On the occasion of rebirth Zhou Sui

Chapter 346 Abandoning the City and Asking for Help

On April 12, the second year of Renshou (AD 602), Gao Jianwu found Gao Puluo and forced Jiacheng into a slave. After hesitating for a long time, he said:

"Since Eulji Mundeok was defeated and committed suicide, there were no reinforcements outside Liaodong, and it was difficult to defend the isolated city for a long time.

"I plan to break out of the encirclement tonight and go to Pyongyang to ask for help from Brother Wang. I wonder what the two Laisas think?"

Gao Puluo and Guan Nu Jiacheng were well aware of Gao Jian's martial arts plans, so there was no reason for the general to break through and ask for help.

It was clear that he saw that Liaodong City might not be able to be defended any longer, so he wanted to abandon the city and leave.

Gaopluo persuaded:

"As a general, my eldest brother is the backbone of the soldiers of the three armies, how can I leave.

"If you go out of the city to ask for help, it is inevitable that the soldiers will misunderstand you, which will inevitably shake the morale of the army and damage morale. I ask the general to think twice."

Among the thirteen high-ranking officials in the central government of Goguryeo, the eldest brother was second only to the prime minister, Mo Lizhi.

Gao Jianwu held this position as an official. When he saw that Gao Puluo was unwilling to let him go, he was angry and said mercilessly:

"Does it matter whether the morale of the army is shaken now? The soldiers have already lost their morale. How can they be damaged? I have made up my mind. There is no need for Gao Lasa to persuade me."

Gaopuluo's face turned green and white for a while. If Gao Jianwu hadn't been the king's brother, he would have wanted to push him to the ground and teach him a lesson.

This is not what a military commander should say.

Gao Puluo looked at the slave and said that it was a success and hoped that the other party could help and persuade him.

After being sad for many days, Guan Nu Jiacheng seemed to be over the pain, at least his whole body no longer exuded the aura of death.

Just listen to him sigh:

"What the eldest brother said is not unreasonable. Without reinforcements, it will be difficult to defend the city for a long time."

Amid Gaopuluo's astonishment, Guannu Jiacheng continued:

"Why don't you two go to Pyongyang to ask for help, and leave me to hold on to the city. I still have many relatives in Pyongyang. I hope you two can take care of me."

Gaopuluo's expression softened, he had already guessed that Guan Nu Jiacheng was determined to live or die with the city.

Guan Nu Jiacheng's sphere of influence is in Liaodong. Once Liaodong City is captured, there is a high probability that all parts of Liaodong will surrender.

After experiencing the pain of bereavement and seeing that the inheritance passed down by his ancestors would fall into the hands of the Sui people, Jiacheng, a slave slave, was already determined to die.

Letting the two of them leave would also be entrusting them with their relatives who were in Pyongyang as hostages.

Gao Jianwu was overjoyed. He suppressed his excitement and promised:

"Please rest assured, Guannu Laisa, as long as I, Gao Jianwu, am alive, I will never allow anyone to insult Laisa's relatives.

"Even if the reinforcements cannot arrive in time and the city falls, after regaining Liaodong in the future, I will ask Brother Wang to still choose Laisa in the west from among the old general's relatives.

"This position belongs to the Guannu clan, and no one can take it away."

Guan Nu Jiacheng was greatly relieved. What worried him the most was this matter.

Gao Jianwu said, then looked at Gao Puluo with amusement, and asked:

"How about it, is Gao Laisa willing to break out with me?"

Gaopuluo unconsciously avoided his gaze, lowered his head and said:

"Since Guan Nu and La Sa have said so, Gao naturally can't bear to offend the elder's kindness."

Gaopuluo was not opposed to Gao Jianwu abandoning the city, but opposed to him running away alone.

His sphere of influence is in the north, and he has endless glory and wealth, so why would he be willing to die in Liaodong City?

After the three people reached an agreement, Gao Jianwu immediately sent people to collect the horses in the city. Since the cavalry had left the city before and took away a large number of horses, after a lot of collecting, Gao Jianwu only got more than a hundred good horses.

As the coalition forces surrounded the three buildings and opened up the eastern passage, that night, Gao Jianwu and Gao Puluo led more than 20 cronies, opened the east gate at night, and escaped from Liaodong City.

Although this action was discovered by the Sui army's sentries, they were unable to pursue them and allowed them to escape.

Cui Che heard that those people were all one person, three horses, or even four horses, and he also had some guesses about their identities.

After the destruction of the cavalry, it was an indisputable fact that Liaodong City was now short of horses. Even if he sent envoys to ask for help, Gao Jianwu had to leave enough horses for himself to escape when the city was breached.

Now there are more than 20 people fleeing at night with more than 100 horses. Who else could it be except Gao Jianwu.

The next day, the coalition forces lined up outside Liaodong City, but did not rush to attack. Cui Che sent more than 5,000 Goguryeo cavalry under his command, more than a hundred steps away from the city, shouting loudly:

"Gao Jianwu has abandoned you and fled for his own life. Why do you still resist? Why not obey the destiny!"

The defenders in the city were in an uproar, and everyone looked at Guan Nu Jiacheng. A general under Gaopuluo asked anxiously:

"Guan Nu Laisa, are they telling the truth? Has the eldest brother abandoned us? Gao Laisa has disappeared today, has he followed us?"

Guan Nu Jiacheng did not answer. He knew that even if he was eloquent, he would not be able to convince the defenders as long as Gao Jianwu and Gao Puluo did not show up.

If you deceive the soldiers, they will no longer believe in you.

Guan Nu Jiacheng changed the subject and shouted to the city:

"We don't understand destiny. The reason why we resist desperately is because we don't want to become the ghosts of your sword like the soldiers and civilians in Houcheng."

After that, he shouted loudly to the soldiers guarding the city:

"Everyone! This battle is not for Gao Jianwu, but for our homeland, our relatives, and ourselves.

"The eldest brother and Gao Lasa did not abandon the city. The eldest brother returned to Pyongyang to ask for help, and Gao Lasa also went to the north to recruit troops. As long as we work together to defend the city and wait for the reinforcements to arrive, the enemy troops will naturally retreat!"

The defenders in the city knew that Gao Jianwu and Gao Puluo would never come back, but they could only believe in Guan Nu Jiacheng.

After all, as Guan Nu Jiacheng said, once the city is breached, it will end in being massacred.

After Cui Che heard the message from Guan Nu Jiacheng, he immediately sent a translator to the surrender formation. Soon, more than 5,000 surrender soldiers shouted in unison:

"God is kind to you. Now that the city is about to be destroyed, Duke Yan is willing to give you a chance.

"As long as you can perform meritorious service for Duke Yan, Duke Yan will forgive your sins and protect your family.

"Otherwise, when the city is destroyed, you will be waiting for disaster to happen to your family!"

To the defenders of Liaodong City, this promise seemed like a glimmer of life emerging from the darkness.

Guan Nu Jiacheng's face turned pale. He knew that the reason why these soldiers were able to endure huge mental pressure and persist until now was because of the previous intimidation of the coalition forces.

Now that Cui Che has given the soldiers defending the city hope of survival, who is really willing to die?

But Guan Nu Jiacheng suddenly had a plan in mind. He called his nephew Guan Nu Yusheng and said seriously:

"Liaodong is the inheritance of our slave family for generations and should not be handed over to others, but it is related to the life and death of hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians in the city, so I can only give it up.

"I will send you out of the city later to ask Cui Che to surrender. You must make sure that he promises not to harm innocent people."

Guan Nu Yusheng happily accepted the order.

But he didn't know that Guan Nu Jiacheng just wanted to fake surrender. The reason why he deceived him was because he was worried that Guan Nu Yusheng would be discovered by Cui Che.

(End of chapter)