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

Chapter 732 The City Burns, the Flood Has Arrived (Third Update Yesterday)
In the blink of an eye, autumn has arrived.

The northwest wind has been blowing very hard these past two days, especially at night.

Li Wu, dressed in black armor, led more than twenty cavalrymen back from a patrol in the north.

After glancing at the downstream military camp that was being tidied up, Li Wu turned and entered the main camp.

In the central command tent, Li Wu appeared silently in the rear tent.

He glanced ahead and saw Su Dingfang talking to the naval commander Liu Demin in front of the sand table.

Liu Demin arrived at Junqian from Luoyang two months ago. After arriving, he immediately mobilized a large number of craftsmen and soldiers from Jiangnan to begin shipbuilding.

Advancing by land and water, and fighting together, was something Su Dingfang and Liu Demin had been doing since their time at the Andong Army.

After an unknown amount of time, Su Dingfang returned to the back tent. He glanced at the dark corner and asked directly, "How's the tunnel digging going?"

"It'll be soon." Li Wu stepped out of the shadows and said, "In three more days, we'll be able to dig into the city. Then, it'll be up to you when you make your move."

Li Wu made a special trip to the Northwest Lake today just to confirm this matter.

"Tomorrow, Xue Rengui and Qibi Heli will return, bringing with them ten thousand barbarian soldiers and a large amount of grain." Su Dingfang couldn't help but smile, then asked with a serious expression, "Is everything alright with the Princess?"

"It's safe for now." Li Wu nodded and said, "With such a large army approaching Luoxie, the Princess is Mangsong Mangtsen's last trump card for survival. They won't let this trump card be harmed."

"That's good." After a slight pause, Su Dingfang said, "Your Highness's safety must be guaranteed the moment the city is breached. Otherwise, even if we capture Luoxie, it will be difficult to explain to His Majesty and the Prince of Jiangxia."

"Don't worry, I've made arrangements." Li Wu nodded calmly.

"Very well." Su Dingfang's expression turned solemn. He said, "To avoid any unforeseen complications, we will set the city on fire three days later, and then launch a full-scale attack on the city four days later. You will enter the city from the northwest at that time."

"Yes!" Li Wu bowed respectfully.

The final battle is about to begin.

……

The night was heavy.

The northwest wind howled through the air.

Su Dingfang, dressed in black clothes and black armor, stood under the northwest city wall.

Not far to the south of the city, thousands of cavalrymen carrying torches galloped back and forth outside the south gate, constantly harassing the area.

It was thanks to the light from that side and the harassment of the Tibetans that Su Dingfang and Wei Hongji were able to silently send nine catapults to a position two hundred paces from the city wall.

“This is a corner of the city wall, the easiest place to be overlooked. With the commotion to the south, nobody pays any attention to us.” After a slight pause, Su Dingfang smiled and said, “But even if someone does pay attention, it’s too late.”

"Yes!" Di Renjie stood calmly beside Su Dingfang, bowing slightly. His gaze swept over Wei Hongji, who was nervously adjusting the catapult.

"By the way, why didn't you, the imperial censor, stop the arson that burned the city?" Su Dingfang suddenly asked.

"Why stop it?" Di Renjie looked up and said, "This place is already enemy territory. Even if it is returned to Tang in the future, it will still be ruled by Tibetan King Mangsong Mangtsen. If more people die in the city now, it will greatly reduce the burden on the soldiers to attack the city. At the same time, it will also weaken Mangsong Mangtsen's foundation in the future, so as to prevent him from thinking of rebelling against Tang."

The entire city of Lhasa has received great favors from the Tibetan royal family for many years.

It would be very difficult for someone like that to submit to the Tang Dynasty.

Instead of spending a huge amount of time and effort on these things in the future, it's better to find a solution now.

Su Dingfang smiled and nodded, saying, "That's what I like about you."

Di Renjie silently cupped his hands in greeting.

Su Dingfang calmed down and turned to look at Wei Hongji beside him. Wei Hongji was already looking at him.

"Let's begin." Su Dingfang nodded calmly to him.

"Yes!" Wei Hongji waved his command flag, and the next moment, nine fireballs were ignited simultaneously.

Before the Tibetans on the city wall could react, all nine fireballs had been thrown out.

It flew over the city wall and then crashed heavily onto the houses in the city.

Those who lived in the southwest corner of the city had always been the poorest ordinary people, even slaves, in the entire city.

Their houses use very little stone; most of them are made of wood.

The fireball exploded directly on the house, and black oil splattered out instantly. The next moment, the entire house began to burn fiercely.

Fireballs were thrown in one after another, quickly setting fire to numerous wooden houses in the city. By the time the Tibetans reacted, the fire had already spread rapidly throughout the city.

Soon someone found water to put out the fire, but as soon as the water was poured on, the fire instantly flared up, and several people were engulfed in flames.

Instantly, a cacophony of wailing and howling filled the air.

As the fire intensified, the wind immediately swept up into it.

Fire borrows the power of wind, and wind aids the power of fire.

A fierce fire raged, and the sky to the southwest of Lhasa was dyed a deep, blood-red hue.

……

"Demolish the houses! Demolish the houses! Cut off the roads!" Luo Binwang shouted at the top of his lungs in the city, but the city was in such a chaotic state that no one paid any attention to him.

Just then, the sound of horses' hooves came from afar.

Shang Jiezan quickly came to Luo Binwang's side, then rolled down and grabbed Luo Binwang's hand, asking, "Sir, what's wrong?"

"They've set it on fire." Luo Binwang gritted his teeth and looked southwest, saying hatefully, "They've gone mad, setting fire to a city that's already completely besieged. They'll be impeached to death by the censors. How dare they?"

"Over there!" Shang Jiezan glanced southwest, pressed down on Luo Binwang, and said seriously, "Sir, there's a fire. Just have someone put it out. What we need to be careful of now is outside the city. They might attack the city at any time."

Luo Binwang looked at Shang Jiezan in surprise.

He found his calmness somewhat unbelievable. Then he raised an eyebrow and realized what was going on.

Today, those living in the southwest of Lhasa are the poorest slaves and ordinary people in all of Lhasa; there are hardly any nobles or dignitaries.

Shang Jiezan didn't seem to care much about this.

Suddenly, Luo Binwang felt a chill in his heart. He quickly rallied his spirits and said, "We must put out the fire quickly, otherwise it will spread throughout the city. The soldiers will lose their will to defend it, and if the Tang army attacks, the city gates will fall. Besides, there's still food and provisions. The people have homes and can hold on a little longer, but those without homes... It's already late autumn, and people will freeze to death in winter. Once outside..."

Shang Jiezan's heart tightened, and he immediately nodded and said, "Sir, you are right. I will make the arrangements immediately."

Luo Binwang nodded, and seeing that Shang Jiezan had made the arrangements, he said, "Judging from the commotion outside, they should only be setting fires tonight to see us in a panic. Tomorrow will be the real time to attack the city... Your Excellency, please forgive my impertinence, when will you release the water?"

Shang Jiezan stopped in his tracks, then looked at Luo Binwang with a somewhat frightened expression and said, "Tomorrow!"

"Tomorrow?" Luo Binwang couldn't help but take two steps back and asked, "Why tomorrow? Why choose tomorrow? Is there anything special about tomorrow?"

Shang Jiezan chose to open the dam and release water tomorrow, while Su Dingfang decided to launch a full-scale attack on the city tomorrow. If this was merely a coincidence, Luo Binwang would absolutely not believe it.

He even suspected that the news of Shang Jiezan's plan to open the dam and release water had been leaked.

There were even Tang Dynasty spies around him.

After all, even Luo Binwang was unaware of these matters.

Shang Jiezan quickly waved his hand and said, "The reason we chose tomorrow is because the army from Shannan has already entered the downstream camp. We are afraid that things might change if we delay and the news might be leaked when we try to communicate with each other. That's why we chose to take action tomorrow. As for the other side..."

“They’ve arrived.” Luo Binwang breathed a slight sigh of relief and looked at Shang Jiezan, saying, “I’m afraid they don’t really trust the army in Shannan, which is why they chose to act soon. Tomorrow… they’re acting because there was a strong wind tonight, so they’ve chosen tomorrow.”

"That should be the case." Shang Jiezan nodded, but his expression remained solemn.

"That's definitely it. If they really knew something, they might have attacked the city tonight instead of setting it on fire like this." After a slight pause, Luo Binwang, who had regained some composure, said, "They probably wanted to launch a surprise attack. If they succeeded, great; even if they didn't, they could still threaten the city and accelerate food depletion..."

"They're still making trouble over the food supply." Shang Jiezan looked up at the still-burning flames in the distance and said nervously, "This can't go on. I have to personally go and mobilize people to put out the fire."

"Wait!" Luo Binwang grabbed Shang Jiezan and said, "Let's open the dam tomorrow half an hour earlier, just in case."

Shang Jiezan froze, staring at Luo Binwang in surprise.

Luo Binwang said softly, "At this time, we cannot afford to make even the slightest mistake."

Shang Jiezan immediately became serious and said earnestly, "Let's do as you say, sir."

"Good!" Luo Binwang finally breathed a sigh of relief, released Shang Jiezan, and watched him go to put out the fire.

Throughout the entire ordeal, Luo Binwang only knew that the dam would be opened and water released the next day, but he did not know the exact time.

He also didn't want to know.

If tonight's events are not a coincidence, then it means that Shang Jiezan has spies around him.

He reminded Shang Jiezan to open the dam early, which might catch them off guard.

Luo Binwang turned and left.

However, he looked very somber when he left.

If the early opening of the dam was predicted, then the problem wasn't with the details, but rather that the Tang Dynasty had some other information.

Luo Binwang raised his head slightly.

If that's really the case, then it means Heaven intends to destroy Tibet.

He should get ready.

……

Dawn is breaking.
The fire that had been burning in the city all night finally went out.

Su Dingfang stood on the hillside north of the military camp, followed by Pei Xingjian and Di Renjie, gazing into the city.

Fire borrows the power of wind, and wind aids the power of fire.

The fire in the city raged through the night under the influence of the north wind.

At first, the flames only set fire to three or five houses, but the black oil flames were extremely high, and with someone using water to extinguish the fire, the flames quickly rose up, and with a gust of wind, the fire spread rapidly.

However, there were capable people in the city who managed to dismantle houses, water the fire, and eventually, without the aid of black oil, gradually bring the flames under control.

But it's only under control; the heavy losses are still there.

A series of wails and cries of pain echoed continuously from the city.

From Su Dingfang's location, one could clearly see the figures of people weeping in the fire.

That night, countless families were torn apart, and countless people were killed or injured.

However, his expression remained cold.

These people were all loyal supporters of the Tibetan king. If we did not take advantage of the war to reduce their numbers as much as possible, they would pose a huge threat to the Tang Dynasty's rule in Tibet in the future.

Behind Su Dingfang, Di Renjie and Li Dejian remained silent as well.

Just then, a loud "boom" suddenly resounded in the mountains to the east, and then echoed continuously in the sky.

The enormous roar even momentarily drowned out the cries of anguish in the city, and soon, a powerful cheer, accompanied by the surging tide, echoed from within the city.

Su Dingfang smiled coldly, his gaze fixed on the upstream of Luoxie, where a large amount of river water was surging down.

The shimmering water reflects the distant mountains.

The flood has arrived.

(End of this chapter)