Tang Dynasty Mingyue Song Dynasty Pass

Chapter 758 Desperate Situation

The 80,000 Song troops were like tigers descending from the mountain. They were unstoppable. They broke through the dangerous Jianmen Pass in one go. With war flags and iron hooves like thunder, they approached the city of Chengdu.

Wang Quanbin, wearing battle armor and with eyes like a torch, sat in the army. His fierce generals Cui Yanjin, Zhang Tinghan, Gao Yanhui, Zhang Xu, Zhang Wanyou, Tian Qinzuo, etc., each led their own elite soldiers and horses, like several torrents converging together, heading towards Chengdu in a mighty manner. Go ahead.

Outside the capital of Shu, General Li Jin had already prepared for a head-on confrontation with the Song Army's vanguard.

Li Jin has 30,000 soldiers and horses under his command, waiting for work and preparing to attack the invading Song army head-on. The Song Army's vanguard, 20,000 elite cavalry, also set up a formation ten miles outside the city. Their eyes were cold and they exuded a strong murderous aura.

"kill!"

The two armies clashed, and in an instant, war drums shook the sky, and the sound of killing broke out everywhere.

Although the Shu army had superior numbers and favorable geographical location, it was still unable to cope with the Song army's thunderous offensive.

The soldiers of the Song Army were all like wolves and tigers. They brandished their weapons and charged on horseback. Every time they slashed and killed, they seemed to kill their opponents.

"Pfft!"

"Crack!"

On the battlefield, blood splattered everywhere, and broken limbs and arms could be seen everywhere. The condition was extremely tragic.

This battle lasted for a whole morning. Under the fierce offensive of the Song army, the Shu army gradually became unable to hold on and began to retreat steadily.

The Song army became more and more courageous as they fought. They seemed to be pouring all their anger and strength into this battle, vowing to destroy the Shu army's defense line in one fell swoop and march straight to Chengdu.

At the top of the city of Shu capital, Meng Chang was dressed in luxurious brocade clothes, looking at the battlefield outside the city with a solemn expression. Beside him, hundreds of civil and military officials stood around, their eyes fixed on the two armies that were fighting fiercely. When they saw the Song army's vanguard coming down the mountain like tigers, smashing the Shu army's formation into pieces, these officials, who were usually aloof and aloof, all turned pale at this moment, and felt panic in their hearts.

Outside the city, the battlefield that originally contained 30,000 Shu soldiers was now in a state of chaos. The defeated soldiers of the Shu army fled back to the city in disgrace like bereaved dogs. Their number had dropped sharply to two to three thousand.

These soldiers were covered in blood and mud, and their eyes revealed a deep sense of fear and powerlessness.

There were more than 100,000 Shu army soldiers in the city. They were originally determined to win, but at this moment they all fell silent. Facing the powerful offensive of the Song Army, they felt unprecedented pressure.

No one dared to talk about fighting easily anymore, because they had clearly realized the huge gap between the soldiers of the two armies.

The 20,000 Song Army vanguard troops seemed to be an insurmountable mountain, intimidating the Shu Army officers and soldiers. Their morale has been completely destroyed, leaving only endless fear and despair in their hearts.

"It's over!" Meng Chang's face was as white as a piece of paper, bloodless, and his body trembled involuntarily, as if being blown through by a gust of cold wind. The light in his eyes has dimmed, and the courage to hold on has disappeared without a trace at this moment.

The Song army outside the city, with only 20,000 vanguards, was already so fierce and unstoppable like a scourge. Behind them, there was a steady stream of Song army troops coming, with 80,000 troops on the north route and 78,000 on the water route in the south. The total strength reached 150,000, even close to 200,000.

Such a force would undoubtedly be a disaster for their Shu army.

Meng Chang knew in his heart that even if they relied on the strength of the city to hold on desperately, how long could they hold on? The final result must be that the soldiers and civilians in the city will be devastated and blood will flow into rivers. He really couldn't bear to see such a scene.

At this moment, Meng Chang's heart was filled with helplessness and sadness. He sighed deeply and turned to return to the palace.

Meng Chang's back looked so lonely and helpless in the afterglow of the setting sun. Two days later, Wang Quanbin personally led the follow-up army to rush to the capital of Shu and surrounded this majestic city.

The sound of war drums, the sound of horse hooves, and the shouts of soldiers intertwined together to form a strong sense of oppression, making the soldiers and civilians in the city panic.

At this moment, the atmosphere in the court hall of Shu Capital was extremely tense. The ministers had a heated debate over whether to fight or surrender.

Privy Councilor Yi Shenzheng, General Han Baozheng of the Left Guard, Jia E, the admonishing doctor, and others insisted on defending the city. They believed that there were still 100,000 troops in the city. Together with the imperial guards and government officials, the total number was more than 100,000. The soldiers are still capable of fighting, and they must not allow the country to be destroyed so easily.

However, the inspection envoy Li Tinggui had a different opinion. He advocated surrender to save the lives of the people in the city. In his view, holding on will only cause greater suffering to the people in the city.

"We can't surrender. There are still 100,000 troops in the city. Together with the palace guards and government officials, there are more than 100,000 soldiers, and they still have the strength to fight fiercely. We can't just perish like this!"

"General Han, this is wrong. What's the point of holding on to it? It will make the lives of the people in the city miserable. God has the virtue of good life, so you can't go your own way like this!"

"Master Li, this is an act of subjugation for the country!"

"The situation is like this, we must do it!"

Both sides held their own opinions and argued endlessly.

In the court hall, the ministers who supported the stubborn faction were all blushing, and Li Tinggui, who advocated surrender, showed no sign of weakness. This debate lasted for a long time, but no consensus was reached.

"If we choose to defend," Li Tinggui's voice echoed in the court, with a deep helplessness, "not only will we not be able to repel the Song army, but it will in fact anger them even more. Once the city is breached, this will give them Provide an excuse to massacre the city."

His words caused a silence in the court. Resistance, a word that was once regarded as heroic and unyielding, now seems so pale and powerless.

Li Tinggui believed that such resistance was not only meaningless, but would also bring disaster to the people in the city. The shadow of the massacre, like a beast in the night, could swallow up this bustling city at any time.

If they surrender, at least they can save their lives as ministers, and it may not be a blessing to eventually become officials of the Song Dynasty.

Meng Chang sat on the dragon chair and listened quietly to the argument between the two sides. His heart is full of contradictions and struggles.

He knew that no matter which path he chose, it would have a profound impact on the future of Shu. Whether to fight or to surrender, the decision between this thought will determine the fate of him and the entire Shu Kingdom.

Meng Chang took a deep breath and spoke in a heavy and slow voice: "That's all, my energy in Shu has been exhausted. All this is destined. I am destined to become the king of the country. However, for the people in the city and for the sake of our country, An Ning, what does my personal honor and disgrace matter?"

His words revealed a deep helplessness and determination, as if at this moment, he had given up all persistence and resistance.

"Surrender to the Song Dynasty," Meng Chang continued, "Give us Shu people a way to survive, at least so that we can continue to survive on this land. I know that this decision may be difficult for many people to accept, but please I believe this is the most difficult decision I have ever made for the sake of the overall situation and for everyone.”

In fact, Meng Chang had already recognized the reality in his heart. He knew that continuing to resist was meaningless and would only increase casualties and bring greater disaster to Shu. Although surrendering would make him the king of subjugation, it would at least give the people of Shu a glimmer of hope.

He believed that even if he was taken to the Song Dynasty, he might not die immediately.