The Red Mansion Big Liar.

Chapter 769 Sneaking into the City at Night

child time.

It was the end of the month, the moon in the sky was only a crescent moon, and darkness enveloped the earth.

On the official road in front of Dongzhimen.

A team of about a hundred people was slowly marching towards the city gate.

In the only carriage in the team, Zhou Xianzu poked his head out and looked at Zhang Yunyi who was riding a horse in front of him, wondering, "My Lord, I came out from Xizhimen this afternoon. Why didn't you go through Xizhimen?"

The hot spring villa is just on the west side of the capital. He really couldn't understand why Zhang Yunyi chose to go so far away instead of near by.

Zhang Yunyi explained patiently, "Since you are going to take over the defense of the capital and the Imperial Guard, you can't just talk about it, right? I only have the Railway Guard Team at my disposal. It's easier for us to run a few more steps with a hundred or so people than to mobilize two or three thousand people. It's naturally more convenient to enter the city from Dongzhimen."

As if to confirm what Zhang Yun逸 said, the side of the official road was vaguely filled with a dark mass of people standing there, but in silence, like ferocious beasts choosing their prey in the dark night.

"Sir!" A voice sounded in the darkness.

Zhang Yunyi seemed to know what he was going to ask, and waved his hand, saying, "Wait here for a while, we'll go and open the city gate first."

Leading a team of about a hundred people, they marched to the city gate in a swagger, and Zhang Yunyi knocked on the carriage.

"I'll trouble you, Brother Zhou!" Zhang Yunyi said meaningfully, "I hope you won't let me down!"

"Yes Yes Yes!"

Zhou Xianzu quickly bent down and got off the carriage, and shouted at the city gate: "I am the Minister of Personnel Zhou Xianzu, and I have been ordered to take Duke Wei into the city to pay tribute to His Majesty. Why don't you open the city gate quickly!"

"It's too dark to see clearly. Do you have any proof, sir?"

A bamboo basket was placed on the city gate.

Zhou Xianzu looked at Zhang Yunyi hesitantly. Seeing that he did not make a decision, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and shout at the city gate again: "If you can't see clearly, light up the torch. If you delay important matters, watch out for your heads!"

It seemed that this threat had worked. This time, the gatekeeper did not hesitate and agreed, "Please wait a moment, sir!"

After a while, with a creaky sound, the city gate opened.

"Brother Zhou really didn't let me down!"

Zhang Yunyi nodded with great satisfaction and made a gesture of invitation: "Brother Zhou, please go first!"

Zhou Xianzu hesitated for a moment before stepping into the city gate.

"Wu Sicheng, the guard of Dongzhimen, greets Lord Zhou, the Duke of Wei!"

Zhou Xianzu said arrogantly: "Open the door wider. If it is opened so small, how can my carriage enter the city?"

After saying that, he looked at Zhang Yunyi in a flattering manner.

However, he just put on a flattering face and got no response, so he glared at Wu Sicheng with dissatisfaction.

But he was seen bending down and bowing towards Zhang Yun逸, as if waiting for Zhang Yun逸 to give orders.

Zhou Xianzu's heart couldn't help but skip a beat.

Sure enough, Zhang Yunyi waved his hand and said, "Okay, you can open the door now."

Zhang Yun逸 really needed to use Zhou Xianzu's identity to trick the city gate open.

However, it was not the city gate of the capital, but the palace gate of the imperial palace.

In the army of the Great Xia Dynasty, a full guard consisted of 5,000 people.

The main camps of the eight guards of the Beijing Camp were all outside the city. Apart from the guards at the city gates, the main force inside the city was the imperial guards.

Taking into account that the daily work of the Imperial Guards is to guard the Imperial City, and that many of them are only in name only and have honorary titles, with more generals than soldiers, the number of guards in the Imperial Palace is only about two to three thousand.

Although firearms have the advantage, it is not impossible to attack by force.

But on the one hand, time was tight and there was no time to perfect the siege equipment. On the other hand, the casualties were too great to help him clean up the mess.

Therefore, as long as he could trick the palace gate open, his chances of success would undoubtedly increase.

During the time he was away from the Hot Spring Villa, Zhang Yun逸 not only took the secret decree, but also, in the name of clearing the court, encouraged the soldiers of the reward camp and the railway guard team to work together, and carefully completed all the arrangements for entering the city and the palace, and also took over the guard of Dongzhimen.

Just now, it was just a play in front of Zhou Xianzu to test him. Wu Sicheng was originally a chess piece of his. Although his loyalty was still questionable, the secret decree cleared his worries.

Not only did he successfully take over the guard of Dongzhimen, but he also took advantage of the night to dispatch the rewarded soldiers in the camp into the city in batches in advance. They were deployed on the edge of the city wall of Dongzhimen, waiting for orders. This was the reason why he had been delayed until now.

As for the railway guard team seen outside the city gate just now, they are mainly responsible for taking over the city gates and some peripheral work.

Seeing that the railway guards outside the city also began to take action, Zhang Yun逸 took his personal guards and Zhou Xianzu out of the city gate and came to the streets inside Dongzhimen.

With a wave of his hand, the soldiers on both sides of the city walls, who had been ready for battle, marched out slowly and orderly, in neat rows, like two giant dragons in the dark.

Only then did Zhou Xianzu realize that both sides of the Dongzhimen Gate were filled with soldiers armed with live ammunition. He felt a chill down his spine and a wave of fear.

Yunshan came up with a package in his hand and said, "Sir! Minister Jia's official seal has been brought in, and he has been taken to the gate guard room and settled!"

When Zhang Yun逸 was asking the ministers to go to the palace to pay tribute, he learned from Zhou Xianzu that Jia Yucun had broken his leg and was at home on sick leave. Naturally, he would not mind adding another insurance policy.

Taking the package, Zhang Yunyi extended his hand to the startled Zhou Xianzu and said, "Official certificate!"

Zhou Xianzu did not dare to hesitate for a moment. He quickly took out his official certificate and handed it to Zhang Yun逸 carefully.

When the team of several thousand people lined up neatly on the street, the railway guards in the rear also slowly entered the city.

Zhang Yunyi then threw Zhou Xianzu's official credentials and Jia Yucun's official seals to Zhang Songyuan who had just entered the city, and said, "Take Yijun and Sicheng with you, take the seals of the two ministers, and take charge of the city gates. If there are enough people, send them to wait outside Chengtian Gate."

He also gave careful consideration to the person who would take over the defense of the city gates.

With the secret decree, Zhang Songyuan, who was already tied on a boat, could rest assured.

However, the secret decree would still be useful to him, so it was impossible for Zhang Songyuan to take over the guarding of the city gate.

Even with the official credentials of the two ministers of the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of War, it was still not safe.

Qiu Yijun, as the son of Qiu Duo, the commander of the imperial guards, is another powerful figure, and he is also supported by Wu Sicheng, who is also a guard at the city gate.

As long as there is no problem with your brain, there is a high probability that nothing unexpected will happen.

Of course, even if there are some minor disturbances, it is nothing to worry about.

After all, defending a city means guarding against those outside the city. For the railway guards who suddenly rushed out from the city, the city walls, which they rely on the most, were useless.

In addition, as long as Qiu Yijun participated in taking over the city gate, he would undoubtedly tie Qiu Duo to his boat.

He was undoubtedly more confident in controlling the guards in the palace.

When Wu Sicheng heard Zhang Yunyi call his name, he immediately looked excited.

Earlier, Zhang Yun逸 ordered the city gates to be opened and read the secret decree.

Even though he swore solemnly that Zhou Xianzu had received the imperial edict and needed to take over the guard of the city gates to prevent rebellion, Wu Sicheng could not help feeling uneasy.

But just now, seeing Zhou Xianzu obeying Zhang Yunyi's orders and following his lead, he felt relieved, but at the same time, he was worried and felt that Zhang Yunyi did not let him continue to guard the city gate because he was not confident enough.

At this moment, hearing that there was another important task, my heart was filled with excitement.

He quickly imitated the posture of standing at attention and saluting, and said, "Yes! I will obey your command!"

Zhang Yunyi nodded approvingly at him, then turned to look at Qiu Yijun who was distracted, and said loudly: "Don't worry, do what you should do. Even if Mr. Qiu doesn't come to his senses for the time being, I can guarantee his life with your merits to atone for his crime!"

After Zhang Yun逸 finished speaking, he added silently in his heart, I only promised you that your merits would atone for your sins, but I did not guarantee that he would be able to keep his life. If Qiu Duo is really stubborn and unyielding, then you can only blame the sword and gun for being merciless.

In fact, the tasks of the Railway Guard Team had already been assigned, and only Wu Sicheng's task was just assigned by Zhang Yun逸.

Being in the Wei camp and having received the secret decree, Qiu Yijun naturally did not dare to object.

However, thinking that Zhang Yun逸 was going to lead his troops into the palace, he couldn't help but worry about revenge.

Although Zhang Yun逸 had hinted at it before, it was not as convincing as saying it in front of a group of soldiers.

Hearing Zhang Yunyi's public assurance, Qiu Yijun could not help but feel relieved and quickly accepted the order, saying, "Yes! I will definitely live up to your high expectations!"

……

(End of this chapter)