Xu Shu's troops came to the city, Gan Ning led the army into Qingzhou, and Linzi was already in a storm. (）

After Cao Ang got the news, he knew that something was wrong and gathered the gentry in the city. His eyes swept over the gentry in the hall, and he said in a deep voice: "The Shu army is rampant and ferocious, and Qingzhou has fallen by half. Now the Shu army is approaching the city, and the situation is critical. The reason why I summoned you to come here was to give full play to your talents and ask you for your opinions. ”

These words were said earnestly, and even asked for help.

What is very strange is that Xiahou Yuan and Zang Ba are standing at the door of the hall, both of them are carrying weapons, their eyes are like knives looking at the people in the hall, and there is a faint killing intent.

"His Royal Highness the Prince, the old man is willing to help defend the city."

Suddenly, an old man sitting in the front row spoke up.

This person's name is Duan Xuan, and he is a businessman in Linzi City. Duan Xuan was down-and-out when he was young, but he had a business mind, and he earned a fortune by relying on his own skills, and he was the richest man in Linzi City. In particular, Duan Xuan raised thousands of private soldiers, all of whom were brave and fierce, which also made Cao Ang salivate.

Cao Ang asked without moving, "I don't know if Elder Duan plans to help Lone resist the Shu army?" ”

Duan Xuan said simply: "The old man transferred 1,500 family members from his family to help His Highness defend the city. ”

"Good!"

Cao Ang stroked his palms again and again, with an excited look on his face, and said, "Duan Lao helped Wei Guo, and Gu will not forget Duan Lao's feelings today." After defeating the Shu army and stabilizing the situation, Gu Dingdang sent a letter to his father, asking his father to give Duan Lao Jinjue. ”

Duan Xuan bowed and said, "Thank you, Your Royal Highness the Prince!" ”

The conversation between the two was heard in the main hall, which immediately caused a commotion. Duan Xuan has a high prestige in Linzi and is the leader of the merchants, and as soon as he spoke, the surrounding businessmen spoke one after another.

"Your Highness, the old man is willing to transfer five hundred families to help His Highness defend the city."

"Your Highness, I am willing to send 800 guards to help Your Highness defend against the enemy."

"Your Highness,......,"

In the main hall, the voices of the gentry and businessmen sounded one after another.

One or two people appeared who were willing to help Cao Ang, and soon more than a dozen appeared, and finally the gentry sitting in the hall could hardly refuse. Regardless of the situation, some people had to be sent to assist Cao Ang. Just imagine, more and more people agree that once there is an incongruous voice, it is easy to be dealt with by Cao Ang.

In this way, Cao Ang easily completed the matter of dispatching private soldiers from the gentry clan to defend the city.

After careful calculation, there were 20,000 private soldiers.

Such a force is definitely a big help for Cao Ang, who guards Linzi. After everyone dispersed, Cao Ang, Xiahou Yuan, and Zang Ba were left in the hall.

The smile on Cao Ang's face disappeared and was replaced by a haggard countenance. He looked at Xiahou Yuan and said, "Dadu Governor, although more than 20,000 private soldiers have been recruited to defend the city temporarily, Xu Shu's army is about to attack the city, and the army led by Gan Ning and Tai Shici is coming, I am afraid it will be difficult to defend it!" ”

Xiahou Yuan said: "No matter what, His Highness has done his best. ”

Zang Ba said: "The Metropolitan Governor and His Royal Highness, although the gentry have generously helped, they have already dispatched 20,000 people to defend the city. But these people belong to their own families, and I'm afraid it's not easy to deploy. ”

Cao Ang said: "It doesn't matter, our army is responsible for resisting the siege, and the more than 20,000 men who are dispatched are responsible for carrying weapons and supplies, and can assist the soldiers under the city to guard the city gates if necessary." ”

After hearing this, Xiahou Yuan and Zang Ba both nodded.

……

After Duan Xuan returned to his house by car, eight more wealthy gentry came to visit.

In the study, Duan Xuan was wearing a black robe and sitting cross-legged. His gaze swept over the person sitting in the study, and asked, "Ladies and gentlemen, have you come to find the old man, is there anything wrong?" ”

"Elder Duan, do you really plan to go to the dark with the Cao family?" The name of the person who spoke was Kong He, and this person was powerful and powerful, but he was a bold and careful person.

Duan Xuan smiled and asked, "Kong He, what do you think?" ”

Kong He glanced at the people around him and said, "All of you here are people who know the roots, and they are people in the same boat, so they don't hide it below." You all know that Cao Cao was trapped in Yecheng, and Gan Ning and Tai Shici also led an army to capture Yanzhou, and entered Qingzhou, where they would soon arrive in Linzi. As for Xu Shu outside the city, let alone that, everyone knows it. ”

"The climate of the Shu army has been established, and the destruction of Cao is already an ironclad thing."

"At this time, we are still standing on the boat of the Cao family, do you want to destroy the family and the clan, and want to be buried with the Cao family? Old Duan, you are the person who holds the bull's ear in Linzi City, what do you say, we will do. But at present, the fall of the Cao clan is imminent, and following Cao Ang Xiao'er is probably bound to lose. ”

After Kong He's words came out, everyone in the study echoed him. Everyone looked at you, and I didn't say a word, and they all thought that they should not follow Cao Ang to resist the Shu army.

Duan Xuan asked, "You don't want to follow Cao Ang, so why do you have to agree in the hall?" ”

Kong He replied: "Elder Duan, you don't know the situation at that time. If we reject Cao Ang, I'm afraid Xiahou Yuan and Zang Ba will tear us apart on the spot. ”

Duan Xuan smiled when he heard this, and his old face showed a look of approval.

Kong He lost his voice and said, "Old Duan, did you deliberately promise Cao Ang?" ”

Duan Xuan nodded, and said slowly: "The old man has lived for most of his life, although his eyes are dizzy, but his brain is not confused, he knows what to do?" What not to do? At present, we are under Cao Ang's control, so we naturally have to follow Cao Ang, otherwise there will be danger. Cao Ang thought that we had agreed to him, but he didn't know that there was a blessing in the hidden evil. ”

Kong He asked, "Elder Duan, what do you mean?" ”

Duan Xuan's eyes suddenly became cold, and he said, "You send messages to the people of the major families and ask them to do what Cao Ang instructs. Wait for our people to start defending the city, and then open the city gate to welcome the Shu army into the city. ”

Kong He said happily: "Okay, we will inform the others." ”

The people in the study spoke one after another, and they were all willing to follow Duan Xuan.

For these businessmen and gentry, what they value is their interests and their own families. Cao Ang's life or death has nothing to do with them, and there is no burden on Cao Ang to plot.

Kong He suddenly frowned and asked, "Elder Duan, how should we contact Shu Jun?" ”

Duan Xuan said: "I'll be in touch, you just need to do a good job of coordination." ”

After hearing this, Kong He and the others all looked at Duan Xuan with admiration, and they were secretly surprised in their hearts, secretly saying that Duan Xuan was old and spicy. They didn't stay long either, and soon left the Duan Mansion.

Duan Xuan sat alone in the study, called the housekeeper, and whispered something.

The sun was setting, and it was getting late.

In the sky, a pigeon suddenly flew up and fluttered out of the city.

In the camp of the Shu army, in the big tent of the Chinese army, Xu Shu summoned Zhou Tai and Zhu Huan to discuss things. At this time, news suddenly came from the city. Xu Shu quickly read the news, with a bright smile on his face, and said: "General Zhou, General Zhu, the gentry in the city are willing to open the city gate to welcome us into the city, and it will be much easier to attack Qingzhou now." ”

Zhu Huan said in a deep voice: "Xu Dudu, will there be fraud?" ”

Xu Shu said: "There will be no fraud, our army has failed along the way, and there is Gan Ning's army, they don't dare to come nonsense, otherwise Gan Ning will kill them, can these people have a better life?" Moreover, everyone can see the situation of the Wei army, the gentry and the big families in the city are all human spirits, and they will not hang themselves on the big tree of the Wei State. ”

Zhou Taimo said with his fists in his hands: "Grand Governor, when are you ready to attack the city?" ”

Xu Shu said: "It will take at least half a day for Cao Ang to gather the private soldiers of the wealthy gentry in the city. We rested for a day and a half, and the siege began early the next morning. ”

Zhou Tai hugged his fists and said: "Okay, the day after tomorrow will attack the city." ”