Tang Dynasty: A Guide to Avoiding Pitfalls for Li Er at the Start

Chapter 119 Are you declaring war?
"Oh dear, young master, what are you doing!"

Wen Zhong quickly pulled Wen He behind him, and only breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the Xuanjia Guards had all rushed out.

"Why did you suddenly take action?" Wen Zhong was somewhat amused and exasperated.

Isn't this young man Wen always kind and gentle?
Even when they are angry, it's always a forced smile; they take action behind the scenes.

Didn't those three young princes also suffer the same loss?
But what's wrong with him today?
"What do you mean I suddenly made a move? They're humiliating my Great Tang Dynasty, and what kind of emperor are they? Beat them up! If they kill them, I'll take responsibility!"

Wen He shouted in that direction.

The Japanese were no match for the Xuanjia Guards; they were quickly beaten to a pulp and left howling on the ground.

The Xuanjia Guards couldn't understand the Japanese they were speaking, and when Wen He told them not to hold back, they became even more ruthless.

People around stopped and stared in disbelief at the scene.

How dare someone make a move in Dongshi?

"Empty building!"

A Japanese man suddenly jumped up in a rage.

Upon seeing this, Wen He immediately grabbed a piece of porcelain from the side and smashed it hard.

"Snapped!"

The porcelain splattered on the Japanese man's head, and the shop owner who came out of the shop was heartbroken.

"Ten strings of cash."

I'll pay you back!

After saying that, Wen He picked up another porcelain bottle.

Hearing the news, the local thugs pushed through the crowd and came in.

"Who are you people, daring to cause trouble in the East Market!" The leader of the thugs drew his sword and glared angrily.

"Get out!" Wen Zhong shouted, taking out a token.

The leader of the scoundrels was about to get angry, but when he saw the words on the token, his legs went weak, and he hurriedly bowed to Wen Zhong, saying, "Yes, yes, I'll get out of here right away."

"Get out of here! What are you looking at? Get lost!"

He quickly put the knife away and wiped the cold sweat from his neck.

He breathed a sigh of relief. "It's still here."

'Why are people from the palace fighting in the East Market? Let's get the Imperial Guards to handle this.'

In Chang'an, especially for people like them who are considered unruly, the most important thing for survival is to broaden their horizons.

He was incredibly grateful that he hadn't cursed earlier, otherwise his life would have been ruined.

Not long after the Bad Guys left, a squad of Imperial Guards arrived.

Although they did not know the identities of Wen He and the others, they all bowed and saluted when they saw the token that Wen Zhong took out.

Meanwhile, Wen He had already ordered the Xuanjia Guards to tie up the Japanese soldiers.

"I suspect these Japanese are spies. Please send them all to the Ministry of Justice or the Court of Judicial Review."

"Yes, yes, yes, mark it and get it done immediately."

The Imperial Guard bowed and said.

"Good work."

"Don't dare."

Seeing Wen He's kind appearance, the Imperial Guards couldn't help but look at the Japanese slaves and gasp in shock.

That was really ruthless; they beat him so badly he was barely recognizable.

"Let's go to the Forbidden Garden."

After getting into the carriage, Wen He straightened her robes.

He knew that this matter would spread quickly, and that someone might even impeach him and assault people in the East Market.

The Imperial Guards dared not make things difficult for him, but the censors would certainly flock to him.

He knew he had just lost control.

But upon hearing what the Japanese man had said, he couldn't help but take action.

At worst, we can just consider it as offsetting his recent achievements.

Anyway, Li Er won't promote him to a higher rank.

Sure enough, when Wen He went to the Forbidden Garden, Li Shimin received a message from the Golden Guard.

"The Japanese envoy was attacked. Who did it?"

A few days ago, Chang'an was in complete chaos, and just yesterday he demoted the magistrate of Chang'an County to Lingnan. The new magistrate hasn't even taken office yet, and this has already happened.

Although Japan is a small overseas country, it was the envoy who was attacked.

“It’s Wenxianzi,” Gao Yue replied after a moment’s hesitation.

Li Shimin's hand holding the pen paused involuntarily, and his brows furrowed immediately: "Wasn't he supposed to go to the Forbidden Garden today? Why did he go to the East Market? Has Wenzhong sent any news?"

Gao Yue nodded.

"Wenxianzi went to buy porcelain. On his way out, he encountered a Japanese man named Soga no Daizan who claimed to be the emperor of Japan. Upon hearing this, Wenxianzi became angry and attacked him."

He also said, "This small country, Japan, dares to call itself Emperor. They have no respect for the Tang Dynasty. It's outrageous!"

Gao Yue deliberately raised her voice, mimicking Wen He's tone.

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin was stunned for a long time before finally bursting into laughter.

"This brat! Others settle personal scores in public, but he settles public scores in private. I'm afraid I'll be in trouble at tomorrow's court meeting."

He couldn't help but sigh; those censors must have already received the news.

"Alright, send a squad of Xuanjia Guards to protect the Wen residence, and have the people from the Sifang Pavilion appease them before questioning them about how the Japanese dare to call themselves Emperor!"

Although Li Shimin was smiling, his eyes were gleaming with fire.

He remembered that it was recorded in the daily records of the previous dynasty.

When the Japanese envoys first came to the Central Plains to pay homage to the Sui Dynasty, it was during the reign of Emperor Yang of Sui.

At that time, the Japanese made outrageous remarks in their official letter, referring to their monarch as "the Son of Heaven of the Land of the Rising Sun" and Emperor Yang of Sui as "the Son of Heaven of the Land of the Setting Sun".

When Li Shimin learned of this news, he cursed the Japanese.

There can be no two suns in the sky, nor two rulers among the people. How dare this mere Japanese nation call itself an emperor, and even an emperor!
Gao Yue knew that His Highness the Crown Prince was angry, so she quickly responded and left Lizheng Hall.

After he left, Li Shimin forcefully threw the pen onto the table.

He took out the map that Wen He had drawn earlier.

In the empty space to the southeast, Li Shimin took a pen and wrote the character "倭" (Wa).

"Turks, Goguryeo, King Huan, and then Japan!"

Half an hour later.

Inside the Honglu Guest House, which was arranged by the Honglu Temple for foreign officials and envoys to reside in.

Faced with the questioning from the Shihōkan, the Japanese envoy to Tang China, Ono no Umako, was filled with anger.

"Is this how the Tang Kingdom treats its envoys? If so, then we will never come again. When we return, I will report this matter to His Majesty the Emperor, and then we will probably have to resort to arms!"

He was looking at the many envoys from other countries gathered outside.

Among them were people from Goguryeo, Silla, and Baekje.

So he wanted to make a big fuss and get the Tang Dynasty to punish the troublemaker.

Most importantly, the people who were beaten were from the Soga family.

With Emperor Suiko of Japan now seriously ill and the Soga clan holding absolute power, he would be held responsible if anything happened to Soga Ōyama.

"presumptuous!"

The Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial roared, and the guards behind him drew their swords with a "whoosh".

"Does this mere Japanese nation dare to threaten my Celestial Empire with weapons?"

"Are you declaring war? If so, you shall immediately return to your country, for my million armored soldiers of the Great Tang will soon crush your nation!"

Upon hearing this, the envoys who had been watching the spectacle outside scattered like birds and beasts.

These Japanese have gone mad.

How dare they threaten the Tang Dynasty like this!
Xiao Yema was taken aback; he hadn't expected the official to be so assertive.

His threat was merely a show of force; everyone knew that it was extremely difficult for Japan to cross the sea, let alone send troops.

The same applies to the Tang Dynasty.

But he felt more fear than anything else. It was only after arriving in the Tang Dynasty that he understood what a great power truly meant.

Compared to the Tang Dynasty, Japan was practically a backwater.

"Have you made up your mind?" the Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies asked coldly.

The little wild horse gritted her teeth, unwilling but forced to lower her head.

"Please calm down, Your Excellency. I misspoke."

(End of this chapter)