A Millennium Aristocratic Family Starting from the Shang Dynasty

Chapter 611: Recruiting gambler Yang Guang
Wang Xuanze led the Sui Dynasty's defeated army and fought a last-ditch battle. He took the lead and used the divine weapon of destiny to completely defeat the 20,000 Liaodong pursuing troops in one battle.

The Yulin Guards broke through seven formations in a row and chased for thirty miles. The Liaodong Army suffered heavy casualties along the way. Except for the cavalry, which escaped almost completely, most of the other armies lost. Only a few thousand of the 20,000-strong army escaped in the end.

After Liaodong City learned the news, they were so frightened that they quickly closed the city gates and did not dare to send any more troops. They were worried that the Sui army was not withdrawing but luring the enemy.

After defeating the Liaodong Kingdom's pursuers in the first battle, Wang Xuanze was not arrogant and complacent. He understood that the Liaodong Kingdom's retreat was only temporary. Now that these defeated armies can gather together to turn defeat into victory, it is also temporary.

At this time, after the Sui Dynasty's defeat, there were many problems that needed to be faced, and that was food.

Fortunately, they defeated the pursuers of the Liaodong Kingdom and captured some supplies. The Liaodong people came to pursue them, but they did not bring much food and grass. Even if they save on food, it will only be enough to feed the defeated soldiers for three to five days.

Wang Xuanze ordered people to count the number of people, rescue the wounded, and then gather all the food and grass and distribute them according to the head.

Except for the wounded who could be divided more, everyone else was treated equally, and then they ordered people to slaughter the injured horses, and at the same time cut down trees to build pontoon bridges.

Following Wang Xuanze's order, these defeated troops quickly restored order and began to carry out various tasks. Wang Xuanze's previous performance had already made these defeated soldiers completely trust him.

When Wang Xuanze was going north, he also ordered the navy to go north. Because Wang's navy wanted to maintain stability in various places, only a part of it, about 5,000 people, was transferred, but a large amount of food and medicinal materials were prepared on the ships.

Under the command of the Wang family, a pontoon bridge was quickly completed. Then some of the injured soldiers evacuated first, while the rest continued to build the pontoon bridge.

Faced with such a huge failure, he did not look for the reasons within himself, nor did he think of writing a self-incriminating edict. He attributed the failure to the food and grass, the soldiers on the front line, and the enemy's cunning, but he never thought that it was due to his own stubbornness and arrogance.

But he lacked all the pride he had in the past. The defeat of a million-strong army made him feel like an eggplant beaten by frost. There is no longer the high-spirited and heroic spirit of the past.

But he is unwilling to face his failure. He is looking for excuses for his failure.

He did not dare to face failure. He knew the reasons for his failure. Even in the later stages of the war, he went to the front line in person, but it still did not change.

He doubted himself.

The roads that the army could pass in Liaoze were narrow and muddy. They retreated hastily and suffered heavy casualties. Hundreds of thousands of troops were buried in Liaodong, and less than one-third followed Yang Guang in retreating.

The army spent two days building three pontoon bridges over the Liao River, and then spent another two days evacuating.

Yang Guang returned to Luoyang, the eastern capital, in a gorgeous chariot escorted by countless people.

Wang Xuanze also sent envoys to send messages to the defeated armies in other places, asking them to come here to retreat.

In his mind, an army of one million people can completely cut off the current with a whip. Liaoze and mountain ranges are nothing in front of an army of one million people.

He wondered why he suffered such a disastrous defeat.

The court in the Sui Dynasty also became extremely depressed, and they began to suspect that the ministers were dissatisfied with them and deliberately acted against them.

At the same time, a large number of peasant uprisings began to appear in Shandong and Henan, but Yang Guang did not take them to heart at all.

He did not give up attacking and destroying the Liaodong Kingdom. He knew that if he did not destroy the Liaodong Kingdom, this tragic defeat would firmly nail his name to the pillar of shame. If you don't want to be like this, the best way is to destroy the Liaodong Kingdom.

Therefore, after being briefly lost for a period of time, he began to regain his energy and ordered all parts of the world to continue preparing food, grass and equipment.

Yang Guang is now like a gambler, placing his chips on the gambling table again.

When officials from various places received the news, they were all shocked. The recent defeat almost consumed all the equipment, grain and grass stored in warehouses throughout the Sui Dynasty.

Most of the strong men from all over the country were mobilized. As a result, not long after the war ended, and the bones of hundreds of thousands of soldiers were still cold, he actually started to mobilize men, horses and materials again to prepare for another expedition.

Not only the people, but also the officials below can't stand it.

Countless families have gone bankrupt without the mainstay of their families, young children who have lost their fathers are crying for food, and old men who have lost their sons starve to death in their huts.

They still don't know how to survive the coming winter, and the emperor of the Xia Dynasty and the emperor of the empire are preparing to start a new round of recruitment.

The millions of troops were defeated, and the people of the world were afraid of Liaodong. They had lost confidence in the emperor and did not even believe that the emperor would win.

Facing the officials who wanted to conquer the corvee army, more and more people began to flee, and more and more people began to rise up and rebel. The dangerous places in the dense forests in the mountains were occupied by numerous rebels.

Yang Guanggao sat on the throne and did not take these rebels to heart. He believed that his generals would put down the rebellion and continue to work hard for his great cause.

Wang Xuanze rescued more than 200,000 defeated troops and civilians in Liaohe River. But more soldiers and civilians died in Liaodong. When these heroic soldiers crossed the Liao River and returned to the Sui Dynasty, many of them wanted to go home.

Wang dispersed these soldiers and civilians to more than a dozen camps and islands in advance to let everyone recover from their injuries.

During this period, many people wanted to go back, but they were unable to leave because there was no food. Finally, many soldiers and civilians asked Wang Xuanze to return home.

Wang Xuanze said: "After this great defeat, people everywhere have revolted, and there is insufficient food and grass. It will be difficult for you to return home."

Some people were hesitant, but some people insisted on going back. Everyone said they were worried about their wives, sons, and parents at home and wanted to return to their hometown. Wang Xuanze then ordered people to write family letters for everyone to reassure them. But there are still many people who want to return to their hometown.

At this time, news came that Yang Guang had once again recruited troops, grain, equipment, and strong people to prepare for another expedition to Liaodong.

Everyone who got the news was immediately shocked. Everyone thought of the disastrous failure of the expedition to Liao. No one wanted to experience it again. If they were lucky enough to survive this time, they would not have such a good chance next time.

After learning that Yang Guang would continue to recruit soldiers and strong men for the expedition to Liaodong, most people did not say that they wanted to go home, but they were worried about their families.

In this case, Wang Xuanze asked them to write letters home to inform their families that they were safe, and then asked their families to avoid conscription, or even take refuge under the Wang family.

This made most of the soldiers and Minzhuang soldiers extremely grateful, and they asked each other to write letters home. The Wang family established cottages in many local mountains and forests for the families of these Minzhuang soldiers to take refuge.

Although it is still impossible to take care of everyone, this is the best way at present. As for those who still insist on leaving, Wang will no longer stop them.

(End of this chapter)