"The Liao soldiers are ruthless, killing people and setting fires everywhere. If they come, your property will be confiscated. Even your wife and daughter will be given to bachelors from Liaodong as wives."

"I also heard that the Liao army had to shave their heads. If you don't shave your head short, your head will be chopped off. They also have a saying, which is to leave the hair but not the head, and leave the head but not the hair.

"

"My third uncle's nephew's third uncle met the Liao army in Xuzhou. It was exactly as he said. He was wearing strange clothes and his hair was shaved very short."

"Oh! How dare you have the slightest damage to your body, hair and skin, which you have received from your parents. This is perverse, corrupting human relations, and destroying human relations!" A guy who looked like an old scholar stamped his feet and smashed his chest, looking like he was in pain.

Various rumors spread like the wind in Yangzhou city. Perhaps they spread faster than the wind.

No matter which version of the rumor, there are two central ideas. One is that when the Liao army comes, everyone, regardless of gender, will have their heads shaved. The other is that the Liao army will steal everything, from beautiful girls and wives to the pickles in the pickle jar.

.

It is simply not something that ordinary people can do to distinguish the truth from the false among so many rumors.

In fact, the common people are the most deceived people in the world. Most of them have little knowledge. The information they receive is far from real. In this age when most people are still illiterate, how much insight and cognitive level do you expect the common people to have?

?

"When we go to see the master, we must not let Yangzhou become like Xuzhou. Oh my God! If we have to shave our heads and change clothes, will we still be Chinese Miao people?" The old scholar pointed his finger at the sky, filled with indignation.

"Yes! Our hair has been shaved, and we can't wear our Han clothes. Then we have become barbarians? Go to Mr. Fu Zun, and all the men will stand up. Go to the city wall with a knife. As long as there is one person in Yangzhou,

Then we will never let the Liao army harm our beautiful land of Jianghuai."

"Yes, let's find the master. We don't have much money, but we still have some strength."

"I am old and my family still has some money left. I am willing to spend fifty taels of silver to build useful weapons for my neighbors." An old man with a cane tremblingly took out two silver coins and sent his grandson to him.

Go home and quickly withdraw the money.

"I will also donate money to fight off those bastard Liao soldiers."

"My daughter also wants to fight the Liao soldiers, my daughter also wants to fight the Liao soldiers." A little girl who was missing a front tooth also held up two copper coins to raise funds.

The power of role models is endless, and soon a wave of joining the army and raising funds was launched in Yangzhou city. People everywhere were collecting donations, and then sent silver dimes and copper coins to the government offices. They just asked the big men to use the money.

, buy weapons and recruit local braves to fight off those bastard Liao soldiers. Don't let the wealthy city of Yangzhou suffer the same poison as Xuzhou.

Copper coins, silver dimes, and even fat pigs, fruits and vegetables were all piled up in the government office.

"Ha! Ha! Ha!" Ma Shiying laughed like a duck with asthma.

"Sir, this Yangzhou man is indeed rich. A few days after the wind cleared, the Yangzhou people raised so much money. In the evening, I saw someone driving two pigs to the government office, saying that they wanted to reward the guards of Yangzhou.

Soldiers." The staff members with rat moustaches looked down upon Master Ma's money-grabbing methods.

So damn clever!

"Pigs raised by country people? With so many soldiers, who can eat two pigs? Go down and kill them all in the kitchen. I will eat fried pork in the evening!" Ma Shiying was very happy. He had just adopted a Yangzhou thin horse yesterday.

Tonight, Shouma will eat stir-fried pork, which is one of the great pleasures in life.

"No!" The servants hurried out. Master Shangshu wanted to eat stir-fried pork today, so he didn't dare to delay.

"Sir, I would like to see Huang Daozhou at Futai."

Ma Shiying is now the Minister of War who has succeeded Shi Kefa, and he came to Yangzhou City just for inspection work. The real local official in Yangzhou is Mr. Huang Dao Zhou Huang.

"Lord Huang!" Although his official position was more than one level higher than that of Huang Daozhou, Ma Shiying personally stepped forward to salute Huang Daozhou. For no other reason, this Lord Huang is already seventy-three years old this year.

Huang Daozhou, whose eyebrows were all white, patted Ma Shiying on the shoulder. Theoretically, he was Ma Shiying's subordinate. But in Yangzhou, he was a household name. A Jinshi in the third year of Wanli's reign was more qualified than all the scholars in Nanjing.

All the big men are getting old. Over the years, their disciples and old officials have spread all over the south of the Yangtze River. Even Ma Shiying, a minister of the Ministry of War, has to give gifts to the old gentleman.

"Master Shangshu is so polite! I came here this time just to ask questions. Now there are rumors on the street that the Liao soldiers are coming to the city and want to shave their heads and change their clothes. They also say that they want to rob civilian girls and go to Liaodong to ration the farmers and miners.

Lord Shangshu is from the Central Government, is this true or false?"

The speed of news transmission in these years is very slow, and the latest official newspaper can only be enjoyed by a few big shots. The way ordinary officials get the news is actually the same as that of ordinary people, all relying on word of mouth.

Huang Daozhou heard the rumors on the street and planned to come to Ma Shiying to ask whether this was true or false. If it was true, then the Liao army was a group of barbarians wearing the skin of the descendants of Yan and Huang. They needed to resist to the death and must not let it go.

They have polluted this prosperous and beautiful place in the south of the Yangtze River.

"Hey...! Mr. Huang!" Ma Shiying quickly adjusted his expression, showing a bitter and resentful look.

"There are some things that I can't bear to say. Li Xiao is just a young man from Liaodong. After he became famous, he didn't have the slightest respect for the etiquette of the saint. I even thought that his bloodline was very doubtful.

When he was far away in Liaodong, he forced the local people to shave their hair and change clothes. He also said that long hair was unhygienic...!"

"What is hygiene?" This was the first time Huang Daozhou heard this new word.

"It's just not clean. He said that we Ming people have lice on our bodies because our hair grows long and we don't take showers."

"Nonsense!" Huang Daozhou immediately became angry and slapped his withered fingers on the table, causing the cups, plates and tea bowls to jump around, which was quite powerful.

"What's even worse! He said that the clothes we Ming people wear are all in tatters. We need to wear his clothes that look like barbarians! How many Han Miao people were tortured just because they didn't abide by these two rules?

.”

"Beasts! Beasts! We, the Ming Dynasty's costumes, were passed down from ancient times. The sage said: For those who wear deep clothes, the upper garment and the lower garment are not connected. This deep garment is connected with the lower garment, and the quilt is deep, so it is called deep garment."

It has been passed down for more than thousands of years now, but I didn't expect to be dismissed as a rag by this yellow-mouthed kid. I am so angry that I will kill you!" Huang Daozhou's beard and hair were tangled and angry.

"That's right! This kid Li Xiao just wants to destroy our Chinese civilization from the foundation. Not only did he shave his hair and change his clothes into clothes in Liaodong, he also forced the widow to remarry. He even kidnapped the women in the customs and forcibly sent them outside the customs for the pleasure of his soldiers."

Ma Shiying hurriedly brought the teacup and cheered the old guy up. The old guy was still useful now, but he couldn't be mad to death.

"Tsang Chang is lost! Tsun Chang is lost!"

"Compared with what happened last year, these are nothing. Shandong is the hometown of saints and a place with splendid culture. But Li Xiao was in Shandong last year and wiped out countless wealthy families. He mobilized the tenants and forcibly robbed the wealthy families.

Their fields and even divided up their family’s property!

Anyone who disobeys will be killed. From the eighty-year-old to the young and naughty, no one will be spared. Everything is said by relatives of the Ma family who fled from Shandong. What a tragic word.

Awesome!" Ma Shiying wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with her hands, her face full of grief and indignation.

"Is the imperial court going to allow such people to run amok? With all the strength of the country, can't they wipe out this little boy? As far as I know, the land he currently controls is only Shandong, Hebei, and Liaodong. The imperial army also has Liaodong.

Ten times the army. How...?"

Huang Daozhou didn't understand how the Ming army, which was ten times the size of the Liao army, allowed Li Xiao to be so arrogant. In his mind, he had automatically divided the soldiers into ten Nan Ming soldiers to fight against one Liao army.

"The old man doesn't know something! Li Xiao's soldiers are sharp, and the sky soldiers have a numerical advantage. But it is difficult to resist his army! Ma came to Yangzhou just to rectify Yangzhou's defense. Now in Yangzhou, there are many people in Jiangbei

There are many strong and strong cities. If the Liao army can be resisted here, Ma can train tens of thousands of soldiers in the south of the Yangtze River for the Northern Expedition to the Central Plains. Kill Li Xiao!" In order to show his strong determination, Ma Shiying also

He waved his fist.

"Please rest assured, Cavalry Department, Huang was born in Yangzhou and has served as an official in Yangzhou for more than 40 years. He will definitely not let this beautiful place in the south of the Yangtze River be touched by evil beasts like Li Xiao. In order to defend Yangzhou, I will not hesitate to do so.

This body!" After listening to Ma Shiying's words, Huang Daozhou made up his mind that even if he died, he would not let the barbarian Liao army enter Yangzhou.

"Old gentleman Gao Yi, please accept Ma's obeisance." Ma Shiying was so excited that he lifted up his hem and was about to bow down. Huang Daozhou hurriedly supported him.

"Why should the Cavalry Department be like this? These false courtesy will be dispensed with. Now the Cavalry Department should return to Jinling as soon as possible to organize and train the new army for the Northern Expedition to the Central Plains. Save the people of Shandong, Hebei and Liaodong from dire straits." Huang Daozhou has always been a person who cares about the world.

.

"Hey...!" Ma Shiying sighed deeply and sat down on the chair. His face was full of helplessness!

"Why is the Horse and Soldiers Department like this?" Huang Daozhou didn't understand why Ma Shiying, who was filled with indignation just now, had this expression now.

"Hey...! What Mr. Huang doesn't know is that the imperial court is currently suffering from internal and external troubles. First, Qian Qianyi and others poisoned the late emperor, and then Zhou Yanru and others delayed the opportunity to fight. There are also cases of collaborating with the enemy and treason, all of which are indescribable.

.

Of course, these are all trivial matters. It’s just that the Jiangnan plutocrats are all cherishing their lives. The enemy’s current government’s finances are stretched thin. To organize and train the army, you need to purchase military uniforms and weapons, as well as food and salary to support them. None of this requires money!

But... where can Ma get money? A clever woman can't make a living without rice. Alas...! He wants to kill the thief, but he can't do it! Ma has no ambition to serve the country, so I'm afraid it's hard...!" Ma Shiying looked miserable.

, at first glance he is a good minister who cares about the country and the people.

"In these troubled times, there are still good ministers like the Horse and Soldiers Department. Our Ming Dynasty will never overthrow the country because of this! I think about how ferocious and cruel Wala was in those days. Wasn't he blocked by Yu Shaobao under the capital to protect our Ming Dynasty?

lose.

This time I risk my life to defend the city of Yangzhou. I want to buy some time for the cavalry department to organize and train the new army for the northern expedition to the Central Plains. As for food and wages! I, Yangzhou, have always been a place bustling with fireworks, and I would not dare to claim to be the richest in the world. But Jianghuai

Many salt merchants often live here!

The old man said hello, and I still have to give some face to me. I will visit the rich households in Yangzhou to raise military resources for the army. The cavalry department does not have to worry, even if I have not gone out yet. Look, the patriotic enthusiasm of the people of Yangzhou is still there.

Such blazing heat. With such people, how could Yangzhou fall into the hands of Li Xiao's barbarian soldiers."

Huang Daozhou immediately stood up, turned to Ma Shiying and turned away. With his old face, it shouldn't be difficult to borrow hundreds of thousands of taels of silver from the Lianghuai salt merchants. Besides, the Lianghuai salt merchants are here.

There are many industries in Yangzhou city. If Yangzhou city is destroyed, their losses will be huge.

"Mr. Huang, hurry up. Our military department has ordered two divisions of the Jiangnan Forbidden Army to rush to Yangzhou. Together with Mr. Huang, they will defend Yangzhou to the death to resist Xiaoxiao's people."

"On behalf of the millions of people in Yangzhou, I would like to thank the Ministry of Horse and Soldiers." Huang Daozhou turned around, cupped his hands, and walked out of the government office gate.

Ma Shiying shuddered with excitement. This old bastard can make a lot more money by walking around. He can make a lot more money than by cheating people on the street. Who doesn't know that the Lianghuai salt merchants are all wealthy owners. He can peel off a small piece of skin from them.

Come on, I will enjoy it all my life.

"Congratulations, sir, congratulations, sir."

"Don't be too happy. Go back and tell your wife. Jinling may not be able to be saved. Let him take the children to retreat to the southwest. As long as I can occupy Yunnan and Guizhou, I will be worthy of the court."

"Yunnan and Guizhou are a barbaric land, where Han and barbarians are mixed. Why don't you go to Guangdong, Guangxi, or Fujian? If Li Xiao really comes, going overseas to Nanyang is also a way out." The staff was quite puzzled about Ma Shiying going to Yunnan and Guizhou.

.

"What do you know? When you go to Guangdong, Guangxi and Fujian, that is Zheng Zhilong's territory. His influence there is greater than that of the imperial court. This Zheng Zhilong wore the same pants as Li Xiao a few years ago. His son Zheng Sen,

He is still a student of Li Xiao. If we go to Guangdong, Guangxi and Fujian, aren't we looking for death?

We are still going to sea! You don’t know that Li Xiao’s five-masted ship is not even a match for the Dutch and Portuguese. If we go to the sea, we will end up feeding the fish, and we are going to Nanyang? I am afraid that we will be killed by Li Xiao’s brother Li Xiu at sea.

He was captured and sent to the capital to be beheaded by Li Xiao.
Chapter completed!