Chapter 18

"Exactly what's going on? Why would they choose to attack the city in the middle of the night? Who came up with this stupid idea?" Li Shimin's face was ashen as he sternly questioned the messenger who had been summoned inside, his eyes revealing a hint of sorrow. Chai Shao was not only his brother-in-law but also one of the earliest generals of the Li family, the Right General of the Brave Guards. When the Li family rose up in JinYang, Chai Shao had already been fighting alongside them. He had played a role in the victory over Xue Ju and his son at Qianshui Plain, the defeat of Song JinGang in Hebei, the fall of Wang ShiChong in Luoyang, and the capture of Dou JianDe.

The loss of such a veteran and meritorious general was a significant blow to the Li Tang dynasty.

"I'm not quite sure either. It seems that the general said Liu HeTuo had already been captured, and the Han Dong army was now led by Liu ShiShan. He believed that they must take Wingzhou and capture or kill Liu ShiShan with a swift and decisive move to intimidate the remaining Han Dong forces. Once Wingzhou falls and Liu ShiShan is captured or killed, the other cities would surrender without resistance," the messenger said, somewhat frightened. Li Shimin's anger made him feel as if his head could fall at any moment.

"So... it was the general's own decision?" Li Shimin seemed to be at a loss for words, sitting down in a daze. After a long pause, he asked, "What's the current situation in Wingzhou?"

The messenger replied, "The general continued to command the army despite being hit by an arrow. The Wingzhou defender, Liu ShiShan, fled north, and Wingzhou has fallen."

"Liu ShiShan, he actually escaped?" Li Shimin slammed his fist on the table, quickly issuing orders to the front lines to have Chai Shao's deputy, Zhang Liang, take command and pursue Liu ShiShan, and to urge the remaining Han Dong forces to surrender.

History had thus slipped out of control, leaving Luo ShiXin at a loss. After a while, he came to his senses and, seeing that Li Shimin had no more interest in the conversation, took his leave.

Li Shimin, preoccupied with his thoughts, did not try to retain him.

Luo ShiXin had not taken a few steps away from the tent when he faintly heard Li Shimin's long sigh: "Brother-in-law, why did you have to do this?"

Luo ShiXin paused, feeling a sense of wonder. Could there be some gossip here? He shook his head, thinking it best to avoid such matters in ancient times, as they could cost one's head.

Liu ShiShan ultimately escaped, leading over a hundred followers into the territory of the Turks, where he received their support.

As Chai Shao had predicted, Wingzhou fell in a single night, crushing the morale of the Han Dong army. The remaining Han Dong forces surrendered to the Tang army without resistance.

Despite his inexplicable aggressiveness, Chai Shao's tactics were still highly effective: he successfully shattered the last bit of morale in the Han Dong army. Unfortunately, fate had other plans, and he was struck by an arrow and fell in battle.

This battle could be considered over, but with Li Shimin's character, he was not willing to withdraw so easily. Only by achieving greater feats could he gain more prestige and move closer to his goal. His next target was Xu YuanLang, who had allied with Liu HeTuo.

However, his plans were thwarted. Just as he was preparing to continue his campaign against Xu YuanLang, Li Yuan issued an edict summoning him back to Chang'an.

Li Shimin knew something was amiss and, within four days, traveled over a thousand miles from Hebei to Chang'an.

It was clear that Li Yuan did not want Li Shimin to repeat his feat of capturing the two kings: at the Battle of Hulao, Li Shimin, with only 3,500 troops, defeated Dou JianDe's 100,000-strong army, capturing both Wang ShiChong and Dou JianDe and presenting them to Li Yuan, earning him a reputation that overshadowed the crown prince, Li JianCheng.

Li Yuan was taken aback by his capable son's achievements, finding no suitable rewards to bestow upon him. In a groundbreaking move, he created the position of Heavenly Strategist and appointed Li Shimin to it.

Originally, Li Yuan intended to sideline Li Shimin to avoid threatening Li JianCheng's position.

However, Liu HeTuo's rebellion gave Li Yuan a rude awakening. Liu HeTuo defeated Li Shentong, Luo Yi, and Li Shiji, causing the Tang army to suffer heavy losses. The Tang forces sent to suppress the rebellion only bolstered Liu HeTuo's reputation. Li Yuan had no choice but to rely on Li Shimin, appointing him to suppress Liu HeTuo.

This time, Li Yuan was more cautious, closely monitoring the situation in Hebei. As soon as he received news of Li Shimin's victory at Ming River, he immediately issued an urgent order to recall Li Shimin to Chang'an.

After a harmonious exchange between father and son, Li Shimin returned to Hebei, allowing several generals who had not yet earned their laurels to make a show of force in Xu YuanLang's territory, capturing a few cities to enhance their prestige. He then abandoned this easy opportunity for glory.

Luo ShiXin, of course, had no chance to distinguish himself. All the glory was taken by Li Shimin, leaving him with only the scraps.

Luo ShiXin was content with his leisure. In his free time, he asked Li Shimin for some books to read. As a university graduate, he still enjoyed reading and believed in the pursuit of knowledge.

Li Shimin also informed Fang XuanLing and Du RuHui that Luo ShiXin could seek their guidance if he had any questions.

Qin Qiong and Cheng YaoJin, who had also earned significant merit, were not involved in the show of force.

Reading, sparring with Qin Qiong and Cheng YaoJin, and secretly drinking in some secluded place became the main activities over the next few months.

On July 6th of the fifth year of Wude, the Li Tang generals, having completed their show of force, set out for Chang'an under Li Shimin's leadership.

After more than ten days of marching, the army reached the Guanzhong region, and with another half day's travel, they would reach Chang'an.

As evening approached, to avoid disturbing the people with night travel, Li Shimin ordered the army to set up camp on the Guanzhong plain, planning to depart early the next morning.

For some reason, Luo ShiXin couldn't sleep. He rode out of the camp, gazing at the bright moon, and thoughts of his parents at home filled his mind. He couldn't help but sigh, "Mom, Dad, are you well at home?" He felt a sense of relief, remembering his younger brother, Luo ShiYi, who was filial, honest, and capable. With him at home, he didn't have to worry about his parents' future.

The more he thought, the more his mind wandered. He decided to let go and enjoy the moment: the late summer night, the bright moon shining on the earth, the stars clustering in the sky, and the pleasant sounds of insects around him, creating a serene atmosphere.

Riding through this environment would be particularly exhilarating.

"Go! Go! Go!"

With these thoughts, Luo ShiXin couldn't help but crack the whip. The horse, feeling the pain, neighed and reared up, charging forward.

He enjoyed the sensation of the wind rushing past him, his mind empty.

He didn't know how long he had been riding!

He came to a clear stream, about ten zhang wide, similar to the one in his hometown. Inspired, he took off his clothes and jumped in with a splash.

The water in the center of the stream was about three meters deep, perfect for someone who enjoyed swimming: he could do breaststroke, backstroke, and more, enjoying himself thoroughly.

Remembering the times he and his brother would compete to see who could hold their breath longer, he dove into the water and swam upstream without hesitation.

Luo ShiXin's physical condition was truly remarkable. The resistance of the water was negligible, and his lung capacity was astonishing. He managed to hold his breath for about five to six minutes before he had to surface.

"Neigh!"

"Ah!"

Luo ShiXin's vision was still blurry, but he heard the neigh of a horse and a woman's scream in quick succession. Then, a slender figure fell from the sky, landing on his head.

PS: Guess who she is? A new week, I want to make a push for the new book rankings. I hope readers who enjoy this book will cast their valuable votes in support. Thank you!