In the northeast of the Tang Dynasty, there is a country of Goguryeo, which is mainly composed of the Buyeo people, the Hui people and the Jin people, the people are fierce, the country is long-standing, and gradually poses a threat to the Tang Dynasty.

Because the powerful man Yuangai Suwen, who was handsome and had a beautiful beard, killed the king of Rongliu, Gaowu, self-styled Mo Lizhi, brutalized the people, and violated the edict of the Tang Emperor and invaded the neighboring country Silla, so Emperor Taizong personally commanded the six armies on an expedition to Liaodong in February of the 19th year of Zhenguan.

This war against Goguryeo fell short because of the stubborn resistance of Yang Wanchun, the defender of Anshi City, which also shows that Goguryeo's luck at that time was still very strong, and his fate should not be extinguished!

After Li Zhi ascended the throne, he temporarily stood still, and it was not until he got rid of the fetters of the Taiwei faction and made Awu the empress that he began to fight.

From the third year of Hyeongyeong to the first year of Longshuo, he used troops against Goguryeo and its friendly Baekje for four consecutive years, and successively sent generals such as Cheng Mingzhen, Xue Rengui, Su Dingfang, Qibi He Li, Xiao Siye, and Ren Yaxiang to crusade against Goguryeo.

Each expedition achieved some success, but did not conquer it. Li Zhi once wanted to personally lead the army to conquer Goguryeo in one fell swoop, but was stopped by Empress Wu and Xu Jingzong.

In the following years, Su Dingfang led an army to pacify Baekje, captured the Baekje king Fuyu Yici and the crown prince Fuyu Long, and Liu In-rail eliminated the Baekje Revival Army, defeated the Wa State Rescue Army, and defended the Xiongjin Governor's Mansion, so that Goguryeo completely lost its wings and Ping Domain, and its vitality was greatly damaged.

In the first year of Qianfeng, Goguryeo Prince Gao Funan followed the emperor to participate in the Dongyue Feng Zen Ceremony. Soon, Yuan Gai Suwen died, and his eldest son, Yuan Nan Nan, succeeded Mo Lizhi, and his second and third sons, Yuan Nanjian and Yuan Nan Chan, also held important positions.

After Yuan Nan came to power, he faced a situation of internal and external troubles, and had to go out to patrol various places to calm the people's hearts and send his two younger brothers to stay in the capital. After Yuan Nan left, someone instigated Yuan Nanjian and said: "You are powerful, Yuan Nan has always been worried that you will force him to step down and want to get rid of you, aren't you afraid?" It's better to strike first! ”

Yuan Nanjian was skeptical. There was also someone over there who told Yuan Nanjian that "Yuan Nanjian is worried that you will deprive him of his rights after you return to the city, and wants to close the city and let you wander outside!" ”

Yuan Nan sent his cronies to the capital to inquire about the news, but was arrested by Yuan Nanjian. Yuan Nanjian believed that his brother wanted to harm him, so he coerced the puppet king Gao Zang to issue a royal order and summon Yuan Nan to return to the city.

The Yuan boy knew that there was fraud and didn't dare to reply. Yuan Nan built in the capital and announced that he would not leave the branch and send troops to crusade against Yuan Nan. Hearing the news, Yuan Nan fled to the domestic city in a hurry, wanting to use the power of the Khitan and Jin tribes to quell the rebellion, but he did not get a response, so he had to send his son Yuan Xiancheng to Chang'an for help.

After Kim Famin, the king of Silla, learned of the internal strife in Goguryeo, he sent his minister's sons Kim Hanrim and Kim Samguang to the Tang Kingdom to serve as guards and invite troops to defeat Goguryeo.

Li Zhi saw through Jin Famin's intention to make a profit for the fisherman at a glance, and did not agree to Jin Hanlin and Jin Sanguang's request, but met with Yuan Xiancheng.

Yuan Xiancheng conveyed a handwritten letter from Yuan boy to Li Zhi, saying: "As long as the Tang Dynasty is willing to help us, Goguryeo will attach the whole country to the Tang Dynasty!" Li Zhi was very happy and felt that the time had come to send troops.

After discussion in the imperial court, on June 7, he appointed the general of the right Xiaowei, Qibi He Li, as the pacification ambassador of Liaodong Province, and led the troops to rescue the Yuan boys; Yuan Xiancheng is the general of the right military guard and serves as a guide. He also appointed Pang Tongshan, the general of the Right Jin Wuwei, and Gao Kan, the governor of Yingzhou, as the head of the march to jointly crusade against Goguryeo.

Three months later, Pang Tongshan, the commander of the march, defeated the Goguryeo army and joined forces with Yuan Nan's troops.

Yuan boy led the domestic city and the mountain city of Marudu to join the Tang Dynasty, and was appointed by Li Zhi as the governor of Tejin and Liaodong, and the ambassador of Pyongyang Province to pacify him, and was named the prince of Xuansu County.

Empress Wu thought that the time had come to completely destroy Goguryeo, and persuaded Li Zhizeng to send fierce generals. Li Zhi sent Xue Rengui, the general of Zuo Wuwei, who had three arrows to determine the Tianshan Mountains, to lead his troops to the battle.

Xue Rengui became famous as a white-robed warrior in the Liaodong War twenty years ago, and was highly praised by Taizong, but unfortunately he has not been promoted to general for many years.

Because although he was brave, he did not make great achievements, just like Li Guang, although he was famous for his bravery, he did not become a marquis in his life, because he did not desperately make enough military exploits to serve the public.

Xue Rengui once again set foot on the battlefield of Liaodong, knowing that this time would be the last battle against Goguryeo, so he made up his mind to fight hard and make great achievements in order to be promoted to general and draw a successful end to his war career. But when he arrived in Liaodong, due to the onset of winter, the two sides entered a stalemate.

By the end of the year, the emperor found some problems in the army of the army, although the Tiele tribe of the Qibi tribe Qibi He Li had the material of a commander, but he was jealous, taboo others to surpass his own merits or to make meritorious contributions in front of him, and loved to suppress the fierce generals, so it was necessary to adjust the commander's position.

On December 18, he appointed Sikong and British Duke Li Tao as the general manager of the Liaodong Provincial Army and the ambassador of pacification, and Hao Chujun, the commander of the Si Lie, as the deputy general, to attack Goguryeo.

He Li and Pang Tongshan were the deputy chief of the Liaodong Road march and the ambassador of pacification; The generals such as Dou Yiji, Dugu Qingyun, and Guo Beifeng, who were in charge of the land and water armies and transported grain, all obeyed Li Tao's command. The leased money and grain from Zhuzhou County in Hebei Province were transferred to Liaodong and sent to the army of Zhenggao.

Just as the emperor and queen were strategizing and winning a decisive victory, another internal strife broke out in Goguryeo.

It turned out that Yuangai Suwen's younger brother Yuanjing was guarding the southern border of Goguryeo, and he was very dissatisfied with the rebellion of his two nephews, and took advantage of the infighting between the three brothers to invade twelve cities and expand his sphere of influence, and did not obey Yuannanjian's orders.

Yuan Nanjian led the main force to the south to quell the rebellion, but Yuan Pure Land knew that he was invincible and was forced to surrender to Silla.

In the second year of Qianfeng, Li Tao led his troops to capture the military town of Xincheng, leaving Pang Tongshan and Gao Kan to defend the city. At that time, the 150,000 troops of Goguryeo were stationed in Liaoshui, and tens of thousands of soldiers were stationed in Nansu City.

He Li commanded ** to attack Liaoshui and Nansu City, defeated the enemy army, beheaded more than 10,000 ranks, and captured seven cities by victory. After joining forces with Li Tao, they captured the two cities of Huyi and Daxing together.

Li Tao said to the generals: "Xincheng is the gateway to the west of Goguryeo, and capturing Xincheng is equivalent to inserting a thorn in Yuan Nanjian's back, making it difficult for him to sleep." We must firmly defend the new city, take the surrounding cities together, and force Yuan Nanjian to attack the new city like a mad dog, and then we take the opportunity to wait for work, face him head-on, and defeat him completely! ”

After the generals received the order, they led their troops to capture the sixteen cities around the new city. Yuan Nanjian was very anxious, and sure enough, he jumped off the wall like a mad dog, and personally led the army to attack the ** camp in the new city.

Xue Rengui led the reinforcements to arrive in time, defeated the enemy who came to sneak attack, and beheaded hundreds of ranks. Pang Tongshan and Gao Kan took advantage of the situation to lead their troops to attack, and when they pursued the enemy to Jinshan, they encountered the enemy's main army of 200,000.

Pang Tongshan and Gao Kan are at war with Goguryeo, which is unfavorable! The Jinshan Great Array of 200,000 people, as far as the eye can see, is full of black and oppressive enemies. Xue Rengui was dressed in a white robe, took the lead, and led reinforcements to meet the battle.

In the face of the Jinshan Great Array, Xue Rengui did not flinch, believing that this was a great opportunity for him to make meritorious contributions, he held the Fang Tian Painting Halberd and rushed straight to the enemy formation with a prancing horse. Those who meet me die, those who stand in my way die, in the face of Xue Rengui's hard impact, the vast enemy formation was torn open a gap.

Xue Rengui commanded the elite soldiers armed with Mo knives to attack the enemy's two wings, pulled out arrows and shot at the enemy soldiers, one shot was accurate, the enemy soldiers fell to the ground one by one screaming, wearing iron armor and not hitting, even the armor penetrated, and some wanted to escape too late.

And the Tang Mo knife was a god-like existence at that time, and if the two sides slashed each other, the weapons of the Goguryeo soldiers were vulnerable, just like chopping melons and vegetables, and they were often cut off with knives and hands. The enemy retreated.

Facing an opponent like the god of war, Yuan Nanjian was so frightened that he waved his army and retreated, just like Qin soldiers were afraid of Xiang Yu, hundreds of thousands of people couldn't stop him with thousands of soldiers.

As the saying goes, the defeat of the army is like a mountain, and the Goguryeo soldiers heard that the main general was retreating, and they fled one after another, and the Tang soldiers from all walks of life pursued bravely under the courage of Xue Rengui.

For a time, the Goguryeo army was defeated, corpses were everywhere, and Xue Rengui beheaded 50,000 people with his army and won the victory of Jinshan. Subsequently, Xue Rengui waved his army to capture the three cities of Nansu City, Mudi City and Cangyan City, and joined forces with the Yuannan Boys Army victoriously.

After Li Zhi received the military report, he sent a congratulatory letter to Xue Rengui, saying: "In the face of the dangerous Jinshan Great Array, Qing can take the lead, regardless of his life, rushing left and right, and moving forward, which is really touching and exciting!" Driven by Qing's bravery, there was this Jinshan victory! I hope that Qing will make persistent efforts to establish greater achievements and achieve greater prestige! ”

After Xue Rengui received the congratulatory letter, he was crying with emotion, and when his soldiers learned about it, they raised their arms and shouted long live!

After studying the military situation, the emperor ordered the king of Silla and the Governorate of Xiongjin to respond in the south and attack Goguryeo from the north and south. However, the army of the king of Silla was passive and did not contribute.

On the 27th day of the first month of the first year of the general chapter, the emperor and queen used Liu Renliang, the right minister, as the deputy governor of Liaodong Province. Liu In-joon's prestige in Baekje and Silla was very high, and he was appointed as the commander of the southern front of the army of Goguryeo, and he was able to effectively mobilize the enthusiasm of the garrisons of Silla and Xiongjin, forming a situation of flanking the north and south of Goguryeo.

After Xue Rengui won the victory of Jinshan, he sang generously, excited, and prepared to lead 3,000 elite soldiers to attack Fuyu City with victory! The generals stopped him and said: "Your troops are too small, the enemy is more than ten times yours, it is too dangerous, you should not go and you can't go!" ”

Xue Rengui said: "There are not many soldiers, it depends on whether the main general is good at appointing strange soldiers and being flexible!" "Li Tao took Xue Rengui's army as the vanguard force.

Xue Rengui led 3,000 elite soldiers armed with Mo knives to advance bravely, unstoppable along the way, killing demons and ghosts, killing ghosts and ghosts, until they reached the foot of Fuyu City. Datang's siege machinery is relatively advanced, with catapults, crash cars, ladders and other machinery, which make the ghosts in Fuyu City cry wolf.

The defenders went into battle and were completely annihilated by Xue Rengui under the city, killing and capturing more than 10,000 people. The Goguryeo people have once again seen the power of the Tang Mo sword, even if they raise their swords to block, they will be cut off along with their arms!

The Japanese people were afraid of being beaten by the Mo knife. Xue Rengui took advantage of the situation to capture Fuyu City. Seeing the loss of the strongest city, more than 40 cities in the Buyeo River all fell to the wind.

When Yuan Nanjian heard that Buyeo City was lost, he was shocked and sent an army of 50,000 to rescue Buyeo City.

The 50,000 army and Li Tao's army encountered in Xue Heshui, the two sides fought, and the Tang soldiers won a great victory, beheading more than 5,000 people, capturing more than 30,000 people, and the equipment was incalculable. Li Tao took advantage of the victory to capture Daxing City.

At this time, Shi Jia Yanzhong, who was ordered to send an envoy to Liaodong, returned to Chang'an from Liaodong, and Li Zhi inquired about the military situation in Liaodong. Jia Yanzhong said: "I, the Tang Dynasty, will definitely be able to conquer Goguryeo!" ”

Li Zhi was very happy and asked again, "Why did Qing say that?" ”

Jia Yanzhong replied: "The reason why Emperor Yang of Sui did not resist the expedition to the east was because people's hearts were scattered and resentful; The reason why the first emperor did not resist the eastern crusade was because of the internal harmony of Goguryeo and there was no internal strife. ”

"Today, the power of Goguryeo King Gozang is weak, like a puppet, and the powerful ministers are arbitrary. After the death of Yuangai Suwen, the Yuannanjian brothers attacked each other, and the Yuannanjian became the guide of the Tang Dynasty, and we all know the real internal situation of Goguryeo. ”

"With Your Majesty's Mingsheng, the country's prosperity and strength, the best efforts of the soldiers, and the Goguryeo infighting, this situation is clear at a glance, and there will definitely be no next Goguryeo war! Moreover, Goguryeo has been suffering from famine for many years, demons have fallen repeatedly, and people's hearts are in danger, and its demise can be waited for! ”

Li Zhi nodded in approval, and then asked, "Who is more virtuous among the generals of Liaodong?" ”

Jia Yanzhong replied: "Xue Rengui bravely crowned the three armies; Although Pang Tongshan was not good at fighting, he held the army strictly; Gao Kan is diligent and thrifty, loyal and strategic; Although he is a little taboo about other people's military exploits exceeding his own, he has the talent to rule; But if you are careful at night and forget about worrying about the country, all the generals are no match for Li Tao! ”

Li Zhi said happily: "Qing said it too well, it is the same as my thoughts!" ”

On April 2, a bright comet appeared in the constellation Northeast Wuche. Li Zhi avoided the main hall, reduced his daily meals, stopped music and dance, and meditated on his life.

In the court, Xu Jingzong took the lead in asking for a return to normalcy, saying: "The appearance of a comet in the northeast is obviously a sign that Goguryeo is about to perish, why should Your Majesty think about it?" ”

Li Zhi sighed: "Hey, I have lost my morality, so I was blamed by God, how can I shirk the responsibility and blame Xiaoyi?" Besides, the people of Goguryeo are also my people! ”

The ministers were speechless, and they all praised the emperor's mercy in their hearts. Twelve days later, the comet disappeared.

Liu Renliang rushed to the Xiongjin Governor's Mansion to mobilize troops and horses, and persuaded the Silla generals Wen Ying and Xue Wuru to recognize the situation of Goguryeo's demise and carry out a north-south attack together to share the fruits of victory!

General Silla agreed with Yoo In-joe's opinion and sent troops to attack the cities of the southern line of Goguryeo, defeating the Goguryeo army at Snake Won. The Tang and Luo coalition forces advanced all the way north, and besieged the capital with Li Tao and Xue Rengui, who had arrived under the capital first.

After besieging the capital for a month, there was a disagreement between the brothers of Yuan Nanjian and Yuan Nan on the issue of surrender, and the king of Goguryeo, Gozang, sent Yuan Nan to lead 98 people, holding white flags to Xue Rengui's military camp to surrender, and Xue Rengui received him with courtesy.

After discussing with the strategists, Yuan Nanjian tried to lead his troops to break through in the middle of the night, but he was unsuccessful and was beaten back to the city by Tang soldiers. Yuan Nanjian had nothing to do, and the guard monk Xincheng was forced to send an envoy to negotiate with **, and then opened the city gate on September 12 as agreed.

All kinds of ** rushed into the city one after another, Yuan Nanjian drew his sword and stabbed himself, immortal, and was captured by Tang Bingsheng. In the Battle of Baekgangkou, the fish that slipped through the net and escaped to Goguryeo, the prince of Baekje, Buyeo-bong, was also captured alive.

All the territory of Goguryeo surrendered. After four generations of emperors' crusades, Goguryeo has finally been conquered!

Li Tao dealt with the matter after the improvement, arranged for Xue Rengui to stay in Liaodong, and then Zhenlu triumphed.

Hearing that Li Tao's victorious army was about to return to Chang'an, Li Zhi sent an envoy to pass on the order, first bring Gao Zang, Yuan Nanjian, Fuyu Feng and other prisoners to Zhaoling to hold a prisoner sacrifice ceremony, tell Emperor Taizong, and then have a military appearance, play a triumphant song, enter the Beijing division, and hold a prisoner sacrifice ceremony in the imperial city Taimiao!

On December 7, Li Zhi and Empress Wu accepted the prisoners in the Hanyuan Hall of Penglai Palace. The ceremony of sacrificing prisoners was grand and grand, and the wide Hanyuan Hall Square was full of mighty soldiers, with slowly walking captives in the middle, facing the Tang Dynasty Emperor who was sitting in the north and facing south, and kowtowed to the north!

After deliberation at the imperial court, Li Zhi announced:

The king of Goguryeo, Gao Zangzheng, was not out of his own hands, pardoned the capital crime, and appointed Siping Taichangbo, and Yuan Nan took the initiative to surrender to Cheng and meritorious, and worshiped as the general of the right guard. Yuan male production is Si Zai Shaoqing, and the monk Xincheng is the doctor of Yinqing Guanglu.

Yuan Nanjian is the culprit, and he deserves to die because of the intercession of Yuan Nanjian, and he was exiled to Qianzhong. Fuyu Feng, the fish that slipped through the net, also deserved to die because of Fuyu Long's intercession, and he was exiled to Lingnan.

The generals below the commander Li Tao were rewarded poorly.

It is divided into five Goguryeo departments, 176 cities, and more than 690,000 households, and is divided into nine prefectures, 42 prefectures, and 100 counties, and the Andong Metropolitan Protectorate is set up in Pyongyang to manage military and political affairs.

The meritorious Goguryeo generals were promoted to be governors, assassins, and county commanders, and participated in political affairs together with the Tang people.

Xue Rengui worshiped the right Weiwei general, inspected the school and the capital protector of Andong, with a total of 20,000 soldiers to pacify the people in the jurisdiction of the Andong capital protectorate. Xue Rengui finally got rid of Li Guang's fate and reached the pinnacle of his life!

A few days later, Li Zhi went to the southern suburbs to worship, held a great ceremony to worship the heavens, and reported to the heavens the miraculous achievements of pacifying Goguryeo, with Li Tao as the sub-sacrifice and Qibi He Li as the final offering.

Next, Li Zhi and Empress Wu went to the imperial city to pay homage to the Taimiao Temple, and reported the great news of the conquest of Goguryeo to Emperor Gaozu and Emperor Taizong, so that Gaozu and Emperor Taizong could share the joy of their grandson!

The martial arts of the two saints of the Tang Dynasty have reached the pinnacle in the history of the Tang Dynasty! The territory of the Tang Dynasty stretched from Silla in the east, the Aral Sea in the west, the Beihai Sea in the north, and Aizhou in the south, and also reached the largest territory in the history of the Tang Dynasty!