Chapter 61: Displaying Military Might

  Gao Ming knelt down in front of Gao Jianwu, "Your Highness, everyone knows that Liaodong City is important. But Liaodong City is dead, and we are alive! No matter how important Liaodong City is, it's not as important as Your Highness. Now that Liaodong City has reached its limit, the soldiers can hold on for at most one more day. Your Highness, it's time to make a decision. Do you really want to perish with the city and do something meaningless?"

  Looking at Gao Jianwu's eyes filled with unwillingness, Gao Ming pleaded, "Your Highness, as long as the green hills remain, we don't have to worry about not having firewood. You also said that the rainy season is approaching, and then comes winter. This Liaodong is different from the Central Plains; once winter arrives, it's a snowy mountain pass, and only in May next year can the Sui army march again. By then, the Sui army will definitely retreat, without the advantage of numbers, how can these Sui soldiers be our opponents? Now we'll let the city of Liaodong go to the Sui people first, and when the time comes, we'll take it back."

  Gao Jianwu sighed, "I'm afraid that if we give the city of Liaodong to the Sui army, they will still be dissatisfied. What if they don't retreat when they arrive and use Liaodong as a base to advance on us step by step? How can we deal with that?"

  "Your Highness, after the 8th month of Liaodong, even we Goguryeo people who have lived here for generations do not dare to mobilize troops at this time. If the Sui army really attacks us then, relying on our solid mountain cities, we will definitely make the Sui army return in defeat. Moreover, there is one thing that Your Highness must not forget: although the current king is Your Highness' brother, the nobles in the court are holding power. The troops in Your Highness' hands are the greatest support for the king. If Your Highness dies here, who will the king rely on?" said Gao Mingdao.

  The Goguryeo, although having developed for nearly five hundred years, has now formed a centralized power state. However, the aristocrats within the country also grasped most of the power over the past five hundred years. They not only held political power in various regions but each noble also had their own private army. When Gao Jianwu thought about this, he couldn't help but hesitate. Although Gao Yuan was the king, the military forces in his hands were limited. The most elite troops loyal to the emperor, except for those guarding Pyongyang, were now all under his command. If these troops loyal to the king were lost at Liaodong Castle, who could still guarantee that those nobles would continue to be loyal to the king?

  Gao Jianwu closed his eyes in pain and gave up Liaodong City, which was really too painful for him. But now, he had no choice but to do so.

  After a long time, he opened his eyes, and in them was a determined look. "Gaoming, immediately mobilize three thousand of our finest cavalrymen to rest now. Also, prepare ten thousand horses and feed the warhorses well. Furthermore, pile up hay on all the grain warehouses and armories in the city. When we break out tonight, have the rearguard burn down all the grain and supplies so that not a single grain of food or blade of grass is left for the Sui people. Since we cannot help but hand over Liaodong City to the Sui people for now, we must not let them get anything."

  Gao Ming nodded, a hint of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes. "Your Highness, why don't we just burn down the entire city of Liaodong when the time comes? Not a single tile or piece of wood will be left for the Sui army. Let them have a city reduced to ashes. Without grain and fodder supplies, the Sui people won't be able to march south with peace of mind."

  At this time, there are still all the nearby people who have moved into the city, plus the original people in the city. Now there are nearly 150,000 civilians in the city. It is the largest city of Goguryeo in Liaodong and also the city with the most people. The city of Liaodong alone accounts for about one-fifth of the population of Goguryeo.

  If it's true what Gao Ming said, that the entire city of Liao Dong will be burned down, then as soon as autumn arrives, these over a million civilians will undoubtedly have many people starve to death or freeze to death.

  "Gritting his teeth, 'Alright, let's do it your way. As soon as we leave the city, we'll set fire to the entire city of Liaodong. We'll open all four gates and let everyone escape on their own. If these civilians want to blame someone, they should blame the Sui people for leaving them homeless.'"

  "Yes, Your Highness, I'll go make arrangements right away. You be careful on the city wall."

  Gao Ming alone climbed down the city wall with one hand, and soon after he went down, the Goguryeo soldiers on the top of the city wall shouted loudly, "Raise your shields! Raise your shields! The Sui army's archers are going to shoot arrows again."

  At the sound of that shout, all the Goguryeo soldiers who were leaning and lying on the city wall immediately got up under the shouts of their respective commanders, looking for shields everywhere to block the arrows. Various large and small shields, doors, and tabletops were used. The soldiers who couldn't find anything else used the corpses that hadn't been thrown down from the city wall yet to block the arrows.

  As for the bows and arrows of the Sui army, these people had a deep impression. The formation and power of the simultaneous shooting of ten thousand arrows were too frightening. Every time during the brief moment when ten thousand arrows were shot simultaneously, even if they hid well, there would still be a large number of soldiers submerged in this rain of arrows.

  Fortunately, after fighting for half a day, all the Goguryeo soldiers also found some rules. The arrow rain of the Sui people was fierce, but each time it would only shoot at most ten waves and then stop, followed by infantry and various machines that rushed to the city wall under the cover of the arrow rain.

  With a thousand arrows fired, accompanied by the miserable cries and screams of the Goguryeo defenders, the Sui army's soldiers, who had rested for a while, began to attack the city again. Although they attacked for half a day, they still failed to capture Liaodong City, but these experienced Sui generals knew that the Goguryeo people were almost done for.

  Before, they wanted to rush up the city wall, and even ten cloud ladders might not have one soldier who finally rushed up the city wall. However, before the morning's rest, they had already rushed up the city wall several times in a short period of time. Moreover, after rushing up the city wall, they found that there were many civilians and hunters wearing armor and holding weapons on the city wall, while the regular Goguryeo guards were actually in the minority.

  If it weren't for the sound of golden drums coming from the final battle, they would have believed that Liaodong City had already been taken down. The soldiers on the front line thought it was just the emperor's sympathy for the generals and couldn't bear to lose too many lives. However, the leaders of the broken army camp who were still lined up on one side understood the emperor's intention. Although the infantry soldiers once climbed onto the city wall, Goguryeo had not collapsed yet, and now such a charge was simply throwing away their lives.

  Not far from the city of Liaodong, there was the imperial camp of Emperor Yang Guang. As for this attack, Yang Guang was extremely confident and completely rejected the advice of his ministers, directly taking command in the central army. If not for the desperate persuasion of his ministers, he had originally planned to go directly to the foot of the city wall to watch the battle.

  Although it was still ten miles away from Liaodong City, the Goguryeo people who were tightly besieged in the city could not come out to attack His Majesty the Emperor. However, the Tianzi Six Armies around the Emperor were exceptionally serious, surrounding Yang Guang's Tianzi Great Flag, with nearly a hundred layers of encirclement inside and outside.

  Among the elite soldiers, there was a huge wooden palace, although it was located in the enemy's territory of Liaodong, Yang Guang's luxurious habits did not change at all. As soon as he arrived, he ordered many craftsmen in the army to intensify the manufacture of this wooden palace, which was also for convenient movement and even observation on the battlefield.

  At this time, Yang Guang stood at the highest point of the wooden palace, the entire wooden palace was built by nearly 10,000 craftsmen, although it was made of wood, but after being painted, it was magnificent and majestic, not much different from a real palace.

  A nine-story high platform was specially built for Yang Guang to watch the battle. At this time, Yang Guang sat on a jade couch, with many beautiful palace ladies and concubines sitting on both sides. And at this time, Yang Guang was not lonely in his enjoyment, behind him, apart from a group of civil and military officials who did not lead troops, there were also some more important guests.

  If this building were not extremely large, it would be impossible to accommodate so many dignitaries. At the moment, there are more than a hundred dignitaries on Yang Guang's left and right, all of whom are envoys from various vassal states of the Sui Dynasty and kings of small countries invited by Yang Guang. They include Shibi Khan himself and the envoy of Qibi Khan. Last year, when he first attacked Goguryeo, he suffered a defeat and was unable to show his face. This time, he has already gained confidence in his victory, so he will not miss this opportunity to show off his military prowess.

  The kings, envoys and khans of the surrounding small countries also watched with great relish for an entire morning. The siege battle of 400,000 to 500,000 people was particularly thrilling, especially the neat and tidy military formation of the Sui army, the tens of millions of arrows shooting into the sky, and the various large-scale siege engines that they had never heard of or seen before, which truly broadened their horizons and made their blood boil with excitement.

  On one side, the great army on the city wall was engaged in a fierce and bloody battle. On the other side, there were many beautiful singing girls accompanying wine, as well as beautiful palace maidens playing music and dancing. Drinking intoxicating fine wines, listening to the enchanting sounds, and watching the tens of thousands of soldiers fighting with their lives, these envoys, kings, and khans from various places couldn't help but feel envious. This is the prosperity of China, this is the master of China.

  After the Turks were divided into two countries by the Sui Dynasty's minister, Zhangsun Sheng, they began to fight each other. The Sui army took advantage of this and attacked them. In the end, the Western Turks were defeated and fled in disarray, with no way out. Even their Khan, Dali Qaghan, surrendered to the Sui Dynasty.

  At this time, Luo Ke Khan held a beautiful wine and stroked his beard, saying, "What a pity! Just now those Central Plains warriors almost took down the West City Head, just a little bit short. If Your Majesty waits a little longer, maybe we can drink and celebrate in Liaodong City soon."

  Yang Guang burst out laughing, "Goguryeo is just a land of barbarians. Last time I gave them an opportunity to surrender. Unfortunately, these barbarians do not obey the king's rule. This time I will let them understand that this world is so big, wherever I want to go, I can go there. Whatever I want, no one can refuse. The ones below are all brave warriors of my Great Sui, I let them rest for a while, just giving those barbarians of Goguryeo a little time to struggle. When my warriors have rested well, taking down this Liaodong City will be as easy as turning over their hands. You all please stay and drink with me, watching the battle from here. Before today is over, my warriors will take down this Liaodong City for me."

  Vote for recommendations, oh... Rolling on the ground again, asking for a reward, the new book's first month ends today, one month, updating 200,000 words, it should be said that this update volume is not small during the new book period, hehe...