Xu Hongji followed the housekeeper all the way, walked through the Fuzhong Garden until he walked outside the guest hall before slowly slowing down, sorting out the clothes on his body, taking a deep breath nervously, reaching out and knocking solemnly on the door before entering the hall.

I saw a sturdy man with dark skin and coarse cloth clothes sitting on a chair with his legs crossed, drinking tea and eating pastries, and his eyes were looking around the hall from time to time.

Xu Hongji didn't dare to delay, and when he saw that the man heard the footsteps and turned his head, he hurriedly stepped forward and saluted, "Dare to ask the general who came here late at night, what is the so-called matter of seeing Xu?" ”

"You're Xu Hongji?" The man didn't get up to return the salute, and raised his head proudly and asked.

A trace of dissatisfaction flashed in Xu Hongji's eyes, with the status of the Xu family in the Ming Dynasty, except for the emperor and the crown prince, they all had to salute him and win him over, when would any rogue dare to despise him so much! However, under the eaves, Xu Hongji held back the discomfort in his heart, licked his face and smiled, "This is Xu Hongji, dare to ask the general's name?" ”

"Under Liu Guoneng, you must have heard of a certain name!"

"I've heard of it, of course I've heard of it, but I didn't expect it to be the general who came in person!" Xu Hongji smiled, "I don't know if you entered the city to find Xu's ......"

"Ming people don't say secret words, I came to you this time to save your lives," Liu Guoneng preached according to Yang Su's instructions.

"Save my life?" Xu Hongji was puzzled and asked, "I don't know what the general said?" ”

"Our leader, the Red Lady, is kind-hearted, cares about the people of Nanjing, and doesn't want to destroy Nanjing! So don't prepare to attack Nanjing! Liu Guoneng said.

"What!" Xu Hongji exclaimed. "General Mo is not joking with Xu again?"

"So-and-so took such a big risk to enter the city, do you think I'm idle to play tricks on you? If we wanted to attack the city, this Nanjing city would have been taken a long time ago, do you think you can still hold it? ”

"Haha, don't blame the general, it's Xu's gaffe!" Xu Hongji was pleasantly surprised to apologize to Liu Guoneng.

"But this Nanjing can't be given to you in vain, after all, we came from so far away, and there were many dead and wounded soldiers under the city of Nanjing, so ......" Liu Guoneng stretched out his hand to signal.

"Should, should! We can't let the rebels suffer losses in vain! I'll send a million silver taels to the general! "Xu Hongji is very good.

"Millions of silver, do you look down on us? The dignified city of Nanjing is only worth one million taels? Liu Guoneng stood up and slammed the table, staring at Xu Hongji with wide eyes.

"General don't be angry, this silver tael is not enough, we can discuss! How much does the rebel army need, just ask, as long as you can get it, you will never shirk! Xu Hongji hurriedly persuaded him with good words, for fear of offending Liu Guoneng.

"Fifteen million taels of silver, if it's not enough, you can use gold to make it up! The red-coated cannons at the head of Nanjing, all the firearms, weapons, and armor in the city, as well as the craftsmen in the Nanjing Ordnance Bureau, bring three million stone grains, you send them out of the city, and we will withdraw the army! Liu Guoneng directly opened the conditions.

"What, so much!" Rao is Xu Hongji and ready to be cut meat, hearing Liu Guoneng's conditions, he couldn't help but exclaim, "This is absolutely impossible, how can we take out so much!" ”

"If you don't give it, we'll take it ourselves!" Liu Guoneng grabbed the knife on the table and said that he was leaving.

"The general is angry, this amount is indeed too big, it's not that I don't want to give it, but I can't give it. Now I'll go and consult with the others first, and ask the general to wait here!" I'll get back to you right away! Xu Hongji hurriedly stretched out his hand to stop Liu Guoneng, turned his head and shouted, "Come on, let the back kitchen prepare a dinner for the general, call me all the singers in the house, and accompany the general to drink!" ”?

Liu Guoneng sat back with a dissatisfied face, Xu Hongji breathed a sigh of relief in his heart, and confessed, "Please wait, general, Xu will come when he goes!" ”

Seeing that Liu Guoneng waved his hand nonchalantly, he withdrew with Xiao and hurriedly rushed to the lobby, preparing to discuss the matter with the other three.

Li Zhifu and the others did not leave, they were still waiting anxiously in the lobby, Xu Hongji suddenly got up and left without saying a word just now, making them secretly guess in their hearts that they didn't know what was wrong.

"Everyone, people from outside the city!" As soon as Xu Hongji entered the room, he was the first to speak.

"Outside the city, Xu Guogong refers to the Liukou?" Governor Li asked in shock.

"Exactly, it's Liu Guoneng who is the head of the thief!" Xu Hongji said in a deep voice.

"Xu Guogong, they are here to find you, what are they talking about?" Gonggong Deng asked nervously.

"They said they could not attack Nanjing, but they just ......"

"Just what? What conditions do they have, and we can all agree? As long as you don't hit Nanjing! ”

"They want fifteen million taels of silver, plus the red-clothed cannons at the head of Nanjing, all the firearms, weapons, and armor in the city, as well as the craftsmen in the Nanjing Ordnance Bureau, and three million stone grains, and send these out of the city, and they will not attack Nanjing!" Xu Hongji smiled bitterly and relayed Liu Guoneng's conditions.

"What!" The other three were also taken aback.

"Xu Guogong, then Liu Guoneng really said that?"

"Yes, I can't lie to you!" Xu Hongji shook his head and said.

"No, absolutely not, they are asking so much, how can we afford it!" Governor Li flatly refused.

"He said, let's get it ourselves if we don't give it to them!" Xu Hongji sighed and sighed.

Li Zhifu was stunned for a moment, sat down weakly, his face was full of bitterness, people are swords, I am fish and meat, they have no choice!

"Can you tell him about it, let them have less, we really can't get so much!" Qin Shangshu suggested.

"Did you all say yes? Then let's talk to him about it again! Xu Hongji looked at the three of them and asked, he doesn't carry this pot alone, of course he has to pull them together.

"Good! Let's go together! Gonggong Deng stood up and agreed directly.

Li Zhifu and Qin Shangshu glanced at each other, and both nodded, "This can only be the case!" ”

When the four of them came to the guest hall, they heard the laughter of women in the hall, and Liu Guoneng was holding the two women drinking and enjoying the song and dance.

"Keep the general waiting!" Xu Hongji smiled and waved his hand to let the group of singers go down.

Liu Guoneng was sitting on the chair, glanced at everyone, and asked casually, "How did you discuss?" I didn't go back before dawn today, and the army was about to enter the city! ”

"Haha, General Liu laughed! The two armies are still fighting without slashing each other, not to mention that heroes like General Liu came in person, how can we force you to stay! Xu Hongji smiled awkwardly.

Liu Guoneng chuckled lightly and said disdainfully, "Even if you want to stay, you can't keep so." A certain is not as good as General Cao, but with your national mansion, can anyone stop a certain at this moment? Besides, since Ben Jiang can enter the city without knowing it, it will naturally be easy to get out of the city again! ”