More and more rebels gathered outside Zhangjiabao City, and all kinds of simple shelters were erected on the empty mountains. It's late autumn, the north wind is starting to howl, and the weather is already quite cold at night, and it is impossible to do without a shed to shelter from the wind.

When the rebels of the Longmen guards also arrived, more than 20,000 people had gathered outside Zhangjiabao and surrounded Zhangjiabao. However, these rebels came from all over the world, and they were all deceived by the Jin merchants, but none of them had a leader. The generals and garrisons of all the cities were under house arrest in Xuanhua City, and there were no high-ranking officers among these rebels, so it was difficult to find a leading brother who could convince the public.

Without a leader, there was no restraint, and more than 20,000 people were divided into dozens or hundreds of men, each doing their own thing, for several days in a row, and even a siege could not be organized.

After staying in Zhangjiabao for a long time, many people quickly ran out of dry food when they came, and if it weren't for the Jin merchants secretly bringing a batch of grain, these chaotic soldiers might have plundered everywhere.

"This can't be done," Shen Di said to Wang Dengku, "These people are clearly a group of rabble, although Hong Chengchou only has 3,000 people, if he really kills them, he will definitely be able to kill them!" ”

Wang Dengku was puzzled: "Then what should I do, we don't know how to lead soldiers." ”

Shen Di said: "Aren't you rich, use silver to attract rebels from all over the country, no matter how to elect a leader first, unify the order, and attack the city first." If he didn't put pressure on the emperor, how could he be willing to remove Hong Chengchou? ”

Wang Dengku nodded: "Just do what the adults say." ”

Wang Dengku immediately consulted with other Jin merchants, and each contacted the rebels, and the rebels in each fort must have influential figures, gather these people together, and then elect a common leader.

However, to the surprise of Wang Dengku and others, no one was willing to be this leader. No one is stupid, this matter will settle down sooner or later, and the court will inevitably pursue the leader.

Wang Dengku and the others had no choice but to find an honest man named Zhao Erhan, and Xu made Zhao Erhan the leader with a thousand taels of silver.

Zhao Erhan is too tall, with a big waist and a round waist, great strength and high martial arts, and is a military household in Shenjingbao, because his mother is seriously ill and has no money for treatment, he covets the five taels of silver promised by Jin merchants, and came to Zhangjiabao City.

"With this money, my mother's illness will be saved!" Zhao Erhan said with a smile, but he didn't notice that others were looking at him with pity.

"Great Chief, can we attack the city?" A soldier named Zhao Quan asked with a smile, Zhao Quan also has another identity, the bodyguard of the Wang family's warehouse, who often escorts the Wang family's caravan out of the Sai trade.

"That's not good, we have to organize it first, divide it into five battalions, the front and back, the left, the center and the right, appoint the generals of each battalion, act in the flag, and build siege equipment, how can we attack the city in such a mess?" Zhao Erhan said seriously.

"Okay, it's up to the big leader." Everyone laughed.

So, Zhao Erhan began to organize the rebellious soldiers, he was born in the military, although he was honest, he still knew a lot about the military system, and it seemed that all kinds of orders were issued.

The chaotic soldiers outside the city began to rectify, and in Zhangjiabao, Hong Chengchou was not idle.

Hong Chengchou ordered the Praetorian Guards to confiscate the weapons of the original defenders, and ordered them to stay in the camp and not to go out of the camp, violating military law.

From the beginning of Hong Chengchou's arrival in Zhangjiabao, the gate of Zhangjiabao was closed, the internal and external traffic was cut off, many people in the city were already short of food, and the arrival of the rebels made the people in the city panic.

Hong Chengchou ordered to sell the grain stored in each warehouse at a parity price, and then sent people to post a notice, announcing the establishment of the Royal Xuanfu Trading House on behalf of the emperor, and later the Royal Trading House took over the confiscated warehouses and Mongolian transactions.

Hong Chengchou's two orders immediately stabilized the hearts of the people in the fort. There was no need to go hungry with food, and the establishment of the Royal Merchant House made it possible for them to make a living for the rest of their lives.

The Fan family, the Wang family and other Jin merchants each hired hundreds of thousands of people, but the relationship between these people and the Jin merchants was only an employment relationship, and they were originally unemployed because the warehouse was raided, so they resented Hong Chengchou and the Janissaries who made them unemployed. Now that the Royal Comptoir has been established, they no longer have any reason to resent. And the rumor that Wang Dengku and others were going to ban trade with the Mongols could no longer stand.

Of course, the chaotic soldiers gathered outside the city also made many people in the city hesitate, not knowing whether the royal trading house that had not yet been established could really be established, so they did not rush to sign up.

"Lord Hong, the rebels outside the city are building siege equipment, and I am afraid that the city will be attacked soon." Xu Xianchun hurriedly came to report.

"I'm afraid that the leader has been elected, and I'm worried that the rebels are not restrained, and it will be a bit troublesome if they plunder." Hong Chengchou said with a smile, "The ones who should have jumped out should have jumped out, and they won't wait anymore." ”

The next day, the leader of Zhao Erhan was inspecting the camp of the rebel army when he suddenly heard the sound of drums.

"Newspaper, big chief, beat the drum at the head of the city." There are rebels who come to report.

"Most of the Praetorian Guards are going out of the city to attack, so let's gather troops." Zhao Quan urged.

Zhao Erhan nodded: "Beat the drum and gather troops." ”

The camp of the rebels also beat drums and began to gather, and after half an hour, more than 20,000 rebels finally gathered together and formed an array in the mountains, but the Praetorian Guards in the city did not come out.

"Since we have gathered, let's attack today, I am still waiting to go home after the battle to take care of my mother." Zhao Erhan said, and then ordered to approach Zhangjiabao.

More than 20,000 rebel troops slowly approached Zhangjiabao and stopped more than half a mile away from the city wall. Zhao Erhan began to assign the order of the siege, and set aside the reserve team to supervise the battle team, and the assignment was very organized.

"Why did you let our Red Castle attack the city first?" Unexpectedly, some people were unhappy and shouted at Zhao Erhan.

Zhao Erhan frowned: "The military order is like a mountain, let you go first, you will go first, how can there be so many why?" ”

"Humph!" The other party sneered, "Everyone calls you a big leader because they can afford you, you really think you are a green onion!" ”

"If you don't obey the order, military law will be engaged, come and take it down for me." Zhao Erhan ordered, but looked at each other left and right, but no one was willing to move.

"Hahaha, it's so majestic, I'm laughing to death." The man laughed.

Zhao Erhan's eyebrows were raised, and he suddenly lifted a spear and rushed over like a whirlwind.

"You ......" When the man was about to say more, Zhao Erhan had already rushed to him and pierced his heart with a shot.

Zhao Erhan raised his arms and lifted the person into the air.

"There are those who resist the order and do not respect it, there are such people!" At the same time as Zhao Erhan's cold words were spoken, the corpse fell from the air.