The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 360 Homecoming
Li Shimin listened to Cui Dunli's story and said, "I know that Cheng Qian is a man who always pays attention to costs. The army has spent so much on the expedition, so he must recover the costs."

As long as His Majesty could understand, Cui Dunli felt relieved and said, "That's right."

As the saying goes, no one knows a son better than his father. Li Shimin knew Cheng Qian's thoughts very well.

Cui Dunli talked about the future governance strategy and opened the Chongwen Hall. He said: "Your Majesty, don't worry. When the victory report is sent to Luoyang, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will assign people to govern. Before that, Your Majesty only needs to divide the prefectures and build the Protectorate."

Li Ke stood aside and listened. Cui Dunli almost said that the rest of the matters should be left to his elder brother, so that his father would not have to think too much or worry.

Li Shimin asked: "Why not establish a Goguryeo king?"

"Your Majesty, all the unrest in Liaodong in the past dynasties was caused by the King of Goguryeo. Your Highness the Crown Prince has decided not to establish the King of Goguryeo and will depose him from now on."

Li Shimin suddenly smiled and said, "He really is a man who kills everyone."

Cui Dunli said: "Your Highness has always been caring for the villagers. In the future, you will send officials to govern Goguryeo, collect taxes, and seal up various mineral resources."

The Tang army won, Goguryeo was destroyed, and the Andong Protectorate was established. In order to prevent Goguryeo from reviving, 60,000 households of Goguryeo were relocated to Yingzhou.

After Cui Dunli finished discussing the governance strategy with His Majesty, he met Jin Chunqiu again.

How could this Silla envoy want to go back?

"Before you go back, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has two things to tell you."

Jin Chunqiu bowed and said, "What can I do for you, His Royal Highness?"

Cui Dunli said: "After the envoy returns, he needs to train his troops, annex Baekje, and ascend the throne to become the king of Silla in the future."

Jin Chunqiu looked around and said, "Your Highness, do you want an outsider to usurp the throne?"

Cui Dunli said: "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has never said that he wants you to usurp the throne. The Tang Dynasty will not be involved in your Silla affairs."

Jin Chunqiu looked understood and saluted again.

Cui Dunli said: "In the future, you must govern the people well. If you are the king of Silla, you must make your subjects pay taxes to the Tang Dynasty. If you cannot become the king of Silla, you will continue to be an envoy."

Jin Chunqiu bowed to the ground and said, "I am willing to obey your orders, Your Highness."

"Okay, I will tell you about the rest after you become the King of Silla."

"Well, I am willing to obey your Highness' orders."

Cui Dunli smiled and said, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is willing to give you a chance, I hope you will seize it."

Jin Chun said in a clear voice: "I am willing to obey your Highness the Crown Prince's orders."

Li Shimin stood outside the hall and watched this scene from afar. The Silla envoy bowed down before Cui Dunli and heard him say, "I will obey your orders, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Li Ke also knew that his elder brother's power in the court was now so strong that it was out of control, and he didn't know what his father was planning at the moment.

He saluted and said, “Father, perhaps my brother has other plans for Silla. This Silla envoy has always been a flatterer.”

Li Shimin retracted his gaze and said, "Tell the entire army to rest for half a month and go home."

Li Ke hurriedly said, "I will arrange it right away."

He left his father with a smile and walked out of the palace. His father said he wanted to go back.

Before going to the battle, my brother said that he wanted to ensure that our father would have no regrets.

Now it seems that my father should have no regrets.

In late May of the 19th year of Zhenguan, the Tang army returned to the capital and ordered the surrendered general Gao Yanshou and the Turkic general Li Simo to guard the Goguryeo royal city.

On the way back, the scenery was bleak and there was no sign of human habitation for thousands of miles. Following this great victory, Heavenly Khan ordered a large-scale migration of the Goguryeo population.

Therefore, the returning army grew larger and larger, and the people gathered around it were all the subjects of Goguryeo, who now wanted to be the subjects of the Heavenly Khan.

On the way back, Cui Dunli explained his doubts to Li Ke, "They are going to Yingzhou to receive education at Chongwen Hall."

Li Ke asked, "Is the education of Chongwenguan in Liaodong the same as that of Chongwenguan in the Western Regions?"

"Most of them are the same, all Confucian classics, but it takes time to make them the subjects of the Heavenly Khan. It's best to start teaching them from the children."

Li Ke nodded.

The Tang army once again came to the Yalu River, and Li Shimin ordered people to continue searching for the remains of former Sui soldiers.

The army rested for another two days by the Yalu River. Li Shimin saw that Cui Dunli had accepted many Goguryeo children as his disciples and taught them the Central Plains dialect and etiquette.

When everything here was settled, Li Shimin looked at the Yalu River for a long time in silence, and let out the breath that had been held in his heart for many years.

That night, the emperor had another very long dream. In the dream, Li Shimin dreamed that Cheng Qian was standing in the court. All the power was in his hands, and he, the emperor, had become a decoration.

In the dream, even the queen put the emperor's crown on Cheng Qian.

When he woke up, Li Shimin walked out of the tent and looked at the starry sky. The snoring of the soldiers in the tent could be heard one after another.

Li Shimin saw Liu Rengui sitting alone by the Yalu River.

The emperor sat beside him calmly.

Seeing that it was His Majesty, Liu Rengui quickly stood up and saluted.

Li Shimin said, "No need to be so polite."

"Your Majesty, etiquette cannot be abolished."

"Do you have a kid?"

Liu Rengui: "I have two sons."

Li Shimin sighed, "My son is very capable. Now I am going back. My son has been in power for another year. Now his power should be even greater."

Among your Majesty's children, the most powerful one is the Crown Prince.

Liu Rengui kept silent, as if whatever he said was wrong.

Li Shimin smiled and said, "My son is very capable and resourceful. I am afraid that I will have to give him some face after he returns this time. What do you think I should say to him when I see him? Should I praise him or criticize him?"

"Your Majesty..." Liu Rengui frowned and replied, "Your Majesty is the father of the Crown Prince. Whether it is criticism or praise, it is like rain and dew to his descendants."

The army is going home and everyone is happy, but now His Majesty seems very sad.

When it came to the emperor's family affairs, Liu Rengui did not dare to influence the emperor's thoughts.

The emperor's family affairs are different from those of ordinary people. Now that His Majesty has returned victorious from the eastern expedition, the prince's power is now greater than before.

Liu Rengui had not thought so much before, but now that he thinks about it, he feels embarrassed for Your Majesty.

How should the emperor and the prince get along with each other in the future?
The army set out again, and after half a month's march, some troops had arrived in Yingzhou first. His Majesty's decree was announced to the world, Goguryeo was destroyed, the Goguryeo royal city was captured, Yeon Gaesomun was killed, and the bodies of the former Sui soldiers were retrieved.

In this battle, the Tang army captured cities in Goguryeo one after another.

In June of the 19th year of Zhenguan, Li Shimin arrived in Yingzhou.

Zhang Jian watched as cartloads of corpses were delivered to the city. The remains of the former Sui generals and soldiers had now turned into a pile of white bones.

The families of the soldiers who had accompanied Yang Guang on the Eastern Expedition also came to Yingzhou. Men, women, old and young were speechless when they saw the pile of corpses.

A white-haired old woman hugged a bone and cried, "Son! You went to war at the age of fifteen, and your mother is here to pick you up..."

The wailing became louder and louder, and men, women, young and old looked at the corpses scattered on the ground with tears in their eyes.

Li Shimin wiped away his tears, looked up and said, "Ke'er."

"My son is here."

"Order people to prepare sacrifices. I will use the grand sacrifice ceremony to worship these soldiers."

"Here!"

Tailao Ceremony was a ritual of sacrifice performed by emperors of all dynasties. The three kinds of animals, cattle, sheep and pigs, were prepared and an altar was set up in front of the city of Yingzhou. The emperor's behavior showed how much he valued the former Sui generals.

Li Shimin personally worshipped the bones and ordered the villagers to take the bones away, although it was impossible to tell who the bones belonged to or whose family they belonged to.

But each family took some and took it back for burial.

The body is returned, and the family’s concern is returned as well.

Li Shimin's tears fell from his eyes. He said to Li Dao Zong beside him: "Now I can also do what Cheng Qian did and keep my word."

Li Dao Zong nodded and said: "All the subjects in the world will remember this day."

The army dispersed in Yingzhou. In July of the 19th year of Zhenguan, Li Shimin led two thousand cavalrymen to Luoyang.

Perhaps because he rushed too hastily, the emperor fell ill when he arrived in Dingzhou.

Li Shimin could only lie down in the carriage to slow down his pace.

After waking up from the high fever, Li Shimin opened his eyes and saw his daughter's face, and asked in confusion: "Dongyang?"

"Well, my daughter is here to visit her father."

Li Shimin stroked the wet cloth on his head and asked, "When did you come?"

Dongyang replied: "I came here first after learning that my father was ill."

"I……"

Dongyang held down his father who was about to stand up, leaned against the shaking carriage, and said with an unhappy look: "Father is fine."

Li Shimin nodded and said, "I just have a cold."

Dongyang felt his father's pulse again, and after a moment, he said, "You came here from Liaodong, so you should rest for a few days in Liaodong. How can you be so anxious? Your father is so old, and it's natural for him to get sick after traveling so much."

With his daughter by his side, Li Shimin smiled with relief, leaned back against the carriage and sat up, saying, "Are the children all right?"

Dongyang sorted out his medicine box and said, "Zhi Nu and Shen Di have gone to Bozhou. Sister Li Zhi is now asking about the affairs of Jingzhao Prefecture. Mingda is staying with the Queen Mother. Father, don't worry, everything is fine at home."

"Your grandfather..."

"Grandpa is doing well too. He has been boxing with Mingda every day lately."

"Boxing?"

Dongyang explained: "It is a kind of boxing taught by Taoist Li. It is similar to the Five Animals Exercises. There is no harm in practicing it."

"They all know that I won a great victory?"

"Of course." Dongyang said lazily, "Grandpa sang loudly for half an hour after hearing the good news. The old man almost sang his breath out. When he learned that the emperor was coming back, Xiao Yutu and Que'er stood on the city wall every day, hoping that the emperor would return safely."

Hearing about his grandson and granddaughter, Li Shimin smiled, "My grandson and granddaughter, do you really miss me so much?"

Dongyang sighed: "Yes, they miss father very much."

Li Shimin stroked his beard and said, "I also want to go back early."

Dongyang saw that his father's hair and beard had a few more strands of white, so he withdrew his gaze and looked outside the carriage. His father should have nothing to worry about now.

After walking for a day, it was getting dark outside.

Dongyang got off the carriage and prepared food for his father himself. When he saw his uncle coming with wine, he said, "You can't drink."

Li Dao Zong hasn't spoken yet.

Li Shimin in the carriage said: "I will just drink a sip."

Dongyang cooked porridge in a small pottery pot and said, "Father has just taken medicine. Drinking alcohol now will ruin the effect of the medicine. Not only will it take longer to get better, but it will also make things worse. What should we do?"

Li Shimin had indeed recovered a lot, and there was a taste in his mouth. He said, "I..."

"If you drink this drink, I will go back now and not care about you anymore."

Before he could finish his words, after hearing what Dongyang said, Li Shimin waved his hand and signaled Li Daozon to take the wine jug and leave.

Dongyang personally cooked a bowl of porridge for his father, served it to him, and said, "Let it cool down before serving."

Li Shimin smelled the porridge and asked, "Why does this porridge taste like..."

"This is a medicinal diet. My daughter and Mingda discussed this on a daily basis. This porridge can make the medicinal properties work better. The pharmacology is related to the internal organs of the human body, so it can be considered a supplementary medicine."

If it is ordinary meat porridge, it would be fine.

Li Shimin scooped up some with a wooden spoon, smelled it, and looked troubled.

Looking at his daughter's expression again, Li Shimin pursed his lips and said, "Well, it really smells like medicine."

Then he closed his eyes and finished the medicine in the bowl in one breath.

Only then will Dongyang be satisfied.

Seeing his daughter taking out the herbs and starting to boil the medicine, Li Shimin walked down the carriage road and said, "I have recovered and can walk."

Dongyang asked suspiciously, "Really?"

Li Shimin took two more steps.

Under the firelight, Dongyang looked at his father's still pale face and said, "Then why don't you take a few more steps, father?"

Li Shimin continued walking with his hands behind his back, when he suddenly felt dizzy and held on to the carriage.

Dongyang waved the palm-leaf fan in his hand with a smile on his face, and as expected, he fainted.

Li Dao Zong hurried forward to help him and said, "Your Majesty."

Li Shimin looked even worse, but he still smiled and said, "It seems that I am too anxious."

Li Dao Zong said: "Your Majesty, why don't you rest for a while."

"My grandson and granddaughter are still waiting for me."

Li Dao Zong supported His Majesty and said, "Don't worry about the next day or two."

Li Shimin staggered forward and said, "I'll sit for a moment."

"Hey."

Dongyang looked at his uncle and his father, and shook his head and sighed again.

Li Shimin asked: "If I continue on my journey tomorrow and arrive in Luoyang, will my illness be cured?"

Dongyang thought for a moment and said, "It depends on how well my father recovers. I am a doctor and cannot make promises to patients outright."

Li Shimin laughed again, and laughed happily.

At this moment, the emperor was very happy even though he was sick.

After a great victory in the battle of Liaodong, the knot in my heart was untied, and I have no regrets in this life.

Dongyang served the medicine soup, handed it over in a small bowl, and said, "Drink it."

Li Shimin said with a bitter face: "I just ate a medicinal meal."

"Two meals a day, it takes three days to use, and then the medicine is excreted for five days."

Li Shimin calculated that it would take eight days. According to the current pace of travel, if he traveled fast enough, it would probably take nine days to reach Luoyang, by which time his illness should be cured.

After thinking about it, thinking about seeing his grandchildren, he picked up the bowl and drank the medicine in one breath.

Dongyang added: "When the news of my father's serious illness was sent to Luoyang, some officials in the court advised my brother to ascend the throne."

(End of this chapter)