The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 429 Concession
Zhang Sun Wuji was sitting in a room with a piece of paper in front of him. The light of the oil lamp flickered as he thought about what he should write on the paper. Then he saw his sister coming with a bowl of noodle soup. She said, "Brother, have some food."

"Ah."

"What is this about?"

His eyes fell on the paper again, and he replied, "I want to write something to your majesty, but I haven't figured out how to start yet."

"I want to resign, but I don't know where to start."

"Yes."

After finishing the noodles, Changsun Wuji began to think. He picked up his pen, rolled up his sleeves with one hand and began to write.

Li Chengqian remained silent as he read the letter until it arrived at the palace. What was written in the letter were all past events. It turned out that his uncle lost his father at a young age and was driven out of the house by his half-brother Sun Anye. His uncle and his mother's siblings moved to many families, but no one was willing to take them in.

This is a letter from my uncle, and it also reflects his true feelings. His experiences in his early years made him determined to become a man of accomplishment.

Fortunately, he was taken in by his uncle and studied hard from then on. Within a few years, he had become a knowledgeable and talented person and moved around with his uncle among many wealthy families.

In fact, in the eyes of the so-called Changsun family, that is, the Changsun clan of the former Sui Dynasty, they did not look down on their uncle and mother.

This was my uncle's mental journey for many years, until he met my father and my mother married him. The Li family and my uncle became close friends.

In the letter, my uncle also said that my father wanted to teach the Changsun family a lesson, but my uncle stopped it and severed all ties with the Changsun family.

After that came the last years of the Daye Dynasty, heroes from all over the world rose up in rebellion, and the Li family was one of them.

At that time, the Changsun clan had not yet seized this opportunity.

If my uncle was still a member of the Changsun family, he would most likely be a member of a group of heroes. However, since being taken in by my uncle, my uncle had no one else to rely on and resolutely joined the Li family's camp.

The picture scroll of the end of the Sui Dynasty begins. People at that time had many grievances and hatreds. What happened afterwards was that the Li family swept through Guanzhong and went out to fight.

My uncle's life was not smooth. He was neglected by his clan members when he was young, but he found an opportunity in an era when many heroes emerged.

After reading the long volume of letters, which was more than just a letter, but also a memorial of retirement, Li Chengqian picked up his pen, wrote a comment on the memorial, and then had it sent down.

Seeing that her husband was in a bad mood, Ning Er walked up to him, pressed his shoulder and asked, "What's bothering you?"

Li Chengqian slowly said, "My uncle has retired."

Su Wan held the clothes she had sorted out and said, "If your majesty is feeling uncomfortable, why not go out for a walk to relax?"

The stars tonight were beautiful and there were no clouds blocking them. Li Chengqian looked at the sky and said, "I'll just sit here for a while."

Su Wan and Ning'er also sat down and accompanied him quietly.

In a trance, Ning'er saw that His Majesty had returned to his youth. At that time, His Majesty also liked to look up at the stars like this.

After a quiet night, the sun once again shone on Chang'an City. People who had just woken up walked out of their homes, feeling the coolness of the morning.

The Lantern Festival had not yet arrived, but in the first month of the fourth year of Qianqing, the atmosphere of the New Year was still there. Amidst the celebration, people heard the news that Zhao Guogong had grown old.

This news shocked the court and the public, as Duke Zhao's retirement came too suddenly.

Later, news came that the emperor had allowed him to retire, and Your Majesty had approved it.

While people were still discussing the news, Guo Daiju, who was on duty at the Honglu Temple, smiled with relief.

The clerk who was on duty at the New Year asked, "Why are you laughing?"

Guo Daiju did not answer, but he had a vague feeling in his heart that the departure of Duke Zhao from the court meant that the transition from the Zhenguan period to the present had been completed.

It is time to bid farewell to the Zhenguan period. In the past, when Your Majesty handled state affairs, he would more or less consult the regent, that is, the Duke of Zhao, for his opinions.

At that time, Your Majesty should consider Duke Zhao's thoughts.

Since the King of Zhao is getting old, it means that Your Majesty will no longer have the support of regents in the future and will have to face the world alone.

This is also beneficial. From now on, Your Majesty will no longer be bound.

The "Tang Law Commentary" compiled by Duke Zhao is still retained by the court, and many matters in the court have to be arranged according to this commentary.

Before people were shocked, the emperor issued another decree, appointing Ashina She'er as the Great Khan of the Turks, ruling over Yinshan and Mobei.

Gao Kan, the General of the Left Guard, was appointed as the Pacifier of Beiting, and was to go to Shuozhou to take up his post after the Lantern Festival.

He ordered Zhang Jian, the commander-in-chief of the Liaodong Road, to set up the Andong Protectorate and appoint him as the protector-general. He also sent 500 teachers to Liaodong.

He ordered Gao Yanshou, the garrison general of Liaodong County, to go to Silla and build the Donghai Protectorate at the mouth of the Baekgang River.

Wang Xuance was appointed as the garrison general of Tianzhu, in charge of Tianzhu's military affairs, to assist in the construction of Chongwenguan in Tianzhu and the construction of Tianzhu Protectorate.

The Tibetan minister Ru Laijie assisted the Tang army in its expedition and was awarded the title of Tang-Tibetan Pacification Envoy. He was given a summary of the documents exchanged between the Tang and Tibet and was allowed to jointly govern Tibet with the Tang Dynasty to support the Indian Protectorate. The Tibetan soldiers were all given land in Songzhou and were allowed to enter the Sifang Pavilion in Chang'an.

Songtsen Gampo, who was recuperating in Chang'an, had just finished drinking a bowl of medicine under the watchful eyes of Zhang Wenzhong, the medical officer of the Imperial Medical Bureau.

Songtsen Gampo asked, "How long should we drink this medicine soup?"

Zhang Wenzhong carried the medicine box on his back and said, "I heard that the Zanpu has not been sleeping well these days. The medicine just now is used to calm his nerves."

"Thank you."

"May I ask why the Zanpu can't sleep recently? Medicine can only be used as a supplement. Most of the time, staying awake all night is related to worries."

Songtsen Gampo said: "You are a doctor, shouldn't you just ask about the symptoms?"

Zhang Wenzhong smiled and said, "Doctors treat illnesses, but patients need to nourish their hearts. If the Zanpu has something on his mind, this medicine may not be of much use."

"I have nothing to worry about."

Zhang Wenzhong bowed and then left quickly.

It is always believed that the emperor cannot do without regents. Songtsen Gampo thought so before. Although Duke Zhao has retired, the emperor seems to have become even more powerful.

Songtsen Gampo said: "As an emperor, if he wanted to show his ability, he could have let the regent retire long ago."

Lu Dongzan replied: "It's about the friendship between the emperor and his subjects. Nowadays, the Tang people are more and more loyal and righteous. The emperor is like this, and so are his subjects."

"The regent is his bondage. This emperor will be terrifying without his bondage."

Lu Dong praised: "Two pacification envoys, three protectorates!"

Songtsen Gampo said calmly: "The imperial examinations held every two years in the Tang Dynasty have prepared a large number of officials for the court. It is no wonder that the Li Tang imperial examinations were held one after another."

Lu Dongzan, who has lived in Chang'an for many years, also remembers the past events. At that time, when His Majesty had just ascended the throne, someone advised His Majesty to slow down the imperial examinations to avoid redundant officials in the court.

But now, thinking back to the advice given in the past and looking at the actions taken by the court today, the current reserve of officials is not enough for His Majesty to use.

Songtsen Gampo whispered, "People from all over the Central Plains keep coming to Chang'an. They want to serve the Heavenly Khan, but unfortunately Tibet doesn't have that many people."

After nightfall, late at night just after the Lantern Festival, an incident occurred in Chang'an City. Dozens of corpses lay outside the Tibetan courtyard.

All the dead were Tibetans, and they were all middle-aged Tibetan men.

Shangguan Tingzhi and Jingzhao Prefecture Shaoyin Yan Qinli heard the urgent report and rushed here in a hurry. The patrolling officers and soldiers had already surrounded the mansion.

At this moment, the gate of the Tibetan mansion was closed and there was no sound at all.

The night watchman was Li Daoyan, the general of the Jinwu Guard. The torches lit up the outer walls of the house. Shangguan Tingzhi stepped forward and asked, "General, what's going on?"

Under the firelight, Li Daoyan replied solemnly: "Qin Ling is blocking the gate."

Yan Qinli observed the corpses scattered all over the ground, looked at the faces and clothes of these people, and asked, "Tibetans?"

Shangguan Tingzhi hesitated and asked, "The Tibetans want to kill the Tibetans?"

Yan Qinli ordered: "Go to each neighborhood and ask around. Then ask the gatekeepers on duty these past two days, which Tibetans have been entering and leaving Chang'an recently?"

"Here!"

The officials from Jingzhao Prefecture left first.

Shangguan Tingzhi searched a corpse's arms and found a piece of paper. He frowned and asked, "Is it the paper from Chongwenguan?"

But when he saw that the paper was written in Tibetan, he looked at the closed gate and walked forward to ask, "Is the Zamp all right?"

The voices of Tibetans could be heard from inside the door, as if they were having a conversation.

"I am Shangguan Tingzhi, Junior Official of the Dali Temple. I have learned that there is a murder in Chang'an City, so I have come to investigate. I hope you will forgive me and ask the Zanpu to come out and see me."

The courtyard became quiet again and no one spoke.

Shangguan Tingzhi added: "If the Zanpu doesn't open the door, we will break in. It is our duty, and I hope you will forgive us."

He had just stepped back a few steps and was about to order the people from the Dali Temple to break down the door.

But they saw that the gate of the courtyard was open, and there were still many corpses lying in the courtyard. A group of Tibetans were protecting Songtsen Gampo and Lu Dongzan in the center.

Officials from the Dali Temple walked into the yard holding torches, keeping an eye on their surroundings and also on the Tibetans.

It seems that this time the incident was quite serious. Not only did many assassins die, but even several familiar faces who usually protected Songtsen Gampo died.

There are fewer people around Songtsen Gampo now than before.

Lu Dongzan shouted loudly in Tibetan, and Qin Ling and a group of Tibetans retreated, allowing the Tang officials to come in.

Shangguan Tingzhi signaled with his eyes, and a group of officials walked into each room of the house and began to search.

"It is my duty to investigate. There hasn't been a murder in Chang'an for a long time. If I don't investigate thoroughly, I will have a hard time explaining to the court."

Songtsen Gampo nodded slowly.

"This letter seems to be delivered to the Zanpu?"

Lu Dongzan took the letter, took a look at it and looked angry, then handed it back to the Zamp.

When Songtsen Gampo saw the letter, he started coughing violently and his body was shaking.

Lu Dongzan said angrily: "I want to go back to Tubo and kill Ru Laijie."

When Tang envoys encountered looting on their way to India, Ru Laijie went to provide assistance and fought together with Tang army generals.

When the news was first heard in Chang'an, it was thought that Wang Xuance's 10,000 men could not defeat Alonashun's 400,000 troops.

Songtsen Gampo looked at the contents of the letter, which were all Rulaijie's statements to the generals in the court, and also talked about the future of Tubo.

But the most inappropriate thing is that... Ru Laijie wants to establish another king in Tubo.

Lu Dongzan said angrily: "He is a respected wise man in Tubo, and he dared to do this!"

Songtsen Gampo was still coughing, and the letter had slipped from his hands. It took a while until his face turned red from coughing before he recovered his breath.

The premise of the friendship between Tang and Tubo was that the Tubo Zamp needed to stay in Chang'an.

"He is an ambitious man. He will suffer the consequences sooner or later." Songtsen Gampo held back Lu Dongzan who was about to rush out, and said with a smile: "I am not dead yet, and the Tang people and Tian Khan will not let me die."

Someone else came to report: "Shao Yin Yan, I have questioned the ten city gate guards who were on duty recently. They entered Chang'an on the night of the Lantern Festival."

All the Tang officials looked embarrassed. During the Lantern Festival celebration, it seemed that they would be questioned every time the curfew was lifted in the future.

Dozens of lives were lost, even though they were all Tibetans. This matter is big or small. In any case, Jingzhao Prefecture, Dali Temple, and various guards in Chang'an are all to blame.

Songtsen Gampo asked, "Can the Dali Temple and Jingzhao Prefecture not intervene?"

Before the person in front of him could reply, Songtsen Gampo emphasized again: "This is our own business in Tibet and has nothing to do with the Tang people."

Yan Qinli said: "It would be fine if it didn't happen in Chang'an City, but the current situation is another matter."

Songtsen Gampo closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and said slowly: "I will only talk about this matter with the Khan in person."

"Okay, I will report this to the court later. Before His Majesty sends us the order, no one here is allowed to enter or leave."

"it is good."

Songtsen Gampo and Lu Dongzan agreed.

It is impossible to just let such a large-scale assassination go, not to mention that it involves the relationship between Tang and Tubo.

The next day, the court was still on holiday, and Li Chengqian met with Songtsen Gampo at Qujiang Lake in Chang'an City.

"Heavenly Khan." Songtsen Gampo saluted.

Seeing the other person's pale face, like a candle in the wind, Li Chengqian put his hands in his pockets and said, "Sit down."

"Thank God Khan."

"It was very lively here last night, but because of the Tibetan incident, the court has reinstated the curfew."

"I am the one who disturbed the Khan's pleasure."

"Zanpu, don't say that. There are always unexpected things in this world."

Songtsen Gampo lowered his head and coughed twice.

Li Chengqian said: "I don't want anything to happen to you, I will ask the doctor from the Imperial Medical Bureau to come and check on your condition again."

"Rulaijie has returned to Tubo from India. He wants to establish a new king in Tubo."

"Oh, it's not a big deal, as long as this is not your Tibetan custom. Otherwise, if you kill a few people every now and then, how can Chang'an City be peaceful?"

Upon hearing this, Shangguan Tingzhi and Yan Qinli, who were standing at the back, immediately lowered their heads and showed an attitude of willingness to accept punishment.

"The friendship between Tang and Tibet was agreed upon by me and the Heavenly Khan. More and more Tang officials are visiting Tibet. Rulaijie wants to establish another king in Tibet, but he doesn't want to cut ties with the Tang now. He needs the Tang to help Tibet. Because of the friendship between Tang and Tibet, he must kill me. Otherwise, the Heavenly Khan will not agree to establish another king."

Li Chengqian said: "Who said I won't agree?"

Songtsen Gampo sighed and said, "Why didn't the government build a Protectorate in Tubo?"

"anything else?"

"That's my biggest concession."

(End of this chapter)