Traveling through Du He, Li Chengqian's rebellion begins

Li Ji looked at the Baekje reinforcements queuing up in front to receive meals. They either had white hair on their temples or were short in stature.

He also shook his head slightly and said, "It's almost there, but it's better than nothing."

"Anyway, we can just let the Baekje soldiers and the Goguryeo soldiers attrite each other. As long as we can wear down the Goguryeo defenders, that's fine."

After spending so much time with Du He, these generals broke through their psychological barriers and figured out a truth.

If you want to occupy a territory for a long time, the best way is to massacre the people in that territory and migrate the Han people there.

If we only set up a protectorate in the conquered territory, and leave the borders to be managed by foreigners, they will be able to make a comeback in a hundred years.

After all, hatred does not disappear with the passage of time, but instead gradually accumulates.

Li Ji then said in a deep voice: "Yeon Gaesomun ascends the throne today, and there are people in the city helping us. We must capture Pyongyang City no matter what!"

"If we miss today's great opportunity, we will have to pay several times the price for subsequent sieges!

After several days of siege, Hou Junji, Li Ji and others found that it was impossible for Baekje soldiers to break into Pyongyang City.

If they want to resolve the battle quickly, they have to send in the elite troops of the Tang army.

Hou Junji nodded and said, "Then let the Baekje soldiers increase their attack strength, and in the afternoon, our people will take over!"

"As ordered!"

His proposal was unanimously agreed upon by Li Ji, Zhang Liang, Du He and others.

Hou Junji then said to Du He, "Deputy Chief Du, I'd like to let you take charge of the command and arrangements of these newly arrived Baekje reinforcements."

"Under your command, the 5 Baekje soldiers fought very bravely!"

Looking at the group of Baekje vanguards who were roaring and advancing courageously, Hou Junji was very impressed with their morale.

"Follow the order."

Du He saluted and quickly rode away on his horse. After finding Su Dingfang, he gave the task to him.

Not long after, Su Dingfang brought 3 excited new Baekje reinforcements to the front army and lined up.

Du He looked at this group of Baekje soldiers who were originally exhausted and now were as excited as if they had been injected with chicken blood, and couldn't help but sigh.

"Su Dingfang is really good!"

"Being a general is a great honor!"

...

At the north city wall.

Thousands of Baekje's vanguard soldiers, under the command of Xi Junmai, rushed into the gap in the city wall.

Moreover, as soon as the Baekje soldiers in front fell, new Baekje soldiers came to replace them from behind.

"Is it over yet?"

"Tang's army has lost tens of thousands of people in the past few days. How dare they continue to fight to the death like this?"

"Could it be that the Tang army has sent reinforcements?"

Seeing the countless Tang troops under the city, the Goguryeo defenders on the city wall were frightened and no longer had the arrogance they had at the beginning to provoke the Tang army.

A few days ago, when the Tang army attacked the city, they would take half a cup of tea to attack the city, but today the Tang army's attack on the city can be described as crazy and frenzied.

Since the battle began in the morning, Tang army soldiers rushed up continuously, almost without stopping.

Just as the battle at the north gate entered a white-hot stage, a solemn coronation ceremony was being held in the imperial palace in Pyongyang City.

"Please ask the King of Shenwu to offer sacrifices to the heavens!"

Cui Boyi, the eldest brother who presided over the coronation ceremony, shouted loudly with a serious face.

Yeon Gaesomun, wearing a dragon robe and a crown on his head, walked up step by step to the several-meter-high Temple of Heaven under the gaze of civil and military officials.

Goguryeo worshipped Han culture and believed that nine was the extreme number, so they originally wanted to build a nine-meter-high Temple of Heaven.

Later, it was discovered that nine zhang was too high and it would be easy to get weak on the legs when standing on it and looking down, so Yeon Gaesomun ordered that it be made three zhang high.

Yeon Gaesomun looked down at his ministers, his face full of pride and complacency.

After today, he will be the real master of Goguryeo!

After driving the Tang army back to the Tang Dynasty, he will lead his troops to conquer Baekje and Silla and start his glorious era!

Cui Boyi's eldest brother shouted, "Please ask the King of Shenwu to burn incense and announce it to the heavens!"

The old attendant guarding the high altar hurriedly handed the lit incense and candles to the majestic Yeon Gaesomun.

Just as Yeon Gaesomun was holding incense in both hands and speaking to the sky devoutly, a raging fire suddenly broke out in the harem.

The weather was dry, and the wooden pillars in the hall were anointed with oil, so the fire burned very quickly.

Before long, the fire spread to the surrounding halls.

"Go to the water!"

"Quickly put out the fire!"

The guards stationed in the harem were instantly thrown into panic. They ran around trying to find water to put out the fire.

In the chaos, Gao Zang, who was dressed in servants' clothes, and his personal eunuch had already taken advantage of the disorder to slip out of the harem.

One side of the Temple of Heaven.

When Cui Boyi's eldest brother saw the flames rising from the harem in the distance, his stern face suddenly changed, and he immediately walked behind Yeon Gaesomun and reported in a low voice.

"King Shenwu, the harem is on fire!"

"what!"

Yeon Gaesomun suddenly opened his eyes, turned around and looked at the harem. When he saw the fire spreading quickly, his face was filled with anger.

Who is making trouble while he is on the throne?

After he ascends the throne, these palaces will all belong to him. If they are burned down by fire, won’t he have no palace to live in?

Thinking of this, Yeon Gaesomun's face was filled with murderous intent.

He walked to the edge of the Temple of Heaven and gave orders to the burly general with a swallow-like chin and a tiger-like head below.

"Yang Shengyong, there's a fire in the harem, lead the imperial guards to put it out immediately!"

"By the way, let's get rid of that useless Gao Zang!"

Upon hearing that there was a fire in the harem, all the civil and military officials standing below showed surprise on their faces.

"How could there be an accident in the harem?"

"Could it be possible that someone among us has defected to the Tang Army?"

There were thousands of imperial guards stationed in the harem, and the people living inside didn't even have the tools to start a fire, so how was it possible to burn down the palace?

It's impossible that thousands of imperial guards are all dozing off, right?

Upon hearing the good news of a mishap in the harem, an elderly official with a gleam in his eyes clenched his fists.

The first step of the plan has worked, now we just have to wait for his men to open the South Gate!

"As ordered!"

After the burly general saluted with his fists, he led thousands of imperial guards and ran quickly towards the harem.

After most of the imperial guards had left, Yeon Gaesomun glanced sternly at the ministers below, his face looking so solemn that water could drip out of it.

Many of the ministers looked up and made eye contact with Yeon Gaesomun, their hair standing on end with fear, and then they all lowered their heads to look at their toes.

"Humph!"

Yeon Gaesomun snorted coldly, then turned around and walked to the huge bronze tripod and inserted the incense and candles in his hand into the soil in the tripod.

Cui Boyi's eldest brother hurriedly shouted: "The sacrifice to heaven has been completed, please ask the Dragon King to go to the Taimiao to offer sacrifices!"

...

Inside the South City Gate.

Hundreds of soldiers in armor, carrying large amounts of meat and wine, walked towards the south gate.

The general guarding the South Gate hurried forward and shouted to them.

"Stop whoever comes!"