You have truly caused me great suffering!

Wu Jie's military tactics were always very prudent.

As soon as the sky began to brighten, scouts were dispatched in all directions to patrol all the major roads near Shenglong.

Then light cavalry would circle around, with artillery following behind.

Various forces began to build defensive fortifications around Thang Long City.

The captured prisoners of the Joseon Dynasty were being driven to work on the front lines.

The reason they weren't sent to carry soil to fill the moat was simply because they had cannons and wanted to test their power.

Otherwise, Wu Jie wouldn't mind learning from the Jurchen Tartars.

After all, it was you, Joseon, who first massacred the people.

If you have any complaints, go down there and tell the hundreds of thousands of people in Yongzhou.

This was a war of revenge in itself, so there were few taboos, and Wu Jie was able to grasp the appropriate measure.

Near the cannon, Wu Jie checked again and said that the warhorses' ears had been plugged and they should be fine.

The gunner said, "Horses are quite brave, especially warhorses that are used to the sound of drums and gongs. Other animals would probably be scared to death if they heard it for the first time."

Wu Jie nodded and said to the officers around him, "This time, we must win to break through the city. Before we break through, each unit will take turns attacking. After we break through, each camp will not sheath their swords! You may loot the city's wealth and people for ten days."

"The imperial seal, dragon robe, ceremonial objects, and bronze vessels shall not be harmed; artisans, craftsmen, doctors, and Han merchants shall not be killed; apart from these, there are no other taboos!"

"Did you all understand?"

The surrounding military officers all clasped their fists and accepted the order in unison.

"Alright! Go and relay the order!"

As several key figures left, cheers erupted from the crowd from time to time, the cheers were deafening, and morale soared.

Before long, the sound of drums and horns rang out, and the various camps shouted to organize their troops and slowly advanced.

At this moment, flags were also raised on the opposite city wall, and the gates of the military camp near Thang Long City were wide open.

Thang Long Castle opened its gates on its own initiative, and countless soldiers poured out; they were all starving.

Footsteps and the sound of horses' hooves echoed through the heavens and earth as they roared and charged toward the southern expeditionary army ahead.

They hated these northern barbarians to the core. Patches of red tassels swayed on the ground, and wide-brimmed iron helmets and a forest of swords and spears spread northward like a torrent.

The battle robes of the Joseon Dynasty soldiers were mainly short, narrow-sleeved, bluish-gray battle jackets, with trousers tied around their legs with strips of cloth for easy marching in mountainous terrain.

Most of them wore headscarves, while some elite Imperial Guards were equipped with iron helmets.

Compared to the infantry's simple armor, the herds of war elephants that appeared from various gates were armed to the teeth.

The elephant soldiers on the backs of these giant beasts were also dressed in magnificent battle robes embroidered with dragon and elephant patterns.

The heavy footsteps of countless war elephants pounded on the brick ground, making the earth seem to tremble.

The Southern Expeditionary Army was startled, even though they had encountered elephant troops some time ago.

But they were all scattered, and it's still quite frightening to see so many of them coming out together.

Wu Jie already knew they had elephant troops, and with that in mind, he suddenly waved his hand, "Fire the cannons!"

The gunners hadn't been to the front lines much and were almost terrified by the elephant cavalry, but they were indeed well-trained.

This did not hinder them from skillfully stepping forward, lighting the resin fuse, and retreating to the back. More than twenty brand-new bronze cannons opened fire at once.

The sky was still shrouded in mist, and fires of all sizes flickered incessantly, creating a deafening roar throughout the world.

The army then steadily moved closer together in formation, heading towards the direction of the flashing fire.

"Boom boom boom..."

A large cloud of white smoke rose up with a thunderous sound, making even Wu Jie shiver.

The gunner in charge shouted, "This is a newly developed weapon, filled with iron pellets and fragments. It can kill any southern barbarians who come out of the city."

Wu Jie's ears were ringing, and he couldn't hear what the man was babbling about, so he simply ignored him.

"Woo..." The elephants cried out in terror.

War elephants, clad in leather armor and armed with sharp weapons, are tall and terrifying. However, as soon as firearms are fired nearby, they completely ignore the shouts of their tamers and turn tail and run away.

Chaos erupted at the front of the Joseon army as infantrymen scrambled to avoid the panicked elephants, resulting in many being trampled to death.

Wang Xi and Wang Wu, the two brothers, brandished their weapons and laughed heartily. They immediately ordered a pursuit, and the thunderous sound of hooves echoed through the sky as the cavalry charged forward!
In ancient times, weapons were generally not prohibited; Song people would carry broadswords when traveling long distances, but armor was.

The role of armor is far greater than that of weapons; the pitiful rattan armor worn by the Joseon soldiers had virtually no protective capabilities.

In the cavalry charge, they were completely reduced to slaughtered minions, something that could not be changed by personal courage or will.

Just like the Jurchen Tartars, when they first invaded Hebei, it was as if they had entered an empty land.

The rebel armies in various parts of Hebei were incredibly fierce, yet they were utterly defeated with the slightest provocation.

Armor coverage rate is extremely important.

The war elephants scattered and trampled each other, while the cavalry continued their charge, cutting straight into the crowd. Many Joseon soldiers had no idea how to defend themselves.

They watched blankly as the iron cavalry charged towards them.

They had the will to fight to the death, but were helpless and could only be slaughtered.

The war elephants fled, and the infantry, who had originally planned to charge under their cover, were driven back by the cavalry and kept retreating.

Soon, the infantrymen in front and behind surged together, and the crowd became increasingly dense.

At that moment, a cannon shot came, and there was a chorus of wails.

Thick black smoke, accompanied by countless iron fragments and pellets flying out, a loud bang, and the gruesome deaths of their companions, immediately caused even greater panic.

Many infantrymen were pushed to the ground. If they were knocked down, they would be trampled on. The soldiers' screams were quickly drowned out by the noisy crowd.

"Aim at the military camp and the city gate!"

After Wu Jie gave the order, the gunners indicated they wanted to advance some distance. Wu Jie immediately ordered his central guards to lead the gunners forward.

In his view, the Joseon troops in front of him no longer posed any threat, and there was virtually no chance that they could rush over and threaten the artillery.

The cavalry charged towards the crowd, and one rider charged straight ahead. The Southern Expeditionary Army knight was extremely brave. With a roar, he stabbed a Joseon infantryman to death with a single spear thrust.

Then the knight, positioned high above, swept his lance across the ground, knocking another soldier to the ground. The warhorse charged into the crowd, unable to move forward, its hooves suddenly rearing up high.

The Joseon infantry, facing the cavalry charging from higher ground, tried to evade, but the crowd was already so dense that there was nowhere left to hide.

"Ah!" The enemy cavalryman cried out in pain as a foot soldier stabbed him in the lower back with a spear. Then more foot soldiers rushed up from all sides, trying to pull the Southern Expeditionary Army cavalrymen off their horses, because they were simply unable to fight the enemy from horseback.

However, these soldiers were already seasoned veterans, and their coordination among them was excellent.

Others had already come to the rescue.

Looking at the battle below, Zhang Boyu felt as if his heart was being torn apart; many of the soldiers were from the Joseon Dynasty's imperial guards.

They were the elite of the elite, having repeatedly defeated powerful enemies in nearby battles, yet now they stood there being slaughtered.

The reason why armies capable of fighting a thousand men often appeared during the Song, Liao, and Jin dynasties was because it was an era of rapid development in metallurgy.

With mature lamellar armor manufacturing capabilities and war experience, they can easily raise an invincible army that can sweep away enemy forces.

With a deafening roar, after advancing two hundred paces, the cannons roared once more, and a bamboo house was blown to pieces.

Despite the billowing smoke, the Southern Expeditionary Army soldiers still leaped into the haze, their gleaming blades appearing and disappearing as they slashed at anyone they caught.

Wu Jie immediately ordered a halt to the bombardment of the military camp that had been breached by the bomb.

These people are truly daring in battle, as most of them are elite troops from both sides of the Song-Xia battlefield, and now they have joined forces.

In Thang Long, although the city walls were not completely breached, the foot soldiers on the city towers stepped on the scattered caltrops, screaming and falling to the ground, and the chaos spread further into the city.

Below the city walls, a war elephant lay in a pool of blood, still whimpering, its trunk twitching occasionally. It watched a Joseon soldier crying out as he was relentlessly stabbed by several spears. On the city wall, Zhang Boyu sat leaning against a pillar, staring blankly at the surging scene below.

He witnessed firsthand how the enemy soldiers, without the slightest hesitation, plunged into the black smoke to kill.

His head was buzzing, his hands were shaking uncontrollably, and even after clapping them twice, he couldn't stop. He had no strength left in his body.
-
The intensity of the war has exceeded the imagination of the Joseon Dynasty's rulers and ministers.

They did indeed consider using the indomitable spirit of the entire Joseon Dynasty to keep these northern barbarians outside the city.

Wait for the rainy season to come, and let them die of the rainy season's climate.

However, these people are completely different from the enemies they encountered before.

Your Joseon Dynasty also knew that the Song Dynasty dared not attack you because it was tied down by the Western Xia.

Have you ever thought about how they fought and battled with the Western Xia on the border?

If he really gets going, do you think you guys are a match for his "hundred-battle" veteran?

This "hundred" refers to a hundred years.

After a century of conflict between the Song and Xia dynasties, the sharpest blade forged in the flames of war in the Northwest was honed to cut through copper and iron. When it struck the rattan and bamboo of Southeast Asia, its destructive power reached its peak with minimal effort.

After a day and a night, although Thang Long City had not yet been captured, all the surrounding military camps had been breached.

In other words, Thang Long City became an isolated city.

The Southern Expeditionary Army could attack cities with impunity, without worrying about flanking attacks from the flanks.

The range of bronze cannons far exceeded that of Joseon Dynasty bows and crossbows, allowing them to fire cannons wherever they wanted.

Generals like Wang Xi drove away the prisoners they were capturing from the surrounding area, consuming the defensive equipment and gold ore on the city walls.

The siege tactics employed by the Song, Jin, Liao, and Xia dynasties, including the unique artillery of the Dingnan army, were all used against the Joseon Dynasty.

Although they had never been to the northern battlefield, they felt a strong sense of participation at this moment.

You've always wanted to be the rightful rulers of the Central Plains, haven't you? Come on, experience the power of the rightful rulers of the Central Plains.

You are in the south, fighting in Champa, Laos, and Dali.

The Central Plains are all at this level; come and experience it for yourself.

Seeing the endless stream of Joseon people crying and rushing towards the city walls, the defenders on the city walls completely collapsed.

Under the strict orders of their superiors, they continued firing, and the corpses piled up higher and higher, thick smoke billowed, and a stench filled the air. The horrific scene was like a living hell.

Wu Jie showed no sign of stopping.

The agreement was that each unit would take turns attacking, and that's exactly what happened. Many of the troops who withdrew slept soundly behind the defensive fortifications, amidst the booming cannon fire.
-
Even inside the imperial city, the sound of cannons could still be heard outside.

Li Qiande was completely terrified.

He refused Zhang Boyu's advice to go to the city wall to boost morale and hid in the imperial city, living in constant fear.

"Where are the reinforcements?!" Li Qiande roared. "The reinforcements from Lang Son and Quang Nguyen have arrived. The Song army will be driven back, and we can rest easy!"

This is something he's been saying a lot lately.

After saying it so many times, he started to believe it himself.

"His Majesty!"

The eunuch Li Linxiang, who had been fawning over him, suddenly prostrated himself and cried out, "Your Majesty, there are no reinforcements, they can't come!"

"How dare you!" Li Qiande cursed. "You dog slave, spouting nonsense and confusing people! Guards, take him out and beat him to death!"

Guards had already stepped forward, grabbing his arm and trying to drag him out. Although Li Linxiang held a high position and great power, Li Qiande's prestige was too great.

"Your Majesty, the Song navy in Qinzhou has already advanced up the Red River! Where are the reinforcements? Where are the reinforcements?!" Li Linxiang cried out, "Your Majesty, surrender! Surrender and save your life!"

"The Song emperor is merciful! The Song emperor is merciful! He will surely not kill His Majesty!"

Li Qiande's mind went blank for a moment, as if he had remembered something.

Qinzhou?

Navy?

He clutched his head in anguish, suddenly remembering everything. Three days ago, someone had told him that the Song army, which had set out from Qinzhou, was marching along the Red River.

Their commander was Wang Bing, and they swept through the enemy lines with unstoppable momentum.

Not only did they have no reinforcements, but they were also about to be attacked from both sides.

He slumped to the ground, looking at Li Linxiang who was crying his eyes out, and said emotionally, "Now that things have come to this, only you still care about my life."

"His Majesty!"

The master and slave embraced and wept bitterly. Li Qiande had grown old; he was no longer the emperor who forced his grandmother to be buried alive at the age of seven and seized power at the age of eight.

It was certainly not the emperor who, at the age of ten or so, dared to order the massacre of Yongzhou in the Song Dynasty.

"If I surrender, will they really spare my life?" Li Qiande suddenly remembered the Song envoy he had imprisoned and hurriedly said, "Quickly issue an order to bring the Song envoy to see me!"

There were some insightful people in the hall, and many sighed inwardly.

With such fierce resistance, if one surrenders when the city falls, will they still be able to survive?
Unless the Song emperor was a living bodhisattva.

But judging from the troops outside the city, their king could not possibly be very benevolent.

The envoy from the Song Dynasty was Bai Shizhong. He was able to get this cushy job thanks to several good colleagues.

Because when they were drinking together, they said a few things to Chen Shao, and Guangyuantang found out about it.

Therefore, he was chosen as the envoy sent to the Joseon Dynasty this time.
In fact, Pai Shih-chung was really wronged. He was just drinking with his colleagues that day, and they were all from the same hometown of Shouchun.

It wouldn't be appropriate not to go.

However, he was the highest-ranking official that day, so Guangyuantang naturally regarded him as the culprit.

In fact, Lao Bai has always followed Cai Jing's lead. He does whatever Cai Jing tells him to do.

This time, however, I didn't follow suit, but I didn't object either. I was just thinking of taking a wait-and-see approach to see how things developed.

As a result, this terrible misfortune befell us.

Bai Shizhong's resume was quite impressive. He was a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) and rose through the ranks to become Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, before being appointed Prefect of Yunzhou. In the sixth year of the Zhenghe era, he was appointed Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel and Vice Minister of the Chancellery. In the sixth year of the Xuanhe era, he served as Grand Chancellor and Vice Minister of the Chancellery, and was enfeoffed as Duke of Chong.

Those unaware of the details would surely think that this was a great show of respect to the Joseon Dynasty, since even the Joseon king might not have the same prestige as Grand Chancellor Baek within the Song Dynasty's system.

If someone of his status and position went to Goryeo, he would probably be treated like royalty.

Unfortunately, the Joseon Dynasty was not a normal vassal state, and he was imprisoned on the very day he arrived in the Joseon Dynasty.

Li Qiande didn't take the Song Dynasty seriously, but they wouldn't dare to easily take action against officials of this rank.

Pai Shih-chung was filled with sorrow and grief, weeping every day, and had written his will inside his clothes.

Hearing footsteps outside, he suddenly thought of the heroic figures in history.

They all managed to turn the tide in desperate situations, but I had absolutely no chance.

Bai Shizhong couldn't help but secretly resent his own incompetence; a scholar is utterly useless.

Thinking that he was about to die, he figured he had to leave his mark on history books. Trembling, he picked up the bamboo door latch and faced the doorway.

Waiting for a mutual destruction.

The footsteps grew closer, and he thought again, what if things didn't go well, and he was beaten and tortured to death? How could he possibly endure that?

With a bang, as the door was flung open, he swiftly threw away the latch.

His hands were behind his back, his gaze was blank, and he stood ramrod straight. (End of Chapter)