Outside Liaodong City!
The Tang Dynasty's army slowly spread out. Mounted atop a tall steed, Li Shimin could not help feeling stirred as he looked at Liaodong City before him. This scene had appeared in his dreams time and again!
Now, that dream had finally become reality!
He had finally led a great army in person to surround Liaodong City!
And this eastern campaign against Goguryeo had gone far, far more smoothly than he had imagined!
In the original history, Li Shimin had indeed personally campaigned against Goguryeo, but that had basically happened in the latter years of the Zhenguan Era!
And though Li Shimin had likewise personally led the campaign then, even after three expeditions, the Tang Dynasty had still failed to completely take Goguryeo!
In the end, it had been Li Zhi, Emperor Gaozong of Tang in the original history, who fulfilled this regret for him in the future and utterly destroyed Goguryeo!
But now, before even ten years of the Zhenguan Era had passed, Li Shimin had personally led troops on an eastern campaign, smashing through everything in his path all the way to Goguryeo's gateway!
How could he not be utterly thrilled?!
After all, anyone well versed in history knew that Li Shimin had spent nearly his entire life competing with Emperor Yang of Sui!
Back then, Emperor Yang of Sui had led a million-man army eastward, only to suffer a crushing defeat in Liaodong, nearly bringing the nation to collapse and triggering the chaotic final years of Sui!
Yet now, he, Li Shimin, had brought only one hundred and fifty thousand troops and reached Goguryeo's gateway—Liaodong City!
With such a comparison, Li Shimin could practically climax on the spot from sheer satisfaction!
"Gentlemen!"
"Liaodong City before us is Goguryeo's gateway. I have heard that successive