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

Chapter 677 Your Majesty, among the officials, some voices of complaint arose.

As night fell and the city lights shone brightly, a festive atmosphere filled Chang'an.

The Imperial Household Department, Yongzhou Prefecture, Chang'an County, and Wannian County prepared numerous parades and celebrations in Chang'an City.

When the emperor said that the celebration would last for three days, it was never just a simple statement, but a real and significant celebration in Chang'an.

Compared to the celebrations in Chang'an, the palace was much quieter after nightfall.

Especially near the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

……

Inside the Imperial Ancestral Temple, Li Chengqian received the incense sticks from Li Fengci, and then bowed deeply before the memorial tablet of his father, Emperor Taizong Li Shimin.

Li Xiang stood to the left of Li Chengqian and bowed solemnly along with him.

Li Chengqian inserted the incense sticks into the incense burner, and then pulled out a piece of yellow paper with densely written small characters from his sleeve and handed it to Li Fengci.

Li Fengci accepted the paper with a cupped hand, then walked to the brazier on the side, lit the yellow paper, and watched it slowly turn to ashes.

Li Chengqian looked at the memorial tablet before him, cupped his hands and said, "Father, the Western Turkic tribes have petitioned, and all the barbarians from all directions have agreed to honor your son as the Heavenly Khan."

Today, your son has come specifically to inform Your Majesty of this matter. Your son has begun to gradually tread the path Your Majesty has already trod, taking step by step towards governing the Tang Dynasty to greater prosperity. I hope Your Majesty will bless your son and bring about an everlasting and glorious reign.

After speaking, Li Chengqian bowed deeply once again.

Li Xiang bowed in response.

Li Chengqian stood up, then turned around and sat down on the futon beneath him. Only then did he look at Li Xiang and say, "Sit down."

"Here!" Li Xiang then sat down on the futon behind him.

Li Chengqian, with his back to the memorial tablets of Emperor Gaozu and Emperor Taizong, said calmly, "Although I became the Heavenly Khan this time by destroying the Western Turks, I have accumulated military merits, including defeating the Tubo with the Tuyuhun and conquering Pingrang City with the Quangaisuwen. You have seen all of this."

"Yes!" Li Xiang nodded vigorously.

"The title 'Heavenly Khan' was bestowed upon your grandfather by various barbarian tribes, both inside and outside the capital. Later, I bestowed upon your grandfather the title of 'Heavenly Sage Khan.' After your grandfather passed away, these titles went with him and did not fall to me." Li Chengqian only inherited the throne of the Tang Dynasty; he could not inherit the title of Heavenly Khan.

Li Xiang bowed.

Li Chengqian sighed softly and said, "In other words, once I pass away in the future, you will not be able to inherit my title of Heavenly Khan."

“Father!” Li Xiang couldn’t help but look up.

Li Chengqian waved his hand and said, "Everything depends on your own efforts. What you earn is yours. If you fail to earn it in the future, then the title of Khan will not fall to you."

"Yes!" Li Xiang nodded, but a hint of embarrassment appeared on his face.

Li Chengqian smiled and looked at him, saying, "Since I ascended the throne, although there have been many wars, many have not yet been quelled. For example, the three kingdoms of the Eastern Islands have not been completely destroyed, the Western Turks still pose a threat, not to mention Tibet. These are all problems that I need to solve."

"Yes!" Li Xiang smiled bitterly, then said, "Father has eliminated all the great enemies, what should your son do now?"

“You’re wrong.” Li Chengqian shook his head and said, “Even if the three kingdoms of the Eastern Islands were destroyed, the threat of the Western Turks was resolved, and the Tibetan Empire was destroyed, there are still many hidden dangers. For example, the Uyghurs in the north. During the process of destroying the Western Turks this time, they revealed their ambitions.”

The Uyghurs, who dominated the northern part of the Tang Dynasty, extending east to Liaodong and west to the Western Turks, had also learned from the lessons of the Xueyantuo's destruction. If they grew stronger in the future, they would be difficult to deal with.

“And there’s also the Eastern Turks.” Li Chengqian shook his head slightly and said, “Although the Eastern Turks have long been destroyed and most of them have even migrated to areas inside and outside the Great Wall, they are only temporarily enduring. Once the Tang Dynasty is weak, they will immediately rise up again and betray the Tang Dynasty.”

Li Xiang looked up in surprise; he hadn't expected there to be anything about the Turks.

“In addition, there are the Khitan in the middle, the Five Zhao in Yunnan, Lin Yi in Annam, India south of Tibet, and the Abbasid Caliphate west of Persia. These could all be formidable enemies.” Li Chengqian smiled and said, “Moreover, although the Five Zhao and Lin Yi seem to be small countries, the rainforest miasma is a major enemy. In addition, there are India and the Abbasid Caliphate, and logistical support over extremely long distances will also be a problem.”

Li Xiang nodded in agreement; he wasn't entirely unaware of these things.

"Therefore, you must act according to your ability in the future, otherwise, if you are not careful, the Tang Dynasty will suffer huge losses but gain nothing, and the dynasty will eventually decline." Li Chengqian paused slightly and said, "The military strategy I have been developing over the years is to lure the enemy to the place where the Tang Dynasty's logistics are most convenient. For example, the Anxi campaign is now underway in Anxi."

After winning the war in Anxi and gaining a sufficient advantage, the Tang Dynasty began its continuous westward expansion.

"I have arranged for you to serve in the Eastern Palace, Duke of Wei and Duke of Lu. You should consult them more on matters of military affairs." Li Chengqian said earnestly at the end, "This is my final request to you."

An emperor may not need to fight on the battlefield, but he must be clear about military strategy, logistics, and other matters.

"Your subject understands." Li Xiang kowtowed earnestly.

"Okay, go ahead." Li Chengqian waved his hand slightly.

"Here!"

……

A figure walked in from the entrance of the Imperial Ancestral Temple, then bowed to Li Chengqian and said, "Your Majesty!"

Li Chengqian nodded slightly and asked, "Yin Yuan, what is the situation in Chang'an now?"

General Yin Yuan of the Left Thousand Ox Guard bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the people are at peace."

"And in the army?" "The soldiers are overjoyed, all praising His Majesty's military prowess." Yin Yuan bowed respectfully.

Li Chengqian glanced at him calmly and asked, "And what about among the officials?"

Yin Yuan's expression changed slightly, and he then cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, there are some complaints among the officials. This time, Your Majesty has appointed more military generals and bestowed more rewards upon them, so it is inevitable that there will be some complaints."

Li Chengqian nodded indifferently and said, "I understand. There's no need to touch these people. Just keep an eye on them and record their words and actions."

“Yes!” Yin Yuan bowed respectfully, then turned and took his leave.

Li Chengqian looked to the side, and Li Wu stepped out of the shadows, cupped his hands in greeting to Li Chengqian, and said, "Your Majesty!"

Li Chengqian sighed softly and said, "You go and arrange that matter."

"Yes!" Li Wu cupped his hands and then retreated into the darkness.

Staring into the darkness before him, Li Chengqian stood up after a long while and turned to look at the memorial tablet in front of him.

Your Majesty, I have three kingdoms in the Eastern Islands to conquer, the threat of the Western Turks to quell, the Tibetan Empire to be destroyed, and the court to be brought under control.

Li Chengqian bowed slightly and said, "Father, I hope everything goes well."

……

Li Chengqian strode into the Lizheng Hall.

A fifteen-year-old palace concubine in red stepped forward, curtsied with a joyful expression, and said, "Your Majesty!"

"Rise, my beloved consort." Li Chengqian paused slightly and asked Xu Xuan gently, "Consort Xu, how is the Empress?"

Xu Xuan curtsied and said, "Congratulations, Your Majesty. The imperial physician has examined the Empress and confirmed that she is pregnant."

"Haha!" Li Chengqian couldn't help but laugh, ignoring Xu Xuan for a moment, and then turned and strode towards the inner hall.

Su Shu lay peacefully on the imperial couch. Upon seeing Li Chengqian, she nodded lazily and said, "Your Majesty!"

Li Chengqian walked over, grasped Su Shu's wrist, and whispered, "How do you feel?"

"It's alright." Su Shu patted Li Chengqian's wrist and said reassuringly, "Your Majesty, everything is fine. This isn't my first pregnancy, so there's no need to worry."

Su Shu already has four children: the Crown Prince, the Prince of Yong, the Prince of Dai, and Princess Yongkang. This is her fifth child.

"Hmm!" Li Chengqian breathed a slight sigh of relief and said, "Should we let my mother-in-law enter the palace and let Yiniang come over to take care of the Empress?"

"As Your Majesty has arranged," Su Shu nodded and said, "This way, it will be more lively here."

"That's good." Li Chengqian completely relaxed, glanced at Su Shu, and said, "After the Empress gives birth safely this time, things in the harem should settle down."

"Your Majesty is referring to Consort Xian and Consort De?" Su Shu immediately understood. Of the four consorts in the harem, only Consort Gui and Consort Shu were still listed; the other positions were vacant.

“It’s time to make some changes. After all, I have been on the throne for many years, and there are countless people watching me.” Li Chengqian shook his head and said, “If something is left untouched for too long, it will cause trouble sooner or later.”

"Yes!" Su Shu couldn't help but look up. She had a strange feeling that what the emperor was talking about was not just about the harem.

……

The end of the year.

The twenty-fifth day of the twelfth lunar month.

In the Liangyi Hall, Li Chengqian looked at Du Fengju, who was kneeling to one side and taking a sip of hot tea, and said, "On the sixth day of the first lunar month, my dear minister, you shall set off for the west."

Du Fengju put down his teacup, cupped his hands respectfully, and said, "Your subject accepts the decree."

Li Chengqian nodded and looked outside the hall, saying, "The news that I will perform the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Song next year has already spread. In addition, the Empress is pregnant. Once the court officials submit their memorials next year, I will set off for Luoyang after the autumn harvest in August. Therefore, I will keep those Turkic nobles until the year after next. When they return to the Western Turkic Khaganate, it will be the middle of the year after next."

"Yes!" Du Fengju nodded seriously.

“This year, I have exempted the people of the Western Turks from taxes for a year, but by the end of next year, we will begin to collect taxes.” Li Chengqian looked at Du Fengju and said, “Although the tax system of the Western Turks is the same as that of the Eastern Turks, the distance between them is much greater, so the construction of fortified villages along the way must be accelerated.”

"Your subject understands," Du Fengju said solemnly, bowing with his hands clasped.

"Be prepared," Li Chengqian sighed softly, "The hidden dangers of the Western Turks will fully erupt in about three or four years."

Now that the Duke of Wei has been transferred back to Chang'an, things will likely be unstable in Tibet as well. They will definitely intervene, and you must ascertain their every move.

"Yes!" Du Fengju bowed slightly.

“There’s a road from Tibet to the Western Turks, which means there’s a road from the Western Turks to Tibet.” Li Chengqian looked at Du Fengju and asked quietly, “Do you know what this means, my dear minister?”

"This means that in case of trouble, troops can be dispatched directly from the Western Turks to attack Tibet." Du Fengju bowed solemnly.

(End of this chapter)