Honglou: This bastard is too persuasive.

Chapter 650 September City

Park Chung-hee was very conflicted. On the one hand, he was afraid of being punished after returning to the imperial city, and on the other hand, he was worried about leaving his homeland. He paced back and forth, weighing the pros and cons.

After a long while, Park Chung-hee slowly said, "I have been in Goguryeo for many years. My wife and children are all here. How can I just leave? But if I go back, the king's anger is really unbearable. Let's send someone back to the imperial city to find out what the king has to say and see if there is any room for maneuver. At the same time, we continue to look for a more secluded hiding place in this mountain to prevent the enemy from chasing us."

Everyone nodded in agreement. So Park Chung-hee sent a loyal subordinate to quietly return to the imperial city. While waiting for news, they lived a hard life in the mountains, always alert to the surrounding movements.

A few days later, the people sent to the imperial city came back and brought a disappointing news: the King of Goguryeo was extremely angry about the loss of September City and had ordered a warrant for the arrest of Park Chung-hee and others. Once caught, they would be killed without mercy.

Upon hearing this news, everyone's mood hit rock bottom. Cui Minxiu's face flushed, and he shouted angrily: "How can the king be so heartless? We have worked hard for Goguryeo, but now we have ended up like this! In this case, there is no need to cherish our old friendship, and we should just surrender to the Tang Dynasty!"

Although Jin Zaizhong was unwilling, he knew that he had no choice at this time. He sighed helplessly: "It seems that this is the only way. But we have to be extra careful on the way and not let anyone discover our whereabouts."

Park Chung-hee looked dejected, but his eyes also revealed a hint of determination: "Okay, then let's prepare to go to the Tang Dynasty. But we can't just leave like this. We must record the situation of September City and Jia Changsheng's troop deployment in detail as a gift for us to join the Tang Dynasty. Perhaps, with the help of the Tang Dynasty, we still have a chance to recover the lost territory and revive the glory of Goguryeo."

Everyone began to pack their bags and prepare to embark on a difficult journey to Datang. They knew that this journey was full of unknowns and dangers, but for the sake of survival and revenge, they had no choice. At the moment of leaving their homeland, Park Chung-hee and others felt mixed emotions, with reluctance and regret for the past, as well as confusion and expectations for the future. They didn't know what would be waiting for them in a foreign country, but they were determined to find a glimmer of hope in this chaotic world and fight for their own destiny.

Deep in the mountains, the temporary hiding place of the city lord Park Chung-hee and a group of senior officials was filled with tension and anxiety. Although everyone had temporarily escaped the immediate crisis of the fall of September City, the future was like a fog, making everyone worried.

Under the cover of night, military adjutant Choi Min-soo quietly handed a secret letter to his confidant and whispered, "Ride as fast as you can and deliver this letter to the royal city and present it to the king. Make sure the king knows that Park Chung-hee and others are intending to betray the country and surrender to the enemy. We must not let them succeed and tarnish the reputation of Goguryeo." After receiving the order, the confidant quickly disappeared into the darkness.

While in the cave, Park Chung-hee was still discussing the route and plan to go to Datang with his adviser Lee Sun-woo and others, and was completely unaware of the changes that had taken place internally.

A few days later, the spy that Park Chung-hee had sent to the royal city to get information hurriedly returned and reported in a panic: "Lord, something terrible has happened! The king has learned from somewhere that we want to surrender to the Tang Dynasty. He is now furious and has sent elite pursuit troops to capture us and bring us back to the royal city to punish us severely."

Upon hearing this, Park Chung-hee's face turned pale instantly. He slammed the table and shouted angrily, "Who is it? Who leaked the news?"

Everyone looked at each other, their eyes full of astonishment and suspicion. At this time, Cui Minxiu secretly said in his heart that it was not good, but he still pretended to be calm and tried to change the subject: "City Lord, the current emergency is how to deal with the pursuers, not to pursue this matter. We need to find a safe place to hide as soon as possible."

However, Park Chung-hee was very smart. He stared at Choi Min-soo and asked coldly, "General Choi, you seem to be very concerned about this matter. Could it be that you did something good?"

Cui Minxiu's forehead was covered with beads of sweat, and he denied it flatly: "City Lord, what do you mean? I, Cui Minxiu, am loyal to Goguryeo, how could I do such a treasonous thing? I think there must be a villain who instigated it and deliberately framed me."

Park Chung-hee snorted coldly, no longer paying attention to Choi Min-soo, and turned to Lee Sun-woo and said, "Mr. Lee, you are very smart, do you have any countermeasures now?"

Li Shanyu frowned, thought for a moment and said, "City Lord, the pursuers are coming. We are weak in force, and fighting head-on is not the best strategy. We might as well set a trap here and use the terrain advantage to delay the pursuers. At the same time, we can split our troops into two groups. One group pretends to be the main force to divert the pursuers, and the other group detours to the border to seek asylum in other countries."

After weighing the pros and cons, Park Chung-hee nodded and said, "This is the only way. Choi Min-soo, you lead a team of people as bait to attract the main force of the pursuers. If you can successfully complete the mission, after returning to the royal city, I will plead with the king to spare your life."

Choi Min-soo was startled, knowing that Park Chung-hee was testing him, but he did not dare to disobey the order and had to obey and leave.

After Choi Min-soo left, Park Chung-hee secretly instructed his confidants: "Keep a close eye on Choi Min-soo's every move. If he makes any unusual moves, report immediately. I'm sure he's the traitor, and I'm sending him as bait this time to expose his true colors."

Choi Min-soo led a group of people and pretended to flee in panic, leaving many traces along the way to attract the pursuers. However, he had another plan in mind. He secretly sent people to contact the pursuers and tell them the true whereabouts of Park Chung-hee and others, hoping to exchange this for his own life and wealth.

Park Chung-hee's confidant soon discovered Cui Minxiu's abnormality and hurried back to report it. After Park Chung-hee learned about it, he gnashed his teeth and said, "I will never forgive this traitor!"

He quickly adjusted his deployment and led the remaining troops to take a detour, avoiding the route of Cui Minxiu and the pursuers, and galloped towards the border.

Cui Minxiu thought his plan was successful, but he didn't expect that the pursuers had no intention of letting him go after getting his intelligence. When he met the pursuers, the leader sneered and said, "General Cui, do you think you can save your life by betraying the city lord? The king has ordered that all traitors must be killed without mercy!"

Cui Minxiu was terrified and tried to resist, but was easily subdued by the pursuers and eventually his head and body were separated.

After going through hardships, Park Chung-hee and his companions finally reached the border. However, they did not find a suitable opportunity to enter the country. At this time, the pursuers came again and surrounded them. Park Chung-hee looked at the pursuers around him, his heart full of despair. He knew that it would be difficult to escape today. But he still held on and shouted to the pursuers: "We are all ministers of Goguryeo. Although we have guilt, we have also made great contributions to Goguryeo. Why is the king so heartless now and must kill us all?"

The leader of the pursuing troops said expressionlessly: "Lord Park, you are committing treason. Your crime is unforgivable. We can only carry out the king's orders."

Just as Park Chung-hee and his men were preparing to fight to the death, a mysterious army suddenly appeared from the flank and repelled the pursuers. Park Chung-hee and his men looked at the army in astonishment, not knowing whether it was an enemy or a friend.

A general walked out of the army and bowed to Park Chung-hee, saying, "Lord Park, I am General Xue Rengui of the Tang Dynasty. I have heard about your plight and have come to help you. If you are willing to turn from evil to good, the Tang Dynasty is willing to provide you with shelter."

Park Chung-hee looked at Xue Rengui with mixed feelings. He knew that he didn't have much choice at this time. If he returned to Goguryeo, he would die; and if he went to the Tang Dynasty, although he was leaving his homeland, he could at least save his life.

Finally, Park Chung-hee sighed and led the remaining people to follow Xue Rengui to the Tang Dynasty. Their fate began a new chapter in a foreign country, and this storm of treason and loyalty became a much-discussed story in the history of Goguryeo.

In the main tent, the candlelight flickered. Jia Changsheng sat on the main seat, and the intelligence he had just received about the civil strife of the Lord of Jiuyue City in Goguryeo was unfolded on the table. The corners of his mouth were slightly raised, and his eyes showed a bit of playfulness and a deep insight into the world. The generals sat on both sides, looking relaxed. The atmosphere was completely different from the tension during the war.

"Everyone, I heard that Park Chung-hee, the lord of Goguryeo's September City, wanted to defect to our Tang Dynasty, but was betrayed by his subordinates and was hunted down by his king. Now his life or death is unknown. This is really a good show!" Jia Changsheng was the first to break the silence, picked up the wine glass, took a sip, and laughed heartily.

Vanguard General Zhao Meng clapped his legs and laughed: "Haha, these Goguryeo people usually look arrogant, but now they are in chaos. Park Chung-hee is also a man without a mind of his own. When the city was broken, he only thought about escaping, and was even plotted against by his own people. It's really ridiculous!"

"General, Goguryeo has been in turmoil for a long time, and various forces are fighting for power and profit, and they will do anything to achieve their own interests. The defeat at September City is just the inevitable result of their corrupt rule." Advisor Qian Wen waved his feather fan, smiled, and analyzed slowly, "Park Chung-hee attempted to betray his country and surrender to Tang, but he never thought that the people inside were not united. His military adjutant Cui Minxiu sold out the city lord in order to seek credit and reward, which shows that there is no loyalty among his people."

Jia Changsheng nodded slightly, with a hint of disdain in his eyes: "How can a country not be defeated if the people are divided? Our army's attack on September City this time is just a matter of following the trend. Their decline has long been doomed."

"Yes, General. When our army was at the gates of the city, Park Chung-hee must have been so scared that he lost his mind and only thought about his own escape route, not caring about the lives of the people and soldiers in the city." Li Yong, the deputy general, echoed, "Now that they are suspicious of each other and fighting among themselves, it saves us a lot of effort."

"However, General, although Goguryeo is in turmoil, a lean camel is still bigger than a horse. We still cannot take it lightly." Veteran General Sun Fu looked solemn and reminded, "Their royal city still has a certain amount of troops. If they reorganize and fight our army again, I'm afraid there will be another fierce battle."

Jia Changsheng put down his wine glass and his expression became serious: "General Sun is right. Although the civil strife in Goguryeo has given us an opportunity, we must always remain vigilant, strengthen border defenses, and pay close attention to their every move. At the same time, we must also seize the time to prepare for war and enhance our army's combat effectiveness to deal with any changes that may occur at any time."

"General, don't worry. The morale of our soldiers is high. After this period of fighting and training, their combat effectiveness is much better than before. If the Goguryeo people dare to invade again, they will never return!" Zhao Meng patted his chest and guaranteed.

"Well, I feel relieved with all the generals here." Jia Changsheng swept his eyes over everyone, his eyes full of trust and relief, "You all made great contributions in the attack on September City this time. After returning to the court, I will definitely ask His Majesty for your credit."

"Thank you, General!" All the generals expressed their gratitude in unison, their faces filled with joy.

"However, the current situation in Goguryeo is both an opportunity and a challenge for us. We must make good use of their civil strife to further expand our advantage on the border." Jia Changsheng pondered for a moment and continued, "Mr. Qian, what do you think?"

Qian Wen thought for a moment and said, "General, in my opinion, we can strengthen the economic blockade on the border of Goguryeo, restrict their material flow, and further weaken their strength; on the other hand, we can secretly contact those forces in Goguryeo who are dissatisfied with the royal family, support them in confronting the royal family, and let Goguryeo fall into deeper civil strife. In this way, we can reap the benefits."

"Mr. Qian, this is a brilliant plan!" Jia Changsheng's eyes lit up and he praised, "However, this matter must be kept secret, and we must not let the Goguryeo people realize our intentions."

"Don't worry, General. I will make proper arrangements." Qian Wen bowed and accepted the order.

"Hahaha, great!" Jia Changsheng laughed again. "With the assistance of the generals and Mr. Qian, I believe that in the near future, Goguryeo will no longer be a threat to our dynasty. Come, let's drink this cup and toast to our dynasty's victory!"

"Cheers!" Everyone raised their glasses and drank them all. The tent was filled with laughter.

In this relaxed atmosphere, Jia Changsheng and his men were talking and laughing while discussing the next strategic plan. They knew that the outcome of a war depended not only on the fighting on the battlefield, but also on the grasp of the situation and the use of strategies. At this time, Goguryeo was stuck in the quagmire of civil strife, and Jia Changsheng and others were ready to seize this opportunity to further consolidate and expand their advantages and lay a solid foundation for the final victory.

Of course, they just treated this matter on the Gogoli side as a joke. For them, these were not a big deal. What they really needed to pay attention to was the continuation of the war. Because they had now occupied Baekje, the next step was to take over the entire Gogoli. So they knew everything about Gogoli, but what was more important to them was to occupy more territory. So after talking about this matter, they discussed the next plan.

(End of this chapter)