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

Chapter 521: Requesting Princess Wencheng to be Buried with Him (Part )

Changsun Wuji saw that Li Chengqian had calmed down and asked in a low voice, "Your Majesty, if Songtsen is really going to die, or is already dead, what will the Tang Dynasty do?"

Li Chengqian looked outside the hall.

The autumn light there is gentle.

Li Chengqian said calmly, "Negotiate peace. Reduce military support from Xichang Prefecture to make the Tibetans relax. At the same time, request the reopening of trade routes so that merchants can once again travel along the Tang-Tibet trade route."

"Are these business travelers real business travelers, or..." Changsun Wuji carefully inquired about Li Chengqian's purpose.

"For real." Li Chengqian came back to his senses, looked at Zhangsun Wuji and said, "The Tang Dynasty is not yet ready to destroy Tubo. So we must withdraw all our efforts and focus on the east. We cannot have the slightest hesitation."

Head east and destroy Goguryeo.

"With the Duke of Wei in Tuyuhun, there's no need to worry too much about the Western Turks and the Uighurs." Li Chengqian paused briefly before continuing, "As for Tubo, let the merchants go to Luoxie. We don't need to affect the overall situation in Luoxie. We just need to selectively trade with nobles who are friendly to the Tang Dynasty."

"Your Majesty, do you want to provoke civil strife among the Tibetans by doing this?" Changsun Wuji immediately understood Li Chengqian's plan.

"The Tibetans are aware of these tactics, and this will actually make them feel more at ease." Li Chengqian nodded, then said, "However, our real trick must be to quietly strike Subi. The only crucial point between Subi and Luoshui is a narrow mountain road."

"We need to find the key point here and cut off the enemy at the critical moment when the army attacks the plateau." Li Chengqian thought about the map of the plateau and said indifferently, "Subi is weak. Taking him down will not only threaten Tubo from the east, but also provide the Tang Dynasty with a stable foothold."

"Li Junxian is still in Tongtian River." Changsun Wuji's eyes lit up.

"Let him train those Tanguts." Li Chengqian waved his hand and said, "If there's no one whipping them from behind, they might actually rebel against the Tang and join Tubo."

"Yes!" Zhangsun Wuji bowed, but he quickly raised his head and looked at Li Chengqian seriously, saying, "Your Majesty, there is one more thing. If Songtsen dies, I ask the princess to return to attend the funeral."

Li Chengqian nodded calmly and said, "Let them meet. If the imperial sister insists on going back, let her go. But she must bring three hundred Jinwu Guards with her, so that they won't ask her to be buried alive with her."

"Buried alive?" Changsun Wuji suddenly looked up and looked at Li Chengqian in surprise.

Li Chengqian sighed softly and said bitterly, "Why am I unwilling to let my sister return to Lhasa? Isn't it because I'm worried that if Songtsen dies, without the support of the Tang Dynasty, the Tibetans will force him to be buried alive with them?"

The custom of burying people alive with the dead was only just abolished by Li Chengqian in the Tang Dynasty, but it was very popular in Tubo.

The Tibetans were capable of letting Princess Wencheng, the childless queen, be buried with Songtsen Gampo.

Changsun Wuji nodded solemnly. He bowed and said, "Now that Li Junxian is in Tongtian River, if Tubo really wants to do something, let Li Junxian attack directly to Luoshui."

"Yes!" Li Chengqian nodded, took a deep breath, and said, "Let's leave it at that for the Tubo matter. Uncle will arrange for capable personnel to contact the Tubo envoys."

"Yes!" Changsun Wuji bowed solemnly.

……

"There is another urgent report." Li Chengqian picked up another military report from the table and handed it to Zhang Ananda.

Zhang Ananda took it, then walked down the steps and handed it to Changsun Wuji.

Changsun Wuji opened it and took a look, then muttered to himself, "So Quan Gai Suwen has also sent someone here."

"My father's passing shocked the world." Li Chengqian nodded gently and said, "It's been almost three months now. The news has spread far and wide. Ashina Helu has already rushed here, and the Tubo envoy has also arrived. It's not surprising that people from Goguryeo have come."

"They are also here to test the strength of the Tang Dynasty." Changsun Wuji nodded slightly.

"The Goguryeo people will arrive in Chang'an at most the day before my father's burial. There won't be much trouble before then." Li Chengqian shook his head and said, "What I'm worried about is something else. Gao Baozang's envoy, Jin Shangquan. I want to use him as the Protector General of Jiangbei in Goguryeo, but if he is Quan Gaisuwen's man, I will inevitably have to use more tactics."

"Your Majesty wants to use the Goguryeo envoy to test Jin Shangquan's true identity." Changsun Wuji nodded. He already had several sets of methods in his mind.

"Uncle, please arrange for someone to do it." Li Chengqian made up his mind.

"Yes!" Changsun Wuji bowed seriously.

Li Chengqian breathed a sigh of relief and said, "They all came to test my power. They simply wanted to see if I could command the Sixteen Guards, if the governors of the various provinces in the Tang Dynasty were loyal to me, and if taxes could be delivered to Chang'an."

Li Chengqian raised his head, smiled confidently, and said, "Uncle, discuss this with the Secretariat. Give them a nice surprise on the day of our father's burial."

"Yes!" Changsun Wuji bowed solemnly.

……

It was misty with drizzle, and Li Chengqian was standing on the steps of Liangyi Hall.

When he raised his eyes, he saw the entire Chang'an City in front of him.

The first year of Yongwei, August 22nd.

Tomorrow is the day when his father, Emperor Taizong Wen Li Shimin, will be buried.

Today, the sky was inexplicably dark, and drizzle fell throughout the city of Chang'an.

The rain won't last long.

It will be sunny tomorrow.

But the entire city of Chang'an was filled with heavy sorrow.

It has been almost three months since the late emperor passed away.

Before, as time passed, the people had gradually come out of their grief, but when it was time for the late emperor to be buried, the entire atmosphere of mourning once again filled everyone's heart.

"Your Majesty!" Li Anyan stood to one side and bowed to Li Chengqian, saying, "Everything has been arranged."

Li Chengqian nodded, sighed softly, and said, "Tomorrow, send someone to carefully keep an eye on the Tubo envoy, the Goguryeo envoy, and Ashina Helu."

"Yes!" Li Anyan bowed solemnly. The greatest threats to the Tang Dynasty were Tubo, Western Turks, and Goguryeo. Because Li Jing was in charge of Western Turks and Tubo, no one dared to act rashly.

But it is hard to say about Goguryeo.

After the previous emperor passed away, Emperor Li Chengqian took control of the world. Although Tuyuhun won a great victory, everyone knew that it was because of the previous emperor's support.

Now that the late emperor is gone, he is all alone.

If there is another war, where will he lead the world? This is what all foreign envoys are closely watching.

"Go and get busy." Li Chengqian waved his hand sideways.

"Yes!" Li Anyan bowed, then quickly turned and left.

Now in the entire Chang'an City, Li Chengqian's most direct spy is Li Anyan.

All the news from all sides would be gathered in Li Anyan's hands. He would handle the small matters himself, and report the big matters to Li Chengqian immediately.

Light footsteps echoed behind him. Zhang Ananda bowed and said, "Your Majesty, a disciple from Changle has reported that Crown Princess Yin has requested that we escort the late emperor on his final journey."

Li Chengqian's expression turned cold, and he said in a low voice, "Does she want to die?"

Zhang Ananda bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I suspect she is just asking a question as per custom and has no intention of actually coming."

Li Chengqian took a deep breath and gradually calmed down.

Princess Zheng of Yin was the widow of Prince Xiyin Li Jiancheng, the eldest sister-in-law of the late emperor, and the aunt of Li Chengqian.

If she appeared in front of everyone at this time, she would inevitably bring up the incident at Xuanwu Gate.

However, no matter what others think, her appearance will destroy the impression of the late emperor's wisdom and unparalleled intelligence that Li Chengqian and the court officials have worked so hard to create.

To smear the last impression that the late emperor left on the world.

"Pass down the order to improve her food a little tomorrow, inform her of all the details of the funeral, and allow her to offer sacrifices herself at Changle Gate, but no one is allowed to see her, and she is not allowed to appear in anyone's sight." Li Chengqian looked at Zhang Ananda coldly.

"Yes!" Zhang Ananda bowed calmly, then stepped back and left.

Only then did Li Chengqian take a deep breath, his expression calm down, and then he sighed.

Those old things from back then!

Li Chengqian raised his eyes and looked at the entire Taiji Palace.

The entire imperial city in front includes three provinces, six ministries, nine temples and five prisons.

There is the Taiji Hall in front of you, the Liangyi Hall under your feet, the Ganlu Hall behind you, and countless palaces.

Tonight is his father, Emperor Li Shimin's last night in this palace.

Tomorrow, although Li Shimin's coffin will leave the palace and be buried in Zhaoling Mausoleum, his traces in the entire imperial palace will gradually disappear.

Even the entire palace belonged to Li Chengqian.

That will be a new era.

Li Chengqian waved his sleeves and turned to walk towards Qianqiu Palace.

A huge yellow umbrella was on top of Li Chengqian's head, and Li Xuansi, the General of the Imperial Guard, was escorting him with dozens of highly skilled guards.

There were also dozens of eunuchs and palace maids accompanying him.

Li Yifu, Dou Dexuan, Shangguan Yi and others followed silently behind.

Li Chengqian walked into the Qianqiu Palace.

All the princes, dukes, princesses, princesses, princesses in Chang'an City are here tonight.

Seeing Li Chengqian, dressed in raw linen mourning clothes, walk into the hall, everyone kowtowed.

But it was just a kowtow.

Li Chengqian walked to the coffin calmly and knelt down on his knees.

"Tonight, everyone will stay together until midnight. Afterwards, everyone will go to rest. Tomorrow at dawn, we will begin to get up and prepare. Tomorrow's etiquette will be very important. Everyone should be prepared and avoid any accidents." Li Chengqian slightly turned sideways, and everyone bowed in unison, saying, "Yes!"

Li Chengqian turned around and looked at the coffin in front of him.

His father lay in the coffin.

The former emperor.

Emperor Taizong.

Li Shimin.

Li Chengqian opened and closed his lips slightly, wanting to say something, but couldn't.

With his father in the palace, Li Chengqian felt very calm, even if it was just the coffin.

He didn't know whether his heart would still be as peaceful as it was today when Li Shimin's coffin left Beijing tomorrow.

(End of this chapter)