Chapter 696: Eternal Decision
"The city is broken."
Late at night, the east and north sides of Kyoto were in panic, with countless officials running around like birds and beasts without nests.
There were shouts of death and screams everywhere.
They had no idea where the enemy troops came from, and even some officials who were dissatisfied with the officials in Kyoto directly led a group of people to loot the officials.
The remaining people looked blankly at the killing below the city and stayed on top of the city doing nothing.
When chaos broke out in the outer city, Liu Bian in the North Palace was sighing with Concubine Tang.
Concubine Tang did not come from a small family, her family was also a family of two thousand stones, so she understood the current situation and tried to relieve Liu Bian's worries.
She put Liu Bian's head on her lap, then gently pinched Liu Bian's temples with her fingers, without saying anything.
Liu Bian felt the tenderness of Concubine Tang and suddenly shed tears.
He wiped away his tears without Concubine Tang helping him wipe them, and then said to Concubine Tang gently:
"You can leave the palace tonight and go to your father. But I order you not to remarry, because you are the emperor's concubine after all. You will take good care of yourself in the future. Tonight is our farewell."
Concubine Tang's eyes dimmed and she asked:
"Didn't we defeat the bandit army today? Why is Your Majesty so pessimistic?"
Liu Bian smiled sadly and shook his head:
"Although I don't understand military warfare, I can see that the morale on the top of the city has reached rock bottom. Without the arrival of reinforcements, the city will be destroyed."
Concubine Tang grabbed Liu Bian's hand and comforted her again:
"Your Majesty, you are worrying too much. The ancestral temple is alive. Isn't it going to snow heavily now? In such weather, the bandit army will not be able to attack the city no matter what."
Liu Bian did not argue about anything, but said:
"If the ancestral temple had a spirit, there would be no story about Wang Mang."
After saying that, he closed his eyes, rested his head on Concubine Tang's legs, and remained silent.
Concubine Tang held her breath and rubbed Liu Bian's temples.
In fact, she did not follow Liu Bian to the city today, so she didn't know what Liu Bian went through today to cause such a heavy blow to his confidence.
During the day, there was a fierce battle at the top of the city. Liu Bian once again led a few ministers and guards to the top of the city to boost morale.
This time he took out the gold belt from his waist and hung it on the city plate, indicating that he would be rewarded for killing the thieves.
At that time, hundreds of people participated enthusiastically, and finally about 300 people descended from the city and counterattacked towards the Taishan Army outside the city.
Liu Bian was on the top of the city at that time. It was the first time for him to observe the battlefield so close, and it was also the first time to see such a brutal fight. Compared with this place, the scene of massacre of the Yuan family was just a trick.
With the emperor watching and being rewarded with real gold and silver, the Han troops who lowered themselves from the top of the city fought bravely.
Among them were two generals in particular. Liu Bian could not name them, but he vaguely saw them holding halberds in the palace several times. These two were the bravest.
One of them holds a card-carrying spear and uses a short sword, and the other carries a quiver on his back and uses a hard bow. The two cooperated tacitly and shot and stabbed to death more than ten Taishan soldiers in a short period of time.
He is the bravest of this group.
Liu Bian was so excited that he asked the people in the city what their names were.
But before the people around them could reply, the two men were surrounded by a group of Taishan Army infantrymen.
Liu Bian was so anxious that he shouted:
"Rush up and save them."
But no matter how Liu Bian shouted, the other people in the city seemed not to hear it, and still moved forward slowly, watching helplessly as the two warriors were lifted up in the air one after another, and then stabbed to death by more than ten branches. .
Seeing the tragic death of the warrior, his hands were hanging in the air, and the voice in his throat could not be shouted out.
After that, most of the Han troops who left the city came back, but Taishan's army did not kill them all.
But these people were too embarrassed to see Liu Bian.
At this time, Liu Bian was particularly puzzled. He asked one of the military officials:
"Why don't you save them?"
Unexpectedly, he got such a frustrated answer from the military officer:
"Your Majesty, we are afraid."
Liu Bian's body shook, and he looked at the group of people in disbelief.
A few days ago, they kept saying that they wanted to die for the Han Dynasty, but now, right under his eyes, they told themselves that they were afraid!
A warrior whose profession is killing said to their monarch, they are afraid!
This is so ridiculous and so disappointing.
After that, Liu Bian returned to Beigong, and the rest of the time he was very depressed.
At this moment, he felt Tang Fei's tenderness, listened to her breathing, and recalled the friendship of sharing weal and woe. His heart was full of pity and reluctance, but it was pity that made Liu Bian firmly say to himself:
"My heart must be hardened so that Concubine Tang can survive."
So, he stood up suddenly, pushed Concubine Tang away, and said coldly:
"Okay, it's time for you to leave the palace."
Concubine Tang staggered to the ground with a sad look on her face. She was moved to say something, but when she saw the cold frost on her beloved face, she fell silent.
Finally, she carefully took a few steps back, then rolled up her sleeves, clasped her hands together, raised them high to her forehead, and then slowly bowed to Liu Bian.
With tears in her eyes, Concubine Tang looked at Liu Bian's face seriously for the last time and said softly:
"Your Majesty, you must protect yourself when I am away."
After saying that, she suddenly raised her head and smiled at Liu Bian:
"Your Majesty, take another look at me, and don't forget me."
Concubine Tang didn't get her answer. She persisted for a while, and finally she could only retreat silently.
When she walked outside the hall, she suddenly heard a voice from behind:
"I will never forget you in this life, because you are the person I love most."
Concubine Tang suddenly turned her head, and at this moment she smiled, so beautiful and charming.
She wanted to leave her most beautiful moment to her lover, not the indifferent emperor.
Finally, Concubine Tang left. The huge Deyang Hall no longer has any brilliance.
Liu Bian touched the remaining warmth left by Concubine Tang on the bed just now, and his heart palpitated deeply again.
Perhaps only when a person is at his most desperate moment will he examine his heart.
At this time, Liu Bian also imagined a future. If he could live in seclusion with Concubine Tang and live their own lives without having to bear the burden of the Han Dynasty and power, would they be very happy?
He smiled as he thought about it, and it was a smile that was completely reborn.
Perhaps freedom is the most important thing for people, not history.
But at this moment, a group of small yellow gatekeepers outside the palace suddenly rushed to the palace gate crying:
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty..., Concubine Tang, she jumped off the platform, already, already..."
They no longer dare to say the rest.
At this time, Liu Bian listened to this, smiled and cried.
He sang in sorrow:
"The way of heaven is so easy, how difficult it is for me! Abandon ten thousand vehicles and retreat to Tibet."
"Thieves are forced to see you in chaos, but your life will not be extended. If you are about to die, you will be in the dark and mysterious place!"
At this moment, he seemed to see Tang Ji, right next to him, still wearing her favorite neon dress, dancing there.
She sang so smartly:
"After the emperor's sky collapsed, the earth fell, and as an emperor, his destiny was destroyed."
"The road between life and death is different. I will be good from now on. I am alone and feel sad in my heart!" The fairy voice whispered, and the man was gone.
But Liu Bian knew that this was Tang Ji's wish.
When he was grieving for the loss of his beloved concubine, but suffering never comes alone, there was chaos outside the palace. They shouted:
"The thieves have entered the city."
At this time, Liu Bian staggered to the desk, drew out the Emperor's Sword, and shouted:
"Where is Mr. Habayashi?"
But there was no answer in the Deyang Palace of Nuoda.
Liu Bian held the Emperor's Sword and ran out of Deyang Palace, shouting:
"Where is Mr. Habayashi? Follow me to kill the thief!"
He ran all the way along the towering majesty, even losing his shoes. Finally, the Yulin Lang who heard the sound heard the sound, and they gathered around with spears raised.
One of the young Yu Linlang anxiously said to Liu Bian:
"Your Majesty, the Taishan bandits have entered the city. We have to attack and defend the Dongming Gate, otherwise the bandits will enter the Beigong."
After saying that, the man would order other Yulin warriors to bring Liu Bian into the palace for protection.
But Liu Bian shouted:
"Whoever dares to move will have his blood splattered on the spot today."
After speaking, he laughed at everyone:
"Haha, I am the emperor of the Han Dynasty. Who can kill me? Follow me to eradicate the traitor army and help the Han Dynasty."
After saying that, he immediately ran towards Dongming Gate in the east.
The imperial guards present had never seen such a bloody emperor, and they all shouted and followed the emperor towards Dongmingmen.
……
During the most chaotic period in Kyoto, countless Han soldiers secretly took off their military uniforms and prepared to flee.
But at this time, Zhu Jun showed up to turn the tide.
A group of Jianghuai tooth soldiers carried his bed and brought him to the rebel army.
Later, Zhu Jun loudly said to these Han soldiers:
"The four cities have been sealed off for a long time, and there are only a small number of enemy troops entering the city. Kill anyone who causes trouble, and follow my orders."
Zhu Jun's prestige quickly stabilized the morale of the army and restored sanity.
Later, Zhu Jun ordered the troops at the city gates not to move at all. Anyone who dared to take advantage of the chaos and descend to the city will be executed.
Then he asked a group of people to go to various communities to enforce the curfew, and ordered the ministers to strictly guard their homes. Anyone who dared to take people to the streets at this time would be punished with death.
Finally, he reorganized the defeated army in front of him and prepared it as a mobile force to quell the rebel army in the city.
Zhu Jun believed in his own judgment that there must not be many thieves entering the city.
Sure enough, with Zhu Jun's many actions, all directions in Kyoto became calm one after another, except for the northeast corner where killings broke out.
At this time, without Zhu Jun saying anything, everyone knew that the thief was in the northeast.
So, Yu Fan raised his iron spear and shouted to everyone:
"The thief is in the northeast, follow me and kill him! We will help the Han Dynasty tonight."
After saying that, the Jianghuai soldiers rushed towards the northeast corner under the leadership of Yu Fan.
When they came, they found a group of thieves attacking the arsenal, so they roared and joined the battle group.
Those Taishan troops who attacked the arsenal were suddenly attacked. They quickly abandoned the arsenal and retreated towards Taicang in the rear.
Soon, Yu Fan reached Taicang, only to find that it had been occupied by the Taishan army that entered the city.
At this time, he was no longer allowed to think. Without another word, he led his men to kill him.
……
When a major danger occurred in Kyoto, the Han army on the top of the city did not notice that countless black-armored warriors were pouring into the city along the collapsed northeast corner in the dark night.
First, a warrior placed a "Zhao" flag on the city, followed by a "Zhang" flag and a "Xu" flag.
More and more Taishan troops poured into the city.
Originally, some Han troops saw these Taishan troops and were preparing to go down to the city to fight. But suddenly they saw the crowd like dark clouds coming from behind, their defenses collapsed, and they collapsed in an instant.
At first, the Han army still had a chance, but the situation changed due to heavy snowfall. The original three tunnels were abandoned because the frozen soil made it difficult to dig, and all manpower was used to dig one.
Therefore, when the Taishan Army opened up the passages inside and outside the city, the number of people who could actually enter the city was very small.
After all, if the tunnel is compared to a faucet, no matter how much water there is, it will be limited by the thickness of the faucet.
The first batch of soldiers who entered the city were only two hundred soldiers. They took advantage of the unpreparedness of Taicang's defenders and captured Taicang in a sneak attack. They used this place as a stronghold to spread to other parts of the city.
But when they hit the arsenal, they were frustrated.
The Han army officials at the arsenal were overly cautious and kept watch even during heavy snowfalls. They even arranged for both light and dark sentry posts.
So when the secret sentry discovered the sneaky Taishan Army, the only thing left for the Taishan Army was to attack by force.
However, their numbers were not superior and they lacked the means to attack the city, so there has been little progress.
Later, after Yu Fan arrived with Jianghuai soldiers, these people finally retreated to Taicang after realizing that they had no chance.
So at this time, the Han army actually still has a chance, as long as they can block the loophole in the northeast corner.
But this is always just a virtual condition.
When a series of armies such as Zhao Yun, Xu Huang, and Zhang Nan rushed into the city from here, Kyoto's fate was actually irreversible.
At first there was systematic resistance from the Han army, but after a complete Han army of a thousand men was effortlessly defeated by Taishan's army, no one dared to intercept it.
The Taishan Army of nearly 10,000 people was divided into three arrows, from the north, east, and northeast. The Taishan Army in the north and east were to clean up the Han Army on the city, while the Taishan Army in the northeast was directed by Zhao Yun personally led the troops into the city.
At this time, the morale of the Han army had collapsed across the board, and countless Han troops were swept out of the city by the Taishan Army. These people abandoned their armor and took off their military medicine even in such a cold weather, and scattered into the city.
While they were fighting in the city, outside the Twelve Gates of Kyoto, there were already 20,000 Taishan troops on horseback waiting in formation.
Thick snow had already hung on their shoulders and cloaks, but everyone was staring at the city gate motionless, waiting for the city gate to open.
Soon, as they waited impatiently, the city gates to the north and east were opened first, and countless Taishan Army's cavalry poured into the city like a tide.
At this point, the fall of Kyoto was a fact, and it was impossible for the Han army to retake the outer city. But at this moment, they at least have the last line of defense, which is the North and South Palaces.
……
Jianghuai Yabing was defeated by the crane-controlling army that poured into the city. They regrouped around Zhu Jun and waited for his order.
At this moment, corpses covered the streets of Kyoto. The royal road that only the emperor could walk in the past was no longer sacred and was a bloody mess.
Zhu Jun blushed and looked at the fleeing troops. This time he did not intercept these people.
He coughed and said to Yu Fan beside Hu's bed:
"Now we can only retreat to Beigong, where there are still Yulin troops."
Yu Fan glanced at Zhu Jun worriedly, then nodded and led the Jianghuai tooth soldiers to carry Zhu Jun once again and evacuate to the Dongming Gate of the Beigong.
There will be the last hope.