Da Tang: Father, can I resign?

Chapter 367: The Great Trend of the World
"What good thing happened to Tian Khan that made you so happy?"

Ashina She'er came over curiously.

The Central Plains fell, the South was out of control, the emperor fled...all the news received recently was bad, and everyone in Jinyang City was depressed.

It was as if the entire Tang Dynasty had fallen, leaving only this tiny piece of land under our feet.

This made Ashina She'er feel particularly depressed.

In his heart, he is still a grassland man who yearns for freedom. How can he live under the eaves for a long time...

"You've come just in time. Come and enjoy this wonderful article together."

Li Shimin waved to his trusted general in a casual manner and handed him a letter.

Ashina She'er gladly took it, but after just one look, he was so shocked that he almost fainted.

"Khan and Little Khan were captured alive?!"

Game over!
"You go to Shuozhou."

"Ok?"

When Tian Khan gave him the order, Ashina She'er was still in a daze.

"You lead 20,000 elite troops to ambush the Ming army on the main road from Shuozhou to Jinyang in the south." Li Shimin gave the order regardless of whether the guy reacted or not.

Ashina She'er's mind went blank.

Isn’t the fundamental conflict of this war the battle for succession between Li Chengqian and Li Ming?

This incident is unremarkable and is also recorded in the history of the Turkic Khanate.

But now one of the contending parties has been completely defeated, so what's the point of fighting this war?
Why did Tian Khan continue to mobilize troops?

Aren't you retired already?
Ashina She'er's mind was in a mess, but he didn't dare to speak out what he was thinking, fearing that he would offend the old Khan. After a while of hesitation, he asked:

"Then...should I first inform Cheng Zhijie who is stationed in Shuozhou?"

"No need." Li Shimin waved his hand, with a wicked smile on his face:

"Let him think he is fighting alone, so that his acting won't reveal any flaws."

What's going on... She'er didn't quite understand Tian Khan's strategy, but he subconsciously felt that this strategy might be intended to stab Brother Cheng Zhijie in the back.

However, kindness does not make for a good army.

As the number one bootlicker under the throne of Tian Khan, Ashina She'er did not ask any more questions.

"Follow the order."

A concise answer, then he left.

It's better to take some action than to get bored in Jinzhou.

He was unwilling to accept that the battle ended in confusion because of Li Chengqian and Li Zhi's confusion, and the army surrendered in confusion.

"I believe Li Ming was not happy about his victory, right?

"I'll just have some fun with him."

Li Shimin was very free and easy. After sending away the arrogant Turkic remnants, he immediately summoned Guo Xiaoke.

"How is the iron chain on the Fen River going?"

With Li Shiji's example, Guo Xiaoke did not dare to take the emperor's order lightly, and reported in a serious manner:

"In accordance with your majesty's instructions, we have laid down several iron chains to stop all shipping on the Fen River.

"Between the iron chains, there were also incendiary boats loaded with tung oil and hay, which were enough to prevent the enemy navy from passing through."

Li Shimin nodded and said:

"The iron chain must be firmly fixed."

"They are all nailed to the cliffs on the shore, and stone fortifications are arranged and heavily guarded." Guo Xiaoke said.

Under the command of General Tian Ce, the Tang army showed extremely high work efficiency.

Li Shimin breathed a sigh of relief and smiled easily:
"Get ready, the Ming army's land and sea forces are about to start the Northern Expedition."

Guo Xiaoke swallowed his saliva, his expression tense.

"Yes."

"By the way, something happened recently." Li Shimin said with a relaxed look:

"I believe that when the two armies confront each other, the other side will be very considerate to inform you, so it is better for me to tell you in advance -

"The Emperor and his younger brother were captured alive by the enemy."

Guo Xiaoke's face turned pale.

…………

“Your Majesty has already broken through Puzhou, arrived at Jinzhou, and captured the Tang False Emperor and other members of the royal family.

"You now order us to march south immediately, capture Shuozhou, and join your majesty's army to advance towards Jinzhou."

Behind the Shanxi battlefield, there is a "sanatorium resort" in the Taihang Mountains, separated from the Shuozhou battlefield.

Li Jing summoned all the generals and showed them Li Ming's handwritten letter.

The generals were cheered up.

Since the "victorious transition" in Shuozhou, they have changed their style of play.

The battle switched from positional warfare to harassment warfare, and small troops were sent out to continuously harass the Tang army stationed in Shuozhou.

The main force stayed behind to rest.

If there is anything that can be happier than eating hot pot and singing songs.

The best thing was to eat and drink while watching the Tang Dynasty colleagues starving on the other side of the mountain.

Therefore, the soldiers' health bars recovered very quickly and their combat capabilities were fully restored.

"This is the final battle!"

Hou Junji is ready to go.

Several other generals were equally determined to win.

Li Jing shook his head slightly:

"Don't underestimate war. Until the moment of real fighting, the outcome is still unknown."

Tch...Hou Junji snorted in dissatisfaction.

Others also disagreed, thinking that this god of war was obviously very powerful but overly cautious, but they did not say it.

The emperor is treating them as his big brother, so why wouldn’t the Tang army scatter like monkeys when the tree falls?

Wherever the Ming Dynasty soldiers went, the people welcomed them wholeheartedly. It can be said that they had the best timing. The scene of thriving vitality and flourishing of all things has already appeared before your eyes.

Li Jing corrected his subordinates' arrogance and underestimation of the enemy by saying:
"Warfare is a matter of great importance to a country. Your Majesty has specifically written in his personal letter that I must not let my guard down and must continue to act prudently. I must not act too hastily or fail at the last hurdle."

Since they have brought up His Majesty Li Ming, even someone as arrogant as Hou Junji can't say anything.

The generals bowed:

"Follow the order."

…………

The Ming Dynasty soldiers led by Li Jing ended their rest and recuperation in Hengzhou and set out again, crossing the Taihang Mountains along the Taihang Pass and marching straight into Shanxi.

The army was mighty and unstoppable, and they arrived at the city of Shuozhou.

On the city wall, Cheng Zhijie looked dejected.

During this period, he was busy dealing with the harassment of the Ming army and was addicted to fighting.

So he didn't know that there was a fire in the backyard, the Tang Dynasty was in the hands of the Ming Dynasty, and the highness and the emperor to whom he was loyal had been captured.

However, facing such a huge military force, Cheng Zhijie inexplicably had a premonition that the end of the Tang Dynasty was approaching.

The enemy, which had been defeated with great difficulty, reappeared before him in the blink of an eye, fully equipped and full of morale.

Anyone would feel extremely desperate.

What's more, on my side...

Old Cheng turned around and took a look.

The soldiers under his command were all covered in dust and dirt, looked depressed, and were skinny from hunger.

In order to provide for the expenses of the retired emperor's large army, the Shuozhou army, which owned the granary, would rather tighten their belts and move almost all of Shuozhou's stored grain to Jinzhou.

The ability to maintain such discipline without collapse was entirely due to the fact that the commander Cheng Zhijie led by example.

"Huh... Should we ask Jinzhou for help? Forget it. Li Ming is leading his army northward, and the emperor is probably too busy to take care of himself."

Old Cheng let out a long breath and glanced at the soldiers' faces.

For most of them, this is probably their farewell.

But no matter how hopeless we are, the battle must still be fought.

"All troops, prepare! You are not allowed to retreat without permission! I will die on the front line!"

Cheng Zhijie raised his arms and shouted, leading the way and pulling out a crossbow.

…………

Facts have proved that no matter how strong the Tang army's spirit was, it could not resist the torrent of material. They had a hard time defending the Ming army's several tentative attacks, and they almost lost the city many times.

How could they withstand the full force attack of the main force of the Ming army?
The battle was a one-sided one.

Under Li Jing's command, the north gate of Shuozhou was immediately broken.

The cavalry, armed to the teeth, riding their mounts also covered in thick Ming armor, poured into Shuozhou City like a torrent of steel.

The people fled in all directions, and the streets were littered with corpses wearing Tang armor.

The overall situation has been decided.

"Is it over? I didn't expect it to end in such a terrible way..."

Cheng Zhijie's heart was filled with sadness and grandeur.

"General, let's retreat from the south gate!" the deputy general urged.

Cheng Zhijie's eyes were red:

"I let the soldiers go up to die, how can I live?"

The old general is going to die for his country!
The deputy general was quick-witted and immediately hugged General Cheng in tears, shouting:
"It would be easy for the general to die, but what will happen if your majesty loses the pillar that supports him?"

Your Majesty... This touched Cheng Zhijie's heart, and he hesitated for a moment.

The deputy continued to persuade:

"The war is not over yet. Why don't we withdraw to Jinzhou first and help His Majesty the Emperor to continue to resist the Ming thieves?"

This sentence reminded Cheng Zhijie.

His emotions calmed down, but his bloodshot eyes became even redder.

"Yes, continue to resist the Ming thieves...

"Although Shuozhou City has been lost, as a city itself, it can also cause some trouble for the Ming thieves, right?"

The deputy general's eyelids jumped.

He didn't know what he said inspired General Cheng.

But he knew that this "inspiration" might not be very good...

…………

"General, the enemy commander and his remaining troops have fled from the south gate."

Send an order to report to Hou Junji.

The battle of Shuozhou City was led by Lao Hou, while the old commander Li Jing temporarily stayed in the rear due to his old age and slow walking speed.

"Tsk, Cheng Yaojin is just a bandit after all. He shouted slogans passionately, tricked soldiers into committing suicide, and then he escaped happily."

Hou Junji curled his lips in disdain.

The capture of Shuozhou was much smoother than he had expected - although the Tang army had many problems, it was still the Tang army after all, and siege warfare has always been a difficult point in warfare.

To be able to capture a city so easily...

The grassroots combat effectiveness of the Ming army really made him happy.

Even though he has been in command of this unit for over a year, it still feels new and full of surprises.

"It's even two days ahead of the schedule set by His Majesty. A lot can be done in these two days." Hou Junji stroked his beard with satisfaction.

Li Dao Zong, acting as his deputy, reminded:
"Your Majesty's strategy for this battle is to advance from the north to the south, and to coordinate the attack. We must not advance rashly without authorization."

"I know." Hou Junji said impatiently:
"What I mean is, why not take advantage of these two days to let the soldiers rest and relax. The brothers have fought hard, and they should be paid..."

"Military discipline must not be relaxed, and soldiers must not be allowed to plunder," Li Daozon said with a cold face.

Hou Junji's mouth twitched:
"...Shuozhou is the territory of my Ming Dynasty. How could I plunder it? In your eyes, am I that kind of person?"

Li Dao Zong nodded coldly:

"Yes."

Hou Junji: “…Send the order.”

The messenger said, “Yes.”

Hou Junji: "Pass on my order. While the army is stationed in Shuozhou, they should observe discipline, not harm the people, and restore order in the city."

Messenger: “Yes!”

After making the arrangements, Lao Hou turned his sour face towards Lao Li:

"Are you satisfied now?"

Li Dao Zong nodded:

"Satisfied."

"cut."

With the battle approaching, the two generals were in a very relaxed mood.

In their eyes, the war was over.

The rapid fall of Shuozhou made it difficult for them to be alert and recall the warnings of Li Ming and Li Jing.

Their minds were full of thoughts on how to use the two days of vacation they had obtained to properly rest the troops and complete the meeting with the most majestic spirit...

At this moment, I caught a glimpse from the corner of my eye and saw that in a corner of Shuozhou City, an orange fire seemed to be lit up.

"Report! General, the remnants of the Tang army are setting fires everywhere in the city!"

Tsk, it turns out that one cannot be too idle, or things will come knocking on one’s door soon... Hou Junji wiped his teeth.

The fire in the city had little impact on the Ming army.

Because their logistics are very smooth and they don't rely on here for food.

At worst, we can just withdraw the troops out of the city and sleep in tents.

"But we can't just ignore the people of Shuozhou," Li Daozon said worriedly.

Hou Junji also felt a headache.

Although Lao Hou is not a good man, the Ming Dynasty and its army have "idol baggage".

In order not to tarnish the glorious image of Emperor Li Ming who "loves the people like his own children", Hou Junji had no choice but to restrain his temper and behave himself.

"Damn those Wagang bandits, they really only know how to set fires... Put out the fires and resettle the victims!"

…………

Shuozhou is dry in spring, which leads to continuous fires.

The Ming army worked hard for two days and two nights, using up all the "holiday" created by the quick siege, before they managed to barely bring the fire under control.

"Damn it, that damn Cheng Yaojin, those damn Wagang bandits..."

Hou Junji was so angry that he bared his teeth.

Resting for two days is more tiring than fighting a war. It's really unbelievable.

The ruined “vacation” is the least of my worries.

If this affects the combat status of the soldiers and causes His Majesty Li Ming's final battle to clear the world to be concluded imperfectly, then it would be a delay of important matters!
"Jun Ji, the time agreed with His Majesty to march has come!" Li Daozon reminded him, his eye sockets were black, and it was unknown whether it was caused by the smoke or from staying up all night directing the firefighting.

"Tsk, I know!"

Hou Junji responded irritably.

The Ming army had just completed two days and two nights of firefighting when they immediately rushed to the battlefield.

"Thank you, thank you Ming Tian soldiers!"

Officials and people of Shuozhou lined the streets to see him off.

The people's support was much more enthusiastic than when the Ming army first occupied this place.

Even most of the food in the city was plundered by the Tang army and sent to Jinzhou.

But they still took out the stored grain and presented food and drink to thank the king's army.

"No need, no need. Our army has no shortage of food. You should just take care of yourselves. Look how hungry you are..."

Hou Junji had a hard time refusing the food that the Shuozhou woman offered him.

Li Dao Zong just found it funny:
"I didn't expect that General Hou loved the people like his own children, was honest and upright, and was determined not to take a single cent from the people."

Hou Junji, who never robs, turned pale.

He felt that his old friend was implying something about him, but he had no evidence.

Forget it, just let it be.

Now he is no longer the corrupt official who looted Gaochang.

He was a founding hero of the two super dynasties, the Tang Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty!
Yes, he believed that the Tang Dynasty had become a thing of the past and the Ming Dynasty had completed its founding.

Look at the scene where the people wholeheartedly welcome the Ming Dynasty soldiers, as if his and other generals' imaginations had come true.

Destiny is mine!

The war was over, and all that remained was to march armed to the city of Jinzhou and declare victory.

This is an irresistible trend, who can stop it?

(End of this chapter)