The Villain's Counterattack

There were 5,000 casualties, and nearly 10,000 enemy soldiers were killed or captured. Mai Tiezhang and Qian Shixiong successfully completed the task of crossing the river and seizing the beach. Yang Guang was very happy and praised them highly. He then ordered the army to be divided into three groups to sweep Liaodong. However, Mai Tiezhang was seriously injured and was left in the central army camp to recuperate.

"Yang Xuyan, you are worthy of being the favorite disciple of Lord Pei. You are an expert in talking about military affairs on paper. It is natural that the soldiers won this battle with their lives, but your contribution cannot be erased. Tell me what reward you want?" Yang Guang was very pleased and naturally would not forget the great hero who saved him from falling into a trap. Although in his mind, this credit was more likely to be given to his disciples by Pei Ju (Shi Zhixuan), but compared to rewarding ministers in high positions, sending his underage disciples away was easier and less costly.

But unexpectedly, Yang Xuyan was not humble at all. He asked for a city east of the Liao River. Although it was only the highest management power of the city, 10,000 civilians and 3,000 soldiers, it surprised the surrounding civil and military officials.

Yang Guang thought for a moment and immediately understood. He smiled and said, "Are you so confident in your chess-playing skills? Do you think my army of one million can't conquer a mere Goguryeo? In the end, I'll need your three thousand soldiers to clean up the mess and ensure our army isn't hunted down and defeated?"

Yang Xuyan ignored Yang Guang's threatening gaze and shook his head slightly, saying, "Be prepared, there's no danger. Consider defeat before victory, so you can avoid mistakes in the chaos. Furthermore, three thousand soldiers and ten thousand civilians are nothing compared to a million-man army and two million civilians. Furthermore, my small town can also serve as a food and fodder transfer station. I just need Your Majesty to send a Grandmaster to help defend against possible Goguryeo assassins. After all, my strength is only innate, and I'm afraid I can't withstand the assassination of a Goguryeo Grandmaster."

"A pre-teen Xiantian master, and you're still not satisfied?" The generals' mouths twitched, wishing they could give him a beating. Most of them came from aristocratic families, and achieved Xiantian just after reaching adulthood. To achieve Xiantian at such a young age was an absolute genius. Moreover, according to Pei Ju (Shi Zhixuan), this boy's family was not high-ranking, being a branch of the Hongnong Yang clan. Their family background had fallen on hard times, and their resources, aside from books, were not particularly exceptional. Even so, he achieved Xiantian at the age of seventeen, which was a testament to his extraordinary talent.

Thinking of this, many people were secretly moved.

Should we win over a few of these geniuses?

Even if he can't be accepted as a subordinate because of his master's status, marriage is still a good idea. Who doesn't have one or two concubines these days?

Yang Guang suddenly said, "How about I grant you Liaodong City? Well, if this expedition to Goguryeo succeeds, I will grant you the title of Earl of Liaodong, and the entire area within a radius of fifty miles of Liaodong City will be yours. If, as you predicted, we are thwarted, I will grant you the title of Marquis of Liaodong, and the entire area within a radius of one hundred miles of Liaodong City will be yours."

Yang Xuyan was speechless for a moment. "Thunderbolts and rain are all graces of Your Majesty. Yang Xuyan thanks Your Majesty for the gift, but isn't Liaodong City a little too big? How about a smaller one? I know I'm not capable enough and haven't achieved enough. If I receive Your Majesty's generous gift just for fun, it will probably lead to gossip. A smaller, more remote territory will better demonstrate Your Majesty's fair rewards and punishments."

Only then did the officials understand Yang Guang's intentions. If the Goguryeo expedition succeeded, Yang Xuyan's achievement of an earl was indeed a bit high. However, his previous military chess deductions raised many key issues worthy of deep consideration, and he indirectly saved the lives of General Mai Tiezhang of the Left Tunwei and many soldiers. Although the exaggeration was a bit unreasonable, it was understandable. Furthermore, Liaodong City was originally far from the capital, with a radius of fifty miles, not even very large, and no connection to the Liao River, making it somewhat useless overall.

If the expedition failed as he predicted, Goguryeo might counterattack. Liaodong City would not be a reward, but a scapegoat, sitting at the forefront of the Goguryeo counterattack. If the imperial army retreated, leaving him alone to defend Liaodong City, he feared...

Pei Ju (Shi Zhixuan) stood up to decline the reward on behalf of his disciple, saying that he lacked the ability. However, Yang Guang refused to agree and eventually asked for more soldiers and laborers, and upgraded the specifications of Liaodong City, making it an important stronghold in the northeast of the Sui Dynasty (although it had not been conquered yet).

Yang Xuyan: Master Shi, how can I hold this place? I'm not afraid of a massive army. After all, I have five thousand elite Sui soldiers, thirty thousand civilians, and a vast supply of supplies, weapons, and armor. Even if a Goguryeo army of a hundred thousand were to attack, I could hold out for a year or two. But I'm afraid they'll directly deploy their Grand Master, Fu Cailin. Then...

Pei Ju (Shi Zhixuan): It doesn't matter. I am the master. If they follow the rules and fight each other, it's fine. But if they don't follow the rules and send out the Grand Master, I don't mind going to Pyongyang to explain the rules to the King of Goguryeo.

Yang Xuyan: Then Master Shi, can you go before Fu Cailin finds a disciple?

Pei Ju (Shi Zhixuan): Haha, if Fu Cailin doesn’t leave Pyongyang, will it be useful for me to go there?

Yang Xuyan: ...

The civil and military officials had different opinions about the rewards Yang Xuyan received, but overall, only a few were envious, jealous, and hateful. After all, their base was in the Great Sui Dynasty, and overseas had never been a key development direction. If he was given a title and temporarily stationed overseas, it would be fine, after all, he could eventually return to the prosperous land of the Great Sui Dynasty. If he was directly canonized in a desolate and remote place overseas, then there would be no hope.

Is this a canonization?

Haha, this is a disguised form of exile. Although this kid keeps saying that he is only good at talking on paper, no one knows what the actual situation is. But one thing is certain, this kid has a good eye and many tricks.

The daily expenditure of the army on the expedition was immense, and Yang Xuyan was incredibly busy for the next few days. Several of the army's commanders sent their lieutenants, heirs, and military clerks to play chess with him. Without the natural barrier of the Liao River, the troops were at a complete disadvantage in terms of combat power. Even with all Yang Xuyan's tricks, he could not defeat the imperial army. The situation was so severe that the Liaodong region could not withstand it.

Yang Xuyan fought alone against a large number of enemies, but was ultimately defeated and lost all the cities in Liaodong. However, when these deputy generals, heirs, and military clerks reported the deduction results and detailed steps to their respective commanders, the commanders were not happy but worried.

The next day, everyone played military chess again, but this time Yang Xuyan was no longer the commander-in-chief of Goguryeo, but the commander-in-chief of the Sui Dynasty. He was extremely bold in using his troops, commanding several armies to crisscross the city, and he also used many decoy tactics. His siege methods were even more incomprehensible.

The siege was carried out on all sides, with bows and crossbows used continuously, with scattered arrays rotating in all directions. It was more like a siege drill than a brutal war, and civilians were mobilized to dig trenches. Many tricks were used, such as hidden pits (which appeared to be intact but were traps underneath), which turned the tables and turned the enemy into an isolated city.

After that, the military camp conducted daily drills, spreading out in all directions, and the comings and goings were confusing. The intensity of the siege fluctuated in the first few days, and half a month later, a large number of Goguryeo people and prisoners were suddenly brought back. At this time, everyone suddenly realized that the Liaodong area had actually been strategically abandoned by Goguryeo, and the role of the city was only to delay time.

Delay for what?

First, it was used to relocate civilians and property from Liaodong, expanding Pyongyang to a population of one million or more, and transporting more food and weapons for the decisive battle. Second, it was to wait for the flood season. Goguryeo's forces were insufficient, and if they wanted to defeat the Sui Dynasty, these mountains and rivers would be the perfect aid. Yang Guang's timing took into account the extreme cold in Northeast China, to which the people of the Central Plains were not accustomed. If the war was delayed until winter, many troops would surely freeze to death. Therefore, he had to choose summer, and this choice was correct. Goguryeo could only take advantage of the mountains and rivers, and if the war was delayed until winter, it could win without fighting.

Yang Xuyan's words, speaking from a higher perspective, left the commanders' lieutenants, heirs, and military clerks looking at each other in bewilderment. These captured Goguryeo civilians became Yang Xuyan's laborers, beating drums and gongs to harass the city day and night, while also providing logistical support for the imperial army, keeping the imperial army at its peak strength. The liberated Sui civilians were promoted half a level, becoming squad leaders or even reserve troops for the city defense force. While receiving semi-military training, they also took on garrison duty and security patrols in captured cities.

They reported the results of the new day's deduction to the commander-in-chief. The commander-in-chief didn't need to say much, as he knew how terrible the results of the previous day were. The time was saved by half, the losses were reduced by 70%, the results were doubled again and again, and many conveniences were provided for the future. They were not on the same level no matter how you looked at it.

"You don't have to do this. It's just an asymmetry of intelligence. If you had known this information earlier, perhaps things would have been much better. The various tricks this kid uses all have traces to follow. There are many records in books. Although they are just fragments, he has absorbed and summarized them into regular methods. This kid is too flexible."

"But this boy is still just an amateur. Although he has a kind heart, he still treats the battlefield as a game, and only talks about war on paper. You must know that people's morale is also unpredictable."

The results of the two days' deduction were also given to Yang Guang and Pei Ju (Shi Zhixuan). Both of them were a little surprised after reading them. Yang Guang was concerned about the time and Goguryeo's determination and perseverance to fight to the death in order to fortify its defenses and clear the countryside, while Pei Ju saw the little intention of his disciples to gain a foothold outside the domain.