Chapter 86 The Ruthlessness of Yeongaesomun

Liaodong City.

Inside the city’s administrative mansion, Yuan Gaesomun gripped a scalding teacup with one hand, his eyes wide with fury, a violent aura filling the entire room.

Before him stood Gao Huizhen, who had just returned from Shanhai Pass. Yet, while he had left with four thousand men, fewer than a thousand remained at his side now, and among these, some had been forcibly conscripted along the way—stragglers and deserters. Without them, he might not even have had a hundred left.

“You lost Shanhai Pass, squandered fifty thousand shi of provisions, and sacrificed over three thousand soldiers. Gao Huizhen, I truly must ask—are you a fool?”

Though Gao Huizhen was the only son of the southern tribe’s Nousa, he held no official position. This time, like Gao Yanshou from the north, he had led only his own tribal soldiers into battle.

But Yuan Gaesomun was different. With the aid of his father, Yuan Taizuo, he had, at a young age, already become the Wolf Guard General of Goguryeo and the commander of Liaodong City. Thus, even if Gao Huizhen harbored resentment, he could only bow his head before Yuan Gaesomun—unless he wished to doom his entire southern tribe.

“This was my failure,” Gao Huizhen admitted, “but now is not the time to dwell on blame. The Tang army has already entered Liaodong. If you do not prepare defenses soon, our losses will only grow.”

“Hmph! Do I need you to tell me that?” Yuan Gaesomun sneered. “That Tang force is currently in Liucheng. Don’t say I never give you a chance—after you rest, I’ll assign you ten thousand men. Go ensure that Tang army never leaves. I want the Tang to understand that Liaodong is Goguryeo territory, not a place they can come and go as they please!”

His words sent a tremor through Gao Huizhen. He jerked his head up, eyes blazing, and growled, “General, it’s snowing heavily outside!”

“My eyes are not blind!” Yuan Gaesomun retorted.

Gao Huizhen clenched his teeth, glaring at Yuan Gaesomun. If not for the tens of thousands depending on him in the south, he would have strangled Yuan Gaesomun on the spot. Forcing them to march against the Tang in such a blizzard was no battle—it was a march to death, or worse, to freeze them alive.

In recent years, both Gao Huizhen and the northern Gao Yanshou had begun to distinguish themselves among the young generation, and people had started comparing them to Yuan Gaesomun, who was hailed as Goguryeo’s greatest commander.

Even the late Gao Yanshou, and certainly Gao Huizhen, longed to measure themselves against Yuan Gaesomun, to see who was truly the foremost talent of Goguryeo.

But he knew the time for competition was not now. For now, he was merely a clansman—or perhaps, the young chief of the southern tribe? But outside the south, who recognized such a title?

Staring at the grim-faced Yuan Gaesomun, Gao Huizhen’s anger boiled within him. After a long moment, he gave a cold snort, rose, saluted, and strode out. He decided, if he must die, he would ensure Yuan Gaesomun suffered as well. If he could choose ten thousand men, he would take all of Yuan Gaesomun’s personal troops from Liaodong and freeze them to death.

Yet to his despair, Yuan Gaesomun seemed to anticipate his intentions. After Gao Huizhen’s brief rest, Yuan simply tossed him a force of ten thousand—of which only a captain and two hundred bodyguards were Yuan Gaesomun’s own, while the rest were either Heishui Mohe tribesmen or Gao Huizhen’s own southern clansmen.

Seeing who made up this force, Gao Huizhen’s fury could no longer be contained. He spun around and marched back toward the mansion. His southern tribe totaled less than a hundred thousand, with fewer than thirty thousand able-bodied men. This time, he had led away over three thousand, most of whom were now dead. Yet now, ten thousand more—what was Yuan Gaesomun plotting?

But as Gao Huizhen turned, two of his personal guards drew their weapons and pressed them to his throat. The captain said coldly, “Young Chief, the General commands that as soon as you arrive, we depart. Please mount your horse.”

Gao Huizhen’s fists were clenched so tightly his nails dug into his flesh, but he seemed not to notice. His gaze, cold as ice, bored into the captain for a long moment before he sighed deeply, cast a final glare toward the mansion, mounted his horse, and galloped toward the city gates.

On the city wall, Yuan Gaesomun watched Gao Huizhen’s receding form, a cruel smile curling his lips. He turned and descended the stairs. Now that the matter was settled, it was time for rest. If heaven wished to send snow, let it snow until everyone in Liaodong was frozen to death.

“General, are we simply letting Gao Huizhen go like this? If he rebels, won’t we be at a disadvantage?” a deputy general asked, following at his heels, bewildered.

In his mind, since Gao Huizhen had suffered defeat, lost supplies, and cost so many lives, he deserved execution. Yuan Gaesomun’s leniency seemed wasteful.

Yuan Gaesomun glanced at him and smiled. “If I were Gao Huizhen, I would rebel.”

“I was slow to comprehend, sir!”

“Don’t be fooled by the seeming stability within Goguryeo,” Yuan Gaesomun continued. “The southern and northern tribes have always obeyed orders but not decrees. Within their domains, their Nousa act as petty kings. If we let them run unchecked, forget conquering the Central Plains—Goguryeo will soon be torn apart by these fools.

“Killing Gao Huizhen for his losses is not enough. I need a reason to eradicate the entire southern tribe.”

He looked out into the snowstorm. “Now, I can only hope Gao Huizhen doesn’t disappoint me. Otherwise, I’ll lose all respect for him.”

The deputy general broke into a cold sweat. All said Yuan Gaesomun was ruthless; he had thought it exaggeration, but now, seeing him sacrifice his own bodyguards to Gao Huizhen—letting them die in the snow or fall by Gao Huizhen’s hand—he was truly terrified. For who could know when Yuan Gaesomun might discard him just as easily?

Meanwhile, Gao Huizhen pressed onward swiftly. The men around him had shifted from Yuan Gaesomun’s bodyguards to his own clansmen, and he breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

Then, his rage toward Yuan Gaesomun erupted. After a hundred li of hard riding, Gao Huizhen yanked his reins and commanded, “Slaughter that group and feed them to the wolves!”

At his order, the southern tribesmen—already seething with anger—drew their long blades and fell upon the captain’s men. There was no warning, only cold and merciless action.

The snow fell thicker than ever. There was no escaping a snow disaster now; in such weather, mounting any attack was folly—survival itself was uncertain.

Ten thousand against two hundred—the fight was over in the span of a tea’s steeping. Afterwards, Gao Huizhen glanced back toward distant Liaodong, swept his arm and declared, “Let’s go—let’s go home!”