Chapter 7: The City Falls

The entire city of Jinan has turned into a pool of blood, with corpses lying one after another on the streets. The Qing soldiers who rushed into the city broke into homes along the streets to loot, stabbing with long spears and slashing with knives upon seeing people, staining the streets with blood

My lord

The further one goes, the more chaotic it becomes ahead. In front of him, thousands of citizens are desperately crying out as they rush towards the royal castle located in the city. For the people in the city, perhaps the royal castle represents their last hope for survival, even though they know that it may not be able to withstand the turmoil.

The Qing army has once again stormed the city walls, engaging in fierce combat with the defending troops. Despite everyone's desperate resistance, their numbers are ultimately too few.

In the face of the choice between life and death, no one would refuse. As people eagerly agreed to defend the city, the long-closed city gates opened...

The young lord is merciful and has ordered the city gates to be opened for your entry. Listen carefully, if you wish to defend Jinan, regardless of age or gender, everyone must ascend the city walls to guard the city. Are you willing to do so

Through hardships and trials, I have risen, amidst the scattered stars of conflict. The mountains and rivers are shattered, like the drifting willow catkins in the wind, my life is like floating duckweed, battered by the rain. At the fearful shore, I speak of fear, in the lonely ocean, I sigh in solitude. Since ancient times, who has not faced death? Let my loyal heart illuminate the annals of history

The man, as sturdy as an iron tower, knelt down with his sword and bowed his head, saying

Puff

A flurry of arrows shot forth in fury, and a civil official clad in a crimson official robe on the city tower let out a muffled groan as an arrow struck him in the side. The short armor worn over his robe absorbed the impact of this deadly arrow; although it blocked the sharp arrowhead, the force of the shot still caused him to sway dangerously, nearly toppling over.

He bowed his head towards the lord and then slid down the city wall along the rope at the edge of the tower.

As the Qing army repelled the resistance of the defenders on the city walls, they charged towards the city tower

Blood splatters!

Sun Botao could not remember how he had charged out from the city tower. Covered in blood, he numbly brandished his knife and rushed forward. When someone blocked his path, he swung his knife to kill. The knife, which had once felt light in his hand, now felt heavy and dragged down by his injured body as he continued to struggle forward. His right hand still clutched the battered waist knife, his hair disheveled and his body drenched in blood, resembling a walking corpse as he pressed on.

Muttering about Prime Minister Wen's "Crossing the Lingdingyang", Song Xuezhang forced a faint smile on his blood-stained face. He looked at the man beside him, his personal attendant, who had been with him for ten years. He had originally planned to arrange a marriage for him in a few years, but who would have thought...! ... Sigh!

The blood-soaked official of the yamen gazed at the Qing army surging into the city, his face, smeared with blood, reflecting a profound sense of desolation. He looked towards the governor beside him, only to see the exhausted governor drop his knife, half-kneeling towards the north, blood dripping from his beard, his eyes filled with tears of deep crimson.

Kill the slave

With both hands raised, Liu Jie pleaded with an acquaintance on the city wall, while cries surrounded him on all sides.

Nurture the platform

Standing on the city wall, Song Xuezhu wore a tattered official robe, its original color indistinguishable from the bloodstains that dyed it crimson. The white strands of hair beneath his black cap were matted with blood, droplets trickling down along the hair. His expression appeared somewhat weary; although the gaze in his eyes seemed a bit unfocused, it nonetheless conveyed a sense of determination.

Brothers, kill the traitors

The eyes above are still wide open

Brother Xu, Brother Xu, please show some mercy. My Liu family has had only this single descendant for generations. I beg you, Brother Xu, just throw a rope and bring him up...

The remaining dozen or so soldiers and militia on the city tower all turned their gaze towards Song Xuezhu, who seemed to have lost all strength as he knelt towards the north. His lips moved slightly, and only a few people nearby could understand what he was saying

An object rolls forward

With a fierce grit of his teeth, Song Xuezhu let out a loud roar and charged once more towards the Qing army. During the 60 days of the siege in Jinan, as the Governor of Shandong, he personally took to the battlements to fight. For sixty days, he did not loosen his belt or close his eyes in sleep, and with his hair now completely white, he steadfastly defended the city walls day and night. Now, the city was on the verge of collapse.

"Xinghai, you should leave quickly. If you can survive, return home and inform my wife that Song has received great kindness from the state. Today, Jinan has fallen, and I am powerless. I cannot repay Your Majesty for your kindness, nor can I protect the people from the harm of the Eastern invaders. If I am captured by the Manchus again, I would have no face to meet the ancestors of the Song family. I can only serve Your Majesty with my death. From now on, my parents and young children at home will rely entirely on my wife..."

The white blade flashed, and blood splattered

It is a bleeding head

Blood

A cheer erupted among the Qing troops who were about to charge from beneath the city tower, and one soldier had already shouted as he raised his knife high, climbing the ladder and shouting as he rushed towards the city tower.

The city has fallen...

Song Xue Zhu shouted as he charged forward with a knife in hand, and behind him, a dozen soldiers and militia members also shouted and followed suit

Whoosh!

Crack!

After the departure of his relatives, Song Xuezhu's somewhat vacant eyes seemed to regain some vitality as he looked at the approaching bandits and suddenly stood up.

The city is about to fall

Just as the thief slave steadied himself and had not yet drawn his knife, he let out a muffled groan, shaking and howling. Blood gushed from the severed arm, and the intense pain, along with the loss of stability on his side, caused his entire body to instinctively lean to one side. The severely injured scholar once again raised the waist knife in his hand

Outside the city gates of the royal city, thousands of common people were crying out loudly. They were either bowing or prostrating themselves towards the city walls, pleading for someone on the walls to show mercy and save their lives. Moreover, many were holding up their young children, hoping that the royal guards on the walls would lower a rope to bring the children up.

At that moment, someone shouted loudly from the city wall

At the moment the Qing soldiers with raised sabers charged onto the city wall, as he was about to steady his footing, Song Xuezhu seized this fleeting opportunity to leap to the right. Even though the Qing soldier's right hand wielding the saber would take time to swing, a very brief moment, it was already sufficient for him!

The knife in his hand sliced through the air, leaving a red shadow stained with blood, and the Golden Bull Record instinctively raised its left hand, attempting to block the blow.

Willing, willing, we are willing, I beseech the young master to show mercy

Puff!

Master, please allow me to deliver the letter to the lady, and then I will come down to continue serving you

In front of him, more than a dozen soldiers and local militia were still using their knives and guns to fight against the surging Qing troops. Behind them, on the dilapidated city tower, a large flag inscribed with the character "Ming" continued to flutter from the wooden flagpole. Inside the city of Jinan, the air was filled with the sounds of battle cries. The Qing troops, pouring into the city through the breached city wall, clashed with the local militia in the streets and alleys. Armed with kitchen knives and clubs, the common people encountered unprecedented resistance when the Qing troops stormed into Jinan, with many Qing soldiers falling beneath the iron hoes and kitchen knives of the populace. The Qing troops, pouring into the city through the breached city wall, clashed with the local militia in the streets and alleys. Armed with kitchen knives and clubs, the common people encountered unprecedented resistance when the Qing troops stormed into Jinan, with many Qing soldiers falling beneath the iron hoes and kitchen knives of the populace.