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

Chapter 127 If you don't give it to us, our Khan will come and take it himself.

"brush!"

The hundred riders on both sides of the city gate shouted in unison and stomped their feet on the ground.

They held a sword hilt in one hand and a spear in the other, wearing mountain-patterned armor and fang-shaped masks.

Standing in the sunlight, it actually exuded a chill.

When Boru and Aibar approached, both of them couldn't help but pause for a moment.

They even felt a chill on their necks.

It seemed as if, at any moment, the two rows of soldiers would swarm forward and chop them and the delegation to pieces.

Although there were only a hundred people, their imposing presence was enough to send chills down the spines of the Turkic delegation.

"It's a pity there are too few people."

Wen He felt a little sorry.

Time was simply too tight. If Wen He had known a month in advance that the Turkic delegation was coming, he would have definitely asked Li Shimin to send him a thousand men for training.

"Are these all elite troops of the Tang army?" Boru asked Aibar, his voice trembling slightly.

Aibal, standing beside him, shook his head with a grim face: "I don't know, but I've never seen Tang troops like this before. Whether these are their elite or not, this is not a good thing for us."

A nation that was once seen as prey now possesses such formidable soldiers. It's hard to say who will become the hunter and who will be the prey in the future.

Seeing that his expression was off, Bolu assumed he was scared and said dismissively.

"I think this is just to scare me. If the Tang army is really that strong, why don't they attack us? Instead, they hide in the city like docile sheep?"

Aibal did not speak.

This made Boru even more certain of what he was thinking.

But he soon discovered that the more than one hundred well-trained soldiers were not just lining up to greet them.

They were still following behind their delegation.

This situation doesn't look like an escort at all; it looks more like a forced transport.

This made him tense up, and he dared not relax his grip on the knife hilt for a moment.

"Your Excellencies, His Highness the Crown Prince is already waiting for you in the Taiji Hall. Please come with me to the court for an audience."

Upon arriving at Chengtian Gate, Tang Jian gestured for the Turkic delegation to dismount.

Boru gave a rude snort, glanced at Aibar beside him, and only dismounted after seeing the latter nod.

"Why the crown prince? We want to see your Khan, not some crown prince!"

Bolu thought that the Tang emperor did not want to see them, so he questioned Tang Jian with dissatisfaction.

The Turks did not have the concept of a "crown prince," so Bolu thought that this so-called crown prince was just an official of the Tang Dynasty.

"presumptuous!"

Tang Jian roared, glaring at Bolu: "Your Highness, the Crown Prince is the heir apparent of our Great Tang Dynasty, the epitome of the imperial family. How dare you barbarian nations despise him!"

"Your emperor pays tribute to our Khan, so what prince? We want to see your emperor!"

Boru shouted without restraint.

Aibal, who was beside him, did not try to stop him.

Aibar's expression was also unpleasant; he knew what the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty represented.

But they came this time to test the Tang emperor's attitude.

And that King of Qin.

As for the crown prince, they didn't take him seriously at all.

"Where are the Imperial Guards?"

Tang Jian's face turned cold, just as a loud shout rang out from the surroundings: "Strong wind!"

The Turks are too presumptuous!
"When has the Tang Dynasty ever paid tribute to you? If you continue to spout nonsense, I will make sure your blood is spilled on the spot!"

Hundreds of imperial guards drew their swords in an instant.

The gleaming blades were aimed at the Turkic delegation.

Enraged, Naboru was about to draw his sword when Aibal stopped him.

"Minister Tang, since we cannot see His Majesty the Emperor, I wonder if we could meet the Prince of Qin? Khan Jieli sends his greetings to him from the grasslands."

Upon hearing this, Tang Jian burst into laughter: "Let you all know that the current Crown Prince of the Great Tang is none other than the former Prince of Qin."

Boru didn't understand what this meant, so he turned to look at Aibar, who was quite surprised. After a moment, he solemnly said to Tang Jian, "If that's the case, then we are willing to pay our respects to His Highness the Crown Prince."

"Aibal, why?" Boru asked in surprise.

With a solemn expression, Aibar whispered in his ear in Turkic, "His Majesty the Khan had already guessed that something had happened in the Tang Kingdom. Li Yi's sudden departure from Jingzhou is very likely related to this matter."

"His Khan said that the Prince of Qin is very likely to be the future master of the Tang Dynasty, which means he is our adversary!"

Aibal wanted to remind Boru to be careful.

However, the latter disagreed with this suggestion.

"What King of Qin, what Crown Prince? There's nothing to fear from those cowardly Han people!"

He shouted loudly in Turkic.

Apart from Tang Jian and his translator who could understand, everyone else present was completely confused.

"What did this barbarian say?"

Wen He gently nudged Xu Jingzong with her elbow.

The latter knew so much about the Turks, so I thought he should be able to understand some Turkic language as well.

Xu Jingzong shook his head and spread his hands, indicating that he did not know either.

Wen He chuckled and then ordered Zhang Wenxiao to bring the Hundred Riders back.

"After returning, the second team immediately changed their clothes and went to the Honglu Inn. In the next few days, even if they eat, defecate, or talk in their sleep, I must record it all."

This was one of the reasons Wen He brought them out – to recognize people.

So that the second squad of 100 cavalry would be able to accurately gather information in the future.

He didn't care what happened in the main hall.

It's nothing more than diplomatic rhetoric.

Given Li Shimin's current attitude towards the Turks, Wen He could guess that he was definitely trying to mislead the enemy.

However, he was unaware that an unexpected person had arrived in the main hall today.

It was Li Yi.

Since returning to Chang'an, his entire family has been settled in Xuanyang Ward of Wannian County, and his residence is only a little over a hundred steps away from the county government.

This is clearly for better surveillance of him.

He complied with Li Shimin's wishes, staying at home and rarely venturing out.

But to his utter surprise, Gao Yue actually came to his door yesterday to invite him to attend the court meeting today.

It was only after arriving here that he learned of the arrival of the Turkic delegation in Chang'an that day.

When Aibar saw Li Yi in the main hall, he was indeed startled.

If he hadn't been reprimanded by the censor, he would have forgotten to bow to Li Shimin.

His loss of composure was naturally noticed by Li Shimin.

"It seems the envoy was quite surprised to see the Prince of Yan here."

"I have met His Highness the Prince of Yan a few times, but I never expected to see him in Chang'an."

Aibar didn't hide it either.

Li Shimin gave Li Yi a meaningful look, and the latter humbly lowered his head.

"I see. Then the Prince of Yan should have a few more drinks with the envoy at the banquet tonight."

"Your subject dares not." Li Yi has now toned down his sharp edge, and many people feel as if they don't recognize him anymore.

Li Shimin smiled and nodded, and after exchanging a few pleasantries, he got straight to the point.

"I wonder what brings the envoy from Khagan Jieli to our Great Tang?"

At this moment, Aibar took a step back.

He was not the chief envoy, so the following message would be relayed by Boru.

The latter held his head high, puffed out his chest, and faced Li Shimin's gaze directly.

"Last year we suffered from winter disasters, losing many cattle and sheep, and our herders were displaced. So we hope that the King of Tang can send us some grain. We have already spent all the money that the Tang Kingdom offered us before. This time we hope that the King of Tang can send some more. If you don't give it, then our Khan will come and take it personally!"

A blatant insult and threat!
The atmosphere inside the main hall immediately became extremely oppressive.

(End of this chapter)