The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 543: Past Events in Tibet

A brazier was lit in the tent, and the whistling sound outside became louder. Listening to the sound of wind and snow, Songtsen Gampo continued to write his policy papers.

Occasionally, wind blew in through the gaps in the tent, causing the flames in the brazier to sway.

Dazhan Dongsai walked into the tent, holding some freshly cooked mutton in his hand, and said, "Protector Li gave me pepper and salt, and I don't want to sprinkle it on the beef."

Songtsen Gampo saw him holding a copper basin with his red, frozen hands, in which the cut beef was steaming.

Dazhan Dongsai put the beef aside, and then lit a small brazier with cow dung, placed it next to the Zamp, and said, "Is the Zamp writing a letter to the Heavenly Khan?"

Songtsen Gampo nodded, picked up the pen and wrote the last sentence, then took the paper and placed it next to the oil lamp to look at it carefully. After repeatedly confirming that there was no problem, he waited for the ink to dry, put it in a cowhide bag, sewed it with needle and thread, and handed it to him, instructing: "Send it to Chang'an City and give it to Guo Zhengyi, the Minister of Honglu Temple."

Dazhan Dongsai nodded and said, "Let someone send it there tomorrow morning. The Zamp will have some beef. I don't like the Tang people's pepper and salt."

As he spoke, he picked up a piece of beef and said, "Zanpu, look! This beef tastes good only when eaten this way."

Dazhan Dongsai put a piece of beef into his mouth, chewed it and closed his eyes, enjoying it.

Songtsen Gampo smiled and said, "I heard that you can treat cows now?"

Dazhan Dongsai nodded and said, "Livestock can also get sick. If the livestock of herders die of illness, they will not be able to survive. I will study hard how to treat livestock. Livestock are very important to our herders."

Songtsen Gampo did not use pepper or salt either. He picked up a piece of beef that was cooked in water and still had some blood on it, put it into his mouth, and ate it with great enjoyment.

The next day, Dazhan Dongsai sent someone to deliver the Zamp's letter to Chang'an, and he also accompanied the Zamp all the way from Qinghai to Tubo.

Many Tibetans knew that the king who was recuperating in Chang'an was about to return, but when it came to actually preparing to meet the Tibetan people, Songtsen Gampo hesitated.

Dazhan Dongsai led the Zamp's horse and walked in front of the crowd.

A group of Tibetan people cheered under Songtsen Gampo's horse, celebrating the return of the Tibetan king.

Although the Tubo Zamp had white hair, his illness had been cured and he returned safely.

Amid the crowd's celebrations, Songtsen Gampo left people's sight and rode his horse alone to the Potala Palace. Along the way, Songtsen Gampo often coughed.

Dazhan Dongsai suspected that Zamp's illness had probably worsened. When he was in Guzang City, Zamp's cough was not so severe.

After Songtsen Gampo calmed down his breathing, he replied: "Tian Khan asked the people from the Imperial Medical Bureau to treat me. They said that my illness has damaged my internal organs, and returning to the depths of Tubo may aggravate my condition."

After coughing violently twice, Songtsen Gampo had no choice but to dismount and walk two steps towards the Zangbo River. He coughed violently several times until his face turned red.

Looking at the Zamp's appearance, Dazhan Dongsai said, "Zamp, we are not going to move forward!"

Songtsen Gampo stood by the Zangbo River, looking towards the direction of the Potala Palace.

When I left, the Potala Palace was not yet built, but now I can’t go back? Songtsen Gampo asked himself in his heart, and then he saw Dazhan Dongsai shouting loudly in Tibetan to the Tibetan children behind him, and some of them left.

Songtsen Gampo took every breath very hard and sat quietly by the Zangbo River.

A group of Tibetan children invited a Tang person to come here. The man was a doctor arranged by Tian Khan in Tibet.

"Zanpu, I'm from the Imperial Medical Bureau."

"Yes." Songtsen Gampo nodded.

The medical officer listened to his breathing and took his pulse for a long time.

Under the gaze of a group of Tibetan children, the medical officer tested the Zamp's hearing, looked into his eyes, and observed his breathing rate.

The medical officer stood up and said, "The Zamp's internal organs were damaged when he was seriously ill. The Zamp's internal organs are not as good as those of ordinary people. In addition, the high altitude and cold weather in Tibet will aggravate his condition."

The medical officer thought for a moment and said, "Zanpu can't go any further. He can stay here to recuperate. If he gets used to it, he can go forward. But I can't guarantee how far Zanpu can go. Please think twice."

Dazhan Dongsai asked anxiously, "Will the Zamp die?"

"I am a doctor. If the Zanpu wants to live, he must listen to the doctor's words." He packed up the medicine box and said, "The Zanpu does not need to take medicine. Just rest and rest."

Dazhan Dongsai watched the doctor leave. He said unconvincedly, "Zamp, we all grew up under the snow-capped mountains. We can also go back to the snow-capped mountains."

Songtsen Gampo, who had lived in Chang'an for many years, had adapted to the lifestyle of the people in Guanzhong, but he became unable to adapt after returning.

"The Khan wants me alive." He said to himself, and then asked someone to build a tent here.

At night, Songtsen Gampo lived here and often looked towards the direction of the Potala Palace.

The Zamp stayed here for several days, and his condition improved since he stopped moving forward.

That night, it snowed heavily in Tubo again, and someone came towards the tent on horseback.

Songtsen Gampo was sitting in the warm tent, reading a book. It seemed as if time had gone back to twenty years ago. He was like this at that time. No matter how cold it was outside, he would always read a book by the fire.

At this moment, the book Songtsen Gampo was reading was exactly what is now in the Chongwenguan of Tubo.

In the wind and snow, the man dismounted in front of the tent. The wind and snow blew up his gray hair. He brushed off the snow on his body and walked into the tent.

Seeing the newcomer, Songtsen Gampo was not surprised, but asked, "How is Tubo now?"

The man took off his hat. He was Lu Dongzan. He had gray hair and his eyes were a little cloudy as he was over sixty years old.

After returning to Tubo from Chang'an City, Lu Dongzan seemed to be completely drained of energy. In Chang'an City, he at least still had some vitality, but after returning to Tubo, it seemed as if all his vitality had been drained away.

Lu Dongzan sat beside the brazier, feeling the warmth of the flames and said, "It's been so many years." Looking back on the past, this Tubo prime minister brought his troops to watch the war between the Tang Dynasty and Tuyuhun. At that time, he was only thirty years old, just the age to do something big. At that time, Songtsen Gampo was only fifteen years old.

Thirty years passed in the blink of an eye. The Tang Dynasty conquered the Tianshan Mountains and completed the Eastern Expedition. The former Khan had grown old, and the Tang Dynasty had a new Khan.

This new Khan is also a very powerful opponent. He is more terrifying than the Khan of that year. Lu Dongzan feels that he is no match for him and is even more powerless to shake the current Tang Dynasty.

The Tian Khan back then was a very powerful and courageous man. He made heroes all over the world submit to him, traveled across the country, valued friendship and loyalty, and fought against disobedients.

Today's Khan is harsh and tough, centralized and powerful, with no mercy or sympathy towards people at home or abroad, only politics and interests.

This Xintian Khan is a cold man and a terrible person.

Perhaps Tubo might have had some chances facing the Heavenly Khan in the past, but now the new Heavenly Khan will not show any mercy, just like the Persian prince who knelt in front of the Suzaku Gate for several days but did not get a single word from the Heavenly Khan to restore his country.

Even if the Persian prince died by smashing his head in front of the Suzaku Gate, the Heavenly Khan would not help him restore his country.

This is a cold Heavenly Khan, cold and powerful. This Heavenly Khan understands that helping Persia restore its country will not benefit the Tang Dynasty in any way. Instead, it will leave hidden dangers for the Pamir Mountains, even if the Persian prince swears a solemn oath that he will never be an enemy of the Tang Dynasty again.

But Tian Khan would not believe his promises and oaths. Why should the Tang Dynasty give up a part of its territory to the Persians for nothing, and even leave hidden dangers for itself? It is enough to write the story of Persia in history books. As for restoring the country... Tian Khan has never thought of that possibility.

The former Tian Khan was a warm emperor, but the current Tian Khan is cold. Although they are father and son, the difference is so great.

Lu Dongzan still remembers that when he was in front of the Taiji Hall, he was still the prince. Standing in the sun, he had a gentle smile on his face. It was clear that he was a very kind prince. He even gave himself a bar of soap.

But what about now? He will nibble away at Tubo and make it a part of the Tang Dynasty. In the future, it will become a tax-paying land of the Tang Dynasty like the Western Regions. Lu Dongzan was certain in his heart. There was no doubt that it would be like this.

How could such a Heavenly Khan let Tubo go? Even Persia could not restore its country, so how could Tubo remain safe on its own? There were only two choices: destruction or fulfilling the Heavenly Khan's wish.

Seeing that Lu Dongzan remained silent for a long time, Songtsen Gampo asked, "How is Tubo now?"

"Very good." Lu Dongzan whispered, "Tibet has never been so good. The Tang people even treat the old and young in Tibet. The Tibetans believe that there will be no more war between the Tang and them. The Tang people love peace, just like the Tang people love themselves. Now the Tibetans also love themselves, and they love the peace even more."

As he spoke, Lu Dongzan looked reluctant. The Lu Dongzan who dared to seek profit in the war between Tuyuhun and the Tang Dynasty was no longer with us.

Lu Dongzan, who had been under house arrest in Chang'an for many years, had become a different person. He had become more cautious, more humble, and no longer arrogant.

That was when Lu Dongzan saw a more powerful Tang Dynasty, and saw how much the Tang people supported their emperor, as well as a group of young elites. This Tang Dynasty did not decline with the passage of time, but became even more powerful with the passage of time.

Xue Rengui, Pei Xingjian, Wang Xuance, Di Renjie, Pei Yan and others can lead troops for Tian Khan. No matter who leads the troops to attack Tubo, it will bring a devastating disaster to Tubo.

Even if it was not them, as long as the Heavenly Khan said a word, the people of the Western Regions, the Pamirs, and even India and Nanzhao would follow the Heavenly Khan's order to attack Tubo.

Songtsen Gampo said: "I heard that you are often awakened by nightmares."

Lu Dongzan looked at the flames in the brazier and asked, "Did the Tibetan child tell the Zamp?"

"Yes." Songtsen Gampo put down the book in his hand and said, "The child said that the prime minister would be awakened by nightmares at night, and the prime minister was very scared."

Lu Dongzan covered his face in pain.

"Why didn't we feel fear when we were in Chang'an?"

After hearing what Zamp said, Lu Dongzan covered his face with one hand, not knowing how to explain.

Songtsen Gampo drank milk tea and said, "I heard that Rulaijie also likes milk tea. Some people say that Rulaijie left a letter for me on the snow mountain, but no one has seen the letter. He said that as long as I return to the snow mountain, I will know what the letter from Rulaijie is."

Seeing Lu Dongzan covering his face and crying, it would have been fine if he had not left Chang'an. After returning to Tubo, Lu Dongzan's emotions often broke down.

If Lu Dongzan had spent his life in Chang'an City, there would not have been so many tears.

Songtsen Gampo sat down, patted him on the back and handed him a bowl of milk tea.

Lu Dongzan took the tea bowl with both hands and held back his tears.

Songtsen Gampo now also has white hair. Looking from a distance into the bright tent, one can see two white-haired people sitting together.

"In fact, you are not afraid of the Tang people. Since you became the Prime Minister of Tubo, you have never been afraid of the enemy. Now that you have returned to Tubo, you have seen the beauty of Tubo and the smiles on the faces of Tubo people. The people of Tubo have never been so at ease. They don't have to worry about war."

Songtsen Gampo was younger than Ludongzan, and he comforted the elderly Tibetan prime minister, "They don't have to worry about anyone stealing their cattle and sheep, because the Tang and Tibetan warriors will protect them. They also don't have to worry about Tibetan nobles plundering them, because the Protectorate does not allow Tibetan nobles to do so."

“We only get scared after seeing beauty. We are all ordinary people.” Songtsen Gampo let out a long sigh and patted him on the back.

Lu Dongzan lived during the period of civil strife in Tubo. At that time, he and the Zamp quelled the civil strife in Tubo and annexed many surrounding small tribes, which led to the current situation. However, the Tubo people at that time did not live very well.

At dawn, the elderly Lu Dongzan once again mounted his horse and walked along the Zangbo River, not knowing where he was going.

Songtsen Gampo found Sambuza's old residence by the Zangbo River. He planned to live there and lead a life without being disturbed. As for what the letter left by Rulaijie was, Songtsen Gampo didn't care.

Songtsen Gampo felt that he had long been a king in name only. Since he was no longer a king, there was nothing he had to do. He would rather do what he wanted to do, stay by the Zangbo River, watch the people of Tibet, and watch a group of Tibetan children grow up.

"Just like the Tang people said, one must love oneself first before loving the world." Songtsen Gampo sat in the long-lost sunshine, looking towards the east, and said to himself, "The Heavenly Khan has always said this."

January of the 13th year of Qianqing’s reign, Chang’an, under the ginkgo tree in front of the new palace of the imperial palace.

This used to be the Xingqing Palace. Li Chengqian, who had just ascended the throne, converted it into a new palace. Li Shimin was somewhat dissatisfied with his son's behavior.

Changsun Wuji was walking over with the help of a cane. He saw the father and son sitting under the ginkgo tree from afar, especially the current emperor, whose eyes were exactly the same as those of Empress Dowager Changsun back then.

Li Chengqian looked at the letter in his hand and said, "Before leaving, Songtsen Gampo bought a bowl of Guanzhong Xinfeng wine on the Xianyang Bridge and paid three coins for it."

(End of this chapter)