Zhao Song: My father was Emperor Taizu of Song

Chapter 56 Assembling the City

Just as Jing Si had gained a foothold on the city wall, two Zhaoyi soldiers pounced on him like hungry wolves, their blades aimed straight at his vitals!

His reaction was lightning fast. He swiftly parried with his sword, deflecting the attack with a clang. Then, his left fist slammed into the man's face like a hammer, sending him sprawling to the ground.

Another person took the opportunity to launch a sneak attack from the side. Jing Si didn't have time to turn around and could only hurriedly dodge to the side to avoid vital points. At the same time, a bloody mark was cut on his thigh, and he handed over the short knife in his hand.

With a soft "plop," it went straight into his throat!

"Quickly, defend the breach!!"

Taking advantage of this fleeting gap, Ma Quanyi and the others finally managed to climb onto the city wall one after another.

Before they could even catch their breath, they roared and gripped their short knives tightly, slashing at the surging Zhaoyi army!

At this point, the suicide squad had suffered more than half its losses, with fewer than fifty men remaining, and casualties were still increasing rapidly.

On the city wall, hundreds of mobile defenders, their eyes gleaming with ferocity, surged in from all directions like a tide, desperately blocking the breach, making it impossible for the Song army to advance an inch!

Ma Quanyi and his men could only huddle in a corner of the city wall, fighting desperately with their backs against it, struggling to hold on.

If the passageways on the city wall weren't so narrow, limiting the number of enemies they faced, it's hard to say how many of them would still be alive standing there.

"Kill! The central army has begun its assault on the city walls! Hold them off! Victory is ours!!"

Ma Quanyi and Jing Si formed a pincer movement back to back, their blades flashing and blood splattering as they fought fiercely against the rebels.

The city wall gradually turned into a battlefield, with crimson blood flowing down the cracks in the bricks.

On the central chariot, Zhao Dezhao looked at Ma Quanyi and Jing Si, who were covered in blood, with a look of shock in his eyes.

"I originally thought Li Jilong was invincible, but I never expected there would be someone so brave..."

By the flickering firelight atop the city wall, he could vaguely see that, by Jing Si alone, the number of Zhaoyi soldiers who had fallen far exceeded twenty!

A single battle resulted in the decapitation of twenty enemies. What level of skill is that?

Was Fan Kuai, who fought alongside Emperor Gaozu of Han, formidable enough? Yet, in a single battle, he at most beheaded twenty-three enemies. Was Xiahou Ying formidable enough? His record is merely eleven beheaded...

This man was not only able to be the first to breach the city walls, but also to behead more than twenty enemies in a single battle. Such bravery would make him a figure of no small caliber even in historical records!

"Who knows, we might even find a treasure..."

Zhao Dezhao's eyes suddenly lit up, and his gaze toward Jing Si became even more ardent.

However, compared to Zhao Dezhao, Zhao Kuangyin and the generals of the central army had solemn and iron-like expressions.

They stared at the flickering firelight on the city wall and the dense, throng of people gathered together, their brows furrowed in worry.

Everyone knew that the battle had reached a stalemate.

Even though the suicide squad had managed to create an opening, the tenacity of the Zhaoyi Army still exceeded their expectations.

Taking advantage of the city walls, they tightly blocked any breaches, preventing the Song army's follow-up troops from advancing and expanding their gains.

Li Jun was determined to bring down Zhao Kuangyin at the gates of Zezhou!

"Your Majesty, the suicide squad has suffered heavy casualties, with only a dozen or so remaining. The breach in the city wall cannot be widened anytime soon!"

The messenger knelt down to report, and upon hearing this, the other soldiers all looked at Zhao Kuangyin.

"Your Majesty, the rebel army is stubborn, and the walls of Zezhou are exceptionally strong. It would be better to temporarily withdraw our troops, avoid their sharp edge, and then proceed cautiously!"

Gao Huaide stepped forward and offered his advice again, reiterating the previous strategy of temporarily halting the offensive and cutting off their supply lines.

As long as their food supply is cut off, the morale of the people in Zezhou City will inevitably waver within two months. At that time, with the help of a strategy to persuade them to surrender, the city can be captured in one fell swoop!

Moreover, there were only a dozen or so suicide soldiers left on the city wall at this time. How long could they hold out?

As soon as Gao Huaide finished speaking, the other generals and officers echoed his sentiments, all advising Zhao Kuangyin to retreat temporarily.

But Zhao Kuangyin remained silent, gazing at the city walls ablaze in the distance, listening silently to the deafening shouts of battle.

He vaguely saw Li Jun also casting his gaze in his direction from afar.

Their eyes met across the distance, and Zhao Kuangyin suddenly laughed, his laughter carrying a hint of coldness and domineering arrogance.

"Should I avoid his sharp edge?"

After laughing, he suddenly turned his head and extended his hand to Zhao Dezhao beside him:

"Zhao'er, fetch my Dragon-Patterned Staff!"

Take the stick?

Zhao Dezhao was slightly taken aback, but quickly came to his senses.

Is Father Emperor going to personally ascend the city wall?!

He was startled and dared not delay. He quickly took the wooden box off his back and held it steadily in front of his father with both hands.

At the same time, a fleeting hesitation crossed his face, followed by an extreme ruthlessness. As he handed over the Dragon-Coiling Staff, he bowed slightly and said firmly:

"Father is going to war, how can your son stand idly by? Your son is willing to follow Father to the city walls!"

Upon hearing this, all the soldiers around were stunned.

Zhao Kuangyin abruptly stopped in his tracks as he took the dragon-patterned staff, his fingertips hovering over the wooden box.

He fell silent, his deep gaze fixed on his son, as if trying to see through him inside and out.

After a long silence, he sighed softly, "There are no jokes in the army. Have you thought this through?"

"Your subject understands!" Zhao Dezhao replied without raising his head, his tone unwavering.

"Once you ascend the city walls, swords and spears will have no eyes, enemies will be everywhere, and no one can protect you at all times. Your life and death will be entirely in the hands of fate. Do you truly understand this?"

"Your subject understands!" Zhao Dezhao's answer remained resolute.

Of course he thought it through very clearly!

In this cannibalistic era, only military power reigns supreme! If you can't be ruthless with yourself, how can you win the approval or even the awe of these arrogant and fierce generals!

Although he is only ten years old this year, he is still a son of a military family. The original owner's physical fitness is much better than that of his peers. In addition, he was personally taught martial arts by Zhao Kuangyin. Putting aside everything else, he at least has the ability to protect himself.

When Yue Yun was twelve years old, he joined the army under his father Yue Fei. At the age of sixteen, he recovered Suizhou and was the first to appear on the battlefield. He was known in the army as "Ying Guanren"!

Li Dingguo joined the army at the age of ten and was known as "the enemy of ten thousand men" at the age of seventeen. Even Emperor Shunzhi later wanted to share the empire with him!

If they can do it, what do I have to fear!

His father had already paved the way for him in the army, but whether he could truly establish himself depended on his own efforts.

If he doesn't fight, what will he use to compete with Zhao Er?

Upon hearing Zhao Kuangyin say "Understood" twice, though he didn't say it aloud, a hint of approval flashed in his eyes. He opened the wooden box, took out the dragon-patterned staff, slung it behind his back, and turned his gaze towards Zezhou City:

"In that case, I grant your permission."

"Thank you, Father Emperor!"

Zhao Dezhao was startled. He also took out a replica of the dragon-patterned staff, took a deep breath, and gazed at the city wall.

Hearing the conversation between the father and son, Li Chuyun, Gao Huaide, and the others present changed their expressions drastically: "Your Majesty! Absolutely not! Your Highness is of noble birth; how can you personally venture into such a dangerous place?"

"His Highness is not in the army!"

Zhao Kuangyin waved the crowd's hands away and said the same words that Zhao Dezhao had said when he split the rocks to clear the road that day.

In the army, there are no princes, only soldiers!

He shouted again, his voice carrying an air of domineering arrogance:

"Zhao'er!"

"Follow me to the city!"