Li Chengqian of the Tang Dynasty: Please say long live His Majesty

Chapter 699 Why was the Tang Dynasty so domineering? Because the Mandate of Heaven belonged to the Tang! (Second Update)

On the Xiongjin River, warships floated half-submerged on the surface.

Many corpses were floating in the river.

Liu Rengui led his warships up from the rear, his cold gaze sweeping over everything.

On the south bank, a large number of Tang cavalry had already marched towards the capital of Baekje, while Liu Rengui was still searching for something.

"Get that body out of the water." Liu Rengui suddenly pointed to one of the corpses whose clothing was clearly different from that of the Tang and Baekje people.

The body's head was submerged in the water, its arms were outstretched, its upper body was floating, but its lower body was completely submerged.

The body was quickly retrieved. Liu Rengui glanced at the crotch cloth covering the body and couldn't help but sneer, "As expected, it's a Japanese."

Li Xiaoyi rushed over from the rear and happened to hear Liu Rengui's words. His face darkened, and he approached and asked in a low voice, "Brother Zhengze, have the Japanese also participated in the war between the Tang Dynasty and Baekje?"

"There should be some, but the number should not be many." Liu Rengui looked up at the thousands of corpses on the river in front of him, sighed softly, and said, "Let's start by retrieving them. Let's retrieve all the corpses first."

"Yes, sir!" The sailor beside him immediately obeyed.

Two hours later, a total of thirty Japanese corpses were laid out on the ground.

Liu Rengui and Li Xiaoyi walked over together, confirming each body one by one. Finally, Liu Rengui breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Half a team of Japanese. There aren't many people, which means the Japanese are keeping an eye on Baekje, but they don't have time to prepare."

Li Xiaoyi asked in a low voice, "Brother Zhengze, is Japan very close to Baekje?"

"Well, to put it simply, it's only a two-day, two-night journey by sea. But to put it more simply, the capital of Japan is two thousand li away from Baekje." Liu Rengui told Li Xiaoyi about the information he had obtained in Silla years ago, and then said, "Now there's no major problem. Japan hasn't reacted yet. Even if they have ambitions in the future, with Baekje under their control, they will find it difficult to achieve anything."

"I see." Li Xiaoyi nodded and said, "In that case, let's hurry to Sabi City. The capital of Baekje probably won't be so easily breached."

"Yes!" Liu Rengui nodded solemnly. He called his men over and gave them instructions, telling them to clean up the corpses on the river as quickly as possible, otherwise it would be troublesome if the corpses decomposed and caused a plague.

After giving their instructions, Liu Rengui and Li Xiaoyi led three hundred cavalrymen directly towards Sibi City.

……

On the vast plain south of Xiongjin, a massive city stands tall.

At this moment, the city is completely surrounded by an army of 100,000.

There was no gap between the three sides; it was a complete encirclement from all four sides.

Endless fighting, pervasive smoke of gunpowder.

Countless Goguryeo soldiers carried siege ladders and charged madly toward Baekje City. They finally made it to the top of the city wall, but were driven off the city wall in the shortest possible time.

Sabi Castle, the capital of Baekje.

When Baekje realized that the Tang Dynasty intended to destroy Baekje, although they didn't have enough time to prepare, it was enough for them to build up sufficient defenses in their capital.

Even if that's not enough, if all the hundreds of thousands of people in the capital were pulled onto the city walls, it would be enough to put up a resistance for a while.

The fierce fighting continued for three days and three nights without stopping.

But today, the sound of gongs was suddenly heard in the early afternoon.

Liu Rengui and Li Xiaoyi had just arrived under the banner when they saw Su Dingfang ordering the retreat. The two were astonished: "General!"

Su Dingfang waved his hand calmly, looked at Sabi City, and said indifferently, "The King of Baekje has been calling out to the outside world these past few days, wanting to talk to me. I am not good with words, so I will leave this matter to you."

Turning to the side, Su Dingfang looked directly at Liu Rengui.

Liu Rengui was taken aback, then solemnly cupped his hands and said, "This subordinate obeys the order."

Amidst the endless army, Liu Rengui rode out and arrived directly at a point an arrow's throw from the walls of Sabi Castle. He looked up and said, "Liu Rengui, Junior Tutor to the Crown Prince of the Great Tang, Inspector General of the Protectorate of Andong, and Prefect of Tuzhou, is here. I request the King of Baekje to come out and answer my questions."

"My father is unwell and has some questions. I, Prince Buyeo Long, would like to ask the Chief Secretary."

A middle-aged general dressed in red robes and gold armor stepped forward, looking at Liu Rengui with a face full of grief and indignation, and said loudly, "May I ask, Chief Secretary, for many years, Baekje and the Tang Dynasty have had good relations and have been very friendly. What has Baekje done to deserve this? Why does the Tang Dynasty insist on destroying Baekje? The Tang Dynasty is so powerful, can't it just let go of a mere Baekje? Why is the Tang Dynasty so domineering?"

With just one sentence from Fu Yulong, everyone in the entire city of Sibi couldn't help but look at Liu Rengui with grief and resentment.

After the Tang Dynasty destroyed Silla, it suddenly turned eastward, determined to destroy Baekje.

why why?
Why did the Tang Dynasty have to interfere in the war between Goguryeo and Silla, and even try to destroy Baekje?

"Because of destiny, because destiny belongs to Tang." Liu Rengui held his head high, and his words echoed throughout the entire Xiongjin Plain.

Su Dingfang, who was riding a horse in the distance, couldn't help but sit up straight.

Liu Rengui lowered his head, looked at Buyeo Ryong on the city wall, gripped the reins tightly, and solemnly said, "For more than a hundred years, the three kingdoms of Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla have been fighting each other endlessly, and innocent people have died tragically."

Liu Rengui's gaze swept across the faces of everyone on the city wall, and everyone lowered their heads in fear.

The entire plain fell completely silent for a moment.

For over a century, Goguryeo and Baekje first fought each other, then Baekje and Silla joined forces to resist Goguryeo, and later Baekje and Silla turned against each other and fought each other.

Finally, Baekje and Goguryeo joined forces to launch an eastern expedition against Silla, capturing more than forty cities.

This was before the Tang Dynasty intervened.

“Last year, Goguryeo and Silla clashed, and Baekje took the opportunity to plunder thirteen cities of Goguryeo. You say you are innocent? Where is your innocence?” Liu Rengui’s words, spoken almost through gritted teeth, made all the Goguryeo soldiers grip their swords and spears tightly.

Fuyu Long on the city wall wanted to interrupt Liu Rengui, but for a moment, he didn't know what to say.

Liu Rengui didn't even look at Buyeo Ryong. He raised his hands and said loudly, "Only the Tang Dynasty, only the Tang Dynasty can end the century of chaos in Dongdao. Now, Silla has been destroyed, and Goguryeo will also be returned to Tang. Only Baekje remains. As long as Baekje is returned to Tang, then the entire Dongdao will be able to completely return to stability."

Everyone was shocked by Liu Rengui's vision for the future.

Just imagining that scene fills me with longing.

"Only the Great Tang can do this, therefore, the Mandate of Heaven belongs to the Great Tang, the Mandate of Heaven belongs to Your Majesty!" Liu Rengui suddenly raised his right hand and then shouted, "The Mandate of Heaven will surely belong to the Great Tang, the Mandate of Heaven will surely belong to Your Majesty!"

"Shout!"

"Shout!"

"Shout!"

Countless Tang generals, each wielding a long spear, roared angrily.

The sound echoed across the entire plain, lingering for a long time. Liu Rengui gave Fuyu Long a deep look, said nothing more, turned around, and rode back to the army.

Under the great banner, Liu Rengui cupped his hands to Su Dingfang and said, "General, I have not failed in my mission!"

Su Dingfang seemed to have just come to his senses, and nodded slightly to Liu Rengui: "Indeed, it was the right thing to do to send you. You explained it better than I could."

"Thank you very much, Commander." Liu Rengui bowed respectfully.

Su Dingfang turned to Xue Wanche on the other side and said indifferently, "Pass down the message: if Baekje does not surrender within thirty days, after the city falls, all other factions, except for the Baekje royal palace, will plunder for three days with the army."

"Yes, sir!" Xue Wanche cupped his hands and immediately went to relay the order.

Soon, cheers erupted throughout the army, almost entirely from Goguryeo people.

“In this battle, the Goguryeo people are the main force attacking the city.” Su Dingfang turned to Liu Rengui and said, “We are behind them, providing them with siege ladders, battering rams, crossbows, and even crossbow bolts and catapults. Do you think we can take Sabi City within thirty days?”

Liu Rengui hesitated slightly, glanced at Sibi City, and then shook his head gently, saying, "It's difficult. Not everyone is willing to give up their power. Therefore, they will fight to the last moment with all their might, while waiting for reinforcements to come to their rescue."

"Reinforcements? Do they have any?" Su Dingfang asked calmly.

"No, anyone who comes to rescue us will be killed." Liu Rengui sighed and bowed, saying, "With your abilities, Commander, I'm sure anyone who comes to our aid will be completely annihilated."

Su Dingfang smiled calmly and said, "As for the rest, let's wait until the day Sibi City falls."

"Yes!" Liu Rengui bowed solemnly.

He couldn't help but look back at Sibi City again. He knew that Su Dingfang's strategy was far more complex than it appeared.

The main force of the Goguryeo people launched a strong attack on Sabi Castle. In addition to depleting the Goguryeo people's military strength, the key factor was the hatred between Goguryeo and Baekje.

What hatred could be deeper than the destruction of your capital and the subsequent three days and three nights of wanton looting?

Afterwards, these Goguryeo soldiers would be incorporated into the Tang Dynasty's military forces and stationed in Baekje.

With them around in Baekje, even if the Silla and Baekje people had the desire to restore their kingdoms, their first target would be the Goguryeo people.

Similarly, the Tang Dynasty later recruited soldiers in Baekje.

These soldiers would be stationed in Jungcheon Province, the only tributary state of Goguryeo, as retaliation for their harsh treatment of the Goguryeo people.

Thus, the anti-Tang sentiments of Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla could not be united; they were merely a mob, never effective, and would ultimately be completely wiped out by the Tang Dynasty's repeated suppression campaigns.

As the saying goes, the Tang Dynasty had countless wise ministers and famous generals, and the Mandate of Heaven would ultimately return to the Tang Dynasty.

……

The siege lasted for thirty-three days before the city fell.

The sounds of fighting that had filled the night gradually subsided.

The four city gates of Sibi City, as well as the main roads in the city, have all been occupied by Tang cavalrymen in black armor.

The black banner moved slowly forward, gradually entering the city of Sibi.

Su Dingfang's cold gaze swept across the surroundings. There were still sounds of fighting on the edge of the city in the distance, but the city as a whole had fallen into a state of calm.

Although he ordered that there would be three days for looting after the capture of Sabi Castle, that only applied to the Goguryeo soldiers, not the Tang soldiers.

Therefore, when the Tang soldiers completely occupied the Baekje royal palace, all the main roads of the entire city of Sabi, and all the noble residences, these Goguryeo soldiers dared not utter a word and could only turn to the ordinary people.

Liu Rengui followed calmly beside him.

He wasn't worried at all about the future return of the people of Sibi City to the Tang Dynasty, because there were too many ways to manipulate public sentiment.

A moment later, the group arrived at the Baekje Royal Palace, the most important palace in the city.

Buyeo Long, along with his brothers, sisters, children, and all the nobles of Baekje, were bound and made to kneel outside the palace.

Xue Wanche stepped forward, holding a tray with the Baekje King's seal, fish tally, and account books on it. He bowed respectfully and said, "General, Buyeo Uija passed away yesterday."

“So, the chaos yesterday was caused by their failure to control the good news, which spread and ultimately led to the chaos.” Su Dingfang tilted his head slightly.

"Yes!" Xue Wanche nodded and said, "It was that chaos that allowed the Goguryeo people to seize the opportunity and finally break through the city."

"It's better that he's dead, at least he won't implicate his children and grandchildren." Su Dingfang looked at Buyeo Long and the others on the ground and said, "Send down the order to send Buyeo Long, all the nobles in Baekje City, and their wealth to Chang'an. The court has also paid a heavy price in this battle."

"Yes!" Xue Wanche solemnly cupped his hands in greeting.

"Furthermore, as the Inspector General of the Binhai Prefecture and the Governor of Binhai Prefecture, you will lead half of your troops to conquer any city in Baekje in three days." Su Dingfang looked at the royal seal and said, "It should be easier with this royal seal. Remember that."

"Commander."

Su Dingfang looked intently at Xue Wanche and said, "Now that Silla, Baekje, and Goguryeo have all been incorporated into the Tang Dynasty, I want the banner of the Tang Dynasty to be planted in every corner of Goguryeo, Silla, and Baekje. As for Baekje, you will be in charge."

"This humble general obeys the order," Xue Wanche said loudly, bowing with his hands clasped.

"Let's deal with Sibi City first," Su Dingfang said, then slowly urged his horse into the palace.

Liu Rengui and others followed closely behind. More than half of the Tang army outside the city also entered the city, while the rest remained on guard outside.

……

As night fell, most of Sibi City was shrouded in darkness.

This quieted down the bustling city of Sibi after a day of commotion.

The north gate of the royal palace, atop the city wall.

Su Dingfang gazed northward into the distance.

Liu Rengui stood behind Su Dingfang and respectfully bowed, saying, "General!"

Su Dingfang nodded slightly and said, "With the situation now at this point, Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla have all fallen into the hands of the Tang Dynasty. Now, only the final step remains."

“Judging by the days, Gao Baozang should have already arrived in Tuzhou.” Liu Rengui raised his head and said softly, “If nothing unexpected happens, within ten days, Gao Baozang will hold the seal of the Goguryeo king, as well as the household registers of Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla, kneeling on the north bank of the Daedong River, and completely offering the entire three kingdoms of the Eastern Island to the Tang Dynasty and to His Majesty.”

Su Dingfang raised his head, looked at the starry sky above, and said softly, "You are right about one thing: the Mandate of Heaven will surely belong to the Tang Dynasty, and the Mandate of Heaven will surely belong to His Majesty!"

"Yes!" Liu Rengui bowed deeply.

(End of this chapter)