The Wu dynasty.
In the early winter of the first year of Jingping, which was also the 14th year of Jinghan, overcast and rainy weather enveloped Bianliang.
The walls of the city were closed, and the atmosphere of the entire city was gloomy and oppressive.
In the north, the Jurchen army had spread out under the city. They had been besieging the city for nearly half a month.
The Wu dynasty's defending army had endured the first wave at a terrible price. Then, the Jurchen army began to quiet down. The Jurchen army, led by the Jurchen God of War Wanyan Zongwang and Marshal Ni Han, only called out to the enemy every day but did not attack the city. Everyone knew that the Jurchen army, already familiar with the siege tactics, was busy building all kinds of siege weapons. With every passing second, the defense of Bianliang became more and more precarious.
Since the first year of Jingping, which was the winter of Jinghan's 13th year, the Jurchen had gone south for the first time. At that time, Zongwang's army had besieged Bianliang for several months and attacked the city several times, almost breaking it. Later, Bianliang paid a huge price to finally repel them. This time, the people in the city had lost confidence as to whether Bianliang's walls could still be defended. During this period of time, although the city was not short of supplies, the flow of energy between the cities had fallen to the lowest point. The notoriety of the Jurchen generals could stop children from crying at night for the past half a month.
The day when the rain stopped a little was the 18th of November. The sky was still dark, and the moisture in the city had not receded after the rain. The weather was so cold that it seeped into the bones. Most of the shops in the city were closed. People gathered in their homes, waiting for the merciless flow of time, hoping for the Jurchen army to retreat and the arrival of the army to rescue the king. But in fact, the army had already arrived. Now, the line from the plains to the north of the city to the Yellow River was full of traces of the army's defeat and the corpses of those who had been slaughtered.
No one knew where the liveliness came from. At noon, the streets were filled with the sound of suona and drums. A troop was passing through the streets of Bianliang, heading in the direction of Xuanhua Gate. When the residents came out to take a look, they saw nine majestic golden-eyed dragons at the front of the troop, followed by eighteen mighty and flamboyant copper-headed lions. Behind them, the army had arrived!
Some were wielding swords, some were holding sticks, some were somersaulting, and some were spewing flames. At this time when Bianliang City was besieged, this army was full of confidence and vigor. At the back, on a high platform supported by the crowd, a Celestial Master sat high up. The canopy was wide open, yellow silk fluttered in the air, and colored glass decorated the place. The Celestial Master sat upright solemnly, forming a spell, dignified and silent.
People on the streets started asking around, and only then did they know that Heavenly Master Guo Jing had arrived!
Who was Heavenly Master Guo Jing?
This person was the 59th generation descendant of Zhang Daoling of Mount Longhu. He had received the true teachings of the Righteous Dao, and later fused the strong points of both Buddhism and Daoism. His spells and supernatural powers were close to that of an Earth Immortal. Now that the Jurchens had invaded the south, there would naturally be a hero to save the people. The team that followed Guo Jing were the 7,777 Six Armor Divine Soldiers that the Celestial Master had carefully selected and trained after entering the capital.
When the Six Armor Divine Weapons were born, they could resist the Jurchen army of a million soldiers. Although Wanyan Zongwang and Wanyan Zonghan were originally Constellation Devils, with the help of the Heavenly Master's Vashimen Gate Heavenly King Technique, they would definitely be captured alive!
"Bianliang is saved …"
The crowd bustled as they followed. Some people walked out and knelt on the side of the road, while others cried, "Heavenly Master Guo, save the people …"
More and more people knelt on the side of the road. Just like that, the Six Armor Divine Soldiers crossed half of Bianliang City and arrived near the Xuanhua Gate, where the heavily guarded city wall was. The people finally stopped. They stood in the line, watching, and waiting …
Not long after, Guo Jing climbed up the city wall and began to perform the spell. The Xuanhua Gate opened, and the Six Armor Divine Soldiers gathered at the gate. They got into formation and began to perform the spell!
In the imperial palace, the newly ascended Jingping Emperor looked to the north and grabbed the jade railing with both hands. "Now, it's up to Heavenly Master Guo to destroy the traitors …"
Outside the Xuanhua Gate, the Jurchen generals who were calling for a fight were startled. A team of cavalry that was lined up outside the gate was also startled. In the Jurchen army camp, Zong Han, Zong Wang, and the others hurriedly ran out. The northern wind blew the cloaks on their bodies. When they climbed up to the high ground and saw the scene at the city gate, their faces twitched.
Under the gloomy sky, the city gate of Bianliang was wide open. An army was standing there, chanting something, and then changing their posture with a "Hey"!
"What … what's going on …"
"A trick?"
"The Empty City Stratagem?"
Even though Zong Han, Zong Wang, and the others had traveled the world and seen many things, they had never encountered such a scene. Thus, there was an awkward silence.
"Then … let the people at the front fight."
A moment later, the Jurchen cavalry charged toward the formation of the Six Armor Divine Soldiers. Seeing this formation, the Jurchen cavalry was also nervous. However, the military order was in front of them, so there was nothing they could do. As the distance between them shortened, the anxiety in their hearts also rose to the peak. At this time, there was no rain of arrows, and the city gate was not closed. The distance between the two sides was rapidly decreasing! The Jurassic knight at the frontline shouted hysterically. The vanguard was about to arrive. He shouted and slashed his long sword at the fearless soldiers in front of him.
*****
"… Alas, it's said that only in troubled times will there be demons. That Ning Yi, the Inner Demon, is indeed a great demon who has brought disaster to the Wu Dynasty. I don't know where in the heavens he broke the vases and descended to the human world. The ministers of the court, meeting him, is really unlucky for eight generations …"
The northern wind moaned, blowing over the mountains. This was a dilapidated temple in the mountains near Jiangning. It was a little far from the courier station, but there were always people who used this place as a rest stop. When people gathered, it was time to talk. At this time, there were also some travelers who were somewhat unscrupulously talking about things that shouldn't be said.
The one who spoke was a martial artist with a saber on his back. People of the underworld like him traveled north and south, and were the least subject to the control of the law. Because of this, what they said was often what others were interested in. At this time, he was stirring the bonfire and lamenting.
"At the end of last year, the Jurchen left, and the affairs in the capital were a mess. In June, the Inner Demon killed the emperor in court. In court, in front of all the officials, he killed … the late emperor. The people in the capital said that when an ordinary man is angry, blood will splash five steps away! Now, the Jurchen came to attack the city again. I don't know if Bianliang can be defended … "
Jiangning was too far from Bianliang. At this time, the people in this dilapidated temple were not officials. Other than the three people sitting in the corner, one of whom looked like a noble young master, the rest were mostly idle people in the pugilistic world, low-class merchants, and gangsters. Someone whispered, "Then … how did he do that in the throne room?"
"This …" The martial artist spread his hands. "I did hear a little about the situation at that time. They said that the Inner Demon had demonic magic. On the day of the rebellion, two huge things rose in the sky and directly sent his reinforcements into the palace. He also arranged people in the palace. Once the battle started, the cavalry outside entered the city, and the sounds of fighting could be heard everywhere. Several government offices were smashed by the Inner Demon's men, and not long after, they opened the palace gates and killed their way in. As for the situation in the palace … "
He lowered his voice. "In the palace, it was said that the Inner Demon injured the late emperor and held him hostage. No one else dared to go near him. Then, it was Cai Jing who secretly wanted to kill the late emperor … "
After he said this, everyone was stunned. Some people blinked and slightly moved away from the martial artist, as if hearing this would bring about a fatal disaster. At this moment, the nobleman who was squatting at the side of the dilapidated temple blinked his eyes and said something to a man beside him. The man walked over and added some firewood to the fire. "You, how dare you talk nonsense. Although Grand Tutor Cai was said to be a treacherous official, how would he dare to kill the emperor? Don't you know that spreading rumors here will bring about a fatal disaster? "
That martial artist was slightly stunned, then his face showed an arrogant expression. "Heh, I, Tang Dong, roamed the pugilistic world with my head tied to my waist for a living. When have I ever been afraid of a fatal disaster?! However, when I speak and do things, I, Tang Dong, mean what I say. This is how things are in the capital city. Maybe I won't speak nonsense in the future, but since I have spoken today, I dare to say that this is the truth! "
"Alright, then tell me, how would Grand Tutor Cai dare to kill the emperor! What a joke. You actually said such a rebellious matter is child's play. "
"Heh, how is it child's play?" Seeing that the other party was being disrespectful, Tang Donglai's anger rose. He looked at the noble young master not far away, but then he said, "Let me ask you, if that Inner Demon killed the late emperor on the spot, with the guards in the palace nearby, wouldn't he be immediately hacked to death?"
The other party nodded. "But even if he didn't make a move, why would Grand Tutor Cai do such a rebellious thing?!"
"You asked a good question!" Tang Donglai clapped his hands and stood up. "Let me ask all of you, in the imperial court, when the emperor was restrained, none of you dared to leave or kill indiscriminately! The rebel's troops and horses are outside, and there are demonic spells flying everywhere. They might be killing their way in soon. If we just wait like this, wouldn't all of the civil and military officials in the imperial court be slaughtered by the rebel's people?! "
Everyone didn't speak, and they all avoided eye contact. Tang Donglai was quite satisfied. "That Inner Demon rebel had this idea. As long as he captured the emperor, the civil and military officials in the imperial court wouldn't be able to fight or stay."
The gaze of the person who spoke earlier became stern. "Then you want to say that it was Grand Tutor Cai who killed the late emperor? Who are you? How dare you speak on behalf of the rebel!? "
"Hmph, I didn't say that." Tang Donglai said this impulsively. Even though he was from the Green Forest, he wasn't part of the group of people from the Green Forest, so he knew the severity of the matter. "However, there are rumors in the capital that not long after the late emperor was captured by the rebel, Grand Tutor Cai instructed the imperial guards to shout that the emperor had been assassinated and wanted to shoot arrows into the golden palace hall. The rebel killed the late emperor with one slash, and then used Prince Tong as a shield to rush out. Prince Tong was already severely injured, and then both of his hands were chopped off by the rebel. He died with his eyes wide open! All these things, as long as one has good eyes and ears near the capital, would know later on. Not to mention that the rebel scattered so many things in the capital … "
When he said this, he saw that the other party didn't say anything, so he softly snorted.
"Hmph, actually, those corrupt officials in the capital have a few good things. Do you all know that the six prefectures of Yan and Yun were actually bought back, not fought back …"
People from the Green Forest lived on the edge of a knife, and they always cared about their face. This person's luggage was old, and his clothes weren't considered good. However, at this moment, he had won an argument with someone else, and he had a lot of inside information in the capital that he could talk about. He couldn't help but reveal an even bigger piece of news. However, as soon as he said this, faint footsteps could be heard from outside the temple. Then, the footsteps became densely packed, and it started to increase. Tang Donglai's expression changed. He didn't know if he had encountered the yamen's secret agent who was in charge of the rumor of regicide. He looked out and saw that the area around the dilapidated temple was almost surrounded by people. There were also people coming in from outside the temple and looking around.
The noble young master stood up, waved his hand slightly at Tang Donglai, and then said, "It's okay, it's okay. Everyone, continue to rest. I'll leave first." He then said to those who came in, "It's okay, it's okay. They are all traveling merchants. Don't disturb the peace of others.
This large group of people mostly wore the uniforms of the Prince's Mansion. The noble young master and his entourage walked out of the dilapidated temple, went to the road not far away, and got on a spacious and elegant carriage. In the carriage, a woman with an air of nobility and a servant girl beside her were already waiting.
This noble young master was the young prince of Prince Kang's Mansion, Zhou Junwu. As for the woman in the carriage, she was his sister, Zhou Pei.
On the ninth day of the sixth month of this year, their former teacher, Inner Demon Ning Yi, committed regicide and escaped in Bianliang City. There were many things that even the people of the Prince's Mansion didn't know clearly. However, after the Inner Demon committed regicide, he spread the black records of all the aristocratic families all over the capital city. They knew that this matter wasn't as important as regicide and rebellion, but it left behind countless hidden dangers. Obviously, Tang Donglai knew the details of Tong Guan, Cai Jing, and the others redeeming the six states of Yan Yun because of this.
After hearing this news, although Zhou Junwu was greatly shocked, his daily life was basically not affected. What he was most interested in were the two big balls that flew into the sky. However, his sister, Zhou Pei, was obviously in low spirits during this half a year. She was in charge of a large number of businesses in Princess Cheng's Mansion, so she was obviously depressed in the midst of her busy work. At this time, after seeing Jun Wu get on the carriage and let the carriages move forward, she said, "You should be more steady. You shouldn't always run into these messy places."
"Hey." Jun Wu smiled and lowered his voice. "Sister Wang, just now I met someone who might be Master's subordinate … Of course, he might not be." He thought for a moment and said, "Well, he wasn't careful enough. I don't think so."
Zhou Pei just frowned and looked at him coldly.
"Sister Wang, did you know? Today, I heard from that person that Master wanted to get rid of all the civil and military officials in the court. Unfortunately, the older, the wiser. Grand Preceptor Cai was still able to break the deadlock in that situation …"
"You shouldn't call him Master anymore."
"Alright, Ning Yi … no, Inner Demon, Sister Wang, do you know what's going on? Inner Demon is in the court. First, he detained the late Emperor and planned to kill all the civil and military officials in the court. Then …"
Jun Wu excitedly told her what he heard in the temple. Zhou Pei listened quietly and didn't interrupt him. She just looked at her brother, who was almost cheering for the traitor. She gradually clenched her fists and tears gradually appeared in the corners of her eyes. Jun Wu had never seen his sister like this. At the end of the story, his eyes were filled with doubt and his voice gradually lowered. He heard Zhou Pei say, "Do you know …"
She tilted her head and looked at her brother. Tears flowed down her cheeks and her voice was choked with sobs. "Do you know …"
"Bianliang has fallen, and the Jurchens have entered the city …"
All the voices around them seemed to be completely silent for a moment. He was slightly startled and gradually became silent. He tilted his head to the side.
The north wind whimpered on the plains outside the carriage. The carriage shook and the winter sun was setting early. No one knew if this was the sunset of the Wu dynasty …
In the ninth month of the first year of Jingping, the Jin army once again attacked Wu and marched south along the Taiyuan road. In the tenth month, the Jin army tore apart the Wu dynasty's defenses along the Yellow River and arrived at the city of Bianliang.
Guo Jing was sometimes deceived, claiming that he knew the "Six Armor Method" and was good at enslaving ghosts and gods. In order to deceive Sheng Cong, on the 18th of November, Sheng Cong selected 7,777 soldiers from the city to form the "Six Armor Heavenly Soldiers" and opened the Xuanhua Gate to fight against the Jin Kingdom's army. After the initial surprise, the Jin soldiers began to slaughter them and entered the city. On this day, the outer city of Bianliang completely fell.
An indescribable humiliation had begun.
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