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

Chapter 601: The Emperor's Political Tactics (Part )
The twenty-fifth day of the twelfth lunar month.

Ashina Helu, wearing a fur brocade robe and a leather hat decorated with gold, walked into the palace with a solemn expression.

Of the twenty or so attendants who had originally followed him, more than half stayed outside the Suzaku Gate.

Only two people followed him into the palace.

Many of the central government officials who were walking around just glanced at Ashina Helu, and then hurried off to do their own things.

When he arrived at Chengtian Gate, Ashina Helu stopped.

He couldn't help but look up. A solemn general in red clothes and golden armor stood calmly on the city gate with his hand on a long sword.

Helu knew that it was Su Dingfang.

Su Dingfang, the General of the Left Tunwei who was stationed in front of the Andong Army.

He also knew that the first person to break into Jie Li's tent was Su Dingfang.

In other words, Jie Li ran away, otherwise, Jie Li might have really died at the hands of Su Dingfang.

Jie Li was the Turkic Khan during the Eastern Turkic period of its greatest power, while Helu was the Western Turkic Khan during the period of the entire Turkic people's decline...

As if noticing Helu's gaze, Su Dingfang calmly lowered his head and glanced at Helu with an indifferent expression.

Helu suddenly felt a breath of corpses and blood coming towards him.

The real top generals all emerged from the mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

"The Khan of the Xuanxi Turks, Ashina Helu, comes to see you." A eunuch in blue clothes stood outside the Chengtian Gate and announced the decree loudly.

Helu shuddered, then came back to his senses. He looked at the blue-robed eunuch and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, Ashina Helu, obeys your command!"

The eunuch nodded, then turned and walked towards Chengtian Gate, and Helu hurriedly followed.

Su Dingfang stood on the city gate, turned around and looked at Helu's figure in the distance, frowning slightly.

He had never seen Helu, but he heard the eunuch's voice just now.

Western Turkic Khan.

If we were to ask who, apart from Quan Gaisuwen, could have posed the greatest threat to the Tang Dynasty during its Eastern Expedition, it would have been none other than Ashina Helu, the Khan of the Western Turks.

After all, the Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo is dead.

The Western Turks have always been restless.

After two years of obedience, each Khan would gradually become ambitious and then be defeated by the Tang Dynasty. After that, there would be internal strife in the Western Turkic Khaganate and a new Khan would rise.

Ashina Helu had been the Khan of Western Turkestan for three years. According to past experience, these two years were the time when his ambitions began to expand and he began to prepare to rebel against the Tang Dynasty.

It is really not easy for him to be willing to come to Chang'an now.

The emperor was not the previous emperor, and he did not have the same prestige as the previous emperor. The reason why Ashina Helu was willing to come to Chang'an at this time was probably more due to the emperor's use of psychological power, in addition to Li Jing who was in charge of Xichang Prefecture.

As long as Ashina Helu behaves himself in the next two years, once the situation in Goguryeo is settled and the army returns, there will be no need to worry about him anymore.

Su Dingfang withdrew his gaze and looked at the entire Chang'an city in front of him.

On both sides of Chengtian Gate, Pei Xingjian, Qin Shandao, Cheng Chubi, Yuchi Baolin, Duan Baoxuan, Wang Fangyi, Liu Shenli and other young generals stood solemnly.

……

In the Liangyi Hall, Ashina Helu knelt heavily on the ground and kowtowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I, Ashina Helu, pay my respects to you. May your Majesty live forever."

"Stand up." The emperor's calm voice came from above, and Ashina Helu saluted and stood up.

With his eyes slightly raised, Helu only saw the emperor wearing a black dragon robe raised his head on the throne.

Placing the thin bamboo gold pen on the edge of the inkstone, Li Chengqian glanced at the memorial in his hand, then looked at Ashina Helu and said calmly, "My dear minister, you have traveled all the way from Western Turkestan to Chang'an. You must have worked hard."

"It is my honor that Your Majesty summons me to attend the year-end court. Even if I am thousands of miles away, I will come." Ashina Helu bowed heavily.

Li Chengqian smiled softly. He understood the meaning of Ashina Helu's words very well. He changed the subject calmly and asked, "During the Tang Dynasty's eastern expedition to Goguryeo, we transferred some war horses from the Western Turks. Is everything going well?"

"Everything is going well." Ashina Helu bowed and said, "Currently, eight thousand war horses have been sent to Chang'an with me, and another thirteen thousand will be sent to Chang'an in the spring and summer of next year."

"Almost. There will be no delay. By that time, the Duke of England should have returned to Chang'an." Li Chengqian nodded calmly.

Li Ji will return to Chang'an City at the turn of spring and summer next year, and then lead the troops mobilized from Chang'an to the front of the army.

"Yes!" Ashina Helu lowered his head heavily. For a moment, he felt extremely grateful.

Fortunately, he did not listen to the nonsense of his subordinates. If the emperor really thought that he would become a hidden danger in the Tang Dynasty's expedition to Goguryeo next year, he might be the first to attack him.

At that time, Su Dingfang and Li Ji were both there. It wouldn't take too long, just half a year, for Helu to become the target for the Tang Dynasty to establish its power over the world on behalf of Goguryeo.

Of course, things are not necessarily easy now. After all, 21,000 horses have been drawn from various tribes, and the tribesmen are quite resentful.

However, most of the tribesmen's resentment was directed at the Tang Dynasty.

This is not a bad thing.

Moreover, these 21,000 horses were drawn from various tribes, which actually weakened the strength of each tribe in disguise.

It will be much easier for Ashina Helu to unify the entire Western Turkestan.

Once he integrates the power of the entire Western Turkestan...

Li Chengqian glanced at Ashina Helu and said calmly, "It has rained heavily in the Tang Dynasty this year. These 21,000 war horses will be of great help to me. Fortunately, despite the heavy rain, Guanzhong and Longyou have had a good harvest. Even the desert has become much quieter this year, making the Silk Road more accessible."

"Yes!" Ashina Helu lowered his head, his eyes changed slightly.

He knew that there was heavy rain in the Tang Dynasty, but he did not know the exact extent of the losses. However, he had seen the bumper harvests in Guanzhong and Longyou along the way.

A good harvest means enough food for the army.

The Tang Dynasty's imperial troops could also be mobilized, making this battle difficult. Furthermore, the fundamental reason Helu was willing to hand over 21,000 war horses was because the Tang Dynasty would use these horses against Goguryeo. Using them in the east would not affect the west, nor would it strengthen the Tang Dynasty's western front. On the contrary, by focusing more on Goguryeo, the Tang Dynasty would not focus more on the Western Turks.

As for when is the best time to mobilize troops, it depends on how the Tang Dynasty's war with Goguryeo goes.

"Let's talk about something else." Li Chengqian looked up calmly and asked, "My dear, what do you know about the situation in Persia?"

"Persia?" Ashina Helu was stunned for a moment, then whispered, "It's rumored that Persia and the Arabs are fighting fiercely, but I don't know the specific situation."

Li Chengqian shook his head and said, "Your news is outdated. King Yazdgerd III of Persia has been destroyed by the Arabs. The Persian princes Peruz and Arohan fled with their royal family and the rest of their people to Tokharistan, where they are barely holding out. They have already sent troops to Chang'an. Please send reinforcements."

Ashina Helu's expression grew serious. "Has Persia been destroyed?"

"Yes." Li Chengqian nodded and said, "However, due to the strict news blockade, you, my dear, have not heard the news. As you know, the Tang Dynasty is currently engaged in an eastern expedition and has no time to look west. Therefore, I need you to explore the movements of the Arabs. I want to know whether the Arabs will continue to advance eastward after stationing troops in Persia. After all, Persia is adjacent to the Western Turks."

"Yes!" Ashina Helu's breathing had become extremely heavy.

He had heard of the Arab Empire, which had destroyed countless countries west of Persia, but he had never imagined that one day he would be neighbors with the Arab Empire.

The Arabs were an extremely aggressive country. They fought all the way to Persia and destroyed Persia, so their next step would inevitably be to look eastward.

Li Chengqian glanced at Ashina Helu, and a hint of sneer flashed in his eyes.

Although the Arabs destroyed Persia, it took a hundred years for them to completely swallow up Persia, clean up the internal situation and then march eastward.

But it does not prevent Li Chengqian from using the Arabs to scare Helu.

After Helu has thoroughly understood the movements of Persia, Li Chengqian will be able to free up his hands to destroy the Western Turks.

"My dear minister, please be more careful. The Arabs are not easy to deal with." After a brief pause, Li Chengqian said, "Many things need to be prepared in advance, especially since the Western Turks are on the front line against Persia, while the Tang Dynasty is still a little behind."

There are countless plateaus and mountains between the Tang Dynasty and Persia, especially the Western Turks.

If the Tang Dynasty sits idly by once the Arabs attack, then the situation of the Western Turks will be difficult enough without the Tang Dynasty doing anything.

"Yes!" Helu bowed solemnly.

Li Chengqian nodded, his expression softening. He looked at Helu and said, "By the way, your eldest son, Diyun, I heard he has reached adulthood. Has he gotten married yet?"

Helu was startled and immediately bowed and said, "My son is already engaged. I will get married after I return."

"What a pity." Li Chengqian waved his hand and said, "It's a rare trip for you, my dear minister, to Chang'an. The curfew will be lifted in two days. You can have fun then. Come, give my Yaochi Governor one hundred pieces of silk."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace." Helu knelt down again, kowtowed in thanks, and said, "I will take my leave."

"Yeah!" Li Chengqian nodded.

Helu then stood up, bowed, and slowly retreated from the Liangyi Hall.

Only after exiting from Chengtian Gate and leaving Zhuque Gate and reuniting with his men did Helu breathe a sigh of relief.

A princess of the Tang Dynasty, no, it couldn’t be a princess. His son could at most marry a county lady, but he didn’t want even that.

There is no need to mention the tragic situation of Tubo, Xueyantuo and Tuyuhun.

Among the countless Turkic nobles in Chang'an City, every one of them who married a Tang Dynasty princess or county lady was devoted to serving the Tang Dynasty.

Helu must be crazy to let his son marry a woman from the royal family of the Tang Dynasty.

In particular, it can be seen that the emperor was very wary of the Western Turks.

And there is also the approach of the Arabs.

Helu also felt a severe headache for a moment.

……

In the Liangyi Hall, Li Yifu stood up and said with a bow, "Your Majesty, it seems that Helu's son is not engaged?"

Li Chengqian waved his hand and said, "Helu is an ambitious man. He will not allow Tang forces to enter Western Turkestan. I was just saying this casually. In reality, whether it's the Xueyantuo, Tuyuhun, or Tubo, most of the time, they only ask to marry Tang princesses when they are weak or unable to look east."

Li Chengqian had no intention of marrying a Tang Dynasty daughter to Helu. With the example of Princess Wencheng, he would not marry any Tang Dynasty princess to a foreign country.

Of course, if the Tang Dynasty destroyed the Western Turks in the future, and Helu's son brought the Tang Dynasty's wealth to settle in Chang'an, he would not object if any prince or duke was willing to marry his daughter to Helu's son.

That's another matter.

"Yes!" Li Yifu bowed.

Li Chengqian looked up at Li Yifu, then turned to the side and said, "Send someone to keep an eye on Helu and prevent him from coming into contact with anyone he shouldn't."

"Yes!" Zhang Ananda bowed solemnly. He knew that the people being talked about here were Yang Sina and the King of Jing.

Li Yifu lowered his head heavily, and even his breathing became much lighter.

Li Chengqian thought for a moment, then pulled two memorials from the table and handed them to Zhang Ananda, saying, "These are memorials from the clerks of Prince Teng's and Prince Jiang's palaces, impeaching the two princes for their extravagance and debauchery. Privately, pass these two memorials to the Censor Li Xin, and have him submit a memorial impeaching Prince Teng and Prince Jiang within the next two days."

"Yes!" Zhang Ananda bowed in a deep voice.

Li Chengqian sighed softly and said, "Xin'er passed the imperial examination at the beginning of the year and is now a Censor. Everything must be done properly. In the future, he will shoulder the burden of supervising the royal family for me."

"Yes!"

"On the night of New Year's Eve, let him go to Beiyuan to meet Qingque. He is not young anymore, and it's time for him to get married." Li Chengqian couldn't help but sigh.

Li Yifu stood to one side, lowering his head even more.

……

Prince Teng Yuanying and Prince Jiang Yun were both fond of accumulating wealth, arrogant and extravagant, living in the shadows of the emperor, and engaging in hunting and traveling without restraint...

The emperor fined the two kings 500 pieces of silk each for their disrespect and banned them from attending the New Year's Eve banquet.

The two kings were greatly ashamed.

(End of this chapter)