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

Inugami Oden's leg was already broken, so he dared not resist and had no strength to resist.

And so, he was pushed outside by the two armored warriors.

Inugami Odenkusa cried out, "Your Majesty, you can't treat me like this! I'm doing this for the sake of our Wa nation, and I'm utterly loyal to Your Majesty!"

King Shuming ignored him.

It should be said that Pharmacist Eri was a fairly honest person.

Prior to this, although Inugami Odenku had tied him up,

However, he didn't take it to heart.

He quickly bowed and said, "Your Majesty, please calm down. Inugami Mitako did not ask for permission beforehand and went against Your Majesty's will to arrest Li Chenggan and Songtsen Gampo. He did go a bit too far."

However, regardless of the circumstances, his starting point was for the sake of our Wa (Japanese) nation.

"Your Majesty, please spare him, considering his loyalty."

King Shuming waved his hand to interrupt him: "Shut up and get out of my way!"

After being rebuffed, Pharmacist Eri didn't say anything more and simply returned to her seat.

At this moment, the Queen quickly pleaded: "Your Majesty, over the years, Inu no Mita Kuchi has done a lot for our Wa country and made great contributions!"

He was sent as an envoy to the Tang Dynasty and learned a great deal about its systems, agricultural techniques, and Buddhist scriptures. He was a rare talent.

Wouldn't it be such a waste to kill him?

King Shuming was still furious.

He observed the queen's expression and realized that the more she said this, the more he felt there was something ambiguous between her and Inugami Oda-no-Kuji.

However, he has not yet obtained sufficient evidence.

If he catches Ba Gou, he'll kill them both.

Li Chengan observed this, thinking to himself that his purpose in coming to the Japanese was twofold: firstly, to rescue Fuyu Fengzhang.

Secondly, it was to mediate relations between Baekje, Silla, and Wa (the ancient Japanese kingdom).

If someone dies, the subsequent work will likely be difficult to carry out, and things may become untenable.

Li Chengan stood up: "Wait! Don't kill yet, please allow me to say a few words."

So the two armored samurai, carrying the dog Oden, stopped at the door.

They turned around and looked at King Shuming, awaiting his final decree.

King Shuming looked at Li Chengan: "Crown Prince of the Great Tang, please speak your mind. I am all ears!"

Li Chengan cleared his throat: "Your Majesty, let's take a look at the current situation."

Yang Jian was the founding emperor of the Sui Dynasty.

After becoming emperor, he worked diligently and frugally, becoming the most famous emperor in Chinese history for his financial acumen.

At its peak, the population of the Sui Dynasty reached over 900 million.

There was an abundance of grain; it was piled up outside the granaries.

It should be said that Emperor Wen of Sui left Yang Guang with a very good hand.

However, after Emperor Yang of Sui ascended the throne, he became ambitious and indulged in excessive tours.

He was eager for quick success.

The construction of the Great Wall, imperial roads, Luoyang City, Xianren Palace, Jiangdu Palace, and the excavation of the Grand Canal resulted in the deaths of countless laborers.

The people were overwhelmed by the burden, which led to the Wagang Uprising. This, coupled with Yang Xuangan's rebellion, further exacerbated the situation.

The foundation of the Sui Dynasty was shaken.

Emperor Yang of Sui believed his civil and military achievements were no less than those of Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Wu of Han. He wanted to unify the country.

then,

He led an army of one million to attack Goguryeo three times.

As a result, they were defeated three times.

finally,

Emperor Yang of Sui was killed by Yuwen Huaji in Jiangdu, marking the end of the Sui Dynasty.

My grandfather and father raised an army in Jinyang to save the people from suffering, and spent several years pacifying the world. Isn't this the will of Heaven?

Since his father ascended the throne, his heart has always been with the people of the land.

The Emperor treated all neighboring countries equally.

He once said that he would treat all people, whether from the Central Plains or from the barbarians, equally, and he not only said it, but he also did it.

Therefore, the various countries called him "Heavenly Khan".

Since ascending to the throne, the Eastern Turkic Khaganate has repeatedly invaded the borders of our Great Tang Dynasty, even penetrating deep into the heartland and approaching Chang'an.

Is it bearable, what is unbearable?

My father led six riders to the Wei River to sign an alliance with them, agreeing that neither side would invade the other and that they would live in harmony.

Not long,

Jieli Khan unilaterally broke the alliance and once again led his troops to attack our Great Tang.

My father, having reached his limit, finally dispatched General Li Jing to lead troops in a counterattack.

Ultimately, they captured Khagan Jieli and destroyed the Eastern Turkic Khaganate.

Then there's the Tuyuhun to the west.

As early as the Sui Dynasty, Tuyuhun had been defeated by Yuwen Shu and Yang Xiong, and Fuyun Khan fled to Dangxiang.

Emperor Yang of Sui established four prefectures in Tuyuhun.

however,

Fuyun Khan's treacherous intentions remain undiminished.

He took advantage of the chaos at the end of the Sui Dynasty to rise again.

There were several times,

When other countries threatened to invade them, they came to the Tang Dynasty for help.

My father, disregarding past grievances, helped him.

but,

Fuyun Khan has invaded the southwestern border of our Great Tang and stationed troops there. What do you think his actions are?

Fuyun Khan became increasingly arrogant, completely disregarding our Great Tang Dynasty.

Instigated by the King of Tianzhu, he sent troops to invade the borders of our Great Tang more than 20 times, killing countless soldiers and civilians and plundering incalculable amounts of wealth.

Therefore, the emperor sent me to lead troops to conquer Tuyuhun.

Now, I have recovered Tuyuhun and Dangxiang.

Yanqi is famous for its grapes.

Fine grape wines are popular in the Western Regions.

Yanqi gradually became wealthy.

The reason why Yanqi's wine is so popular is because it benefits from our connection to the Silk Road.

Without the Silk Road, how could they sell their wine?

but,

Yanqi could not have imagined these things.

However, he sent troops to invade Dunhuang and massacred an entire city of our Great Tang Dynasty.

Do you think my father can swallow this insult?

then,

My father then ordered me to lead an army to conquer Yanqi. After several battles, we gradually gained the upper hand on the battlefield.

Just when it seemed that Yanqi was about to be destroyed, Qiu Ran Ke and Li Yuanli from the Fuyu Kingdom took the opportunity to raise an army and rebel, besieging Chang'an.

My father ordered me to lead the army back to rescue Chang'an.

Left with no other option, I had to abandon Yanqi and lead my troops back to rescue Chang'an, where we repelled the combined forces of Zhang Zhongjian and Li Yuanli.

In principle, treason is a capital offense, and

However, my father, out of brotherly affection, could not bear to kill Li Yuanli.

He is currently being held in the Dali Temple prison.

Today, peace and development have become the main themes. If we want people to live and work in peace and contentment, society to be stable, and the economy to prosper, it is best for everyone to live in harmony.

Our Great Tang Dynasty loves peace and is by no means warlike.

We hope to live in peace with every neighboring country, as long as they do not infringe upon the core interests of the Tang Dynasty.

We will never start a war lightly.

Because war is cruel and uncertain, no one can guarantee victory on the battlefield.

However, on the other hand, if anyone dares to bully our Great Tang, our Great Tang will never back down.

This time,

I and Songtsen Gampo have come to the Wa Kingdom to mediate the relations between you and Baekje and Silla.

Silla was a tributary state of our Tang Dynasty, and it paid tribute to us every year with great courtesy.

Envoys traveled frequently.

Trade was conducted normally, and the Silla people greatly admired the porcelain, tea, and silk from our Tang Dynasty.

To be honest, my father intends to use Silla as a model, setting an example so that other countries can get along well with our Great Tang like Silla did.

However, I must declare here that any country that dares to invade Silla is doing the same thing as invading our Great Tang Dynasty.

This is something my father would never allow.

The relationship between Baekje and you Wa people was originally very friendly.

That is why Buyeo Uija sent his son, Buyeo Pungjang, to you as a hostage.

This fully demonstrates that Buyeo Uija still has great trust in your Wa-nu Kingdom.

However, Inugami Mitako imprisoned and tortured Buyeo Pungjang and our Tang Dynasty envoy Gao Biaoren. Your Majesty, what is the reason for this?

Is this how you all treat envoys from other countries?

"This—." King Shuming was speechless after hearing Li Chengqian's words.

Li Chenggan's words were both gentle and firm, combining softness and strength, neither humble nor arrogant, and were reasonable and well-founded.

King Shuming hesitated for a long time before finally pointing to the dog-headed imperial shovel: "These matters..."

He made all the decisions on his own.

"I was unaware of this."

Upon hearing this, Li Chengan naturally understood that King Shuming was shirking responsibility. No matter what...

You are the king of the Wa (Japanese) Kingdom.

No matter how powerful Inugami Odenkuchi is, he's just a vassal. Without your tacit approval, would he dare to be so arrogant? Would he dare to do that?

Li Chengan knew perfectly well what was going on, but there was no need for him to bring it up.

Li Chengan, his hand resting on the table, gazed at the crowd: "Last year, Inuue Mita Kuwa served as the chief envoy..."

The pharmacist Hui Ri was sent as a deputy envoy to Chang'an to study.

My father, the Emperor, treated them warmly.

At the same time, we arranged for relevant personnel to impart to them, without reservation, our Central Plains systems, agricultural techniques, and Buddhist scriptures. Out of courtesy, when they returned to the Wa (Japanese) kingdom...

The emperor ordered Gao Biaoren to escort them back to the Wa (Japanese) Kingdom.

Unexpectedly, Gao Biaoren was imprisoned upon arriving here.

Even worse,

They also tortured Gao Biaoren.

Inugami Odenkuchi's actions are truly incomprehensible.

At this moment, Inugami Mitaku couldn't help but speak up: "This matter cannot be entirely blamed on me. It's just that Gao Biaoren was too arrogant. He made our king kneel facing the Tang Dynasty to receive the Heavenly Khan's imperial edict. How could that be allowed?"

After all, our king is the ruler of a country.

I was furious, so I imprisoned him.

Gao Biaoren was the son of Gao Jiong.

Li Chenggan knew that he was utterly loyal to the Tang Dynasty.

but,

His personality is a bit too straightforward.

Li Chenggan had also heard that after Gao Biaoren arrived in the Wa Nu Kingdom, he had a dispute with King Shuming.

Li Chengan raised his voice: "No matter what, you cannot torture our envoy!"

If we have differing opinions, we can coordinate and communicate.

How could you torture the messenger?

Inu no Mita no Kyuu remained silent in response.

At this moment, Li Chenggan walked up to Fuyu Fengzhang: "Your Majesty, please take a look..."

When Fuyu Fengzhang arrived, his complexion was rosy, his skin was plump and firm, and he was on the plump side. Look at him now!

He has been tortured beyond recognition, and it is only because of his strong will that he has survived until now.

Even so, Inugami Oden still intended to brand him with a hot iron. What crime had he committed?

Buyeo Pungjang came to the Wa Kingdom on his father's orders, which shows Baekje's trust in the Wa Kingdom.

Logically, you should treat me with courtesy, even if you can't do that.

You can't brand someone with a hot iron.

He was already skin and bones; if they branded him with a hot iron, how could he possibly survive?

Queen Seondeok was also furious: "Yes, King Sumin, that time, it was fortunate that the Crown Prince of Tang arrived in time and stopped it."

Otherwise, Fuyu Fengzhang would probably be dead by now.

What you're doing is really going too far.

Even if the two countries are at war, you cannot treat their envoys like this.

Li Chenggan continued, "In conclusion, Inugami Mitaku's various actions were indeed somewhat excessive."

According to the agreements between countries, even killing him would not be excessive.

However, Heaven cherishes life; Your Majesty, please forgive him and give him a chance to reform.

King Shuming's expression softened slightly upon seeing Li Chengan plead for the dog's life on the imperial field: "However, while the death penalty may be spared, punishment is inevitable! Twenty strokes of the cane!"

"promise!"

The two armored warriors agreed.

The queen felt sorry for her when she heard this.

She grabbed King Shuming's robe: "Your Majesty, Inu no Mita Kaki's leg is already broken. How can he endure twenty strokes of the cane?"

"Make a note of this first, and carry out the execution after his leg has recovered."

"promise!"

The two armored samurai took Inu-gami Oden away.

That was the end of that, and everyone continued drinking.

There's a saying that goes, "Face isn't given by others, it's earned by yourself."

Li Chengan's words carried weight because the Tang Dynasty was powerful and militarily strong.

Back then, the Eastern Turks had a million armored soldiers and even considered destroying the Sui Dynasty.

Emperor Yang of Sui was once trapped at Yanmen Pass by Shibi Khan.

That time,

It was the young Li Shimin who led troops to the rescue, a powerful state like the Eastern Turks.

The Tang Dynasty seemed to have no trouble at all; they sent General Li Jing to wipe them out, and that was no joke.

The last time Li Chengan came to the Wa (Japanese) Kingdom, he fought a brown bear with his bare hands.

That brown bear was extremely ferocious, possibly several times more ferocious than a wild boar.

Li Chenggan defeated a brown bear with his bare hands.

This is something that most people wouldn't even dare to dream of.

Today, it can be said that there are beauties everywhere. Queen Seondeok, Buyeo Pungmi, and Yakushi Hyeja are all more beautiful and charming than the last.

Of course, the Queen of Shuming and Princess Tianyan were also exceptionally beautiful.

at this time,

But then Princess Tianyan stood up, and her beautiful eyes looked at Li Chenggan.

It could be said that from the moment Li Chengqian stepped into this palace from the outside,

Her eyes never left Li Chenggan.

She thought to herself that she had long heard of the extraordinary handsomeness of the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty, and today she finally got to see him. It was truly a case of seeing is believing, and meeting is even better than hearing about him.

Li Chenggan is just too handsome.

She had heard that the pharmacist Huizi was madly in love with Li Chenggan.

At Li Chenggan's engagement ceremony, Yaoshi Huizi demanded that Li Chenggan break off his engagement with Su Wan and get engaged to her instead.

then,

Princess Tanegan still didn't believe it, thinking to herself, "Has Yakushi Keiko gone mad?"

There are plenty of men in the world, so why must she be engaged to Li Chenggan?

but,

Today, when she met Li Chengqian, she realized that she was wrong.

Because she had never seen such a handsome man.

She thought to herself that if she could spend her life with such a man, then her life would be worthwhile.