On the occasion of rebirth Zhou Sui

Chapter 530
Tianshui City has been besieged by Tuyuhun for more than a month, and Tuyuhun Khan Murong Fuyun has been unable to attack for a long time, and he has consumed a lot of energy. He can't hold back his face, and he has completely defeated Tianshui City.

Murong Fuyun's persistence also made Qiu He, the prefect of Tianshui County, very distressed.

Qiu He, originally surnamed Qiu Dun, was born in Luoyang, Henan.

His father, Qiu Shou, was a Sinicized Xianbei aristocrat who escaped from Gao Huan's control and came to Kansai with Emperor Xiaowu Yuanxiu of the Northern Wei Dynasty.

Qiu He was a chivalrous man of righteousness, skilled in bow and horse. He was an official in the Northern Zhou Dynasty at the beginning of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, and served as the third division of Kaifu Yitong.

After Yang Jian established the Sui Dynasty, Qiu He moved to Youwuwei General, named Pingcheng County Duke, and served in other places. He successively governed Zizhou, Liangzhou, and Puzhou. His lenient administration won the hearts of the local people.

However, during the administration of Puzhou, Yang Liang's rebellion coincided, and the soldiers from Hedong mixed into the city in women's clothing, attacked and occupied Puban, and Qiu He abandoned the city and fled.

Back in Daxing, he was dismissed by Yang Guang, until he reported on his friend Gong Zhou of Wuling County for criticizing the government for many years, and then he was reappointed by Yang Guang. Now he is transferred to the prefect of Tianshui.

At first, Qiu He wanted to run away, since the Western Sui Dynasty couldn't go back, there was a precedent of losing Puzhou, now if he loses Tianshui again, with Yang Guang's heart, he will definitely not bypass him.

The world is so big, Qiu He also wanted to go to the Eastern Sui Dynasty to see it again, besides, his elder Shi Gao Shilian had an old relationship with Cui Che, so it happened that he could pass him and worship under Cui Che's sect.

But Gao Shilian tried hard to persuade Qiu He to defend the city. He believed that Yang Guang would not let Qiu He go if he abandoned the city and fled, but Cui Che also couldn't tolerate Qiu He if he threw the people of Tianshui to the Tuyuhun people to kill them.

At that time, the world will be so big that there will be nowhere to live, and even more so, they will bear a bad name and be cursed for all generations.

This made Qiu He firm in his determination to defend the city.

Fortunately, after such a long siege of Tuyuhun, the soldiers were exhausted and the siege became more and more perfunctory, which greatly relieved the pressure on Qiu He's defenders.

But the food and grass in the city are about to run out, and it is difficult to maintain. Now the soldiers guarding the city can only eat rice porridge for two meals a day.

Women and children in the city hang their lives on porridge, and they can't stand up when chopsticks are inserted.

At noon, Tuyuhun repelled another mild attack. The disheveled Qiu and Gao Shilian said to Gao Shilian, who was also hungry:

"Shilian, to this day, there is no food and grass in the city. King Yan is fighting Xu Guogong (Yu Wenshu) and Qi Guogong (Gao Jiong) in Guanzhong. I am afraid that there will be no reinforcements.

"I have waited until now, and I am worthy of the court and the people of Tianshui. I should think about myself."

Gao Shilian was silent for a long time, then he asked:

"What does Duke Qiu intend to do?"

Qiu He confided his plan in full:

"Tonight you and I took advantage of the darkness to break out. If we can escape the pursuit of the Tuyuhun people by chance and save our lives, whether we go to King Yan or go to the south of the Yangtze River, we can make a decision."

Gao Shilian didn't think about it for too long, he directly rejected Qiu He's suggestion:

"Gao still has his old mother in the hall, and he can't bear to abandon her. Duke Qiu can leave on his own tonight. Gao will guard the city for Duke Qiu."

Qiu He looked at Gao Shilian's determined face, and sighed:

"Forget it, I'll leave tonight, when Shilian changes his mind, just come to me."

As he said that, he wanted to find a place to rest. The Tuyuhun people had just been repulsed by a wave of attacks, and they will not launch the next wave of attacks for the time being.

"Mr. Qiu, stay here!"

Gao Shilian behind him suddenly called out to Qiu He.

Qiu He thought Gao Shilian had changed his mind:
"Shilian is willing to go with me!"

Gao Shilian shook his head and said:

"If Qiu Gong votes under King Yan, please tell my sister that I am incompetent and unable to protect my mother."

Qiu He sighed and said:

"You have tried your best, how can she have the heart to blame you."

Gao Shilian was once invited by Cui Che to serve in his shogunate, and then he was sent to other places to serve as county magistrate.

But Gao Shilian knew that Cui Che was ambitious, and he was afraid of being hurt by him in the future. He also thought that he was from the Northern Qi clan, which was simply adding to the crime.

Sure enough, after Yang Jian's death, Cui Che no longer concealed his ambitions, and joined forces with Yang Liang to join forces. Gao Shilian also escaped disaster by returning to seclusion early under the protection of his sister-in-law, eldest son-in-law Sun Sheng.

However, after Changsun Sheng was defeated in Suizhou, his sister, nephew, and niece were all captured by Cui Che. Gao Shilian had the foresight to think that Cui Che would not let his sister go. His long history to seek asylum.

Gao Shilian was filial by nature, so he naturally brought his elderly mother to Longyou.

He understood the situation clearly, once Cui Che seized Guanzhong, Longyou would easily fall down, and they would also be spared from military disasters.

Unexpectedly, before Cui Che came, the Tuyuhun man rushed over first.

Now the Tuyuhun people have retreated to live and cook, but there is a shortage of food in the city, and there are only two meals a day, so there is no such thing as lunch.

But Gao Shilian returned to his house with half a bowl of thick porridge that had already cooled down.

He only drank half a bowl in the morning, and left half a bowl specially for his mother, so he was very hungry.

"Ah-Jian is back."

When Gao's mother saw Gao Shilian, she said happily.

Gao Shilian's real name is Gao Jian, his courtesy name is Shilian, and he is known in the world by his calligraphy.

Every time her son goes out to defend the city, Gao's mother is always worried, lest her son will not come back after leaving.

Now seeing his son returning safely again, how can the old man be unhappy.

Gao Shilian had already adjusted his expression before entering the house, he never brought his tiredness home in front of his family.

"Mother, my son is back. Those Tuyuhun people are attacking the city more perfunctorily today. I'm afraid they don't want to fight anymore."

As he said, he handed the porridge bowl to his mother.

Gao's mother didn't refuse. She knew her son was a filial person, so she took a sip and then stopped moving. She was going to feed her grandson after her son left.

Gao Shilian talked with Gao's mother for a while, and then left with his wife Xianyu who had been serving her mother-in-law in the room.

The husband and wife returned to the wing room, Gao Shilian did not hide anything from Mrs. Xianyu, and urged:

"Qiu Gong will break through tonight and invite me to go with him, but I am determined to die to defend the city.

"When the city breaks down in the future, if Madam has a chance of survival, please endure the humiliation and take care of my mother for me, so that she won't hear the news of my death and lie that I have escaped in the chaos."

When Xianyu heard this, tears streamed down her face, she said:

"The concubine is not even afraid of death, so what humiliation can't be endured.

"It's just that Xing Xing is still young, so he shouldn't die like this. Can my husband ask Duke Tuoqiu to take Xing Xing out of the city and send him to my sister-in-law.

"Sister-in-law is favored by King Yan, so she will definitely protect my nephew."

Gao Shilian shook his head and sighed:

"It's a narrow escape to risk your life to break through, so how can you let the performance drag down Duke Qiu.

"Everyone has his own destiny, if he fulfills his destiny, there is no one to blame."

(End of this chapter)