The Ming army refused to fight, and the commander of the Qing army, Duoduo, became more and more restless, and it seemed that the method of agitation was ineffective, so he could only use cruel means to force Wang Qiang. He immediately ordered to send people to the nearby mountains and forests and villages to arrest some Han people.

Early this morning, Wang Qiang led the generals to the city tower, but he did not find the shadow of the Qing army, and he did not know what tricks the Qing army was going to play. Half an hour later, Wang Qiang and others were about to leave, only to see dust in the distance, a group of people and horses of the Qing army slowly drove over, and when they got closer, Wang Qiang and others saw clearly that there were dozens of Han people in the Qing army, including many old people, women and children, and everyone's hearts couldn't help sinking. The Qing army reorganized the ranks, pushed these ordinary people to the front of the battle, shouted loudly, and threatened that if the Ming army did not go to war again, they would kill these people. Most of the soldiers defending the city are locals, seeing that their villagers were captured by the Qing soldiers, they all asked to go to war, and a few of the generals were locals, and they were also eager to go out of the city to rescue these people, Wang Qiang knew that this was a trick of the Qing people, and the purpose was to force the Ming army to fight.

Seeing that the Ming army did not move, the Qing army began to wantonly insult and mutilate these people, some of them tied the people with ropes and dragged them on the ground by horses, and some surrounded the Han women in a circle and pushed and insulted them; Some of them beat the people with leather whips, and when they resisted, they immediately killed them with guns and knives. While brutalizing the people, the Qing army shouted: "Happy! In the city, are you still considered men? Have they all become eunuchs, shrunken turtles and cowards! If you don't come out, we will come here every day to kill you Han people! Hahahaha! The Ming army in the city gritted his teeth angrily, and dared to shout at Wang Qiang: "My lord, let's fight, let's fight with them!" ”

The generals were also a little breathless, Jinzhou General Zu Dashou was a local, and finally couldn't help but stand up and said: "Lord Wang, the last general asks for an order to fight, now the Qing army's formation is chaotic and defenseless, we will kill him and take him by surprise, if he doesn't win, the last general is willing to be a military order!" ”

Wang Qiang's face was pale, and his heart was as uncomfortable as a knife cut, but he knew that as long as the Ming army left the city and the Qing army took advantage of the situation to kill it, Jinzhou City might not be protected, so he squeezed out a few words from between his teeth: "Those who speak lightly will be killed!" Then he turned around and went down the city and returned to the Shuaifu, where he really couldn't stand it. I only heard the pleading cry of the ancestor Dashou behind him: "Lord Wang, Lord Wang!" ”

The Qing army tossed outside the city for a morning, tortured dozens of people to death, and then returned to the camp, and the Ming army went out of the city to transport the corpses of the people back to the city. When the news spread, Jinzhou City was immediately enveloped in a tragic atmosphere, and many people went to the gate of the Shuaifu to petition, strongly asking Wang Qiang to send troops to meet the enemy!

Wang Qiang hid in the Shuaifu, not to mention how uncomfortable he was, he also wanted to send troops to save those people, but as soon as he went out of battle, he fell into the tricks of the Qing army, but if the Qing army came out like this tomorrow, what should I do? If this continues, the morale of the army and the people in the city will be weakened, and I am afraid that it will collapse without a fight, what should I think of? He was thinking there, only to hear a sound of footsteps, it was Gu Yanwu and the Yan brothers who came in, and the Yan brothers came to Wang Qiang and asked, "Headmaster, why didn't you send troops to rescue these people?" "Two of the dead are from our Yanjiazhai!" "It's miserable!".

"We came to vote for adults, just because you are the hero who killed the Qing army." "I can't imagine that you don't care about the lives of the people like those who are officials!" "Coward!"

"The three of us brothers have figured it out", "leave the school from now on", "let's go".

After the three brothers finished speaking, they turned around and left, and Wang Qiang sat there, his face flushed, and he didn't say a word, because he knew that it was useless to say anything now.

Gu Yanwu clasped his fists at Wang Qiang and said: "Lord Wang, I know that you are embarrassed, afraid of falling for the tricks of the Qing army, but it can't go on like this, the students of the military academy heard about today's incident, they all blew up their nests, and they said everything, and it was easy for me to stabilize them." Please find a way, my lord. ”

Wang Qiang said angrily: "I want to have a way to use it earlier, aren't I thinking about it." You can't ask me to risk the lives of the people of Jinzhou City, once the Qing army breaks through the city, it will not be dozens or hundreds of people, maybe tens of thousands! He got up anxiously and paced quickly, and then said: "Everyone is a good person there, and everyone in the world knows that it is my king who is a cowardly enemy, regardless of the life and death of the people, but Jinzhou City is lost, and I have to bear this sin alone." Speaking of this, Wang Qiang suddenly felt a flash of inspiration in his mind, he stopped, closed his eyes slightly, frowned, stretched out his finger against his head, and thought carefully. At this time, the flag officer of the Chinese army walked in, and when he saw Wang Qiang waking up from sleep, he shouted cautiously: "Lord Supervisor? Lord Overseer! ”

Wang Qiang opened his eyes and asked, "What's the matter?" ”

"Back to my lord, the generals of all battalions in the army are in the lobby and ask to see my lord." The flag officer said cautiously.

"Hmph, I'm afraid it's Xingshi who asks for guilt!" Wang Qiang snorted coldly, and suddenly had an idea in his heart, he called the flag officer to him, and gave a low command, the flag officer nodded again and again, and then retreated.

Wang Qiang dressed neatly and walked in all directions to the hall of the Chinese army, and the generals of the battalions waiting there saluted him together. At this time, the flag officer went to the court with the sword of Shang Fang given to Wang Qiang by the emperor in both hands, and respectfully offered the sword to the handsome case. After Wang Qiang sat down, he asked in a deep voice, "You are looking for me, is there anything wrong?" ”

All the generals originally held back their bellies to ask for battle, but when they saw that Wang Qiang invited Shang Fang's sword out as soon as he came up, he was timid in his heart, and he swallowed back what he wanted to say.

Nazu Dashou was a bold man, he went out of class ruthlessly and said: "Lord Qiqi Supervisor, today's incident has caused unrest in the whole city, most of the soldiers in the last general's camp are locals, and they have asked to go out of the city to meet the enemy. Please show me so. ”

Wang Qiang crossed Erlang's legs, looked lazy, and said nonchalantly: "What can I say, when Hong Dashuai was leaving, he had an order, no matter what, he should not go out of the city to meet the enemy, so as not to fall into the enemy's ambush, you all know." Besides, the marshal has also made it clear that all military deployments must be decided by the marshal, and I have no right to decide, and I have already submitted a document to the marshal on today's matter, and I will make a decision after his old man's reply. ”

Zu Dashou said in a sincere tone: "Lord Wang, there is a way to be unaffected by the orders of foreign monarchs, and now that the Northeast Camp is in charge of you, you should make a decision immediately." If you wait for Hong Dashuai's approval to come back, it will take five or six days, and if it goes on like this, I'm afraid it won't take three days, and something will happen! ”

Wang Qiang said helplessly: "I know that it is not easy for you to explain to the soldiers and ordinary people when you go back, do you think I feel good!" But at this time, which of you has a better way to retreat from the enemy than to hold on? Do you want us to ignore Jinzhou City and pull it out to fight with the Qing army, the Qing army can't wait for it! When the time comes, it will not be as simple as dozens of ordinary people who will die. After speaking, he stared at everyone.

All the generals also have no good way to retreat from the enemy, they have lowered their heads, Zu Dashou is very stubborn, plopped down to the ground, hissed and said: "Lord Wang, the last general knows the danger of going out of the city to fight in the field, but the last general still asks to be able to go out of the city tomorrow to meet the enemy, just take advantage of the Qing soldiers are not ready to kill him for a while, and rescue the people and quickly retreat, so as not to lose Jinzhou, now the subordinate soldiers hate the enemy, and will fight bravely to kill the enemy, if you do not win, the last general is willing to come to see him." ”

"Hmph, Zu Dashou! I have said it, I am the chief army of the emperor's order, and I am entrusted by the marshal to take charge of the Chinese army, but you dare to despise your own officials, you have no discipline, you bewitch the public, and shake the heart of the army, you are looking for death! Come on! Drag me out and chop it off! Wang Qiang roared and shouted.

Wang Qiang had a sudden attack, and all the generals were all in one place.

The lieutenants on both sides were not ambiguous at all, and they roared: "Obey!" Several lieutenants rushed up and grabbed Zu Dashou and dragged him out. That ancestor Dashou is a strong seed, seeing that there is a discord, Wang Qiang is about to kill himself, and suddenly the fire hits up, and scolds angrily: "Wang Qiang! You eunuch, eunuch, traitor! Bastard, you're going to play prestige with your own people, what are you! ”

Wang Qiang's face turned pale, pointing at Zu Dashou and was speechless, Yan Yong, the deputy general of the left battalion, and Zu Dashou were brothers, and at this time, they were indignant and stepped forward and shouted: "Slow!" Lord Wang, the emperor's decree was clear, you can cut the officials below the deputy general first, and you can only implement the decree after the deputy general and above the general, you have to ask for the decree before it can be implemented, and you have no right to kill the ancestral general! ”

Wang Qiang pointed at Yan Yong hatefully and said: "Okay, good, you are all in a group, you are right, I have no right to kill him, then let him live for two more days, but he insults the official but he can't be spared, come, pull out the gate, reprimanded forty military sticks, and beat me hard!" ”

The captains no longer hesitated, pulled Zu Dashou out of the gate, and after a while, the sound of the clapping of the military stick came in. Zu Dashou was beaten, and his mouth was still dry and scolding.

Wang Qiang stared at Yan Yong, Yan Yong stared at Wang Qiang unconvinced, without fear, Wang Qiang smiled gloomily, and said: "Hehe, you are not convinced by my handling of Zu Dashou, you must secretly insult this official in your heart, isn't it?" ”

Yan Yong said angrily: "I am the husband who stands up to the heavens and the earth, I think it is unfair for you to treat Zu Dashou like this, even if you scold you to your face, it is not a big deal." ”

"Okay, then I'll let you and Zu Dashou have trouble together! Come on, pull Yan Yong out and take forty heavy responsibilities! Wang Qiang said angrily.

"Obey!" Several captains stepped forward and pulled Yan Yong out again.

Seeing Wang Qiang's casual disposal of the generals, the generals were not convinced, but they dared to be angry and did not dare to speak, but this Wang Qiang seemed to demonstrate, got off the handsome chair and shook his head in front of the generals, and saw who was unconvinced, so he asked: "What's the matter, do I disagree with you like this?" ”

And most of them turned away from him, and said nothing. Wang Qiang asked a general, and the general was scared in his heart, and couldn't help but say: "Ah, the adult is right, and the general will be convinced." After speaking, he quickly bowed his head, and beside him was the deputy general of the middle battalion, seeing that this general was so soft-boned, he was disgusted, and opened his mouth and said: "Don't ask, I'm not convinced!" ”

"Good! There's another one looking for a fight, come on! Pull out, forty sticks! Wang Qiang pointed to the lieutenant general of the middle battalion and said.

Wang Qiang turned around and asked, and three more unconvinced generals were pulled out and beaten violently, and there was a crackling sound outside the gate.

The news that Wang Qiang beat the generals for war came out, which immediately angered the soldiers and civilians of Jinzhou City, and the people who petitioned at the gate of the Shuaifu quickly dispersed, and the soldiers and civilians of Jinzhou were disappointed in Wang Qiang, and at the same time, a restless mood was surging in everyone's hearts.

Wang Qiang returned to the Shuai Mansion from the lobby of the Chinese army, and saw Zhang Xiaoping and Lan Ting packing up their belongings, he stood next to him and watched silently, Zhang Xiaoping saw Wang Qiang, and said with a reluctant smile: "Lord Wang, you are in an important position, busy with official business, we live here and have a lot of disturbances, so I want to move out to live." Lan Ting looked at Wang Qiang with a complicated expression, and there was incomprehension, pity, disappointment and concern in his eyes.

Wang Qiang sighed and said: "Alas, I didn't expect you to be disgusted with me, it's okay, I won't stop you if you want to leave, but it's late today, can you leave again tomorrow, stay one more night so as not to ruin your reputation." ”

Lan Ting stepped forward and grabbed Wang Qiang's arm, and asked expectantly, "Uncle, there must be a reason why you did this, right?" You must be struggling too, aren't you? I don't believe you're the kind of person they say you are! ”

Wang Qiang smiled bitterly and said, "Thank you, Lan Ting, I will soon let you know what kind of person I am, and I will not let you down." ”

Zhang Xiaoping looked at the letter suspiciously, put down the package in his hand, sighed, and sat down on the chair with his head down.

Night fell, and the whole city of Jinzhou fell into a dead silence, and people waited in uneasiness, as if something big was about to happen.