Chapter 691: Encircling the Khitans

On the tenth day of the ninth month, the Tang army used 10,000 troops led by Ge Shuyao as a feint force, while 50,000 troops were stationed on the south bank of the Sumo River. They confronted the Khitan forces in the Xingzhou area. Meanwhile, the main force of 90,000 Tang troops headed north to Longyuan Prefecture in Dongjing. There, they encountered Prince Da Yingjun and over 200 nobles from the Bohai State.

Da Yingjun had originally planned to head south to Nanjing, but along the way, his group nearly ran into the advancing Khitan forces. Panicked, they dared not continue southward and instead turned eastward toward Longyuan Prefecture in Dongjing, intending to board ships and flee to the Tang Dynasty. The arrival of the Tang main force gave them hope and reassured them that they might survive.

At the Tang army’s camp, escorted by over 100 Tang cavalrymen, Prince Da Yingjun was brought before Li Baozhen’s temporary command tent. Nervous, Da Yingjun wondered why the Tang commander wanted to see him. Upon entering the camp, he found that the Tang troops were not encamped but in a state of readiness, ready to set off at any moment. There was only a simple tent, with dozens of soldiers guarding it.

Inside the tent, Li Baozhen and Zhao Chongjie were discussing something in front of a sand table, with a guide showing them the way to Xiande Prefecture. “General, Prince Da Yingjun has arrived!” a soldier reported.

Understanding what had happened, Zhao Chongjie smiled and said, “I’ll go check on the soldiers first.” He left with the guide, leaving Li Baozhen alone in the tent. Shortly after, Da Yingjun was brought in. Li Baozhen waved his hand, and all the soldiers retreated.

Before leaving, Li Baozhen had discussed the plan with Li Qingan. Li Qingan intended to support Da Yingjun, who had served as a hostage in the Tang Dynasty for years, as the king of Bohai. Over three to five years, he planned to gradually turn Bohai into Tang territory, a task assigned to Li Baozhen.

Li Baozhen observed the young prince—thin, pale, and extremely frail. His weakness was one issue, but more importantly, he avoided eye contact and kept his head down, appearing very nervous and timid. Li Baozhen nodded; this prince met Li Qingan’s requirements perfectly.

“Please sit,” he said with a slight smile, trying to ease Da Yingjun’s tension with a gentle tone.

“Thank you… General!” Da Yingjun sat down nervously on a wooden box. Wanting to express his gratitude to the Tang army, he stammered, “We never expected… the Tang army to arrive. We implore you to save the Bohai State from disaster.”

“That’s natural. The arrival of Tang’s hundred-thousand-strong army is to fulfill the agreement signed between my general and the King of Bohai. Has the prince seen this agreement?”
“I have. It has become an official document of the Bohai Kingdom. The prime minister and Mr. Wei have already taken it to the Tang Dynasty.”
Da Yingjun gradually calmed down and was no longer so tense. He said, “We will fully support the Tang army in stationing troops in the Bohai Kingdom.”
Li Baozhen smiled. “My general is aware of the prince’s experiences in the Tang Dynasty. The prince lived there for fifteen years, right?”
“To be precise, it was seventeen years. I spent my age two to four in Luoyang.”
“Seventeen years! The prince is twenty-five years old now. He has spent almost half of his life in the Tang Dynasty. Of course, there were painful memories, but those had nothing to do with the Tang Dynasty—they were caused by the rebel An Lushan. Please understand this, prince.”
Da Yingjun quickly bowed and said, “I can understand. In fact, I spent fourteen happy years in Chang’an and Luoyang. It was only in the last few years in Fanyang that I was under house arrest. I knew by then that An Lushan had already resolved to rebel.”
“Hmm!” Li Baozhen nodded. There was no need to beat around the bush, so he said frankly, “I invited the prince here today because I have something to discuss with him regarding the future of the Bohai Kingdom.”
Da Yingjun’s heart skipped a beat. He hurriedly said, “Please speak plainly, General Li.”
“Very well, then I’ll be direct. This is my general’s wish—he hopes that the third prince will become the heir to the throne of Bohai.”
Da Yingjun was stunned. After a long while, he asked in a low voice, “Why does His Majesty the King of Zhao favor me?”
“It’s simple. The third prince has spent many years in the Tang Dynasty and is more familiar with its culture, allowing him to communicate more easily with them. Therefore, having the third prince inherit the throne is in the best interests of the Tang Dynasty.”
“But my father, my elder brother…”
“You don’t need to worry about that!”
Li Baozhen waved his hand. “I only want to know your attitude. Are you willing to inherit the throne?”
Da Yingjun’s heart surged. How could he not be willing? He had dreamed of becoming the king of Bohai. But as the third prince, under the shadow of his powerful father and brothers, he had no hope. He had been so insecure and desperate. Now that the Tang Dynasty was willing to support him in ascending the throne, his excitement gradually turned into ecstasy.
“Do I need to… agree to anything?” He wasn’t stupid. He knew there were no free lunches in this world.
“Actually, you don’t need to agree to anything. As long as the Bohai Kingdom’s army follows the Tang army’s actions, we can together destroy Silla.”

Da Yingjun did not understand Li Baozhen’s meaning. The Bohai Kingdom had just formed an alliance with Silla—how could they plan to destroy it so quickly? It seemed unreasonable. Seeing that he couldn’t grasp it at once, Li Baozhen did not press him and said with a smile, “Very well! We’ll discuss destroying Silla later. For now, you only need to do one thing, and you will become the only king of the Bohai Kingdom recognized by the Tang Dynasty.” Li Baozhen took out a document and handed it to him. “This is the defense cooperation agreement between the Tang Dynasty and the Bohai Kingdom, signed by my general. In other words, the Tang army will take responsibility for the Bohai Kingdom’s defense, so the Bohai Kingdom won’t have to worry about military expenses. They can focus on restoring their people’s livelihoods, which have been damaged by the Khitans. Prince, take a look. If you have no objections, you can sign it officially.” What Li Baozhen said was subtle, but in reality, it meant disarming the Bohai Kingdom and allowing the Tang army to effectively occupy it. He smiled and added, “Prince, you can look at the last clause—the Tang army promises to merge Silla into the Bohai Kingdom’s territory within two years.” Da Yingjun’s expression shifted constantly. He didn’t know what to do. He sighed inwardly—the problem stemmed from his father’s approval of the Tang army’s presence in the Bohai Kingdom, which allowed them to become more demanding. What should he do? Seeing his conflict and hesitation, Li Baozhen said, “Longquan Prefecture is under fierce attack by the Khitan army. Once the city falls, the Khitans will massacre all the civilians and soldiers. Prince, if you don’t want to save your people, why are you still hesitating and wasting time here?” Those words awakened Da Yingjun. Indeed! The destruction of the Bohai Kingdom was imminent. Did he still have the right to bargain with the Tang army? “Very well! I’ll sign.” Da Yingjun picked up the pen and this time signed his name on the document without hesitation. “Excellent!” Li Baozhen praised. “Since Prince values the greater good, the Tang army will fully support you and the Bohai Kingdom.” He put away the document and ordered, “Send Prince back.” Da Yingjun left the tent. Li Baozhen walked to the tent door with his hands behind his back, watching him go. He felt a heavy responsibility ahead, but also a sense of challenge. His excitement made him want to shout to the sky—a true man should achieve great feats, expand his territory, and leave a name in history. The sky was unusually gloomy, with dark clouds covering it and cold winds howling. The world was shrouded in gray mist, signaling the approaching harsh winter for the Bohai Kingdom… The Tang army continued forward. Three days later, they crossed Taibai Mountain through Mingyue Gou in Luzhou. Launching a surprise attack at night, they captured Xiande Prefecture and seized 500,000 cattle and sheep, along with large amounts of forage, that the Khitan army hadn’t had time to evacuate…

The main force of the Tang army suddenly attacked from behind, catching Li Yanchong off guard. He sent people to seek help from Li Huaijie while organizing his troops to resist. But as Guo Shuyao’s 10,000 troops crossed the Sumo River, a pincer attack was formed against Li Yanchong. That night, the Tang army launched a massive assault on his forces. Li Yanchong’s 30,000 Xi troops and 40,000 Yan troops could not withstand the Tang army’s night attack and collapsed after just two hours, suffering a complete defeat. The Yan general Zhang Zhongzhi was killed by Zhao Chongjie’s arrow, leading to the total destruction of the Yan forces first. Li Yanchong led the remaining 10,000 Xi soldiers in a desperate attempt to break through the encirclement, but in the end, only 3,000 of his troops managed to escape and flee northward to join Li Huaijie. In the battle of the Sumo River, the Khitan allied forces lay dead in the ravines, blood flowing like rivers. The Tang army threw their corpses into the river, causing it to dry up. The Tang army killed over 65,000 Khitan and Yan soldiers and captured nearly 100,000 warhorses. They then stationed themselves in Zhongjing Xiande Prefecture. In the early morning, dark clouds hung low, and a biting north wind howled, making the flags on the walls of Xiande Prefecture flutter violently. It was mid-September of the second year of Qingping. A strong cold front swept in, turning Bohai Kingdom into winter overnight. Li Baozhen stood on the city wall early in the morning, gazing into the distance. He had just received news from Shangjing that the Khitan army had failed in their siege attempt and had withdrawn to the Huhan Sea area, showing signs of retreating. Li Baozhen knew that the Khitan army hadn’t failed in the siege but rather had had their logistical supplies captured, leaving them with no choice but to withdraw. At that moment, a snowflake drifted down from the sky and landed on Li Baozhen’s nose. He was startled and raised his head to see snowflakes falling all around—the first snow of winter had arrived. “General!” A soldier ran over. “Someone has brought a letter, an letter from the supreme general!” Li Baozhen perked up, feeling somewhat incredulous. He was in the heart of Bohai Kingdom! How could the supreme general even send him a letter? He quickly asked, “Where is the messenger?” A young man, covered in dust, came forward under the guidance of several soldiers. He knelt on one knee and saluted Li Baozhen militarily. “I am Wu Feng, commander of the First Falcon Camp. I am here to deliver a letter to General Li on behalf of General Ji Sheng.” After saying that, he handed a letter to Li Baozhen. Li Baozhen knew that Ji Sheng was leading a scouting team operating in Hebei. He asked the messenger, “Where is General Ji now?”

“Reporting to the general, General Ji is currently leading his men in hiding in Yingzhou, ready to join the main army at any time for combat.”
Li Baozhen nodded and took the letter. It was a message sent by Li Qing’an through Ji Sheng. He eagerly opened it and read Li Qing’an’s words: ‘Li Baozhen is appointed as Grand General of Longwu and Governor of Andong as well as Commander of Bohai, with the title of Duke of Liaoguo. Zhao Chongjie is appointed as General of the Jinwu Guard, and Geshu Yao as Grand General of the Eastern Palace’s Six Commanderies. Zhao Chongjie is also granted the title of Duke of Beiping County and appointed as Governor of Youzhou, while Geshu Yao becomes Governor of Yingzhou and Marquis of Xincheng. All generals under their command will receive a promotion, and the troops will be rewarded with gold and silver from the Bohai treasury. The military orders are as follows: First, before winter arrives, eradicate the Khitan stronghold; all Khitan and Xi men must be killed to prevent future threats. Women and children can be sent to Hedong after the battles in Hebei are over, and Li Huaijie’s head must be delivered to the capital. Second, with winter approaching, the main army can rest in Bohai for the winter and launch an attack on An Lushan next spring…’
Li Baozhen was deeply moved. Li Qing’an was truly extraordinary—rewards came even before reports of their achievements, showing his trust in them and his firm belief in the northern expedition.
He immediately ordered, “Send General Zhao here at once!”
A moment later, Zhao Chongjie rushed over, smiling, “What does the general need from me?”
Li Baozhen handed him the letter. “This is a letter from the supreme general. Take a look.”
Zhao Chongjie was stunned. He quickly read the letter, his eyes filling with excitement. He immediately said, “I am willing to lead troops to attack Songmo and Raole.”
Li Baozhen smiled. “That’s exactly what I thought. With the first snowfall approaching and time running short, you can lead ten thousand cavalry to head west immediately to attack the Khitan and Xi strongholds.”
“Understood!”
Zhao Chongjie rushed off to gather his troops. At that moment, Li Baozhen announced Li Qing’an’s rewards to the entire army, causing great joy and boosting morale.
…
Xiande Prefecture is today’s Dunhua in Jilin. Mid-September corresponds to late October or early November in later times. The north began to cool down as cold air invaded, and this year’s first snow fell earlier than in previous years. A north wind blew overnight, covering the mountains and rivers in white.
The Upper Capital was built on a mountain, making it stronger and taller than the Central Capital. Coupled with the desperate defense by the soldiers and civilians, it was difficult for the Khitan army to capture it in a short time. The defeat in the Sumo River battle and the lack of supplies further demoralized the Khitan troops, reducing their intensity in attacking the Upper Capital.
The sudden arrival of the Tang army reversed the situation. Li Huaijie realized their crisis was imminent. They could only survive by retreating to Songmo as quickly as possible. Now that the Tang army had arrived, their dream of conquering Bohai was shattered.

At this time, Li Huaijie still had over 60,000 troops under his command, including more than 40,000 Khitan soldiers and 20,000 Yan soldiers—his last remaining forces. He was determined to preserve this army at all costs.

The Khitan army withdrew from Shangjing and entered Huzhou City in Lake Khuhai to organize their troops. Lake Khuhai is today’s Jingbo Lake. Huzhou City was a formidable fortress built on the top of a hill on the western shore in the middle of Lake Khuhai, with a circumference of about four li. It was mainly inhabited by troops and fishermen, but the arrival of the Khitans had already forced these troops and fishermen to retreat to Shangjing City, leaving Huzhou City completely empty.

Although the Khitan army was short of food and supplies and faced a critical situation, Li Huaijie still intended to stay in Huzhou City for a day or two. Officially, it was to organize the troops, but in reality, he wanted to take the opportunity to absorb the Yan army. If he could swallow up the Yan army, his losses would not be severe—only the Xi and Yan armies would be completely destroyed.

The main commander of the Yan army was An Qinghe, the third son of An Lushan, with Zhang Zhongzhi as his deputy. However, Zhang Zhongzhi had already died in the battle at Sumo River, leaving An Qinghe without a supporter. An Qinghe was only 25 or 26 years old, the youngest son of An Lushan, and the one he loved the most. Due to his weak health since childhood, he did not learn martial arts but pursued a literary career—this was also An Lushan’s wish. His second son, An Qingxu, was already skilled in military affairs, so An Lushan needed a younger son who could govern the country through literature. Hence, he named him “Qinghe” with the intention of having him focus on literature, and he had learned from great scholars in Hebei since childhood.

An Qinghe was well-versed in literature but lacked the talent to lead troops. Although he was the main commander on this northern expedition, An Lushan actually only wanted him to act as an inspector, with actual military command in the hands of Zhang Zhongzhi. But Zhang Zhongzhi’s death suddenly left An Qinghe at a loss, forcing him to essentially obey Li Huaijie’s orders without question.

At that moment, An Qinghe was pacing restlessly in his room. Retreating was a good idea, but how could he bring his troops back to Yingzhou safely? This worried him greatly.

“Young marshal, it seems to be snowing!” one of his bodyguards said at the door.

An Qinghe was startled and quickly stepped out of the room. He saw heavy snowflakes falling from the sky. “It seems to be snowing earlier this year!”

An Qinghe was very surprised and felt uneasy. If the heavy snow blocked the roads, could they still leave?

At that moment, a rider rushed over, his horse’s hooves clattering rapidly, and stopped in front of An Qinghe. “Young general, the commander-in-chief asks you to come immediately to discuss urgent military matters!”

“What’s the matter?”

“There’s heavy snowfall. The commander-in-chief says the plan has changed. Please go there right away.”

An Qinghe did not hesitate. He quickly led a few of his personal guards on horseback toward Li Huaijie’s camp. Li Huaijie’s camp was located in the center of Huzhou City, surrounded by a hundred or so small tents. Since the city was not large, the troops were stationed outside the city, with only Li Huaijie, Li Yanchong, and An Qinghe living inside.

An Qinghe rode to the camp and dismounted. He happened to meet Li Yanchong, who was coming to hold a meeting. “Young general, the weather is strange! Why is it snowing early?” Li Yanchong laughed heartily.

“Yes! It’s really odd—snowing ahead of time.”

An Qinghe echoed his words, but inwardly he sneered, “You kill people like grass. How can heaven not be angry at you? This is divine punishment!”

He cursed in his heart, yet kept a smile on his face. The two entered the main tent together. As soon as they went in, they were stunned—Li Huaijie was not there. Suddenly, they heard the sound of a porcelain bowl shattering, “Clang!” An Qinghe didn’t react immediately, but Li Yanchong’s face turned pale. “Bad!” he shouted, drawing his sword and rushing outside the tent.

But it was too late. Hundreds of Khitan warriors armed with sharp axes rushed in. They slashed wildly, turning Li Yanchong and An Qinghe into pieces of flesh. At the same time, their attendants were also killed.

Li Huaijie immediately convened a meeting with his senior officers. At this meeting, he secured the loyalty of the Yan army officers and the Xi people officers. He officially incorporated the 20,000 Yan troops and over 4,000 Xi troops into the Khitan tribal army. But just then, he received news that nearly 100,000 Tang troops had surrounded their escape routes.

At dusk, the snow grew heavier, and the wind howled. A blizzard hit, instantly obscuring everything around in chaos and pale yellow mist. White snowflakes danced through the mist. The dim sky merged with the sea of snow, and heaven and earth seemed to blend together…

The Khitan army tried to break through the blizzard. Amid the swirling snowflakes were countless arrows. Each attempt by the Khitan army to break through resulted in heavy casualties. Over the course of one night, they made six attempts, losing more than 10,000 men, yet still unable to break through the Tang army’s arrow blockade.

With no other choice, the Khitan army was forced to retreat temporarily to Huzhou City, waiting for another chance to break through.