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Chapter 2552 The Siege and Defense of the Capital

After the rebels captured Mingzhou, the capital was completely exposed to their military might.

From Mingzhou to the capital, the land is flat and swift; a cavalryman could reach the destination in a day by marching at full speed.

The court was in complete chaos. Wei Yan stayed at the Ministry of War until midnight every day, Li Xing was so anxious that he developed blisters on his lips, and the emperor was unable to eat or sleep, becoming extremely thin.

Wei Yan summoned all the garrison commanders of the capital and held an emergency military council.

“Mingzhou has already fallen, and He Jingyuan’s army will be at our gates soon.” Wei Yan stood in front of the map, his face so gloomy it could drip water. “The garrison in the city, plus reinforcements from all over, barely number 80,000. He Jingyuan’s side has at least 150,000. We are outnumbered and can only rely on the city’s defenses to hold out. Anyone have a solution? Speak up.”

The guards looked at each other, none of them daring to speak first.

An old general stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Prime Minister, the rebels attacked Fengzhou and Mingzhou by blowing up the city gates and digging tunnels to blow up the city walls. I think we must be wary of this tactic."

Wei Yan asked, "How do we defend against it?"

The veteran general said, "Bury large vats at the base of the city wall, with the mouths facing upwards, and fill them with water. Whenever the enemy digs a tunnel, there will be movement underground, and the water in the vats will slosh. The location where the vat sloshes indicates where the enemy is digging a tunnel. We can dig down along the location of the vats and intercept their tunnel."

Wei Yan nodded upon hearing this: "That's a good idea. Get it done immediately. Bury more jars, make sure to bury them along all four sides of the city wall, leaving no spot untouched."

Another garrison commander stepped forward: "Prime Minister, besides the tunnels, we also need to guard against them blowing up the city gates. The city gates of Fengzhou and Mingzhou have been blown open; we must block them up."

Wei Yan asked, "How do we block it?"

The garrison commander said, "Use sandbags and stones to block the city gate from the inside, so that not a single stone can get in. Once the city gate is blocked, no matter how powerful their explosives are, they won't be able to blow it open. Even if they do manage to blow it open, with the city gate on the outside and sandbags and stones on the inside, they still won't be able to break in."

Wei Yan thought about it and felt it made sense, then asked, "If the city gates are blocked, how will our own people get in and out?"

The commander said, "Use the baskets and do everything in our power to ensure the enemy can't get in."

Wei Yan waved his hand: "Go and do it. Block all nine gates, leave no one alive."

"promise!"

Another garrison commander suggested setting up more cannons on the city walls, digging trenches outside the city, planting deer antlers, and scattering caltrops—using every method imaginable.

Wei Yan approved everything and ordered that construction begin overnight without any mistakes.

After the meeting, the entire capital city turned into a huge construction site.

On the city wall, soldiers were busy moving sandbags and stones.

Bags of sand were piled up behind the city gate, and stones were stacked on top of them, making it look like a small mountain.

The east gate was filled with thousands of sandbags, piled up from the ground to the top of the gate arch, sealing the entire gate tightly.

The same applies to the South Gate, West Gate, and North Gate; all four gates are completely blocked, not even a crack is left.

At the foot of the city wall, soldiers were busy burying water tanks.

The large vat was taller than a person; it took two people to hug it.

The soldiers dug deep pits at the base of the city wall, placed large vats inside with their openings facing upwards, level with the ground, and then filled them with water.

Every few dozen steps along the four city walls, a large earthenware jar was buried, densely packed, encircling the capital.

On the city wall, cannons were set up one by one, their muzzles pointing outwards, dark and menacing.

Gunpowder and shells were piled up neatly next to the gun position, ready to fire at any time.

Archers also took their positions on the city wall, carrying bundles of arrows up and piling them up like haystacks.

Outside the city, the soldiers dug trench after trench, ten feet wide and ten feet deep, several layers around the city wall.

The trench was filled with sharpened bamboo skewers and wooden stakes; falling in meant certain death.

The trench was covered with barbed wire and iron nails at the four corners. No matter how you threw them, one side would always face up. If a horse stepped on them, its hooves would be ruined, and if a person stepped on them, their feet would be pierced.

Antlers were also erected, and the thick tree trunks were sharpened, crossed and tied together to form fences in front of the moat.

The cavalry couldn't charge through, and the infantry couldn't climb over.

We used every method we could think of, and deployed all the defenses we could.

Wei Yan personally inspected the city wall every day, reinforcing wherever necessary and repairing any weak points.

Wei Yan kept a dark expression on his face and didn't say a word. When the guards saw his face, none of them dared to slack off.

Li Xing was also busy; he was responsible for mobilizing the people in the city to participate in the defense of the city.

He knocked on doors from house to house, calling on young and strong men to help on the city wall, while the elderly and women were responsible for delivering water and food, and the children were responsible for relaying messages.

"The capital is your home! If the rebels invade, your home will be gone!" Li Xing stood in the street, shouting at the top of his lungs, "Those with money should contribute money, those with strength should contribute strength! Anyone who hides behind and doesn't contribute will regret it when the rebels invade!"

The public's reaction was mixed.

Some people responded enthusiastically, carrying hoes and shovels to climb the city wall.

Some people watched coldly, closing the doors and windows as if they hadn't heard anything.

Some people muttered privately, "What difference does it make who's emperor? He Jingyuan might even reduce taxes if he invades. Why bother with all that?"

Regardless of what the common people thought, the imperial court still issued the mobilization order.

Within a few days, several thousand laborers appeared on the city wall to help move stones, transport sandbags, and deliver food and water.

The emperor was not idle either; he issued an imperial edict, calling on all armies across the land to rush to the capital to defend the emperor.

But even after the imperial edict was issued, only a few soldiers actually arrived.

The local garrisons were either decimated by the rebel army, tied down by Prince Changxin, or simply remained inactive, observing the situation.

Everyone can see that the imperial court is sinking, so who would want to jump onto this broken ship?

Wei Yan knew in his heart that the capital was isolated and helpless.

The only things that can defend the city are these 80,000 soldiers and this city wall.

If they can hold out, the imperial court can prolong its existence for a while longer.

If we can't hold on, everything is over.

……

That night, Wei Yan conducted his final inspection of the city's defenses.

He walked around the city wall, from the east gate to the south gate, from the south gate to the west gate, from the west gate to the north gate, and then back to the east gate.

At each place he visited, he would stop to look around and ask, "Has the water vat been buried yet?"

"Reporting to the Prime Minister, it's all buried. Two hundred vats were buried along the four city walls, each filled with water. They are checked daily, and water is added when the level is low."

"Is the city gate blocked?"

"It's completely blocked. All four gates are blocked with sandbags and stones. Each gate used at least a thousand sandbags. Iron bars have also been added outside the city gates, so we're not afraid of explosives."

"Is the artillery set up?"

"All set up. Fifty cannons on each side of the city wall, two hundred in total, with ample gunpowder and shells."

"Is the trench finished?"

"It's done. Three trenches, each ten feet wide and ten feet deep, with bamboo spikes inserted inside. Outside the trenches, caltrops have been scattered and deer antlers have been erected."

Wei Yan nodded, stood on the city wall, looked at the dark wilderness outside the city, and remained silent for a long time.

The night wind blew by, making his robes flutter loudly.

In truth, he was filled with regret. He shouldn't have pursued Wei Qilin and Meng Lihua so relentlessly back then, otherwise he wouldn't have driven them to such a desperate point.

At this moment, Wei Yan's deputy asked cautiously, "Prime Minister, do you think... we can really hold out?"

Wei Yan did not answer, but turned and went down the city wall.

……

Back at his residence, Wei Yan sat in his study, facing the huge map on the wall, for a long time.

His gaze shifted from Mingzhou to the capital, from the capital to Jizhou, and then from Jizhou to the northwest.

He knew in his heart that this might be the last time he sat in this spot and looked at this map.

Outside the capital, He Jingyuan's army was approaching.

The 150,000-strong army, riding high on the momentum of their consecutive victories in Fengzhou and Mingzhou, was in high spirits.

Meanwhile, in the capital, the 80,000 garrison troops were demoralized and filled with anxiety.

This battle is already half lost before it even begins.

But he had no way out.

As long as the city stands, people live; if the city falls, people die.

This was Wei Yan's destiny, and also his final choice.

In fact, the imperial court also considered negotiating peace with Prince Changxin and then having him lead his troops to attack the rebels in Jizhou.

Unfortunately, it was common knowledge that the Prince of Changxin, a prince of a different surname, harbored ambitions beyond his own control and was probably plotting to rebel against the court.

Therefore, the imperial envoys made several attempts to contact him, but were driven back by Prince Changxin each time.

……

When the rebel army set up camp outside the capital, it was just dawn.

The army numbered 150,000, with camps stretching for miles, seemingly endless.

Smoke rose from the chimneys, a dark, dense cloud that obscured half the sky.

The soldiers guarding the city wall turned pale and their legs trembled when they saw this.

They've fought so many wars in all these years, and they've never seen so many soldiers.

He Jingyuan and Wei Qilin rode their horses and circled the capital.

The city walls were high and thick, and the top of the walls was densely packed with soldiers. Cannons were set up one after another, their muzzles facing outwards, appearing dark and menacing.

Several trenches were dug outside the city, with bamboo sticks stuck in them, and caltrops and deer antlers were placed outside the trenches.

All four city gates were completely blocked with sandbags, leaving not even a crack.

After reading it, Wei Qilin frowned: "The imperial court has put in every ounce of effort. The city's defenses are as solid as an iron barrel; it won't be easy to attack."

He Jingyuan frowned as well: "It's much harder to fight than Fengzhou and Mingzhou. Although Fengzhou has high city walls, there aren't as many miscellaneous things outside the city. Although Mingzhou has many garrison troops, its city defenses aren't as tight. This capital city is a tough nut to crack."

Su Ning remained silent, because he had already "seen" the defenses of the capital city through his divine sense.

He not only "saw" all nine gates and the city walls, but also memorized the terrain inside the city, the deployment of the garrison, and the location of the cannons.

……

Upon returning to the main camp, He Jingyuan immediately convened a meeting of all his generals.

“The imperial court has blocked all four gates, so the method of blowing up the city gates is no longer effective,” He Jingyuan said, pointing to the map. “They have dug trenches, erected deer antlers, and scattered barbed wire outside the city, so the cavalry cannot charge up. Hundreds of cannons have been mounted on the city walls, and a direct assault would result in too many casualties. What solutions do you have? Tell me.”

The generals started discussing it amongst themselves.

Some people say, "Build a ladder and climb the city wall. No matter how high the city wall is, we can climb it."

He Jingyuan shook his head: "The city walls are full of archers and cannons. The siege ladders were shot down before they could even be set up. The casualties are too great. This won't do."

Some people say, "Build a tower, taller than the city wall, and have archers stand on it to shoot arrows into the city, suppressing their firepower."

He Jingyuan shook his head again: "Building a tower vehicle would require cutting down trees, which would take several days. Besides, there are so many cannons on the city wall; one shot would blast the tower vehicle to pieces."

Some people say, "Digging tunnels is like attacking a famous prefecture; you blow up the city walls from underground."

Su Ning spoke up: "Digging tunnels won't work anymore. The garrison inside the city has already buried large vats filled with water at the base of the city wall. As soon as we dig a tunnel, the water in the vats will slosh around, and they'll know where we're digging. Then they can flood the tunnel with water and smoke, and our men will die underground, unable to even escape."

He Jingyuan slammed his hand on the table: "This won't work, that won't work, are we just going to keep dragging this out? We have 150,000 people, and the daily consumption of food and fodder is enormous. We can't afford to keep going like this."

Su Ning thought for a moment, "If a direct assault won't work, we'll try a clever strategy. Although the capital city has high walls and strong defenses, the people inside are not at peace. The court is unpopular, and the common people don't support them. We can attack the city while simultaneously sending people infiltrate to contact the residents and the garrison, coordinating an attack from the inside and outside."

He Jingyuan's eyes lit up: "My lord, this is a good idea. War is not only about fighting with swords and spears, but also about winning people's hearts. The court has lost the hearts of the people, but we have won them. This is our advantage."

Wei Qilin asked, "Send someone in? How?"

Su Ning said, "The people in the city need to go out to chop firewood and fetch water every day. The garrison can't block all four gates, so they have to leave a small gate for people to come and go. Find a few clever brothers to sneak into the city among the people. Once inside, find those who are dissatisfied with the court and contact them. When we attack the city, they can set fires, open the city gates, and confuse the garrison."

He Jingyuan nodded: "Okay, let's do it this way. Pick ten clever ones and have them sneak in tonight."

That night, ten carefully selected soldiers changed into civilian clothes and, under cover of darkness, sneaked into the capital.

……

Early the next morning, He Jingyuan ordered an attack on the city.

It's not a full-scale offensive, but a probing attack.

He wanted to assess the strength and weakness of the city's defenses, verify them against the city's defensive map drawn by Su Ning, observe the city's garrison's reaction, and assess the range and density of artillery fire.

Five thousand infantrymen, arranged in square formation, carrying ladders and shouting battle cries, charged towards the city wall. The defenders on the city wall saw the rebels charging and immediately opened fire.

The booming of cannons filled the air as shells landed among the rebel troops, exploding into sprays of blood.

Some soldiers were hit by artillery shells and flew out of the air; others were cut by shrapnel and fell to the ground screaming in pain.

But the soldiers behind did not retreat; they continued to charge forward, stepping over the corpses of those in front.

The rebels stopped when they reached the front of the trench.

The trench was too wide; there was no way to jump over it.

The ditch was full of bamboo sticks; jumping in meant certain death.

The soldiers carried planks and laid them across the trench, one plank at a time, until they created a path.

The archers on the city wall began to fire arrows, which rained down, and the soldiers laying the wooden planks fell one after another, struck by arrows.

The soldiers behind rushed forward, picked up the planks, and continued laying them.

After paving for a long time, a road was finally paved.

The rebels crossed the trench on planks and began clearing away the barbed wire and antlers.

The barbed wire was scattered all over the ground, and cleaning it up was a lot of work.

The antlers were large and heavy, requiring several people to work together to move them.

By the time they cleared these obstacles, the cannons and arrows from the city walls had already scattered their troops.

The officer in charge looked at the city wall; the ladders hadn't even been set up yet, and half the men were already dead.

He gritted his teeth and had no choice but to order a retreat.

The first attack ended in retreat in less than an hour.

More than 800 people were killed or wounded, and they didn't even get close to the city wall.

He Jingyuan's face was ashen, and he sat in the tent without saying a word.

Wei Qilin sighed: "The imperial court is really going all out this time. The city's defenses are so tight that a direct attack won't work."

Su Ning said, "No rush. Today was just a probe to find out their strength. Although they have many cannons, they are slow to reload. After firing one volley, they have to wait a while before they can fire the second volley. We can use this gap to attack in batches, so that they don't have time to reload."

He Jingyuan raised his head and looked at Su Ning: "My lord, do you mean a war of attrition?"

Su Ning nodded: "That's right. We'll divide them into several groups and attack one after another, giving them no chance to breathe. Their cannons will get hot from firing too much, and then they won't be able to use them. Archers' arms will ache from drawing their bows for too long, and then they won't be able to shoot accurately. We have more people, so we can afford to wait it out. They have fewer people, so they can't afford to wait it out."

He Jingyuan thought about it and agreed. He immediately ordered, "Divide the troops into three groups. The first group will attack in the morning, the second in the afternoon, and the third at night. They will take turns attacking around the clock, without giving them a break."

……

For the next three days, the rebel army attacked the city day and night.

During the day, infantrymen carried ladders and pushed battering rams, charging up the mountain wave after wave.

The cannons on the city wall roared, and cannonballs rained down, but the rebels did not retreat. As those in front fell, those behind took their place.

At night, the rebels continued their attack by lighting torches.

The torchlight illuminated the city walls and the faces of the rebel soldiers.

Their faces were blackened by gunpowder smoke, but their eyes shone with an alarming brightness.

The defending troops were exhausted from the ordeal.

The artillery had been fired so much that the barrels were red-hot and some even exploded, killing their own gunners.

The archer's arm swelled up from drawing the bow so much that he couldn't draw it anymore. When a new batch of archers came in, they couldn't draw it either after a couple of days.

The soldiers had to keep watch day and night, afraid to close their eyes, so tired that they could fall asleep standing up.

Wei Yan went up to the city wall every day to supervise the battle. Seeing the soldiers' exhausted appearance, he was anxious.

He ordered shifts for rest, but there weren't enough people to keep up with the demand.

Eighty thousand men guarding the four city walls, twenty thousand on each side, was already a small number, and with shifts for rest, the number became even smaller.

On the fifth day, the ten soldiers who had infiltrated the city sent back a message.

They made contact with several officers of the garrison in the city.

These officers had long harbored resentment towards the imperial court and were willing to cooperate from within and without.

They also contacted some civilians and promised to set fire to the city to create chaos during the siege.

After reading the secret letter, He Jingyuan laughed heartily: "Good! Good! Good! This is the will of the people, the destiny of Heaven! Issue the order: the general offensive will begin first thing tomorrow morning!"

That night, the rebel camp was brightly lit, and everyone was preparing for the general offensive the next day.

The soldiers sharpened their swords and guns, inspected their armor, and stuffed their rations into their pockets.

The generals circled the sand table and went through the simulations again and again, finalizing every single detail.

……

The next day, before dawn, the rebels rose up.

One hundred and fifty thousand people, after finishing breakfast, lined up in formation, a dark mass stretching from outside the north gate of the capital all the way to the horizon.

The war drums pounded and the horns wailed, the sounds shaking the city walls.

He Jingyuan, mounted on his horse and wielding a large cleaver, shouted to his soldiers, "Brothers! After this battle, the world will be at peace! If we capture the capital, you will all be heroes! Your wives and children will be granted titles and honors, and you will enjoy endless wealth and glory!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!" 150,000 men roared in unison, their voices echoing like thunder across the wilderness.

He Jingyuan waved his hand: "Attack the city!"

The sound of the war drums suddenly became rapid, booming like raindrops.

The vanguard of the rebel army charged out first, carrying ladders, pushing battering rams, and shouting slogans as they rushed toward the city wall.

The cannons on the city wall roared, booming and shaking the earth.

The shells landed in the ranks of the insurgents, exploding into bursts of blood.

But the rebels did not retreat; they continued to charge forward, stepping over the corpses of their comrades.

The soldiers who had infiltrated the city saw the rebels begin their attack and immediately sprang into action.

They set fire to several places in the city at the same time: granaries, armories, stables—fires raged everywhere.

The defending troops were thrown into disarray, and some rushed to put out the fire, creating a breach in the city's defenses.

The garrison officer, who had agreed to cooperate from within and without, seized the opportunity to open the city gate with his men.

Although there are sandbags blocking the outside of the city gate, you can just move the sandbags away.

They frantically moved sandbags, throwing them out one by one.

Seeing the city gate open, He Jingyuan roared, "The city gate is open! Brothers, charge!"

He spurred his horse and charged ahead, with the army behind him surging forward like a tide.

Wei Qilin led his cavalry in a charge from the side, the thunderous sound of their hooves shaking the earth.

Su Ning personally led a team of elite soldiers straight to the city gate.

The defenders on the city walls fought desperately, with arrows raining down and cannons firing relentlessly.

But the rebels had already reached the foot of the city wall, making it impossible for the cannons to hit them or the archers to shoot them.

The defenders could only throw down logs and stones, and pour hot oil and soup on them.

But these things couldn't stop the rebels.

Ladders were erected one after another on the city wall, and soldiers climbed up while biting their knives.

Some people were hit by rolling logs and fell off the ladder; others were doused with hot oil and fell down with a scream.

But those behind them continued climbing up, stepping over their bloodstains.

Finally, the first soldier climbed onto the city wall.

He drew his sword, cut down two guards, and gained his footing.

Then the second, the third, the fourth...

More and more rebels climbed onto the city walls and engaged in hand-to-hand combat with the defenders.

On the other side of the city gate, the sandbags were moved away, and the city gate was opened.

The rebel cavalry charged into the city, slaughtering their way through the streets and alleys.

Although the defending troops put up a fierce resistance, the situation was hopeless.

Of the four city walls, three were breached.

The fire in the city grew larger and larger, with thick smoke billowing and obscuring the sky.

The defending troops were overwhelmed and their command system was completely paralyzed. They fought their own battles and no one could take care of anyone else.

Wei Yan stood on the high platform in the center of the city, looking at the firelight all around and listening to the shouts of battle. His face was ashen and his lips trembled.

His personal guards fell one by one until he was the only one left.

Li Xing rushed over, covered in blood and ashes, his voice trembling: "Prime Minister Wei! The city has fallen! Run! It'll be too late if you don't run now!"

Wei Yan glanced at his political enemy but remained silent.

Li Xing grew anxious and tugged at his sleeve: "Prime Minister Wei! As long as we're alive, we can always rebuild! Let's retreat to the south first, and then we'll think of something else!"

Wei Yan pushed his hand away, his voice hoarse: "Grand Tutor Li, I won't run. To live is to be a hero, and to die is to be a ghost of valor! As long as the city stands, I will live; if the city falls, I will die. This is my fate, Wei Yan's fate."

Li Xing stood there, stunned, not knowing what to say.

Wei Yan straightened his clothes, bowed three times in the direction of the palace, then drew his sword, held it to his neck, and pulled sharply.

Blood spurted out, Wei Yan swayed, and collapsed to the ground with a thud.

His eyes were still open, staring at the gray sky, his mouth slightly open as if he wanted to say something, but he didn't say anything.

Li Xing stared at Wei Yan's corpse for a moment, then turned and ran.

He took two steps when a stray arrow flew by and struck him squarely in the back.

He screamed, collapsed to the ground, struggled a couple of times, and then lay still.

……

The Battle of Beijing lasted from morning till evening, a full day.

The battle ended when it got dark.

The imperial flag on the city wall was cut down and replaced with the red flag of the rebel army.

The red flag fluttered in the evening breeze, like a red cloud.

He Jingyuan rode his horse through the city gate into the capital.

The streets were lined with surrendering soldiers kneeling on both sides, their weapons lying scattered on the ground.

The common people hid in their houses, peeking out through the cracks in the doors, wondering how the newly arrived army would treat them.

He Jingyuan shouted, "Pass down the order: no burning, killing, looting, or harassment of the people. Anyone who disobeys will be executed!"

The soldiers responded in unison, "Yes, sir!"

Only after the news spread did the people dare to open their doors.

Some people brought out water to comfort the soldiers, some handed them dry rations, and some stood at the door clapping.

An old man knelt by the roadside, tears streaming down his face: "Heaven has opened its eyes! We have finally welcomed a righteous army!"

He Jingyuan dismounted and helped the old man up. "Grandpa, don't kneel. This is what we should do."

As Su Ning rode his horse, looking at the people on the street and their eyes filled with both fear and anticipation, he felt a surge of indescribable emotions.

If the capital is captured, the court will collapse, and the imperial city will be easily defeated.

But the war was not over yet. Prince Changxin was still eyeing the northwest with predatory intent, and the remnants of defeated troops in various places had not been completely eliminated.

The world is still in chaos, and ordinary people have not yet truly enjoyed a good life.

Furthermore, King Changxin had already secretly colluded with the Northern Jurchens, clearly preparing to join forces and enter the Central Plains.

But no matter what, the most crucial hurdle has been overcome.

...(End of this chapter)