Under the city of Anshi, Li Ji rode a horse on a high ground, holding a pair of telescopes and looking at Anshi City in front of him. Not far from him, a group of soldiers were releasing a hot air balloon. However, because the wind was relatively strong today, the hot air balloon also encountered some difficulties when taking off. However, after a period of tossing, the hot air balloon finally flew up. There were also two soldiers holding telescopes on it, overlooking the situation inside the entire Anshi City.

When Li Xiu first created the hot balloon, he mainly used gunpowder to intimidate the enemy. After all, people in this era were quite superstitious. In the initial hot balloons, there were often some ghosts and monsters. When the enemy soldiers saw a ghost flying in the sky pounce on him, they naturally became scared and lost their morale. Sometimes they would even kneel down to beg for mercy. If they combined with the sound and light of gunpowder, the effect would be more ideal.

However, as time goes by, the hot air balloons gradually lose the effect of intimidation, because this thing has no technical content. Some smart people can copy it by themselves after seeing it once. Even a few years ago, some people had already done business with hot air balloons, such as people ascending to the sky to see the scenery, or pulling a banner in the air, etc., which is no different from later generations. Don’t underestimate the creativity of the ancients.

The Tang Dynasty was an open country, and the surrounding small countries often sent envoys, so the secret of hot air balloons naturally spread. It is said that there are some small countries imitating it. In this way, hot air balloons naturally cannot be used for intimidation effects on the battlefield. However, it also has a function, which is to increase the distance. After all, standing from a high perspective, understanding the terrain and the arrangement of the enemy is the basic quality of a general, so hot air balloons are also mainly used for reconnaissance in the army.

Not long after the hot balloon was lifted up, the soldiers watching from above threw down several bamboo tubes. Then some soldiers picked them up and sent them to Li Ji. The soldiers on the hot balloon had undergone some special training and could not only write, but also draw pictures. These bamboo tubes were the sketches of Anshi City drawn by the soldiers on it, as well as the rough arrangement of troops in the city.

Li Ji opened the bamboo tube and looked at it. Although the area of ​​Anshi City was not very large, there were 20,000 Goguryeo defenders in the city, and the opponent's guards seemed very clever. At least Li Ji was not allowed to show a surprised expression when he saw the information sent by the hot balloon, because judging from the arrangement in the city, the opponent obviously knew the tactics of war, which was much better than the Goguryeo generals he had met before.

After reading the information in his hand, Li Ji turned over and handed it to a general next to him. This general was also an acquaintance of Li Xiu, Li Daozong, Li Shimin, compared to his cousin Li Xiaogong, Li Shimin trusted Li Daozong, and usually spared no effort to train him. For example, this time he attacked Goguryeo, Li Daozong was sent to Cheng Yaojin's subordinates, and this time he was appointed as Li Ji's deputy. The two of them commanded a total of 20,000 troops, and Cheng Yaojin himself also commanded 20,000 troops to attack Goguryeo from another direction.

"It seems that this Anshi City is not that easy to fight!" Li Daozong is also an experienced general. After seeing the arrangements in the city, he couldn't help but say in surprise that they almost swept across Liaodong during this period. They captured countless towns along the way, and the ones they had to hold the longest endurance broke the city in just ten days. However, looking at the appearance of Anshi City, it is estimated that it would be difficult to fight in ten days.

"Why do we need to fight? Let's wait for our work here. I believe that Goguryeo reinforcements will arrive soon!" Li Ji sneered at this time.

"I understand. It turns out that the general is planning to wait for the rabbit. Anshicheng is located in the Liaodong Peninsula. If we lose this place, our army can cross the Qianshan Mountains and rush to the mouth of Bogou. As long as we pass there, there will be Pyongyang City in front!" Li Daozong was also an extremely agile person, and immediately understood Li Ji's intention.

Anshicheng is a key place for Goguryeo. If it is lost here, there will be only a Bogoukou between the Tang army and Pyongyang City, so Goguryeo will definitely not sit idly by and watch Anshicheng be broken. Maybe reinforcements are already on the way to come, and Li Ji just waits for his leisure to directly destroy Goguryeo's reinforcements. At that time, the people in Anshicheng City are panic and may be able to defeat them without attacking them.

"It's not only that, but Your Majesty is here, with Your Majesty's temper, he will definitely want to command this battle himself, and he can just use Goguryeo's reinforcements to start the attack!" Li Ji smiled again at this time, with an arrogant smile on his face, as if the hundreds of thousands of troops of Goguryeo were like native chickens and tiles in his eyes.

When Li Daozong heard the news of Li Shimin's arrival, his eyes lit up. If Li Shimin commanded himself, he would definitely use himself, and he would have more opportunities to make contributions by then.

With Li Ji's order, 20,000 troops immediately set up camp outside Anshi City. Although the number of defenders in the city was comparable to theirs, the defenders in the city showed no sign of leaving the city to meet the enemy. In fact, the Tang army's combat power was superior to the world, especially when facing foreign races, they often defeated the more with fewer, and even exceeded 50,000, not to mention Li Shimin's 3,000 cavalry, which broke through Dou Jiande's army.

It is precisely because of the above reasons that with the same force, almost no one dares to attack the Tang army with the same force. In fact, Li Ji is now hoping that the other party will dare to go out of the city to fight. This may be able to take down Anshi City in one fell swoop. Unfortunately, the city lord is a soldier-knowing person. I am afraid that no matter how much he provoked, the other party will not come out.

At the same time, in the southwest of Anshi City, the army led by Li Shimin was also accelerating its journey. The places they have walked now were previously the territory of Goguryeo, but now they have become the territory of the Tang Dynasty. For example, the Liaodong City they passed by yesterday has now been officially named Liaozhou by Li Shimin and became the territory of the Tang Dynasty.

"Goguryeo is mainly Fuyu people, but there are also many Marine people, Khitan people, especially Marine people, and most of the Marine people are composed of Marine people. These Marine people are fierce and barbaric by nature. Both men and women are brave and cruel. However, the army they formed does not obey orders and has no rules during the battle, so it is not difficult to deal with." Cen Wenben rode on the horse while introducing the customs and customs of Goguryeo to Li Xiu.

"Please look at the prince consort. The captured man with braids over there is a man from the marshes!" When Cen Wenben said this, he suddenly pointed to the captives tied into a string on the side of the road and smiled.

Li Xiu also heard the sound and saw a group of prisoners escorting back next to the road. Many of them had braids on their heads, which looked somewhat similar to the Jurchens in later generations. In fact, these Marines were the ancestors of the Jurchens, but now they were regarded as savages by the Tang Dynasty. But who would have thought that after hundreds of years, these savages would completely rule the Central Plains to the south of the Yangtze River, a thousand years later?

"These group of militars seem to be useless except for brute force. What's the use of capturing them?" Li Xiu thought of the cruelty of the Jurchens in later generations, and asked a little uncomfortable.

"Haha, it seems that the prince-consort doesn't know yet. These strong prisoners of war are actually quite popular. For example, the imperial court has increased its coal consumption, and mining coal mines is too dangerous. Most people are unwilling to take the risk to do it. As a result, these prisoners of war are useful. I heard that many coal mines near Chang'an are the property of the prince-consort's family?" Cen Wenben smiled again and said.

"Well~, Uncle Ma has always been responsible for the coal mine. I'm not very clear about it." Li Xiu couldn't help but feel embarrassed when he heard this, but what he said was the truth. The coal mine was a business of his family and Ma Ye, but he only had the debt to share the money, and Ma Ye usually took care of this matter. He really didn't know that prisoners of war had been used as miners in the coal mine.

"Haha, in fact, coal mines have been very popular in recent years. Many people have become rich by mining. Even my family has opened several coal mines in Taiyuan area." Cen Wenben laughed indifferently at this time, and even showed an expression of admiration when he spoke. After all, the word "coal" alone has reduced countless people.

"When it comes to coal mines, I actually heard that Goguryeo also produces coal, but unfortunately it is too far away and it is not worth mining." Li Xiu also spoke again at this time. North Korea in later generations produced coal in a lot of coal, and it was also good coal, which is very suitable for burning into coke and can be used to refine steel. Unfortunately, transportation is a big problem now, and the cost of mining is too high.

"There are quite a lot of products here in Goguryeo, but I have been considering a problem these days, but I can't find a solution after thinking about it." At this time, Cen Wenben spoke again, and after saying that, his brows frowned.

"Oh? What problem makes Jingren so difficult?" Li Xiu couldn't help but be surprised when he heard this. Cen Wenben's talent was first-class, and he would even be appointed as prime minister by Li Shimin in a few years. With his talent, he could not think of a solution. From this we can see that this problem is definitely not ordinary.

"Actually, it may be a bit too early to think about this problem, but with the current momentum of the army, it seems that it is a foregone conclusion to defeat Goguryeo, so I am also considering how to rule here in the future?" Cen Wenben said with a frown again this time.

Li Xiu was stunned when he heard Cen Wenben's words. He had been worried about whether the Tang army would be blocked by Anshicheng's attack, and he had never considered what to do after defeating Goguryeo. However, if he really defeated Goguryeo, it would be difficult for the Tang Dynasty to rule here.

First, Goguryeo has a vast area, and second, there are many ethnic groups here, and most of the Han people are concentrated in the border area. In addition, the climate here is bitter and cold. If you want to include this place in the rule of the Tang Dynasty, you must station a large number of troops. It would be fine in a short period of time, but over time, it will not only consume the national strength of the Tang Dynasty, but may even cause changes. For example, Silla took advantage of the opportunity to steal the fruits of the Tang Dynasty's victory.
Chapter completed!