Li Chengqian of the Tang Dynasty: Please say long live His Majesty

Chapter 368: The Prince Still Wants Three Thousand Cavalry (Part )
"Your Highness!" Li Yibiao, dressed in a dark purple official robe, knelt on the left side of the couch and bowed to Li Chengqian, saying, "I, your servant, have been ordered to go on a diplomatic mission to India. We entered the Harsha Dynasty of Northern India, where King Harsha warmly received us. Later, we arrived at Magadha in Central India, where the king sent his ministers to greet us outside the city walls. The entire city was filled with people, and they lined the streets with burning incense as we accepted the Tang imperial edict."

The younger Wang Xuance nodded and said, "Last November, we climbed Mount Gridhrakuta in Rajgir and inscribed the events. We then erected a stele at the Mahabodhi Temple. It took seven months before we returned to the Tang Dynasty."

"Seven months. The Tang Dynasty is only seven months away from Central India." Li Chengqian nodded slightly.

"It takes so long, but there are many deserts, swamps, snow-capped mountains, and passes along the way. If there is an obstacle at any one of them, it will be very difficult to pass through." Li Yiming understood what Li Chengqian was thinking and couldn't help shaking his head.

"Don't worry, my dear, I have no plans to march into Central India." Li Chengqian couldn't help but laugh.

The emperors of the Tang Dynasty did have the ambition to conquer the four barbarians in the world, but Li Chengqian was still too young. He couldn't even control the Tang Dynasty, so how could he possibly march into Central India?

Moreover, he is the kind of person who likes to proceed step by step. How could he possibly attack India without clearing all the obstacles on the way?

During the Battle of Sangqiu, King Huiwen of Qin and his prime minister Zhang Yi passed through Wei and Han and fought a fierce battle with Qi at Sangqiu.

Both King Huiwen of Qin and Zhang Yi were good at calculating, but on the battlefield, the military situation and morale changed rapidly. After the failure of the final battle, Qin had no hope of defeating Qi for twenty years.

The ending is clear.

"Yes!" Li Yibiao and Wang Xuance bowed at the same time.

"By the way, you just mentioned the Harsha Dynasty in Northern India and the Magadha Kingdom in Central India. Please tell us in detail."

"Yes!" Li Yibiao bowed, thought for a moment, and then said, "Your Highness, Tianzhu is divided into three regions: East Tianzhu, Central Tianzhu, and North Tianzhu. Each has its own dynasty. Although each dynasty is powerful, most of them are alliances of states. Each state has considerable autonomy within itself, and there are many conflicts with the dynasties of the larger states."

"Just like the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period." Li Chengqian nodded with a smile.

"It's actually more like the Warring States period," Wang Xuance said, looking at Li Chengqian. "We returned from Central India with no intention of doing anything special. But before we left, King Harsha suddenly grabbed us and said he was willing to marry into the Tang Dynasty."

"Marriage alliance, what does that mean?" Li Chengqian looked up in surprise.

"King Harsha is willing to marry his princess to the Tang Dynasty," Li Yibiao said, but then he shook his head and said, "That's all. There's nothing else."

"Didn't the princess enter the Tang Dynasty with you?" Li Chengqian was a little surprised.

"Perhaps, he is waiting for the Tang Dynasty to send someone to marry him." Wang Xuance shook his head with a wry smile.

Historically, when a Tang Dynasty princess got married, other countries would basically send important officials with rich gifts to marry her.

If a princess from another country wanted to marry into the Tang Dynasty, the country would need to send an important official with valuable gifts to bring the princess to the Tang Dynasty.

The princess entered the palace and became a concubine.

That's it.

There has never been a case where the Tang Dynasty sent someone with heavy gifts to another country to marry a princess.

And this is what King Harsha meant.

"Interesting." Li Chengqian looked up at Wang Xuance and said, "My dear, tell me about the Harsha Dynasty. I have a feeling there's something seriously wrong."

"Yes!" Wang Xuance bowed and said, "India is not only divided into three parts, but within these three parts there are also states of varying sizes. Although King Harsha is a man of great talent and strategy, he is old and his people are hard to deter. There are ambitious people within the country ready to make moves, and powerful enemies are lurking outside. He is powerless, so he left a private message for us when we returned to the court..."

Li Chengqian nodded and said, "That's why he wanted to marry the princess to the Tang Dynasty and borrow the power of the Tang Dynasty to save his kingdom."

"Yes!" Li Yibiao and Wang Xuance lowered their heads at the same time.

Li Chengqian turned and looked at Li Yifu, and asked, "What do you think, my dear?"

Li Yifu was slightly stunned, then he bowed slightly, looked at Wang Xuance across from him and asked, "Since King Harsha is already old, what about his heir, his clan, and his confidants? Is it possible that after his death, he won't leave behind enough power to ensure his son maintains the throne?"

"There is a young son, but only one young son. His mother's family is in decline. Although he has several generals under his command, they have been divided into fiefs for many years. His life may be able to be maintained, but his loyalty is hard to say after his death." Li Yibiao shook his head. It is fatal to divide the generals into fiefs without enough relatives to share in the fiefdom.

"And the princess?"

"That's the granddaughter of King Harsha's eldest sister," Wang Xuance said. "Her eldest sister is a princess, and her husband's family is very powerful..."

"So, the ones eyeing King Harsha's throne are actually his own people." Li Yifu turned around, looked at Li Chengqian and said, "Your Highness, King Harsha is beyond saving."

Li Chengqian lowered his head slightly and looked at Li Yifu calmly.

Li Yifu immediately understood and said, "But King Harsha said he wanted to marry the princess to the Tang Dynasty. From the moment he said that, the princess has become a concubine of the Tang Dynasty. They must send her to Chang'an."

"They don't have to send her to Chang'an. We can also go and get her." Li Chengqian nodded in satisfaction, then looked at Li Yibiao and said, "This is what I mean. Although the Tang Dynasty is unable to oversee the change of power in the Harsha Dynasty, since King Harsha has already begun to consider using the Tang Dynasty, then this princess is the price he pays for this intention."

"Yes!" Li Yibiao bowed immediately.

Li Chengqian turned to look at Li Yifu and said, "My dear minister, please draft a memorial and then go to Cuiwei Palace with the two of them. The final decision on this matter still needs to be made by the emperor."

"Yes!" Li Yifu bowed deeply, his expression becoming serious.

The prince valued him more and more, and he could also figure out many of the prince's inner thoughts.

The Tang Dynasty will eventually have to intervene in the Harsha Dynasty of Northern India.

……

Mount Zhongnan, Cuiwei Palace.

Wu Meiniang sat in the inner hall, looking outside.

The emperor sat high on the imperial couch, while Li Yibiao, Li Yifu and Wang Xuance stood in the hall.

"The Crown Prince is probably planning to invade India with the princess's offspring in the future." Li Shimin leaned back on the couch and glanced at Li Yifu. Li Yifu bowed slightly and said, "The Tang Dynasty is far away from India. If we really want to do anything, it probably won't be possible in the short term. So, an invasion of India is a possibility in the future. However, if we can have an Indian princess as a concubine, then trade between the Tang Dynasty and India will be more stable and prosperous."

"It can also deter Tubo." The emperor said lightly, stating the greatest benefit of this marriage to the Tang Dynasty.

Wang Xuance stood at the end of the three people and looked up with slight surprise.

He was from the Honglu Temple and naturally knew about the court's vigilance against foreigners, but he never knew that the emperor and the crown prince were so wary of Tubo.

Li Yifu and Li Yibiao bowed slightly.

"But bringing Princess Tianzhu back to the Tang Dynasty is no easy task." The emperor paused for a moment, then laughed. "Three thousand cavalrymen—the Crown Prince still wants three thousand cavalrymen. He wants to use three thousand cavalrymen to bring Princess Tianzhu back. He's also planning to mobilize three thousand cavalrymen for a western tour."

"It's rare that the Western Regions are stable. It would be good if three thousand cavalrymen could explore the thoughts of the countries in the Western Regions." Li Yifu looked up carefully.

The emperor's gaze fell gently on Li Yifu, and then he smiled with an inexplicable meaning.

Li Yifu suddenly felt a tingling sensation on his scalp.

"Let the Ministry of War make the arrangements." Li Shimin looked up and said, "Mr. Li, you are old, so you don't need to go this time. Promote you to Junior Minister of the Honglu Temple and take charge of the overall situation. Mr. Wang, you will be promoted to Secretary of the Honglu Temple and be the chief envoy. Let Xi Junmai lead 3,000 cavalry on a western tour. Go and give it a try."

"Here!" Everyone raised their hands in unison.

Li Shimin waved his hand gently, and the three of them retreated carefully.

At this time, Wu Meiniang carefully walked out of the palace, then walked to the side of the emperor and whispered, "Your Majesty!"

"Hmm!" Li Shimin suddenly seemed to come back to his senses, and looked at Wu Meiniang in a daze for a moment.

"Your Majesty, what's wrong?" Wu Meiniang looked at the emperor in surprise.

"Nothing?" Li Shimin smiled faintly, looked outside the palace, and said softly, "It's autumn, Mei Niang."

"Yes!" Wu Meiniang subconsciously looked outside the hall.

In early autumn, the mountains and fields are green.

……

In early winter, the frost gradually melts.

In Luoyang City, a carriage, escorted by dozens of cavalrymen, passed through countless people in the bustling streets and headed towards the Prince of Jin's Mansion.

Li Zhi sat in the carriage, looking outside from time to time through the swaying curtains.

Luoyang is prosperous and its people still seem wealthy.

Even though there were heavy rains for several months this summer, it had little impact on the people of Luoyang.

"Your Highness!" Ji Jiafu sat opposite Li Zhi and called softly.

Li Zhi came back to his senses, turned to look at Ji Jiafu, and said, "My father-in-law just said that Prime Minister Chu has already arrived in Chang'an City."

Chu Liang died of illness in early March, and Chu Suiliang was recalled to Chang'an by the emperor in September to resume his duties.

Li Zhi returned to Chang'an one month later than Chu Suiliang.

Moreover, Li Zhi had to stay in Luoyang for a few days. His father-in-law, Zhao Zhongjian, was the Sima of Luozhou. Princess Zhao was pregnant, and his mother-in-law was now in Chang'an to take care of her.

That's why Li Zhi wanted to pay a proper visit to his father-in-law.

"Yes!" Ji Jiafu nodded and said, "It seems that there is chaos in Kucha in the Western Regions, so His Majesty urgently summoned Prime Minister Chu back to the capital. There is news from Chang'an that they may send troops."

"Although Prime Minister Chu was reinstated because of the unrest in Kucha, even if there was no Kucha incident, my father and my brother would have found a reason to reinstate him." Li Zhi shook his head and said, "Don't worry about Prime Minister Chu. There will be no problems with him."

"Yes!" Ji Jiafu breathed a sigh of relief.

Li Zhi raised his head, looked outside the carriage, and said softly, "What I'm worried about now is our plan. I don't know why, but the closer we get to Chang'an City, the more uneasy I feel."

"Your Highness, fifty of our people have entered Mount Li one after another. Everything is proceeding step by step according to plan. There will be no problems." Ji Jiafu comforted carefully.

All those who are in Mount Li now are Li Zhi’s true confidants, confidants who have been trained all the way from Taiyuan.

Li Zhi nodded and said, "Everything should go according to plan. The people from my father-in-law's place will be transferred to Tongguan by the end of November. From today on, no more people from Jingzhou will be transferred except those who have been transferred there before. They will stay in Shanzhou until the end of the year. They will not move unless they are informed of the transfer."

"Yes!" Ji Jiafu bowed, then asked carefully, "Your Highness still doesn't trust them."

"There's nothing wrong with them. The problem lies with their subordinates. Who knows when they might betray me?" Li Zhi shook his head and said, "At this moment, we must be careful at every step."

"Yes!" Ji Jiafu nodded in agreement.

"King Luo Bin, I guess he doesn't know about what happened in Mount Li?" Li Zhi suddenly looked up.

"He doesn't know." Ji Jiafu shook his head slightly and said, "I told him that the palace's manpower is being closely watched and needs to be mobilized at the last minute. The rest of the time, they are used for communication... I don't know what he really thinks, but he rushed to Luoyang today."

"He's a smart man. He must know that I have a trick up my sleeve, but I don't know what I will do." Li Zhi smiled softly and said, "He's a smart man. He won't ask too many questions."

"Yes!"

(End of this chapter)