In reality, they were clearly making a fuss over nothing! What did Su Huai know about guarding the city? The group of brothers he relied on didn't understand either.
He retreated in a sorry state and ended up defending Hangzhou City. In a fit of anger, he forcefully took over the city. The original Prefect of Hangzhou, Prefect Fu, was no longer in charge. His abilities were limited to begin with, so even if he interfered, it might not have made much difference.
Someone gave Su Huai a dubious idea. There was a lack of money for the war, so why not charge entry fees for the city? Commoners would pay two copper coins each, while the wealthy, adorned in satin, would pay one tael of silver each. Hangzhou City was large, with many people coming and going daily. Imagine how much money could be collected.
