Chapter 118: The Army Besieges Yanmen (4)

After a desperate rush, the imperial proclamation was finally issued just before the Turks completed their encirclement of Yanmen Commandery. Upon learning that the Turks had surrounded the city, a sense of panic began to ripple through the populace of Yanmen. This anxiety quickly spread to the defending troops, and Yang Guang knew it was time for him to step forward.

Accompanied by his officials, Yang Guang ascended the walls of Yanmen. Looking out at the vast expanse of Turkic tents, he felt a flicker of fear, but as the sovereign of a nation, he had to maintain a composed demeanor to steady his men and hold the city until reinforcements arrived.

The Turks outside noticed the movement on the walls and reported it to the Khan of the Eastern Turks. The Khan stepped out of his tent, scanned the ramparts, and soon locked eyes with a familiar figure. Yang Guang, too, spotted the Khan emerging from his camp. Steadying his nerves, Yang Guang called out, "My qashtile, why have you raised your blade against me?"

*Qashtile* is the Turkic word for brother. Decades of peace had fostered deep linguistic exchanges between the Sui and the Turks, and Yang Guang, being clever, knew enough of the common tongue to speak it with ease.

"My qashtile, you know well why I raise my blade against you," the Khan replied in fluent Chinese. "Ever since your father divided the Turks into two factions, our relationship has been beyond reconciliation. I have long been dissatisfied with your conduct. You rely on your wealth and military might to suppress neighboring states, even resorting to war. You have driven the people of Goguryeo into displacement and misery. Your actions do not befit the 'Son of Heaven'! I have received a mandate from Tengri to lead the warriors of the steppe to overthrow your tyranny and save your subjects from fire and water."

The Khan’s wife was Princess Yicheng of the Sui, and he himself was a diligent student of the Chinese language. He loved reading historical records, particularly those concerning the strategies of vertical and horizontal alliances, and he had long hoped to join forces with Goguryeo to strike at the Sui.

"Then wait for the heavenly troops of the Sui to arrive at Yanmen and annihilate you on this foreign soil," Yang Guang retorted. "The kin you lead will never see their families or their newborn lambs again!" Turning to his soldiers, he declared, "Hold Yanmen! After the battle, each of you shall be rewarded with a thousand bolts of silk, promoted three ranks in nobility, and your descendants for three generations shall be exempt from military service. Those who die in battle will be posthumously granted the title of Commandery Duke, hereditary and immutable."

The promise of such immense rewards ignited a new fire within the defenders. Morale soared, and they cheered from the walls, stabilizing the wavering hearts of the army. Watching Yang Guang’s figure disappear from the ramparts, the Khan muttered, "Let us wait and see, then. Let us see who sits upon the Dragon Throne in the end—you, Yang Guang, or I, Shibi!"

Back in his tent, Shibi Khan sipped a bowl of fermented milk and asked, "Where are the Goguryeo forces?"

The Turkic generals exchanged glances, none daring to speak. Shibi set his wooden bowl down, his eyes narrowing with unease. "Why are you silent? Do you need me to speak in Han Chinese for you to understand?"

One of the generals, a trusted kinsman and one of the Khan’s closest confidants, stepped forward. "The Goguryeo forces have not mobilized. They have merely massed their troops along the Sui border. It seems... it seems they are waiting for us to exhaust ourselves fighting the Sui, so they can decide who to strike once the outcome is clear."

Realizing he had been used as a pawn by Goguryeo, Shibi flew into a rage, sweeping the contents of his table to the ground. "That tribe is filled with nothing but schemes! They only know how to play petty tricks in the dark. They are truly unworthy of being allies."

After the servants cleared the mess, Shibi calmed down. He gestured for his generals to sit and ordered a round of fermented milk. "There is no turning back now. We have torn the mask off our relationship with the Sui; there is no retreat. We must either take Yanmen or face defeat and flee back to the steppe."

"We cannot retreat, Khan," the confidant said. "If we return in victory, no one can stop us. But if we fail at the walls of Yanmen, the Sui forces in Mayi Commandery and elsewhere will surely block our path. It would be a disaster."

"Indeed, we cannot retreat," Shibi agreed. "But we are essentially trapped deep within Sui territory. Besieging a city like Yanmen, which we cannot take in the short term, is detrimental to us. I order you to take your men and raid every town and village within the commandery. If the Sui army enters Yanmen, I want to know the moment they cross the border. And let those Han people see the laws of our steppe—show them no mercy."

Hearing the order to show no mercy, the generals’ breathing quickened. They smiled, eager to begin. Seeing the wolfish nature of his subordinates fully awakened, Shibi added, "The spoils of this campaign are yours to keep. You need not turn them over to me. Go."

The generals cheered and left the tent to muster their troops. News of these movements reached Yang Guang immediately. Studying the map of Yanmen and the reports of the Turkic incursions, he murmured, "The Turks are aiming for the entire commandery. This is truly a crisis."

Unconsciously, his eyes drifted to the memorial submitted by Li Wenyuan. He did not know why, but he felt this young Governor of the Western Regions would bring a miracle.

"Governor, the Emperor's proclamation has arrived. He has ordered the soldiers of the realm to march to Yanmen to defend the throne," Zhuang Fu-di reported, bursting into Li Wenyuan’s office.

"Have the fire-bottles for the Fourth Legion been delivered to Wu-de-lu as I requested?" Li Wenyuan asked abruptly.

Taken aback by the non-sequitur, Zhuang Fu-di replied instinctively, "They have all been supplied, and the soldiers are proficient in using them."

"Good. I will lead the Fourth Legion myself to relieve the siege. It is time to give the Turks a surprise." Li Wenyuan grabbed his horse lance, shouldered it, and walked out.