The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 309 Send troops
Li Zhi ignored the other party's roar, nudged his brother who was dozing off beside him with his arm, and said, "Brother Shen, let's go see how the mud is selling."

Li Shen yawned, sat up sleepily, and followed him away.

Di Renjie glanced at poor Zhang Jianzhi and shook his head helplessly.

Does Zhang Jianzhi dare to fight with His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin?

Zhang Jianzhi's father was traveling with His Majesty. If Zhang Jianzhi really dared to fight back, his father's head would most likely be sent to Chang'an City.

Besides, Zhang Jianzhi wanted to beat him up just by looking at him.

In fact, every time the Prince of Jin beat him, he did not fight back. He basically took the beating unilaterally. As for revenge, he only went to his father to complain. Apart from this, Zhang Jianzhi had no other means of revenge.

"Xu Shaoyin!"

Hearing the words behind him, Xu Jingzong stopped and said, "I've said it many times, the number of places in Guanzhong is limited."

Pei Mingli said: "I just want an opportunity, even if it's just a small workshop with three or five people."

People cannot decide their own origins. Xu Jingzong believed that his origin was very good, but Pei Mingli was different. He was born into a common people.

Seeing him constantly asking others for help in order to find opportunities, Xu Jingzong vaguely saw himself in the past.

It’s a pity that he is a businessman.

Xu Jingzong said: "Your honey water has been selling very well in Chang'an, why do you bother looking for me?"

Pei Mingli bowed and said, "Xu Shaoyin, I want to find a place to stay."

"I heard that you and Xue Rengui are from the same hometown?"

"Exactly."

Xu Jingzong asked again: "According to his military merits, Xue Rengui can also get a workshop. You can ask him to give the workshop to you."

"He is Mingli's friend. Mingli cannot take Brother Xue's workshop."

Xu Jingzong said: "He is a man of loyalty. If you merchants don't value loyalty, you will be despised sooner or later."

"Xu Shaoyin is right."

Xu Jingzong added: "It's not easy to ask for help."

Pei Mingli forced a smile and said, "I'm sorry to have embarrassed Xu Shaoyin."

Xu Jingzong raised his head and said, "If you want to open a dyeing workshop, you need to open it near Xianyang Bridge and pay a deposit of 200 strings of cash. If you are found to be dumping sewage or mismanaging the factory, the deposit will be confiscated."

"I obey your orders."

Xu Jingzong took out a piece of paper and handed it to him, saying, "Fill it out and submit it to Jingzhao Prefecture."

Taking the paper, Pei Mingli bowed respectfully and said, "Thank you, Shao Yin Xu."

"You're welcome. You and Jingzhao Prefecture are cooperating. If the business is not going well, Jingzhao Prefecture can also close the workshop."

"Here!"

Yan Qinli had been watching, and only asked after the man had walked away, "Why give him this opportunity?"

Xu Jingzong put away his smile and said, "We should use what we can, and Jingzhao Prefecture has not suffered any loss."

Guanzhong is developing vigorously, and workshops are being built in almost every county.

Today, after the morning court session, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince left Prime Minister Fang alone. After a long discussion, the Crown Prince issued another decree that any merchant who had lax production and workshops that did not comply with regulations could be banned and closed down in Jingzhao Prefecture, and would be jointly supervised by Yushitai Shangguan Yi and Jingzhao Prefecture Shaoyin Xu Jingzong.

The prince ordered people to build workshops in Guanzhong and let the Censorate and Jingzhao Prefecture supervise them. This not only gave Jingzhao Prefecture enormous power, but also placed the Censorate hanging over its head.

This was the second major event the Crown Prince did after taking charge of government affairs.

Whenever the person in power said a word, the people below would be busy for a long time. Cen Wenben, Chu Suiliang, Yu Zhining and other ministers began to work overtime again.

In the autumn of October in the fifteenth year of Zhenguan, which was Xuanzang's first autumn in Tubo, he looked at the snow-capped mountains in the distance and chanted the Buddha's name devoutly.

Songtsen Gampo asked: "Do you still want to return to the Tang Dynasty?"

Xuanzang chanted the Buddha's name and said calmly, "Thank you, Zampo, for your care over the past six months."

Songtsen Gampo walked up to him and asked again: "The Tang Emperor has charged you with escaping from the border secretly. Do you still want to go back?"

Xuanzang added: "If you are guilty, you must take the scriptures to Chang'an even if it means death."

The skinny Xuanzang had a calm look in his eyes, his monk robe fluttering in the wind. He looked at the cattle and sheep in the distance and said with a smile, "Please let us go, Zamp."

"We have to go to Chang'an?"

Xuanzang clasped his hands together and chanted the Buddha's name again, saying: "Even though Lu Dongzan was imprisoned in Chang'an for several years, the Prime Minister was always thinking about Tubo while he was in Chang'an, because Tubo was his hometown and the place where he had devoted his life."

The young Tibetan king looked at the monk and took two steps back. He frowned and shook his head and said, "The Crown Prince will not let you go."

Xuanzang closed his eyes, sat cross-legged, raised his head slightly, and said, "The prince is an old friend of Popo."

Songtsen Gampo jumped on his horse and left on his own.

It was very cold in Tibet after the autumn. Xuanzang scooped up a pool of water and drank it. He wanted to leave but was stopped by the Tibetan warriors.

Realizing that Songtsen Gampo was still unwilling to let him go, Xuanzang simply took a hammer and chisel and continued to carve Buddhist caves and repair Buddha statues under the snow-capped mountains.

Xuanzang's fingers were rough, and because he was very thin, the joints of his fingers were protruding. He was quietly chiseling the Buddhist cave.

He hammered again and again, and his clothes rustled in the cold wind.

Xuanzang was like a tireless man. He only ate one meal a day, carved Buddha statues when he woke up, and went to bed at night. This was what he did every day.

In the city of Lhasa, the houses here all look short, and the Tibetans living here would shuttle between the short houses when they were busy.

The Tubo royal palace has not been completed yet. It is always delayed for several years and then for half a year, and has been delayed like this until now. The Tubo people cannot build a magnificent palace like the Tang people, and have been troubled by this for a long time.

When Songtsen Gampo came into the house, he saw Feng Dexia sitting by the fire.

Feng Dexia was in his forties. He was not as thin as Xuanzang. He wore the official uniform of the Tang people. He smiled and asked, "Did the Zanpu go to see Xuanzang?"

Songtsen Gampo said: "I heard that Tang cavalry entered Tubo territory recently."

"Oh..." Feng Dexia looked a little distressed, and said, "They are out hunting, just three or five people, the Zanpu does not need to worry."

Songtsen Gampo threw some cow dung into the fire to make it burn more vigorously, and placed a copper kettle on the rack to let the fire burn.

"This copper pot was given by you." Songtsen Gampo spoke while sitting by the stove. He had just talked to Xuanzang, so he was still a little angry and his tone was a little heavier.

Feng Dexia opened a package and handed it over. "This is the latest book from Chongwenguan."

Songtsen Gampo took a scroll and asked curiously, "I don't know when the Tang people started using paper for their books."

“Paper is very cheap in Guanzhong now.”

"It's a pity that Sambuza is not here, maybe he could write a book about Tibet."

"Zanpu does not need to worry about Sambuza. He and the Prime Minister are now working in our Sifang Pavilion and are very capable translators."

"They will not give up Tubo." After saying this, Songtsen Gampo swallowed his saliva, as if he was gritting his teeth, and the blue veins in his neck were throbbing slightly.

The young Tibetan king was 24 years old. He had always regarded the prince of the Tang Dynasty as a rival in learning, and was obsessed with the books in the Chongwen Hall. Feng Dexia said: "The king should have said discarded, as in discarded Tibet, rather than giving up, which is a little bit wrong in meaning."

Songtsen Gampo picked up a scroll and flipped through it. "Will the Tang people not blame you for sending this scroll?"

Feng Dexia shook his head and said, "No."

"You Tang people are so proud that you are willing to spread this knowledge and are even unwilling to hide it."

"When will the Zamp hand Xuanzang over to us?"

Songtsen Gampo said: "Xuanzang is my good friend. I cannot watch him die in Chang'an. If the Emperor of Tang can pardon his sins, he can naturally be released."

"Your Majesty never said Xuanzang deserved a capital crime."

Songtsen Gampo stared at the fire in front of him and said, "I can't watch my friend suffer in Chang'an. It was me who brought Xuanzang out of Nepal, and he promised Tibet that he would carve Buddhist caves for Tibet."

Feng Dexia asked, "Does the Zamp want to wait for Xuanzang to fulfill his promise and build the Buddhist cave before returning it to us?"

Songtsen Gampo nodded and said, "He is chiseling it now, and he chisels it every day. It shouldn't take too long."

Feng Dexia walked out of the hut and said no more to Songtsen Gampo. He mounted his horse and rode away.

In the snow-capped mountains behind the Tubo Royal Palace, there was a group of children gathered, and he was playing among the cattle.

Riding his horse, Feng Dexia arrived at the foot of the snow-capped mountain. He heard the sound of a hammer hitting a chisel. Looking from afar, he saw a man in a monk's robe chiseling the mountain wall. He was alone, with a hammer and a chisel, and just kept hammering away.

"Xuan Zang!"

Hearing this, the other party stopped what he was doing. After so many years, he almost forgot what the Guanzhong dialect accent was.

He closed his eyes and wanted to hear it again.

“Xuanzang!” Feng Dexia was already in front of him. He took off his cloak and handed it to him, saying, “I knew Songtsen Gampo would not let you go so easily. How long will it take you to carve the Buddhist caves alone?”

Xuanzang chanted the Buddha's name and asked, "Who are you?"

"I am Feng Dexia, an envoy assigned to Tubo by the Ministry of Rites. I am ordered to travel between Tubo and Qinghai."

"Ah."

Xuanzang responded and quietly observed the person in front of him.

Feng Dexia took his hand and said, "Don't chisel. Songtsen Gampo is just trying to embarrass you. He doesn't want you to return to Tang at all."

Xuanzang shook his head and said, "I will help Tubo carve out Buddhist caves. Songtsen Gampo cannot break his promise. If he breaks it, his subjects will also break it. I cannot escape privately. Even if I want to go back, I should finish what I have done here. Songtsen Gampo's warriors will send me back to the Tang Dynasty, and I will apologize to Your Majesty."

"Huh?" Feng Dexia was very surprised. This Xuanzang was too calm, so calm that it was somewhat unreasonable.

He also felt that Xuanzang was a very interesting person. He wanted to make Songtsen Gampo sincerely convinced in Tubo and make the Tibetans send him off sincerely.

Instead of fleeing from Tubo.

Feng Dexia took two steps back and forth and said, "You are really a fool."

Xuanzang clasped his hands together, bowed and said, "Thank you for your trouble. Please return."

Feng Dexia ordered: "Keep the cloak. If you can live to see that day, it will be fine. If you die, Tubo will be finished."

Xuanzang closed his eyes, clasped his hands together, and bowed his head in salute.

After returning to Qinghai, Feng Dexia wrote a memorial about what he had seen and heard in Tubo and asked the soldiers in the army to send the report to Chang'an.

This memorial was not sent to Chang'an until October of the 15th year of Zhenguan.

Li Chengqian stood outside the Xingqing Hall, listening to the quarrel inside the hall, flipping through a book in his hand, silent and sometimes thoughtful.

The palace was so noisy, yet His Royal Highness the Crown Prince could still read so attentively.

Mobei wanted to marry the princess. As long as Yinan Khan married the princess, his status in Mobei would be better, but the Tang Dynasty put forward an unreasonable condition.

But something unexpected happened. Half a month ago, a report was sent from Luoyang that the emperor had gone to Mount Tai. No one knew whether he was really going to Mount Tai to offer sacrifices to heaven and earth. There was a lot of discussion in the court and the public.

It was learned that Tian Khan was going to Mount Tai to offer sacrifices to heaven and earth, and that Shuofang had only 10,000 troops stationed there.

Zhenzhu Khan Yinan ordered an alliance between Tongluo, Pugu and Bailei. An army of 200,000 was marching towards the southern part of the desert. The barbaric tribes were always dependent on plunder and war. Could they not survive without robbing and fighting?

It’s really distressing…

Zhang Sun Wuji said in the hall: "Your Majesty is still on his way to Mount Tai, and I am afraid that we are too far away to reach him. We should make an immediate decision!"

Cen Wen said: "Zhenzhu Khan hopes to marry the princess. If at this time..."

"We can't have a marriage alliance at this time!" Qibi Heli immediately stood up, saluted outside the palace and said, "Your Highness, Crown Prince! Give me a thousand soldiers to conquer Mobei!"

Feeling everyone's gazes on him, Li Chengqian stood in front of the hall and ordered: "The situation at the border is critical. I cannot sit idly by and watch Yinshan fall into the hands of the Mobei people. Pass the order!"

Everyone looked solemn.

Li Chengqian looked ahead with a calm expression, and said in a clear voice: "Order Li Simo to stop the Mobei army with all his strength. If he dares to retreat, he will leave his head in Shuofang. Order Li Ji, the marching commander of Shuozhou Road, and the deputy general Xue Wanche to gather light cavalry and rush to the battlefield at any time according to the situation."

"Order Li Daliang, the commander-in-chief of the Liangzhou Road, to send troops immediately to support the Shuozhou Road army."

Yu Zhining got the message and hurried to make arrangements.

"How can Qibi obey orders?"

"The general is here!"

"You and Ashina She'er rush to Yinshan, gather the Turkic cavalry, and rush to our aid."

"Here!"

Qibi Heli responded loudly, and after receiving the order, he quickly walked out of Ganlu Palace.

Cen Wenben said: "Your Highness, Li Simo may not be able to stop the Mobei people. I am afraid that the Yinshan territory will be doomed this time."

Cheng Yaojin said with an unhappy look: "I think that barbarian is really annoying. He has been doing this for several times. How can I tolerate this?"

Li Chengqian said, "Yesterday I went to see Li Weigong and learned a little bit."

Fang Xuanling stroked his beard and said, "It turns out that Duke Wei is giving advice to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

"The Duke of Wei didn't say much, and I haven't been able to learn much either."

The eunuch came hurriedly and bowed, saying, "Your Highness, the meal has been prepared in Chengqing Hall."

Li Chengqian was holding a scroll in his hand. This scroll was exactly the military strategy written by Li Weigong. He said with emotion: "I am also learning on the battlefield. I am sorry to make you laugh."

Qin Qiong, who was following beside him, said, "Even if it's just a little bit of advice from Lord Wei, it's beyond the reach of ordinary generals. With the three armies of Shuofang, Liangzhou, and Qibi Heli encircling us, we will surely win this battle."

Changsun Wuji said: "Since Your Highness has already decided to send troops, you should have said so earlier."

"Ah..." Li Chengqian came back to his senses and said, "I also need to accept more advice. It never hurts to have more discussions."

Seeing that his uncle still had a gloomy face, Li Chengqian smiled and said, "Uncle, I will speak frankly in the future."

(End of this chapter)