers who were still captured alive. There is no doubt that he will be able to quell the rebellion quickly when he comes to Jiangnan this time. At this time, Xue Yunqi completely understood, he also had an idea in his heart, he wanted to save the whole family, and wanted to pull his daughter out of the fire pit, so he could only sacrifice the fool of the same leopard. Xue Yunqi didn't regard Tongbao as a friend in the first place, so it was normal to use it to come out.

Tong Leopard now understood Xue Yunqi's thoughts, and after he poured the wine full, he lowered his voice and said: "If we should cooperate with the outside to help the official army take Yun'an County, wouldn't it be a great achievement, and we can also save your daughter." ”

"Inside and outside? How can the inside and the outside be combined, the army is in the hands of Duan Xiaohu, what can we do, you must know that your arms can't twist your thighs, and you won't be wiped out. ”

Xue Yunqi sighed and said, "It's a pity, I have the intention to kill the thief, and I can't return to the sky." Unarmed, otherwise, I would have been fighting hard with Duan Xiaohu's bastard. ”

"Brother Xue, you can't say that, it's easy to dodge with an open gun, but it's hard to defend against a hidden arrow. Now the rebels are in the light, and we are in the dark. My brother is ready to recruit 200,000 troops, but after all, it is difficult to resist the rebels by relying only on the strength of our family. Brother Xue, your Xue family is the largest family in Yun'an County, if you raise your arms, there must be many people responding. Besides, your Xue family has its own armament, which can come in handy at critical moments. Among the rebels, there are also many disciples of the Xue family, as long as they are willing to cooperate, then we can cooperate with the official army and take the county seat of Yun'an. ”

Xue Yunqi didn't say a word, and drank one bite at a time.

"Brother Xue, what are your concerns?"

"Money doesn't necessarily make it happen, the key is to have a complete plan. You have 200,000 from the same family, and our Xue family has 150,000, in addition, I can contact the disciples of the Xue family, but I must have a feasible plan, I can't let the whole family take risks. ”

"Plan, you wait a minute, as long as the Xue family fights 150,000 in place, my brother will tell you the plan in person." Tongbao was also afraid that Xue Yunqi would cheat, so he proposed to let the other party take out 150,000 first. This guy's cognition is that as long as the other party pays the money, he will not regret it, and this major event is good for the Xue family.

Xue Yunqi knew that Tongbao would say this, he pondered for a moment and said: "150,000, it's not a small amount, you say when you need it, I'll gather it." ”

"The sooner the better, specifically, I'll go back and ask my brother, and I'll tell you." Tong Leopard was convinced of Xue Yunqi's words, in his opinion, this guy's daughter could fall into the fire pit at any time, and she was from a scholarly family, so she was definitely willing to follow the same family to oppose Duan Xiaohu, and this time she would definitely fully cooperate with the same family.

"Okay, I'll go back first, and then I'll wait until you have the letter, and I'll raise this money as soon as possible in the next few days." Xue Yunqi hated the rebels in his bones, and he also hated Duan Xiaohu, but he would never blindly resist, after all, there were tens of thousands of elite soldiers in the city, if the news leaked, the whole family would be wiped out, how could he not be cautious in this case?

After Xue Yunqi left, Tonghu, who was in a good mood, stayed in the Qinglou overnight, and only returned to the same house the next morning.

After listening to Tongbao's report, Tonghu said: "Xue Yunqi's 150,000 promises are refreshing? ”

"I was a little hesitant, but I finally agreed, you must know that this money is not a small amount for the Xue family, and it is normal to hesitate." Tongbao only knew how to help Xue Yunqi explain, but he didn't know what the real intention of the eldest brother was to ask like this.

Tonghu was not very familiar with Xue Yunqi, but after listening to his brother's one-sided words, he pondered for a moment and said, "Let that guy raise all the money within three days, and then, I will personally tell him about Xiangxi's plan." However, in the past few days, you'd better send someone to monitor the Xue family to see if there will be any collusion between him and the rebels. The stakes are too high to be overlooked. ”

Just when Tongbao stayed in the Qinglou overnight, Xue Yunqi went to Duan Xiaohu's house overnight.

Since Xue Yunqi agreed to marry his daughter to the prince of Chu as a side room, Duan Xiaohu showed enough respect for this prince's father-in-law.

Xue Yunqi didn't want to go around in circles, so he raised the concerns in his heart, and finally he said: "Choose the official army to press the border, it is still unknown whether the official army can be killed and retired that day, it is obviously inappropriate to marry his daughter at this time, and I hope to think about it in the long run." ”

Duan Xiaohu was very tired of Xue Yunqi's conditions, in his opinion, this old fox just didn't want to marry his daughter, he could delay, and it was not the reason why the official army went south at all.

pondered; After a while, Duan Xiaohu said: "The officers and soldiers are all paper tigers, what can I do." Besides, the marriage of the prince of the king is very important, how can it be postponed indefinitely. ”

It is obviously impossible to delay indefinitely, Xue Yunqi also knows this, he pondered for a moment and then said that Tonghu was plotting with him, and finally this guy said: "Now Yun'an County is surging, and the dark tide is surging, not to mention the entire Jiangnan." I, Xue Yunqi, will never go back on what I promised, otherwise I wouldn't betray my family. But now that the war is raging, I want to marry my daughter in a few months at night, why can't I? ”

"Okay, for the sake of your loyalty to the King of Chu, I can give you a few months to bring it to the spring of the next year and marry again." Duan Xiaohu was not surprised at all that the same family tried to collude with the officials and the army, what surprised him the most was that the same family could easily take out 200,000 yuan, and the Xue family would take 150,000 yuan without much effort.

The most urgent task now is not to get a good grasp of the problem of the same family, but to strengthen the control of Yun'an County, and to get all the 350,000 guan in hand. The thought of three hundred and fifty thousand made Duan Xiaohu excited, and after thinking for a moment, this guy said: "Xue Daguan, you continue to keep in touch with Tonghu, and tell me as soon as there is news." ”

"And what do you mean?"

"You have done a great job this time, I will tell the King of Chu." Duan Xiaohu has an evil idea in his heart, that is, not only to dig out the 200,000 of the same family, but also to get the 150,000 of the Xue family, not only that, but also to re-loot the other rich people in Yunyang County, even if they dig three feet into the ground, they also have to dig out the money.