I want to be emperor

Chapter 138 Xiangyang Night Chaos (Subscribe for the third update)
On April [-]th in the eighth year of Chongzhen, the city of Xiangyang seemed more noisy than usual after nightfall.

The city gates and walls were brightly lit, a large number of torches were lit, and many soldiers patrolled the walls with dirty faces.

It was pitch black outside the city, but this darkness made the defenders even more fearful.

Because they all know that there is a bandit army in the darkness outside the city!
This afternoon, the city of Xiangyang had already heard the news that a large number of bandits had appeared outside the city. At the beginning, the news was only circulated among the high-level people, but as the city gate was closed urgently, after a large number of soldiers went to the top of the city, the people inside the city Ordinary people can gradually know that there are thieves outside the city.

In the afternoon of that day, a small number of gentry and dignitaries went out of the city to flee Xiangyang by boat, but the gentry who fled urgently belonged to the minority, because many gentry knew that there should be only two to 3000 thieves who attacked, and the number was not too large. many.

The city of Xiangyang is well-defended, supported by the world's best moat, and there are five or six thousand officers and soldiers stationed in the city.

In the eyes of many gentry, the bandit army outside the city is certainly terrifying, but they haven't waited until they can break through Xiangyang City.

In the sixth year of Chongzhen, when the rebel army from the Central Plains went south to the north of Chu, some thieves also tried to attack Xiangyang.

But those thieves still had no choice but to take Xiangyang City. In the end, the officers and soldiers could not counterattack, so they retreated by themselves.

Although the bandits who attacked this time came suddenly, and according to the gossip, they were all shaved and bald and wearing gray robes. However, many officials and gentry in the city still didn't think that a mere two or three thousand thieves were Can break Xiangyang City.

Therefore, there were always a small number of people who fled Xiangyang City urgently and went south along the Han River to avoid danger after receiving the news of the bandit army's attack. Most of the gentry stayed at home and waited for the bandit army to retreat on their own.

Even many gentry are thinking about how to use the news of the bandit army's attack to earn profits.

As a result, the grain in the city rose rapidly in just half a day, and many grain stores stopped selling directly in the evening.

That night, the shopkeepers of more than a dozen grain stores in the city sat together to discuss how much the grain price would increase when the market opened tomorrow.

"This time the bandit army came very suddenly. There must be no way for many people in the city to stockpile food in advance. When the bandit army appears below the city tomorrow, the city will inevitably rob the food. According to my opinion, is the price doubled? questionable."

Another shopkeeper said: "It's still less, the bandit army is coming fiercely, and there is a big move to besiege the city. This situation has only doubled. I can't explain it to the owner here."

Someone next to him also said: "That's right, my boss here has also explained that the price of food must go up, and take advantage of this opportunity to earn all the money for the whole year."

"And we need to move quickly. We will increase the price uniformly tomorrow. Let's see if it will be doubled first, and then it will be tripled in the afternoon. We will strive to bring the price to the peak within two days. This time we will make a big profit." One ticket."

"The action must be fast. My young master has sent a message that there are actually not many bandits attacking this time, only about 3000 or [-] people. This group of people cannot completely break through our Xiangyang City, and it is even impossible to besiege the city. What's more Don't talk about blocking our waterways."

"And these must not be publicized, otherwise ordinary people will know that the bandit army has no strength to block the waterways of Xiangyang City, and they will definitely not rush to stockpile food, but want to wait until new food arrives outside the city. "

"It's simple. Tonight, the news spread that the bandit army has blocked the waterway, and the food ships of our family have been blocked and can't get in. Even if the number of bandit army is appropriately exaggerated, two or three thousand people are still not enough. Said It's about 3000 people."

"Starting tonight, we must spread the news as much as possible, drive people out of their homes as much as possible, and come to our food store early tomorrow morning to queue up to buy food."

"Tomorrow we will directly increase the price of food by three or four times, and then decisively ship the goods, and make money within three days. Otherwise, the price of food will be difficult to deal with after a few more days."

"If we operate well this time, our profit will definitely not be less than that in six years."

When more than a dozen large grain companies in the city were discussing how to raise grain prices and seize the opportunity to make a fortune, Tang Xianyue, the magistrate of Xiangyang Prefecture, also calmed down from the panic during the day.

When he first learned that the bandit army appeared nearby, because the bandit army came too suddenly, and no matter what he thought, he didn't know where the bandit army came from, and was even worried that a large number of bandit troops would come from Shaanxi. , Lu Xiangsheng of Yunyang had been defeated, causing a large number of bandits to go south to Xiangyang City.

He was also worried that a large number of bandits from the Central Plains would go south and arrive at Xiangyang City after breaking through Nanyang Mansion.

If it is really one of the two, it means that the situation is completely ruined, and Xiangyang City is also in danger.

But in the evening, Tang Xianyue also knew that the attacking bandit army was only 3000 to [-] people according to the news from various sentries.

So Tang Xianyue felt at ease, no matter where these bandits came from, but relying on these two or three thousand bandits, they couldn't even think about breaking through Xiangyang City.

Reassured, Tang Xianyue began to calm down. He summoned officials and gentry to distribute some money and food. At the same time, he sent someone to see King Xiang Zhu Yiming to ask for money and food for the defense of the city. Just in case.

Although he didn't think two or three thousand rebels would be able to break through Xiangyang, he was also worried that more rebels would come, so it was necessary to prepare early.

Tang Xianyue had been busy for a long time in the first half of the night, but it was not very effective, whether it was apportioning money and food or recruiting young people.

Looking for gentry to distribute money and food, those gentry are not stupid, they also know that the attacking bandit army is only 3000 to 6000 people, and there are [-] to [-] defenders in the city.

Even if the rebel army is fierce again, it is impossible to break through the fortress-like city of Xiangyang City!
Since they are safe and secure, they are naturally not very enthusiastic about giving money and food. Many gentry didn't even come over with the head of the family, and only sent their nephews or brothers to deal with the matter.

As for the collected money and food, these gentry only agreed to a mere 3000 taels of silver.

As for the food, there is not even a single grain. People are busy raising the price of food to make a fortune. Where will the food be taken out? Besides, there is some food in the official warehouse, which is enough for five or six thousand officers and soldiers for ten days and half a month. up.

These gentry were very shrewd in their calculations. Knowing the worry-free situation in Xiangyang City, they only gave a mere 3000 taels of silver, not to mention the iron cock, which was all for Tang Xianyue's sake.

Otherwise, I won't give you a dime!
The Prince Xiang’s Mansion is similar, the gentry are not stupid, and so is their royal mansion, isn’t it just two or three thousand bandit troops, the officers and soldiers are not unstoppable, what money and food do we need, our royal family has a lot of places to spend money Go, how can there be any spare money to throw in the water to listen to the sound.

So he gave 500 taels of silver casually, meaning it was over.

The gentry and the people in the palace also knew very well that most of the money and food provided under such circumstances would not be used on the city guards. No matter how much they gave, they would be swallowed by the officials. It would be better not to give it... …

Ever since, Tang Xianyue was busy after a meal, and only collected 500 taels of silver, without a grain of food.

And as soon as the money was delivered, 2000 taels of silver were lost, and it was shared by a group of civil servants on the spot. Everyone was busy for a long time, so they must get some hard work money...

Although the remaining 500 taels of silver have been put into the treasury, they will still be floated according to the usual practice. You said that the officials have already shared more than half of the profit. Just kidding, the total money raised this time is only 500 taels, okay? ...

The 500 taels of silver still have to be drifted by [-] to [-]% according to the practice of the country, otherwise the big guy has so many low-level officials under his hands, and the government servants and the like don't have to eat to support their families.

The few hundred taels of silver left after the drift will be shared by the generals. After all, they still have to rely on them to defend the city in the future, and they have to give them some benefits.

As for ordinary soldiers, I'm sorry, the donations are too little, and they don't have their share this time.

The gentry and people in the palace also know about these operations of local officials, which is why they are not willing to pay.

Anyway, this money will not reach the hands of ordinary soldiers, so why bother to take out the money and stuff it into the pockets of these officials.

The big guy's money doesn't come from the wind.

Ever since, the local officials of Xiangyang Prefecture, represented by Tang Xianyue, operated like a tiger to raise donations, but in the end, the ordinary soldiers didn't see a penny.

After finishing all these things in the middle of the night, Tang Xianyue put aside all his affairs for the time being and went to sleep.

However, he was woken up urgently in the middle of the night.

"Master, wake up, master, it's bad!"

Tang Xianyue opened her eyes, and said angrily, "What's going on? What time is it, why are you arguing?"

A middle-aged man with the appearance of a butler said with horror: "Master, come to report from the front, saying that the bandit army has entered the city?"

As soon as these words came out, Tang Xianyue woke up completely: "What? What did you say? The bandit army has entered the city?"

The butler said: "Yes, there is a small emergency report ahead, saying that a large number of bandits have entered the city, and now they are killing people and setting fire everywhere. Master, come out and see, the west is on fire."

Tang Xianyue didn't care about putting on a coat, so she stepped out in her middle clothes. After leaving the room door, she looked up in the yard and looked westward. Sure enough, the sky in the west was red, and there were faint noises such as shouts and screams.

"How is it possible? How could the bandit army rush in in the middle of the night? Could it be that the city gate has already fallen?"

The housekeeper knew about this, so he couldn't answer this question at all. Now the city is full of flames, and some people are shouting that the bandits have entered the city, causing panic among the people.

Tang Xianyue also knew that the butler couldn't know too much, so she took a deep breath and said, "Change clothes, send someone to find out the news, whether the city gate has been broken, and how many bandits entered the city?"

Just when Tang Xianyue was woken up and began to urgently deal with the chaos in the city, Li Dongshao, the deputy battalion commander of the Baoxiang Army, was already wearing heavy armor, holding a knife in his right hand and a shield in his left, leading more than 70 fully armed soldiers of the personal battalion under his command. To the west gate!
(End of this chapter)