The roar of cannons made Youzhou City tremble, dirt and rocks flew from the city walls, and the collapsed houses in the city were filled with dust.
After a while, the sound of the cannon would stop, and it was like this every day. Once the noise stopped, the bulldozers outside who were filling the river would come in one after another. Xiao Siwen knew it was this scene without even looking, because it had been repeated too many times.
Besides this, there is one more thing.
When Xiao Siwen heard the gunfire outside the city stop, he couldn't help but look up at the sky. Sure enough, a moment later, something round like a grass ball flew over in the sky. A large ball rolled over, and the hair in the air looked like a tail.
The balls fell on the ruined roofs and the streets.
The Liao soldiers around were all pale, because they knew what it was.
Xiao Siwen took out a white handkerchief to cover his mouth and nose, then looked down at a round ball that had fallen in front of the horse. There was a shaved head with a pair of lifeless eyes filled with dirt and lime in his messy hair. His face was a bloody mess from the fall, his lips were gone, and two rows of yellow teeth were exposed, making him look like a terrifying skeleton.
The air was filled with the stench of blood and the alkaline smell of lime.
Wow, a soldier not far away who was using straw to pad his hands to pick up the head suddenly vomited.
A Liao army general cursed, "Useless thing."
Unexpectedly, the soldier suddenly ran away like crazy, shouting: There is a ghost, Youzhou City is full of dead souls, we are all going to die, help!
"That guy has gone mad. Quickly catch him and tie him up to prevent him from disrupting the morale of the army," someone shouted hurriedly.
Xiao Siwen's face was livid, and he watched everything that happened in front of him silently. It was rare for someone to be frightened to death, but the atmosphere in Youzhou at this time was indeed very bad.
The ancient streets and alleys, the ruined houses near the city wall, no one on the street, heads flying in the air, as if ghosts were dancing in broad daylight. The key is the despair brought by the large number of heads flying into the city.
With so many Khitan young men's heads, there was no need to control the rumors. Seeing was believing. Everyone understood that Yelu Xiu'ge's reinforcements were all finished.
How do the defenders in the lonely city feel when they can't see any reinforcements
Xiao Siwen was a little dazed. He turned around and murmured to the Han official Fan Zhongyi: I have long warned the Khitan nobles that although Han'er may seem docile, they are not sheep, and I am most afraid of Han'er getting vicious.
Fan Zhongyi remained silent. He seemed not to know how to answer because he was also a Han Chinese.
Xiao Siwen thought: For Youzhou, Guo the blacksmith was willing to put all the elite troops in Hebei to fight hard; the Khitans were threatening people, but after 30,000 people died, would they still be able to fight hard
The feeling of failure surged into Xiao Siwen's heart, and he was extremely depressed.
In a trance, suddenly, outside the city came the sound of thousands of people singing in unison. Xiao Siwen listened carefully. He could understand Chinese. Great Zhou warriors, restore our land. The battle will not end until the blood is dried and the dead are dead.
It was as if a million people were singing desolate songs in the distance, coming from the sky and penetrating every corner. The horse under Xiao Siwen's seat moved and took a step back.
The Liao army soldiers around looked up and listened attentively.
Xiao Siwen rode his horse up the slope behind the city wall, and his generals hurriedly advised: "The Zhou army will fire cannons soon, take care, Your Majesty!"
Xiao Siwen dismounted and climbed up to the top of the city wall. Looking far ahead, he saw a sea of people and horses outside the city wall. The scene was extremely spectacular. The faces in the distance were vaguely facing Youzhou, as if they were making a pilgrimage to this ancient city that had been lost for more than 20 years. The four lines of the song were sung in unison in the sea of people, repeated over and over again, like a grand spell.
I will never stop fighting until my death
After a while, the deafening sound of "boom boom" suddenly sounded again, and the earth trembled. In the distance, a row of white smoke rose up, and the muzzles of cannons spewed out the flames of burning gunpowder, like the anger of thousands of troops.
Xiao Siwen was awakened by this huge battle, and remembered the character of the Han people he had read in the book. Gou Jian was willing to destroy the country of Yue with only 3,000 soldiers for revenge, and the Han Dynasty was willing to destroy the Xiongnu at all costs, and the war lasted for 50 years without stopping.
Hundred-pound boulders fell from the sky with a bang, splashing bricks and stones on the city wall.
The soldiers surrounded Xiao Siwen and shouted: "Protect the king!"
At this moment, Xiao Abudi decisively shouted: "Send the king down the city." That Abudi was Xiao Siwen's clansman and confidant. After hearing this, the soldiers grabbed Xiao Siwen and forcibly pulled him down from the top of the city.
Xiao Siwen came down from the city wall and gradually became more sober. He suddenly understood a truth: this battle cannot be fought. The men must fight to the death. To continue fighting is to seek death.
At this moment, the sound of cannons roared and a horse galloped over. It was a bald Khitan man without a hat. He ran to Xiao Siwen, jumped off his horse, bent over and shrunk his neck to walk in front of the horse, holding a piece of paper in both hands: The message delivered by the deputy envoy of the South Courtyard outside the city, the king has reviewed it.
When Xiao Siwen picked it up and saw Khitan characters written on it, his face changed instantly.
The order from the capital required the Southern Court to defend Youzhou alone until autumn.
Xiao Siwen suddenly crumpled the note into a ball, held it tightly in his hand, and rode away on his horse.
Perhaps the people in the capital forgot that Guo the Blacksmith also had another name, Guo Pocheng. Now he had hundreds of thousands of people besieging the lonely city and destroying Yelu Xiu'ge. The morale of the Later Zhou army was so high that they had to hold on for several months.
If Xiao Siwen announced this news, the generals would definitely curse the people who came to the capital as having mental problems.
In fact, Xiao Siwen knew that the Liao emperor and the nobles were all right. He even confirmed at once that even if he could really defend the city until autumn, there would still be no reinforcements; by then, there would be other excuses.
When he returned to the South Courtyard, some generals of the Khitan, Jurchen, and Xi followed him in. Xiao Siwen walked around the hall, not daring to tell them the news in a hurry.
Amid the roar of artillery fire, Xiao Siwen was in a state of restlessness and restlessness, but he was too sober to think too deeply. If he thought too much, the consequences would be too terrible.
Based on Xiao Siwen's understanding of the Liao Dynasty's politics, he dared to conclude that the Liao Dynasty would definitely not be able to win against the Zhou Kingdom in Youzhou at this time, and Youzhou would definitely not be able to be defended.
What about the tens of thousands of Khitans and their vassal tribesmen in Youzhou
What will happen to the Liao Dynasty after this catastrophe
What would happen to him, Xiao Siwen, when he returned? Xiao Siwen believed that Shangjing would put all the blame for abandoning Youzhou on him, making him a scapegoat. For them, this was simply a matter of course.
Youzhou is the fertile land of the Liao Dynasty. Who can take on this responsibility? Xiao Siwen felt that even he, the King of the Southern Courtyard, might not be able to take it.
Everyone was looking at him. Xiao Siwen was speechless. There was nothing he could do about such devastating consequences.
You all disperse, each of you supervise your subordinates and guard carefully. Xiao Siwen suppressed his inner shock and said to the people present. He couldn't help but remind Abudi again that asking your people to keep an eye on the east gate and running out without permission would be a suicide and would harm everyone.
Abudi bowed and said: I understand.
Xiao Siwen sat restlessly in the South Courtyard until dusk, when the sound of artillery fire outside finally died down. In the past, he stayed in the government office all night without taking off his clothes because the war in Youzhou was very dangerous; but tonight, he suddenly wanted to go back to see his daughter.
When they reached the upper room of the mansion, the concubine Bai came in with Yanyan.
When Xiao Siwen saw Yanyan, he was filled with mixed feelings. His most beloved daughter was by his side when he was most desperate, but he didn't know whether it was a good thing or a bad thing. Staying in Shangjing or Youzhou didn't seem to be a good thing. In this world, when the general trend is not good, there is no place to hide.
Yanyan immediately left Bai's side and ran over.
Bai knelt on the ground and bowed her head and said: "I'm here to greet Alang."
Get up, you don't have to call yourself a slave anymore. Xiao Siwen looked at her with complicated eyes. He had to admit that he had never felt this way about Han'er women before.
I, the Bai family concubine, was a little at a loss.
Xiao Siwen regarded Han'er as his enemy, but he didn't seem to have much hatred in private. War is killing, and it is inevitable that the Khitan soldiers slaughtered the Zhou people and died on the battlefield. The enemy's heroes are my enemies, but this is the case.
On the contrary, Xiao Siwen dared not underestimate Han'er's bravery and courage.
It was the first time that he looked at Bai so carefully. This woman was submissive and did not look like someone who would resist at all. Xiao Siwen felt very strange for a moment: How could such a woman give birth to such fierce and fearless sons
Bai was over 30 years old, but she was fair-skinned and pretty, otherwise Xiao Siwen's subordinates would not have given her to him as a gift. She looked very gentle, and reminded people of the virtuous and housekeeping women in the beautiful mountain villages. She had a peaceful and down-to-earth aura, which was very special to Xiao Siwen, so he kept Bai.
Tell me the truth, I won't blame you now. Do you hate me? Xiao Siwen sighed.
A kind of patient strength suddenly flashed across Bai's gentle face. She bit her lips with her white teeth, but regained her composure after a moment: I do not hate the king, and I don't know why I should hate the king.
Xiao Siwen said calmly: We kidnapped you and separated you from your family.
Bai said: "I have suffered such a disaster, so I naturally have resentment towards the Khitans. But the king treats me well. If it weren't for the king, I would have suffered a worse fate. Weak women like us will remember his kindness if we are treated a little better."
Xiao Siwen nodded, thinking that this answer was quite sincere. You are a tolerant person, and I hope all men are like you.
Bai looked at Xiao Siwen in confusion.
Yanyan held onto Xiao Siwen's arm tightly, her face pale. Xiao Siwen reached out and touched her head. As a father, he would try to protect Yanyan as long as he could.
Dad Yanyan suddenly burst into tears. Xiao Siwen didn't say anything, she had already felt the atmosphere, what a smart little girl.