When Chu Tianya and Xiao Linglong returned to Taiyuan, it was almost dark. At the gate of the city, there were a large number of soldiers guarding and patrolling, and passing vehicles loaded with stones, firewood and other things, passing through the city gate in an endless stream. A few miles to the left and right, there were many van troops and civilian servants who were stepping up the construction of city defenses.

The snow was falling so heavily that the progress of the project seemed to have been greatly affected. Some military academies and foremen who rode horses to patrol the workers were angry and kept shouting and urging.

When the two of them were about to enter the city, a loud call came from above their heads, "Brother Chu! ”

Chu Tianya looked up and saw that Wang Xun was standing on the top of the city and calling him.

"Brother Wang, what's the matter?"

"You guys come up first!"

So they gave their horses to the men of the city, and went up to the city.

Wang Xun looked anxious, raised his hand to the sides of the city wall, and said: "The snow is too big, and it is difficult to carry out the project of strengthening the city defense. Although I have increased my staff, the pace of progress is not half as good as it used to be. Moreover, the stone used to wrap the bricks is also a little unable to keep up. If this continues, it will not be completed in a month. The Jurchens will call in a few days, how is it good? ”

Chu Tianya's brows furrowed, and he looked around for a while, the city walls of Taiyuan were really thin and short, and they were originally earthen walls without bricks, which were not solid at all. Although the Jurchen cavalry was not strong for siege, they had already conquered the Liao State, and they must have captured a lot of siege equipment from the Liao State, which had been founded for a hundred years and was well armed; Ten years of conquest is enough for them to learn various siege skills.

How could such a low, thin and brittle earthen wall resist the onslaught of the Jurchens?

"Could it be that the heavens are dying in my Taiyuan?" Wang Xun looked up at the sky and cursed in a low voice.

Chu Tianya's mind was calculating, how to increase and strengthen this city wall in the shortest time and at the lowest cost?

Suddenly, he remembered that he had watched a new "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" before crossing over. In one episode, Cao Cao encountered a similar dilemma when he led his troops to conquer Ma Chao, unable to build a walled city on the sandy land, so he was unable to resist Ma Chao's cavalry invasion. But then Cao Cao had a whim, took river water and poured sand, and as soon as the water froze, the city wall was built!

"Haha! Brother Wang, I have a way! Chu Tianya punched his fist and said, "You can order the soldiers and the people to pick up soil and water everywhere, and use muddy water to pour the city wall." Now that the weather is cold, the water is pouring into ice, and the muddy water is only waiting for the muddy water to solidify, and the city wall is not built? Moreover, this slippery city wall is extremely unfavorable for the Jurchens to climb and siege the city! At that time, if there is damage, it will be easy to repair it, and water and soil will be inexhaustible! ”

"What a plan! Brother Chu, you are really a god, you are simply too smart! Wang Xun laughed out loud in surprise.

Xiao Linglong smiled slightly and said, "But if the Jurchens return the favor with their own way and pile up firewood to burn the city, wouldn't it be devastating and broken with one blow?" ”

Both of them were stunned, Chu Tianya grinned, and said with a smile: "If the Jurchens are as smart as Lord Xiao, then we will admit it." However, if they can so calmly pile up enough firewood to burn the city under Taiyuan City, then our city will not be far from being breached. ”

"Yes, our bows and arrows and wooden cannon stones are not vegetarian. If even these things could not stop the Jurchens from approaching, then no matter how high and thick the walls were, they would be useless. Wang Xun laughed, "Brother, county lord, I won't tell you first-I'll go and order a new method of building a city!" Within three days, all four walls had to be reinforced, and there was no time! ”

The two said goodbye to Wang Xun and went downstairs, leading the horse into Taiyuan City.

The city is still the peaceful and happy scene of the past, and it seems that the prefect Zhang Xiaochun has not officially issued a notice.

"County Lord, you go home first, I have to go to the official mansion to meet Governor Zhang." Chu Tianya handed the reins to Xiao Linglong and said, "I'll come back when I'm young." ”

Xiao Linglong nodded, and was about to ride on the horse when she suddenly stopped again, turned back to Chu Tianya and said, "The army has sworn an oath, and it is estimated that it will be moved back to the city and stationed in the city soon, and the news will leak." Then Taiyuan City will be in chaos tonight. ”

"I guess so." Chu Tianya nodded.

"And when you come back...... Be careful. Xiao Linglong turned over and got on the horse, and spurred the horse away.

"Are you starting to care about me? Hehe! Chu Tianya smiled and strode towards the official mansion.

Zhang Xiaochun had just returned to the backyard mansion from the mansion, and he was sitting in the study tiredly, closing his eyes and recuperating. At this time, his wife Liu brought him freshly cooked healthy warm soup and asked him to drink it while it was hot.

Zhang Xiaochun took the soup cup, very conflicted in his heart, struggling.

"Should I let my family evacuate Taiyuan first?" -- This question has been bothering Zhang Xiaochun for many days.

"Official, what are you thinking about worriedly?" Ryu asked.

Zhang Xiaochun was about to speak, and the government officials came to report that Chu Tianya was visiting.

"Call him in!" Zhang Xiaochun put the soup cup on the table, and the whole person stood up.

Liu sighed lightly, picked up the soup cup and walked out, and said, "I'll take it to warm it first, and then come and drink it after the officials talk about business!" ”

Zhang Xiaochun nodded, watching his wife, who had been with him for twenty years but had never blushed with him, leaving step by step, he couldn't help shaking his head and sighing, and said to himself: "Husband and wife are originally birds in the same forest, and they fly separately when disaster comes...... The chaff, the chaff, do not discard it! ”

At this time, Chu Tianya walked in, stood in front of the public case and hugged his fists and said, "Governor Zhang, Xiaosheng is back." ”

"It's been done."

"Okay."

Hearing this word, Zhang Xiaochun breathed a long sigh of relief, and finally sat down again.

"I don't know Governor Zhang's mansion, when are you going to send an official document to the military and civilians all over the province?" Chu Tianya asked.

"Just wait for the royal capital to lead the troops and horses into the city, and the government will issue a document immediately!" Zhang Xiaochun said and pointed out the thick stack of official documents to Chu Tianya, and said, "This government has ordered the scribe to copy thousands of copies of the official documents, and prepare to send them all over again!" However, if there is no soldier and horse to support the official documents, the government is afraid of chaos in the city. So we'll have to wait a little longer. ”

Chu Tianya nodded and said, "When I just left the barracks, Wang Dutong had already led the army to swear an oath and beheaded Yelu Yujian's head to sacrifice the flag. I believe that I will move back to the city immediately. ”

"What, Yelu Yujian has already been killed?" Zhang Xiaochun said in astonishment.

Chu Tianya frowned, "Is there something wrong?" ”

"You can't kill it!" Zhang Xiaochun's brows furrowed into a big pimple, "At that time, if the Jin Kingdom denies it, or the court wants to ask for the guilt, Yelu Yu will be very useful!" What's the use of killing out of anger at this time? ”

"Governor Zhang, you are wrong. Yelu Yu must be killed! Chu Tianya's eyebrows sank, and he said, "Since he dares to murder Master Tong, it is a capital crime to say anything." Moreover, not killing him is not enough to appease the anger of the army, and not killing him is not enough to arouse the hearts of all the soldiers to fight to the death. If, as Governor Zhang said, he kept the remnants of Yelu for various uses, then the soldiers would feel that the officers and generals above were not resolute enough to resist Jin, and they wanted to escape the war if they were lucky, or they still pinned their hopes on peace talks -- this would make the morale of the army fluctuate and their morale would be sluggish! ”

"Ugh! ......" Zhang Xiaochun was speechless for a while, thought for a moment, he nodded, but said, "What you said is not unreasonable. However, Yelu Yujian is a general of the Jin Kingdom after all, if he doesn't know the canonical punishment and kills him in private, there is always a little bit of misname and disobedience! ”

"Then when he killed Master Tong, was he justified? The Jin State broke the treaty and defeated the alliance to invade the south, but it was justified? Chu Tianya sneered and said, "Governor Zhang, please don't have any luck in your heart." It is a foregone conclusion that the Jin people will go south, and it is also a foregone conclusion that Taiyuan must resist to the end. At such times, what we need is solidarity and sincerity, and the courage to break through. Any hesitation and timidity will only bring failure and death! ”

Zhang Xiaochun's face suddenly showed a little embarrassment and embarrassment. He reluctantly squeezed out a smile and said, "I just hope that I can think about it carefully, and don't miss a big thing because of a momentary impulse." Don't worry, if it weren't for the determination to resist Jin, the government would not have agreed to cooperate with Wang Dutong - you should have seen just now that my wife and family members are still in the palace and have not been sent away! Is this the decision of the government? ”

"Governor Zhang doesn't have to promise or show anything to Xiaosheng." Chu Tianya hugged his fists and said with a smile, "People are doing it, the sky is watching, as long as you pass your own level, you can do it." ”

Zhang Xiaochun nodded silently. Open the drawer and take out a huge string of keys from it and throw it on the table, "Take it, this is the key to the Taiyuan treasury and granary." Wang Dutong said that you must gather all the grain and grass in the city, and let you be responsible for the distribution of food and grass for the army and people in the city. From now on, they're in your hands. ”

"Thank you, Governor Zhang." Chu Tianya was not polite, so he accepted this large string of keys and hugged his fist, "Then ask Governor Zhang to issue me an official document, and order Xiaosheng to collect grain everywhere in the city on behalf of the government and the army!" If anyone disobeys, he will be punished for treason and treason! ”

"You're not going to kill again, are you?" Zhang Xiaochun couldn't help but be a little annoyed, "At this critical moment, the army and the people should be united, you must not start killing and spoil the overall situation!" ”

"Governor Zhang's rest assured, who can kill and who can't, Xiaosheng has his own measure." Chu Tianya smiled indifferently.

"Hey, okay...... For the sake of Wang Dutong's trust and respect for you, this government will indulge you once! After that, Zhang Xiaochun was a little unwilling and reluctant, and issued an official document to Chu Tianya.

"Thanks!" Chu Tianya picked up the official document and dried the ink into his arms, arched his hand and prepared to leave.

"You wait!" Zhang Xiaochun suddenly stopped him.

"What else does Governor Zhang's Mansion command?" Chu Tianya asked.

Zhang Xiaochun got up and walked in front of Chu Tianya, looked at him with frowns, and said, "There is something I want to ask you in this mansion. ”

"Governor Zhang, might as well talk about it?"

"As an official of the imperial court, this government should repay the favor of the official family with death." Zhang Xiaochun said, "But this government doesn't want to die in vain—you tell me honestly, did Taishi die because of your conspiracy with Yelu Yujian?" In other words, the war in front of you was provoked by you alone, what are your intentions? ”

"Huh!" Chu Tianya smiled, "Governor Zhang, you're thinking too much. What kind of courage and ability did Xiao Sheng have to frame the envoy of the Jin Kingdom and murder the Taishi? Provoking a war will not do me any good. Governor Zhang, what do you say? ”

Zhang Xiaochun's eyebrows were tightly locked, his eyes were blazing, he looked at Chu Tianya, stroked his beard, and nodded slowly, "If not, then you have the ability to predict the future; If so, then you are the number one thief in the world today! - Chu Tianya, which one do you want this government to believe? ”

Chu Tianya smiled slightly when he heard this, and said, "I suddenly remembered what Guan Shan said to me in the big red robe, 'Time will prove it'." So now I don't want to explain - wait and see, Governor Zhang! ”