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

With such a fierce leader, how could the soldiers not fight back?

Seeing their commander still brandishing his sword despite being severely wounded, the eyes of the Tang cavalry turned completely red.

The morale of the Tang army soared, and they charged straight into the central army of Goguryeo with overwhelming force.

Eight hundred iron cavalrymen exerted the oppressive force of an army of eighty thousand, and wherever their blades passed, men and horses fell, and blood and flesh flew everywhere.

The Goguryeo reinforcements, numbering over 10,000, were already scattered and disorganized. Now, facing this group of reckless madmen, they completely lost their will to resist and collapsed entirely.

But these 800 people had no intention of stopping while they were ahead.

Even after breaking through the enemy's formation, they did not let up, relentlessly pursuing and attacking the retreating remnants until they chased these stray dogs for dozens of miles.

They slaughtered until the mountains and fields were littered with severed limbs, and only when it was pitch black and they could not see their own hands in front of their faces did they sound the retreat and return to their camp covered in blood.

Under the cover of night, the Tang army camp was ablaze with bonfires.

The outer defense battle had just ended when a Goguryeo soldier covered in mud was brought into the camp—it was Gao Tubo, the same soldier who had shot an arrow from the pile of dead men and seriously wounded Qibi Heli in the waist.

All the generals had murderous expressions on their faces, and the sound of swords being drawn in unison echoed from inside the tent.

Everyone's original intention was to capture this arrogant thief and let Qibi Heli, who had escaped death, personally cut him into a thousand pieces to vent their hatred.

Qibi Heli was leaning against the couch, a thick white cloth wrapped around his waist that was soaked with blood. His face was pale from blood loss, but his sharp eagle eyes were quietly scrutinizing Gao Tubo, who was kneeling on the ground and trembling.

Just when everyone thought the soldier was about to lose his head, something unexpected happened.

Qibi Heli, who had almost been detained for tea by the King of Hell, slowly raised his hand and pressed down on the back of the sword of the adjutant beside him.

"Let him go."

Facing the incredulous gazes of the crowd, Qibi Heli, his lips cracked, said, "I have never met him before, nor do I have any grudge against him. In a battle between two armies, each serves their own master. This man knew he was doomed, yet he still risked his life to stab me for his lord. This shows he is a loyal and courageous man! To kill him would be dishonorable!"

This statement quickly reached the central command tent.

Li Shimin sat upright behind his desk, and after listening to the military report, his hand holding the vermilion pen remained still for a long time.

After a long silence, Li Shimin sighed deeply, his eyes filled with emotion: "He Li is truly a general of unwavering integrity and tender heart!"

A promise from an emperor is a blessing as abundant as rain.

Li Shimin was immediately moved and specially ordered that Gao Tubo be pardoned from the death penalty. He not only let Gao Tubo go home, but also took the opportunity to grant him a favor by releasing more than 700 able-bodied men from Jiashi City who had been captured at the same time as Gao Tubo.

Qibi Heli, who grew up on the harsh grasslands and had never attended a few days of moral education classes in the Central Plains, at this moment understood better than countless well-read officials in the court the importance of respecting human life and dignity.

……

Qibi Heli had to rest due to his injuries, but the battle in Baiyan City never stopped.

On June 1st, as dawn broke, the war drums thundered.

After a brief rest, the Tang army launched another general attack on Baiyan City.

The former commander-in-chief, Li Shiji, personally led the charge, launching a fierce offensive from the southwest of the city.

The siege of the northwest of the city was personally commanded and pacified by Li Shimin.

Boulders crashed into the city walls like meteors, and the battle began, progressing smoothly and without any suspense.

Although Baiyan City was backed by mountains and water, and had a strategic location, it managed to withstand the Tang army's overwhelming siege for a time thanks to its natural barriers. However, this was ultimately a last gasp.

The city walls cracked, and the defending troops suffered heavy casualties.

Sun Fayin, the defending general who was standing on the city wall to supervise the battle, looked down at the overwhelming Tang army below, which seemed to be endless. His legs went weak and his psychological defenses finally collapsed.

He really couldn't hold on any longer.

Taking advantage of a lull in the offensive, Sun Fayin sent a second envoy to the Tang camp, carrying a white flag, to request surrender from Li Shimin.

Li Shimin, seated high on his horse, looked down at the trembling enemy envoy kneeling before him with a disdainful gaze: "What brings you here?"

The envoy trembled like a leaf, kowtowing and saying, "I have come specifically to surrender!"

Li Shimin sneered, his tone laced with undisguised mockery: "What did you say last time?"

A few days ago, Sun Fayin had feigned surrender, causing the Tang army to waste unnecessary energy.

The envoy broke out in a cold sweat and hurriedly explained, "Your Majesty, the Khan, is wise! Our city lord truly intended to surrender to Your Majesty last time, but some generals in the city stubbornly resisted and refused to obey orders, which is why it has been delayed until now!"

"Is that so?" Li Shimin narrowed his eyes slightly. "Since you have sincerely surrendered to Tang this time, then I will give you a chance to prove yourselves."

Li Shimin waved his hand and ordered someone to throw a red Tang Dynasty military flag in front of the envoy.

"If you truly wish to surrender, plant this military flag at the highest point of Baiyan City. I only care about the flag, not your words."

The envoy was overjoyed and, clutching the military flag, scrambled back to the city.

Half an hour later, the news came—the flag had been raised!

Li Shimin's psychological warfare tactics were truly masterful.

The effect of raising this flag is comparable to that of a thousand troops.

The defending soldiers inside the city, who were still hesitating and preparing to fight to the death, looked up and saw the Tang Dynasty's military flag fluttering in the wind above their heads. Their last breath of tension instantly dissipated.

Their fighting spirit vanished with the fluttering flags, and Sun Fayin's timely rhetoric in the army, claiming that the situation was hopeless and that the Tang emperor was merciful, caused the soldiers in the city to look at each other in dismay. In the end, they all laid down their weapons and agreed to surrender with Sun Fayin.

Baiyan City fell without a fight.

However, the crisis quietly erupted within the Tang army the moment the enemy surrendered.

Having fought to this point, surrendering isn't something you can just do whenever you want.

The soldiers nearly erupted in chaos the moment they learned that the city had surrendered and the imperial court would no longer allow an attack.

It should be noted that just a few days ago, Li Shimin personally promised in front of the three armies that on the day the city was captured, all the wealth, houses, and fertile fields inside the city would belong to the soldiers who were the first to breach the city.

Why did these soldiers yell and risk their lives, digging through the city walls with their bare hands while being hit by rolling stones and logs? Were they hoping to make a name for themselves in history?

No, what they're after is all that money in the city and a life of luxury and wealth for the rest of their lives!

Now that the prize is within reach and Baiyan City is about to be captured, the enemy has suddenly and shamelessly surrendered!

Since the surrender has been accepted, the prisoners of war must be treated well, and the troops should not be allowed to plunder.

This is tantamount to directly snatching away the spoils that the soldiers were about to obtain!

Normally, if a general in command of troops dared to go back on his word at such a critical juncture, he would probably have been killed by the enraged mutinous troops long ago.

The reason the soldiers haven't mutinied is entirely because Li Shimin's prestige as the Heavenly Khan is too high and his status too special.

In addition, Li Shiji was strict in disciplining his troops and used harsh methods.

The two large Buddha statues pressed down firmly, which kept the soldiers' anger and grievances confined to jumping up and down in their tents, cursing, and smashing their helmets and armor.

But the morale of the troops had already visibly wavered.

Inside the central command tent, the atmosphere was so oppressive it was almost stifling.

Li Shimin frowned as he listened to the faint complaints coming from the army outside, only then realizing what he had forgotten.

But he didn't want to miss out on this readily available peace.

At this moment, Li Chengqian walked in.

"What troubles you, Father?" Li Chengqian asked in a gentle voice, as he poured Li Shimin a cup of warm tea as he spoke.

Li Shimin sighed and took the teacup: "Although Goguryeo has surrendered, our soldiers are filled with resentment. This is a troublesome mess."

"Father, you are benevolent. Accepting the surrender is a great act of kindness that preserves lives and demonstrates the might of our Great Tang Dynasty." Li Chengqian first stroked his father's ego, then changed the subject, "But Father, I dare to speak frankly. The reason the soldiers fought so bravely, braving arrows and stones, risking their lives, was simply to acquire the city's wealth to settle their families."

"Now, Baiyan City is on the verge of falling to a strong attack. Father's acceptance of the surrender for the sake of the greater good is indeed the act of a wise ruler. But if we just let it go like this, wouldn't it discourage the entire army?"

Li Shimin paused, looking at his son: "Then, in your wise opinion, what should be done?"

Li Chengqian replied, "Your Majesty, I believe that the rewards should not be abandoned. Since the items within the city cannot be moved, then the funds should be provided by the Great Tang Dynasty. I request Your Majesty to issue an edict to use the treasury brought by the army, and even Your Majesty's and my personal funds, to fully redeem the wealth originally promised to the soldiers and distribute it to the entire army."

Upon hearing this, Li Shiji and the others who had originally come to petition the emperor all raised their heads sharply, their eyes filled with shock as they looked at the crown prince.

Making the imperial court pay out of its own pocket to fulfill its promises? That would be an enormous expense!

Li Chengqian coughed lightly twice and continued to persuade, "Father, money is just an external thing. Our Great Tang is rich beyond measure. How can we be stingy with a little gold and silver? Our soldiers have shed blood and sweat. We must not let them shed tears again. As long as the rewards are still given and everyone is not let down after their trip, the morale of the army will be as solid as a rock."

At this point, Li Shimin was persuaded.

"Then let's do as the Crown Prince says." Li Shimin could only grit his teeth and make the decision. "Issue my decree: Baiyan City shall surrender, but the soldiers who attacked the city shall receive their full rewards! All funds shall be drawn from my imperial treasury and distributed according to their merits!"