The desolate autumn wind blew across the wilderness, black plumes of smoke from burning corpses rose into the sky, and the stench of death permeated the air. Search: \(?Complete? Book? God? Station) for free access to quality literature.

Jiangning, after the great battle, was shrouded in a gray, lifeless atmosphere.

The decorations and the sound of gongs and drums within the city could not hide the sorrowful scene on the fields outside. Not long ago, millions of troops clashed and scattered here, countless people died in the roar of cannons and the midst of battle, and the surviving soldiers headed in various directions.

Some generals led their soldiers to surrender to the new emperor of the Wu Dynasty again.

Some generals or leaders took their brothers from the same place to relatively wealthy but remote areas.

Some soldiers had long lost their courage in this great battle. After losing their organization, they dragged their hungry and tired bodies and embarked on the long road home alone.

The dispersal of the crowd was more like a symbol of the chaotic times. In a matter of days, the roads and mountains hundreds of miles outside Jiangning City were filled with routed and fleeing soldiers.

During their captivity by the Jurchens, the soldiers had long lost their living supplies. After the bloody battle in Jiangning, the fleeing soldiers neither trusted the Wu Dynasty nor feared the Jurchens. On the way, fighting for food quickly broke out.

People with obsessions fell on the road. Hungry soldiers with unique skills hid and hunted their own kind in the hills. Some soldier groups who wanted to leave the war zone quickly began to devour the surrounding scattered soldiers. No one knows how many tragic and outrageous things happened in the process.

Most of the soldiers who surrendered to the new emperor were not properly settled for a while. After months of siege and missing the autumn harvest, the grain in Jiangning City was almost exhausted. Emperor Wu and Yue Fei and others came out with the determination of desperate soldiers, and it was actually a desperate counterattack. At this time, before the joy of victory had completely settled in their hearts, new problems had already hit them head-on.

More than 400,000 or even more original Wu Dynasty soldiers defected and surrendered, and the first thing they asked for was a large amount of food, military supplies, and medicine, but in a short period of time, Emperor Wu's side could not even find enough places to live for so many people.

After the fierce battle of the ninth month of the eleventh year of Jianshuo, corpses piled up outside Jiangning City, and epidemics had already spread. In the camps where people had gathered before, the Jurchens even massacred entire wounded soldier camps several times and then set fire to them all. After the previous battle, even the collection and burning of corpses was a problem in the next few days. The reserves for epidemic prevention in Jiangning City, such as lime, were quickly exhausted in the two or three days after the war ended.

These were all minor matters. In the real and harsh reality, the biggest problem was still the army of Wanyan Zongfu, who had been defeated and fled to Taiping Prefecture.

Although in the mutiny and counterattack of millions of people, the Jurchen army, which was hit head-on by the Zhenhai and Beiwei armies, suffered heavy losses and fled in embarrassment, Wanyan Zongfu was not dead, and the core of the Jurchen army had not been defeated. Once Zongfu, Zongbi and others reorganized their forces and killed them again, and no longer treated the Wu Dynasty surrendered army with inhumane high-pressure policies, Jiangning City, which was bitten again, would probably forever lose the opportunity to wrap up millions of people to fight for a breakthrough.

Even the hundreds of thousands of troops who surrendered would become a serious burden on Emperor Wu's side. In a short period of time, these soldiers would be unable to generate any combat power. Even taking them into Jiangning City was a risk. These people had been starved outside the city for two months, and they were not locals. If they entered the city and were still hungry, they would probably have internal strife in the city before long and sell the city to get a bite to eat.

Black smoke continued, the sun rose and set, and hundreds of thousands of people operated tirelessly on the remnants of the battlefield. Camps made up of old tents and shacks were rebuilt. Emperor Wu wore a white towel on his forehead and went in and out of the city. He only rested for a short time in a few days, and the officials at all levels under him were even busier.

In the first time after the victory of the war, envoys who went to various places in the Wu Dynasty to lobby had been sent out. After that, there were various rescue, appeasement, incorporation, and distribution... matters. The people in the city had to be encouraged and even celebrated. For the outside of the city, the daily expenses of porridge and medicine were like flowing water.

Three days after the victory of the war, the staff who had begun to look to the future summarized various opinions. Emperor Wu's eyes were red and bloodshot. On the evening of September 11, Shen Ruxin brought food to Emperor Wu on the city tower and saw him standing in the red sunset, silently looking into the distance.

Shen Ruxin stepped forward to pay her respects. Emperor Wu was silent for a long time before he reacted. The inner officials moved a table to the city tower, and Shen Ruxin placed simple food on it. Emperor Wu sat in the sun, staring blankly at the bowls and chopsticks in his hand and the few dishes on the table. His eyes became more and more bloodshot, and he couldn't speak, biting his teeth.

The sound of celebration gongs faintly came from the city.

Shen Ruxin said, "Your Majesty, after all, we have won the war, and you are about to inherit the throne and determine the title of emperor, how can you..."

Emperor Wu waved the chopsticks in his hand: "Inherit the throne! Inherit the throne! Inherit the throne! How can I be such an emperor! How can I have the face to be an emperor!"

His reaction startled Shen Ruxin, and she quickly got up and picked up the chopsticks, and said softly: "Your Majesty, what's wrong?" In the first two days of victory, Emperor Wu was happy even though he was tired, but now, he finally seemed to be crushed by something.

"...We are going to abandon the city and leave." Emperor Wu was silent for a long time before putting down the rice bowl and saying such a sentence. He stood up swaying, walked to the door of the city tower room swaying, and said as calmly as possible: "There is not enough to eat."

"...After defeating the Jurchens, did we not seize anything?" Shen Ruxin asked softly.

"Hundreds of thousands of people killed them, like hungry ghosts. What could be seized was either divided up or burned by the Jurchens... Even if we can keep Zongfu's logistics, it won't be of much use. More than 400,000 people outside the city are a burden. If the Jurchens come again, we can't go anywhere. To the southwest is Taiping Prefecture occupied by Zongfu, to the east, Zhenjiang is already a ruin, to the south, we will only run into the Jurchens, and to the north across the Yangtze River, we don't even have enough boats..."

Emperor Wu said: "We are three months late. The power of the Wu Dynasty is gone. Most of the people in Jiangnan have surrendered. Even if there are loyal people, we can't stay in this place for a long time. The Jurchens have seized the benefits of the autumn harvest, and the general trend has been established. General Yue and others also said that I can only escape and must not be besieged by the Jurchens again, otherwise, no matter where I defend, I can only wait for the Jurchens' power to rise higher and higher... I risked my life and won the war, but I can only run away. Ruxin, do you know what will happen to the people of Jiangning after I run away?"

He walked out of the door. From the high tower, he could see the city wall below, as well as the rows of houses and residences in Jiangning City. The city wall, which had experienced a year of bloody battles, became particularly majestic in the sunset. The soldiers standing on the city head were wearing old armor, but they seemed to have an extremely vicissitudes and extremely firm aura.

"I grew up in Jiangning since I was a child. As the crown prince for ten years, I spent most of my time living in Jiangning. I desperately defended Jiangning. The people here regarded me as their own. Some of them trusted me as much as they trusted their own children, so in the past few months, no matter how difficult it was in the city, they didn't say a word of complaint. We broke the cauldrons and sank the boats and fought to this point, but then I... am going to inherit the throne in front of their eyes... and then run away?"

Speaking of this, his eyes were sad. Shen Ruxin had completely understood. She could not weigh these things. Such things were also a nightmare that she could not choose: "Really... can't we defend it?"

"There is no food in the city. Relying on cannibalism may be able to defend it for a year and a half. In the past, it was said that if Wanyan Wugunai died, there might be a glimmer of hope, but if the war is fought to this point, once Jiangning is besieged, even if Wanyan Wugunai dies, they will not easily go back." Emperor Wu closed his eyes, "...I can only collect as many boats as possible and send people across the Yangtze River to escape for their lives..."

He stood on the tower for a while. The sunset flowed and gradually became a bit of residual fire. The lights above and below the city lit up, illuminating the outline of the city, the cold iron clothes on the city wall, the antique houses in the city, the flowing water and small bridges on the Qinhuai River, the places where he had lived since he was a child, and the places that Ning Yi had also looked at with novelty in those years.

"I know... what is right, and I also know what to do..." Emperor Wu's voice came from his throat, slightly hoarse. "Back then... the teacher spoke to his soldiers in Xia Village, saying, you have risked your lives once and won a battle, which is very difficult, but don't think that you can win like this. You have to win ten times, a hundred times, and go through hundreds and thousands of difficulties before these things will end... On the seventh day of the lunar month, I thought it would be over if I went all out, but now I understand, Ruxin, winning is the most difficult. There will be hundreds and thousands of difficulties ahead... I can figure it out..."

"But even if you can figure it out..." He gritted his teeth, "...they are really too bitter."

Emperor Wu remembered the arrow that flew from outside Zhenjiang City. When it shot into his stomach, he thought "that's all". He thought that he would not be afraid or sad anymore if he went forward, but the fact was of course not the case. After passing through a difficult situation, he finally saw hundreds and thousands of obstacles ahead. This evening, it was probably the first time he shed tears as an emperor.

That night, he remembered the existence of his master, summoned Wenren Bu'er, and asked him about the progress of finding the members of the Huaxia Army. Previously, in the surrendered soldiers' camp outside Jiangning City, the personnel responsible for secretly colluding and instigating were clearly aware of the activities of another force. When the war started, a large number of unidentified people participated in the defection of surrendered generals and soldiers.

After the war, Emperor Wu arranged for someone to be responsible for contacting the other party. He originally thought that he had now inherited the throne, and many things were different from before, so the contact would definitely be smooth, but strangely, after these few days, he had not yet contacted the members of "Zhu Ji" under his master's command.

It was not until the evening of September 13 that Emperor Wu met a thin man brought by Wenren Bu'er in the mansion. This man's name was Jiang Yuan, and he was originally a middle-level member of the Huaxia Army here.

In the conversation with the other party, Emperor Wu learned that the collapse of the Wu Dynasty this time was too fast and too urgent. In order to protect some people in it, Zhu Ji had also gone all out to act at the risk of exposing their identities. Especially in this battle of Jiangning, Ling Zhiguang, the team leader who was originally sent by Ning Yi to be responsible for the situation in Lin'an, had passed away. At this time, Ying Hou, another person in charge in Jiangning, was also seriously injured and comatose. It is not yet known whether he can wake up. After the rest of the personnel were contacted one after another, they decided to meet with Emperor Wu.

Emperor Wu nodded. From the other party's seemingly simple statement, he could guess how many things had happened in it.

"...Originally, Mr. Ning issued a traitor eradication order at the beginning of the year and sent us people to hope to strengthen the determination of everyone in the Wu Dynasty to resist the Jin, but now it seems that we have failed to fulfill our responsibilities and have instead been taken advantage of by Wanyan Xiyin and others..."

While Jiang Yuan was speaking, Emperor Wu waved his hand: "This is not your fault. Your dispatch at the beginning of the year, and the dispatch of the old hero Fulu, helped us a lot. It is not an exaggeration to say that the morale of the army was greatly boosted. It only takes everyone to work together to achieve success, and a few mice to spoil things. The Wu Dynasty itself has lost, so you can't blame you."

"Your Majesty is reasonable, which is a blessing for the Wu Dynasty." Jiang Yuan said expressionlessly, cupping his hands to thank him.

"...Mr. Ning in the southwest also taught me many things earlier. Now... I am about to ascend the throne, and there are many things we can talk about. I have just sent someone to fetch medicine. I don't know how many people are here. If you need any other help, please feel free to ask. I know you sent many people out earlier. If you need food, we still have some..."

"...There is still enough to eat." Jiang Yuan cupped his hands, his eyes trembling, "There are not many people left."

His words were short and cruel. Emperor Wu opened his mouth, but could not speak. He saw that Jiang Yuan, who had been expressionless, forced a smile and explained: "Actually... most of the people went to Changsha at the end of May to prepare for battle. The two teams left here to coordinate with Your Majesty's actions... there is still enough to eat."

Emperor Wu nodded. At the end of May, the Wu Dynasty had already shown signs of decline. The full-scale collapse began in June. After Chen Fan's raid on Changsha, the Huaxia Army was already prepared to start a full-scale war with the Jurchens. He met with the members of the Huaxia Army, and he originally had a glimmer of hope in his heart, hoping that his teacher had left some backup plans here, and perhaps he would not need to choose to leave Jiangning, and there were other ways to go... But at this time, Emperor Wu pressed his fists tightly on his knees and suppressed the thoughts of speaking.

The depression in his heart was relieved a lot.

In this time of the world's collapse, who can still have spare energy? The Huaxia soldiers in front of him, the teacher in the southwest, which man has not come out of desperation?

"I will ascend the throne on the 15th... but Jiangning has become a dead place. I will work with General Yue and others to block the Jurchens and try to evacuate all the people in the city. You have helped too much. At that time... please take care of yourself as much as possible. If possible, I will arrange cars and boats for you to leave, please do not refuse."

On September 15, Emperor Wu ascended the throne in Jiangning City and set the reign title as "Revival".

The new emperor ascended the throne, and Jiangning City was crowded with people, and the flower lanterns were like dragons. Emperor Wu sat in the dragon chariot and passed through the streets he was already familiar with, looking at the cheering crowd on the roadside, reaching out and grabbing the dragon robe. Under the sunlight, he only felt grief in his heart, like a knife twisting...

At the same time, among the large and small cities near Changsha, the first round of fighting had already shed blood like rivers.

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