I was living in the Five Dynasties period, just after crossing the Zhongdu Bridge.

Li Congyi, who was sitting on the dragon throne, was at most a seventeen-year-old boy.

Xiao Han left so casually, leaving him here to take the fall.

Faced with Liu Zhiyuan's overwhelming army, the last thing Prince Xu, who had been forcibly placed on the throne, could do was to ask for help.

But who can I ask for help?

Looking around Daliang, the only one who could save him was Gao Xingzhou, the military governor of Guide Army, who had recently returned to Songzhou.

Why Gao Xingzhou?

The reason is simple: they are close by and have a large army.

In Li Congyi's naive mind, Gao Xingzhou was a former subordinate of Li Siyuan, who had followed Li Siyuan into Bianzhou and had not been tempted to defect even when Li Cunxu tried to entice him to join him.

He is a renowned general of our time. If he is willing to lead troops to defend the emperor, the city of Daliang can be defended and the throne can be firmly held.

Li Congyi naively believed that, thanks to his father's family connections, this old minister might lend him a hand.

To show his sincerity, Li Congyi even cut his finger and wrote the edict in blood.

Unfortunately, this imperial edict never even made it to Gao Xingzhou's desk.

If you only consider relationships and not interests in this world, then you haven't figured out how to live.

Gao Xingzhou isn't stupid.

If this edict had been issued by Yelü Deguang, he might have had to think twice.

If this edict had been issued by Liu Zhiyuan, he would probably have already prepared his horse to receive the emperor.

But it was you, Li Congyi, who posted it!

Yelü Deguang has become a dried-up corpse, and Xiao Han has run back to the north to fight for the throne. A puppet supported by barbarians is not worthy of giving orders to him.

The Khitans have all fled, and the general trend of the world is now clear.

Liu Zhiyuan is a new ruler who came with the prestige of a great victory. Why would he go to the aid of the emperor at this time?

Whose king is Qin?

Qin was a puppet set up by the Khitans.

Is it because they think they have too long a life? Or because they think their family line is growing too large?

Thus, the imperial edict disappeared without a trace, and even the messenger who delivered it never returned.

In the city of Daliang, Li Congyi was completely at a loss, and the civil and military officials were all harboring their own secrets.

Some suggested that since Daliang City is high and its moats are deep, if we concentrate all the troops and hold out for a month, reinforcements will surely arrive from the north.

Take this with a grain of salt. Back when Yelü Deguang sent people south, Daliang was also a heavily fortified city, yet it still couldn't stop the Khitan cavalry.

Those who truly saw through the situation were the women in the inner palace.

Consort Wang, Li Congyi's biological mother, understood that the situation was hopeless after hearing that Gao Xingzhou had not made any moves.

She was a woman who had experienced the hardships of the palace, and her knowledge and experience far surpassed that of her young, inexperienced son.

She rejected those so-called steadfast advice.

Because she knew very well that if she resisted, the day the city fell would be the day she perished.

If they submit, perhaps out of consideration for the orphans and widows, the new emperor might spare their lives.

To show her obedience, Consort Wang did something extremely humble.

She had Li Congyi change his title to King of Liang and sent envoys with a letter of surrender westward to welcome Liu Zhiyuan's entourage.

Not only that, she also moved Li Congyi out of the palace and into a private residence, cleaning the palace spotless to await the new master.

This method, in principle, is in accordance with the rules.

Throughout history, whether it was abdication or resignation, as long as it was done respectably, the new emperor, in order to gain a reputation for benevolence, would most likely spare the life of the deposed emperor of the previous dynasty, or even give him a nominal title and support him.

She's gambling.

They gambled that Liu Zhiyuan, for the sake of his reputation for benevolence and to avoid the infamy of killing the Ming Emperor's heir, would spare the mother and child's lives.

Even if it's confinement or exile, as long as I can live, that's enough.

But Guo Congyi arrived very quickly.

The Zhengzhou Defense Commissioner, who had received a secret imperial decree, did not give the ministers in Daliang City any time to react.

A single elite cavalry unit, under the cover of night, knocked on the door of the private residence.

"Kill!" Guo Congyi kicked open the door.

The private residence was immediately filled with cries and screams.

Those palace maids and eunuchs who had not yet been dismissed instantly became victims of the blade.

Li Congyi was talking to his mother when he heard the commotion outside and shrank behind Consort Wang in fright.

"Mother... Mother, save me!"

Consort Wang shielded her son, her eyes filled with despair as she watched the armored soldiers closing in.

She knew that this day had finally come.

But she didn't expect it to come so quickly and so ruthlessly.

"General! What does this mean?!"

Consort Wang straightened her back as much as possible and looked directly at Guo Congyi, "My son and I have already abdicated and moved out of the palace. Why must we be driven to such extremes?"

"Is this world not even fit for us, a widow and her orphan?"

Guo Congyi stopped and looked coldly at the mother and son.

"Your Highness, Consort Shu."

"I was just following orders. It's just that the title of Prince Liang is too heavy for you to bear, and the bloodline of the Li family is too precious for the Emperor to sleep at night."

With that, he waved his hand.

Several armored soldiers rushed forward and dragged Li Congyi out from behind Consort Wang.

"Don't kill him...don't kill my son!"

Consort Wang rushed forward like a madwoman to protect her son, but was kicked to the ground by a soldier.

puff!

A knife was plunged into the chest of the seventeen-year-old boy.

Li Congyi's eyes widened, blood and foam welled up in his mouth, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he only let out a sob before collapsing limply.

"My son!"

Consort Wang let out a scream and crawled to her son's body, embracing the convulsing corpse.

"Why?!"

She cried out to Guo Congyi, "My son was forcibly made emperor by those Khitans! What crime has he committed? What crime deserves death?!"

"Why can't we spare his life? Even imprisoning him for the rest of his life would be better!"

"Even if... even if it's just to leave a trace of Emperor Mingzong's bloodline, so he has someone to perform sacrifices for him, that would be good!"

When she mentioned the name Mingzong, the surrounding soldiers paused involuntarily.

Emperor Mingzong of Later Tang, Li Siyuan, was a rare and powerful ruler among the Five Dynasties, and he enjoyed considerable prestige in the army.

Guo Congyi frowned, seemingly also feeling uneasy about the resentment.

But he still raised the sword in his hand.

His future hinges on this one blow.

"Let's get going."

"Now I'll send you to see Emperor Mingzong, so your family can... be reunited."

Knife up and down.

The crying stopped abruptly.

······

a few days later.

When Shen Lie finally saw the city wall of Daliang, the flags on the city wall had already been replaced with brand new Chinese characters.

The city gate was bustling with traffic.

Ordinary people went in and out as usual, and merchants continued to hawk their wares.

For the people of this city, changing emperors is just changing who collects taxes. As long as the city isn't massacred, life goes on.

"I'm finally back..."

Zhao Kuangyin reined in his horse and stood by the moat, his eyes filled with a complex expression.

"What's wrong? Feeling apprehensive about returning home?"

Shen Lie glanced at him sideways, his expression indifferent.

"I'm not scared, it's just that I feel..."

Before Zhao Kuangyin could finish speaking, a commotion suddenly broke out at the city gate ahead.

A group of soldiers parted the crowd and headed straight for Shen Lie's group.

The leading general was about fifty years old, with gray hair and beard.

He wore a scarlet robe with a belt around his waist, rode a magnificent white horse, and was followed by dozens of imposing family retainers.

Upon seeing this man, Zhao Kuangyin immediately sat up straight, his previously lazy posture replaced by a respectful expression.

He dismounted, took a few steps forward, and bowed deeply as if a mountain of gold and a pillar of jade had been overturned:

"My son greets his father!"

The visitor was none other than Zhao Hongyin, who had just been promoted to Commander of the Imperial Guard.

The veteran's gaze swept over his son.

Get up.

Zhao Hongyin did not show any joy on his face, but his next sentence revealed that he was a typical Han Chinese father.

"It's good that you're still alive."

Shen Lie found it amusing.

This father-son reunion at the gates of Bianliang, though lacking the dramatic scene of embracing and weeping, still revealed the strict rules of a noble family.

After saying that, Zhao Hongyin looked at the young man in the crimson robe and iron armor.

Shen Lie also dismounted and bowed.

"Shen Lie has met Zhao Husheng."

Zhao Hongyin squinted at Shen Lie for a moment before a smile appeared on his face.

"Defender Shen, you're too kind."

"My son is unruly, and we are very grateful for your care along the way. I will remember this favor."

"You flatter me, Zhao Husheng. Yuan Lang is a man of exceptional talent. I was merely traveling with him."