Control your ancestors and create an immortal family starting from the Eastern Han Dynasty

Chapter 136 Bloody Battle of Hulao Pass: Capturing Two Emperors in One Battle (Two Chapters Combined, Seeking Monthly Tickets)
—The whole world was in an uproar.

A massive, earth-shattering battle unfolded across the entire Central Plains, centered around Luoyang.

Four powerful figures gathered to vie for supremacy;

It even had the implication of settling the world in one battle.

No, it's about deciding the fate of the world in one battle.

For all the feudal lords in the land, if this battle fails to completely annihilate the Li Tang dynasty, it will be difficult to imagine who else in the entire world can withstand the might of the Tang.

Hulao Pass.

As one of the most important passes in the Luoyang area, this place has witnessed countless stories and left behind endless legends.

Thinking back to those days;

It was Gu Chen who held off the allied forces of Yuan Shao and other warlords at Hulao Pass.

Although they were eventually forced to retreat from Luoyang, they managed to block the feudal lords from all directions at this pass.

This battle also marked the beginning of Gu Chen's rise to fame.

— Five thousand people.

Only five thousand people!
Under the premise of ensuring that Luoyang does not escape the siege, Li Shimin could only spare a maximum of 5,000 elite troops, which was also all that the Tang Dynasty could offer.

The four lords besieged it.

With all the elite troops out in the country, the entire city of Chang'an is now on edge.

There is absolutely no way to help.

The front lines need more manpower to besiege Luoyang.

The force heading to Hulao Pass numbered only 5,000, facing Dou Jiande's nearly 100,000-strong army.

The danger of this battle is self-evident.

Li Shimin still possessed considerable personal charisma, and even in this situation, many generals still wanted to follow him.

However, Li Shimin only selected generals who were skilled in martial arts.

Those skilled in command naturally remained at the front lines.

Gu Yan and other members of the Gu family also volunteered for the battle, but Gu Quan naturally refused.

In the absence of Gu Yu attending court.

He was the eldest son;
It is to shield all the risks for all my brothers.

The army set off.

No one was certain of victory in this battle, and Li Shimin, Gu Quan, and others had no way out.

We must stop Dou Jiande at Hulao Pass no matter what.

Otherwise, the Tang army would be attacked from both sides by Wang Shichong and Dou Jiande, and if all the elite troops were lost, the Tang Dynasty would be destined to perish.

Under such circumstances, who wouldn't feel pressured?

But no matter what, all that was left for Li Shimin and Gu Quan was to face it head-on.

The leaden clouds hung low, making the battlements of Hulao Pass seem suffocating.

Li Shimin leaned against the mottled bricks of the arrow tower, his fingertips brushing against the still-wet bloodstains on the city wall—splattered from the scouts' clash with the Xia army's cavalry the day before.

He squinted, gazing at the churning dark clouds on the horizon.

Although it has always remained calm.

But his silence alone was enough to tell Li Shimin's feelings at that moment.

Suddenly, shouts rang out.

"Report!" The messenger staggered up the city wall, "The vanguard of the Xia army has reached three miles below the pass!"

The wind carried the earthy smell and Li Shimin immediately glanced at Gu Quan. Without any further words, the two climbed directly onto the city wall.

The next moment, a huge crowd that seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see was rapidly approaching from afar.

Those crimson banners embroidered with the character "Xia" spread across the plains like a sea of ​​blood.

Countless spearheads pierced the clouds, reflecting a chilling light in the gloom, like a swarm of snakes spitting their tongues, seemingly pressing the entire world towards the pass.

The drums suddenly sounded.

The Tang army, which had long been prepared to meet the enemy, climbed onto the city walls and prepared for battle.

An invisible pressure descends.

The oppressive atmosphere created by the gloomy sky and the massive army was overwhelming.

"Is Ziyuan something to fear?"

Li Shimin looked at the approaching army and suddenly asked Gu Quan.

"Is Your Highness afraid?" Gu Quan asked instead of answering, his already serious expression remaining unchanged.

Upon seeing this, Li Shimin was slightly taken aback, then suddenly raised the corners of his mouth and laughed out loud, "A true man should die if he wants to, what is there to fear?"

"I'd like to see that!"

"What can Dou Jiande do to me!"

Without realizing it, Li Shimin's hands had involuntarily tightened around the sword at his waist.

Gu Quan nodded slightly, his gaze gradually sharpening as he looked at the approaching army below the city. He calmly said, "Indeed, what is there to fear in a man who stands in this world and is ready to die?"

Neither of them made any attempt to boost morale.

With such a huge gap, what's the use of saying something to boost morale?

Reality is not a novel.

It's not like those movies and TV shows where you can shout a few words to boost the morale of the entire army when you're fighting against overwhelming odds.

Everyone experiences fear and pressure.

To completely reverse all of this—

The only way to prove ourselves is by truly defeating the enemy!
The army had already approached the pass in an instant. Dou Jiande did not rush to attack, but instead rode forward slowly with dozens of messengers, looking at the city wall with a cold smile.

"Is that the second son of the Li family who's behind the gate?"

The roars instantly carried on the breeze.

Li Jia Erlang!

Dou Jiande clearly intended to crush the morale of the Tang army with overwhelming force, and he started with words of psychological warfare, addressing Li Shimin in the tone of an elder.

"Why must bandits rely solely on words?" Li Shimin's voice was as firm as metal and stone, each word ringing with conviction.
The messenger immediately raised his voice, turning his words into a thunderous shout that echoed over the city gate.

As the commotion subsided, Li Shimin strode forward, his longsword drawn, its blade flashing like a silver ribbon slicing through the gloom. He pointed the sword directly at Dou Jiande's army and declared loudly, "I stand right here today! If you have the guts, come at me!"

"The bandits arrived with a large army, but all they could do was boast about their verbal skills."

"Is it possible——"

"Is it fear of my, Li Shimin's, formidable reputation?"

Each response was like a thunderclap.

At this moment, Gu Quan also spoke up: "Gu Ziyuan of the Gu family is here. How dare you invade our territory?"

He did this on purpose.

Dou Jiande's troops were mostly from Hebei, and the name of the Gu family would definitely affect their morale.

Sure enough, as soon as these words came out.

The army below immediately became somewhat disorderly.

In an instant, anger flashed across Dou Jiande's face.

In fact, Li Shimin was right—he was indeed somewhat wary of Li Shimin and Gu Quan, who was by his side.

"court death!"

He dared not hesitate any longer.

Since psychological warfare has failed, the only option left is a forceful attack.

Although he was indeed very wary, what could he do?
He has an army of 100,000!

An army of 100,000 can sweep away all obstacles.

—A great battle broke out instantly.

Gu Quan's name could indeed influence the morale of the Xia army, but it was clearly not enough to repel the enemy with just a name. Only someone of Gu Chen's caliber could possibly accomplish this.

Dou Jiande was not going to wait any longer.

The moment Gu Quan revealed his identity, he completely lost his chance to use this psychological warfare tactic!
He has no choice but to attack directly!
The sounds of battle cries echoed through the sky, and a dense barrage of arrows, accompanied by the whistling sound of arrows piercing the air, rained down relentlessly.

Dou Jiande was well aware of this.

We absolutely cannot give Li Shimin a chance to stall.

Even if we can't directly break through Hulao Pass in this first battle, we must still make some progress.

He did not believe that the morale of the Tang army could be so high.

If they win a single battle, given the disparity in troop strength, the morale of the Tang army is destined to collapse completely.

At that time, he will be able to advance unimpeded.

In fact, Dou Jiande's battle was not just for Wang Shichong; he had his own motives.

We've come to this point.

Who wouldn't want to eventually become the ruler of all under heaven?
Dou Jiande had already made his plans.

If he could break through Hulao Pass and nearly wipe out the Tang army's elite forces, he could then take advantage of the situation to directly attack Wang Shichong, seize Luoyang and the Tang dynasty's Chang'an and Longxi, and consolidate his power in Hebei.

At that time, he will become the most powerful lord in the world.

It was precisely for this reason that Dou Jiande did not agree to his advisors' strategy of attacking Chang'an using the "besieging Wei to rescue Zhao" tactic.

He needs to seize the initiative and capture the fruits of victory.

As for what the other feudal lords will think at that time, why should he care?

The Road to Emperorship;

They will simply have to use their own methods.

When he becomes the most powerful lord in the land, why should he care about the attitudes of others?

Therefore, Dou Jiande must gain the upper hand regardless of the circumstances.

Under his constant orders.

The Xia army's offensive was extremely swift.

However, Hulao Pass is a strategic pass, and no matter how many troops Dou Jiande has, the terrain limits the possibility of him deploying all his forces at once.

This was also Li Shimin, Gu Quan, and others' greatest reliance.

All they need to do is hold off Xia Jun's fiercest offensive, and that will be enough to crush the morale of the Kende army!

"kill!!!"

"kill!!!"

"kill!!!"

"."

On this battlefield, which can be described as a meat grinder, the proliferation of various hormones constantly stimulates the emotions of every soldier, causing them to shout deafeningly.

Li Shimin never retreated.

He fought alongside Gu Quan, Cheng Yaojin, Yuchi Gong, and others at the pass, fighting alongside the soldiers!

There are just too many people!

The endless stream of Xia troops was truly like a flowing river, impossible to kill completely.

In the dense crowd, some people always managed to dodge arrows and rolling stones, climb to the top of the pass, and then close-quarters combat ensued.

Fortunately, Li Shimin had mobilized the elite of the elite this time.

It wasn't just the Xia army that was affected by hormones; the Tang army was affected as well.

Especially after they watched helplessly as Li Shimin and generals like Gu Quan refused to retreat, their fighting spirit was undoubtedly further ignited.

But this battle was a tough one for the Tang army.

It was also extremely difficult.

Blood stained the earth, and history seemed to turn back time, with countless lives falling once again beneath this legendary pass.

It included both Tang and Xia troops.

However, compared to the elite Tang army, the Xia army suffered greater casualties.

However, it seems insignificant given the overwhelming advantage in troop strength.

—For three whole days!
Dou Jiande launched a sustained attack for three days.

There were several opportunities during this period when they almost broke into Hulao Pass, but they were blocked every time.

In the end, he had no choice but to allow the army to rest and recuperate.

Under such enormous casualties and psychological pressure, he had to prevent a mutiny among the soldiers while also considering the combat effectiveness of the three branches of the armed forces.

Even though they knew that Li Shimin was in dire straits at this moment.

It might just be the final step away.

But often, no matter how unwilling you are, you have to accept it all.

Because many prophecies had already appeared in the military camp, rumors about Li Shimin and Lady Gu, he had to control all of this.

Of course, there's also the most important reason.

He also wanted the Li Tang dynasty and Wang Shichong to continue to weaken each other.

This is the most crucial reason.

As long as he maintains a certain level of restraint, he can reap the benefits without lifting a finger.

Inside Hulao Pass.

As the enemy troops gradually retreated, Li Shimin almost instantly dropped his long sword to the ground, and he collapsed to the ground as if he were completely exhausted, panting heavily.

Gu Quan, Cheng Yaojin, and others were the same; they simply couldn't control them.

The attack lasted for three whole days.

These generals, including Li Shimin, never left the front line from beginning to end. They spent less than an hour each day resting, and even when they did rest, they had to rest in front of the pass.

The physical and mental strain this takes is unimaginable.

But Li Shimin only rested for a short while before picking up his longsword again and using all his strength to prop himself up.

Upon seeing this, the soldiers immediately prepared to stand up again.

But Li Shimin waved his hand and said, "No need. Brothers, rest well. There will definitely be another great battle ahead."

He said it softly, and then went to check on the three armies.

This is something he has to do.

Only in this way can the soldiers truly see that he, the King of Qin, always stands with them, giving them confidence.

Perhaps due to exhaustion, none of the soldiers rose upon hearing this.

Only Gu Quan slowly stood up.

Li Shimin glanced at him but said nothing more. Gu Quan was different from other generals. Whether it was his prestige in the Tang army or his status, he could play a role in this situation.

Perhaps because they were too tired, the two of them supported each other as they traveled around the area inside the pass.

The ground was covered in bright red.

Exhausted soldiers were mixed with corpses, making it difficult to distinguish them.

There were also wounded soldiers groaning in pain.

Many soldiers who were awake instinctively wanted to get up when they saw Li Shimin and Gu Quan, but they were stopped by the two of them.

Gu Quan did not overstep his bounds and remained silent throughout.

He simply asked Li Shimin to comfort these soldiers and give them confidence.

At the same time, arrangements were being made for the subsequent defense of the city.

But these tragic scenes only made Li Shimin's expression more and more serious.

The rise and fall of the nation brings suffering to the people.

He couldn't help but think of this saying, which is an eternal truth.

After a thorough inspection.

Li Shimin then looked at Gu Quan and said in a deep voice, "We can't keep defending like this. If we continue like this, Hulao Pass will surely be breached."

His casualties in this battle were considerable.

Although compared to the Xia army's attack on the city, this casualty figure can be considered a great victory.

But given the sheer number of troops, Dou Jiande still held the advantage.

This is an indisputable fact.

"Does Ziyuan have a good plan?"

Without any unnecessary words, Li Shimin went straight to asking Gu Quan's opinion.

In the case of defending the city.

He still had great faith in Gu Quan's abilities.

"Shift from defense to offense, and attack their hearts." Gu Quan seemed to have already thought of the answer, and said seriously as he sat down, "Only in this way can we hold Hulao Pass."

He told Li Shimin about how Gu Chen had once guarded Luoyang with a small number of troops.

Li Shimin had heard of these things.

However, it is indeed much worse than the clan history records of the Gu family.

Li Shimin listened intently, paying no heed to the gains or losses. No sooner had he finished speaking than Gu Quan immediately volunteered for battle: "Your Highness, this humble general is willing to lead five hundred soldiers out of the city to demonstrate our military might!"

That's right, he wanted to go now that the war had just ended.

The bloody battle lasted for three days.

If the Xia army sees that the Tang army still has the strength to fight, their morale will definitely be affected.

In fact, this plan was not aimed at Dou Jiande and other high-ranking officials.

They're just using people's hearts and employing tricks!
Gu Quan had great faith in the influence of the Gu family in Hebei. Even if he didn't know the current state of the Xia army, he was certain that the pressure on the Xia army was no less than that on the Tang army!
"it is good!"

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin nodded slightly and did not refuse.

But just as Gu Quan was about to get up, Li Shimin put his hand on his shoulder and said, "I will go with Ziyuan."

Gu Quan stopped in his tracks, slightly taken aback.

Li Shimin smiled calmly: "If we want to demonstrate military might, how can I, as the commander-in-chief of the three armies, back down?"

A man will die when he deserves it.

At this point, Li Shimin no longer cared about so much; he only wanted to seize the only remaining possibility.

Gu Quan paused for a moment, then nodded slightly without saying anything more.

"Let's go and cleanse ourselves first."

"Let them see the might of the Tang Dynasty's army!"

As he spoke, Li Shimin pulled Gu Quan away.

The two then selected some soldiers who still had some strength, including Cheng Yaojin, and went together.

Fortunately, the Tang army is not short of food and supplies.

Taking Luoyang Granary was absolutely crucial to this battle, giving the Tang army the greatest confidence to keep their morale high.

Many people would naturally try to dissuade them.

Whether for Li Shimin's safety or for the upcoming great battle, it is the wisest decision for Li Shimin to take a good rest now.

But Li Shimin remained calm and said to the hundreds of soldiers in front of him, "The soldiers are fighting a bloody battle, how can I retreat?"

"As for safety."

He paused slightly, then brandished the bow and arrow in his hand: "I wield the bow and arrow, and you follow with your spears; what can a million men do to me!"

Throughout, Li Shimin remained calm and confident.

Perhaps this is what makes Li Shimin extraordinary.

His leadership style gives his soldiers a sense of security that is extremely rare.

With a creak—

As the gates of Hulao Pass swung open, hundreds of riders followed Li Shimin and Gu Quan out, passing through the corpses scattered across the ground and heading towards the Xia army camp.

He did not follow the trail.

This news was quickly reported back by Xia's scouts.

The entire Xia army was horrified!

Who could have predicted that Li Shimin would lead his army here at this time, just after several days of bloody fighting?

Is this person crazy?

Or--

There's already a problem in Luoyang; the Tang army's elite troops have arrived.
Intelligent people often have one flaw.

That means overthinking.

Especially since the Xia army had already concluded that the Tang army was now at its wit's end, such a thing would inevitably make people think more.

But in any case, how could Dou Jiande let go of such a structural opportunity?

These are prey that have already been delivered to their doorstep.

Without any hesitation, he immediately arranged for his soldiers to surround and block Li Shimin.

But was Li Shimin's trip a suicide mission?

He was merely demonstrating military might, while simultaneously trying to further incite unrest within the Xia army.

When the cries of "Luoyang has fallen, our elite Tang army is about to march on Hulao Pass" gradually rang out, his plan was already complete.

There's absolutely no need to linger in the fight.

There's not even a need to fight.

This is the advantage of small-scale guerrilla warfare; taking down Li Shimin, Gu Quan, and others directly is not so easy.

Nobody cares how many people actually hear these words.

A single spark can start a prairie fire.

Even if only one person hears such words, under the current circumstances, countless rumors will still rise within the Xia army.

—The situation changed abruptly.

Perhaps it was out of fear of the prophecy, or perhaps it was out of fear of the Gu family.

Even though Dou Jiande tried to control the situation, he still couldn't stop all the rumors.

After the "deserters" started to appear.

The situation was already showing signs of getting out of control, but Dou Jiande was indeed a shrewd and capable man. Under these circumstances, he also brought up the Gu family, falsely claiming that he had also gained Gu Yu's approval, in order to appease people.

He no longer cared about the future of the Gu family.

As long as he can win this battle, he can withstand any backlash!

But—he made a fatal mistake.

As the weather grew hotter, he set up his army camp directly on the east bank of the Sishui River to make it easier to fetch water.

The formation stretched for twenty miles, bordered by the Yellow River to the north and the Que Mountain to the south.

At first glance, this problem does not seem like a sign of defeat.

However, as temperatures rise, bacterial growth remains an unavoidable factor in this era, especially when there is only one water source.

—The great plague still struck the Xia army.

Although the accompanying physician was able to quickly control the plague.

However, given the difficulty in erasing prophecies, any unexpected event will be seen as "divine retribution."

"This is the retribution for our disregard for the Gu family's kindness!"

"If our ancestors could see that we are now waging war against the Gu family, they would be ashamed of us!"

"Please forgive me, Marquis Wencheng."

"."

Within just a few days, the chaos in Xia's army became completely out of control.

In fact, Dou Jiande never made any major mistakes from beginning to end.

Every decision he makes is in his own best interest.

By holding Li Shimin at Hulao Pass, he allowed the Tang army and Wang Shichong to wear each other down, including the various warlords attacking Tang territory from all sides, while he reaped the benefits.

If all of this goes smoothly.

He will definitely become the strongest feudal lord in the world, and come very close to becoming the supreme ruler of the world.

But the only problem is—

He underestimated Li Shimin;
This also underestimates the influence of the Gu family among the most ordinary people in Hebei.

Actually, it's not his fault; it's just human nature.

Wasn't he one of them back then?

However, with the change in status and the Gu family's lack of assistance, the gratitude and faith in his heart had faded considerably.

Even so, Dou Jiande still managed to stabilize the army.

But what can be done about it?

The moment chaos broke out in his camp, the opportunity had arrived for Li Shimin!
"Brothers, I intend to personally lead the army to seize the Xia army's banner."

"If possible—"

"I intend to launch a direct attack on the Xia army's main camp!"

Inside Hulao Pass.

Li Shimin stood before the geomantic map and explained his decision to his generals and soldiers.

The formation, stretching for nearly twenty miles, began to falter.

If one can break through one point, the enemy army can be completely divided. If one is not careful, it may even cause the entire army to collapse.

This move is very dangerous.

But it is also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

The hall was silent, and everyone was looking at Li Shimin with extremely firm eyes.

The answer is self-evident.

Li Shimin referred to himself as "I, the Lonely One," which already revealed his attitude.

And these are the soldiers who have fought alongside him for so long.

We will not back down at this moment.

That very night, Li Shimin personally led almost his entire army out to attack the Xia army camp.

—No one could have predicted this reversal.

Despite such a huge disparity in troop strength, Li Shimin dared to switch from defense to offense.

Who can believe this?
But no matter how hard it was to believe, Dou Jiande had to face reality.

But it was all too late.

Li Shimin had already investigated everything and was just waiting for this crucial moment to strike.

He gambled almost everything he had on it.

Including life!

How could Dou Jiande be allowed to turn the tide?
Before the enemy could react, Li Shimin had already broken through the defenses and charged directly at the Xia army's banner.

And it was right at dawn.

As the Xia army's banner was cut down, things did not turn out as Li Shimin had expected.

The Xia army soldiers instinctively assumed that their rear had been attacked.

This is the most difficult problem for the battalion to solve—the inability to implement government orders!
Li Shimin would not let this opportunity slip by. Before the enemy could react, he quickly cut off all communication between the four sides.

They launched a full-scale attack on Dou Jiande's imperial camp.

The situation was in complete chaos.

Having completely lost contact with the central army, the Xia army on all sides was now completely disoriented.

Even if someone discovers the abnormality in the central army.

But in this situation, another idea might instinctively arise.

—The central army has been completely defeated!
Even Dou Jiande could be taken down.

No one wants to die in vain, especially since the morale of the Xia army has been lost, and various factors combined have pushed the entire Xia army into the abyss of complete collapse.

Li Shimin never stopped from beginning to end.

He had only one goal—

That's Dou Jiande!

confusion!

Utter chaos.

Dou Jiande initially tried to resist, but as events unfolded, he was ultimately forced to flee.

Regardless of the fate of the soldiers on all sides.

Even his central army had lost the will to resist.

How can this battle be fought?
He had no choice but to run!
Li Shimin completely ignored the other Xia troops; he had only one goal: to relentlessly pursue Dou Jiande!
As long as Dou Jiande is captured.

With the help and supplies from the Gu family, subduing these troops is not a difficult task!
At that time, the offensive and defensive strategies will be transformed, which is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

Li Shimin pursued the enemy relentlessly, like a madman who had no regard for his own life.

They didn't even care about getting hurt themselves.

Under these circumstances, Dou Jiande finally had nowhere to retreat. Under the dual pressure of physical and mental strain, he lost his footing and fell from his horse.

Faced with the Tang army that arrived in an instant.

In his panic, he had no choice but to reveal his identity.

"Do not kill me, I am the King of Xia!"

"I am the Emperor of the Great Xia Dynasty."

What do you mean by "ruler of the world," "supreme ruler," or "eternal hegemony"?

Under the threat of death.

Dou Jiande ultimately suppressed everything he had ever dreamed of.

He just wanted to live.

—The overall situation has been completely settled.

Even when they saw Dou Jiande being brought over with their own eyes, some people still found it hard to believe it.

Li Shimin's expression was also very complicated.

Exhaustion, relief, and a myriad of other emotions wash over me at once.

Even Gu Quan, who was usually very serious, couldn't help but change his expression at this moment.

For them.

This battle ultimately came at a tremendous cost.

Li Shimin was entrusted with the responsibility of the rising Tang Dynasty.

Gu Quan was responsible for the prestige of the Gu family, and even for the life and death of the Gu family.

If they were defeated by Dou Jiande, would Dou Jiande spare Gu's life?
Even if Gu Yu still has other methods.

The Gu family is destined to pay a heavy price.

But now—they've won.

Without the slightest hesitation, Li Shimin immediately led Dou Jiande back the way they came.

He wanted to recruit Dou Jiande's men.

At the same time, he also wanted someone to send this message to the Luoyang front.

The situation in Luoyang remains extremely deadlocked.

Wang Shichong continued to hold out, even when the city had reached the point of killing horses for food, he still stubbornly defended the city.

Now he has placed all his hopes on Dou Jiande.

All we need to do is send this message over.

The time to pacify Luoyang is approaching!

The process of subduing the Xia army was extremely smooth, and it didn't even require Dou Jiande, the so-called emperor.

Facing a group of Xia soldiers who had long since lost their will to fight.

As long as Gu Quan steps in.

They would then lay down their weapons.

The real problem was in Luoyang. Faced with the news that the Tang army had pacified the Xia army and even captured Dou Jiande alive, no one was willing to believe it.

Who would believe that?
Even Li Yuanji, Li Jing, and others were stunned when they heard the news.

Let alone Wang Shichong?
But reality is reality.

Even if Wang Shichong was unwilling to accept it and even killed many people, when he saw Dou Jiande in the cage with his own eyes, everything was completely over.

July 11th, the fourth year of the Wude era;
The tightly closed city gates of Luoyang were finally slowly pushed open.

Wang Shichong has now taken off his dragon robe and is dressed as a subject in his own right.

Holding the jade seal he once cherished most, he led a group of civil and military officials slowly toward Li Shimin, and then slowly knelt down.

One battle, and the Yellow River and Luo River regions were pacified!
------

In the third year of the Wude era, the feudal lords conspired to attack the Tang dynasty.

When General Quan followed Prince Shimin of Qin to conquer Luoyang, he first occupied key locations, captured several cities in succession, and then besieged Luoyang.

Kyushu was shocked, and clouds were turbulent in all directions.

Upon hearing the news, Emperor Dou Jiande of Xia led an army of 100,000 from Hebei, intending to take advantage of the situation. The King of Qin moved his troops to Hulao Pass to resist him. The Xia army attacked the city day and night for three days but could not take it.

Quan Jin said, "Their army is old and its spirit is waning. We should change our defense to offense to crush their spirit."

The King of Qin then adopted his strategy and personally led his troops out, causing panic among the Xia people and prompting widespread prophecies.

The Huijiande Formation is located on the east bank of the Sishui River, bordered by the Yellow River to the north and Queshan Mountain to the south, stretching for twenty miles.

Not long after, a great epidemic broke out in the army, and the formation became loose. Taking advantage of this, the King of Qin personally donned his armor and led the black-armored soldiers in a charge. Quan led the charge and fought his way through, while Gong, Qiong, and other fierce generals cleared the way.

Jiande fled in defeat, and was pursued to Niukouzhu, where he was captured.

In this battle, the fields were filled with prisoners and the dead, the He and Luo regions were pacified, and the whole world was in awe and submission.

—From the Biography of Gu Quan in the Book of Tang

(End of this chapter)