As dawn broke, chaotic footsteps echoed on the street, as if someone was screaming and running wildly.
Upon hearing the commotion, a man in a courtyard immediately lit a torch.
"Master." A woman cried, clutching his arm.
The man was dressed in official robes with an official hat, a wooden plate tucked at his waist, dressed meticulously formally, exuding an unmatched dignity as if going to court for an audience.
However, at this moment, there was wood piled around him, encircling him and the woman, along with four children, one boy and three girls, the eldest no more than fourteen or fifteen, the youngest still swaddled in a wrap. The four children also huddled together, the older ones understanding what was about to happen and turning pale, while the two little ones sucked their fingers, as though finding this a fun game and chuckling.
"Master." The woman knelt and cried uncontrollably, "The children are still young... is there truly no way out?"
"Madam, don't be foolish." The man solemnly said, "The Jurchen people have besieged the city for so long, with great loss. You don't know their nature, but I do. Once they enter the city, they will surely retaliate and massacre. Rather than being killed by them, it is better for us to take our own lives for dignity."
He paused here.
"Even if the Jurchen don't massacre, as a court official of the dynasty, I will never surrender to them. I'd rather die for my country."
He looked at the mourning woman.
"Lady Juan, those of a fallen city live worse than pigs and dogs. Rather than be disgraced by the Jurchen, it's better to have a clean and dignified end."
The woman cried while wiping her tears.
"Yes, Master." She cried, "Our whole family will go together."
She said this and then grabbed the torch from the man's hand, preparing to throw it onto the woodpile when suddenly the door was slammed open.
The man looked to see it was several servants he had dismissed.
"Master, Master, don't burn it." The servants stumbled in, crazed, "The reinforcements have arrived, the Jurchen have retreated."
This news was astonishing; the woman's hand slipped, and the torch fell to the ground.
Oil had been poured on the woodpile; it dripped and flowed over, suddenly igniting with a whoosh.
The woman screamed in fright, and the man hurriedly stomped on the fire, while the servants rushed to help, throwing the courtyard into chaos.
Fortunately, the fire was not big and was quickly extinguished. The man looked somewhat disheveled but didn't care to tidy himself.
"Reinforcements came?" He asked urgently.
The servants nodded excitedly.
"They arrived last night and attacked the Jurchen while defending the city."
"The Jurchen retreated to counterattack, and this morning the Jurchen retreated, and they arrived."
The city gates are being opened, and everyone is rushing to see."
The servants chattered, leaving the man slightly dizzy.
"Where did the reinforcements come from?" As an official, he promptly asked the critical question.
"From the Qingshan Army." The servants responded in unison.
The official's eyes brightened at the mention of the Qingshan Army.
If it was the Qingshan Army, then the capital really had nothing to worry about.
"How many came?" He asked hurriedly.
Hearing this, the servants glanced at each other.
"About a few thousand," they said.
A few thousand?!
The official's face immediately darkened.
The Jurchen have tens of thousands.
What good are a few thousand! Even if they temporarily repel the Jurchen, they will definitely attack again.
He sighed, looking at the woodpile in the courtyard.
"Let's hold off for now, wait and see." He said.
At this time, most people in the city didn't think as far as the official. The threat of the city's fall had nearly driven them to despair. Now reinforcements had come and repelled the Jurchen, even if only temporarily, they were willing to indulge in this euphoria.
The city gates were surrounded by crowds of people wanting to see the heroes who descended from the sky to save them.
Yet the heroes in front of them seemed a bit different from their imagination.
Looking at the pale, bloodless faces, trembling bodies, and chattering teeth of a few soldiers, the crowd didn't know how to react at first.
"Perhaps the warriors are exhausted..." A citizen offered an explanation.
Yes, they fought all night; surely it was exhausting, and their bodies bore injuries, evident of the battle's brutality and difficulty.
The crowd nodded hastily.
"The Jurchen retreated?" A soldier suddenly asked, looking at the people before him, seemingly dazed.
See, they fought until they were confused, the citizens thought sympathetically.
"Yes, you've already entered the city." They quickly said, about to offer further compliments and gratitude when suddenly a soldier burst into tears.
"It was terrifying." He cried.
The other soldiers, as if drained of energy, sat on the ground, crying loudly.
"It was too terrifying, too terrifying." They held their heads and wailed repeatedly.
The populace was stunned, not knowing how to respond.
"Yes, yes." One quick-witted citizen stammered, "It was indeed very scary; though the warriors don't fear the enemy, it's natural to be frightened."
Right, that's the truth of it, the crowd nodded collectively. Although it was somewhat different from their imagination, these soldiers indeed saved them, and people hurriedly comforted and soothed, offering tea and water, calling doctors to come with medical assistance.
The doctors didn't rest, busy treating everyone, tending to the injured, and collecting the deceased.
The city walls were being re-fortified, with obstacles and wooden defenses, children running back and forth collecting arrows.
The gate was bustling, but unlike the prior despair and numbness, the atmosphere was filled with the initial enthusiasm of confronting the Jurchen.
Ning Yan and others summoned the generals of the Qingshan Army for inquiries.
Li Guorui had already met the emperor once, but it was his first time meeting so many court officials at once. Although the officials looked disheveled, they were hard to meet in the past.
Li Guorui introduced himself with excitement and a bit of pride.
"Lord Li?" An official said, slightly surprised, looking behind him, "Wasn't it said that the Qingshan Army is managed by Miss Zhao?"
Li Guorui suddenly felt deflated.
In the Qingshan Army, he was indeed one of the top officials, but that was merely because he was a man. The one actually in charge was the Miss Zhao, who couldn't be appointed to an official position.
Miss Zhao, in ordinary affairs, has the final say, but all socializing and paperwork matters are handled by him.
But this also shows that Miss Zhao trusts him, right?
Li Guorui once again felt proud, automatically ignoring the fact that he never did anything untrustworthy in the Qingshan Army.
"Miss Zhao has gone to meet her family." He said, with a touch of solemnity, "If the lords have any questions, just ask me."
......
.......
"Sister!"
Zhao Hanqing shouted loudly, jumping in front of Miss Jun.
Miss Jun raised her hand to caress her head, tidying her disheveled hair bit by bit and wiping the bloodstains off her face. She did these things carefully and earnestly without saying a word.
Zhao Hanqing's smile grew broader.
Fang Jinxiu, standing beside, pouted, while Prince Huai couldn't help but step over and stand on Miss Jun's other side.
"Miss Jun, is this Miss Zhao?" He asked.
Miss Jun retracted her hand and nodded at him with a smile.
"This is my younger sister, Zhao Hanqing." She said.
Zhao Hanqing looked at Prince Huai, and he looked at her too.
"Miss Zhao has worked hard." Prince Huai spoke first.
Zhao Hanqing responded with a sound, curtsying towards Prince Huai. Although she didn't speak, her posture was dignified.
This was well-taught by Miss Xiao, and also well-learned by Hanqing. Miss Jun looked at Zhao Hanqing with a smile, talented in both civil and martial arts, the kind of child any parent would be proud to have.
If the mentor knew in the underworld, they would definitely be happy and relieved.
The atmosphere here was warm, while the atmosphere on Li Guorui's side was somewhat heavy.
"So, most of the troops can't arrive in time?" an official asked, unable to hide his nervousness.
Li Guorui nodded, without any concealment.
"The Jurchen people have temporarily retreated, and we took the opportunity to rush over." He said, "The scout discovered that the Jurchen people have set up camp at Shimen Slope."
Shimen Slope? That's not too far from the capital.
They could come back at any time.
"What is there to fear?" Ning Yan spoke, "We managed to defend the city before, and now we have more reinforcements. Are we really afraid of the Jurchen people?"
Indeed, what's there to fear!
If they come, we'll just fight again.
The atmosphere in the government office became invigorated.
The capital once again entered a state of readiness for battle, but after waiting for three or four days, the Jurchen people did not arrive, only their scouts and ours having skirmishes in the wilderness a few times.
Will they attack, or retreat?
"Of course, it's to attack." Yu Chihai said blankly, "Although the Qingshan Army broke through, they are also severely weakened."
Several Jurchen generals in the tent hesitated, still fearful when thinking of the brutal battle that night.
"Why hasn't our reinforcements arrived yet?" a Jurchen general suddenly said.
"They should be arriving soon." Another Jurchen general said, "The Great Emperor has already assembled an army of a hundred thousand. Uncle Qinghe of the northern lands is tangled up with five thousand troops and certainly won't be able to hold them back."
These words made several Jurchen generals show joy.
"Why not wait a bit longer..." they said.
Yu Chihai beside them sneered with ridicule and anger.
"If we wait any longer, there might be no chance." He said.
As soon as his words fell, there was a loud rumble, followed by the ground shaking, and the noise outside was chaotic.
"What's the matter?" The Jurchen generals shouted as they rushed out.
The camp was in turmoil among the woodcutters.
"The Zhou soldiers are attacking."
"The Qingshan Army is here."
Are they really attacking the camp? But what is there to fear from a few thousand troops? The Jin General was about to order to battle when he saw a plume of smoke rise from the heavens, and the ground trembled again.
"No, it's the Qingshan Army with artillery carriages." The woodcutters shouted loudly, their expressions terrified.
The Qingshan Army with artillery carriages!
The Jurchen generals immediately turned pale, Yu Chihai stood outside the tent and closed his eyes.
"There is no chance." He murmured.
........
.......
Watching the rising smoke and fire, feeling the terrifying ground tremors, the people on the capital walls cheered, there would be no more worries this time.
The three thousand troops of the Qingshan Army gathered in the capital, and the massive forces of the Jurchen people retreated like a tide, news of this spread quickly too.
"Did they really lift the siege?"
The emperor of Taihu Lake knew the first time as well.
Lu Yunqi responded affirmatively.
"Yes, yes, those forty thousand Jurchen soldiers were scattered, fleeing in disorder." Yuan Bao supplemented as usual, showing that he knew more.
The emperor revealed a satisfied smile.
"Good, good." He said, then frowned, "Then, I must hurry back to reassure the people's hearts."
Everyone present understood the implication of his words.
The emperor was asking how to gain the people's trust and appease them on his return.
"Your Majesty is wise." Ning Yunzhao stepped forward, speaking sincerely, "Your Majesty self-punished at the Imperial Mausoleum, now that the Jurchen troops have retreated, I humbly ask Your Majesty to return to the court early."
Self-punishing at the Imperial Mausoleum, a good idea!
The emperor's eyes lit up, looking at Ning Yunzhao with an approving smile.
Meanwhile, Lu Yunqi glanced at Ning Yunzhao, his expression blank.