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

Chapter 94: Drink from the Golden Cup and I Will Not Spare You a Blade (Part )

Chang'an City, outside the Jinguan Gate.

The red carpet is paved and the flags are waving.

All officials above the ninth rank in Chang'an stood solemnly and respectfully on both sides of the city gate, looking forward curiously.

A red-covered carriage pulled by four tall white horses slowly stopped under the yellow canopy.

Li Chengqian, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, stepped forward and solemnly took Princess Wencheng, who was wearing a red and green phoenix robe, off the carriage.

Li Daozon and Lu Dongzan stood on both sides.

Under Huang Gai, the emperor looked at his married daughter with a pleased and complicated expression. Even if she was an adopted daughter, she was still his daughter.

"Father!" Princess Wencheng bowed slightly with tears in her eyes.

The cold wind blew, lifting a strand of black hair.

The grand ceremony had already been performed in the palace, and now just a slight bow will be enough.

"It's hard for you." The emperor sighed and looked aside.

Zhang Ananda immediately came up with a tray.

Li Chengqian picked up the golden pot, poured two cups into each of the golden cups, and then personally brought it forward.

Li Shimin picked up one cup himself, and then watched Li Chengqian hand the other cup to the cautious Princess Wencheng.

"Time flies, and how can I stop talking about love!" Li Shimin sighed and said, "Now that we are parting, I am heartbroken, but we are on good terms, and have sent messengers to you many times. If I could know what you want, I would be very happy.

The mountains and rivers are far away, and it is difficult for my father to travel far. Today, with this wine cup, I wish you a smooth journey, meet your beloved, return one day, and pass on your bloodline."

"Your son obeys the order." Princess Wencheng couldn't help crying when she heard the emperor's sincere words, but she still forced herself to drink the glass of wine.

"State envoy." Li Shimin looked up at Lu Dongzan.

"I'm here." Lu Dongzan immediately stepped forward and bowed deeply.

"The journey to a foreign land is long, but I am reluctant to leave. Love between family members is the most unforgettable." The emperor looked at Lu Dongzan, his expression gradually turning cold. "Although the mountains and rivers are far away, we have exchanged letters. Princess, you must not neglect me in the slightest during your trip to Tubo, otherwise..."

"The princess is also the queen of Tubo and the most honorable person in Tubo. Your Majesty, don't worry. The people of Tubo will treat you with the same courtesy as the Zamp." Lu Dongzan bowed seriously and firmly. At this moment, he absolutely did not dare to hesitate at all.

Li Shimin's expression softened, and he nodded, saying, "It would be great if an envoy could come and go once a month to let me know that my daughter is safe and sound."

"Yes!" Lu Dongzan immediately grasped the emperor's true meaning.

Ask Princess Wencheng to send a letter to Chang'an every month.

Lu Dongzan's mouth was suddenly filled with bitterness.

I wonder how much information about Tubo will be revealed to the Tang Dynasty through such a letter. He understands the principle of knowing oneself and knowing the enemy.

But now that he is outside the city of Chang'an, what can he say?

I can only agree to it first.

The emperor smiled softly, looked towards the southwest, and said calmly: "You speak of the Zamp's affection and loyalty, and I also approve of it. My daughter is gentle and modest. The Zamp is serving Ye He, and we should always be friends."

"The Tang Dynasty and Tibet will always be friends." Lu Dongzan bowed seriously. This trip to Chang'an allowed him to experience the power of the Tang Dynasty.

Especially the complex and complicated struggle for imperial power. Even now, he cannot see the mystery clearly.

Maybe I will be able to sober up a little after leaving Chang'an.

……

The emperor turned slightly, Li Chengqian bowed, then stepped forward, holding up the golden cup, and walked in front of Lu Dongzan: "State envoy.

"Your Highness!" Lu Dongzan's heart, which had just been relieved, suddenly tightened.

Li Chengqian's eyes were sharp and deep. He watched the eunuch beside him fill Lu Dongzan's glass with wine. He then smiled faintly and raised his glass, saying, "The princess brought with her Buddha statues, treasures, gold and jade, bookcases, a hundred volumes of classics, as well as various gold and jade ornaments, various brocade mattresses, a hundred divination classics, thirty construction books, a hundred prescriptions, four medical books, 1,900 kinds of various grains, and over 2,000 craftsmen of various skills..."

For some reason, every time Li Chengqian said something, Lu Dongzan couldn't help but bow a little.

"All of the things we've brought here, some of them violated prohibitions, but the Tang Dynasty has approved them all. If Tubo has other ideas..." Li Chengqian leaned close to Lu Dongzan's ear and said coldly, "One day, I will personally go to Luoshui and bring the imperial sister back to the Tang Dynasty. Do you remember this?"

Lu Dongzan suddenly shuddered and bowed, saying, "Yes!"

"Let's drink together!" Li Chengqian raised his glass and drank it all.

Lu Dongzan did not dare to be negligent and drank the gin as well.

Li Chengqian turned to look at Princess Wencheng. After a moment's thought, he untied the longsword from his waist and placed it horizontally in front of her. He then said softly, "My sister, when we get to Tubo, no matter who dares to bully you, you can use this sword to kill him. I still have my father and the millions of soldiers of the entire Tang Dynasty to back you up." Princess Wencheng looked at the longsword in surprise, then glanced at the pale-faced Lu Dongzan to the side. Then, she took the longsword with a smile on her face, and bowed to Li Chengqian, saying, "Thank you, my brother."

"Be careful." Li Chengqian sighed lightly.

Princess Wencheng bowed again, then bowed deeply to the emperor, and then got into the carriage with tears in the emperor's eyes.

The sound of drums and music sounded again behind him.

……

The huge convoy slowly disappeared on the horizon.

The emperor then sat on the imperial sedan chair and headed towards the palace.

Li Chengqian rode a horse for the first time today and followed the emperor's sedan chair.

Changsun Wuji walked side by side with him.

"Uncle, there's something I don't understand." Li Chengqian looked at Zhangsun Wuji and asked, "Why does the emperor always disagree with reducing the grain and seeds sent to Tubo? If I follow my nephew's wishes, most of them will have to be steamed."

This time, the dowry that the Tang Dynasty sent to Tubo for Princess Wencheng was still too much, even though Li Chengqian had cut it in half.

Especially for grain, he cut off more than half of the craftsmen, and most of them were apprentices, with very few master craftsmen. But he found it difficult to even tamper with the grain.

Zhang Sun Wuji glanced at his nephew, whose calm words revealed a ruthless approach, and couldn't help shaking his head. He said, "Sometimes, the Crown Prince has a very sharp vision, but sometimes, he can be very short-sighted."

"Please give me some advice, uncle." Li Chengqian bowed and looked at Changsun Wuji seriously.

"The Tang Dynasty has great ambitions, and if it's not your father, then it will be you." Changsun Wuji mentioned it briefly and said, "Tubbo is a wild and barbaric land. Not only is the journey long, but even if we conquer it, it won't be worth it.

Look at the Turks and Tuyuhun. After your father conquered them, he also re-established a king or khan and let them rule themselves. The same is true for Tubo. In the current situation, even if they conquered them, it would not be of much value."

"So, father is using the Tibetans to cultivate the land and grow food. When the Tang Dynasty has enough land to conquer in the future, these lands and food will be used by the Tang Dynasty." Li Chengqian looked at Zhangsun Wuji in surprise, then looked at the imperial carriage in front of him with admiration.

"You're the Crown Prince. You should know that while the population of the Tang Dynasty is growing year by year, it's still far behind that of the Sui Dynasty. Therefore, many things need to be considered." Changsun Wuji looked ahead and said, "Even Gaochang, Wei Zheng, Chu Suiliang, and Fang Xuanling all wanted to re-establish a Gaochang King. Only your father, believing the interests of the Western Regions were too great to be abandoned lightly, chose to station troops there."

"Yes!" Li Chengqian remembered that when he was bedridden, the court had a long discussion about the Gaochang issue, and finally decided to station troops there and bring Gaochang directly under the control of the Tang Dynasty.

In fact, it was not just Gaochang. The emperor and his ministers of the Tang Dynasty wanted to bring any place in the world under their rule.

But now the population of the Tang Dynasty is less than 15 million, while the population of the former Sui Dynasty was 50 million, which is still a huge gap.

At this time, wanton expansion is not a good thing.

The reason for fighting against the Turks was to stabilize the border.

The reason for attacking Gaochang was to control the Silk Road.

The purpose of attacking Goguryeo was to plunder its population.

We can suppress and weaken Tubo in any way we want, but we still have to let him help grow the grain first.

Only in this way can we have sufficient food supplies when the Tang Dynasty attacks.

This was originally Li Shimin's expectation for Li Zhi, but unfortunately, Li Zhi did nothing.

Now, all this falls on Li Chengqian's shoulders.

……

At Chengtian Gate, the emperor raised his hand slightly, and the imperial carriage stopped immediately.

"Prince!" Li Shimin turned sideways calmly.

Li Chengqian immediately urged his horse forward and bowed, saying, "Father."

The emperor looked up at Li Chengqian and said, "You should pay more attention to the events along the way to Wencheng, especially the wedding ceremony on the Tuyuhun Plateau. We must let Tuyuhun, Dangxiang, Yangtong, Subi, and other countries see the majesty of the Tang Dynasty and the weakness of Tubo. However, only the Tang Dynasty can grasp Tubo's true weakness."

"Your son obeys your order." Li Chengqian bowed solemnly.

"Inform the Ministry of War, the Honglu Temple, and the Lanzhou Governor's Office. After reporting to the Crown Prince on all related matters, they should report back to me." After Li Shimin finished speaking, he waved his hand slightly, and the relevant people immediately bowed to receive the order.

Everyone around looked at Li Chengqian with surprise but respect.

The emperor had never delegated so much power to the crown prince or any other prince.

However, many people have doubts in their minds.

Is the emperor really so confident in the prince?

(End of this chapter)