Tang Dynasty: The Holy Prince, the Dragon that Reigns Over the World

Li Chengqian received a military report from Li Xiaogong, and saw that Li Xiaogong's troops ambushed and killed the Silla reinforcements, and only 2 Baekje people escaped back to their royal city. Li Xiaogong has now joined forces with Silla to besiege the Baekje royal city, and will soon capture the Baekje royal city. He smiled and said to Li Shimin.

"Father, Uncle Wang of Hejian is making rapid progress. This iron thunder ambush is truly a stroke of genius. My Uncle Wang of Hejian is worthy of the title of the War God of the Li family."

"Well, Xiaogong is indeed a rare military genius. Dalang, we also need to speed up the progress. I, as a father, want to go back earlier to hug my grandson." Li Shimin said with a smile, stroking his beard.

"Yes, father." Li Chengqian nodded with a smile.

On that day, the Tang army suddenly stopped attacking the city, and Yeon Gaesomun climbed up the city wall in confusion. He saw Li Chengqian standing in front of the Tang army on horseback, looking at him with a smile.

"Li Chengqian, what tricks are you going to play now?" Yeon Gaesomun asked puzzledly.

"Molizhi, you are now trapped in a siege and have no chance of recovery. Your ally Baekje has also been besieged by my royal family's war god Hejian Wangshu, who has 4 Tang troops and 15 Silla troops. Molizhi, you are at the end of your rope and have no chance of winning. Why don't you surrender early? I can spare your life.

Even if you are not afraid of death, you should think about the lives of the defenders and civilians in the city. If my army attacks the city with all its might, it will be a sea of ​​blood and corpses, and everything will be destroyed. That would be bad.

Brothers of the Goguryeo defenders, do you also want to accompany your Molizhi to death? "Li Chengqian said with a smile. Seeing that the Goguryeo defenders looked shaken, Yeon Gaesomun was furious.

"Li Chengqian, don't be so arrogant. My Goguryeo royal city still has 10 soldiers and horses defending the city. Benmolizhi will never surrender to a despicable boy like you. Also, don't think of moving the morale of our army with words. My Goguryeo warriors are heroes who are ready to die. My Goguryeo people would rather be killed by the sword than become slaves of a conquered country," Yeon Gaesomun said angrily, and then continued to curse Li Chengqian.

Li Chengqian listened to Yeon Gaesomun scolding him non-stop and said while rubbing his brows.

"Ah, when talking to this kind of person, you have to endure the desire to kill him before you can continue talking to him. I tried to reason with him, but he acted like a hooligan to me. I had good intentions and wanted to save his life and the lives of all the soldiers and civilians in Pyongyang, but he was such an ungrateful guy."

"Master, don't be angry. Master is a humble gentleman. Yeon Gaisu is a barbarian and a villain. How can he understand your good intentions? Master has a compassionate heart, and is the reincarnation of a Bodhisattva. These evil villains are ungrateful, and you can just beat them up. Master, you are worth a thousand gold, please don't let this make you sick," Deng Xiaohu said with a flattering smile.

The surrounding generals looked at Deng Xiaohu's flattering look and were so shocked that their mouths opened wide and their eyes almost popped out.

"Is this still the Tiger Marquis who pulled out an arrow and ate his eye, terrified Goguryeo, and was the bravest of the three armies? Li Chengqian is a gentleman? Then are there still gentlemen? Look at this guy's fawning face, he is a flatterer, how can he look like a fierce general. Could it be that this guy has schizophrenia?"

All the generals thought of this, and then looked at Deng Yinlong. Deng Yinlong blushed, and then turned his head away, as if he didn't know this guy.

"Well, Ah Hu is very much in my heart. But he's a barbarian from the outside world, why should I talk to him rationally? I'll just beat him and rob him." Li Chengqian patted Deng Xiaohu on the shoulder and spoke in the tone of a bandit.

"Mo Lizhi, do you want to see the fireworks?" Li Chengqian rolled his eyes and said with a sly smile.

"Watch fireworks? What are fireworks?" Yeon Gaesomun asked puzzledly.

"You are very lacking in knowledge. This shouldn't happen. After all, you are Molizhi from Goguryeo, but you don't have any experience at all. Come on, show Molizhi what fireworks are." Li Chengqian said with a smile.

Then, the Xuanwu Army lifted large pottery jars into the trebuchets and ignited the cotton wool. Dozens of pottery jars were thrown toward Pyongyang by the trebuchets, some of which fell on the walls of Pyongyang and some fell into the city. The pottery jars exploded in the air. Although the explosion was not as loud as the thunder, the liquid that flew out with fire splashed all around. From a distance, it looked like fireworks.

This pottery jar is an early incendiary bomb designed and developed by Li Chengqian and the Armament Bureau. Just before the expedition, when Li Chengqian asked the Armament Bureau to send him city bombs and hand grenades, he also ordered them to bring a few hundred for Li Chengqian to test on site.

The early method of making incendiary bombs was to burn a large solid cylindrical pottery jar, divide it into 2:8 layers, with a cotton wool filling hole in the middle of the upper lid and a cotton wool filling hole on one side of the lower layer.

Put the gunpowder in a cloth bag and wrap the gunpowder outside the cloth bag. Fill the bag to the bottom and cover it with a partition. Seal the gap of the partition with wax. Pour the upper layer with stone fat water (stone fat water is petroleum, which was discovered by China Petroleum more than 1900 years ago. The earliest record of it is in the "Book of Changes·Ge Gua" in the Zhou Dynasty of my country) and cover it with wax.

The incendiary bomb is filled with 80% of rock wax water and 20% of black powder. During transportation, the upper and lower layers of cotton wool are sealed with mud. When in use, the mud seal is opened, the burning time of the cotton wool is calculated, and the cotton wool of appropriate length is loaded. After the cotton wool is burned, the rock wax water is ignited first, and then the black powder explodes, causing the ignited rock wax water to splash everywhere.

Most of the houses in ancient times were made of wood. The burning asphalt water splashed everywhere, instantly igniting a fire that spread along the wind. Moreover, the burning asphalt water fell on people, making it extremely difficult to extinguish. For a time, Pyongyang was ablaze, wailing was heard, and the air was filled with the smell of burning flesh.

"Li Chengqian, you beast, what crime have the people committed? How could you be so cruel?" Yeon Gaesomun cursed upon seeing this.

"Humph, blame me. When two countries fight, both sides perish together. How can there be innocence? Old thief, you killed the king for your own high position and caused the war. You knew that you were doomed, but you dragged the soldiers and civilians of the city to be buried with you. If I am a beast, then you are worse than a beast. I ask you again, do you surrender?" Li Chengqian said sternly. Yeon Gaesomun did not react to his words and ordered the Goguryeo defenders to put out the fire.

"Very good, if you are willing to die, I am willing to bury you. Come on, keep throwing it to me, until Pyongyang becomes a dead city and a scorched city. I will see what the old thief can use to resist me then." Li Chengqian said angrily.

The Xuanwu Army immediately began to drop incendiary bombs on Pyongyang City according to Li Chengqian's order. Seeing that Pyongyang City was already a sea of ​​fire, all the generals felt sorry for it. Li Dejian couldn't bear it and called the Xuanwu Army to stop, saying:

"Da Lang, that's enough. I will personally lead the troops to attack the city and ensure that Pyongyang is captured before dark. Stop burning, this is only adding to the sin of killing. Da Lang, you are shortening your life."

"Li Dejian, put away your ridiculous compassion. As a general of the Tang Dynasty, how can you be so soft-hearted? Haven't I taught you that those who are not of my race must have different hearts? You led the troops to attack the city, and the casualties were my Tang Dynasty men. You don't feel sorry for them, but I do.

Open your eyes and look at what is in front of you. They are the people of the enemy country, not the people of the Tang Dynasty. If they surrender and become Tang people, I will treat them equally. But now, hehe, if you take down the capital of Goguryeo without hurting any of my Tang people, even if everyone in Pyongyang dies, it doesn't matter. The lives of the Goguryeo people are worthless in my eyes. How can they be compared with the precious lives of my Tang people?

Do you know why I let the Turkic Wolf Cavalry watch the battle from afar today? I want to let the Turkic people see that if they want to rebel against the Tang Dynasty, this is the end. I will burn Pyongyang to tell the Turkic people, the Goguryeo people, and the countries surrounding the Tang Dynasty that those who obey me will prosper, and those who resist me will perish.

Those who obey the Tang Dynasty will be treated with kindness by the Tang Dynasty. Those who dare to harbor evil intentions against the Tang Dynasty will end up in Pyongyang. I want to use the death of the Goguryeo people to let the world know that the prestige of the Tang Dynasty is sacred and inviolable. If anyone violates it, the Tang Dynasty will destroy him with iron and blood.

As for shortening my lifespan, well, humph. I, Li Chengqian, have led an army alone since I was 8 years old, fighting against the Eastern Turks at the Wei River. I have been trapped in sieges several times, fighting with a small number of enemies, and I am no longer afraid of life or death. If I can make the Tang Dynasty's prestige spread throughout the world and prosper for thousands of years, what does it matter if I, Li Chengqian, die? Why should I be afraid of shortening my lifespan?

Gentlemen, are you willing to follow me, the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty, Li Chengqian, to expand the territory of the Tang Dynasty, create a prosperous era for thousands of years, and bring eternal peace to the people of the Tang Dynasty?" Li Chengqian said sternly.

The generals were ashamed when they heard this, but then their blood boiled and they shouted in unison with the equally excited Flying Dragon Army, Black Tortoise Army and Flying Wing Archers behind them.

"I swear to follow you till death, and I am willing to die fighting for the Tang Dynasty. Long live the Tang Dynasty, long live my lord."

"Dejian, keep throwing it to me." Li Chengqian said calmly.

"Yes. The Xuanwu Army will follow the order of the lord to burn Pyongyang and throw it!" There was no mercy on Li Dejian's face. He clasped his fists and accepted the order, then gave the order coldly.

The Xuanwu Army quickly followed Li Chengqian's order and threw incendiary bombs at Pyongyang. Pyongyang soon became a sea of ​​fire. Seeing that the fire was out of control, Yeon Gaesomun hurriedly fled down the city wall, riding alone through the unsieged city gate to the southern border, intending to seek refuge with his brother Yeon Jeongdo.

Not long after Yeon Gaesomun rode out of the city, he saw a hundred people and a carriage parked on the road ahead. Just as Yeon Gaesomun was in doubt, Li Fujie got off the carriage and looked at Yeon Gaesomun with a smile. Li Fujie clasped his fists and smiled.

"Mo Lizhi, I have been waiting here for a long time, please get in the car."

"My dear brother, why are you waiting for me here?" When Yeon Gaesomun saw that it was Li Fujie, he immediately felt relieved and said.

"I see that Pyongyang is engulfed in flames and know that it is hopeless. Molizhi must go south to look for our respected brother, Lord Nanbu, in the Pure Land of Yuan. So I'm waiting here to escort Molizhi there." Li Fujie said with a smile.

"My dear brother, you are so thoughtful. Thank you for your help. When you succeed in restoring your country in the future, I will grant you the title of king." Yeon Gaesomun dismounted and walked into the carriage with a smile.

The carriage started, and Li Fujie brought a glass of fine wine. Yeon Gaesomun was thirsty from the smoke of the fire, and he was thirsty. He took the wine cup, drank it all without any suspicion. Not long after, he felt drowsy and fell asleep. Seeing Yeon Gaesomun fall asleep, Li Fujie sneered and ordered the carriage to drive to Tang camp.

It is said that the fire in Pyongyang burned for a day and a night before it was extinguished. Li Chengqian led his troops into Pyongyang and saw ruins and charred bodies everywhere. The group came to the palace of Goguryeo. Goguryeo King Gao Zang and the remaining civil and military officials were naked, with brambles stuck on their backs, and tied themselves in front of the palace gate. When the Goguryeo king and his ministers saw Li Chengqian coming, they knelt down and kowtowed.

"I, the guilty King Go Zang of Goguryeo, am here to pay homage to the Crown Prince of the Celestial Empire. Goguryeo has offended the majesty of the Tang Dynasty. Now we tie ourselves up and surrender. Please forgive us, Heaven." After saying this, the king and his ministers kowtowed again.

"You were held hostage by the traitor Yeon Gaesomun, and the fault is not yours. Now that you have turned from darkness to light and have repented, our Great Tang is kind and will never kill you. But after all, you followed Yeon Gaesomun and offended the majesty of Heaven. When our Great Tang saint arrives, we will deal with you." When the Goguryeo king and his ministers heard that the Tang Dynasty would not kill them, they all kowtowed to thank the Tang Dynasty for not killing them.

On the second day, Li Shimin accepted the surrender of the Goguryeo king and his ministers outside the city, comforted the Goguryeo king Gao Zang and his ministers, and issued an edict to confer Gao Zang the title of Duke of Xuantu County, granting him a house in Chang'an, and all the Goguryeo ministers who surrendered were rewarded.

But Li Shimin was not sure who would be the new King of Goguryeo. For this reason, the four princes of Goguryeo were arrogant and doubtful, but they could do nothing about it.

However, after joining forces with Silla, Li Xiaogong attacked the Baekje royal city for several days. When the news of the fall of the Goguryeo royal city came, Li Xiaogong and the Silla generals were very happy. Li Xiaogong immediately ordered the Tang and Silla coalition forces to attack the Baekje royal city with all their strength and must capture the Baekje royal city within three days and present the captives to the saint.

The Tang and Silla allied forces were delighted and full of energy when they heard that the Tang prince had conquered Pyongyang and Goguryeo had surrendered to the Tang. Inspired by Li Xiaogong's passionate speech, the Tang and Silla allied forces launched a frenzied attack on the Baekje royal city with shouts of killing.

Under the wave after wave of crazy attacks from the Tang and Silla coalition forces, the pressure on the Baekje royal city defenders doubled. Several city walls changed hands several times. Not long after the Baekje defenders desperately drove the Tang and Silla coalition forces off the city walls, a new wave of attacks followed.

Li Xiaogong was very depressed when he saw that he had not taken the Baekje royal city for two days. At this time, Zhang Liang, the deputy commander of the Pyongyang Road and the Duke of Yun, offered a suggestion.

"King Hejian, don't worry too much. I heard that when the prince attacked Yishan City, he used bombs to blow up the walls of Yishan City and occupied Yishan City. Why don't our army follow the prince's example and blow up Yishan City?"

Li Xiaogong's eyes lit up, and he immediately ordered his men to find all the iron mines and ordered the army to use them to blow up the gate of Baekje's royal city. The soldiers received the order and piled up the iron mines under the cover of shields. The iron mines were not as powerful as the city bombs, but they were more numerous. With a loud bang, the Baekje royal city shook, the gate collapsed, and the surrounding walls collapsed.

When Lee Hyo-gong saw the gate of Baekje's royal city collapsed, he shouted and led the Tang and Silla coalition forces to attack Baekje's royal city. When Baekje's King Mu heard that the Tang and Silla coalition forces had blown up the city gate and entered the city, and he had previously learned about Goguryeo's surrender, he was so frightened that he died on the throne. When the Baekje officials saw that King Mu was dead and the royal city had been broken, they had no choice but to ask Crown Prince Buyeo Ui-ja to lead everyone out of the palace and surrender. Buyeo Ui-ja saw that the situation was hopeless, sighed and ordered the defenders to give up resistance, and tied themselves up at the palace gate with the officials, waiting for the Tang army to surrender.

When Lee Hyo-gong arrived at the Baekje palace, he was overjoyed to see Buyeo Ui-ja and his ministers tying themselves up to surrender. He ordered his men to take over the city, and he, along with Silla's Supan Kim Yu-sin and Sangdae Kim Chun-chu, escorted Buyeo Ui-ja and Baekje's ministers to present the captives to Lee Shi-min.