The old man hugged his granddaughter tightly and ran quickly, but Anmid still lashed him from behind with a whip: "You lowly slaves, if you don't disappear from my sight, I'll kill you all!"

Those around were both angry and powerless to do anything about it.

Many houses in the surrounding area had collapsed, and bands of rebel and barbarian troops marched through the streets.

The strong stench of blood reminded everyone in the city of a massacre that had taken place here two months ago.

Don't believe me?

The congealed blood on the ground is proof!

The rotting corpses lying in the mass graves on the outskirts of the city are proof of this!

This was once the prosperous southern capital of the Song Dynasty!

To promote the development of Lingnan, the emperor designated Guangzhou as the southern capital of the Song Dynasty and the center of the south.

In terms of administrative level, it was second only to Kaifeng Prefecture.

The imperial court allocates huge sums of money to this area every year to build houses, pave roads, support local businesses, encourage agriculture and sericulture, establish schools, and build welfare institutions.

As an export city to the South China Sea, Guangzhou connected with many foreign merchants from the West.

Guangzhou was becoming increasingly prosperous, but now it is almost half destroyed.

People watched in terror as the rebels and foreign merchants departed, their eyes filled with despair.

On the city wall above the main gate of Guangzhou, a row of rotting human heads hangs.

They are Zhang Zhiheng, Transport Commissioner of Guangnan East Road; Zhou Qing, Judicial Commissioner of Guangnan East Road; Lü Wei, Commissioner of Guangnan East Road; Gao Heng, Military Commander of the Xiang Army; and Huang Huan, Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial City Division of Guangnan East Road.

Almost none of these senior officials escaped the massive riots three months ago.

Their heads are hung here to intimidate the people of Guangnan East Road.

shocking!

At this moment, pirate leader Feng Bao was happily advancing forward.

Ten thousand rebels have landed on the west coast of Hong Kong Village. They are almost all barbarians, including eight thousand Kunlun slaves, one thousand Arabs, and one thousand Persians.

The leader was a Persian named Faris, who was a retainer of Ammid. In his youth, he had served as a junior officer in the Seljuk army. After retiring, he attached himself to some nobles and wealthy merchants in order to live a better life.

This is a ruthless person.

These foreigners were originally merchants in Guangzhou. During the riots, they were quickly trained by Faris into an army with some fighting capabilities.

"Our goal tonight is to wipe out all those Song dogs!"

The rebels seemed quite excited; these were the beneficiaries of the rebellion.

The cities of the Han people are so prosperous. In the past, they could only envy them. Now, in just three months, they have accomplished what they could only dream of for a lifetime.

They were all very satisfied.

If they wipe out the last Song soldiers here tonight, they will gain an unprecedented sense of accomplishment.

Xu Yunsheng said to Xiao Yi in a deep voice, "Brother Xiao, let's retreat first and preserve our strength!"

Gazing at the woods ahead, Xiao Yi simply sighed softly, "You retreat, but I can't. If we all retreat, the righteous armies throughout Guangnan East Road will surely collapse in their resolve!"

"We are soldiers. It is our duty to die on the battlefield to protect our country!"

He strode up the small hill, where a dozen commanders and dozens of captains stood below.

"My lads, damn it! These damned barbarians! My Great Song has never wronged them, yet they slaughter my people and destroy my cities! My hatred is like the raging waves of the South China Sea, an unquenchable rage under the heavens! Today I will fight them to the death, until the very end! My death is nothing to regret. If you have elderly mothers, wives, and children at home and do not wish to be buried here, then retreat to the eastern port. Ships await you there!"

His tone was somewhat tragic: "Take good care of the villagers of Hong Kong Village! Those who are willing to fight to the death with me, step forward!"

Everyone stepped forward, and they shouted, "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Song Dynasty! I wish to be buried here!"

Their voices were quite penetrating, and the soldiers around them also shouted along.

Upon hearing this, the villagers who were busy tidying up stopped in their tracks, and some of the women burst into tears.

This place was once a bustling commercial hub, but now it has become a hell.

Children lost their parents, and countless people were left to die in the wilderness.

Flowers wither, fertile fields are destroyed.

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Great Song Dynasty!"

The sounds rose and fell, echoing all around, each person resigned to certain death.

At this time, about fifteen large warships were anchored on the southern coast of Hong Kong Village.

Cai Rixin, the commander of the First Naval Army in the South China Sea, shouted loudly, "Commander Li, the entire First Naval Army is ready!"

"Advance at top speed!"

"yes!"