The Great Sui Emperor - Chapter 193: The Bloody Battle of Xianyang (Part 3)

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Inside the central command tent of the Tang army camp.
Li Shimin sat on the commander's seat, with Li Yuanba and various generals from Taiyuan below him. The atmosphere was so tense it was almost suffocating.
The plan was designed to last twenty days, using feigned attacks to demoralize and tense the defenders of Xianyang. However, the city was not captured, and the defenders suffered heavy losses.
Everyone present felt aggrieved and resentful.
Especially when the casualty count report came in, the generals present were practically spitting fire.
For this expedition, Li Shimin's army consisted of thirty elite soldiers.
Twenty days of feint attacks resulted in losses of no more than 50,000. But this fierce attack inflicted 20,000 dead and thousands wounded.
As the attacking side, the army's losses were actually within acceptable limits. Although they suffered considerable losses, they believed that Luo Cheng had suffered even greater losses.
But this cannot be calculated with simple calculations. Their armies are very valuable; they are armies prepared to pacify the world.
Three hundred thousand elite troops, including the wounded, left only seventeen to eighteen thousand—it was simply too many. Moreover, Xianyang had not yet been captured.
"We've lost our generals, we've lost our army, we've lost this war," Li Shimin said after a long silence. He then glanced at the generals, including Li Yuanba, who were all clearly unwilling to accept defeat. He gave a cold laugh and said, "But that doesn't mean we won't return someday."
"In order to prevent Luo Cheng from becoming too powerful when we return in the future, we must weaken him. And the best way to weaken him is undoubtedly through population." As he spoke, Li Shimin slowly stood up, a powerful aura emanating from him, his eyes flashing with an expression of absolute unwillingness to give up without suppressing Luo Cheng.
"Population?" Wu Yunzhao's eyes lit up as he asked.
“Yes.” Li Shimin nodded slowly, then sneered, “It seems that Luo Cheng will not fight us to the death outside the city. He will take over the city to resist us. But how many people can a city protect? Xianyang has hundreds of thousands of people, and I will plunder 100,000 of them in one go.”
Li Shimin slowly clenched his fist. His gaze sharpened.
"Yes." Yin Kaishan nodded firmly, his eyes gleaming with confidence.
What a brilliant plan! They plundered the people, right in front of Luo Cheng, plundering his subjects. If Luo Cheng could tolerate this, he would be a coward.
If Luo Cheng couldn't resist and went out of the city to fight, then he would be the biggest fool in the world.
At the same time, plundering people can weaken Luo Cheng's potential and increase one's own power.
Although Li Shimin issued the military order, he did not act immediately, as the soldiers had already exhausted their strength after attacking the city for a while.
It is very necessary to cook a meal in a designated place.
On the city wall of Xianyang, Luo Cheng did not wait long. Although he wanted to see what Li Shimin would do next, his body could no longer hold on.
Even if it's bandaged up and there's nothing seriously wrong, the heavy bleeding and resulting weakness make it difficult to fight off.
After standing for a while, Luo Cheng was helped back to rest by Qi Guoyuan.
After Luo Cheng left, the defense of the entire city was handed over to Shang Shitu.
In the current situation, Luo Cheng's army has been almost decimated, but 20,000 to 30,000 civilians have volunteered to help Luo Cheng defend the city. These civilians are full of energy.
It can effectively alleviate the fatigue of Luo Cheng's army.
It can be said that the longer the battle drags on, the better Luo Cheng's army will recover in terms of physical strength and morale. In other words, the tide of battle will turn even more against the Sui army.
The defending side benefits from this person. Each time the attacking side is repelled, they have to pay a considerable price to get back into the city.
Moreover, Shang Shitu had gradually sensed a change in the army.
The mental transformation that occurs after a bloody battle is hard to describe. It's like an ordinary soldier being transformed into an elite warrior on the battlefield.
Especially now that Luo Cheng has successfully defended the city and morale is high, this transformation is extremely rapid and astonishing.
Shang Shitu knew that the soldiers remaining after this battle would be the strongest army of the Sui Dynasty. Their very survival depended on it.
There's no time to count the number now, otherwise Master Shang would definitely send someone to count how many soldiers are left.
However, Shang Shitu's good mood only lasted for about an hour. When the situation in the Tang army camp occurred an hour later, Shang Shitu's face turned ashen.
When the soldiers of the Tang army camp poured out, Shang Shitu did not realize the crisis. But when he saw the Tang soldiers escorting countless families back to the camp, he was shocked.
He knew that Li Shimin had devised a plan to wipe out his family line.
Land and territory are meaningless; the true measure of power lies in population. Population is the foundation of an army and the foundation of food production.
Looking at the Xianyang people being led into the military camp by Tang soldiers below the city walls, not only Shang Shitu looked grim, but even some of the people who voluntarily helped defend the city looked grim.
"General, please save them! Those people have been captured by the Tang army, and who knows how much more suffering they will endure?" An elderly man with white hair knelt down beside Shang Shitu and pleaded.
His eyes were full of pleading.
"Please, General, save them!" Countless people knelt down and pleaded with Shang Shitu.
Shang Shitu was also deeply troubled. The world was in chaos, and the generals were each serving their own masters. Each had their own responsibilities, and his responsibility was to guard Luo Cheng, protect Xianyang, and await Yang Guang's reinforcements.
Now, watching helplessly as the people of Xianyang were dragged into the Tang army camp, Shang Shitu's heart trembled.
Hearing the pleas of the people around him, Shang Shitu clenched his fists, his burly body trembling slightly. But in the end, it all turned into a sigh.
He can't, he can't go out and fight.
“If I go to rescue them now, who will defend the city? If the city is breached, who will rescue you?” Shang Shitu looked around at the kneeling people and said.
Shang Shitu's words calmed the restless hearts of the surrounding people, and they gradually came to realize the truth. Shang Shitu had no way to save them.
"Actually, you don't need to worry. They won't be treated inhumanely when they are captured and taken to Taiyuan. Li Shimin won't be; he's a very virtuous man," Shang Shitu added.
At this time, as a general, Shang Shitu should have widely publicized the brutality of Taiyuan. However, Li Shimin couldn't bear to see these people worrying about their fellow villagers, so he told them the truth.
"Really?" the old man who led the bowing to Master Shang and his disciples asked, still somewhat doubtful.
This is what caused the people of Xianyang to harbor great hatred towards Taiyuan. Now, Shang Shitu suddenly said that Li Shimin would not massacre and plunder the people who had been there, which made the old man unable to believe it.
"Don't worry." Shang Shitu nodded heavily, then glanced at everyone before continuing to look towards the Tang army camp, his eyes filled with resentment.
The people kneeling on the ground around them calmed down a little.
Shang Shitu relieved the pain of the people in the city, but no one could relieve Shang Shitu's pain. He just watched as the people he was supposed to protect were taken to the Tang army camp one by one.
This is the population of Xianyang, the very foundation upon which Yang Guang relied for his survival.
Time passed slowly, and the number of people in the Tang army camp continued to increase. By the second day, the Tang army camp was filled with countless people.
Luo Cheng also woke up from his slumber, though he was still somewhat dazed. He only remembered that yesterday he had defended the city wall, fought Li Xiaogong, and killed him.
Thinking of defending the city, Luo Cheng's mind cleared. He opened his eyes wide.
The room that came into view was a familiar one, the one where he had stayed in Xianyang for a month. At this moment, Qi Guoyuan should be guarding outside the door.
"Qi Guoyuan, come in," Luo Cheng called out. It wasn't that Luo Cheng didn't want to stand up and go outside to check the situation, but his injured abdomen had become numb due to the medication.
He'll need to lie in bed for at least a few days.
"Side by side with the king." Qi Guoyuan responded and walked in.
Unlike a month ago, Qi Guoyuan now has a more resolute expression, sharper eyes, and a more heroic air. After all, the extraordinary battles have been very toughening.
Luo Cheng felt a sense of relief, then asked, "What's the situation outside the city? What's Li Shimin's move?"
"There's been no movement," Qi Guoyuan said, his expression somewhat unnatural.
Having known each other for a long time, Luo Cheng knew that Qi Guoyuan was lying. Something major must have happened, and Luo Cheng's heart sank.
"Speak." This single word came from Luo Cheng's mouth, and coupled with Luo Cheng's dignified and powerful expression, it immediately broke down Qi Guoyuan's psychological defenses.
"Princess, please don't be angry." Qi Guoyuan smiled wryly and said, "Li Shimin is plundering the people of Xianyang. He probably wants to take them back to Taiyuan and build up his strength."
After speaking, Qi Guoyuan looked at Luo Cheng cautiously. He was worried that Luo Cheng, upon hearing this news, might hold his breath and cause his wound to reopen.
That's no joke.
But to his surprise, Luo Cheng's expression was unexpectedly calm. It seemed he had already anticipated this.
Could it be that the King of the Parallel Realm had already foreseen, and was even able to calmly abandon a portion of the people? Qi Guoyuan looked at Luo Cheng with admiration. In truth, he didn't know that Luo Cheng was definitely not thinking about abandoning the people at this moment.
Instead, he was thinking about something.
Upon hearing that Li Shimin was brazenly plundering his people under the command of his army, Luo Cheng was naturally furious and aggrieved. Reason told him that he absolutely could not leave the city to fight, otherwise he would fall into Li Shimin's trap and cause the city to fall.
But for some reason, Luo Cheng remembered something.
His most powerful army was already outside the city. Judging from the Tang army's reaction, they probably didn't discover Changsun Wuji and his men.
Originally, Luo Cheng thought that Changsun Wuji would have no chance of lurking outside, because he knew that if Li Shimin was someone who could be easily ambushed, then he wouldn't be Li Shimin.
But at that moment, the situation changed drastically.
If Li Shimin were to abduct civilians, his defenses would become increasingly difficult, and the more civilians there were, the harder they would be to control. Indeed, with the remnants of Luo Cheng's army currently under his command, even if Li Shimin faced difficulties in defense, he would not be able to launch a raid on the camp.
However, Changsun Wuji had the ability. After a battle, and gradually showing signs of integration, this newly established Shenji Battalion was moving towards the peak of Changsun Wuji's Shenji Battalion. It was capable of causing Li Shimin to suffer a crushing defeat.
"Good, well done! Haha, Li Shimin, you're too greedy! You were originally dominating me, and I could only swallow my pride and be a coward for a month, but hahahahaha. Chen Da, since your wish is to make amends, then don't disappoint me! Hahahahaha!" Luo Cheng laughed heartily, almost foreseeing Li Shimin's complete collapse.
You dare to come and go as you please, even if you are Li Shimin, Your Highness the Prince of Qin?
A fierce glint flashed in Luo Cheng's eyes.

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The Great Sui Emperor - Chapter 193: The Bloody Battle of Xianyang (Part 3)

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