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

Because Empress Zhangsun had just recovered from her illness and was somewhat weak, and was also pregnant, she needed to maintain emotional stability.

Therefore, there were some things Su Wan didn't tell her.

However, since Empress Zhangsun repeatedly pressed Su Wan for information about Li Chengqian today, Su Wan could not hide it and recounted the recent events in Chang'an and Luoyang.

Empress Zhangsun sighed upon hearing this and asked anxiously, "Wan'er, is Chenggan safe now?"

"He is safe at the moment."

"That's good," Empress Zhangsun paused, "Chenggan has already disobeyed the imperial decree twice, hasn't he?"

"Yes."

Upon hearing this, Empress Zhangsun's expression became worried: "Disobeying the imperial decree is a great taboo. Where will the Emperor's face be placed?"

However, this matter cannot be entirely blamed on Cheng Gan.

At this time, it was indeed not appropriate for Chengqian to return.

Last time, I discussed this matter with His Majesty, and he promised not to pursue Chengqian's responsibility further and has already pardoned him.

I don't know why the Emperor changed his mind again.

Su Wan straightened her clothes: "I have reliable information that before the Emperor issued the decree, he invited Fang Xuanling and Changsun Wuji to the Zichen Palace."

"So, according to you, it was Fang Xuanling and Changsun Wuji who persuaded the Emperor to do this?"

That's roughly it.

Empress Zhangsun stood up, placed her hands on her abdomen, and paced back and forth in the hall, slowly saying: "Fang Xuanling and Zhangsun Wuji hold very important positions in His Majesty's heart."

Before the Xuanwu Gate Incident, it was the two of them who persuaded the emperor to do so.

The other officials dared not speak, but only the two of them advised the emperor to make a decisive decision and launch the Xuanwu Gate Incident.

Changsun Wuji is my elder brother. He has now resigned from his official post and is now at home in retirement, compiling the "Zhenguan Code".

Fang Xuanling and I also have a good relationship.

Su Wan pondered for a moment, then said, "Wan'er believes that the relationship between Fang Xuanling and Changsun Wuji reached its peak during the Xuanwu Gate Incident. At that time, they were at their most in sync."

However, after the Xuanwu Gate Incident, they probably won't be as close as they used to be.

I remember that the Emperor once appointed Fang Xuanling as the Crown Prince's tutor.

Fang Xuanling politely declined, saying that he was too old, his health was poor, and his energy was far less than before.

However, he was full of energy when he framed the crown prince.

I sensed that he was prejudiced against the Crown Prince, but very close to Li Tai.

Upon hearing this, Empress Zhangsun sighed: "As a minister, after achieving certain success, it is inevitable that one will consider the interests of one's own family."

For example, Huo Guang of the Han Dynasty was extremely loyal to Emperor Wu of Han, and he was one of the four ministers entrusted with the care of the young emperor by Emperor Wu on his deathbed.

After Emperor Wu of Han died, the eight-year-old Liu Fuling succeeded to the throne.

Without Huo Guang's assistance, one can only imagine the chaos that would have ensued in the Han Dynasty.

Fang Xuanling's contributions were also immense; if we consider only his merits, Fang Xuanling is no less than Huo Guang.

After listening to Empress Zhangsun's words, Su Wan felt that Empress Zhangsun was very rational in her views and had a very calm mindset. Comparing Fang Xuanling to Huo Guang showed that no one could compare to Fang Xuanling's status in the Emperor's heart.

Su Wanqing cleared her throat: "Isn't it inappropriate for Fang Xuanling to allow his students to have close ties with Li Tai?"

Didn't the Han Dynasty have such regulations?

Local lords and princes were forbidden from having close relations with court officials. For example, Liu An, the King of Huainan, secretly associated with Tian Fen.

Moreover, isn't it a terrible thing that Tian Fen supported Liu An to become emperor?

Later, Emperor Wu of Han said that because Tian Fen died young, he was lucky.

Otherwise, because of this incident, they could even dig up Tian Fen's ancestral graves.

Empress Zhangsun nodded slightly: "You are right. Since ancient times, it has been a great taboo for regional princes to have close ties with court officials."

No matter the reason, this kind of thing should not be allowed to happen.

Su Wan walked to the table, poured a cup of green tea, and handed it to Empress Zhangsun with both hands: "This time, Fuyu Fengzhang led 10,000 troops to help our Tang army resist the Turkic army..."

He charged ahead fearlessly, joining forces with the elder brother king of the mountain to defeat a 30,000-strong Turkic army from the west.

This is why, in the end, the imperial court was able to persuade Ashina Simo of the Turks to surrender.

Your Majesty, please consider this: without the strong support of Fu Yu Feng Zhang,

It's hard to say whether our Tang army can defeat the Turkic army, and it's also uncertain whether Luoyang can be defended.

"They have rendered great service, yet we surround their army and imprison Fuyu Fengzhang in the Dali Temple prison. Is this appropriate?"

"Wan'er, is everything you said true?" Empress Zhangsun asked, moved.

"yes!"

"This matter was probably another idea that Fang Xuanling suggested to the Emperor."

Buyeo Uija also bears a great deal of responsibility for this incident.

Back then, Fuyu Zhang came to Chang'an to pay homage to his grandfather, who had been appointed emperor.

The imperial court treated him with great courtesy, bestowing upon him the title of King of Baekje. Baekje became a vassal state of our Great Tang Dynasty, and both sides agreed not to invade each other's territory.

However, everything changed after Buyeo Uija ascended the throne.

He started to become irresponsible and arrogant.

In name, Baekje was a vassal state of our Great Tang Dynasty, but in reality, Buyeo Uija already harbored rebellious intentions.

Currently, Baekje and Goguryeo have an ambiguous relationship and plan to join forces to attack Silla.

Silla was a loyal vassal state of our Great Tang Dynasty.

You tell me, how could the Emperor possibly stand idly by?

However, regardless of the circumstances, Fuyu Fengzhang was quite virtuous and was indeed a meritorious minister for our Tang Dynasty.

I will advise His Majesty on this matter later.

Upon hearing this, Su Wan thought to herself that Empress Zhangsun, who never left her home, was remarkably insightful about world affairs. No wonder people said that Empress Zhangsun was a very wise woman; it seemed that this was indeed true.

"Recently, Consort Yang and Consort Yan have both moved into Jiucheng Palace."

"That's good," Empress Zhangsun said calmly.

"I don't know what outstanding contributions they made, and why the Emperor made such a decision, which has caused some opinions among the civil and military officials and other concubines."

Empress Zhangsun took a sip of tea: "His Majesty must have his reasons for making this decision."

"Jiucheng Palace is magnificent, tall and imposing, and people regard moving into Jiucheng Palace as the highest honor."

"Your Majesty, you are the mistress of the harem, the mother of the nation, and your merits are immeasurable. Don't you wish to move to Jiucheng Palace?"

To everyone's surprise, Empress Zhangsun shook her head and gave a bitter smile: "What's the difference between living in Jiucheng Palace and living in Lizheng Hall?"

Every day, we eat no more than three meals and sleep on no more than one bed. What difference does it make where we live?

Does living in Jiucheng Palace make you superior to others?

Lao Tzu said, "It is precisely because he does not contend that no one in the world can contend with him." I will not contend with them for those empty titles.

I think it's quite nice to live here.

Wan'er, you must understand that if you are a virtuous person, even if you live in the wilderness, others will respect you.

If you are a person without virtue, what use is it for you to live in Jiucheng Palace?

It will only invite others' scorn and disdain.

Su Wan found that she benefited greatly from every conversation with Empress Zhangsun. She could sense that Empress Zhangsun was a very open-minded and insightful person, unlike some women who, after accumulating a little merit, were afraid others wouldn't know and would flaunt it everywhere.

No wonder Li Shimin held Empress Zhangsun in such high esteem; it was certainly no coincidence.

Seeing that Empress Zhangsun had spoken a lot today and seemed tired, Su Wan took her leave.

……

It was the second watch of the night.

Luoyang City, Zhaoren Palace.

Li Daozong hosted a banquet for Zhang Shigui and his four sons, Zhang Zhilong, Zhang Zhihu, Zhang Zhibiao, and Zhang Zhibao, as well as He Zongxian. Zhang Meiren sat next to Li Daozong, dressed in a very alluring manner.

A charcoal fire was burning in the hall, making the room warm and cozy, and a group of young girls were dancing gracefully on the red carpet.

The women were all stunningly beautiful, dressed in bright and revealing clothes that dazzled the eye.

Zhang Shigui's face was flushed and his neck was thick from drinking; he looked somewhat excited.

He put down his wine glass and looked at Li Daozong: "My dear son-in-law, it seems you are about to make your fortune."

You first defeated the Turkic army, and not long after, you persuaded Ashina Simo to surrender, thus completely resolving the problem of the remaining Turkic forces.

Immediately afterwards, the Emperor issued an order for you to besiege the 1 troops brought by Fuyu Fengzhang.

You arrested Fuyu Fengzhang again.

You've done all these things exceptionally well; the Emperor will surely reward you handsomely.

When the four Zhang brothers heard their father say this, they all echoed him: "That's right, this time, you're sure to be promoted to a high-ranking official again, and the rewards you receive will probably be so plentiful that they'll be carried by carts and boats."

To everyone's surprise, Li Daozong waved his hand and said, "Father-in-law, you are wrong."

There are no outsiders behind closed doors.

We all know very well that Fu Yu Feng Zhang is here to help us this time.

He didn't come to attack us.

They came to help us fight against the Turkic army.

To be honest, without their help,

We probably won't be able to successfully subdue Ashina Simo either.

To be fair, Fu Yu Feng Zhang was a meritorious official.

However, the Emperor issued an imperial edict to me, and I had no choice but to obey.

Right now, I'm worried about this.

"Fuyu Fengzhang's 10,000 troops are like a hot potato; I don't know how to handle them."

Zhang Zhilong sneered: "You're overthinking it. What's so difficult to handle?"

Everyone knows that Baekje and Goguryeo were practically inseparable.

They conspired together to attack Silla.

That would mean they're going against our Tang army.

"If you ask me, we should just bury those ten thousand men alive, that would be enough, and we'd save on food. What's there to hesitate about?"

Li Daozong frowned, thinking to himself that Zhang Zhilong was just a brute with a simple mind.

If this matter could be handled so easily, would it be necessary to go through all this trouble?

"We can't do that. Firstly, the emperor didn't issue an order. He only told me to surround the Baekje army, not to massacre them all."

Secondly, although the relationship between Baekje and Goguryeo was ambiguous,

However, Buyeo Pung-jang and Buyeo Ryong are different.

He deeply despised Yeon Gaesomun, but remained quite friendly with our Tang Dynasty.

Moreover, he promised the emperor that upon returning to Baekje, he would persuade his father to sever ties with Goguryeo and become a loyal vassal state of our Great Tang. How could such a meritorious minister be killed?

Zhang Shigui, his hands gripping the table, stared at the girls: "I advocate killing them!"

Baekje and Tang have become estranged. Wasn't this force of 10,000 men given to Buyeo Pungjang by Buyeo Uija?

Regardless, they are also part of Baekje's military force, and our most important task now is to eliminate Baekje's manpower.

Baekje and Tang have already developed a rift, and it's impossible to reconcile them. It's better to kill them first. Indeed, the food supplies in Luoyang are running low, and you still have to feed so many troops. After the killing, (This part needs to be supplemented with context; due to insufficient information, it has been temporarily corrected for grammatical completeness).

Transport all those spoils of war to our place east of the river.

We've recruited 30,000 strong men, but we lack equipment.

"But how can I act first and report later? What if the Emperor blames me? How can I bear the consequences?"

Also, Father-in-law, it would be best to report the 30,000 strong men you recruited to the imperial court and incorporate them into the regular army.

"If the imperial court finds out about this, it will be very troublesome. Don't think that it's okay for Li Chengqian to recruit 10,000 cavalrymen on the border of Gaochang. After all, Li Chengqian is the emperor's son. How can that be the same?" Li Daozong said earnestly.

Zhang Shigui laughed heartily: "It's all about human effort. Just say they fought desperately and killed many of our soldiers."

Could it be that,

Are we, the Tang army, just going to stand by and watch them rebel?

This will also help you establish your authority.

As for my recruitment of 30,000 strong men in Hedong, it was a last resort.

Don't think that the world is at peace now. You should know that since ancient times, many famous generals who founded dynasties did not die at the hands of the enemy, but at the hands of their own people. How many of them, such as Bai Qi, Han Xin, and Zhou Yafu, had a good ending?

Which one didn't die a tragic death?

Besides, what crime has Luo Yi committed?

He did follow Li Jiancheng back then, so what?

Is it wrong for each to serve their own master?

"But didn't Wei Zheng also follow Li Jiancheng?"

"It was only because Wei Zheng was skilled at flattery that he gained the emperor's favor and trust, while Luo Yi was straightforward and didn't understand the ways of officialdom."

Ultimately, they met a terrible end. This serves as a warning, and we must be vigilant.

Upon hearing this, Li Daozong advised again: "Father-in-law, I think what you said is somewhat biased. The current emperor is a wise and benevolent ruler."

He had hardly killed any meritorious officials. Luo Yi died because he scared himself to death, and the emperor did not say he would hold him accountable.

He must have some shady dealings to do, otherwise he wouldn't be so terrified. You are completely different from Luo Yi. You have made outstanding contributions and achieved great military exploits. The Emperor knows this. As long as you abide by the law and keep a low profile, your future will surely be very prosperous. Why take this risk?

"If Li Shimin was a wise ruler, weren't King Zhaoxiang of Qin, Emperor Wu of Han, and Emperor Jing of Han also wise rulers?"

"Father-in-law, times have changed..." Li Daozong wanted to continue.

Zhang Shigui waved his hand and said, "You don't need to say anything more. I will not hand over those 30,000 troops to the imperial court."

No matter how Li Daozong tried to persuade him, Zhang Shigui wouldn't listen.

Yi Dojong hesitated when Zhang Shigui proposed killing 10,000 Baekje troops.

After all, Zhang Shigui was his father-in-law and had a wealth of experience.

Back when Zhang Shigui followed Li Shimin to unify the country, he killed countless people. Did all of them deserve to be killed?

Zhang Shigui drank another cup of wine and continued, "Now, in Luoyang, besides the Baekje army, there are also the armies of the Turks, Tibetans, Tuyuhun, Dangxiang, and Wa (Japanese) people. They are a mixed bag. In name, they have all surrendered to the Tang Dynasty, but in reality, they are each ruling their own country and could mutiny at any time."

Can you command them?

Why did Xiang Yu massacre 20 Qin soldiers back then?

Because the Qin army was very restless within Xiang Yu's army.

If they encounter even the slightest grievance, they immediately become upset and threaten to wipe out the Chu army!

At that time, Xiang Yu had an army of 40. With such a large army, Xiang Yu could have easily dominated the world.

Having too many troops is actually not a good thing. The army's food supplies are already very tight, and then they have to feed so many soldiers.

The presence of Qin troops within the Chu army posed a threat; if a mutiny were to occur, Xiang Yu could potentially lose everything.

After weighing the pros and cons, Xiang Yu ultimately decided to bury all 200,000 Qin soldiers alive in one night.

What are ten thousand Baekje soldiers compared to that?

Which general doesn't kill people?

"How many people did Bai Qi kill?"

After listening to Zhang Shigui's words, Li Daozong seemed to have a new understanding of Xiang Yu's massacre of the Qin soldiers; it seemed that Xiang Yu was not a bloodthirsty person after all.

But in that situation, killing was the only option.

If the Qin army rebels, Xiang Yu will truly be unable to contain it, and the risk will be extremely high.

To avoid risks, conserve food, and eliminate worries, Xiang Yu made that decision on the advice of Fan Zeng, Long Ju, and others.

Later, Xiang Yu was defeated by Liu Bang. Some people attributed Xiang Yu's defeat to the massacre of 20 Qin soldiers, but this explanation is probably a bit far-fetched.

Lady Zhang parted her lips slightly: "Your Highness, I believe what my father said is not without reason."

"No poison, no hero." Since the Emperor has entrusted Luoyang to you, you have the responsibility to defend the city. If you lose Luoyang, it will be a capital offense.

Although I am a woman, I have heard of the saying, "When a general is in the field, he may disobey the emperor's orders."

The Emperor ordered you to besiege the 10,000 Baekje troops brought by Buyeo Pungjang. He didn't say you had to kill them, nor did he say you had to spare them. You'd better handle it as you see fit.

Li Daozong nodded: "Alright, since you all say so, then so be it. Guards!"

At this moment, a guard entered from outside, bowed, and said, "Your Highness, please give your orders!"

"By my order, tonight bury alive all 10,000 Baekje soldiers led by Buyeo Pungjang! Remember, it must be done cleanly and neatly, leaving no trace!"

"promise!"

The guard agreed and turned to leave.

at this time,

A man walked in from outside and said, "Uncle, why are you so angry? Calm down! The Baekje army must not be killed!"

Li Daozong looked up and saw a handsome young man walking in from outside the door. It was none other than Li Chenggan.

The guard turned around, looking at Li Daozong, awaiting his final command.

Li Daozong was also quite surprised by Li Chengqian's arrival.

He wondered how those guards were handling things, letting Li Chenggan in without even announcing it beforehand.

Li Daozong did not expect Li Chengan to arrive here.

Li Chengan didn't stand on ceremony and sat down on the left.

After everyone had finished exchanging greetings,

Li Chengan remained calm and composed, his gaze fixed intently on the crowd.

Zhang Shigui, his four sons, and He Zongxian all looked displeased.

Li Chengan knew they were family, and he was an outsider who was not welcome.

Li Chenggan was also a little nervous, but on the surface, he was calm and composed, chatting and laughing: "Uncle, it's so lively here. Why didn't you call me beforehand?"

Li Daozong chuckled twice, waved his hand, and the women all left.

At this moment, servants laid out a table full of delicious dishes and fine wine in front of Li Chengqian.

"You guys are having a great time!"

Li Daozong looked slightly embarrassed. To be honest, it was a bit inappropriate to indulge in pleasure and revelry at this time, because it was freezing cold outside and the soldiers were still fighting desperately.

"Your Highness, please don't take offense. It's been a long time since we've had a get-together."

Today, we can celebrate our victory, as we have now brought under control of the 1-strong army led by Buyeo Pungjang.

Li Chenggan didn't dwell on these trivial matters, but went straight to the point: "Just now, I heard that you were going to order the massacre of all 1 troops led by Fuyu Fengzhang, is that true?"

"Uh—," Li Daozong choked, thinking to himself, no wonder people often say that walls have ears. He hadn't expected that Li Chengan had overheard his order.

Since Li Chengan has already heard it, there's no need to hide it from him anymore. "That's true."

Do you think there's anything wrong with what I'm doing?

Li Chengqian's eyes were fixed on Li Daozong, Zhang Shigui, and the others: "Did Father Emperor issue an edict ordering you to have them all buried alive?"

"No, not at all," Li Daozong said truthfully.

"If there is no such power, then who gave you such authority to do this?"

Ten thousand lives!

Uncle, without the help of Fuyu Fengzhang, could you have dealt with the Turkic army?

Do you think Luoyang can still be defended?

Can you subdue Ashina Sima?

"This—." Li Daozong was speechless for a moment.