Munitions Empire-Chapter 1122: The Farce of the Accession to the Throne in 1043

Amid the salutes of gunfire from the south of the city, Zhao Ji proceeded with his coronation the very next day, with utmost disregard for anything else. Due to haphazard preparation, the entire ceremony was pervaded with a sense of rushed improvisation.

There had been plans to refurbish the Imperial Palace, but in the end, the only work done was barely repairing the collapsed walls of the courtyard.

Areas like the grand hall, which collapsed when Zhao Kai was injured, were left as they were, neglected and uncared for by anyone.

Zhao Ji was truly afraid, not of anything else, but that he would be driven out before he could have his coronation in the Imperial Capital and lose the throne.

To him, even sitting on that throne for just one day was a tremendous joy, something that could make him happy for a lifetime!

Without any hesitation, he thus held the grand ceremony, ascending to his destined position amidst congratulatory cheers and distant sounds of artillery fire.

Thanks to technological advancements, cameras meticulously captured the entire process: citizens lined up to receive moldy bread and gratuity money, then gathered outside the Imperial Palace as required, shouting long live in the direction of Zhao Ji.

Afterwards, these people dispersed into the chaos of gunfire from the city’s south, vanishing into the alleys and streets, leaving only some torn banners that were hung too high to be stolen, fluttering in the wind.

Zhao Ji exercised his imperial power: he conferred the title of Imperial Concubine on many women, most of whom were former palace maids during his father’s reign, without any reservations for himself.

He then ordered the body of the late Emperor Zhao Kai to be transported out of the city for burial in the royal tomb. Amidst the ongoing ceremony came an awkward piece of news for everyone: Fengjiang Troops had crossed the northern railway, effectively surrounding nearly two-thirds of the Imperial Capital along with Zhao Jie’s forces in the city’s south.

Everyone was startled by this news, only Li Mingshun knew that this was an inevitable occurrence: the defensive line he deployed along the railway was too hastily constructed to hold back the onslaught of Fengjiang Troops.

Keep in mind, these troops were the elite who had been embroiled in fierce battles within Fengjiang City for the better part of a year, likely possessing more experience in siege warfare than even the troops of the Great Tang Empire. To stop them, one would require robust and thick defenses, but in reality, the northern defenses consisted of nothing more than some trenches.

Luo Xiao, well prepared, didn’t delay in any way; he dispatched his Armored Corps who broke through Li Mingshun’s northern defenses and soon after began their assault on the northern gate.

Fengjiang’s artillery, positioned and ready, soon blasted a breach in the city wall, and though the Imperial Capital’s City Defense Army also wielded heavy artillery engaging in fierce artillery duel, it was during the midst of Zhao Ji’s coronation that Fengjiang’s Tanks penetrated the Imperial Capital.

Street combat erupted, and the city’s citizens were thrown into complete chaos as countless people rushed towards the city outskirts, jamming the roads at the eastern and western gates.

Forced to hurry back to his command post to organize a counterattack, Li Mingshun left Zhao Ji’s coronation, rendering the whole event an complete farce.

Yet, Zhao Ji would not permit the cancellation of the ceremony. Clenching his teeth, he ordered the continuation of the ritual, and went through the motions with his harem, servants, and guards as if playing a game.

The thunder of cannons outside the city was now clear and vivid; although the Fengjiang Troops were contained to the northern part of the city, the reality was that the entire defense of the Imperial Capital had utterly collapsed.

The defense lines hastily constructed within the urban area were on the verge of collapse. The periphery defense line, planned to hold for a month, was breached by Fengjiang Army in less than two hours.

In the midst of this chaos, another embarrassing incident occurred. Someone discovered a corpse in a well within the Imperial Palace...

Due to the widespread use of the tap water system by the Great Tang Empire, the wells of the Dahua Empire’s Imperial Palace had not been used for many years.

So, what was in these wells had long been of no concern to anyone. This time, it was by sheer coincidence that someone discovered something in a well, and only after summoning the guard did they find the corpse.

Soon, the identity of the corpse was confirmed: he was Shen Chuan, the Minister of War of the Dahua Empire, who had gone missing since the chaos erupted in the Imperial Capital...

Though his body was so decomposed that it had lost its form, his clothing and accessories made him easily recognizable.

This middle-aged man, who had served as the Minister of War of the Dahua Empire, had chosen his own way to end his life for the Empire: it was suicide. Had he not taken his own life, he would not have died so inexplicably within the Imperial Palace of the Dahua Empire.

He refused to surrender to the Great Tang Empire like Chu Muzhou and had lost all hope for the future of the Dahua Empire. So, when Zhao Jie’s Troops appeared near the Imperial Capital, Shen Chuan, already sensing the inevitable defeat amid the turmoil of Zhao Kai’s death, leapt into this well.

This incident cast yet another shadow over Zhao Ji’s coronation ceremony, which had become a joke: above, Zhao Ji was determined to carry on with the ceremony, while below, newly-appointed Ministers were already whispering, discussing plans to escape the city.

Indeed, these people understood: carrying their official status, they could still swindle in the provinces, but staying here would mean accompanying Zhao Ji’s dynasty to its grave.

Meanwhile, at the command center, where Li Mingshun was frantically organizing his Troops, he too received news of Shen Chuan’s suicide for the Empire.

He sighed, then sat in silence for a long time: he now felt such a crushing weight on his shoulders that he could hardly breathe, and he even understood Shen Chuan’s thoughts.

At this very moment, his Troops were in retreat, giving up one district after another, trading space for time.

After all, Li Mingshun’s main force was the Imperial Guard stationed in the Imperial Capital, poorly equipped for major combat: imagine a City Defense Army with tanks and Anti-Tank Guns - wouldn’t that be absurd?

But now, with tanks on the side of the Fengjiang Troops, the shortcomings of the Dahua Empire’s Troops stationed in the Imperial Capital were glaringly obvious: they lacked heavy weapons, and even the number of their large-caliber artillery was insufficient.

That very night, another startling piece of news came through: Zhao Jie had fled overnight!

Just as Li Mingshun was about to take the opportunity to recapture the lost territory in the south of the city, he was informed that the Fengjiang Troops had already taken over most of the southern districts and even the East Gate had fallen that night!

The next morning, as Zhao Ji crawled out from among the pale bodies of several women, he learned that his Imperial Palace was now merely two to three kilometers away from the front lines...

This news nearly scared the new Emperor impotent: "General Li... what, now, what should we do now?"

Li Mingshun could only respond with a hardened expression: "We should retreat, Your Majesty... while we’re not yet encircled, let’s fall back to Wangdu and make plans from there."

"How can we do that?" Zhao Ji instinctively retorted: "I’ve just ascended the throne yesterday, and now I’m supposed to lose the Imperial Capital today; wouldn’t I become a laughingstock?"

Li Mingshun glanced at Zhao Ji, thinking to himself that he was aware of being a laughingstock? But even though this was on his mind, he couldn’t voice it out loud, instead urging in a low tone: "Your Majesty! It’s better to retreat and preserve the strength to fight another day than to doggedly defend this place... and jeopardize your safety..."

"I don’t care what you have to do! Hold this position for a month! No retreat! Absolutely not!" Zhao Ji ordered fiercely.