Gao Yeonbul sat in the prisoner cart, his face ashen and his eyes vacant.
Burdened with his entire household, the King of Goguryeo had ultimately failed to outrun Cheng Ji.
Cheng Ji was frantic for military merit. To capture Gao Yeonbul alive, he had ridden who knew how many fine horses to death on this long-distance pursuit, finally catching up with Gao Yeonbul after he entered Sushen territory.
Facing Cheng Ji, Gao Yeonbul's troops scarcely considered putting up resistance and scattered in flight.
They harbored considerable resentment toward their monarch. Had the Goguryeo people's sense of shared identity been any weaker, his own people might well have killed their king.
Gao Yeonbul could hardly be called a competent ruler. He was no match for his father, nor for the successors who would follow him.
Cheng Ji captured him with ease. As for the other nobles who had fled, Cheng Ji paid them no further attention.
He could simply have Sushen help catch those people and send them over later.
Presumably, Sushen would not dare shelter them.
Though this expedition had not gone as far as Guanqiu Jian's previous campaign, it was enough to scare the wits out of the small tribes beyond the passes.
Cheng Ji brought his prisoner to Guanqiu Jian's encampment.
There were many other Goguryeo people there, all former generals and members of Goguryeo's royal clan.
When they saw clearly who was inside the prisoner cart, their expressions changed dramatically.
Several generals turned their heads away in resentment, unwilling to look at him.
Had it not been for Gao Yeonbul's repeated acts of willfulness, they would never have fallen so far. Earlier, they had actually had a chance to drive back the Tuoba Tribe.
Gao Chiran looked at his elder brother, clear traces of distress in his