My older brother said I'm invincible.

Chapter 337 Leader
Yuwen Shu was completely dumbfounded.

Are you suggesting that soldiers carry their own rations to fight?

Is this a decision a human being could make?
Yuwen Shu hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, these soldiers need to carry armor, guns, clothing, supplies, fire curtains, and the necessary food. Each person's burden would probably be more than three shi (a unit of dry measure)! And yet they still have to march at full speed and reach Pyongyang within a month. How is that possible?"

"Even the Imperial Guards, when training with heavy loads, can only carry three shi (a unit of dry measure) for about forty li (a unit of distance) each time. For an army of 300,000 to achieve this... this..."

"how?"

Yang Guang's face instantly turned cold. "One minute you say a hundred days' worth of rations is too little, the next you say the rations are too heavy. What do you intend to do? Have the Goryeo people send rations to help you on your expedition?!"

Yuwen Shu hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, now that we have captured Liaodong City, the enemy's forces have been isolated. We don't need to rush. Next, we just need to march slowly, conquering passes and cities along the way. Within a year, the bandits will surely be defeated!"

"A year??"

"Do you know how much it costs to expend resources every day with a million troops gathered here? Do you know how many soldiers are killed every day?"

Upon hearing the emperor's question, Yuwen Shu blushed again.

Sometimes, Yuwen Shu really wanted to curse.

Just yesterday, the emperor's words had moved him deeply and made him feel ashamed, realizing that he shouldn't have underestimated the emperor. But now, the emperor's words had enraged him once again.

You're asking me this? Who insisted on bringing a million-strong army back then? Now you think the expenditure is too great?
Yang Guang said sternly, "We don't have a year. I'll only give you three months. Within one hundred days, cut off Gao Yuan's head and give it to me!"

"This is a military order!"

Yuwen Shu's lips trembled, and his face turned ashen.

This was a military order to send him to his death, an utterly absurd command.
If it were the Yuwen Shu of the past, he would have bowed his head and accepted the imperial edict at this moment. No matter what, he would have accepted it. All Yuwen Shu wanted in his life was to get promoted and make a fortune, repair his house, seize more farmland from others, and acquire more beautiful women.

There is only one way to accomplish this: obey the emperor and be his most loyal dog.

But now, Yuwen Shu hesitated.

He remembered Li Xuanba's words, and he remembered the vast army outside Liuhe City.

Yang Guang frowned and glared at him fiercely, as if he would take him away and deal with him if he disobeyed military orders.

Yuwen Shu was well aware that once he bowed his head and accepted the military order today, the matter would have nothing to do with the emperor after he left.

That is, he wants his generals to lead large armies, carrying heavy loads, to Pyongyang.

The war is bound to fail, and I will certainly suffer a great misfortune.

Of course, even if he were defeated, he might not die, but his prestige would plummet, the soldiers would no longer follow his lead, and the emperor would not need to punish him much, but simply dismiss him.

If we win, I'm afraid our past crimes will be forgiven.

"His Majesty."

Yuwen Shu raised his head and looked at the emperor in front of him.

"I can't do that."

After saying this, Yuwen Shu felt completely relaxed, and his back straightened up a little.

Yang Guang also laughed.

"Good, good. I didn't pursue your unauthorized military action and even rewarded you. I've shown you such favor. Now you dare to disobey my military orders to my face. Very good."

"Someone is coming!!"

Yang Guang said loudly.

The next moment, Sima Dekan walked in and bowed to the emperor.

The emperor pointed to Yuwen Shu standing to the side and ordered, "Take this man down."

Sima Dekan's eyes widened, and after only a moment's hesitation, he led his soldiers forward and seized Yuwen Shu.

Yuwen Shu said, “Your Majesty! It’s not that I want to disobey military orders, but it’s simply impossible to carry them out! Three hundred thousand troops! They’re carrying heavy loads, and they’ll be exhausted before they even reach Pyongyang. Moving forward with heavy loads also leads to greater food consumption and slower speed! If our food supplies for the next hundred days run out, the entire army will be starving, and the soldiers will be exhausted. If the Goryeo people attack at this time, I’m afraid our three hundred thousand troops will be completely annihilated!!”

"Your Majesty! That's three hundred thousand elite troops!!"

Yuwen Shu's roar at this moment was entirely correct.

Historically, the emperor appointed Yuwen Shu and Yu Zhongwen as commanders, sending troops to attack Pyongyang. They carried a hundred days' worth of rations, and the soldiers were burdened with heavy loads. The soldiers could hardly bear such weight, and after only a few miles, soldiers began to fall behind. Those who fell behind were to be killed. Many could no longer bear it and began to abandon their weapons, armor, and even rations.
They moved at a snail's pace, and after traveling less than a hundred miles, they ran out of food.

Needless to say, the final result was that the Goryeo people won a very smooth battle and wiped out the Sui army.

As for the losses of the soldiers: 'Of the 35,000 elite troops dispatched, only 2,700 remained upon their return to Liaodong City.'

In the end, only a little over two thousand soldiers survived and escaped back to Liaodong City; more than three hundred thousand died needlessly on the front lines!

The first expedition to Goryeo was a complete failure, and this bizarre expedition was even launched three times.
But now, Yuwen Shu is unwilling to accept this military order.

Yang Guang stared intently into his eyes and ordered Sima Dekan to take him out and imprison him.

"Go and summon Yu Zhongwen!"

Yang Guang was preparing to replace the commander.

When Yu Zhongwen entered, he already sensed something was wrong and hurriedly bowed deeply.

Yang Guang said coldly, "Yuwen Shu has openly disobeyed the military order to go on the expedition and has been detained by me. I plan to appoint General Yu as the commander-in-chief to lead the expedition to Pyongyang. General Yu will not also be afraid of the enemy and disobey the military order, will he?"

Yu Zhongwen took a deep breath, "Your subject dares not!"

Yang Guang relayed the military order to Yu Zhongwen again. Like Yuwen Shu, when Yu Zhongwen learned that the emperor wanted the soldiers to carry heavy loads and rush to Pyongyang, he also stared wide-eyed and looked completely bewildered.

He initially doubted whether the emperor was joking, but looking at the emperor's solemn face, he was certain that the emperor really meant it.

Yu Zhongwen instantly understood why Yuwen Shu had been arrested. He hesitated for a moment, "Your Majesty, this is too much of a burden for the soldiers. Moreover, they will have to fight along the way. If the soldiers are exhausted, how can they defeat the Goguryeo people?"

"The Koreans have no strength left to fight! With 300,000 troops advancing together, do they dare to stop us? As long as you can reach the city gates, they will surely surrender!"

Yang Guang asked angrily, "What, do you also want to disobey military orders?"

Yu Zhongwen clenched his fists.

Unlike Yuwen Shu, Yu Zhongwen was also greedy and cruel, possessing the common characteristics of warriors. However, he was quite concerned about his reputation. Unlike Yuwen Shu, who was a pure warrior, he was somewhat cultured. Even though he secretly sold military funds, he did so in a less honorable way.

He had absolutely no desire to oppose the emperor.

But given the current situation, if I were to back down, would Yuwen Shu still be able to survive?

This war
Looking at the hesitant Yu Zhongwen in front of him, Yang Guang laughed again.

"Are all my generals so lawless and boastful of their bravery in ordinary times, yet so cowardly when they actually go into battle?"

"Someone is coming!"

Upon hearing this, Yu Zhongwen could no longer bear it and suddenly knelt down.

He trembled as he slowly kowtowed to the emperor.

"Your subject is willing to lead the troops there!"

At this moment, Yang Guang's expression finally improved. He helped Yu Zhongwen up and said, "General, why are you afraid of that Goguryeo brat? What is there to worry about with those barbarians? Gao Yuan is nothing but a worthless minister, and his generals and advisors are all a bunch of incompetent fools!"

"The credit for conquering a nation will belong to the general!"

Yang Guang kindly helped Yu Zhongwen up, let him sit beside him, and had wine poured for him, showing great intimacy.

Yu Zhongwen sat there, but seemed to have lost his soul, in a daze.

After confirming the expedition with the emperor, Yu Zhongwen summoned the many generals on the list to discuss the important matter of sending troops.

Just as Yu Zhongwen was about to speak, Li Xuanba suddenly asked, "General Yu, why isn't Duke Xu here? Where is he?"

"His Majesty ordered him to lead an expedition beyond the Great Wall, but he feared the powerful enemy and dared not go. He disobeyed the imperial edict and has been imprisoned!"

"You don't need to ask about these things!"

"General Jing, you will lead your troops out of Liaodong Pass; General Xue, you will lead your troops out of Woju Pass; General Xin, you will lead your troops out of Xuantu Pass."

"Wait a minute!"

Li Xuanba interrupted Yu Zhongwen again.

Yu Zhongwen was furious. He raised his head and shouted, "You brat! What do you want?!"

Li Xuanba coldly surveyed the generals around him. "Gentlemen, is Duke Xu a coward who fears a powerful enemy? How could he disobey an imperial edict? There must be something wrong here!"

"What problem could there be?! This is His Majesty's decree; it's not your place to speak, you brat!"

General Jing Yuanheng reprimanded him.

Li Xuanba looked at the generals around him, "Gentlemen, I need to go to His Majesty and ask him about this. Who is willing to come with me?!"

The generals immediately lowered their heads and remained silent.

Jing Yuanheng sneered, "You brat, are you trying to force me to abdicate?"

Li Xuanba ignored him and simply looked around.

Tu Wanxu suddenly stood up, "General Li."

"I'll go with you."

"it is good."

Li Xuanba ignored the others and was about to leave with Tu Wanxu.

"return!!!"

Yu Zhongwen shouted loudly.

Everyone was shocked and turned to look at him.

Yu Zhongwen stood up, his expression complex. He said in a low voice, "It was His Majesty who ordered it. His Majesty wanted us to bring our own provisions for a hundred days, without any civilian laborers, to raid Pyongyang. Duke Xu felt this was inappropriate, which is why he disobeyed."

Upon hearing this, the camp fell silent.

The generals who had just lowered their heads looked up in astonishment, including Jing Yuanheng, who had been sneering, their eyes widening in surprise.

"What?! We're supposed to carry our own food for a hundred days to fight a war?!"

"How can this be done?"

"What should we do?"

The generals immediately fell into chaos, while Yu Zhongwen kept his head down and could not step forward.

The crowd made a lot of noise, then gradually fell silent. The generals finally looked at Li Xuanba, the only one standing in the arena.

Li Xuanba stood there, coldly looking at everyone, his face stern.

General Li

(End of this chapter)