The rebels swaggered back and forth on the river, but the defenders in Wuchang City had already become frightened birds.

As Hanyang City on the other side of the river erected a banner with black characters on a yellow background, Governor Tang Hui would be completely dumbfounded.

Wuchang Mansion has now become an isolated city, and he can't escape across the river if he wants to.

The way to flee north was blocked, and there were tens of thousands of righteous troops in the south, and the 20,000 newly recruited people in the city and the army that had been understated for more than half a year, Tang Hui really had no bottom in his heart.

At this time, thousands of letters of persuasion were fired into the city every day, and the defenders of the city were now all ill-intentioned.

In a house somewhere in the city, a general of the army was discussing a way out with a group of officers.

The garrison general Gao Huijie frowned at this time, because a group of thousands of generals under him were always in trouble with him.

Jia Peiguo, the general manager of Qian, said: "General, the brothers in the underground haven't seen a penny of silver for half a year, this time stick to Wuchang, the court doesn't give us military salaries, it's okay, the brothers even spent their own money to buy the armaments, if this governor doesn't pay the military salary, I'm afraid that the brothers below will make trouble!" ”

Gao Huijie's eyes widened, and he scolded Jia Peiguo: "Trouble? Do they want to rebel? ”

As soon as Jia Peiguo heard this, he immediately didn't dare to say more.

The general of his subordinates came out to speak, "General, we are all from Huguang, according to the imperial court, let us protect our family and defend the country, we have nothing to say, pick up the knife and follow the general to the battlefield, our brothers still have bowls of rice to eat in the army, but the brothers have families, and there are wives and children at home to raise, this court has not been ringing for us for more than half a year, and the children in the family are hungry all day long!" ”

"Yes, General, my family has been without food for three days and two ends, and my wife will be a secret prostitute to feed the children!"

For a while, the room was full of complaints, and Gao Huijie felt a little uncomfortable.

He looked at his subordinates, sighed, and said: "Brothers, I also know that it is difficult for you, but it is even more difficult for me, I also have a wife and children at home, but what can I do, let's be soldiers and eat food, that is what we should, now tens of thousands of thieves outside have trapped Wuchang, and if they want to pay silver, then they have to wait until this battle is over!" ”

"General, if we hold the city and the thieves leave Wuchang, will the court pay us silver?"

Gao Huijie really didn't know how to answer this.

He really didn't dare to pack tickets for his brothers.

In the past few months, his subordinates began to inquire about the salary, and he could have an excuse to delay it at first, but now as the arrears became longer and longer, and the arrears became more and more, the army's morale began to become unstable.

Jia Peiguo looked at Gao Huijie's expression, and knew that his superior, who was now afraid to pack a ticket for the matter of salary.

He stepped forward and whispered in Gao Huijie's ear: "General, why don't we descend?" ”

When Gao Huijie heard this, he was immediately startled.

"You are so bold, you dare to say this, aren't you afraid to pull and kill your head?"

Jia Peiguo waved his hand and said: "I'm afraid of Mao, this soldier is really a wretch, he doesn't have anything, he can't eat enough every day, he doesn't have a penny, and he can't even support his family."

General, it's not me who said, what are you afraid of surrendering, don't hide it from the general, now there are not 10,000 people in the city who want to open the city and surrender, but there must be 8,000.

The thieves outside the city shot a letter of persuasion to surrender to the city every day, and the king said that as long as the city surrendered, it would never embarrass us, and we would be paid for it.

General, don't you know, that King Mo of Jiangxi is a great figure, I have heard that in the places under his rule, everyone can get a share of fields, and it is absolutely fair.

The people not only have land, but also pay less grain, as long as they pay 10%, there are no corrupt officials to pit us ordinary people.

If you serve as a soldier under King Mo, not only will you have enough money every month, but you will also be fed, and if you have a soldier at home, you can also have preferential policies.

King Mo not only gave preferential treatment to the people, but also abolished his lowly status, even if it is the children of a military family like us, there is no need for hereditary, and the children can study and participate in the imperial examination to become officials.

Don't you know, now that Jiangxi has spread all over the world, it is said that King Mo will definitely win the world in the future, general, now is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

If we take the lead in lowering King Mo and open the city gate to let King Mo's army enter the city, then we will be a great achievement.

When the time comes, the general, you will at least be promoted to one level, and the brothers will be able to fight for a future with the general. ”

After listening to Jia Peiguo's words, Gao Huijie was really a little moved in his heart.

He stared into Jia Peiguo's eyes and asked, "What you said is true?" ”

Jia Peiguo swore and said: "If I tell a lie, there will be five thunderstorms in the sky!" ”

Seeing that Jia Peiguo swore to the sky, Gao Huijie believed it.

He knows his subordinates best.

However, the current situation is really not good, not only the officials and masters in the city have no bottom in their hearts, but even the soldiers defending the city now don't know where the way out is.

I heard that the officials of the Sansi Yamen went to the palace of the king of Chu to find the king of Chu to ask for silver to pay the military salary, but the king of Chu was not willing to pay a dime, and he was unwilling to give out a tael of silver.

At that time, the news reached the army, and the big guys exploded.

Someone asked if this world was their Zhu family, and whether this King of Chu was a descendant of the Zhu family.

Their own country is almost gone, and they still guard so much gold and silver, and they are unwilling to take out a little bit to pay the big guys.

This news spread throughout the army, coupled with the massive number of persuasions outside the city every day, and now the people in the army are already panicking, and everyone does not want to give their lives to the Zhu family.

But no one dared to jump out to create a rebellion against the Zhu family, and no one wanted to be the first to take the lead.

Gao Huijie is too, he has a more stable personality, and he will think twice before he encounters things.

Although he didn't have much loyalty to the Zhu family in his heart, he was also afraid that if he jumped out and surrendered, he would be the first to be slaughtered by those officials.

He looked at a group of subordinates and said leisurely: "Brothers, it's not that I don't want to take everyone to get rich, but the surrender of this matter is going to kill the head, in case the news leaks out, none of us want to live!" ”

A general looking at Gao Huijie was so timid, and he suddenly couldn't help it.

He jumped out and said: "General, the head is no more than a big scar, what is there to be afraid of a manly man, our brothers have been following the general for a long time, the general does not need to be afraid, I am willing to go out of the city tonight, go to the king of Namo, and ask him to surrender on behalf of the general." ”

Having said that, Gao Huijie has anything else to say, then he can only agree.

Gao Huijie actually complained about the imperial court for a long time, and the thousands of brothers below have not paid money for more than half a year, and they will not be able to live this life.

It is a matter of course to be a soldier and eat food, but the court is always in arrears of wages, and this work cannot be fought at all.

Gao Huijie can't always press the brothers below all the time, and turn around and offend all his subordinates, then he will be in danger.

Instead of being in danger himself, he simply passed on this danger to that group of high-ranking officials and princes.

What Gao Huijie couldn't understand the most was that the King of Chu, as a royal family, was still holding on to the millions of taels of gold and silver in his family at such a critical juncture, and he didn't even give their brothers the money to live.

Anyway, this world belongs to their Zhu family, and since the children of their Zhu family don't want it anymore, then there is no need for him, a foreigner, to work hard for that arrears of salary.

Gao Huijie looked at the eager eyes of his subordinates and couldn't help but nod helplessly.

"You can surrender if you want to, but you must keep it secret, you must not leak the news of this matter, in case it is known by the superiors, we will all die, understand?"

"My subordinates understand!"

That night, there were soldiers in the south and east of Wuchang Mansion from time to time, and there were also soldiers outside the north gate of Linjiang who crossed the river by boat under the cover of night.

In the middle of the night, Mo Qian had just finished chatting with Mei Zhihuan and Li Banghua, and was just about to fall asleep, when suddenly the guards outside the door came in to report that several soldiers from Wuchang Mansion had come to surrender.

As soon as Mo Qian heard that there were people who surrendered, that little sleepiness immediately disappeared.

"Quick, invite Li Gong and Mei Gong and a few of them, I will meet these people overnight."

The soldiers quickly went to invite Li Banghua and a few people, and after a while, three officers and soldiers who rowed from the south bank of the river were taken to Mo Qian.

When the three of them saw Mo Qian sitting in the handsome seat, they were stunned for a moment at first, but soon the three of them reacted, and immediately knelt down and kowtowed to Mo Qian and said, "The little one has seen King Mo!" ”

Mo Qianyao emptily helped the three of them: "Three brothers, please get up, come here, serve hot wine and good food to the three brothers!" ”

This little room has already been closed, but the marshal ordered to eat, and the man didn't dare to delay no matter how sleepy he was, so he immediately got up and sat down for a hearty meal.

Taking advantage of the gap between serving the food, Mo Qian asked the three of them kindly: "What are the names of the three brothers and where do they come from?" ”

Soldier A said: "The little one's name is Ding Laosan, and he is from Huangzhou Mansion. ”

Soldier B said: "The little one's name is Feng Ji, and he is also from Huangzhou Mansion. ”

The last officer said: "The small Bao Shouzhong is the general of the garrison in the city, Gao Huijie. ”

"What's the matter with the three strong men?"

Bao Shouzhong said straight to the point: "King Mo, I came to ask for surrender instead of my general." ”

"Oh? Is General Gao planning to abandon the darkness and join my righteous army? ”

"Exactly, the brothers all know the benevolence and righteousness of King Mo, King Mo drove away Zhang Xianzhong's dog thief, and I did not commit any crime against the people of Huguang, the people of Huguang know the benevolence and prestige of the king, the current court is weak, the government is extremely corrupt, my general has always had the heart to reimburse the country, but how can the traitorous ministers in the court be in charge, the emperor is incompetent, and there are more than 3,000 soldiers in our army, they can't eat enough, they can't wear warm clothes, and it's difficult to even support their families.?

Before he could finish speaking, the room came in with hot food and rice wine.

When the three soldiers saw the chicken, duck, fish, and large bowl of rice served, they instantly ate it like a hungry wolf.

At this time, Li Banghua and Mei Zhihuan and Shi Zhanglie were summoned and hurried over, and when they saw the three of them who were holding rice bowls and cooking hard, they were stunned at first, but they quickly reacted.

Li Banghua approached Mo Qian and asked, "Lord, are they from Wuchang?" ”

Mo Qian nodded and said, "Well, what do you think of the people who came to surrender?" ”

"It seems that the lord's daily persuasion has played a role, I heard that the officials and soldiers in Wuchang City have not paid money for half a year, and the king of Chu has not pulled out a dime, these soldiers must have been disheartened by the imperial court.

The lord is now besieging Wuchang, and in Wuchang City, except for the 10,000 soldiers and horses transferred from Xiangyang Mansion who have a little combat power, the rest are all rabble, and they are not our opponents at all.

Now that the army in the city has no silver salary, these soldiers have no money to support their families, so they will inevitably make trouble, and it is normal for them to come to surrender. ”

Mo Qian nodded, Li Banghua's analysis was consistent with his opinion, just with the behavior of the King of Chu, he was afraid that two-thirds of the officials and soldiers in Wuchang City would make trouble.

Although the soldiers and horses of the imperial court are official soldiers, they also have to spend money to raise, and the emperor is not short of hungry soldiers, how can there be a saying that he has been in arrears of wages and hopes that the big guy will give you his life.

"Since we are here to descend, then we have to be sincere, and when they are full of food and drink, we have to ask them in detail to see how to descend!"

"The lord is wise!"

Mo Qian sat in the handsome seat, watching the three of them gobble up the food in front of them, and after waiting for more than a stick of incense, the three of them finally had enough to eat and drink.

Watching the three of them touch their bellies, Mo Qian had already guessed that the supplies in the city were probably also very nervous.

"Three strong men, are you full?"

"I'm full, thank you for your hospitality!"

"After eating and drinking, it's time for us to talk about business, since you plan to surrender, then you have to show some sincerity, you have to tell me about the defenses in the city, and how to surrender."

Bao Shouzhong wiped it, wiped the oil on his mouth on his clothes, and said with a smile: "The small defense in the city has a clear memory in his heart, and he can draw it for the king now, as for the surrender, my general said, tomorrow night at three o'clock, our garrison battalion will change the guard to the Binyang Gate of the east city, and then we will raise a torch on the city and shake it three times, the king can lead the army to wait outside the city when he sees the code, and our garrison camp will open the city gate to welcome the king's army into the city, cooperate with the king, and take Wuchang in one fell swoop." ”

Hearing this plan, Mo Qian nodded.

However, for the sake of caution, Mo Qian still asked Bao Shouzhong: "How do I know if you have surrendered by fraud, what if you open the city gate and set up an ambush in the city at that time, and then my army enters the city and is ambushed?" ”

"This ....."

Bao Shouzhong was dumbfounded all of a sudden, he didn't expect King Mo to be so cautious.

Bao Shouzhong thought for a while, and said: "The king, I am willing to stay as a hostage, the king can let my two brothers go back to report the news, tomorrow night as soon as the city gate opens, I will enter the city with the king, if there is an ambush, the king can kill me first, if I Bao Shouzhong frowns, I am not a hero." ”

"Okay, then follow the bag, come and send these two brothers across the river!"

Early the next morning, Mo Qian received a letter from Qian Dayou on the south bank, saying that three waves of officials and troops had come down from the city last night, saying that they were going to surrender to the rebels.

After Mo Qian got the news, he knew that the defenders of the city were in turmoil, and the time had come to capture Wuchang.

Mo Qian ordered all the remaining soldiers and horses to cross the river, and the army was lined up outside the city of Wuchang Mansion, but he did not attack, but besieged the city as usual, and sent a letter of persuasion to surrender to the city.

When the defenders of the city saw that all the rebel army had crossed the river, they knew that the siege was coming, and the people in the city were immediately panicked.

Lewen