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

Just then, Li Chenggan, Qin Ying, Medicine Doctor Huizi, Queen Seondeok, Buyeo Pungmi, and Buyeo Pungjang arrived.

King Shuming was very happy to see that Princess Tianyan was safe and sound and had returned to normal.

then,

King Shuming hosted a banquet for everyone in the palace.

The queen didn't want to come, but Inugami Oda-kumi persuaded him to.

Because Inugami Oden was feeling a bit uneasy, he needed to find a backer.

The Queen sat to the left of King Shuming, and Princess Tianyan sat to his right.

Seeing that Songtsen Gampo was alright, Li Chenggan felt relieved.

"What exactly is going on?"

Songtsen Gampo then briefly recounted what had happened.

Li Chengan was also deeply moved, never expecting that Songtsen Gampo possessed such abilities and could even recite incantations.

Li Chenggan asked Songtsen Gampo in a low voice, "Tell me the truth, were those incantations you chanted effective?"

"It mainly has a psychological effect, so it's somewhat useful."

Li Chenggan thought to himself, "Songtsen Gampo is almost like a half-deity."

King Shuming raised his wine cup: "Crown Prince of the Great Tang, Queen Shande, Songtsen Gampo, and all others,"

today,

I am deeply honored that you have come to Naniwazu.

Please drink this cup to the brim; I, the king, will drink it first as a sign of respect!

King Shuming finished his sentence with a tilt of his head back and drank the wine in one gulp.

Everyone drank the wine.

After several rounds of drinks and five courses of food,

"Don't laugh at me, but my beloved concubine is possessed by some evil spirit. Sometimes she jumps and cries and makes a fuss, which really gives me a headache."

This time, she actually climbed onto the roof of the palace and insisted on jumping down, which terrified me.

Fortunately, Songtsen Gampo arrived in time and rescued her. I am truly grateful.

Hereby, I, the King, offer three cups of wine to Songtsen Gampo.

After Songtsen Gampo finished his drink, he said, "Your Majesty, you don't need to be so polite. I just happened to be there."

Heaven cherishes life; how could it stand by and watch someone die without offering help?

However, the young king has a request, and hopes that Your Majesty will grant it.

"Oh, what is it? As long as it's within my power, I will grant it."

Songtsen Gampo looked at Li Chenggan: "To be honest, I have come here to mediate the matter between you and Baekje."

Xiao Wang heard that Buyeo Uija had sent his son, Buyeo Bongjang, here as a hostage.

This was originally a good thing, demonstrating mutual trust and a lack of any animosity between the two countries.

I don't know whose rumor Your Majesty believed, but you actually demanded that Buyeo Uija of Baekje surrender to you within a month, or else you would kill Buyeo Pungjang.

Is this true?

"Uh—," King Shuming paused after hearing this, "that is indeed the case."

Your Majesty, could you please, for my sake, resolve this matter by making it a small matter and then letting it go?

"You two families should make peace; you should release Fuyu Fengzhang and let it go."

"This—," King Shuming was a little troubled. If he refused directly, it seemed like he wouldn't be giving Songtsen Gampo any face.

If I agree, I won't be willing to give up.

Inuue Mikawa sneered: "Songtsen Gampo,"

Although you saved the king's queen this time,

However, you have no right to interfere in our internal affairs.

"You're right. Logically speaking, our Tibet is to the west of the Tang Dynasty."

You are to the east of the Tang Dynasty.

Our two countries are thousands of miles apart and have really little interaction.

but,

Now that the young king and Princess Wencheng are engaged, in other words, Tibet and the Tang Dynasty are now one family.

Baekje and Silla were both vassal states of the Tang Dynasty.

How could you possibly demand that Baekje and Silla surrender to the Wa (Japanese) kingdom?

Since this matter is related to the Tang Dynasty, it also means it's related to our Tibet.

Songtsen Gampo made no attempt to conceal his views.

Inugami Mitaku was speechless.

King Shuming's expression changed slightly. He sensed Songtsen Gampo's firm support for the Tang Dynasty and felt immense pressure.

Li Chengan put down his wine cup: "King Shuming first thanks you for your hospitality."

This isn't my first time here, and I've caused you a lot of trouble. I feel really bad about it.

King Shuming waved his hand: "Crown Prince of the Great Tang, you are too kind."

"Your Majesty, there is something I don't know if you know about."

You told us to stay at the inn, so we went.

but,

I didn't expect that,

In the middle of the night,

Inugami Odenkuchi led his troops and surrounded our inn.

They said they wanted to capture me.

Did you know about this?

After hearing this, King Shuming glared at Inugami Mitaku and said, "I am truly unaware of this matter."

Li Chengan, leaning on the table, nodded: "Do you know that Inugami Mitako led his army to surround the Chang'an Inn and captured Songtsen Gampo?"

King Shuming shook his head again: "I don't know about this either."

Queen Seondeok, who was listening nearby, thought to herself, "Do you really not know, or are you pretending not to know?"

She couldn't help but ask, "King Shuming, you say you know nothing about these two things? We have our doubts."

We can't help but ask, in the Japanese kingdom, who really calls the shots, you or Inugami Odenkuchi?

If you can't be the master in the Wa (Japanese) country,

Then, if there's anything we need in the future, we won't need to contact you anymore. We can just talk to Inugami Odenku.

How should you handle this situation?

It must be said that Queen Seondeok was also a master negotiator.

Although her words were few, they hit the nail on the head.

In fact, King Shuming had long been dissatisfied with Inugami Mitaku's overstepping of authority.

He had also heard some rumors that the relationship between Inugami Oda and the Queen was ambiguous.

He never expected that Inugami Oden would dare to carry him around and do so many things.

King Sumyeong became furious upon hearing Queen Seondeok's words.

His face flushed red as he asked Inugami Odenkusa, "Was what the Crown Prince of Tang and Queen Seondeok just said true?"

"In reply to Your Majesty, it was indeed I who did it," Inugami Odenkuchi frankly admitted.

"Why did you do this?" King Shuming asked angrily.

"Your Majesty, I'm only thinking of you, and of our Wa nation."

Li Chengan was the most cunning of all.

We will have to go to war with the Tang Dynasty sooner or later; it's just a matter of time.

Going to war with the Tang Dynasty would mean going to war with Tibet.

Because Songtsen Gampo is now the son-in-law of the Tang Dynasty.

therefore,

"I think the best course of action is to seize both of them and use them to blackmail Li Shimin!" Inugami Oda explained.

"How dare you! How audacious!"

Did I authorize you to do this? Who gave you permission to do this?

"Help! Someone, come here!"

At this moment, two armored warriors entered from outside and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, please give your orders!"

King Shuming pointed at the dog-like creature, Yutian Chuan: "Seize him and take him out to be beheaded!"

The two armored warriors charged forward like wolves and tigers.