Volume One: At the Foot of Mount Zhongnan Chapter Thirty-Three: Changsun Returns

After Li Shimin’s last departure from the village, he indeed made a triumphant return. Upon his arrival in Chang’an, he persuaded Li Yuan, swore a military oath, and vowed to annihilate Western Qin.

In truth, Li Yuan had no one else to send, so he had no choice but to grant Li Shimin command once more. With military authority restored, Li Shimin wasted no time, mustering tens of thousands of troops and marching straight on Western Qin.

After Xue Ju’s death, his son Xue Rengao had only just ascended the throne and had not even had time to bury his father before Li Shimin’s army arrived at the gates. Xue Rengao, courageous but lacking in strategy and of a cruel temperament, fell victim to Li Shimin’s war of attrition. Li Shimin kept his forces behind strong defenses, waiting for the right moment. When the Western Qin army was exhausted and out of provisions, Li Shimin seized the opportunity and struck at Shallow Water Plain, utterly routing Xue Rengao and avenging his previous disgrace.

At that time, the Tang court had only recently been established. Liu Wuzhou led his troops south, capturing several Tang prefectures and even taking Taiyuan, Li Yuan’s base of operations, causing panic in Guanzhong. Li Shimin, appointed as commander, defeated Song Jingang and Liu Wuzhou in just a few months, reclaiming lost territories in Bing and Fen, thereby bringing peace to the north of Tang.

The world was in turmoil, with warlords carving out their own domains. After Yuwen Huaji assassinated the emperor, he led his forces northward, clashing repeatedly with Li Mi. Ultimately defeated at Weixian, Yuwen Huaji declared himself emperor, founding the state of Xu.

Li Mi, born to a noble and powerful family—four generations holding high office—was both scholarly and martial, harboring great ambition. After numerous victories against the Sui, his reputation shook the land, and he styled himself Duke of Wei. In his power struggle with Zhai Rang, the original leader of Wagang, he eventually betrayed and killed him, causing instability within the Wagang army. Morale faltered, and several defeats followed. Though he later triumphed over Yuwen Huaji, restoring some spirit, the cost was high. Before he could recover, his rival Wang Shichong, who controlled Luoyang, seized the moment, launched an all-out attack, and routed the Wagang army. With nowhere else to turn, Li Mi surrendered to Tang.

After defeating Li Mi, Wang Shichong grew arrogant and domineering, monopolizing court affairs. Soon, he deposed the puppet emperor, usurped the throne, proclaimed himself emperor of Zheng, and adopted the era name Kaiming.

Following the founding of the Tang, Li Yuan waged campaigns in all directions, allying with distant powers and attacking close rivals. Within two years, he had unified Guanzhong, held Bashu to the south and Hedong to the north, and his power was secure. He could advance east to strike Wang Shichong in Henan, north against Dou Jiande in Hebei, or south to campaign against Xiao Xian in Jiangnan. Alternatively, he could hold firm at Tong Pass, securing the Tang heartland.

By the third year of the Wude era, the Tang army was strong and well-equipped. Li Yuan dispatched his second son, Shimin, as commander once more, leading fifty thousand troops from Shanxi toward Luoyang to campaign against Wang Shichong.

Their momentum was unstoppable—victory followed victory, and surrounding counties surrendered in droves. Li Shimin’s brilliance shone through, winning battle after battle. At Cijian, he crushed Wang Shichong, and with the addition of the valiant general Yuchi Gong—peerless in combat, seizing lances with a single whip—he defeated Zheng’s general Shan Xiongxin, slaying over ten thousand. With heavy losses, Wang Shichong retreated into Luoyang, refusing to venture out.

At that time, all the prefectures of Henan were eager to submit, save for Wang Shichong, besieged in the solitary city of Luoyang. Since ancient times, Luoyang had been a strategic stronghold, its fortifications reinforced over decades by Emperor Yang of Sui—walls high, moats deep, and defenses formidable. The garrison consisted of elite Sui veterans, making the city nigh unassailable. After ascending the throne, Wang Shichong further strengthened the walls, turning Luoyang into an iron bastion.

Li Shimin encamped at Beimang, attacking from all sides day and night. The carnage beneath Luoyang’s walls was unimaginable; for over ten days, the slaughter was ceaseless, yet the city held firm. Over a dozen times, conspirators within tried to open the gates for Tang, but each attempt was discovered by Zheng’s troops and ended in execution.

The Tang soldiers, once buoyed by continuous victories, were now fatigued and worn out. Generals like Liu Hongji and others repeatedly petitioned to withdraw, but Li Shimin would not allow it. Even Li Yuan, seeing the fruitless siege drag on for months, sent a secret edict recalling Li Shimin, but he refused to obey.

Li Shimin sent more messengers to explain his reasoning to Li Yuan, persuading him to hold firm, while tightening the siege around Luoyang on all sides.

Wang Shichong, realizing his isolated city could not hold much longer, attempted to break out several times to no avail. Left with no options, he sent emissaries to contact Dou Jiande of Hebei, seeking military aid.

Dou Jiande, fresh from defeating Meng Haigong and absorbing his forces, led an army sharp and eager for battle, styling his state as Xia. Upon learning the gravity of the situation from Wang Shichong’s secret envoy—the lips and teeth sharing the same fate—he raised an army of one hundred thousand, boasting three times that number, and marched in grand procession, crossing the Yellow River by water and land, advancing on Luoyang.

On this very day, Li Mingyu was outside the village, drilling the children in the basics of mounted lance combat with Little Black. Suddenly, the usually lazy Little Black, lying on the ground, pricked up his ears, nose twitching as he sniffed the air.

After a moment, Little Black stood and trotted briskly toward the mouth of the valley, glancing back at him as if beckoning him to follow. Knowing Little Black’s habits well, Li Mingyu understood it had discovered something and wanted him to come along.

Puzzled, Li Mingyu instructed the children to continue practicing on their own and followed in Little Black’s footsteps. Just as he approached the valley entrance, he saw a carriage escorted by four sturdy riders approaching. Little Black, upon seeing the carriage, became excited and bounded forward, startling the horses into loud whinnies.

The carriage was exceedingly luxurious, and both the driver and the four attendants were burly women, armed with sabers at their waists—clearly skilled in martial arts. As they were about to enter the valley, the horses suddenly reared, neighing in alarm as a black-haired tiger leapt out. Startled, the attendants jumped from their mounts, drew their sabers with a clang, and surrounded the carriage.

Seeing their blades drawn, Li Mingyu hurriedly called out, “Don’t harm my Little Black!” and rushed over.

The attendants, surprised to see a child of seven or eight approach, were about to question him when the carriage curtain lifted and Lady Zhangsun appeared. She ordered, “He is one of ours, stand down.” The attendants respectfully sheathed their sabers and withdrew.

Recognizing Lady Zhangsun, Mingyu was both startled and delighted, hastening to salute her. He was also puzzled—wasn’t she pregnant? Why was she not in Chang’an, resting, but had come all the way to this rural place?

Her eyes rimmed red, her hand wrapped in white cloth, Lady Zhangsun asked urgently, “Mingyu, where is your master? I must see him at once!”

Mingyu replied, “Master should be at home practicing martial arts. I’ll take you to him.”

She nodded, instructing her attendants, “Leave two to guard the valley entrance and watch for any followers. The rest come with me, but do not disturb the villagers.” The attendants nodded and carried out her orders.

Seeing her precautions, Mingyu guessed she feared being followed. He said to Little Black, “Come with us, and if you spot anyone suspicious, drive them off!” Understanding, Little Black roared and bounded into the woods.

Mingyu then assured Lady Zhangsun, “Don’t worry, Aunt. Little Black’s nose is unmatched—no one can slip past him. But why be so cautious? Is there danger?”

She nodded in affirmation, saying, “These are troubled times, with spies everywhere. I had to come in secret, so it’s best to be careful.”

Guiding the carriage to his home, Mingyu called out before even entering, “Master! Master! Look who’s here!”

Xuanba, sweating from his martial practice in the courtyard, heard his apprentice’s call and came out. Seeing Lady Zhangsun, he hurried over in greeting. “Sister-in-law! What brings you here? Shouldn’t you be resting at home?”

Lady Zhangsun’s eyes reddened, and she nearly cried. “This isn’t the place to talk—let’s go inside.” She stepped down from the carriage, heavily pregnant, supported by her attendants. Mingyu, seeing her in her seventh or eighth month and struggling with her belly, quickly went to help, mindful of propriety.

Once Lady Zhangsun was seated inside, she began to weep. “Xuanba, I’ve come to beg a favor! For the sake of our past bond, you must help me! My brother is with Second Brother leading troops at the front, my uncles are old, and there’s no one I can rely on in Chang’an. I am truly at my wits’ end!”

Xuanba was shocked. “Sister-in-law, what do you mean? What has happened? You’re with child—don’t distress yourself and jeopardize the baby!”

Prompted by his concern, Lady Zhangsun’s sorrow overwhelmed her, and tears streamed down her face. “Your second brother is now besieging Wang Shichong at Luoyang—such a strong city, months of bitter fighting and still no result. The generals all want to retreat, but he refuses. Even when Father sent a secret order to withdraw, he held his ground. Somehow he persuaded Father to relent, and now I’m forbidden from asking further.”

Xuanba, knowing his brother’s keen mind, pondered, “A general in the field does not always heed the sovereign’s command. If my second brother refuses to withdraw, he must have his reasons. You needn’t worry.”

She shook her head, her tears flowing afresh. “I know your brother is strong-willed, but yesterday I heard that Wang Shichong has allied with Dou Jiande, and they are bringing three hundred thousand troops. Your brother is now trapped before Luoyang, with the impregnable city ahead and a massive army behind—he is beset on all sides, yet still insists on his course!” She could not finish before choking up, tears streaming down.

Xuanba was stunned. “Is this true? Three hundred thousand soldiers! What of my brother’s situation?”

Lady Zhangsun sobbed, “I don’t know. Father forbids me from asking, only telling me to rest. But I sent someone to inquire, and I’ve heard that, seeing the might of the united Zheng and Xia armies, some at court have proposed making peace with Wang Shichong by ceding Shanxi, just to bring your brother home. If not, then at least, should he fall in battle, it might appease Wang Shichong’s wrath.”

“Is this information reliable?” Xuanba pressed.

She hesitated, then replied, “I believe so. My maid is an old family retainer; her brother, a eunuch, once served in the Crown Prince’s household and was later given to one of his chief advisers. The news came from that adviser, muttered drunkenly—it should be true.”

Xuanba paced, hands behind his back, and laughed bitterly. “Ha! Is it my dear elder brother stirring up trouble again? That’s just like him—he’d forsake all brotherly ties for that throne!”