roccoschili Chapter 392 On War
Chapter 392 On War
At this time, the Tang Dynasty was rich and powerful, its army was sharp, and the morale of the army was as high as the rising sun, exuding a terrifying pressure wherever it went.
In contrast, Goguryeo fell into an endless quagmire. The entire country was shrouded in a dark haze, with no glimmer of hope in sight.
In the streets and alleys, the people of Goguryeo were like frightened birds, with fear and anxiety etched on every face.
In just three months, the vast Liaodong land slipped from their hands like quicksand, and the entire territory was occupied by the Tang army.
The consequences of this heavy blow were catastrophic. It meant that when the Tang army came surging forward, the Goguryeo army was vulnerable to any attack. The rugged mountains and rivers that had been regarded as natural barriers instantly lost their effectiveness in the face of the Tang army's precise strategic deployment and fearless charge.
Those strong cities that cost countless manpower and material resources to build failed to become an effective line of defense to stop the Tang army.
Towns fell one after another, and in some places the Tang army directly "pushed through" with overwhelming force. The defenders were like fallen leaves in the autumn wind, and collapsed at the first touch.
More of them chose to surrender helplessly under the overwhelming military power of the Tang army.
If not for this, the Tang army would never have been able to achieve such brilliant and shocking results at such an astonishing speed.
At this moment, in the gloomy palace in Pyongyang.
Yeon Gaesomun's face was as gloomy as water, and he sat high up in the seat.
His eyes were as cold as ice, and he glanced sternly at the group of Goguryeo civil and military officials who were silent as a mouse in the audience.
The palace was eerily quiet, with only the tense and rapid breathing of the crowd echoing in the dead air.
"Da Molizhi, let's escape quickly. The Tang army's offensive is truly unstoppable!"
An old minister with gray hair and wrinkled face, with trembling lips, was the first to break the suffocating silence.
His voice was dry and hoarse.
"Yes, Da Mo Li Zhi, as long as the green mountains remain, there will be no fear of running out of firewood."
"We are really unable to resist the current situation."
Another middle-aged minister quickly echoed, his eyes full of pleading.
For a moment, the hall seemed to be in chaos, with voices of people urging people to flee rising one after another.
The ministers were whispering to each other, looking panicked. Some were sighing, some were terrified, and all kinds of negative emotions were spreading in this small space.
On the other hand, Goguryeo King Go Zang stood there like a lifeless puppet, not saying a word.
His face was full of sadness. As the king of a country, he was just a puppet supported by Yeon Gaesomun. He had no chance to express his opinions in the court.
Yeon Gaesomun held the entire military and political power of Goguryeo firmly in his hands, binding him tightly.
When Yeon Gaesomun heard these words of advice to escape, anger flashed in his eyes.
He stared fiercely at the ministers who were clamoring to flee, and suddenly let out a mocking sneer: "Escape? You said escape? Humph, where can you escape to? In this vast world, where is there any place for us Goguryeo?"
He stood up suddenly and slammed his hands on the table with a loud "bang".
"Generations of us have taken root and lived on this land. Liaodong was not ours from the beginning. Instead, our ancestors fought for it inch by inch with their blood and lives after countless brutal wars!"
"Now that it's lost, what's the big deal?"
Yeon Gaesomun's voice echoed in the palace, hitting everyone's eardrums.
Yeon Gaesomun suppressed his anger, took a deep breath, and tried to calm himself down. He continued, "I've already sent people to investigate. The combined strength of the Tang army, both by land and sea, is only 450,000."
"Furthermore, they had to march all the way here at high speed, traveling day and night, so the physical exertion must have been enormous."
"Furthermore, they continued to capture cities and territories along the way, so casualties were inevitable."
"And what about us? We have a unique advantage. The weather and terrain are extremely favorable to us. Why should we be afraid of them?"
There was madness and determination in his eyes.
"We still have six million people in Goguryeo!"
"We still have 300,000 elite troops who are good at fighting!"
"If the survival of Goguryeo were truly at stake, every one of these six million people would be willing to take up arms, rush to the battlefield, and fight a desperate battle with the Tang army."
"No matter how powerful the Tang army is, can they kill all of us? And can their food supply keep up with the consumption of such a large-scale war?"
Yeon Gaesomun became more and more excited as he spoke, waving his hands in the air.
"This time, the Tang army sent almost half of the entire Tang Dynasty's troops. They are making a desperate attempt to completely wipe out our Goguryeo in one fell swoop."
"But so what? They can just take Liaodong. The gain or loss of Liaodong won't have a fatal impact on our foundation."
"The real key to victory or defeat is the decisive battle on our homeland of Goguryeo!"
"If we can successfully defeat the Tang army in a battle on our home turf, the consequences will be immeasurable."
"The Tang Dynasty will suffer a heavy blow and be severely damaged. Within twenty years, they will no longer be able to launch a large-scale conquest against us, Goguryeo!"
"By then, not only will Liaodong be back in our arms, but even Silla will be under our control again. We can even take advantage of the Tang Dynasty's weakness to tear off a larger piece of their territory!"
"So, what do we have to be afraid of?"
Yeon Gaesomun's analysis was clear and logical, and he analyzed the situation on the entire battlefield in depth.
In an instant, the entire palace fell into deathly silence. Everyone was deeply shocked by his words and unable to move.
Those ministers who had just been shouting about fleeing now lowered their heads in shame, their faces turning red and white, and they dared not utter a single sound. Their words of advice to flee seemed so absurd and ridiculous.
Because every word Yeon Gaesomun said made sense. The Tang army had conquered the vast Liaodong area so quickly, and they must have been exhausted and tired.
However, the Goguryeo soldiers were well-rested and in high spirits. If they were to fight on their home turf at this time, their chances of winning might not be small.
Once they win, the lost Liaodong and Silla will not be a loss, but will become the capital for their future rise. The situation will be reversed in an instant, and the offense and defense will be easily changed.