The Emperor ordered Zhao Tang

Chapter 358 Liu Chengzhi

"Seize Bianliang!"

As Zhang Jilong's head was thrown off the city wall, the Fengqiu Gate slowly opened, causing a great uproar among the entire army.

The King of Wu was dumbfounded.

After being surprised by the Wei and Yicheng armies who were piling up earth and building dams to prepare for the siege, they immediately donned their armor, grabbed their weapons, and rushed towards the Fengqiu and Suanzao gates of the north city.

The city walls were crowded with people, shouting all sorts of things.

The Fengqiu Gate opened, and the drawbridge suspended over the moat slowly lowered. Large groups of Bian soldiers poured out, crowding the roadside, anxiously waiting for the drawbridge to be lowered.

He waved and shouted towards the river, "We're here! Bianzhou belongs to the Holy Tang Dynasty!"

Before the suspension bridge was even lowered, the first Bian soldiers grabbed a mule and stepped onto the sloping bridge.

Someone jumped and waved towards the opposite bank to mark the bridge entrance.

Someone recalled shouting at Fengqiu Gate, urging the remaining rebel troops to quickly form ranks, hold the city gate, and cover the allied forces' entry into the city.

Within Bianliang city, there were tens of thousands of soldiers at their disposal, and over a thousand mule riders. This was the largest military force in the vast Central Plains. If they united and held their ground, not only would the Wu King's allied forces be unable to withstand the onslaught, but even if the Emperor's main force were to arrive in full force, it wouldn't necessarily be able to take them down in just a few days.

And they were also mutinous soldiers on the city walls.

The leaders of the rebel army numbered only a little over a thousand, and they were scattered throughout the city, with only three or four hundred stationed at Fengqiu Gate.

After the uprising, they also had to suppress other troops in the Fengqiumen area who were still unaware of the situation, and they also had to send people to join up with other rebel armies from various places.

The time was tight and the task was heavy.

But in their opinion, that was enough.

As long as we control Fengqiu Gate and welcome the allied forces in, why should we be afraid of not being able to pacify Bianliang?

The chaotic army behind them didn't emerge very quickly. The reason was simple: Zhang Jilong had been suddenly attacked, causing chaos at Fengqiu Gate.

Apart from the leader of the mutinous troops, the rest were shouting and running around wildly, not knowing how to deal with the chaos.

Some of the Bian army were still unwilling to accept defeat, or were afraid of being purged, and continued to rally their friends and allies to suppress the rebellion.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!" Arrows rained down from the city walls: "Shoot them dead, and wait for Dalang to return with his troops!"

"Brother, turn back! The Great Liang is already doomed."

"Fuck you."

"Someone is plotting a rebellion!"

"Traitors are everywhere!"

"Mom, who should I marry?"

Chaos reigned outside the city walls, and fighting broke out both inside and outside the city.

"Letting you rebel is an honor, but you're just spouting nonsense with your shifty-eyed, bird-like mouth!" Liu Chengzhi glanced at the situation on the opposite bank from the city wall, turned around and slashed twice. Two Bian soldiers blocking the road screamed as half of their faces were slashed open, and they fell over the wall.

"Who doesn't rebel? Who dares not rebel!" He didn't distinguish between civilians and subordinates, indiscriminately killing several people with his knife. Liu Chengzhi glared at them, shouting repeatedly, "Those who dare not rebel, let them rebel first and see what happens!"

Suddenly, a scream rang out: "The barbarian horses have entered the city!"

"Rat-a-tat-tat... Charge! Kill!" The allied forces crossed the moat.

Some are going onto the bridge, some are swimming, and some are building pontoon bridges.

Just as the first Imperial Guard arrived at the bridgehead, Tian Hengshi Shenxiao's tall figure had already charged through the gate and into the chaotic Bian people's garrison.

Tian Heng tore off his mask, spun around, and shouted: "General Tian Heng of Weizhou is here! The Zhu bandit's entire army has been wiped out, Emperor Li is about to arrive, those who surrender the city will be spared!"

Behind them, the hundred or so elite soldiers of Weibo, selected from among the troops of Shanhe Army, roared at Fengqiu Gate: "Surrender the city and you will be spared!"

Not only the city gate tower, but also the surrounding residential houses and neighborhoods, the area around Fengqiu Gate was instantly thrown into chaos, like a hornet's nest being poked, with chaos spreading like a plague among the soldiers and civilians.

"The disloyal and unjust beasts of Yecheng have occupied Fengqiu Gate!"

Some people are deliberately slandering the Allied Forces and the Holy Tang Dynasty.

"Li Qisao and Qishuigu's barbarian army has entered the city!"

"The Sour Jujube Gate is breached too! Run!"

The progress is comparable to the Three Mysterious Transformations of Heavenly Fire.

"Bang!" The cavalrymen shoved aside the Bian and Wei soldiers who couldn't dodge in time, appearing in a dark mass beneath the city walls, desperately trying to squeeze through the sealed gates: "Make way, make way, we're here to seize the city!"

The battle is awesome! The battle is awesome!
The infantrymen crowded the passageway of Fengqiu Gate, desperately trying to get in. After clearing a path, the cavalrymen turned their horses around and, led by Liu Chengzhi and dozens of other Bian soldiers, headed towards Suanzao Gate. They then joined forces with the chaotic troops on this side and the troops attacking the city outside the gate to seize Suanzao Gate.

Blood flowed like rivers throughout the city.

The morale of the allied forces of the emperor and his ministers was high, while the remaining defenders of Bian were wavering between surrendering and resisting, waiting for reinforcements scattered throughout the city to arrive.

"The Yicheng Army has stormed into Suanzao Gate!"

"The Xingguo Army marches into Zhongjie Street and attacks the Imperial Palace!"

"The Yingwu Army burned down the Zhu Family Ancestral Temple!"

Shouts echoed throughout Bianliang: "The Yuande Hall in the East Palace of the Imperial Palace is on fire! Kang Yuli has rebelled too!"

This message was like the last straw that broke the camel's back, and the morale of the defending troops completely collapsed.

"The Uyghurs are under the command of the Jade Rabbit!"

Fires of all sizes had broken out throughout Bianliang, with wisps of black smoke rising into the sky and swirling overhead. Screams, pleas for mercy, fighting—everywhere were ant-like figures, people helping the old and carrying the young to take cover. East? West? North? At this point, no one knew which way to run; most were like headless flies, frantically searching the streets in the fading sunlight, only to encounter the ever-present soldiers everywhere they went.

The troops in the city, whether allied or Bian soldiers, were like a hornet's nest stirred up, hacking, killing, burning, and looting indiscriminately. Human and animal corpses littered the city, from the outer gates like Suanzao and Fengqiu to the inner gates like Wangjing and Jinwu, with flesh and blood scattered everywhere, intestines and entrails strewn along the way. A naked, delicate woman killed her husband with a single blow, laughing wildly as she carried him away.

All the city gates were wide open, and crowds surged across the city, but soldiers were stationed at each gate. Anyone encountered was a Bian soldier; they were immediately taken down without explanation, and their bodies were searched for. Women were identified by their hair buns, the old and ugly were slapped, and the young were kicked aside with ropes and tubes.

For example, when the loyalist army entered Chang'an, after their victory, they also fought amongst themselves.

A small military group that had been dominating the city gates and neighborhoods got too complacent and held onto the territory for too long. This attracted the attention of other envious warriors who wanted a share. The fights often escalated into brawls. The losers would cover their faces and point fingers as they relinquished the territory, while the victors would stay and deal with the challengers with even greater ruthlessness until they were driven away by a new group.

Boiling, completely boiling!
When the first wave of drumming faintly reached the palace, no one paid much attention. Chen Jinfeng, however, suddenly stood up and leaned against the railing to gaze into the distance.

Soon, this cacophony of noise and chaos descended upon the imperial city. The most intense fighting took place at the main gates of the inner palace, Yuanhua Gate and Xiama Gate.

She wanted to escape, but it seemed there was nowhere to go. Chen Jinfeng had no choice but to suppress her emotions.

At this time, Zhu Dalang's concubine, Chen Jinfeng, was known as the regent.

Before his death, Zhang Jilong held both civil and military power in Bianfu, a place considered as a wasteland. He outwardly showed respect to the family of his eldest son, and even when famine was raging and soldiers in the city were starving to death every day, and resources were so scarce, he still tried his best to maintain the supply for them.

At this moment, atop the Tongtian Tower in the imperial city, a beautiful young woman in her early twenties, dressed in white, knelt with her hands clasped. Her long, flowing hair was loose, hanging down her back. She gazed down at the city shrouded in billowing black smoke at sunset, the dreamlike, blood-red and gold-like light illuminating her head, lost in thought.

I wonder what you are thinking about?
Beside her were only Li Meiren, Cui Yingying, Ye Zhen, Zhu Chacha and other members of the Zhu family, along with a group of anxious palace maids; the rest had all fled with the eunuchs.

In the quiet surroundings, only Consort Li, Consort Liu, and Lady Liu looked around anxiously, searching for a way out and hoping to be abducted by some powerful general, whoever it may be.

"Has Chief Zhang sent a letter?" Chen Jinfeng leaned forward slightly, rubbing her sore and numb buttocks, and asked in a low voice.

A woman who appeared to be a female official replied in a low voice: "Since we were sent to Tongtian Tower for resettlement, we have not heard from her."

"Are the imperial guards still around?"

"did not see it."

Chen Jinfeng's heart skipped a beat, and she murmured again, "Where is Dalang?"

The female official remained silent.

"I've gone mad." Chen Jinfeng nodded twice, stood up, and looked around: "Shall we go out... and take a look?"

"I'm not going." Li Meiren pouted. "Aren't you afraid of being caught and pinned down by the soldiers?"

"Let's find another place to hide," Chen Jinfeng said blankly, her face filled with sorrow.

"Where to?" Liu asked anxiously, tossing her hair. "How about we go to Quan Zhong's Jade Rabbit Palace bedroom? There's an underground chamber there. He and I will be very safe there!"

"Without the key, how can we get in?" Consort Li said coldly, "Jin Feng, it's all your fault! You didn't keep all the palace keys in your own hands, and the eunuch escaped."

Chen Jinfeng, carrying Zhu Chacha, walked away alone, stepping onto the sky corridor connecting the palace.

Upon reaching the outer palace wall, they found it deserted.

Facing the evening breeze, Chen Jinfeng's eyes immediately reddened.

She first looked out of the city; the sky was gradually darkening.

The entire city was shrouded in a yellow and red glow. Conflicts were raging, and the banners and armies of the Great Liang could not be seen.

The windows of the shops lining both sides of the main street—no, the central avenue—are now covered with white flags bearing the inscriptions "Blessed by Heaven, Tang Dynasty, Proving Sainthood, Everlasting Martial Fortune." The white flags flutter in the wind, radiating a holy and sacred glow.

His gaze slowly drew closer.

The embers of the banners at Yuanhua Gate, the main gate of the inner palace, were smoldering in the dust. Palace servants rushed about in alleyways within the palace walls. Allied infantry and cavalry galloped past the Imperial City Square from time to time. Scattered Bian soldiers and officials, bound to their horses, dragged along, their hands and faces covered in blood, their pitiful cries echoing through the air…

"Woooo..."

Tears streamed down her face, her long hair plastered to her cheeks.

"The entrepreneurial endeavor of Dalang and his son has come to an end just like that? Such a large military headquarters... Waaah..."

Chen Jinfeng sighed, tossed her hair, and walked back to Tongtian Tower. Her cold and distant voice simply ordered, "When Li Jun enters the palace, burn Tongtian Tower down... There's nowhere to escape! It's better to go to Chang'an and be the Empress Mother... to be violated by the Seventh Sleeping Dog, I."

"Madam..." the lady-in-waiting gasped, "It's better to live a wretched life than to die a good death. I've heard that that dog-footed emperor is quite handsome..."

In the deep palace corridor, Chen Jinfeng, with disheveled hair, stumbled away.

With a loud bang, the Chongming Gate below was flung open.

A large contingent of Bian troops swarmed in.

"Where is Zhu's son?" Liu Chengzhi poked half his head out from beside a pillar and looked up: "He's still upstairs!"

Tap tap tap, the soldiers climbed the steps.

"Ah!" Consort Li's piercing wails echoed throughout the palace: "My child, my child, don't kill him!"

Li Meiren's child was snatched away by the soldiers.

The armor plates made a swishing sound.

Liu Chengzhi climbed the Tongtian Platform, looked around, and saw blood dripping from his armor and the sword in his hand.

The women's faces were ashen.

Liu urinated directly into his pants.

Liu Chengzhi didn't even look at her, and snatched the swaddling clothes from his subordinate's hands.

The infant Zhu Qian was startled awake and struggled, crying loudly.

"Chengzhi, Commander Liu, please spare him!" Li Meiren knelt down, her eyes blurry with tears, her forehead instantly scraped raw from the impact. "Qian'er is only six months old! Give me the child, or I'll give him away to someone in the countryside!"

Liu Chengzhi shouted sternly: "Are you going to leave these bastards behind, so that they will cause trouble for the emperor like Zhu Youzhen and Zhu Youzi?"

"No, no! I'll give him away, sob sob. General Liu, you were promoted by Dalang, please spare his bloodline!"

Liu Chengzhi ignored him, grabbed the swaddled baby, walked to the railing, and slammed it down hard.

"I, I..." Li Meiren choked on her breath and collapsed to the ground.

"Hmph." Liu Chengzhi turned around again, and all the women stepped back, tightly embracing their children.

“The Zhu family is full of traitors. Kuang Quanzhong is fond of killing entire clans, so it’s only natural that his descendants were wiped out.” Liu Chengzhi then snatched Ye Zhen’s son and stabbed him through the heart with a sword: “Kill all the men of the Zhu family first, and keep their heads safe. The women… the women will be imprisoned for now!”

Terrace entrance.

A distraught Chen Jinfeng watched as her only daughter, Chacha, was dragged aside.

In one breath,

They're slowly coming back.

"Arrest these sluts too!" Ignoring the wailing of the women, he selected dozens of reliable subordinates to guard them: "Keep a close eye on them, don't let them try to kill themselves. Anyone who can't control their lower body and dares to touch anything, I'll chop off their dog paws!"

"Here!"

Then he left in a hurry.

(End of this chapter)