The rise of the poor

Chapter 1973 I Can’t Understand

At the Zhu Mansion in Suzhou City, when Zhu Ping'an was packing books in his study, he received news from Zhao Chong, the prefect of Jiaxing.

"What? Jiaxing Governor Zhao borrowed a thousand soldiers from Hangzhou this morning and recruited two thousand family servants and young and strong civilians to form a three thousand-man army. He didn't even train for a day and marched them to the city of Jiaxing right away?"

After Zhu Ping'an received the news, he was in disbelief and thought it was too absurd.

However, the news was obtained by scouts of the Zhejiang Army under his command, so its authenticity was beyond doubt and had been confirmed repeatedly by Zhu Ping'an.

The reason why Zhejiang Army scouts went to inquire about the news from Jiaxing was simply because they could not allow others to sleep soundly next to their bed.

Jiaxing City was occupied by Japanese pirates. Jiaxing City was right next to Suzhou. For the safety of Suzhou, Zhu Ping'an sent a large number of scouts to monitor the movements of the Japanese pirates in Jiaxing City to prevent the Japanese pirates from raiding Suzhou to avenge their grievances that day.

The reason why they only monitored the movements of the Japanese pirates in Jiaxing City instead of attacking and retaking Jiaxing City was entirely due to the limitations of the Ming Dynasty system.

Zhu Ping'an's Zhejiang Army was responsible for guarding Suzhou. Without an order, they were not allowed to cross the border, otherwise they would violate the Ming Dynasty law, which was a serious crime.

"Where does he get the courage?"

After receiving the news, Zhu Ping'an sat in the study and pondered for a full half hour, but he still couldn't figure out where this second Zhao Mingcheng got the courage from. In the end, he could only come up with one idea: he was either crazy or had some other support.

As for what Zhao Chong relied on, Zhu Ping'an thought about it for half an hour but still couldn't figure it out.

I just suspect that Zhao Chong is a member of the Yan Party. Could it be that the Yan Party mobilized an army to help Zhao Chong recapture Jiaxing City? That’s why he is so confident and dares to lead such an army of 3,000 to attack Jiaxing City?!"

Otherwise, how could he dare?
Zhu Ping'an couldn't figure it out, so he ordered the Zhejiang Army scouts to closely monitor the Japanese pirates in Jiaxing and the situation of Zhao Chong's army.

Jiaxing enjoys the advantage of water transportation of the Grand Canal, with Hangzhou on the left and Jiangsu on the right, and is a thoroughfare between the north and the south. Tea and rice from the south of the Yangtze River, furs and medicinal materials from the north, and so on, all goods from all over the Ming Dynasty were circulated and traded here along the Grand Canal, making Jiaxing the "great county in the south of the Yangtze River" and the "first vassal state in western Zhejiang".

Unfortunately, with the Japanese pirates conquering Jiaxing, the busy scene of Jiaxing no longer exists.

In order to escape the Japanese pirates’ burning, killing and looting, almost all the people within a radius of 30 miles from Jiaxing City had fled. The villages and fields were deserted, and the sound of crows was heard everywhere, and there was no more smoke from cooking fires.
In the desolate place, Jiaxing prefect Zhao Chong, with a high-spirited look on his face, arrived at the city of Jiaxing with 3,000 hastily assembled mobs.

"Make a meal, eat and drink your fill, set up the tent and have a good night's sleep. Tomorrow morning, I will lead you to recapture Jiaxing!"

When they arrived 500 meters below Jiaxing city, Governor Zhao waved his hand and ordered everyone to cook on the spot so that everyone could eat and rest.

"what?"

"Sir, shall we cook here? Set up a tent and rest? Isn't this too close to Jiaxing City?!"

"It's too dangerous. You must not do this, sir."

After hearing the order from Prefect Zhao, the soldiers and young civilians under his command were almost frightened to death.

They are now about 500 meters away from Jiaxing City. From this distance, they can even see the appearance of the Japanese pirates on the city wall clearly. They are only an arrow's throw away, and even the shells from the general cannon on the city wall can hit them.

How can you eat if you cook in this position?

How can you sleep in a tent in this location?
Let alone the general's artillery, let's say the Japanese pirates opened the city gate and rushed to my tent and told me to get up and go to bed. How could I eat or sleep in this position? !

So, everyone frantically advised Prefect Zhao to think twice and not make a decision rashly.

However, Governor Zhao was as determined as if he had eaten a weight.

"No need to say more, I have made up my mind. I will camp here, cook here, and set up my tent here to sleep!"

"I just want to show the Japanese pirates that we are not afraid of them! If they have the guts, just come at me!"

Prefect Zhao said this without hesitation, then he drew out his sword and thrust it into the ground forcefully to show his determination.

"Then we should at least cut down trees to make fences, chevaux de frise, gates and watchtowers," the captain borrowed from Hangzhou Guard reminded Prefect Zhao.

You just set up the pot and cook and set up the tent, without building any fences, chevaux de frise, gates, watchtowers or other camp protections. Isn't this undefended? ! Isn't this as dangerous as a young girl wearing open-crotch pants? !
"Haha, have you heard of the Empty City Scheme?" Prefect Zhao asked the captain of the Hangzhou Guard with a confident look on his face.

"I've heard of it, but does it have anything to do with us?" The captain of the Hangzhou Guards looked confused, not knowing why Prefect Zhao asked about the Empty City Strategy.

"I have set up an empty city plan for the Japanese pirates! Back then, when Ma Su lost Jieting, Sima Yi led his troops to attack Xicheng where Zhuge Liang was. Zhuge Liang set up an empty city plan in Xicheng, making Sima Yi afraid that there was an ambush in the city and hurriedly retreat. I deliberately did not install fences, watchtowers and chevaux de frise. The Japanese pirates will definitely think that I have set up an ambush in the camp like Sima Yi did, and will not dare to enter the camp."

Prefect Zhao said with confidence that this was an empty city plan.

"Ah? Will the Japanese pirates do that?" The captain of Hangzhou was full of doubts.

"Of course." Zhao Chong said confidently.

"What if the Japanese pirates also knew the empty city plan, why did they attack our camp?" Everyone expressed doubt about what Governor Zhao said.

"No, absolutely not." Prefect Zhao said with certainty.

How do you know that won't happen? This is a matter of life and death. Everyone is still skeptical about what Governor Zhao said, worried that the Japanese pirates will leave the city and attack the camp.

"Come here, put my tent in the front, which is the closest to the main gate of Jiaxing City! I said that I will lead by example, whether it is marching, fighting, eating or sleeping, I will lead by example."

Magistrate Zhao spoke to everyone with an attitude of fulfilling his words.

After he finished speaking, Prefect Zhao ordered his men to set up his tent in the front, and the tents of his one hundred personal guards followed closely behind.

Then, Prefect Zhao sat in front of the tent with a majestic look on his face, and calmly ordered his personal guards to cook.

"I am not afraid even though I am at the forefront. What are you afraid of? If any Japanese pirates leave the city, let them step over my body first!"

Magistrate Zhao scolded everyone with great morale.

What the hell!

Cow batch!

At this time, everyone couldn't help but give a thumbs up to Prefect Zhao. They were convinced. They had seen people who were not afraid of death, but they had never seen anyone as fearless as Prefect Zhao.

With Prefect Zhao and his one hundred personal guards in front, they would at least have a buffer when the Japanese pirates left the city to attack the camp, and could also take the opportunity to escape.

Thinking of this, everyone fell silent.

(End of this chapter)