Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 160: Changes
The weary King of Goguryeo returned from the court, his brother Gao Jianwu following closely behind with a sullen expression. Once Gao Yuan sat down, Gao Jianwu could no longer hold back and said, "Brother, why must we endure those old bastards?"
"And what do you propose we do?"
"Let’s kill the chicken to scare the monkey. As long as you issue a decree, I will take down Chen Shibai Zhe. If they dare to resist, we will execute them on the spot and reclaim military power!"
"And then what?"
Gao Jianwu hesitated for a moment, stammering, "Well... of course, we would lead the troops to defend. Their army has already retreated; as long as... as long as we can repel the Sui Army outside Pyongyang City..."
"What about next year? What if Yang Guang continues to send troops against us?"
Gao Jianwu fell silent for a moment. "The Sui Dynasty wants us to grow weaker, but no matter how large their ambitions are, with the Sui Emperor leading such distant campaigns, it cannot last long. It all comes down to who can endure longer. Brother, we have held on for so long; we are not afraid of another two years!"
Gao Yuan smiled with relief. His brother was ruthless towards outsiders, but over the years he had been loyal to him.
"We cannot hold on any longer. With internal strife and external threats converging upon us, if we want to preserve Goguryeo's legacy, I must die to quell both external and internal troubles."
Gao Jianwu's face changed dramatically. "No! Brother, it hasn’t come to that!"
"Externally, Silla, Baekje, Mohe, and Khitan Shiwey—these nations we once hoped to devour—are now seeing our weakness and are beginning to consider retaliating against us.
Internally, both the aristocracy and common people have suffered heavy casualties; there must be an explanation. Otherwise, they won’t even wait for outsiders; they will rise up against our Gao Clan themselves."
Under his brother's expectant gaze, Gao Jianwu finally asked the question: "How do we resolve the external threat?"
This was the moment Gao Yuan had resigned himself to death. He said with a calm demeanor, "To blend with the light and dust, the Sui Dynasty seeks to conquer us not out of disrespect for the Sui Emperor. If I were to show respect for the Sui Emperor, this matter could be resolved. I could be even more humble than the Turkic Qimin Khan of old; for the sake of my Gao Clan's Great Undertaking, what harm is there in emulating Goujian?
The Sui Dynasty's campaign against us is merely because we have grown too strong, affecting their status, thus they must subdue us into submission. Since we cannot defeat them nor outlast them, we might as well show weakness and yield.
As long as we do this, the Sui Dynasty cannot sit idly by while we are swallowed up, allowing another Goguryeo to rise. As long as they do not wish to face that mad Sui Emperor, neither the Mohe nor the Khitan Shiwey would dare to act against us."
Gao Jianwu's face showed sorrow. "Can’t Goguryeo have a chance to dominate the world?"
Gao Yuan replied calmly, "We have tried and failed; our ancestor Zong'er cannot blame us for this. For now, preserving our Gao Clan’s ancestral temple State is of utmost importance.
"Jianwu, you go to Liaodong City. We need noble relatives in the Sui Dynasty to speak on our behalf. You must weigh your options carefully and sell my precious head at a high price."
Outside Liaodong City, Zhang Hutan also led his troops and entered Li Jian Cheng's large camp with his confidant. Outside the camp, Luo Yi hesitated and felt conflicted; Dan Xiongxin and Qin Shubao had already gone in, but no one called for him.
It seemed no one stopped him from entering the tent either. The once familiar command tent now felt like a den of dragons and tigers; it held treasures but also immense dangers.
Luo Yi thought about many things, constantly reminding himself to stay composed; surely there would be no mistake in that. Yet his legs seemed to have a mind of their own as they carried him straight inside.
As expected, he received everyone's attention upon entering. In the ensuing silence, Luo Yi wanted to casually report on military affairs but found himself unable to speak.
Li Jian Cheng observed him for a moment before saying, "Alright, we are all comrades here. Ziyan, take a seat."
Ziyan was Luo Yi's courtesy name. It was the first time he heard Li Jian Cheng directly call him by it, and he felt a sense of reassurance wash over him.
Zhang Hutan continued, "The Grand Counselor of Goguryeo, White Zhe, hopes that we can withdraw our troops, allowing him to recall the forces in Liaodong City back to Pyongyang. He is willing to offer the head of Gao Yuan and accept the emperor's title of vassal and tribute."
Hearing such good news upon arrival, regardless of whether an agreement with that Grand Counselor was to be reached, it wouldn’t hurt to feign compliance and take Liaodong City first!
Li Jian Cheng shook his head. "This is merely a delaying tactic. As far as I know, the commander defending Liaodong City is from the Royal Family of Goguryeo and is fiercely loyal to Gao Yuan; he is not one of White Zhe's men."
"Let’s give it a try; let some of the Liaodong defenders go."
Wang Yi, a strategist from the former King Qi, interjected, "That’s unwise. We only have thirty thousand troops. Even if we count General Zhang's forces, we would have around sixty to seventy thousand—considerable numbers, but mostly cavalry, which are not adept at siege warfare or defense.
If the Liaodong defenders we let go do not return to Pyongyang to execute Gao Yuan but instead flank us at Come to Protect the Child, then we would be in a precarious position and would have no choice but to retreat."
Li Jian Cheng waved his hand, signaling that there was no need for further discussion. The others fell silent, waiting for his orders.
After a long wait, they received only a single phrase: "Let’s wait and see."
...
The emperor returned to Chang'an to mobilize troops and promoted Zhang Suduo and others, ordering them to swiftly eliminate the bandits across the land.
However, the emperor truly disliked Chang'an. Meanwhile, Li Jian Cheng and Come to Protect the Child had no good news; each day brought reports from various prefectures requesting soldiers and supplies.
Frustrated, the emperor decided to tour the Eastern Capital once more and, reminiscent of past years, would lead an army against the Turkic tribes to remind the unruly new Khan what imperial authority meant.
The emperor repeatedly urged Shibi Khan to send troops against Goguryeo, but he didn’t even dispatch a single horseman and treated the court's emissary with great disrespect.
Yang Guang felt that since Goguryeo had been dealt with, he needed to intimidate the Turkic tribes to ensure stability within his realm.
However, the court officials could not bear it any longer. Ignoring the threats from Yuwen Shu and others, they pleaded tearfully, "Compared to the years of warfare against Liao, the people are truly exhausted. Your Majesty should pacify the interior, allowing the citizens to focus on agriculture and sericulture. In three to five years, when the land is somewhat prosperous, then you can tour the provinces; that would be more appropriate!"
If the emperor could understand the difficulties faced by the officials and the common people, the world would not have reached such a state. Under the emperor's orders, Yuwen Shu and others initiated another wave of persecution.
In the past, holding an official position in the capital was considered prestigious. Now, however, everyone sought to be assigned to remote posts; even a low-ranking position would suffice as long as it was far from the emperor—preferably never to see him again in their lifetime.
The emperor happily returned to his Eastern Capital, enjoying the Western Garden built for him by Yang Su and others. He increasingly indulged in drinking, only stopping when he became completely intoxicated. Anyone who dared to obstruct him would face punishment.
Only Empress Xiao still held some favor with him, but gradually, he grew reluctant to see her as well.
The emperor's once handsome and celestial visage was slowly eroded by wine and indulgence, becoming as dull as jade covered in dust. Officials who had not seen him for a year or two arrived from distant lands to pay their respects and could hardly recognize him.
...
Happy New Year!
Wishing everyone health, safety, and prosperity!
(End of Chapter)
Comment 0 Comment Count