Heavy rain is gradually subsiding.

With the complete failure of the Qi Dragon Elephant beheading operation, the rebels launched an even more ferocious offensive against the imperial city.

Waves of rebels poured into the city from all directions, giving the defenders no respite.

The news of the abnormal movement of the soldiers and horses of the Fengshan battalion came, which was like a blow to Qi Longxiang.

Misfortune is not alone, Tang Yan also followed closely and learned the news that Tang Xue had fallen out of Guan Ling Mountain.

So neither of them had a way to retreat, but to fight to the death, mobilizing troops and horses to block the reinforcements of the Fengshan battalion, and stepping up the siege of the imperial city.

However, the defenders were united, coupled with the protection of the Eight Dragons and Snakes Great Array, the two sides fought fiercely until the fifth watch, and the imperial city remained immovable, becoming a moat in front of Tang Yan and Qi Longxiang.

The corpses of the rebels outside the imperial city were piled up and blocked the moat, and the turquoise and clear water of the past had long since turned into muddy blood.

The defenders in the imperial city were also killed and wounded, and the city walls were riddled with holes and mottled holes, and gaps had appeared in many places.

Yu Yu, Xiang Yu, Fan Jian and others all climbed the city tower to personally supervise the battle, and both sides reached the moment of seeing the poor dagger.

At this time, the gong sounded, and the rebels Mingjin collected their troops, leaving hundreds of corpses and retreating unwillingly.

The defenders of the city no longer had the strength to cheer, and many of the sergeants leaned against the battlements and gasped for breath, looking numbly at the dark sky, not knowing how long they would hold out, let alone whether they would survive the next moment.

They were surrounded by corpses littered with rebels and comrades.

At first, there was sadness and anger in my heart, but now I have become accustomed to it.

The miscellaneous eunuchs in the palace were commanded by Yu Yu to take advantage of the gap to transport wounded soldiers, supplies, food and water.

Geng Tianyi grabbed the skin bag handed by the little eunuch, pulled out the plug and poured water on his head, and immediately coughed violently in the two mouthfuls, and the water he had just drunk choked out again, like a pink rain mist sprinkled in the air.

Suddenly, the drums sounded again under the city, and Geng Tian didn't bother to take a look, he just wanted to hurry up and fall asleep.

As soon as his eyelids drooped, he heard a commotion on the tower.

Geng Tian was stunned, opened his eyelids and asked a soldier beside him, "What's the matter?"

The soldier stared blankly at the outside of the city and said, "The rebels are about to attack the city." ”

"Come if you want to die, when did they attack it?" Geng Tian said disapprerovingly.

"Yes...... This time, however, "the soldier stammered," he said, "they have changed." ”

Geng Tian stood up with great difficulty, sneered and said, "It's okay to change the king of heaven, Lao Tzu...... Huh?"

His complexion changed dramatically, and his tired face suddenly filled with anger.

I saw that on the other side of the moat, more than 1,000 people gathered in a chaotic manner, not only men, women, old and young, but also swaddling babies, tied by strings of ropes, slowly marching towards the imperial city under the threat of rebel swords and guns.

They faltered and wept, and when someone fell, they were immediately whipped with a leather whip that cut their heads and covered their faces.

The battlefield is a place that erases the willful, can make a gentleman become a villain, and an angel becomes a devil.

These more than 1,000 people are not ordinary people in the capital, but the families of the soldiers guarding the imperial city, as well as many important ministers of the court who refused to surrender and rebel.

Geng Tian saw Chang Yuanliang, the secretary of the Ministry of Rites in the crowd, who proudly raised his white-haired head and walked at the forefront of the crowd, surrounded by his two sons and his daughter-in-law, who were holding their young sons.

"Lord Chang, Lord Qiu, General Lin, Zhao Xiazi......"

Geng Tian looked at the crowd from afar, and unconsciously crushed a city brick with both hands!

He turned around and went up to the Suzaku Gate Tower, and saw Yu Yu, Xiang Yu and the ghost master, Fan Jian, Ji Chengche and others also looking at the city, all with heavy faces.

"Dad, mother!" a tiger cadet found his parents in the crowd and couldn't help but cry out.

"Daughter-in-law, Yuanzi!" another Praetorian Guard general saw his wife and concubine and children.

The castle tower was suddenly in chaos, angry, helpless, pessimistic, and painful...... All kinds of emotions are intertwined, and everyone is overwhelmed.

Li Chuxian, one of the five doctors, suddenly appeared and said from afar: "Listen to the guards in the imperial city, we only need Concubine Yu and Xiang Yu, why do you bother to bury them? Even if you don't tolerate your own life, can you bear the death of your parents and children?"

Geng Tian was furious, and said in a loud voice: "Li Chuxian, you despicable villain! Don't you have a father and mother, no children, and you are not afraid of retribution one day?"

Li Chuxian sneered: "Geng Tian, those who know the times are Junjie. Your home is far away in Meizhou, and I don't have time to lock it. But I heard that you have a younger brother who is an official in the Holy Capital City, don't you think it's okay to hide?"

Mi Cangshan, the military department who fled in embarrassment, also came out of nowhere, shaking a folding fan and said: "Brothers of the Praetorian Guard on the city tower, as long as you put down your weapons, you can ensure that the lives of the whole family are worry-free!"

Before his words fell, he suddenly heard Chang Yuanliang shouting: "Huan'er, don't care about your father, kill the enemy to quell the rebellion and serve the country!"

On the city tower, Chang Yuanliang's youngest son Chang Huan knelt on the ground with tears streaming down his face.

A cadre of civil and military officials who followed Chang Yuanliang's side also shouted at the city tower, and everyone looked sad and no longer thought about survival.

But more of the Praetorian Guard's family members are just ordinary people, and it makes no difference to them who is the emperor and who is the queen, as long as the family is safe and well, they live in peace and stability.

Then there were cries and cries, "Help me, don't let go of the arrows!"

Geng Tian's eyebrows were twisted, and he looked sideways at Concubine Yu.

Thousands of eyes looked at Concubine Yu.

Concubine Yu closed her eyes, not daring to look at the tragic image under the city and the expectant eyes of the soldiers under her command.

What to do?

Your Majesty, tell me what to do?

The life and death of these thousands of people are too heavy and too heavy, how to bear it and how to choose?!

"Ghost Master, Fan Wangye, Brother Chengqing, you guys should think of a way!" Xiang Yu's crying voice sounded.

Fan Jian glanced at the ghost master and Ji Chengqing, and the three of them silently exchanged a look.

Downstairs, the hostages had been driven over the moat and slowly approached.

"Tang Yan, Qi Longxiang, get out!" Fan Jian shouted.

The rebel flag gate on the opposite side was opened, and Tang Yan and Qi Longxiang were clustered on the left and right, and Xiang Ran, who was pale, walked to the front of the formation.

The three of them were riding on horses, Qi Longxiang's armor didn't show that he had just been injured, and he said in a loud voice: "Brother Fan, do you think this city can still be defended?"

Fan Jian said slowly: "The soldiers and horses of the Fengshan battalion are coming, do you think the tired army outside the city can still resist?"

Qi Longxiang laughed and said: "Brother Fan, your old man Wen Tao Wuluo has always admired him, why did he suddenly say such stupid words? With only 20,000 Fengshan soldiers and horses, how could they be my 50,000 elite opponents of the Praetorian Guards? Moreover, they have been blocked outside the Burning Gold Mountain and cannot cross the Thunder Pond for half a step!"

The ghost master sneered: "If that's the case, why do you and Tang Yan have to resort to such indiscriminate means?"

Tang Yan said disapprerovingly: "Go to the army to plot, Tang just doesn't want to kill more." ”

Xiang Yu said angrily: "Shameless!"

Tang Yan smiled disdainfully, turned his gaze to Concubine Yu, who had a bloodless face, and said, "Empress, why don't you say a word? Yes, these people in the city have no relatives and no reason with you, so what does it matter if they die?"

Concubine Yu trembled angrily and said, "Tang Yan, you chaotic thief must not die well!"

Qi Longxiang said awe-inspiringly: "Who are the rebellious ministers and thieves? We uphold the mandate of heaven to set things right, and support the Three Princes to ascend the throne and become the emperor, but it is you, who not only killed Your Majesty, but also reluctant to be glorious and rich, and also wanted thousands of Praetorian Guard soldiers to be buried together!"

Fan Jian's eyes were like lightning, and he said in a deep voice: "Third Highness, are you really willing to fall into the company of thieves?"

Xiang Ran immediately shuddered involuntarily. He was not a timid mouse, but King Wen was so ashamed that he was silent.

Qi Longxiang shouted: "Don't talk nonsense, don't open the city gate to welcome the new monarch!"

Xiang Yu looked left and right without a master, and in a panic, he found that Ji Chengche, Shi Yifu and Geng Tian were gone.

She didn't have time to think about it, so she heard Concubine Yu say, "Open the palace door." ”

When everyone heard this, they exclaimed: "Queen, no!"

Concubine Yu smiled sadly and said: "Qi Longxiang is right in at least one sentence - I am the Empress of Great Chu, and I can't be reluctant to be glorious and rich, and let thousands of soldiers and their relatives be martyred for our mother and daughter." Now that Lin'er has led the Fengshan battalion back to aid King Qin, Tang Yan and Qi Longxiang are running out of time to fight against the thieves, so why sacrifice the innocent again?"

Yuan Shisi Niang shouted: "Empress, do you think you can save your life by opening the palace gate and surrendering?"

Concubine Yu said calmly: "I'm not surrendering, they want me and Xiang Yu's lives, just take them." ”

Yuan Shisi Niang stomped her feet and said, "How can you believe the nonsense of Tang Yan and Qi Longxiang?"

Concubine Yu said firmly: "I have made up my mind, open the door." ”

Yuan Shi Niang looked helplessly at the ghost master and Fan Jian.

Unexpectedly, the two of them looked at the crowd slowly approaching below the city tower and were silent, not dissuading them at all.

"Squeak-" The Suzaku door slowly opened.

Concubine Yu said calmly to Fan Jian and the ghost master: "Two, Concubine is incompetent, and it has dragged you down." ”

She turned to face the soldiers on the city tower, and suddenly said with a dignified salute: "Soldiers, the concubine is sorry for you. ”

"Queen!"

On the tower of the city, a group of iron-blooded men who had survived a hundred battles couldn't help but burst into tears and grief and indignation.

Concubine Yu turned to Xiang Yu again and said, "Yu'er, do you blame the queen mother?"

Xiang Yu wiped away his tears, tried to squeeze out a smile on his little face and said: "Queen Mother, you are benevolent, the best queen in the world, and the best mother of Yu'er!"

Concubine Yu lovingly took Xiang Yu's cold little hand, and the other hand hidden in her sleeve had already held the dagger, and as soon as the rebels entered the city, she committed suicide with a knife to avoid humiliation.

In a moment, the Suzaku Gate Palace below opened.

Outside the imperial city, Chang Yuanliang shouted hoarsely: "Empress, you can't-"

Concubine Yu slowly closed her eyes, and said silently in her heart: "Your Majesty, Concubine Er is coming to accompany you!"

Suddenly, the earth trembled, and a deafening roar of thunder came from the Suzaku Gate.

At the same time, there was a cry of surprise from the city and the city, and Concubine Yu opened her eyes in surprise, just in time to see Ji Chengche riding a horse and a knife and rushing out of the Vermilion Bird Gate!

Behind him, Shi Yifu and Geng Tianyi were heavily armored and murderous, like arrows off the string.

"Clear!" Concubine Yu exclaimed in surprise: "Doctor Shi, General Geng!"

In the middle of the words, the three hundred tiger soldiers who died in the army rode into the sky with iron horses, followed by Ji Chengche and the other three, and rushed to the enemy formation without hesitation!

In the sky, a team of Jinfeng guards descended from the sky like divine soldiers, under the cover of night, and launched a fierce counterattack against the rebel array escorting the hostages in the rear!

"Shoot the arrows, cover!"

Fan Jian, who had been watching from the wall, suddenly opened his eyes and shouted orders to the soldiers defending the city on both sides.

"Huh-" The strong crossbows on the city tower roared in unison, and the unyielding loyal soul was shouting into battle!

The situation has changed, and the decisive battle has begun.

(End of chapter)