The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 397 Xuanzang's Story

After finishing a bowl of noodles, Li Xiaogong left contentedly.

It was finally autumn in the first year of Qianqing. After the morning court session ended, Li Chengqian went to Taiye Lake to fish.

There are fewer eunuchs and maids in the palace than before.

Ever since my mother, the queen, and my father, the emperor, left the palace, many palace maids and eunuchs also left this huge palace.

In fact, there are only a few people in the emperor's family in the palace now.

The emperor does not have so many concubines around him, so he does not need so many people.

The palace became much more desolate.

Li Chengqian was sitting in the water pavilion. Behind him were Wan'er and Ning'er who were taking care of their two daughters. The youngest daughter, Meng Ji, was still learning to speak. She started talking relatively late and now she is three years old. If she wants to say something too long, she will stumble.

Wan'er has been teaching her daughter, hoping that she can be more patient and speak slowly.

Xiao Que'er said, "My daughter went to visit grandpa and brother yesterday."

Li Chengqian peeled the almond shell and gave her the kernel.

Little Magpie chewed the nut and said, "Grandpa said someone said something bad about Daddy."

"What bad things did you say about me?"

She pursed her lips in displeasure and said, "Some people say that the current father only cares about three things after ascending the throne."

Li Chengqian said: "Those must be three very important things."

"Some people say that Dad only cares about his money, his state affairs, and his peaceful heart."

Li Chengqian raised his head while holding the fishing rod and said, "That must be what your grandfather Hejian and grandfather Jiangxia said."

Little Magpie was still chewing almonds and nodded, saying, "Yes, it must be them."

"My old uncles are all old."

Little Queer also peeled an almond and handed it to his father beside him.

The palace maid came hurriedly with the memorial in her hand. Seeing that His Majesty's family was so peaceful, she did not want to disturb them and put the memorial aside silently.

Li Chengqian listened to the new song his daughter had learned for a long time before he looked through the memorials beside him.

The memorial was sent by Guo Zhengyi, the Minister of the Honglu Temple. During the half month that Songtsen Gampo was recuperating in Chang'an, Guo Zhengyi often visited him.

Now Songtsen Gampo would not die of illness in Chang'an, but he did not agree to the court's request.

I didn't expect him to be such a stubborn person.

Throughout the dynasties, kings... no matter how big or small the territory they ruled over, they were all more or less stubborn.

Li Chengqian put down the memorial, looked at the calm lake, and gazed into the distance, where he saw his daughter sitting on the back of a deer.

Several deer walked leisurely by the Taiye Lake, and some even touched the little magpie's cheeks affectionately with their noses, causing the child to hug the deer's necks and laugh non-stop.

In late autumn, Li Shimin, Li Xiaogong, Li Daozon, Li Daoyan and others rode their horses at the foot of Mount Li.

Mount Li became the hunting ground of the retired emperor.

The horses stopped in a forest. Li Dao Zong looked towards the direction of Chang'an City and said, "Songtsen Gampo didn't come to see Your Majesty."

Li Shimin laughed out loud and said, "My son has made him unable to sleep or eat, how can he still have the courage to come and see me?"

Finally, Li Tai rode up and said, "Father, no matter whether Songtsen Gampo agrees to the court's request or not, for my brother, Tubo is a must."

Li Shimin smiled and said in the forest: "So, since Cheng Qian wants to conquer Tubo, he also needs to inform Songtsen Gampo?"

Li Tai pulled the reins of the horse to stop it, and then he stabilized his body. He said, "That's because my brother left room for Songtsen Gampo."

Li Daoyan said: "It's just Tubo. We can take the Songzhou troops to crush it."

Li Xiaogong looked at the autumn scenery in Guanzhong and said, "How can such a beautiful scenery be without good wine?"

Everyone laughed out loud again.

The first year of Qianqing was a very peaceful year, so peaceful that even the officials in the court took their holidays on time during the winter.

At the beginning of winter, heavy snow fell in Guanzhong in November. Mingda was wearing a blue Taoist robe and a wooden hairpin in his hair.

She walked forward, the distance and depth of her steps on the snow were extremely consistent, and her walking posture was extremely natural.

Walking down from the high platform of the ecliptic armillary sphere, she picked up a pen and began to record this year's winter solar terms.

Several craftsmen walked into the Imperial Academy, and the leading craftsman said, "We are here on the orders of Your Majesty to expand the Imperial Academy for Her Royal Highness the Princess."

This Taishijian is indeed going to be built, and models of the sun, moon, stars and star maps will also be placed there.

After letting the craftsmen go into the Taishijian, Mingda walked out of the door with his hands behind his back and looked up at the snowflakes falling from the sky.

Her cheeks were red from the cold as she looked towards the east. Taoist Li had never returned since he went to Laojun Mountain.

After much thought, Mingda decided to write a letter and have someone send it to Taoist Li at Laojun Mountain.

What is written in the letter is the understanding of gravity and air pressure. If Taoist Li reads the letter, he will surely have a clearer understanding of the truth of the world.

Mingda walked into the heavy snow holding an umbrella.

In the warm new palace, Li Chengqian listened to Guo Zhengyi's story. He said that Songtsen Gampo's condition worsened in the winter. The doctors from the Imperial Medical Bureau said that this was normal and the cold in winter was a burden on the sick body.

The plateau in Tibet should be even colder now.

More and more herdsmen moved to Songzhou. Since Songtsen Gampo came to Chang'an for medical treatment, more and more people moved from Lhasa to Songzhou. This phenomenon intensified and became uncontrollable.

This happened for a reason, for in Tubo there was a young man named Qinling, who together with the ministers of Tubo were building the city of Lhasa, and also repairing the Potala Palace which Songtsen Gampo had not completed.

Such conscription of labor in winter will inevitably lead to a trend of population outflow.

When Songtsen Gampo came to Chang'an for medical treatment, since the king was no longer in Tubo, no one could guarantee whether Songtsen Gampo's son would be a corrupt and extortionate person.

Even if Songtsen Gampo's son is not such a person, he is still young. Can he discipline his subjects?
The people of Tubo could trust Songtsen Gampo, but could they trust others?

The trust relationship between the people and those in power is gradually becoming alienated.

Songtsen Gampo loved his Tibetan people, and the Tibetan people also loved this king.

Even if Songtsen Gampo is now in Chang'an, there are still many Tibetan people willing to follow him.

Li Chengqian looked calm and whispered, "Was it Songtsen Gampo's request to have the Potala Palace built?"

"I have asked, and it is the instructions left by the Zamp to the Tibetan subjects."

"Did Songtsen Gampo ever say when to recruit civilians? And what kind of person is Qinling?"

Guo Zhengyi bowed and replied: "The Tibetan envoys didn't say anything, and they kept silent when I asked again."

Li Chengqian looked outside the palace and saw Mingda playing with little Que'er and little Mengji. The little girl was born in winter, so he named her Mengji, hoping that she would not be afraid of the cold and frost.

Li Chengqian drank tea and asked Guo Zhengyi to sit down and taste the tea. Some walnuts were placed next to the stove. The emperor and his minister ate walnuts, drank tea and talked.

It seemed that they were talking about family matters, and laughter could be heard from the hall from time to time.

Your Majesty and your subjects get along very well.

The heavy snow lasted for three days. On that day, the snow had weakened a lot, so Li Chengqian invited the Tubo King Songtsen Gampo to take a walk in the snow.

The Emperor of the Tang Dynasty and the Zamp of Tubo were of similar age, both were extremely young monarchs.

People watched as the imperial guards who were guarding the emperor and the Tibetan warriors who were guarding the Tibetan king stood together, and the emperor and the Tibetan king laughed and talked all the way.

Guo Zhengyi instructed the officials around him: "Your Majesty and the Tibetan king are so friendly, it seems like they have been close friends for many years."

This time, the emperor's meeting with the Tibetan king was arranged by the Ministry of Rites. The Minister of Rites Xu Jingzong said: "Such a beautiful scenery is really a beautiful story."

The Minister of the Ministry of Rites, Guo Zheng, waved his hand.

"What do you want, Mr. Guo Si?"

"Have someone paint this scene. Tian Khan not only cured the Tibetan king's illness, but also walked in the snow with Songtsen Gampo in a friendly manner. The people of Chang'an all know that the Tibetan king is Tian Khan's close friend. Give this story and the painting to the Tibetan people. The more people who know, the better. Send the news to Songzhou with fast horses."

"Yes." The clerk walked away quickly on the snow.

After hearing this, Xu Jingzong asked suspiciously, "What are you going to do?"

Guo Zhengyi said respectfully: "Your Majesty is willing to rest with the people. Your Majesty and Songtsen Gampo are close friends, that's all."

Xu Jingzong asked, "Are you afraid that Songtsen Gampo will die young?"

Guo Zhengyi explained: "If he really died young, your majesty would be very sad."

"It will still take war to conquer Tibet."

"Before war comes, the friendship between the two countries must come first."

Xu Jingzong nodded in approval and said, "This Chang'an City is really full of talented people. I feel old now."

Guo Zhengyi bowed and said, "I am only following your Majesty's orders. Please excuse my embarrassment."

"You are indeed a talented person. The young people of your generation are all outstanding."

On a snowy day, Li Chengqian walked with Songtsen Gampo beside the Xianyang Bridge and pointed to the workshops in the distance and said, "Now the villagers from various counties are still working in the workshops."

Songtsen Gampo asked, "Your Majesty, do people no longer farm?"

"Of course I'm a farmer. I work on the farm during the busy farming season and work in the workshop during the slack farming season." Li Chengqian was wearing a cloak with his hands in his sleeves.

Songtsen Gampo wore a Tang Dynasty cotton coat, but still wore a Tibetan tall hat.

The two stopped beside the workshop. More and more villagers and residents from Chang'an City came out to watch, and the surrounding area was very lively.

Li Chengqian said, "In fact, the Tang Dynasty is not rich, nor is it powerful, and people are working harder than before. I am afraid that I can no longer easily conscript millions of people for labor service like Yang Guang of the Sui Dynasty, or send hundreds of thousands of troops to war at a stroke like my father did."

Songtsen Gampo looked at the villagers who were watching around him and said, "Your Majesty is too modest."

Li Chengqian whispered, "If I say that there will be no more large-scale wars in the Tang Dynasty, do you believe it?"

"Your Majesty has always been a man of his word, and he is convincing."

The eunuch brought a basket of steamed buns, which were still steaming in the winter. Li Chengqian took one out and gave it to him, saying, "Try it."

Songtsen Gampo had eaten steamed buns in Chang'an City. He took a bite and found that they were stuffed with mutton and green onions. He looked at the Khan next to him and he was also eating them.

Li Chengqian said: "Although you rejected my good intention, no one in Chang'an will clamor to challenge the Tibetans during this trip."

"I am ashamed to accept the efforts of the Khan."

"You are welcome."

Lu Dongzan, who was following behind, said: "Tian Khan just did it by chance, and it was a great help to us."

Li Chengqian still had his hands in his pockets, looking at the snow in the distance. "Guanzhong was very poor before, but now people are at least a little better off. In fact, I have a skill. Just by looking at the eyes of the villagers, I can tell how they are doing."

"How do you see it?"

"The trust in their eyes tells me that they are doing well. If there is no trust in people's eyes, it means that I am not doing well. It has been more than ten years... Since I was fifteen years old, I have often left Chang'an to see the streets and countryside."

"If you see more, you will gain something. The emperor lives in the deep palace and sits on the temple, but he cannot forget the sufferings of the people."

Songtsen Gampo said: "Your Majesty is different from Xuanzang."

During the conversation, Xuanzang was mentioned again. Songtsen Gampo had been concerned about him since he came to Chang'an, and he had never seen him again after they parted in Tubo.

Li Chengqian said: "Everyone is different."

As they walked, Songtsen Gampo talked about some past events, which he had found out by sending people to India.

India was just behind Tubo, so it was easy for Songtsen Gampo to find out Xuanzang's whereabouts in India.

This story begins with Xuanzang's arrival in India.

In fact, after returning from India, he did not like Indian temples, nor did he agree with the ideas of Indian monks. Therefore, Xuanzang had a debate with tens of thousands of Indian monks.

The debate was extremely grand; all the monks from India were mobilized to debate with Xuanzang. This was an unobstructed conference.

At first Xuanzang was just watching the conference, but later when he heard words of disagreement, he stood up.

He faced tens of thousands of monks alone, questioned the Indian people's ideas, and stated the basis and his understanding.

Xuanzang had his own ideas about Buddhism and human compassion. He did not agree with the Indians who sat back and watched the suffering of the world.

The debate ended amid the noise of the Indians.

Some say Xuanzang lost, while others say Xuanzang won.

Songtsen Gampo said: "No one can tell whether Xuanzang won or lost in that conference. Many Indians said that Xuanzang lost miserably, but I think the Indians just talked loudly. They didn't necessarily win Xuanzang because Xuanzang never cared about winning or losing."

"He said that there are not so many wins and losses in the world. If they start to care about wins and losses, there will never be any results. Xuanzang wants to find an answer, so he wants to return to the Central Plains, to the East as he calls it, so Tubo cannot keep him."

Li Chengqian listened quietly to Songtsen Gampo's story.

When the trip was over, Songtsen Gampo returned to his residence and Li Chengqian also returned to the palace.

The story of Songtsen Gampo is very touching, but he was still the king of Tubo after all, and I was the emperor of the Tang Dynasty. After returning to my position, sober rationality took the lead in my behavior.

Li Chengqian opened the secret report sent from Songzhou.

Li Lizhi was wearing a bright red winter coat. She sat in front of her brother and said, "We have counted the number of people traveling between Tibet and Qinghai these days. Now there are 60,000 Tibetans living in Qinghai. When the Tibetan ministers find that the population is not enough to meet their needs, it is time to take action."

(End of this chapter)