Memoirs of the Heavenly Khan

Chapter 492 Don’t force others

Wuliluo was a forward outpost set up by Goguryeo on the west bank of the Liao River, located on a strategic passage leading to cities such as Gaimu and Hengshan.

With the end of the chaos in the north and the end of the Sixteen Kingdoms period, the Northern and Southern Dynasties coexisted, and Goguryeo's initial fear that the Northern Dynasty would advance into Liaodong did not materialize.

The war between the Northern Wei and the Southern Liang consumed a large amount of resources for the Northern Wei, resulting in it not paying much attention to Liaodong.

Wuliluo also transformed from a stronghold for guarding against the Northern Wei into a fortress for suppressing the Khitan, Xi and other ethnic groups.

Although the garrison at Wuliluo had discovered preparations for war in Yingzhou and other places not long before, the Goguryeo garrison still could not hide their shock when Yuwentai led three thousand troops to Wuliluo.

The garrison of Wuliluo thought that Yuwentai would not send troops out during the cold winter.

However, they did not expect that Yuwen Tai, the Grand Administrator of the Northeast Circuit, would be so unexpected, and actually managed to advance his troops to Wuliluo.

Standing atop the city wall, watching the soldiers led by Yuwentai, the Goguryeo commander had to make a decision.

Should we go out of the city to engage in open battle with Yuwen Tai's army, or wait for reinforcements to arrive?

They have a numerical advantage in open field battles outside the city.

Goguryeo absorbed Han Chinese who had fled from the Central Plains to escape war, as well as those who were already in Liaodong. Their agricultural and metallurgical techniques were unmatched by the surrounding Khitan and Mohe tribes. The equipment of the Wuliluo garrison was not much worse than that of Yuwentai's army.

World War I was feasible.

Waiting for reinforcements to arrive is naturally the safest course of action.

The garrison commander of Wuliluo was an elderly man. Beneath his half-white eyebrows, his eyes, gleaming with intelligence, reflected the sudden attacking army.

Even the commander of the Wuliluo garrison found it difficult to describe this army, as it was the only one he had ever seen in his life, possessing an aura that none of the enemies Goguryeo had ever encountered before had ever shown.

A vague feeling told him that going out of the city for a decisive battle was not a wise decision.

But he still issued the order to assemble troops and go out of the city to fight.

It wasn't because he was arrogant; in fact, it was precisely because General Wu Liluo was a border general who had experienced many hardships that he understood the current state of Goguryeo even better.

Fighting outside the city at least puts the initiative in one's own hands.

Waiting for reinforcements means entrusting your life to your allies. And often, your allies are more dangerous than the enemy.

Goguryeo had held Liaodong for over a hundred years, enjoying a long period of peace, but internal strife was intense.

The army under the current King of Qin is far superior to the armies of the Rouran, Khitan, and Mohe of the past.

Unfortunately, Gao Baoyan has not yet succeeded in building a consensus within the country to unite against external threats.

Will reinforcements arrive? If so, how long will it take? And even if they do arrive, will they go all out to rescue us?

These are all unknowns.

If they do not fight, Yuwen Tai's main force will arrive, especially the auxiliary troops of the Khitan and Xi tribes, and they will surely plunder all the villages, towns and pastures around Wuliluo.

This loss was something that Wu Liluo's garrison commander and his family could not afford.

"Go to war!"

……

Xiandu County, as its name suggests, is named for its location near dangerous waterways.

The city of Xiandu had already fallen into the hands of Gao Huan and Hou Jing.

Gao Huan and Hou Jing stood on the city wall, looking at the scenery below, with hot water boiling behind them.

A short while later, the servant brought over the brewed tea.

Gao Huan held his teacup and clinked it against Hou Jing's, as if they were drinking.

"Wan Jing, have you heard? Yuwen Tai's side is in a bloodthirsty frenzy."

Hou Jing took a leisurely sip of tea and said:

"He Liuhun, how big do you think this war has to be to be considered big?"

The two exchanged a smile, but the city lord of Xiandu City, who was being held back by armored soldiers behind them, was now restless.

He waited for Gao Huan and Hou Jing to finish watching, and watched them turn around before he mustered up the courage to speak.

"Generals, I have surrendered the city as agreed. I hope you will keep your promise."

This sound completely ruined Gao Huan and Hou Jing's enjoyment of the moment.

"With such beautiful scenery, why are you talking about money?"

The city lord of Xiandu City was taken aback. When did I mention money?

"If you want to talk, then we'll talk." "..."

Gao Huan and Hou Jing pulled the city lord of Xiandu City into the watchtower on the city wall, found a table, and the three of them sat around it.

On the table were war situation analysis documents and a map of Xiandu County.

However, it was clearly no longer of any use.

Do you know who we are?

The city lord of Xiandu City first shook his head, then nodded. Hou Jing ignored him and said directly:
“This is the Duke of Wei, I am the Duke of Liang, and the one currently in Wuliluo is the Duke of Yan. You know what he did. We are different from him because we are kind-hearted.”

Upon hearing this, the city lord of Xiandu City quickly stood up, cupped his hands, and said:

"I thank you both, Your Excellencies."

Gao Huan waved his hand and said:

"There's no need for that. We're different from those Wuchuan people. They make a mess wherever they go. They're a bunch of roughnecks."

"Lord Wei is benevolent!"

Seeing that he didn't get it, Gao Huan gave another hint, saying:
"We don't like to force people to do things they don't want to do."

The city lord of Xiandu City nodded, looking at the somewhat eerie atmosphere in the room, and asked:
"what for?"

Hou Jing, standing to the side, grew somewhat impatient and said:

"Don't you understand? If you give it to me yourself, it's not considered robbery!"

The city lord of Xiandu City took a few steps back, and then Sima Ziru, Sun Teng, and others walked in, covered in blood.

"It's all done."

Smelling the pungent stench of blood, the city lord of Xiandu City roared in anger:

Why did you break your promise?

Hou Jing quickly said:
"How dare you slander someone's innocence out of thin air? What did we say in the first place?!"

"I am willing to surrender the city, but I hope that the two generals will consider the common people and not harm the people in the city."

Hou Jing shrugged and said:

"This is it!"

Seeing that the city lord of Xiandu City still didn't understand, Gao Huan looked at Sima Ziru and Sun Teng and asked:

"Have you harmed any of the people in the city?"

The two shook their heads repeatedly and said:

"Absolutely not! We have killed all the Goguryeo generals in the city who did not obey the king's will, and the army in the city has been taken over by the people we brought."

The city lord of Xiandu City was pale and collapsed weakly on the ground.

Hou Jing grew even more impatient, slammed his hand on the table, and said:
"How long are you going to sit here? It's time to talk about money!"

……

East bank of the Liao River.

The garrison commander Wu Liluo led the city's army in three battles against Yuwen Tai.

Defeated in World War I, defeated in World War II, and annihilated in World War III.

He led his remaining troops across the Liao River, with only a few riders left by his side. Exhausted, he finally collapsed in the arms of the reinforcements sent by Gai Moucheng.

"Old Nyssa!"

Seeing the young general who had come to provide support, the garrison commander Wu Liluo gave a self-deprecating laugh.

"Was I wrong in the end?"

At this moment, the old general, who was on his last breath, gradually regained clarity of his previously hazy senses.

Geng Yan, Guanqiu Jian, Murong Huang... these cold names that existed only in bamboo slips came to life after the battle with Yuwen Tai.

"Tell the king they're back!"

The garrison commander of Wuliluo said something that no one present understood, and the light in his pupils gradually faded.

……

(End of this chapter)