novelSusiti Chapter 118 The Snowstorm Arrives, Making the Offensive Increasingly Difficult
Chapter 118 The Snowstorm Arrives, Making the Offensive Increasingly Difficult
Inside the main tent of the Sui army.
Generals and scions of noble families gathered together, but no one dared to speak; a deathly silence weighed heavily on everyone's hearts.
Only the crackling of burning charcoal in the brazier intermittently broke the silence, casting flickering light on the figures inside the tent.
"Hehehe..."
Yang Guang sat upright in the main seat, wearing a heavy cloak, his hands tucked into the stove for warmth, his laughter filled with self-mockery and suppressed anger.
He fought for half his life, sweeping across all directions.
But he never imagined that he would be trapped in a city in Liaodong.
This was a disgrace to him, a humiliation etched into his very bones.
"Gentlemen, Pyongyang has fallen into our hands."
Yang Guang's tone was calm at first, but his words carried a chill. The next moment, he suddenly raised his voice, which was full of questioning.
"But why can't we capture even a single city in Liaodong?"
He abruptly raised his hand, pointed at the crowd inside the tent, and roared angrily, "Why? Tell me!"
Everyone inside the tent hung their heads and remained silent, their suffering unspeakable.
It wasn't that they were unwilling to contribute; on the contrary, everyone was eager to storm into the city immediately and end this protracted war as soon as possible.
Liaodong's defenses were already strong, and now the soldiers and civilians within the city were united in their resolve.
From elderly people in their sixties and seventies to children as young as seven or eight, they all spontaneously joined the city defense team, carrying bricks and stones, passing messages, and fighting to the death with the Sui army.
On one side was a powerful army determined to destroy the country, and on the other side were soldiers and civilians struggling to survive and unwilling to become slaves of a conquered nation.
This battle of offense and defense has long since become a dead end, a fight to the death.
"Ten days," Yang Guang said slowly, his tone cold and resolute. "I want to see Gao Yuan's head hanging before the tent within ten days."
These few words felt like a huge boulder pressing down on everyone's heads.
The city fell in ten days?
It's difficult, extremely difficult.
At this moment, Liaodong City is no longer just a simple city.
Rather, it was the last spiritual bulwark of the Goguryeo army and people; a direct assault would only increase casualties.
"Your Majesty...it's snowing!"
Just then, Yuwen Huaji rushed into the tent.
His shoulders were covered with fine snowflakes, and his hair was still frosted with white. His tone was filled with barely concealed urgency.
"What?!"
The people inside the tent rushed to the tent entrance.
The weather in Liaodong has turned cold in recent days, with biting winds howling day and night. Many soldiers have developed frostbite on their hands and can't help but tremble when they hold their weapons.
From Emperor Yang to ordinary generals, they had already changed into their thickest clothes, but they still could not ward off the biting cold.
Yang Guang strode out of the tent and saw that heavy snow was already falling from the sky.
Snowflakes, carried by the cold wind, scraped against the face like sharp knives, stinging so much that one couldn't open their eyes.
The cold wind, carrying snowflakes, rushed into my collar, instantly soaking through my clothes, the chill penetrating to my very bones.
Back inside the tent, Yang Guang's face was even more somber than the wind and snow outside.
Attacking Liaodong City was already incredibly difficult, and then a sudden heavy snowfall occurred.
Not only will it cause soldiers to freeze and weaken their fighting power, but it will also make the transportation of food supplies even more difficult, increasing the difficulty of breaching the city several times over.
"Your Majesty, perhaps we should withdraw the troops temporarily and wait until next spring..."
Yuwen Huaji spoke cautiously, his voice tinged with a hint of probing.
Transporting provisions from the rear to the Liaodong front required a journey of thousands of miles, and sustaining an army of hundreds of thousands necessitated mobilizing civilian laborers several times the number of soldiers.
This supply line was already fragile, vulnerable to rain, snow, enemy attacks, and even more so to the collapse of the laborers due to unbearable burdens.
With heavy snow blocking the roads and making them muddy and difficult to travel, supplies could be interrupted at any time. We absolutely cannot afford to linger in Liaodong.
Upon hearing this, Yang Guang suddenly raised his eyes, his gaze like a knife shooting towards Yuwen Huaji, his whole body filled with murderous intent.
He kicked over the brazier with a sudden thud, scattering glowing embers all over the ground. Sparks flew up and were quickly extinguished, just like his patience at that moment.
"My army is already at the gates of Liaodong; how can we wait until next year!"
Goguryeo was like a centipede, dead but not stiff.
If we fail to conquer their country in one fell swoop and give them a chance to regroup, we will only pay a more painful price if we attack again next year.
"Starting tomorrow, I will personally don armor and wield weapons, advancing and retreating alongside my soldiers!"
Yang Guang stood up, ripped off his cloak, threw it on the ground, and spoke resolutely.
"The ten-day deadline is void. Liaodong City must be captured within five days!"
"promise!"
Everyone inside the tent bowed in unison, their voices filled with sorrow and solemnity.
The next five days will be crucial in determining the outcome.
Either a single victory would bring about the downfall of Goguryeo.
Either all their efforts were in vain, or their second campaign against Goguryeo ended in a disastrous defeat.
Without delay, everyone left the main tent in an orderly fashion and returned to their respective camps to mobilize their soldiers and prepare for the final battle.
Inside the Li family camp, Li Shimin, Li Yuanji, and others sat around a campfire, the flickering flames reflecting the various expressions on their faces.
"Hahaha! Yang Guang is really desperate today!"
Li Yuanji placed the wine pot on the fire to keep it warm, his face full of schadenfreude.
The other direct subordinate generals of the Li family, though not as outspoken as Li Yuanji, all wore restrained smiles.
The current course of the war is clear: failure to capture Liaodong City will inevitably become the fuse that ignites the conflict between Yang Guang and the powerful families.
The world will be in chaos at that time, and that will be the opportunity for the Li family.
"Second brother, should I...should I help?"
Li Yuanba squatted by the campfire, his tone somewhat urgent.
He came here to fight, and although he had been on the battlefield a few times, Li Shimin ordered him to hold back, so he could only restrain his strength and fight with his hands tied.
The battle is currently at a stalemate, and judging from the current situation, the Sui army is likely to suffer a defeat. If they were to slink back in disgrace, it would be too shameful.
"You don't need to do anything, just stay put!" Li Yuanji glared at Li Yuanba, his tone stern.
This fool is incredibly strong and a skilled fighter.
But this battle is for Yang Guang; the Li family doesn't need to contribute.
Li Yuanba ignored Li Yuanji and moved to Li Shimin's side, obediently saying, "I'll listen to my second brother."
Li Shimin gently stroked Li Yuanba's head, his voice as gentle as if coaxing a child: "Yuanba, be good, we can't win this battle."
Today's heavy snowfall is truly a golden opportunity bestowed upon the Li family by heaven.
Without this snow, the two sides would have fought to the death within ten days, and the outcome would have been uncertain.
But now that the roads are blocked by heavy snow and supplies are restricted, he is certain that the Sui army will be defeated.
Whether it was Yang Guang's imperial majesty or the elite military strength of the powerful families, all of it would be completely lost in the process of all previous efforts being wasted.
After Yang Guang returned to Luoyang, he lost all his authority and the people's hearts were scattered.
The opportunity that the Li family has been waiting for is finally about to arrive.
"Wishing Yang Guang a crushing defeat, bottoms up!"
Seeing that the wine was warm, Li Yuanji took down the wine pot and poured the fragrant wine into several rough porcelain bowls, then picked up a bowl first.
"Dry!"
The Li family members raised their glasses and drank them down in one gulp, their faces full of anticipation for the future.
Li Shimin chuckled and picked up his wine bowl as well.
This trip to Liaodong was definitely worthwhile.
He witnessed firsthand Yang Guang's incompetence and the beginning of the Sui Dynasty's decline.
Next, all that is needed is to secretly prepare for a military retreat and wait for the situation to deteriorate.