In Jinan Mansion in November of the 11th year of Chongzhen, a story was circulating among men, women and children in the market, saying that two officials in Jinan Mansion were ordered to go to other counties on business. After finishing their official business, the two officials set off to return to Jinan. On the way, the two officials met two men dressed like the servants, so they hurried together. The two officers claimed to be the commissioners of Jinan Prefecture. The official of Licheng County said, "I know the officials of Jinan Mansion and I have ten **, why don't I know the two?" ”

The two men replied, "I am not to be told, but I am the ghosts of the city god." Now he is going to Dongyue Hades to deliver official documents. ”

"What is the official document talking about?" The official asked.

The ghost messenger replied: "There will be a catastrophe in Jinan, and what we report is the number of people who will die." ”

The official was taken aback and hurriedly asked, "How many people will die?" ”

The ghost messenger replied: "In the whole land of Jinan, there are millions of people, not to mention a million. This is a fateful fate, and it's useless for you to escape! ”

The official was even more surprised, and hurriedly said: "Since we have met two ghost brothers, this is also fate, and please ask the two ghost brothers to save the lives of my whole family." ”

The ghost cha replied, "This calamity begins in December and ends in the first month of next year!" ”

The two servants were very frightened, and one said: "The time for us to return to Jinan is Chinese New Year's Eve, and if we go back, I am afraid that we will not be able to escape this calamity, but if we go back late, we will be condemned by Zhixian County." ”

Another ghost said: "Originally, this was a heavenly opportunity that could not be revealed, but now that you know about it, I am afraid that this catastrophe will be variable!" If, because of the two of you, this calamity is difficult to resolve, then the two of you will have great merit. ”

The two officials hurriedly asked, "How to resolve it?" ”

The ghost cha replied: "Telling you these is already a leak of heavenly secrets, if I tell you the way to resolve it, then I will violate the rules of heaven and will never recover." I can only say eight words to you~"

"What four words?" The official said urgently

"Prepare early and unite as one." After that, a gust of wind blew up, fascinating the eyes of the two officials, and when the wind stopped, the two ghosts were long gone

The story is vividly spoken, and within a few days it spread all over Jinan Mansion, and the men, women and children of Jinan Mansion all talked about this story after tea and dinner.

Towards the end of the year, the Jinan street market is becoming more and more lively. The night market on the shore of Daming Lake is lively and jubilant, there are those who talk about the big drum book, some who talk about the commentary, some who play the piano and sell the piano, and there are those who play monkeys and sell plasters, the gongs and drums are noisy, and the laughter is constant. Hawkers selling supper and preserved fruits, carrying camels to sell dumplings and wontons, stalls with pleated five-spice ingots, and rock sugar gourds hanging from the joy group. All kinds of vendors are shouting and shouting, and some hawkers even beat bamboo poles and small gongs to solicit business.

In addition to hawkers, restaurants and snack bars are also full of fried shrimp cakes, glutinous rice cakes, hair cakes, jujube cakes, as well as stickers such as red aged flower carvings and Shaoxing daughter red on the wine jar to attract customers

Minghu Ju is a famous teahouse in Jinan Mansion, which is full of guests and friends every day. Everyone in the city who has a little bit of status and status loves to come here to drink tea. Naturally, it is indispensable to talk about some current affairs, and now the most talked about is the story of the East Captives and the ghosts

A young scholar said: "I heard that Dongyu Lianxia moved to An, Fengrun, and met in the west of the Nengzhou River, and went around Beijing to Zhuozhou from the north. Then the soldiers were divided into eight roads, and the troops marched together, and the Beijing division was martial law again! ”

"But no, since the current emperor ascended the throne, Dongyu has already been one~~two~~three~four, the fourth time to enter the fortress, right?" It was a white-bearded old master who spoke

A middle-aged Confucian said, "Huh? Ladies and gentlemen, when you talk about the catastrophe of Jinan Mansion, will you say that the East Captives have entered the fortress? ”

The young scholar said: "Dongyu has always been in the north, when did you come to Jinan Mansion?" ”

"It can't be said that for the first time, Dongyu entered the Jingshi; The second time he entered the fortress and ravaged Xuanda for more than fifty years, killing and plundering was not counted; The third time into the fortress to capture Changping many cities, around the Beijing Division, stay for a month, a total of 12 cities, get countless people and animals, the governor Zhang Fengyi and the governor Liang Tingdong, just followed behind, did not dare to attack, retreated even played music triumphantly, in the writing of the official free of the sign. Dongyu is bolder than ever, but our officers and soldiers are thwart every time! The old master stroked his white beard

"Who's to say it isn't?" Middle-aged Confucian scholars are all Ao

The young scholar said: "Ladies and gentlemen, every time the Eastern Captives enter the fortress, they kill people and plunder countless people. Does the ghost messenger's 'prepare early' mean that we should escape as soon as possible? ”

The old master shook his head and said with a smile: "No, the old man thinks that if we are told to escape, where do we need to unite as one?" It is clear that we want to work together to garrison Jinan, if the Dongyu captures Jinan, then the people of Jinan will not escape death. If you can't attack it, then you can avoid death, this is probably the solution that the ghost is unwilling to say, right? ”

"Hmm~ What the old master said makes sense, I think that's what I mean!" The young scholar said

"Don't think too much, maybe it's all everyone's guess!" The middle-aged Confucian took a sip of tea with an expression of enjoyment

"I hope we're worried!" The young scholar said

A group of scholars were talking loudly, and suddenly they heard a commotion outside the teahouse, and someone shouted: "Give way and give way, give way to the governor!" ”

A moment later, I heard the alarm bells ringing in the city

The old master stood up and exclaimed, "Is it really about to meet the catastrophe?" ”

The young scholar said: "What are you afraid of, we Jinan people have no bad seeds, as long as everyone is united, hundreds of thousands of people in Jinan can't stand this city?" ”

The middle-aged Confucian also said: "That's right. I heard that the captives were taken captive, the men were slaves, the women were put into the hook bar, the men were handsome and became the male pets of those captives, and the women were jumped to spoil when they were peugeot! ”

The old master was indignant and said: "That's okay, the old man is the first to fight with him, instead of being a cow and a horse, a slave and a maid, it is better to keep Dan in mind!" ”

The conversation of several scholars, the people around listened clearly, and immediately more than a dozen young people came around, "Yes, we have the money to contribute, we have the strength to contribute, prepare early, and unite as one!" ”

"United!"

In the flower hall of the Jinan Political Division, the dusty Shandong Patrol held an emergency meeting before he had time to freshen up, and the meeting was attended by Zhang Bingwen, the political envoy of Shandong Zuobu, Deng Qian, the political envoy of Shandong Xuezheng, Han Chengxuan, the magistrate of Licheng, Zhou Zhixun, the deputy envoy of the inspection, Zheng Qian, the military envoy, Tang Shixiong, the commander of Feng Guan, the prefect of Jinan, Gou Haoshan, the same knowledge Chen Yuyun, the professor Kong Wenwu, and the general sentence Xiong Liexian. At that time, Song Xuezhu was inspecting Zhangqiu, and when he learned that the heavy troops of the Qing army had arrived under the city of Jinan, he did not flee, but broke into the city overnight and arranged the city defense.

"Why don't you see the chief soldier and other military attachés?" Song Xuezhu asked in surprise

Commander Feng Guan spread his hands helplessly, "The Jinan Garrison Military Department ordered that he was transferred to Dezhou with the governor Yan Jizu!" Now there are only 500 old and weak township soldiers in the city, and 700 Laizhou soldiers who have not yet had time to rush to Texas, in addition to some brocade guards, but they ~~ Hey! ”

"No matter what, no matter what, now we can only rely on our class of scholars!" Song Xuezhu spread out a map, "The Dongyu who appeared in the suburbs is just a small force, we can attack it by surprise, and then send a messenger for help." The prefect of Jinan, Gou Haoshan, said in fear: "Could it be that the rumor that Jinan will suffer a catastrophe that has been spread in the market before is about to come true?" ”

Han Chengxuan, the magistrate of Licheng County, said disdainfully: "This county has already sent people to refute the rumors, and there is no such thing!" ”

"No!" Song Xuezhu waved his hand and said, "I heard that the ghost in that story is about to resolve the Jinan disaster, and we need to prepare early and unite as one." We just took this opportunity to mobilize the people of the city to resist the enemy and defend the city. The city wall of Jinan is tall, and there are no less than 500,000 people in the city, and there are at least 200,000 men. If everyone is united, Dongyu may not be able to help me. ”

"Governor Gou, you immediately gather the rich households in the city and ask them to donate food!"

"Yes!"

"Commander Feng and Zheng Bingbei, the two of them selected hardcover in the city and issued weapons~"

"Yes!"

"Tang Yunzhi, Chen Tongzhi, Xiong Tongju, the three of them count the grain and see how much there is left!"

"Yes!"

"Report ~~~~~" a small soldier dragged a long voice and galloped over, "Report ~ There is a team of soldiers and horses coming to the east, the number is about three thousand, with cannons, guns and countless baggage. ”

"Could it be that there are other soldiers and horses in Dongyu?"

"Report~~" The first soldier hasn't gone out yet, and the second soldier has arrived: "Report to everyone, the soldiers and horses from the east are the commander of Haiyangwei, Song Youliang~"

"Report~~" Before the second soldier spoke, the third soldier arrived: "Commander Song sent someone to bring a message, saying that he came to help the battle with three thousand soldiers and horses, firearms, grain and grass, please open the city gate quickly!" ”

Three reports in succession, each more inspiring than the other

"Is that the little Qianhu Song Youliang?" Song Xuezhu still remembers last year's events

Xuezheng Deng Qian said with a smile: "There is no second Song Youliang in Shandong!" ”

"Hurry up, open the city gate quickly, the official will greet him personally!" Song Xuezhu straightened his clothes