My father, Li Shimin, requests Your Majesty to become the Retired Emperor.

"It is said that Princess Gaoyang lost a golden pillow, which was picked up by a monk," Cai Xiang said.

Empress Zhangsun was shocked when she heard this: "How could Gaoyang be so careless as to make such a low-level mistake?"

Did they find the golden pillow?

"It's been found."

"Who is that monk?"

"I heard he was a highly accomplished disciple of Master Xuanzang of the Great Cishan Temple, named Bianji."

"Debate mechanism?"

"Yes,

Have you seen that monk?

"What does she look like?" Empress Zhangsun asked.

"Once, I went to the Great Charity Temple to offer incense."

I have seen Bianji before.

The monk was indeed handsome and had delicate features.

"What, does the princess losing her golden pillow have anything to do with that monk's appearance?" Cai Xiang asked, puzzled.

Empress Zhangsun waved her hand: "It's nothing."

In fact, Empress Zhangsun had already suspected that there might be some ambiguous relationship between Princess Gaoyang and Bianji.

Because she had already realized that Princess Gaoyang was not a docile woman.

"Is there any other news from Chang'an?"

"Some people say that, to date, Fang Yi'ai has not yet consummated his marriage with Princess Gaoyang."

"Why is that?"

"They say Fang Yi'ai is impotent in that area."

"Is this real or fake?"

"Anyway, the people in the streets and alleys of Chang'an are talking about this."

Empress Zhangsun's expression turned serious upon hearing this, for she sensed that this was no small matter.

"A princess from Baekje named Buyeo Pungmi came to Chang'an. Her elder brother, Prince Pungjang, was a hostage in Wa (Japan) and was imprisoned."

His father, King Buyeo Uija, sent General Ngai-sik to lead troops to attack the Wa (Japanese) Kingdom.

Enraged, King Sumyeong imprisoned Buyeo Pungjang and demanded that Baekje surrender within a month, or he would kill Buyeo Pungjang.

Therefore, Buyeo Pungmi sought help from the Crown Prince.

Empress Zhangsun frowned deeply upon hearing this, thinking to herself that, logically speaking, the matter between Baekje and Wa was their own affair.

It has nothing to do with the Tang Dynasty.

However, Empress Zhangsun also heard about that Buyeo Pung-mi.

Last time,

When Li Chenggan was in Baekje, that princess once saved him.

Moreover, Buyeo Pungjang was a man of great virtue and was not an ordinary prince.

"So, did Li Chengqian tell his father about this?"

"He said so, but his father did not express his opinion, only saying that he should think it over."

Lord Wei Zheng actually approves of this matter.

Empress Zhangsun sighed: "Actually, Your Majesty has had a very difficult time. The surrounding areas of our Great Tang are not as peaceful as we imagine."

Although we have already subdued the Tuyuhun in the Western Regions

The Tanguts also surrendered to the Tang Dynasty.

Tibet, Yanqi, Gaochang, and other places were not very peaceful.

Currently, only a superficial peace is being maintained.

To the east were Baekje, Silla, Goguryeo, and the Wa (Japanese kingdom).

Only Silla was relatively loyal to our Tang Dynasty; the others weren't very friendly.

The Japanese were even more audacious, daring to imprison and severely torture our envoy, Gao Biaoren.

Where is the Tang Dynasty in their eyes anymore?

Goguryeo is a major concern for Your Majesty.

It seems that all emperors have this kind of complex; they always like to compare themselves with emperors in history.

Your Majesty always felt that Emperor Yang of Sui's three failed campaigns against Goguryeo were a disgrace to the great Central Plains nation.

He hoped to fulfill his wish of recovering Goguryeo during his lifetime.

However, we have been at war every year for the past few years, and the national treasury is empty.

Although we defeated the Eastern Turks, and their Khan, Jieli, surrendered to the Tang Dynasty,

However, our Great Tang also suffered great losses!

People often say that killing a thousand enemies will result in eight hundred casualties on your own. On the battlefield, it's impossible for only the enemy's people to die while our own people don't. How could that be possible?

It's just a matter of how many casualties there will be.

"Your Majesty, I never imagined you had so many things on your mind."