In 979 AD, the fourth year of the Taiping and Rejuvenation of the Song Dynasty, Song Taizong Zhao Guangyi personally conquered Taiyuan, and the Northern Han Dynasty was destroyed. Zhao Guangyi burned the city with fire and flooded it, razing Taiyuan City, a city with a history of more than 1,400 years, to the ground. In 982 AD, three years after Taiyuan City was burned down, for military needs, Zhao Guangyi ordered Minister Pan Mei to build a new Taiyuan City in Tangming Town, 30 miles northeast of Taiyuan City on the other side of the Fen River, which was called the New Taiyuan City.
The new Taiyuan City has a circumference of ten miles and two hundred and seventy steps and four city gates, which is very different from the old Taiyuan City which was twenty-four miles and twenty-four gates in size. When Pan Mei was building the new city, in order to destroy Taiyuan's feng shui and eliminate Taiyuan's royal aura, she adopted a homophonic pronunciation to "nail" Taiyuan's dragon vein, and only built T-shaped streets instead of cross streets. So much so that the newly built Taiyuan City was ugly.
Ironically, Zhao Guangyi deliberately burned Taiyuan City to eliminate its "dragon spirit", but Taiyuan City protected the Song Dynasty in the subsequent wars. If the original Taiyuan City had not been destroyed, the humiliation of Jingkang could have been completely avoided, and the history of the Northern Song Dynasty would have been rewritten accordingly.
The Jurchen cavalry went south, and in the Battle of Taiyuan during the Jin and Song Dynasties, the small town of Taiyuan stubbornly resisted the siege of the Jin army for more than 200 days. It was not until the Northern Song Dynasty divided Taiyuan into the Jin Dynasty that Taiyuan fell with no food at home and no reinforcements from outside.
In 1218 AD, the eleventh year of Jiading in the Southern Song Dynasty, the Mongolian general Mu Huali attacked Taiyuan and used explosives to blow up a corner of Taiyuan City. It only took ten days to destroy Taiyuan City.
At this point, Taiyuan City was renovated and returned to the Mongolian rule.
To the west of Taiyuan City, there is a large baggage treasury.
Several peasants pulled a large cart of baggage, and two government officials escorted it into the treasury courtyard and headed towards the baggage warehouse in the backyard.
"Song Dong, thanks to you these days, brother, I thank you...ah..."
The older one spoke and yawned several times.
"Dutou, we are all brothers, why are you saying these things? Besides, it's all thanks to you that I can work in the yamen. Brother, if I don't repay my kindness, am I still a human being?"
Song Dong said with an apologetic smile, while looking around carefully.
He had walked this road leading to the baggage warehouse countless times, but he could only go to the door of the backyard and never went in. He only learned about some conditions of the baggage warehouse behind it through others.
"Brother, loyalty!"
Zhang Qian glanced at Song Dong curiously, then looked away.
"Brother, why did you put on some extra clothes? Are you sick?"
"Yes, brother. I've suffered from a bit of wind and cold these past two days, but it's okay. I'll be fine soon!"
Song Dong glanced at the ignorant Zhang Qian and suddenly felt compassion.
"Brother, nine times out of ten you gamble and cheat. You'd better quit."
"It's so frustrating under the rule of the Tatars! If you don't want to gamble, just go to the restaurant. What else can we do?"
Zhang Qian opened his chatterbox and chattered endlessly.
"In a few days, when the army moves south to Taiyuan, we will have to work like dogs again. The good days are gone!"
"Brother, how did you know that the army was going south?"
"Have you read the newspaper? The Song army is about to make a northern expedition. Liu Heima and Xiao Zala have been giving memorials to the superiors all day long. When the weather gets cold, the army will definitely go south. Isn't it possible to see Taiyuan City being lost?"
Zhang Qian whispered, Song Dong smiled and nodded.
It is estimated that he will not be able to see the Song Army's Northern Expedition.
At the gate of the backyard, the cart was put down and several cart drivers left. Zhang Qian stepped forward to report with an apologetic smile. The Mongolian general sitting on the chair lazily stood up, checked the cart, and waved to several Mongolian soldiers. Come from the backyard, pull up the cart, and head towards the door of the baggage warehouse not far away.
Song Dong looked around and saw several Mongolian soldiers guarding the door of the baggage warehouse. In the courtyard, there were dozens of Mongolian soldiers on guard.
"What are you looking at? Get out of here!"
The Mongolian general had a serious face, Zhang Qian smiled apologetically, nodded and bowed, and pulled Song Dong to leave.
"Brother, I'm sorry! I'm from Song!"
At some point, Song Dong had a round thunderbolt in his hand, which was "squeaking" and emitting white smoke.
Zhang Qian was shocked. Song Dong had already jumped over the Mongolian general's chair and ran into the backyard.
The courtyard suddenly became clear. Song Dong threw the first thunderbolt in his hand and landed at the door of the baggage warehouse. Immediately afterwards, the second thunderbolt was thrown out, and it landed about twenty or so steps to the right of the gate. The third thunderbolt was smoking, and it was thrown twenty or thirty steps to the left side of the yard.
"Mother!"
Zhang Qian and the Mongolian generals' faces changed color. The Mongolian general fell to the ground, trembling, and then he went to draw the sword from his waist.
Zhang Qian forgot to escape and watched helplessly as the thunder exploded in the courtyard. The Mongolian soldiers were flying with blood and flesh, but Song Dong ignored it and moved forward quickly. As Zhang Qian watched, Song Dong knocked over a Mongolian soldier next to the cart. The soldier rolled a few times on the ground and jumped directly into the baggage warehouse.
"Quick! Rush in!"
The Mongolian general was so anxious that he rushed towards the baggage warehouse. Before he could take a few steps, a smoking thunderbolt was thrown out from inside and landed outside the door of the warehouse.
"Get down!"
The Mongolian soldiers who rushed towards the door of the baggage warehouse fell on the ground one after another, and no one got up.
With a "thong" sound, thunder exploded, iron pieces flew, thick smoke billowed, and wood chips flew from the door of the baggage warehouse.
"Come in!"
The Mongolian general got up and commanded the Mongolian soldiers to rush into the warehouse tremblingly.
Zhang Qian was frightened and looked into the warehouse with wide eyes. He saw the Mongolian soldiers dispersed one after another, but he couldn't see clearly where Song Dong was.
Suddenly, earth-shattering muffled thunder sounded in the warehouse, followed by thick smoke and firelight. Huge air waves and black smoke spurted out from the warehouse door, overturning Zhang Qian who was caught off guard. Objects all over the sky continued to fly down, pressing down on him. On Zhang Qian.
Zhang Qian stood up unsteadily, his head was bleeding, and he struggled to escape to the front yard. Together with countless government officials who fled in a hurry, they escaped from the treasury gate and fled towards the east city.
I don't know how far I ran away, until everyone stopped, Zhang Qian was exhausted and sat down against the corner of the street, gasping for air and shocked.
People around pointed in the direction of the treasury, where thick smoke billowed and flames shot into the sky. The entire West Street seemed to be shrouded in fireworks.
Zhang Qian looked there in a daze.
I am from Song Dynasty!
Are these Song Dong's last words?
Zhang Qian struggled to stand up. But I can’t stay in Taiyuan City any longer.
Three miles south of Taiyuan City, in a tea shop on the roadside, two men were discussing things around a table, whispering and cautiously.
"In the past few days, Tatar troops have been entering Taiyuan City, and the Tatar officials have been patrolling. In my opinion, the Tatars may be adding more troops to Taiyuan City."
The gentle young man said in a low voice. He was wearing a Confucian shirt and seemed to be a scholar.
"Brother Thirteen, you are right. Now Dongshan has begun to station troops to prevent people from going up. It seems that the news in the newspaper has aroused the alarm of the Tatars, and they have begun to move. Maybe it won't take a few days. All the people in the city will also be driven out."
The man who spoke had a round face and an affable face. Looking at his rough clothes, he seemed to be the shopkeeper of this wine shop.
"Fifth brother, do you think it's worth it for third brother to do this? He finally got into the government office."
The elegant and polite Gao Shisan, frowning and worried.
"Third brother's temper is too stubborn. No one can change what he has decided. I hope he can escape unscathed."
Xiao Wu sighed and understood in his heart. Song San went on an adventure alone, and the chance of coming back was too small.
"Escape unscathed? Easier said than done? I'm afraid Third Brother will never be able to come back. There are so many firearms and gunpowder concentrated in the central area of the treasury, and the Mongolian army must be tightly guarded. I'm afraid it will be a disaster if we leave."
Gao Shisan shook his head, his eyes dim.
Blowing up the Mongol army's baggage warehouse in Taiyuan would definitely mean a narrow escape.
"You and I should have expected this ending. As...you and I, do we have a choice? You sit down first."
Xiao Wu looked around, immediately stood up and went out to greet them.
"Masters, please take a seat quickly!"
"Hurry! Get some sesame cakes and bowls of soup cakes. I'm starving!"
Several Han soldiers sat down, and one of them said dissatisfiedly.
"Okay, okay! Right now!"
Xiao Wu smiled apologetically and waved his hand, and the two guys immediately got busy.
Gao Shisan, who was at the table next to him, glanced at several Han soldiers and continued to eat and drink calmly.
"Hurry up! Are you ready? I want to starve your grandpa to death!"
A Han soldier urged impatiently while eating sesame seed cakes.
"Right away! Right now!"
Xiao Wu cursed in his heart, it was another group of bandits who were free to eat and drink.
Just as Xiao Wugang finished speaking, suddenly, in the direction of Taiyuan City, muffled thunder continued, followed by fireworks rising into the sky, soaring into the sky, as if the entire ground was shaking.
The Han troops were all surprised and stood up one after another to look in the direction of Taiyuan City. Gao Shisan also walked out and looked north, intently.
"what happened?"
"Isn't it possible that you got lost?"
"It looks like it's in the direction of the Xicheng Treasury. Could it be that something happened to the baggage warehouse?"
Several Han soldiers chirped a few words, then sat back down, and one of them started urging them again.
"I said your father or your mother died, why are you so slow? Are you going to attend a funeral?"
The Han army tapped their chopsticks on the table and looked up. Xiao Wuyi was motionless, staring at the firelight of Taiyuan City in trance.
"Hey, hey, are you deaf? You and Niang are the deadliest people in the family!"
Han Jun stood up and punched Xiao Wu on the shoulder impatiently. Xiao Wu suddenly turned his head and looked at Han Jun coldly, with murderous intent in his eyes.
"What? You... want to rebel?"
Han Jun was shocked and subconsciously replied.
"Master, he is sick here. Don't get along with him! I will invite some military masters for today's meal!"
Gao Shisan quickly came up and pulled Xiao Wu away, and the guys quickly brought the soup cakes.
"Military lords, eat while it's hot! Please!"
Xiao Wu was pulled away, and the Han soldiers cursed before sitting down to eat.
"Fifth brother, what are you doing? After enduring it for so many years, why can't you calm down now?"
Gao Shisan pulled Xiao Wu behind and whispered.
"When I think about Third Brother not being able to come back, my heart..."
Xiao Wu choked up and couldn't speak anymore.
Gao Shisan also felt sad. He looked at the southern sky and murmured to himself.
"Fifth brother, please bear with me. The Northern Expedition is coming soon!"
