The retreat of the Jurchen people, though monitored by patrols, still brought cheers from the city walls.
Many officials came to express praise and encouragement to the government soldiers and civilians.
The city walls became somewhat noisy, but the women and children of the Qingshan Army quickly intervened to maintain order. The officials were not offended and left with smiles.
Then, women brought food to the city walls, prepared by the city's wealthy merchants. Large pots of meat were provided, and initially large bowls of wine were prepared but were not delivered due to wartime restrictions.
The atmosphere on the city walls was lively, while in the city, storytellers were narrating the events that had just unfolded outside the walls. The ruthlessness of the Jurchen people and the tragic deaths of the people made the citizens of the city turn pale.
"Therefore, the Jurchen people are brutal. We must hold the city, or we will end up like those outside the walls."
This statement once again bolstered the citizens' resolve.
The entire city united as one, tense and grief-stricken yet full of determination.
"Are you afraid?"
Miss Jun and Prince Huai remained in a camp on the city wall, not retreating even when stone bullets were hurled by the Jurchen. Just as Prince Huai himself had said, he would hold the city gate to the death.
When Miss Jun asked this, Prince Huai shook his head.
"Not afraid," he said, his small face pale, then he paused, "just saddened by the sight of the citizens being slaughtered."
Miss Jun stepped forward a few steps, looking more clearly outside the city. The scene beyond the city gates was one of devastation. Most of the Jurchen corpses had been carried away by their own people, leaving mostly Great Zhou citizens' bodies, which were particularly gruesome in the sunlight.
"So you must remember, these people are slaughtering our Great Zhou citizens, and we must never bow to them," she said.
Prince Huai nodded heavily. Though fearful, he stepped forward to earnestly look beyond the gates.
"I will remember, I will always remember," he said.
Ning Yan arrived with several eunuchs.
"Your Highness, please eat," he said warmly.
Prince Huai nodded slightly at Ning Yan and turned inside.
Ning Yan did not leave but stood before Miss Jun.
"The peoples' hearts are finally steadied, thanks largely to Miss Jun's contribution," he said.
Miss Jun gave a bitter smile.
This time, she managed to stabilize the people's hearts thanks to her long-established reputation, as a divine doctor, treating smallpox, promoting the vaccine, and leading the army in the northern lands for rescue.
Yet, all of this was not for this moment's use.
"I do not want to claim such credit," she said.
Ning Yan smiled.
"Yunzhao is with His Majesty," he said after a pause, then regretted saying it immediately. Why mention this now?
Moreover, he said "with," not "fleeing."
Everyone knew the emperor had fled, so those with him naturally fled too.
"It's good to have him with the emperor," Miss Jun said.
She spoke this sentence without the slightest hesitation, even more decisively than when she first heard the news.
Ning Yan was slightly surprised at her trust in Yunzhao, and Yunzhao was equally trusting of her.
If only back then...
Ning Yan was silent for a moment.
"Back then, my father broke his word," he said.
This sudden statement caught Miss Jun off guard, then she realized he was talking about the old matters between Old Master Ning and Old Master Jun.
"In one's lifetime, it's unavoidable to have moments of impulsiveness and to make mistakes," Miss Jun said. "With Lord Ning's words, this matter can be considered resolved."
Ning Yan smiled, recognizing that children should not speak of their father's faults. It was not good to say more.
"Miss Jun has had dealings with the Jurchen people in the northern lands," he said, looking outside the city where the Jurchen camps could be seen, "What do you think our odds of victory are?"
As he finished speaking, he felt Miss Jun looking at him.
He turned his head to meet her gaze and saw her expression was peculiar.
"Odds of victory?" Miss Jun said, "My lord, there are none."
No odds of victory?
Ning Yan was slightly astonished.
He knew the Jurchen were fierce, that defending the city would be challenging, but with unity of purpose, strong and high city walls, and the divine weapons of the Qingshan Army, there must be a sliver of hope, right?
Unexpectedly, Miss Jun directly said there were none.
"There is one thing I haven't said," Miss Jun looked at him, "There are four artillery carriages, but only two stone bullets."
Two!
Ning Yan was taken aback, then his expression turned somber.
Two would neither kill many Jurchen nor deter them from withdrawing, so...
"So what we can do and hope for now isn't victory, but how long we can hold out," Miss Jun said, looking into the distance, "If we can last until reinforcements arrive, it will be considered a victory."
She paused here and looked at Ning Yan.
"Lord Ning, this must remain confidential."
Ning Yan gave a bitter smile; he would naturally keep this secret. When he heard this, his legs couldn't help but go weak. If the people knew, the capital would crumble without the Jurchen needing to attack.
"Defending the city means fighting to the death," Miss Jun said, "Only by embracing death can we fight for a slim chance of survival."
Thus, even if it meant deception, they must stabilize the people's hearts. Only then could they fight, could they strive for a slim chance of survival.
Ning Yan nodded.
"Now that the Jurchen are at the gates, there's no choice but to defend the city. Fortunately, our capital's walls are high and sturdy, hard to break. Inside the city, there is ample grain and water. Now, with unity from top to bottom, everyone is a soldier. It wouldn't be difficult to defend the city for ten days or half a month with hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians."
Miss Jun also smiled and nodded.
"Yes, just hold on until reinforcements come," she said.
Yes, if they truly could hold on and if reinforcements indeed came.
Ning Yan looked towards the outside of the city, a hint of worry flashed in his eyes, but it was soon replaced by determination.
Even if... it's just death.
......
........
"Prepare the carriage, prepare the carriage."
At this time in Beiliu, Yangcheng, the Ning Family's residence was filled with the cries of Eldest Madam Ning.
The sound of crying soon faded, and people next door who heard the commotion sighed softly and closed their doors properly.
Although the Jurchen people hadn't reached Yangcheng, both Yangcheng and the entire Shanxi were under tense alert, all cities tightly closed, homes securely locked.
No one dared to run outside, except for those who were worried about people outside, like Eldest Madam Ning of the Ning Family.
"Yunzhao is still in the capital, what should we do?" Eldest Madam Ning had already been helped back to her room by a maidservant, she sat on the bed, crying so hard she couldn't breathe.
The emperor's escape, following the closure of the capital's gates, had been confined within the capital, as it wasn't a matter of pride, and the capital's officials had banned the dissemination of the news.
Therefore, people outside the capital did not know the emperor had left the capital, and the Ning Family did not know Ning Yunzhao was no longer in the capital.
"What can you do? Even if you go, what can you do?" Eldest Master Ning shouted angrily.
"If I go, I can die with him." Eldest Madam Ning cried.
What else can be done besides dying? Eldest Master Ning sat down in the chair, dejectedly.
"This world, this world." He murmured, tears flowed silently.
......
........
Yangcheng's gates were also tightly closed, while there were still people moving on the streets, it lacked the usual bustling excitement.
The Fang Family residence had been divided into three; the originally connected pathways were also sealed, so Fang Yunxiao used the main entrance when she came.
"Is the young master here?"
Fang Yunxiao asked as soon as she entered.
Before the servant could answer, Fang Yuxiu's voice came from inside.
"Do you have business with our little brother?" she asked.
Seeing she was there too, Fang Yunxiao slightly relaxed and walked inside briskly.
"Are grandmother and mother alright?" she asked.
Fang Yuxiu took her hand and led her inside.
"They're doing well, just won one hundred taels from me." she said.
Won? So were they playing cards?
Fang Yunxiao paused momentarily and looked inside, and indeed saw a card table set up, with Old Lady Fang, Lady Fang, and Concubine Yuan sitting together, chatting and joking, holding cards in their hands.
"The eldest girl is here too, come and join us." Concubine Yuan also invited.
"How can you still play cards?" Fang Yunxiao said with a bitter smile, "The matters in the capital..."
"What of the capital matters?" Old Lady Fang said calmly, "Fight to defend the city." she said.
Indeed, Fang Yunxiao was silent for a moment.
"Where is the little brother?" she asked, Fang Chengyu cared most about Miss Jun, Miss Jun was in the capital now, did he not also head to the capital?
"Big sister, are you looking for me?"
Fang Chengyu's voice came from outside, and he entered pushing aside the curtain, after the New Year he had grown taller, still retaining a cheerful demeanor.
"Big sister thought you went to the capital." Fang Yuxiu said, "After all, Jun Zhenzhen is trapped in the capital."
Fang Chengyu smiled without a trace of worry.
"Grandmother said, the city is being defended, if it falls, it's just death." he said, "Nothing much."
Death, nothing much indeed.
Fang Yunxiao was silent.
Yes, ultimately, everyone faces death; as long as one dies for a worthy cause, it's nothing.
........
......
All the cities on Jingdong Road were tightly closed.
The guard soldiers on the city walls looked nervously at the troops appearing within view.
"Another batch of Jurchen people." the sentry said tremblingly.
"Shh, don't make a sound." the person beside him quickly whispered.
As if by doing so, those Jurchen people wouldn't notice there was a city here at all.
They were already scared out of their wits.
"It's not about being scared out of one's wits, but we aren't a match for them." another soldier said in a low voice, with some shame.
Silence fell upon the city walls.
"The Jurchen people have passed." suddenly someone said quietly.
Everyone let out a sigh of relief and quickly looked, but immediately their expressions turned gloomy again.
"They are heading towards the capital again." a soldier murmured, "Who knows how the capital is doing."
"What can be done, there aren't many troops in the capital." another soldier said, lowering his head, "And it's been so many days, the Jurchen people keep getting reinforcements."
Everyone's eyes involuntarily looked towards the capital.
It's feared that the capital has already fallen.
.....
......
(This scene will conclude tomorrow)