The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 26 I Want to Grow Rice in the Desert
The life of the Tang people also followed the rule of harvesting in autumn and storing in winter, and this was generally the case for all ancient people.

Generally speaking, major events will be held in spring and summer. Now the Tang Dynasty is about to do a major event in this season, the Western Expedition to Tuyuhun.

In the past, there was no such territory as Tuyuhun. It was originally just a small place in Xiliang.

It's just that after a man named Murong arrived in Qilian Mountains, he began to live alone with the chaotic Central Plains at that time. This happened for about two hundred years, from the Southern and Northern Dynasties to the Early Sui Dynasty. It was during these years that he began to grow stronger.

The current territory of Tuyuhun includes the border of Gaochang, and the east to Huangyuan in Qinghai and the south to Qilian Mountains are all Tuyuhun's pastoral areas.

In fact, if you think about it carefully, the territory of Tuyuhun during its heyday was quite large.

There is such a remarkable neighbor right next to the Tang Dynasty, and it has only been established for about two hundred years.

Is this tolerable for the Central Plains Dynasty, an ancient country with thousands of years of history?
Absolutely intolerable.

What's more, no one needs to express their opinion on this matter. As long as Tuyuhun still occupies the important intersection of the Silk Road opened up by the Han Dynasty, it is doomed to perish. What is lost will be taken back sooner or later.

Hearing the prince's question, Li Daozon was still a little hesitant and looked at his brother beside him.

Li Xiaogong ate the mutton without expressing his opinion.

Li Chengqian had his hands in his pockets but still had a smile on his face.

As for what his brother meant, it seemed like it was none of his business whether you said it or not.

Li Dao Zong sighed and explained, "According to the strategy discussed yesterday, Your Majesty ordered Duan Zhixuan to lead the vanguard army and to go to Liangzhou to attack Tuyuhun early tomorrow morning. Then, I and Hou Junji were ordered to be deputy generals and to go to Liangzhou in May. Li Daliang and Li Daoyan were to lead another group of troops. They would first go to Yinshan to join forces with Qibi Heli. The three groups of troops would attack Tuyuhun together, but..."

Li Chengqian frowned and asked, "What's wrong?"

Li Dao Zong drew the marching route with a branch and frowned, saying, "Your Majesty has not yet decided on the general who will lead the three armies."

Looking at the Tuyuhun territory drawn on the ground, Li Chengqian frowned and asked, "Is Tubo in the back?"

Li Daozong nodded and said, "South of Tuyuhun is Tubo."

"If everything goes well, will Tuyuhun flee to Wuhai after their defeat?"

"I thought they would flee to Gaochang."

After that, Li Daozong drew a route he thought of for the march, and then said, "If we can cut off the Qilian Mountain Pass, Tuyuhun will have no choice but to flee to Gaochang."

"Hmm?" Li Chengqian frowned and drew a path, then asked, "Is this path inappropriate?"

Li Daozong replied: "Your Highness, this road leads to the bitter cold land of Wuhai, which is over 2,000 miles without any human habitation. If Tuyuhun flees here, it will be courting death."

Li Chengqian let out a long sigh and continued, "I still think they will flee to the direction of Wuhai."

Li Daozon didn't want to explain. What did a fifteen-year-old prince know about military strategies?

Li Xiaogong swallowed the mutton he was chewing and explained, "When Chengfan was your age, he had already led troops and horses to follow your majesty to pacify the Central Plains."

Li Chengqian suddenly smiled, "It's okay, I'm just guessing."

Li Dao Zong asked, "Your Highness, do you also want to lead the troops into battle?"

Li Chengqian smiled and said, "Is the emperor talking about ideals?"

"In fact, there are many young people who also want to join the army, but they don't know that war is cruel and people will die."

"Well, uncle is right." Li Chengqian said helplessly: "If I really want to talk about ideals, I also want to grow rice in the Taklamakan Desert."

"What desert?" Li Xiaogong asked hesitantly.

"Ugh……"

With a sigh, Li Chengqian stood up and stood alone not far away, frowning.

Not to mention that this time Li Daozon talked to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince about the personnel of the Tang Dynasty's expeditionary generals, which was already a taboo, but the Crown Prince still did not agree with the opinion of the experienced generals.

Seeing that Li Dao Zong was a little disappointed, Li Xiao Gong comforted him: "Your Highness is young and does not understand military strategies."

Li Dao Zong whispered, "Brother is right. I shouldn't have said this to Your Highness. If Gaochang is unwilling to help Tuyuhun, they can only flee to Wuhai. We can arrange a troop ambush at the main road of Wuhai."

Li Xiaogong patted his shoulder and said, "After this battle, retire early. I will ask His Majesty for a leisurely official position for you."

"Thank you, brother."

There will always be times when the younger generation disobeys their elders, and the two uncles believe that the prince will understand sooner or later.

It is still unknown how this battle will be fought.

By the afternoon, Li Chengqian was making kites for his younger brothers and sisters. It was really a downer to see them discussing the war while out having fun.

After making kites for the two younger sisters Dongyang and Gaoyang, Ning'er let them play by themselves. She was packing some food beside the carriage.

Li Chengqian noticed that a stranger had come to the outskirts of the river beach. He was kneeling on one knee and listening to Li Daozon's instructions.

When I looked again, I realized that this person looked familiar. He was the person I had taken a quick look at in the East Market.

This man was not wearing official uniform and was not an official, yet he was able to talk to important generals in the court.

Li Chengqian waved his hand.

Ning Er came over and asked, "What do you want, Your Highness?"

"He is the person I met in East City."

Hearing this, Ning Er looked up and replied with understanding: "Most likely, the county magistrate of Weinan arranged for them to come here to ask why the troops are here. The government naturally does not know the whereabouts of Your Highnesses."

Li Chengqian nodded and said, "A non-official staff member of the government?"

"Not really. Three years ago, His Majesty released a group of prisoners, some of whom stayed in Chang'an. They wanted to serve His Majesty and work for the government. Most of them mingled in the streets and knew the local tycoons and idlers in the streets and markets of Chang'an."

"Are there many people like this in Chang'an?"

Ning Er smiled and said, "Not much. Besides, unless it's a very troublesome matter, the government won't bother these outsiders."

"Sister Ning'er, when you say that, they seem like a group of well-informed people?"

"But there are fewer and fewer people like this. Even on the streets of Chang'an, there are only a few. Most of these people used to be prisoners, and no one wants to associate with them."

Li Chengqian clicked his tongue and said, "Bad people?"

Ning Er was surprised and said, "The Bad Man? That's a good name."

There is no formal group of bad people in the Tang Dynasty now. The people Ning'er described are more like people who admire the current charismatic Khan. Out of this admiration, they serve the emperor in a way that they can make use of their strengths.

This is a completely autonomous behavior without any constraints. If there is any constraint, it is mostly their gratitude and heroic spirit.

The spirit of chivalrous men in the Tang Dynasty has not faded yet, and there are too many legends left behind by the heroes of that time, such as Li Jing, Hong Fu Nu, Qin Qiong, Yuchi Gong and so on.

It is precisely because of these heroic predecessors that the passion in the hearts of the Tang people has been passed down because of these heroes.

It's always a good thing to have hot blood.

As the two were talking, Xiaofu came over with a food box and said, "Your Highness, there are still many raisins here."

Li Chengqian picked up two or three of them and chewed them, then said, "Give them to your brothers and sisters."

"Yes." After saying that, Li Chengqian took off his boots again. Ignoring the strange looks from Ning'er and others, the prince actually went down to the river to catch fish.

The one-day spring outing was filled with children's laughter.

On the way back, they were still not satisfied and were making a lot of noise in the carriage.

"Sister Ning'er, Xu Xiaode is from Jiangnan East Road, right?"

"Yes." Ning Er nodded and said, "What do you want, Your Highness?"

"Send him a message saying I want some tea from Jiangnan. The more the better."

"Here."

Li Chengqian was in a good mood and didn't say anything else. Instead, he urged the horse to go faster, but not too fast, as he hadn't seen enough of the scenery along the way.

When I returned to the East Palace, everything around me seemed to be quiet again.

The East Palace is home, and home always brings peace of mind to people.

In the Eastern Palace, Ning'er is the head female official, managing all the affairs inside and outside the Eastern Palace.

In the eyes of her younger brothers and sisters, Ning'er is an older sister who is sometimes strict and sometimes gentle.

Recently, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has a habit of locking himself in his bedroom at night. No one knows what he does in the bedroom, but he just needs a lot of pen and ink, mostly practicing calligraphy or writing articles.

No matter what His Highness was doing, Ning'er would wait outside the bedroom until the lights in the bedroom were turned off. She would quietly open the door and take a look, making sure that His Highness was asleep before she went to rest.

Li Chengqian sat in front of the window, from where he could see the moon hanging in the night sky.

Pick up the clip beside you and pull up the wick of the oil lamp to make the flame brighter.

There are many drawings in the East Palace, as well as some teaching materials prepared for my younger brothers and sisters.

Until late at night, I didn't hear His Highness scolding the saints. In fact, His Highness's scolding is quite interesting. Some of his words sound unfamiliar. For example, is the mind of all you saints filled with soy milk?
What is soy milk? Could it be related to the soy sauce that His Highness has been drying recently?

This is one of the unsolved mysteries of the Eastern Palace.

After confirming that His Highness had fallen asleep, Ning'er left to rest.

His Highness went to bed later and later, and Ning'er also went to bed later and later, and could only get some sleep during the lunch break.

Before dawn, when Li Chengqian woke up, Ning'er also woke up early. She began to arrange the daily life of the Eastern Palace for the day.

The other palace maids in the East Palace had to take care of the lives of the princes and princesses.

Only Ning'er is still taking care of His Highness as usual.

Unlike usual, His Highness needs to confirm the growth of various crops in the East Palace in recent days. The cabbages are growing the best, but there is no obvious improvement in the cucumbers yet, and there is no movement on the grape racks either.

After getting up early and having a simple breakfast, he went to court.

As the morning court was about to be convened, Li Chengqian walked into the Taiji Hall and stood in his seat.

He usually arrives last and leaves last. The prince rarely interacts with court officials on a daily basis.

There was a very important thing in today's morning court. The Minister of War Hou Junji stood in front of the court and read out the names of the generals who were going to the expedition, including Duan Zhixuan, Li Daoyan, Li Daozon, Gao Zongsheng, Li Daliang, Xue Wanche, and the marching general Li Jing, who was the commander-in-chief of the three armies.

Li Chengqian glanced at the court, looked at the row of generals standing out in the court, but did not see Li Jing.

It is true that Li Jing is a very special existence in the Tang Dynasty, and his existence is a threat to both inside and outside Guanzhong.

If his father, Li Shimin, was the Long Aotian of the Tang Dynasty, then making friends with Li Jing was one of the most glorious pages in Li Shimin's journey to becoming the Long Aotian.

Up to now, among the many powerful generals of the Tang Dynasty, Qin Qiong, Li Jing, Cheng Yaojin, Yuchi Gong, and even the usually dissolute uncle Li Xiaogong, any one of them can be a figure who can intimidate others if taken out alone.

The Tang Dynasty was too powerful. Such a powerful country should have expanded its territory.

Since the battle of Yinshan, Li Jing began to stay indoors and not see visitors.

I'm afraid this is the last time that this great general will lead the troops.

At present, three armies have been dispatched to fight against Tuyuhun, including Niu Jinda who is now guarding Liangzhou. There are a total of eight generals and 50,000 troops.

It was called the Tang Dynasty's counterattack against Tuyuhun.

This is certainly a legitimate counterattack.

After the court session, Li Chengqian said goodbye to Li Ke and left the Taiji Hall alone. In the eyes of everyone, this prince seemed to be used to being alone.

They didn't leave in twos or threes, or in groups like the others.

Li Chengqian walked down the steps of the Taiji Hall at a slow pace, thinking about the current foreign strategy of the Tang Dynasty.

Barbaric, arrogant, and violent when they are right.

This is the current foreign policy of the Tang Dynasty.

Talking to others about reason is a very tiring and time-consuming process. Why should you talk about reason if you have the ability?
The army will set out today and the war will begin.

Just as he was about to walk to the East Palace, an old eunuch hurriedly blocked his way, "Your Highness the Crown Prince!"

Li Chengqian paused and asked, "What's wrong?"

The old eunuch smiled and said, "Your Majesty summons you."

After looking around first, Li Chengqian waved his hand to signal him to lead the way.

"Your Highness, please follow me."

Follow him through the Wude Hall, walk to the Xingqing Hall, and stop.

Then a low voice came from the hall, "Let him in."

Hearing this, Li Chengqian frowned and walked into the hall. He saw his father eating wontons that would be made by the maids in the Eastern Palace.

"Well, sit down."

While eating, the emperor pointed to a seat nearby.

Li Chengqian responded and sat down.

Li Shimin was still holding the scroll and reading it, while his other hand was putting wontons into his mouth. He said, "I heard that you went out for fun yesterday?"

"Yeah." Li Chengqian responded simply.

Another eunuch came over with a bowl of wontons and a spoon.

Seeing that his son did not take the spoon, Li Shimin asked again: "Not to your taste?"

Li Chengqian replied, "I ate after getting up early to exercise. Father should divide the day into three meals. It is not a good habit to be hungry in the morning."

Li Shimin put down the spoon in his hand, put down the book, and asked: "I have been reading the book of Red Mansions. I want to ask you, will the second son or the eldest son inherit the Rongguo Mansion?"

(End of this chapter)