Water Margin: The opening scene involves assassinating Emperor Huizong of Song and forcibly taking L

There are no city walls, but there is a city gate.

The city gate was built quite imposingly and solemnly.

Its name is Luochengmen, also known as Rashomon.

Countless ghost stories from the Heian period,

It happened right under the Luocheng Gate.

After entering Luocheng Gate, there was a wide street.

The moat leads directly to the palace.

This main street is called "Zhao Que Avenue".

It was actually modeled after Zhaoque Street in Chang'an during the Tang Dynasty.

The city has a population of approximately 200,000.

But there was not a single free man.

They were all royalty, nobles, monks, and Onmyoji.

And their generations of servants.

Centuries ago, several emperors in succession worked diligently to govern the country.

Slavery has been completely abolished by law.

They also created a central army that could intimidate all sides.

Now, however, everything has regressed.

The Central Army is gone.

The number of servants actually increased.

A gentle breeze was blowing, and the sudden rain had just stopped.

The cherry blossoms have all fallen.

On the lake and on the boat,

Occasionally, a few notes of a song could be heard.

Even though the Ming soldiers had already reached Osaka,

Heian-kyo is still filled with the sounds of birdsong and dancing flowers.

Countless nobles are still living in a life of debauchery.

A pony carried a warrior.

They quickly arrived at Luocheng Gate.

They sped off along Zhaoque Avenue.

This is a northern samurai who is not wearing heavy armor.

He went straight to the palace.

He knelt before Emperor Toba and said:

"Your Majesty, the Tang army is already several miles away!"

Emperor Toba was shocked: "Didn't I send you to Naniwa for negotiations?"

The samurai replied, "We met them halfway there."

“The Tang army detained other people,”

"Let me come back and deliver the message."

"them....."

Emperor Toba asked, "What do they want?"

Chapter 3246 Central Power

The samurai replied, "They want Your Majesty to bring the Emperor."

"And also officials from the cabinet and the imperial court."

"And the monks and nobles within the city,"

"We will give a grand welcome outside Luocheng Gate."

"They said they were envoys from the Tang Dynasty,"

"They will arrive in two days, and they will also bring the imperial edict of investiture from the Tang emperor."

Emperor Toba was furious.

His hands were clenched into fists as if he wanted to fight desperately.

But he had long been suppressed by his grandfather.

He has developed a "calm" personality.

I won't do anything as long as I can survive.

After hesitating for a long time, Emperor Toba said:

"Go back and tell the Ming general,"

"Just tell him I will do as he says."

After the northern samurai left,

The city's powerful and influential figures also gradually received the news.

They flocked to the palace to pay their respects.

Taira no Tadamori had been instigating a retreat to the east.

They practically said they were moving the capital.

As long as they move to Edo (Edo).

The Taira clan could rely on local power.

They joined forces with the Dajiang family, who had been operating in Jiangdu for many years.

With one civil official and one military officer, they firmly controlled the central government.

Fujiwara no Tadashi and his two sons

We firmly oppose this.

They will absolutely not allow the capital to be moved!

Nobles and monks came to pay their respects.

He cried and pleaded with Emperor Toba to stop him.

Nine out of ten people opposed moving the capital.

Heian-kyo, a city of 200,000 people

It concerns the interests of countless powerful and wealthy individuals.

How can we just give in like that?

Taira no Tadamori then said, "Your Majesty may temporarily retreat."

"A decree to aid the emperor was issued midway through the campaign,"

He ordered all troops in the country to go to the capital to defend the emperor.

Fujiwara no Tadashi was furious and rebuked him:

"You're trying to kill His Majesty!"

"All the prefectures and kingdoms under heaven,"

"Most state officials hold positions remotely,"

"The affairs of state were all in the hands of powerful clans."

“Those local powerful families often outwardly comply but inwardly defy you,”

“They even drove away the officials who were about to take up their posts.”

Even if they lead troops to defend the emperor,

"Can we work together with one heart and one mind?"

"What if some thugs sneak in?"

"What if His Majesty is injured?"

"In case we are defeated by the Ming army,"

"Where can His Majesty escape to?"

Yuan Weiyi shouted, "Your Majesty, I am willing to lead troops to defend against the enemy."

"Heian-kyo has 200,000 people,"

“Countless warriors and monks,”

“Each household’s servants can also be conscripted.”

"I heard that only a little over two thousand Ming soldiers came,"

"We are recruiting 50,000 soldiers,"

"We're sure to win big!"

This guy is just here to cause trouble.

Actually, he was in cahoots with Fujiwara no Tadashi.

They strongly opposed Emperor Toba leaving Heian-kyo.

Emperor Toba looked at Taira no Tadamori:

"If we could raise 50,000 soldiers, could we really defeat the Ming army?"

Taira no Tadamori said, "The sons of noble families in the capital,"

"Although many of them were armored and wielded swords,"

"But their great armor is all show and no substance,"

“Some of the great armor pieces are even made of paper.”

"The monk soldiers usually flaunt their power and prestige,"

"They only dare to bully the lower and middle-ranking nobles in the city,"

"And the merchants and commoners outside the city."

"As for servants, even if we recruit more soldiers,"

"They would scatter in a panic if a battle broke out."

Emperor Toba began to complain about his ancestors.

Why give up a perfectly good mountain town?

Why imitate Chang'an?

Now it has led to his palace,

There is only one moat to defend it.

The low wall inside the moat,

It wasn't meant to be used to defend against enemies at all.

It's more like a river embankment to prevent the moat from overflowing.

Chapter 3247 Emperor Toba