Tang Dynasty Mingyue Song Dynasty Pass

Chapter 927 The King’s Flag changes at the top of the city

On the city tower of Bianjing, the once fluttering "Song" banner has been uprooted and replaced by a black "Wu" banner with red patterns, which flutters in the morning breeze like a newly sharpened knife, coldly pressed against the throat of the old dynasty.

The capital of the Great Song Dynasty was captured. The deposed emperor had already committed suicide by self-immolation. Empress Li, the princes and princesses were all captured alive, and many nobles and officials of the Great Song Dynasty in the city also became prisoners.

It can be said that with the fall of Bianjing, the Song Dynasty was wiped out in one fell swoop. They did not escape in time to move the capital to Luoyang or Chang'an. If they had held on and failed, this would have been their fate.

The battle in Bianjing ended, and after dawn, tens of thousands of elite Wu troops continued to enter the city, patrolling the streets to protect the people and nobles from harassment, and also to supervise whether the soldiers would act recklessly, plunder treasures, or commit rape against women; such acts were strictly prohibited in the Wu army's military discipline.

Su Chen received news of the fall of Bianjing that very night. However, the battle was still ongoing, and it was not appropriate for him to personally lead troops into the fray. In the chaos, it was difficult to guard against hidden arrows. Su Chen was no longer the vanguard officer, but the commander-in-chief of the three armies. Therefore, it was crucial for him to stay in the rear.

As the morning sun rises and shines upon the earth, Bianjing, a city ravaged by war and filled with the smoke of battle, regains some of its vitality under the sunlight.

Su Chen, Meng Yutong, and Peng Jingjing rode their horses to the outside of the city, accompanied by Zhao Dezhao, Yongqing, and generals such as Pan Mei and Pan Renche.

"Issue the order—" Su Chen reined in his horse, his voice not loud, but enough to make the generals behind him stand at attention, "At 9:00 AM today, the elite troops of the three armies will enter the city. Do not disturb the people. With Bianjing fallen, the Song Dynasty will cease to exist."

After the fall of the Song Dynasty, Su Chen will need to enter Bianjing (Kaifeng) to appease the officials, nobles, and common people in the city. His ability lies in how to ensure a smooth transition and gain the support and recognition of the people of the Song Dynasty in advance.

"Marshal Su has entered the city!"

Many soldiers along the way shouted loudly and lined up to welcome them, an unprecedented scale.

At present, the Wu army in Bianjing City has reached 150,000, and another 150,000 are stationed outside the city, giving them complete control of the situation.

Su Chen led his team into the city. Looking at the bloodstains, corpses, and dilapidated streets, he felt some sympathy and regret, but more joy than anything else. He had finally succeeded.

Having traversed nine years, at the age of twenty-seven (by Chinese reckoning), he accomplished the feat of destroying the Song Dynasty.

When he first transmigrated to the Southern Tang Dynasty, he was the son of a disgraced official, living in poverty and barely surviving. Now, however, he has reached the pinnacle of this era.

Prince and general, would you rather have a kind?
Su Chen rode his horse slowly forward, looking at the messy streets while his heart remained unsettled. Next, he would complete the power transition, merge the North and South, and become the true emperor of Wu!

This was a promise he made to Yang Ling'er before he left. After all, Yang Ling'er was a woman and could not truly be the emperor. At present, she was only known as the King of Wu and had not yet been crowned emperor.

When news of the fall of the Song Dynasty reached Hangzhou in Jiangnan, it was believed that Yang Ling'er would soon lead the ministers of the Wu Kingdom to Bianjing to meet and discuss the matter of abdication and becoming emperor.

"The Great Song Dynasty lasted for thirteen years, but it still perished." Zhao Dezhao felt a pang of pain in his heart when he saw this scene. This was the country his father had built, and it was gone in just thirteen years, even shorter than the Northern Zhou Dynasty.

Princess Yongqing was also in a very bad mood, and secretly wiped away a few tears. But after all, she was just an unmarried princess who had always lived in the palace, like a canary in a cage, and could not solve or change anything.

If she wanted to continue to protect her brothers and clan, she had to rely on Su Chen. Only in this way could the Zhao clan avoid declining and disappearing into oblivion.

Su Chen led his generals to the palace, first going to the Golden Throne Hall. Seeing the gleaming golden dragon throne, Su Chen didn't actually sit on it. After all, he wasn't yet the king and couldn't overstep his bounds; otherwise, he would be criticized. "The Golden Throne Hall is temporarily closed. No one is allowed to enter until the Prince of Wu arrives," Su Chen instructed.

"Yes, sir!" The commander in charge of guarding the area bowed and accepted the order.

Su Chen nodded, then led his men directly to the Wende Hall, where Empress Li, princes, princesses, and some ministers were temporarily placed under house arrest.

"Marshal Su has arrived!"

This loud shout made the civil officials and members of the royal family in the hall tremble all over, because the person who would decide their life and death had finally appeared.

Their current state of imprisonment is all because of Su Chen, the Jiangzuo Su Lang, whose wisdom and strategy are unparalleled. Now, they are about to truly meet.

During these years in the Song Dynasty, they were no strangers to the name "Jiangzuo Su Lang". His complete collection of poems, martial arts novels, and legendary experience of leading troops into battle, from the son of an ordinary criminal in Runzhou, to the rising star of the Southern Tang, later faked his death to escape, led the remnants of Yang Wu to invade the interior, swallowed up Qian Yue, annexed Tang territory, destroyed Southern Han, unified the south, and then defeated hundreds of thousands of Song troops, marching to Bianjing City, like a god of war.

Such a person, skilled in both literature and martial arts, is no less than historical figures like Liu Xiu and Li Shimin, and is destined to be extraordinary.

"Which one is Empress Li?"

Su Chen asked Empress Li first, since in terms of status, after Zhao Guangyi's death, the Empress was the most honored person here. Su Chen's respect for her was the only way to win everyone's heartfelt respect.

Empress Li was twenty-three or twenty-four years old, three years younger than Su Chen. She stood up, trying to remain calm. She wore a gold hairpin and a magnificent palace dress, but her face was pale and tear-streaked. She seemed to know the fate of her husband, Zhao Guangyi, and was filled with grief.

Empress Li was the daughter of Li Chuyun, a founding hero of the Song Dynasty. She was Zhao Guangyi's third wife; his first two wives had died before his ascension to the throne, so Zhao Guangyi remarried as his third principal wife. Li Chuyun had held various positions in the Northern Song Dynasty, including Right Guard General, Imperial Guard General, Commissioner of the Northern Court of Xuanhui, Commissioner of the Southern Court of Xuanhui, and Deputy Privy Councilor. He had a certain background and influence in the Imperial Guard, which was something Zhao Guangyi valued, hence his choice of Li Chuyun's daughter as his wife.

"That is me," Empress Li replied humbly, no longer daring to refer to herself as "this palace."

Su Chen glanced at them briefly, showing no disrespect or mockery, and said calmly, "War between two countries is about vying for the destiny of unifying the world, not about hatred. I have no ill will towards the Song Dynasty court and the two emperors. On the contrary, I admire Emperor Taizu and am gratified by the simplicity and honesty of the Song people. Although Wu has annexed Song, Wu will treat all Song officials and people as its own. Empress Li, the princes, and princesses will not only not become prisoners, but will also be treated well by Wu. The ministers here, if they are willing to continue to serve the Wu court in the future, will continue to maintain their official positions and salaries, and will still be given important positions."

After these words were spoken, the hearts of Empress Li, the princes, the princesses, and the ministers in the hall were greatly relieved. Although they had previously thought that Su Chen would not kill innocent people indiscriminately, they were truly at ease after receiving such assurances in person.

"Thank you, Marshal Su." Empress Li had no choice but to express her gratitude, even though her husband had just died because of Su Chen's attack. For the sake of the royal family, her clan, and the lives of her ministers, she still thanked him.

"Ministers, please return to your residences to rest. You may continue to attend court tomorrow to discuss matters and maintain the operation of the court. At most half a month later, the King of Wu will personally come to Bianjing and hold court to promulgate new policies."

After Su Chen finished speaking, he ordered the guards to escort the ministers out of the palace and back to their residences. Prime Ministers and officials from the Six Ministries, such as Lu Duoxun and Zhao Pu, stared at Su Chen several times, trying to figure out what kind of person this Jiangzuo Su Lang was from the first glance.

They would likely be serving this new ruler in the future, so they planned to get to know him by observing his appearance, eyes, and temperament, so that they could communicate and cooperate later.

However, Su Chen remained calm and composed, showing no arrogance or haughtiness typical of young people. His maturity and composure made these veteran officials feel that the younger generation was indeed formidable and worthy of being called Su Lang of Jiangzuo.

As for Empress Li and the princes and princesses, they were first sent back to the palace to rest, and were allowed to pack their clothes and belongings. They would also be moving out of the palace the next day to live in their residences outside the palace.