The Marquise: I Earn My Own Worship

"Were all the people sent there dead? No one knew the magistrate was missing?"

He Jian slapped his head and suddenly his vision went dark.

Last time it was a fluke, but if something goes wrong this time and His Majesty blames him, he will have no choice but to die to atone for his sin.

"When the younger one left, they were all still asleep..."

"Sleeping on his grandma's legs, they all didn't wake me up, how can they sleep in this situation?!"

"Go, go, go!"

He Jian kicked the person in front of him and felt so angry that he couldn't express it. He just felt that it was all over.

While they were searching for someone in a chaotic situation, Liu Huaian was so tired that he had no strength left.

"I'm so unlucky to have met this group of idiots. They're simple-minded but strong-limbed, but they only grow taller than they grow smarter. If this happens once, twice, there won't be a third or fourth time. If it happens again, I'm afraid I'll lose my life right here."

"If I had known earlier, I would have bought some servants with death contracts in the capital and taken them with me, and then I would have collected the silver. Now, look what has happened..."

Liu Huaian walked along, muttering to himself and complaining all the way.

"Luckily, I have a quick mind. My mother has always said that I am smart. Otherwise, I would have to go down to look for my ancestors today. No matter how smart I am, there is no one smart around me. It is really frustrating. How about writing a letter to His Majesty and asking him to give me two powerful people? No, forget it. Who are you, Liu Huaian, and you still want His Majesty to give you people?"

"But if you don't give it to me, I'm probably going to die one day."

Because it was dark and he couldn't see the road clearly, he fell down several times.

"Forget it. If I still have some life left, I'll complain to His Majesty and ask for two of you to come over. It doesn't matter if it's good or bad. I've had enough of this hard life!!"

Liu Huaian wiped the mud off his face, his face expressionless, but he was roaring in his heart.

So when He Jian's psychological defenses gradually collapsed, Liu Huaian stood in front of him with a dirty piece of wood.

The white clothes he was wearing when he left have now turned so gray that you can't even tell their original color.

"Sir, is it really you?"

Liu Huaian was so angry that his blood pressure rose when he saw the mess.

"What? Could it be my soul?"

Liu Huaian looked at the cautious He Jian and remembered that this guy had kicked him last time.

"Lord Liu, it really is you!"

He Jian almost fell to his knees, tears welling up in his eyes with excitement.

He thought the magistrate would never return, but he suddenly appeared before his eyes. Last time, he faced the siege of the Western Barbarians and returned safely. This time, too, he was truly a master of foresight.

It looks big, but it's useless.

Liu Huaian threw away what he was holding, sat aside, picked up the cold teapot on the table, opened it and started drinking.

He placed the county magistrate's jade token on the table and said, "He Jian, listen to my orders!"

He Jian knelt on one knee with a military salute, "He Jian is here!"

Liu Huaian's voice was serious. "Gather all the city's officers and soldiers, refugees, and adult males from every household. Beat the Yumen War Drum and be ready to fight at any time!"

"Yes!"

……

"Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom..."

First there were three dull and short drum beats, followed by the rapid sound of war drums.

This sound resounded throughout Yumen City and even reached further places.

A group of soldiers stationed not far from the Xisha border heard the sound of war drums, and one of the elegant men sighed.

"My luck is a bit bad, it seems that I can only attack by force."

Outside the city, Song Guyun, deputy general of the Western Palace Army at Guanmen, reined in his horse and listened quietly.

"Deputy Commander Song, it's the sound of war drums."

"The whole army is marching!"

They set out with only 20,000 soldiers, leaving 40,000 soldiers to guard the gate.

In addition to Yumen, Guanmen is also a major defense line of the Chu State. In order to prevent the enemy from making a feint to the east and attacking in the west, only 20,000 troops can be dispatched.

Inside Yumen City

The dead silent city suddenly became noisy.

All officers and soldiers went to every household to gather adult males. People were coming and going on the streets, all walking hurriedly.

"The war is about to begin, the war is about to begin!"

There were sounds of fleeing, crying, and quarreling among people taking advantage of the situation.

Yumen was in chaos. Even though there were soldiers trying to stop them, they could not stop the panic of the people.

After resting for a while, Liu Huaian came out to comfort the people and temporarily calmed the crowd.

As soon as I got back, someone reported it.

"Sir, there are enemy troops stationed on the Xisha border, estimated to be 50,000 troops."

The person who reported the incident had trembling lips. The enemy was at the gates; this was too sudden.

fifty thousand……

"How many people have been counted in Yumen now?"

"Less than five thousand."

Yumen originally had a stationed army of 30,000 men.

However, since there had been no war for many years, the imperial court merged the troops at Guanmen Yumen in order to "reduce expenses" and formed an army of 60,000.

Among these 10,000 troops, 2,000 were transferred by General Feng earlier.

Liu Huaian had previously submitted a petition requesting the reorganization of the Yumen defense army, but had received no response. Now that the war had broken out, he realized the importance of military strength.

"Gather everyone first. I sent a message to General Feng earlier. The reinforcements are probably on the way."

His men were delighted and hurried down to report the good news to calm the troops.

Liu Huaian sat alone in the room, now facing three major problems.

1. The city defense force is insufficient. Even if troops are deployed from the Guanmen Gate, there is no guarantee that the enemy will make a feint to the east and attack in the west, and suddenly raid the Guanmen Gate.

2. Regarding the issue of food and fodder, we must write a letter to request emergency assistance from nearby granaries.

Third, and this is the most important point, you can appeal and request support. But the problem is that the news can't be spread, and no one knows where the problem is. It's been so long, and it's been more than a month since he first discovered something was wrong and reported it, and he still hasn't received a reply.

This is also what worries Liu Huaian the most.

Even the secret communication channel between him and His Majesty had gone wrong, which made him feel a chill down his spine.

The war drums sounded and the war was about to begin.

Secret letters were sent out from the gate one after another, and ten groups of soldiers and horses were constantly escorting them.

People kept intercepting him along the way, and in the end only an express letter stained with blood was delivered to the King of Chu.

After seeing the contents of the secret letter, the King of Chu was so angry that he felt dizzy and fell down.

Xiao Degui quickly stepped forward to support him and fed him a pill. The palace maid beside him helped him drink two sips of water, and the Emperor of Chu finally recovered.

"Summon the court officials to an audience."

The King of Chu tightly grasped the secret letter and spat out these words through gritted teeth.

Duan Bofu

Duan Jing'an was in Song Shengfu's yard, hugging her chubby daughter and smiling so hard that her eyes were narrowed.

"Look at the kid, he's so silly and happy."

Song Shengfu said she couldn't bear to watch it, and the three children nearby also came forward curiously and surrounded their uncle.

"Ever since Baobao started calling me daddy, my fourth brother has been so happy that he can't stop hugging his daughter when he gets home from work."

Mrs. Lu was embroidering something in her hand, which looked like a child's hat.

"That's right. Now Baobao likes to stick to her father. I think her father is tall. He always takes her around. It's very strange."

Ding Meishu's face is a little fuller, and she looks much gentler than before. She is now doing handicrafts with her hands and chatting with her sister-in-law and mother.