Outlaws of the Marsh

Chapter 620 Competing in the Central Plains (please subscribe!)
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After the Jin army captured Xuanhuamen, they continued to attack Tongjinmen (the East Water Gate of Bianliang City) eastward along the city wall.

All the buildings and sculls along the way were set on fire by Jin soldiers.

The flames blazed across the sky, lighting up the city red.

At this time, heavy snow is still falling.

This heavy snowfall has lasted for more than 20 days—afterwards, many people said that it was this rare heavy snowfall that ruined the Northern Song Dynasty.

The wind swirls, sending out bursts of angry howls, like the sound of thunder.

Seeing that the fire was spreading rapidly due to the strong wind, the soldiers of the Song Army guarding Dongshuimen, who had no intention of fighting, abandoned the city and fled for their lives.

Only one person refused to escape, and that person was Huang Jingchen, the servant.

Huang Jingchen was assigned by Zhao Huan to supervise the east wall in his capacity as the envoy of the Baode Army.

Now that the city wall on the east wall has been lost and the soldiers are running, Huang Jingchen looks at the majestic palace in the city and can't help crying.

Huang Jingchen knew that he was powerless to save the country and society of the Song Dynasty, so he threw himself into the fire and died.

Huang Jingchen was an old eunuch who was active in the Song Huizong era and had a close relationship with Tong Guan.

The eunuchs in the Huizong era of Song Dynasty were deeply favored by the emperor.

However, in this national disaster, there is only one person who can serve the country with his death.

In the Song army defending the city, there were two commanders who refused to abandon the city and fled. They bravely killed the enemy, fought desperately, and finally sacrificed their lives for the country on the city wall. One of them was He Qingyan and the other was Chen Keli.

There are many officials and generals guarding the four walls of the capital, and there are only two of them who can die to serve the country at the most critical moment.

After the Jin army occupied Dongshuimen, they immediately sent some Jin soldiers to Liquan Temple inside the city gate.

Although the Jin army only had a few hundred people, the Song army was looking forward to collapse, and no one dared to step forward to fight it.

Song Jun didn't dare to kill the enemy, but he was unambiguous in killing his own people.

After the army collapsed, more than 100 servants and generals were killed by the Song army's rebellious soldiers within a short period of time.

The most painful thing is that Yao Youzhong was also killed by the Song army's rebellion.

Yao Youzhong was born in Jiangmen, loyal and filial for three generations, and has a reputation all over China.

Since defending Bianliang City, Yao Youzhong has been working hard day and night, too busy to eat and rest.

Among the generals, Yao Youzhong should be the most worthy of the Song court, and he has made the greatest achievements.

pity!

Such a hero who resisted the enemy failed to die under the sword and gun of the enemy, but was beaten to death by his compatriots!
Whose fault is this?
Jin envoy Liu Yan was originally ordered by Wanyan Zongwang to negotiate a peace, but he was also beaten to death by the rebel army.

Such a bandit deserves to die, so, from another perspective, it is not that the rebellious army did nothing good.

In short, no matter good or bad, no matter Song or Jin people, on this day when the city was destroyed, they were all involved in this storm that no one could control.

Wanyan Zongwang commented: "At this time, the Southern Song Dynasty has no order, so it cannot be punished."

Wanyan Zonghan commented: "The country is broken and the people are chaotic, it is the law of nature."

After the Jin soldiers captured Dongshuimen, some people set fire to the city without authorization and massacred the residents next to the city.

After Wanyan Zonghan and Wanyan Zongwang heard the news, they sent an order: Those who kill in the city, exterminate the clan!

The Jin soldiers did not dare to go down to the city, and they all consolidated their positions on the city to prevent the Song army from counterattacking in the city.

Knowing that both Xuanhuamen and Dongshuimen had fallen successively, Zhao Huan burst into tears and said, "I regret that I didn't use the teacher's words to get to this point!"

Zhong Shidao has made many suggestions to Zhao Huan, at least three of which are very important-one is that when the Jin army retreated northward in the early spring, it was suggested to carry out a pincer attack when it was halfway across the Yellow River, and severely hit the Jin people's arrogance, so that They are afraid of Da Song, otherwise there will be trouble in the future.Second, after the Jin army withdraws to the north, it is recommended to dispatch soldiers and horses from Guanzhong, Hebei, and Hedong to concentrate superior forces and fortify along the lines of Cang, Wei, Meng, and Hua to prevent the Jin people from going south again.The third is that after the fall of Taiyuan, Song Qinzong suggested that Song Qinzong evacuate Tokyo and go to Chang'an, Shaanxi to avoid the enemy's edge.

Regrettably, Zhao Huan did not adopt any of these three suggestions.

Now, Zhao Huan regretted it, but he didn't know which piece of advice he did not listen to.

this evening.

He Li and Sun Fu deeply blamed themselves for breaking the city. They entered the palace together and kowtowed to Zhao Huan for death.

Zhao Huan sighed and waved to them, expressing that there was no need to do so.

He Li was going to lead the remnant soldiers and common people to fight against the Jin people, and Sun Fu agreed.

Zhang Shuye and Liu Yanqing then entered the palace and advised Zhao Huan to leave the city to avoid danger.

But until then, Zhao Huan was still hesitant.

Upon seeing this, Liu Yanqing said: "The situation is urgent. I led the troops to rush out first to seize a city gate for Your Majesty. I waited outside the gate."

Therefore, Liu Yanqing and his son Liu Guangguo led some palace guards and Shaanxi soldiers as escort vanguards to capture Wansheng Gate.

After some hard work, the gate of Wansheng was opened wide, and tens of thousands of defeated soldiers and civilians poured out like a tide.

Liu Yanqing and his son waited for Zhao Huan outside the city gate for a long time.

But Zhao Huan never showed up, so Liu Yanqing and his son could only lead the troops to kill outside.

Later, Liu Yanqing was chased and killed by Jin Bing. In desperation, Liu Guangguo killed Wang Fu's concubine, Zhang Shi, and hanged himself.

Liu Yanqing made a lot of contributions in defending Bianliang City, and he was sober from the beginning to the end.

If Guo Jing hadn't intervened, Liu Yanqing might have washed away his previous humiliation.

One must know that in Bianliang City, there is no one who understands the army better than Liu Yanqing. If the two sides continue to fight, Liu Yanqing, who is outstanding, will definitely be reused by Zhao Huan.

If Liu Yanqing can lead the Song Army to resist the attack of the Jin Army and keep Bianliang City, then he can save his reputation.

Furthermore, if Zhao Huan is willing to escape from Bianliang City with Liu Yanqing, Liu Yanqing will also have the opportunity to escort and assist Zhao Huan in resisting the invasion of the Jin people, and then wash away the previous shame.

It's a pity... these are just ifs!

Liu Yanqing and Zhang Shuye persuaded Zhao Huan to leave the city and escape, while He Li and Sun Fu advised Zhao Huan to make up his mind to fight the Jinren alley in the inner city, but Zhao Huan himself felt that these two options were very risky, and it would be better to Negotiate peace with the Jin people, so that maybe the country of the Song Dynasty and his life can be saved. Therefore, Zhao Huan did not go to join Liu Yanqing and his son in the end.

At this time, there were still more than 1 guards of the Fourth Army in the palace, thousands of horses, and [-] elite troops specially prepared for escort.

Most of these soldiers hope to rush out and break out of the encirclement.

If Zhao Huan can effectively organize these forces and join the palace guards and Shaanxi soldiers in the hands of Liu Yanqing and his son, it is very hopeful that he will succeed in breaking through.

However, Zhao Huan was not such a person at all, and there was no such person among the ministers Zhao Huan trusted.

Only outstanding figures can turn things around and rewrite history at critical moments.

Li Yan learned a day later that Bianliang City had been captured by the Jin army.

Li Yan immediately ordered that the army set out to compete in the Central Plains...

……

(End of this chapter)