"Whether we can take the three towns of Hedong hinges on whether we can put some pressure on the Song people!"
As Wanyan Zongwang said this, he glanced again at the dozens of men in varied attire on the right side of the central army.
"Pile them up with lives. I don't want to lead those good-for-nothings back and waste grain!"
Seeing his subtle glance, Wanyan Zonghan also revealed a cold smile.
At this point, he was beginning to pity these people.
These were all Song soldiers who had surrendered on their southward journey, along with some Liao soldiers who had not been particularly friendly with them from the start.
Even if these people were all wiped out, Wanyan Zongwang and the others would not shed a single tear.
The Jurchens, who grew up in the white mountains and black waters, understood better than anyone that only the strong had the right to survive.
In their harsh environment, even among Jurchen children, only the strong ones could survive during times of famine.
The remaining weaker children would often be thrown into the deep mountains and old forests to fend for themselves after a full meal.
This rule, while sounding unbelievable, was precisely why the Jurchens had survived to this day.
How could they easily trust these dogs who so readily betrayed their masters?
Untameable dogs would only bite the hunter at critical moments!
Therefore, the only thing they could do was to make these people's deaths a little more valuable!
"Pass down the order, intensify the siege, and send another thirty thousand men up!"
Having reached an agreement, Wanyan Zongwang casually waved his hand again, and then, thirty thousand surrendered troops were sent to the battlefield once more.
On the bloody battlefield, countless Jin soldiers were like cattle and sheep awaiting slaughter, driven into the abattoir by the supervising troops behind them.
With their entry, the entire battlefield entered a white-hot state, and all sorts of siege weapons began to be deployed.
The southern direction was better, as the city walls on the south gate were largely original and had not been tampered with by Zhao Ji.
However, it was different for the west city!
After being struck by several projectiles from the trebuchets, several sections of the city wall in the middle clearly showed cracks.
Fortunately, as soon as the trebuchets accomplished their task, the Jin forces began their brutal ladder assault.
This prevented the west city wall from being continuously exposed to the trebuchets' attack range!
While the soldiers on the ramparts fought valiantly, the lives of the citizens within the city were not much better.
Although Li Gang had done his utmost to stabilize the prices in Bianliang, the price of grain had still doubled in just a few days.
Panic, like poison, continued to spread throughout Bianliang.
If the emperor were not still here, riots would have already broken out in Bianliang.
To appease the populace as much as possible, Li Gang issued strict orders requiring all officials to display their full regalia when traveling!
Even he, who was usually not one for ceremony, had been traveling with his full retinue these past few days!
"Sir, the west city wall has cracked in a few places!"
As Li Gang had just finished inspecting Bianliang, a trusted subordinate officer quietly approached him.
"Is it serious?"
The moment he heard this, Li Gang's heart clenched.
If the city wall had a problem, it would be no laughing matter!
"It's not too obvious yet, but I'm afraid that if the Jin people discover it tomorrow and continue using trebuchets..."
"I understand. For now, let's not mention this to anyone!"
After taking a deep breath, Li Gang could only suppress the matter for the time being.
Although he had long anticipated such a day, he never expected it to arrive so quickly!
Listening to the sounds of fighting from the city walls, Li Gang's previously hunched posture straightened again.
At this moment, he was no longer just himself.
He was now the courage for the millions of soldiers and civilians in Bianliang!
It was not until sunset that a horn signal finally sounded from the Jin camp.
The long day had finally passed, and cheers erupted throughout Bianliang's city walls.
Countless soldiers joyfully threw the bodies of the Jin soldiers off the ramparts, and the citizens in the city began to celebrate.
The most difficult day had finally passed, and everyone let out a sigh of relief.
Even with the skyrocketing grain prices, the seventy-two major shops in Bianliang were offering an eight percent discount.
Even the brothels in Xiaotiansi Alley had quietly posted signs offering half-price drinks.
Of course, the price for the girls' services could not be reduced.
Perhaps the only difference from usual was that the inner city walls were closed at night.
A simple city wall divided Bianliang into two worlds.
Inside the walls was the playground of the powerful and wealthy. It was inconvenient for government officials to indulge in nightly revelry at home.
However, changing into casual clothes, finding a few companions, and choosing a secluded courtyard was perfectly fine!
As for the romantic scholars, they had even fewer scruples.
Before getting drunk, they would curse the Jin people for their treachery. After getting drunk, they would embrace beauties and sleep soundly. If they could also compose a few melancholic poems after sobering up, it would be perfect!
Of course, this, along with the passionate encounters in silken tents with beautiful women, was naturally considered contributing to the nation's effort...
The nobles continued to drink, the scholars continued to court beauties, and the courtesans in the pleasure houses still sang songs of peace and prosperity.
Perhaps the only unpleasant aspect was that the Bian River was now filled with patrolling soldiers, making it virtually impossible to take a boat ride and enjoy new experiences with beauties on the pleasure boat!
Unlike the nobles who were lost in their drunken stupor, the officers who had worked hard all day gathered in a mansion near the city walls after a hasty meal.
This was a temporary office space that Li Gang had requisitioned. To facilitate proximity for the generals, he came here once in the morning and once in the evening.
In the morning, he would hear the generals' opinions, and in the evening, he would listen to their summary of the day.
Unlike other days, the generals were noticeably more subdued that evening.
"Who wants to go first?"
Seeing that no one was speaking, Li Gang initiated the conversation.
"I'll go first."
After a moment of silence, He Guan stepped forward.
He could have opted out, but with the shortage of generals in Bianliang, he, as the Commander of the Imperial Guards, now had to concurrently serve as the commander of the west city.
"The bricks on the west city wall have cracked. If this continues, after a few more impacts, perhaps..."
Midway through his sentence, He Guan was already inwardly cursing the ancestors of Wang Fu and Cai Jing.