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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 153: Defeat
Li Jian Cheng led his men back to camp, and the Guardians returned to their posts. Shan Qin and his companion did not seek out Luo Yi, which left Luo Yi feeling somewhat uncomfortable.
It was clear that they did not consider him one of their own. In the past, Luo Yi might not have felt much about this; after all, as a general of the Twelve Guards, he had skills that did not necessarily need to be under anyone's command.
However, after going through numerous battles, he had to admit that it felt good to fully unleash his abilities under Li Jian Cheng's wing. No one would deliberately suppress or divide his confidants, and all the merits he earned would be reported truthfully to the court. He wouldn’t have to worry about supplies being short wherever he went.
Li Jian Cheng had no time to consider Luo Yi; he was not a compliant person, and winning him over was not a priority at that moment. He received an imperial edict commanding him to circle into the interior and prepare to intercept Yang Xuangan.
This order was perplexing, but it was evident that the emperor was already preparing to eliminate Yang Xuangan. There must have been significant progress in Luoyang, which was not surprising.
After all, most of the emperor's confidants were in Luoyang City. They turned a blind eye when Yang Xuangan entered the city because King of Yue Yang Tong had died. If they had refused entry to Yang Xuangan, they would have had to explain themselves to the emperor.
Now, all the blame fell on Yang Xuangan, relieving them of any worries. It was also time to welcome back Your Majesty; after such a long delay, His Majesty should know who the loyal subjects of the Sui Dynasty were.
Li Jian Cheng entered the pass as ordered. After setting up an ambush in the mountain pass, he began waiting. It took half a month before he received news that Yang Xuangan was approaching with his remnants of soldiers.
At that moment, Yang Xuangan was still rallying his troops: "Reinforcements are on their way! We cannot stay in Luoyang City any longer; we should head straight into Guanzhong and open Yongfeng Granary to relieve the impoverished. The Three Fiefs can be easily claimed; we will seize the treasury and fight for control of the eastern lands—this is indeed a path to dominance!"
He also ordered Li Mi and Li Zixiong to spread word among the military that there were already insiders in Chang'an City ready to assist them once their forces arrived.
Yet despite this, many soldiers continued to flee every day. They did not know what awaited them ahead, but they were well aware of the pursuing forces behind them.
When they finally reached Tongguan, they fell into Li Jian Cheng's ambush. The army instantly collapsed and scattered. Qin Shubao and Dan Xiongxin commanded their troops without paying attention to the fleeing soldiers; they focused solely on capturing Yang Xuangan.
Li Jian Cheng stood high above, observing the battle below. After much contemplation, he decided to sound the retreat. He did not wish to claim the credit for this victory; it was simply too great and too rich for his taste. Swallowing hard, he forced down the discomfort that threatened to rise.
Dan Xiongxin and Qin Shubao, though puzzled, complied with the military order. Even though this achievement could have earned them immediate recognition from the emperor, they followed orders without question.
Luo Yi hesitated, battling his impulses several times before ultimately deciding against charging in. Part of him did not want to go against Li Jian Cheng's wishes, while another part recognized that without support from allies, he could not take on the already cornered Yang Xuangan alone.
The title of Overlord was not merely a matter of words. Yang Xuangan, as emperor, still fought fiercely with bloodshot eyes, leading his soldiers into battle while his personal guards charged recklessly into the fray, disregarding their own safety.
In such circumstances, it was a matter of exhausting lives until they could finally secure a victory.
Sure enough, just as the forces began to relax their grip, Yang Xuangan keenly sensed an opportunity. He led his elite troops to break through and charge into Guanzhong. Li Jian Cheng ordered scouts to pursue closely, ensuring they did not lose track of him.
As they regrouped and prepared to accept surrendering soldiers, Yuwen Shu, Come to Protect the Child, and Qutu Tong arrived with their pursuing forces. Without greeting Li Jian Cheng, they inquired about Yang Xuangan's escape route and continued their pursuit.
Dan Xiongxin lamented the loss of what seemed like an easy victory: "My Lord, if we push a little harder, we might still capture Yang Xuangan. This would be an immense achievement."
Seeing that the pursuers included several high-ranking generals from the court, Qin Shubao understood Li Jian Cheng's reasons for calling off the attack and felt even more respect for him.
He advised Dan Xiongxin, "We have already accomplished a great feat by subduing Liu Yuanjin. Yang Xuangan's weakness is also due to our efforts in eliminating him. There are many who will envy our success; a moment of glory can lead to countless dangers."
Qin Shubao believed that Li Jian Cheng was wary of Yuwen Shu and others; however, in truth, he feared only one person—Yang Guang. In the eyes of this emperor, those with greater abilities were often seen as threats.
Thus, it was Yuwen Shu's constant blunders that made him Li Jian Cheng's favored choice.
After slowly organizing his troops, Li Jian Cheng finally dispatched forces to pursue. Yang Xuangan now felt like a deer caught in a hunt, surrounded on all sides with no way out; it was merely a matter of who would seize the opportunity first.
…………
Having escaped, Yang Xuangan raised his head and looked around from his horse, feeling increasingly despondent. In this vast world, where else could he go?
“Elder brother, Chang'an! Let’s go to Chang'an!”
Yang Jishan, who had been struck by two arrows, still gritted his teeth against the pain and said, “Chang'an is currently vulnerable, and most of our relatives are there. It’s not like Luoyang, where Yang Guang's tyrant confidants are numerous.”
Li Mi appeared disheartened. “With our meager forces, our relatives and old friends in Chang'an won’t place their bets on us.”
Li Zixiong frowned. “So we just wait to die? Only in Chang'an can we turn this crisis into safety. Even if the chance is slim, we should at least try!”
Yang Xuangan fixed his gaze in one direction, and a smile unexpectedly crept onto his lips, leaving everyone astonished.
“Elder brother?”
“Your Majesty?”
Yang Xuangan seemed to shed a heavy burden. “I want to go home. I want to pay my respects at my father’s old grave. As a son seeking revenge for my father, I will do my utmost. It wouldn’t be a life lived in vain; fallen leaves should return to their roots. I would rather die in my homeland.”
The crowd finally realized that the direction Yang Xuangan was looking towards was clearly Hongnong County.
Yang Jishan wept bitterly; only the two of them were left of their brotherhood.
Li Mi's expression was emotionless, while Li Zixiong sighed helplessly, "Heaven has turned against me, allowing me to serve such a master. My death and disgrace are only to be expected."
Yang Xuangan did not look at Li Zixiong but addressed his loyal guards behind him, "The court will relentlessly pursue me. You should scatter and flee to a place with fewer people to survive.
With our uprising, the fall of the Sui Dynasty is not far off. As long as you are cautious, if you can survive for a few years, a new situation will arise, and you can join the military and achieve merit openly."
Those still following Yang Xuangan were the eight thousand troops he had when he raised his banner, a legacy accumulated by Yang Su over several decades. Now, only a little over a thousand remained.
In the end, more than two hundred wanted to leave. Yang Xuangan searched himself thoroughly and offered them valuable items to encourage their swift departure.
With barely a thousand left, they said nothing, but their intention was clear: they would accompany their lord to the underworld. Yang Xuangan did not try to persuade them; such loyalty and righteousness needed no words to tarnish them.
"Master, I ask one last thing of you: take my brother and evade the pursuers. Go to Li Jian Cheng; he should be able to spare your lives."
………………
(End of Chapter)
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