"Cangyang City has actually been occupied by Japanese pirates."
"I don't understand why Cangyang City fell so quickly. Qian Shouyi still had more than 20,000 troops under his command."
"With this force, as long as they stay inside the city, they should be able to hold out for a while, given the city's defenses."
On the city tower above Linbin, Commander Su Hong rubbed his furrowed brow and said in a deep voice.
The city lord Song Ke, standing to the side, also had a furrowed brow and a dull, lifeless gaze.
He sighed deeply: "The Japanese pirates were well prepared for this attack. It's not entirely my fault that Qian Shouyi couldn't defend Cangyang City."
"Now that Cangyang City has fallen, he has probably been killed by the Japanese pirates."
As soon as he finished speaking, Su Hong's face twitched slightly. He turned to look at Song Ke:
"If we send our troops from Linbin City to provide assistance as I previously suggested, Cangyang City will surely be able to be defended."
Song Ke raised an eyebrow and replied coldly:
"So you don't want Linbin City anymore?"
"Do you think the Japanese pirates are only eyeing Cangyang City? What they want most is this place!"
"Do you understand what the loss of Linbin City signifies?"
Su Hong's expression changed slightly: "Understood."
"But seeing Cangyang City captured by the Japanese pirates, I...I..." Su Hong's voice was already choked with sobs.
Song Ke remained silent for a long while before calmly saying:
“I also have family in Cangyang City.”
After saying this, Song Ke pursed his lips, turned around and walked down the city wall. Before leaving, he gave a final instruction:
"Keep a close watch on the city's defenses, conduct strict inspections and guard against any breaches, and absolutely do not allow the Japanese to enter Linbin City."
"Yes, Lord Song!" Sun Ming stood ramrod straight. Although his eyes were slightly red, he kept his eyes fixed on the direction outside the city. In such a critical situation, he dared not be careless in the slightest.
There are too many people in this city behind us who need protection.
If the Japanese invaders were to storm the city, there would be rivers of blood. He was well aware of the cruelty of the Japanese pirates.
"Absolutely not, absolutely not, can we let Linbin City fall!" he silently repeated to himself.
——
Song Ke descended from the city wall.
After passing through the quiet inner city defense zone, Song Ke arrived at the bustling main street, where the noise gradually reached his ears.
"Selling steamed buns! Freshly steamed buns, thin skin and generous filling, three of them will fill you up and you won't be able to eat anything all day!"
"Candied hawthorn, candied hawthorn, candied hawthorn that is both sour and sweet."
"Oysters! That's all the oysters I have left, selling them cheap! I'll sell them to you for whatever price you ask!"
"You old hag! These oysters aren't fresh anymore, and you even shortchanged me by two ounces earlier. Do you think I'm a fool!"
"Where can you find fresh seafood these days?! Old Song, don't go looking for trouble!"
Following this, all sorts of vulgar language and slang emerged.
Hearing the noise, Song Ke's solemn expression gradually softened.
It is now morning, the busiest time for the city's residents.
Despite the impending war, people still needed to eat and drink, and their lives had to go on.
The number of pedestrians on the street was only half that of before, but even so, it was still not deserted.
There are still many people in Linbin City.
Song Ke, dressed in casual clothes, walked along the street without a destination; he was simply used to taking walks around the city every day.
This habit has been maintained for many years.
At that moment, people kept greeting him.
"Lord Song, you're late today."
"I was a bit busy this morning, haha," Song Ke replied with a forced smile.
"Lord Song, I picked some bok choy from the field this morning and saved a bunch for you."
"Cabbage? Okay, I'll come pick it up later. Here, put the money away."
"No need, no need, Lord Song."
"Take it! If you refuse again, I won't take it next time you try to keep it."
When Song Ke arrived at a morning tea shop, he stopped.
"Lord Song, haven't you had your morning tea yet?"
"Not yet, just a bowl of wontons, I won't drink tea."
"Alright! Please have a seat."
Song Ke nodded, chose a table facing the street and sat down, then took out some silver from his pocket and placed it on the table.
While waiting, he took a deep breath and looked around at the bustling street, where cars flowed like water and horses galloped like dragons.
As he watched, Song Ke gradually became lost in thought.
Even when a group of young people walked past the tea shop, causing a commotion, Song Ke was still not in a daze.
He didn't react until the waiter brought the steaming hot wontons to the table and called him several times.
"Lord Song, are you alright?" the servant asked softly.
"Hmm? It's nothing. The wontons are ready. They cooked pretty quickly today."
The servant shook his head, smiled, took the money from the table, and left.
Song Ke picked up a spoon, scooped up a wonton, and put it in his mouth.
The slightly hot wontons went down his throat, and a warm feeling spread through Song Ke's stomach. But he put down his spoon and fell into deep thought again.
He was interrupted by a surprised shout that rang out in the dim sum shop.
He looked up and gazed at a large man.
The burly man held a piece of yellow paper in his hand and shouted, "Who put this up?! What is this?"
Song Ke frowned, but a servant called out, "Lord Song, there's a sticker on your back too. It must have been done by those rascals from before!"
As he spoke, the servant peeled a piece of yellow paper off Song Ke's back.
Song Ke took the yellow paper from his hand, and was slightly taken aback when he saw the writing on it.
"When the nation is in peril, how can we sit idly by?"
The eight large characters are written clearly and plainly.
With a sudden movement, Song Ke stood up, but his hand holding the paper trembled slightly.
Then, his eyes reddened, his throat bobbed, but his mouth gradually opened into a smile.
This expression, which seemed to be both crying and laughing, prompted the servant to ask curiously:
"Lord Song, I'm illiterate and don't recognize anything. What does this say?"
Before Song Ke could answer, several soldiers came running up, shouting:
"Lord Song! It's urgent! Please come to the city gate!"
Song Ke's heart tightened. He stuffed the yellow paper into the servant's hand, quickly uttered a few words, and then turned and ran with the soldiers toward the city wall.
In front of the tea shop, the waiter stood frozen, holding a piece of yellow paper.
——
Before even reaching the city tower, Song Ke heard shouts coming from afar.
The noise was chaotic and the number of people was large; clearly, there were quite a few people.
Song Ke hurriedly went up to the city wall, and what he saw shocked him.
In the distance, a massive crowd was seen rushing towards Linbin City.
Fortunately, they were not Japanese, but ragged refugees.
Su Hong strode to Song Ke's side, his brows furrowed as he said:
"Sir, these are all civilians who fled here after being harmed by Japanese pirates."
"We should open the city gates and let them in!"
The refugee wave had not yet reached the city gates; they were still far away, constantly crying out for help.
Song Ke frowned, his eyes fixed on the refugees, but he did not immediately answer Su Hong's question.
"My lord? My lord?" Su Hong called out twice more.
"Wait a minute, something's not right with these refugees."
"How could so many refugees appear at this time?"
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