In winter, Tianlang Lake turned into an ice field again, and the mighty army set off from the West Sea Protectorate and slowly sailed towards the Hudong Fortress on the other side of the lake.

The originally abandoned Hudong defense line has now taken on a new look. The walls built against the mountains and rocks stand on the lake shore. Behind them are countless Beiliang soldiers and defensive equipment. Looking down from the clouds, it looks like a forest of guns and knives.

ocean.

Although the military appearance is strict, both the equipment and the city defense facilities show the image of a great power. Compared with the West Sea Allied Forces that are about to attack the city, the West Sea side even looks like a miscellaneous army with messy flags.

However, the morale of the soldiers who were on guard at the critical moment fell to the bottom. Before they saw the beacon fire on the ice field, countless people had already developed a sense of defeat, including the lieutenant generals of the army.

The battle outside the imperial city of Yanjing in August had broken the backbone of Beiliang. Even Emperor Liang knew that the situation was over and had almost given up the struggle.

Although some generals finally blocked the surprise attack of Wang Chihu's troops in the snowy plains and even figured out most of the information about the Western Sea Allied Forces, this could not stop the raging trend. If Ye Jingtang won the title of "No. 1 in the World", it would directly become

This was the last straw that broke Beiliang's head.

In the past two months or so, all the aristocratic families in Hudong Road have basically been working against the enemy. On the surface, they have sent people to call for resistance against the enemy, but privately, they have been trying to contact the Southern Dynasties; not to mention the Jianghu forces, Tian Wuliang, Qinglong Society, etc.

He directly raised the flag of righteousness in various places and began to rebel, criticizing the tyranny of the court and the immorality of Emperor Liang.

Both the government and the opposition began to panic and retreat. The troops at the front were naturally not very morale-wise. Not to mention the soldiers at the bottom, even the top generals were thinking about how to fight this battle in order to achieve a smooth victory and save their families.

Small, not how to win.

On the northwest side of Anxi Prefecture, Fengyan City.

Fengyan City is located on the northwest side of Anxi Prefecture, and is also the narrowest part of Tianlang Lake. It is less than 300 miles away from the other side. Directly opposite is the Xihai Protectorate, which has always been the main battlefield for decisive battles between the two dynasties.

There are no civilians in Fengyan City. There is a military fortress inside. More than 50,000 people are stationed here, working day and night to make weapons, winter clothes and other supplies. A steady stream of food and grass is delivered from the rear. The center is the Commander's Mansion.

Almost all the named generals in Beiliang are concentrated in the city. The Battle of the West Sea took place twenty years ago. The capable officers who participated in the war are now in high positions. There is actually no shortage of generals in the Beiliang army.

However, Xiang Hanshi and Zuo Xianwang died, and no one in the entire Northern Liang was qualified to take command. As a result, Emperor Liang had to let the prince supervise the country, and the imperial commander came here personally to serve as the commander-in-chief of the three armies.

At nightfall, the sky in Fengyan City was filled with wind and snow. Countless soldiers were arrayed outside the generals' platform, and the light of torches illuminated the entire city.

Emperor Liang, wearing armor and with a sword hanging from his waist, stood on the general stage. He still looked confident and calm, as if he was unafraid of the upcoming battle to destroy the country.

However, the surrounding high-level generals and the thousands of soldiers outside obviously had their own thoughts and did not even pay attention to the nonsense that Emperor Liang encouraged.

Emperor Liang stood in the wind and snow, spoke sonorously and forcefully for a moment, and found that the whole city was silent. Although there was no disrespect, he did not have the slightest intention to fight, and there was also a sense of powerlessness in his brows. In the end, he finally turned the courtiers

Putting aside the carefully prepared remarks, he spoke loudly;

"I know that you all feel that this battle cannot be won. The army from the West Sea has already moved towards the east of the lake. Maybe next month these thousands of miles of land will change hands. I am here to encourage people, just like a stubborn defeater.

Kou is trying his best to grasp the last life-saving straw, hoping to save the country thousands of miles away.

"Even my son, the queen, and the queen mother think so. They are trying to persuade me to resist stubbornly, which is just a joke, so that I can be more dignified and beg for surrender, or prepare a way out as soon as possible..."

After saying this, the generals and soldiers, who had lowered their heads and had their own thoughts, all raised their eyes and looked at the emperor who was speaking loudly in the wind and snow.

The ministers and counselors behind him originally wanted to dissuade him, but in the end they decided against it. After all, morale could not be boosted at all. If Emperor Liang was prepared to surrender directly, it would be a good thing for everyone.

However, as a king of the generation, Emperor Liang had thousands of troops and horses in his hands, so he obviously had no intention of surrendering without a fight.

Emperor Liang glanced at the thousands of soldiers with his sword in hand, and continued:

"But I didn't agree. Before I came to the throne, Daliang was harassed by Western Xinjiang every year in winter. If you don't know, you can ask your elders. In the past hundred years, the northwest royal court fought for a piece of grain-producing land.

How many times have we died?

"After I ascended the throne, I destroyed the Northwest Royal Court once and for all, and incorporated the entire Western Sea into the territory. If it weren't for my past achievements, how could the country be as rich and powerful as it is today.

"There is also the Southern Dynasty. After the founding of the country, the Dongfang family never gave up their ambitions. Every year they were planning how to annex Daliang and become the emperor for eternity.

"Before I ascended the throne, the two countries were at war all the year round. There was famine almost every year in Yanbei Road. Those who had enough to eat were considered superior. But after I ascended the throne, we ceased war, negotiated peace, and opened up trade routes. In the past twenty years, almost nothing happened

After the war, people who came from Yanbei Road can think about it for themselves. How many people have starved to death in these years?

"I know that the Southern Dynasty is ambitious and the peace talks are just to recuperate and prepare for the future once and for all, and the same is true for the Southern Dynasty.

"Over the past few decades, I have integrated Xihai, purged the officialdom and the army, and accumulated enough food, grass, and silver to fight the Southern Dynasty for ten years. I also have countless capable people and strangers under my command, and have laid countless secrets in the Southern Dynasty.

"And what did the Southern Dynasty do? The emperor was abolished and the vassal was abolished, causing turmoil in the government and the public; the princess forced the palace, tampered with the imperial edict to seize the throne; the vassal kings had different intentions, and assassinations and rebellions occurred frequently...

"The Empress is indeed accumulating national power, but if you go to the Southern Dynasties and see, how much of it was stolen from me, from weapons and city defense to daily food and clothing?

"Two years ago, it would have been impossible for the Southern Dynasty to come back. The fact that things have evolved to this point is not because I have no talent, virtue or incompetence, but because the two countries have their own destiny, and it is impossible to unify the world smoothly.

"You think God is on the side of the Southern Dynasty, but where in the world does God come from? It all depends on man-made things. Even if it is true, God has chosen the Night Terror Hall, we must follow God's will and kneel down and beg for surrender?

"If everything should be in accordance with destiny, our ancestors did not have sharp teeth and claws, nor the body of tigers and bears, so they should be allowed to be eaten by humans and fish like chickens, ducks, pigs and dogs. The tigers, leopards, bears and wolves should be the ones who call the shots in the world.

"But our ancestors did not obey the destiny and let others slaughter them. It is because God is unfair, so we have to work hard to find a way out and face the difficulties by any means..."

Although the current defeat has been decided, it really has little to do with Emperor Liang. It can only be said that God's will plays a trick on people, and his achievements in the past years of rule cannot be denied.

Thousands of soldiers in Fengyan City were obviously moved when they heard these words, but the despair in their eyes did not diminish.

After all, Ye Jingtang is not favored by God, but has become God. Just relying on determination and bravery, and the most you can gamble is that 'he may not be able to kill us all', it is impossible to win.

The emperor valued the divine right of kings. Emperor Liang could say that God did not exist and that he was defying heaven. He had said all he could. Seeing that thousands of soldiers still had little morale, Emperor Liang also felt a little powerless.

Standing in the snow and wind, he sighed softly:

"Everyone is afraid of death, and I am the same. But since I dare to come to Hudong and risk my life to fight, I have the confidence to fight against Ye Jingtang. Imperial Master, can you show your knowledge and give reassurance to the soldiers?

?”

While speaking, Emperor Liang turned back and looked behind the general platform.

Thousands of soldiers and generals also turned back to look at the crowd behind them.

In addition to the eunuchs and counselors, there was also an old man in a civilian robe among the crowd.

The old man has fair hair and a childish face, and a mature demeanor. His face is not eye-catching, but he has a sense of immortality. There is also a small jade plaque hanging around his waist.

At first, the generals and ministers thought that this man was just an accompanying counselor, but when they heard Emperor Liang address him as "National Advisor" and his words were quite respectful, they couldn't help but feel doubtful.

Li Guangxian and Lu Xingjun, who were dragged in by the captured men, quietly whispered:

"Who is this?"

"I haven't seen it before, but he looks like an expert..."

…

Step, step...

After everyone whispered to each other for a few words, the sound of unhurried footsteps reached everyone's ears, suppressing all the noise.

Even Emperor Liang, who had more than ten thousand people, moved back a little and gave up his position in the center of the general platform.

The old man with white hair and childish face walked up to the crowd of thousands of people with his hands in sleeves. His demeanor was quite calm, but after glancing at the thousands of soldiers, his words were not very pleasant:

"Why do you, Your Majesty, say these heart-felt words to a group of people who just follow the wind? People are strong in nature. If they have the capital to dominate the world, they will behave like dogs. Your words are the imperial decree of heaven; and

If you don't have this capital, even if you sincerely show your heart, it will still be nothing more than a joke in their eyes."

"You are presumptuous!"

Although most of the people present were indeed ready to adapt to the situation, it was still a bit embarrassing to say it face to face. Several courtiers nearby immediately began to scold them; and thousands of soldiers who did not dare to fight the Night Terror Hall also showed their faces.

angry.

The old man glanced at the people with unkind expressions and asked:

"Are you guys thinking that I don't dare to give you night terrors, and I don't dare to deal with a bad old man like you?"

"..."

Everyone obviously thought so, but since Emperor Liang was present, it was difficult to say this clearly.

Seeing that no one responded, the old man said calmly:

"It's human nature to bully the weak and fear the strong. I don't care about you because you don't know how great the world is, but this is the last time. From now on, if I see you being disobedient and disrespectful again, you will know the consequences."

Huhu~

As he spoke, the wind and snow in Fengyan City became noticeably stronger.

Under the gaze of thousands of people, the old man stood on the general stage, his robes fluttered in the wind, and his figure slowly rose.

Boom——

At this moment, a twisted electric snake sprang out from the black clouds that overwhelmed the city, and the lightning instantly illuminated the entire sky and earth, supporting the figure with hands and sleeves in the air like a god.

Many of the people present had seen the scene of the Night Terror in Yanjing. Seeing this scene, the displeasure and anger just now disappeared, leaving only surprise and doubt.

The old man was suspended under the thundercloud, looking down at the thousands of stunned soldiers below. His hands just moved slightly in his sleeves, and an earth-shattering roar sounded on Tianlang Lake outside the city:

Boom——

The soldiers at the top of the city turned around and saw that the frozen lake surface was suddenly torn from it, and a crack more than ten feet wide appeared. It was like a scourge of heaven lying in front of the lake shore, with almost no end visible to the left and right.

"Buzz..."

The defenders inside and outside the city wall were in an uproar when they saw this scene. The despair that they had felt about defeat disappeared at this moment.

After all, this kind of magical magic is not much different from Ye Jing Tang's "Gathering Swords into Dragons". As long as someone can check and balance Ye Jing Tang, Beiliang belongs to the defender, and they still have the advantage in this battle. It is not completely impossible to fight.

Emperor Liang only listened to the old man's advice these days. He knew that the old man was very powerful, and Zhongsun Jin was silent about him, but he didn't know exactly how powerful he was.

Seeing this scene of stirring up wind and thunder, Emperor Liang's eyes suddenly filled with fire, and he scolded:
To be continued...