There is no suspense in the battle at Caiyang Lake.
In October of the sixth year of Yuanzhen of the Tang Dynasty, Li Nian sent his warrior He Laosheng and led 12,000 men deep into the hinterland of Langlin Mountain to attack the Shunnu tribe of Goguryeo who had gathered at Caiyang Lake to spend the winter.
In this battle, the Tang army approached in the dark and launched an offensive at dawn. The Goguryeo people were unprepared and were directly defeated by the Tang army.
The Tang army invaded the Goguryeo villages in large numbers and killed more than 20 Goguryeo leaders. Even Yuan Gaisuwen's younger brother Yuan Daquan was killed on the spot by the Tang army.
At that time, there were 20,000 to 30,000 Goguryeo people gathered at Caiyang Lake to spend the winter, and nearly 8,000 soldiers from the Shunnu tribe. They were the main force preparing to counterattack Baiyan City next spring.
However, under the large-scale raid by the Tang army, they did not show their proper combat effectiveness. During the hasty battle, they were in great chaos. They were divided and surrounded by the Tang army, and almost the entire army was annihilated.
Only a few hundred scattered people fled into the mountains and forests.
The Tang army won a great victory and established a camp by Caiyang Lake, where they spent the winter.
The Tang army suffered minor casualties, and they also robbed enough food and grass for the winter. In order to reduce food consumption, they slaughtered all the captured Goguryeo people.
The Shunnu tribe is the main tribe that makes up the five tribes of Goguryeo. After this battle, the Shunnu tribe's vitality was severely damaged. This is not about how many people were killed or how many gains were made, but because once the Shunnu tribe was severely damaged, it was Yeon Gae who led the Goguryeo people to resist.
Su Wen lost his roots.
His prestige among various tribes in Goguryeo will rapidly weaken. To put it in layman's terms, his voice will no longer be so loud, and more and more people will be disobedient.
This is similar to the warlords who separatized the Central Plains. Once the troops led by pro-army and confidants suffer heavy losses, but other departments remain relatively intact, the banner of the warlords will probably be changed soon.
…………
In other words, Yeon Gaesumun's dream of becoming the leader of the Goguryeo resistance army was shattered by this battle.
As the leader of the eastern part of Goguryeo and the great rival of Goguryeo, the strategy he formulated to resist the Tang army was also fragmented.
Use Pyongyang City to attract the main force of the Tang Army, and hold back the Tang Army's forces in the eastern mountainous area, constantly consuming the Tang Army's strength and morale, and waiting for opportunities to counterattack.
It sounds good, but in fact when Goguryeo lost Liaodong and faced the Tang army's offensive in the south, and was attacked from both sides, Goguryeo was already in dire straits, showing the appearance of subjugation.
These efforts of Yeon Gae So-moon were nothing more than a desperate struggle.
In another time and space, those who couldn't compete with the Goguryeo people and insisted on recognizing their ancestors boasted of Eulji Mundeok, Yeongaesomun and others.
In fact, these characters are all so-called "loyal ministers and good generals" who emerged in the process of Goguryeo's demise.
Their talents are actually far inferior to those of their predecessors who created Goguryeo's prosperity...
They also shoot other people's eyes out. If they have that ability, they can go all over the universe. Why are they still sitting on the Liaodong Peninsula?
…………
At this time, the Tang Army in Baiyan City had also made contact with the main force of the army. When they learned that the main force of the army had captured Pyongyang City, there was a burst of joy inside and outside Baiyan City.
The news was sent by someone sent by Xunxiang.
In August, Xun Xiang boasted a lot when he left, but at this point in the battle, he was parading on the edge of Gaimayuan with the three thousand cavalry, which was really embarrassing.
However, when Yeon Gaesumun was on his way back to the east, Xun Xiang and his men followed him and fought several battles.
The Turks didn't want to fight, so they rushed eastward to protect Yuan Gaisuwen, and soon entered the mountains, much to Xunxiang's chagrin because he didn't find any good opportunities.
When the Turks retreated, Xun Xiang followed them for a while. Apart from inhaling a lot of smoke and dust, he didn't gain much.
Running errands to report the news was just right, but it didn't play a key role.
In October, Prime Minister Xun led his army back to Pyongyang City and was under the control of the main force. Until today, Liu Chaozong, a doctor in the Ministry of War, led his troops to Baiyan City under the escort of a cavalry.
After Li Nian heard about the battle in the west, he was overjoyed. This also meant that the Tang army in Baiyan City could receive support from the main force of the army and no longer had any worries.
At this time, he felt a little regretful. He should not have sent He Laosheng to lead his army out. This place was very cold in winter. Going out to fight in this weather, the soldiers of the army did not know whether they could bear it. Would there be any accidents?
If the news from the west could be heard earlier, it would be better to stand still and wait for next spring to fight the enemy again.
…………
However, by October, the war situation on the Liaodong Peninsula had become clear. The destruction of Goguryeo was no longer just a verbal statement by the Tang army generals, but gradually became a reality.
No one would think that the Tang army would stumble on the ground in Goguryeo like the expeditionary armies of previous dynasties. Even if there were setbacks later, it would not affect the strategic level.
In other words, the overall situation has been decided, and all the Tang troops have contributed, and they just need to be rewarded by the court.
Liu Chaozong also brought military orders from the Grand Governor Li Jing, and asked Li Nian's troops to station on the spot, waiting for the main force of the army to send troops to rescue them in the next spring, and together they would wipe out the remnants of Goguryeo.
The other is to prevent the Tang army from doing more unnecessary killings. To suppress the bandits, they must use both suppression and appeasement to resolutely eradicate those stubborn guys. Those who have the intention to surrender to the Tang Dynasty should be benevolent, gentle and thorough.
Disintegrate the remaining resistance forces in Goguryeo.
In other words, the war has shifted from a war to destroy the country to a war to suppress bandits.
…………
Li Jing reviewed the household registration of Goguryeo. There were more than 700,000 households in Goguryeo, with a total population of about three to four million people.
But don't take it seriously. Local officials in Goguryeo have a habit of falsely reporting their population, because that way they can get rewards and make Goguryeo look stronger.
In fact, there is so much water that it can fill the sky.
At this time, Goguryeo's two million people were enough to reach the sky. In addition to those captured and killed by the Turks in Liaodong, there are now 1.5 million people in the hinterland of Goguryeo, which is enough to be called a miracle.
After this battle, Goguryeo's population dropped sharply. There should be roughly 300,000 to 400,000 people living in the eastern mountainous area, which no longer posed a threat to the Tang army.
Next year, Li Jing plans to send naval troops to land on the east coast of the peninsula, clear out the Koguryo fishermen's villages on the seaside, and completely lock the remaining forces of Goguryeo in the mountains.
If Li Nian's tribe wanted to make meritorious deeds, they would have to capture the leaders of the eastern tribes such as Yeon Gaesumun. Otherwise, they would annihilate some tribes in the mountains. Compared with the battle to destroy the country, their achievements would be almost negligible.
In Baiyan City, in the Chinese army's tent, Liu Chaozong asked Li Nian, "If the Chinese government sets up a protective palace in Goguryeo, will the general be willing to take it?"
In one sentence, Li Nian was stunned for a long time when he asked...