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After Consort Han withdrew, Dou Lu Yu personally led the charge, piercing Zhu Tao's throat with a spear, completely taking control of Han Wangfu. He then ordered the release of Huangfu Dan and others who had been imprisoned for advising Han Wang.
He then closed the city with Huangfu Dan, Panshi Marquis, and Xunwu. Such significant news could not be hidden from Yang Liang, who angrily returned with his army. He sent someone to persuade them to surrender but was met with insults.
Yang Liang had never faced such humiliation in his life. How could a mere few thousand defenders withstand Han Wang's army of over a hundred thousand? Moreover, there were many traitors within the city, leading to its fall after just half a day's delay.
Dou Lu Yu, having failed in his suicide attempt, was brought before Han Wang. Han Wang drew his sword and pressed it against Dou Lu Yu's neck. Faced with Han Wang's furious threat, Dou Lu Yu could only respond with one word: "Thief!"
Han Wang gritted his teeth in anger and commanded, "Take him away and behead him!"
Before long, someone returned holding a still bleeding head, their eyes wide with rage.
Yang Liang's fury subsided, replaced by an overwhelming chill and sorrow. This man was not just anyone; he was his brother-in-law, someone who had shared both honor and disgrace with him. Yet he was willing to betray him without regard for life or death. What about the others?
His hand weakened, dropping the treasured sword to the ground. It was at this moment that Pei Wen'an's good news arrived, but it brought Yang Liang no joy. He felt that if he left Jinyang City now, another rebellion would soon follow.
He could only summon his subordinates to discuss matters. Upon learning of Pei Wen'an's achievements, everyone was envious and invigorated, urging Han Wang to pursue victory.
They expressed that they had relatives and old friends in the capital; as long as Han Wang stationed troops outside the city, they could persuade and contact them. The capital would surely fall without a fight.
However, Yang Liang's spirit had been severely crushed. He no longer believed this was achievable and began to regret not returning to the capital as ordered; perhaps he could have preserved his life.
But there was no turning back now. After much internal struggle, Yang Liang finally decided to abandon the siege and focus solely on defending his territory. If he could establish himself as a king and secure wealth, that would be enough.
When this idea was voiced, Yang Liang's subordinates were stunned into silence. Did they think they were doing? They were rebelling! They held the initiative now; how could they stop? After some time, wouldn't the emperor gather troops and allow them to carve out their own territory?
They hurriedly explained the pros and cons in hopes of waking Han Wang up. But just as Dou Lu Yu and others had failed to dissuade Han Wang from rebelling, these men also could not sway him from his firm resolve.
The next day, Han Wang issued orders for Pei Wen'an to quickly dismantle the Floating Bridge over the Yellow River and defend Puzhou City at Puzhen Pass.
Having just achieved great merit, Pei Wen'an certainly could not agree to this order. However, lacking any prestige in the military, Han Wang's commands were carried out, and the Floating Bridge was destroyed.
Ignoring Yang Liang's orders for him to remain stationed, Pei Wen'an rode back alone in hopes of persuading Han Wang. They had already lost their chance; who among them would survive?
After he rushed back, he cried out, "Your Majesty, as long as we advance our troops, the Capital City will be in turmoil. The soldiers will be caught off guard, and there will be suspicion on all sides. When the people are in panic, if Your Majesty issues orders, who would dare not to submit? The Great Undertaking is certain!"
However, Yang Liang was resolute in his refusal to advance the troops any further. He was only focused on the other armies moving smoothly; once they occupied such vast territories, it would be enough to establish a Kingdom. At that point, he could negotiate with his second brother and maintain a self-sufficient and prosperous existence.
Currently, General Qi Liang was attacking Cizhou but faced resistance and redirected his forces toward Sangzhou. General Yu Gongli led his army out of Taihang Pass into Henei, attempting to occupy Shanxi and Hebei, but was met with resistance from Right Guard General Shi Xiang stationed at Heavenly River.
Duke Qiao Zhongkui set out from Yanmen to besiege Dai Prefecture, where Governor Li Jing was putting up a desperate defense.
...
What happened behind Han Wang's forces was unknown to the Sui Army, but the destruction of the Floating Bridge was too obvious to escape their notice. Yang Su summoned the generals for a meeting.
Everyone was pleasantly surprised by this news. Regardless of the circumstances, the once sturdy Floating Bridge was gone; no matter how quickly they attempted repairs, a large troop movement across the Yellow River would not be feasible in a short time.
This provided them with precious time; with time, the court could mobilize troops from across the land. What was Han Wang compared to that?
The previously tense situation eased considerably, but the ever-cautious Yang Su still ordered scouts to monitor day and night without any negligence or laxity. Anyone who disobeyed would face execution alongside their commanding officer.
Yang Su's orders were absolute within the military. He had proven through decades of practice that his soldiers understood: if I catch even a slight mistake, you will be executed without exception.
Yet Li Jian Cheng couldn't help but admire Yang Su. No matter his demeanor in other matters, on the battlefield he was undoubtedly a commander whom the monarch could trust.
The emperor did not care whether his methods were excessively ruthless; he only wanted him to win wars. Everything else was merely trivial and should not be brought to light.
Moreover, a commander who was invincible in battle yet lacked the respect and trust of his soldiers—wasn't that a good thing for the emperor?
Everyone suggested waiting for the arrival of other loyal troops before crossing the river to eliminate the rebels; this plan seemed foolproof.
But Yang Su had already keenly sensed an opening in the enemy's defenses. He felt tempted but hesitated—could someone in his position still claim such credit?
As an excellent commander, he was unwilling to give up such an opportunity. Yet as one of the highest officials in the Sui Dynasty, overseeing all three ministries under his family’s control, he dared not lose but also could not afford to win too brilliantly.
Li Jian Cheng nudged Li Jing with his elbow. Having spent considerable time together, they had developed a tacit understanding. He stepped forward and said, "General, I request to lead a surprise attack across the river at Puzhen Pass tomorrow night with five thousand elite soldiers skilled in water operations."
Yang Su gazed deeply at Li Jing. Such strategic intuition was something only born leaders like them possessed, yet the very notion of a surprise attack also indicated the possibility of defeat.
However, without the Floating Bridge, the dynamics of offense and defense had changed. As long as they maintained strict vigilance and prevented the enemy from crossing the river under the cover of night, they would be fine.
Even if Li Jing's surprise attack failed and he lost several thousand men, the remaining troops under his command would be sufficient to hold off the rebel forces from landing on the banks of the Yellow River.
Moreover, in two days, an additional twenty thousand troops would arrive under his command. Therefore, the current issue was that Li Jing was not yet worthy of bearing the responsibility of risking troop losses during this critical period.
Li Jian Cheng silently moved behind him, and Yang Su immediately nodded in agreement. "Understood!"
He then dispatched some troops while Li Jing and Li Jian Cheng withdrew to personally select their forces. Late that night, upon returning to their tent, Yuwen Huaji stormed in with a dark expression. "Let me be clear; I won't be going with you."
Li Jian Cheng replied wearily, "We didn't expect you to. Go back and rest."
"Hey, thanks a lot!"
Yuwen Huaji left cheerfully. Who would have thought that such a character would receive an imperial decree just two days into their expedition, promoting him to Minister Shao of the Taipu Temple, a fourth-rank position?
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