Chapter 91

Yi Zhi Wende!

In the hearts of the Goguryeo people, he was like a savior, almost revered as a god.

It was also because of him that Goguryeo avoided a catastrophic disaster.

That year, Emperor Yang Guang of the Sui Dynasty mobilized a million-strong army to attack Goguryeo, stretching over a thousand miles. In the face of the Sui's massive invasion, King Gao Yuan of Goguryeo gathered all his troops in Liaodong, determined to fight a decisive battle against the Sui.

The Sui army failed to capture Liaodong, and Yang Guang decided to divide his forces into three routes: with his vast numbers, he took advantage of Goguryeo's small and weak army. He left 670,000 main forces to continue the siege of Liaodong; General Lai Huer and Zhou Fashang led the Jianghuai naval forces to attack Pyongyang by sea; General Yuwen Shu led 300,000 troops to cross the Liaodong cities and advance towards the Yalu River, planning to attack Pyongyang from both the north and south.

This left Goguryeo in a state of confusion and panic.

The main elite forces of Goguryeo were concentrated in Liaodong. How could Pyongyang resist the nearly 400,000-strong Sui army from both land and sea?

At this moment, Yi Zhi Wende emerged, seeing through the weakness of the Sui army's logistics. Using the tactic of luring the enemy deeper, he inflicted seven major defeats on the Sui, stretching their battle lines. Then, he feigned surrender to force the Sui army to retreat, followed by a massive flood that scattered the 300,000 Sui soldiers. The main forces of Goguryeo descended from the sky, launching a fierce attack on the Sui army. The starving Sui soldiers were unable to fight back, and each unit was routed and fled in disarray. They ran for hundreds of miles until they reached the Yalu River, where only 2,700 out of the 300,000-strong army managed to escape back to Liaodong, losing all their military equipment and supplies.

The defeat was too severe and complete, forcing Yang Guang to abandon Liaodong and order a retreat.

With 1.1 million troops, the Sui army could not afford the heavy casualties, and Goguryeo could not match them in terms of manpower.

Yi Zhi Wende's single action wiped out 300,000 Sui troops, which was fatal for the Sui army, who had the upper hand.

Therefore, the entire Goguryeo revered Yi Zhi Wende, who led the battle of the Salsu River and turned the tide of the war, as a god, earning him the title of the savior of Goguryeo.

Yi Zhi Wende, due to his advanced age, had retired and was currently recuperating in the capital city.

However, because Yi Zhi Wende had been out of the Goguryeo government for six years, Gao Shu had overlooked him.

When reminded by his subordinates, Gao Shu immediately galloped to the western part of the city.

The war started in the eastern part of the city, and the western part was relatively calm.

Yi Zhi Wende's residence was large and deep, and being elderly, he tended to sleep early. The Sui soldiers, searching for assassins, did not dare to search Yi Zhi Wende's residence, so he was unaware of the situation until it became critical.

It was only when Gao Shu came to seek him out that Yi Zhi Wende, awakened by his son, learned about the events.

Yi Zhi Wende was nearly 60 years old, of medium build, with gray hair and a face marked by the passage of time, yet he was energetic, with a straight back and steady gait. Even being woken from a dream, he showed no signs of confusion, and his spirit was no less than that of a young man.

In fact, to say he was old and retired was premature. He had to retire for the sake of Goguryeo.

Yi Zhi Wende came from a humble background but held the position of Taedae, equivalent to a vice-premier, ranking second only to the king in Goguryeo, a remarkable achievement. However, above him was the Daedal, who controlled the entire military and state affairs. The current Daedal was the leader of the Goguryeo hereditary Yen family, Yen Ziyou.

Yen Ziyou was both a scholar and a warrior, with great prestige. During his rule, he supported the Goguryeo royal family, won the hearts of the people, developed production, and accumulated national strength. The rise of Goguryeo in the northeast and its attention from the Sui Dynasty were closely related to Yen Ziyou. In terms of contributions to Goguryeo, Yen Ziyou far surpassed Yi Zhi Wende.

When Emperor Yang Guang first attacked Goguryeo, Yen Ziyou, the Daedal who controlled the military and state affairs, was the first to stand up. He personally led the troops to confront Yang Guang on the front lines of Liaodong, restraining the 600,000 to 700,000-strong Sui army and ensuring that the front lines of Liaodong were not lost. In terms of his role, Yen Ziyou was no less than Yi Zhi Wende. However, Yi Zhi Wende became a savior and a god in the eyes of the Goguryeo people, with a prestige far surpassing Yen Ziyou, seriously threatening the status of the Yen family, the first family of Goguryeo. This caused Yen Ziyou's dissatisfaction.

Unable to compete with Yen Ziyou, Yi Zhi Wende had to choose to step down and retire early.

Yi Zhi Wende was not content with his defeat and had been waiting for an opportunity to return, always keeping a close eye on the situation in Goguryeo. After a brief explanation from Gao Shu, he had a good understanding of the current situation.

"Sir, don't be anxious!" Yi Zhi Wende's eyes sparkled with excitement. His only rival, Yen Ziyou, was dead, and this was the perfect time for him to return. He said calmly, "Although we have lost the initiative, we still have an advantage. This is the heart of Goguryeo, surrounded by our territory and cities. Once the surrounding generals learn of the situation in the capital city, they will certainly come to our aid. Our task now is not to try to defeat the enemy but to prevent them from completely controlling the capital city, so that the reinforcements can directly confront the remaining Sui forces, not the magnificent city."

Gao Shu exclaimed, "Sir Taedae is truly wise. As long as we gather our forces to control one of the city gates, the rebels will be no match for us once the reinforcements arrive."

Yi Zhi Wende sneered, "Exactly! I predict that the rebels will attack each gate in turn, taking the shortest route to control the capital city as quickly as possible. They will first attack the north gate, then the east gate, followed by the south gate, and finally the west gate. We have no time to notify the north and east gates. You, Sir Gao, must immediately go to the south gate and inform the commander to abandon the south gate, gather all forces, and defend the west gate. Additionally, I will order all the troops in the city to gather at the west gate and hold the line."

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"Yi Zhi Wende!"

When Luo Shixin heard Jin Deman mention this name, he also recalled this figure from Goguryeo, a cunning old fox, bold and unscrupulous. Using Emperor Yang Guang's foolish decree that "if Goguryeo surrenders, they should be accepted and not attacked," he went alone to the Sui camp to feign surrender. After touring the camp, he discovered the critical weakness of the Sui army's limited supplies and returned to Goguryeo unharmed. He then set up a series of plans, wiping out 300,000 Sui troops, with fewer than 3,000 Sui soldiers escaping back to the Yalu River.

As for the title of "military god," Luo Shixin sneered at it. A true military god is forged through countless battles. To earn such a title from a single brilliant campaign was too cheap. However, he could not deny that the old man was indeed a formidable opponent.

"Is this old man in the capital city?" Luo Shixin's expression was also somewhat serious. If he had known Yi Zhi Wende was in the capital city, he would have included him in his plans.

Jin Deman nodded, "Yi Zhi Wende has been in retirement for six years, living a secluded life. It's not surprising that you didn't know. According to my information, he still has great ambitions. If he learns of the situation in the capital city, he will certainly come forward. With his prestige, he can calm the chaotic Goguryeo troops and generals."

"Thank you!" Luo Shixin thanked him solemnly and had Pei Qingyi release Jin Deman, Jin Shengman, and Jin Yuxin. Now that the plan was in motion, they could no longer pose any threat. Bringing information about Yi Zhi Wende also showed their sincerity.

Luo Shixin turned and mounted his horse, his gaze fixed on the west.

The direction that would decide the outcome of the battle!

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