Chapter Seventy-Six: Assault on the City (Part One)

Is slaughtering more than three thousand people considered a lot? Judging by Li Kong leading five thousand men, it doesn’t seem particularly excessive. Yet, if one factors in that the battle lasted less than an hour and their own casualties numbered only two hundred, this achievement becomes almost miraculous.

Thus, the entire Ganlu Hall was enveloped in silence. Those urgently summoned by Li Shimin—Fang Xuanling, Changsun Wuji, Li Ji, Li Jing, and others—were all left dumbfounded by the report of victory. Especially Changsun Wuji, who was tempted to accuse Li Kong of exaggerating the battle results, but he simply couldn’t utter such words now. The Tang Dynasty desperately needed this report.

Of course, his doubts did not lie in Li Kong underreporting his own losses, but in the number of enemies slain. After all, Li Kong was already leading his men toward Ji City, heading straight for Liaodong. If he’d lost too many men, he wouldn’t have dared, nor would he be able to do so.

“Does anyone here know this Liu Ren Gui?” Li Shimin, seeing the silence, chose to set aside the victory report and instead asked this question.

For in the report, Li Kong had mentioned Liu Ren Gui, describing him as a courageous and talented man, worthy of great responsibility. As a wise ruler, Li Shimin would never take Li Kong’s word alone; he naturally sought confirmation in public.

The ministers exchanged glances and then shook their heads. At this time, Liu Ren Gui’s fame was not yet established, and it was unlikely any of them knew of him.

But just then, a chamberlain arrived outside and announced, “Your Majesty, a memorial from Liu Ren Gui, the commander of the pass.”

Everyone was startled. Li Shimin took the memorial, read it carefully, and sighed deeply before handing it over to Changsun Wuji. “This man indeed has some ability.”

According to the memorial, Liu Ren Gui was merely a deputy commander at the pass, with only five hundred men under his command. Yet after being stationed there in the ninth year of Wu De, he managed in four years to expand his force from five hundred to three thousand, including five hundred cavalry.

This time, he had slain a thousand enemies, captured three hundred, and together with Li Kong’s forces, annihilated five thousand Goguryeo cavalry without a single survivor.

Such a man had gone unnoticed for so many years—not just by Li Shimin, but by all his subordinates—an immense loss for the emperor. His growing dissatisfaction with the aristocratic clans made Liu Ren Gui’s humble origins all the more precious in his eyes.

Changsun Wuji understood Li Shimin’s thoughts and said, “Your Majesty could send him north to reinforce Li Kong’s forces, as a precaution. If he truly has talent, he may accumulate merit for the future and silence detractors.”

Li Shimin squinted at Changsun Wuji, then shook his head. “Since he is capable, let’s first summon him to Chang’an. I recall the Left Guard is still short a commander for the imperial troops. He can serve there for now.”

“This… Your servant obeys.” Changsun Wuji opened his mouth, then reluctantly complied.

After a moment’s silence, Li Shimin continued, “Yun Feng’s situation is stable for now, but we cannot sit idle. Li Ji, I appoint you as the Chief Commander of Hebei’s expeditionary forces, overseeing all military actions against Goguryeo. That is all—dismissed!”

With that, Li Shimin rose to leave, but suddenly remembered something and turned to Wei Zheng. “Wei, are the envoys from Wa still at the guesthouse?”

“Yes, Your Majesty!” Wei Zheng replied, meeting Li Shimin’s gaze.

Li Shimin nodded. “Select some gifts for them and send them home.”

Wei Zheng was stunned, about to speak, but saw Li Shimin hurriedly depart Ganlu Hall, leaving Wei Zheng in confusion.

Changsun Wuji sympathetically patted Wei Zheng’s shoulder, shook his head with a smile, and left. Fang Xuanling and the others wore similar expressions. With such a capricious emperor, they truly had nothing to say—most importantly, it wasn’t their concern.

Wei Zheng’s nose wrinkled in indignation. “How can it be so? Your Majesty, your servant has something to say!”

And with that, he rushed out in pursuit…

Night fell once more over the western mountains of Shanhai Pass.

Li Kong sat gnawing a dry biscuit, with a jug of hot water beside him.

He’d received word in the afternoon: only five hundred Goguryeo soldiers remained inside Shanhai Pass, but there was enough grain stored to supply thirty thousand troops for three months.

A hundred and fifty li north of Shanhai Pass, at Yingguan, there was a cavalry force of three thousand, ready to respond to emergencies.

If the cavalry advanced at full speed, they could reach Shanhai Pass in two hours at most. Thus, if an assault on the city were to occur, there would be at most an hour before reinforcements arrived.

Of course, attention must also be paid to the Goguryeo forces in Ji City and Jingkou to the south; between Ji City and Shanhai Pass, in the hundreds of li of territory, there were no fewer than fifty thousand Goguryeo troops, scattered near and far. The risks of attacking the city were enormous.

But the lure of grain enough for thirty thousand men for three months was overwhelming—so much so that Li Kong could not bring himself to abandon it. Now he faced a dilemma.

Should he lead a full-scale assault on the city, destroying the grain?

Or should he sneak in alone and sabotage the stores?

The former was extremely risky; if things went awry, his five thousand men could be lost entirely here. The latter was less dangerous, but alone, he might not be able to burn all the grain even by tomorrow.

All considered, the first option was more straightforward. So after less than fifteen minutes of contemplation, Li Kong decided to strike after midnight. Before that, he needed some men to infiltrate the city and open the gates after midnight; otherwise, an assault by cavalry would be a joke.

Even if they succeeded, the losses would be tremendous—losses Li Kong could not afford.

Having made arrangements, Li Kong closed his eyes to rest, while the others hurriedly ate and took brief naps, awaiting midnight.

Outside Shanhai Pass, a dozen men dressed as Goguryeo soldiers quickly entered the city, changed out of their uniforms, and disguised themselves as enslaved servants, dispersing near the gates.

About ten soldiers guarded the gate, but as time passed, their vigilance faded. By the hour of Hai, eight of the ten had fallen asleep, and the whole city was eerily quiet.

The infiltrators gathered again. Five rushed to the gate, efficiently dispatched the eight sleeping guards, and the remaining two were swiftly beheaded.

“Quick, deal with the bodies, put on their uniforms, and prepare to welcome the general!” whispered a squad leader, stripping a corpse.

Meanwhile, Li Kong, who had been resting, suddenly opened his eyes and growled, “Everyone mount up—depart in fifteen minutes…”