Map of the Kingdom's Warfare.

Summary

Li Xiao Gong, sensing trouble as Northern Sui's internal guard troops moved north, dispatched a messenger to Li Shi Min and led his army to pursue. They faced the challenge of crossing the turbulent East Wu Guan River, which had lost its wooden bridge after Sui troops occupied the area. Attempts to wade across resulted in casualties, leaving Li Xiao Gong anxious for a solution. General Lu Zu Shang proposed blocking the upstream flow to reduce the river's depth, which Li Xiao Gong approved, sending troops to execute the plan. As they worked, a messenger arrived with an urgent decree from Prince Qin, ordering Li Xiao Gong to withdraw thirty-five thousand troops to assist in encircling Sui forces in Shangluo County. Despite being short on troops, Li Xiao Gong focused on reclaiming Wu Guan. After a sleepless night, he learned the river had dried up, allowing General Shi Huai Yi to lead troops across. With reinforcements arriving, the Tang army prepared for a major assault on Wu Guan, where Sui commander Li Ke Shi awaited them, planning to create conditions for a strategic retreat rather than a direct confrontation. As the Tang army gathered, Li Ke Shi received news from General Liu Lan Cheng, prompting him to mobilize his cavalry northward. The sudden absence of Sui soldiers from the city wall puzzled Li Xiao Gong, who sent General Shi Huai Yi to investigate, leading to heightened tension as the Tang forces prepared for potential conflict.

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