The four-thousand-strong army arrived at Shenyang City.
All officers from battalion commander upwards, along with officials from Chang'an, were summoned to the Ministry of Military Equipment.
The accompanying logistics and auxiliary troops began to set up camp outside the city.
Inside the main hall of the Ministry of Military Equipment.
Fang Er was giving orders in a very overbearing manner.
A map of Goguryeo territory was hung on the back wall of the main hall.
He was the Earl of Liaodong.
Goguryeo had been conquered by him, and Generals Cheng Yaojin and Yuchi Jingde expressed no objections.
Others had even less reason to object.
From now on, those I name will each lead fifteen hundred new firearm troops and five thousand soldiers from Chang'an!
Take the cities assigned to you!
Cheng Chumo! Yanjin County!
Yuchi Baolin! Xincheng County!
Li Daniu! Jinshan County!
Meng Zhong! Nanzhou!
Liu Xuan! Fuyu City!
All of the above cities are to be taken, handed over to the accompanying officials for reception, and two thousand troops are to be left to guard them.
Any citizens who resist within the city and any soldiers who are armed will all be captured! Escort them back to Shenyang City!
The five men stepped forward simultaneously to receive Fang Er's orders.
The generals who had traveled all the way from Chang'an could only listen.
No one voiced any objection.
Goguryeo had already been crippled by Fang Er and Cheng Yaojin.
The current deployment was merely to occupy cities and capture prisoners.
Fang Er estimated that it would take less than a month to incorporate the entire Liaodong Peninsula into the Great Tang's territory!
Previous conquests of Pyongyang and Kaicheng, as well as cities later taken by Cheng Yaojin's troops, had been taken but not occupied.
There were two reasons for this: firstly, there were no officials to take over.
Secondly, they could not spare enough troops for defense.
Now, however, it was different!
With these forty thousand troops and officials from Chang'an, all of this was no longer a problem!
Even if some remaining Goguryeo soldiers took advantage of Cheng Yaojin's withdrawal to reoccupy the cities,
it would only require a few artillery barrages or volleys of rifle fire!
In this era, Goguryeo had twelve commanderies and counties in addition to Shenyang and Liaodong.
Thus, only two rounds of deployment would be needed to capture them all!
The next morning.
The five armies departed simultaneously.
Fang Er, Cheng Yaojin, and Yuchi Jingde stood on the city wall of Shenyang.
They watched the dust rising outside the city.
Fang Er said.
Hahaha! Brother Cheng, how about we go and eat persimmons?
Cheng Yaojin nodded.
Good! Let's go eat persimmons!
Yuchi Jingde was a bit confused by this.
It's only May, where are you going to find persimmons to eat?
Fang Er and Cheng Yaojin exchanged smiles.
Hahahahahaha!
Then, with arms around each other's shoulders, they descended the city wall.
Yuchi Jingde scratched the back of his head and followed them.
Hey! I say, you two should tell me! Is there a special meaning to looking for persimmons?
Fang Er just turned his back to him and waved his hand, signaling him to follow.
When they reached the foot of the city, Fang Er finally explained the allusion of the persimmons to him.
Yuchi Jingde's mouth hung open.
We haven't even finished swallowing Goguryeo, and you're already setting your sights on Silla and Baekje?
And using such a clumsy excuse.
"Persimmons and persimmon cakes" my ass!
Aren't those things only found in the Central Plains?
What are you thinking!
However, conquering countries, I, the great Blackie, am all for it!
Yuchi Jingde patted Fang Er on the shoulder.
Brother, wait, there's no time like the present, I'll go gather troops! Let's go together!
An hour later.
Five thousand troops from Chang'an gathered outside Shenyang City.
Liu Meng led the Third Battalion, and Tie Laoba led the Artillery Battalion, both fully prepared.
The pickup trucks and armored vehicles were also ready.
On the roof of each armored vehicle, wooden barrels filled with diesel were secured.
There were also thousands of artillery shells specially fetched by Yuchi Jingde from Fang Family Village.
For the conquest of Silla and Baekje, Fang Er didn't even bother with a pre-war mobilization.
They were just small countries.
A wave of his hand would be enough to destroy them!
Liu Meng drove a large pickup truck, with Fang Er in the passenger seat.
Cheng Yaojin and Yuchi Jingde sat in the back.
Ten Heavenfire Army soldiers sat in the truck bed.
Five capable soldiers drove the armored vehicles, carrying the officials dispatched from Chang'an.
This time, they would achieve a decisive victory, leaving no chance for the two countries to recover.
The pickup truck led the way.
It was followed by six armored vehicles.
Further behind were the Third Battalion, the Artillery Battalion, and the five thousand troops.
The convoy moved at a rapid pace!
In just one day, they reached the outskirts of Pyongyang City.
Cheng Yaojin pointed at the giant Mound of Skulls and boasted to Yuchi Jingde.
Big Blackie, isn't that spectacular? By the way, that guy Gao Jianwu, we sealed him with resin and placed him right on top of the Mound of Skulls!
Yuchi Jingde followed his gaze to the very top of the mound.
At this time, it was still some time before dark.
The sunlight shone on the resin, reflecting a yellow light.
Gao Jianwu's body, encased in resin, had not decayed at all.
Well done! That's exactly how it should be done!
Upon hearing Yuchi Jingde's words, Fang Er also glanced over.
Gao Jianwu had turned into amber!
I wonder if he will become a priceless treasure a thousand years from now?
The convoy entered the city.
The citizens of Pyongyang City stirred.
Seven vehicles stopped in front of the royal palace.
A total of about a hundred people disembarked from the vehicles.
The citizens hiding in the corners dared not cause any trouble because Fang Er and his men were few in number!
The Mound of Skulls outside the city, and the madmen within the city, were all warning them to behave!
Otherwise, the consequences would be dire!
Looking at the Pyongyang citizens outside the city, who were as meek as lambs, Yuchi Jingde thought of the Mound of Skulls outside and found it not surprising at all.
People!
Either they fear the strong, or they fear the mad!
Perhaps, the Tang army, in the eyes of these Pyongyang citizens, was a strong madman!