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

Chapter 669: Making the entire Western Regions tremble under the iron cavalry of the Tang Dynasty (First Update)
The morning sun shone on the roof of the Great Ci'en Temple, where the snow still lingered.

Inside the main hall, Li Chengqian, dressed in a black robe with gold thread, bowed deeply to the Buddha statue.

Behind him, Li Xiang, Li Jue, Changsun Wuji, and Li Ji also bowed.

Xuanzang stood to the side, softly chanting, "Amitabha!"

Li Chengqian stood up and looked at Xuanzang, saying, "Master, come with me."

"Yes!" Xuanzang cupped his hands and led Li Chengqian toward the Big Wild Goose Pagoda on the east side.

The palace contributed a considerable amount of money to the construction of the Great Ci'en Temple.

In particular, the entire Big Wild Goose Pagoda was built entirely from the donations of old clothes left behind by the late emperor and Empress Wende in the palace.

Stepping out of the palace gate, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda is already in sight.

Li Chengqian looked at the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and walked slowly, asking, "Master, do you still remember the assassination attempt I suffered here back then?"

Xuanzang's expression turned solemn, and he bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the Son of Heaven, is protected by the heavens and all the Buddhas. These petty villains are merely blinded by greed."

Li Chengqian smiled; Xuanzang was very careful with his words.

“Master,” Li Chengqian stopped, turned to Xuanzang, and asked, “You must have heard about the war in Anxi. The Tang Dynasty and the Western Turks are currently engaged in a great battle in Anxi. What advice do you have for me?”

Xuanzang bowed slightly, thought for a moment, and then asked, "May I ask Your Majesty, are you worried about the resettlement of the people after the great war?"

Li Chengqian glanced at Xuanzang in surprise, then nodded and said, "Yes, Anxi is ultimately remote. If we want Anxi to be completely stable, the Western Turks are the biggest destabilizing factor. I want Anxi to be completely stable, because only stability can bring prosperity."

Xuanzang bowed slightly and put his palms together, saying, "Your Majesty, there are some things that need to be thoroughly explained. Only when they are explained can we both feel at ease."

"Hmm!" Li Chengqian narrowed his eyes slightly, and for a moment, he seemed to understand something.

……

In Wanchun Palace.

Li Chengqian sat on the ground, carefully playing with the young seventh prince, Prince Liao, Li Miao.

Su Yi, dressed in a light blue gauze dress, knelt to one side, watching the father and son play with a warm gaze.

A moment later, Li Chengqian picked up Li Miao and handed him over to the wet nurse who led him into a side hall.

Su Yi immediately stepped forward to help Li Chengqian change his clothes.

Looking at Su Yi before him, Li Chengqian couldn't help but say, "Father-in-law is doing well in Tuzhou. Goguryeo has been relatively peaceful these past few years. Even though there are some border disputes, they are all in the area where Silla and Baekje are located in the south. My beloved consort need not worry."

"Yes!" Although Su Yi only responded in a low voice, Li Chengqian could still feel her whole body relax.

Li Chengqian continued, "After three years, I will recall my father-in-law. Then, my beloved consort will be able to see him more often."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Su Yi couldn't help but smile sweetly.

Li Chengqian's gaze fell on Su Yi's face, and he nodded gently.

Without realizing it, Li Chengqian's gaze fell on the table beside him, where a copy of the Diamond Sutra lay.

Li Chengqian looked at Su Yi with some surprise and asked, "My beloved concubine is reading Buddhist scriptures?"

Su Yi was slightly taken aback, turned to look at the Diamond Sutra, and then said, "That Diamond Sutra was brought in by Mother when she came to the palace to visit last time. I only glanced at it occasionally and didn't read it much. In fact, I don't understand much of it."

"Okay!" Li Chengqian pulled Su Yi to sit down on the ground, then looked up and said, "Everyone, get out."

All the maids in the hall then curtsied and withdrew.

Li Chengqian then looked at Su Yi and asked, "The Great Tang and the Western Turks are currently locked in a fierce battle, but the Great Tang has already won. I am now hesitant about how to deal with the Western Turks after the war. I met with the monk Xuanzang a while ago, and he said some things, but I always feel that he did not explain them clearly. What do you think about this, my beloved consort?"

"Your Majesty, the women of the inner palace are not allowed to interfere in politics?" Su Yi looked at Li Chengqian with a solemn expression.

“There are only the two of us here, no one else will hear us, and besides…” Li Chengqian glanced at Su Yi and said, “My dear consort, how much do you know about the military affairs? All you know is that the Tang Dynasty’s victory is already secured. What else is there? Interfering in politics? How far can you go?”

Su Yi was slightly taken aback, then subconsciously nodded and said, "Your Majesty is right!"

Li Chengqian hugged Su Yi and whispered, "It doesn't matter if you say something. When Father Emperor was alive, Consort Wu often helped Father Emperor organize memorials, and no one said anything."

Not to mention Xu Hui, who was known as the "Virtuous Consort" because she offered advice when handling memorials.

"Then I'll just speak casually." After a slight pause, Su Yi thought for a moment and said, "I am indeed not familiar with matters at the front, but I understand that the Tang Dynasty is strong enough. The Tang Dynasty only needs to maintain its strength. There is no need to consider anything else."

"Hmm?" Li Chengqian looked up slightly. Su Yi's words seemed to have said nothing at all, but there was one thing she was right about.

The Tang Dynasty was powerful enough; maintaining its strength was sufficient.

Li Chengqian reached out and lifted Su Yi's smooth chin.

She smiled softly.

……

Yongwei eight years, February 7th.

The weather is getting warmer. Beiyuan.

On the canal, large ships slowly sailed upstream, heading towards the Wei River in the northwest.

"These crossbow bolts should arrive in Anxi by the end of March, which should be just in time for the Duke of Yanmen to send out his troops." Li Chengqian rode slowly along the canal, his gaze following the canal to the entire northwest.

Under the vast sky, the green willows on both sides have already sprouted, bringing out a touch of green.

The image of "ten thousand green silk ribbons hanging down" is already faintly visible.

The February spring breeze is like a pair of scissors!
"Your Majesty!" Li Ji stepped forward and said in a low voice, "Although the news from Suyab River has not yet arrived, taking over the five Dulu in the eastern part of the Western Turkic Khaganate should not be a problem. The rest is just a matter of sweeping south. As for the Duke of Yanmen, he will probably have to take on a tough challenge in the Pamir Mountains."

“He Lu’s final madness!” Li Chengqian nodded slightly, then said, “I put the Duke of Yanmen in charge of this battle because he never hesitates to kill.”

Liang Jianfang, the Duke of Yanmen, Xue Rengui, the Earl of Longmen, and Qiu Shenji, the Right General of the Golden Guard, were rare killing gods in the army.

Just by looking at who the emperor sends to lead the troops, one can tell whether the court is suppressing or capturing, and which side is being prioritized.

In this battle, Cheng Zhijie sat in the Anxi Protectorate, commanding both the northern and southern routes.

To the north were the Qibi Heli and the Uyghurs, along with Ashina Misha and Ashina Buzhen.

To the south are Liang Jianfang and Xue Rengui, along with Xue Wanbei, Wang Fangyi, Pei Xingjian, and others.

It's obvious they're going in with the intention of killing someone.

And it was a massacre.

"Is Your Majesty still thinking about pacifying the Western Turks in the future?" Li Ji immediately understood Li Chengqian's thoughts.

Xu Jingzong and Li Yifu followed behind, glancing briefly at Li Ji before looking at the emperor.

Although both men are now Yellow Gate Attendants, and Xu Jingzong is even a third-rank official in the Secretariat and Chancellery, they dare not easily interfere in matters of the military.

Li Chengqian nodded and said, "Ever since you mentioned it two years ago, I have been thinking about this matter."

Li Ji raised his head slightly and looked at Li Chengqian.

“From Pingrang in the east to the Western Sea in the west, it stretches 13,000 li from east to west, with boundless territory.” Li Chengqian murmured softly, his gaze falling on the Wei River, then rising to look at the clear sky in the northwest, his expression becoming serious: “You are right, my dear minister. Indeed, the Western Turks should be completely incorporated into the Tang Dynasty. Only with such territory can I bear the honor of my father, the Heavenly Khan.”

"Your Majesty is wise." Li Ji cupped his hands and then carefully said, "What I am referring to is the strategy of controlling the prefectures."

“I understand. It’s nothing more than appointing the Ashina clan as governors and having the Tang Dynasty send a chief administrator to govern it. But that place is still Tang territory, isn’t it?” Li Chengqian turned around directly.

"Yes!" Li Ji nodded. Even if it was only nominal, that place was indeed Tang territory.

“Moreover, the Western Turkic Khaganate should be destroyed.” Li Chengqian’s expression calmed down.

“Yes!” Li Ji raised an eyebrow. He finally understood why the emperor had agreed.

The Western Turkic Khaganate was destroyed, marking the first kingdom to fall since the emperor ascended the throne.

Over the years, the emperor has always prioritized the well-being of the nation and had a long-term vision.

The three kingdoms of the Eastern Islands are an example of this.

It was not difficult for the Tang Dynasty to conquer the Three Kingdoms; the difficulty lay in the fact that the people of the Three Kingdoms were unwilling to submit to the Tang Dynasty. Therefore, the Tang Dynasty devised many methods to divert attention from the conflict and eventually make them hate each other, while their hearts turned to the Tang Dynasty.

When Li Ji first made this suggestion last year, the emperor hesitated.

Conquering Helu and taking over the entire Western Turkic Khaganate were not difficult; the challenge lay in winning the hearts of the Western Turkic people.

This is difficult; the example of the Eastern Turks is still there.

But the emperor suddenly agreed, firstly because this was the first country he had truly destroyed, and secondly, he probably already had a solution in mind.

"The Tang Dynasty has become powerful." Li Chengqian spurred his horse, turned around, and slowly headed towards the Daming Palace. At the same time, he said, "I have been on the throne for eight years now. Although we have been forced to move forward due to the war with Goguryeo, the Tang Dynasty has not been dragged down by the war. On the contrary, it has become more and more prosperous. In one battle, we fired a million crossbow bolts. In my father's time, how could we have achieved such a thing!"

"Your Majesty is wise!" Li Ji was suddenly startled. Indeed, compared to the time of the late emperor, the production of various weapons and equipment had increased by more than double!
"As for the Western Turks," Li Chengqian smiled lightly and sighed, "I do want to win over the hearts of the Western Turks, but it is almost impossible. Since the destruction of the Eastern Turks, I have been working hard on the Western Turks. The Western Turk Khan has been replaced by the Tang Dynasty several times, but the hearts of the Western Turks have never been with the Tang Dynasty, not even for a moment."

Only when the Tang army approached the Western Turks did the five Dulu tribes in the eastern flank surrender the fastest, while the five Nushibi tribes in the western flank took the opportunity to move further west, stretching the Tang's battle lines and thus shortening the Tang's ability to sustain combat, thereby escaping a calamity.

However, whether it is the East Wing Five Du Lu tribe or the West Wing Five Nu Shi Bi tribe, they are the same.

They never truly belonged to the Tang Dynasty.

It was merely a desperate measure taken when the enemy was at the gates.

“It has been nearly thirty years since the Eastern Turks surrendered to the Tang Dynasty, but how many of them have truly submitted to the Tang Dynasty?” Li Chengqian sneered and said, “I have considered following the example of the Eastern Turks and relocating the Western Turks to the north of Tingzhou, but even if I manage Tingzhou to be like a paradise, I am afraid I will not be able to win over the hearts of the Western Turks.”

Li Ji lowered his head and said, "Your Majesty's vision is clear."

“Since that’s the case, let’s just completely destroy the Western Turkic Khaganate and establish our authority over the entire Western Regions.” Li Chengqian clenched his fist and said coldly, “Let the entire Western Regions tremble under the iron cavalry of the Tang Dynasty. As for who will rise up and who will fall in the future.”

"Here!"

(End of this chapter)