At this time, the night was vast and the clouds and stars were everywhere.

Under the vast sky, Wang Zhenjun's camp in the distance was particularly eye-catching.

The camp of 30,000 people was continuous for several miles, with bonfires everywhere. It looked red at night.

Du Gongzhen stood at the top of the city, looking at the city, and fell into deep thought for a moment.

Du Ran, beside him, opened his mouth and wanted to say something, but in the end the courage gradually faded because the other party had a strong prestige. He just stood aside and did not dare to speak.

Du Ran was respectful and afraid of this uncle. Even though he had some ambitions, he would never dare to do anything as long as his uncle was still alive for one day.

Following his uncle's gaze, Du Ran fell on the camp that had been continuous for several miles. Under the starlight, these camp tent bonfires were connected into a circle, rising and falling, as vast as the sea.

"High morale and strong strength!" Du Ran looked at the army under the city with some greed. If this army belonged to him, everything he wanted would be within his reach.

Unfortunately, such an army belongs to Wang Hongyi, a young man of his age, who has taken away the glory of all his peers.

At this time, Du Gongzhen, who was silent, came to her senses.

"Ran'er, how many soldiers are there in Hongze City?" Du Gongzhen asked in a hoarse voice.

The sound was very low, and no third person except Du Ran beside him heard it.

Du Ran's heart moved and looked up. He saw a dark flame suddenly burning in his uncle's eyes, but he could only answer unwillingly: "Uncle, there are more than 3,000 people in the city."

"Three thousand... Alas!" These numbers made Du Gongzhen's eyes extinguish in a blink of an eye. When he closed his eyes, he sighed in his heart that his huge foundation had been destroyed in this battle.

"...How is the morale now? How many people can fight?" Du Gongzhen continued to ask.

"Uncle, the soldiers in the city, may be able to recover morale and combat power for a few days." Du Ran thought for a while and said, "As for the people who can fight now, I'm afraid that even three hundred people can't get together."

When Du Gongzhen heard this, his eyes dimmed, and he sighed, as if he had used all his strength, and said dejectedly: "The law of war is inconsistent, the way of war is inconsistent, alas, three parts are in human affairs, and seven parts are in destiny."

As he said that, Du Gongzhen was actually crying sadly, but at this time the sky was dark and he was looking into the distance again, and he didn't say anything for a long time.

Even if Du Gong is really a general, wouldn't he know that after the Chengdu army's siege, there were heavy casualties. If reinforcements had never come, perhaps these soldiers could still burst out with some residual fighting spirit while fighting the enemy's desperate battle.

But now, with reinforcements coming, defeating Wei Cundong in one fell swoop, the soldiers below were already relieved and relaxed, and it would be difficult to fight again.

Du Gongzhen looked at the continuous camp below. If he had a thousand soldiers to fight, he would dare to fight and attack the camp at night, but now...

"Uncle, are you... determined to welcome Wang Zhenjun into the city?" In this case, Du Ran wanted to know what decision his uncle would make, which was related to his future survival or death and the fate of the Du clan, so Du Ran stuttered: "According to the prior agreement, after rescue..."

"Let me think about it again. If Wang Hongyi sends a special envoy into the city, you will say that I am sick and delayed for a while. Oh, let me think about it again..." With a sigh, Du Gongzhen turned around and went down the city tower. Du Ran followed.

On the passing city tower, the soldiers were injured with broken limbs and moaned quietly, constantly rushing into their ears and bloody noses, which did not make the former general frown at all.

"You can place these wounded people for good health. Don't give up if you can treat them." Before going downstairs, Du Gongzhen turned around and said to Du Ran who followed her to the stone steps of the city tower.

"Please rest assured, my nephew has called the Chinese medicine doctor in the city and asked them to get the stock of golden sore medicine to treat these soldiers." Du Ran could still guarantee this, so he replied.

Du Gongzhen nodded. She urgently needed to go back and take a break, while thinking about what decision should be made next.

The battlefield outside the city has been cleaned up. Next, Wang Hongyi will definitely be afraid of the dantian. What should I do now?

After getting off the city tower and getting into the carriage, he was swaying. Du Gongzhen fell asleep for a moment. When the carriage stopped suddenly, he woke up from his sleep.

"Have you been back?" Looking out from the car window, it was obvious that he had arrived at the Grand Marshal's Mansion. At this time, it was late at night, and even drums came faintly from the distance, increasing the tranquility around him.

The scene in front of him made him frown suddenly.

Five or six servants in the mansion were in a very embarrassing state. They were tied up by soldiers and dragged to the mansion. The housekeeper who was standing at the door was gloomy and ugly.

Du Gongzhen took a look, and without saying a word, she got off the carriage, stomped her feet in the corridor, walked into the hall, sat on a chair, and slowly drank a cup of tea before saying, "Let the butler come in."

"Yes!" A personal soldier followed him, and immediately went to convey the order after hearing the order.

"Master, you are back." A moment later, the butler came in, quickly changed into a smiley face, and came to salute.

"What's going on with them?" Du Gongzhen locked his eyes on the butler's face and asked in a deep voice: "Tell me, I've used the personal soldiers from the mansion. What's going on with these people? At this time, could it be... Is there a rebellion in my family?"

After Du Gongzhen's eyes swept away, the butler's back chilled and almost shivered: "Master, these servants are not rebellious, they are just... just..."

"Just what?" Du Gongzhen sat on the chair and asked coldly. No wonder Du Gongzhen thought of this. The situation was chaotic at this time and naturally had some suspicion.

"They are worried and want to escape in the chaos!" The housekeeper stood in front of Du Gongzhen with his head down and said carefully.

"Escape?" Du Gong is really a smart person. After a second thought, he understood the causes and consequences and couldn't help but sneer.

"Haha, what's not a rebellious behavior? The head of the family was in danger. Not only did the servants not want to live and die with the Du family, but they wanted to escape. They were really loyal servants. Why? The Chengdu army outside the city was defeated and the Wenyang army won but did not retreat. They were all servants who noticed that something was wrong? Hehe, such a keen person is really a talent, a talent!"

He sneered and said to himself, the butler standing opposite him lowered his head, not even dared to look at him.

"Master, how do these servants deal with it...whether, whether it is killed by the enemy..." Until Du Gongzhen was silent for a long time, the housekeeper asked carefully.

As the housekeeper of the Du family, he still has some understanding of this generation of Du family heads. He knew that Du Gong really seemed calm at this time, but in fact, he was on the verge of getting angry. If someone doesn't handle it well, he will probably implicate his own safety.

As if he couldn't see the person in front of him, Du Gongzhen turned around and waved his hand casually: "Tell it to you. There are rules in the mansion. As a steward, you naturally know how to handle it. You can go down and ask them to guard outside. If I don't call, I will not be allowed to enter."

"Yes!" The butler ignored the cold sweat on his head. After receiving the order, he carefully exited the study room and closed the door.

When he went out, the butler walked to the corridor and someone greeted him: "Sixth Master."

"Beat these servants to death!" the butler said with a gloomy face.

At this time, it was already midnight and there was only one candle in the room. Du Gongzhen was silent for a long time.

In the past, Du Gongzhen didn't even ask about the matter of these escaped slaves, so naturally there were people below to deal with it. But when he came back and encountered this, he felt a lot of sadness in his heart.

"Wang Hongyi, Wang Hongyi, I really didn't expect that I will be defeated in your hands in the end..."

After sitting at the table, the heat in my heart gradually faded away, and I felt fear in my heart. Now people's hearts are so fluctuating. If Wang Hongyi attacked the city, can the soldiers who have already lost their courage still resist?

Even if you resist, how many days can you last?

I am already old. If I continue to disobey at this time, what will happen to the Du family?

There were also his three sons. Thinking of this, the flames in his eyes completely extinguished and he sighed: "Come here!"

Outside the study, the personal soldiers and close servants were standing there all the time.

Seeing that the night was getting darker and deeper, someone thought to ask the housekeeper to persuade him to rest. At this moment, he suddenly heard the summons and the people below rushed in with the lights.

When Du Gongzhen saw someone coming in, she said calmly: "Go and summon Hong Li to see me immediately."

Hong Li is the messenger. As for how the butler handled the matter just now, Du Gongzhen had no intention of paying attention to it.

After hearing this, he immediately responded and went out. Although it was already late at night, Hong Li must have been asleep, but the coach asked someone to wake him up even after sleeping.

Sure enough, there was not much time when Hong Li came: "Master, are you calling me?"

Du Gongzhen said in a heavy tone: "Others go out, Hong Li, come here."

Hong Li hurriedly took a few more steps and approached Du Gongzhen. He heard Du Gongzhen say, "You have made contributions to this mission, but it's a pity that I can't give you anything."

Seeing Du Gongzhen's expression sincere, but with a heroic expression, Hong Li's heart trembled, tears burst out from her eyes, and said with a sob: "Master, you have promoted me. There is a clear message in ancient times. I am a minister, what reward do you want? This is my duty!"

"Oh! I'm in danger and seeing the loyal minister... I don't need to mention this matter anymore. I want to ask you, you are familiar with Wang Hongyi, what should I do this town this time?"

"Yes, the lord has the ambition to seize Shu land or even the world?"

"...I really haven't thought about the world yet. What do you want to say? You might as well say it directly."

"Yes, then I said bluntly that the lord's separatist ruler is naturally a foundation, but now it is difficult to be independent. Lord, think about it, since you do not want to seize the world, then for the sake of your descendants, just keep the wealth of the Du family, right?"

"Oh?" Du Gongzhen immediately understood the meaning. Hearing this, he couldn't help but sigh deeply.

"Yes, I'm thinking that there is always a lord in the world, and separatism is not common. Since the vassal states are not guaranteed now, then we will surrender to the wise lord, lord, Hongze Town is only one county, and those who follow Long Zao are more than one county officials?" Hong Li was about to continue speaking, but saw Du Gongzhen standing up, wave his hand, and stopped.

Du Gongzhen sighed: "Well said it, but Wang Hongyi is the wise master?"

"Even if it is not necessarily the world, it is Shu. Once Wei Cundong was defeated, he was old. When he went back, he was afraid that his death would not be far away. How would he fight against Wang Hongyi after he died? The lord surrendered. The three prefectures and 18 counties in Shu were always indispensable. The position of the lord, a county general or prefect is the position of the prefect."

Du Gongzhen was shocked when she heard this and felt that it made sense.

Hong Li said again: "As for the wise rulers of the world, I don't know, but there is no big trouble. To say something that hurts my heart, if there is a Lord of God in the future, Wang Hongyi will be the King of Shu in the future and cannot surrender, why should the lord worry about not being in office?"
Chapter completed!