"Your Majesty, please give an order. Even if I die, I will recapture Lin'an today." Qian Zhang did not have time to collect his father's body, so he angrily clasped his fists and volunteered.
Seeing this, the soldiers of the Shenwei Army were excited and volunteered to attack the city.
Gu Tingchen's heart trembled when he saw this. He knew that he could no longer recall the Shenwei Army, so he ordered the execution of all their family members. For a while, corpses fell from the city wall continuously.
Fu Mingchi secretly tightened his grip on his silver spear, glared at Gu Tingchen on the top of the city wall, and ordered in a cold voice: "Take His Majesty and Princess Jinghe to retreat to the rear."
Noticing that he was about to attack the city, Ye Wanshu hurriedly pulled him back, "Fu Mingchi, this isn't the right time yet. He's provoking everyone, so you can't lose your composure first."
"Girl, Gu Erlang has gone crazy. If we don't capture Lin'an as soon as possible, who knows how many more people in the city will suffer." Emperor Zhaolie said anxiously.
"Your Majesty, if Gu Tingchen can force the Divine Might Army, he can also force the people in the city."
Looking at the corpses strewn about at the foot of the city wall, Ye Wanshu felt heartbroken. "The civilians in the city have nowhere to escape. If we forcefully attack the city now, it will only intensify their resolve to defend it and survive."
After a moment of silence, she said in a deep voice, "We can't let Father and Uncle Qian die in vain. We must let everyone's anger vent at the same time. We can't let him defeat them one by one."
Calculating the time, the army from the northern border should be arriving soon. By then, Gu Tingchen will be attacking from two fronts. He will already be unable to focus on one thing while neglecting another. If Ji Ningxi appears in the city with that group of death row prisoners again, there will definitely be chaos in the city.
"Fu Mingchi, wait a moment," Ye Wanshu advised.
Looking at her determined eyes, Fu Mingchi guessed that Wan'er must have made up her mind. He then turned his gaze to Emperor Zhaolie and said, "Your Majesty, when the battle breaks out in the north of the city, we will attack the city immediately."
Emperor Zhaolie nodded after thinking about it, and had to retreat back to the center of the army with the two men.
At this time, on the top of the city wall, Gu Tingchen had ordered the patrol battalion to escort the conscripted men to supplement the defense of the city.
Looking down at the city, seeing that the Shenwei Army had not taken any action, Gu Tingchen knew that Fu Mingchi was waiting for reinforcements from Duke Ningguo.
"Fu Mingchi, don't waste your energy." Gu Tingchen sneered, "See? I have half a million civilians in my city, and enough food and grass to sustain us for two years. Even if your Yuezhou army arrives at the gates, I am not afraid."
After saying this, he immediately ordered the young men: "Whoever dares to fear the battle today, the corpses below the city will be the fate of your wives, children and elders."
Upon hearing this, many young men began to plead loudly: "King Yongning, please spare Lin'an, spare us, and return to Yuezhou."
"Fu Mingchi, did you hear that? Do you really want to make the people of Lin'an City jealous of you?" Gu Tingchen said smugly, "As long as you return the emperor and my cousin, I can let you live out your life in Yuezhou."
"Gu Tingchen, stop dreaming," Ye Wanshu shouted angrily, "Even if I die, I will never return to the Duke's Mansion."
As she spoke, she cast a solemn gaze at the civilians defending the city walls and shouted, "Fellow villagers, have you all forgotten what happened in the city a few days ago? It was this man beside you who caused your families to be separated. If it weren't for the Yuezhou Army heading north, how could you ever be reunited? You are aiding and abetting the tyrant in driving out King Yongning. Do you want to watch the Queen Mother and this devil lead you in further humiliating peace pleas, sending your wives, daughters, and accumulated wealth to the north?"
After hearing this, everyone looked at each other and began to waver.
"Wanwan, why are you so devoted to him?" Gu Tingchen glared at the city below with uncontrollable anger. "For so many years, I've poured my heart and soul into you. Isn't that worth less than the few months I've known him?"
Ye Wanshu ignored him and continued to persuade the people, "Fellow villagers, the man next to you has long lost his humanity. He killed his brother and mother for his own selfish reasons. If you protect him today, he will destroy your family tomorrow."
Gu Tingchen was so angry that he gritted his teeth. He grabbed a crossbow and immediately aimed it at Ye Wanshu, but the arrow was on the string and he couldn't bear to pull the bow.
Across a long distance, the two glared at each other, and Ye Wanshu only regretted that she had become his wife in her previous life.
She secretly glanced towards the northwest corner, but there was still no movement. Ye Wanshu had no choice but to look back at Gu Tingchen.
"Gu Tingchen, are you so angry now? Is this what you call being open-hearted?"
Ye Wanshu smiled provocatively, "You've already forced my father to death, killed your brother and mother, so one more person like me wouldn't make a difference. What are you hesitating about?"
"They are courting their own destruction." Gu Tingchen held the crossbow tightly in his arms, his eyes sinister. "Wanwan, don't force me."
Looking at the murderous intent in Gu Tingchen's eyes on the city wall, Fu Mingchi was a little terrified and quickly protected Ye Wanshu behind him: "Wan'er, swords have no eyes. There is no need to provoke him again. Listen to me and follow Zhu Wencai back to the tent first. I will avenge your father today."
Ye Wanshu shook her head: "Fu Mingchi, I don't want to see you fighting alone again."
She glanced at the tower angrily, the rage in her heart rising: "This time, I want to see him lose everything with my own eyes."
Knowing that Wan'er hated Gu Tingchen, Fu Mingchi had no choice but to comply. He held her hand tightly and nodded, saying, "Okay, I'll stay with you."
Looking down at the two of them being so intimate right under his nose, Gu Tingchen was furious and aimed his arrow at Fu Mingchi: "You bastard, you are not allowed to touch her."
Fu Mingchi smiled coldly: "Gu Tingchen, in my eyes, you are nothing but a clown."
Gu Tingchen gnashed his teeth in hatred and shot an arrow straight at Fu Mingchi, but he was pierced into two pieces by his spear.
Gu Tingchen was about to draw his bow again when he suddenly saw a gorgeous firework blooming in the northwest night sky.
Immediately afterwards, soldiers began to ascend the city walls, reporting urgently, "Your Highness, something terrible has happened! The Yuezhou army is storming the north gate. The northwest drainage ditch has collapsed, and a large number of assassins have suddenly poured in. The civilians are rushing towards that gate and fleeing. The city is now in chaos."
"How could the drainage ditch suddenly collapse out of nowhere?" Gu Tingchen threw away his crossbow in frustration and shouted, "How dare these unruly people escape the city without permission? Immediately bring people to stop them from fleeing."
Liu Zhang sensed something was wrong and secretly glanced around the city. He quickly grabbed Gu Tingchen and whispered, "Your Highness, it's too late. We are surrounded by enemies on all sides and the city is in chaos. We can't suppress it."
Gu Tingchen looked towards the city unwillingly: "Do you want me to hand over Lin'an to Fu Mingchi?"
"Your Highness, as long as there is green mountain, there is no fear of running out of firewood."
Liu Zhang said, "Since Prince Yongning has come all out to Lin'an, why don't we just go straight to Huanglong and seize Yuezhou. With Concubine Zhang and her daughter, as well as the Third Young Lady and the Fourth Young Master, Prince Yongning can't hold on to Lin'an."
Gu Tingchen felt very powerful when he heard this, and ordered the generals on the city wall in a stern voice: "Hold on for me, and do not let Prince Yongning set foot on the city wall."
After saying this, he led Liu Zhang away in a hurry.
Ye Wanshu looked at the brilliant fireworks in the northwest corner, then at Gu Tingchen who had fled in panic, and hurriedly said to Fu Mingchi, "Your Highness, you may lead the siege of the city now."
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