The sun poked out from the fog in the east and sprinkled the sky with rays of light. On the streets near the South Gate, the shops were actually open, and the business was good. People came and went on the streets, and everyone was filled with joy.

Du Zhongxiao told Liu Ji: "The demise of the Khitan is also in line with people's hearts. This is Khitan Zhongjing, at least, it is similar to the Henan Prefecture of this dynasty. It is hard to imagine that if the Henan Prefecture falls, the people would be so vague."

Liu Ji said: "Yes, how can we not perish if we do this? Since Yelu Zongzhen was shot dead by the Grand Marshal in Tanglong Town, the Khitan has been fighting continuously. Where can the people have good days? Especially last year, hundreds of thousands of troops heading south, the Khitan was the most miserable person. The imperial army came north, and at least until now, it is a good thing for the people."

Du Zhongxiao nodded: "The best way to use troops is to punish the people. This is probably what we attack this time."

While talking, the two watched the soldiers deploy artillery in the outer city and prepare to attack the inner city. The inner city of Dading Prefecture is very large, larger than that of most military prefectures. The Khitan concentrated its strength to defend, and it was not better to attack than the outer city.

The people were not panicked, and many even gathered on the street, watching the Song army soldiers busy and excited. Most of them were Han people, and the arrival of the Song army was not terrible to them. At least from last night, the Song army had good military discipline and would not harm the common people.

In the imperial city, Khitan princes and ministers gathered together to discuss how to deal with the Song army's attack.

Yelu Zongyun said: "There are more than 18,000 soldiers in the city now. If it is as usual, it is enough to defend the city. However, the Song army has artillery that we have never seen before. Under the artillery fire, people cannot stand on the city wall at all. Like in the outer city, the Song army used artillery to bombard the city for half a day. When people could no longer stand on the city, suddenly the ants came to the abdicate and the gods could not stand on the guard."

Yelu Alian asked in panic: "What should I do? If the inner city cannot be defended, the imperial city will be even more uncontrollable."

Yelu Zongyun shook his head: "I don't know what to do. Today, everyone is here to discuss together. If there is no way, they can only wait for death. Tens of thousands of Song troops came north and could not defend the city, so they would die."

After a while of silence, Xiao Tuguci said, "If you can't defend the city, you have to surrender to the Song army. I heard that the Song army will not kill prisoners, and it will be fine for the surrendered army. Just like in the battle of Youzhou, many people who were captured by the Supreme Master were not as good as that."

"Isn't it done yet?" Yelu Alian looked at Xiao Tuguci with a strange look. "The emperor's brother himself is working in the prison camp. What else should the lord of a country suffer from this humiliation? Not to mention that other ministers all went to the prison camp to work as laborers."

Xiao Tuguci said: "As the emperor, the Song Dynasty did not abuse it, but just let it do things, which is already good."

Yelu Alian shook his head repeatedly, feeling incredible about what Xiao Tu Guci said. How could he surrender? The Khitan also had Shangjing Road, Tokyo Road, and a vast land, and a large number of servants. The Song army had only a hundred thousand people, which was not invincible.

Yelu Zongyun sighed secretly. He knew in his heart that there was no way to survive except surrender. In the past two days, the infantry of Wang Kai and Jia Kui were coming, and there were more and more Song troops outside the city. The Khitan army no longer had the fighting spirit.

The outer city could not be defended, and the inner city could not be defended even more. The only way for the Khitan to survive was to break through the siege and leave the city immediately. However, the army had no intention of fighting, and now I am afraid that I can't get out even if I break through. Sitting in the distressed city, Yelu Alian thought he had a lot of capital?

Xiao Han's slave said: "This morning, I'm afraid the Song army will start siege the city. If it's like last night, the inner city will be afraid that it won't be dark. If you can't think of a solution, we'll be captive tomorrow."

Yelu Alian was stunned: "Dading Mansion is a big city, how can it be so easily compromised?!"

Xiao Han’s slave sighed: “King, I have been guarding the outer city for one day yesterday. The inner city is not stronger than the outer city. How long can I defend? Now the Song army has artillery and is bombarded, so we can’t resist. There are no soldiers on the top of the city, so how can we stop them?”

After hearing this, Yelu Alian sternly said to Yelu Zongyun: "Appoint the soldiers, even if they are on their heads, they are not allowed to leave the city!"

Yelu Zongyun was helpless: "King, what if you don't leave? The Song army will explode when they shoot shells from the city. The fragments inside fly everywhere, and the soldiers on the city either die or be injured. If they don't retreat, they can only die there, and they will not be able to defend against the Song army."

Yelu Alian said: "If this is the case, all the soldiers guarding the city will be fully armored! As long as they guard the city, the Song army will have no choice."

Seeing Yelu Alian's eyes were red and he looked a little crazy, Yelu Zongyun had to bow and say that. He was heavy armor all over his body, and it was not because the two armies were rushing to the formation. How could the soldiers defend the city? Can anybody wear heavy armor? Nowadays, the soldiers in the city can wear heavy armor and fight with swords and guns. I wonder how many people are there. The elite Khitan soldiers were taken away by Yelu Hongji last year, and most of the ones left were old and weak.

Yelu Zongyun knew in his heart that there was only one way to surrender now. However, he was a royal family, so it was hard to say this. If Yelu Alian was determined to defend, he could only defend. As for others, he could not control so much now.

At this moment, a general led into the hall and crossed his hands and said, "Report to the king, the Song army has set up a formation and it seems that it is going to attack the city!"

Yelu Zongyun hurriedly asked, "Which direction did the Song army attack? The south city and the north city?"

The general said: "Reporting to the left, the Song army attacked Nancheng. The other three directions were surrounded but not attacked."

Yelu Zongyun heard this and said, "It's okay if they attacked Nancheng, but it's okay. Even if it's broken, there's still an imperial city."

The layout of Dading Prefecture is that the inner city is slightly north-north in the center of the outer city, about four miles wide from east to west and three miles from north to south, and about half the length and width of the outer city. The imperial city is different, and it shares the northern city wall with the inner city, and is about half the length and width of the inner city. The Song army attacked the southern city, and even if it breaks through the inner city, the imperial city is still safe.

Although Yelu Zongyun knew in his heart that this was self-comfort. After the Song army broke through the inner city, the imperial city could not be defended no matter what. But as long as there was a line of defense, he felt much safer in his heart.

Yelu Alian above said, "Since the Song army only attacked Nancheng, then send all the soldiers to defend Nancheng! I don't believe how powerful the Song army is, and can drive more than 10,000 soldiers down from the city wall!"

Yelu Zongyun bowed: "King, there are enough soldiers guarding the city, so there is no need to concentrate all in the south city. It's good to have enough people to defend the city, and there is no use if there are too many people. What's important now is how to block the Song army's artillery so that they can't climb the city wall."

Yelu Alian said: "I just said that the soldiers should be heavily armored! Uncle, you are the one who stays in Zhongjing, go and arrange this matter quickly!"

When Yelu Zongyun saw Yelu Alian's serious expression, he could only sigh inwardly and stood up to say goodbye.

Seeing Yelu Zongyun leaving, Yelu Alian said, "The Song army is just powerful. As long as the soldiers guard the city, they have no choice. This time, everyone is heavily armored and not afraid of artillery. The Song army will not be able to attack for a while."
Chapter completed!