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

Chapter 166: Hu Wu Ren, Han Dao Chang

"What happened?"

Within the Ministry of Personnel.

Hearing the commotion outside, Fang Xuanling walked out of the government office with displeasure.

When he was doing his work, he hated being disturbed the most, so everyone in the Ministry of Personnel who passed by his office would habitually tiptoe around.

Nothing like what happened today has ever happened before.

"Reporting to Lord Fang, a great victory! A great victory at Huizhou!"

"what!"

Fang Xuanling was taken aback and grabbed the official who came to report the victory: "Where is the report?"

"It has already been sent to the palace."

"Very good, very good! Your Majesty has just ascended the throne and has already repelled the Turks. This is truly a cause for celebration." Fang Xuanling's resentment vanished instantly. He stroked his beard and laughed heartily.

"It wasn't a repulsion, it was a crushing defeat! Jieli barely escaped with his life!" the official corrected excitedly.

Fang Xuanling was stunned for a moment. He glanced at the door and immediately shouted, "Prepare the horses! I'm going to the palace!"

After saying that, he quickly walked out of the Ministry of Personnel.

On the way, they encountered Du Ruhui, Yuwen Shiji, Xiao Yu, and others who had also heard the news.

"Has Xuanling heard about this?"

"I heard! The great victory at Huizhou! Jieli barely escaped with his life!"

Fang Xuanling couldn't help but burst into laughter, and everyone else smiled knowingly as well.

Du Ruhui said impatiently, "Let's hurry into the palace. His Majesty must have already received the news."

"Okay, okay, let's go together!"

Nearby officials were astonished by what they saw.

Since the change of leadership in the Ministry of Personnel, these officials have fought each other openly and secretly countless times, and this is the first time I've seen them work together.

When they arrived at the palace gate, the soldiers who came to report the victory had already met Li Shimin in the Liangyi Hall.

"Of the more than 200,000 Turks, 50,000 were beheaded and more than 60,000 were captured by our army. The Turkic Khan Ashina Dubi disguised himself as a soldier and escaped by crossing the Yellow River."

"The Grand General was worried that the Turks might have an ambush, and the army's supplies were running low, so he did not pursue them. The details of this battle have been recorded in full, and I request Your Majesty's review."

The soldier took out a bamboo tube.

On his high seat, Li Shimin, with a calm expression, glanced at Gao Yue.

The latter understood, then went down to get the bamboo tube, checked it to make sure it was sealed properly, and then went up to hand it to Li Shimin.

Li Shimin opened the bamboo tube and examined the contents of the silk cloth. His hand, which was holding the silk cloth, trembled involuntarily a few times.

"Yeah!"

Li Shimin slammed the silk cloth heavily onto the table.

"Li Yaoshi's decisive military tactics have caused Jieli to suffer a great loss. From now on, the Turks will probably have no intention of harassing our Great Tang again!"

A weight was finally lifted from his heart.

Wen He had told him that the Turks had launched a surprise attack on Chang'an, and he was forced to sign the Wei River Alliance with Jieli.

They gave a large amount of money and valuables to the pack of wolf cubs.

Later, they had to resort to divisive tactics to cause the Turkic Khaganate to split.

But we don't need to anymore.

So what if Jieli ran away!
Having lost so many troops, he will surely lose all prestige upon returning. Those in the Turkic tribes who do not submit to him, as well as the tribes that suffered heavy losses this time, will definitely oppose him.

The Eastern Turkic Khaganate will surely collapse at that time.

"Your Majesty, the Grand Secretary, the Attendant-in-Ordinary, the Left Minister of Works..." A palace attendant outside suddenly reported, before he could finish reciting the list of official titles.

Li Shimin suddenly interrupted him: "No need to say anything more. Let all the ministers come in. They must have come to offer their congratulations."

There were quite a few people who came, including officials from the Ministry of Personnel, the Secretariat, the Six Ministries, and the Censorate.

If the Liangyi Hall weren't so small, and those below the third rank weren't forbidden from entering without being summoned, the number of people attending would have been almost equivalent to a grand court assembly.

"Your humble servants pay homage to Your Majesty and offer you our congratulations!"

The ministers bowed deeply.

Li Shimin couldn't help but chuckle and told his ministers to rise.

"Has everyone heard the news yet?"

He asked knowingly.

Fang Xuanling, as the head of all officials, stepped forward and smiled.

"Your Majesty, everyone knows. The Turks have suffered this defeat, and Jieli's reputation has been ruined. I'm afraid that after returning, he will be busy dealing with the tribes that are dissatisfied with him."

Li Shimin smiled and nodded, his gaze sweeping across the crowd until he spotted a familiar figure. He narrowed his eyes and said with a smile, "Wei Zheng."

"The minister is here."

Upon hearing Li Shimin call his name, Wei Zheng subtly raised an eyebrow, a helpless smile playing on his lips.

His Majesty is going to settle scores later.

But he still stood up.

"Am I wise and sagacious?"

Li Shimin looked smug.

Wei Zheng took in his expression and quickly finished his thought.

“Sages are naturally wise, but…”

Before Li Shimin could even feel happy after hearing the first part of his words, he heard him suddenly change the subject.

"However, a ruler should guard against arrogance and impetuosity. The ambition and love of feats of Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Wu of Han are not to be emulated."

Wei Zheng was very clear about his own position.

He's the one who pours cold water on things when others are praising them.

If he were just like everyone else, how could he stand out from the crowd?

"You..." Li Shimin swallowed the last three words, "country bumpkin," because he knew Wei Zheng was right.

The Turks were defeated, but they were not yet extinct.

The Eastern Turkic Khaganate remained powerful, not to mention the Western Turkic Khaganate.

In the northwest, there is also the Tuyuhun and the rising Tubo.

To the east lies Goguryeo, and to the land of Wa, which is overflowing with gold and silver!

He is not yet at the point where he can sing his own praises.

"What Minister Wei said is absolutely right. I have taken note of it."

Li Shimin's smile instead of anger startled Wei Zheng, who suddenly realized that the emperor before him was neither the retired Emperor Li Yuan nor the indecisive Crown Prince Li Jiancheng.

He is Li Shimin!
Wei Zheng was completely convinced and bowed to Li Shimin.

"The sage is wise!"

Li Shimin waved his hand and said modestly, "I dare not say I am wise. I only wish to be without faults. Although I cannot be a perfect person, if I can be a wise ruler and be praised by future generations in the history books, I will be satisfied."

Upon hearing this, the assembled officials smiled knowingly and then stood there silently.

They dared not accept Li Shimin's words.

Even Wei Zheng consciously returned to his class.

Looking at them like this, Li Shimin couldn't help but think of Wen He again, wondering how that brat and Gao Ming were doing in Huizhou.

If that brat were here, he would definitely look indifferent and then mutter to himself.

He shook his head with a wry smile, his gaze falling on the soldiers still waiting to report the victory.

"What is the situation between the Prince of Gaoyang and the King of Zhongshan?"

Upon hearing this, the courtiers immediately suppressed their smiles.

Changsun Wuji looked at the soldier with concern.

He also wanted to know how Li Chengqian was doing.

This time, Li Shimin sent Li Chengqian to accompany the army, and he was the most excited and the most worried about him.

What excited him was that he knew that upon his return, the position of Crown Prince would be decided.

The Empress has now taken over the harem.

If a crown prince is chosen, the Changsun family will enjoy wealth and prosperity for at least a hundred years.

What he was worried about was that it was, after all, a battlefield, and if something happened to Li Chengqian, the Tang Dynasty would likely be thrown into turmoil again.

"Your Majesty, the Prince of Zhongshan is well, but he misses you." This was what Wen He instructed him to say, and he was to answer this whenever Li Shimin asked.

However, Li Chengqian did miss Li Shimin, but he dared not write a letter.

"This unfilial son, he didn't even send a letter." Li Shimin snorted lightly, glancing at a piece of silk cloth placed on the corner of the table.

This is a letter he hasn't sent yet.

I thought it would take some more time, but I didn't expect Li Jing's battle to be fought so quickly.

"Forget it, what about that brat Wen He?"

"this?"

The soldier hesitated.

"His Majesty asked you, why don't you answer!" Gao Yue immediately scolded him when she saw him hesitate.

"Don't scare him." Li Shimin waved his hand, dismissing Gao Yue, and then looked at the soldier and asked, "There's no need to worry. Has that brat done something lawless again?"

Li Shimin also had his concerns about letting Wen He leave Chang'an this time.

He even regretted it at one point and wanted to send someone to bring Wen He back.

He feared that if he went, that brat would fly away and disappear.

But this was also a test. If Wen He returned obediently, he would no longer restrain him.

If that brat really runs away!
Then he'll spend the rest of his life in prison.

The soldier hesitated for a moment before reporting.

"No, not really. It's just that when the Left Guard General asked the Grand Steward how to deal with the Turkic corpses, Wen Xianzi replied: Why not build a Jingguan (a mound of corpses), saying that this was ordered by His Majesty."

"Forehead……"

Li Shimin was speechless.

The assembled officials were all extremely surprised.

Building a mound of skulls?
Or was it ordered by His Majesty?
Li Shimin stood there stunned for a long time.

'When did I ever discuss this matter with that brat?'

"and then?"

"Then the Grand Steward ordered the prisoners to build a mound of corpses. Tens of thousands of people were piled together, forming a huge mountain of corpses."

"Cock!"

Upon hearing this, an official in the main hall broke out in a cold sweat and collapsed to the ground, his legs giving way.

Fifty thousand people!

How magnificent that was!

Li Shimin's eyes lit up, regretting that he wasn't there at the time.

'This brat, how does he understand my thoughts so well?'

"Later, Wenxianzi erected a monument there and wrote a poem full of heroic spirit."

"Speak quickly."

Li Shimin couldn't wait.

Changsun Wuji and the others exchanged bewildered glances, realizing that the emperor's warlike nature had been ignited.

He was very unhappy that he was not allowed to lead the army in person this time.

The soldiers dared not hesitate, recalling Wen He's heroic appearance standing in front of the Jingguan.

"The harsh wind blows the frost and the seaweed withers, but the strong and sturdy horse of the northern barbarians remains proud."

"The Han army has 300,000 soldiers, and the general also commands Huo Piaoyao."

"A shooting star and white feather are tucked into his waist; the sword flower and autumn lotus light emerge from its sheath."

"Heavenly soldiers descend upon Jade Gate amidst the snow, while enemy arrows sting like sand against golden armor."

"The dragons and tigers of the clouds have all turned back, and the white moon can destroy the enemy."

"The enemy can be destroyed, the banners extinguished, and we will tread on the intestines of the barbarians and wade through their blood."

"The Hu (a type of wild animal) hangs in the blue sky, and is buried beside the purple border."

"When the barbarians are gone, the Han dynasty prospers."

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Shimin suddenly stood up.

His body was trembling, and his fists were clenched tightly.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, he slowly walked down the steps.

He recited a phrase with each step he took.

We walked all the way to the outside of the main hall.

"What a fine saying! With no barbarians left, the Han dynasty prospers!"

'This brat, I wonder whose poem he copied from later generations, is so arrogant. I wonder if I may meet him?'

He felt both moved and regretful.

'Fine, let's just assume it was that brat who did it. His falsely conveying the imperial edict will cancel out his crimes.'

Li Shimin chuckled, then spoke with a serious expression.

"Issue the imperial decree: make a copy of this poem and spread it widely!"

(End of this chapter)