For many days, the news of the southern invasion of the Jurchen army spread all over the capital. All kinds of true news, fake news, gossip, adding fuel and vinegar, painting and coloring, swearing to the sky, and gnashing of teeth are endless. The people of the capital are sitting on pins and needles every day, and the more they listen to these news, the more panicked and frightened they become. The various vicious images of the Jurchens in the rumors, the crazy killings, and the inhumane behavior have left a great terrifying shadow in the minds of the people of the capital. For many days, the news that the Jurchens were about to attack the capital was like a dark cloud, a knife hanging over their heads, which became a source of fear in everyone's hearts.

When there's a knife hanging over your head, and you don't know when it will fall and cut your neck, that's when it's actually the most terrifying. And once the knife really fell, although it was still fearful, it was less anxious about the unknown emotionally, but a little relieved. When the people of the capital finally saw the Jurchen soldiers and horses gathered under the city, they had such a feeling.

The Jurchens finally came, and when they saw their figures gathered under the city, the people quieted down and became a little open-minded.

"If you fight with them, you will die left and right."

"Can the court save us? Can the capital be defended? ”

"My Great Zhou will not die, and the Jurchens will definitely not be able to capture the capital."

"The Jurchens have maces, and I have the zenith."

“……”

“……”

There are all kinds of beings, and everyone has different thoughts in their hearts. At times like these, one voice prevails and becomes mainstream.

"In any case, for the sake of my family and my own life, I have to help the imperial court defend this city, and I can't let the Jurchens break through the capital."

Not for the court, not for the country, only this one reason is enough for the people of the capital to unite and start to prepare for the defense of the city spontaneously. The door wood at home, the bluestone bricks at the street corner, the oil and firewood at home, the mule and horse carts, etc. In short, there are things out of things, powerful contributions, and the people silently and spontaneously join the ranks of defending the city, with a tragic mood, to do their part for the defense of the city.

In the afternoon when the Jurchen army arrived outside the northern city of Bianliang, Guo Xu and Lu Zhongtian and other ministers of the court and the central government climbed the tower of Fengqiu Gate in the northern city of Bianliang. When standing on the high city tower and looking at the Jurchen army camp outside the northern city, the faces of Guo Xu and some civil and military officials became extremely ugly. The other party's military camp stretched for more than ten miles, and the black tents were densely distributed on the snowy wilderness, as if there were scars on the snow. Countless flags were waved in the air, and countless soldiers and horses were running back and forth in the camp. The sword aura was strong, the sword light was dazzling, and a strong and domineering aura came to the face.

"Jurchen...... There are a lot of soldiers and horses. Guo Xu said softly, with a little tremor in his voice.

"Yes, it is said that there are 300,000 soldiers and horses, and many of them are ...... I surrendered the soldiers and horses of the past. There was a minister on the side.

Guo Xu sighed slowly and said, "Then, can this Bianliang City be defended?" ”

"......" the ministers were silent, and this silence was actually the answer.

"The emperor is blessed with great fortune, my Great Zhou Kingdom is profound, and it is not wishful thinking that the Jurchens want to destroy my Great Zhou. The emperor shouldn't have asked this question. An old voice came from the city wall, and everyone turned their heads to look, only to see Lu Zhongtian and his son walking quickly into the city tower surrounded by Chen Jue, Zhu Zhirong, Wang Jun and others.

The ministers hurriedly stepped forward to salute, and Lu Zhongtian came to Guo Xu's side without looking at them, and said in a deep voice: "Why did the emperor come to the city tower?" At this time, it is better for the emperor not to come to cause chaos, so as not to delay the preparation of the soldiers to defend the city. ”

Guo Xu held back his anger and said with a smile: "Grandfather, I am really worried about defending the city, so I came to take a look at the situation." ”

"What do you see?" Lu Zhongtian said lightly: "What if you see? Looking at it will only make the emperor even more uneasy. In the matter of defending the city, the old ministers and the commanders of the forbidden army will do their best, what else is the emperor worried about? The emperor should go back to the palace, the minister still has a lot of things to do, the emperor is here, and the minister can't do anything. ”

"Lu Zhongtian, you are too arrogant. The emperor personally inspected the city tower and boosted the morale of the soldiers and civilians defending the city, how did it get into your mouth and become an obstacle? Lu Zhongtian, don't forget your identity, don't mess with the etiquette of the monarch and the minister. An official couldn't help it anymore, jumped up and shouted at Lu Zhongtian.

Everyone was stunned, how could Qian Gaizhi, a nerd who was so bold in the Ministry of Works, and now he dared to speak to Lu Zhongtian like this, did he not want to live?

Guo Xu was also stunned, but he quickly reacted, turned his head and reprimanded: "Qian Gaizhi, what nonsense?" What Lu Xiang said was for the sake of defending the city. I...... My arrival did bring chaos here, and the soldiers had to avoid it, unable to prepare for the defense of the city. Lu Xiang is right, but what are you talking nonsense? If it weren't for Lu Xiang being a tolerant person, he would have punished you for your sins at this moment. I couldn't stop retreating. ”

Qian Gaizhi blushed and didn't speak. Lu Zhongtian stroked his beard and laughed, waved his hand and said: "The emperor doesn't have to blame Qian Shilang, the old minister's attitude is really wrong, and the old minister doesn't care about this matter." The emperor's inspection of the city tower is indeed useful for encouraging the morale of my soldiers, and Qian Shilang is not wrong. Lao Chen is not so small, hehehe. ”

Guo Xu breathed a sigh of relief and nodded: "My grandfather is open-minded and tolerant, and he doesn't care. I don't allow anyone to be rude to my grandfather. If you are a first-time offender, I will not punish you. Retire. ”

Qian Gaizhi bowed down with a pale face and stepped aside.

Lu Zhongtian restrained his smile and said in a deep voice: "The emperor asked if Bianliang City could be defended, and the old minister came to answer you." Although the Jurchens have nearly 300,000 soldiers and horses, they look like they are trying to eat people. But the emperor must not forget that the forbidden army in our capital also has 200,000 people, and the army and people in my city have the same hatred, and the people have asked to join the army or help defend the city. Our soldiers and civilians defending the city can reach five or six hundred thousand, what can the Jurchens do? We are now waiting for work, the army and the people are concentric, the grain and grass are sufficient, plus the snow is heavy, the temperature is cold, and the walls of my Bianliang City are solid. Lao Chen firmly believes that Bianliang City will be impregnable. Your Majesty, is this answer satisfactory? ”

Guo Xu sighed and said, "Since my grandfather said so, I have nothing to worry about. I hope that the time and place are favorable, and I hope that it is really as my grandfather said, Bianliang City is solid. But my grandfather, now that the other side has more troops than I am defending the city, I want to ask, when will the Northwest Army come to the rescue of the capital? Where is Yuan Zhenqian? ”

Lu Zhongtian said lightly: "Yuan Zhenqian's soldiers and horses are still attacking Taiyuan, and they may not be able to catch up." But what if you can't catch it? The old man has already said that Bianliang is solid, isn't that enough? ”

Guo Xu pondered for a long time, nodded and said, "In this case, I don't have to worry about it anymore, I'd better go back to the palace and wait for news." Everything is free from my grandfather and the generals. ”

Lu Zhongtian arched his hand and said, "Congratulations to the emperor." ”

Guo Xu nodded, and walked towards the steps of the lower city on the west side of the city tower. A group of courtiers who had followed him hurriedly followed. Guo Xu had just walked out of the west side of the city tower and came to the city wall, when suddenly a loud cry came from behind him, and the sound of a heavy object falling to the ground came from the sound of a broken bag, and the sound was dull.

Guo Xu hurriedly turned his head to look, and saw that the courtiers behind him were pale, and they all stood in place like frightened birds. I don't know what's going on.

"What's wrong? What's the sound of the right people? Guo Xu asked.

"The Emperor...... Emperor...... Qian Shilang he ...... He fell into the city. An official stammered.

"What? Qian Shilang...... Fell into the city? How can it be? This battlement is so high, isn't Qian Shilang standing behind me? How did you fall into the city? Money changes, money changes? Guo Xu was shocked and shouted loudly.

No one answered, and the ministers behind them all stood there with strange expressions. Qian Gaizhi didn't even have any silver, as if the world had evaporated.

"What about the money? What about the money? Guo Xu quickly ran to the outside of the city wall and looked down, there was a pool of blood on the ground below the city, and a bloody corpse fell in the snow under the city.

"Your Majesty, Qian Gaizhi died, and he jumped off the city wall to find his death, and you can prove it." Chen Jue, the commander of the front division of the palace, said in a deep voice.

"Death? Why did he seek death? Guo Xu exclaimed in shock.

"Probably...... The enemy is now scared. This coward is dead. Zhu Zhirong said with a smile.

Of course, Guo Xu didn't believe it, and turned his head to ask the ministers with strange and panicked expressions: "Have you all seen it?" Qian Gaizhi committed suicide by falling into the city? ”

The ministers were panicked, and their eyes avoided Guo Xu's gaze. Chen Jue shouted coldly: "Didn't you hear the emperor's question? Why don't you answer? Did Qian Gaizhi commit suicide by jumping off the city? ”

"Yes, yes, Lord Qian...... It's true that he committed suicide by jumping off the city......" The ministers hurriedly replied, sweating on their faces and looking frightened.

Guo Xu was stunned for a long time, turned his head blankly, slowly walked to the stairs, and slowly walked down the city. The ministers followed him silently, as silent as a flock of lambs. They all saw with their own eyes that when Qian Gaizhi left behind Guo Xu, when he passed by Chen Jue, the commander of the front division of the palace, Chen Jue reached out and grabbed Qian Gaizhi's official robe, and as soon as he mentioned it, Qian Gaizhi disappeared outside the battlements and fell to his death under the city. All the officials witnessed this scene with their own eyes and were all stunned. They also immediately understood why Qian Gaizhi was pushed down the city tower by Chen Jue and fell to his death, not because of Qian Gaizhi's reprimand for Lu Zhongtian before.

The emperor is here, and Chen Jue almost killed Qian in front of the emperor to change it, which is simply bold. And all this happened in front of Lu Zhongtian, Lu Zhongtian didn't seem to see it, which shows that he has received Lu Zhongtian's tacit approval. Lu Zhongtian and the others have been arrogant to such an extent, it is simply incredible. Obviously, they deliberately did this in front of everyone, and their purpose was to let the ministers see their methods of dealing with people who were disrespectful to Lu Zhongtian, and to make an example of them. Whoever dares to say anything can only succumb to their obscenity.