Catching Monsters

Chapter 260 Seeking Help (Updated)
"We can't help it. The food in the city is only enough to last for a short time." Xu Xiaogang said solemnly, "If there is no reinforcement, I'm afraid..."

Liu Muyun was standing next to him, and said sarcastically, "What's the matter? Are you dissatisfied with the food I brought you because it's too little?"

Xu Xiaogang said in a deep voice: "Eunuch Liu, Mushan City will be trapped soon. You'd better leave quickly, otherwise you won't be able to leave once you are surrounded."

Unexpectedly, Liu Muyun waved his hands and said, "What are you talking about, Duke Zhenguo? I am the military supervisor sent by His Majesty, how can I just walk away?"

It was obvious that Xu Xiaogang was afraid that after Linglong left, no one would be able to control Liu Muyun, so he simply let this guy leave together.

Unexpectedly, Liu Muyun refused to leave.

But there was no other way. Xu Xiaogang knew that the capital was in deep trouble, so he rushed back to the capital and immediately tried to allocate an army of 50,000 people for support.

This is not something that can be accomplished by simply sending someone back.

At least the status must be not low.

After much thought, Linglong is the most suitable one.

Soon, after explaining the general situation, Linglong thought for a moment and then nodded.

Then, Xu Xiaogang looked at Jiang Yun, pulled Jiang Yun aside, and whispered, "Brother-in-law, you and Princess Linglong must rush back to the capital and find a way to help me with something."

Hearing this, Jiang Yun looked at Xu Xiaogang and asked, "You say."

"The troops of the border army cannot be transferred. The only ones who can gather and rush here the fastest are the imperial guards of the capital or the Tianqi army." Xu Xiaogang took a deep breath and said, "But these two armies are both guarding the capital and protecting your majesty. It is difficult to transfer them."

"You have to figure it out."

“And time must be fast.”

Listening to Xu Xiaogang's words, Jiang Yun's heart sank slightly, realizing that this matter was of great importance.

Whether it is the Imperial Guards or the Apocalypse Army, it would be extremely difficult to mobilize them.

Of course, for this kind of thing, it would be fine to let Linglong go back alone.

Xu Xiaogang also didn't want Jiang Yun to stay here. If he made the worst-case scenario and the city was breached, the consequences would be disastrous...

Of course, Xu Xiaogang couldn't show it. He knew Jiang Yun's character, so he had to speak sincerely and ask him to return to the capital to help him. Only then would he return to the capital.

Sure enough, after listening to Xu Xiaogang's words, Jiang Yun was silent for a moment and then nodded.

If he stayed here, he wouldn't be able to fight and probably wouldn't be able to help much.

Soon, Jiang Yun and Linglong simply packed up their things, then brought four fast horses from the general's mansion, quickly left the city, and headed towards the capital.

Time is too urgent. You know, normally it takes half a month to go back and forth between Mushan City and the capital.

We have nine days to find a way to get the reinforcements to arrive, so we have to work as fast as possible.

After Jiang Yun and Linglong left, Xu Xiaogang breathed a sigh of relief. Unexpectedly, Liu Muyun beside him frowned, straightened his back, and said slowly: "Duke, we have to have a good talk about the defense of Mushan City."

"You've lost Jianchi Pass in just one day. Let me see..."

Xu Xiaogang said in a deep voice: "Eunuch Liu, I am negligent in this matter. I will apologize to His Majesty later. The current situation is to guard against Mushan City..."

Liu Muyun curled his lips and said dissatisfiedly: "In my opinion, there is no such thing as insufficient food. Since you said that the existing food can last for nine days."

"Then let the soldiers eat half as much every day, wouldn't that give them enough food for 18 days? It's such a simple thing."

"Even if we starve a little longer, we'll have enough to eat for a month."

"I heard before that the disaster victims in Xishu Province could survive for a month by drinking only a bowl of porridge every day and would not starve to death."

Xu Xiaogang's face was dark, but he could only explain patiently: "Father, the soldiers below are going to fight, how can we compare them with the disaster victims?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Muyun said, "Come on, Duke, I'll go with you to the city wall to inspect it..."

"Although I don't understand war, I can still provide some ideas and suggestions. Maybe it can help me see things more clearly."

……

Inside the imperial city of the Great Zhou Dynasty, in the imperial study.

Xiao Yuzheng was sitting at a table with battle reports from the front line sent by carrier pigeons in front of him.

"Jianchi Pass was breached in just one day?" Xiao Yuzheng frowned, looking at the situation recorded in the battle report. His face was full of displeasure and he frowned deeply.

This battle report was written by Xu Xiaogang himself. It also mentioned that Mushan City was running low on food, with only nine days' worth of food left, and needed support...

Next to it, Xiao Yuzheng had another letter.

It was sent by Liu Muyun, who naturally mentioned that he had just arrived in Mushan City and learned that Jianchi Pass had been breached, and also claimed that 30,000 dan of grain had been successfully delivered to Mushan City...

Of course, there was also some dissatisfaction with Xu Xiaogang in his words. He believed that Xu Xiaogang was young and inexperienced, which led to the smooth breakthrough of Jianchi Pass by the Hu people.

"Xu Xiaogang, Xu Xiaogang." Xiao Yuzheng looked at the two letters, and a bit of annoyance appeared in his eyes: "With 150,000 troops in Mushan City and 200,000 Hu soldiers and horses, how can we break through?"

Feng Yu stood respectfully beside Xiao Yuzheng. He knew that Xiao Yuzheng was in a bad mood, so he said calmly, "Your Majesty, these people have been embezzling for a long time. The 150,000 troops in Mushan City consume a considerable amount of food every day."

"In my opinion, we must send troops to help."

Xiao Yuzheng said slowly with a gloomy face: "The other two armies in the north must guard against the Hu people from other directions and cannot move."

"We have to mobilize the army to suppress the bandits in the southwest, but the journey is long and it is not realistic to rush to Mushan City."

"As for the other small armies, if they want to gather, allocate food and fodder, and slowly move north, is it something that can be accomplished in ten days?"

The deployment of a large army is a huge project, and it is definitely not a small matter. Feng Yu was silent for a moment, and he thought of the Tianqi Army...

But he didn't dare to mention it, because this was the army guarding the capital.

Can't move.

Logically speaking, given the situation in Mushan City, there is enough food to last for at least a month.

We can slowly gather the garrisons from all over the place and go north to provide support.

"Come here, ask the people from the Ministry of Revenue to come over and bring the receipt of the monthly distribution of food and wages to the Zhenchi Army."

Soon, Zhang Yunqiu, the official in charge of military food and pay in the Ministry of Revenue, rushed over after hearing the news.

After entering the imperial study, Zhang Yunqiu knelt down hurriedly with the reply document in his hand.

"There's news coming from the front line of Mushan City, claiming that the food is only enough to sustain for eight to nine days." Xiao Yuzheng, who was sitting on the dragon chair, stared at the other party with sharp eyes and asked slowly: "I have repeatedly ordered that anyone who dares to withhold food and military pay will be sentenced to death."

Zhang Yunqiu knelt on the ground and said in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, this is the grain return record of the Mushancheng Town Chi Army, all signed by the chief officer."

As he spoke, he handed the document over with both hands and said, "150,000 dan of grain per month, not a cent less. How could the grain warehouse in Mushan City only have enough to feed eight or nine days?"

Hearing this, Xiao Yuzheng looked through the recording, his brows slightly furrowed.

Seeing Xiao Yuzheng's gloomy face, Zhang Yunqiu took a deep breath and said, "Your Majesty, my predecessor, Zhao Zhushi, was sentenced to death by your Majesty because of embezzlement of food and military pay. Tell me, can I mess around with this matter?"

"Although I don't understand military affairs, in my opinion, there will be no worries about food in Mushan City."

"Perhaps Xu Xiaogang, the Duke of Zhenguo, was afraid that he could not defeat the Hu army, but he could not bring himself to ask for help, so he made up this excuse."

After saying that, he lowered his head with a bit of fear in his heart.

How can I not be afraid?

There was a famine in Western Shu and no harvest.

Food is more expensive than gold.

A large amount of military rations had long been secretly transported to Western Shu for sale.

If it is discovered...

Zhang Yunqiu also secretly cursed these barbarians for not attacking earlier or later, but at this critical moment.

At this time, Zhang Yunqiu could only secretly hope that Mushan City would be breached, so that he would die without any evidence and it could be said that all the food had been taken away by the Hu people.

In fact, in the court, there were quite a few people who received the money after the grain was sold.

None of these people does not want Mushan City to be destroyed.

Xiao Yuzheng threw the recording back and frowned.

He turned his head to look at Feng Yu beside him and said, "Send a pigeon letter to Liu Muyun and ask him to report the real situation on the front line to me."

Compared with court officials, or Xu Xiaogang.

Xiao Yuzheng was more willing to trust the eunuchs he sent out.

……

Outside the capital, after three days of non-stop traveling day and night, Jiang Yun and Linglong finally arrived outside the capital.

Looking at the familiar capital city, Jiang Yun also took a deep breath.

Linglong said in a deep voice: "Come with me to the palace to see my father."

"Ah."

The two of them rode at full speed all the way to the imperial city and arrived outside the imperial city.

At this moment, Xiao Yuzheng was sitting in the imperial study, reading memorials. Feng Yu walked in from outside with a somewhat happy look on his face, and said, "Your Majesty, Princess Linglong is back."

Xiao Yuzheng's face lit up with joy when he heard this. He stood up and said, "Let her in quickly."

Soon, Linglong and Jiang Yun walked in from outside.

Seeing Linglong and Jiang Yun coming in together, Xiao Yuzheng frowned slightly, then smiled and said, "Linglong, thank you for your hard work. How is the mission to Beihu going?"

"It wasn't smooth." Linglong shook her head and said, "Father, I came back this time because I wanted you to send troops to help Mushan City immediately."

"The situation in Mushan City is very critical."

"Mushan City does not have enough food. If there are no defenders, Mushan City will be destroyed."

"It would be best if we could send the Apocalypse Army to provide assistance."

Hearing Linglong's words, Xiao Yuzheng frowned.

Afterwards, the two reported the situation in Mushan City in detail.

After listening, Xiao Yuzheng said slowly: "Okay, Linglong, you have made great contributions. When you come back this time, I will reward you well and also organize a large army to support you."

Linglong said anxiously: "It may be too late to organize the army slowly."

Xiao Yuzheng said calmly: "It's too late, and the Apocalypse Army can't move!"

(End of this chapter)