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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 166: Rescue
Soon, thirty-nine out of the forty-one counties under Yanmen County had been conquered, leaving only Yanmen County City and Guo County. The presence of Turks was everywhere in the county, and the area around the county city was vast. This time, Shibi Khan had mobilized roughly over three hundred thousand troops.
While the emperor was anxious, Suwei reported another piece of bad news: "Your Majesty, the food supplies in the city are only enough for the army for twenty days; even with rationing, it will be hard to last a month."
Even though it was a county city, the sudden influx of over one hundred thousand people, combined with the existing military and civilians, made it inevitable that food would run short.
No matter how inexperienced the emperor was in military matters, he understood that with Shibi Khan's three hundred thousand troops, even if Chang'an and Luoyang immediately dispatched reinforcements and gathered troops from across the realm to rescue them, it would take a long time to arrive, and they might not even defeat Shibi Khan upon arrival.
"All food supplies should first be given to the soldiers defending the city; everyone else, including myself, must reduce our rations. Those who are useless do not need to be provided for!"
The useless people referred to those from Monastic Daoism and various entertainers whom the emperor always brought along, who now faced such an outcome.
For over ten days, the Turks continued their relentless siege. The emperor had not seen a single shadow of reinforcements, and morale was nearing collapse.
It was fortunate that the emperor was present and that his escort consisted of the Valiant Fruit Army; otherwise, faced with such an onslaught, they would have surrendered long ago.
Seeing this situation, the ministers could only advise the emperor to personally visit the city walls to boost morale. With encouragement from the Queen, the emperor reluctantly gathered his spirits. However, as soon as he ascended the wall, a sharp arrow flew by nearly hitting him.
The emperor staggered back several steps and nearly fainted; he refused to take another step forward and could only have Suwei convey his decree: "Those who defend the city well will be granted a sixth-rank position if they have no official title and rewarded with a hundred pieces of goods. Those who already hold positions will receive corresponding benefits!"
After retreating to the Summer Palace, he sent another message: "All soldiers should strive to repel the invaders. As long as we can protect the state, do not worry about wealth or nobility; I will ensure that no officials will undermine your contributions!"
The emperor's promises successfully boosted morale. The soldiers rallied enthusiastically, fighting day and night despite heavy casualties.
Morale remained somewhat intact, but the emperor had completely broken down. He held his young son Zhao Wang Yang Gao and wept bitterly until his eyes were swollen and he could hardly speak. The civil and military officials were left dumbfounded.
"We have suffered so much because of your stubbornness without shedding a tear; yet you, as an emperor, act like a woman in distress—this is..."
Yuwen Shu hurriedly intervened: "The General is willing to lead several thousand elite cavalry to break through the encirclement and protect Your Majesty!"
Suwei frowned: "We still have some strength left for defense; light cavalry is a specialty of the Turks. Your Majesty is the ruler of thousands; it is unwise to act rashly. If something goes wrong, what shall we do?"
The emperor did not respond; his silence was a form of refusal. The other officials immediately chimed in: "It would be better to hold our strong position to weaken their resolve while waiting for reinforcements from our troops."
Yu Shiji also quickly expressed that they should not act impulsively but rather reward the soldiers more generously to boost morale while awaiting rescue.
In the midst of a hurried escape, most treasures had already been abandoned, making it difficult to offer substantial rewards. The Emperor could only make more promises.
Minister of Internal Affairs Xiao Yu suggested, "According to Turkic customs, Kehe Dun has foreseen military strategies. Princess Yicheng is married to an outsider; without the support of our Sui Dynasty, she will struggle to establish herself among the Turkic people. We should immediately send envoys to seek assistance."
In the past, during Han Gaozu's time at the Battle of Baideng, it was through bribing the Xiongnu Chanyu with Consort A that they managed to survive. With this precedent, the Emperor had no objections and promptly arranged for elite cavalry to break through the encirclement and deliver the message.
After learning that the Emperor was besieged and in imminent danger, reinforcements from various counties rushed day and night to gather at Yanmen County's borders, confronting the Turkic Forces. However, outnumbered and at a disadvantage, they dared not engage in battle.
They could only wait for more distant reinforcements to arrive. Gradually, more troops began to gather and attempted to engage with the Turkic forces, but each encounter ended in defeat. How could their weary army prevail against the rested Turkic Forces?
However, as reinforcements from Chang'an and Luoyang arrived, the situation eased slightly, though they still could not reach the county city.
Since all troops were arriving spontaneously without a clear commander, the army was in a state of disarray. Wang Shichong, who had rushed from Jiangdu, lamented with disheveled hair and a sorrowful expression, "How can we bear to see His Majesty in peril? This is the moment for us to show our loyalty!"
Although Wang Shichong did not hold a prominent position, his swift arrival from Jiangdu demonstrated his loyalty. It was said he had not removed his armor along the way and had slept directly on the grass at night; thus, no one reprimanded him.
Wang Shichong was certainly not a loyal minister of the Emperor; he merely believed that the Emperor would likely survive and was putting on an act. Seeing that everyone had noticed him, he fell silent and continued to weep.
Suddenly, Li Shimin spoke up from behind Right General of the Imperial Guard Yun Dingxing: "Shibi Khan dares to raise troops against His Majesty; he must think we are too hasty to provide aid. We should display our banners continuously during the day for several miles and respond with drums at night. The enemy will surely believe that reinforcements are vast and will retreat in fear."
"This is a good plan," he continued. "Otherwise, with their numbers overwhelming ours, if Shibi Khan brings his full force to battle, our army will surely falter."
It was indeed a good idea, but not everyone had the right to propose strategies here. After all, if the Emperor survived, this would be a tangible achievement. Everyone turned their gaze toward a handsome young man who was unfamiliar to them.
The governor of Beihai frowned and asked, "Who are you?"
Li Shimin replied, "I am Li Shimin, second son of Duke of Tang."
As the son of Duke of Tang Li Yan and brother of Right General of the Imperial Guards Li Jian Cheng, he naturally had the right to speak here. In fact, they should have flattered him; given his status, he would deserve a share even for doing nothing—especially since it was indeed a good idea.
But that was in the past; even Yun Dingxing who brought him here did not support him but allowed him to introduce himself instead. Clearly, he lacked backing and was only allowed in out of courtesy.
"You young brat! You have no place speaking here; get out!"
"Ha, your brother is a rebel like Yang Xuangan. You dare to come here instead of waiting in the residence for your punishment? I see you are colluding with the Turkic."
Li Shimin was sixteen years old and was no longer a child. He showed no reaction to the crowd's hostility, nor did he intend to speak further.
Although the emperor could not issue an edict to eradicate Duke Tang's Residence due to his elder brother leading a large army outside, he had already dispatched the Imperial Guards to monitor them. The safety of their family hung by a thread.
He had come here hoping to achieve a feat that would save them and alleviate the family's crisis.
The others were preparing to change their narrative, planning to take credit for the strategy as their own. They exchanged glances, knowing that once they had taken this piece of meat, they could not let anyone else snatch it away.
At that moment, someone entered and said, "When did the court determine my crime of rebellion? Is it the emperor's decree, or are you just speaking nonsense?"
Everyone was taken aback and involuntarily stood up. Li Jian Cheng strode in, his face marked with several scars and his armor visibly damaged. Upon entering, he surveyed the room like a hawk, causing the officials who had just criticized Li Shimin to shrink back.
How did he arrive?
No one expected Li Jian Cheng to come to the emperor's aid. Although there was no explicit decree from the court, the emperor's stance was clear. If Li Jian Cheng dared to return to Central Plains, it would surely provide a reason for him to be executed; being torn apart by five horses would not be surprising.
………………
(End of Chapter)
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