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

Chapter 403 Something happened in the Turkic region?
Inside the council hall of the Honglu Temple, the charcoal fire burned brightly, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.

Tang Jian sat high behind the desk at the head of the table, his crimson official robe accentuating his composed demeanor.

Wen He sat in the second seat, holding a bowl of honey water in her hand, her expression indifferent.

The envoys from Goguryeo and Silla sat on either side of each other. The former wore a blue brocade robe, while the latter wore a white short jacket. Both sat upright, their eyes revealing a hint of urgency.

First, the envoys from both countries presented their credentials in turn. Tang Jian took one, glanced at it, and then placed it on the table, saying some polite words about the "arduous journey and the long journey".

But as soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere in the hall became subtle.

The envoys clearly didn't want to just engage in polite conversation, but Tang Jian hesitated to get to the point, instead slowly sipping his tea.

Wen He saw all of this, but continued to drink her honey water with her head down, seemingly oblivious to the anxiety of the two.

The Silla envoy couldn't contain himself and secretly gave the Goguryeo envoy a look, signaling the latter to make the first move and test the waters.

The Goguryeo envoy understood, and deliberately let out a long sigh, his tone tinged with sorrow, hoping to provoke Tang Jian into asking the reason.

But Tang Jian had already figured out what the two were thinking, so why would he go along with their lead?

Instead, he smiled and changed the subject.

"Chang'an in winter has a unique charm. The city is covered in snow, and the plum blossoms are reflected in the snow, making for a beautiful scene. If you two envoys are interested, I can send someone to take you to Qujiang Pool tomorrow. The snow scenery there is the most beautiful."

As he spoke, he changed the subject and looked at Wen He, his tone tinged with nostalgia: "Speaking of Qujiang Pool, I suddenly remembered the poem that the magistrate of Gaoyang County wrote there last year. Thinking about it now, it still brings back so many memories."

Wen He put down the honey water and waved with a smile.

"Minister Tang is joking. It's just a clumsy piece made on a whim, nothing special."

The envoys from Goguryeo and Silla were taken aback.

They traveled thousands of miles to the Tang Dynasty to seek help, not to admire the scenery or appreciate poetry!
However, Tang Jian was the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial, and Wen He was a minister highly regarded by His Majesty. Both of them steered the conversation toward poetry, and the two dared not contradict them, so they could only listen with gritted teeth.

Just as Tang Jian was about to say something more to smooth things over, Wen He suddenly spoke up and continued the conversation.

"Last year when I was enjoying the snow at Qujiang Pool, I was moved by the sight of the snow covering the branches and wrote a short poem about the snow. Today I will read it to you two envoys."

Upon hearing this, Tang Jian was stunned.

He clearly remembered that Wen He wrote a poem about plum blossoms last year, so where did this "poem about snow" come from?
Before he could react, Wen He had already recited: "Six snowflakes flutter down from the nine heavens, just like a jade maiden descending from the heavens."

"it is good!"

The Goguryeo envoy almost immediately slammed his hand on the table in approval, exclaiming in an exaggerated tone, "This line is absolutely brilliant! Comparing the white snow to a jade maiden descending to earth is both elegant and lively. The magistrate of Gaoyang County is truly a genius!"

The Silla envoy quickly echoed, repeatedly praising the poem as "wonderful," as if he truly understood its beauty.

However, the two did not notice that Tang Jian's expression gradually became somewhat strange.

He rubbed his forehead, sighed helplessly, and thought to himself.

I should have known better than to bring up poetry. If word got out, people would think that's all the literati in the Tang Dynasty were capable of.

Wen He, however, seemed oblivious to Tang Jian's helplessness and continued reciting the last two lines: "When the sun shines again one day, those who use brooms will use brooms, and those who use shovels will use shovels."

As soon as he finished speaking, the council chamber fell silent.

The smile on the Goguryeo envoy's face froze, and the Silla envoy's mouth dropped open. The two looked at each other, their eyes filled with confusion.

This is hardly poetry.
It's clearly just plain language, describing the scene of shoveling snow after it has stopped!
Even if they are uneducated, they can still tell the difference between these two sentences and the first two sentences.

Just now Tang Jian said that it was unforgettable, the contrast is too great. Could it be that the level of poetry and prose in the Tang Dynasty has fallen to such a low level?

Seeing their astonished expressions, Wen He still smiled and asked, "What do you two envoys think of this poem?"

The Silla envoy reacted the fastest, immediately suppressing his astonishment and praising the poem again: "Excellent! This poem is truly a masterpiece! The first two lines are elegant, the last two are simple and unadorned, combining the real and the imagined, possessing both artistic conception and down-to-earth nature, a rare find in the world!"

The interpreter who was translating for him stood to the side, his face almost turning red.

These words are so insincere they're practically overflowing. To call such plain talk about sweeping snow a masterpiece is utterly shameless.

The Goguryeo envoy hesitated. Although he also wanted to please Wen He, he couldn't bring himself to say such insincere words. He could only laugh awkwardly and mumble, "Yes...yes, it's wonderful."

"I think it's alright too."

Wen He nodded, a sly smile on her face.

Tang Jian then realized what was going on and gave Wen He a meaningful look.

Gao Yangxian was not composing poetry at all; he was clearly testing the bottom line of the two envoys!

The fact that the Silla envoy could utter such outrageous flattery in order to seek help shows that Silla is now on the verge of collapse and has no choice but to fawn over the Tang Dynasty.

While the Goguryeo envoy also tried to curry favor, he still maintained some semblance of dignity, indicating that although Goguryeo's situation was not optimistic, it was better than Silla's, and they still had the confidence not to do things completely against their conscience.

Tang Jian listened to the conversation between Wen He and the envoy, and secretly admired him.

Wen He was indeed an expert in foreign affairs, which explains why Prince Rencheng, Li Daozong, repeatedly invited him to the Honglu Temple to help deal with foreign envoys when he was in office.

He stroked his goatee, his gaze sweeping over the Goguryeo and Silla envoys, and said with a deliberately chuckle, "It is said that there will be a poetry gathering at Qujiang Pool in the next few days. If you two envoys are interested, why don't I personally take you there? It would be a good opportunity for you to experience the refined literary style of our Great Tang Dynasty."

"This...this is not necessary."

The Silla envoy waved his hand hastily, his tone full of urgency.

He had no interest in watching any poetry gathering; Jincheng was about to be captured by the allied forces, and if things dragged on any longer, Silla would truly be finished. He leaned forward, his tone pleading.

"Minister Tang, there's plenty of time to enjoy the scenery later. Let's get down to business today!"

"Important business?" Wen He suddenly put down the honey water in her hand, looked up at him with feigned confusion, her eyes full of bewilderment.

"You two envoys came to Chang'an to participate in the New Year's Day celebrations, didn't you? There's still some time before New Year's Day, why the rush?"

The Silla envoy was instantly speechless, his facial muscles twitching uncontrollably.

The official letter clearly states that it is a request for aid, but this magistrate of Gaoyang County is obviously pretending to be deaf and dumb and deliberately delaying!

The Goguryeo envoy's face darkened, and dissatisfaction gradually arose in his heart.

They had already lowered themselves to curry favor, yet Wen He still humiliated them like this.

"Tang Siqing, Viscount of Gaoyang County!"

The Goguryeo envoy, unable to bear it any longer, suddenly stood up, his tone somewhat forceful.

"There is an old saying in the Tang Dynasty: 'If the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold.' Now, the Japanese invaders, in alliance with Baekje, are committing atrocities in Liaodong. Wherever they go, they kill, burn, rape, and plunder. Should the Tang Dynasty turn a blind eye to such brutal acts?"

It must be said that this Goguryeo envoy did indeed have some knowledge of Han culture.

But Tang Jian had already figured out their background, so how could he be fooled by these words?

He immediately sneered, slammed his hand on the table, and shouted, "Insolence!"

Tang Jian glared at the two of them, his eyes sharp as knives.

"As far as I know, your Goguryeo and Silla initially clashed with Baekje and Wa over the silver mines in Wa! Now that you are suffering defeat after defeat and can no longer win, you turn around and accuse the Tang Dynasty of neglecting its duties? What kind of logic is this!"

He leaned forward, his tone becoming more serious.

"I ask you again, have Baekje and Silla ever signed an alliance with the Tang Dynasty? Do they consider themselves vassal states of the Tang Dynasty?"

The Goguryeo and Silla envoys were stunned and instinctively shook their heads.

Both countries have always been independent, and they did not even submit to the previous Sui Dynasty. Although they are now wary of the power of the Tang Dynasty, they have never truly submitted, let alone signed an alliance or recognized themselves as vassals.

"Hmph! Since that's the case, why should the Great Tang Dynasty help you?"

Tang Jian shouted angrily, his voice so loud that the teacups on the table shook slightly.

The Silla envoy's face turned deathly pale instantly, while the Goguryeo envoy narrowed his eyes, quickly calculating in his mind.

Before they arrived, Yeon Gaesomun and Go Geonmu specifically instructed that the Tang Dynasty would never sit idly by and watch Silla perish, otherwise the growing power of Baekje and Wa would surely threaten the borders of the Tang Dynasty.

He gritted his teeth and said sternly.

"If the Tang Dynasty is unwilling to send troops, then my king will have no choice but to withdraw and defend! As for the survival of Silla, it is none of my business!"

"No! You can't!"

The Silla envoy jumped up immediately, babbling a long string of words in his haste, too much for the interpreter to translate.

After he paused for a moment, the interpreter hurriedly explained: "He said... before we came, Goguryeo and Silla agreed to seek help from the Tang Dynasty together. Goguryeo would never abandon Silla. Why has it changed its mind now?"

Tang Jian and Wen He exchanged a glance, both seeing a smile in each other's eyes.

That's right. Once we break their superficial alliance, things will be much easier.

Wen He spoke slowly, her tone calm yet carrying a strong sense of intimidation: "Could Goguryeo possibly deal with the Tang Dynasty, Baekje, and Japan at the same time?"

"what?"

The Goguryeo envoy was struck dumb, and looked up at Wen He with disbelief in his eyes.

"You want to form an alliance with Japan and Baekje?"

"It's not impossible."

Tang Jian took over the conversation, a calm smile on his face, as if he were talking about something perfectly ordinary.

The Goguryeo envoy was completely panicked.

He had studied Wenhe before coming and knew that Wenhe hated Japan the most, so it was impossible for Wenhe to cooperate with Japan.

But Tang Jian and Wen He's attitude was so certain that he had no choice but to believe them.

He suppressed his panic and tried to regain the initiative: "Gaoyang County Chief, don't you hate the Japanese the most? Why would you be willing to cooperate with them?"

Wen He felt a chill run down her spine.

He never expected that Yeon Gaesomun would have someone specifically study him; this opponent was even more difficult to deal with than he had imagined.

But he remained calm on the surface and replied with a smile.

Wen He looked at the tense expressions of the Goguryeo and Silla envoys, still wearing a kind smile, but her tone carried an unquestionable certainty.

“Dislike is one thing, but how can matters of state be swayed by personal grudges? As the saying goes, ‘There are no permanent friends or permanent enemies, only permanent interests.’”

"If Goguryeo and Silla can demonstrate sincerity that satisfies the Tang Dynasty, then the Tang Dynasty will naturally be willing to help you. But if they cannot..."

He paused deliberately, his gaze sweeping over the two of them, before slowly adding, "Then please wait until after New Year's Day before returning. Perhaps you can still make it in time to offer your final contribution to King Zhenping."

These words struck the two envoys like a heavy hammer blow.

The Goguryeo envoy's face turned pale and then red in an instant, while the Silla envoy was sweating profusely with anxiety.

They finally understood that the Tang Dynasty was not unwilling to help, but was waiting for them to offer a sufficient price. The previous delays and probing were merely to put them in a completely passive position during the negotiations.

But at least the Tang Dynasty relented, and the Silla envoy, as if grasping at a straw, eagerly asked, "What does the Tang Dynasty want in order to send troops to support Silla?"

"send troops?"

Wen He suddenly looked bewildered, blinked, and asked, "When did I say that the Tang Dynasty was going to send troops?"

The Silla envoy's eyes widened instantly, his chest heaving violently, and he pointed at Wen He angrily, saying, "You, you, you're playing me for a fool!"

"Envoy, please calm down."

Wen He waved his hand, softening his tone. "What I mean is, although the Tang Dynasty will not send troops, it can sell you weapons and armor. These are all military equipment that has been improved in the workshops, and they are more than enough to deal with the weapons of the Japanese."

Upon hearing that weapons and armor were being sold, the Silla envoy's anger instantly subsided, and hope rekindled in his eyes. With military support, they could at least hold out for Geumseong and delay Goguryeo's invasion.

He quickly pressed on, "What about the provisions? Silla is currently facing a severe shortage of provisions. If we could purchase them all at once..."

"No way!"

Before Wen He could speak, Tang Jian had already refused outright, his tone resolute.

"Our Great Tang Dynasty has just experienced the migration from Shuofang, and the grain supply in Guanzhong is already tight. We need to be careful with our own resources, so how can we sell grain again?"

The Tang Dynasty naturally had plenty of grain.

But it's absolutely impossible for it to be given to Silla and Goguryeo.

These words left the Silla envoy speechless, while the Goguryeo envoy beside him had a slight glint in his eyes, as if he had been prepared. After a moment of contemplation, he cupped his hands to Tang Jian and Wen He.

"Goguryeo and Silla have always been poor, and their treasuries are empty. I'm afraid they don't have enough money to buy weapons."

"I wonder if the Great Tang Dynasty would be so kind as to gift us some weapons? Our two countries will be eternally grateful and will never forget the kindness of the Great Tang Dynasty."

Shameless!
Wen He cursed inwardly.

No wonder people in later generations often mistakenly believe that Goguryeo was the ancestor of the Koreans.

In terms of shamelessness alone, they are truly of the same ilk.

He remained expressionless, only sighing with a hint of difficulty in his voice.

"Your Excellency is unaware of the fact that the Tang Dynasty is also impoverished now."

Before the Goguryeo envoy could speak again, Wen He changed the subject and presented the conditions she had already prepared.

"However, if you don't have money, it's not impossible to negotiate. You can exchange cities, mines, or people for it. As long as it's valuable, the Tang Dynasty will accept it."

"This is all thanks to His Majesty's benevolence and understanding of your difficult situation. He is willing to make such an exception. If you do not even agree to this, then we can only give up here."

"Exchange cities?"

The Goguryeo and Silla envoys were both shocked and cried out in unison.

The Goguryeo envoy was both shocked and furious.

Back then, the Sui Dynasty sent hundreds of thousands of troops but failed to capture a single city in Goguryeo. Now, the Tang Dynasty actually wants to exchange a few batches of military equipment for their city. It is utterly shameless!
But he could only keep these words to himself and dared not say them aloud.

The war situation on the peninsula is now out of control. The Japanese army is far more powerful than expected. They are not only well-equipped, but also extremely cruel. More than ten cities in Silla have been captured and massacred.

Before coming to Chang'an, Yeon Gaesomun had already made up his mind that no matter what conditions the Tang Dynasty proposed, as long as he could get the weapons, he should agree to them first, otherwise Goguryeo would be annexed by Japan and Baekje sooner or later.

However, the city was the foundation of the nation, and the Goguryeo envoy dared not agree rashly, so he could only soften his tone.

"This matter is of great importance. We need to go back and discuss it before giving a reply to the Tang Dynasty."

The Silla envoy initially intended to agree directly.

What is a city if we can get the weapons? But seeing the attitude of the Goguryeo envoy, we could only bite the bullet and agree: "Please grant us a few more days, Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and Magistrate of Gaoyang County. We will come back to report as soon as we have made our decision."

Tang Jian smiled easily, his tone casual: "It's alright. Anyway, it's not the Tang Dynasty that's in a hurry right now. The two envoys can stay at the guesthouse in peace. They can come to the Honglu Temple whenever they have finished discussing things."

The Goguryeo and Silla envoys felt frustrated but helpless. They could only rise, bow, and leave with heavy hearts.

Watching the two figures leave, Tang Jian suppressed his smile and cupped his hands in greeting to Wen He.

"Jiaying, if you hadn't pressed them so hard today, these two envoys probably wouldn't have given in. Exchanging cities and mines for weapons is a brilliant idea!"

Wen He shook her head, her tone calm.

"This is just the first step. They certainly won't easily hand over important cities. The real game will be the negotiations that follow. We just need to hold our ground and wear them down until they can't hold on any longer. Then we'll get the benefits we want."

After saying that, he looked at Tang Jian with a beaming smile.

Wen He cupped his hands in greeting to Tang Jian, his tone light and cheerful: "So, the discussion of details and the drafting of the contract are now the business of your Court of State Ceremonies. I shall take my leave now."

The conversation took such a sudden turn that Tang Jian didn't react in time. By the time he raised his hand to give a few more instructions, Wen He's figure had already disappeared at the end of the corridor of the Honglu Temple.

Tang Jian shook his head helplessly and chuckled to himself, "Never mind, the subsequent trivial matters should be handled by the Court of State Ceremonial."

The conditions of the Tang Dynasty have now been clearly communicated to Goguryeo and Silla.

Either exchange cities and mines for weapons, or return empty-handed. This is the bottom line, and there is no room for bargaining.

Even if Wen He no longer participates, the direction of the negotiations will not change much, so Tang Jian is not worried.

After leaving the Court of State Ceremonial, Wen He went straight back to her residence.

……

Over the next few days, the snow in Chang'an fell heavier and heavier, with goose-feather-like snowflakes fluttering down and covering the entire mansion completely.

Every morning, the butler Zhou Fu would stand at the door, look at the snow in the courtyard, and mutter, "A timely snow promises a bumper harvest."

As New Year's Day approached, the number of people in the mansion gradually decreased.

The three children were taken back to the palace to prepare for the festival.

Li Yifu wanted to return to Weizhou to see his parents, so he packed his bags and left Chang'an early.

Meng Zhou and Zhao Lei are going to take up their posts in Shuozhou next year, and they have also asked for leave to go back to their hometown to say goodbye to their parents.

The once bustling and lively Gaoyang County Prince's Residence suddenly seemed rather deserted.

Every evening after dinner, Wen He would stay in his study and continue writing "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" by candlelight.

She sat gently and obediently at the small table beside her, practicing calligraphy. The tip of her brush grazed the rice paper, making a soft "shush" sound.

Xiaomei brought in two bowls of piping hot mutton soup, gently placed them on the table, and then quietly retreated to a corner to wait patiently, not wanting to disturb the two of them.

"Ugh."

When writing about Guan Yu's defeat at Maicheng and his eventual death, Wen He couldn't help but put down his pen, let out a long sigh, and spoke with a hint of regret.

"The defeat of Shu Han began from this point."

Upon hearing this, Wenrou stopped tracing her eyebrows, looked up at him, and winked, her little face full of confusion.

She still couldn't understand the power struggles and tragedies in "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," but she found the stories her brother wrote very interesting.

Looking at her bewildered expression, Wen He couldn't help but laugh and reached out to pat her head: "Have you finished writing? If you're tired, take a break."

"Hmm, not yet..."

She pouted gently, deliberately putting on a pitiful look.

She feels uncomfortable whenever she touches reading or writing, and always thinks about slacking off.

"Then take a break."

Wen He chuckled, having already seen through her little scheme.

Sure enough, Wenrou was overjoyed and immediately put down her pen, getting up to move closer to Wenhe.

Before he had taken two steps, A-Dong's voice came from outside the study: "Young master, the Hundred Riders have arrived. They say they have urgent news to report."

Wenrou, who was running over excitedly, stopped abruptly. She glanced at Xiaomei in the corner, then looked back at Wenhe, and muttered softly, "Then I'll go, I won't disturb my brother's work."

"Get some rest. Tomorrow, when the snow stops, I'll go with you to the yard to build a snowman."

Wen He walked to her side and gently patted her shoulder.

She nodded gently and obediently, took Xiaomei's hand, and quietly left the study.

After they left, Wen He said to the door, "Let him in."

Soon after, a middle-aged man wearing a heavy animal skin coat was led in by A Dong.

The man's face was weathered, and his temples were still covered with unmelted snowflakes, clearly indicating that he had just come from a harsh, cold place.

A-Dong closed the door behind him and stood guard outside.

"Qi Heng of the Second Hundred Cavalry Squad greets the young master!"

The middle-aged man knelt on one knee, speaking respectfully.

Wen He looked at the animal skin coat he was wearing.

This material is windproof and warm, and is commonly used in clothing by tribes on the northern grasslands. He immediately had a guess in his mind and asked, "Has something happened over with the Turks?"

Upon hearing this, Qi Heng's expression grew even more solemn. He bowed and replied, "Reporting to Young Master, a month ago, Qibi Heli, the chieftain of the Turkic Qibi tribe, intended to lead his tribe to submit to the Tang Dynasty. However, the news was leaked and was discovered by Khan Jieli. Jieli was furious and dispatched Ashina Motuo to lead 30,000 cavalry to attack the Qibi tribe."

"Jieli is attacking the Qibi tribe?"

Wen He was startled, and almost dropped the pen from her hand.

He remembered that this had never happened in history. Could it be that his appearance had triggered the butterfly effect?
"The Qibi tribe was outnumbered and ultimately suffered a great defeat. Qibi Heli's three uncles and two cousins ​​died in battle while covering his retreat."

Qi Heng continued, his tone tinged with regret.

"Qibi Heli only had time to flee towards Lingzhou with his mother and more than a thousand followers. They are still on their way and have not yet arrived."

Hearing that Qibi Heli was alright, Wen He secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

This man was a future great general of the Tang Dynasty, brave and skilled in battle, and utterly loyal to the Tang. It would be a real pity if he were to fall into the hands of Jieli.

He remembered that historically, Qibi Heli only submitted to the Tang Dynasty in the sixth year of Zhenguan, and initially went to Shazhou, not Lingzhou. Although the time has come earlier and the location has changed, they have arrived at the same destination by different paths.

However, the early surrender of the Qibi tribe might trigger other chain reactions, so Wen He dared not be careless and continued to ask, "What about the reactions of the other Turkic tribes? Isn't Jieli afraid that pushing too hard might cause other tribes to side with the Tang Dynasty?"

Qi Heng shook his head, his tone tinged with worry.

"To prevent other tribes from following the example of the Qibi tribe, Jieli sent people to summon all tribal leaders half a month ago, requiring them to come to the Yazhang (a military headquarters) for a meeting before the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. He also threatened that if anyone dared not to come, he would lead his army to massacre their tribe next spring."

"interesting."

Wen He stroked his chin, lost in thought.

Jieli was trying to intimidate the tribe with tough measures, but the more pressure he applied, the more likely it was to provoke a backlash.

Once the affairs of Goguryeo and Silla are settled, Tang Jian will likely be busy again, as the Court of State Ceremonial will need to mediate between appeasing potential allied tribes and dealing with the movements of the Turks.

He stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the snowflakes falling outside, a sharp glint in his eyes.

"Go and rest first. Send a message to the brothers in the north, and tell them to keep a close eye on the Qibi tribe. Once they arrive in Lingzhou, report back immediately. Also, keep a close eye on the reactions of the various Turkic tribes. Don't miss any abnormalities."

"Yes, young master!"

Qi Heng bowed and accepted the order, then turned and quietly withdrew.

The study fell silent again, the candlelight flickering and casting Wen He's shadow on the wall. He picked up the manuscript of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" from the table, but lost the will to continue writing.

He walked to the windowsill, looked at the falling snowflakes, and couldn't help but sigh.

"The founding war of the Tang Dynasty."

(End of this chapter)