Transmigrated into Li Chengqian, he effortlessly ascended the throne and became emperor.

"Long live!"

"Long live the Great Tang Dynasty!"

The deafening shouts echoed through the air above Liaodong City, lingering for a long time.

Many veterans who had survived countless battles, after their roars, suddenly covered their faces and let out a whimper that sounded like both crying and laughing.

No one laughed at their lapse in composure.

Because it has been a full three hundred years since the people of the Central Plains last set foot on this land.

Since the Rebellion of the Eight Princes in the Western Jin Dynasty and the Five Barbarian Invasions, this former Liaodong land, which once belonged to the Central Plains dynasty, has completely fallen into the hands of foreign tribes.

Three hundred years of wind and rain have buried the bones of countless ancestors deep beneath the black soil, while the countless corpses of the million-strong army of the former Sui Dynasty have stained this land with an indelible sense of sorrow and humiliation.

Today, this nightmare that has lasted for three centuries has finally been shattered by the mighty sword of the Tang Dynasty.

They reclaimed the land of their ancestors and wiped away the shame of their past defeat!

On the city wall, the May evening breeze was still howling.

The wind swept across the battered battlements, passed through the charred wooden pillars, and emitted a low, mournful whine.

This wind seems to carry the joyous news of the Tang Dynasty's renewed glory across mountains and rivers, reaching even further beyond the Great Wall and into the bustling markets of Chang'an.

It also seems to be gently caressing those Central Plains warriors who died on the battlefield, lifting their heroic spirits and sending them back to their homeland.

"May your soul return—"

It was unclear which old attendant was softly reciting the Chu Ci, a mournful and desolate verse that drifted in the wind, bringing tears to the eyes of countless tough men.

However, Li Shimin quickly detached himself from that overwhelming joy that could have been intoxicating.

Excessive joy often leads to sorrow, and an arrogant army will inevitably suffer a setback.

Although Liaodong City had been razed to the ground, the war was far from over.

From Liaodong to Pyongyang, the road ahead remains long and fraught with difficulties.

Thinking of this, Li Shimin wiped his face and ordered, "Liaodong has been captured, but the war is not over. Order the entire army to rest for three days. After three days, the army will march and march towards Baiyan City!"

"promise!"

……

The time for rest and recuperation passed in the blink of an eye.

As early summer gradually warmed up the Liaodong land, the Tang army once again embarked on its journey.

The army's next target was another strategically important town on the road to Pyongyang—Baekam Castle (also known as Baekam Castle).

However, to everyone's surprise, what should have been a tough start turned into an absurd farce.

Before the Tang vanguard had even pushed the siege ladders into the sight of Baiyan City, a Goguryeo official claiming to be the special envoy of Sun Fayin, the garrison commander of Baiyan City, arrived outside the Tang army's central command tent with a letter of surrender.

"Your humble servant kowtows to Your Majesty, the Heavenly Khan of the Great Tang! My general, Sun Fayin, has long admired the majesty of the Celestial Empire. Knowing that with the arrival of the Heavenly Army, Baiyan City is like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, he is willing to surrender the city to the Great Tang to protect the lives of the soldiers and civilians within. I humbly request Your Majesty's permission!"

The special envoy knelt on the ground, not daring to look directly at Tianyan, trembling like a leaf.

Li Shimin, sitting on the tiger-skin chair, raised an eyebrow and exchanged a glance with Li Chengqian, who was sitting to the side leisurely sipping his tea.

Sun Fayin is a very self-aware person.

Realizing that the Tang army hadn't yet come to attack him, he slid to his knees in advance.

"Good! Sun Fayin is able to understand the will of Heaven and know what is right and wrong, thus saving a great massacre. I am very pleased!" Li Shimin laughed heartily.

He was naturally pleased. Although the battle of Liaodong City was won, the Tang Dynasty had also paid a considerable price.

Taking Baiyan City without bloodshed would undoubtedly be the best outcome.

This is due to the might of the Tang Dynasty; it is subduing the enemy without a fight!

"Your Majesty's might has spread far and wide, and all under heaven submit." Li Chengqian offered a timely, lighthearted compliment, "However... this surrender was a bit too hasty."

Li Shimin, still basking in the afterglow of victory, did not think deeply. He immediately waved his hand and selected several officials from the Ministry of Rites who were fluent in Goguryeo and dozens of Jinwu Guards, ordering them to accompany the special envoy into the city to take over the city defenses and household registration of Baiyan City.

Seeing this, Li Chengqian shook his head: "Father, how about we make a bet?"

Li Shimin, puzzled, asked, "What are you betting on?"

"I'm betting on whether this guy surnamed Sun is genuinely surrendering or just pretending."

Li Shimin laughed again, "Then you've definitely lost!"

Li Chengqian wasn't annoyed. "Father, have you decided what the stakes are?"

"What do you want?" Li Shimin asked in return.

"Your Majesty, I wish you would withdraw the Imperial Guards who are watching over me."

Li Shimin listened and nodded without any concern: "Alright, then so be it."

After all, he simply didn't believe that surrender could be a sham.

However, there really is.

Just half a day later, the group of officials who had been expected to accept the surrender were sent back.

That's right, they were sent back.

When the head official of the Ministry of Rites, disheveled and with his hair in disarray, stumbled into the central military tent, the air inside seemed to freeze.

"Your Majesty! We are incompetent! That Sun Fayin... that Sun Fayin has betrayed his promise and deceived the emperor!" The physician cried, his forehead bearing a bruise from being hit by a stone.

"Speak! What exactly happened?" The smile on Li Shimin's face vanished instantly.

"We, your humble servants, entered the city by imperial decree, and were prepared to read out His Majesty's edict of appeasement. But who knew... who knew that Sun Fayin's generals would suddenly become enraged and draw their swords! They said they would never surrender to the Tang dogs... never surrender to the Great Tang!"

The physician swallowed hard, his voice trembling as he said, "When Sun Fayin saw his subordinates objecting, he actually turned on them on the spot! He... he tore up the surrender document in front of us, and even said... he even said that we were forging an imperial edict and coercing him! If we hadn't run fast, we would probably be beheaded by now!"

Li Shimin narrowed his eyes.

Sun Fayin faced opposition from most of his generals when discussing surrendering to the Tang Dynasty with his subordinates. Therefore, in order to save his position and his life, he acted unilaterally and tore up the contract.

This is not what we agreed on.

The mighty Emperor of the Tang Dynasty, Li Shimin, who swept across the land, was actually outmaneuvered like a monkey by the garrison commander of a small border town!

The emperor was very angry.

Very serious consequences.

Li Shimin slowly stood up, strode over to the disheveled official from the Ministry of Rites, walked past him expressionlessly, and drew the imperial sword from his waist, a symbol of the supreme imperial power and ruthlessness of the Tang Dynasty.

"Betrayal of faith, mockery of the Celestial Empire. Very well, very well indeed."

Li Shimin's voice was soft, yet it was like a chilling wind blowing from the deepest hell, making every pore of those present feel a bone-chilling killing intent.

"Issue my decree."

"Raze Baiyan City to the ground! When the city falls, leave not a single tile untouched!"

May 28th.

This is a day destined to be written into the history of the fall of Goguryeo.

The enraged Tang army made no further probes, nor did they give Baiyan City even the slightest chance to negotiate.

Famous Tang generals such as Li Shiji, Li Daozong, and Li Simo all took to the battlefield and charged towards Baiyan City.