Chapter 886 Li Jing and Li Ji come to Beijing!
Among the twists and turns that occurred at the end of the first year of Zhenguan, an event that was neither big nor small was the invasion of the Turks.
If Li Jiancheng or Li Yuan were asked to deal with it, there might be difficulties, or even unimaginable consequences.
But for Li Shimin, this was not something to worry about.
Because he had dealt with the Turks for more than ten years, he knew Jie Li Khan and the Turkic tribes very well.
Just as Luo Su had judged on the grassland, Li Shimin believed that although the Dong Turks were powerful, "the Turks are Rongdi, they are not like the ancient Xianbei who were Xia-civilized, and they are similar to the Xiongnu. They are short-sighted, love wealth, and have no long-term plan. I will bribe their leaders with small benefits and use my majesty to win their hearts, and they will shrink and retreat."
From a strategic point of view, Li Shimin looked down on Jie Li Khan of the Turkic people. He believed that the Turkic people were far less powerful than the Xianbei people who had been sinicized in the past, and were just the same as the Xiongnu. In addition, Jie Li Khan was not a wise ruler, so the Tang Dynasty could wait.
The fact turned out to be just as he expected. Jie Li Khan did not realize at all that the Tang Dynasty was different from the past. He still treated the Tang Dynasty with the same attitude as before and did not give it time to recuperate.
Li Shimin used only gold, silver, cloth and silk to make the Turks withdraw, but he didn't know that the most important thing for the Tang Dynasty at that time was food.
As for gold, silver, cloth and silk, which can only be enjoyed by individuals, "stay in the Turkic Khanate for a few years first, and I will take them back soon."
Having said that, Li Shimin certainly did not seek spiritual victory. He turned around and began to train his troops to seek revenge.
He even trained troops directly in the imperial city and even personally joined the soldiers.
You should know that bringing weapons into the palace has always been prohibited, but now they are practicing weapons and arrows openly in front of the palace. Li Shimin personally teaches soldiers archery. As for Luo Xuanye, Yuchi Gong, Qin Qiong, Cheng Yaojin and other commanders of the Twelve Guards, they even go in and out of the army.
Of course, the prime minister advised against it, but Li Shimin said directly without caring: "I treat the soldiers sincerely, how can the soldiers hurt me?"
Under the example of Li Shimin and his unremitting propaganda of humiliation, and the fact that the Tang Dynasty had consciously avoided major wars since the late Wude period, the war-weariness of the soldiers and the people in the country gradually disappeared, and the morale of the soldiers gradually became high.
At the meeting to discuss military policy, Li Shimin said with great joy: "I still remember the Turkic invasion during the Wude period. When I led the Tang army to fight, morale was extremely low. The warriors of our Tang Dynasty did not want to fight, and even rewards could not excite them. They were far from the bravery when our Tang Dynasty was founded. Now, I finally see that high spirit again."
War-weariness is an emotion that is very easy to produce, especially in the absence of a lofty belief and sufficient material security. It is a torture for soldiers and their families.
Because humans are not machines. If a person is thrown into a deserted wilderness for several years or even ten years, and is faced with fighting when he opens his eyes and worries about the enemy's night raid when he closes his eyes, the mental pressure is extremely great.
In particular, these soldiers would think, will my family be bullied in my hometown because the men are not at home?
This kind of situation has been very common in all dynasties!
The Tang Dynasty was no exception.
The Tang Dynasty followed the system of military governors, with the twelve guards, namely Qilin, Azure Dragon, Suzaku, Xuanwu, Baihu and Canglao, in charge of hundreds of Zhechoufu.
When there was no war, the palace soldiers would take turns to guard the capital every year, which was called the "shangduan".
The frequency of coming to Chang'an to guard the palace was five months and one month, respectively. The palace was located a hundred miles away from Chang'an.
Five hundred miles away, he would go to Chang'an to serve as a guard for one month every seven months.
Thousands of miles away, he would go to Chang'an to serve as a guard for one month every eight months.
Two thousand miles away, every eighteen months, or one and a half years, he would go to Chang'an to stay on guard for two months.
From this distance and time, we can actually see some problems very clearly. After Luo Su came into the world, he studied this military system that was popular in the world.
His evaluation was that it was a military system with great flaws that could only be used in the Central Plains.
The biggest flaw of this military system was not even the need for a large amount of unowned land, because it was not difficult for the royal family to obtain enough land.
But it is another kind of difficulty that cannot be overcome at all.
Let's put this difficulty aside for now. The fact that the Tang Dynasty was able to conquer the world so smoothly was inseparable from the large number of Zhechoufu distributed in Hedong, Guanzhong and Longxi.
The second founding of the Guanlong Empire is not just a casual remark.
But these people were tired. They had fought too many battles in the past, which led to their war-weariness.
Ji Zhao also encountered this problem when he went on the Eastern Expedition. The soldiers of Bang Zhou didn't want to fight anymore and were in extreme mental pain. In the end, Ji Zhao had to retreat to Haojing.
Rest and recuperation is not only about restoring strength and accumulating national heritage, but also about mending the minds of these people and rekindling the warlike spirit, which is extremely important.
Under such circumstances, Luo Xuanye, the current top figure in the Tang Dynasty military, suggested to Li Shimin: "Your Majesty, I think it is time to summon the governors of various provinces and governors of various states back to Chang'an to report on their work."
As soon as Luo Xuanye finished speaking, there was silence in the hall for a moment, and then there was a lot of discussion, but no one expressed any objection.
Seeing this, Li Shimin pondered for a moment and nodded slowly. It was indeed time to summon the general managers of various provinces and governors of various states back to Chang'an.
A year has passed since Li Shimin ascended the throne, and many of these military commanders who were stationed in other states have not yet come to Beijing to pay homage to the new emperor.
Because Li Shimin did not allow it, even for the coronation ceremony, Li Shimin did not let them come back, and only sent envoys. This was naturally not a healthy ecology for the new Zhenguan Dynasty.
I don’t know how many people are feeling uneasy.
Especially Luo Xuanye’s situation was laid out in front of everyone!
Luo Xuanye was the commander-in-chief of the Lingnan Road and the governor of Guangzhou, which was thousands of miles away from Chang'an. Even at such a long distance, the emperor had to wait for him to return. Others were not called, which clearly showed that in the emperor's heart, they were not his own people.
When all the generals were promoted to higher positions, even Gusu County Prince Luo Jingchengdu was given an additional fief, and Lady Wu was renamed Lady Chu, it at least showed that the emperor favored the two of them.
There is no need to talk about the status of those who are not even qualified to ascend the throne and have never been noticed by the emperor.
Among them, there were actually two people who were very unexpected to the ministers, namely Li Jing and Li Ji.
Neither of these two people are direct descendants of the Qin Palace, but their status in the Tang Dynasty military is not low, especially Li Jing, who, together with Hejian King Li Xiaogong, led the unification war in the south of the Tang Dynasty. In the current Tang Dynasty military, excluding Li Shimin, their status can be ranked in the top three.
But even for such a big shot, according to the news that came out after the Xuanwu Gate, the emperor didn't even write to him to win him over!
The same goes for Li Ji!
The two men commanded a large number of troops and stationed in the north of Chang'an, but Li Shimin, who was then the King of Qin, refused to win them over.
This was a rather intriguing signal. At that critical moment, the soldiers in the hands of Li Jing and Li Ji, and their support for Li Shimin, were very important to anyone, but Li Shimin did not win them over.
There is only one explanation: the emperor thought these two people were untrustworthy, so he deliberately ignored them.
This was proved by Li Shimin's behavior after he ascended the throne. Not only did he not allow the two to attend the coronation ceremony, he did not even allow them to return for the report of the Ministry of War. He only issued an edict to appease them and asked them to guard against the Turks.
Li Shimin's behavior scared the two men half to death. They had no idea how they had offended the emperor to such an extent.
But actually, why did Li Shimin do this?
He had never mentioned it in a formal occasion, but only once by chance when he mentioned Li Jing at a family dinner attended by Li Shimin, Empress Zhangsun, Luo Xuanye and Li Xiuning.
"Qingyang, you once said that Li Jing is useful but not approachable. Now I deeply agree with you. You, Jingde, Shubao, and Zhijie are all old acquaintances of mine. I can treat them with sincerity.
As for Li Jing, it would be better to give him a beating. My father is right. It is better to use him than to use his strength. It is better to make him afraid than to make him grateful. He should know that life and death, thunder and rain, all depend on my thought.
He doesn't dare to rebel, and I am not afraid of him. I will leave him alone in Hedong to make him afraid, and he will do things honestly in the future."
Li Shimin grew too fast, and his imperial skills were all about using different methods for different people. When dealing with his own people, he took a grand approach and did not resort to tricks. When dealing with outsiders who were difficult to conquer, he also knew how to use both carrots and sticks. He did not ask for loyalty, as long as he could follow the established plan.
Luo Xuanye now proposed to let Li Jing and Li Ji go to Beijing because he felt that it was about time and that Li Jing had been left alone for long enough. Now it was time to give Li Jing a sweet treat.
It has to be said that Li Shimin's move was very effective. Li Jing's psychological changes were drastic during this year.
Especially in the late first year of Zhenguan, he became increasingly anxious and did not understand what was waiting for him.
For the first time in his life, he regretted why he did not stand on Li Shimin's side.
Finally, the imperial edict came down to summon the governors and commanders-in-chief from all over the country to come to the capital, and Li Jing's heart, which had been hanging in the air, finally came to an end.
He could accept any outcome as long as he didn't have to suffer the torture he was experiencing now.
There were actually not many people who were not direct descendants of Li Shimin and were qualified to go to other places to govern.
After all, the saying that all the founding heroes are in the Qin Palace is not a random statement. Those who went out to the town were either princes or the most important contributors to the founding of the Tang Dynasty, such as Li Ji and Li Jing.
After entering Chang'an, Li Jing went to visit Li Xiaogong as soon as possible, but Li Xiaogong closed the door and refused to see him. He only gave him a note that read, "Prince Zong is not in a position to see the general."
I can only say that he is worthy of being the first meritorious official among the Li Tang royal family besides Li Shimin, and now he is also the number one person under the prince. This level of awareness is not comparable to ordinary people.
Li Jing and Li Xiaogong jointly led the war to pacify the south and got along very well. However, Li Xiaogong himself was neutral between Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin, which prevented him from entering the core circle of the Zhenguan Dynasty.
As the Minister of War in the Secretariat and the military chief of the world, he didn't even know that Li Shimin had summoned the general governors of various provinces and states.
This made Li Xiaogong very frightened, and naturally he was unwilling to have any further involvement with Li Jing.
Unlike Li Jing's experience, after Li Ji returned to Chang'an, he quickly reconnected with his old friends from Wagangzhai. Qin Shubao, who had been promoted to General of the Left Qinglong Guard, and Cheng Zhijie, who had been promoted to General of the Left Suzaku Guard, had reached the end of their careers as military generals. The next step was to become a prime minister as a military general, or to be given the title of general manager.
But now, apart from Prince Zhou, who is the chief steward of the Qilin Guard, there are no other chief stewards of the Twelve Guards. They know very well that it is simply impossible.
After another long wait, the last people to arrive in Chang'an were the Governor of Suzhou and Lady of Chu, Luo Xuanjing, and the Governor of Suzhou and Prince of Gusu, Luo Jingcheng. The Jiangnan Daoxingtai had been disbanded, and now the couple was in charge of the affairs of the former Wu territory in Jiangdong.
…
After all these people arrived, they were summoned into the palace together and took their seats according to their titles and official positions. Not long after, Li Shimin and Luo Xuanye arrived hand in hand, walking like a dragon and a tiger.
Luo Xuanye sat directly in the first position on the left and looked around at the generals in the hall. In the Tang Dynasty, the only minister who could sit in front of Luo Xuanye was Prince of Qi Li Xuanba. Everyone else had to go to the back row, including Prince of Hejian Li Xiaogong.
Li Jing sat in a middle-class position. His status was not low, but compared with those people in the hall, it was not high.
This was not a banquet, so there was no singing or dancing. There was only the sound of heavy drums and bells. Led by Luo Xuanye, all the officials bowed down in unison, "May the emperor live in peace and happiness."
Li Shimin laughed loudly and said, "Good morning, everyone."
When all the ministers were seated, Li Shimin went straight to the point and said, "Since I ascended the throne, until today, I am finally able to see the faces of all of you, my beloved ministers. I am very pleased.
I have summoned all of you here for a very clear reason. The Turks are powerful and have invaded our Tang Dynasty. I have used money and cloth to exchange for my children who were abducted, but this is still a shame for the Tang Dynasty. I must avenge this shame. I have summoned all of you back to hear from you, my dear ministers, what the situation is with your subordinates, whether we can fight, and what ideas you have.
Now that I am the Son of Heaven, I cannot easily go to the battlefield to kill the enemy myself.
When the time is right, I will select one of you from among the nobles to be the chief military commander, responsible for foreign wars."
The emperor publicly stated in front of all the generals that he wanted to select a marching commander. This was a big deal, and everyone automatically ruled out Zhou Junwang Luo Xuanye. This official held too high a position and it was basically impossible for him to go on the expedition. Otherwise, if he really won, they wouldn't even know what rewards to give him.
Luo Xuanye couldn't help but glance at Li Jing. He came in with Li Shimin. Many people didn't think too deeply about it. Just now, he and Li Shimin had a very brief conversation like a casual chat.
At that time, the eunuch came to report to Li Shimin that the governors and general managers had already entered the palace. When Li Shimin and Luo Xuanye talked about these people, they couldn't help but talk about Li Jing.
Li Shimin then asked, "Qingyang, do you think Li Jing should be reused to an appropriate degree?"
Luo Xuanye said without hesitation: "Of course we should make use of him. Li Jing's ability is outstanding among all the generals now. No one can compare with him. The future of the Tang Dynasty cannot be without Li Jing.
As for how much you can use him, that depends on Your Majesty and the situation of the country at that time. Using him is different from rewarding him. My suggestion is not to promote him too quickly, otherwise you won’t be able to use him before you have used him a few times, which would be bad. "
When Li Shimin heard this, he immediately understood the hidden meaning. Luo Xuanye was talking about him and that he couldn't go to the battlefield now. He smiled and said, "Qingyang, do you still want to go to the battlefield?
That won’t do. You are my personal general. If I don’t go to war, you should just stay with me in Chang’an.
Besides, if anything happens to you, it will not be a good thing for my sister, Juncheng, and the prince. Your role is not on the battlefield now. We may have few civil officials in the Tang Dynasty, but we have many brave generals. Qingyang, you should stay in Chang'an with peace of mind."
Luo Xuanye nodded. He understood what Li Shimin said. He was the Prince's Grand Tutor and the Prince's Grand Guardian. Luo Juncheng was also the Eastern Palace's companion. He was the Prince's pillar of support, the insurance that Li Shimin added between himself and the Prince, and the key figure who could guarantee the Prince's status in the eyes of the Queen. He really could not have any accidents. And the battlefield, where swords and spears were blind, was precisely the place where accidents most often occurred.
So no matter from which perspective, he cannot easily step onto the battlefield.
Military commanders from all over the country reported their local affairs to Li Shimin one by one. Generally speaking, these affairs had been reported to the Secretariat before, but when the emperor asked about them, they naturally had to select the key points and explain them again.
When it was Li Jing's turn, Li Shimin suddenly asked: "Li Qing, facing the front line of the Turks, do you have any opinions on the Turks?"
Li Jing suddenly felt awe in his heart, knowing that this was where his future lay. It was difficult to gain the emperor's trust, so the only thing he could rely on was his outstanding abilities.
The current emperor can even use the prince's party. I can't say how close they are to each other, but he definitely trusts them enough. So it will not be a problem for a neutral person like me to occupy a high position in the court!
With his mind turning over and over again, Li Jing stood in the hall and said loudly: "Your Majesty, I do have some opinions about the Turks.
Since the Han Dynasty, grasslands have always been a major concern for the Central Plains. Like weeds, they can never be killed or eradicated. The various tactics used against grasslands in successive dynasties have been similar. Basically, they attack when the grasslands have just survived the winter and the horses are weak.
This is certainly a good idea, but I think it cannot quickly resolve the problem of the Turks. In fact, the quickest way to defeat an enemy is to create chaos within the enemy.
No matter how solid a fortress is, it will collapse if there is internal chaos. When the Han Dynasty was strong, during the reign of Emperor Xiaoxuan, the Huns were eliminated, but in the end the dynasty chose to let other Hu tribes guard the border.
The same logic applies to the destruction of the Turks. It is well known that Jie Li Khan and Tuli Khan of the Turks have always been at odds with each other, and there is a high possibility that civil strife will break out. During the Sui Dynasty, the discord among the Turks was taken advantage of to split them up and force them to surrender.
I think that it is not enough to just make the Turks submit. The Tang Dynasty can take advantage of the Turkic split and wipe out their tribe in one fell swoop. As for how to split the Turks, it requires the officials of the court to come up with a plan that is no less powerful than the plan of the Sui Dynasty to split the Turks. "
From these words, we can see that Li Jing is a typical war-strategist, and he is not of the same mindset as Li Shimin. Li Shimin sighed and said, "What Li Qing said is quite similar to Han Wumu. In any war, strategy comes first. If I conquer the Turks in the future, I will probably need such a commander."
Li Jing was overjoyed when he heard this. Was this a hint? It could even be said to be a clear indication.
Who knew that Li Shimin turned around and said to Li Xiaogong: "Prince Hejian, as a leader among the royal family of Li Tang, you must work hard. I have a copy of Han Wumu's Art of War, which I will give to you. You must study it carefully."
Li Xiaogong didn't expect that he would be involved in this, but he immediately clasped his fists and said in surprise: "I will remember this and go back to study Han Wumu's military tactics."
Li Shimin nodded in satisfaction and said to everyone: "All generals must work hard. Since ancient times, I have never heard of a powerful enemy in the north and peace in the world.
Now our Tang Dynasty is confined to the Central Plains and has not yet reached the prosperity of the Han Dynasty. Eliminating the threat of the Turks is the first step. I have great ambitions in my heart and need you to work together."
…
The gate of the East Palace was painted red and inlaid with copper nails. It had a slightly rusty feeling, giving people a sense of vicissitudes of life. In just ten years, this palace had changed three owners, which was indeed quite extraordinary.
Walking into the East Palace, there is a deep courtyard and the main hall is paved with bricks and tiles. The eaves are flying, just like a giant dragon spreading its wings ready to fly. The sunlight shines on it, flashing a dazzling golden light.
The hall has carved beams and painted buildings, and is quite imposing. Under the projection of sunlight, the light and shadows are mottled, and the charm is endless.
"Brother Prince!"
A tender and childish voice came from outside the palace, followed by a series of slightly messy footsteps. Princess Changle was running in front. She was wearing a purple brocade robe, revealing only a childish face. Her eyebrows and eyes were like pictures, and she was very cute.
Behind Princess Changle were several palace maids, who followed her closely, fearing that this princess, who was extremely favored by the emperor, would get hurt.
The sound of reading aloud is echoing in the hall. It is now the study time for Crown Prince Li Chengqian. Li Shimin is extremely concerned about his education. The teachers assigned to him are all famous figures, including those from foreign countries, who come to broaden Li Chengqian's horizons.
Li Chengqian was sitting in the hall when he heard the voice outside. He immediately winked at Luo Juncheng beside him and said, "Juncheng, let's make a bet, is Changle here to look for me or you?
Just bet a penny.
I guess it's you I'm looking for."
Luo Juncheng was speechless. This prince just wanted to cheat him out of a penny. He could have just asked for it directly, but he still wanted to make a bet with me.
After saying this, Li Chengqian did not wait for Luo Juncheng to agree, and immediately stood up and walked to the door of the side hall. When Changle saw Li Chengqian, she immediately smiled and said in a sweet voice: "Brother Crown Prince, I greet you."
Li Chengqian smiled and said, "Changle, are you here to look for your biological brother or your cousin?
If you're looking for your cousin, he has something to do today and didn't come to the East Palace."
ah?
Princess Changle didn't know how to hide her emotions, and she felt a little disappointed, but she still said politely and seriously: "Changle is here to see my brother the Crown Prince, not my cousin."
Li Chengqian saw the disappointment on Princess Changle's face, and couldn't help but laugh and tease her, "I see, I seem to have remembered it wrongly. Luo Juncheng is in the palace, but since you are not here to look for him, let's go to the courtyard outside the palace."
ah?
Princess Changle felt that she had been deceived, deeply deceived. She opened her little mouth and was about to cry in front of Li Chengqian so that he would be beaten by her father.
Li Chengqian was a little dumbfounded. No, I was just teasing you. Luo Juncheng walked out of the hall and greeted him softly, "I wish the princess well."
Changle immediately changed her expression and almost instantly stopped crying. Then she pushed Li Chengqian away, hugged Luo Juncheng's arm, wrinkled her nose and made a face, saying, "Crown Prince is too mean. He only knows how to tease me. My cousin is better to me. My cousin is better than the crown prince."
Upon hearing this, Li Chengqian immediately said to Luo Juncheng in a bad mood: "Juncheng, has this girl been outgoing since she was so young?
She hasn't even gotten married yet, but she's already started talking to your family.
It seems that I have to marry this little girl off as soon as possible, otherwise I don’t know how she will blame me for bullying her in the future.”
Luo Juncheng was already quite accustomed to the quarrels between the two siblings. Li Shimin and Changsun had three children, the eldest son Li Chengqian, the second son Li Tai, and Princess Changle Li Lizhi.
Li Chengqian naturally loved his only biological sister very much.
Luo Juncheng touched Li Lizhi's little head. She was two years younger than Li Chengqian and Luo Juncheng. She had not yet developed and was completely like a child.
Princess Changle quite enjoyed Luo Juncheng's touch. She liked to stay with Luo Juncheng because Luo Juncheng always treated her gently, knew what she liked, and was willing to accompany her to do it.
After the three of them finished laughing, they all walked into the palace. Li Lizhi was naturally reading as well. She was very smart. She flipped through the books the two were reading and said with a smile, "Brother Crown Prince, cousin, I want to tell my father that I can come to the East Palace to study with you."
The princess studies with the prince?
Li Chengqian's first reaction was that it was impossible, but then he thought, what was impossible?
Luo Juncheng's mother, his aunt, is the Princess Pingyang, a first-rank official of the same rank as one of the Three Dukes. She once held the position of prime minister and is now one of the four great governors of the Tang Dynasty. She is the idol of almost all women in the world.
Li Lizhi's next words were, "I want to be like my aunt. My brother the crown prince can serve the Tang Dynasty, my cousin wants to be an official, and I want to contribute to the Tang Dynasty."
She is obviously still a child, and her voice is still childish, but her words are powerful and make people feel her seriousness and sincerity.
Li Chengqian didn't know what to say for a moment. Even Luo Juncheng was shocked. He didn't expect that Princess Changle had such strong spiritual power in such a small body.
At this time, a laugh came from outside the palace, and then a hearty voice, "As expected of my daughter, you really have ambitions. I am very pleased."
Father!
As soon as this voice appeared, everyone in the hall knew who had come.
Li Chengqian, Princess Changle and Luo Juncheng hurried out of the palace. The palace maids and eunuchs were already kneeling on the ground.
The one coming towards him was Li Shimin.
Next to Li Shimin was Luo Juncheng's father, Luo Xuanye, who was also looking at the three of them with a smile.
(End of this chapter)
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