The gods began by supporting Guo Jing to become emperor

Chapter 243: With the help of the scholars, Lu Guanying charged into the battle
The Song army was extremely nervous and rushed out to meet the enemy in a panic. Torches lit up the sky, and crossbows and bows and arrows were shot towards the city.

"boom!"

Explosions sounded one after another on the city walls. Burning materials containing flaming oil hit the city walls. Flames were everywhere. The air was filled with the pungent smell of oil and meat. The soldiers rolled on the ground, wailing, and their comrades beside them hurriedly covered the fire with sand to put out the fire.

Nanchang City is a newly built city. It was prepared for war from the very beginning. There is a barbican inside the city gate, which stores a large amount of supplies for defending the city and has various response measures.

A large area of ​​open space had already been cleared near the city wall to prevent the fire from spreading. The houses in the city were demolished to serve as supplies for defending the city. The Song Dynasty was very determined to defend the city.

After half an hour of bombardment by catapults, the city walls were covered with scorching marks. At this time, Zhou soldiers carried ladders and hung them on the city walls, climbing up.

The four city gates were attacked by the enemy at the same time. However, after just one round of probing, the enemy retreated and took away the equipment under the city.

Zhen Dexiu was stationed at the garrison. Upon learning that the Zhou army had retreated, he was worried that the other side had an ambush, so he strictly ordered his soldiers not to pursue. Some soldiers placed the army on martial law on the city wall, while others left the city wall to rest.

Just as they walked down the city wall, the shouts of fighting came again. The Zhou army attacked the city wall again in the dark with ladders. The Song army had to turn back and walk up the city wall to fight with them.

This chaotic battle situation lasted until dawn, making the soldiers on the city physically and mentally exhausted, but they dared not let their guard down. In case the enemy was actually strong and really rushed to the top of the city, the consequences would be disastrous. They couldn't just abandon the city wall as soon as the Zhou army arrived.

The next day, on the top of Nanchang City, black smoke rolled up to the sky, and the shouts of fighting sounded like a thunderous wave. In the sound of metal clashing, corpses kept falling from the high walls and hitting the ground, their flesh and blood mangled, and screams echoed in the sky.

The open space below the city wall was littered with corpses, and not far outside the city, more footsteps stepped over these corpses and climbed up the ladders. This was an even more intense siege, and everything was engulfed in bloodshed.

When attacking the Jin Dynasty, many siege battles were fought, especially in big cities like Chang'an, Kaifeng, and Luoyang. The scale of Nanchang Prefecture was also built according to the model of Lin'an City, and it was a similar large city.

On the fifth day after the siege, the Zhou army attacked the city wall. The tall and strong soldiers who climbed up the wall first, holding their swords, cleared out the surrounding Song army like a tiger among a flock of sheep. More and more Song soldiers climbed up the city wall and saw people along the way lifting battering rams to the parapets, but were knocked to the ground by the Zhou army who swung their swords from behind. The battering ram also fell down, knocking down several people on the ladders.

"Quick, drive them out!"

Someone broke through the city wall, and the Song army generals quickly mobilized men to lay siege.

The two sides suddenly collided in hand-to-hand combat, and the crowds collided violently. The cold and pale light of the knife chopped into people's bodies. Shouts, wails, blood, and minced meat were all concentrated on this section of the city wall.

On the city wall, there was not only one place involved in the fighting. Outside the wall, thousands of soldiers were either lined up waiting or rushing on the way to attack the city. The battering rams never stopped. The soldiers guarding the city gate fell down under the flying arrows, and there were soldiers from the rear to replace them, providing protection with shields.

People are dying every moment, and all this is just to unify the world and reduce the number of deaths in the future.

Guo Jing rode on his little red horse, looking at the scenes on the city wall. He had seen such scenes many times, but only this time made him feel very angry. When the Jin people marched south, the Song Dynasty chose to appease and made every concession to the enemy. Yue Fei was just the most representative person among them.

They were weak and yielding in front of the Jin people, but very tough in front of me. Did they really think they were more merciful than the Jin people?

An unprecedented murderous intent gathered in Guo Jing's heart. At this moment, he sentenced the high-ranking officials and scholars in the city to death. Since you are willing to sacrifice your lives for the country, then I will grant your wish!
When the sound of the retreating troops was heard on the city wall, the Song soldiers all looked as if they had survived a calamity. They collapsed to the ground, their shoulders and arms covered in blood.

The crowd under the city wall began to retreat, and everything seemed like a dream.

"The enemy has retreated!"

Countless shouts rang out from the top of the city walls, some were grateful, some were afraid, some were angry, but there was no joy. They had long been numb. For this war, the officials of the Song Dynasty court took out their own capital, and many ministers donated their wealth to reward the grassroots soldiers and boost their morale.

As soldiers they eat food, and their lives had long been sold to the imperial court. It was a good thing that the enemy retreated, but they survived this time, but what about the next time, and the next time? Fortunately, they heard that the Zhou army did not harm anyone wherever they passed, and the money they left for their families could also be preserved, which was the only consolation they had left.

The literati did this because they knew that after the Zhou army entered the city, they would be liquidated sooner or later, so they might as well use the money to make some contributions to the Song Dynasty.

Inside the city, houses were lined up one after another, and almost every household was in mourning. The people in the houses opened the windows and looked out for a moment, then most of them shrank back with expressionless faces. Those who had lost relatives because they were forced to defend the city knelt in front of the coffins and cried and cursed.

……

Zhen Dexiu returned home and had just taken off his armor when an imperial messenger came hurriedly and summoned him into the palace.

He could only drag his exhausted body into the palace. In the hall, Zhao Hong walked around anxiously. Seeing Zhen Dexiu, he hurriedly asked, "Sir, have the enemies retreated?

"Sir, the Zhou army has temporarily withdrawn."

Zhao Hong breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this, but then Zhen Dexiu's words made his heart rise to his throat again, "Sir, the Zhou army has several times more troops than us. They have already attacked the city wall today. Our soldiers have suffered heavy casualties. I'm afraid we can't hold out for much longer."

Zhao Hong opened his mouth, glanced at Zhen Dexiu's tired eyes, and swallowed the words of surrender. He wanted to say, let's surrender, but the ministers under him were wholeheartedly resisting the enemy and even donated their wealth. As an emperor, he couldn't be worse than his ministers.

Thinking of this, he clenched his fists and said, "Sir, I will defend the city with you tomorrow. The soldiers will fight for their lives and the officials will work together. I can't do anything sitting in the imperial city. At least I can boost morale by standing on the city wall."

Zhen Dexiu was stunned, looked at him in surprise, and nodded silently.

When the Song Dynasty attacked Lin'an, it was this man who served as the commander-in-chief. However, the tragic scenes on the battlefield really scared him, and the Song Dynasty lost the battle. If he could really endure the tragic battle, it would not be impossible for him to boost morale on the city wall.

……

The next morning, the soldiers opened their eyes, ate a quick breakfast, and were surprised to find that a dragon flag of the emperor had been erected on the city wall behind them, and a middle-aged man wearing the emperor's dragon robe was standing on the building.

When a general saw this scene, he immediately bowed down and said, "Your Majesty!"

The soldier was stunned for a moment, then knelt down as well.

On one wall, nearly 10,000 people shouted, the sound was as mighty as a tsunami. Zhao Hong frowned slightly and shouted loudly, "Soldiers, I am with you. As long as I am here, the Song Dynasty will still be here!"

Hearing this, the soldiers below had light in their eyes, as if they had hope again. In this era, the emperor was a symbol of destiny and the supreme divinity. In an instant, the soldiers' morale was boosted and they were no longer confused.

…At the same time, a figure in a green robe was walking on the street. The market was in a state of depression, all businesses were withering, the streets were very empty, and occasionally a disabled beggar lay groaning on the street corner.

Su Ming took a step and was several feet away, and soon arrived at the Song Dynasty Palace.

He just arrived here yesterday and sneaked into the city under the cover of night without being discovered.

In order to resist the Zhou army, the imperial city's defenses were very weak, with only a few hundred soldiers guarding the palace gates. At this time, even a second-rate warrior could easily sneak in.

With his hands behind his back, he looked at the palaces, attics, flower beds and waterside pavilions along the way as if he was leisurely admiring flowers in a garden. They were exquisite and elegant, and it was obvious that a great deal of effort had been put into their design. The architectural layout here was basically the same as that of the Lin'an Palace, with most of them being landscape gardens. However, it was unknown how much manpower and resources had been spent to form a similar layout.

Occasionally, palace maids and eunuchs would run around in a hurry, their arms bulging and carrying packages on their backs. Everything was in a mess, making the solemn imperial city look desolate and lonely.

Not long after, Su Ming arrived at a palace. The eunuch guarding the gate was long gone and the door was locked. He waved his hand and sent out a force, and the copper lock on the big red door broke.

The door of the palace opened and when I stepped inside, all I could see were books. The air was filled with the scent of ink, there were spider webs in the corners, and a thin layer of ash accumulated on the books.

This is the Wu Pavilion of the Song Dynasty, which contains Taoist and Buddhist scriptures as well as martial arts from all over the world. The replica of Emperor Huizong's Wanshou Taoist Canon is hidden here. Su Ming walked in and the door behind him closed automatically.

Various classics were placed on the bookshelf in different categories. He came to where the martial arts secrets were kept, picked up a book called Five Tiger Soul-Breaking Sword, and found a corner to read it with great interest.

In the following days, he stayed here reading, quietly waiting for the fall of a dynasty.

……

"boom!"

As the hammer of the siege vehicle hit the city gate, the originally shattered city gate made a sound of being unable to bear the weight and collapsed. The soldiers did not rush in because this was a city wall. It was easy to get in but difficult to get out.

After the city gate was broken, the Zhou army simply guarded the important roads and did not allow the Song army to block the gap.

The emperor's arrival inspired the morale of the Song army, but this was only temporary. He was just one person, a symbol, and he could not provide troops or supplies. Food was becoming less and less, and arrows and other supplies for defending the city were becoming less and less. Morale finally fell to the bottom uncontrollably.

In the Zhou army camp under the city wall, Guo Jing stared at the person in front of him and said solemnly, "Guanying, do you really want to lead the team to attack the city yourself?" Even if Lu Guanying was a general in the army, the enemy's arrows would not spare him because of his identity.

"Your Majesty, please let me go." Lu Guanying knelt on one knee, his voice full of requests.

Seeing that he insisted, Guo Jing could only agree to him, "If that's the case, then go ahead!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Guo Jing reached out his hand and helped him up. "Guanying, you are an old man who has been with me all the way. The world will soon be settled. You must live well and share the wealth and glory. Don't forget that you still have to rebuild Lu Family Manor and continue the Lu family's incense."

"Don't worry, Your Majesty. I will definitely come back alive!"

Soon, Lu Guanying led his personal soldiers, wearing light armor, and attacked the city together with the vanguard team.

Hearing that General Lu Guanying would attack the city with them, the morale of the Zhou army soldiers was high. While climbing the long ladder, Lu Guanying, who was carrying a two-handed long sword on his back, turned his face slightly and heard the military order coming from afar. Above his field of vision, a figure was hit by a rolling log and fell from the ladder. He gritted his teeth and quickened his pace to climb. The sound of weapons colliding above was clearly audible.

The moment he emerged, an iron spear stabbed at him from the side. Lu Guanying turned his head to avoid it and reached out to grab the spear head in his palm. The other party struggled to pull it back. He used the force to jump onto the parapet, with blood flowing from his hands.

He raised his knife in his backhand and swung it, the spear was blocked. He rushed forward and stabbed the enemy's chest with the blade. Then he turned around and killed the soldier guarding this section of the city wall in no time.

"Come and kill with me!"

After a while, dozens of people gathered around him.

The Song army also assembled a large number of soldiers. They had just run a few steps when a crowded forest of spears rushed towards them. He hurriedly swung his sword to block it. The tip of the spear hit the blade, and there was a ding sound. He hurriedly stepped back two steps, and blood spurted out from both sides. The two bodyguards next to him had no time to dodge and were pierced by the iron spears.

Several Song soldiers in the spear formation in front wanted to attack again, but he stepped forward and suddenly rushed over. He kicked the spear away and slashed it with his backhand. Blood splattered and with a clang, the iron spear fell to the ground, along with the man's arms.

"kill!"

Blood splashed on his face, making him look hideous and horrible. Lu Guanying roared. The leather armor on his right shoulder had been scratched by a spear at some point, and the skin was torn and blood was flowing out, soaking most of his shoulder. He picked up a shield and held it upright on his chest, laughing loudly, stomping hard with his feet, and led the team into the forest of blood and spears.

More and more Zhou troops rushed up the city wall, stood firm, and formed a battle formation. Zhen Dexiu hurriedly dispatched soldiers to block the gap, but Lu Guanying and his soldiers held on tightly and did not retreat at all.

Finally, at dusk, the Zhou army finally occupied this side of the city wall and opened the two city gates. The Zhou army passed through the gate of the city wall and entered the second gate inside, setting foot in the city of Nanchang.

The sound of war horses' hooves echoed in the streets, and the people around them turned pale with fear when they heard the sound.

Lu Guanying rode on a war horse and ordered his soldiers to guard the key streets and maintain order.

On the other side, Guo Jing was overjoyed when he received the news that the city had been broken, and led his 10,000 infantry and cavalry into Nanchang City.

"Long live the Great Zhou!" A series of neat and powerful voices rang out in the city, lasting for a long time.

On the other side of the city wall, Zhao Hong was sitting in a chair, bored. Suddenly he heard a sound coming from the city. He was so scared that his legs went weak and he rolled off the chair.

"The city is broken!" A voice came from somewhere, and the battlefield suddenly became quiet for a moment, and then the fighting continued. However, the morale of the Song army sank to the bottom at this moment, and they were defeated one after another.

(End of this chapter)