The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 357: Under the City of Anshi
"Your Majesty, there has been no unusual movement."

Su Dingfang said: "Your Majesty, Gao Yanshou is a fool. He is so arrogant leading an army of 150,000. He will definitely make a rash move."

"Report!" A scout came in hastily and reported: "Your Majesty, General Xue Wanche has crossed the sea to Beisha City, bringing with him 20,000 cotton-padded clothes and 10,000 troops, waiting for your majesty's military orders."

Su Dingfang asked, "Why is Xue Wanche here?"

"It's the order of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

"Good! Xue Wanche is here for the taking." Li Shimin said in a clear voice: "The soldiers are eager to return home. We cannot delay any longer. Summon all the generals to Anshi City to discuss matters."

"Here."

The sound of drums was heard in Anshi City, and a rider on a fast horse left Anshi City to deliver news to the generals stationed in various places.

Inside the city wall of An Market, Li Shimin spread out a map.

Li Ke in armor, Qibi Heli, Ashina She'er, Yinggong Li Ji, Wang Xuandu, Liu Renyuan...

Many generals gathered before His Majesty.

When they saw the map in front of them, everyone understood that His Majesty was preparing to swallow up Goguryeo's 150,000-strong army.

Liu Renyuan said loudly: "Your Majesty, just as General Su said, Gao Yanshou's troops are not very capable generals. If he knew how to lead troops to fight, he should let the Mohe people harass the Liao River and cut off the Liao River again, so that the army would have no follow-up food and grass."

Li Shimin stood in front of the generals, silent and with a stern expression.

Everyone began to analyze what kind of general Gao Yanshou was, and asked the Goguryeo officials captured by the Tang people to provide information.

Li Shimin sat down and thought.

Li Dao Zong said: "It seems that Gao Yanshou intends to defend Wugut City?"

Su Dingfang said: "If he can really hold Wugut City, we should think highly of him."

Qibi Heli stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I have fought against Gao Yanshou's troops before, and he is indeed a fool."

The man made his comment in such a serious manner that the generals almost laughed out loud.

Li Ji said: "Your Majesty is the Khan of Heaven. If Gao Yanshou thinks that he can capture the Khan of Heaven, it will be a great achievement. How can a fool not be tempted by such a great achievement? Moreover, their food and grass may not be sufficient. Now the weather is clear, the food and grass are insufficient, the weather is right, and they are eager for success, so they will probably advance rashly."

Everyone nodded.

There is only one problem left now. People’s hearts are hidden behind their stomachs. How to prove that Gao Yanshou is a fool?

This is a headache.

Su Dingfang whispered, "I thought we could send a team to feint and attack with the banner of Heavenly Khan to lure Gao Yanshou's army to chase us. If they really chase us..."

Li Dao Zong said: "I am willing to lead the troops to encircle the enemy."

What's the harm in giving it a try? Li Shimin looked at the generals in front of him and made a plan in his mind.

Seeing His Majesty's knowing smile, all the generals laughed.

Li Shimin immediately issued several military orders.

On the fifth day when Liaodong cleared up, the weather was sunny and windy, but still cold.

Several armies of the Tang army, led by their respective generals, began to march out of the city.

Ashina She'er and Li Simo led 5,000 cavalrymen out of Anshi City. These cavalrymen wore Tang armor, but they were all Turkic cavalrymen and were very good at raiding and fighting.

After the cavalry left the city, they rushed all the way towards Wugut City.

There is a valley in front of Anshi City. This valley is the battlefield prepared by the Tang army, where they will destroy Gao Yanshou's 150,000-strong army.

But now the emperor has only 30,000 soldiers.

Li Shimin led 4,000 soldiers and horses to a place to kill the enemy. If Ashina She'er lured the enemy deep into the territory, he could see the situation of the battlefield from here.

Li Ke handed over a cooked egg and said, "Father, I don't have anything else with me, so I left two eggs."

Li Shimin took the egg with a smile but did not eat it immediately. Instead, he said, "If we win this battle, you and I will use this egg to celebrate."

Li Ke smiled and said, "Okay, this battle will definitely be a great victory."

Li Daozon rode past with an army of 10,000, and they were going to ambush in another mountain area.

As dusk approached, Ashina She'er arrived in front of the city where Gao Yanshou's army was stationed.

Before attacking the city, Li Simo said, "We can bring more soldiers."

"Haha, attacking the city is too tiring. It's better to lure the enemy out. Besides, there are too many troops to avoid destroying the 150,000-strong army and making the Khan's plan go awry."

Li Simo shouted loudly in Turkic.

The cavalry began their attack, but as expected, the Goguryeo people had prepared an ambush at the edge of the city. As soon as the siege began, Goguryeo soldiers appeared on both sides.

When the Goguryeo ambush was approaching.

Ashina She'er shouted again in Turkish, and five thousand Turkish cavalry turned around and retreated.

The flag of the Heavenly Khan fluttered in the wind.

This is what your majesty said, it doesn't hurt to give it a try.

Facts have proved that all of Goguryeo's actions had been guessed by Your Majesty and the generals, and Gao Yanshou's army did catch up with them.

“Hahaha!” Li Simo laughed as he rode on his horse and heard the sound of arrows coming from behind him: “They fell into the trap.”

The Turks leaned over their horses' backs and let them run at full speed. They could hear the sound of arrows breaking through the air. It was the Goguryeo cavalry shooting arrows.

Even if this army was not led by the Heavenly Khan, Gao Yanshou felt that as long as he could capture a Tang army, he would be able to give an explanation to the Goguryeo general Yeon Gaesomun in the rear.

Since crossing the Liao River, the Tang army has won many great victories, and Goguryeo lost all the cities east of the Liao River.

Gao Yanshou led a large army outside and could not stay still. He had been holding out until now, and Yeon Gaesomun had become suspicious.

In order to allow the Goguryeo people to catch up and not fall behind, Ashina She'er even deliberately slowed down.

From time to time he would shoot arrows at the pursuers behind him.

In the setting sun, the main road leading to Anshi City was faintly visible in front of them. Gao Yanshou shouted at the army to speed up the pursuit.

The Goguryeo army entered a valley, but the scene before them sent chills down their spines.

Appearing before the Goguryeo people was Li Ji's 15,000-strong army.

Just when Gao Yanshou realized the ambush, he suddenly saw flags flying high on the hill in the north and horns sounded.

At this moment, Gao Yanshou realized that Tian Khan was on that mountain.

But the current situation did not allow Gao Yanshou to think too much, as shouts of killing suddenly came from behind.

Li Daozon led an army of 10,000 and attacked the Goguryeo people from behind the foothills.

Li Shimin was standing on the top of the mountain. The emperor seemed to have returned to the momentum he had when he conquered the world. He commanded with confidence and led his troops to victory.

He looked confidently at the battlefield below the mountain. The 150,000 Goguryeo troops were surrounded by 30,000 Tang troops.

In this terrain, no matter how brilliant Gao Yanshou's strategy was, his 150,000-strong army could not be deployed here at all.

(Note: The historical data recorded in the New Book of Tang are really so fierce, they are not written randomly.)
At this moment, it was about to get dark, and a sharp chill was coming from the north, a cold wind unique to Liaodong. Beside Li Shimin, 4,000 Tang soldiers were wearing cotton clothes, not afraid of the severe cold at all.

Li Ji led his army to engage in a head-on collision with the Goguryeo army, and Qibi Heli was the first to charge into the Goguryeo army with a knife in hand.

The Tang army rushed into the Goguryeo army like a hot knife, tearing a hole in the Goguryeo army.

At this moment, behind Gao Yanshou's army, Wang Xuandu, Liu Renyuan, and Li Daozon led their army to rush towards the rear of Goguryeo.

And just behind the three generals, a figure as fast as the wind flashed past their eyes.

Li Daozon didn't even see who the man was before he rushed out from behind him at such a fast speed.

Wang Xuandu and Liu Renyuan recognized that the man in the white robe was Xue Rengui.

Under the setting sun, Xue Rengui, alone, rode his warhorse and charged into the Goguryeo army first. He swung the halberd in his hand and pierced a Goguryeo soldier.

Then, Xue Rengui roared loudly, scaring the Goguryeo people around him to scatter.

In the enemy's formation, this white-robed general single-handedly charged into the Goguryeo army and was unstoppable.

When the armies of Li Daozon and Liu Renyuan arrived, the rear of the Goguryeo army was in disarray.

Li Shimin stood on the mountainside under the sunset glow, looking at the warriors who were marching through the enemy camp unhindered, and asked, "Who is this man?"

Li Ke replied: "Father, the man in the white robe is most likely Xue Rengui, a general under General Zhang Shigui."

"Isn't Zhang Shigui guarding Liaoxi and transporting food and grass?"

"This..." Li Ke cleared his throat and said, "This Xue Rengui should indeed be in Liaoxi County with General Zhang to coordinate food and grass, but this man crossed the Liao River alone to participate in the war. It is said that..."

After organizing his words, Li Ke thought for a moment and replied, "It is said that he was recommended by the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace to join the war."

Li Shimin suddenly smiled and said, "Zhang Shigui has never had any contact with the prince. I know this very well."

"Father..." Li Ke reminded, "Xue Rengui and Pei Xingjian are from the same hometown. It was my brother who arranged for Pei Xingjian to be the county magistrate in Weinan. It was also my brother who recommended Pei Xingjian to be the governor of Anxi Protectorate."

Li Shimin put his hands behind his back, no longer had any doubts, and said with a smile: "I am very relieved to have such a brave general."

Li Ke felt that Liu Renyuan was also very good, and Pei Xingjian should not be inferior to him, but since his father liked Xue Rengui so much, there was nothing much to say.

Anyway, Li Ke admired more strategic generals like Pei Xingjian and Liu Renyuan.

The sky gradually darkened until it was completely dark. The originally red sunset sky had completely turned into night, the wind became colder, and the army was still fighting under the starry night.

Li Shimin saw that the battle was coming to an end.

When Gao Huizhen saw the tall and strong general in white robe approaching, he bowed hastily.

But it was too late, Xue Rengui's halberd had pierced his waist and abdomen.

Liu Renyuan rode his horse aside and said, "He wants to surrender."

Xue Rengui said: "Really? I didn't see it."

As soon as he finished speaking, Wang Xuandu suddenly arrived, holding a Mo Dao in his hand, and killed a Goguryeo man who was about to surrender.

Noticing the glances of Liu Renyuan and Xue Rengui, Wang Xuandu wiped the blood off his knife and said, "Kill one more, and see what I will do!"

Liu Renyuan and Xue Rengui withdrew their gazes at the same time.

The remaining Goguryeo people bowed down and surrendered to the Tang army.

When Li Shimin came down the mountain, Li Ji and Li Daozong reported: "Your Majesty, Gao Yanshou has surrendered, and Gao Huizhen is dead."

Li Shimin nodded and walked quickly to Gao Yanshou, then raised his foot and kicked him.
Gao Yanshou was kicked to the ground. He didn't dare to look up, but continued to kneel on the ground.

Li Shimin didn't want to look at him any longer, so he led Li Ke and the team back to Anshi City.

Gao Yanshou was still trembling as he knelt on the ground. Liu Renyuan looked at him with disdain and said, "You are so brave to build a Jingguan."

Wang Xuandu was holding an extremely exaggerated large Mo Dao, which was much wider than the ordinary Mo Dao. He was eager to try and said, "Everyone, get out of the way, let me chop this evil beast down!"

Li Dao Zong said in a deep voice: "It will be useful to keep him. If we go deep into the heart of Goguryeo, we need someone to show us the way."

“Ah! This is really frustrating!” Wang Xuandu said anxiously, “Just leave it for a few more days.”

Li Ji gave a few instructions to the soldiers around him, asking them to send Gao Yanshou to Anshi City. He was also worried that the soldiers in front of him would really not be able to resist and kill this Goguryeo general.

The Tang army also needed generals like him to inform Goguryeo of the remaining troops and the situation in the Goguryeo capital in the rear.

Now that Goguryeo's 150,000-strong army has been destroyed, except for Goguryeo's capital, there are no armies of this size anywhere else.

In this battle, the Tang army used 30,000 troops to wipe out Goguryeo's 150,000 troops, killing more than 100,000 enemies and capturing more than 30,000.

But in this battle, very few prisoners were captured.

Crossing Wugucheng requires crossing a swamp, and crossing the Yalu River requires a huge amount of manpower.

Qibi Heli, with 5,000 soldiers and horses, was dealing with these surrendered troops.

At midnight, the cold wind was howling and there were no living people on the battlefield. The Tang army retreated to Anshi City to avoid the cold night wind.

The generals sat in a large mansion in the city, discussing the next strategy.

And just next door, there were screams coming from this time. The screams were very pleasant to the ears. It was Wang Xuandu interrogating Gao Yanshou.

Xue Rengui stood outside the door listening to the screams one after another, and his expression finally looked better.

Liu Renyuan said: "If we kill him, it would be too easy for him."

Xue Rengui looked inside the house again and found that Gao Yanshou's screams had stopped. It was not because Wang Xuandu had let him go, but because Wang Xuandu was tired from beating him and was taking a rest.

Although it was called an interrogation, Wang Xuandu had no intention of conducting a proper interrogation and was just beating him unilaterally.

He is the only one with a lot of strength. He just finished a battle and now he is able to beat the prisoners. Does this man have endless strength?
Liu Renyuan sat against the door, closed his eyes and rested. He was exhausted.

Xue Rengui stood straight, listening to the discussion next door. His Majesty and several generals were discussing how to continue the attack.

After a night passed, when many generals had withdrawn, they learned that His Majesty had also rested.

Xue Rengui pulled Wang Xuandu and said, "Stop hitting me. If you continue, I'll kill you."

Gao Yanshou fell to the ground, bleeding from his mouth and nose, and his face was swollen beyond recognition.

Wang Xuandu said, “Once we enter the capital of Goguryeo, I will skin Yeon Gaesomun alive.”

Li Ke was holding an egg in his hand. When he saw Xue Rengui approaching, he said, "Warrior!"

"Your Highness, the King of Wu." Xue Rengui and Wang Xuandu saluted together.

"During yesterday's battle, Father specifically asked about you."

"I dare not let Your Majesty worry about me."

Wang Xuandu's face fell, he was very envious.

When the Eastern Expedition is over, Xue Rengui will surely become famous and become a great general of the Tang Dynasty.

Li Ke added: "We have been busy for a whole day and night, and the soldiers have worked hard."

(End of this chapter)