Chapter 124: The Siege of Yanmen (Part 10)

As the morning sun rose, the Tujue had already withdrawn overnight from beneath the walls of Yanmen Commandery, leaving behind countless cattle, sheep, livestock, and unattended horses, alongside military supplies and the smoldering ashes of their encampments that drifted away on the wind. Yang Guang had finally shed the military attire he had worn for nearly a month, once again donning his formal imperial robes.

Li Wenyuan ordered his troops to clear a space outside the north gate of Yanmen Commandery, then arranged his entire army in orderly ranks, awaiting the Emperor’s inspection. Before long, the gates of Yanmen swung open. Escorted by an honor guard, Yang Guang emerged from the city to review the forces that had come to his rescue.

Seeing the Emperor approach, Li Wenyuan knelt on one knee, facing the direction from which Yang Guang came. Following his lead, the soldiers arrayed outside the walls also knelt, laying down their weapons and shouting in unison: "May Your Majesty enjoy peace and health; may the Great Sui endure forever."

The roar of ten thousand voices shattered the oppressive, deathly silence that had gripped Yanmen Commandery during the month-long siege. Soldiers manning the battlements peered down, their eyes met by an army of gleaming armor and impeccable discipline. Having fought the Tujue for days and breached several enemy defensive lines, their armor remained stained with blood. The intense aura of slaughter and the scent of battle that clung to them created an undeniable sense of overwhelming pressure.

"Unmoving as a mountain." The collective shout dispersed the gloom that had weighed on Yang Guang’s heart. Driven by the joy of surviving such a peril, he was visibly moved. He hurried forward, raised Li Wenyuan to his feet, and said, "Minister Li, you are truly my lucky star. First, you saved tens of thousands of Sui soldiers and civilians on the Liaodong battlefield, then you crushed the rebel forces of Yang Xuangan that besieged the capital. Not long ago, you defeated the rebellion of Li Gui, who sought to defect to the Tujue, and now, you have driven back the Tujue horde here at Yanmen. If all my generals were like you, the Great Sui would truly be secure forever."

Supported by the Emperor, Li Wenyuan bowed and replied, "Your Majesty is the True Dragon, protected by Heaven itself. Your radiance surpasses the sun and moon, while those Tujue are but northern barbarians. How could the flickering light of rotting grass compare to the brilliance of the moon? This humble subject merely relied on your boundless good fortune to successfully repel these barbarians who dared to offend your imperial majesty. Had Your Majesty not been here, I would not have dared to lead such a detachment so deep behind enemy lines, even with the greatest courage."

Since the siege began, Yang Guang had been forcing himself to remain composed, and the sudden news of his salvation left him somewhat disoriented. For reasons unknown, the flattery he usually found tiresome now felt immensely gratifying. Perhaps it was because he had narrowly escaped becoming a prisoner of the Tujue, and it was the man before him who ensured he could continue to sit upon the throne. Without dwelling on such details, Yang Guang clapped his hands and laughed: "Heaven favors the Great Sui, sending me a lucky star like Minister Li to assist me. Since the Heavenly Emperor has graciously granted me, Yang Guang, a reprieve, I, as the Son of Heaven, must also show my grace: issue my decree—all criminal sentences within Yanmen Commandery are hereby pardoned."

The officials of Yanmen who had followed the Emperor out of the city knelt in succession, crying, "Your Majesty is wise and sagacious!"

At that moment, a troop of cavalry galloped from the west. Even from a distance, the voice of the man in the lead could be heard shouting: "Your Majesty! We are late in coming to your rescue; please forgive us for the alarm caused to your person."

The voice carried on the morning breeze to Yang Guang’s ears. Recognizing it as Yun Dingxing, Yang Guang quickly composed himself, resuming the dignified posture of an emperor. He turned to watch as Yun Dingxing, not even waiting for his horse to come to a full stop, leaped from the saddle and knelt before him. "Minister Yun, having the courage to come to my rescue is enough for me. Last night, I saw what appeared to be a vast army to the south of the city. Was that the force you brought?"

Realizing the Emperor was curious about his actions and how he had mobilized such a force, Yun Dingxing replied respectfully, "Reporting to Your Majesty, this humble subject does not possess a vast army; I arrived with only a few thousand men. The reason Your Majesty saw what appeared to be a massive force was due to a ruse of deception suggested by one of my officers."

"Oh? A ruse of deception? Who suggested it? Is he with you?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, he is indeed here. He is Li Shimin, the second son of Li Yuan, the Pacification Commissioner of Hedong, Shanxi." As he spoke, Yun Dingxing beckoned for a young officer to step forward.

The youth approached, bowed deeply to Yang Guang, and said, "Your humble subject, Li Shimin, pays his respects to the Emperor."

"Come closer, let me get a good look at you," Yang Guang commanded.

Li Shimin stepped forward as instructed and looked the Emperor in the eye. Yang Guang studied the young man’s heroic, spirited features for a long moment before asking, "You are the son of Li Yuan? How old are you?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, I am sixteen years old."

"Good, truly a hero among the young. To have such resolve at your age puts the generals under my command to shame. Since you are determined to serve in the military, strive to earn great merit. I look forward to seeing you at court one day."

After receiving the other commanders who had come to his aid, Yang Guang waved his hand and said, "I am weary. You may all return. I have taken note of the merit earned in this rescue."

On the way back to his temporary palace in Yanmen, an official from the Censorate whispered to Yang Guang, "Your Majesty, what shall be done regarding the Governor of Mayi Commandery, who allowed the enemy to cross the border?"

"I do not wish to dwell on this further. Let the Governor of Mayi strengthen his border defenses, and let the matter end there. Furthermore, send word to the Empress and the others in the capital to travel via the Grand Canal to the south. I shall depart for the south immediately. All affairs of the capital are to be handled by my grandson, Yang You; there is no need for me to oversee them personally."

The official received his orders and departed, leaving Yang Guang to return to his palace surrounded by his honor guard. Though the procession was grand, Yang Guang’s back appeared profoundly lonely. As he entered the palace, he glanced back at Yanmen Commandery, knowing in his heart that this was likely the last time he would ever look upon this place. After a lingering look, he turned away without nostalgia and walked straight into his quarters.