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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 108: The Expedition
Regarding the issue with the Western Turkic, the Emperor dispatched Cui Junxu and the Xiang Clan to persuade Chuluo Khan to come to court, and the outcome was quite smooth; Chuluo Khan came to pay his respects to the Emperor.
Chuluo Khan's followers were divided into three groups. His brother, Keduo She, led over ten thousand elderly and weak individuals to reside in Huining, while the special envoy Ashina Dainai took the remaining people to Lou Fan. Chuluo was conferred the title of Hasan Khan and was appointed to lead five Hundred Riders who would accompany the Emperor on his tours.
Additionally, his uncle Shekui Khan was established as the ruler of the Western Turkic, with territory extending from Jin Shanxi to the sea. All nations west of Yumenguan were subordinate to him, and his royal court was set up in Kucha, north of Sanmi Mountain.
Thus, both Turkic factions could not interfere when he launched his campaign against Goguryeo, and the Emperor gladly rewarded Pei Ju.
As for Chuluo, who had come to submit, the Emperor offered kind words of comfort and prepared exquisite delicacies from across the realm, accompanied by beautiful music and performances that dazzled the senses.
However, Chuluo still bore a look of discontent. Li Jian Cheng approached him with a cup of wine; they exchanged glances but did not speak.
After the banquet, Li Jian Cheng returned to the Governor's Office, where several clan leaders from prominent families led by the Lu Clan of Fanyang had gathered. Initially, they had looked down on Li Jian Cheng with arrogance.
But as millions poured into Zhuojun, their only reliance became their own Prefect. Consequently, they all expressed their willingness to be at his disposal, as long as he could protect their families from the rampant soldiers causing disturbances.
Li Jian Cheng accepted their requests without hesitation. Leveraging his connections with several State Generals, he managed to maintain basic peace in the region, preventing any intolerable incidents from occurring.
However, it was impossible for them not to suffer grievances. The proud soldiers and noble princes had all come along with their retinues; how could they resist seeking enjoyment? As a result, Li Jian Cheng became noticeably thinner from the stress.
Sure enough, complaints and requests for assistance flooded in. Li Jian Cheng showed no signs of impatience; he listened quietly before instructing Li Xiaogong behind him to handle what could be resolved while he would seek someone else for more difficult matters.
"Alas, we know it is hard on you, Lord; but apart from you, who else can we turn to?"
"Indeed, every time we come seeking help from the Prefect and see you so fatigued, we feel deeply ashamed."
For families that had been established for hundreds or even thousands of years, there were indeed people they could turn to for help. However, whether those individuals were willing to assist was another matter entirely. Even if someone was willing to help, it did not guarantee that they could solve their problems.
After all, these were scholarly families focused on education; while they had connections mostly among civil officials—despite holding high ranks—the separation between civil and military affairs meant that generals promoted by the Emperor might not necessarily show them favor. Moreover, there were noble princes accompanying them who needed no further mention.
Even someone like Li Jian Cheng—of noble birth and with friends throughout the realm—faced headaches that he could not resolve alone. Several times he had to put aside his pride and seek help from the Emperor or Queen to truly address issues.
Li Jian Cheng smiled and said, "It's no trouble at all. As Zhuojun Prefect, it is my duty to protect our borders and ensure peace for our people. Many recent matters have been resolved thanks to your gentlemen's support."
Several individuals clasped their hands and said, "We shall follow the Prefect's orders and do our utmost to overcome the difficulties."
...
On the first month of the eighth year of the Great Undertaking, the Emperor officially issued an edict against Goguryeo: "The petty clown of Goryeo, blinded and disrespectful, gathers between the peaks of Boqie, feeding on the land of Liaodong. Although they have faced retribution from the Han and Wei dynasties, their lairs have temporarily collapsed, and chaos has caused many obstacles. Yet, they still gather remnants, as in past times, sowing seeds that have flourished until now..."
The Celestial Empire cannot tolerate an Unjustified War. The Emperor announced four major charges against Goguryeo: neglecting duties, harboring rebels, invading Liaodong, and internal disorder.
This was undoubtedly without question; however, the latter part of the Edict left the courtiers and generals dumbfounded as the Emperor even revealed his battle plans.
The marching routes of the twenty-four armies, along with their commanders... Before any battle had begun, the Sui Dynasty knew almost nothing about Goguryeo, while the latter was already aware of where to ambush and where to reinforce.
Li Jian Cheng could not help but cough in surprise. The Emperor, in high spirits, noticed Li Jian Cheng's pale face and said, "You should stay here and arrange logistics with the officials from the Ministry of Civil Affairs. If you feel unwell, do not force yourself. I will take you back to Luoyang for recuperation when I return."
"I have lost my composure; thank you, Your Majesty."
Yang Guang addressed the ministers: "If you all served as diligently as Li Jian Cheng, I would not need to exert myself so much."
"It is our fault; please forgive us, Your Majesty."
After reprimanding them under the pretense of concern, the Emperor ordered them to return to their duties and mobilize the troops according to his specified mission for deployment!
A few days later, the Emperor personally conducted a land worship ceremony south of the Sanggan River, held a heavenly worship ceremony at Linshuo Palace to honor Heaven, and performed a ritual for Mazu in Jizhou, praying for blessings from the Heavenly Sovereign and Earthly Sovereign so that his armies would be invincible in battle.
The twenty-four armies each had one general and one deputy general. There were forty cavalry units, each consisting of one hundred men; ten units formed a group. There were eighty infantry units divided into four groups, each with a deputy commander.
Each group's armor, banners, and colors varied; there was also one Envoy for Surrender responsible for delivering the Edict and comforting local governors without being subject to command from the generals.
Other supplies and scattered troops were also divided into four groups escorted by infantry. The army's movements—advancing, halting, or setting up camp—were conducted with specific order and decorum.
The left twelve armies emerged from Lufang, Changchen, Minghai, Gaimai, Jian'an, Nansu, Liaodong, Xuantu, Fuyu, Korea, Wozhu, and Lelang.
The right twelve armies emerged from Nianchan, Hanzhi, Hunmi, Lintun, Houcheng, Tixi, Taduan, Shushen, Jieshi, Dongfang, Daifang, and Xiangping.
Luoying leads the way, a compilation of Pyongyang!
However, in order to avoid war and compel the enemy to surrender, the Emperor specifically issued an edict to dispatch an army daily, moving gradually over a distance of forty miles. It took nearly forty days for all troops to leave Zhuojun, with each army connecting in succession, their drums and horns echoing, and banners linking over nine hundred sixty miles.
Moreover, the Emperor's six armies and supply convoys had yet to depart. Additionally, there were the ceremonial music bands that accompanied the Emperor on his travels, along with the concubines from Monastic Daoism and the Gaochang King Yiwuz's son Chuluo Khan from the Tuguhun tribe.
The formation resembled a long snake, making it impossible to manage both ends. The Emperor clearly did not regard Goguryeo as a rival; he had been aware of the dangers during his Northern Expedition, but now he seemed entirely unconcerned.
What drew the most criticism from the Courtiers was not only that the Emperor brought along his concubines but also that he had specially permitted his favored minister Yuwen Shu to bring his own women.
Yuwen Shu, known for his audacity, was somewhat hesitant to accept this privilege and repeatedly declined. The Emperor comforted him, saying, "It is said that women do not enter the military during battle; they can hide in tents during combat and be released when we set up camp. This is just like the story of Yu Ji."
This meant that during battles, they could simply hide in tents, and once they settled down, they could be let out without any issue.
Yuwen Shu dared not contradict the Emperor's favor and could only express endless gratitude. He even brought along women of the type that pleased the Emperor, ready to present them at any moment. Upon learning this, the Emperor indeed praised him greatly.
As each army departed one by one, the bustling Zhuojun suddenly became desolate. Women and children cried with mixed emotions; they were happy that they no longer had to live in fear every day but mourned for their able-bodied men who were conscripted and uncertain if they would return alive.
……………
(End of Chapter)
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