Chapter 684 Li Yuan Enters the Pass
Chapter 684 Li Yuan Enters the Pass
With the full support of the Guanlong nobles, Li Yuan led an army of 80,000 and successfully entered Guanzhong from Puzhou Pass.
The army advanced rapidly towards Chang'an. Three days later, Li Jiancheng's left wing army arrived at the city of Chang'an first.
There were 30,000 defenders in Chang'an City, and the chief general was the Minister of Punishments Yin Shishi, who was ordered to assist King Dai Yang You in defending Chang'an.
In fact, Guanzhong was not only guarded by the 30,000 troops in Chang'an, but also by the 10,000 troops in Tongguan and Puzhou and the 5,000 troops in Yongtong Warehouse. However, the commanders of these armies had long been bribed by the Guanlong nobles, and when Li Yuan's army came, they all surrendered without any resistance.
At this time, with the full help of the Guanlong nobles, Chai Shao and his wife Li Sanniang, who had infiltrated Guanzhong in advance, had recruited an army of 100,000. These 100,000 troops were almost all farmhands and warriors from various manors in Guanlong. They were dispatched by various families and quickly gathered around Chai Shao and Li Sanniang. Soon after, Li Xiaogong also arrived and led these troops together.
When Li Yuan arrived with 50,000 main forces, the army of more than 100,000 surrounded the city of Chang'an like an iron barrel.
Li Yuan looked at the top of the city wall and said, "Send a letter to the top of the city wall, asking them to open the city and surrender!"
Li Yuan immediately wrote a letter and ordered a soldier to deliver it.
Soon, the soldiers arrived at the city and shouted, "I am here to deliver a letter on the orders of Lord Tang!"
A basket was lowered from the top of the city wall. The soldier sat in the basket and was pulled up to the top of the city wall. On the top of the city wall, Yin Shishi took the letter. He read the letter and sneered, "He actually has the nerve to say that he is here to protect the emperor. Does he think I can't understand his wolfish ambition? Go back and tell Li Yuan that if he is loyal to the Great Sui, he should withdraw his troops immediately. He can enter the city as a subject to meet His Royal Highness the King of Dai!"
The soldier who reported the news hurried back and reported the truth to Li Yuan. Li Yuan was immediately furious and shouted: "After we capture the city, we will tear this man into pieces!"
The eldest son Li Jiancheng stepped forward and said, "Father, it is better to attack the heart than the city. Just because Master Yin Shishi refuses to surrender does not mean that others will not surrender. We might as well use a catapult to drop leaflets into the city!"
It was only the twelfth year of Daye at this time, and Li Shimin was only sixteen years old. His mind was not yet fully mature. The protagonists in the Li family were still the eldest son Li Jiancheng and his nephew Li Xiaogong.
Li Yuan nodded, "Get ready immediately!"
Li Jiancheng wrote a letter to the military and civilians in Chang'an and immediately organized the printing. Woodblock printing had been popular in Jiangnan Road since five or six years ago and gradually spread throughout the country. It was many times better than the previous stone printing.
By the evening, 20,000 leaflets had been printed, and ten large catapults had also been assembled.
At night, the southeast wind was strong, and the catapults slowly came to the eastern high ground. With an order, the catapults fired, "Bang! Bang! Bang!" Twenty catapults fired at the same time.
More than twenty large wooden balls exploded in the air. This was the paper fire bomb technology. After the Guanlong nobles mastered it, they gave the technology to Li Yuan. Li Yuan's army also produced a large number of gunpowder arrows. They were not good at explosion, but they took a fancy to the combustion-supporting function of gunpowder.
Twenty thousand leaflets were blown into the city with the help of the wind.
It was clearly written on the leaflet that those who surrendered and offered the city would be granted the title of Duke and rewarded with huge sums of money.
Li Jiancheng was very good at judging people's hearts. Although Yin Shishi was loyal to the Sui Dynasty, he and a few of his trusted generals were the only ones who were loyal to him. Most other people no longer had a good impression of the Sui Dynasty and were eager to change the dynasty and become founding heroes.
In addition to Yin Shishi personally commanding 20,000 troops, there was also General Zhang Jin of the Left Guard commanding 10,000 troops. Zhang Jin was responsible for the defense of the west of the city.
At two o'clock in the morning, Zhang Huaixian, the eldest son who was then a military officer of the Law Department, hurried home to find his father. Zhang Jin was also worried and had not fallen asleep. When he heard that his son had something urgent to discuss with him, he quickly asked him to come to the study to see him.
Zhang Huaixian handed a leaflet to his father and said, "This is a leaflet thrown in by the Tang army outside the city. Please take a look, father!"
Zhang Huaixian handed the flyer to his father. Zhang Jin took it and looked at it carefully, nodded and said, "It's really generous. Those who donate the city will be made Duke!"
"Father, only the first one to surrender the city can be granted the title of Duke of the State, and the rest can only be granted the title of Duke of the County or something like that, that's why I'm in such a hurry to come find you."
Zhang Jin sighed and said, "Master Yin Shi is ignorant of current affairs. I don't want to follow his example. You leave the city immediately and give my letter to Lord Tang. This will be considered as my surrender of the city!" Zhang Huaixian was overjoyed, "I'll go right away!"
Zhang Jin immediately wrote a letter expressing his willingness to be loyal to Li Yuan. He ordered the city to be opened and released his son Zhang Huaixian to ride towards the Tang army camp on horseback.
Li Yuan did not sleep either. Tonight was crucial, so he was fully armed and waiting for news from the city. At this time, his eldest son Li Jiancheng came to report.
"General Zhang Jin sent his son Zhang Huaixian to ask to see his father!"
Li Yuan was overjoyed and immediately ordered Li Jiancheng to bring Zhang Huaixian up. Soon, Zhang Huaixian walked into the tent, bowed and said, "I pay my respects to Lord Tang!"
Li Yuan smiled and said, "My dear nephew, please excuse me. How is your father's health?"
"Father is still in good health. He is currently leading 10,000 soldiers to defend West City. He is willing to offer the city to Lord Tang!"
After that, he presented the letter to Li Yuan, who was overjoyed after reading it and said, "I knew that my old friend would never let me down!"
He immediately ordered Li Xiaogong and Chai Shao to lead 30,000 troops each to enter the city through the west gate. Chai Shao was responsible for controlling the imperial palace, and Li Xiaogong was responsible for taking over the west gate.
The 60,000-strong army arrived at the Jinguang Gate in a mighty procession. Zhang Jin saw his son and immediately ordered, "Open the city gate!"
The Jinguan Gate was opened and the army entered the city. Li Jiancheng was responsible for receiving Zhang Jin's surrendered troops. Chai Shao led an army of 30,000 and attacked directly to the Taiji Palace. Seeing that the situation was hopeless, the defending generals opened the palace and surrendered.
Chai Shao immediately took control of the palace, escorted Prince of Dai Yang You out, and sent him to the camp outside the city.
Yin Shishi was in East City at that time. He received news that the Tang army had sent tens of thousands of leaflets into the city. This shocked him and he hurried to the East City Gate to collect the leaflets.
Yin Shishi already felt something was wrong. There was no soldier left outside the East City. Where had all the Tang troops gone?
At this time, a soldier came to report, "Reporting to the Minister, Jing Yuanheng of the South City has opened the city to surrender, and the Tang army has entered the city from the South City."
"Ah!" Yin Shishi was stunned. Did he surrender with just a leaflet?
Then another soldier came running to report, "Reporting to the Minister, Zhang Jin has surrendered, the Tang army has occupied the palace, and the King of Dai has been asked to leave!"
Yin Shishi's face turned pale, the words "Prince Dai was asked to leave" were like a knife piercing his heart. Yesterday, Zhang Jin had vowed to defend Chang'an, but in the blink of an eye, he surrendered. What a human heart!
Yin Shishi staggered a few steps southward, then knelt down and kowtowed three times to the south. Suddenly, he drew his sword, put it to his neck and ruthlessly struck him. Blood spurted out, and Yin Shishi fell on his back. His men knelt beside him and cried bitterly.
At this time, Li Xiaogong led a large army to Dongcheng. The soldiers guarding Dongcheng laid down their weapons and surrendered. Yin Shishi committed suicide, and there was no resistance faction left.
In the military camp, Li Yuan knelt down and kowtowed to the King of Dai, paying homage with great ceremony, and said with tears streaming down his face: "I am afraid that Yu Wenzhi will lead a large army to the north and Chang'an will be unable to resist, so I dared to lead troops to Chang'an to defend the king. Minister Yin misunderstood me too deeply, and I am unable to explain myself."
Dai Wang Yang You said slowly: "General Manager Li does not need to blame himself. The country is in great trouble now. I hope General Manager Li will take on the heavy responsibility. The spirit of my grandfather in heaven will also be pleased."
"I will definitely live up to your highness' trust!"
(End of this chapter)