nucmednet Chapter 994 Zhang Liang also wants to help
Chapter 994 Zhang Liang also wants to help
While His Royal Highness the King of Chu was fighting his way towards Pyongyang City, Quan Gaisuwen had already led an army of 140,000 to Anshi City.
It was this information gap that ruined his last chance.
On the other side, Zhang Liang successfully captured Beisha City after a night of fierce fighting.
And in this siege, Cheng Mingzhen deserves the greatest credit!
"Your Majesty really didn't make a mistake!" In the City Lord's Mansion in Beisha City, Zhang Liang looked at Cheng Mingzhen, who was still instructing the injured guard beside him to find a military doctor to bandage him as soon as possible. His eyes were full of admiration: "General Cheng is really amazing!"
"Mr. Zhang, you are so kind." Upon hearing this, Cheng Mingzhen hurriedly bowed to Zhang Liang, and then said, "Although we have already captured Beisha City, we are in an enemy country after all, and we may face an attack from the enemy at any time. So Mr. Zhang, I suggest that we strengthen the deployment of the city defense as soon as possible to avoid any mishaps."
"You have a point." Zhang Liang nodded and said, "I will arrange this matter as soon as possible. But before that, I have a question I want to ask you."
"I don't deserve your 'advice'," Cheng Mingzhen bowed to Zhang Liang and said, "But I am willing to help you solve your problems."
"I won't say polite words." Zhang Liang found that this educated man was different, but he was really not interested in exchanging pleasantries with him at the moment: "I just received news that His Royal Highness the King of Chu captured the capital of Baekje a month ago and killed the King of Baekje and his eldest son. Ten days ago, he set out from Weili City and headed north, killing the Baekje army that came to stop him. Now he has even arrived in Goguryeo..." When Zhang Liang said this, he saw that Cheng Mingzhen had opened his mouth wide at this time. He couldn't help but said unhappily: "Is this the first day you know that His Royal Highness the King of Chu is a good fighter? Don't make that expression! This kind of record is already common for His Royal Highness the King of Chu. What I am considering now is what we should do next."
"Mr. Zhang, I know what's bothering you." Cheng Mingzhen was a smart man, so he didn't let Zhang Liang say anything he shouldn't say: "So, I'll ask you to transfer 10,000 people--"
"No," Zhang Liang raised his hand to stop the other party. After thinking it over again and again, he slowly said, "In the battle of Beisha City, we suffered more than 3,000 casualties. If we follow the original plan, the next step should be for me to leave some people to occupy Beisha City, and then lead the rest to get closer to Li Ji. I believe that he has already taken Gaimu City..."
Cheng Mingzhen didn't say anything when he heard this. He was quietly waiting for Zhang Liang's most important "next step".
"Cheng Mingzhen, do you want to be made a marquis?" Zhang Liang was very satisfied with Cheng Mingzhen's calm demeanor, so he directly gave him the greatest temptation: "According to His Royal Highness the King of Chu's fighting style and marching speed, he should soon be heading for Pyongyang, the capital of Goguryeo, and I... also want to join in the fun!"
"What do you think, Lord Zhang, about leaving 10,000 people to guard Beisha City and the rest going to Pyongyang by sea?" Cheng Mingzhen was not moved by the temptation of being granted a title of nobility - what really tempted him was the desire to witness the heroic demeanor of His Royal Highness the King of Chu.
Yes, although His Royal Highness the Prince of Chu does not have a very good reputation in Chang'an, outside of Chang'an City, especially in Hebei Province, His Royal Highness the Prince of Chu's reputation is impeccable.
You know, the Eastern Turks that His Royal Highness the King of Chu first defeated loved to plunder Hebei Road.
So who among the people of Hebei Province would not like or respect His Royal Highness the King of Chu, who wiped out the Eastern Turks and later swept across the 18 tribes of the grasslands with a surprise attack?
Not to mention that the hundreds of thousands of bandits in Taihang Mountains were also wiped out by His Royal Highness the King of Chu.
What's more, from then on, His Royal Highness the King of Chu had to pay taxes to the imperial court for the entire Hebei Province for fifteen years on his own!
This is an unprecedented act of kindness!
How can the elders and folks of Hebei Province feel grateful to His Majesty the King of Chu?
Cheng Mingzhen was a native of Ping'en County, Mingzhou, and later served as the governor of Mingzhou. It can be said that Cheng Mingzhen was the beneficiary of everything His Royal Highness the King of Chu did for Hebei Province in the past.
Therefore, after finding out Zhang Liang's real purpose, even though Cheng Mingzhen knew that he would most likely take the blame for the other party after things failed, he still agreed without any hesitation, and even couldn't wait to give him advice.
"Take the sea route to Pyongyang..." Zhang Liang saw Cheng Mingzhen's words, so he obviously understood that there was no need to say anything more: "If the journey is smooth, it will take about seven or eight days to arrive."
"Then Mr. Zhang..." Cheng Mingzhen asked tentatively after hearing this: "Should we do this without further delay?"
"..." Zhang Liang raised his head after hearing this, took a deep look at the other person, and then laughed heartily: "Well, let's not delay any further!"
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Seven days later, after leaving 10,000 men to garrison, Zhang Liang's fleet, which led 27,000 men southward, met Chai Zhewei and others heading north in the Wuhu Sea.
"Mr. Zhang?" After the two sides joined forces, Chai Zhewei was the first to board the Wuya warship where Zhang Liang was.
To be honest, none of His Royal Highness the King of Chu's brothers like Zhang Liang.
So after much consideration, Chai Zhewei decided to go on board alone to meet him.
"Mr. Chai." Zhang Liang was very polite at this moment: "Why, are you surprised to see me?"
"It's not a surprise..." Chai Zhewei frowned and said, "I'm just curious... why did you come to join in the fun."
"His Royal Highness the Prince of Chu wants to attack Pyongyang. I have nothing to do anyway, so naturally I have to come and help." Zhang Liang said it lightly, but he knew exactly how much pressure he had to endure.
Before leaving Beisha City, Zhang Liang wrote down his inferences and plans into a battle report, and sent someone to deliver it to His Majesty Li Er, who was now in Anshi City.
And the facts were just as he had deduced: His Royal Highness the King of Chu really wanted to attack Pyongyang.
Fortunately, he arrived in time, otherwise he wouldn't even be able to drink the soup.
"Mr. Zhang, was it His Majesty who sent you here?" Chai Zhewei frowned when he heard this. He always felt that something was wrong.
"Where is His Royal Highness the Prince of Chu?" Zhang Liang did not answer, but instead asked about the whereabouts of His Royal Highness the Prince of Chu.
On the other side, His Royal Highness the King of Chu, who was about to reach the outskirts of Pyongyang with an unimpeded journey, also received the news that Zhang Liang was rushing to Pyongyang.
"Zhang Liang! I @#!" At that time, His Royal Highness the King of Chu, with his spear stained with blood, stopped his horse outside a dense forest twenty miles away from Pyongyang City and began to speak in the elegant language of the Great Tang Dynasty: "Why are you here to join in the fun at this time?!"