Mei Tiecalyx sat in the purple red high-backed sour branch wooden chair for four hours, looking at himself in the mirror, his sideburns turned white overnight, and he felt a pain in his heart, looking at Mei Xuanmo who was lying on the ground, his face suddenly turned hideous, and he smashed the bronze mirror in his hand viciously.

Mei Xuanmo didn't dare to avoid it, and let the bronze mirror hit the eyebrow bone, and a stream of blood flowed down the wings of his nose and dripped on the polished blue-patterned stone slab.

Mei Tiecao's sudden irritation instantly replaced it with an indescribable sadness, and he waved his hand weakly: "How can I be confused for a while, listen to your words, and fall into the way of the good old man again?" The Mei family has been established in the East China Sea for more than 200 years, and it is about to be destroyed in my hands, so what face do I have to see the ancestors who are buried in the tomb. ”

Mei Liting whispered: "The situation may not be so serious, it is still ......"

"Or what?" Mei Tiecao suddenly got up, said sharply, and then his voice softened, and said leisurely: "Xu Ru is a famous general, and no one in the East China Sea can hide his brilliance. You don't have to think that the Yongyang defenders are defending the city for the sake of a pension of fifty gold, regardless of life and death. Xu Ru Yufu served as the lieutenant, only three pots of wine to stimulate the morale of the defenders of the city, a rain, let him scatter the scattered reserve battalion in order, the rewards and punishments are simple, the words are strict, and the art of war is very important, the soldiers under his command, there is no worry behind him, and there is a reward for fighting, all are unwilling to be driven. Guarding the city tower for thirty-four days, not leaving half a step, eating and sleeping with ordinary soldiers, intimidating the Puji pirates in several coastal counties, he could not take an inch of the city wall from under his feet, his invincible image penetrated into the hearts of everyone in the city, it was the speed of his influence that prompted us to make such a stupid decision, I really dare not imagine how a city without Xu Ruyu can resist the 100,000 pirates on Puji Island. If Gongliang Lao'er reveals our conspiracy with him under the city, the blow to morale will be even more devastating, even if he barely resists, can the Xicheng Army, the Yuha Battalion Army, and the Reserve Battalion spare us? Can Chen Ang spare us? ”

Mei Xuanmo said: "Daddy, why don't we sacrifice the city......"

Mei Tiecao kicked him away, kicked him to the ground, and shouted: "Beast, it's a shame that you can have such a thought......" Mei Tiecao only felt dizzy, held on to the chair, and finally calmed down the churning blood: "Do you know how many thieves have been hiding under the city in the past month, 18,000 corpses." From the 35th to the 39th year of the New Dynasty, the Puji bandits were forced to leave the East China Sea by Xu Xing, and only 40,000 people were injured in five years. The destruction of the city is the slaughter of the city, you should not have the illusion of sacrificing the city to save your life. Conspiring with the enemy, with the strength that makes him taboo, the 40,000 elite soldiers of my Mei clan now only have 4,000 remnants, but they have a huge family business that is not worthy of it, how can the good old man let go of this wealth? ”

Mei Xuanmo said in a low voice: "But since Xu Ruyu took office, the military expenditure has wasted millions of gold, and they are all drawn from the family and first-class households, if he is allowed to do this, no matter how big the family business of my Mei family is, it will be exhausted one day......"

"Millions? Can you use a million gold to make 40,000 soldiers sacrifice their lives and kill the enemy? Mei Tiecao felt a feeling of disgust, turned around, and asked Mei Liting in a low voice, "What are the movements of other families?" ”

"Du Wei was assassinated, the second uncle and Lord Jiang immediately blocked the Jiang Mansion, only the second uncle let people reveal the news, and the other families knew about the resignation of Gongliang Youqin, and the lord had just left the Jiang Mansion now, and the second uncle and Lord Chen Zifang were left behind."

"Oh, is it possible to be recognized by Jiang Lingtian?"

"It shouldn't be, otherwise I won't let the second uncle and Chen Zifang stay, I'm afraid that Du Wei left a strategy to deal with Gongliang Youqin before his death."

"Xu Ruyu saw through the plan of Gongliang Youqin to retreat before his death, he should have left a legacy, and everything will be known when Tie Rui returns?"

At this moment, the Jingwei outside the door knocked on the door and reported: "The second uncle and the clan elders of Meiyuan Pavilion are here." ”

Mei Xuanmo got up angrily and shouted, "What does the second uncle mean by inviting the clan elders of Mei Yuan Pavilion out of the country, and still take you in his eyes?" ”

Mei Tiecao glared at him viciously and scolded: "Brute, you still dare to provoke your mouth." This position of the lord of the Mei clan, do I still have the face to take on it? If it weren't for the fact that someone needed to explain to Chen Ang in the future, I wouldn't have the face to see Tie Rui and the clan elders? ”

Mei Shilin, Mei Ru, Mei Fan, and Mei Xiangyuan are all old men with scorched sideburns, who have served as the old hermit of the Mei clan for more than 20 years.

Mei Shilin pushed away the guards with one hand, kicked the door, and opened the wisped red door. Mei Shilin pointed to Mei Tierui, who was kneeling on the ground, and asked: "Tie Rui said that you were stubborn and self-serving, ignoring Tie Rui and Liting's obstruction, and conspired with Gongliang Youqin to assassinate the new Yongyang Commander Xu Ruyu without authorization, do you have anything to say?" ”

"Iron Calyx is willing to die to apologize."

"If you die, who will confess to Chen Ang, is it Xuanmo, a little brute? You hand over the Hanmei ring to Tie Rui, you will follow me into Meiyuan Pavilion from now on, if Chen Ang finds out about this in the future, you and I am afraid that my father and son will be able to withstand it. ”

"Father, it was Tie Calyx who made this big mistake and mistakenly hit Gongliang Youqin's annihilation plan."

"Grandpa, the Xu family, the Shen family, the Longyou Gang, the Qingpu Gang, and the Yanling Gang are all involved in this matter, why do you want my Mei family to bear it?"

Mei Shilin hit Mei Xuanmo's shoulder with a cane, beating him to the point that his skin was broken, and he was so angry that he was angry, and said: "You brute, captured by the enemy, do not seek death and righteousness, but lead the enemy into the house, and make your father fall into the enemy's plan, you don't want to regret it, you only blindly blame the fault on others, you ...... You ......"

Mei Shilin was suddenly dizzy, couldn't lift it in one breath, shook a few times, and almost collapsed. Mei Tierui reached out and grabbed his armpit, helped him to the couch, and whispered comfortingly: "Xuanmo was taken advantage of by the enemy when he was young, and I can't complain about him, not to mention that we failed to see through the annihilation plan of Gongliang Youqin. ”

How could that be a reason for his exoneration? Liting, you abolished him, imprisoned him, and handed it over to Chen Ang. ”

Mei Liting was shocked, threw himself into Mei Shilin's knees, and pleaded sincerely: "The eldest brother died in the battle under Tairu City, and the second brother died young, how can you do this to the third brother now?" ”

Mei Tiecao said weakly: "You do it, this is the end he deserves." After that, he took off the tail finger Hanmei ring and handed it to Mei Tierui, choked up and said: "Second brother, whether the Mei family can be the whole family depends on you." ”

Mei Tierui thought of what happened recently, and couldn't help but feel gloomy. Four days ago, Mei Xuanmo sneaked back from Dongcheng, only to linger behind enemy lines, and now he has to return to Yongyang, and Mei Tierui does not doubt him. How do you know that when he returned to the city in January, he was captured by Gongliang Youqin so far, this time he returned to the city to be a lobbyist for Gongliang Youqin, Mei Tiecao listened to him, and believed that the thief had run out of food, and wanted to evacuate from Yongyang, but he hated Xu Ruyu for ruining his plan, as long as the families helped him get rid of Xu Ruyu, Gongliang Youqin withdrew his troops from the East China Sea, and handed over Biling, Tairu and other places to the hands of the Yongyang families.

In the next three days, the siege thief Kou really filled his stomach with grass and vines, and Gongliang Youqin sneaked into the city alone, which made all the families believe that the thief Kou had run out of food. Xu Ruyu implemented military administration in Yongyang, suppressed the high gate has begun to emerge, and the taxes are drawn from the family, which is deeply jealous of all families, but I am afraid that his foundation is deep, it is difficult to uproot, and it is difficult not to take advantage of the opportunity in front of him.

When Mei Tierui noticed this, the Mei clan and other families had been deeply involved in it, and they couldn't get out, if it was exposed, Yongyang would change immediately, and Gongliangyouqin would take advantage of the situation to enter, and Yongyang was even more precarious, so he had to hope that Gongliangyouqin would be assassinated and would really withdraw from the East China Sea.

Yesterday, Xu Ruyu was assassinated, and Jiang Lingtian revealed that Gongliang Youqin's food cut was a fraud, and there was no doubt that the thunderbolt from the sky went straight to the top of his head, which made people stunned, and they all understood that they had fallen into the dead trap of Gongliang Youqin.

Fortunately, when Gongliang Youqin entered the city in Beicheng, he was discovered by the soldiers patrolling the city, and Wan Rong did not do a clean job when he killed more than ten soldiers, so that Xu Ruyu realized it. If he participated in this matter and let Gongliang Youqin enter the city from Dongcheng, I am afraid that it would be really Yongyang's death at that time. is also true, Xu Ruyu is convinced that he was also forced to get involved in the matter afterwards and give the Mei clan the opportunity to make meritorious contributions.

Mei Tierui gently twisted the cold plum ring on her tail finger, looked at Mei Xuanmo who was kneeling on the ground, although she couldn't bear it in her heart, she knew that the Mei clan had to give Xu Ruyu an explanation, sighed, and asked Mei Liting to take him down.

It's just that Xu Ruyu is in power, will he really suppress Gaomen as Xuan Mo said? If the Yongyang families were not deeply jealous that after the Wanling army arrived in Yongyang, they would no longer be able to suppress the rise of Xu Ruyu and the Su Gang, and they would not easily fall for the annihilation plan of Gongliang Youqin. The Mei clan follows Xu Ruyu really has a day of soaring? But if you don't follow him, the Mei clan will not be able to resist the liquidation of Wanling after the end of the day, after all, it was the Mei family who abandoned the alliance and plunged the East China Sea into a century-old crisis, and the Mei family's force could not maintain such a huge family business.

Mei Tierui bent her fingers and tapped her forehead, driving the thoughts that suddenly surged out of her mind, thinking: No matter what, I have to get over the current difficulties.

In the early morning of the next day, the scouts reported one after another, and Gongliang Youqin and Xu Bodang returned to Yongyang from Suyi and Yanling respectively. Except for a few people such as Chen Zifang and Mei Tierui, who understood the truth about Xu Ruyu's life, the rest of the generals were pale and full of sadness. Fortunately, the soldiers and civilians in Yongyang City did not know what happened yesterday, and now they saw that the thieves came to besiege the city again, and they did not take it seriously, and there was no major disturbance.

Outside the eastern city, Puji 80,000 pirates including cavalry, spearmen, halberders, short knife hands, longbowmen, and sappers stepped on the pace of rectification, like a tide on the distant horizon, divided into three huge waves to Yongyang, the banner covering the sky made the three crowds look like burning flames, the shouts all over the mountains shook the city tower, and the iron hooves were as shocking as stepping on the hearts of everyone. Building cars, nest cars, rushing cars, climbing ladder cars, cave house cars, Haoqiao cars, crossbow cars, and horse-repellent carriages, the ruts are sparkling, leaving thousands of criss-crossing tracks on the soft soil of mid-spring.

The faces of the generals on the tower of Jingyang Gate were as pale as dirt, but the soldiers defending the city looked at them calmly, just clenched the blades in their hands, and looked at the thieves under the city with a resolute expression.

Wan Rong paced anxiously in the city tower, his face was pale, and he muttered: "It's over, it's over, if the soldiers defending the city don't see the captain appear, they will definitely be disheartened......

When Shen Deqian saw Wan Rong like this, there was a burst of disgust in his heart, and he secretly said: How could he be in the same stream with this. Qiang suppressed the panic in his heart, and said to Mei Tierui: "Gongliang Youqin will definitely attack Jingyangmen, Xicheng will respond to Xu Bodang's 30,000 army offensive, and it is estimated that there will be no people to be deployed, let me transfer the second battalion of people and horses from Beicheng." ”

Mei Tierui waved his hand to stop him and said: "Lord Chen's Yuha's battalion army has been replaced with General Zhong's Yanling Guard, and the reserve battalion is also stationed in Xicheng nearby, there is no need to transfer too many troops for the time being, the eastern city is not conducive to the bandits to develop superior forces, only manpower is enough for the time being." ”

"If the commander does not appear at the head of the city, no matter how many soldiers there are, it will be difficult to compete with the Puji pirates."

"General Zhong, do you have to remember now that Lord Du Wei is now in charge of the defense of Beicheng?"

"But Lord Shen, when the city was really attacked, Gongliang Youqin appeared under the city, can you still hide the panic at this time?"

The commander who has always charged in front of the charge, but does not appear in the most fierce confrontation in the east city, who can not doubt the soldiers of the city, and the key public good friend Qin will also expose their ornaments under the city. Shen Deqian was stunned there, knowing that what Zhong Ji said was true, but he couldn't think of a way, and he bit his lower lip with a pale face, oozing blood.

Mei Tierui waved his hand, categorically intercepted their words, and said: "In any case, everyone present in the city has no place to hide, so do your best to find a fortune." ”

The army under the city suddenly parted from it, and more than 100 knights in fiery red armor galloped away from it, and the horse's hooves flew and hit the official road outside Jingyang City like a shower. Gongliang Youqin, who had an ancient face, was embraced by everyone in the middle, and when he came to the Jingyang City Tower, the fierce momentum invaded the generals in the city tower, making people feel a slight chill.

In the face of a strong and terrible enemy, Wan Rong was unwilling to be played with in his palm, and he had the courage to drink to the city: "Gongliang Youqin, haven't you retreated, why did you repeat it again." ”

Gongliang Youqin laughed wildly, and the sound hit the ear drums of everyone in the city tower, which was separated by a distance of more than 200 people, so that everyone in the city tower was frightened when they heard it, and they couldn't help but feel a little distracted, and they felt the amazing force of Gongliang Qin as a peerless master.

Gongliang Youqin said: "Repeatedly, people like you can say it, Xu Ruyu has died of a violent illness, you should abandon the city and surrender." ”

These words were like a pebble shattering the surface of a lake that was as smooth as a mirror, and a trace of disorder suddenly rippled away. Mei Tierui secretly felt that Xu Ruyu was really indispensable to Yongyang at this time, stood up, looked at the city with cold eyes, and said loudly: "Lord Duwei is patrolling the northern city, and you have the courage to return to Yongyang City." ”

Mei Tierui's words did not stop the dissipation of the army's morale, and Xu Ruyu would patrol everywhere every day. Since the withdrawal of the Puji bandits the night before, it has been nearly 20 hours since the Puji bandits have re-besieged Yongyang City, and Xu Ruyu has not appeared in Dongcheng, how can the sergeant not be suspicious. Ordinary generals could tell that there was no large-scale gathering of enemy troops outside the Liyang Gate in Beicheng, and panic spread like a plague among the defenders, which was difficult to contain.

The corners of Gongliang Youqin's mouth curled slightly, and the strange slight appearance seemed to be reflected in the hearts of everyone, making people feel uncomfortable and uncomfortable, only to hear his unhurried voice sent to his ears leisurely: "Since Xu Ruyu is not dead, let him come out and lead the troops to fight to the death with me." After that, ignoring the people in the city, Chu Hong's big shook and galloped back to the camp.

Seeing that he was not in camp, he sent troops directly to the city, knowing that he was really going to take Yongyang in one go, and it was inevitable that the two sides would fight to the death.

"Knock, knock ......" a war drum sounded, thousands of soldiers neatly like a person holding dozens of stone-throwing crossbows to Jingyangmen to advance, dense as locust swarms of arrows from up to eight zhang of the building car, eleven or twelve zhang high hanging nest car poured down to the head of Yongyang City, dozens of stone-throwing crossbows are throwing huge stone bullets like grinding plates at the Jingyangmen City Tower, the city tower on the top of the heavy eaves exhaustion mountain, the arrow tower can not withstand the continuous bombardment of the rock, not long, there are many damaged arrow towers, collapsed violently, raised the dust in the sky, covered the space of more than 100 zhang.

Mei Tierui hurriedly went down the city tower with the generals and avoided the head of the city outside the range of the throwing stone. The Jingyang Gate Tower was also in danger, and not long after the longbowmen withdrew, the ten-zhang Jingyang Tower also collapsed in the flying dust that covered the sky.

Yongyang East City Jingyang Gate is different from Liyang Gate in the North City, Jingtai Gate in the West City, the City Gate does not adopt the composite structure of the urn city, but only sets up a triple giant gate in the city gate hole with a depth of 20 zhang, the outer gate, the inner door, and a hanging door is set up in the middle of the city hole. All are covered with iron sheets and have shooting holes.

Thousands of thieves quickly approached Jingyang Gate under the cover of high shields and cave house cars, and filled in the ditch in front of the city gate in less than an hour. The rushing car with a huge wooden tree rumbled through the stone road outside the city gate and crashed into the Jingyang Gate. After hundreds of "knocks" that hit everyone's hearts, there was finally a loud bang, and the outer city gate shattered. Shen Bing Ke accurately threw the torch on the firewood pile outside the city gate hole, and the shooting hole of the hanging door was quickly filled with red firelight, but he knew that this could not stop the thieves from spending much time.

Shen curling led the team to retreat into the city, so that the inner gate was closed, and saw that there were more than 100 wall cars on the inner side of the city gate, a short wall temporarily constructed, Chu Wenchang led the team to follow closely, behind the wall car was the road Neihao, only three four-car stone bridges were connected to the real city, and the thieves had to break through the inner hao to really take away the Jingyang Gate. Even if he breaks through Neihao, what can he do, Shen Curling said secretly, an unfathomable smile rose at the corner of his mouth, and with a wave of his hand, the wall car quickly opened and closed a gap, allowing him to lead people to retreat from it to the back.

Chu Wenchang walked up to him and whispered, "Ru Shuai has already made arrangements." ”

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