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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 112: Crossing the Bridge
Li Jian Cheng motioned for Zhang Hutan to sit down. "The Turkic people are nomads. Once they grow strong enough, with just a little strategy, they will split and confront each other. Their strength is only temporary."
"Goguryeo, like our Sui Dynasty, is an agrarian nation. Since its establishment, it has driven back the Mohe and firmly contained the Khitan, while also pushing south against Baekje and Silla, and westward to ally with the Turkic against our dynasty. At the same time, they have taken advantage of the situation to invade Liaoxi, which originally belonged to the Sui Dynasty."
"This is a grand scheme indeed. In earlier years, they even sent people to stir up the remnants of the Qi State, inciting them to restore their kingdom, while also sending envoys to pay tribute to the Chen Dynasty in Jiangnan, attempting to keep the Central Plains divided."
Li Jian Cheng concluded, "The emperor may be reckless in waging war and misusing the people's strength, but he hasn't strayed from the overall direction. This is why even though there are dissenting opinions among the civil and military officials, they still obey his orders. It is indeed time to suppress Goguryeo."
"But brother, it seems you do not have faith that His Majesty can win this battle," Li Xiaogong remarked. "With a million-strong army and ample supplies, how could we possibly lose?"
"If His Majesty were absent, victory would be possible. But since he leads personally, defeat is certain. The emperor is no War Sage; commanding tens of thousands is his limit. A million-strong army under his command will suffer internal losses before even harming the enemy."
…………
Come to Protect the Child led forty thousand elite troops to Pyongyang City. Eulji Mundeok ordered ten thousand of his generals to march out and meet the enemy. Without a doubt, they were defeated; however, they had the city as refuge and archers above for support.
The Sui Army issued a challenge and sent someone to read the emperor's decree: only the instigator would be punished, and if he were willing to kneel and plead for mercy, he could be pardoned.
Eulji Mundeok once again sent men out to confront the enemy but was met with another defeat. Qin Shubao in the Sui Army frowned and said, "Repeated defeats lead me to suspect there may be a trick at play."
Dan Xiongxin was a fierce general but clearly lacked Qin Shubao's insight on the battlefield. After hearing this, he simply said, "They are weak soldiers; if there are still doubts, it would be better to inform the general."
Qin Shubao nodded and prepared to ride over to see Come to Protect the Child. However, before he could reach him, the retreating enemy troops suddenly mutinied, and Pyongyang City's gates swung wide open.
Qin Shubao could not afford to hesitate and shouted towards Come to Protect the Child: "General, beware of deception!"
The advisor beside Come to Protect the Child urged caution as well: "This could be a tactic to lure us in deeper; my lord should be careful!"
"Even if it is a trick," Come to Protect the Child replied confidently, "as long as we leave some troops guarding the city gates, my forty thousand elite soldiers can come and go freely!"
With a single command, the Sui Army shouted in triumph and charged into Pyongyang amidst a rain of arrows. Having just seized control of the city gates, Come to Protect the Child led his troops straight towards the palace, aiming to decisively alter the course of events.
However, upon entering the city, what they encountered was not the enemy army, but a ground strewn with Gold and Silver Treasures. Jade, silk, and brocade carpets extended all the way to the end of the street, shimmering under the sunlight, unattended and waiting for hands to reach out and collect them.
Just a few pieces would be wealth that could not be obtained even after a lifetime of bloodshed; it could buy property, acquire land, raise slaves, and take concubines. Their children could be educated and literate, potentially becoming officials in the future.
Come to Protect the Child's heart trembled; he felt more fear than when facing thousands of soldiers. He immediately ordered, "Whoever dares to move recklessly will be executed on the spot! All gold and silver will be divided equally after the battle!"
But chaos had already erupted within the ranks. The cries from the front incited those behind to surge forward. The purpose of breaching the city was to burn, kill, and plunder; their inner flames had long been ignited.
Only his surrounding generals complied with his orders. Before he could relay further commands, someone in the front ranks had already acted. Once one person moved, others feared being left behind; soon a group was in motion, and naturally, those behind followed suit.
"Kill!"
The personal guards of Come to Protect the Child drew their bows and shot arrows. In an instant, nearly a hundred men fell with arrows in their backs—some dead, some wounded—cries of anguish filled the air. Yet this did not deter them; those lightly injured climbed forward with red eyes, clutching gold and silver to stuff into their clothes, only to be trampled underfoot by others who shared dreams of a better future before dying…
Of course, some generals were authoritative enough to keep their subordinates in check and did not rush to seize treasures, such as Qin Shubao, Come Together, and Fei Qingnu. But chaos is chaos.
An officer immediately advised, "General, we cannot restrain them; we should retreat."
But it was too late. Hidden troops appeared; they too were red-eyed and fixated on the Gold and Silver Treasures on the ground. However, the blood on their blades made them hesitate to act recklessly because those who dared to reach out had already perished—several groups had already fallen.
One group was well-organized while another had lost all sense of order; foot soldiers dropped their weapons while cavalry dismounted to gather treasures. The outcome was inevitable.
Come to Protect the Child's forces nearly perished within the city. Fortunately, they still held control of the city gate. Brave figures like Qin Shubao and Dan Xiongxin managed to escape with only a few thousand men remaining while still being pursued.
Fortunately, Zhou Fashang arrived with reinforcements and finally managed to scare off their pursuers. The group retreated back near their boats; they had become isolated and suffered significant losses in manpower, leaving them unable to fight again and ready to board their ships for retreat at any moment.
Come to Protect the Child felt ashamed enough to want to take his own life but was stopped by his generals. From a distance, Dan Xiongxin watched and felt that the once-renowned Duke of Rongguo was merely this way after all.
The defeat of "Come to Protect the Child" quickly reached the Emperor's ears. After learning the details, Yang Guang did not blame his confidant generals too much. He mainly thought that if the Naval Forces could not achieve merit, he still had a Million-Strong Army at his disposal, so there was nothing to fear.
With great ambition, the Emperor led his troops to the Liao River, where the Goryeo King personally commanded his forces, taking a defensive position by the river, waiting for the Sui Army to cross halfway before launching an attack.
The Emperor was aware of the dangers involved and ordered Yuwen Kai to construct three Floating Bridges. These bridges were built in segments and would be connected using the buoyancy of the river once completed.
Under the Emperor's urging, the bridge was hastily finished. However, due to inaccurate measurements, it was still four or five steps away from the riverbank. Nevertheless, the Emperor had already issued orders that as soon as the Floating Bridge hit the water, they would launch a fierce assault without retreat.
Right Guard General Iron Staff had been physically weak since entering Liao, but at this moment, he took the lead and shouted to the surrounding soldiers, "A man's life has its own destiny; how can one use moxa to burn their nose or spray melon seeds into their nostrils? To die in the embrace of children while treating ailments is unacceptable!"
Iron Staff lived up to his bravery. Seeing that the Floating Bridge had not yet reached its destination, he showed no signs of retreat. With a loud shout, he spurred his horse forward just as Goryeo soldiers raised their long spears high.
In mid-air, Iron Staff stepped on his horse's back and leaped. The poor steed was pierced by several long spears, but it avenged itself by trampling several men to death. In that open space, Iron Staff swung his great sword and carved out a path.
Unfortunately, in an instant, two long spears pierced into his ribs. With a cry of anguish, he fought fiercely and managed to slay one more enemy before feeling his strength dissipate. Looking down, he saw four or five more spears embedded in his body.
Today I repay His Majesty's grace! It is a pity that I still owe Li Langjun several years' worth of wine debts; may I repay them in my next life as a horse or an ox...
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(End of Chapter)
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