An Lushan

"Yes!"

A voice came through the walkie-talkie.

Then, the tank's turret began to adjust its aim.

"Boom!"

The next moment, a deafening blast startled everyone.

The ground seemed to shake.

Then, the distant hillside was completely flattened.

"Th-this..."

All the rebel soldiers stood frozen, their faces filled with shock and fear, gasping in unison.

How could they fight this?

If that massive thing fired into their ranks, they couldn't imagine the horrific outcome.

"We surrender! We surrender!"

Soon, someone shouted, throwing their weapon to the ground.

One led, and others followed.

In just a few moments, the rebel soldiers ahead had all laid down their arms and surrendered.

"Brother Long, take your squad and push forward. I'll have these rebels escorted back to the city first. Take it slow, and wait for me to catch up," Li Jinglong said.

He wanted to go along, but before leaving the pass, Zhu Yuanzhang had put him in command of these thirty thousand troops. As the lead general, he couldn't abandon his soldiers to follow Li Yunlong into the enemy camp alone.

"I can't slow down. You know that with our gear, it's hard to take it easy," Li Yunlong replied, then continued, "Don't worry, little brother. Just get them back first. This is only the beginning—we'll have plenty of chances to fight side by side later."

"Alright." Li Jinglong nodded without hesitation and gave the order.

Meanwhile, in the Tong Pass camp, Feng Changqing, Gao Xianzhi, and the others watched the earlier events on the screen, stunned into silence for a long time.

Such weapons were completely beyond their imagination.

Earlier, Li Shimin had said three hundred men could hold off a hundred thousand troops, and they thought it was an exaggeration.

But now, it seemed not only was it not exaggerated, it was even an understatement.

After the shock passed, Gao Xianzhi suddenly asked, "Your Majesty the Great Ancestor, in true history... were General Feng Changqing and I really executed?"

Li Shimin didn't answer but looked at Qin Ning.

"Yes," Qin Ning said. "On the twenty-first day of the twelfth month in the fourteenth year of the Tianbao era, eunuch supervisor Bian Lingcheng, acting on a decree from Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, carried out the beheading of Feng Changqing and Gao Xianzhi."

Learning that in true history they had indeed been executed, the two fell silent for a moment. After a while, Feng Changqing asked again, "And Tong Pass..."

"Emperor Xuanzong sent General Geshu Han to oversee Tong Pass's defenses. At the time, Geshu Han, like you two, saw the situation clearly and adopted a strategy of holding the pass. But he was provoked by treacherous officials like Yang Guozhong, and under constant pressure from the emperor's edicts ordering him to engage the rebels, he ultimately suffered a catastrophic defeat and lost the pass. Thus, Tong Pass fell."

"After the loss of Tong Pass, the capital Chang'an's gates were left wide open. Emperor Xuanzong fled hastily to Shu. Chang'an was overrun, and the situation took a sharp turn for the worse."

"During the emperor's flight, at Mawei Station, the troops mutinied. They killed Yang Guozhong and forced the emperor to order Yang Guifei's death by hanging. Crown Prince Li Heng fled north to Lingwu and proclaimed himself Emperor Suzong of Tang in July."

Hearing this, Feng Changqing and Gao Xianzhi finally felt a small sense of vindication.

The execution of the treacherous minister Yang Guozhong brought them great satisfaction.

"Such a rebel and traitor to the state deserves nothing less than death!" Gao Xianzhi said.

Li Shimin chuckled and said, "Rest assured, I will give you both a chance to personally execute Yang Guozhong."

Hearing this, the two were filled with excitement.

At this point, Tong Pass had not yet fallen, and with the Great Ancestor's return, it would never fall.

But dealing with a villain like Yang Guozhong was still necessary.

Li Shimin's words clearly hinted at taking them along to the imperial palace!

"Let's not rush. We'll sort out the business at Tong Pass first," Li Shimin said.

Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at the screen and said, "Jiujiang and the others are back."

"Let's go and see them." Li Shimin stood up.

With that, the group left the tent.

In a large open square, a mass of rebel prisoners had been brought there.

On a high platform, Li Jinglong stood holding a sniper rifle but said nothing, as if waiting for someone.

Soon, Li Shimin and his party arrived.

"Is that His Majesty? He's here on the front lines at Tong Pass?"

"No way! How could His Majesty be so young? But then why is he wearing a dragon robe?"

"And General Feng Changqing and Gao Xianzhi are following behind him?"

The prisoners buzzed with discussion.

On the platform, Li Shimin stepped forward and scanned the prisoners. "I imagine you're all curious about my identity. Today, I'll tell you. I am the Grand Preceptor of Tang, Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, Director of the Chancellery, Grand Commander of the Shaanxi East Circuit..."

"Hey, Old Li, not again?" Zhu Yuanzhang interrupted, a bit exasperated.

"Cough, cough..."

Li Shimin also seemed to find the extended introduction a bit awkward, so he cut to the chase. "I am Li Shimin, the Great Ancestor of the Tang Dynasty!"

"What?"

"The Great Ancestor?"

"He says he's the Great Ancestor?"

"How is that possible? The Great Ancestor passed away centuries ago. How could he still be alive?"

Everyone was stunned.

"You were originally subjects of our Tang, forced into rebellion by circumstances. Naturally, I won't hold it too much against you. All guilt lies with An Lushan. Now, I offer you a chance to atone for your crimes. Take up your weapons, resist the rebel An, and defend Tang. Can you do it?"

Hearing Li Shimin's words, many of the prisoners were moved to tears.

When they surrendered, they had already anticipated the worst—they would have accepted death without complaint, as long as their families weren't implicated.

But they never expected Li Shimin would not only forgive them but also give them a chance to redeem themselves!

"Resist the rebel An! Defend Tang!"

"Swear eternal loyalty to the Great Ancestor!"

...

The next day, Li Yunlong led his squad back to the pass and reported the battle results to Qin Ning and the others in the tent.

All rebels beyond the pass had surrendered. Faced with overwhelming firepower, they dared not show the slightest resistance.

The previous night, Li Jinglong had already left Tong Pass with a hundred thousand troops from the Divine Machine Camp to take control of the rebel forces.

"What about An Lushan?" Li Shimin asked.

"He's outside. Should we bring him in?"

"Bring him in. I want to see if this man who caused the decline of our Tang has three heads or six arms." Li Shimin narrowed his eyes, a rare glint of killing intent flashing in them.

Li Yunlong said nothing but nodded and left the tent. Before long, he returned, escorting a heavily built, middle-aged man.