Memoirs of the Heavenly Khan

Chapter 508 This is too brutal
Pyongyang.

Inside the palace, Gao Baoyan sat on the throne, watching the man who was etched in his heart walk towards him step by step, gritting his teeth, his stress response kicking in.

Surprisingly, Zu Ting was not as aggressive as before; instead, he was amiable and courteous.

"Zu Ting, the envoy of the King of Qin, has met with the King of Anyuan!"

Gao Baoyan looked at that familiar face, opened his mouth, and then looked around. He found that none of the court officials stood up for him.

Regarding Zu Ting's attitude, apart from the First Wife who was relatively firm, the Second Wife, Lady Qun, and the Third Wife, Lady Xiqun, were both more moderate.

Of course, Gao Baoyan might not necessarily listen to just two women. But the powerful relatives behind these two women forced him to take them seriously.

Li Shuang's attack on Liaodong clearly harmed the interests of both of these powerful maternal relatives. Yet, their attitude remained inclined towards peace talks.

"No need to be polite!"

Zu Ting nodded and cupped his hands in greeting:

“King Anyuan should already know that King Qin gathered an army of 100,000 and captured Liaodong City in just over two months!”

Gao Baoyan raised an eyebrow, feeling quite uncomfortable.

Zu Ting's attitude was as if he were talking about something insignificant to someone insignificant, even though they were clearly the parties involved.

Gao Baoyan was at a loss for words after hearing this.

"What does the messenger mean?"

Zu Ting smiled slightly upon hearing this.

"When the King of Qin recovered the homeland of our Han people, many insightful people in Goguryeo responded, including King Yi Wushi of Buyeo. The King of Qin is benevolent and does not wish to wage war again, so he sent me here to sign a treaty."

Zu Ting took out the official letter he carried with him and had Gao Baoyan's eunuch hand it to his desk.

When Gao Baoyan opened it and took a look, he almost fainted.

If he signs this letter of credence, half of Goguryeo's territory will no longer belong to him.

Li Shuang's appetite is too big; he wants not only Liaodong City, but also cities like Anshi and Momi, which he has not yet conquered.

"The King of Qin said that after signing this alliance, Goguryeo should abide by its duties as a vassal state and refrain from provoking any further border conflicts. In this way, the state can enjoy peace and prosperity and preserve its ancestral temples."

At this point, Zu Ting paused, looked at Gao Baoyan, and said sternly:
"Or is it that the King of Anyuan is still too greedy to appreciate the King of Qin's benevolence and intends to wage war?"

Gao Baoyan was very nervous upon hearing this and could barely speak.

Zu Ting's slow and deliberate manner was even more intimidating than his previous outburst of anger and scolding.

"This king...this king..."

The current situation has disrupted the balance maintained by the five tribes of Goguryeo.

Under the combined efforts of Hebasheng and Li Wushi, a large number of loyal Goguryeo members of the Juennu tribe in the north were wiped out, and the remaining remnants still roam the border and could not provide any assistance for the time being.

The Western Slave Extermination Tribe suffered the most severe losses in this great battle, almost being wiped out.

Although the Guan Nu tribe in the south and the Shun Nu tribe in the east lost manpower, they still retained their territory. The Shun Nu tribe in the east, in particular, suffered the least losses.

A large army loyal to the royal family was also gathered around Pyongyang.

Goguryeo was not without the ability to fight.

However, neither of Goguryeo's two powerful maternal relatives supports Go Baoyan's continued military campaigns.

Gao Baoyan simply couldn't bring himself to say the word "war."

"If Your Majesty has not thought this through, then I will come back to discuss it again in three days."

Zu Ting waved his hand dismissively and left the palace, ignoring Gao Baoyan.

He moved with the speed of the wind, leaving the Goguryeo officials completely bewildered.

The emperor and his ministers looked at each other in the palace, unsure of what to do.

……

Three days later, Zu Ting returned to the palace.

This time, Gao Baoyan did not receive him in the main hall in front of all the officials, but instead found a side hall.

In the past three days, another piece of news has come.

The southern Dajia, which had originally supported Wugu City, suddenly sent troops to occupy the country city, declaring that it wanted to reclaim the throne that Gao Baoyan had taken away.

Moreover, the Southern Dajia also claimed that the death of the late King Anzang was related to Gao Baoyan.

Rumors spread, and people were filled with anxiety.

Gao Baoyan was now completely panicked.

He dared not send troops at this time, but instead wanted to keep a tight grip on the military power in the capital. As a result, he had no choice but to sign the letter of state that recorded the alliance brought by Zu Ting.

However, looking at the alliance document, Gao Baoyan hesitated to put pen to paper.

He had never imagined that writing could be so difficult.

Zu Ting slowly walked to his side, a smile on his face.

"If Your Majesty is unwilling to sign, then I will wait a few more days?"

Gao Baoyan looked up at Zu Ting with an expectant smile on his face.

"Really?"

Zu Ting's expression changed, and he shouted:

"Fake!"

This sound completely changed Gao Baoyan's expression, plunging him into despair.

"You currently have only about 50,000 troops under your direct control. Adding the troops in the east, do you think you can stop the King of Qin if he joins forces with the southern army?"

Gao Baoyan's face was pale. Zu Ting continued:
"There's no one else here, so I'll be frank with you. Sign it now, because this is an internal matter for Goguryeo. Otherwise, when the heavenly army arrives, Goguryeo may still exist, but you, King Anwon, will be gone."

Gao Baoyan's trembling hand finally landed on the covenant, and Zu Ting's whispered voice echoed in his ears.

"Sign it!"

Zu Ting smiled as he watched Gao Baoyan sign his name and affix the royal seal.

……

Liaodong City.

On the city wall, Li Shuang stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the distant scenery.

Behind him, Gao Huan and a group of Huai Shuo people walked over.

"Meet the king!"

Li Shuang turned around, looked at the group of Huai Shuo people behind him, and said:

"I am grateful to He Liuhun and you all for persuading the Southern Great to turn against the government this time."

Upon hearing this, Gao Huan felt a sense of unease. Li Shuang's words clearly separated him from the group of Huai Shuo people.

Sima Ziru and the others, however, did not understand and bowed, saying:

"We serve Your Majesty and dare not complain of our hardships."

Li Shuang smiled slightly upon hearing this.

"Hard work is hard work, but merit should be rewarded!"

"Your Majesty, we are deeply grateful for your great kindness!"

"Don't thank me yet, you can choose."

The people of Huai Shuo did not understand what Li Shuang was saying.

"After this battle, you may return with me, and your merits will be rewarded as before."

Upon hearing this, Sima Ziru tentatively asked:
"May I ask, Your Majesty, what about the rest?"

"Liaodong has just been recovered, and I wish to select loyal, righteous, wise, and brave men to guard this place. Those of you who wish to stay will be promoted three ranks and granted land. In addition, you may select your sons and nephews to enter the Imperial Academy."

The rank has been raised three levels!

Gao Huan's former subordinates from Huai Shuo were stunned when they heard this.

This brutality is chilling!

If we use the former method, they are clearly no match for the Wuchuan people under Yuwentai's command. After all, those people won their battles through sheer hard-fought campaigns.

The latter is a real leap forward. Crucially, it also involves granting corresponding land and population.

However, the harsh cold of Liaodong and the wealth of Yecheng made it a difficult choice.

Finally, Sima Ziru gritted her teeth and said:
"I wish to remain in Liaodong."

If Sima Ziru agrees, he can be directly promoted to Duke.

Gao Huan heard a series of echoes in his ears, and suddenly realized that his years of hard work were now showing cracks.

……

(End of this chapter)