Chapter 451: New Hatreds and Old Grudges

Xian City.

The Ma Family mansion has now become the temporary headquarters for Emperor Zhao Heng.

At this moment, cold winds blow in gusts, and scattered snowflakes drift through the sky.

In the pavilion by the pond in the courtyard, Zhao Heng and Xiao Shishi sit facing each other.

The food on the table has already gone cold, and the wine has not been touched.

The two of them no longer have the mood for their usual displays of affection, and both wear expressions of sorrow.

"Boom, boom, boom..."

The sound of Artillery rings out outside the city, and Xiao Shishi's body cannot help but tremble.

Thinking that the Northern Di are attacking the city, and then recalling the prosperity and comfort of Jingshi, Xiao Shishi cannot help but sob in a low voice.

Because of the continuously incoming sound of Artillery, Zhao Heng's expression is filled with panic.

If it were before, he would certainly have pulled Xiao Shishi into his arms, comforting her with every "my heart" and "my darling."

But now, he cannot muster any interest.

Xiao Shishi needs comfort, but how could he, an Emperor, not need comfort himself?

"Boom, boom, boom..." The roar of the Artillery sounds again, mixed with the sounds of soldiers fighting on the city walls.

Xiao Shishi asks with a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, do you think Yan Wang will come to save us? If he does not come, what shall we do?"

Zhao Heng feels a wave of dejection.

During this personal expedition, in order not to let Yan Wang steal his limelight, he specifically excluded Yan Wang from the Northern Expedition army.

He never expected that he would have to rely on Yan Wang now.

Right now, he would rather Yan Wang steal his limelight.

As long as Yan Wang can come to save him, that is enough.

"Yan Wang is far away in Yanzhou; even if he organizes his troops to come, it will take at least ten days. We can only pray that Old General Yang can hold out for these ten-plus days," Zhao Heng sighs.

At the same time.

In the courtyard next to the Yuan Family mansion, the Second Prince is sighing and groaning.

He looks at Zhao Heng's courtyard for a moment, then looks toward the direction of the city walls.

"If I had known it would come to this, I would have come," the Second Prince stomps his feet.

Thinking that the First Prince is currently supervising the state in Jingshi and must be living in extreme comfort, he feels even more miserable.

Most importantly, if they ultimately cannot hold out, and he and his Imperial Father Zhao Heng fall into the hands of the Northern Di.

Wouldn't the First Prince then logically inherit the throne?

"This is truly!" The Second Prince stomps his foot again, nearly crying.

While Zhao Heng and the Second Prince are wallowing in self-pity, Yang Feng is on the city wall supervising the battle.

After he arrived at Xian City, it took less than a day for the Northern Di army to follow.

The Northern Di, Xiliang, and Ma Jin are acting just as they did when they attacked Yongcheng.

They have set up camp on all four sides of Xian City.

The snow-white tents cover the surroundings of Xian City like thick winter snow.

Afterward, the Northern Di placed their Artillery in front of their camps, bombarding the city gates and the damaged sections of the city walls fiercely.

It seems they have every intention of collapsing the city walls.

Yet, in his view,

although the Northern Di are attacking the city, they seem to be holding something back.

With such a massive advantage, they show no intention of taking Xian City as quickly as possible.

Realizing this, cold sweat broke out on him immediately.

"It's over; I fear I have harmed Yan Wang this time," a thought flashed through his mind at that moment.

It was he who reminded Zhao Heng to order Yan Wang to come to the rescue.

If Yan Wang truly comes, he will be walking into the trap set by Mule Hongzhen.

But given the current crisis, if he does not seek help from Yan Wang, who else can he turn to?

Once the news that Emperor Zhao Heng is trapped in Xian City by the Northern Di spreads.

The Imperial Princes and powerful clans in Jingshi will likely not come to save him, but will instead stir up a bloodbath to seize the throne.

"Yan Wang, you had better not come. If you don't come, as long as you are there, there is still hope for Great Song. But if you are defeated by the Northern Di, who will be able to keep the Northern Di in check in the future?" Yang Feng thinks to himself.

After realizing this, he feels deeply conflicted.

He both looks forward to Yan Wang leading his troops here, and hopes that Yan Wang will not come.

While Yang Feng is worrying, the Northern Di main camp is currently experiencing no small amount of chaos due to the arrival of a cavalry unit.

"What, Enke is dead!"

In the center of the northern camp, there is a tent much larger than the others.

This is the tent of Mule Hongzhen.

Upon hearing the news that the cavalry came from the east, Mule Hongzhen stands up from his chair in shock, his lips trembling slightly.

"Yan Wang is too despicable. He sent cavalry into the grasslands of our Black Iron Royal Tent, slaughtering the people of the Black Iron Royal Tent and plundering our cattle and sheep."

"After ambushing us at Qingfeng Pass, his main army pressed toward our Royal Tent. The Great King led troops to fight, but was wounded by something flying in the sky. While being sent to the Khan Court for treatment, the Great King could not hold on and died," the cavalryman says while weeping.

"Something flying in the sky?" Mule Hongzhen was originally furious, but hearing this, he suddenly feels as if the cavalryman is lying.

Something flying in the sky killing Enke is simply a fantasy.

"It is true, Khan. This thing had fire coming out of it, like an inflated sheepskin." Fearing that Mule Hongzhen would not believe him, the cavalryman explains carefully, "This thing also belongs to Yan Wang."

Mule Hongzhen's eyes shift uncertainly; what the cavalryman said is too bizarre.

He could not believe it entirely.

Thinking of this, he said to Tiemuta, "Immediately dispatch a unit of Cavalry to scout the Grassland of the Black Iron Royal Tent, and send another unit to the Khan Court to confirm Enke's corpse."

Tiemuta replied with a "Yes" and turned to leave.

Then, he ordered the Cavalry to be detained temporarily, awaiting definitive news.

After Tiemuta left, he slowly sat down, his expression as gloomy as water.

His younger brother Kutu had died at the hands of Yan Wang, and if what the Cavalry said was true, his nephew had also died at the hands of Yan Wang.

Kutu was the younger brother he cherished the most; otherwise, he would not have entrusted the Black Iron Royal Tent to him to manage.

He was impartial and selfless, and his reprimands of Kutu were only for the sake of the overall situation of the Northern Di.

After Kutu died, every night, whenever he thought of him, he often felt heartache.

Now, Kutu's only son had also died.

This meant that Kutu's lineage was severed.

When his soul returned to the Eternal Heaven in the future, how would he face his own father?

"Yan Wang, it is Yan Wang again!" Mule Hongzhen suddenly clenched his fists, his nails piercing his palms until they bled.

Looking toward the east, Mule Hongzhen said, "Yan Wang, your imperial father is in my hands; let us see if you come to save him. If you save him, I will surely tear you and your army to pieces; if you do not save him, although it will be later, your death is not far off."

He already had a mature plan in his heart.

If Yan Wang came to save him, it would be equivalent to jumping into his trap.

If he did not come, it was actually simple as well.

He would capture Zhao Heng and bring him back to the Grassland.

The rule of Da Song was that a country could not go a single day without a ruler.

With the Emperor captured, Da Song would certainly choose a New Emperor.

At that time, he would use Zhao Heng to threaten the New Emperor and force the New Emperor to crusade against Yan Wang.

Otherwise, he would send Zhao Heng back, and the New Emperor would have to comply in order to protect his own throne.

By then, Yan Wang would be isolated and without support.

Perhaps the New Emperor of Da Song would even join forces with him to eliminate Yan Wang.

"Yan Wang Zhao Xu, this time I want to see how you will break the inescapable net I have laid." Mule Hongzhen snorted heavily.

Then, he stood up, exited the tent, and looked toward Xian City.

The Emperor of Great Song could not escape his grasp.