Chapter 850

The sixteenth year of Emperor Jia Zhao, the fifth day of the first month, Qiu Xuanfu Town.

The night was pitch black, the cold wind was bone-chilling, and the air was filled with a strange aura.

The fire in the stove of the eatery was rising, the beef and mutton soup in the stew pot was churning endlessly, emitting a rich aroma.

Seeing Guo Guo Zhigui's strange expression, Hou Liang supported his saber hilt and asked: "Commander, is something wrong?"

Guo Guo Zhigui said: "Today when we arrived at the Hongfeng Rice Shop, I always felt something was wrong, but I couldn't think of what it was.

After entering this eatery to drink, I suddenly thought of Bao Er Ye Lady Lian, and then heard Xu Fuhui talk about the suspicious nature of this grain shop, and I finally understood everything.

Just as Guo Guo Zhigui was about to take something out of his bosom, Xu Xu Fuhui suddenly stood up, pointing to the north with a shocked expression.

He shouted: "Look, everyone, there's a fire over there, the military grain warehouse in the north of the city!"

Guo Guo Zhigui's hand, which had reached into his bosom, paused, and he turned around abruptly to look. He saw firelight and smoke rising from the direction of the military grain warehouse, instantly reddening the sky.

All three turned pale. They had just transported several carts of requisitioned grain into the military grain warehouse for storage; only an hour had passed, how could the grain warehouse catch fire?

At this critical moment of defending the city, military rations were the top priority; once they were lost, there would be no hope of recovery.

The military grain warehouse was a vital area, and the control of open flames was extremely strict. Now that they were in the midst of a great battle, the guards at the grain warehouse were even more rigorous.

Guo Guo Zhigui could not believe that the grain warehouse would catch fire for no reason; there must be a reason for it!

Hou Liang said: "Commander, the grain warehouse catching fire is a matter of life and death. We should hurry back to put out the fire."

Just as his voice fell, he suddenly heard shouting and killing coming from the north of the city. At first, it was very far away, but in an instant, it rolled over like a tide, the sound of killing deafening.

Xu Xu Fuhui's expression was shocked, and he said: "Commander, the Mongol Tatars are attacking the city. This situation is a bit wrong.

There is about to be a curfew in the city. Since the Mongol Tatars besieged the city, they have never attacked at this hour. This is really too strange."

……

Guo Guo Zhigui felt a chill run through his whole body, straight to his soul, and he said grimly: "This is too much of a coincidence. The grain warehouse just caught fire, and the Mongols suddenly attacked the city."

At this time, there was the sound of rapid horse hooves on the street, and four or five cavalrymen galloped past, shouting: "The Mongol army is launching a night raid on the city. There is an immediate curfew everywhere in the city.

Within a quarter of an hour, return to your households and close your doors. Anyone wandering about will be killed without mercy!"

Hou Liang picked up the saber on the table and said: "Commander, let's hurry back to the city wall to meet the enemy!"

Guo Guo Zhigui said in a deep voice: "Putting out the fire at the grain warehouse and meeting the enemy at the city wall does not lack the three of us. We have important things to do. Let's go to the Hongfeng Rice Shop immediately!"

Hou Liang's expression was surprised, and he asked: "Commander, at this moment of extreme urgency, why go to that rice shop?"

Guo Guo Zhigui said: "This afternoon when we went to the shop to requisition grain, I felt the name of the shop was familiar, but I couldn't remember it no matter what."

He took out a booklet from his bosom and said: "Just now I thought of Bao Er Ye Lady Lian, and you said that Fatty Zeng was Zeng Dajuan, and I finally understood everything."

Guo Guo Zhigui flipped through the booklet and suddenly stopped on one page, saying: "Hou Liang, you are literate, look clearly at what is written here!"

Hou Liang took the booklet and looked closely, his expression surprised, and said: "Why is the Hongfeng Rice Shop recorded in this booklet, along with the name Zeng Dajuan?"

……

Guo Guo Zhigui said: "That day in the northern mountain pass of Donggang Town, we wiped out two hundred Mongol pursuers in one battle.

We also captured the leader of the pursuers alive; that person's name was Sun Sun Xiuyu, and he was the nephew of the hereditary commander of Datong, Sun Sun Zhanying.

Last year, Sun Sun Zhanying was involved in the great Datong salt and iron case. After the matter was exposed, to avoid being arrested by the imperial court, he took his whole family out of the pass to defect to Khan Anda Khan.

This Sun Xiuning is a running dog of the Mongols. I searched this booklet from him. Because I am not very literate, I let Bao Er Ye Lady Lian look at it.

He said this booklet was an account book for business, recording many shops and names. It just so happened that I recognized the shop name and name on this page.

But at that time, I only glanced at it casually and didn't take it to heart, so how could I remember it? That's why when I went to the Hongfeng Rice Shop to requisition grain this afternoon, I couldn't think of it no matter what.

The Sun family defected to the enemy and betrayed the country. The booklet Sun Xiuning carried with him happened to record the Hongfeng Rice Shop and Zeng Dajuan. There cannot be such a coincidence in the world.

Zeng Dajuan's rice shop stored a large amount of grain but didn't take the opportunity to sell it at a high price, which is also very unusual.

……

Hou Liang said: "Commander, are you suspecting that the Hongfeng Rice Shop is a secret post of the Sun family and that they are scouts for the Mongols?"

Guo Guo Zhigui said: "If my guess is correct, the Mongols are attacking the city tonight. If they take the opportunity to cause chaos, that will lead to a great disaster.

This place is very close to the Hongfeng Rice Shop. If we go back to the military camp to report the news now, I'm afraid it will waste time. Besides, these are all guesses.

It's better to go over and investigate the truth first. If it's really as I expected, we will then split into two groups and make other plans."

The three agreed and set off for the Hongfeng Grain Shop. Because of the curfew imposed by the fast horse patrolling the street just now, the road was empty, and not a single pedestrian could be seen.

They only turned a street corner and walked a few dozen steps before the Hongfeng Rice Shop was not far ahead.

Both sides of this street were shops, and after the curfew at night, they were all pitch black, except for the Hongfeng Rice Shop, which had a faint light, revealing a trace of strangeness.

Guo Guo Zhigui and the other two walked to the shadow of the eaves across the street and squatted down to watch the movements of the rice shop.

At this time, the sound of killing was still deafening in the direction of the north city, and one could vaguely hear the sound of weapons clashing, killing, and screaming.

Guo Guo Zhigui had gone up to the city wall several times to resist the enemy. Hearing such movements, he knew that the Mongol attack on the city was fierce.

In the direction of the military grain warehouse, the sky was still reflecting firelight, which seemed to have dimmed a bit, but the fire in the grain warehouse had not been extinguished.

Grain and grass were inherently flammable, and the burning speed was extremely fast. Even if the fire was put out, at least three or four tenths of the stored grain would be burned.

For the Qiu Xuanfu Town, which had already fallen into a predicament of grain and grass, this was no different from adding frost to snow, and it was a heavy blow to the morale of the army.

Guo Guo Zhigui's mood was extremely heavy. He restrained his suppressed mind and focused on staring at the Hongfeng Rice Shop. For now, he could only take one step at a time.

……

Only a moment later, he saw the door panels of the shop being opened, and five or six soldiers from the army actually came out, all wearing waist sabers, looking left and right, their expressions sneaky.

At this time, there was a crescent moon in the sky, scattering dim light, which was somewhat shadowy.

But Guo Guo Zhigui, with the help of the faint moonlight, saw that one of them was slightly chubby, with a black mole on his left cheek, vaguely the shopkeeper of the rice shop, Zeng Dajuan.

There was no longer the obsequious and mercenary look of a rice shopkeeper on his face, but a strange caution and steadiness, as if he had become a different person.

Zeng Dajuan looked left and right twice, then led the people towards the south city, not noticing the three people hiding and spying in the darkness across the street.

Hou Liang said in a low voice: "The Commander didn't guess wrong. Zeng Dajuan really has a problem. A rice shop owner, changing into military uniforms in the middle of the night, what is he intending to do?"

Guo Guo Zhigui said: "The Mongols are launching a night raid on the city, and the military grain warehouse is on fire. The city is already in danger.

This Zeng Dajuan is definitely not a good person. He led people to dress up as soldiers of the army. If they take the opportunity to cause chaos, the consequences will be unimaginable.

Xu Fuhui, you go back to the military camp immediately to report the news and warn the Assistant Regional Commander on duty, asking him to mobilize manpower to come to the south city quickly to prevent any changes.

Hou Liang and I will follow these people. If a change really occurs, we will have a way to respond."

……

The three split into two groups. Xu Xu Fuhui walked quickly back to the military camp, thinking of mobilizing manpower as soon as possible to ensure everything was safe.

Just now Zeng Dajuan took five or six people out of the Hongfeng Rice Shop; whether he had other manpower was unknown.

Comparing the two, Guo Guo Zhigui and Hou Liang were alone and weak, so Xu Xu Fuhui did not dare to delay even a little.

He only walked a little along the street when he saw dozens of people coming towards him, all in formation with sabers, wearing the uniforms of the Zhou army.

It seemed to be a patrol guard in the city, and the leader was a familiar face, none other than the patrol captain Chen Chen Sanhe.

Seeing Xu Xu Fuhui appear suddenly, the other party swarmed up and surrounded him.

Chen Chen Sanhe was a bit surprised to see Xu Xu Fuhui and asked: "I remember you are under Battalion Commander Guo. The Mongols are launching a night raid on the city.

The military has already issued a curfew order. Why are you violating military orders and wandering the streets at night?"

Xu Xu Fuhui originally wanted to explain the reason, but suddenly thought that Chen Chen Sanhe was Zeng Dajuan's cousin, so the words that reached his lips were swallowed back.

He said: "Captain Chen, before sunset, I transported requisitioned grain into the warehouse, then found an eatery to have a drink. I didn't expect the curfew to be moved up, so I was delayed.

I heard shouting and killing in the north city, which must be the Mongols attacking the city, so I was in a hurry to return to the camp to wait for orders, not intentionally violating military orders. Please make it convenient, Captain Chen."

Chen Chen Sanhe said coldly: "Today the Mongols launched a night raid on the north city gate, and there were spies who sneaked into the military grain warehouse to set fire. The situation in the city is critical.

The Commander ordered us to patrol the streets to prevent petty thieves from causing chaos, and we also need to mobilize city defense troops from the south city to strengthen the defense of the north city.

I remember that you and Battalion Commander Guo, as well as another brother, the three of you were inseparable, coming and going together. Why are you alone today?"

Xu Xu Fuhui heard the danger in Chen Chen Sanhe's words and felt something was wrong in his heart, so he hurriedly said: "I only came out alone today and was not with Battalion Commander Guo."

Chen Chen Sanhe's expression was stern, and he said: "There is a great change in the city today. During the curfew, you violated military orders and wandered the streets alone, which is suspicious.

Men, take him down! Wait until he is escorted back to the camp before making other plans!"