Chapter 95 of 100
Chapter 95
16 min read4,072 words
Yi Zhiwendek gathered all the forces in the city at the West Gate. Now that the troops at the West Gate have scattered and Yi Zhiwendek has been captured, the city of Guonei no longer has the strength to resist the Sui army.
After overcoming the crisis caused by Yi Zhiwendek, Li Yunchong, Zhao Dezhu, and others successfully captured the city of Guonei with Luo Shixin's help. They not only occupied the city lord's residence but also controlled all the city gates. They accomplished the remarkable feat of taking the city with a thousand men in the heart of Goguryeo.
Luo Shixin fought all night, basically relying on his own strength. It wasn't because the Sui soldiers were too weak, but because he was unfamiliar with his troops, didn't know their capabilities, and even didn't recognize them, leading to a lack of coordination. As a result, in many situations, Luo Shixin didn't dare to use them, fearing they would make mistakes or fail to understand his intentions, thus missing good opportunities and risking their lives.
Since ancient times, "a general not knowing his soldiers, and soldiers not knowing their general" has been a great taboo in military affairs, especially in small-scale battles.
Therefore, out of necessity, Luo Shixin mostly chose to break through the enemy lines personally. Even though he was made of iron, he felt exhausted after continuous fighting. After the battle, he didn't say much and went to sleep in an empty room in the city lord's residence.
The city of Guonei had already been captured for Li Yunchong and Zhao Dezhu. The next steps were up to them to handle. If they couldn't manage it under these circumstances, they wouldn't have the qualifications to compete with a country and live comfortably in the Changbai Mountains.
Zhao Dezhu and Sun Zengyou were experienced, while Li Yunchong lacked experience but was intelligent and brave. The three of them worked together to stabilize the situation in Guonei before dawn and posted notices in bustling areas to reassure the people.
At this time, Goguryeo did not have its own writing system, so Chinese characters were used, ensuring that literate citizens could understand them.
Next came the crucial negotiations.
After discussion, the three decided to entrust the difficult task to Li Yunchong, who would negotiate with Gao Huizhen alone.
When Luo Shixin woke up, Li Yunchong had already left Guonei.
Zhao Dezhu and Sun Zengyou were busy plundering the city's resources and had no time to pay attention to Luo Shixin. They just assigned him over thirty men to do as he pleased. Even if he messed up, it didn't matter since they didn't plan to stay in Guonei for long.
Luo Shixin had no other thoughts and had little interest in the unarmed civilians.
When he learned that the sisters Jin Deman and Jin Shengman had not left, he found out where they were and went to see them.
Jin Deman and Jin Shengman were not surprised by Luo Shixin's arrival. They warmly welcomed him into the house, even being overly enthusiastic.
Jin Deman, the first princess, maintained her regal demeanor, while Jin Shengman changed into women's clothing, dressing herself beautifully. Jin Shengman possessed all the characteristics of a Silla beauty: a petite and delicate figure, skin as white as jade, a lovely oval face, a small and straight nose, long and well-drawn eyebrows, and large, star-like eyes. Wearing a beautiful Silla dress, she indeed had a captivating charm.
Luo Shixin couldn't help but look at her a few more times. Having seen many women from the Central Plains, this Silla beauty gave him a fresh and different feeling.
"General, please sit down. I'll make you a cup of tea!" Jin Shengman warmly supported Luo Shixin as he approached the door, her soft body brushing against him as she guided him to sit down. She smiled gently, "We in Silla are very hospitable. If you're not used to it, please don't be offended."
Luo Shixin was initially a bit awkward, but he relaxed after her explanation, thinking to himself: The customs in Silla are much more open than in the Tang Dynasty. Could this be a paradise for men?
He didn't notice Jin Deman's expression, only she knew that her mischievous sister was taking advantage of Luo Shixin's unfamiliarity with Silla customs to get some benefits.
"Guonei is in a time of turmoil. Are the two princesses not afraid of encountering danger and getting into trouble?" Luo Shixin had something to say to these future queens of Silla but didn't want to speak rashly without understanding the situation, so he came to inquire.
Jin Deman solemnly said, "I have always admired the culture of the Central Plains. It is worth it to form an alliance with the Tang Dynasty through the general, even if it means risking my life."
Luo Shixin realized they were thinking along the same lines. Liaodong is Chinese territory, now occupied by Goguryeo. The Changbai Mountains also belong to China but are controlled by Goguryeo. Not to mention the pyramids of corpses built to display military might, which are the actual remains of Chinese people. They died in a foreign land and suffered such treatment; how can they rest in peace?
Therefore, Luo Shixin wanted to reclaim Liaodong as soon as possible, take back the Changbai Mountains, destroy the pyramids, gather the remains, and send them home.
Although Luo Shixin clearly knew his thoughts were too naive, the current Tang Dynasty was powerless against the Turks and could only defend passively. How could they launch a military campaign against Goguryeo?
However, he firmly believed that where there is a will, there is a way. The Tang Dynasty would eventually become as powerful as in history, defeat the Turks, and finally conquer Goguryeo, standing tall at the pinnacle of the world.
Even if the timing was not ripe, with this opportunity presented, Luo Shixin still felt it should be seized, forming a connection with Silla to prepare for future campaigns.
Luo Shixin said, "Goguryeo has ambitions. During the Sui Wendi period, at its peak, it invaded the border multiple times and even allied with the Turks to plot against the Central Plains. Now they still occupy Liaodong in the Central Plains. To be blunt, a war between our Li Tang and Goguryeo is inevitable. It's just a matter of time."
Jin Deman's eyes lit up. The astute princess understood Luo Shixin's implications and nodded, "I won't hide it from the general. Among the three northeastern kingdoms, Silla ranks second in military strength but last in overall national power. Goguryeo has a large army and many generals, and Baekje has already formed an alliance with Japan. Silla is not afraid of Baekje alone, but the combined forces of the two are beyond our ability to resist, putting us in a precarious position. That's why I value the strength of Zuo Tiancheng and his group, risking a trip to Guonei to seek their help."
Luo Shixin, recalling his memories, knew Jin Deman was not hiding anything. Historically, Silla, driven to a corner by Goguryeo, Baekje, and Japan, sought the support of the Tang Dynasty. The Tang Dynasty then sent famous generals like Su Dingfang and Liu Ren轨 to join forces with Silla and conquer Goguryeo and Baekje.
He suddenly laughed, "I am just a general and cannot decide matters between countries. However, the Tang Dynasty is open to all. As long as your envoys can reach Chang'an, there will be gains."
Jin Deman understood and smiled, not saying more.
No one could have predicted that this simple meeting would bring a dramatic change to the fate of the three northeastern kingdoms.
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