The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 129 General Li Jing

Inside the Honglu Temple, Li Baiyao angrily asked again: "Are you guys coming to the Tang Dynasty to call for punishment?"

Faced with this aggressive Minister of Rites, Sambuza, as a Tubo envoy, calmed down a little.

The Tibetan envoy who also came to Chang'an with Sambuza whispered in Tibetan: "The Tang people are cunning, you must be careful, the prime minister has warned you so."

Several officials from the Honglu Temple looked at the Tibetan delegation with displeased expressions.

Li Baiyao added: "First, your Tibetan leader betrayed His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

After saying this, he bowed respectfully towards the East Palace, as if he was apologizing. Then Li Baiyao looked at Sangbuza and angrily said with a red face, "You Tibetan! Now you come to the Tang Dynasty to ask for trade documents again. You Tibetan Prime Minister have such a thick face!"

Sangbuza, who already felt aggrieved for the Tubo Prime Minister Lu Dongzan, gritted his teeth and tried to suppress his anger.

Even though Li Baiyao was usually polite to everyone in the court, now facing the imposing Tubo delegation, he said loudly: "What do you mean the Crown Prince of the East Palace is plotting against you Tubo? Your Highness the Crown Prince has no grudge against Lu Dongzan, why would he plot against him?"

Look at the members of the Tubo delegation, they were breathing heavily, and their eyes were bloodshot from anger.

Li Baiyao rolled up his sleeves and shouted again: "I think you are framing me. You are framing the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace! I will go to His Majesty and sue you! Let the envoys of various countries see the true face of you Tibetans!"

Sambuza slammed the table, stood up and glared, "We came to the Tang Dynasty with sincerity, we will not frame the prince."

"You still can't frame the Crown Prince?" Li Baiyao immediately stood up, pointed at the other party, and said, "Your Highness the Crown Prince's heart is toward the bright moon, and what about you! The bright moon shines on the ditch, and you Tibetans are that ditch!"

As the saying goes, even a clay man can still have some blood in his veins. Sambuza stepped forward angrily but was immediately stopped by several Tibetan subordinates from the delegation.

Before Sambuza, who was wearing a sheepskin cloak, could kick Li Baiyao, someone from the Tang side had already thrown a file to him.

The heavy file hit a Tibetan man on the forehead.

Seeing this, Sambuza swung his arms to break away from the people around him, and immediately kicked Li Baiyao.

A Minister of Rites was kicked to the ground, and a group of officials from the Honglu Temple could no longer bear it and rushed forward.

Originally, the Tang Dynasty's civil servants in the Taiji Hall were not easy to deal with, but now, they have been completely pissed off.

Outside the Honglu Temple, someone shouted, "The Tibetan envoys are beating people! Go and get the Jinwu Guards!"

At this moment, a fierce fight was going on in the Honglu Temple, and officials from other government offices rushed into the Honglu Temple to mediate.

But the more they tried to stop the fight, the more people started fighting.

It seemed that the Tang officials had reinforcements, and the Tubo delegation could no longer hold out and soon found themselves being unilaterally beaten.

Finally, the Jinwu Guards arrived and brought a group of people out. Only then did the chaos in the Honglu Temple subside.

Li Daoyan looked at this scene with a headache. It was nothing special that the envoys of the two countries fought.

But why are there so many people fighting? Li Daoyan took a glance and found that there were also the Secretary General, the Censorate, the Guanglu Temple and the Taifu Temple.

There was nothing wrong with the fight between the Honglu Temple and the Tubo delegation, so why are there so many people?

Although he was very confused, Li Daoyan still led these people to the Secretariat. Along the way, officials in the imperial city looked over at them one after another.

Li Baiyao walked in front, still with his back straight.

Sambuza was walking aside, with several strands of his beard pulled out, and his sheepskin cloak, which was originally in good condition, was now torn.

Including the Tibetan delegation, a group of officials were escorted by the Jinwu Guards to the front of the Secretariat, where they stood in two rows in an orderly manner.

Changsun Wuji walked out of the Secretariat, put his hands behind his back, and first looked at Li Baiyao, and then at the Tibetan delegation.

Before anyone could speak, Li Baiyao spoke first: "Duke Zhao, it was the Tibetan envoys who started it first."

Sambuza's eyes turned red as he pointed at the other person and said, "You are slandering me!"

Li Baiyao jumped up and said, "All 25 people from the Honglu Temple saw it and it was you who started it first."

"Stop arguing!"

Hearing Duke Zhao's loud shout, the crowd, who were about to start quarreling again, suddenly quieted down on the spot.

Chang Sun Wuji shook his head in annoyance and said, "People from the Honglu Temple are fighting with the Tibetan envoys. What are you, the Secretary General and the Guanglu Temple, doing there?"

Someone stood up and said, "Go back to Duke Zhao, let's go and stop the fight."

"Interrupt the fight?" Changsun Wuji snorted coldly, "Then how come I heard that you guys also participated in the fight?"

Someone replied, "Duke Zhao, this group of Tibetan envoys are really arrogant. We went to stop them from fighting, but we were beaten and kicked by the Tibetans. This is intolerable!"

“Hehehe…” Changsun Wuji sneered.

The Tibetan envoy Sangbuza said in a loud voice: "Please ask Duke Zhao to make the decision for our Tibetan delegation."

Li Baiyao hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Duke Zhao! It was the Tibetan envoys who framed the Crown Prince."

Sambuza said angrily again: "You are talking nonsense!"

The official from the Honglu Temple behind Li Baiyao stepped forward and said, "You still want to fight?"

Sambuza patted his chest heavily and said, "Come on!"

Seeing that Duke Zhao was breathing heavily with his eyes closed and about to get angry, Li Daoyan drew his sword and pointed it at everyone, saying, "Who dares to cause trouble here?"

Everyone had no choice but to stop and turned away from looking at each other.

In fact, the first two visits to the Tang Dynasty were very pleasant for Sambuza, at least the exchanges were smooth. He did not expect that the always humble and polite civil servants of the Tang Dynasty had such a tough side.

This made Sambuza realize that Dazu didn't know much about the Tang people.

Chang Sun Wuji picked out the most crucial sentence from the quarrel and asked, "How did the Tibetan envoy frame the prince?"

Li Baiyao said quickly: "The Tibetan Prime Minister said that it was His Royal Highness the Crown Prince who set up Tubo, but from the beginning to the end, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and the Tibetan Prime Minister only exchanged letters, so how could there be any conspiracy?"

When you live under someone else's roof, you have to bow your head.

Sambuza gritted his teeth and said, "I hope to meet with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and resolve the misunderstanding in person."

Zhang Sun Wuji said slowly: "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is not in the palace right now, I'm afraid he can't see you."

Li Baiyao said hurriedly: "Duke Zhao, why bother to alarm His Royal Highness the Crown Prince? It is obvious that these Tibetans have framed the Crown Prince! Capture them and show them to the envoys of other countries. The Tibetans are so arrogant, drive them out of Chang'an City!"

Sang Buzha was breathing rapidly, steam coming out of his nostrils from anger. He wanted to rush up and tear apart the mouth of the Tang official who kept saying that he had framed him, but facing the knife of the Tang general in front of him, he kept suppressing his anger in his heart.

Zhang Sun Wuji said: "First, take the Tibetan envoys to the post house and keep them under guard."

Li Daoyan put away his knife, clasped his fists and said, "Yes."

Looking at the remaining people, Changsun Wuji said, "Everyone go back. We can discuss everything after His Royal Highness the Crown Prince returns."

Li Baiyao said loudly: "Yes."

Everyone dispersed, and Li Daoyan led the Tibetan delegation out of the imperial city.

Chang Sun Wuji saw Li Baiyao still standing here and asked, "Do you have anything else to say?"

Li Baiyao walked forward quickly and whispered, "Should we kill the Khotan envoy to silence him?"

"Don't worry, the court has never planned anything with the people of Khotan in the Western Regions in advance."

"Then I feel relieved." Li Baiyao bowed, smiled awkwardly, and left quickly.

Changsun Wuji stood in front of the gate of the Secretariat, and when the bleak autumn wind blew, he felt that this was truly a turbulent time.

In Chang'an City, Li Chengqian was of course not in the imperial palace, but came to a house in Chang'an with General Li Ji and Yu Zhining.

In front of this house stood a general.

When I got closer, I saw that the general was Su Dingfang.

Su Dingfang, who saw the visitor at the same time, bowed and said, "I greet His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Li Chengqian looked at the mansion and whispered, "I am here to visit the general on the orders of my father."

Su Dingfang said in a clear voice: "The general is at home, please come in, Your Highness the Crown Prince."

As a general under Li Jing in the past, Su Dingfang seemed to have come here specifically to look after the general's family.

This is also because Li Jing’s prestige in the army is so great, and his reputation has spread throughout the Central Plains.

Li Chengqian, Li Ji and Yu Zhining walked into the mansion.

This mansion was simpler than expected. There was only a low table in the yard and no servants in the house.

General Li Jing was sitting in the courtyard. He supported himself and stood up to salute, saying, "Your Highness the Crown Prince."

Li Chengqian said quickly, "General, please take a seat. No need to be polite."

After His Royal Highness the Crown Prince sat down, Li Jing also sat down.

There were too many rumors about this great general. Li Chengqian looked at him. This great general had sharp eyes and a thin face, but his demeanor revealed his majesty.

The hair on his temples has turned gray, and there are many white hairs interspersed among the black hair.

He was wearing a simple blue shirt and had a book in front of him.

General Li Jing is tall and has a pair of sharp eyes in his rough face.

"Your Highness, do you often practice archery?"

Li Chengqian noticed the peeling on his knuckles and said with a smile, "Everyone says that my father is an excellent archer. As his son, I naturally want to learn from him."

Li Jing sighed, "Your Majesty's archery skills were indeed amazing back then, but after so many years, Your Majesty always says that his archery skills have become rusty."

From what he said, we can guess that the emperor and this great general often visit each other?
Not many people know the whereabouts of my father, and perhaps even people in the court don’t know. Yet, this great general can often allow my father to visit him.

"Your Highness, the Crown Prince is wondering about the relationship between Your Majesty and me. How is it now?"

Li Chengqian smiled and said, "I can guess a little bit. The general and my father often interact with each other."

After being stunned for a moment, Li Jing handed over the scroll in his hand and said, "There are generals in the army who have great commanding abilities, and there are also those who are indecisive but brave enough to charge into battle and kill the enemy. I have already written down the plans for the twelve guards in Guanzhong and the eighteen generals in the six guards in Hedong, and for the transformation of the guard office into the Zhechongfu."

Li Chengqian took the book with great care. Even now that he had retired, the general still gave advice to his father and arranged generals.

I felt deeply moved and was touched by the righteousness of the heroes and heroes of that time.

With the arrangement made by General Li Jing, after my father allowed the general to retire, with this book in hand, he could make drastic adjustments to the generals of the guards in various places.

Li Jing whispered, "Your Highness, if you have any doubts, just speak up. You don't have to think about it in your mind."

The insight of a general who has led troops for many years is unmatched by ordinary people.

But for this great general who is able to lead hundreds of thousands or even millions of troops, this kind of insight is an ability he must possess and must have developed over a long period of time.

Li Chengqian sat upright in front, his face calm. Even when the general directly told him what he was thinking, he still looked calm.

Li Chengqian held the book in his hand but had no intention of reading it. He first handed it to Li Ji beside him and said, "Give it to your father when you get back."

Li Ji responded, "Yes."

Li Chengqian changed his expression and whispered, "How is the general's health now?"

Li Jing sat cross-legged, closed his eyes and said, "I am in good health and Zhen Quan is taking care of me."

"That's good. I am also worried about the general's health."

"When we were conquering Tuyuhun, I heard that it was His Royal Highness the Crown Prince who gave Li Daozong a strategy to intercept Fu Yun at the Wuhai Pass?"

"Well, I looked at the map and thought that if Fu Yun wanted to escape, he would most likely escape from Wuhai Road. If he used Wuhai Road to escape into the Western Region, it would be difficult to catch him again."

Li Jing drank a bowl of tea in silence, as if he was thinking about something.

Li Chengqian sat with his hands in his pockets, also looking at the general.

One is the prince, the other is the military god of the Tang Dynasty, and both of them are sizing each other up.

"In fact, Maogong's military strategy is very good. We can rely on him more in foreign wars or wars against the Turks." Li Jing looked at the prince carefully and added, "If necessary."

Li Chengqian bowed and said, "Thank you, General, for your guidance."

It seemed as if his father had asked him, the prince, to come and see the general just to get the book in the general's hand.

So what was the agreement between my father and the general?
It’s unknown.

In front of Li Jing, Li Chengqian was also thinking.

A gust of wind blew through the courtyard. Yu Zhining and Li Ji stood aside in silence with their heads lowered.

The general spoke simply and concisely.

After a long silence, a man in his thirties walked out from the backyard. He walked up to the general, saluted and said, "Father."

Li Jing introduced: "This is my son, Li Dejian."

"Li Dejian meets His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Li Chengqian smiled and said, "No need to be so polite."

"This child now lives in Sanyuan and rarely moves around Chang'an, so Your Highness has never seen him before."

Li Chengqian said slowly: "I am usually busy with government affairs and rarely go out."

Li Jing suddenly stood up and said, "I will escort His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Li Chengqian said quickly: "General, there is no need to see me off."

Arriving outside the general's mansion, Li Jing bowed and saluted, then closed the door.

Li Chengqian stood outside the door, looked at General Li Ji and Yu Zhining beside him, and then looked at General Su Dingfang who was still standing in front of the door.

I'm afraid this great general will never lead troops again.

The general did not ask much about the affairs of Wuhai Road.

It was his father's order to come and see the general. Li Chengqian looked at the scroll in General Li Ji's hand suspiciously.

(End of this chapter)