Map of the Kingdom's Warfare.

Summary

A parade in Zhongdu sparked discussions about power struggles. In the Ping An Inn, Lu Han and his friends discussed the Goguryeo campaign, with Lu Han asserting that Goguryeo was weakened and could be managed without direct annihilation. Their conversation was interrupted by Lu Zhuo, the Lu family head, who berated Lu Han for organizing a protest, resulting in Lu Han's removal from the imperial examination list. The next day, Lu Han discovered he had indeed been removed, while his friends celebrated their success. Meanwhile, in Yan City, the Sui army, comprising ninety thousand troops, laid siege to the city, where forty thousand Goguryeo soldiers awaited reinforcements, enduring harsh conditions as the Sui built an earthen mound to launch attacks. Zhang Xuan, a Sui general, observed the situation from the mound, noting the lack of defenders on the western wall and inquiring about a siege strategy competition among his soldiers.

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