In June of the second year of Baoyi in Xixia, the capital was Zhongxingfu, the imperial city.
In the empty hall, Emperor Li Sui of Xixia sat on his throne, frowning. The large crack on the roof of the palace was the result of the earthquake. The sun was hot, and part of it shone on Li Sui, but he was completely unaware and frowned in silence.
After struggling to resist the Mongols for more than a year, dozens of important towns in Xixia were now left with only Xingling on the side of Helan Mountain and the bank of the Yellow River.
Despite early preparations, the earthquake came as scheduled, palaces and buildings collapsed, and plague became widespread. Although a large amount of medicine was shipped from Lingzhou, the siege lasted for a long time, the city ran out of food, and most of the people starved to death. If this continues, without the Mongols attacking the city, the soldiers and civilians in the city will be wiped out.
At the end of the day, Li Sui sent his ministers Li Zhong'e, Luo Shichang and others to ask for surrender to the Mongolian army with "maps", but asked for a month's grace to prepare tributes and move people to their homes, and then went to meet Genghis Khan in person.
Could it be said that Xixia's energy has really been exhausted?
To surrender in Kaicheng is to open the door and bow down to the thieves. If you narrowly escape death, it is very likely that the people in the whole city will be buried with you. If we don't surrender, will the two to three hundred thousand people in the city die of hunger and illness?
Xixia had been a country for nearly two hundred years, and the country passed into his hands. Could it be that the country was destroyed like this?
"Ancestor, I, the Great Xia, are about to perish. I am the last emperor of the Great Xia who will subjugate the country and destroy the species!"
Li Sui's eyes heated up, he quickly closed his eyes and wiped away his tears.
Even when he was alone, he didn't want to show his vulnerability. As the king of a country, if you die, you will die. Why should you bow to the evil people?
Didn't Emperor Song say that he would send troops to rescue Xia? Where are the Song troops? What is Emperor Song doing? Is he lying to himself and giving himself a false impression?
The proudly standing Lingzhou City still inspired him inexplicably. It seems that as long as Lingzhou City is still there, Xixia still has a future.
"Cowardly Jin! Damn Wanyan Shousu!"
Li Sui couldn't help it and cursed bitterly.
The lips are dead and the teeth are cold, the country of brothers fights against the Tatars together, it’s all bullshit made by him!
"Your Majesty, Duke Weiming has come to ask for an audience."
The eunuch's voice sounded outside the palace door.
"Let him in."
Li Sui sat up straight, straightened his clothes, and wiped the tears from his face.
A king of a country should still have the proper manners.
"I see your Majesty."
Weiming Linggong came in and bowed to Li Suisu.
"Old General, you have worked hard to defend the city for months."
Seeing Wei Minlinggong's gray hair and haggard face, Li Sui asked with concern.
Since last winter, the Mongolian army has been attacking the city in a hurry. Thanks to Weiming Linggong's command and the united efforts of the soldiers, the Mongolian army has been driven back many times.
"Your Majesty, the city is running out of food and supplies. The soldiers have no food to eat and have no ability to resist and fight. In the opinion of the veteran, in half a month, even if the Tatar army stops attacking the city, Zhongxing Mansion will be destroyed. .”
Weiming Linggong's face was wrinkled and he was indescribably tired.
"How are the people in the city?"
Seeing the worry in Lord Weiming's eyes, Li Sui's expression immediately became tense.
"Your Majesty, most of the 300,000 people in the city have died in battle, starved to death, or died of illness. Now there is no food in the city. The people eat grass roots, bark, rats, and some are cannibals. Two to three hundred people starve to death every day. .If this continues, Zhongxing Mansion may not be able to hold on."
Weiming Linggong's words made Li Sui feel sick and made him feel even more depressed.
Sure enough, the situation in the city was worse than he imagined.
"There was no food, so some soldiers robbed it. Many wealthy families in the city were robbed. And none of the shops were open. Those selling tung oil and wood were all sold out. People died of illness and starvation every day. Many people... "
Lord Wei Ming was rambling on, and Li Sui had a headache, so he quickly interrupted him.
"Hasn't the Tatar army outside the city retreated on such a hot day?"
Li Sui spoke in a low tone and changed the topic.
The Mongolian army is used to using troops in bitter cold seasons. Now it is summer, why don't they withdraw their troops?
Could it be that Genghis Khan really wanted to destroy Daxia before he would give up?
"Back to Your Majesty, I just went to the top of the city to take a look. The Tatar army has no signs of withdrawing yet. However, the number seems to be much smaller."
Wei Minglinggong was unable to answer and was also worried.
Although the Mongolian army has rarely attacked the city in the past month, and the siege failed after the earthquake, the Mongolian army besieged the city, and the soldiers in the city were unable to leave the city to find food, and the situation could only get worse.
"This old thief, Genghis Khan, is not in the army, is he?"
When it comes to Genghis Khan, Li Sui's eyes are as cold as a knife.
The Mongolian army invaded Xixia many times, and more than 2 million Xixia people died tragically under the butcher's knife of the Mongolian army.
The feud between Xixia and Mongolia is irreconcilable. It was unbearable for him to bow to the Mongols.
"Back to Your Majesty, Li Zhong'e and Luo Shichang went to the Mongolian camp outside the city. They haven't come back for such a long time. They should go south to meet Genghis Khan. From this point of view, Genghis Khan may not be in the Mongolian camp outside the city."
Weiming Linggong said thoughtfully.
"It seems like this old thief hasn't died of illness yet. God has not blessed me in Daxia!"
Li Sui looked at Lord Wei Ming, paused for a moment, and then carefully lowered his voice.
"The spell Luo Shichang said is not effective, right?"
"Your Majesty, please be patient. Regarding the earthquake, Luo Shichang's spell has come true. As for Genghis Khan, I'm afraid the time has not yet come."
Lord Weiming looked at the expectant emperor and said with relief:
"Your Majesty, please be patient. Everything will be clear when Luo Shichang and others return from Genghis Khan."
Weiming Linggong's words made Li Sui nodded slightly, his eyes filled with unwillingness.
"I hope everything is true! I hope I, Daxia, can really escape this catastrophe."
The mysterious spells of the Song Emperor came to fruition one by one. I hope this most important one can be verified soon, which will eliminate his nightmare and also eliminate the serious worries of the people of Xixia.
"Your Majesty, the Emperor of the Song Dynasty is the ninth emperor of the Song Dynasty. Since he has predicted the earthquake, it should not be wrong for Genghis Khan to die of illness."
Weiming Linggong was also dubious.
A few months ago, Luo Shichang told the emperor that there would be an earthquake in the hot weather of Zhongxing Mansion, and asked the city to prepare and respond. At first, the kings and ministers of Xixia did not believe it, but unexpectedly the earthquake came and the plague spread in the city. Fortunately, Luo Shichang brought a large amount of medicine for treatment from Lingzhou City, otherwise, Zhongxing Mansion would have collapsed.
Before Luo Shichang went to the Mongolian camp, he told the emperor that Genghis Khan was seriously ill and could not hold on for long, and asked the emperor to hold on. He also said that this was the same as the earthquake, and it was also calculated by Song Emperor Zhao Hong.
Luo Shichang and others have been on a mission to the Mongolian camp for such a long time. It seems that Zhao Hong's prediction may come true again.
"Your Excellency Weiming, old general, do you think we, Daxia, can escape this disaster?"
Li Sui sighed quietly, feeling extremely pessimistic.
Even if his Great Xia could survive, the country's current situation, with hundreds of thousands of people and tens of thousands of soldiers, would leave only a place for spiritual prosperity, and the people would be pessimistic and disappointed with the court...
Daxia, is it still a country?
"Your Majesty, even if Genghis Khan dies, if the Tatars still refuse to withdraw their troops and will have no food or water by then, I am afraid that even Daxia will not be able to escape this disaster!"
Weiming Linggong frowned and sighed.
"Don't be pessimistic and disappointed unless you have to. The hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians in Xingling are all in danger!"
Li Sui's eyes were lonely, but his fighting spirit was still high.
"I am not afraid of death, and I don't care whether I am the king of the country or not. I will never bow to Genghis Khan until the last moment!"
Li Sui suddenly sat up straight, looked at Duke Weiming, and asked softly with interest:
"Old General, what kind of person do you think this Song Emperor Zhao Hong is? Is he really a god from heaven? Otherwise, how could he know so many secrets?"
Li Sui's eyes were confused, and Lord Wei Ming gave a wry smile.
"This old minister doesn't know either, but the eight thousand warriors he trained have prevented Lingzhou City from falling so far. It seems that he has some ability."
"If I have a chance, I really want to meet this Song Emperor. After all, he is still my brother-in-law."
Li Sui mocked himself and laughed softly.
No matter what, his sister Li Weiming finally found a good home and could avoid the war.
He didn't know that his sister, Princess Li Weiming of Anguo, had been named a concubine by the Song Dynasty, but she did not come to the northwest with the army.
"Your Majesty, if the Tatars do not retreat, I am afraid they will have no choice but to leave the city and surrender. Otherwise, all the people will starve to death. I hope your Majesty will make plans in advance and not place your hopes on the Song army."
Weiming Linggong couldn't help but said it anyway.
The Song army was weak, and the southerners were duplicitous. With them, it was better to surrender to the Mongolian army, which might save some Xia people from death.
"Mr. Weiming, are you saying that Song Emperor Zhao Hong can't be counted on?"
Li Sui's heart sank and he stared at Lord Wei Ming.
If this is really the case, Xixia really has no hope.
"Your Majesty, I still say what I said. If the Song army was willing to save Daxia, they should have sent troops to the north long ago. Why wait until now? I can't trust them. Even after Genghis Khan died, the Tatar army still besieged the city, and Daxia was still unable to escape. This calamity. In my opinion, it is better to open the city and surrender..."
"Your Majesty Weiming, please go out and see if Luo Shichang and the others are back?"
Li Sui frowned suddenly and immediately interrupted Wei Minglinggong's words.
He becomes pessimistic and disappointed at every turn, and has no fighting spirit. I don’t know why he was called a good general of Xixia by the people.
"Your Majesty, I will go to the top of the city to take a look. Luo Shichang and the others should be back soon."
Weiming Linggong was listless and was about to go out when the eunuch's voice sounded outside the palace at the right time.
"Your Majesty, Li Zhong'e, Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, and Luo Shichang, Xuanhui envoy of Nanyuan, are asking for an audience outside the palace."
"Quick! Xuan come in!"
Li Sui said urgently with a trembling voice, and stood up from the throne unconsciously.
Luo Shichang and others walked for more than ten or twenty days and finally returned.
"You mean, Genghis Khan is going to die? The Song Dynasty has already started a war with the Tatar army?"
After hearing Luo Shichang's report, Li Sui immediately became lively and excited.
"Your Majesty, Genghis Khan could not live for more than seven days. According to the Jin envoy Wanyan Hezhou, the Tatar Subotai tribe suffered over ten thousand losses in the Song Dynasty. It was an unprecedented defeat!"
Luo Shichang said with a red face and an excited mood.
"Okay, okay! My Daxia is saved! My Daxia is saved!"
Li Sui's face turned red, and he clenched his fists and pounded the table several times.
"Your Majesty, Xianggong Luo heard this from hearsay, and Wanyan Hezhou did not see it with his own eyes. The Tatar army is ferocious and good at fighting, and dominates the world. The Song army can annihilate so many Tatar cavalry. I have some doubts. Could this be a rumor?"
Weiming Linggong reported the report in a cold voice, with a suspicious tone, which made Li Sui startled again.
Mongolian cavalry dominates the world and rarely encounters opponents. How could the Song army be so powerful?
"Your Majesty, if the Song army is so good at fighting, how come they are bullied repeatedly by the Jin people and the northwest frontier is repeatedly destroyed? Even the Jin people are no match for the Tatar cavalry, let alone the Song people! This is probably a rumor, and your Majesty does not need to take it seriously. "
After Weiming Linggong made some analysis, Li Sui frowned and sat down with a dark face. The ecstasy on his face was gone and was replaced by full of doubts.
"Your Majesty, this is what I and Xianggong Li heard personally from the Jin envoy Wanyan Hezhou. I will never dare to deceive you! The Song army has sharp weapons, is well-trained, and has strict military discipline. It is no longer the same as the Amen under Wu in the past. .Your Majesty’s warning!”
Luo Shichang knelt down and played on the ground.
This well-known Linggong was ignorant and paranoid. He didn't know that Song's army had sharp weapons and was no longer the coward it once was.
"Your Majesty, everything Mr. Luo said is true, and not a single word dares to deceive you. Your Majesty knows it clearly!"
Li Zhong'e also knelt on the ground and grabbed the ground with his head.
"Luo Qing, Li Qing, get up quickly. It's not that I don't believe you, but the Tatar army is too brutal. I..."
Li Sui asked Luo Shichang and Luo Shichang to stand up, frowned, and said suddenly.
"Come here, hurry up and invite the Song Dynasty envoy. I have something to ask."
Now that things have happened, perhaps the Song army who came for reinforcements knows more.
Luo Shichang and Li Zhong'e secretly shook their heads, while Wei Minglinggong snorted coldly and remained silent.
"Foreign minister Yu Jie, pays homage to the Emperor of Great Xia!"
Yu Jie came in and saluted Li Suisu on the throne.
He had already tried hard to persuade the young emperor to calm down and not to make excuses to Genghis Khan. If the Xixia monarchs and ministers surrendered in Kaicheng, he would have no choice but to lead the remaining Song army to fight to the death.
I don’t know why the Emperor of Xixia called him here today.
"General Yu, it's like this..."
Li Sui's eyes signaled that Luo Shichang quickly told what he saw and heard in the Liupanshan camp in Mongolia.
"Your Majesty, before leaving last summer, I, the Emperor of the Song Dynasty, repeatedly told the generals to hold on until the end of June. Then he would naturally send troops to rescue. As Xianggong Luo said, I, the Emperor of the Song Dynasty, have now arrived at Shukou and are on the way. Battle with the Tatar army.”
Yu Jie suddenly realized it and was full of confidence at this moment.
"Your Majesty, it is better to stand firm and wait for reinforcements. The Tatars will definitely withdraw their troops, and I, the Emperor of the Song Dynasty, will definitely send troops to rescue Xia!"
Sure enough, as Zhao Hong said, he had already marched in person, sent troops northward, and began to rescue the Song army brothers who were defending Xingling.
"General Yu, I'm sorry to be blunt, but with the strength of the Song army, it may not be easy to break through the siege of the Tatar cavalry and enter Xixia."
It was Duke Wei Ming again, who spoke coldly with a black face.
Isn't it a big joke that the Song army can compete with the invincible Mongolian cavalry?
As for whether Song Jun's firearms were ferocious, he had subconsciously ignored it.
