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

Chapter 670 The Merit of Destroying a Nation, Who Would Not Die for It? (Second Update)
The Tianshan Mountains stretch endlessly, leading to Shule in Anxi.

City Lord's Mansion.

Liang Jianfang calmly entered through the side door and then walked to the main seat in the center to sit down.

Guo Xiaoke, Li Dejian, Xue Rengui, Xue Wanbei, Pei Xingjian, Wang Fangyi, Duan Baoxuan, Wang Xuance and others all cupped their hands and said, "General."

Liang Jianfang put down the imperial edict in his hand and calmly looked at everyone, saying, "His Majesty has issued an edict to send troops to destroy the Western Turkic Khaganate."

"Yes, sir!" The generals responded in unison, but couldn't help looking at the imperial edict on the table in surprise.

The country was destroyed, the country was destroyed, the country was destroyed.

How long has it been since they last heard those two words?

After capturing Pyongyang, the army had to retreat to the north bank of the Daedong River due to various interests.

Although Goguryeo would surely be destroyed in three to five years under the emperor's meticulous planning, the retreat from Pyeongrang Castle, which they had conquered, was somewhat frustrating.

Previously, the court had formulated a plan to attack the Western Turks. Although it was clear that the goal was to destroy the Western Turkic Khaganate, the emperor remained as cautious as ever.

After the first phase of the war ended, they immediately sent people to contact the five tribes of Dulu in an attempt to divide the Western Turks and shake the foundation of Helu.

He Lu was killed last.

As for what the court would do after the pacification of Helu, based on their understanding of the emperor, they would likely continue to instigate internal strife within the Western Turks and constantly weaken them until one day the Western Turks were completely annexed by the Tang Dynasty.

Although the emperor had previously threatened to destroy the country, everyone was worried that it might end up like the Tuyuhun, where the Tuyuhun were destroyed and then the emperor was re-established.

“You heard me right.” Liang Jianfang laughed and said, “His Majesty has issued an edict to destroy the Western Turkic Khaganate and then establish a tributary state in the former territory of the Western Turks, implementing the laws of the Eastern Turks. Unlike the Eastern and Western Tuyuhun, whose kingdoms still exist but whose military and political power are in the hands of the Tang Dynasty, His Majesty now intends to completely exterminate the Western Turkic Khaganate and bring all its territory under the control of the Tang Dynasty.”

To destroy a nation and ruin a country.

Expand territory.

Unable to contain their excitement, the crowd cupped their hands and exclaimed, "Your Majesty, we accept your decree! Long live the Emperor!"

Liang Jianfang waved his hand slightly, and everyone lowered their hands, standing there excitedly.

Liang Jianfang smiled gently. He could understand everyone's emotions. He felt the same way when he first received the imperial edict.

The achievement of destroying a nation!

If the Western Turkic Khaganate is completely destroyed this time, Liang Jianfang will immediately be promoted to the rank of Grand General of the Sixteen Guards.

Not to mention the rest of them.

Liang Jianfang's face turned cold. He looked at everyone seriously and said, "His Majesty does not easily speak of destroying a country because he knows that it is not easy to destroy a country, and it is not easy to govern it after it is destroyed. So since His Majesty has said this this time, the court must have made some preparations. But we must also destroy the Western Turks in the shortest time and in the most thorough way."

"Yes, sir!" The crowd respectfully bowed.

They all knew that the emperor was a cautious man.

The reason why emperors were unwilling to easily destroy a country was that there were too many things to do before and after the destruction, and too much to consume, which would be detrimental to the Tang Dynasty.

Although some people may feel unhappy, with the emperor in charge of Chang'an, you don't need to worry about logistics or anything else; the emperor will arrange everything perfectly for you.

Even at the front lines, the threats encountered were within a manageable range.

As long as you don't act rashly or aggressively, victory is almost guaranteed.

For example, this time, although Dieyun was reckless, the crossbows provided by the court played the most important role, and everything afterward was basically in line with the court's plan.

"Gentlemen, destroying a country is different from defeating Helu." Liang Jianfang looked at everyone with a serious expression and said, "This means that we must not only defeat Helu, but also every single one of the ten tribes of the left and right wings of the Turkic Khaganate. The army must be sent to the westernmost part of the Western Turkic Khaganate."

"Yes!" The ministers bowed solemnly. With the battle lines stretched out, logistical support was the most critical issue.

"In this battle, the Duke of Lu has been ordered by His Majesty to be stationed in Anxi, while I, the commander, will lead the westward advance." Liang Jianfang looked up and said, "The Duke of Liang has gone to Suyab. After taking Suyab, he will immediately head south. I believe the news will arrive soon. Now, we need to determine He Lu's location."

Wang Fangyi!

"Your subordinate is here!" Wang Fangyi stepped forward, cupped his hands and said, "Reporting to the commander-in-chief, the scouts have reported that He Lu's main force was stationed in Sudu City in the eastern part of Shi Kingdom throughout the winter. At the same time, he also deployed troops to guard the passes in the entire Congling and the Greater and Lesser Bolu. Now that winter is over, he will soon lead his troops eastward."

The weather on the plateau is very cold.

In particular, there were more than one heavy snowfall throughout the winter.

West of Shule lies Greater and Lesser Bolu and the Pamir Mountains, where tribes still exist, but not many.

The Pamir Mountains are also known as the Pamir Plateau by the people of Stone Country.

Towering mountains, snow-capped peaks, and deep valleys create a rugged and precipitous landscape.

For the army to successfully cross the Pamir Plateau, it had to pass through a valley to its south.

The Wakhan Corridor.

This is also the passage that He Lu controls most strictly.

In summer, this road is a little easier to walk on, but in winter it's practically suicide.

Now that winter is over, the Tang Dynasty is about to invade Greater and Lesser Bolu and the Pamir Mountains. He Lu needs to make arrangements there as soon as possible.

The difficulty of the battles here is unimaginable.

“Pei Xingjian, you will be the vanguard of the army.” Liang Jianfang turned to look to one side.

“Yes!” Pei Xingjian stepped forward and solemnly cupped his hands in greeting.

"Li Dejian, you will be the commander-in-chief of the vanguard." Liang Jianfang looked at Li Dejian seriously.

Li Dejian stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "This humble general obeys the order."

"I will be in charge of the central army. Xue Wanbei and Xue Rengui, you will follow me."

"Yes!" Xue Rengui and Xue Wanbei stepped forward and clasped their hands in greeting.

Liang Jianfang looked up at Guo Xiaoke and nodded, saying, "Brother Guo, I'll trouble you to lead the rear guard and transport military equipment and provisions."

"Your subordinate obeys." Guo Xiaoke bowed respectfully, but his expression remained calm.

“Very good.” Liang Jianfang took a deep breath and looked at the others, saying, “Everyone, return to your respective armies. Three days later, the vanguard will move out; five days later, the central army will move out; and ten days later, the rear army will follow. All the troops must maintain close contact and communicate at any time.”

After a brief pause, Liang Jianfang said earnestly, "Gentlemen, think about the lessons learned from Dieyun."

"Your humble servant obeys." The generals all bowed in unison.

Liang Jianfang smiled with satisfaction, stood up, slammed his hand on the table, and shouted, "Go prepare, set off, kill the enemy, and destroy the country!"

"Yes, sir!" The generals roared in response, their battle cries piercing the heavens. ...

White clouds dot the blue sky.

Luoyang, Ziwei Palace.

Qianyuan Hall.

A series of hurried footsteps echoed in the hall. Lou Shide, the interpreter, strode into the hall, handed a memorial to the emperor, and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, an urgent report from the General Administration of the Congshan Road Army: The Duke of Liang has led his army to capture Suyab, defeated the eastern flank of the Western Turks, killed more than 30,000 cavalry, and 60,000 cavalry from the Wudulu tribe have surrendered."

Li Chengqian glanced at the memorial and nodded slightly.

With 10,000 men from Qibi Heli's main force, plus 50,000 Uyghur cavalry, attacking the Wudulu tribe in the eastern part of the Western Turkic Khaganate, which was difficult to relocate, would not be too difficult.

"Issue the imperial decree, appointing Ashina Misha, the Right Guard General, and Ashina Buzhen, the Left Guard General, as Pacification Ambassadors of the Liusha Road, to pacify the Wunushibi tribe." Li Chengqian slightly raised his head, and Cen Changqian, a scribe in the Imperial Secretariat behind a pillar to the side, stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "Yes, sir!"

Li Chengqian turned his gaze to Lou Shide and asked, "Is there any news from the Duke of Yanmen?"

"For now, there is still hope!" Lou Shide cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, the Duke of Yanmen has entered the Pamir Mountains. Although the terrain is difficult, the Western Turks do not know how to attack or defend cities, so it should not be too difficult for the Duke of Yanmen. I think that soon the Duke of Yanmen will be able to lead his army across the Pamir Mountains."

"All five crossbow bolts have been lost!" Li Chengqian couldn't help but sigh.

Now, Helu's main force has suffered a major defeat in Anxi, and the Wudulu tribe has surrendered. Although the Wunushibi tribe still harbors deep hatred for the Tang Dynasty, they have little confidence in Helu.

Only one battle remains.

Li Chengqian waved his hand slightly, Lou Shide bowed, and then withdrew from the Qianyuan Hall.

Li Chengqian stood up from the imperial couch, then walked down the steps and out of the hall.

Standing on the steps of the Qianyuan Hall, Li Chengqian's gaze swept across the entire city of Luoyang.

It has been eight years since Yongwei.

Construction of the Qianyuan Hall resumed after the war with Goguryeo ended, and it was successfully completed within two years.

From then on, all of Li Chengqian's court assemblies in Luoyang were held in the Qianyuan Hall.

The Qianyuan Hall held a position in the entire imperial system equivalent to the Liangyi Hall and Hanyuan Hall in Chang'an, and second only to the Taiji Hall.

The only official hall under heaven in the entire Tang Dynasty was the Taiji Hall.

All other halls are of a lower rank, and may be able to hold monthly court assemblies on the first and fifteenth of each month, but the grand court assembly on New Year's Day must be held in the Taiji Hall.

The four barbarian tribes submitted, and all nations came to pay tribute.

This was the golden age of the Tang Dynasty.

Li Chengqian withdrew his gaze, turned and entered the hall, looking at Li Yifu on one side, and asked, "Has there been any report from Hebei about the migration of Hebei people to Liaodong and Tuzhou this year?"

"Yes!" Li Yifu stood up and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, this year, a large number of people from various prefectures in Hebei have been moving to Liaodong and Tuzhou. However, most of them are migrating to Liaodong, and fewer to Tuzhou. But many more people are actually preparing to move to Tuzhou after the autumn harvest, but they plan to do so after this year's autumn harvest."

"Send word to the prefectures of Hebei and Liaodong that the relocation of the people must be properly arranged, and each prefecture should prepare temporary shelters in advance for the relocation of the people." After a slight pause, Li Chengqian said, "We need to send someone to Hebei, otherwise these guys won't do their best for their own little plot of land."

"Your Majesty, I am willing to go." Li Yifu bowed respectfully.

Li Chengqian looked up at Li Yifu.

After a moment, he slowly nodded and said, "Very well, it's time for you to go out and travel. In August, before I return to Chang'an, you should set off and be appointed as the Inspector of Hebei Province. Make sure this matter is arranged properly and nothing goes wrong."

"Your subject understands." Li Yifu cupped his hands, feeling a slight sense of relief.

Li Yifu's weakest point was actually his performance of local duties.

Xu Jingzong was at least one of the eighteen scholars of the Prince of Qin's mansion. At the end of the Sui Dynasty, he served as Li Mi's secretary and military advisor. After returning to the Tang Dynasty, he became the governor of Lianzhou. After the Xuanwu Gate Incident, he served as a compiler and a secretary in the Imperial Secretariat. If it weren't for his foul mouth and taboo words, which led to his demotion to the position of chief secretary of the Hongzhou governor's office, he would have become prime minister long ago.

Of course, it was precisely because of his foul mouth that Xu Jingzong was not well-liked.

He only gradually rose to the position of prime minister in the last few years.

However, during his years as the Prefect of Hongzhou, Xu Jingzong accumulated a lot of experience and gained influence in many areas.

Li Yifu would not be suitable.

He was somewhat weak in this area. Although he had served in the Bingzhou Governor's Office in his early years, his official rank was low, and that was about it.

This means he needs a long time to investigate and prepare before he can do anything.

In the event of a sudden incident, he would find it difficult to offer immediate advice.

"Alright, that's enough for today." Li Chengqian waved his hand slightly, then headed out of the hall.

Li Yifu, Cen Changqian, and the others immediately stood up and said, "Respectfully seeing off Your Majesty."

……

Passing through the Zhulong Gate and the Da'an Gate, you will reach the Zhenguan Hall.

Since the completion of the Qianyuan Hall, no court officials have come to the Zhenguan Hall.

Li Chengqian entered the Zhenguan Hall, and Wu Meiniang, who was standing to the side tidying up memorials, immediately stepped forward and curtsied, saying, "Your Majesty!"

Li Chengqian walked to the imperial couch and sat down, then looked at Wu Meiniang and asked, "Has anything happened in the imperial clan recently?"

Wu Meiniang thought for a moment, then curtsied and said, "After Prince Teng was demoted to the position of Prefect of Suzhou, he worked diligently and was praised by both officials and the people."

Li Chengqian nodded and said, "Uncle has made some changes. Remember this and remind me at the end of the year to have Uncle transferred to the position of Governor of Hongzhou."

"Yes!" Wu Meiniang gave a slight curtsy. She accompanied the emperor to Luoyang every year, and it was only in Luoyang that she could be more at ease, unlike in Chang'an where the empress was watching her.

"Tomorrow is a day off. Meiniang, accompany me for a stroll around Jiuzhou Pond." Li Chengqian raised his head slightly and said, "The war in the Western Regions is going well, and I can finally breathe a sigh of relief."

"Yes!"

……

The long river ripples, and the night is pitch black.

One side of the riverbank was covered with torches, while the other side was shrouded in darkness.

A rocket soared into the sky from the west bank, instantly illuminating the river surface, and dozens of small boats sped toward the west bank.

Ashina Helu, standing a little further down the west bank, had a livid face, his gaze fixed on the opposite bank.

Li Dejian, dressed in red robes and black armor, had a frighteningly indifferent expression.

(End of this chapter)