In the Zhongjing left behind the mansion, Yelu Zongyun and Xiao Han's family slaves were left behind. Han Yun sat opposite each other and talked while drinking.

Han Yun said: "Today, the Song army besieged the city and did not rush to attack. From the top of the city, they saw that they were dispatching cavalry to deal with Oludo outside the city. In one day, it seemed that no Oludo was a match for the Song army."

Xiao Han's slave sighed: "How could it be an opponent? Now, Oluduli is not only not young and strong, but also without military weapons, so he cannot fight at all. Alas, before the Song army comes, these Oludu should be allowed to retreat."

Yelu Zongyun said: "Where can they retreat? If you go north, you can only retreat to Zhongjing. Do you think the Song army will let go?"

From Zhongjing to Shangjing, there are no more mountains to block the Song army. Everyone knows that as long as Zhongjing cannot stop the Song army, there will be no safe place in the entire Khitan.

Han Yun said: "Let's stay, look at the Song army outside, which is about 100,000, which is not a decimal. This place is far north of Yanshan Mountain, and it is not easy to transport food and grass. Can the Song army really maintain such a large army for a long time? In my opinion, in just one or two months, the Song army will inevitably retreat."

When Xiao Han’s slave heard this, his eyes lit up: “What Hanlin means, as long as we guard Dading Mansion for a month, we will keep it?”

Han Yun nodded: "It should be so. How can the food and grass needed by a hundred thousand troops be supplied by hundreds of miles?"

Yelu Zongyun sighed: "It's difficult, I'm afraid I can't force the Song army away. Not to mention anything else, how many households are there under the Dading Prefecture? The Song army can last for several months as long as it makes up its mind and collects grain from the people. Besides, I heard that the Song Dynasty is extremely rich now, and there is a help from Hexi ranch, and there is no shortage of livestock. Why can't we transport grain? If we want the Song army to cut off food and then retreat when we see the difficulties, we are afraid it's difficult."

Xiao Han’s slave said, “According to the meaning of staying, can’t Dading Mansion be kept?”

Yelu Shouyun said, "I'm afraid I can't defend it. Have you seen that after the siege of the city, the Song army arranged artillery on the south side of the city?"

Han Yun said: "The Song army has artillery, and we also have artillery in the city. I'm afraid that he will do anything!"

Yelu Zongyun said: "The same is a cannon, and cannons are different. Before the New Year, the emperor went to the southern expedition and took away all the cannons that could be taken away. What's the use? Someone said that when facing the Song army's artillery, our cannons were vulnerable. To be honest, I think the city cannons can no longer be defended. Now what we are thinking is how we should deal with the Song army entering the city."

Xiao Han's slave was startled and hurriedly said, "The situation is so bad that it is so bad? Dading Prefecture is the largest city in the Khitan. Can't it stop the Song army? The 20,000 defenders in the city are also quite large, not paper-made."

Yelu Zongyun shook his head: "The current Song army is not comparable to the previous army. They use muskets and have large amounts of artillery with their army, so the city walls are not very reliable. According to the news I got from Youzhou, it would be good if this Dading Mansion could last for a few days. If the Song army attacked the city with all its strength, it would be normal to destroy the city within one or two days."

Han Yun and Xiao Han’s slave looked at each other and said, “It’s really like this if you stay behind? This is an amazing thing!”

Yelu Zongyun nodded: "It's true! How could our friends for many years tell you lies? If I were not staying behind or receiving the favor of the emperor in the world, I would all want to surrender. However, I have a different identity and can only hold on to the end."

Han Yun took a breath: "If we can only stay for a few days, we should think of a way out."

Yelu Zongyun said: "That's what I mean when I look for you today. To be honest, if you were defeated in Youzhou, the 400,000 elite troops were wiped out, and the Khitan would be over. If the Song army did not go north immediately, it might be restored in more than ten years. The Song army would come immediately, and there was no way. The young and strong people were all lost, and now the whole people were soldiers, and they were not opponents of the Song army."

Xiao Han's slave pondered for a while and said, "If this is the case, why don't you explain to other important officials?"

Yelu Zongyun said, "Do you think I didn't say it? No one listened! In the palace, the ministers were still thinking that the Song army could make the Song army stand at the city of Dading Prefecture. If it was delayed for two or three months, the Song army would inevitably retreat. How could it be possible? The Song army was in the north and the six prefectures south of Dading Prefecture, and they arrived at the city of Dading Prefecture without a battle. Even if it was difficult to overcome Yanshan, the Song army had enough food and grass with these six state troops who surrendered to the Song Dynasty alone. At this critical moment of survival, the ministers were still confused, so wouldn't they seek death!"

When Han Yun heard this, his face felt a little burned. Isn’t it the same with him and Xiao Han’s slaves? They thought that as long as they could last for a month or two and forced the Song army to retreat, everything would be fine. But they thought that in the eyes of the real guard, this was the case.

After a while, Xiao Han's slave said, "I heard that the Song army won and did not kill prisoners. And if they were willing to sacrifice the city, they would still have great achievements in the Song Dynasty. If it were as if they were left behind, it would be better to sacrifice the city."

Yelu Zongyun was silent for a while and shook his head slightly: "Who am I? I was originally a royal family, and I am left behind in Zhongjing. I have received the kindness of the country in the world. How can I surrender? You can surrender, but I can only live and die with this city."

Han Yun hurriedly said: "Stay at ease, let's guard the city with Liushou!"

Yelu Zongyun shook his head: "At this time, it is normal for everyone to want to retreat. Don't worry, it is not embarrassing to surrender now. If I were not a royal family, I might have to surrender."

Han Yun and Xiao Han's slave looked at each other, but neither spoke. Yelu Zongyun said it was right. The Khitan was about to perish. What was wrong with finding a way out for himself? It was just that this was a matter of losing his head and he didn't dare to say it out. It was just that the Khitan would perish so quickly, and no one was prepared.

In fact, if Yelu Zongyun himself had not been left behind by Zhongjing, he had to be prepared to defend the city seriously, he might not have realized the current severe situation. The Khitan was a great country and was even stronger than the Song Dynasty a few years ago. How could he reach the point of a national destruction? Ordinary officials would not believe it at all.

When did the matter start? Yelu Zongyun thinks about it now, it should have started from the capture of Tanglong Town, which was the Song Dynasty after the Battle of Dangxiang. As a result, Yelu Chongyuan was defeated, and Yelu Zongzhen was directly bombarded to death by artillery. Later, the two emperors were united together. The two emperors fought for many years, but the Khitan never thought that in the past few years, the Song Dynasty was no longer the same as before, and it was no longer the Song Dynasty.

From the battle of Tanglong Town, the Khitan was doomed to perish. It was ridiculous that no one in the Khitan country realized it.

Han Yun and Xiao Han’s family members were all in Dading Prefecture. After hearing Yelu Zongyun’s words, they couldn’t help but feel thinking. What’s the matter with the country? How could they really do that? At this point in state affairs, it would be great to be able to protect their own family.

Yelu Zongyun drank a glass of wine and did not speak. He was not until today that the Song army wiped out Oluduo outside the city, and finally confirmed this fact. It was too late to do anything. He could only leave it to fate and accept reality.
Chapter completed!