The Song Dynasty was the king for thirteen years before he knew that he was Tianlong.

Chapter 466 Big Change

"Keep charging! Seize the passage!" A Song army captain, covered in blood, roared at the front.

"Stop them!" the retreating Liao general cried out in despair.

But it was too late. The Song army was now as fierce as tigers, invincible, and quickly broke into the tunnel, continuing to fight the Liao army. Swords flashed and axes flew, and blood and flesh flew everywhere.

Not long after, the Liao army was defeated and fled towards the city. The Song army occupied the passageway, the horse path, the barbican, and various places inside the south gate.

"Lift the sluice gate and pull up the drawbridge!" Liu Fa shouted, his eyes bloodshot.

Then the soldiers went inside the gate tower, and hundreds of them worked together to crank the winch. The iron gate of the city gate made a creaking sound and slowly rose upwards.

One of the Song army captains couldn't wait for the gate to be fully closed. He and his men crouched down and crawled through. Once behind the city gate, they swiftly chopped off the thick bolts with their knives.

Then he shouted at the top of his lungs, "Men, open the city gate!"

Dozens more Song soldiers rushed forward and together pushed open the incredibly heavy iron gate.

"Crunch!"

With a loud creaking sound, the south gate of Yanjing was slowly pushed open, revealing the Song army that had been waiting outside the city for a long time.

Upon seeing the wide-open city gates, the Song army erupted in a thunderous cheer, their voices shaking the heavens and shattering the clouds. Even the birds lost their senses, one losing its balance and plummeting to the ground.

In the distance, Zhang Jie's previously tense face finally showed a relieved expression. He drew his sword, raised his arm and pointed forward, his voice steady and powerful:
"Enter the city with the entire army! Mobilize the remaining enemy forces!"

The Song soldiers waiting in the rear shouted incessantly, rushing towards the city gate like a flood bursting its banks.

The iron cavalry surged in first, followed by an endless army of infantry.

News of the fall of the southern city spread rapidly, and the Liao army in the east, north, and west began to abandon the city walls and retreat into the city, attempting to put up a final resistance by relying on the streets and alleys.

Zhang Jie led his troops into the city and immediately ordered a massacre and clearing of the city gate areas.

Liu Zhongwu led an elite force to launch a surprise attack along the city wall, engaging in fierce fighting with the fleeing Liao army. The Liao army suffered a crushing defeat, with corpses piling up near the horse path and city gate, and blood flowing like streams.

"Pursue the remaining enemy and search the streets and alleys!" Zhang Jie ordered again.

At this time, many Liao soldiers were fighting in the streets and alleys, relying on civilian houses. Khitan archers were shooting arrows from the rooftops, but were discovered by the Song army and surrounded and killed.

At the street entrance of the inner city, several Liao army generals led several hundred remaining soldiers in a circular formation, wielding their long-handled axes and maces in a desperate struggle.

Zhong Shizhong led his men forward, taking the lead and wielding his spear like a nimble snake, successively felling several Liao soldiers.

The soldiers behind him formed a shield wall, pressing forward step by step, compressing the Liao army's circular formation into an increasingly smaller one.

"Those who surrender will not be killed!" the Song soldiers shouted in unison. Some in the Liao army began to waver. A young Khitan soldier threw down his weapon, but was killed by the defending general with a single blow.

"Charge in!" Zhong Shizhong flicked his spear, deflecting the long axe of a guard, and then thrust it into the guard's chest. The guard fell to the ground with a thud, and the Liao army's formation instantly collapsed.

The Song soldiers advanced along the street, clearing out the Khitan soldiers hiding in each house. Some Liao soldiers hid in water vats, but the Song soldiers lifted the lids and killed them with a single blow. Others crawled into cellars, but were driven out by the smoke and captured without resistance.

When the last Liao soldier laid down his weapon, the sounds of fighting in Yanjing finally subsided. At that moment, sunlight shone through the smoke and dust onto the blood-stained streets and alleys, announcing the end of this battle that was destined to be etched in history.

At this moment, Yao Gu and Zhe Keshi planted the Song Dynasty flag on the city wall of Yanjing. Amidst the broken walls and ruins, the Song soldiers cheered and jumped for joy. The bloodstains on their armor and the dust seemed to have become medals of honor.

The bloody atmosphere in Yanjing City slowly dissipated in the breeze. Zhao Ti, dressed in a purple robe, walked slowly up the city wall and looked down at Yanjing City with a deep gaze.

The Western Army generals stood in a circle behind him, their armor gleaming with a cold, hard luster. He leaned against the broken crenellations, his gaze sweeping over the city below:
"Order all troops to strictly abide by military discipline, and not to break into civilian homes or plunder property!"

“Zhong Shidao led his troops to take stock of the battle results and register the prisoners and spoils.”

"Liu Fa, take your men to take over the granary and armory, inventory the supplies, and keep them safe."

"Zhe Keshi is responsible for pacifying the people, posting notices, and declaring that the Song army will not commit any offenses against the people, and that all who surrender will be protected."

The generals received their orders and left. After a while, Zhong Shidao presented the battle report: "Your Highness, in this battle, more than 20,000 Liao soldiers were killed, more than 30,000 were captured, 8,000 warhorses and countless weapons were seized, and there is still a lot of grain in the granaries."

Zhao Ti nodded and led everyone down the city wall. Looking at the captured Liao soldiers, these Liao soldiers were ragged and their faces were full of exhaustion and fear. They had long lost their former arrogance.

His gaze was distant. Among these soldiers were not only Khitans, but also Han Chinese, Bohai people, and even steppe Tatars. After a moment of contemplation, he ordered: "Treat the prisoners well. Treat the wounded. Those who wish to return home will be given travel expenses in the future. Those who wish to surrender will be incorporated into the local army, rigorously trained, and paid according to the official military pay of the Song Dynasty."

News also came from Liu Fa's side at this time that the granary and armory were intact, with tens of thousands of pieces of equipment and more than 100,000 shi of grain, enough to support the Song army's continued garrison.

Zhekeshi led his soldiers to post notices along the streets and to reassure the people by speaking in both Khitan and Chinese.

At first, the people were wary, but when they saw that the Song soldiers did not commit any crimes, not only did they not loot, but they also cleaned up the streets and loudly reassured the people, they gradually felt at ease. Some bold merchants even opened their shops and cautiously continued to do business.

With the overall situation settled and dusk approaching, the golden afterglow shone on the ruins of Yanjing City, and the Song army began to repair the city walls.

The banners of the Great Song Dynasty fluttered in the wind atop the city walls. This important northern town, which the Central Plains dynasties had dreamed of for over a hundred years, was finally conquered in the reign of Emperor Zhezong. Led by Prince Zhao Ti of Yan, the renowned Western Army general Zhang Jie and a host of other famous generals, the town was forcibly captured by the fearless warriors of the Great Song Dynasty through blood and fire.

A century-old dream, a long-cherished wish, from now on the land will be restored, and the nation will gradually be whole again!
As night fell, the former Nanjing Military Commander's Mansion of the Liao Dynasty was brightly lit, as if it were daytime.

This was the largest military office in Nanjing Xijin Prefecture of the Liao Dynasty. It was originally called the Nanjing Military Commander's Office, and was renamed the Nanjing Grand Marshal's Office in the fourth year of Chongxi reign of Emperor Xingzong.

The commander of the Nanjing Military Command was usually concurrently held by the Nanjing Garrison Commander, who commanded the troops of his own route, was responsible for the war against the Song Dynasty, and controlled military institutions such as the Military Command and the Imperial Guard Cavalry and Infantry Command.

After Emperor Shengzong of Liao, the Liao emperors usually appointed those qualified to inherit the throne as the garrison commander of Nanjing and bestowed upon them the title of Grand Marshal of the Armed Forces of the Realm, further enhancing the status and power of this office.

At this time, the garrison commander of Nanjing, who also served as the Grand Marshal, was Yelü Heluwo.

Yelü Heluwo was the son of Emperor Xingzong of Liao and the younger brother of Yelü Hongji. He began serving as the garrison commander of Nanjing during the Qingning era and continued to hold this position after the first year of the Shoulong era.

At this moment, he was bound hand and foot, standing in the main hall of the Marshal's Mansion, glaring angrily at Zhao Ti behind the desk.

Zhao Ti picked up his teacup, took a sip, looked at Yelü and Luwo in front of him, and said calmly, "Why are you tying up the Prince of Wei? How can you act so rudely? Untie him quickly and serve the Prince of Wei some tea." Yelü and Luwo were enfeoffed as the Prince of Yue in the seventeenth year of Emperor Xingzong's Chongxi reign, promoted to the Prince of Lu in the first year of Emperor Daozong's Qingning reign, and then transferred to the title of Prince of Wei in November of the following year.

"You, Zhao Ti, stop pretending to be so virtuous!" Yelü Heluwo trembled with anger: "You've usurped my place in my mansion, acting like the host, sitting in my chair, drinking my tea, and even expecting someone to serve me a seat and tea. I think that's unnecessary. Just tie him up!"

"Be bold!"

"You dare to be so audacious!"

"Are these Liaoning dogs courting death?!"

"How dare you speak disrespectfully to His Highness! You old scoundrel, you've got yourself killed!"

Upon hearing this, the generals on both sides shouted orders in unison, their voices echoing throughout the hall. Yelü and Luwo's ​​faces immediately turned ashen.

Zhao Ti gestured to both sides, his face expressionless, and said, "Since the King of Wei wants to speak standing up and doesn't want to drink tea, then he may stand."

"I..." Yelü Heluwo's ​​face twitched, as if he wanted to say something more, but he tightly shut his mouth.

"I asked King Wei, where have all the troops originally stationed in Yanjing been transferred to? Could it be that they went to the capital to provide assistance in an emergency?" Zhao Ti asked slowly.

"You?!" Yelü Heluwo was stunned upon hearing this, his expression changing drastically: "I, I don't know. Kill me or torture me as you please, but don't expect to get a single word out of me!"

"Is that so?" Zhao Ti smiled slightly. "Is the King of Wei not afraid of death?"

"Me...afraid of death?" Yelü Heluwo blinked. "As a member of the Liao royal family, I am loyal to the emperor and love my country. How could I be afraid of death? To die on the battlefield is to serve the country. What is there to fear in death?"

Zhao Ti stroked his chin and looked him up and down. Yelü Heluwo was already over fifty, almost sixty years old. However, because he was pampered and practiced martial arts to strengthen his body, he rode horses and shot arrows every day, so he looked younger than his actual age. Not only did he not have a single white hair on his head, but he also did not have many wrinkles on his face.

During the previous battle to defend the city, Yelü and Luwo did not go up to the city wall to command. Even in this critical situation, they were still wearing their usual clothes, such as brocade robes and jade belts, and did not change into any armor.

When Yao Gu and his men captured him, he was hiding in a secret passage with two concubines. Although he was skilled in martial arts and archery, he did not put up a brave fight. Instead, he put on airs as a prince of the Liao Kingdom and ordered his men to slap his shoulders and tie his back tightly with ox-tendon ropes and bring him over.

“What a fine example of loyalty to the emperor and love for the country! What is there to fear in death?” Zhao Ti nodded. “I originally did not want to make things difficult for the Prince of Wei. After all, the Song and Liao dynasties have been at peace for a long time. Even if war breaks out, it is a matter of state. When two countries are at war, envoys are not killed. Moreover, as a member of the royal family, the Prince of Wei would simply send his family to the capital, Tokyo, where our dynasty would bestow upon him a title of duke or marquis, allowing him to enjoy a life of leisure. This was the custom when the Song dynasty was founded. Not to mention the past, even the Western Xia and Qinghai had the same arrangement. However… since the Prince of Wei is willing to sacrifice himself for righteousness, I might as well grant him the title of a loyal and righteous man.”

Yelü Heluwo was stunned upon hearing this and asked, "What are you going to do..."

Zhao Ti's face darkened, and he slammed his hand on the table, shouting, "Guards, take Yelü and Luwo out and execute them by dismemberment. Cut them three thousand six hundred times, and let them live for three days and three nights until they are reduced to skeletons before they finally breathe their last, to comfort the spirits of the fallen soldiers of this battle."

"Ah, ah..." Yelü Heluwo was immediately horrified. The officers on both sides aggressively pushed him away, and he struggled desperately: "No, don't touch me..."

Zhao Ti looked at him, his voice softening and becoming gentle, like a spring breeze: "King Wei, do you think my arrangement is good? It not only satisfies King Wei's deep loyalty to the emperor and his country, but also ensures that history will record it in a grand way, spreading it to future generations, so that they can admire and praise King Wei's fearless and indomitable deeds?"

"I..." Feeling the Song general beside him loosen his grip slightly, Yelü Heluwo hurriedly shook his shoulders, breaking free from the other's hold, and said in a terrified voice, "I, when did I say that I would sacrifice myself for righteousness?"

"Oh?" Zhao Ti raised an eyebrow: "So, the King of Wei doesn't want to die, and doesn't want to be loyal to the emperor and love his country?"

"I... I must be loyal to the emperor and love my country, but... but loyalty to the emperor and love for my country does not necessarily mean death..." Yelü Heluwo's ​​voice trembled as he stammered.

"Hahaha." Zhao Ti clapped his hands and laughed, "What you said makes sense. Loyalty to the emperor is loyalty to the emperor, and not dying is not dying. The two should not be confused, is that right?"

“Yes, yes… that is naturally the case.” Yelü Heluwo carefully wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

"So... does that mean the King of Wei is planning to go to our capital, Tokyo, to enjoy a life of leisure?" Zhao Ti said with a smile.

"Well... I've long heard that your capital, Tokyo, is incredibly prosperous and unparalleled in the world. I've always wanted to go and see it for myself. It would be best if I could enjoy it, but even if I can't... staying here is fine too." Yelü Heluwo forced a smile.

Zhao Ti nodded and looked at him for a few moments: "Then why won't the King of Wei say where the troops from Yanjing have gone? What major event has happened in Liao?"

“Tell me, tell me now…” Yelü Heluwo hurriedly said, “The Jurchen tribes in the northeast have rebelled and colluded with each other, raising 50,000 troops to attack Shangjing. Shangjing is in dire need of help and has dispatched troops from all four directions to reinforce it. Yanjing has a large number of troops and is relatively close to Shangjing. Relying on the fact that there are shamans in front who have set up a large formation to block your army’s attack, they were the first to be dispatched north, leaving only 20 or 30 men to guard the city.”

“As expected, but…” Zhao Ti pondered, “The Jurchens only have 50,000 troops. If I remember correctly, the permanent military force in the capital is 300,000. How could they not withstand them and have to dispatch troops from all directions to provide support?”

"This..." Yelü Heluwo glanced at Zhao Ti and whispered, "It is said that there are divine beings aiding the Jurchen army, making it difficult for ordinary soldiers to withstand them, which is why they summoned people from all directions to come to the aid of the king..."

"Oh? Divine intervention?" Zhao Ti frowned. "Where did this divine intervention come from?"

"Rumor has it, it's rumored that they descended from the heavens, clad in golden armor, with boundless magical power. Not to mention ordinary soldiers, even shamanic priests couldn't withstand them..." Yelü Heluwo said, then seemed somewhat resentful: "Could it be that my brother is not in the favor of Heaven? And so this is the punishment sent down by the gods?"

Zhao Ti said, "Don't the Khitans believe in Shamanism? Where did this other god come from to punish us?"

“In the end, it still doesn’t win the hearts of the people and the heavens…” Yelü Heluwo whispered.

Zhao Ti chuckled: "It seems that it would have been better if Emperor Xingzong of your country had passed the throne to you instead of your half-brother Yelü Hongji. This whole thing probably wouldn't have happened then?"

"This, this is indeed hard to say..." Yelü Heluwo said awkwardly upon hearing this.

Zhao Ti said, "Tell me in detail what you know about the battle situation in Shangjing."

Yelü Heluwo agreed and began to speak. After a short while, he finished speaking. He only had a general understanding of the situation. It was said that there was a golden-armored god in the Jurchen army who was proficient in divine magic and power. He was also incredibly strong and could not be stopped by ten thousand men. Moreover, he trained the Jurchen soldiers to be exceptionally brave, unlike their original disorganized state. Therefore, even though the Liao army had many men, they were no match for the Jurchens.

After listening, Zhao Ti pondered for a moment, and was about to speak when a tall young man strode into the hall. It was Yao Pingzhong.

"Your Highness, I have military intelligence to report."

Zhao Ti asked, "Aren't you on patrol on the city wall? What brings you here to report?"

Yao Pingzhong said, "I was patrolling the city wall when three light cavalrymen came knocking on the gate from a distance. They said they were delivering a message to Your Highness and that the matter was urgent, so they knocked on the gate at night."

"Oh?" Zhao Ti narrowed his eyes: "Who is it that has come?"

Yao Pingzhong said, "The man claims to be from the Jurchen Wanyan tribe, the leader of the Seven Rivers tribes, with the official title of Meng'an, and his name is Wanyan Loushi."

(End of this chapter)