Tang Dynasty Mingyue Song Dynasty Pass

Chapter 926 The Fall of the Song Dynasty
On the seventh day, the defenses of Bianjing City finally crumbled.

The Wu army, like an iron torrent, tore through the Song army's defensive line. Where bricks and stones crumbled, thick smoke and dust rose into the air. With this breach, the Wu army, like a flood bursting its banks, rushed in through the gap, accompanied by flashing swords and roars.

"kill--!"

The sounds of clashing armor, the thud of boots, and the roar of cannons merged into a deafening wave that instantly drowned out the evening bells in the city.

The vanguard battalion's long-handled swordsmen were the first to charge in, their blades flashing and blood flying everywhere; followed by the spearmen, shield bearers, and others who then followed suit.

The Song soldiers who had no time to form ranks at the alley entrance were scattered and broken, with severed limbs rolling more than ten steps on the bluestone road.

"Kill!" The city instantly transformed into a battlefield of carnage.

On the Imperial Street, Wu and Song troops clashed in close combat, swords and shields clashing, sparks flying everywhere; along the Bian River, the smoke of gunpowder mingled with the river fog, lead bullets darted through the mist, and corpses floated on the water.

The common people kept their doors and windows tightly shut, and the suppressed sobs of children could be heard from behind the window frames; the vermilion gates of the grand mansions were smashed to pieces with hammers, and no one dared to go out.

Han Chongyun led his remaining troops to retreat to Zhouqiao, intending to hold the bridge to the death. However, he was met with a volley of crossbow fire from the Wu army. The bridge railings were blown apart and splinters of wood flew everywhere. The old general was hit by three arrows in the chest, but he still leaned on his sword and did not fall until he was overwhelmed by the tide of Wu soldiers.

“Bianjing…is finished…” A Song soldier murmured as he looked at the two characters “Great Song” on the Zhuque Gate, which were blackened by gunpowder smoke, before being pierced through the throat by a spear.

Deep in the streets and alleys, the war drums have not yet ceased, and flames have already risen.

Some of the once bustling restaurants and markets have been reduced to ashes due to the destruction caused by the battle between the two sides and the accidental spread of fire.

Wu Jun's black flags fluttered in the morning breeze. All four city gates were occupied by Wu Jun, and some main streets and important areas were under their control. Many prisoners were escorted out.

Only the imperial city remains unconquered, and it stands ready under the protection of 30,000 imperial guards.

However, despair and worry were evident on the faces of every Imperial Guard, for even if they fought valiantly to resist Wu's army, they would still be doomed to die.

They knew perfectly well that the Song Dynasty was doomed, but they could not retreat because of their duty. They were holding on with their last bit of military spirit and loyalty to the emperor.

Inside the palace walls, cries rose and fell. Palace maids huddled together, while eunuchs huddled behind the pillars like fallen leaves in the autumn wind.

In the Imperial Garden, the white cranes that usually loved to sing were now silent as cicadas in winter, and the pond was filled with broken tiles and withered flowers that had been knocked down by the artillery fire.

Inside the Phoenix Palace, Empress Li clutched a handkerchief, her knuckles white. The prince stood beneath the steps, still in his armor, his brow furrowed with the heavy sorrow of a nation on the verge of collapse. The princess gripped the corner of her brother's cloak tightly, her fingertips trembling slightly, yet she stubbornly refused to utter a sound of tears.

"Your Majesty... Wu's army has reached the Vermilion Bird Gate!" The eunuch stumbled in, his voice shrill and distorted.

On the throne, Zhao Jiong's face was ashen. He looked up at the ceiling of the palace, as if he wanted to take one last look at the blue sky of Bianjing through the flying eaves and brackets.

"My lords...follow me to the city tower."

His voice was hoarse, yet it carried the last vestiges of imperial dignity: "Even in my final days, I will let the world see that the emperor of the Great Song Dynasty did not die on his knees."

Zhao Jiong, accompanied by his newly enthroned ministers such as Lu Duoxun, Zhao Pu, and Wang Ji'en, arrived at the imperial city gate. A moment later, they saw Wu army banners fluttering in the distance, cavalry appearing followed by numerous infantrymen, finally reaching the palace gates. Lin Renzhao, accompanied by two young generals, Bian Zhanyu and Li Saidong, arrived. Looking at the Song imperial palace, they sneered, "Back then, the Song army stormed into Jinling and destroyed the Southern Tang. Today, we have avenged the Southern Tang. The destruction of Song is imminent!"

"You old emperor of the Great Song Dynasty, quickly leave the city and surrender, or we will spare your lives!"

"Don't even think about it!" Zhao Jiong sneered and ordered a resistance.

Lin Renzhao, standing outside the palace, had a cold look in his eyes and immediately ordered a fierce attack. Instantly, the Wu army launched a fierce assault.

Zhao Jiong was forced to leave the palace wall, but instead of returning to the main hall, he went to the side hall where his elder brother Zhao Kuangyin's memorial tablet was enshrined.

Zhao Jiong had been obsessed with the throne for many years, and now, after sitting on it for less than a month, he was about to lose his empire and the throne. He was extremely unwilling to accept this.

He approached one of Zhao Guangyi's memorial tablets, his voice hoarse: "Brother, did I do something wrong? If it were you, could you have protected this Song Dynasty?"

At this moment, the fighting outside intensified. The Wu army had launched a full-scale attack on the palace and even used explosives to blow open the city gates. Soon, the Wu and Song armies were locked in fierce combat inside the palace, turning it into complete chaos.

Hearing the sounds of battle entering the palace, Zhao Jiong knew the palace was unlikely to hold out. Despair filled him, and he looked again at his elder brother's memorial tablet, forcing a bitter smile: "Brother, listen, the sounds of battle outside have already broken in. The Song Dynasty is finished. Although it fell at my hands, it was repeatedly defeated by the Wu army when it was under your command. It wasn't that we weren't capable enough, but that Su Chen was too strong. He's not human; we couldn't contend with him!"

At this moment, Zhao Jiong no longer cared about his empress, princes, and princesses, because it was pointless. If the Wu army hadn't indiscriminately killed innocent people, they might still have a chance to survive. But Zhao Jiong didn't want to be captured, because he couldn't bear the shame.

He seized power by murdering his elder brother and manipulating the palace eunuchs and imperial guards. His success was already dishonorable. If he were captured again and became the ruler of a fallen kingdom, and the truth of his past was exposed, how would he face his former officials of the Song Dynasty, Zhao Dezhao, Princess Yanqing, and others?
Zhao Jiong didn't want to be so humiliated anymore. Anyway, he had been an emperor and had his fill of being one, which was worth it. History would record his story in the future, but it would probably be more of a denigration than a praise, since he hadn't ascended the throne properly and had become the last emperor of a fallen kingdom.

At this moment, Zhao Jiong thought of the days when he followed Zhao Kuangyin in his campaigns in the south and north, and couldn't help but burst into tears.

"Your Majesty, Wu's army has stormed into the inner palace! We must escape through the back garden!" Wang Ji'en came over and stood outside the door, advising him.

Zhao Jiong shook his head: "You can all run away. I'm not going anywhere. I'll stay right here."

Upon hearing this, Wang Ji'en, who was outside the door, hesitated for a moment, but did not try to persuade him further. He turned around and left with several guards from the Martial Virtue Division. After all, his relationship and feelings with Zhao Guangyi were not that deep. When disaster struck, they all fled for their lives.

Zhao Jiong took a deep breath. He already knew that Wu soldiers had also stormed the palace's inner palace and that he would be captured alive soon. Without further delay, he picked up a tinderbox from the table next to him, lit it, and set the side hall on fire.

Amidst the raging fire, Zhao Jiong stood alone in a side hall, his gaze fixed on Zhao Kuangyin's memorial tablet, tears streaming down his face. He cried out, "Brother, I'm sorry, I've come to the Yellow Springs to join you."

At this moment, Zhao Jiong did not call him "Imperial Brother," but simply called him "Brother," as if his memory had returned to the past, when he was still a child and called Zhao Kuangyin "Big Brother." At that time, their relationship was close and there was no barrier between them.

Soon, the fire spread to the side hall, the roof beams began to collapse, and Zhao Jiong himself became a man of fire. A broken piece of the roof beam fell down and knocked him to the ground, quickly engulfing him in the sea of ​​fire.

The palace caught fire, the two armies clashed, and chaos reigned. The battle raged all night, and finally, at dawn, the Song Dynasty palace was brought to peace.

Many palaces and buildings were burned to ruins, emitting wisps of smoke and appearing somewhat chaotic.

Wu Jun began to inventory the battlefield, remove the corpses, and then count the prisoners and palace maids. He sealed up the supplies in the palace. Empress Li, along with several princes, princesses, and ministers, were held in custody by Wu Jun in the Wende Hall, awaiting Marshal Su's judgment. With this, the Zhao Song dynasty was considered to have perished.