My father, Li Shimin, please call me Crown Prince

Chapter 460 This is too fast
The smoke of battle had not yet cleared from Lhasa, and the ruins of the royal palace still reeked of gunpowder and dust.

Songtsen Gampo removed his jade-inlaid crown, his plain robe stained with battlefield dust, and slowly bowed before Su Dingfang.

This once mighty ruler who unified the snowy region finally bowed his head amidst the roar of cannons.

Princess Wencheng stood beside him, her dark blue woolen skirt brushing against the scattered bricks and tiles, her expression calm but unable to conceal the complexity in her eyes.

Lu Dongzan stood to one side with his hands hanging down, his clenched fists betraying his resentment.

Su Dingfang, his hand on the sword at his waist, glanced at the three men, his voice as steady as ever: "Now that the Zanpu has surrendered, the Tang Dynasty will not treat him harshly. Considering that you are His Majesty's son-in-law and the princess's husband, the army will not make things difficult for you and your family. However, according to military law, you must come with me back to Chang'an to meet the Crown Prince and explain what happened."

Songtsen Gampo's Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice was hoarse: "General Su is magnanimous, Songtsen Gampo... obeys the order. However, Tibet has just been ravaged by war, and the tribes are in a state of panic. If I leave suddenly, I fear it will cause chaos."

He looked up at Su Dingfang, his eyes pleading, "Those small tribes that depend on me have always only recognized my token. If no one is restraining them, they might take risks and cause trouble for the Tang Dynasty."

Lu Dongzan immediately replied, "General, you are wise! What the Zanpu said is all true. Tibet is a vast territory with many tribes. While the Zanpu was alive, he was able to keep the situation under control. Now that he is gone, those nobles who covet power will definitely take the opportunity to cause trouble. At that time, the Tang army will have to divide its forces to quell the rebellion, which will only increase losses."

Su Dingfang did not respond, but turned his gaze to Princess Wencheng. This Tang princess, who had remained silent all along, finally spoke, her voice clear yet weighty: "General Su, although Songtsen Gampo made mistakes, he was also the only person in Tibet who could command the various tribes. The Tang army's conquest of Lhasa was to quell the rebellion and stabilize the snowy region, not to plunge it into greater chaos."

She walked up to Su Dingfang and bowed slightly. "I know that according to military law, he should be sent back to Chang'an, but could you please grant him some time? Let him stay to handle tribal affairs, issue orders to appease the people, and set off again when the situation has stabilized. This would reduce the trouble for the Tang army and allow the Tibetan people to resume their livelihoods as soon as possible. Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?"

Su Dingfang frowned slightly.

He knew that Princess Wencheng's words made sense; Tibet was not a monolithic entity, and Songtsen Gampo's influence was indeed unmatched.

If they were forcibly taken away, the various tribes would be leaderless, potentially triggering an even greater rebellion. The Tang army had just experienced a major battle and it was indeed unwise to divide its forces to quell the unrest. But what about the court, and the Crown Prince…?

"Does the princess mean that the king should remain in Lhasa to handle affairs on his behalf?"

Su Dingfang's gaze sharpened: "But he is, after all, a surrendered ruler. If we don't leave troops around to keep an eye on him, things might go wrong; if we do leave troops, conflicts are inevitable, which would be counterproductive."

“I am willing to stay and take charge of the overall situation.” Princess Wencheng met his gaze calmly: “I am a princess of the Great Tang Dynasty and also the Tibetan Zanmeng. The various tribes still respect me. I will review Songtsen Gampo’s decree before issuing it. A deputy general can be sent to supervise this matter. This way, we can both restrain the Zanmeng and stabilize the tribes. What do you think, General?”

A hint of warmth flashed in Songtsen Gampo's eyes, and his gaze towards Princess Wencheng was complex and difficult to describe. Gar Tongtsen also hurriedly said, "Princess, you are just and impartial. With you here, the Zanpu would never dare to harbor any disloyal thoughts! We are willing to hand over all our weapons to the Tang army, and the tokens of the various tribes will be temporarily kept by the princess. If there is any unrest, the general can deal with them as he sees fit!"

Su Dingfang remained silent for a long time, gazing at the lingering smoke from cooking fires outside the palace.

Those were the flames of livelihood that the Tibetan people rekindled after the war. He recalled the prince's instructions before his departure: "In the war in the snowy land, we must not only win, but also ensure peace."

Stability might be more important than immediately escorting the surrendered ruler.

“Alright.” He finally nodded, his gaze sweeping over Songtsen Gampo. “I’ll give you half a month. Within half a month, you need to accomplish three things: First, collect the weapons privately hoarded by the various tribes and hand them over to the Tang army for safekeeping; second, issue a royal decree declaring that Tibet has submitted to the Tang Dynasty and will never again collude with the Arabs; third, take stock of the household registers and provisions and submit them to the Anxi Protectorate.”

He paused, then emphasized, "If the matter is not resolved within half a month, or if there are any unusual developments, don't blame me for being ruthless under military law."

Songtsen Gampo bowed deeply: "Thank you, General! Songtsen Gampo will certainly not fail in his mission."

Princess Wencheng breathed a sigh of relief, the tension in her eyes easing slightly: "Thank you for your understanding, General Su. I will send copies of the documents for handling affairs to your tent every day, and I will never cause you any trouble."

Su Dingfang looked at the three men before him, then at the dilapidated walls of Lhasa, knowing full well that this was merely a temporary measure. But stability outside the battlefield required such a balance between principle and flexibility. He turned to his personal guards and said, "Pass on my order: leave five thousand troops to garrison the outskirts of Lhasa, under the supervision of Vice General Pei Xingjian. The rest of the army will rest for three days, and we will discuss further plans."
-
In the early winter of the twenty-fifth year of the Zhenguan era, a swift horse broke through the morning mist of Chang'an and headed straight for the Eastern Palace. When the news of Su Dingfang's victory in capturing Lhasa and the surrender of Tibet reached Li Chengqian, the young crown prince was reviewing memorials by the window, his hand trembling slightly with excitement as he unfolded the letter.

"Good! Su Dingfang has indeed not disappointed me!"

He slammed the news of victory onto the table, startling the eunuchs and officials in the hall. They looked up to see the Crown Prince with a radiant expression that hadn't been seen in a long time.

Li Chengqian underestimated the power of firearms; he hadn't expected them to be so swift.

"Issue my order," Li Chengqian turned to Wenzhong and said, "Make a hundred copies of the victory report and send them immediately to the Hall of State Affairs, the Imperial Academy, and the East and West Markets. Also... have the Chang'an Gazette print a special edition today, with the headline in large red characters: 'The Great Tang Heavenly Army defeats Lhasa, Tibet submits, and the Snowy Region is pacified!'"

Just as Wenzhong was about to leave, Li Chengqian added, "By the way, find Princess Wencheng's letter of plea for mercy and file it."

His tone was casual, as if the letter that had troubled the frontline generals was nothing more than an ordinary family letter.

Faced with the news of the fall of Lhasa, all hesitation and weighing of options came to an end.

The news spread like wildfire from the Eastern Palace, and the next day, a special edition of the Chang'an Gazette was circulating throughout the streets and alleys. Newsboys waved newspapers with still-wet ink, shouting, "Tibet has been destroyed! General Su has captured Lhasa!"

The clinking of coins mingled with cheers, instantly igniting the passion of this city that never sleeps.

Merchants in the East and West markets were the first to respond. The shopkeepers of silk shops ordered their employees to hang up red silk, and temporary stoves were immediately set up under the tavern signs to distribute celebratory rice wine to passersby for free.

"It's only been a few months! In the spring, I heard that Tibet was colluding with the Arabs, and by autumn, our heavenly army had taken them down!"

An old tea drinker in the tavern held a newspaper, his eyes crinkling into slits with laughter.
"Back then, His Majesty had to exert a lot of effort to conquer Tuyuhun, but now that we have firearms, things are truly different!"

The students of the Imperial College were even more excited. They crowded in front of the bulletin board, reading the good news aloud. Some even wrote the poem "The Snowy Land Returns to Tang" on the spot.

General Su Dingfang is truly a divine general!

A young scholar clapped his hands in admiration: "With an army of 30,000, the campaign was quelled in just a few months. Such an achievement is worthy of being recorded in history!"

The classmate next to him added with a smile, "We also have to take into account His Highness the Crown Prince's strategic planning; otherwise, how could we have won such a quick victory?"

On Zhuque Avenue, people spontaneously gathered and cheered along the street with the victory parade. Children ran around holding paper cannon models, and veterans touched the old scars on their waists, tears welling up in their eyes.

They had fought a bitter battle with the Tibetans on the border, and now they could finally hold their heads high.

Merchants from the Western Regions also joined the celebrations, for they knew best what the submission of Tibet meant.

Trade routes will be reopened, and the trade in silk, porcelain, and spices will flourish even more. The prestige of the Tang Dynasty will spread even further to the Western Regions with this victory.

As night fell, the lights of Chang'an shone even brighter than usual.

The palace lanterns of the Eastern Palace and the Imperial City lit up one after another, illuminating the surging crowds on Zhuque Avenue. Joyful songs of feasting came from the restaurants, the temple bells rang to pray for victory, and even the painted boats on the Qujiang Pool were hung with red lanterns, while the sounds of string and wind instruments drifted far away on the evening breeze.

No one expected that the threat from Tibet, which was a cause for concern at the beginning of the year, would be completely quelled in just a few months.

No one expected that the firearms of the Tang Dynasty would be so powerful that they could make the powerful ruler of the snowy plateau submit to them.

Li Chengqian stood on the high platform of the Eastern Palace, looking at the city lights and cheering crowds, a smile playing on his lips.

He knew that this victory was not merely the capture of a city, but a declaration of the Tang Dynasty's power extending to all corners of the world. The words on the victory report still smelled of ink, and the jubilant cheers of Chang'an were spreading beyond the city walls to even wider territories.

The golden age of the Tang Dynasty will write an even more glorious chapter amidst the clash of arms and the flames of war.

Taiji Side Hall.

The underfloor heating in the warm pavilion was burning brightly, but it couldn't dispel the complex expression on Li Shimin's face.

He held in his hand the victory report clipped from the Chang'an Gazette; the four large red characters "Tubo Submits" stood out prominently under the dim palace lanterns.

"Your Majesty, you've been looking at it for half an hour now."

The eunuch Zhang Anan gently added hot tea, speaking in a very soft voice: "The Crown Prince sent someone to say that General Su has already checked the household registers in Lhasa, and Princess Wencheng's documents have been copied and sent to the military camp on time. Everything is in good order."

Li Shimin did not look up, his fingertips tracing the words "firearms breach the city" on the newspaper, his voice hoarse with age: "Appropriate... Yes, appropriate. Back then, when we fought Tuyuhun, we crossed snow-capped mountains and waded through icy rivers. Our soldiers lost their toes to the cold, and it took a whole year to pacify the northwest. Now, it's all done in a few months, with just a few cannons, and we've taken down Tubo."

He suddenly laughed, a laugh that contained both relief and a touch of melancholy. "The world is changing so fast, so fast that even I can't keep up."

Zhang Anan had served Li Shimin for decades and understood his thoughts best—this emperor, who had spent his life on the battlefield, was proud of the strength of the Tang Dynasty, but also couldn't help but feel sentimental about the hardships of his past battles.

He bowed and smiled, “Your Majesty is joking. It’s not that the world has changed too fast, but that Your Majesty laid a solid foundation back then. Look, the Fubing system has cultivated elite troops, the imperial examination system has selected capable ministers, and even the trade routes to the Western Regions were opened up by you back then. Otherwise, how could we have firearms being transported to the front lines today? The Crown Prince was able to pacify Tibet in a few months, which is also because he stood on Your Majesty’s shoulders.”

Li Shimin then raised his head, the melancholy in his eyes fading slightly: "You old fool, all you know how to say is nice things."

But the smugness in his tone was unmistakable: "However... you are right. When I waged war, it was to expand the territory of the Tang Dynasty and pave the way for future generations. Now that Chengqian can use water and fire weapons to stabilize the borders, there is no need for soldiers to be buried in the snow-capped mountains anymore. This is exactly what I wanted to see."

He put down the newspaper and looked out the window at the palace walls.

Countless victories had been reported there, from the suppression of the Turks to the conquest of Gaochang, each one soaked in blood. This report of victory in the pacification of Tibet, though also marked by war, was free of many unnecessary sacrifices.

"What did Chengqian do with Wencheng's letter?" Li Shimin suddenly asked.

"His Highness the Crown Prince said that military affairs are of utmost importance. I appreciate the princess's sentiments. Now that Tibet is pacified, those other concerns are no longer worth mentioning."

Zhang Anan truthfully reported: "His Highness also said that after General Su escorts Songtsen Gampo to Chang'an, he will invite the princess back to visit her family."

Li Shimin nodded, picked up the hot tea and took a sip, the warmth flowing from his throat to his heart: "Good, good 'not worth mentioning'. On the battlefield, victory is the only thing that matters. Chengqian is more composed than I was back then, and he knows how to weigh things better than I did."

He watched the first snowflake fall outside the palace, his voice becoming distant: "Back then, when Wencheng was sent to marry Tibetan king, I was worried that she would be mistreated in Tibet. Now it seems that she is not only safe and sound, but has also become a link between the Tang Dynasty and Tibet. In the end, the affairs of this snowy region still require a combination of kindness and severity."

Zhang Anan laughed and said, "Your Majesty is wise. Everyone in Chang'an is saying that His Highness the Crown Prince pacified Tibet in just six months, even faster than Wei Qing and Huo Qubing pacified the Xiongnu! The people in the East and West Markets are all building decorated towers, waiting to celebrate the victory in the first month of the lunar calendar."

Li Shimin laughed heartily, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes smoothing out: "Build a decorated tower? Good, let them build it! This year's Lantern Festival, the lanterns in Chang'an should be brighter than in previous years, so that the people can have a good time. Our Tang army can sweep across the snowy plateau, so our Chang'an should also be bustling with activity!"

The jubilation in the streets had not yet subsided, but solemn candlelight had already been lit inside the Xiande Hall of the Eastern Palace.

Li Chengqian sat upright behind the desk, with a map of Tibet spread out in front of him, the tribal settlements circled in red.

Fang Xuanling, Changsun Wuji, Wei Zheng, Chu Suiliang, and Zhao Jie, five important ministers, sat on either side. Although the underground dragon in the warm pavilion was strong, it could not dispel the deep thoughts between their brows.

Compared to victory on the battlefield, the more difficult challenge was how to truly win over the unpredictable Tibetan Empire.

For the Tang Dynasty at that time, the most important thing was not conquest, but how to effectively govern a conquered place, rather than adding burden to the court.

Otherwise, no matter how vast the territory, it would be meaningless.

The Tibetan tribes were numerous, and frequent rebellions would only divert a great deal of the court's attention.

Moreover, with the emperor far away and many messages remaining in the imperial court in Chang'an, there was no way to respond in a timely manner.

The unique geographical location and tribal situation of Tibet require careful consideration.

(End of this chapter)