The arrogant and invincible Chen Longxiang was struck dead by lightning.
He died under the heavenly lightning drawn by his own golden hammer, died before the eyes of Duke Chen Qingzhi of Korea and thousands of soldiers of the court's army to quell the rebellion, and died beneath the city gates of the Goguryeo capital.
Strangely enough, the Goguryeo capital, which was originally shrouded in dark clouds and filled with thunder and wind, suddenly cleared up and a magnificent rainbow appeared out of nowhere, spanning the mountains and the sea.
It was thought that after killing the rebel leader Chen Longxiang, the Tang generals who came to Goguryeo to quell the rebellion would feel relieved and cheer.
Unexpectedly, when Tang generals such as Chang Yuchun, Duke of Wei, Chen Qingzhi, Duke of Han, and Lan Yu, Marquis of Anxi, witnessed Chen Longxiang's death by lightning, their feelings were heavy and extremely complicated, and they could not feel happy at all.
Especially Chen Qingzhi, the Korean official, seemed to have been electrocuted. He stood there in a daze, staring at Chen Longxiang, who had been charred and disfigured by the lightning, and tears streamed down his face.
a long time.
Chen Qingzhi dismounted and walked straight to Chen Longxiang's corpse, squatting down before him. He then picked up Chen Longxiang's charred remains and whispered in his ear, "Longxiang, let's go—"
"I'll take you home!"
Then, Chen Qingzhi, dressed in flowing white robes, carried the charred and blackened Chen Longxiang in his arms and walked step by step into the Goguryeo capital.
The two figures, one in white and one in black, stood out conspicuously under the warm spring sun after the rain.
Only after watching Duke Chen Qingzhi of Han carry the remains of Chen Longxiang into the Goguryeo capital and disappear into the streets and alleys visible from the city gate, did Duke Wei of Wei, the Grand Marshal of the Eastern Expedition, give the order from horseback: "Men, pass down the order that the imperial army, tasked with suppressing the rebellion, shall orderly enter the Goguryeo capital."
"Gather all the fleeing rebel soldiers and once again plant the banner of the Tang Dynasty in every corner of the Goguryeo Peninsula;"
"A messenger was dispatched on an urgent mission to the Duke of Qin on the Liaodong Peninsula, instructing him to seize this opportunity to launch a pincer attack with his naval forces, thoroughly wiping out the remnants of the former Goguryeo dynasty's King Bojang's regime;"
"Give it to the Emperor immediately—"
The words were on the tip of his tongue, but Chang Yuchun swallowed them back and changed his words, saying, "Forget it, we'll discuss reporting back to the Emperor later. Let's carry out the other orders first!"
"Your subordinate obeys!"
Soon, the messenger took the order and left.
Under the protection of his personal guards, Duke Chang Yuchun of Wei, along with the seriously wounded Marquis Lan Yu of Anxi, rode into the city, intending to meet with Duke Chen Qingzhi of Han and then discuss how to report back to the Emperor.
That night.
Inside the brightly lit palace of the Goguryeo capital, the three dukes, six marquises and earls who had come to quell the rebellion, along with generals and officials from the Ministry of War, gathered to discuss the aftermath of the rebellion.
According to the "Great Tang Code", any military commander who participated in the rebellion, if he was a lieutenant general or above, would have his entire family executed; if he was a centurion or a thousand-household commander, his entire family would be executed; and all the rebel soldiers would be buried alive.
On this point, the generals and the Vice Minister of War present reached a consensus.
The only disagreement was about how to deal with the remains of the rebel leader Chen Longxiang, the former empress Su Wan'er, and the deposed emperor Chen Lingwu.
Luo Kun, the Vice Minister of War who accompanied the group, advocated handling the matter in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Tang Dynasty Code, sending the remains of these traitors who had rebelled back to the capital to be crushed and their ashes scattered, as a warning to others.
However, Korean official Chen Qingzhi disagreed with Luo Kun's opinion and advocated burying the people on the spot.
Even after entering the Goguryeo capital, Chen Qingzhi immediately sent people to protect the remains of Chen Longxiang and his family of three, and no one was allowed to approach them.
Even Chang Yuchun, the Duke of Wei, did not know where Chen Qingzhi had taken the remains of Chen Longxiang and the others.
At the meeting, Luo Kun, the Vice Minister of War, believing he had the Emperor's decree and the backing of the Tang Dynasty Code, rebuked Chen Qingzhi, the Duke of Han, saying, "Duke of Han, this is not a matter you can handle alone."
Throughout history, those who dared to raise armies in rebellion were subjected to cruel punishments, let alone the rebel leader Chen Longxiang, who was even waving the banner of restoring the previous dynasty;
"Even if he is dead, this matter cannot be so easily turned over. He must be cremated and his ashes scattered according to the law, so as to serve as a warning to future generations!"
snort!
Upon hearing this, Chen Qingzhi merely snorted coldly and stared silently at Luo Kun, the Vice Minister of War.
Seeing that Chen Qingzhi ignored him, Luo Kun, the Vice Minister of War, immediately turned his pleading gaze to Chang Yuchun, the Duke of Wei, who sat in the main seat, and said, "Duke of Wei, you are the Grand Marshal of the Eastern Expedition to Suppress the Rebellion, appointed by the Emperor himself, and are fully responsible for all matters related to the expedition."
"This matter, this matter cannot be handled recklessly by the Duke of Han!"
Forehead--
Chang Yuchun hesitated for a moment and did not reply immediately.
Before this eastern expedition to quell the rebellion, Emperor Zhaowu Chen Huai'an did indeed give him some advice in person, saying that it would be best to capture the rebel leader Chen Longxiang alive and bring him back.
If not, annihilate them on the spot!
But the emperor didn't say whether the corpse should be taken back or not.
Logically speaking, Chang Yuchun preferred the way that the Duke of Han, Chen Qingzhi, was dealt with, which was to allow the Prince of Jin, Chen Longxiang, and his family of three to be buried outside the Goguryeo capital.
However, from a legal point of view, Chang Yuchun also felt that what Luo Kun, the Vice Minister of War, said was not wrong. Bringing the body of the rebel general Chen Longxiang back to the capital to report back would be a way to give the people an explanation and a warning.
For a moment, Chang Yuchun was truly caught in a dilemma, unsure of what to do.
Cough cough!
Finally, Chang Yuchun coughed twice and said, "Duke of Han, Lord Luo, and everyone else, you have all endured hardship and battles to get here these past few days;"
"Now that the rebel leader Chen Longxiang has been executed, the eradication of the remaining rebel forces on the Goguryeo Peninsula is just around the corner."
"Let's all get some rest for the night. We'll discuss the aftermath of the rebellion tomorrow!"
With that, Chang Yuchun waved his hand and said, "That's enough, everyone go and rest!"
"Yes, Commander!"
At Chang Yuchun's command, the military officers in the army all obeyed and withdrew.
Chen Qingzhi, the Duke of Han, was no exception. He didn't even glance at Luo Kun, the Vice Minister of War, before turning his head and leaving without looking back.
Seeing this, Luo Kun, the Vice Minister of War, looked at the retreating generals and then at Chang Yuchun, the Duke of Wei, who had already stood up and was about to leave. He could only shake his head helplessly and retreat with the others.
However, his determination to bring the body of the rebel commander Chen Longxiang back to Nanjing and scatter his ashes remained unwavering.
It was late at night.
The Goguryeo capital city, which had just experienced a brutal massacre, was eerily silent; there wasn't a soul in sight.
Suddenly, a fully armed Tang army, driving several carriages, sped through the empty streets of the Goguryeo capital.
Finally, they left the city through the East Gate of the royal city.
The whereabouts of this mysterious army were learned by Duke Chang Yuchun of Wei in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.
When he learned that the army that had left the city was using the waist token of Chen Qingzhi, the Duke of Han, to order the soldiers guarding the city to open the city gates, Chang Yuchun's face showed a relieved ease.
He simply said: Let it be!
The next day.
Just as the first hint of dawn appeared in the east.
Outside the Goguryeo capital, on an island called Wangjiang Island near the sea, a newly built tomb stands out conspicuously in the afterglow of the rising sun that has just climbed to the horizon.
Chen Qingzhi, the Duke of Han, dressed in white robes, stood before the tomb, gazing in the direction of the Tang Dynasty, and murmured to himself, "Longxiang, this is all I can do for you!"
"Across from Wangjiang Island lies the territory of the Tang Dynasty."
"Your family of four is now reunited. Rest in peace here!"
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