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It truly reflects the saying, "When it rains, it pours." The siege of Anshi City has dragged on without success, and the naval forces have achieved nothing. The weather has grown increasingly frigid, causing many soldiers to suffer from frostbite, and food is difficult to cook. Countless have succumbed to typhoid fever, and now more sorrowful news has arrived, leaving Li Shimin utterly exhausted.
Throughout history, there are three great sorrows: losing a father in childhood, losing a spouse in middle age, and losing a child in old age. There is no greater human sorrow than when a child wishes to care for their parents but cannot, or when a white-haired person sends off a black-haired one.
Li Shimin has always cherished Tubo and Li Chengqian, but now, Li Chengqian is in exile, and Tubo has passed away in despair. How can Li Shimin not feel profound sadness?
The Sovereign sits alone in the royal tent. Apart from loyal ministers like Li Jue and Changsun Wuji who dare to offer some comfort and advice, others are fearful of offending him and can only surround Anshi City without attacking.
Xu Zhen is also melancholic. This contingent of troops is his direct lineage, cultivated since the beginning of his military career. Each brother among them is an elite warrior. After finally mustering the resolve to fight fiercely, he has lost the lives of his brothers. Every night, Xu Zhen feels unbearable heartache.
Zhang Jiunian and other veteran brothers know that their Lord is compassionate and regards his brothers as family, so they often come to console him. However, it is difficult for Xu Zhen to shake off his emotions at this moment.
On this day, Gao Huizhen hurried into Xu Zhen's tent with news that Zuo An had gone missing!
After being rescued alongside Qingxiazi, Zuo An had been recuperating by Gao Huizhen's side. Xu Zhenxin was feeling unwell and downcast, and since he was also recovering from injuries himself, he had not gone to visit. He never expected that this little fellow would suddenly vanish!
Xu Zhen sprang up; his brothers had already fallen into eternal sleep, and he could not afford to lose anyone else!
Upon hearing that their Lord was convening a meeting in the tent, Zhou Cang and others felt that their Lord had finally emerged from the shadow of sorrow and quickly gathered in Xu Zhen's tent.
Zuo An was originally a scout from Youzhou Prefecture, known for his cleverness and cunning. He had always been regarded as a disciple by Xu Zhen and had received the true teachings of the extraordinary Qingxiazi. His life should have been worry-free; the most likely scenario was that he had blended into Anshi City!
After surrendering to Tang Dynasty, Gao Yanshou revealed everything about Jewel Girl. Jewel Girl was related to Cheon Gae Su Mun's affair with Quan Nanru, which had already become common knowledge.
However, Gao Yanshou also disclosed another piece of information: Cheon Gae Su Mun was concerned that Yang Wanchun would defect to Tang Dynasty. Therefore, he sent envoys to persuade him. Yet Yang Wanchun worried that while he was blocking the Tang Dynasty Army, Cheon Gae Su Mun might betray him and attack Anshi City from behind. To dispel Yang Wanchun's doubts, Cheon Gae Su Mun sent his daughter Quan Nanru to Anshi City as a hostage to convince Yang Wanchun to resist the Tang army at all costs.
This means that Jewel Girl should currently be within Anshi City!
Zuo An harbors deep hatred for Eulji Nawi and Gao Yanshou; Eulji Nawi has already died in battle while Gao Yanshou has surrendered to Tang Dynasty. Under intense questioning, he could naturally learn that Gem is inside Anshi City.
Given Zuo An's bond with Jewel Girl, it is entirely possible that this young man took advantage of the chaos of war to infiltrate Anshi City!
The young man and woman spent every day together, and Zuo An was exceptionally intelligent. In the past few months in Goguryeo, he had already mastered the Goguryeo Language. Moreover, as a skilled thief, he should have no problem infiltrating Anshi City.
To rescue Zuo An and Gem, they needed to find a way to blend into Anshi City. Everyone brainstormed together, and soon a plan emerged.
Lord Baiyan and Sun Daiyin were the ones who persuaded Silver Pearl Prince Gao Renwu to surrender. If they could use the same tactic again to enter Anshi City, not only could they search for Zuo An and Gem, but they could also take the opportunity to scout the enemy's city defenses.
With the strategy set, it now depended on the Sovereign's attitude. Xu Zhen immediately went to seek an audience with the emperor. The inner servant heard it was a military matter; as long as he reported it inside, considering that the ministers had been turned away for several days, he couldn't help but feel anxious for Xu Zhen.
Fortunately, the Sovereign did not refuse to meet her and had someone lead Xu Zhen inside.
After several days apart, Li Shimin appeared aged overnight, his hair graying at the temples. His eyes were filled with fatigue and weariness, reflecting a deep sadness—likely due to missing Tubo.
Xu Zhen dared not speak or even look up. The higher one is in position, the more cautious one must be; this was the lesson taught by her mentor Li Jue.
Li Shimin fiddled with an object in his hand, his eyes filled with paternal sorrow. It was a pearl taken from the tip of a shoe on the day Tubo left Chang'an.
After a long while, Li Shimin sighed softly, slightly raising his head as if speaking to himself or sharing his heart with Xu Zhen. He murmured, "I wonder how Sister Si is doing now..."
Seeing the melancholy in Li Shimin's eyes, Xu Zhen's lips moved for a moment, but ultimately she remained silent. At this moment, Li Shimin was no longer the ambitious emperor but rather a father whose grief over his son's death transformed into longing for his daughter.
Li Shimin gazed southwest, where the road home lay. In that instant, he seemed to step down from the throne of an emperor; without the intimidating aura, he became so approachable.
" Mr. Xu, I hear you have something to say?" Li Shimin slightly turned his head and straightened his back as if it took great effort to hold up his head.
"Your Majesty," Mr. Xu began, "my disciple has successfully infiltrated Anshi City. Xu Zhen wonders if she could use persuasion to enter the city for reconnaissance. The weather is getting colder; if we do not capture Anshi City in time, it will be detrimental to our Tang Army..."
Li Shimin frowned slightly. Xu Zhenxin felt anxious as well; this campaign against Liao had mobilized one hundred thousand troops and tens of thousands of horses for Tang—seventeen thousand in total—utilizing resources beyond measure. They had initially aimed to completely annihilate Goguryeo, but now the situation had shifted in favor of Goguryeo.
Wouldn't many generals assess the situation? Yet no one dared advise Li Shimin at this moment for fear of provoking his wrath.
Remembering the soldiers who froze to death in the barracks, Xu Zhen straightened her back slightly. Since she had not awakened the Sovereign, she would take it upon herself. The Sovereign was also human and needed someone to confide in; at times, he naturally required counsel from others.
Li Shimin relaxed his brow and exclaimed in surprise, "Our Tang warriors are indeed so wise and brave that they can infiltrate the city. Mr. Xu's subordinates are truly capable individuals. If there is a plan, please share it with me."
"Yes, this person is my disciple. Previously, he served as a scout in Youzhou Prefecture and encountered the lost daughter of Cheon Gae Su Mun, Quan Nanru, along the way..."
Xu Zhen spoke calmly and logically about her encounters with Zuo An and others. The twists and turns of the story captivated Li Shimin, momentarily easing his longing for his children. Once Xu Zhen finished speaking, he couldn't help but sigh.
"Fate plays tricks on people, treating mortals as mere fodder. This little one does have feelings and intentions..."
After this reflection, Li Shimin addressed Xu Zhen again: "If Zuo An is indeed in Anshi City, we might as well use the pretext of persuading him to surrender to enter the city and rescue him. However, I fear Yang Wanchun may harm Mr. Xu..."
"The Sovereign need not worry. Gao Renwu is the brother of Rongliuwang, and Yang Wanchun has always been loyal to the rightful cause. With him accompanying us, I can manage both sides."
Li Shimin nodded in agreement and then gestured to Xu Zhen, saying, "Since Mr. Xu has already devised a strategy, I will leave this matter entirely in your hands; others will cooperate with you."
With such assurance from the Sovereign, Xu Zhen felt relieved and took her leave. After discussing matters with Gao Renwu, he readily agreed to assist her without hesitation due to his lingering debt to Gem.
On that day, heavy snow fell as Gao Renwu raised the High King Flag. Xu Zhen and Caesar disguised themselves as attendants while three horses braved the wind and snow, leaving Tang Camp.
Due to ongoing stalemates between both sides, battles occurred daily without time to clear the battlefield. The Tang army managed to retrieve their comrades' bodies despite enemy arrows flying around them. However, on the Goguryeo side, corpses lay everywhere; had it not been for the cold weather, an outbreak of disease might have already occurred.
The three of them walked through the vast white snow under a blood-red banner, resembling a drop of blood on white paper. The Goguryeo people occupied Earthen Mound and quickly noticed Xu Zhen and her companions.
The enemy camp soon stirred; several Feathered Arrows whizzed past Gao Renwu's horse's hooves, forcing him to rein in his mount. He shouted in Goguryeo Language, "I am Silver Pearl Prince Gao Renwu! I wish to see Yang Wanchun!"
Despite facing into the wind and snow, it was clear that those on the other side heard Gao Renwu's words clearly. A rider galloped toward them with snow splashing up from beneath his horse's hooves. He wore a thin short coat but had a Sui Dynasty knight's mask on his head that seemed somewhat out of place.
However, Caesar instinctively gripped her twin blades' hilts because she sensed a strong killing intent emanating from the opponent!
"Follow me." The voice of the man echoed inside the helmet, producing a low buzzing sound that felt extremely eerie.
Gao Renwu nodded slightly in gratitude, and the three of them followed the Masked Knight to the Earthen Mountain Camp. The wind and snow were blocked by the Earthen Mound, and their vision gradually became clearer, opening up the surroundings.
The Xu Zhen looked around; the entire Earthen Mound was frozen over, surrounded by traps set by Yang Wanchun's forces. There were also wooden stakes nearby, sharpened at the ends. Although they had not been fitted with spearheads, they still exuded a chilling aura.
Within the camp, Goguryeo soldiers gathered around a bonfire, forming layers of three inside and three outside. Those without access to the fire huddled together in small groups for warmth, trying to avoid freezing to death.
A battered Cauldron was set over the fire, with a large horse head bobbing in the pot, bubbling away. There was no aroma of cooked meat; instead, a nauseating stench permeated the air. Yet, those Goguryeo soldiers seemed to cherish the Cauldron as if that horse head were the most delicious thing in the world.
"Their situation is even worse than ours..." Seeing this scene, the Xu Zhen felt no joy but rather a deep respect.
It was these people who, under such harsh conditions, fiercely resisted the Tang army's repeated assaults to defend their city!
The Masked Knight led Gao Renwu and the Xu Zhen through the camp. Many soldiers stood up with great effort upon seeing them approach, their eyes fierce like wolves and their demeanor like tigers. Their frail or injured bodies seemed to conceal powerful and indomitable spirits, as if showing any weakness would endanger their entire city.
Gao Renwu frowned slightly; some leaders in the camp seemed to have recognized this Silver Pearl Prince. Although he had raised his banner in rebellion and gained much prestige among the Goguryeo people, his association with the Tang army had caused many Goguryeo soldiers to harbor resentment towards this legendary prince.
Feeling the hostile gazes from his comrades, Gao Renwu could only sigh inwardly as he followed the Masked Knight through a gap in the city wall and successfully entered Anshi City.
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