Tang Dynasty Bandits

Chapter 287 Side Story: Father and Son (Part 1)

As the various imperial armies surged towards the walls of Weizhou like a tidal wave, Li Keyong still tasted the flesh and blood of the former Yunzhong Defense Commissioner, Duan Wenchu.

In the fifth year of the Qianfu era, Duan Wenchu, the military commissioner of Yunzhong, reduced the soldiers' clothing and rice, using harsh methods that aroused resentment among the soldiers.

Before becoming the military governor of Zhenwu, Li Guochang had served as the defense commissioner of Yunzhong for a long time. Many of Li Guochang's former generals were also part of the Datong army, and they were a major force in the rebellion.

The two sides quickly reached an agreement.

Duan Wenchun was not a bad person. He didn't embezzle soldiers' food and clothing for his own benefit. It was just that due to drought and shallow water, the grain transport was inefficient, and the cost of transporting one shi (a unit of dry measure) of grain was doubled. The heavy transport work often led to bankruptcy and death for those who were responsible for it.

Duan Wenchu, pitying the people, strictly ordered the reduction of soldiers' clothing and rice, hoping to reduce the people's corvée burden.

He failed to consider that the severe drought had affected the northern regions, impacting the harvests of the soldiers' families. With poor harvests, the soldiers increasingly relied on the government's provisions to support their families.

Li Guochang's cousin Li Jinzhong and former general Kang Junli sent a secret letter to Zhenwu, requesting Li Guochang to send someone to lead the mutiny.

Li Guochang summoned his eldest son, Li Keyong, and gave him instructions in person.

"While the soldiers are in a frenzy, you should order Duan Wenchu ​​and his associates to be torn to pieces and their flesh to be eaten." Li Guochang spoke such cruel words, yet his tone was unusually calm: "Such a horrific method can be used to establish authority. Once the soldiers have eaten Duan Wenchu's flesh with you, they will be in the same boat, and it will be difficult for them to betray you."

Seeing Li Keyong's hesitant expression, Li Guochang added, "If you are unwilling, I will send your younger brother."

If the Yunzhou mutiny succeeds, father and son will each occupy a town. The implications of sending his younger brother instead of his eldest son, Li Keyong, are self-evident.

Without further hesitation, Li Keyong mustered 10,000 troops in Zhenwu City and charged towards Yunzhong.

The once gentle and demure young man has become exceptionally decisive and ruthless, and his actions are filled with murderous intent.

With the combined efforts of Zhenwu soldiers and the rebel troops in Yunzhong, Duan Wenchu ​​was quickly captured. Li Keyong ordered Duan Wenchu ​​and his subordinates Liu Hanzhang, Yong Shiyu, and Chen Tao to be bound and taken to the cockfighting arena, where they were torn apart and killed. A hot pot for hot pot was also prepared, and the soldiers shared the meat with him.

Duan Wenchun and the others continued to curse until their deaths.

Li Keyong merely sneered. After Duan Wenchu ​​and the others had been eaten down to their skeletons, he ordered his cavalry to gallop and trample over their remains, scattering bones and flesh everywhere until nothing remained.

The imperial court was initially afraid and considered simply appointing Li Keyong as the defense commissioner of Yunzhong to resolve the matter.

However, the pro-war faction still prevailed.

Nearly 100,000 troops were mobilized to launch a siege in the northern region.

Feng Shuai Li Guochang originally thought that Huang Chao was causing trouble in the south and that the imperial court could not mobilize so many troops in Hebei.

Unexpectedly, this seemingly dilapidated empire still possessed such formidable power.

If this money had been used earlier for disaster relief and to subsidize the soldiers' lack of clothing and pay, there would have been no mutiny or banditry!

Two fists can't fight four hands. Although Li Guochang was a skilled warrior and won several major victories at the beginning, the imperial court's reinforcements and supplies were like a never-ending stream. Under the protracted war of attrition, Li Guochang finally couldn't hold on and was forced to shrink his defensive line. He even lost his original base, Zhenwu Army, and could only be trapped in Weizhou City of Datong Army with his son Li Keyong.

Li Ke glanced at the besieging lords below the city with his right eye and said calmly, "Several of them are acquaintances."

Helian Duo, the chieftain of Tuyuhun, was originally a general under Li Guochang. He had agreed to raise an army with Li Guochang, but after the imperial court began to suppress the rebellion, he became especially zealous.

Gao Wenji was originally a veteran general under Li Guochang, and was deeply indebted to him. When he was stationed in Shuozhou, he surrendered to the imperial court.

Li Youjin, the chieftain of the Shatuo tribe, was a cousin of Li Guochang.

Both Mihaiwan, the governor of Saga, and Shi Jingcun, the governor of Anqing, were taken in by Li Guochang when they were young and treated like his own children. They betrayed the court and returned to the capital, completely disregarding Li Guochang's past kindness.

Everyone knows that the imperial court is a dilapidated ship that needs patching up. But if defecting to the court can bring one a higher position and greater benefits, it's worth doing.

If the Tang Empire were to truly collapse, the higher one's status, the more flesh and blood left behind by the giants one could seize.

Li Guochang remained silent. Taking advantage of the opportunity to tie down a large number of the imperial army, Huang Chao had already broken out of Lingnan and entered Henan, only a stone's throw away from Guanzhong.

To be treated as a stepping stone for others like this, one can imagine the resentment a dignified commander like himself must feel.

"Weizhou City is impregnable and has stockpiled three years' worth of grain; the enemy cannot capture it no matter what..."

Li Guochang reassured his generals.

"We swear to serve Commander Feng to the death!" the generals shouted, raising their arms in unison.

When the army is besieged, people's hearts are divided, and only they themselves know how much truth is in their words.

Even though Feng Shuai Li Guochang usually kept his emotions hidden, he couldn't help but feel a sense of decline as he looked at the battle flags on the city wall, which were stained blood red by the setting sun.

The bugles blared and the drums beat loudly; the enemy had begun their attack on the city again.

Li Guochang stood atop the city wall, sword in hand, personally directing his soldiers to defend the city with powerful crossbows, wolf-tooth maces, and other defensive weapons.

The wolf-tooth sledgehammer was made primarily of elm or locust wood, crafted from a thick wooden board five feet long and four feet five inches wide. Its surface was densely covered with hundreds of five-inch-long, wolf-tooth-shaped iron nails, and blades were embedded around its edges. When the enemy used grappling hooks or ladders to scale the city walls, the wolf-tooth sledgehammer could be suspended outside the city walls via pulleys and ropes, striking the enemy vertically.

The city of Weizhou was well-fortified, and Commander Feng was extremely vigilant. The enemy soldiers could not find a way to break through, and after leaving behind a large number of corpses, they retreated like a tide.

As Li Guochang let out a long sigh of exhaustion, he suddenly heard the sound of a whistling arrow.

The whistling sound comes from behind.

Li Guochang immediately became wary.

He darted away and dodged.

Several spears, however, were already in ambush and suddenly thrust out from the corner of the city wall.

Li Guochang was immediately stabbed several times, and his usually dignified face contorted slightly in pain.

Still guided by his keen intuition, he swung the knife behind him.

The blade's shadow remained as swift as lightning.

But he was injured after all, and his strength had weakened somewhat.

After several exchanges of blows, Li Guochang was already exhausted.

He already knew, of course, who was targeting him.

Li Keyong pierced Li Guochang's back armor with a single stab, the blade instantly penetrating Li Guochang's back.

The intense pain caused Li Guochang to lose all his strength.

Then, Li Keyong pressed a short knife against Li Guochang's throat and took his father away.

“Father, you should have thought this day would come when you criticized me, scolded me, didn’t care about my achievements, and even forced me to eat Duan Wenchu’s flesh and blood.”

Li Keyong's smile was cold and sinister, but his eyes held a murderous intent that seemed to be constantly shifting.

His boundless fear of his father had vanished.

The once mighty Feng Shuai is now nothing more than an old man whose life and death are decided in his hands.

(End of this chapter)