Under the blazing sun, Luoyang City, which was quite lively in the past, will be lifeless. The shops on both sides of the long street are all closed, only some rice shops are still open, but business is still very deserted. There were no passers-by on the street at all, and only a few wild dogs occasionally passed by in the street.

Eight days ago, the government suddenly posted a notice, and since then the gate of Luoyang has been closed. No one from the outside can come in, and no one from the inside can go out. The people of Luoyang, who had seen the world, immediately knew what was going to happen. Sure enough, two days later, the news came that the Ming army had been found outside the city, and three days later, the Ming army's brigade had already arrived in the city.

For the people of Luoyang, who have experienced a "big scene", they have long been accustomed to the fact that the soldiers are coming to the city. Back then, the people in the city, at the moment of breaking the city, also welcomed the arrival of the king of "no food, no disturbance to the people", watching how the king of Fu who lived in the palace was cut off his head, but then the "undisturbed with the people" army coerced Ding Zhuang in the city, and in the end only more than 10,000 people escaped alive.

Soon Emperor Chongzhen was martyred, and then the Qing army under the banner of "avenging the revenge of the monarch's father" came to Luoyang City. The tyranny of the new dynasty without a head really let the people of Luoyang see what barbarians are, in those years, I don't know how many people died, and the city was full of heads of people who did not want to shave their hair. Probably, this is the fate of the people in the troubled times.

Whether it is a thief or a clean, in front of the knife, the people are just sheep who are allowed to be mermaids.

However, the current siege also has a different meaning for the people of Luoyang. After all, a large number of people outside the city are the officials and soldiers of the Ming Dynasty. They regained Luoyang from the south and the north. For this reason, the people of Luoyang are naturally very excited.

There is quite a taste of "eating pot pulp to welcome the king", and at the same time, various rumors spread in this Luoyang city under the initiative of people. Some say that this time, Li Ziyuan, the general soldier of Huguang, led an army of 300,000 to surround Luoyang, while others say that this is only the Ming army on the left, and there is also the 500,000 army of King Huai on the right who is on the northern expedition. Some people even swore that General Li was on the order of King Huai to go on a northern expedition. As for the personal grudge between King Huai and Yanping, it became their "plan", but it was just to confuse the Qing and remember.

When such rumors spread in the city, the atmosphere in Luoyang City became more and more strange, on one side the spread of gossip, and on the other hand, the people of the green battalion guarding the city were panicked. After all, 10,000 against 300,000, even if you are illiterate, you know what kind of play it will be if you play 30 at a time.

And Wei Shengyuan, the newly appointed Luoyang general soldier at the center of the storm, is undoubtedly the most contradictory. The Northern Expedition of the Ming Army only made the officials of Luoyang City suddenly confused, and I don't know how many officials abandoned the seal and fled as soon as they learned the news, and some of them had the intention of dedicating the city.

Because there were no bandits around Luoyang, there were not many garrisons in Luoyang City, and Wei Shengyuan was also temporarily sent as the chief soldier, so he hurriedly reinforced Luoyang City, but he only had more than 10,000 people under his command, even if he added the two thousand eight banners, compared to the hundreds of thousands of Ming troops outside the city, this little bit of people was not even qualified to stuff their teeth.

Now the only thing that can be pointed to is the city wall of Luoyang City, but this city wall has also been conquered by thieves. Thinking of how the thieves took Luoyang back then, Wei Shengyuan's face naturally became more and more difficult to look at.

Wu Panlong, the magistrate of Luoyang County on the side, saw Wei Shengyuan's more and more ugly face on the side, and couldn't help but think about whether to say those words in his heart, Wu Panlong can now be said to be full of regret in his heart, as a native of Jiaocheng County, Shanxi, he never thought that he could be admitted to the Jinshi, but in those years, Jiangnan Shizi did not go to Kexing in the Manchu Qing Dynasty, so that he was easily in Shunzhi for three years, and the following year he was appointed as the magistrate of Luoyang County. Originally, he just wanted to eat this money and have nothing to do with the people. However, God did not treat the Ming Dynasty badly, and the Ming Dynasty, which seemed to have no hope, has recovered from the Yanping Northern Expedition the year before last to the present.

Originally, because of the liquidation of the Jiangnan Ming Army against the Jiangnan Qing puppet officials the year before last, he also thought about abandoning India and fleeing home, but in the end he was still a little reluctant, and he was from Shanxi, so why didn't the Ming army in Jiangnan have him, so he stayed in office, thinking that he was better than a bad official who was a fish and a common man.

After the Northern Expedition of the Ming Army, as soon as it was learned that the Ming Army had invaded Luoyang, the prefect of Luoyang did not have the intention of coexisting with the city, but directly abandoned India and fled back to his hometown in Shaanxi.

Seeing that they were trapped in the city, the Ming army over there not only captured Jiangnan, but also launched a large-scale counteroffensive to recover the Central Plains, looking at this posture, Wu Panlongdao did not believe in any "Zhu thief, Zheng thief infighting", this may even be their old maze, used to confuse the people in the court, thinking that they are trapped in the city, they may be "as a puppet official" at any time to cut off their heads, how can Wu Panlong not be in a hurry.

Now what?

It is impossible to escape, even if you put a rope down from the city, there are hundreds of thousands of Ming troops surrounded by this city, and it is estimated that it will be difficult to fly this time. As for whether Luoyang City can hold it, in his opinion, there is no suspense at all - 10,000 fights hundreds of thousands, and the ghost believes that it can withstand it.

Wu Panlongdao couldn't help but sneak a glance at Lord Liang and Master Xuedao, who came to the government office together, and saw that the two of them were also staring at him.

When the three of them looked at each other, they heard Wei Shengyuan staring at the three of them and said in a tone:

"Why did a few adults come to Wei?"

When the three of them heard this, they couldn't help but feel a pang in their hearts, and they glanced at each other, but they heard the government office and Lord Liang cautiously replied.

"The military gate has worked hard to ensure the safety of my Luoyang side. I, the people of Luoyang, are grateful. Today, we specially set up a banquet to treat the general on behalf of the people of Luoyang. Please also be sure to appreciate the light. ”

As for inviting him to dinner, Wei Shengyuan was not interested in anything at all. He has eaten this kind of banquet I don't know how many times, when he first came, he was willing to be invited by others, after all, the gift sent at the dinner table is not thin, then he can also pat his chest and say that he can keep Luoyang safe. But now Wei Shengyuan does not have this confidence, and yesterday he also received the news that the loyal army returned to Kaifeng for the Northern Expedition of Germany.

Now this Luoyang City is a veritable lonely city. Even he, Wei Shengyuan, himself is difficult to protect!

"This town has thanked you for your kindness, but at the moment the military affairs are busy, so I can't accompany you in this town."

"Yes, yes, the military gate has worked hard for the people of Luoyang, and it is really a model for us."

has been an official for more than ten years, Wu Panlong can naturally hear the coldness in Wei Shengyuan's tone, and his heart suddenly cools, it seems that this Luoyang City will definitely not be able to hold it. So he asked tentatively again.

"I wonder what the current situation is with the thieves outside the city?"

"yes, I wonder what the general's strategy is to repel the thieves outside the city?"

The two Tongzhi Xuedao on the side hurriedly echoed the words, they just regret that they didn't make up their minds earlier, if they made up their minds early, how could they be trapped in a lonely city like now. What will happen to traitors like them once they fall into the hands of the Ming army? I'm afraid that peeling and Ling Chi are light.

As soon as he thought of the possible encounter, Wu Panlong's heart became more and more nervous, even if he was called "Lord Qingtian" by the local people because he did not disturb the people, what was the use? When Luoyang City was broken, when the people killed officials, how could they have remembered that Feng Yijun had also worked for the benefit of the people, in this troubled world, the people didn't care about what "Qingtian Lord", saying that you were a traitor, and it was a pleasure to cut it with a knife.

Wei Shengyuan waved his hand impatiently and said.

"Wuzhi County, the town and the soldiers in the city will do their best to protect Luoyang. However, the town has been in debt for a long time and has always complained. The people of Luoyang should also invest in the labor army, and it is not ...... to strengthen the hearts of our army."

Although he was born as a scholar, Wei Shengyuan never concealed it when he wanted money. One mouth wants to work for the army, but God knows that since he came to Luoyang, he has already asked for military salaries and labor silver five times.

Seeing that he asked for more silver. Wu Panlong, who had no intention of disturbing the people, smiled bitterly in his heart. This official of the Qing Dynasty, how can a mouth be money. Five days ago, he had just sent 40,000 taels of military salary to Wei Shengyuan. Now why do you have to ask for money again?

Let the people of Luoyang raise money for the labor army?

God knows that the gentry and people in the city now are all looking forward to the Ming army entering the city as soon as possible. This military salary is not for Wu Panlong and others to find a way, there was still some silver in the treasury before, and now the treasury is already able to run rats, what should I do?

Although they didn't have an idea in their hearts, but Xiucai met the truth of the soldiers, they naturally understood that there was no knife in their hands, and they were naturally not tough when they spoke, so Wu Panlong and the others hurriedly agreed.

"Yes, it's the lower official who will do it. However, the military department is also asked for a few more days of grace in the financing of military salaries. ”

"Well, this town knows about this military salary, which makes you embarrassed, but there is no way, who let the thief be outside the city, in case of killing in, when the time comes, it will not be lenient for you and me!"

Wei Shengyuan deliberately accentuated his tone, and his words were full of threats.

"What's more, if the brothers are surrounded by this army and make a fuss, it is not something that this town can restrain them, and when the time comes, those Qiu Ba will be unreasonable people!"

Facing Wu Panlong and the others, who were looking high-sighted, they only had a wry smile in their hearts when they heard it, although they smiled bitterly from the bottom of their hearts, but they were compliments on their lips, and they kept saying that they would try their best to raise silver taels. lest it make the chief soldier in front of him unhappy.