Faced with the Tang cavalry vanguard about to besiege the city, King Gojang of the Goguryeo Dynasty ultimately chose to accept the suggestion of Lord Gae Se-mun and hastily led the royal family in the palace to evacuate the capital Pyongyang.
Under the personal protection of General Ma Xidong, the army retreated to Kaesong, more than a hundred miles away, and handed over the capital city, which their ancestors had managed for hundreds of years since the Han Dynasty, to the over-sixty-year-old Lord Gai Shiwen.
As for the remaining 50,000 imperial guards stationed in the Goguryeo capital, some elite troops followed General Ma Xidong to escort King Baozang westward, while others remained in the capital to prepare to surrender to the Tang army, in order to demonstrate the Goguryeo dynasty's sincerity in submitting to the Tang dynasty.
Shen Shi Shi Fen.
Led by General Chen Longxiang, the vanguard of the Tang Dynasty's 20,000-strong naval vanguard finally reached the gates of Pyongyang, aiming their swords at the centuries-old capital of Goguryeo.
To the surprise of Chen Longxiang and his naval commanders, the gates of the Goguryeo capital were wide open, showing absolutely no intention of resistance.
There stood an elderly man with graying temples, dressed in fine clothes, supported by a servant, proudly standing at the city gate of the Goguryeo capital, as if deliberately waiting for someone.
On the walls of the Goguryeo capital, the royal banners symbolizing the Goguryeo dynasty still flutter in the wind, and Goguryeo imperial guards, clad in armor and carrying swords, still stand guard on the crenellations.
However, these Goguryeo imperial guards did not seem to have any hostility towards the arriving Tang Dynasty naval cavalry.
Seeing this, Prince Chen Longxiang of Jin, riding on his yellow horse, couldn't help but look puzzled. He scratched his head and muttered to himself, "An empty city ploy?"
As he spoke, Chen Longxiang actually spurred his horse forward, preparing to go alone to meet the white-bearded man at the city gate.
"General—"
Upon realizing what was happening, Zhang Xuan, the Eagle Strike Commander, immediately spurred his horse forward and said in a low voice, "General, this Goguryeo capital seems extremely strange to me, and I fear it may be a trap!"
snort!
Chen Longxiang snorted coldly and replied with unparalleled arrogance: "Eagle Strike Commander, I'd be more than happy to see a trap. If they don't attack me, how can I order the massacre of the city?"
After saying that, Chen Longxiang gently patted his yellow horse and walked towards the city gate without looking back.
Sima Zhang Xuan, the Eagle Strike General, also realized that Prince Jin was indeed a powerful figure. Whether the Goguryeo people intended to use the Empty City Stratagem or a Ten-Sided Ambush, they were unlikely to be able to harm His Highness in the slightest.
So he quietly rode forward, maintaining a delicate distance from Chen Longxiang, ensuring that he would not steal the spotlight from His Highness, but could also ride forward promptly when His Highness needed him.
At the same time.
Standing outside the city gates of the Goguryeo capital, Gai Shiwen, who had been waiting for a long time, immediately recognized the young general on horseback wearing a golden armor. He was sure it was the brave Tang general that the court generals had been talking about.
As Chen Longxiang rode his horse step by step toward him, Gai Shiwen, in a daze, seemed to see the shadow of an old friend in him.
That old friend was none other than Zhao Mang, the founding emperor of the Great Xin Dynasty, and the unparalleled war god of the Great Xin Dynasty.
Gai Shiwen firmly believes that if that old friend hadn't been without ambition, the Great Xin Dynasty might not have belonged to the Zhao family!
At this moment, Gai Shiwen, supported by his servants, walked step by step toward Chen Longxiang, who was riding a horse.
When they were only ten steps apart, the two finally stopped.
Gai Shiwen spoke first: "May I ask if the general is the son of Prince Chen Polu of Jin?"
oh?
Upon hearing this, Chen Longxiang, on horseback, raised an eyebrow and asked with great interest, "Old man, do you know my father, the Emperor?"
Um!
Gai Shiwen nodded and said, "I did meet Prince Chen Polu of Jin many years ago, so we can be considered old acquaintances!"
Chen Longxiang curled his lip and said, "Old man, I am the second son of the late emperor, the Prince of Jin of the Tang Dynasty, and the vanguard general of the Tang Dynasty's naval fleet on its expedition to Goguryeo. I am Chen Longxiang!"
Ha ha!
After receiving Chen Longxiang's affirmative reply, Gai Shiwen, who had already guessed his identity, immediately burst into hearty laughter.
Then he said, "Since the young general is the son of an old friend, then we can be considered to have some old acquaintances, so I won't beat around the bush."
As he spoke, Gai Shiwen gestured to the servant beside him to bring out the “letter of surrender” that had been prepared beforehand.
Gai Shiwen held up the letter of state and said to Chen Longxiang with neither servility nor arrogance, "Young General, this is a letter of surrender personally written by King Gojang of the Goguryeo Dynasty, expressing our submission to the Tang Dynasty."
"I trouble you, Young General, to present this letter of surrender to Qi Jiguang, the Admiral of the Great Tang Navy and Duke of Dingguo, and to invite him to the city to discuss the matter of surrender!"
Chen Longxiang, riding on horseback, kept his eyes fixed on Gai Shiwen. Then, with a clang, he drew his sword and used the tip of his sword to pick up the letter of surrender from Gai Shiwen's hand, taking it and casually flipping through it.
A moment later, Chen Longxiang casually stuffed the letter of surrender from the Goguryeo Dynasty under the saddle.
This immediately displeased Gai Shiwen.
Finally, he couldn't help but ask, "Young General, what is the meaning of your actions? How can diplomatic matters between two countries be treated like child's play?"
snort!
Chen Longxiang, mounted on horseback, sneered and said, "Old man, let me tell you the truth. This title of Vanguard General was personally bestowed upon me by Emperor Zhaowu of the Tang Dynasty, who is also my brother."
"I have the authority to decide on all matters at the front, including your Goguryeo Dynasty's desire to submit to my Great Tang Dynasty;"
"By the way, let me remind you, there's an old saying in our Central Plains dynasty: 'A general in the field may disobey some of the army's orders!'"
With that, Chen Longxiang smiled jokingly and continued, "So, old man, do you understand what I mean?"
Um?
Gai Shiwen frowned slightly, looking at Chen Longxiang with a blank expression, and asked, "Young General, what do you mean?"
Chen Longxiang didn't waste any words and said directly, "Old man, I'll give you the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. Order all the Goguryeo troops in this city to come out and surrender."
"otherwise--"
Chen Longxiang abruptly changed the subject, saying sternly, "This general is about to order the army to attack the city. According to my rules, swords will not be sheathed for three days after the city is breached. You can decide for yourself!"
Having said that, Chen Longxiang immediately turned his horse around, ignoring Gai Shiwen who was still bewildered in the wind, and loudly ordered, "Eagle Strike Commander—"
"Your subordinate is here!"
"Order the entire army to prepare to attack the city. If the Goguryeo garrison in Pyongyang refuses to surrender after the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, annihilate them all!"
"Your subordinate obeys!"
The next moment, Eagle Strike Sima Zhang Xuan hurriedly rode back to his formation and immediately ordered the entire army to prepare for battle and attack the city.
Seeing that Young General Chen Longxiang was about to get serious, Gai Shiwen disregarded his old age and frail health, hurriedly stepping forward and calling out after Chen Longxiang, "Young General, please wait—"
Upon hearing this, Chen Longxiang indeed reined in his warhorse, and the yellow horse beneath him understood and stopped.
However, Chen Longxiang did not turn around, and simply stood with his back to Gai Shiwen who was chasing after him.
At this moment, Gai Shiwen couldn't care less about scolding his old friend's son for not respecting the elderly and caring for the young; all he could think about was how to stop this massacre.
"Young General, please hear what this old man has to say!"
Gai Shiwen, who had finally caught up, continued panting, "As long as the young general delivers the letter of surrender from my Goguryeo Dynasty to Duke Dingguo Qi Jiguang, when Duke Dingguo arrives, I will order the imperial guards in the capital to leave the city, disarm, and respectfully welcome Duke Dingguo into the city!"
brush!
Upon hearing this, Chen Longxiang on horseback suddenly turned his head sharply, his eyes flashing with two fierce glints, like two sharp daggers piercing Gai Shiwen's chest.
Chen Longxiang said with a gloomy face, enunciating each word clearly: "Old man, it seems you've taken my words to heart!"
"Eagle Strike Sima—"
"Your subordinate is here!"
Chen Longxiang shouted sharply, "Prepare to attack the city!"
"Wait a minute—"
Almost simultaneously, Gai Shiwen's aged voice trembled.
Ignoring his own safety, he stepped forward and blocked the yellow horse's path, almost pleadingly saying, "Young General, I... I will immediately order the Imperial Guards in the city to leave, disarm, and surrender to you."
"But I wonder, what exactly does the young general intend to do with my Goguryeo Dynasty?"
snort!
Chen Longxiang, on horseback, finally smiled.
However, it was a chilling, cold laugh.
He looked down at Gai Shiwen and said slowly, "Old man, do you really think that our Great Tang Dynasty went to such great lengths and effort just to make your mere Goguryeo bow down to our Great Tang Dynasty and pay tribute of gold and silver every year?"
"Old man, you're being too naive!"
Then, Chen Longxiang abruptly changed the subject, saying sternly, "What my Great Tang Dynasty wants is to establish a new king on the throne in the capital of your Goguryeo—"
"The new king of the Tang Dynasty!"
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