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The Tang Empire mobilized over a hundred thousand troops for the campaign against Liao, launching simultaneous land and naval operations that drained the nation's resources. They captured cities and territories along the way but ultimately halted at Anshi City, unable to achieve complete victory, which left many feeling regretful.
As winter set in, many soldiers suffered from frostbite, and supply lines could not keep up. If they did not withdraw, the Goguryeo army would take advantage of the situation to attack, leading to even greater losses. After weighing their options, the Sovereign finally decided to retreat from Goguryeo.
This day was the eighteenth day of the ninth month in the nineteenth year of Zhenguan.
The soldiers had been away for a long time and were filled with homesickness. Upon hearing about the withdrawal, they cheered with joy. The Sovereign, seeing this scene, realized that military morale could not be taken lightly and could only shake his head in sigh.
To prevent a counterattack from Goguryeo, the Sovereign ordered most of the able-bodied population from Liaozhou and Gaizhou (i.e., Liaodong and Gaimou) to be relocated to the inner regions of Tang to cut off Goguryeo's manpower. He also established the Liaodong Governor's Office, appointing Gao Renwu as Liaodong General with the title of State Minister to oversee the two provinces and organize resistance against Cheon Gae Su Mun.
For Gao Renwu, this move brought mixed feelings. He was pleased that Tang had indeed secured vast lands and cities for him but worried that with the remaining Tang garrison and resistance forces, it would be difficult to withstand Cheon Gae Su Mun's counterattacks. Although he practically controlled these regions, he had nominally accepted Tang's feudal title, making these areas part of Tang territory.
However, since Rongliuwang could accept the Tang Emperor's title as long as he could remove Cheon Gae Su Mun from power, Gao Renwu felt he had no reason to mind being an official of Tang.
Princess Jinyang bid farewell to Gao Renwu and tearfully parted with Gao Huizhen. Li Chengjun, who had changed his name to Gao Sheji, was also reluctant to leave, but ultimately they had to go their separate ways.
Gem was actually Cheon Gae Su Mun's daughter, Quan Nanru. She felt deeply troubled by her hidden identity and could not forgive Gao Renwu for deceiving her about her origins; her heart was in turmoil.
Zuo An did not dare to force Gem but concealed her identity and took her back with the army, away from Gao Renwu and the impending conflict with Cheon Gae Su Mun.
Gao Renwu initially wanted to keep Azure Mist Child Su Yuanlang behind; however, Su Yuanlang insisted on following Zuo An and Gem. Unable to insist otherwise, Gao Renwu felt isolated after sending them off. Fortunately, he had Gao Huizhen with him—both a Princess and a Divine Maiden—who could win over the people's hearts without much difficulty.
By the end of September, the army drove nearly seventy thousand Goguryeo people to the banks of Liao River. Due to logistics units having penetrated deep into Goguryeo territory, when Holy Presence descended upon them, they found that a bridge across the river had yet to be constructed. At this time, Liao River had formed thin ice but was insufficient for troop passage. To boost morale after crossing earlier, Li Shimin had ordered the bridge dismantled; now returning in defeat felt bitter.
Watching soldiers brave the harsh cold to build a bridge made Li Shimin suddenly regret initiating this campaign against Liao. He privately lamented that if Wei Zheng were still alive, he would have advised against starting this war. Unfortunately, Wei Zheng had passed away; moreover, at the time of Wei Zheng's death in the seventeenth year of Zhenguan, Li Shimin had even suspected him of colluding with Hou Junji and Du Zhenglun and destroyed a tombstone he personally wrote for Wei Zheng.
Yet he forgot that before embarking on this expedition, officials led by Zhu Suiliang had strongly advised him against going to war.
Reflecting on this made Li Shimin feel melancholic; however, this campaign did capture nearly ten cities from Goguryeo and significantly weakened its national strength—regardless of everything else, it counted as a victory.
Changsun Wuji's performance in this battle was commendable; however, due to Princess Jinyang and Li Jue's outstanding contributions, his own achievements seemed overshadowed. With news that the Sovereign had dismissed Zhang Liang from his position weighed heavily on Changsun Wuji’s mind as he personally directed troops and laborers in building bridges.
The laborers driven from Goguryeo were mostly young men. Even though the Tang army only provided the most basic rations, it was enough for them to survive the famine. They lacked skills but had strength, working tirelessly under the supervision of military officers and the Ministry of Works, braving the snow.
On September 27, just as the bridge was about to be completed, a heavy snow fell again. After being stalled for two months by Anshi City, during which they faced continuous snowfall, it was frustrating to see clear skies after the troops had retreated.
Unexpectedly, the rise in temperature caused the snow to melt, leading to a surge in the water level of the Liao River. The soil on both banks became loose, and the bridge that had been painstakingly built was suddenly washed away by a flash flood!
Moreover, after the bridge collapsed, the flood continued throughout the night. By the next day, large areas of mud appeared along the riverbank, making it difficult for the army to advance. Many horses and soldiers became trapped in the mud, with some even losing their lives to it.
Li Shimin could hardly contain his anger and cursed at the heavens. In his fury, he ordered Changsun Wuji and Yang Shidao to mobilize a full ten thousand men to chop down trees to fill in the mud.
Despite having ten thousand people working on this task, heavy snowfall fell again at night, leading to many soldiers and civilians who were stranded on the banks freezing to death.
With the bridge destroyed by the flood, the Sovereign was already displeased with Changsun Wuji. Now tasked with filling in the mud, he dared not be careless and worked through the night alongside Yang Shidao, finally allowing the army to cross the Liao River successfully.
Though eager to return home, it wasn't until October 11 that the army reached Yingzhou. The Sovereign ordered the Ministry of Rites to prepare for a ceremony that he would personally oversee to honor those who had died in battle. He also arranged for the Goguryeo people who had been driven here to be settled throughout Yingzhou; these individuals would be treated as slaves and sent inland to serve as labor.
Zhang Jian, the Governor of Yingzhou and a close associate of Changsun Wuji, volunteered for this task. Li Shimin felt somewhat relieved and complained less about Changsun Wuji. However, manpower was an extremely valuable resource, and Zhang Jian naturally did not miss out on opportunities for profit from this situation.
By October 21, after settling everything, the Sovereign was about to lead his troops into Lin Yu Pass (Shanhaiguan). When Crown Prince Li Zhi received this news while mingling with Wu Mei at Dingzhou's palace, he hurriedly organized personnel and led officials to Lin Yu Pass to welcome him.
Upon seeing the Sovereign, Li Zhi couldn't help but cling to his legs in tears. During this time, Li Zhi had been reporting directly to him about state affairs via Relay Road. With political matters well-coordinated and no worries from behind, he had gained favor with the Sovereign.
On October 23, upon reaching Han Wu Terrace, the Sovereign ordered a monument inscribed to commemorate their military achievements. After staying for several days, they finally arrived at Dingzhou on November 7, where Gao Shilian, Ma Zhou, Gao Jifu, Zhang Xingcheng, and other officials welcomed him.
After a long journey filled with fatigue, they returned from Dingzhou to Bingzhou in December. Having endured great battles and severe cold, Li Shimin developed a carbuncle. Learning from Changsun Wuji's experience, Li Zhi personally drained it for him and accompanied him in his palanquin for several days, deeply moving Li Shimin.
Finally, on December 14, Holy Presence arrived at Bingzhou and reunited with his beloved daughter Li Mingda. As father and daughter embraced each other, Li Shimin couldn't help but remember Tubo's sudden passing with sorrow weighing heavily on his heart and his health deteriorating.
Perhaps feeling affected by Tubo's unexpected death, Li Shimin grew increasingly fond of his children. While staying in Bingzhou, he reinstated Li Chengqian as Prince of Pu. Meanwhile, Li Mingda had publicly transformed into Xu Sier, sister of Xu Zhen; she had risen from being Miss Shuyi of fifth rank to receiving her highest title yet.
However, to express his love for his young daughter, Li Shimin made an exception and conferred upon Li Mingda the title of Countess Guisi, a second-rank title. The laws of the Tang Dynasty stipulated that a county lord was the title for the daughter of a prince. Although both civil and military officials were aware of Li Mingda's true identity, no one would find it strange if she were conferred a title even higher than that of a county lord; they would not be surprised if she were elevated back to princess.
At this time, however, the Xu Zhen was merely the Left Vanguard General and Champion General, not a prince. If her younger sister received a title higher than that of the Xu Zhen, it would certainly raise eyebrows, leading people to speculate that the Sovereign intended to further reward the Xu Zhen.
Nevertheless, the Sovereign did not continue to confer titles because he was in poor health. He recuperated in Bingzhou for several months and returned to Chang'an on the seventh day of the third month in the twentieth year of Zhenguan. Due to his frail condition, most state affairs were handled by Crown Prince Li Zhi, who did not disappoint expectations and managed state matters effectively.
However, there was one matter that the Sovereign personally oversaw despite his illness: the state funeral for Tubo. The citizens were deeply moved by the Sovereign's iron will and tender feelings, which evoked much emotion.
Many soldiers returned home to recuperate, and the military also enjoyed some rest. However, complaints arose due to the Sovereign's delay in conferring rewards.
On March 27th, Minister of Justice Zhang Liang was dismissed from his position due to ineffective military performance. He privately raised five hundred adopted sons and conspired with sorcerers Gongsun Chang and Cheng Gongying to rebel. The Sovereign ordered Chancellor Ma Zhou to interrogate him. Zhang Liang naturally refused to comply, but the Sovereign's will was firm. Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling went to bid farewell to Zhang Liang in prison before he was executed, and his family was confiscated.
During the campaign against Liao, anyone who showed reluctance to fight faced severe punishment. It was only then that rewards were conferred upon many meritorious soldiers. The Xu Zhen had fought valiantly with her troops, first capturing Tuolang and clearing the river crossing for the Tang army. She continued to seize cities and territories with significant contributions from the Divine Fire Camp and saved Li Shimin twice, even blocking a fatal arrow for him; her achievements were truly remarkable.
Thus, Li Shimin awarded Xu Zhen a reward that would cause a stir throughout the court.
She retained her positions as Left Vanguard General and Champion General while being promoted to Duke of Liucheng County and appointed as State Minister. At just twenty-seven years old, she held a second-rank title!
The court officials had grown accustomed to seeing rewards bestowed upon Xu Zhen and thought they would no longer be surprised by her accolades; however, this time they were shocked once again!
Although the Sovereign was only forty-eight years old, years of warfare had taken a toll on his body. During the campaign against Liao, he personally faced arrows in battle and endured harsh conditions on his return journey. His health continued to deteriorate during such a sensitive period when he promoted Xu Zhen, which raised eyebrows.
Moreover, even Xu Zhen's direct relatives received substantial rewards and were assigned important positions within the military. Xue Rengui, who had distinguished himself in the battle at Liaodong, was promoted to Right General of the Left Army and tasked with guarding the crucial Xuanwu Gate; this carried significant implications.
As early as after the Battle of Zhuchi Mountain, the Sovereign summoned Xue Rengui, granting him two horses, forty bolts of silk, ten servants, and promoting him to Guerrilla General and Guoyi of Yunquan Prefecture. He told Xue Rengui: "My old generals are all aging and cannot bear the weight of war anymore. Whenever I think of promoting someone, your name always comes to mind. I am fortunate not only for Liaodong but also for you."
Additionally, Xie Anting, Zhou Cang, Yin Zong, Gao He Shu, Qin Guang, Xue Dayi, and other former generals under Xu Zhen received high rewards as well. Although these rewards were earned through their sacrifices in battle, it must be acknowledged that Li Shimin was crafting a military foundation tailored for Xu Zhen!
Whenever Changsun Wuji thought about this, he became restless and hurriedly conspired with Li Zhi. Murong Hanzhu, who had been promoted to Left Chancellor of Eastern Palace, had long been waiting nearby.
While Changsun Wuji and Li Zhi were still plotting in the court, Xu Zhen had already led a group of loyalists to march against Xue Yantuo. Zhi Shili and Qibi Helix advanced separately alongside Xu Zhen, achieving a great victory over Xue Yantuo, causing chaos among the tribes, and Mochi Khan was killed by the Uyghur Army. The newly formed Xu Zhen's army displayed astonishing military strength, shaking both the court and the public.
In June, the remaining forces of Xue Yantuo, numbering over seventy thousand, fled westward and elected Doma Zhi as their Khan. Li Jue subsequently led his troops to engage them, launching a fierce attack in conjunction with Xu Zhenbu's forces, annihilating over five thousand enemies and capturing thirty thousand. The following month, Doma Zhi arrived in Chang'an and was appointed as Right Guardian General by the Sovereign.
Xu Zhenbu's brilliance shone brightly, unmatched by anyone else!
In August, Prince of Jiangxia Li Daozong returned from escorting a bride. The Sovereign discussed the Battle of Zhuchi Mountain with him, accompanied by Li Jing. The Sovereign asked Li Jing, "Why were we troubled by the small barbarians despite having so many people?"
Li Jing replied, "This is explained by Daoism."
The Sovereign then inquired about the matter from Li Daozong. Li Daozong recounted the Battle of Zhuchi Mountain as if he had witnessed it firsthand, stating that if they had divided their forces to launch a surprise attack on Pyongyang at that time, they would have surely achieved great success.
The Sovereign felt regretful and lamented softly, "If only there had been Daoism back then, how could we have been in such a predicament..."
At the end of August, Li Daozong requested to battle and decisively defeated the Chulu Tribes alongside Xue Wanche. Chiefs from various tribes such as Uyghur, Tongluo, Pugu, and others sent envoys to pay tribute. In September, the Sovereign personally visited Lingzhou where thousands of tribal leaders came to pay their respects and honored the Sovereign as Heavenly Khan.
Everything seemed to have returned to the former grandeur of the Tang Dynasty; however, at this moment, urgent military reports came again from Liaodong, forcing the Sovereign to reconsider the campaign against Liao!
This time, however, the opinions among court officials were overwhelmingly against it rather than in favor. The undercurrents were more perilous than those on the battlefield.
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