Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
After entering Anshi City, Xu Zhen deeply realized why the Tang army had been unable to capture this city for so long.
The emaciated residents of the city were saving their meager rations to send to the front lines. The homes had been torn apart, with all building materials repurposed for military use to construct defensive fortifications. The entire city appeared as if it had been abandoned for many years.
Yet in the eyes of these people, there sparkled a light—unyielding.
Xu Zhen was not indifferent; he had simply grown accustomed to such gazes. Throughout any dynasty, war was always brutal, and the most innocent were undoubtedly these civilians.
Regaining his composure, he memorized all the arrangements along the way. The armored knight glanced at Xu Zhen with a wary look, and a faint cold snort seemed to echo from within his helmet.
As they ventured about two miles deeper into the city along the main street, they finally arrived at a campfire where piles of wooden planks were burning. Groups of hungry people were huddled around to keep warm.
One person stood up among the hungry crowd, wearing an old cotton robe. He was tall and thin, with three strands of black beard wrapped in a red headscarf and a waist knife at his side—he was none other than the city lord, Yang Wanchun!
He had already given his armor to a young soldier in the army who was only fourteen years old and even bestowed his longbow upon the first warrior who climbed the Earthen Mound during the battle for it.
During a night raid, Xu Zhen had once collided with Yang Wanchun briefly; they exchanged hurried glances before each continued fighting without knowing each other's true identities.
At this moment, Yang Wanchun finally made eye contact with Xu Zhen, seemingly recognizing each other through their eyes.
Yang Wanchun was a supporter of the orthodox faction and a key figure opposing Cheon Gae Su Mun. He possessed his own territory, unlike Gao Renwu, who could only engage in guerrilla warfare.
Although he steadfastly defended this land, upon seeing Silver Pearl Prince, he respectfully greeted Gao Renwu without being servile.
Gao Renwu was well aware of Yang Wanchun's reputation and did not dare to act arrogantly. Moreover, as he was currently an envoy, he hurriedly dismounted and pretended to assist him.
The hungry people by the fire saw that their lord had matters to attend to and quickly rose to avoid intruding. However, Yang Wanchun pressed down on his hand to calm them and allowed them to settle down. He then led Gao Renwu and Xu Zhen to a quieter spot, with the armored knight closely following behind, instinctively keeping Xu Zhen and the others separated.
Yang Wanchun, despite being a Heroic Spirit, bore the weight of Anshi City on his shoulders and dared not act recklessly. Gao Renwu naturally would not take action against him, but Xu Zhen and Caesar were Tang people; if they disregarded the rules and assassinated him, Anshi City would no longer be defensible.
Gao Renwu acted as a mediator, persuading Yang Wanchun to surrender. He brought up the example of Sun Daiyin, praising the benevolence of the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty. He argued that if they surrendered to Tang, it would stop the conflict and reduce casualties, which would be beneficial for both sides.
Although Yang Wanchun was unwilling to submit to Cheon Gae Su Mun, he was a legitimate Goguryeo person and could not allow the Tang army to occupy his city. The verbal exchanges between both sides were fraught with disagreements.
Xu Zhen remained silent, only glancing around. She had initially planned for Caesar to infiltrate the city to find Zuo An and Gem, but now it seemed that the plan could not be executed because most of the buildings in the city had been leveled. The few remaining houses had been stripped bare and could not hide anyone.
Perhaps Zuo An and Gem were hiding near a fire, blending in with the Hungry People.
As expected, Yang Wanchun rejected the proposal to surrender. Gao Renwu could only shake his head in disappointment and pretended to leave, while Yang Wanchun politely saw him off.
Throughout this journey, Gao Renwu shook his head repeatedly, witnessing his compatriots suffering, which made his expression grim. Before parting ways, he proposed to Yang Wanchun.
"General, you are unwilling to surrender, and I cannot force you. However, I cannot bear to see so many people suffering from cold and hunger. I intend to send some food over; may I ask if you can accept this small gesture on behalf of the people?"
Yang Wanchun did not expect Gao Renwu to make such an offer. He instinctively wanted to refuse but glanced around and ultimately nodded in agreement.
"Thank you for your kindness, Prince. I express my gratitude on behalf of my compatriots in Anshi City!"
This time, Yang Wanchun bowed deeply to Gao Renwu with great respect.
Gao Renwu accepted it calmly and then suggested, "To avoid further conflict between our soldiers, could we allow the citizens of the city to exit and receive the supplies?"
The masked knight instinctively gripped his sword hilt, and Yang Wanchun furrowed his brow.
Seeing Yang Wanchun remain silent for a long time, Gao Renwu shook his head with a sigh. Xu Zhen timely spoke in Goguryeo Language: "Our great Tang has always been righteous; in battles between armies, we have never harmed civilians. If the city lord does not trust my Tang Army soldiers, then so be it. However, I believe the general should consult with the citizens since their lives are at stake... I will give you half a day; after that time has passed, let us engage in battle openly."
Yang Wanchun heard Xu Zhen speaking in a somewhat unrefined Goguryeo language, and instead responded in pure Tang language, asking, "May I ask the general's name?"
"I am the Left Vanguard General of the Great Tang, Xu Zhen," she replied with a slight fist salute. The Goguryeo nobles took pride in speaking Tang language while wearing Han clothing, and Yang Wanchun was initially one of King Rongliu Xin's trusted aides, so it was understandable that he spoke the Tang language correctly.
Upon learning that Xu Zhen was a general, Yang Wanchun couldn't help but feel respect for her; after all, daring to venture deep into enemy territory was enough to earn respect.
"The general is skilled and bold, yet values human life. I admire you greatly. One day, I will do my utmost to fight you honorably in battle!" Yang Wanchun declared passionately. Xu Zhen laughed heartily; the greatest respect for an enemy is indeed to fight them with all one's strength.
With this exchange concluded, Gao Renwu and his companions no longer lingered, and Yang Wanchun did not make things difficult for the three envoys, politely sending them out of the city.
"I see him as a man of iron and steel; how could he accept aid from the Tang army?" Caesar questioned, but Xu Zhen smiled and said, "He will definitely accept it."
The three returned to Tang Camp and quickly ordered provisions to be prepared. Although it was coarse food, it was already quite good for the starving Goguryeo people.
Zhang Jiunian was sent by Xu Zhenzhi to transport supplies but returned empty-handed after a long time, looking furious. It turned out that Zhang Jian had reported to Changsun Wuji, who became enraged upon learning the purpose of the supplies and decisively rejected Xu Zhen's request.
"This is simply absurd! Our soldiers are still starving and freezing, yet this brat wants to transport supplies to aid our enemies. This kind of behavior is simply seeking death!"
Changsun Wuji slammed his hand on the table in anger. Meanwhile, Zhang Jian was overjoyed at this turn of events. Just then, his guards reported that Xu Zhen wished to see him. Changsun Wuji sat arrogantly at his desk and had Xu Zhen brought in.
Xu Zhen had already mentally prepared herself for this meeting. During this time, she had received much guidance from Li Jue and did not openly confront Changsun Wuji. Instead, she stated that her actions were approved by the Sovereign, maintaining a composed demeanor with reasoned arguments.
However, Changsun Wuji could not tolerate Xu Zhen; he had long regarded her as a significant threat. He immediately stood up in anger, declaring that even if the Sovereign approved it, he would not send supplies to aid their enemies. Without further discussion, he expelled Xu Zhen from the tent.
Seeing Xu Zhen leave in disgrace, Zhang Jian flattered Changsun Wuji again. Yet Changsun Wuji furrowed his brow in thought for a moment before deciding to personally seek an audience with Li Shimin.
Li Shimin had hidden the pain of losing his son deep within, forcing himself to maintain his spirits while dealing with military affairs. When Changsun Wuji was brought in, visibly angry, it was inevitable that Li Shimin felt some displeasure.
Changsun Wuji was a person of many talents; fighting on the battlefield was not his strength, but he could hold his own in verbal disputes. He bluntly pointed out the hardships in the army, stating that the soldiers were suffering from hunger and cold, and if they could barely take care of their own rations, how could they allow Xu Zhen to use them to aid the enemy, thus saving face at their own expense?
Li Shimin was not an autocratic ruler; he often listened to the advice of his ministers. Even when Wei Zheng and other court officials criticized him directly, he accepted their counsel with humility. Throughout history, there had been few emperors with such an open mind as Li Shimin.
On a normal day, Li Shimin would have explained to Changsun Wuji that these coarse rations were not significant. However, aiding the hungry people of Anshi City could showcase the Tang Emperor's benevolence and potentially sway the morale of the enemy troops. It was important to note that both sides had been at a stalemate for nearly two months; it was no longer just about military strength but rather who could endure longer.
However, having recently experienced the loss of his son, Li Shimin found it hard to hold back tears at night. Just as he began to feel a little better and more uplifted, Changsun Wuji came in causing a stir. He became furious and coldly ordered Changsun Wuji to follow through with his orders without question, dismissing him with a single sentence.
Changsun Wuji did not expect the Sovereign to be so resolute. Confused and frustrated with Xu Zhen, he knew he had to obey the imperial command and distribute the rations. He would never forget the faces of those who came to collect food under Xu Zhen's command.
After receiving the rations, Xu Zhen ordered her people to set up a cauldron and cook boiling meat soup. Despite the swirling snowstorm, anyone nearby could smell the enticing aroma.
After waiting for about half an hour, a group of people indeed emerged from Anshi City. They were ragged and walked through the snow like dirty tissues dragged across white paper.
Once Gao Renwu and Xu Zhen left, Yang Wanchun discussed matters with his subordinates. For the sake of the lives of those in the city, they ultimately decided to accept aid. They called upon all able-bodied men in the city to form a food transport team based on voluntary principles, quickly gathering over three hundred individuals.
These men understood that if the Tang army were to go back on their word, they would not only be risking their lives but also become human shields for the Tang army in their siege efforts.
However, under Yang Wanchun's leadership in Anshi City, everyone united in purpose. Since their leader had made this decision, there must have been good reason behind it. Thus, they suppressed their fear of death and cautiously made their way to Tang Camp like Death Warriors.
What was hard to imagine was that the Tang People did not make things difficult for them; instead, they offered large bowls of meat soup for them to eat until full. Many disregarded how hot the soup was and devoured it eagerly, even suffering burns on their mouths without caring.
Xu Zhen instructed Zhou Cang to raise Xu Flag while riding Azure Wind Antelope, a divine steed bestowed by the Sovereign. She looked down at the Goguryeo People frantically grabbing food below her. This display only fueled Changsun Wuji's dissatisfaction further.
"This is using my rations to bolster Xu Zhen's prestige!" Changsun Wuji thought to himself.
However, the Xu Zhen was not trying to show off; he wanted his disciples to be able to spot him in the crowd at a glance!
He knew that once these Goguryeo people were sent back, they would surely spread tales of the wealth of the Tang army. At that time, public sentiment would be thrown into chaos. The supplies brought back would inevitably dampen morale and shake the people's spirit, which is what is known as psychological warfare!
No matter how high Yang Wanchun's reputation was, in the face of death, it was impossible for everyone to overcome such fear. The reason they were willing to die was that they felt hopeless. But now, the Xu Zhen had given them hope for life, while also reigniting their fear of death!
The Xu Zhen scanned the crowd fighting for food, and his gaze suddenly fixed on two individuals who had not moved!
Zuo An slowly pulled off his tattered headscarf, tears in his eyes as he looked at his master on horseback. When the news spread that the Xu Zhen had personally gone to Anshi City to persuade surrender, he already knew that the Xu Zhen had taken risks to save him. He understood that the Xu Zhen would never easily give up on any of his Brothers, especially not on his own disciple!
After blending into the city, it took him several days to find Gem among the refugee crowd. Upon hearing that the city lord was recruiting supply Death Warriors, he realized this was part of his master's rescue strategy. Thus, he brought Gem along and infiltrated the supply team.
He knew that his master was not a vain person; sitting high on horseback in the wind and snow was merely to provide him and Gem with a sense of security so they could see the way home!
The Xu Zhen nodded at Zuo An and Gem, both of whom understood. Taking advantage of the Goguryeo people fighting for food, they were covered by Zhou Cang and others as they slipped into the camp. Meanwhile, Gao Renwu had already prepared two substitutes who quietly blended into the crowd.
These two were the true Death Warriors, tasked with infiltrating the enemy's ranks and stirring up public sentiment in Anshi City!
Comment 0 Comment Count