Tiantang Splendid

Chapter 5303 The end of the road

This battle came suddenly and unexpectedly, but ended in a swift and decisive victory.

Of the three thousand reinforcements from Lin-yi, only a small portion fled into the mountains and forests to escape, and the vast majority were annihilated by the Tang army, while a small number were captured.

"Organize these prisoners, tie them together with ropes to prevent resistance and escape, let them clean up the battlefield and repair the damage, while the brothers conserve their strength and hold the camp!"

"Send out scouts to patrol westward, searching for traces of the True Wax People. Report back as soon as they step even half a step into the mountain pass!"

"Here!"

With orders issued one after another, the entire military camp began to work in an orderly manner.

Li Jinxing and Li Jingren walked out through the gap in the wall to the mountainside. Looking at the remains of men and horses scattered everywhere, they couldn't help but cover their mouths and noses.

"We don't even know how many days we'll be stationed here. Let's dig a hole and bury these things later. It would be troublesome if they rotted and spread a plague."

"Okay, let the prisoners handle it later."

"...This corpse is well-armored and has a young face; it should be the Crown Prince of Linyi, right?"

"What a pity! If we could have captured him alive, it would have been a great achievement!"

"The Mo Dao team is still too bloodthirsty. Mo Dao heavy armor, men and horses are all crushed. Tsk tsk, each one is simply like a god of death."

"But if it weren't for this Mo Dao team accompanying us, this battle would have been even more difficult."

The two men stood around Kendama's body, which was broken into several pieces, commenting on it and shaking their heads in sighs.

The Mo Dao team did indeed ruin this great achievement, but it was just before the rainy season in the Indochina Peninsula, and it was common for the rain to be continuous. For example, in this kind of battle, the power of bows and crossbows and firearms was greatly reduced in the rain. If the Mo Dao team had not blocked the enemy's way, it would have been wishful thinking to leave Jian Daduomo behind.

Li Jinxing clicked his tongue: "Shave off this guy's head, pickle it with quicklime, find a wooden box to put it in, it's better than nothing."

*****
Within the city of Tuolupuluo, Zhuge Di felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles.

The Tang army outside the city remained stationary, seemingly unaware that he had agreed to peace talks and was deliberately delaying the process. They simply deployed two light cavalry units outside the city walls on the north and south sides, as if the enemy would relentlessly pursue and kill them as long as he led his main force to withdraw from the city.

Could they all escape calmly and hide in the deep mountains while being pursued by the Tang army's light cavalry?

Zhuge Di had absolutely no confidence.

Not to mention, they safely retreated all the way to Wuwenling, crossed the mountain pass, and escaped the Tang army's pursuit...

"Has the Crown Prince sent any news back?"

"Not yet."

Kronen was frowning, looking worried.

Based on the estimated time and distance, the Crown Prince should have arrived at Wuwenling two days ago. Therefore, whether Wuwenling was defended or had fallen, there should have been news of him. However, until now, there has been no news of the Crown Prince.

Something unusual must be amiss.

Zhuge Di paced back and forth with his hands behind his back for a long time before finally sitting down and sighing, "I shouldn't have let the Crown Prince go to Wuwenling."

His original intention was to let the crown prince leave the city to avoid the main force of the Tang army and stay at Wuwenling, where he could advance or retreat at will. In that case, even if Tuolupuluo City fell and the entire army was wiped out, his bloodline could be preserved and he could make a comeback with the help of Zhenla.

However, they forgot that sending the crown prince out of the city alone with his army was tantamount to putting him in a dangerous situation where he was in danger of being overthrown.

Staying in Dharamshala means that, at the very least, they can surrender in a critical moment to save the prince's life and ensure the continuation of their family bloodline...

Seeing that he had completely lost his composure, Kelun Weng Ding comforted him, saying, "There is a saying among the Han people, 'When the nest is overturned, how can the eggs remain intact?' This time, the Tang army has deployed its main force at all costs, showing that it will not stop until Champa is destroyed. Your Majesty, there is no point in thinking too much."

The city of Dharapura is definitely not going to hold. If there is no way out, such as the Wuwenling Pass, then the city of Champa will be destroyed. Who among the king and the crown prince will survive?

Zhuge Di took a deep breath and shook his head, saying, "Even in dire straits, one must never wag one's tail and beg for mercy!"

He knew that the people of Linyi had no determination to fight the Tang army to the death. In fact, many people hoped that he would change his mind, lower his head, and lead the whole country to surrender to the Tang Dynasty. Then, following the example of Silla and Wa, the whole country would submit to the Tang Dynasty and transform from barbarians in a land of miasma into "Tang people".

But he couldn't, and he dared not.

The Tang army's intentions were already quite clear. Did the Tang navy really need to gather tens of thousands of elite troops and mobilize countless supplies for a mere city like Tuolupura?

They don't deserve it at all.

Therefore, the strategic objective of the Tang army was certainly not limited to Tuolupura City, or even the entire territory of Linyi, but encompassed the entire Zhenla.

The possibility of even incorporating the entire peninsula into its territory is not out of the question...

Under such circumstances, the Tang Dynasty naturally needed a legitimate reason to take action, and the best excuse was to "uphold the legitimate dynasty of Funan". Even though no one has seen the so-called "Prince of Funan" to this day, what does it matter?
"Left and right" is just a name.

In reality, there's no such thing as a true or false, right or wrong, title; whoever has the bigger fist holds the title...

Since the Tang Dynasty did not intend to hold a so-called "popular election" in Lin-yi, it meant that Lin-yi was among those to be conquered.

He had no other choice but to fight to the death.

Of course, Coronard knew all this, so he hesitated to speak and could only sigh in despair.

An official outside the door quickly entered: "Your Majesty, the Tang people have sent another envoy, wishing to negotiate peace with you."

Zhuge Di remained noncommittal and said to Kelun Wengding, "Let my beloved minister take charge of this matter. We can discuss some issues of treatment... After I lead the army out of the city, my beloved minister will be fully responsible for the city's defense. Whether to fight or surrender will be your decision."

Kelun Wengding turned pale with fright and trembled with fear. He hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, please understand, this humble subject has absolutely no intention of disloyalty!"

Entrusting him with the defense of the city and then letting him discuss his treatment... isn't that just a clear indication that he will surrender?
Zhuge Di waved his hand, somewhat disheartened: "Hey, my dear minister, why must you do this? We have been ruler and subject for so long, and though we may have a good beginning, we may not be able to have a good end. How can I bear to let you die with me? Besides, the 200,000 people in Tuolupuluo City, as well as many civil and military officials, all need your utmost efforts to keep them alive. Otherwise, the Tang army might start a massacre after they break through the city... This matter started because of me, but I cannot let it implicate the entire city's people."

Kron was stunned. Instead of feeling any joy at "meeting a wise ruler," he felt his hair stand on end and his whole body was covered in cold sweat.

He quickly knelt down and cried out in grief, "Your Majesty's loyalty is as clear as the sun and moon! The previous dynasty was tyrannical, and Your Majesty, in anger, drew your sword and cleansed the world. You disregarded your own honor and disgrace to seek the well-being of the people of Linyi. I am grateful for Your Majesty's righteousness and have therefore followed you diligently for many years. Anyone in Linyi can surrender to the Tang Dynasty, but I absolutely cannot!"

Back then, it was he who assisted Zhuge Di in assassinating Fan Zhenlong and seizing the throne of Linyi. Who in the country didn't know him?
Now that the Tang Dynasty has started a war in the name of maintaining the legitimacy of Funan Kingdom, once Linyi is defeated, Zhuge Di will surely die, but how can his lackey escape?

But now the king is actually starting to suspect him...

Zhuge Di sighed and stepped forward to help Kelun Wengding up, scolding him, "Why did you have to do this, my dear minister? I just didn't want you to go down the same dead end as me, with all your talents going to waste."

Kronen, filled with doubt and uncertainty, asked, "What should we do now?"

Zhuge Di asked, "What do you think, my dear minister?"

"There are only two paths."

"Appreciate further details."

"First, wait for news from the Crown Prince. If Wuwenling still exists, we can cross the mountain pass and retreat to Zhenla to seek refuge. If Wuwenling has fallen, we will lead our troops into the deep mountains to conduct guerrilla warfare and wait for the enemy to come."

Zhuge Di pondered for a moment, then asked, "What about the second one?"

"Second..."

Kelun Wengding knelt on the ground again: "Then this humble subject will follow Your Majesty and commit suicide in the city, so that the 200,000 people of the capital may be spared from the ravages of war."

Zhuge Di: "..."

After a long silence, he sighed deeply, filled with regret: "I only wanted to test the bottom line of the Tang Dynasty and try to gain as many benefits and initiative as possible. How did it come to this?"

"Your Majesty, this is not your fault, but rather a long-planned scheme by the Great Tang. Ever since the news spread that the prince of Funan had gone to Da Nang to plead for the restoration of his kingdom, the ambitions of the Great Tang have been revealed. They may not be interested in isolated islands or foreign territories, but Lin Yi, which is separated from the Great Tang by only a narrow strip of water, has long been coveted by them. The Tang people seem benevolent, but in reality they are barbaric. How can they allow Lin Yi to dominate the south and threaten the safety of Annam and Guangzhou?"

This truly aligns with Fang Jun's strategy. Lin Yi is a huge threat to Annam and Lingnan, and Zhenla is a huge threat to Yunnan, which the Tang Dynasty needs to be wary of. Rather than spending huge resources to maintain defense in the long term, it would be better to take the initiative and bring the entire Indochina Peninsula under its control.

Whether it was to avenge the royal family of Lin-yi or to maintain the legitimacy of the Funan Kingdom, it was merely a pretext for the Tang Dynasty to send troops.

Even without these two events, it would not have been possible to stop the Tang Dynasty's military campaigns.

If the Tang Dynasty were more shameless, and simply used the excuse that "soldiers died at the hands of the Lin-yi army" to launch a reckless attack, what could Lin-yi do?

There is no inherent logic in this world.

The mighty army and sharp blades of the Tang Dynasty exemplify this principle.

hurried footsteps sounded outside the door, and an official rushed in, his face anxious and even a little stuttering: "Reporting to Your Majesty, there is news of the Crown Prince!"

Zhuge Di suddenly stood up: "How is the Crown Prince now?"

Whether Jian Duomo reaches Wuwenling and holds it is not only a matter of family lineage, but also a matter of life and death for the entire Linyi.

The official swallowed hard and lowered his head: "When the Crown Prince arrived at Wuwenling, the military camp had already been occupied by the Tang army. The Crown Prince was unaware of the situation and fell into the Tang army's trap, leading his troops to attack. As a result, he suffered a great defeat and his entire army was wiped out. Only a dozen or so of his personal guards have just returned to report that the Crown Prince... was killed by the Tang army and died in battle."

"..."

Zhuge Di felt a sudden wave of dizziness and blurred vision, and collapsed to the ground.

Kelun Wengding was greatly alarmed and quickly stepped forward to help him up, shouting repeatedly, "Quickly, summon the imperial physician! Quickly, summon the imperial physician!"

Chaos reigned within the palace.

(End of this chapter)