The sun peeked out of the fog in the east, casting a glow across the sky. On the street near the south gate, the shop is open, and business is good. The streets were full of people, and everyone was happy.

Du Zhongxiao said to Liu Ji: "The death of the Khitan can be regarded as conforming to the hearts of the people. This is Khitan Zhongjing, at least, similar to the Henan Mansion of this dynasty. It is hard to imagine that if Henan Mansion fell, the people would be so casual. ”

Liu Jidao: "Yes, if you do this, how can you not die?" Since Yelu Zongzhen was killed by Taiwei under Tanglong Town, the Khitan has been at war, where are the people having a good life? Especially last year, hundreds of thousands of troops went south, and the Khitan was the strength of the country, and the people were the worst. The arrival of the imperial army from the north, at least until now, is a good thing for the people. ”

Du Zhongxiao nodded: "The smoothest use of soldiers is nothing more than hanging the people." We're on the offensive this time, that's about it. ”

While gossiping, the two watched as the soldiers deployed artillery in the outer city, preparing to attack the inner city. The inner city of Dading Province is very large, larger than the state cities of most military states. The Khitan concentrated on defense and was no better offensives than the outer cities.

The people were not flustered, and even many of them gathered on the street, watching the Song soldiers busy and excited. There are mostly Han people here, and the arrival of the Song army is not terrible for them. At least from last night, it seems that the military discipline of the Song army is good, and it will not harm the common people.

In the imperial city, the Khitan princes and ministers gathered together to discuss how to deal with the Song army's attack.

Yelu Zongyun said: "Now there are more than 18,000 soldiers in the city, if it is the same as usual, it is enough to defend the city." However, the Song army has artillery, which we have never seen before. Under the artillery fire, there were no people standing on the city walls at all. Like the outer city, the Song army bombarded for a long time, and when there were no people standing on the city, suddenly the ants attached to it, and the gods couldn't hold it. ”

Yelu Alian asked with some panic, "What should I do?" If the inner city can't be defended, the imperial city can't be defended. ”

Yelu Zongyun shook his head: "I don't know what to do." We're all here today to discuss it together. If you can't do it, you can only wait for death. The Song army of tens of thousands came north, and if they couldn't hold the city, they would die. ”

After being silent for a while, Xiao Tugu said: "If you can't hold the city, you have to surrender to the Song army." I heard that the Song army did not kill prisoners, and it was okay for the surrendered army. Just like the battle of Youzhou, how many people were captured by the saints, it didn't matter. ”

"Not yet?" Yelu Alian looked at Xiao Tu Gu Ci with strange eyes. "The royal brother himself is working in the prison camp. What else will the lord of a nation do if he suffers such humiliation? Not to mention the other ministers, they all went to the prison camp to work as coolies. ”

Xiao Tugu said: "As a saint, the Song Dynasty did not abuse, but just let him do things, which is already good." ”

Yelu Alian shook his head again and again, feeling incredible at what Xiao Tu said in ancient words. How can you surrender? The Khitan also has the Shangjing Road, the Tokyo Road, and the vast land, with a large number of servant tribes. The Song army was only a hundred thousand people, and it was not invincible.

Yelu Zongyun sighed secretly. He knew in his heart that there was no way out of life now except surrender. In the past two days, the infantry armies of Wang Kai and Jia Kui are coming, and there are more and more Song troops outside the city. And the Khitan army has no fighting spirit.

The outer city can't be defended, and the inner city can't be defended. The only way for the Khitan to survive was to immediately break out of the city. It's just that the army has no fighting spirit, and now it's just afraid that it won't be able to get out of the siege. Sitting in the city of sorrow, does Yelu Alian still think that he has a lot of capital?

Xiao Hanjianu said: "This morning, I'm afraid that the Song army will start attacking the city." If it was the same night as last night, the inner city would not be able to keep it dark. If you can't think of a way, tomorrow we'll be taken prisoner. ”

Yelu Alian was stunned: "Dading Mansion is a big city, where is it so easy to be breached?!" ”

Xiao Han's slave sighed: "King, I guarded the outer city for a day yesterday. The inner city is not stronger than the outer city, how long can it be held? Now the Song army has artillery, and we can't resist it at all. There are no soldiers left in the city, how can they be stopped? ”

Yelu Alian listened, and said sharply to Yelu Zongyun: "Order the soldiers, even if they have knives on their heads, they are not allowed to leave the city!" ”

Yelu Zongyun was a little helpless: "King, what can you do if you don't leave?" The cannonballs that the Song army hit at the head of the city will explode. Fragments flew everywhere, and the soldiers at the head of the city were either killed or wounded. If they don't retreat, they can only die there, and they can't defend the Song army. ”

Yelu Alian said: "If this is the case, let the guards of the city be heavily armoured!" As long as they defend the city, the Song army has no choice. ”

Seeing that Yelu Alian's eyes were red and a little crazy, Yelu Zongyun had no choice but to say yes. The whole body is heavily armored, and it is not when the two armies are in formation, and the soldiers are inconvenient to move, how can they defend the city? Can anyone wear heavy armor? Now the soldiers in the city can wear heavy armor and fight with swords and guns, I don't know how many people there are. The elite soldiers of the Khitan were all taken away by Yelu Hongji last year, and most of them were old and weak.

Yelu Zongyun knew in his heart that there was only one way to surrender now. But he's royal, so it's hard to say. If Jerear Alian is bent on keeping, then he can only keep it. As for the others, they can't care so much now.

At this moment, a general entered the temple. Forked hands said: "Your Majesty, the Song army has set up a formation, and it looks like it is about to attack the city!" ”

Yelu Zongyun hurriedly asked, "Which direction is the Song army attacking?" South City North City? ”

The general said: "Stay behind, the Song army will attack the southern city." The other three directions are all besieged but not attacked. ”

Yelu Zongyun breathed a sigh of relief when he heard this: "They attacked Nancheng, that's okay, it's okay." Even if it is broken, there is still an imperial city. ”

The layout of Dading Mansion, the inner city is located in the center of the outer city slightly north, about four miles wide from east to west, three miles from north to south, and about half of the length and width of the outer city. The Imperial City shares the northern wall with the Inner City, and is about half the length and width of the Inner City. The Song army attacked the southern city, even if the inner city was breached, the imperial city was still safe.

Although Yelu Zongyun knew in his heart that this was self-comfort. The Song army broke the inner city, and the imperial city could not be held no matter what. But as long as there is a line of defense, I feel much safer.

Yelu Alian said: "Since the Song army only attacked the southern city, then send all the soldiers to defend the southern city!" I don't believe how powerful the Song army is, it can drive more than 10,000 soldiers down from the city wall! ”

Yelu Zongyun bowed his hand: "King, there are enough soldiers to defend the city, and there is no need to concentrate all of them in the southern city." In the matter of defending the city, it is good to have enough people, and it is useless to have too many. What matters now is how to block the artillery of the Song army so that they cannot climb the city wall. ”

Yelu Alian said: "I just said, let the soldiers be heavily armoured!" Uncle, you are staying in Zhongjing, go and arrange this matter quickly! ”

Yelu Zongyun saw Yelu Alian's serious expression, so he only sighed secretly and got up to leave.

Watching Yelu Zongyun leave, Yelu Alian said: "The Song army is just a powerful cannon, as long as the soldiers hold the city, they have no choice." This time, everyone was heavily armored and not afraid of artillery, and the Song army could not attack it for a while. ”

Xiao Han's slave looked at Han Yun and shook his head secretly. It seems that Dading Mansion is afraid that it will not be able to hold on, and it will have to find a way out by itself. Yelu Zongyun is a veteran for many years, if he can defend it by relying on heavy armor, he will not lose the outer city yesterday.