But after Zhang Wuji left, Qu Feng's expression did not have the firmness just now, but frowned again, sighed, and then began to command the defense of the city.

"Weichen meets Concubine Chen, Princess Su, Her Royal Highness the Eldest Princess of Huainan, and Her Royal Highness the Prince of Qin." In the main hall of King Su's mansion, Zhang Wuji bowed to the screen and said.

"Guards Zhang don't have to be polite. Serious matters. A crisp female voice came from behind the screen: "What does the song mean?" ”

Zhang Wuji heard that this was Concubine Chen's voice, bowed down and said: "Back to Niangniang's words, Commander Qu said that the city is foolproof and will definitely be able to defend it." ”

"That's great!" Another graceful female voice sounded: "His Royal Highness King Su trusts Commander Qu very much, since he said that it is foolproof, he will definitely be able to defend it." The city should be able to be defended. ”

"Well," the crisp voice from before sounded again: "It seems that this is the case, Guard Zhang, you should step aside." ”

The soft female voice and the laughter of a child came to his ears again, but this time Zhang Wuji did not answer, but bowed his head and saluted, and then retreated.

But it wasn't long before he reappeared in another house in the palace. When he entered the door, he glanced at Concubine Xu Miaojin and Huainan eldest princess Yunzhi, who were not covered by a screen, and then knelt down and saluted.

"Okay, Guard Zhang, there are only these few people here, no need to salute." Yun Zhi said: "You said that the commander of Qu will ensure that it is foolproof, and I will believe it." But my sister-in-law said that your expression is not quite right, and it should be something else. We're calling you in and asking if the city can be defended. ”

"Niangniang, Your Highness, Commander Qu really said that it is foolproof and will definitely be able to hold it; But according to the minister's situation, this is not the case. ”

Zhang Wuji lowered his head and said, "Commander Qu said that at least three or four thousand bandits have been eliminated, and more than two thousand people have been seriously injured. The minister still believes this, and Commander Qu, as a general who is very trusted by His Royal Highness King Su, will definitely not lie about this. ”

However, although the bandits had suffered half of the casualties, their morale had not fallen, and the average bandit was not as reluctant to attack the city as he said. When the ministers went today, they saw that although the bandits did not have many siege equipment and only relied on the ladders that had just been built, many of them were still fearless and fiercely attacked the city. ”

"Besides, after three days of defending the city, the guards have suffered a lot of casualties, so they can only barely support it."

"According to your words, this city can't be defended?" Xu Miaojin pressed the hand of Yun Zhi, who was a little excited, and asked.

"Niangniang, the minister doesn't dare to judge. After all, in addition to the guards in the city, there are also conscripted people. And it's hard to say exactly when reinforcements will arrive. According to the minister's will, the person who defended the city was more likely to be greater. Zhang Wuji said again.

Xu Miaojin muttered softly, raised his head and instructed him: "This palace knows, you can retreat." ”

"Wait a minute, remember to send what you were told to prepare as soon as possible." Yun Zhi suddenly interjected.

"Yes, Mother, Your Highness." Zhang Wuji saluted again and bowed down.

After he stepped back, Xu Miaojin said to Yun Zhi: "What do you want those things for?" ”

"Be prepared!"

"Even if you have all these preparations, what's the use?"

"It's better than nothing at all! Brother Huang has always taught us not to sit still! ”

"Well, that's it, since you're willing to prepare, then prepare. I remember to send a few pieces to my sister-in-law, who also practiced martial arts when she was at home. ”

Xu Miaojin said this with a helpless face, and his face immediately became serious again, and he muttered in a low voice: "Why do these bandits still have morale when they have so many casualties?" When they were bribed by Timur, the husband had already sent people to investigate, and they were indeed some bandits, not people sent by him to pretend to be. Even if there were a few generals he sent, they would not be able to make the bandits work so hard. ”

"Sister-in-law, what's the use of thinking about this?"

"It's really useless, but you and I haven't commanded a war either, so what else can we think about besides that?"

"What my sister-in-law said does make sense. The sister and sister-in-law thought together: Why did the bandits have so many casualties and still have such morale? ”

……

……

"Actually, it's not that complicated, I'm just telling them the truth." At this time, outside the city of Ganzhou, a man with the appearance of a man with colored eyes raised his head and looked at the city, and said.

"Honestly?" The person who listened to him laughed: "To be honest can make them desperate? ”

"You don't believe it? But I really didn't lie to you. ”

The man said: "I'm just telling them: First, you were not on good terms with the generals of the Ming Kingdom, and during this period of time, you plundered the goods that the Ming Kingdom wanted to transport to Yiwu, and even offended the Ming court to death. At this time, the war had ended, and it was normal for the six or seven hundred thousand troops to stop by the way on the way back. ”

"Second, don't think that this crackdown on bandits is the same as usual, and you can avoid it. You offended the Ming Kingdom so badly, the emperor of the Ming Kingdom is afraid that he already hates it to the bone and will let you go? Moreover, by this time, the Mongols and Tibetans in the north and south of the Hexi Corridor had already submitted to him. They may not be willing to let them help in the suppression of the bandits, but they will still agree to just ask not to accept you. The food eaten by the people of both the Mongolian steppe and the Qinghai steppe is not so easy to obtain, and without their protection, do you think you can survive? ”

"Third, although Timur Khan was defeated and killed in Yiwu, the state of Samarkand will not be destroyed and will continue to exist. If you want to live, you can only survive by following us to Samarkand, crossing the Tarim Basin, crossing the Pamir Plateau, and going to Samarkand City. ”

"Fourth, this road is very difficult to walk, and there is nothing to eat along the way, so many of us must have enough to eat if we want to successfully escape to Samarkand City. At this time, in the entire Hexi Corridor, only Ganzhou City has enough food for so many people for several months, so it is necessary to break Ganzhou City and seize the food in the city, so that you can really survive! ”

"Say, am I telling the truth?" The man finally said.

"You are telling the truth, but not the whole truth." The person who listened to him laughed: "They have another way to survive, and that is to disband the bandits, and each of them flees and asks to join the tribe on the grassland. Now the Mongolian steppe and the Qinghai steppe are not monolithic, and there will always be tribes that accept them. ”

"Do you think the people who came with me to attack the city can't think of it?" The first man also smiled: "It's just that in this way, they can only raise horses and graze from now on, and have a dull life, how many people are willing to live such a life when they are bandits?" ”

"Those who are willing have long since left, and the rest are unwilling. So, I persuaded them with the truth. ”