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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 126: Heroic Fruit
On this day, the Emperor was watching the battle when a siege tower, four or five stories high and filled with soldiers, rolled forward on wheels. Atop it stood a ram, fifteen zhang long and capped with an iron head, charging straight toward the city wall.
Initially, as was customary, the wall remained unbreached, and the Emperor felt no disappointment, merely frowning as he observed. Suddenly, a soldier climbed up the ram and stood atop it, significantly higher than the city wall.
Then, he leaped down toward the wall. The spinning blades glinted in the sunlight as they cleaved through several defenders on the wall. Seizing a spear from one of the fallen bodies, he engaged in combat with the surrounding defenders.
"Good! Who is this brave soul? I shall reward him handsomely!"
Although the fighting above was difficult to see clearly, it did not prevent the Emperor from cheering. After all, at least one valiant warrior had scaled the walls of Liaodong City today—a promising omen.
The accompanying civil and military officials did not recognize Shen Guang and instinctively flattered him: "With Your Majesty's wise governance, there are naturally talented individuals willing to serve Sovereign Father. I see that his attire resembles that of an officer from the Valiant Fruit Army. They are blessed by Your Majesty's grace and are willing to risk their lives to relieve Sovereign Father's worries."
Upon hearing that he was from the Valiant Fruit Army, Yang Guang felt even more delighted; this confirmed his beliefs.
Yet he couldn't help but feel anxious because only one person had scaled the wall. It would be difficult for other soldiers to come to his aid or even support him. It was a pity that such a courageous individual might perish alone.
Sure enough, moments later, that figure returned to the edge of the wall before falling down. The Emperor had anticipated this outcome, while below on the wall, the Sui Army had been buoyed by morale and could not help but gasp in surprise.
But who was Shen Guang? He had already thought of an escape route before climbing up. Grabbing hold of a rope dangling from the ram, he did not descend immediately; instead, he drew his sword and struck at the heads of Goguryeo defenders who dared to peek out to see his demise.
"Impressive!"
Accompanied by cheers from the Sui Army, three heads fell to the ground below and rolled a few times. Shen Guang was drenched in blood yet laughed heartily before sliding down the ram unscathed.
"Go! Bring him here at once!" The Emperor was overjoyed. "What a valiant soldier! If all my Sui Dynasty troops were like him, how could Goguryeo possibly withstand me for long?"
The civil and military officials accompanying him understood that regardless of this man's character, his career prospects were now secure for years to come. If he were to rise from humble beginnings into nobility, his future would be limitless.
...
In a mountain area behind the Sui Army, Zhang Hutan was leading thousands of elite soldiers waiting for their lord's signal but felt somewhat anxious.
The Emperor's Million-Strong Army was stationed in a place where scouts were constantly sent out. Although their location was hidden, it had long been discovered. Fortunately, the Lord had already arranged for their identities and provided formal orders from the Ministry of War.
However, Zhang Hutan knew that while the orders appeared legitimate, with the Ministry of War's seal that couldn't be forged, if questioned by the Deputy Minister of War or the Minister of Rites, they would never acknowledge it.
Thus, they were in a precarious situation, visible yet not fully exposed, depending on whether the scout commander would prudently report their status.
Zhang Hutan himself was unafraid; with his iron-backed bow and spear in hand, he could navigate through thousands of troops with ease. The only concern was that the elite forces he had painstakingly gathered would likely not survive.
At that moment, Zhang Hutan's worry was the Deputy Minister of War, Huszheng, who was secretly drafting orders to recall several brothers of Yang Xuangan while the Emperor met with a young general.
The Emperor solemnly received Shen Guang, who had already groomed himself for the occasion. The officials sent to convey messages understood that this individual was about to rise rapidly in rank; they were not only polite in their words but also hurried to find him a set of silver armor.
People rely on their attire just as horses depend on their saddles. The Emperor himself was exceptionally handsome and thus favored beautiful individuals; he also appreciated valiant young men.
After expressing his gratitude, Shen Guang approached to pay his respects. Upon seeing him, the Emperor was even more delighted. He had expected a burly man with a beard but was pleasantly surprised to find such a gallant youth—exactly what he envisioned for the Valiant Fruit Army.
After inquiring about his name and background, the Emperor showed no signs of disdain upon learning that Shen Guang came from humble origins; this was indeed a good thing.
Hearing that Shen Guang held only a seventh-rank title at present, the Emperor immediately promoted him to a fifth-rank court official and awarded him an imperial sword known as the Horse Evaluator before hosting a grand banquet.
During the feast, after drinking heartily, the Emperor pointed at Shen Guang and sang:
"Clad in white horse armor,
Riding along the banks of Liao River,
Whose son are you?
A guard of the feathered forest,
In six pieces of literary armor,
With a precious sword shining like seven stars...
I dedicate my life to my country,
And with martial prowess displayed,
May my name echo through the ages,
Bringing glory to my banner forever."
Afterward, he couldn't bear to let Shen Guang take risks on the battlefield and assigned him to stay by his side as a guard. Shen Guang took this opportunity to mention that it was Li Jian Cheng who suggested he serve in the Valiant Fruit Army for the Emperor.
This matter would not be discussed now; when the Emperor discovered it later on his own, it would surely lead to trouble.
The Emperor wasn't particularly surprised; he was accustomed to everyone knowing Li Jian Cheng. He simply remarked, "It's rare that during his filial mourning period, he still remembers to recommend talented individuals."
Shen Guang replied, "Li Langjun has always been loyal and respectful towards His Majesty. During our feasts, we often hear him praise Your Majesty's great talents and vision for future generations, all aimed at benefiting our great undertaking for centuries."
"Are you very close with him?"
Shen Guang shook his head. "Li Langjun has many friends, but he is ultimately stretched too thin; his relationships are rather superficial."
Wang Yi seized the opportunity to add, "I have also heard that Li Langjun has been gathering talented individuals for His Majesty since the time of His Majesty's secret residence, exhausting his family fortune in the process. Many people in the Capital City secretly mock him for it."
Although Yang Guang recognized that these two were intentionally speaking well of Li Jian Cheng, he couldn't help but recall some of Li Jian Cheng's merits. He smiled and said, "You need not speak in his favor; I have never mistreated those who have contributed to the state. After his mourning period, I will certainly assign him an important role."
After a moment of thought, he immediately ordered someone to convey a decree: "Bestow upon Li Jian Cheng three carts of gold and silver utensils, three hundred slaves from Goguryeo, and a thousand bolts of silk."
Shen Guang and Wang Yi exchanged glances but did not step forward to thank the emperor on behalf of Li Jian Cheng.
Then the emperor turned his attention back to the siege of Liaodong City, even coming up with a clever idea: he commanded the soldiers to hasten the sewing of ten thousand cloth bags.
The soldiers were instructed to fill each bag with soil and then pile them one by one from the camp all the way to the foot of Liaodong City, ultimately creating a slope that would reach level with the city walls. At that point, the army could ascend directly onto the City Wall.
The emperor had even thought of a name for this slope: Fish Grand Road. As for why it was named so, no one dared to ask; they were all too busy kneeling and praising His Majesty's wisdom.
Meanwhile, Yang Xuangan had already arrived in Liang, contacting numerous former officials and servants. He gradually gained control over Liang and began to reduce the supplies being sent to the front lines.
……………
(End of Chapter)
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