Map of the Kingdom's Warfare.

Summary

He Mountain, located 250 miles east of Pyongyang, is renowned for housing Goguryeo's largest iron mine, crucial for both national strength and trade with neighboring peoples. After a defeat in the Goguryeo campaign, 80,000 Sui prisoners were forced into labor at the mine under the watch of 10,000 Goguryeo soldiers. Harsh conditions led to uprisings, but the prisoners remained hopeful upon hearing news of a Sui army landing nearby. A young messenger, Chen Xu, arrived to inform captured Sui generals, led by Cui Hong Sheng, about a planned rescue operation by General Zhang Xuan. Zhang Xuan, with 1,000 troops, aimed to attack Goguryeo guards that night. As preparations were made, Cui Hong Sheng expressed skepticism but agreed to cooperate. The Sui generals debated their involvement in the battle, with Cui emphasizing the importance of seizing the opportunity for freedom.

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