Chapter 547: Jinyang Takes Over the World
Perhaps it was also the end of the Northern Han's national destiny. General Zhenbei Huyan Bao, General Kaifu Yang Shanxing, General Zhechou Zhou Ju, Feng Hui, Bingzhou official Wang Jin, Taichang Temple Minister Zu Ting and other civil and military officials sent letters to the Tang army outside the city through various channels to express their loyalty.

They also expressed their willingness to serve the Tang Dynasty as internal supporters. These military generals were in charge of commanding troops and defending the city, and the civil officials who stayed in Jinyang were in charge of military equipment, supplies, and food.

At night, Huyan Bao opened the Jinyang city gate and let the Tang army enter the city after waving torches continuously in accordance with the agreement with the Tang army.

Most of the Han army surrendered without any resistance under the instructions of their generals. Those who resisted were immediately besieged and exterminated, and many surrendered.

Only the cavalry led by Yang Kan was stationed in the north city under strict guard. Liu Changmin and Wang Sizheng were discovered by their personal guards when the Tang army broke into the front of their mansions, and a fierce battle ensued.

The two elite troops from Chang'an and Luoyang were responsible for attacking the two men's residences, while the rest of the troops began to take over the defense of Jinyang city according to the plan.

Zhu Deyu led elite troops to block the Han army's camp in the north of the city, which was also the garrison of the cavalry led by Yang Kan.

After Yang Kan was awakened, he immediately asked his personal soldiers to put on his armor, and then led his troops to the front of the camp. Seeing the Tang army holding torches high and setting up strong bows and crossbows, long spears and large shields, he immediately realized that they were well prepared.

At the same time, they also know what happened. At this point, it has always been like this, and the reason why martyrs are praised is because it is rare to do so.

But most people will still choose to survive.

Yang Kan can now order his cavalry to charge out of the camp. Many of these elite cavalry who have followed him for eight thousand miles will definitely be willing to die for his military orders.

But what's the point of doing this? It's just to kill more people. They are all his old subordinates who have been with him on the expedition of 8,000 miles and experienced many bloody battles.

On the Tang army side, Zhu Deyu led his troops to block the gate of the camp in the north of the city, but also did nothing.

The most intense resistance came from the Inspectorate and the Governor's Office. Liu Changmin and Wang Sizheng led elite troops to guard the government offices. The rest of the places such as granaries, armories, and city defenses were gradually taken over by the Tang army. Anyone who did not resist stubbornly would not be killed.

Except for three high-ranking officials in the city, almost all the middle and grassroots officials below them have already turned their hearts to the Tang Dynasty.

In other words, they were not loyal to the Tang Dynasty, but wanted to continue living instead of accompanying the generals to death.

In less than an hour, the governor's mansion where Liu Changmin was located was breached and Liu Changmin himself was killed in the battle.

The Tang army that besieged the governor's mansion received an order. The commander of the army conveyed the order from Prince of Qi Li Yuanhui to the governor's mansion, which was resisting stubbornly. The king of Qi wanted to save Wang Sizheng alive. If he died, all the guards and staff of the governor's mansion, including Wang's family members, would be killed.

The King of Qi, who has always been kind and benevolent, rarely issues such a cruel order, but Wang Sizheng did not dare to bet whether Li Yuanhui would really do so.

After all, the governor's office is really resisting now. Even if they are all killed, no one can say anything. Even the whole Jinyang is under Li Yuanhui's control.

In the end, Wang Sizheng surrendered.

While Yang Kan was still hesitating, the more than 10,000 elite soldiers in the camp north of the city finally chose not to leave the camp and fight in street battles with the Tang army.

Yang Kan also had to consider the Hongnong Yang family, as most of their family members were in Chang'an and Luoyang. Some were even in the Tang army.

Now that the Northern Han Empire is on the verge of collapse, if he continues to resist, his family will surely be implicated.

But he did not choose to surrender, and returned to the tent and sat there until dawn. Only after Li Yuanhui had taken control of Jinyang City inside and outside did he send his son Li Chengdao and nephew Li Changgong to the north camp to persuade them to surrender.

Li Chengdao and his cousin Li Changgong revealed their identities in front of the camp gate. Yang Kan was very surprised but still let them enter the camp.

After meeting Li Chengdao, Yang Kan asked, "You are the son of the King of Qi. The King of Qi and I have a grudge for killing my brother. You dare to enter the camp to persuade us to surrender. Aren't you afraid of death?"

Li Chengdao smiled and said, "I heard that General Yang once led his troops to travel 8,000 miles to attack Guanzhong. Although he was defeated by my uncle, Emperor Taizong, he was able to lead a large group of cavalry to attack long distances. His talent is comparable to Huo Qubing. As for my safety, there is no need to worry. The general and my father, the King of Qi, actually have no hatred. Yang Gong committed suicide that day, not my father, so where is the hatred? As for the battle between the two armies, each for its own master, how can there be any enmity? And General Yang did not move his troops last night. I guess he was worried about the soldiers in the camp and the family of the Hongnong Yang family, right?"

Yang Kan watched the young man Li Chengdao speak eloquently without fear, and his words hit his soft spot directly. However, the first few words of praise made him very proud.
Yang Kan, who was being held captive, sighed and said, "It is a blessing for the King of Qi to have a son like you. General, you can report to the King of Qi that I am willing to surrender to the Tang Dynasty. Please treat these soldiers who have been with me for many years well."

Li Chengdao smiled and said, "General Yang, don't worry. My father is kind and benevolent, and is well-known throughout the world. He has long ago instructed all the troops not to kill the surrendered and not to harass the people. Those who disobey his orders will be executed immediately."

Yang Kan said: "Then I'll leave it to you, General."

Afterwards, Yang Kan followed Li Chengdao and Li Changgong out of the city and surrendered to Li Yuanhui outside the camp. More than 10,000 elite soldiers in the camp north of the city also surrendered their weapons.

Li Yuanhui finally breathed a sigh of relief and led his generals into Jinyang. This place, which should have been the birthplace of the old Li family, finally returned to the hands of the Li family.

After entering Jinyang, Li Yuanhui immediately appointed Bingzhou Governor Li Huaizhen to be in charge of Jinyang's defense, and all the garrisons in the city were dispersed and resettled. He then summoned Wang Sizheng and asked him how to conquer the Northern Han.

Wang Sizheng refused to speak. After repeated questioning, Wang Sizheng finally said that he would implement a benevolent policy to win back the hearts of Bingzhou, and then Hebei would be conquered without a fight.

The strategy is right, but it's nonsense given the current situation.

However, Li Yuanhui did not make it difficult for him and let him go directly. After all, this great talent who was forced to surrender would not be used by him.

In fact, Li Yuanhui never thought of really using him. He kept him just to appease the people of Bingzhou and set an example for the Hebei gentry.

We in the Tang Dynasty are eager to recruit talented people.

The same is true for Yang Kan. Many members of the Guanzhong nobles were trapped in Hebei. They were originally officials of the Tang Dynasty. After being captured in the Battle of Baigou,

They just served the Northern Han. There were quite a few of them, and their families were all prominent families in Guanlong. Persuading Yang Kan to surrender was equivalent to telling them that you can rest assured that the Tang Dynasty will not hold grudges against you for the past. As long as you come back and serve the Tang Dynasty, you will be good comrades.

After all, Yang Kan chased Li Yuanhui and hacked at him for eighteen streets, and almost killed Li Yuanhui. He was still persuaded to surrender. What are you worried about?
To put it bluntly, it's all about human nature. We can't let these people follow the Northern Han and fight to the death.

Li Yuanhui also called Wang Yi, Duke of Qi and Governor of Bingzhou, who were doing logistics work in Hedong, to Jinyang to appease the hearts of the local gentry. After all, Wang Yi was Li Yuan's nephew and from the Qi County branch of the Wang family in Taiyuan. He had done a good job in pacifying Hedong before. Taiyuan was his ancestral home, so he had more room to play.

After receiving the military report of the capture of Jinyang, Li Sanlang in Chang'an went directly to the Taimiao to offer sacrifices.

Because he felt that apart from his eldest sister, there was no one else in Chang'an who was worthy of celebrating this news with him, and he especially wanted to tell this news to Emperor Gaozu Shenwu and Emperor Taizong Wen in the Taimiao.

Grandpa and second brother, do you see that the day when our Tang Dynasty unifies the world is not far away?

Afterwards, Li Chengdao, who had made the greatest contribution in the Battle of Shangdang, was appointed as the General of the Zhenjun Army. As for the rest of the meritorious officials, their rewards were all decided by the King of Qi.

After Jinyang was slightly stabilized, Li Yuanhui immediately appointed General Fujun Li Yaoshi as the commander-in-chief of the army, General Zuo Xiaowei Dou Cong, General You Xiaowei Cheng Zhijie, Li Chengdao who had just been appointed General Zhenjun, General You Lingjun Wei Hou Jun, and Shang Duhu Zhang Zhen'e as deputy generals, and led 12,000 elite cavalry to raid Shuofang.

The main purpose of sending troops to Shuofang this time was to deal with the powerful Liang family in Shuofang. The father of Liang Shiyan, the current governor of Shuofang and general of the Western Expedition appointed by the Northern Han Dynasty, had once returned to the Tang Dynasty, but then rebelled against the Tang Dynasty and returned to the Han Dynasty, which was quite unkind.

The Tang Dynasty had not paid much attention to Shuofang for many years. This time, Li Yuanhui decided to take advantage of the opportunity of taking Datong to clear up the northern border. All the northern border defenses such as Yanmen, Mayi, and Yunzhong must be taken over.

Therefore, he ordered his cousin, Hedong Prince Li Cang, to lead tens of thousands of elite troops to garrison Shangdang and defend the Taihang Pass. Zhu Deyu was the commander-in-chief, and Chang Yanheng, Zhang Jian, Xue Wanjun and Li Su were deputy commanders-in-chief to take Yanmen and Daijun to the north.

Zhu Deyu led 30,000 infantry and cavalry northward, and the Northern Han Yanmen Prefect Yuchi Gang and the General Houmochen Xiong surrendered.

The army marched northward, with Chang Yanheng's 3,000 cavalry as the vanguard. After two days and nights of rapid march, they rushed from Yanmen to Daibei, causing a huge noise. However, they did not engage in a fight with the cavalry from Daibei, but instead directly raided Tiemen Pass, also known as Juyong Pass.

Juyongguan is the main road from Daibei to Youzhou, and Chang Yanheng's move was extremely dangerous because he only brought cavalry, lacked heavy weapons for siege, and did not bring much supplies.

Fortunately, after the Tang Dynasty defeated the Turks in the Battle of Gaoping, the threat from the north was basically gone. The Turks were busy fighting in their own civil war and split into two parts, east and west. The Northern Han and the Tang Dynasty supported one side respectively and sent them some supplies to support them. As a result, there has been no border threat in the north for several years. This led to Juyongguan becoming the inner pass of the Northern Han Dynasty. The military preparations were relaxed, and the soldiers were often deducted by their superiors. Naturally, they had no energy to patrol carefully. This led to the Tang cavalry carrying the Han army flag taking Juyongguan almost without bloodshed.

After Juyongguan was captured by the Tang Dynasty, it meant that the connection between Daibei and Youzhou was cut off, because Juyongguan itself was the eighth of the eight passes in Taihang Mountains.

When Tuoba Tianbao, the cavalry general of the Northern Han Dynasty, learned that Juyongguan was captured by the Tang army, he was shocked because he was gathering his troops to prepare to resist the main force of the Tang army.

The retreat was blocked? What's the point of fighting?

Therefore, after fighting two hasty battles with the Tang army, the eight Xianbei tribes led by Tuoba also sent envoys to meet Zhu Deyu to express their willingness to surrender to the Tang Dynasty.

But Li Yuanhui said that the eight tribes of Daibei must be dispersed and resettled, and you can no longer stay in Daibei. This tribal system is too backward. You must register all the people and there is no room for negotiation.

The chieftains of the eight tribes are naturally unwilling. We have been in Daibei for dozens or hundreds of years. Why should we be asked to migrate and register the people together?

I won't surrender if you keep doing this, keep going.

Generals of the Tang Dynasty: Let's continue? Is there such a good thing?
(End of this chapter)