novelraw Chapter 416 - 13: Bloody Battle at Hulao Pass, Capturing Two Emperors in One Fight (Double-Length - )
Chapter 416 - 13: Bloody Battle at Hulao Pass, Capturing Two Emperors in One Fight (Double-Length - )
They launched an all-out attack on Dou Jiande’s dragon camp.
The situation descended into utter chaos.
Having completely lost contact with the central army, the Xia Army on all sides had become like headless flies.
Even if someone noticed the abnormality of the central army,
under such circumstances, another thought would instinctively arise.
——The central army has completely retreated!
It’s even possible that Dou Jiande might have been captured.
No one wanted to die in vain, especially as the Xia Army’s morale had already plummeted, and various factors combined were pushing the entire Xia Army into the abyss of complete collapse.
And Li Shimin never stopped from beginning to end.
His target was only one——
That was Dou Jiande!
Chaos!
Total chaos.
Dou Jiande initially wanted to resist, but as events unfolded, he ultimately had no choice but to flee.
No matter how the soldiers on all sides fared.
Even his central army had lost the will to resist.
How could this battle be fought?
He had no choice but to escape!
Li Shimin paid no attention to the other Xia troops; his target was only one, to tightly pursue Dou Jiande!
As long as Dou Jiande was captured.
With the assistance of the Gu Clan and provisions, subduing these troops wasn’t considered a difficult task!
At that time, the roles of offense and defense could be reversed, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
Li Shimin was like a madman without regard for his own life, relentlessly chasing.
He didn’t even care in the slightest if he got injured.
Under these circumstances, Dou Jiande finally had no retreat. Under the double pressure of physical and mental exhaustion, he carelessly fell off his warhorse.
Faced with the instantaneously approaching Tang Army.
In fright, he had no choice but to declare his identity.
"Spare me, I am King Xia!"
"I am the Emperor of Great Xia."
What shared ruler under heaven, what supreme of the ages, what everlasting empire?
Under the threat of death.
Dou Jiande ultimately suppressed all that he once dreamed of.
He only wanted to survive.
——The overall situation was completely secured.
It wasn’t until they saw Dou Jiande brought over with their own eyes that some were still finding it hard to believe everything.
Li Shimin’s expression was also very complex.
Fatigue; a sense of relief among a myriad of emotions overwhelmed him.
Even the usually stern Gu Quan couldn’t help but change his expression.
For them.
This battle required far too much sacrifice.
Li Shimin carried the burden of the rising Great Tang.
And Gu Quan carried the renown of the Gu Clan, even its very survival.
If they had been defeated by Dou Jiande, would Dou Jiande have spared the Gu Clan?
Even if Gu Yu had some means.
The Gu Clan would have been destined to pay a huge price.
But now—they won.
Without the slightest hesitation, Li Shimin immediately took Dou Jiande and started back the way they came.
He wanted to subdue Dou Jiande’s men and horses.
At the same time, he also wanted someone to send this message to the Luoyang front.
The current situation in Luoyang was still very stalemated.
Wang Shichong was still stubbornly defending, even to the point where the city had reached the extremity of eating horses for food, he was still tenaciously holding the city.
He had already placed all his hopes on Dou Jiande.
As long as this message was sent over.
The time for pacifying Luoyang would have arrived!
...
The process of subduing the Xia Army was extremely smooth, not even requiring Dou Jiande, the so-called emperor.
Faced with a Xia Army who had long lost their will to fight.
As long as Gu Quan appeared.
They would lay down their weapons.
The real challenge lay with Luoyang. Faced with the news that the Tang Army had already subdued the Xia Army and even captured Dou Jiande alive, no one was willing to believe it.
——Who would dare believe it?
Even Li Yuanji and Li Jing were stunned upon hearing the news.
Let alone Wang Shichong?
But reality was, after all, reality.
No matter how much Wang Shichong refused to accept it, and even after killing many people in succession, when he personally saw Dou Jiande in that cage, everything was already completely over.
In the fourth year of Wude, on July 11th;
The tightly closed gates of Luoyang were finally slowly pushed open by someone.
Wang Shichong had now removed his dragon robe, replaced by the attire of a subject.
Holding the Jade Seal he once valued the most, he led a group of civil and military officials slowly towards Li Shimin, then slowly knelt down.
In one battle, Heluo was secured!...
——————
"In the third year of Wude, the vassals conspired to jointly attack Tang.
At that time, Grand General Quan followed King Qin Shimin in the campaign against the Eastern Capital, first occupying key positions, capturing several cities, and then besieging Luoyang.
Kyushu was shocked, and disturbances arose everywhere.
Emperor Xia Dou Jiande, upon hearing this, led 100,000 troops from Hebei, intending to take advantage of the situation. King Qin moved his army to Hulao to confront him, and the Xia Army attacked the city day and night, unable to take it for three days.
Quan advised, "Their army is old and depleted, we should switch from defense to offense to crush their spirit."
King Qin adopted his strategy, personally led his troops out, and the Xia soldiers were panic-stricken, with ominous words spreading everywhere.
Dou Jiande set his formation on the east bank of the Si River, backed by the great river to the north and connected to Que Mountain to the south, stretching 20 li.
Soon after, a great plague hit the army, causing the formation to loosen, and King Qin waited for this slack, donned his armor personally, and led the Profound Armor to charge the formation, with Quan along the way breaking through, leading ferocious generals like Gong and Qiong to clear the path.
Dou Jiande fled in disarray, pursued to Niu Kouzhu, and then captured.
In this battle, beheaded and captured filled the fields, Heluo was completely secured, and the world submitted in awe."
——"Tang Book. Biography of Gu Quan"