Chapter 1973 I Just Can’t Figure It Out
In Zhu's Mansion in Suzhou City, when Zhu Ping'an was packing books in the study, he received news from Zhao Chong, the prefect of Jiaxing.
"What, Jiaxing Magistrate Zhao borrowed a thousand soldiers from the Hangzhou Guard this morning, recruited another two thousand servants and young people, formed three thousand soldiers and horses, and dragged him to Jiaxing City on the spot without even a day of training? "
After Zhu Ping'an got the news, he looked incredulous and unbelievable. He thought this was too ridiculous.
However, the news came from his Zhejiang Army scouts. There is no doubt about its authenticity and it has been repeatedly confirmed by Zhu Ping'an.
The reason why the Zhejiang Army scouts went to inquire about Jiaxing was because there was no room for others to sleep soundly beside the bed.
Jiaxing City was occupied by Japanese pirates. Jiaxing City was right next to Suzhou's bed. For the safety of Suzhou, Zhu Ping'an sent a large number of scouts to monitor the movements of Japanese pirates in Jiaxing City to prevent Japanese pirates from raiding Suzhou to avenge that day.
The reason why they only monitored the movements of Japanese pirates in Jiaxing City instead of attacking and recovering Jiaxing City was entirely due to the limitations of the Ming Dynasty system.
Zhu Ping'an's Zhejiang army was responsible for guarding Suzhou. They were not allowed to cross the border without an order. Otherwise, it would be a violation of Ming law and a serious crime.
"Where did he get the courage?".
After getting the news, Zhu Ping'an sat in the study and thought for a full half an hour. He couldn't figure out where Zhao Mingcheng No. 2 got his courage. In the end, he only came up with the idea that he was either crazy or had other sources of support.
As for what Zhao Chong relied on, Zhu Ping'an couldn't figure it out after thinking for half an hour.
I just suspect that Zhao Chong is a member of the Yan Party. Could it be that the Yan Party mobilized an army to assist Zhao Chong in regaining Jiaxing City, so he was so confident that he dared to lead such an army of three thousand to attack Jiaxing City?!"
Otherwise, how could he dare?
Zhu Ping'an couldn't figure it out, so he ordered the Zhejiang army scouts to closely monitor the situation of Jiaxing Japanese pirates and Zhao Chongjun.
Jiaxing enjoys the advantages of water transportation through the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, with the left and right Suzhou, the north-south thoroughfare, tea and rice from the south of the Yangtze River, fur and medicinal materials from the north, and so on. Commodities from all over the Ming Dynasty were circulated and traded here along the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, creating Jiaxing's status as "Xiongjun in the south of the Yangtze River" and "the first vassal in western Zhejiang" was achieved.
Unfortunately, as the Japanese pirates captured Jiaxing, the busy scene of Jiaxing no longer existed.
Almost all the people within a thirty-mile radius of Jiaxing City fled to avoid the Japanese pirates' burning, killing, and looting. The villages were abandoned, the fields were abandoned, jackdaws were chirping, and there was no more smoke.
In the midst of desolation, Jiaxing prefect Zhao Chong came to Jiaxing City with a ragtag group of three thousand hastily formed with a high-spirited look on his face.
"Bury the pot and make rice. After you have eaten and drank enough, start setting up a tent and have a good sleep. Tomorrow morning, I will lead you to recover Jiaxing!"
Arriving five hundred meters below Jiaxing City, Magistrate Zhao waved his hand and ordered that pots be buried on the spot to make rice so that everyone could eat and rest.
"ah?"
"Sir, are we going to bury pots and cook here? Set up a tent to rest? Isn't this too close to Jiaxing City?!"
"It's too dangerous, you must not do it, sir."
After hearing Magistrate Zhao's order, all the soldiers under his command and the young people almost died of fright.
They are now about five hundred meters away from Jiaxing City. From this distance, even the appearance of the Japanese pirates in Jiaxing City can be seen clearly. They are only a stone's throw away, and even the shells of the general's cannon on the city You can hit this.
If you bury a pot in this position to make rice, what if you can eat it? !
How could I possibly sleep if I set up a tent to sleep in this location? !
Not to mention the general's artillery, let's just say that the Japanese pirates opened the city gate, rushed to their tent with a charge, and asked you to get up and go to the west. How could I possibly eat or sleep in this position? !
So, everyone frantically advised Magistrate Zhao to think twice and not to make a decision easily.
However, Magistrate Zhao was as determined as if he had eaten a weight.
"Needless to say, I have made up my mind. I will camp here, bury the pot and make rice here, and set up a tent to sleep here!"
"I just want to show the Japanese pirates that we are not afraid of them! If they have the guts, let them come over!"
Magistrate Zhao said without hesitation, and as he spoke, he pulled out his long sword and thrust it into the ground, expressing his determination.
"Then at least cut down trees to make fences, guard horses, camp gates, and sentry towers," the Baihu borrowed by the Hangzhou Guard reminded Magistrate Zhao.
When you come up here, you just bury pots to make food and build tents. You don’t do anything to protect the camp, such as fences, horses, camp gates, and sentry towers. Isn’t this undefense? ! Isn't this just as dangerous as wearing crotchless pants for a young lady? !
"Haha, have you ever heard of the Empty City Strategy?" Magistrate Zhao asked Hangzhou Wei Baihu with a confident look on his face.
"I've heard of it, but does it have anything to do with us?" Hangzhou Wei Baihu looked confused. He didn't know what Magistrate Zhao was asking about the empty city plan.
"This officer is setting up an empty city stratagem for the Japanese pirates! Back then, when Ma Di lost his street pavilion, Sima Yi led his troops to attack Zhuge Liang in the west city. Zhuge Liang set up an empty city stratagem in the west city, making Sima Yi fearful of an ambush in the city and retreat in a hurry. My officer Even if they deliberately fail to install fences, guard towers, and resist horses, the Japanese pirates will definitely think like Sima Yi that they have set an ambush in the camp and dare not enter the camp. "
Magistrate Zhao said with a confident face, saying that this was an empty city plan.
"Ah? Do Japanese pirates know it?" Hundreds of households in Hangzhou were full of questions about this.
"Of course." Zhao Chongxin said.
"What if the Japanese pirates also knew about the empty city strategy and came to attack the camp?" Everyone expressed doubts about what Magistrate Zhao said.
"No, absolutely not." Magistrate Zhao said with certainty.
How do you know not? This is a matter of life and death. Everyone is still full of doubts about Magistrate Zhao's words, worried that Japanese pirates will come out of the city to attack the camp.
"Here you come, put my tent at the front, closest to the main entrance of Jiaxing City! I said that I will lead the troops. Whether it is marching, fighting, eating or sleeping, I will take the lead."
Magistrate Zhao said to everyone with an attitude of saying what he said and doing what he said.
After speaking, Magistrate Zhao ordered his tent to be placed at the front, followed closely by the tents of a hundred personal guards under his command.
Then, Magistrate Zhao sat in front of the camp with a golden sword and calmly ordered his guards to prepare pots for cooking.
"I'm not afraid of being at the front. What are you afraid of? If there are Japanese pirates coming out of the city, let them step over my body first!"
Magistrate Zhao scolded everyone with a high morale.
Damn it!
Awesome!
At this time, everyone couldn't help but give a thumbs up to Magistrate Zhao. They were convinced. They were convinced now. I have seen people who are not afraid of death, but I have never seen anyone as unafraid of death as Magistrate Zhao.
With Magistrate Zhao and his one hundred personal guards in front, at least when the Japanese pirates came out of the city to attack the camp, they would have a buffer and take the opportunity to escape.
Thinking of this, everyone stopped talking.