Da Tang: Father, can I resign?

Chapter 377 I have long been a loyal subject of the Ming Dynasty!

Luoyang, the eastern capital of the Tang Dynasty.

Nothing happened.

Although nothing happened, the people of Luoyang were all worried.

When the enemy's million-strong army (fictitious) sweeps across the Central Plains and is right at your doorstep, this is a very normal psychological state, and you will feel numb even if you stomp on it.

"What on earth have those Liaodong barbarians and Hebei farmers been doing these past few months?"

Luozhou Beijia Lawyer Pei stood on the top of the city wall, with his hands on the awning, looking at the Ming army camp in the distance and muttering in confusion.

It is just after Qingming Festival and the direct sunlight is already quite strong.

However, the Lord Beijia still worked hard every day and would go to the top of the city in person to observe the movements of the Ming army at all times.

As the son of Pei Ji, the founding prime minister of the Tang Dynasty, Lawyer Pei felt that his rise and fall were closely related to the Tang Dynasty.

"How come the entire Ming Dynasty is just like their so-called 'founding emperor'? They do things without a clear purpose and it's hard to understand..."

Lawyer Pei kept complaining in his mind.

Just a few months ago, the Ming Dynasty's soldiers swept across most of the Central Plains east of Luoyang like a raging tide with unstoppable force.

This frightened Pei Biejia, who shared the same fate with the Tang Dynasty, so much that he even followed Your Majesty's example and went out of the city to "hunt south".

As a result, after Run went out and hid for a while, he found that nothing happened.

Luoyang was neither besieged nor quickly opened up. Everything was calm and peaceful, maintaining the same pattern as before.

Then, he returned to Luoyang City anxiously and continued to preside over the overall situation in Luozhou in the next few months.

The current situation in Luoyang is very strange.

Specifically, it was like a tsunami that just hit my head and suddenly solidified in mid-air.

As time went by, the people of Luoyang gradually got used to the Ming army at their doorstep, and they had to go on with their lives.

Even peddlers and hawkers started doing business with the Ming army, creating a scene of close ties between the army and the people, and a harmonious and harmonious relationship.

However, Lawyer Pei is different from ordinary people who work hard in the fields.

As a descendant of the prominent Pei family, he entered the officialdom through family connections and eventually became the de facto top leader of Luozhou.

Where is Luozhou?
Luoyang, which is known as the Eastern and Western Capitals together with Chang'an, is under the jurisdiction of Luozhou.

And like Yongzhou, which was under the jurisdiction of Chang'an, Luozhou also had no governor, only a provincial governor.

All standards are aligned with those of the capital.

The title of Luozhou Mu is just an honorary one, held by a prince, who is currently traveling in Pingzhou.

Therefore, Lawyer Pei, the deputy governor of Luozhou, is the top leader of this temporary capital.

There is no need to elaborate on its high status.

It is precisely because he stands so high that he can see farther than the ignorant people who are digging for food in the fields.

For example, he knew that a tsunami could not be frozen in mid-air forever, and the Ming army could not always keep out of trouble with Luozhou.

Heavenly soldiers will come one day. Anyone with a discerning eye knows that the Ming Dynasty is just accumulating strength now.

Therefore, Lawyer Pei must always pay attention to the developments in the east every day.

As long as there is any unusual movement in the Ming army camp, he can run away at any time... No, hunt to the south.

After all, we have to continue the Pei family bloodline~
"Sir, the Ming army doesn't seem to have any special movements today."

Beside him, Li Yifu, who was in charge of Luozhou’s military defense, was muttering.

There was no clear dividing line between civil and military positions in the Tang Dynasty, so although he was an official under Li Zhi's crown prince, he could also lead troops.

Lawyer Pei ignored his subordinate and treated his words as empty talk. He continued to narrow his eyes and observe the east closely.

On the one hand, it was because Li Yifu was of ordinary origin and his grandfather was just a county magistrate. How could he be qualified to speak to the eldest son of the Hedong Pei family in this way?

On the other hand, the Ming army came and went like the wind, making it hard to predict. Who knows if the recent calm days were a deliberate attempt by them to paralyze the Luoyang defenders?

It concerns his life and the continuation of the Pei family's incense, so he must be on guard!

"It's okay, haha, you continue."

Li Yifu didn't wait for his leader's reply. He smiled awkwardly on his face, but he was rolling his eyes to the sky in his heart.

Tsk, I will replace the dry bones in the tomb… Li Yifu, who was called "smiling but with a dagger" by his colleagues, was making up his mind.

Li Yifu's reputation among officials is very bad. He smiles on the surface but stabs someone in the back. He will do anything to get to the top, and he is a typical treacherous minister.

And this official villain looked down upon Lawyer Pei, a coward.

The terrain in the Central Plains is flat. Standing on the top of the city wall, they have a very good view and can see the vast plain east of Luoyang.

To be honest, where are the Ming troops to the east of Luoyang city now?
There is only the city wall of the county town under the jurisdiction of Zhengzhou, which is adjacent to Luoyang, and farmers busy with spring ploughing.

Where could the Ming army come from? Did they jump out from between the rocks?

"Perhaps, this time the Ming army will be like the last Central Plains War, with a great start but a whimper at the end?" Li Yifu said casually.

Lawyer Pei ignored him.

But Li Yifu's EQ suddenly dropped, and he kept muttering:

“It was probably because His Majesty the Emperor had killed so many people on the battlefield in Shanxi that he successfully held back the main force of the Ming army.

"You see, sir, the bandit army has stopped its expansion in the Central Plains and has stopped at the city of Luoyang. Their weak force is simply not enough to break through the fortified city of Dongdu, so there is no need for us to worry about it."

Haha... Lawyer Pei breathed out lightly through his nostrils, obviously too lazy to argue with this stupid guy who was out of his mind.

Li Yifu secretly glanced at Leader Pei from behind and continued loudly:
“Perhaps the main force of the bandit army has been dragged into the main battlefield in Shanxi, and Zhengzhou City is just an empty shell.

"Why don't our army take this opportunity to advance eastward, retake the lost territory, and catch them off guard?"

Lawyer Pei finally couldn't help it, and retracted his gaze from afar, his mouth twitching, and he said unhappily:

"Listen to what you are saying! The Ming army is unstoppable and extremely powerful. They are forcing our army to retreat step by step!

"We haven't even tried to avoid their attack yet, but we are now thrusting our faces in front of them and launching a siege!

"General Li, has the brief peace paralyzed your mind?"

Being scolded by his immediate superior, Li Yifu showed no sign of anger at all, and continued to explain with a smile:

"No matter how powerful the bandit army is, can it be as powerful as General Tiance? Maybe His Majesty the Emperor is killing people everywhere in Shanxi..."

"Your Majesty is not omnipotent!" Lawyer Pei was annoyed by his subordinates and subconsciously scolded:

"Do you know what's happening on the front line? Do you know how the battle is going? Do you know that His Majesty the Emperor is having a hard time dealing with it?

"You know nothing at all, you only know how to flatter!"

I was waiting for you to say this, you said it! ...Laughing Cat Li Yifu raised his lips slightly.

Well, you, Pei Biejia, eat the salary of the Tang Dynasty and enjoy the glory bestowed by His Majesty, but you boost the ambitions of others and destroy your own prestige. You slander His Majesty behind his back and praise the Ming bandits.

What do you mean? Do you want to rebel?

Li Yifu excitedly wrote a short essay about his leadership in his mind, preparing to present it to his superior when he went to Beijing to report on his work next time.

It would be best if this stone could be removed and he could take the position of Luozhou Beijia.

As a power animal, Li Yifu spent his entire life trying to get into the officialdom.

As for the Ming army that is right in front of us?
It did not appear in his field of vision.

He has only one goal in mind: to climb to the top of the bureaucracy step by step!

It doesn't matter who becomes the emperor, he just wants to be the prime minister, second only to the emperor and above everyone else...

"what?"

Just when Li Yifu was full of confidence, Lawyer Pei, who had been secretly labeled a "traitor" by him, sighed:
"what is that?"

What could he be? He was just a farmer out to work in the fields... Li Yifu laughed in his heart, but he was still very respectful on the surface, and even pretended to look around:
"Reporting to the envoy, there is nothing unusual in the bandit army camp, and there are no signs of a large-scale deployment."

Lawyer Pei's face turned pale at this moment. He didn't even have time to act like a big shot. He pointed tremblingly in the direction of the Yellow River.

Luoyang City is located on the south bank of the Yellow River, and the city is divided into two counties, north and south, by the Luo River.

From the towering Luoyang city wall, the two could have a panoramic view of everything happening on the Yellow River.

“Not on land, on water.

"What is that? Look what that is!"

Li Yifu was really surprised that the usually arrogant Beijia could lose his composure like this.

He just followed Pei Biejia's finger and looked to the east.

It was mid-morning, and the sun was already high in the sky.

Facing the dazzling sunlight, Li Yifu vaguely saw that the water of the Yellow River in the east seemed to have turned black.

Moreover, the black blocks are flowing upstream and spreading towards the city of Luoyang in the west.

"Huh?" Li Yifu also subconsciously asked a question.

What happened? Why did the river water turn black overnight? Who dumped dirty stuff into the Yellow River?
And what kind of dirty thing would spread in the opposite direction of the river upstream?

Li Yifu narrowed his eyes. When he finally realized what it was, his pupils gradually dilated and he was speechless for a moment.

He was not nearsighted, and he could actually see clearly what that large black patch on the river surface was.

However, his brain subconsciously did not think in that direction and it crashed for half a quarter of an hour.

When he finally came to his senses, Li Yifu screamed even more out of control than Lawyer Pei.

"That is……

"Boat?!"

Yes, that black area is actually a row of ships!

Those boats were connected left and right, head to tail, filling up the wide surface of the Yellow River. From a distance, it looked like a large black spot without any gaps!
The scale of the fleet was so huge that it even changed the natural landscape!

Is this a feat that humans can achieve?

The scene before them was beyond the imagination of Lawyer Pei and Li Yifu.

The two were at a loss for words, their minds were blank, and they watched the large black "block" approaching the Luoyang city wall where they were.

After an unknown amount of time, the guard at the side spoke first:

"There is danger! Envoy, General! Please go downstairs and take shelter!"

This shout finally brought Li Yifu's soul back.

He hastily straightened his crown, his voice still filled with disbelief:

"Where did those ships come from? What are they doing here?"

In comparison, his boss is much more proactive.

Lawyer Pei had already slipped away, and slid down the stairs like a flash, leaving behind a horrified remark:

"What is that? Of course it's the Ming army's fleet! Could it be a Tang ship? When have you ever seen so many Tang ships?!"

Li Yifu's mind was in a mess, his legs and feet were weak, and he stood there stupidly.

Although the Ming army's ships were large, the wood used to build them was light and strong, the ship structures were flexible, and the crews' sailing skills were fully mastered, so they sailed extremely lightly.

Before the people on the city wall could react, this huge fleet had already flown upstream and arrived outside Luoyang City.

One after another, huge ships as big as mountains passed by Li Yifu, as if showing off their military power to him.

Even when viewed from close up, the fleet was connected end to end with almost no gaps, stretching for miles.

In Li Yifu's eyes, this fleet seemed endless and never-ending.

After an unknown amount of time, he found himself being lifted up by his legs.

"General, I'm sorry!"

Li Yifu was carried down from the city wall by the guards. When he reached the stairs, his eyes were still fixed on the Yellow River.

On the river, the Ming army's ships were still passing through the Luoyang city walls densely like soldiers being reviewed.

"Ahhh, they really are calling!"

Li Yifu opened his mouth and breathed deeply.

It was only then that he realized his hands and feet were limp and his crotch was wet.

He was wrong, very wrong.

I am not completely indifferent to the war between Ming and Tang.

At least he would still be afraid when the enemy came at him with overwhelming force.

scared.

"Damn Liaodong guys, where did they get so many navy troops? Where did they get so many ships and so many people?"

Li Yifu was still in shock and spoke incoherently.

Suddenly, he discovered a huge problem:

"Luoshui! God have mercy on them! They are going to go up the Luoshui River and occupy Luoyang!"

It was really weird. That coward Lawyer Pei actually guessed it right!

After being quiet for several months, the Ming army started their march again, sweeping across the Central Plains and advancing towards Guanzhong!
"What should I do? What should I do?...

"Envoy Pei, Envoy Pei!"

Li Yifu was so frightened by the might of the Ming Dynasty that he lost his mind and even called for his superior.

He has always looked down upon this boss and is planning to report him behind his back in order to replace him!

"General, Pei Biejia may have escaped from the city by now." The guard who was carrying him on his back reminded.

Why was that coward so skilled at escaping? How many times had he escaped? Li Yifu was at a loss.

As the Ming Dynasty troops approached the border, the Luozhou Beijia fled in panic again.

Li Yifu felt that it was meaningless for him to resist to the end.

"Tell the gatekeepers to open the city gates wide and prepare food and drink... to welcome the heavenly soldiers!" he gave the order weakly.

Everyone was stunned:
"General?"

Just now he was speaking righteously, calling them "Ming bandits" all the time.

Now he has become a "Ming Dynasty soldier"?

You fell down before the Ming Dynasty even opened fire?
"Quick! Surrender the city before the Ming treasure ship's sky fire burns you!"

Li Yifu hurriedly urged loudly.

As a political animal who has been in the officialdom for his entire life, he knows too well the differences between "being captured", "surrendering" and "rebellion".

Since there is no way to resist, it is better to take the initiative to cater to it from the beginning, so that you can suffer less and get more treatment.

Although they surrendered without a fight, the Tang army officers and soldiers still had complaints.

But with two head coaches, one running away and the other lying down, they had no better choice.

With a heavy creaking sound, the sturdy Luoyang city gate slowly opened.

Li Yifu hid in the mansion, biting his nails nervously.

The dark fleet opened his eyes.

He has long been a loyal minister of the Ming Dynasty!

Would the Ming soldiers understand his good intentions? Would they be grateful for his initiative to offer the city?
Will you let him go?
In fear and anxiety, Li Yifu waited for the judgment of fate.

A quarter of an hour passed.

An hour passed.

The whole day passed.

The Ming Dynasty soldiers have no progress.

In Luoyang, the eastern capital, it was another uneventful day.

…………

On the banks of the Fen River, south of Bingzhou.

The dark Ming fleet headed north along the safe channel cleared by Li Ming's fleet earlier.

They arrived at the suburbs just over ten miles away from Jinyang City.

Here, the local Ming garrison had built a simple port to berth these newly arrived ships.

The dark ship slowly approached the shore.

Although these ships are majestic and numerous, they look quite intimidating from a distance.

However, a closer look reveals that they have no weapons and no armor, and are not standard Ming army warships.

It's a transport ship.

The port soon became busy as large groups of strong men lined up and disembarked from the ships, and the porters began to load and unload the supplies that came on the ships.

These men lined up neatly under the command of their leader. At first glance, they looked quite respectable, but compared to the authentic Ming Dynasty soldiers, they seemed to lack some spirit.

Although they all wore helmets similar to hoods on their heads, they were not wearing any armor.

Xue Wanche rode a tall horse and inspected these newly arrived strong laborers.

However, his current identity is not the commander-in-chief of the Ming army.

Instead, he was the chief contractor of Daming Construction Bureau No. 1.

"Young men, start to work!"

Lao Xue raised his signature loud voice:

"This time, our project is to destroy Jinyang!"

(End of this chapter)