Chapter 17, the dilemma of food and grass

The battle between the southwest gate and the east gate of Pinggang County lasted from afternoon to evening. This is the first time in the first such a large-scale offensive and defensive battle in the past few days. For the defenders, they really didn't expect or don't know why the number of Taiping Road traitors suddenly seemed to have increased by many people, and these people did not take their lives for their lives, launching a round of almost crazy siege.

Especially on the front line of the southwest gate, the traitors are so powerful that there is already a moment to attack the city wall.

With the wooden ladders, as well as the continuous climbing and the cover of the crossbows on the ground, seven or eight people killed the wall and fought closely with the soldiers. Even Zhou Zhi, who was sitting on the scene, had to raise his sword and fight against the traitors. Fortunately, the Jiashi in the camp under the city caught up with the city wall in time and killed the traitors one by one, finally stabilizing the situation.

At the end of this day, although the casualties of the traitors in Taiping Road in the city were extremely serious, they were also miserable for the defenders.

The strength to defend the city is very limited. As for the peaceful traitors outside the city, I really don't know if they have continuous reinforcements. Because of this, even if the traitors have been repelled many times today, the county government has still suffered a lot of losses, and there is indeed an unsustainable dilemma. In the long run, even if it is slowly consumed, the county can't stick to it.

At night, there are many lights outside the south of the city, which is the place where the traitors of Taiping Road gather.

After inspecting the city wall, Zhou Zhi suddenly received a notice from the county government, so he took several trusted guards and rushed to the north of the city.

Earlier, a Guanyi was found in the north of the city to serve as a temporary warehouse. When Zhou Zhi rushed to the warehouse, Wen Chou and Zhao Yu, the county magistrate, had been waiting for a long time. After getting off the horse, Zhou Zhi strode into the gate of the museum, and some servants rushed to the front hall to report. When he came to the front hall, he saw seven or eight bags of grain piled up in the lobby. Wen Chou looked black, and Zhao Yu looked worried. After a simple greeting, Zhou Zhi hurried forward to check the grain, and then frowned.

"When was it delivered?" Zhou Zhi looked up and asked Zhao Yu.

"The city that just entered in the evening. Well, I don't know how this happened." Zhao Yu sighed and replied worriedly.

"This batch of grain and fodder was allocated by the state government. It was agreed that it was 580 stones of refined rice, but now, not to mention that there are no 580 stones at all, I'm afraid that 300 stones will be a problem. And I just smoked these seven or eight bags casually, and it was actually full of Chen Mi mixed with grain skin. Is this mother sending refugees? Wen Chou cursed angrily. He spoke loudly as if he were roaring, which made people couldn't help but be afraid.

Now the county treasury of Youbeiping County has been scarce for some time. Since Wenchou's defeat and grain and fodder were robbed, Youbeiping County has almost reached a poor situation. As early as last month, the county government had sent several letters for help to the state government. First, it hoped that the state government could send reinforcements as soon as possible, and secondly, it also asked for some materials to fight the rebellion. Naturally, the state government will not sit idly by and ignore the seriousness of the situation in Youbeiping County. In the past month, more or less support supplies have been distributed, and the reinforcements have not responded for the time being due to the special situation.

However, after the news of the blatant rebellion of Taiping Road in early February, Youzhou and Jizhou were the first to be invaded by yellow scarf thieves, and many counties and towns fell almost overnight. Nowadays, even the state capital is too busy to take care of itself, let alone the counties below. Therefore, there is less and less assistance after February, but fortunately, there is more or less assistance. However, the food and fodder delivered this time was really unexpected and completely different from the previous situation. It is expected that the state government will not fake things. Since it has promised to send 500 stones of refined rice, how can it be inferior?

"Isn't it a lost bag on the road?" Zhou Zhi asked carefully.

"Who dares to be so bold? The people who escorted food and fodder know that the state government has been notified by a fast horse. Isn't this fraud asking for suffering? Wen Chou said angrily.

"Where is the person who escorted the grain and fodder now?" Zhou Zhi turned around and asked the owner of the hall.

"Lord, I'm resting in the backyard." The owner of the post did not dare to neglect and quickly responded.

"Go and ask them." Zhou Zhi's face was cold, and after saying that, he was about to walk to the backyard.

"I've already asked. If they know what's going on, we won't have to worry here." Wen Chou muttered.

"They really don't know anything?" Zhou Zhi was very surprised that more than 200 stones of grain and grass were missing for no reason. How could the people who escort the grain and grass not know? Even if these people are not responsible for shipping grain and fodder, the experience of escorting grain and fodder in previous years does not make it impossible to judge that there are not enough grain and fodder loaded on the car.

"If you really want to ask again, you will have to be tortured." Wen Chou did not answer Zhou Zhi's words directly, but said from another perspective. It can be seen that he had questioned them again and again in advance, but in the end there was no result. At that time, if it hadn't been for Zhao Yu's dissuasion, he would have really arrested and tortured these people.

When Zhou Zhi heard this, he understood what he meant and immediately fell silent, but his face was very entangled.

Zhao Yu just sighed back and forth and couldn't figure out what was going on. The grain grassland of 580 stones is pitifully scarce. Isn't it possible to divide a part of it to relieve the refugees in the city? I'm afraid that military grain spending alone can't support seven or eight days. At present, the city has not been besieged by the rebellion, but it has the opportunity to enter and exit from the north for the support of materials or reinforcements. It is difficult to guarantee how long Xiyang County can hold on to the city wall.

Once Xiyang County is lost, Zhang Wan's rebels not only form a bag for the county government with the yellow scarf thieves of Taiping Road, but are even likely to turn their spears and go straight to the county government. Zhang Wan's rebels claim to have 5,000 people, and now there are as many as 3,000 or 4,000 Taiping traitors who attack the county, confluence with each other, with at least more than 8,000 people. At that time, not to mention attacking the southwest gate and east gate, even if the whole city is besieged.

Once there is a shortage of grain and grass in the city, people's hearts are lax, and there is no need for thieves to attack, it will cause disaster within the wall.

The atmosphere in the front hall became extremely dull and worried, and it seemed that there were two hands holding everyone's hearts together.

After a long time, Zhou Zhi suddenly asked, "Where did this batch of grain and fodder come from?"

When everyone heard this, they couldn't help but be a little shocked. Wen Chou glanced at Zhao Yu, and Zhao Yu looked at Zhou Zhi.

Naturally, the grain and fodder allocated by the state government cannot be sent from Ji County. Not only is the road far away, the human and material resources are too complicated, and the world has been uneven recently, and the road is often unsafe. As usual, most of the state government will order the counties and counties that are slightly richer or have reserves to be offset by the annual grain collection by the state government, which is regarded as the grain and fodder allocated by the state government.

Zhao Yu thought for a while and said quickly, "Previously, most of them were sent from Yan, Liaodong and other places, but this time it seems to be different. It should be the nearest Yuyang County."

Zhou Zhi said in a speculative tone, "Will the grain and grass have been like this when they came out of Yuyang County?"

Zhao Yu was a little doubtful and frowned, "How can this be like this? This is the grain and grass allocated by the state government. How can Yuyang County fake it? If Yuyang County is really short of grain and grass, it can be true. At worst, it won't be so much. But the report is 580 stone fine rice, but it's really abominable to send such goods.

Wen Chou was in a bad mood and said angrily, "It is necessary to ask a question about this matter. Otherwise, how can we make an explanation to the soldiers on the front line? Well, let me ask those who hold the grain again to see if they dare to hide it.

Zhao Yu said worriedly, "Well, I'm afraid it's not right."

Wen Chou said hatefully, "Yuyang is adjacent to my right Beiping, which is the so-called lip and teeth. At this time, Yuyang County has never heard of any major turmoil. If you let the yellow scarf thieves rebel and Zhang Wan to attack our state capital, you want to see how they can deal with themselves?

Zhao Yu looked at Zhou Zhi and asked, "Lord Zhou, what do you... think?"

Zhou Zhi pondered for a while and said, "This matter must be made clear."

Zhao Yu sighed, nodded helplessly and said, "Alas, that's fine."