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After sending off the grain transport team from Anshi City, Xu Zhen began intense preparations for battle. Li Jue, who supported Xu Zhen's strategy, also mobilized troops and set up defenses. Once this batch of rations returned, Anshi City would surely fall into chaos, waiting for the right moment to launch an attack!
Li Jue was well-versed in military strategy and understood that the key to victory lay in winning hearts and minds. He believed that one should focus on causing others to act rather than being acted upon, calculating victories more than defeats. He spoke of the importance of understanding formations, using deception, enticing with benefits, seizing territory, employing stratagems, and balancing rewards and punishments. These tactics should not rely on supernatural forces or be based solely on events; they must be derived from human understanding.
Thus, Li Jue felt that Xu Zhen's plan was precisely calculated to exploit the enemy's current predicament. Strategically speaking, the impact of this batch of rations was comparable to several strong assaults on the Earthen Mound stronghold.
The stalemate had persisted for so long that Anshi City had nearly exhausted all its resources, leaving only an indomitable spirit. Now that Xu Zhen was sending supplies, it aimed to shake the enemy's morale. It was no wonder that Sovereign privately remarked that Changsun Wuji was not cut out for warfare; if Li Jing were present, he would have immediately agreed to allow Xu Zhen to send supplies.
With Zuo An and Gem returning, everyone was overjoyed and morale soared. The Tang army received intelligence from Xu Zhen and her companions, further validated by Zuo An and Gem. They all believed that the people of Anshi City could not hold out much longer and were eager to launch an attack to vent two months' worth of pent-up frustration.
However, Xu Zhenxin knew very well that even if they swayed the psychology of Anshi City's populace, taking down this hard nut would still require a tremendous cost from the Tang army.
Since Yang Wanchun's night raid on Tang Camp began, Xu Zhen had lost her main forces. Yin Zong and Gao He Shu's troops suffered heavy casualties among the Salar and Rouran Warriors. Those who remained had been promoted due to their merits and became the backbone of the army.
He understood that this final battle would be extremely brutal, so he had to prepare for post-battle arrangements. The first person he thought of was Caesar; however, Caesar was determined to follow Xu Zhen. Zhang Suling had already been assigned to Li Jue's side, so there was no need for excessive worry.
After leaving Zuo An and Gem's tent, Xu Zhen found Gao Huizhen. Since Jin Shu had died saving her, Gao Huizhen not only inherited the title of Divine Maiden but also took care of Jin Shu's son, Li Chengjun.
After Xu Zhen killed Eulji Nawi, Li Chengjun felt avenged and became much brighter. Gao Huizhen devoted herself entirely to caring for him, even bestowing upon him her surname Gao and renaming him Gao Sheji!
When she first heard this name, Xu Zhen found it somewhat familiar but did not dwell on it as she had important matters to discuss with Gao Huizhen.
Having experienced so much turmoil, Li Chengjun grew increasingly mature and sensibly left the tent for Xu Zhen and Gao Huizhen.
The two locked eyes for a long time without speaking. Gao Huizhen knew that regardless of the outcome of this battle, Xu Zhen would eventually leave Goguryeo. As Princess Min'en, she could not follow Xu Zhen out of Goguryeo. Thus, aside from maintaining a distant connection, what else could they do?
Outside, snow swirled in the wind while inside the tent, their figures slowly merged together. Perhaps this would be their last time expressing their inner helplessness and affection in such a simple yet raw manner.
After bidding farewell to Gao Huizhen and Li Chengjun, Xu Zhen returned to her tent in a gloomy mood. Once she settled down in silence, she suddenly recalled who Gao Sheji was.
This Gao Sheji is none other than the father of the famous Tang general Gao Xianzhi!
As Xu Zhen recalled the records of Gao Xianzhi in her mind, she fell into a daze and drifted off to sleep. Meanwhile, within Anshi City, chaos had erupted among the citizens and Soldiers due to the rations that had been transported back.
They had endured hunger for far too long; almost all the food in the city had been consumed. The cold weather left them with nothing, not even leaves from trees, and bamboo had long been cut down. The bamboo segments were used to make arrow shafts, while the roots were boiled for water by the Hungry People.
Although the rations provided by the Tang army were coarse and consisted mainly of horse feed like bean cakes, they were a rare source of sustenance for the Hungry People. Upon seeing them fighting over food, Yang Wanchun quickly realized what was happening and slapped his forehead, exclaiming, “ Xu Zhen has misled me!”
Having recognized the situation, Yang Wanchun would not allow the morale of the military and civilians to be shattered by a pile of coarse rations. He issued an order, and many Soldiers surged into the city, throwing all the rations into a roaring fire!
The army's Chief of Staff spread rumors, claiming that this was a tactic by the Tang army to disrupt the morale of the citizens. The city lord burning the rations was akin to burning bridges; with no way back, why not fight to the death?
Yang Wanchun’s decisive action indeed quelled the chaos, causing both civilians and Soldiers to shift their resentment onto the cunning Tang army. In an instant, everyone was outraged and picked up their weapons to ascend the City Wall!
Yang Wanchun, being a skilled strategist in battle, thought: since this is the case, why not turn their plan against them?
After pondering for a moment, Yang Wanchun immediately ordered the military and civilians to create noise and set fires, pretending to incite a riot. This quickly drew the attention of the Tang army!
Sure enough, upon witnessing the commotion in Anshi City, Li Jue and Xu Zhen hastily summoned troops. Without waiting for the snowstorm to cease, they launched another assault on the Earthen Mound!
Though lacking supplies, the Tang army's Soldiers were physically superior to those Hungry People. Leading Xue Rengui and other Tiger Generals, Xu Zhen charged recklessly and finally captured the Earthen Mound!
Yang Wanchun pulled back his forces into Anshi City, defending at a breach in the city wall. Relying on this advantageous position, they fought fiercely; both sides suffered heavy casualties, and corpses piled up beneath the walls!
Li Shimin, along with Changsun Wuji and other high-ranking officials, personally arrived on the battlefield, beating drums from behind to rally support. The morale of the Tang Soldiers soared as they finally broke into the city!
“Swear not to retreat!”
Yang Wanchun shouted loudly, and the soldiers around him echoed his call. The blood of the citizens in the city was ignited as they raised their crude weapons and surged toward the gap, intending to use their lives and bodies to block the path of the Tang army!
The Tang Army, known for its strict military discipline and self-proclaimed as the Righteous Royal Army, had never harassed civilians along their route. However, now they were blinded by rage, seeing waves of Hungry People rushing toward them. They had no time to consider anything else and raised their weapons to unleash a massacre!
These Hungry People were already at their last breath, barely clinging to life. With all their remaining strength, they charged forward but were cut down by the Tang army as easily as chopping vegetables.
Just as it seemed they would widen the gap and capture Anshi City after more than two months of siege, a cannon fired from the north of the city. A torrent of iron thundered across the ground, severing the rear of the Tang army!
"It’s Cheon Gae Su Mun's personal troops!"
Li Jue's eyes widened in anger. This unit was heavily armored cavalry. Although they wore old armor from the Former Sui dynasty, they were genuine Heavy Cavalry. Fully armored horsemen with long spears surged forward like a steel tide, scattering the formation of the Tang army's rear with overwhelming force!
If they did not retreat in time, the front lines would be annihilated within the city!
However, after two months of stalemate in attacking Anshi City, how could Xu Zhen be willing to retreat? Her many Tiger Generals fought fiercely with heated blades, and the morale of the Tang army was soaring; they were completely unaware of the impending crisis from behind!
Li Shimin beat the drums from a high ground in support. Seeing Cheon Gae Su Mun's armored cavalry suddenly charge in, he felt a surge of tension.
Though heavy cavalry was domineering and fierce, their speed was greatly restricted and required immense financial resources. They were not as agile or inexpensive as light cavalry; thus, there were not many heavy cavalry units in the Tang army, nor did they often take to the battlefield. Just when it seemed they would capture Anshi City, a squadron of armored cavalry emerged unexpectedly, catching the Tang army off guard.
Fortunately, Li Shimin was experienced on the battlefield. He quickly ordered Niu Jinda and Changsun Wuji to lead troops to charge forward and block the enemy's momentum. The Sovereign had been feeling down during this time and had no outlet for his frustrations; he drew his twin blades and led his steed into battle like a gust of wind!
He was already furious beyond measure—not just because Cheon Gae Su Mun's heavy cavalry had suddenly appeared but also due to Pyongyang Road Chief of Military Operations Zhang Liang's inaction. The enemy forces were at Jian'an City yet could not be restrained!
There was no time to ponder these matters now; Li Shimin personally led his troops into battle. How could his soldiers dare to shy away from death? The Tang army poured out of their camp like a flood. The armored cavalry could not withstand their assault and could only retreat into Anshi City, trampling everything in their path while driving Xu Zhen and Li Jue's front lines out of Anshi City!
With Cheon Gae Su Mun's support, the Tang army had no choice but to retreat back to their camp in frustration.
Yang Wanchun was furious as the Tang army advanced rapidly, capturing seven or eight cities in succession. Cheon Gae Su Mun remained indifferent, fully aware that Anshi City was the lifeline of Goguryeo, yet he did not send troops to rescue it. Now, both sides were locked in a stalemate, suffering heavy losses, while Cheon Gae Su Mun's forces arrived, and they were all elite troops!
In Yang Wanchun's eyes, Cheon Gae Su Mun's decision to mobilize troops was not for rescue but to take advantage of the situation and seize Anshi City for himself.
As expected, once the Heavy Cavalry entered the city, they immediately took control of Yang Wanchun. Those who resisted were ruthlessly killed; heads rolled as the Tang soldiers who survived were slain by their own comrades' swords!
Yang Wanchun was heartbroken and furious, yet helpless. Anshi City was on the brink of collapse, and his own troops had been scattered. Rather than let the Tang army capture it, it was better to fall into Cheon Gae Su Mun's hands. For the survival of the military and civilians, he could only step in to maintain order and suppress the soldiers' resistance, thus stabilizing Anshi City.
The Tang army suffered significant losses; attacking a city was already a desperate gamble, and after being hit by armored cavalry, not only did they lose men and resources, but their morale also took a severe blow.
As the proponent of this operation, Xu Zhen bore an undeniable responsibility. Changsun Wuji seized the opportunity to criticize her, but fortunately, Li Jue defended Xu Zhen out of concern for her, arguing on her behalf and managing to quell Changsun Wuji's arrogance.
Li Shimin, a wise ruler, could see through the situation. Ultimately, the fault did not lie with Xu Zhen but with Zhang Liang's inability to restrain the enemy at Jian'an City.
The Sovereign was furious and immediately dismissed Zhang Liang from his position as Chief of Military Operations. The Sea Route army abandoned their attack on Jian'an City and returned along the same path, while the land forces began their retreat after holding out for half a month.
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