Map of the Kingdom's Warfare.

Summary

The Tang army exploited the Sui army's exhaustion and launched a fierce attack on Huguan city. Five thousand Tang archers led the charge, effectively countering the Sui archers' fire with their own. As the Tang soldiers approached the walls, they faced heavy resistance from Sui defenders using arrows, spears, and boiling oil. Despite significant casualties, the Tang forces pressed on, employing siege ladders and a battering ram to breach the city gates. Just as the Tang seemed poised for victory, reinforcements for the Sui army arrived, shifting the battle's momentum. Meanwhile, in Zhongdu, preparations for the imperial examination results were underway, with officials debating the admission process and regional quotas for scholars. Su Wei proposed a plan to allocate admissions based on examination performance while considering regional representation, leading to a contentious but ultimately agreed-upon decision.

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