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

Chapter 705 His terrifying power is in no way inferior to that of the late Emperor Taizong (One update today)
Outside the Taiji Hall, beside the corridor pillars.

The guards were heavily armed, and the swords and spears gleamed coldly.

Li Chengqian stood with his hands behind his back beside the pillars, his gaze fixed on the direction of Chang Le Gate, lost in thought.

After a long while, he slowly raised his gaze and looked towards Pingkangfang, then sneered softly, "The Tibetans, after all these years, still have the same ways, never changing."

Path dependence has almost become a habit.

This habit is hard to break, even after a profound lesson.

Of course, it's also possible that the Tibetans never truly understood the real reason for their previous defeat.

Standing behind Li Chengqian, Li Anyan bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the key to defeating the enemy is to know yourself and your enemy, but if you attack from both inside and outside, it will be easier to defeat the enemy."

"A two-pronged attack from within and without." Li Chengqian nodded and said, "Because in history, and even in the past they themselves had used this to their advantage, they have become dependent on it. This is why I was able to take advantage of them. However, it is precisely because of this that the Tang Dynasty can use this to scheme against Tibet. But we cannot rely on this as our foundation. What we can truly rely on are the soldiers in our army."

"Yes!" Li Anyan bowed seriously.

“High-altitude miasma!” Li Chengqian looked at the entire city of Chang’an with a solemn expression. He turned to Li Anyan and said, “Have the Imperial Pharmacy and major hospitals research as many drugs as possible to alleviate high-altitude miasma. As long as you can get through the first bout, it will get much better afterward.”

“Yes!” Li Anyan bowed and then stepped aside.

Li Chengqian glanced at the hall from the side, waved his hand and said, "Tell the officials in the hall that it is very cold after the snow today, and tell them to go home and rest early."

"Yes!" Xu An cupped his hands in greeting, then turned and entered the hall.

……

Li Chengqian walked straight to the side hall, his eyes deep in thought.

The Tibetans' altitude sickness was the only real reason that could have led to the Tang Dynasty being overthrown by the Tibetans in the war between the Tang and Tibetan empires.

However, treating high-altitude miasma has been a difficult problem from ancient times to the present.

Even more than a thousand years later, it remains difficult to cure the root cause.

Unless he can produce pure oxygen and then store it properly.

Li Chengqian smiled bitterly to himself, how could this be?

Walking calmly on the snow, Li Chengqian unknowingly arrived at the gate of the Lizheng Hall.

Suddenly, he stopped and looked up, saying, "We still have to find a solution from within Tibet."

Li Chengqian couldn't help but laugh. He had just told Li Anyan that they couldn't rely too much on the strategy of attacking from both inside and outside.

Because he had just used this trick to outmaneuver Zansiluo.

But now, Li Chengqian himself has set his sights on this path again.

But there was nothing that could be done. Overcoming the high-altitude miasma would be extremely difficult, even with all the resources of the Tang Dynasty.

Therefore, we must find a solution from within Tibet itself.

"Someone come here." Li Chengqian looked to the side.

Xu An strode forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty!"

"Issue an imperial edict to Zhang Xiang, ordering him to lead the Secretariat and the Court of State Ceremonial to compile a comparative translation of the Tibetan language and script with the Tang script, and then recruit special apprentices from among the poor and needy across the land for training, so that they may serve in Tibet in the future." Li Chengqian slightly raised his hand, and Xu An cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "Yes, sir!"

"Hmm!" Li Chengqian turned around and walked towards the Lizheng Hall.

There were a large number of slaves within Tibet.

These tragically fated slaves were the bottom rung of the over-functioning Tibetan Empire.

If we could win them over, destroying Tibet might be easier.

Furthermore, not every noble in Tibet was willing to live and die with Tibet.

Li Chengqian raised his head slightly, his expression cold and stern. Unlike the Tibetans, he did not need their help on the battlefield.

All he needed was rapid governance after the destruction of Tibet.

……

Li Chengqian stepped into the Lizheng Hall, and Su Shu stepped forward with a smile and bowed, saying, "Congratulations, Your Majesty!"

Li Chengqian was taken aback.

Why did Su Shu congratulate him before he even said anything?

"What brings you joy?" Li Chengqian raised his hand slightly and walked towards the main couch in the central hall.

Su Shu took the warm tea from Helan Minyue's hand and placed it on the table in front of Li Chengqian. She smiled and said, "Just now, when Your Majesty was in the court, the imperial physician examined Consort Xu's pulse and found that she is more than a month pregnant. So congratulations, Your Majesty!"

"Consort Xu is pregnant." Li Chengqian was slightly taken aback, then his face lit up with joy. He nodded and said, "The Empress is right. This is indeed a joyous occasion, especially as the year draws to a close. It will bring more happiness to the palace."

"Congratulations, Your Majesty!" Everyone in the hall bowed in unison once again.

"Rise." Li Chengqian turned to Su Shu and raised his hand, saying, "Promote Consort Xu to the rank of Jieyu. As for the rewards and other matters, Empress, please make careful arrangements."

"Your Majesty, I obey the decree." Su Shu looked at Li Chengqian with some doubt and asked, "Does Your Majesty have other matters to attend to today?"

“Originally there was one.” Li Chengqian smiled and said, “It’s rare for the palace to have more people. Let’s wait until the sixteenth day of the first month next year and summon Master Xuanzang to the palace. I haven’t had a proper chat with him in a long time.”

"Yes!" Su Shu finally understood completely. Li Chengqian was about to talk about Xuanzang.

The emperor had something to discuss with Xuanzang.

I originally wanted to find a reason from her, but unexpectedly, Xu Xuan was pregnant.

That's perfect, using this excuse to let Xuanzang enter the palace can also cover up some things.

“However, Your Majesty!” Su Shu looked up at Li Chengqian and said, “Your Majesty should also worry about Fu Chang’er’s marriage. I really don’t want any accidents to happen. It would be better to settle Fu Chang’er’s marriage as soon as possible.”

"This matter is really difficult to decide in a short time." Li Chengqian shook his head slightly and said with a solemn expression, "In early September, the Tibetan envoy requested marriage, but I rejected it with various reasons. In the end, I sent Mangsong Mangtsen to Chang'an to ask for the marriage in person, while the Tibetan envoy said that he would ask the Zanpu for his opinion."

"That's exactly what I'm worried about. What if the Tibetan king really comes to Chang'an to ask for a marriage proposal?" Su Shu asked with a worried expression.

“If he really dares to come, first, he must be able to fight his way from Tongtian River to Xichang Prefecture alive, then ensure that he doesn’t drink a drop of water along the way, and finally arrive safely in Chang’an, and pass through my many trials and tribulations…” Li Chengqian paused slightly, then looked at Su Shu.

Su Shu was startled and immediately asked, "Your Majesty wouldn't agree to this, would you?"

"How could that be? If he were truly so capable, it wouldn't be me who wanted to kill him. There would be plenty of people from India, Turks, the Yangtong clan, and the Supi clan who wanted to kill him in Chang'an. Perhaps I would be criticized for it, but for the sake of the world, I can bear a little infamy." Li Chengqian shook his head calmly.

If Mangsong Mangzan really dares to come to Chang'an, and is able to come to Chang'an, Li Chengqian absolutely guarantees that he will die a very spectacular death.

Ruthlessness is something Li Chengqian has never lacked.

It was precisely because of this that the Tibetans had a good understanding of Li Chengqian, so they would not allow Mangsong Mangtsen to take such a huge risk to come to the Tang Dynasty.

In his previous life, Mangsong Mangzan was nothing more than a puppet of Zanxi Ruo and Lun Qinling. In this life, he is still someone else's puppet.

How can we leave logic?

If he really dares to make a move, Li Chengqian will not only surround and kill him along the way, but also send a large army to invade Tibet at the same time that Mangsong Mangtsen arrives in Chang'an, and completely destroy Tibet.

Li Chengqian will not repeat the mistakes Xiang Yu made.

Therefore, if Mangsong Mangtsen comes, he is doomed.

“It’s a pity he probably won’t come.” Li Chengqian looked up, put down his teacup, and said, “The Tibetan envoy will probably find an excuse to leave Chang’an, and then come back in two years to ask for a Tang dynasty princess. That’s all. But by then, I should have already completely destroyed Tibet.”

Su Shu finally relaxed.

It would be good to destroy Tibet.

Those who dare to covet her daughter deserve to be destroyed by Tibet.

“However, the Empress is right. Fu Chang’er’s marriage should indeed be planned properly.” Li Chengqian pondered for a moment and said, “At this time, it is not advisable to make too much of a fuss. Let’s wait until next autumn to select a consort and marry the princess.”

"I will do as Your Majesty says." Su Shu finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Li Chengqian looked outside the hall, his eyes cold and stern.

By next autumn, half of the preparations for the war against Tibet should be complete; all that remains is preparation for invading the plateau.

If the Tibetans are unwilling to wait for the Tang Dynasty to complete its preparations to penetrate deep into the plateau and instead launch an attack ahead of schedule, then that would be perfect; he could completely eliminate Tibet's core cavalry force in Xichang Prefecture.

"By the way," Su Shu looked up at Li Chengqian and said, "Minyue has been with me long enough and has learned the rules quite well. Your Majesty, please take her away today."

Li Chengqian was taken aback and turned to look at Helan Minyue to the side.

He Lanminyue's cheeks were already flushed with embarrassment.

Li Chengqian smiled at her and said, "If Minyue leaves, won't the Empress be short-handed to take care of Second Madam?"

Princess Yongle was young, and Empress Su Shu had to manage the entire harem, so it was inevitable that she would lack the energy.

Although they had the help of palace maids, they were sometimes too cautious and hesitant to make decisions.

Therefore, at this time, it would be more appropriate to find a concubine in the palace to help take care of the patient.

However, the concubines in the palace have been there for a long time, which makes people somewhat uneasy. Therefore, it is more reassuring to find concubines who have just entered the palace to learn the rules from the Empress while taking care of the princess. This has been a practice that has been gradually established in recent years.

"As for Fu Ning'er, I can just bring someone in from outside the palace," Su Shu said with a smile. "It's no problem."

“Very well.” Li Chengqian nodded calmly and said, “It’s almost the end of the year, and things are complicated at the end of the year. Your Majesty should make arrangements as soon as possible.”

"Your Majesty, I understand." Su Shu seemed to detect something different in Li Chengqian's words.

"As for Minyue," Li Chengqian turned to look at Helan Minyue and said with a smile, "Minyue, go to the inner palace first to tidy up and put away the wedding dress you brought in from outside the palace. The third day of the first lunar month is a good day."

"That's His Majesty's business," Su Shu said, giving Li Chengqian a light, disdainful look.

As dusk fell, Helan Minyue finished tidying up in Liuyue Pavilion before emerging from the pavilion.

After thinking for a moment, she decided to head towards Linzhao Hall first.

Inside the Linzhao Palace, Yang Mi was taking care of the Ninth Prince, Li Ji. When she saw Helan Minyue, she smiled and nodded, saying, "Minyue, aren't you staying in the palace waiting for the New Year?"

"I have met Xiu Rong." He Lan Min Yue curtsied slightly, her face flushed.

Yang Mi handed Li Ji to the maid, then got up and walked to Helan Minyue's side, took her hand and said, "We're all sisters, no need to be so polite, just call me cousin."

"Yes!" Helan Minyue breathed a slight sigh of relief and nodded, "Thank you, Cousin Mi."

Yang Mi pulled Helan Minyue to sit on the long couch in the inner hall, and then said with a smile, "His Majesty is a kind and benevolent person. After the third day of the first lunar month, you will be able to be granted the title of Cairen. In the future, if you have children, you will be able to secure the position of Jieyu."

"Please take care of me in the palace, elder sister." Helan Minyue sat down obediently.

Yang Mi placed the lotus seed soup that the maid handed to Helan Minyue in front of her, and then said with a smile, "Minyue, you just came out of the Empress's place. Is the Empress alright?"

"It's alright." Helan Minyue lowered her head and said, "Consort Xu is pregnant, and Consort Xian is about to give birth. There are many happy events in the palace, and His Majesty is overjoyed, so he is resting in Lizheng Hall today."

Yang Mi nodded slightly. The emperor and empress had a very good relationship. It was precisely because the empress's position was unshakeable that the concubines in the harem were much more at ease.

"In addition," Helan Minyue paused slightly and said, "Since my younger sister has left the Empress's side, the Empress plans to bring in new concubines from outside the palace. At that time, they will be able to help the Empress take care of Princess Yongle, and His Majesty is very pleased."

Yang Mi raised an eyebrow and nodded slightly, saying, "That's right."

Helan Minzhi picked up the lotus seed soup, carefully drank it all, and then stood up and curtsied, saying, "Thank you for your hospitality, sister. Minyue will go to tell my aunt that I will come to visit you and Prince Chen again in the future."

"Okay." Yang Mi came back to her senses and said to Helan Minyue with a smile, "I'll take my sister."

"I dare not!" Helan Minzhi curtsied and then withdrew.

Yang Mi escorted him to the entrance of the inner hall, then turned back.

Sitting on the long couch, Yang Mi gently raised her head.

The only news Helan Minyue brought today was that the Empress was going to select people from outside the palace to enter the palace. If the Yang family still wanted to send someone into the palace, then now was the best time.

During the reign of Emperor Gaozu of Tang, there were three concubines named Yang in the palace.

During the reign of the late Emperor Taizong, there were also three Consort Yangs in the palace.

This does not include those concubines of slightly lower birth who were ultimately not recorded in historical records.

After entering the palace, the women of the Yang family would often band together to survive in the inner palace.

During the reign of the late emperor, Consort Yan and Wu Zetian were both granddaughters of the Yang family and were very closely related by blood.

This in itself is a way to consolidate one's favor in the harem.

The situation is the same now. Helan Minyue's mother, Wu Shun, is Wu Meiniang's elder sister and has a close relationship with the Yang family. That's why Helan Minyue came to tell her the news after settling in.

Of course, the fact that she didn't tell Wu Meiniang first indicates that she made a choice between Helan Minyue and Wu Meiniang.

That's not important. What's important is to arrange for a suitable woman to enter the palace as soon as possible. This way, Yang Mi can secure the emperor's favor and have another child. This way, she can compete for the position of Consort De, and the Yang family can rise again.

……

It's already the 30th of the twelfth lunar month, New Year's Eve.

A carriage slowly passed in front of the Duke of Yingshan's mansion. Behind the carriage curtain, a pair of eyes stared intently at the bustling mansion.

A ray of light shone on the man's face, revealing him to be none other than Luo Binwang.

"Didn't we agree to meet in Wugong County? Why did you suddenly decide to go into the city?" Zan Xiruo's voice came from the darkness of the carriage.

Luo Binwang lowered the lifted carriage curtain and said calmly, "New Year's Eve is the time when the entire city of Chang'an is most relaxed in its defenses. No one will care about me."

“But there are still some risks,” Zan Xiruo said with some concern.

"Ha!" Luo Binwang chuckled coldly and said, "Ten years ago, didn't the Zanpu seize the opportunity of the New Year to launch a direct attack on Dongtuyuhun?"

"So we lost," Zan Xiruo replied calmly.

Luo Binwang fell silent for a moment. One defeat had resulted in the loss of 100,000 troops.

Whether they came from Tuyuhun or Supi Yangtong, they were all part of Tuyuhun's true national strength.

After that, the Tang Dynasty extorted another 50,000 taels of gold, which was used for the eastern expedition against Goguryeo.

Based on Luo Binwang's understanding of the emperor, the Tang Dynasty had been well-governed over the years, so the 50,000 taels of gold might not necessarily have been spent.

The carriage moved slowly forward and entered Chang'an Avenue.

In the distance, the dazzling palace lanterns on the palace walls illuminated the entire palace, making it look like a celestial palace.

Luo Binwang sighed softly and said, "The Emperor is holding a grand banquet for the royal family in the Liangyi Hall tonight. All the princes, consorts, princesses, and elder relatives of the empress are in the palace tonight."

If Zan Xiruo knew what Luo Binwang was thinking, he shook his head slightly and said, "Reunion, happiness, and joy are not things for people like us."

Luo Binwang's gaze finally landed in the direction of Chang Le Gate, but only briefly. Then he turned to Zan Xiruo and said, "Li Chengqian is a very capable man. This must be acknowledged, otherwise we will suffer greatly in the future."

“Hmm!” Zan Xiruo nodded slightly and said, “This point needs no further explanation. When the Tang Dynasty destroyed Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla, its own food supplies and the casualties of its soldiers were kept to a minimum. Moreover, the fact that there is no resistance in Dongdao shows how deep his calculations are.”

“The most crucial thing is that he was willing to settle down and focus.” Luo Binwang shook his head and said, “He suppressed the hidden lands of aristocratic families, rewarded military merits, relocated people, and developed agriculture. The Tang Dynasty has been able to have bumper harvests year after year, and his contributions are significant.”

"Hmm!" Zanxi Ruo had no choice but to nod again. It was precisely because of this that the gap in national strength between the Tang Dynasty and Tibet was showing signs of widening.

“Most importantly, his administration is very stable.” Luo Binwang sighed and said, “He spent ten years getting Changsun Wuji to leave the Ministry of Personnel without resistance. In this respect, he already has the style of Li Shimin.”

Zanxi Ruo's heart sank.

"Therefore, he was given the title of Heavenly Khan." Luo Binwang looked up and stared straight at Zanxi Ruo, saying, "No one in the world objected, and no one in Tibet objected either."

Zan Xiruo nodded silently, and after a long while, he slowly said, "With the Tang Dynasty's crushing of Goguryeo, defeating Baekje and Silla, and destroying the Western Turkic Khaganate, who dares to utter a word of dissent within the Tang Dynasty's military might?"

“You forgot to mention that he annihilated a 100,000-strong Tibetan army as soon as he ascended the throne.” Luo Binwang glanced at Zanxi Ruo, then said solemnly, “His terror is in no way inferior to that of the late Emperor Taizong. If you want to deal with him, you must be extremely cautious and then act with lightning speed to have any chance of success.”

“We know,” Zanxi Ruo nodded and said, “If this doesn’t work, then we’ll retreat to the depths of the plateau and endure the high-altitude miasma.”

“That’s the best way.” Luo Binwang sighed and said, “If that’s the case, even if the Tang Dynasty can’t destroy Tibet, Tibet will be severely weakened by years of war. As for the Tang Dynasty, given the emperor’s style, it probably won’t be much weaker.”

Zan Xiruo nodded slightly.

The Tibetan heartland is located within the Tanggula Mountains, while outside the Tanggula Mountains, Supi and Yangtong stand to the left and right, respectively, and in front, the Tongtian River and Xitang Marsh block the way.

However, Li Junxian remained by the Tongtian River.

In recent years, the Tongtian River has become less of an obstacle.

Given the military strength and national power of the Tang Dynasty, after several years of war, it is possible that Supi and Yangtong would be overthrown, leaving only Tibet to eke out a living behind the Tanggula Mountains.

Once the Tang Dynasty had those Supi and Yangtong, they would use Supi and Yangtong as their base and gradually expand their influence. In the end, the Tubo would still be driven into the Tanggula Mountains and eventually destroyed.

The so-called "enduring hardship" was nothing more than hiding behind the Tanggula Mountains and waiting for the emperor to die of old age.

Some things don't need to be said too explicitly; everyone understands.

……

Unbeknownst to them, the carriage had already returned to the vicinity of Pingkangfang.

Luo Binwang glanced into the depths of Pingkang Ward before speaking, "It wasn't easy for you to get out, was it?"

“Hmm!” Zan Xiruo nodded and said, “The Tang Dynasty’s spies are keeping a close watch. If it weren’t for the envoy’s efforts to attract their attention, even someone like me who wasn’t on the delegation’s list wouldn’t have been able to get out.”

"The most fortified city is the easiest to breach from within." Luo Binwang looked up, listening to the commotion outside fade away, and then said softly, "I know the Tang Dynasty far better than you do. The cards you hold can only be played to their full potential once they are in my hands."

"I'm listening to your profound insights from afar." Zan Xiruo's expression turned serious.

"What you have in your hands is nothing more than Wu Yuanshuang's scheme against the Xu family in Luoxie." After a slight pause, Luo Binwang said, "Wu Yuanshuang is backed by Wu Meiniang, while the Xu family is backed by the Xu sisters, Xu Hui and Xu Yi."

Zan Xiruo nodded slightly.

"The entanglement between the two of them dates back to the time of the late emperor, when I happened to be in Chang'an." Luo Binwang sighed and said, "Xu Hui was originally a virtuous concubine of the late emperor, but she was later framed by Wu Meiniang, demoted to commoner, and imprisoned in the inner palace. Later, after the late emperor passed away, Wu Meiniang became a Jieyu, while Xu Hui was sent to Ganye Temple to become a nun."

These are grudges from the time of the late emperor.

"Later, Xu Hui's younger sister, Xu Yi, entered the palace and became one of the emperor's concubines. She later became pregnant, so the emperor allowed Xu Hui to enter the palace to take care of her." Luo Binwang looked up and said, "At that time, Xu Hui was already a commoner and had become a nun at Ganye Temple. She had no relation to the late emperor, so there was no problem for her to return to the palace."

“But Wu Zetian, who framed her, is getting anxious.” Zan Xiruo understood the root of the problem.

“At first, Wu Meiniang wasn’t in a hurry. What really made her anxious was after Xu Yi gave birth to her second prince.” Luo Binwang leaned forward slightly and said with a cold look in his eyes, “Xu Yi is very likely to be made a Consort De, especially if she gives birth to a third prince, then it will be inevitable.”

Zan Xiruo nodded slowly.

“Xu Hui is just a commoner, what does she amount to? And once Xu Yi becomes Consort De, then Wu Meiniang, a former concubine of the late emperor, will be even less of a threat in her eyes. At that time, she can easily drive her out of the palace and kill her.” Luo Binwang’s expression gradually became excited as he said, “I know you want to disrupt the emperor’s harem, but I’m telling you, that’s far from enough.”

"What do you want?" Zanxi Ruo's breathing became heavy.

“Treason.” Luo Binwang stared intently at Zan Xiruo and said, “Behind Wu Meiniang are the Wu clan of Taiyuan and the Yang clan of Hongnong, and even the entire Guanzhong aristocratic families. Behind the Xu sisters are the entire Jiangnan aristocratic families. If we can find a way to make the two accuse each other of treason, then once it is verified, it will not only implicate the Wu and Xu families in the end.”

“It’s the entire Guanzhong aristocracy and the entire Jiangnan aristocratic families. These two major aristocratic groups will fight each other because of this.” Zan Xiruo looked at Luo Binwang in amazement and said, “If that’s the case, then at that time, the emperor will not have the energy to pay attention to the war with Tibet. We may be able to drive the Tang Dynasty out of the plateau in one battle.”

“Yes!” Luo Binwang’s eyes turned cold.

"What do we do?" Zanxi Ruo clenched her fists tightly.

(End of this chapter)