Reborn Tang Emperor Li Chengqian

Chapter 404 Withdrawal from Pyongyang
Outside the city of Pyongyang, in the Tang army camp, the 70-year-old Su Dingfang sat firmly on the main seat. On the left and right sides, the generals under his command sat in turn, and they were discussing matters.

There was a brazier between them, and the charcoal in the basin was burning vigorously, making a crackling sound.

The vigorously burning brazier dispelled the cold in the big tent, so that everyone didn't feel so cold. The generals leaned forward from time to time, and stretched their cold hands close to the brazier for a test.

Su Dingfang held an exquisite fire cage in his hand to keep out the cold. The charcoal in the fire cage was burning and emitting heat, making it feel warm.

This was an item given to him by the emperor himself last winter, to keep him warm in the cold winter. He never took it out for use, but it happened to come in handy today.

"General Manager, our army has besieged Pyongyang City for more than eight months now. Pyongyang City has strong walls, a deep moat, and sufficient food and grass in the city."

"It won't be a problem if we persist for another year or so, and our morale has already been low after besieging Pyongyang for so long."

"The weather is cold now, and the transportation of grain and grass is inconvenient. Now the army has begun to reduce the grain, and I don't know if we can hold on until the grain and grass arrive." General Lu Qi said.

"What do you want to say?" Su Dingfang asked.

Su Dingfang is 70 years old this year, his hair, beard and eyebrows are all gray, and even his eyes are not very good.

He knew in his heart that he might not have many years left, and he might not be able to lead troops for the imperial court anymore.

Originally, he planned to take down Pyongyang City for the imperial court while he was still able to move, try to wipe out Goguryeo's vital forces, and take their king and Mo Lizhi back to Chang'an by the way.

"The general thinks that staying here is useless, so it is better to withdraw from Goguryeo and go back to the Central Plains. The soldiers have been away from home for a long time, and they must miss their relatives in their hometown very much."

"The relatives in my hometown are definitely looking forward to them, waiting for them to go back. If Pyongyang cannot be captured, Datang can make a comeback, and one day they will be able to break through Pyongyang."

"But if the soldiers freeze to death or starve to death here, it's not worth it. They are all good sons of the Tang Dynasty. Let them live and expand the territory of the Tang Dynasty."

"General Manager, please also order to evacuate Pyongyang and return to the Central Plains, so that these soldiers can reunite with their relatives." General Lu Qi knelt on one knee and clasped his fists.

"That's right! I haven't seen Grandpa and Grandma for a long time. How are the wives and children at home doing? It's hard to fall asleep every time I think about it."

"When I went out to fight, I promised to go back and spend the Lantern Festival with them after the battle and enjoy the lanterns."

All the generals were talking about it. Su Dingfang looked at the generals and knew that they were homesick and had no intention of fighting anymore.

If they stay here to surround Pyongyang City, there may be a phenomenon of deserters. If the enemy troops in the city take the opportunity to fight out of the city, given their current situation, they may be defeated.

This year, the weather in Liaodong is colder than ever. I'm afraid it will snow heavily, and the army is not prepared enough to keep out the cold.

The main reason is that they didn't expect to be here for such a long time.

"The weather is getting colder today, staying here will only freeze more people to death, it's pointless to let them freeze to death here."

"It's better to let them go back to their hometown to reunite with their relatives, and keep them useful, so that they can make contributions to the Tang Dynasty in the future."

"Give me the general's order. From now on, the army will withdraw from Pyongyang in an orderly manner and return to the Central Plains." Su Dingfang ordered.

Instead of staying here to do useless work, it is better to keep the useful drive, and it will not be too late to attack Goguryeo next time.

Anyway, it is impossible to take down Goguryeo now and besiege Pyongyang City. Don't let the enemy troops in the city be trapped to death, but your own side will freeze to death first.

"No!" All the generals stood up and saluted and responded, all the generals were overjoyed, finally they don't have to stay in this ghost place anymore, and finally they can go back to the home that makes them dream of.

"Send someone to inform Ren Yaxiang, the general manager of the Weijiang Road march, and Pang Xiaotai, the general manager of the Woju Road march, to withdraw the troops immediately." Su Dingfang said.

"No!" The messenger took the order, saluted and was about to exit the big tent to convey Su Dingfang's words to Ren Yaxiang and Pang Xiaotai.

At this moment, a soldier rushed in with a white gauze wrapped around his head and a filial belt around his waist. When he saw Su Dingfang, he knelt down on one knee and clasped his fists, saying, "See Chief Su."

"Who are you a sergeant? Why are you wearing mourning?" Su Dingfang was surprised when he arrived at the man's attire, and hurriedly stood up and asked.

Generally, in the army, only the chief general has passed away before they are allowed to wear filial piety, or some people who have been authorized can also let soldiers wear filial piety for him.

Generally, such people are heroes with outstanding military exploits.

"Reporting to Chief Su, I am under the command of Pang Xiaotai, the marching chief of Woju Road, and my family's chief is fighting the Goguryeo army in Sheshui."

"Because of bad weather, difficult roads, and delays in the supply of reinforcements, our army was outnumbered. My family manager and thirteen major generals were all killed in battle, and none of them survived." Dai Xiao's soldiers said with tears in their eyes.

The generals were astonished when they heard this!Pang Xiaotai was 62 years old this year, and he died in battle in Goguryeo Snake Water. Not even one of his thirteen sons survived.

It can be said to be a loyal family. Pang Xiaotai and his son died in battle with 14 people. What about his orphans and widows?
"Understood! Send someone Haosheng to collect their corpses and transport them back to the Central Plains so they can be buried." Su Dingfang said.

"No!" General Lu Qi responded.

"Report!" A sergeant rushed in, knelt down on one knee and said, "Report to the Chief Commander, Ren Yaxiang, the Chief Chief of the Weijiang Road Marching, died in the army."

"The whole army of Huijiang Road has been evacuated from Pyongyang and returned to the Central Plains. The special agent came to inform."

"Today we have lost two pillars of our Great Tang, as well as many soldiers who fought bloody battles. These are all losses of our Great Tang."

"Order eight hundred miles to hurry up and inform the imperial court of the death of Ren Yaxiang and Pang Xiaotai." Su Dingfang said.

"Your order!" Dou Jiang responded, exited the big tent, and immediately sent a letter back to Chang'an to report to the imperial court.

Su Dingfang waved his hand, the sergeant bowed and retreated, and all the generals remained silent at this moment. Today, they heard two bad news one after another.

First, Pang Xiaotai and his son, the general manager of the Woju Road march, died in Snake Water in the [-]th battle, and then Ren Yaxiang, the general manager of the Weijiang Road march, died in the army.

Now they are even more lifeless, and their desire to leave Pyongyang and return to the Central Plains is even stronger.

Fortunately, Su Dingfang had ordered the withdrawal of troops back to the Central Plains, and the generals saluted and retreated, packed their bags immediately, and evacuated Pyongyang in order.

The defenders in Pyongyang cheered when they learned that the Tang army had withdrawn, and finally waited until they left. These days of siege had already made them feel aggrieved for a long time.

If it weren't for the fact that they couldn't beat the Tang army outside the city, they would have gone out of the city to fight them.

Tang Jun can fight no matter what, in the end there is nothing to do with them, so he can only go back in despair.

How can they break through the city of Pyongyang.

(End of this chapter)