Early the next morning, Jeruhugu had not yet gotten up. A personal soldier hurriedly came in and said, "King, someone outside the city is shouting!" ”

Yeluhou turned over and said unhappily, "Who shouted?" What a fuss! The 100,000 Song troops outside the city, if someone comes to shout every day, they will come to report to me, wouldn't they be annoyed to death! ”

The soldier said: "King, it is the king of the North Courtyard who is shouting outside the city!" There are also King Renxian and King Xiao Xulie. ”

Yelu Hougu was startled, sat up suddenly, and said, "Can you see clearly?" How did they get here? Yeluren first stayed in Nanjing, and he should guard Youzhou. Not to mention Yelu Xiantong, as the king of the North Courtyard, he has to stay by the side of the saint! ”

The soldiers said: "King, you can see clearly, it's them." The small one thinks that this matter is important, and he specially came to report it! ”

When Jeruhugu heard this, he got up in a hurry. I hurriedly washed up and arrived at the official hall.

Xiao Molu was already waiting here, so anxious that he turned around. Seeing Yelu Hougu coming in, he hurriedly said: "King, there are three people outside the city, Yelu Xiantong, Yelu Renxian and Xiao Xulie, shouting there. ”

Jeruhugu asked, "What are they shouting?" Coming from Youzhou, needless to say, Youzhou has been defeated. ”

Xiao Molu said: "Yes, they said that we have lost in Youzhou. The 400,000 army was lost, and the Holy One was captured. Finished. ”

When Jeruhugu heard this, he did not speak for a long time. Although the rumors have been heard for a few days, it is still unacceptable to confirm them. Since the founding of the Khitan, it has rarely failed in foreign wars. Even if in the past few years, when the party was rising, the offensive failed several times, but in the end, the party was defeated. Against the Central Plains, the Khitan attacked many times, but the worst was a draw, and they did not suffer too big defeats. Unexpectedly, this time, all of them were lost at once, and even the emperor was captured by the Song army.

On the front line of Youzhou, the monarchs and ministers of the Song Dynasty were calm and relaxed at the head of the city, and they finished the battle while gossiping, which was very relaxed. But for Yeluhougu, who was thousands of miles away, it was like a bolt from the blue, and it was hard to believe.

Seeing that Yelu Hougu did not speak, Xiao Molu said: "Great king, they are outside the city, persuade us to sacrifice the city." ”

Yeluhou came back to his senses and said, "How can they sacrifice the city with just a few words? Let's go to the city and talk to each other personally. ”

After speaking, he took Xiao Molu and others, walked out of the official hall, and went straight to the city.

At this time, the sun had just risen, and it hung red in the sky. The sun shines on the city of Datong, hooking the buildings out of Phnom Penh. The morning smell is very fresh with earthy aromas. The soldiers at the head of the city stood solemnly with solemn expressions.

And Jeruhuchus went up to the tower and looked out. I saw three Khitans standing under the city, bathed in the sun. Looking at it closely, it was Yelu Xiantong, Yelu Renxian and Xiao Xulie. These people are all official kings, and they are very familiar with Yeluhougu.

Seeing Yelu Hougu walking up to the city, Yelu Ren first arched his hand and shouted, "The king is well! ”

Yelu Hougu nodded and said in a loud voice: "The king is staying in Nanjing, why don't you stay in Youzhou and come to Datong Mansion?" ”

Yeluren said first: "The king doesn't know, in the battle of Youzhou, our army was defeated, where is there anything left at this time." The 400,000 troops were all lost, and the Holy One was captured. Alas, it's heartbreaking to say. ”

Yeluhougu wanted to ask what the three of them were doing here. When the words came to his lips, he forcibly held back. As long as you are not stupid, you know that they are here to persuade them to surrender. If you want to stick to it, you can humiliate them as much as you want. If you want to offer the city, it is better not to offend them.

The sun rose and shone right on the eyes of Jeruhugus. Yeluhou put his hands on the pergola and said loudly: "No matter what, you and I will be ministers in the same hall after all." I will now order the city gate to be opened, and the three of us will come into the city, how about we talk about it? ”

Jeruren said first: "That's the best." We have come from afar, and we have many things to say to the king. ”

This was already discussed last night, and there was no need to discuss it with Song Jun again. In fact, Wang Kai, He Bin and Hao Zhen were not far away, watching the three of them call the city. Anyway, Datong Mansion, no matter how Yelu Hougu decides, he can't run away from them.

Seeing that the city gate was not opened, but a basket was drawn from above, Hao Zhen smiled and said: "Be careful about the city guards!" ”

Wang Kai said: "We have been surrounded by us for these days, bombarding the city wall every day, where do they dare to be careless." Now, if we are willing, if we are willing to attach ants to the city, we can break the city in a few days. However, the meaning of the cardinal government is that in the future, the land of the Khitan can be dedicated to the best city. It really didn't work, so he sent troops to attack it. The sixteen states of Yanyun have really had a hard time under the Khitan rule in the past few years. ”

Hao Zhen sighed when he heard this: "You don't know, Datong Mansion is pretty good here, but Youzhou is broken." The Khitan army went south, and even the people were all recruited to grow grain, and 400,000 soldiers were signed, and most of them were killed in battle. Now there are no seeds for planting in Youzhou in the coming year, and there is no green and strong, and the imperial court must transport grain to the past in order to survive the famine in the next year. Although Datong Mansion is difficult, it has not reached this point. ”

He Bin said: "It's not a big deal. It is not difficult to get to Youzhou by railway, and with the railway, everything is easy to do. ”

Hao Zhen shook his head and smiled bitterly: "There have been wars all these years, and the imperial court has no savings, so what's the use of connecting the railway?" ”

Sitting on the bamboo basket, Yelu Renxian, Yelu Xiantong and Xiao Xulie went to the city. Coming down from the basket, Jeruhugu hurried to salute.

After seeing the ceremony, Yeluhou said: "The three of them came from afar, worked the road, and went to the yamen to discuss matters. ”

A few people entered the yamen and went to the flower hall next to it, and the guests and hosts sat down. Yeluhou Gu ordered tea to be served, and invited a few people to use it.

Putting down the teacup, Yeluhou said: "The three of you came to Datong Mansion, I don't know what the purpose is?" ”

Yeluren first looked at Yelu Xiantong and Xiao Xulie, and said, "The king should be able to guess that we are here to persuade him to surrender." Youzhou was defeated, the main force of the country was lost, and the saint was captured, how could this battle continue? You dedicated the city, we all made some contributions, and life was better when we arrived in Kaifeng Mansion. ”

Yeluhou said: "What, do you think I'm going to Kaifeng?" Datong is a big city, and it is not so easy to break. ”

Yelu Xiantong shook his head: "King, now that the main Khitan force has been destroyed, it is impossible to have reinforcements." Without reinforcements, even if Song didn't forcibly attach ants to the siege of the city, it was just like this, how many days could Datong last? ”

Yeluhou said: "I don't believe that the Song army outside the city can always be surrounded." An army of 100,000 will cost a lot of grain and grass a month. ”

Xiao Xulie said: "In the first battle of Youzhou, the Song army participated in the battle of more than 500,000 people, as well as hundreds of thousands of people who transported grain, and there were millions of troops participating in the battle. With so many people, the Song army is still abundant. 100,000 people outside the city, what difficulties does the king think they have? ”

Jeruhugu did not speak, but took the cup and played slowly there. Of course, he knew that Datong Mansion couldn't hold on. But I felt unwilling to give the city away like this. The Song Dynasty got a big city so easily, it should be expressed. Even if he doesn't become a king in the future, he should give a high-ranking official or give himself a lot of money. It is said that now that the Song Dynasty has money, you can't be reluctant to spend money on it, right?

Yeluren turned his head first and said to Xiao Molu on the side: "There are more than 10,000 troops in the city, is there enough food and grass now?" ”

Xiao Molu said: "The king is at ease, at least for a month or two, the soldiers will not go hungry." ”

Jeruren said, "What about the people in the city, if the soldiers eat?" Yelu Chongyuan has been in Datong Mansion for several years, and the year before last, the Holy Lord brought hundreds of thousands of troops here, how much food is left in the city? ”

Xiao Molu said: "What about the people, why should we care? ”

Yeluren sighed first: "We defend the city, how can we ignore the people? If the people have nothing to eat, they will make trouble. ”

Xiao Molu said: "The army guards the city, if you are still afraid that the people will make trouble, how can the city be defended?" ”

Seeing that Xiao Molu didn't let go at all, Yeluren had no choice, so he turned his head to Yeluhou and said, "King, the patience of the Song army has also been exhausted. After the end of the First World War in Youzhou, they will not wait any longer in Datong. If you don't sacrifice the city, the Song army will soon attack the city with all its might. ”

vertex