Chapter 221: Plotting the Surrender

Huang Yan nodded as if he understood. He was a latecomer, and his presence was extremely low on weekdays. As for these grand principles, he didn't quite understand, but he trusted Jiang Jinshi.

Just at this moment, a fast horse galloped from outside the city; it was a brother under Wang Hou's command.

He nimbly flipped off the horse and saluted Jiang Jinshi: "Great Chief, seventeen more commoners in the city have descended the city wall overnight and have been temporarily received by us."

"They said..."

"Food in the city has started to be limited. Ordinary commoners only get one meal of thin porridge and half a bowl of rice a day, and the garrison has also reduced their portions."

This news was exactly the same as the news sent out by Tang Xiao Yu. Looking at it this way, the half-month estimated by Tang Xiao Yu might even be a bit too much!

Jiang Jinshi nodded: "Settle them well. Like the other commoners who came out, those who are willing to handle household contracts and join us are welcome; those who are unwilling will not be forced."

"Yes!"

A few days ago, commoners had taken advantage of the night to climb over the city wall and escape, and even brought a letter out for Jiang Jinshi. It was just the right time to ask Wang Hou about the situation.

"The letter I mentioned, was it delivered to him?"

"According to your instructions, Big Brother, Xiao Yu delivered it quietly three days ago!" Wang Hou replied, "There is no movement for the time being, but given the current situation, it should be soon!"

This was the benefit of having someone in the city. Xiao Yu was mixed in the city, following Jiang Jinshi's instructions to reply to someone.

The purpose of doing this was naturally to plot the opening of the city gate, and there was no lack of listing some benefits above.

The person who received the letter did not respond for the time being, but did not inform General Yan either. The credibility was very high; they should still be looking for an opportunity.

At this moment, General Yan was sitting in the hall, his face haggard and his eye sockets deeply sunken.

"How much grain is left?"

The Prefectural Assistant stood at the lower position and sighed: "General! According to the report of the Granary Official, even if we save as much as possible, the stored grain in the city... cannot last for ten days."

"Ten days?" General Yan looked up abruptly, "Isn't it supposed to last for half a month?"

"That was the previous estimate. Recently, when checking the granaries, it was found that Prefect Liu had privately used quite a bit before. To cover up the eyes and ears, he mixed sand and soil into the grain. The actual edible amount is far less than the accounts." The Prefectural Assistant's voice was very low.

General Yan clenched his fists and let out a cold snort: "Anyway, Liu Xuecheng was caught by the bandits and is in more danger than safety. I can't verify it if I push it onto a dead person, right?"

He wasn't stupid. It was certain that the people below would have some small movements, but he didn't expect that these people would dare to deceive him like this, too lazy to even find a decent excuse.

As the Prefect, did Liu Xuecheng need to mix sand and soil when privately using grain and grass?

Now that the Da Qian Imperial Court was ignoring them, who would check the accounts?

Hearing this, the Prefectural Assistant broke into a cold sweat, lowering his head and daring not to say more.

General Yan's body swayed, and he slumped back into his chair.

"Heaven is destroying me... Heaven is destroying me!"

"General!" After thinking for a long time, the Prefectural Assistant stepped forward and lowered his voice, "Perhaps... we can consider..."

"Consider what? Surrender?" General Yan interrupted him, his eyes becoming sharp, "I am a general personally conferred by the late Emperor; how can I kneel to bandits? If the city exists, I exist; if the city perishes, I perish!"

"Then..."

The Prefectural Assistant finally did not say the words in his mouth. You are a general personally conferred by the late Emperor, but what about the commoners in the whole city? What about the tens of thousands of soldiers?

Should they also be buried with you, this general?

"Wait... wait a little longer, perhaps reinforcements are on the way..."

General Yan gritted his teeth. Perhaps the Prince of Zhenbei was held back by the war on the front line, or perhaps the news was transmitted too slowly, causing the reinforcements to still be on the way, perhaps...

At this moment, this was the only belief he had to persist, even though he couldn't even convince himself!

The Prefectural Assistant looked at him and finally just bowed deeply, saying no more.

Time passed day by day, and the atmosphere in the city became more and more oppressive.

The rationed food was reduced again. The thin porridge could already reflect a person's shadow. The soldiers were listless when patrolling, their eyes numb.

The resentment of the commoners was slowly accumulating, and the moment it burst was the time when the city gate would open wide.

One night, Cao Jin, the garrison commander of the South City, quietly found the Prefectural Assistant and other brothers of the city gates.

"We can't wait any longer!" Cao Jin's face was livid, "The brothers are almost too hungry to hold their knives! Two more brothers fainted from hunger on the city wall today! If this continues, we will be finished before Yangguangzhai attacks!"

The Prefectural Assistant looked around and, seeing no one else, asked cautiously: "Garrison Commander Cao, what do you mean?"

"Open the city!" Cao Jin said decisively, "For the brothers, and for the commoners still alive in the city! He is a general who wants to die for his integrity, but we don't need to be buried with him!"

The Prefectural Assistant's heart beat faster. He was silent for a moment and let out a heavy breath: "This matter needs careful planning, don't be reckless. Moreover, we don't know what the attitude of Yangguangzhai is?"

One of the brothers said worriedly: "Yes! Whether Yangguangzhai can tolerate us is another matter!"

"You don't need to worry about this. I have been in contact with Jiang Jinshi, the Great Chief of Yangguangzhai; that person is trustworthy!" Cao Jin said seriously, without any intention of joking.

"Old Cao! When have you been in contact with the other party?" A brother questioned.

Cao Jin smiled bitterly: "You probably forgot, I was a squad leader in Licheng before!"

At that time, it happened that Jiang Jinshi was preparing to take Licheng, so he had Xiao Chunqiu set up a banquet to invite him. In the end, Jiang Jinshi spent one hundred taels of silver to buy his position as a squad leader.

He ran away to the Prefectural City of Guangwu Jun with one hundred taels of silver and spent a lot of money to buy the position of garrison commander. Plus, he had already sat in the position of squad leader for some time, so this promotion became a matter of course.

He thought everything was settled, but he didn't expect that he still couldn't escape the "claws" of Yangguangzhai in the end!

"Since that is the case... let's do it!"

The remaining few looked at each other and gritted their teeth to agree to this matter.

Seeing that the matter was a foregone conclusion, the Prefectural Assistant had no other thoughts, bowed his head, and began to discuss in a low voice with everyone.

When the night was deep and quiet, the few left Cao Jin's house. Thinking of the plan in their hearts, they couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy, but now that things had come to this, there was only one way to go to the end.

After seeing them all leave with his own eyes, Cao Jin closed the door and returned to the room. A woman suddenly opened the cabinet in the inner room from the inside and walked out—Tang Xiao Yu!

"This matter was handled well. The Great Chief will give you what he promised; rest assured!"

Listening to the other party's cold voice, Cao Jin also let out a sigh of relief: "It's just that I'll trouble the young lady to say a few good words in front of Great Chief Jiang!"

After Guangwu City sealed the city, Cao Jin realized that he must find an opportunity to surrender as soon as possible, otherwise, it would be difficult for him to make a contribution once Yangguangzhai really broke the city.

So Cao Jin had his wife follow the crowd to climb over the wall and escape Guangwu City, and brought the letter to Jiang Jinshi. ===== CHAPTER 222 =====