mtl008 Chapter 199 The city was accidentally breached!
Chapter 199 The city was accidentally breached!
Li Chengqian did not comment on Li Jing's suggestion, but said, "I have only one request, to destroy the mausoleum built by the Goguryeo people during Yang Guang's three expeditions to Goguryeo, so that these soldiers can rest in peace!"
Li Jing took a deep breath and said, "Don't worry, Your Highness. This is also the wish of all the soldiers of the Tang Dynasty."
After that, Li Jing continued, "Also, Silla has sent someone to contact us, saying that they will cooperate with the Tang Dynasty to attack from both sides and completely destroy Goguryeo."
Li Chengqian shook his head: "We don't have to consider Silla's movements. Their fighting power may put pressure on the rear of Goguryeo, but we can't take it into consideration.
And I have no intention of staying in Silla."
"Yes, whether it's Silla or Old Luo, destroy them all!" Cheng Yaojin shouted.
Li Jing said, "Your Highness, don't you consider the reactions of other countries around the Tang Dynasty?"
Li Chengqian laughed: "What are you considering? Are you considering Tubo, Nanzhao, or those small city-states in the Western Regions?"
"You just need to remember that these lands will belong to the Tang Dynasty from now on. What we need to do is to bring the entire East Asian region under the rule of China and rule it as our own land, leaving a foundation for future generations. This is what you and I should consider!"
Leaving a foundation for the future generations!!
Li Jing closed his eyes and took a deep breath: "I understand."
At the same time, in the direction of Goguryeo.
Yeon Gaesomun, the actual ruler of Goguryeo, was instigated by his subordinates and the spies of the Tang Security Department who had infiltrated Goguryeo and killed the king! !
He also supported a puppet to stay in Pyongyang, while he led his army to the front line to resist the Tang Dynasty's attack.
But when he finally arrived in Liaodong and repelled the Tang army that was besieging the city, and led reinforcements into Liaodong City, what greeted him was an earth-shaking artillery bombardment!
"What's going on?!" Yeon Gaesomun said in shock.
"It's the new Tang siege equipment. We bombard it three times a day, morning, noon and evening. The city wall can't hold up any longer!"
Boom boom boom!
The shelling continued but was not as intense.
But this was not fierce, and still made Yeon Gaesomun feel scared!
He stood inside the city wall, feeling it tremble under the bombardment.
When did the Tang Dynasty possess such a powerful weapon?
Can the Liaodong city be defended?
I was able to lead reinforcements into the city smoothly just now. Could it be that the Tang Dynasty deliberately let them go?
Countless questions arose in Yeon Gaesomun's mind, but he had already entered the city, and it was impossible for him to break out. He could only fight against the enemy as they attacked!
Just then, the shelling suddenly stopped.
"Hurry, go up to the city wall and set up defenses!" Yeon Gaesomun said in horror.
"General, don't worry. The Tang Dynasty will not launch an attack on the city after the daily bombardment."
Yeon Gaesomun was stunned. "You mean that for so many days, the Tang Dynasty just fired a few shots every day and didn't take any further action?"
"Yes."
"What about the cities in other directions?" Yeon Gaesomun asked again.
“That’s basically the case.”
Yeon Gaesomun was silent: "What on earth do they want to do? They clearly have the strength to capture several border cities in one fell swoop, so why don't they attack?"
He couldn't figure it out, but Li Jing felt that the time was almost right.
"Your Highness, now that Goguryeo's reinforcements have arrived, it's time to launch a general attack!"
Li Chengqian said, "Wait a little longer. Judging from the number of Goguryeo reinforcements that have just entered the city, there must be troops left behind. Continue bombarding and try to attract as many Goguryeo troops as possible to reduce the pressure on Liu Rengui.
After all, he is the key!"
Li Jing nodded after hearing this: "Then bombard for another three days."
But at this moment, a report came from the front that the western wall of Liaodong City had collapsed! !
Unexpectedly!
Both sides were stunned!
On the one hand, people underestimated the power of the small cannon!
On one side is panic and fear!
Li Jing decisively ordered: "All troops attack, take Liaodong City!"
This time Li Chengqian did not stop him. If he did not attack at this time, Goguryeo would easily suspect him.
Then we can only take Liaodong City first.
The battle went smoothly, with small steel cannons leading the way, flintlock rifles providing support, and the grassland cavalry advancing as the vanguard.
It only took two hours for the Tang army to successfully capture Liaodong City.
As for Yeon Gaesomun and the former defenders of Liaodong City, they had already led their troops to break out after the city wall collapsed.
Li Jing did not try to stop them too much. After blocking a wave of enemies, he pretended that he could not resist Yeon Gaesomun's desperate breakout and let them leave.
The play could no longer go on, and Li Jing could only order the Tang army in other directions to directly capture the major border cities.
In just three days, Liaodong, which Yang Guang had failed to conquer in his entire life, was easily conquered by the Tang Dynasty soldiers.
Behind the border is the Jingguan where corpses were left behind by Yang Guang’s soldiers after his three expeditions to Goguryeo!
Li Chengqian led the Tang Dynasty soldiers to stand in front of these Jingguans.
Only piles of bones were left in Jingguan. The remains of the Sui soldiers were destroyed by wild beasts and Goguryeo people and were piled up into small hills of bones.
For decades, these Jingguans have always existed in Liaodong, large and small, scattered throughout the border.
Although they were soldiers of the Sui Dynasty, they were also soldiers from the Central Plains.
As the successor of the Sui Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty had the responsibility and obligation to bury those soldiers who died in a foreign land.
Now, the place where they are can no longer be considered a foreign country.
After being separated in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, Liaodong returned to the rule of the Central Plains.
This is the territory jointly conquered by the Sui and Tang dynasties, and they must be respected and worshipped by future generations.
After the solemn worship ceremony, Li Chengqian ordered the execution of some captured Goguryeo soldiers and civilians as a blood sacrifice to their ancestors.
"Erect a monument and a temple to let future generations remember the deeds of the Sui soldiers and commemorate these martyrs who died fighting for the country..."
After leaving these words, Li Chengqian turned and left.
Li Jing sighed deeply, saluted again to the remains of the Sui Dynasty soldiers, and gave the order to bury the remains.
Because there were too many people and the remains were all scattered and mixed together, it was impossible to tell who was who.
All they could do was dig a big pit and carefully bury the remains of all the Sui Dynasty soldiers.
He also invited stonemasons to cast a stone tablet and engrave words to record the three expeditions to Goryeo during the Sui Dynasty.
As for the temple, the war is not over yet, so it cannot be built immediately.
When Goguryeo was conquered, it was time to build the temple.
At that time, the soldiers of the Tang Dynasty will bring the head of the King of Goguryeo and come again to pay tribute to the soldiers of the Sui Dynasty and fulfill the common wish of the two dynasties.
As for Yeon Gaesomun, he could only retreat to Tieling City on the west bank of the Yalu River and watch helplessly as the grassland cavalry galloped and looted the land of Liaodong!
He had a premonition that this time the Central Plains Empire's expedition against Goguryeo would not be so simple.
If things go wrong, the country will be destroyed!
Fortunately, the main force on the border is still there, but can these troops hold up against the attack of the Tang Dynasty’s advanced firearms?