knife

Chapter 473 Destruction of the Country
The battle in Yandu has spread outward from the innermost city, and the intensity of the fighting is decreasing day by day. The number of people on both sides is also decreasing, leaving only some sporadic resistance activities.

Such resistance is no longer significant and cannot shake the overall situation, but it will certainly exist for a long time.

There has never been a shortage of loyal ministers, filial sons, heroes, and martyrs.

However, the way they are addressed can vary depending on the perspective from which they are viewed.

For example, in the eyes of the Yuan people, those who were still resisting by all means were naturally the heroes of the Yuan Dynasty.

But in the eyes of the people of the Beiting Protectorate, these guys who frequently carry out assassinations, arson, and poisoning are obviously terrorists, and they will kill them one by one without any mercy.

Within Yandu, only one place remained under the control of the garrison: the palace.

It wasn't that the Northern Court army couldn't take it, but rather that they didn't launch an attack on the palace at all, even though they were so close.

The walls of the imperial city have already been taken over by the Northern Army.

The reason they didn't attack was simply because they didn't want to. Otherwise, with only a few hundred palace guards in the palace, the Northern Army could have wiped them out with a single breath.

Akdun knelt in the ancestral temple, with no one else besides his wives, concubines, and children.

Even the palace guards still inside the palace city are not necessarily genuinely protecting Aktun at this moment, but rather because they have nowhere else to go.

The Northern Army blockaded the imperial city, turning them into caged birds, confined to the palace.

If they try to escape at this point, they will most likely become legitimate targets of the Northern Army.

These palace guards weren't stupid.

Staying in the palace meant at least their lives were not in danger.

Moreover, yesterday the Northern Army outside actually transported a lot of logistical supplies into the palace, which gave them new hope.

It seems that the Northern Army has no intention of killing Aktun!

Scharlevin was somewhat reluctant to see Akton again.
This is similar to how someone who has done something wrong doesn't want to see someone who has suffered a loss.

Akdun truly treated Charlevin well; even after his defeat and capture, Charlevin was still highly valued by Akdun upon his return.

Ultimately, the Yuan Dynasty fell to this state because Shaliewen kicked it hard from behind, causing the already tottering Yuan Dynasty to fall into the abyss.

But there was no other way; he had to say many things.

Beiting wants both face and substance.

And the bad guy, of course, has to be played by Charlemagne.

Charlemagne was a well-read historian, and he felt he could already foresee how history would portray him.

They definitely won't say anything nice.

If there were a biography of traitors, I'm afraid I would be among the top few without hesitation.

Although some people say that if you can't be remembered for your good name for a hundred years, then being remembered for your bad name for ten thousand years is not bad either, but if you really end up in that situation, it is still extremely embarrassing.

Some words are easy to say, just a matter of time before they come out, but once they are put into practice, one feels immense regret, at least deep down.

The guards on the palace walls, seeing Charlevin approaching, hurriedly opened the city gates. "Your Majesty!" Charlevin knelt before Aktun as he stepped into the ancestral temple.

"What did Xiao Changche say? Will they kill me?" Upon seeing Shaliewen, Aktun grabbed the other's clothes tightly, as if a drowning person had grasped a piece of driftwood and was unwilling to let go.

When the city fell, he angrily berated Charlevin for his incompetence and failures.

When the Beiting army completely controlled Yandu City, he denounced Shaliewen for colluding with the enemy and betraying the country.

But now that Charlevin has appeared before him, he is suddenly struck by the fact that this man should be his only source of support.

“Your Majesty, the Northern Protectorate will not kill you!” Shaliewen said.

"Really? Really?" Aktun slumped to the ground, feeling utterly drained after the sudden relaxation following intense tension. "But they killed my brother."

"His Highness is asking for death!" Shalevin blushed slightly, feeling ashamed compared to Jebe's father, grandson, and the heroes who followed Jebe to their deaths.

"You really won't kill me?"

“Yes!” said Sharlevin. “Of course, they also have some things that His Majesty needs to do!”

"What do they want me to do?" Shalievin asked with some difficulty.

"First, His Majesty must issue a public edict to the world, declaring that Jebe, Tiele, and others have plotted rebellion and treason, and should be convicted of treason!" Shaliewen said. "Second, it must be explained that the Northern Army entered the country at His Majesty's invitation to quell the rebellion. Since the rebels are still causing trouble everywhere, the Northern Army will continue to assist the Great Yuan in pursuing and suppressing the rebels! The entire Great Yuan is required to cooperate fully; those who disobey will be punished the same as treasoners!"

"Don't you want me to abdicate?" Aktun asked, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

Shalievin lowered his head: "Of course not this year!"

The light in Aktun's eyes dimmed again. "This year it's not because I still have any use, but once I'm no longer useful, will they even let me live?"

“If Your Majesty has cooperated well with the Northern Court during this period, allowing the Northern Court to smoothly take over the entire territory of the Great Yuan, then Xiao Changche promises Your Majesty that you will certainly enjoy wealth and honor!” Sha Liewen said.

"Only this?"

Shaliewen nodded: "That's all! Xiao Changche said that it's impossible to give any more, because they have already persuaded the Grand Preceptor Bashiba, who agreed to help them persuade the tribal chiefs in various places. With His Majesty, it doesn't matter much; it's mainly just icing on the cake, making it easier for the Northern Court to take over the Great Yuan."

"Did the Imperial Advisor also betray me, betray the Great Yuan?" Akdun looked at Shaliewen in despair.

Shaliewen looked at Akdun, coughed lightly, and said, "The Grand Preceptor, like me, values ​​ending the war quickly so that the people of our Great Yuan can survive this calamity. The country may be destroyed, but the people are innocent! They should not suffer!"

The temple was deathly silent. After a long while, Akdun turned around, knelt down in front of the memorial tablets that covered an entire wall, and began to weep loudly.

Shaliewen stood behind him and said, “Your Majesty, now is not the time to be sad. Protector Xiao is still waiting for your answer! If you are willing, you can come with me now to leave the palace and pay your respects to Protector Xiao. If you are not willing, she will not force you, but starting tomorrow, all supplies will be cut off.”

"Go, I'll go!" Akdun scrambled to his feet, staggering and nearly falling. "This is the only way. To prevent the people of my Great Yuan from suffering any more, I am willing to be the sinner. I only ask that the Northern Protectorate treat the people of my Great Yuan kindly. I ask for nothing more, nothing more!"

As dusk fell, Akdun finally walked out of the palace, accompanied by his wives, concubines, children, and the last few hundred unarmed palace guards.

Holding the seal, household register, and map of the Yuan Dynasty in his hands, Akodun walked unsteadily, step by step, toward Xiao Changche's camp.

On the straight street, the last rays of sunlight gradually faded as Akton moved forward.

The sun has set.
Thus ended the century-long reign of the Yuan Dynasty.

(End of this chapter)