Chapter 878 Luosu Li Yuan, Li Shimin sees his true nature!
Luo Su came to Chang'an for the big event that was about to happen. Many things in this world have traces to follow, and Luo Xuanye's transfer was one of them.
Luo Su wanted to meet Li Yuan.
He hadn't seen Li Yuan for many years.
At the end of everything, he was prepared to give Li Yuan a chance, a chance to choose.
…
Li Shimin was unwilling to go to war with the Turks.
With Li Yuanji eyeing him covetously from within and the political instability of the Tang Dynasty from outside, he was trapped both internally and externally and was unwilling to fight a fierce battle with the aggressive Turks.
He took advantage of his good personal relationship with Tuli Khan and the rift between Jie Li Khan and Tuli Khan, and went to the meeting alone. He successfully made the Turks withdraw before the Turks did.
Without losing a single soldier or causing any casualties, the Turks were forced to return north only by paying a price of gold, silver, and cloth.
This was undoubtedly another victory for Li Shimin, but for Li Yuanji and the prince, it was undoubtedly adding insult to injury.
For Li Yuan, the retreat of the Turks was undoubtedly a cause for celebration. His previous anger towards Li Shimin also dissipated, and he became a loving father and a filial son again.
My son is really capable.
As soon as Li Shimin returned to Chang'an, he received shocking news that Luo Xuanye had been sent to Lingnan by the emperor!
To him, it was like losing an arm.
At Li Shimin's celebration banquet, he asked Li Yuan: "Your Majesty, why is it worth it for Duke Zhou to go to Lingnan?
Although the Turks were driven back this time, I believe that they may come back at any time. Duke Zhou is the number one general of the Tang Dynasty, and he is unparalleled in the world in attacking tough battles. In the future, Duke Zhou will be needed to lead the charge.
I think Duke Zhou should be recalled. As for Lingnan, the princes of Huai'an, Juyang, Hejian and other clan princes are all talented and capable of taking charge. They are also close relatives of the Li family, so I think they are all qualified for the position."
If Li Shimin could get Luo Xuanye back, he would feel more confident no matter what happened. However, it would not be so easy to change Li Yuan's determination.
Moreover, there were always people around Li Yuan who were spreading rumors. Before Li Shimin came back, he had already said to him, "The King of Qin was arrogant because of his great achievements and lost the respect of his subjects. Now that he has made great achievements, he must be even more lawless."
Li Yuan is old.
When he was young, he was considered to be quite accomplished. But now that he is old, he is being coaxed by women and courtiers and has basically lost his own opinions.
His temper also became sensitive and suspicious, just like every elderly king who fears death.
Li Shimin was his son, and he valued family ties, so he restrained himself. Otherwise, based on his decisiveness in killing people like Li Jing and Dou Jiande, he would have taken action long ago.
It has to be said that Li Yuan and Li Shimin really had a deep affection for each other.
Li Yuan rejected Li Shimin's request without hesitation. Li Jiancheng smiled and said, "This time, the King of Qin has made great contributions to the safety of our Tang Dynasty. I am very happy. The Crown Princess has prepared a banquet for the King of Qin in the palace. Father, our Li family has the King of Qin. This is a blessing for the Li family."
Li Yuan was very happy to hear this. He was a little drunk, and suddenly he felt that it was possible for the Crown Prince and the King of Qin to live in peace with each other. Now Jiancheng acted like an older brother.
"Okay, okay."
Li Yuan smiled groggily and said, "The relationship between you brothers is more important than anything else. When we founded the Tang Dynasty, we were fathers and sons, brothers, in-laws, and old friends. Don't forget these things."
Li Yuan said so, and the Crown Prince and the King of Qin had not completely torn their faces apart. The Crown Prince held a celebration banquet for Li Shimin. No matter what, there was no reason for Li Shimin not to go, unless Li Shimin was ready to overturn the table.
"Thank you, Prince and Princess. I will prepare to attend the banquet."
The celebration banquet ended in a relatively harmonious atmosphere. Li Shimin returned to the Prince of Qin's Palace in a carriage, and then he received a letter from Luo Xuanye.
“A letter is like seeing you in person.
I leave this letter for you. When you open it, you will have already won the victory over the Turks. I believe you will always win.
I was transferred to Lingnan. I believe you know why. This may be a completely unpredictable future.
Since we started the uprising in Jinyang, we have never been separated. This is the first time, but not the last time. I don’t know if you will stay with me until the end.
But if you really have an idea, send me a letter.
No matter how far I go, I will return to your side. I will hold the spear and you will hold the bow, and we will create the final victory together.
I'm willing to risk it all.
Do you still remember the "Ode to the Mighty Phoenix"?
You are the first person I have ever seen who dares to use the phoenix to compare yourself in front of the Luo family and in front of Ancestor Wen Gong.
You are Erlang who can save the world and bring peace to the people. I am waiting for you thousands of miles away.
Duke Wen once said with a smile that he would give you a nickname called "Er Feng" in the future, which sounds really nice. I hope you can spread your wings across the world and revitalize the world.
There was nothing important written in the letter, but this letter was like a clear spring, pouring into Li Shimin's heart. He was an extremely powerful man, and also a man who needed spiritual strength very much.
From this letter, Li Shimin seemed to be able to see Luo Xuan sitting at the desk under the lamp at night, pondering what to write, and finally abandoning those words of advice and only writing down the most important things in his heart.
That is the concern for relatives and friends, and the willingness to stick by one's side for friends.
As long as Li Shimin sends a letter, Luo Xuanye is willing to come back despite the thousands of miles of mountains and rivers.
Without the emperor's order, he left Lingnan Road without authorization and returned to Chang'an to participate in a coup. If Li Shimin failed, Luo Xuanye would die.
But he did not look back.
Li Shimin put the letter in his arms with tears in his eyes. After thinking for a while, he decided to burn it because the letter was not good for Luo Xuanye.
Everyone in the Prince of Qin's Mansion opposed Li Shimin's plan to go to the East Palace for a banquet. If it was just Li Jiancheng, it would be fine, but with that madman Li Yuanji around, what if he attacked Li Shimin directly?
But everyone knew that Li Shimin had to go.
Li Shimin knew even more that Li Yuanji was really planning to do something small. He had an unexpected insider in Li Yuanji's house, and this insider would definitely not pass on false information.
"King Qin, I will go with you."
Luo Xuanling was not only the commander of the guards of the Prince of Qin's Palace, but also Li Shimin's personal bodyguard. He decided to follow Li Shimin to prevent any accidents from happening. He could also escape with the Prince of Qin.
In the Eastern Palace, even if Li Yuanji tried to do something tricky, he would not dare to be too reckless. After all, Li Jiancheng was not a fool.
In this worried atmosphere, Li Shimin entered the East Palace for a banquet.
…
Almost no one thought that Luo Su was actually here in the palace. Li Yuan looked at Duke Wen in front of him with a complicated expression and a hint of joy on his face.
"Please teach me, Lord Wen."
Li Yuan only said these four words. He knew that there was no need for him to say anything at length. Duke Wen knew what he wanted to know.
Luo Su looked at Li Yuan with a smile, secretly sighing, this founding emperor is really...
"The Emperor of the Tang Dynasty, from Chang'an to the Western Regions, there are 5,000 miles, and from Chang'an to Liaodong, there are another 5,000 miles, but the Han Dynasty was able to rule such a vast land. Do you know why?"
Without waiting for Li Yuan to speak, Luo Su said: "Because the Han Dynasty did not actually rule the Western Regions. It was governed by the Western Regions Protectorate, which was equivalent to another political center. The same is true for Liaodong. There is a Liaodong Protectorate, a political center in Jicheng, which suppresses Liaodong.
You have been the emperor for so many years, and you should have realized that it is impossible for the court to directly rule the prefectures and counties. You have less than five hours a day to handle government affairs, which is not enough time just to listen to the reports on local conditions from the governors of two hundred states, not to mention the countless other affairs.
So you set up Dao above the state, just like the Han Dynasty set up the state above the county. This is the inevitable outcome. You also know that this will reduce your power. After all, if you don’t give power to the people below, you can’t let them manage the local area. "
Li Yuan knew that Duke Wen had a clear understanding of the nature of political power. He listened quietly. Luo Su then said, "The Tang Dynasty has basically unified the Central Plains, but have you ever thought about the future of the Tang Dynasty?
Where should we set up the political center to take into account the vast Liaodong, Hetao, grasslands and Western Regions, and even larger territories and territories?
You said that when you conquer Liaodong, you will also do the same as Emperor Yang of Sui did?"
Li Yuan seemed to know vaguely what Duke Wen wanted to say. Such a big Tang Dynasty, and perhaps an even bigger one in the future, could not be managed by one person.
But can they really coexist?
Luo Su smiled and said, "Did the King of Qin go to the East Palace today? Your Majesty, how dare you let the King of Qin go to the East Palace, or do you really not care about the King of Qin in your heart?"
Li Yuan was like a wild animal being stimulated, and his hairs trembled almost instantly. He stared at Luo Su closely and asked nervously, "Duke Wen, what did you say?"
Luo Su put away his smile and left the hall, saying as he walked: "Why do you ask me?"
Li Yuan felt a darkness before his eyes. He didn't want Li Jiancheng to step down in such disgrace, but that didn't mean he could tolerate Li Shimin being hurt!
He didn't want to see brothers killing each other, so he immediately sent people to the East Palace.
…
Li Jiancheng naturally did not dare to let Li Shimin die in the Eastern Palace, so the poison he put in the wine was very mild, which might cause physical harm to Li Shimin but would not kill him directly.
Luo Xuanling felt the pain in his stomach and growled in a low voice: "King Qin, this wine is indeed poisonous, but the poison will not kill us immediately. We must leave here immediately, otherwise we will not be able to leave."
There was a trace of blood at the corner of Li Shimin's mouth. He left here on the grounds that he couldn't handle the alcohol. Seeing this, Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji knew that their mission was accomplished, but it was difficult to stop him, so they let Li Shimin leave. As soon as he left the East Palace, Li Shimin and Luo Xuanling vomited blood at the same time. Li Shimin got on the carriage, and the two leaned against each other, "Qingyu, thanks to you, if I had drunk it all..."
Luo Xuanling estimated that at worst he would have to stay in bed for several months. That's because Li Shimin is in good health now. If he was in poor health, like Li Jiancheng, he might die soon.
What happened in the East Palace was naturally not concealed under Li Yuan's deliberate investigation. A long time ago, an imperial decree was issued, "The King of Qin is not good at drinking. You are not allowed to invite him to a banquet to drink in the future."
This decree was almost blatantly directed at the crown prince, which made Li Jiancheng nervous for a long time, but when he saw that Li Yuan did not pursue the matter further, he gradually felt relieved.
He didn't know how disappointed Li Yuan was with him. The dispute between his two sons had reached a life-and-death situation. One falsely accused the crown prince of rebellion, and the other even poisoned the wine. Li Yuan knew that if he didn't deal with it, it would be irreversible.
He recalled all the hints that Luo Su had given him, and after much thought, he summoned Li Shimin into the palace.
Li Shimin had basically given up hope on Li Yuan. Until now, Li Yuan had not punished Li Jiancheng, but now he summoned him into the palace again.
Li Shimin was kneeling in the hall, and the slightly dim light shone through the window onto his face, varying degrees of brightness.
"Your Majesty, I have something to say."
Li Yuan didn't expect Li Shimin to say such a thing directly. He looked at Li Shimin's face, his heart softened, and he sighed: "Erlang, if you have anything to say, just say it."
Li Shimin bowed his head, with a look of reminiscence on his face, and said slowly: "Your Majesty, I am your son.
Over the years, I have been fighting for the Tang Dynasty, but I don't know why I keep making more mistakes and making my father hate me more and more.
We are the people of the world, helping the world and bringing peace to the people.
This is the name you changed for me, Father!
Now that your son really has the ability to help the world and bring peace to the people, why are you so unhappy?
Back in Jinyang, your son rescued you from the midst of thousands of troops, and we fought together, father and son. At that time, you praised me as the Qilin of the Li family.
Later, my son made great contributions time and time again. You, father, praised me and said that you wanted to make me the crown prince. You said that I had made the greatest contribution to the establishment of the Tang Dynasty. I was very happy.
Because you are my father, and after my mother died, you are the closest person to me in this world.
You often say that the Tang Dynasty was conquered by our father and son soldiers, and was established for us by our in-laws and old friends. We were able to share hardships together in the beginning, but now that the Tang Dynasty has been established and you have become the emperor and received the Mandate of Heaven, why have we become estranged?
My mother died early and was unable to see this scene today. I am often sad about this. If my mother saw my father, son and brothers come to this point, how sad would she be?
I went to the East Palace for a banquet, but ended up leaving with poison. The King of Chu framed me many times. This is not the way to treat a brother.
Father, don’t you know who I am?
I have never taken any initiative to target the King of Chu and the Crown Prince. Isn't that enough?
What exactly do I have to do to keep myself safe?
The merits I have established for the Tang Dynasty have now become sharp arrows shot at me and have become my death warrant. Father, is this my fault? "
Li Shimin burst into tears. Even as he was crying, his expression became more and more determined. "Father, this is not the ending I want. This is not the ending I deserve!"
As Li Yuan listened, he felt more and more guilty. He felt that he had indeed treated his second son badly. He stepped forward and hugged Li Shimin. Li Shimin was a little surprised and also hugged Li Yuan back. The father and son actually hugged each other and cried in the hall.
Li Yuan thought for a moment and said, "Erlang, you can't stay in Chang'an. Go to Luoyang and don't come back. Not meeting each other may be the best outcome."
Li Shimin came here today just to express his feelings. He had basically made up his mind, but he didn't expect to have this unexpected gain today.
"Father."
Li Yuan said in a deep voice: "You go to Luoyang, you go to build the emperor's palace, use the emperor's etiquette and utensils, except for the emperors of the Xia Dynasty who cannot give you, and you will also be the emperor of the Tang Dynasty in the future.
From then on, the Tang Dynasty had one Son of Heaven and two emperors, one in Chang'an and one in Luoyang.
Your empire will be based on the area of the Great Secretariat of the Shandong Circuit.
When you become emperor in Luoyang, you will be responsible for conquering Liaodong and cooperating with Chang'an to conquer the Dong Turks. Can you do it?"
Li Shimin was stunned by Li Yuan's words. Two emperors in one country?
During the turbulent times, there were five emperors in the Xia Dynasty. Although they were five countries, it seemed that the problem was not big. The emperor still had to obey the orders of the Son of Heaven, at least in name.
Building an imperial palace in Luoyang was a great opportunity. Li Shimin would be a fool if he did not agree. As long as he went to Luoyang, he would be invincible.
He said almost immediately: "Father, I am willing to do this, but I am only worried that I will never see you again."
Li Yuan stroked Li Shimin's head and said softly, "Luoyang is only a thousand miles away from Chang'an. I will come to see you in the future. As long as you brothers can get along, I will be relieved."
…
After Luo Su left the palace, Luo Xuanxing asked, "Grandfather, did you hint in the palace that the emperor should divide the Tang Dynasty into two parts?
Aren’t Chang’an and Luoyang too close? Will there be any problems if they are divided like this?”
Luo Su was a little surprised when he heard this and said, "According to my plan, a political center will eventually have problems, but why should it be divided into Chang'an and Luoyang?
The two political centers are so close that they can basically be counted as one.
From the perspective of the current Tang Dynasty, it would be best to send Li Jiancheng to Hebei, let him fight against Liaodong State and establish the Eastern Tang Empire, and then let Li Shimin go all the way north and west to create supreme achievements. "
Luo Xuanxing looked unhappy and said, "Grandfather, I think you should make it clear with the Emperor."
Hearing this, Luo Su glanced at Luo Xuanxing, and then said calmly: "I only give choices, not answers. Even if I tell him the answer, Li Yuan will have problems.
This is the biggest problem with mediocre kings.
Li Yuan will deduce an answer on his own. He has been able to come up with the answer countless times, but he discarded it in the end. Will he change his mind this time?"
As soon as Luo Xuanxing heard this, he knew that Luo Su was not optimistic, "Then why did we enter the palace?"
Luo Su smiled and said, "We should give Li Yuan a choice. It can be regarded as a fate that led to our meeting. I have a feeling that this will be an important matter for the future."
Luo Xuanxing asked again: "You said that you wanted King Qin to refine his mind. What do you think of him now?"
Luo Su's voice was erratic, seeming to be far away and near, "He has made up his mind. There is only one reason left for him to reasonably forgive himself. Even now, he is still waiting for this reason. I really like this child more and more. A king who can restrain himself and speaks rationally is a great blessing to the world!"
…
Li Shimin left the palace with an excited look on his face. Luo Xuanling was waiting outside the car. When he saw Li Shimin appear, he immediately came up to him and whispered, "King Qin, our ancestor has been here."
Li Shimin was shocked, and looked around quickly, then asked in a low voice: "You mean, the palace?"
Luo Xuanling nodded and said with certainty: "Yes, it is the imperial palace. Our ancestor has been there."
Li Shimin immediately knew why Li Yuan summoned him and why he asked him to go to Luoyang. It turned out that Duke Wen came here and met his father.
When Li Shimin returned to the Qin Palace and informed the generals of this matter, almost everyone was extremely excited, because that was the real emperor.
Even though he was not the Son of Heaven, the emperor could already confer titles of king, duke, and marquis. Isn't this just like the rulers of the Zhou Dynasty, who had complete autonomy?
The most important thing is that I can finally leave the quagmire of Chang'an.
Li Shimin said in a deep voice: "There is no time to lose, pack up quickly, and leave immediately when the decree comes, so as to avoid any accidents."
Everyone knows that this matter is too outrageous and there might be unexpected events. The Crown Prince and the King of Chu would definitely not agree to it. In the past, there were several incidents that were ruined by the Crown Prince and the King of Chu joining forces with the concubines. This time, there is a high possibility that the same unexpected events will occur.
Li Shimin was very clear about this. He looked at the crescent moon and felt extremely determined. He had made many arrangements in Chang'an City. If he could not go to Luoyang this time, he...
Big brother, fourth brother, let me go to Luoyang.
Let me go to Luoyang.
Perhaps they heard Li Shimin's inner voice, and the two of them said at the same time: No!
When they first learned that Li Yuan wanted Li Shimin to go to Luoyang, Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji were almost scared to death. Li Yuanji did not give Li Jiancheng any face and said, "Brother, Chang'an is our territory. Here, the King of Qin can fight us equally. If the King of Qin goes to Luoyang, what should we do?
It's like a tiger entering the mountains or a dragon soaring across the seas. We can no longer restrain them. If my father dies in the future and a war breaks out between the East and the West, we will definitely not be a match for the King of Qin."
As if he felt his tone was not strong enough, Li Yuanji said it again, and said it emphatically: "We are definitely no match for the King of Qin!"
"I know!"
Li Jiancheng looked at Li Yuanji somewhat unhappily. Does he need to say this?
Li Shimin was the god of war of the Tang Dynasty. Except for Li Jing who could defeat 400,000 troops with only 10,000, all the others had followed Li Shimin to pick up victories. Li Shimin's prestige in the army was not to be underestimated. Li Jiancheng was very worried that if he gave an order, the army would surrender to Li Shimin.
"We must not let the King of Qin go to Luoyang. If we go to the palace to ask our father for help, doesn't he worry about a war between Chang'an and Luoyang?
Isn't he worried that the world that has just been pacified will be broken out into war again?
Doesn't he worry about us two brothers?
Go find Concubine Zhang, Concubine Yin, and Pei Ji. Father is old and it is easy for him to change his mind. As long as we describe the future in a more miserable way, Father will stand on our side. "
Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji knew this very well. In the past years, they were able to gain the upper hand because Li Yuan was too indecisive and too easily influenced, so he could not make up his mind to make Li Shimin the crown prince.
…
Except for Li Yuan himself, almost everyone has a clear understanding of Li Yuan, knows what kind of person he is, and almost everyone can manipulate his actions.
The Emperor possesses supreme power and his orders are absolute, but can he really use this power?
uncertain!
Anyone who is close to the emperor can steal the power that belongs to him as long as they can manipulate him. Li Yuan once again handed over his power to Concubine Zhang and Concubine Yin.
Li Shimin's trip to Luoyang was urgently stopped. When he learned the news, Li Shimin did not feel anything. He just looked up at the sky and sighed slightly. How could the world end up like this?
He wanted to find Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui, but these two people had already left the Prince of Qin's Palace.
The next step was to transfer all the generals from the Qin Palace and then kill them one by one. It was normal for people to die in a war. Li Shimin could even think of the methods used by Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji.
He waited quietly, and he knew what he was waiting for.
There was endless pain in his heart, yet he was unusually calm. He now wanted to see what his good brother was going to do to him.
Are there any unexpected tricks? If not, it would be too boring.
"Duke Wen, is this what you want me to experience? Is my current choice correct?
It must be, because I am now at peace in my heart, and I will be the righteous one."
…
On an afternoon when the sky was overcast and about to rain heavily, a carriage came galloping from outside Chang'an, carrying a little dust, and went directly into the Qin Palace.
The car curtain opened, and a tall man walked out. He was handsome and extraordinary. It was Luo Xuanye!
Li Shimin simply hugged him, tears falling, without saying a word. Luo Xuanye also patted Li Shimin's back gently.
It seemed as if he was responding to what he said at the beginning.
Thousands of miles away, I will come back as long as you send me a letter!
This is my promise!
————
The number of Xuan Ye bestowed by the emperor each year was twice that of the other princes. The officials reported this to the emperor, saying it was against etiquette.
The emperor then issued an edict saying: "The Duke of Zhou is loyal to his country, which is rare since ancient times, so I love him."
In the palace, he said to all the ministers: "Prince Zhou is gifted with great talent, and is proficient in all arts of rites, music, archery and charioteering. He has virtuous conduct and good deeds. If I had not praised him, how could he have been so widely known and how could everyone know about him?"
After the court meeting, the emperor said with emotion: "When I was in the palace, the prince of Zhou said: 'The mountains and rivers are thousands of miles away, but I will return if I have a word!'
I think about it deeply.
I know it's not right, but I can't control my emotions.
There is nothing wrong with what you have said. I will give it to you from my private treasury. Please do not make any more reports."
People at that time said to Xuan Ye, "Why didn't the prince resign?"
Xuan Yezheng said: "Your Majesty gave it to me because you remembered our old friendship. I also remember it. The whole world is in turmoil. I am lucky to have such thoughts. How can I refuse it?
But I will be loyal to Your Majesty."
The emperor was pleased, and the officials stopped, and the favors remained the same, and became even greater. ——"Book of Tang: The Biography of Xuanye, Prince of Zhou"
(End of this chapter)
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