On the occasion of rebirth Zhou Sui

Chapter 346 Abandoning the City for Help
On the twelfth day of April in the second year of Renshou (AD 602), Gao Jianwu approached Gao Puluo and Guannu Jiacheng, hesitated for a long time, and then said:

"Since Ulji Mundeok was defeated and committed suicide, there was no reinforcements outside Liaodong, and it was difficult to defend the isolated city for a long time.

"I plan to break out tonight, go to Pyongyang, and ask Brother Wang for help. I don't know what the two Saes think?"

Gao Puluo and Guannu Jiacheng are well aware of Gao Jianwude's plan, so there is no reason for the general to break out and ask for help.

It is clear that Liaodong City may not be able to hold on any longer, and wants to abandon the city and leave.

Gao Puluo persuaded:

"Brother Tai is the chief general, the backbone of the soldiers of the three armies, how can he leave.

"If you go out of the city to ask for help, it is inevitable that the officers and men will misunderstand, and the morale of the army will inevitably be shaken, which will hurt morale. Please think again, general."

Among the thirteen high-ranking officials in the Goguryeo Central Committee, Taixiong is second only to the prime minister, that is, Mo Lizhi.

Gao Jianwu is an official in this position. When he saw that Gao Puluo was unwilling to let him go, he was angry and said mercilessly:
"Is it important whether the morale of the army is shaken or not? The soldiers have lost their morale long ago, so how can they be hurt? I have made up my mind, and Gao Yusa doesn't need to persuade him anymore."

Gao Puluo's face turned blue and then turned pale. If Gao Jianwu wasn't the king's younger brother, he really wanted to push him to the ground so that he could teach him a lesson.

This kind of words, which is what the commander of the army should say.

Gao Puluo showed Guannu Jiacheng, and hoped that the other party could help persuade him.

After being sad for many days, Guannu Jiacheng seemed to have come out of the pain, at least the whole body no longer exuded the breath of death.

Just listen to him sigh:

"What Brother Tai said is not unreasonable. Without reinforcements, it will be difficult to defend the city for a long time."

In the astonishment of Gao Puluo, Guan Nu Jiacheng continued:
"It's better for the two of you to go to Pyongyang to ask for help, and leave the old man to guard the city. The old man still has many relatives in Pyongyang. I hope the two of you can take care of them."

Gao Puluo's expression eased, he already guessed that Guannu Jiacheng was determined to live and die with the city.

Guannu Jiacheng's sphere of influence is in Liaodong. Once Liaodong City is captured, there is a high probability that all parts of Liaodong will surrender.

After experiencing the pain of bereavement, and seeing that the inheritance passed down by his ancestors will fall into the hands of the Sui people, Guannu Jiacheng has already made up his mind to die.

Letting the two leave is also entrusting them with their family members who are hostages in Pyongyang.

Gao Jianwu was overjoyed. He suppressed his excitement and promised:
"Please don't worry Guannu Xunsa, as long as I, Gao Jianwu, have a breath, I will never let anyone bully Xunsa's relatives.

"Even if the reinforcements can't arrive in time and the city falls, after the recovery of Liaodong in the future, I will still ask Brother Wang to choose the western Xunsa from among the old general's relatives.

"This position belongs to Guan Nu, and no one can take it away."

Guan Nujia was relieved intentionally. What he was most worried about was this matter.

As Gao Jianwu said, he looked at Gao Puluo playfully and asked:
"How about it, is Gao Xunsa willing to break through with me?"

Gao Puluo unconsciously avoided his gaze, lowered his head and said:
"Since Guannu Xunsa has said so, Gao can't bear to ignore the elder's kindness."

Gao Puluo is not against Gao Jianwu abandoning the city, but against him running away alone.

His sphere of influence is in the north, and he still enjoys endless glory and wealth, so how could he be willing to die in Liaodong City.

After the three of them agreed, Gao Jianwu immediately sent someone to collect the horses in the city. Since the cavalry had left the city before, they took away a large number of war horses.

As the coalition forces encircled Sanque and Yi, they opened the eastern passage. That night, Gao Jianwu and Gao Puluo led more than 20 cronies, opened the east gate at night, and escaped from Liaodong City.

Although this action was discovered by the sentry cavalry of the Sui army, they were too late to chase and let them slip away.

Cui Che heard that those people were all three horses, or even four horses, so he also had some guesses about their identities.

After the fall of the cavalry, it is an indisputable fact that Liaodong City is now short of horses. Even if he sends an envoy to ask for help, Gao Jianwu has to leave enough horses for himself to escape when the city is broken.

Now there are more than 20 people fleeing at night with more than a hundred horses, who else can it be except Gao Jianwu.

The next day, the coalition forces lined up outside Liaodong City, but they were not in a hurry to attack. Cui Che dispatched more than 100 Goguryeo cavalry soldiers under his command to shout loudly at a distance of more than [-] steps from the city:

"Gao Jianwu has abandoned you and ran for his own life, why do you still resist! Why don't you obey the destiny!"

The defenders in the city were in an uproar, and everyone looked at Guan Nu Jiacheng. A general under Gao Puluo asked anxiously:

"Guannu Xunsa, is what they said true? Did the eldest brother abandon us, and Gao Xunsa disappeared today, did he follow suit?"

Guan Nu Jiacheng didn't answer. He knew that even if he was eloquent, as long as Gao Jianwu and Gao Puluo didn't show up, he couldn't convince the defenders.

If you deceive the soldiers, they will no longer believe in themselves.

Guan Nu Jiacheng changed the subject and shouted to the city:
"We don't know what destiny is. The reason why we resist desperately is that we don't want to be like the soldiers and civilians of Houcheng, and become ghosts under your sword."

After all, the soldiers guarding the city shouted loudly:
"Everyone! In this battle, we are not fighting for Gao Jianwu, but for our homeland, our relatives, and ourselves.

"Brother Tai and Gao Yusa did not abandon the city. Brother Tai went back to Pyongyang to ask for help, and Gao Yusa also went to the north to recruit troops. As long as we wait for the city to defend the city, the enemy will naturally retreat when the reinforcements arrive!"

The defenders in the city knew that it was impossible for Gao Jianwu and Gao Puluo to come back, but they could only believe in Guannu Jiacheng.

After all, as Guan Nu Jiacheng said, once the city is breached, it will end up being slaughtered.

After Cui Che heard the news of Guannu Jiacheng, he immediately sent an interpreter to the surrendering formation. Soon, more than [-] surrendering troops shouted in unison:
"Heaven has the virtue of good life, now that the city is about to be destroyed, Lord Yan is willing to give you a chance.

"As long as you can make meritorious service for Duke Yan, Duke Yan will forgive your sins and protect your family.

"Otherwise, the day the city breaks will be the time for you to harm your family!"

For the defenders of Liaodong City, this promise seemed to be a ray of life in the darkness.

Guan Nu Jiacheng's face turned pale. He knew that these soldiers were able to withstand tremendous mental pressure and persist until now because of the previous intimidation by the coalition forces.

Now that Cui Che gave the city guards the hope of survival, who would really want to die.

But Guannu Jiacheng suddenly had an idea, he summoned his nephew Guannu Yusheng, and said seriously:
"Liaodong is the foundation of our Guannu family for generations. It shouldn't be handed over to others, but it is related to the lives and deaths of hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians in the city. I can only give up.

"I will send you out of the city later to ask Cui Che to surrender. You must ask him to promise not to hurt innocent people."

Guan Nu Yusheng readily accepted his order.

But he didn't know that Guan Nu Jiacheng just wanted to feign surrender, and the reason he lied to him was because he was worried that Cui Che would find out the weakness of Guan Nu Yusheng.

(End of this chapter)