Chapter 890: Tiankehan! (It’s on fire again, more than 9,000 words, please give me a monthly ticket!)
In the Taiji Hall, Li Shimin sat casually in the upper seat, looking rather lazy. Luo Xuanye held his back straight and talked incoherently. Fang Xuanling was looking at memorials from the prefectures and counties opposite Luo Xuanye. There were also several people who were half-lying crookedly.
Li Shimin was quite informal. He was not only a monarch and his subjects, but also friends to his ministers. It was rare to find a monarch like him who took such pains to encourage his meritorious officials and wanted to preserve their wealth and honor from the bottom of his heart.
Wei Zheng is certainly not here.
Although he was one of the most important ministers in the Zhenguan period, his relationship with Li Shimin was not that close. He could not be compared with people like Luo Xuanye and Fang Xuanling. Even Luo Xuanchen was not here. This was considered a gathering of old people from the Qin Palace.
Although it has always been said that people should be appointed based on their talents, Li Shimin's personality makes him take special care of his old brothers.
While reading the memorial, he casually asked Luo Xuanye, "Qingyang, how is the Right Prime Minister's condition?"
Li Shimin's meritorious officials are generally a dozen or even twenty years older than him, so now they are basically in their forties and in very poor health. The right servant is Du Ruhui, who has been bedridden for more than two months, making it very difficult for Li Shimin to handle the affairs of state. He hopes that Du Ruhui can come back soon.
Luo Xuanye pursed his lips when he heard this. He and Du Ruhui have known each other for more than ten years. Although they have a deep relationship, they are still old friends. Even though he is always cold-faced, he said with a little sadness at this moment: "When I saw him a few days ago, he was not in a good condition. But now the cold winter is over. I hope the warm spring will allow the Right Servant to recover."
As he was speaking, without waiting for Li Shimin to reply, the eunuch from outside hurried in with Li Jing's battle report. The battle report, which should have been sealed, was not sealed with wax. Li Shimin and Luo Xuanye looked at each other and immediately knew that this battle report was extraordinary.
Luo Xuanye, who knew Li Shimin too well, immediately said, "I bet that the Dong Turks will be defeated and the Tang Dynasty will win. No, it should be an unprecedented victory. The Dong Turks are very likely to be gone."
Li Shimin pretended to glare at him, "Qingyang, change your bet. I'll bet on this. Xuanling, you guys should also bet on one penny."
The emperor was so blatant that he cheated. There was a burst of laughter in the palace. Li Shimin didn't care. "Even if you all lost the bet, since You Pushe is not here, you can still count him. After you leave the palace, Qingyang, tell You Pushe to recover as soon as possible and return my penny."
There was another round of laughter in the hall. Li Shimin also smiled and took out the battle report. At this time, another eunuch hurried into the hall with a panic expression on his face. As soon as he entered the hall, he knelt in the hall and said in a sad voice: "Your Majesty, the Right Prime Minister has passed away. The obituary has just been sent to the palace."
It only takes one sentence to go from laughter to silence.
It only takes one sentence to go from smiling to disbelief.
Luo Xuanye looked at Li Shimin with some worry. Li Shimin tightly grasped the bamboo tube in his hand, veins popping out, and his eyes were full of tears. He recalled Du Ruhui's voice, smile, and the countless times he had given him advice. He became more and more sad. His voice was a little hoarse, and he said slowly: "I didn't win the bet by a big margin, so I leave the chance of a big win to You Pushe."
After saying that, he opened the battle report. After reading it, although it was obviously a happy event, he did not look happy at all. He looked at everyone in the palace, and everyone looked at him. He forced a smile with tears in his eyes and said, "You Pushe won, and I lost. Qingyang, after leaving the palace, send a penny to the Du Mansion."
After saying this, he could no longer control his tears and they streamed down his face. Fang Xuanling came back to his senses from his stunned state and began to sob softly. Everyone in the hall was saddened.
Luo Xuanye looked at Li Shimin worriedly, and suddenly realized, how many times will Li Shimin have to experience such things in the future?
Almost every one of these heroes is older than him.
Shimin, ah Shimin.
Don't you understand that those who are too sentimental will not live long?
"His Majesty."
"The Right Servant's spirit in heaven saw Your Majesty was sad, and I'm afraid he would advise Your Majesty, please take care of yourself."
Li Shimin stood up shakily and walked to the center of the palace. He hesitated to speak, and finally said with tears in his eyes: "Oh, Emperor Huang Tian Su, why did you take Ru Hui away so quickly?"
Luo Xuanye sighed and said, "Your Majesty, please accept my condolences!"
"Your Majesty, please accept my condolences!"
Several voices were heard in the hall. Li Shimin looked somewhat desolate. Perhaps he had also thought of the inevitable ending.
"I will mourn for you, Xuanling. I will posthumously confer the title of Three Dukes on Ruhui, and posthumously confer the title of Duke of a Great Power on him. I will choose the best posthumous title within my ability. I will leave this matter to you. You are his best friend. I will rest assured in leaving this matter to you.
I'm relieved."
Fang Xuanling knelt on the ground and cried, "I obey your order, I obey your order."
…
When the news of Li Jing's great victory reached Lingtian Pavilion, Luo Su was watering the flowers and plants in the courtyard. The weather had entered warm spring, and all things were reviving. This was what Luo Su had been waiting for.
Here it comes.
Luo Juncheng stood beside Luo Su, bowed slightly and waited for Luo Su to speak. After Luo Su finished reading, he asked, "Isn't the emperor coming?"
Luo Juncheng was about to speak when he heard a cheerful voice. Li Shimin and Luo Xuanye came together, "Of course I will come to visit the Imperial Master."
Luo Su stretched out his hand to the stone table in the courtyard and said with a smile, "Your Majesty, please."
After Li Shimin sat down, Luo Su sat opposite Li Shimin and looked at the high-spirited emperor in front of him. It was really a magnificent sight, the atmosphere of a prosperous age.
Li Shimin asked with some delight: "Has the Imperial Master read the battle report?"
Luo Su chuckled and said, "I've seen that Li Jing is indeed a first-rate god of war, not inferior to any famous general in ancient times, and even better than them.
To be honest, I was a little surprised that the Tang Dynasty was able to eliminate the Dong Turks so quickly. "
Li Shimin burst into laughter when he heard this. For Li Shimin, being able to make Duke Wen say the word "unexpected" was the greatest compliment.
Luo Su praised Li Jing with one sentence, and this sentence was extraordinary.
In fact, Li Jing played a 50% role in the success of this battle, and the most important thing is that the cost was extremely low.
The number of troops actually engaged in the six armies did not exceed 10,000. Both the number of casualties and the resources consumed were extremely small, and the war ended in just a few months. In the Central Plains, any offensive and defensive battle would take longer than that.
After the battle, the Tang Dynasty not only eliminated the biggest threat from the north, but also made no loss and seized countless cattle and sheep. It can be said without exaggeration that this result is the first in history.
Li Shimin was very happy, and Luo Su could see it. He looked at Li Shimin with a smile and deliberately said, "The Emperor Temple I told you about before can probably be built. I believe you have enough confidence now to build temples for emperors of all dynasties."
Li Shimin was suddenly in awe. If he was building temples for emperors of all dynasties, then naturally the emperors who were building the temples couldn't be too bad themselves, otherwise it would be a joke if they couldn't get in.
As for forcing one's way in, if Li Shimin was able to set things right when he was compiling history, then shouldn't future kings be able to set things right as well?
As for thousands of years, any sane emperor knows that is impossible and the only thing he can do is to delay it as much as possible to allow the country to prolong its existence.
Putting aside the idea of building the Imperial Temple, Li Shimin put away his smile and asked in a deep voice: "Master, you said before that you would have a lot to say to me after the Tang Dynasty defeated the Dong Turks. Now is the time. I can't wait to listen. Please give me your opinion, Master."
Hearing Li Shimin's question, Luo Su gradually put away the smile on his face and straightened his body. A solemn mood permeated the courtyard. Li Shimin couldn't help but sit up straighter. This was the first time he saw Luo Su like this.
Luo Su pondered. This was the first time he had truly proposed his own design plan for the Tang Dynasty since the restoration of order. He had to find a good way to tell it to Li Shimin.
"Before that, I want to ask you a few questions, Emperor."
"Please give me some advice, Imperial Master."
Luo Su raised the first question, "What does the emperor think of respecting the Chinese and despising the barbarians?"
hiss.
Li Shimin didn't expect the first question to be so sharp. He opened his mouth and wanted to speak. Who is the person in front of him?
It’s Luo, it’s Duke Wen.
There is probably no need to explain Duke Wen's attitude, but what about your own opinion?
Li Shimin hesitated for a while and then said slowly: "It is natural to value the Chinese and despise the barbarians, but I think that the barbarians are not completely useless. There are many loyal and righteous people among them. I wish to love them as they are, so as to transform the barbarians into Chinese and not let them drift into the wilderness and darkness."
Li Shimin's idea was to separate individual people from tribes, and he believed that barbarians could be educated. This idea of his had a long history, starting from the Yan State, where it was a custom to use Hu generals as commanders of the imperial guards. He was deeply influenced by this.
It's true that the Chinese are valued and the barbarians are despised, so why don't I just change the barbarians into the Chinese?
Didn’t Luo Xuanxing of your Luo family previously issue Xia identity certificates to the eighteen tribes of the Hu people in Liaodong in Youzhou? The reason why there is so much fighting in Liaodong now is because of this. This proves that this method is correct.
Luo Su naturally saw what Li Shimin was thinking. He smiled and said, "Your Majesty, there is no need to speculate like this. Times have changed, and my Luo family is not going to stick to those ancient things.
In the past, the Xia and the barbarians were at war to the death, but now since it is impossible to completely annihilate the barbarians, and there is no need to annihilate them, their attitude will naturally change.
It is very good that the emperor has this idea of loving only one person. Your idea happens to coincide with my next plan.
The surrounding environment faced by the Tang Dynasty was quite complex, and it could even be said to be much more complex than that of the Han Dynasty. Not only did it have powerful enemies in the north, but it also had enemies in the southeast, northwest, and northeast.
In this situation, if the Tang Dynasty were to frequently send troops to conquer the four barbarians, would you be willing?"
Li Shimin shook his head decisively and said in a deep voice: "Frequent military dispatches will destroy the vitality that has been restored with great difficulty within the Tang Dynasty.
The soldiers of Zhechoufu cannot fight outside for a long time, they have to go back to farm.
It is absolutely not advisable to engage in militarism. As long as those barbarians do not invade the Central Plains and pose a threat to the Tang Dynasty, I will not take action against them.
I will not let the soldiers of the Tang Dynasty shed their blood and die in a foreign land in vain in the wilderness for the sake of some false reputation of expanding territory. Under the sun, the people of the Tang Dynasty should be allowed to live instead of die. This is what a king should do.
Although Jie Li Khan has not yet been escorted to Chang'an, I have decided to forgive him and not kill him, in order to demonstrate my benevolence to the barbarians in all directions.
In this way, I can win the hearts of the Turks. If there is an opportunity in the future, I can use the Turkic Khan to interfere in the grassland. I will not be like my father who only knows how to kill. As long as the problem can be solved without war, I will not use war as a last resort.
Be careful in fighting!
This is my consistent attitude.”
When saying these words, Li Shimin couldn't help but think of Emperor Yang of Sui, and he felt even more frightened. The shadow cast by Emperor Yang of Sui on Li Shimin was really too great.
As a king who founded his country through military force, he was extremely cautious about war. Otherwise, he would have sent troops as early as the first year of Zhenguan when the Turks suffered their first natural disaster. Why would he wait another two or three years until everything was ready?
Luo Su looked at Li Shimin and couldn't help but sigh again, it's really perfect.
Li Shimin was truly the most perfect person he knew, other than the Luo family.
Li Shimin asked Luo Su to recall King Li of Zhou. Luo Su had advised King Li of Zhou not to easily mobilize the six armies of the emperor to go to war, but King Li of Zhou did not listen.
Now, he heard Li Shimin's strategic thinking with his own ears, and said with emotion: "Only by using war prudently can the effect of war be maximized. If King Li of Zhou could be like you, he would not have failed in the southern expedition, would not have died in the Han River, and would not have been cursed for thousands of years."
Hearing about King Zhou Li, Li Shimin turned around and looked at Luo Xuanye. Over the years of getting along, Luo Su mentioned King Zhou Li far more times than King Zhou Zhao. In Luo Su's life, King Zhou Li occupied an even more important position than King Zhou Zhao.
To some extent, King Li of Zhou was the only one who could force Luo Su away. He was so stupid, so stupid that he had no brains.
After asking two questions in a row, Luo Su finally brought out a key point in his idea, "I heard that the Hu tribes in all directions have sent people to pay you a visit. The tribes that once submitted to the Dong Turks are now rushing to Chang'an."
Li Shimin nodded with some pride and said: "Li Jing certainly played a great role in defeating the Dong Turks and Jie Li so smoothly, but his contribution to the division of the Hu tribes under the Turks in recent years is also indispensable.
The Turkic Khan Tuli has pledged his allegiance to the Tang Dynasty, a level of momentum not seen in many years.
The Khan of Xueyantuo accepted my enthronement.
As for the Tiele, Huihe and other grassland tribes, they are now on their way to Chang'an. It is said that hundreds of tribes, large and small, have sent envoys to Chang'an.
Most of these people saw that the Dong Turks were defeated by the Tang Dynasty, and they were deeply afraid of the Tang Dynasty, so they sent people here. "
Luo Su continued, “These people are deeply disturbed by the Tang’s victory over the Dong Turks, but they will soon turn to another powerful force that will replace the Dong Turks because of the rise of another powerful tribe.
These tribes are so far away from the Tang Dynasty, yet so close to the grassland forces that will inevitably rise in the future, so the choices they will make in the end are destined.
The war in the Tang Dynasty has never ended."
Li Shimin paused when he heard this. Luo Su's ruthless words shattered his outlook on the future. After defeating the Dong Turks, Li Shimin had no plans to take action against foreign powers for the time being.
Because neither Liaodong nor the Western Regions pose a threat to the Central Plains at present.
Li Shimin was actually not a king who was keen on expanding territory. He took action against the Dong Turks because they posed too great a threat to the Central Plains and approached Chang'an repeatedly.
This is too dangerous!
After destroying the Dong Turks and eliminating the border threat to the Tang Dynasty, Li Shimin no longer planned to launch foreign wars. Instead, he was determined to promote civil governance and achieve the prosperous era of Emperor Xiaowen's rule.
But now it sounds like Duke Wen does not seem to have this idea, because he has always said that the war has never ended.
Li Shimin believed in Duke Wen's judgment, so he looked at Luo Su with a shining gaze and said, "Duke Wen, please speak frankly."
Luo Su tapped his fingers on the chessboard on the stone table, and then tapped a black piece on the Tianyuan position, "I just asked you three questions, Your Majesty, about your attitude towards the barbarians, your attitude towards war, and the attitude of the barbarians towards the Central Plains.
It is inevitable that wars in the Tang Dynasty will not stop in the future.
It was inevitable that the Tang Dynasty's military system was not suitable for long-term warfare.
The war has to be big, but the troops cannot be sent out. If you don't want to mobilize a large army every time, then there is only one way.
Implement a true elite soldier system. The government soldiers used to suppress the Central Plains should remain as they are now. As for the government soldiers sent out to conquer the four barbarians, select the elite soldiers, and don't select too many each time, about 10,000 or 20,000 will be enough.
Sending 10,000 or 20,000 men to fight will not delay domestic production, and even if something happens, it will not affect the overall situation. These 10,000 or 20,000 men will use the best armor and the best bows, and once they have made contributions, they will be given privileges.
The most important thing is that you have to find troops from other places. My suggestion is to recruit the barbarian vassal armies, or even use these barbarian vassal armies entirely in some wars.
This requires you to have an identity that allows you to reasonably mobilize these barbarians."
When fighting a war, the emperor did not use his own soldiers, but used the soldiers of the princes. If any prince disobeyed, the emperor's six armies would attack him, break his city, deprive him of his title, and abandon his body in the wilderness. This is what Luo Su did at the beginning.
The same is true now.
The princes were used to control the princes, the princes were used to control the barbarians, and now the barbarians are used to control the barbarians.
Li Shimin already knew this identity vaguely, but he still asked, "What identity?"
Luo Su smiled and said, "Of course, Khan. Are you willing to be the Khan of the Hu people?"
Li Shimin was silent.
Khan.
This title gave him a feeling of trance. After defeating the Dong Turks, he could certainly replace Jie Li and become the new Khan, the Khan of the entire grassland.
but.
Li Shimin asked: "Duke Wen, can I control the grassland with just one Khan? I'm afraid not."
Luo Su chuckled, "Of course not. Becoming a Khan is just the first step. The next step is..."
As he spoke, Luo Su placed a few white chess pieces on the chessboard, surrounding the black piece at the center, and then changed their positions.
The more Li Shimin listened, the brighter his eyes became. He nodded frequently, his face full of comfort. He even wanted to sing and dance. Even after Luo Su finished speaking, he still felt that he had not said enough. He could sense that Luo Su was indeed holding back and had not said everything.
When he asked again, Luo Su only said: "After completing this step, if there is still energy left, you can move on to the next step. If you can't even do this step, what's the point of thinking so much?"
Luo Su will arouse Li Shimin's anticipation, making him want to know more, so he can only work harder to do what he is doing now.
In the end, he could only sigh: "Duke Wen is indeed a man of great talent. I deeply respect him. When Jie Li and the chieftains from all four directions come, will Duke Wen show up?"
Luo Su turned his gaze to the north and chuckled, "Let's go and see them. Now that we have defeated the Dong Turks, it seems that we really have to do something this time."
…
After Li Shimin and Luo Xuanye left, Luo Su looked at Luo Juncheng and suddenly asked, "What kind of person is the prince?"
Luo Juncheng was stunned for a moment, then said: "The prince is kind, intelligent, and polite to others."
Luo Su asked again: "Are there any shortcomings?"
Luo Juncheng pondered and said, "The only shortcoming may be that his psychological endurance is relatively poor. Sometimes when the workload is heavy, he feels uncomfortable. Apart from that, I haven't seen any other shortcomings."
Luo Su thought for a moment, "It seems that I should find time to meet these sons of the emperor."
Luo Juncheng was startled when he heard this. Although he didn't know what the ancestor was going to do, it would definitely not be a trivial matter.
…
Li Shimin left Lingtian Pavilion with great confidence. He was already looking forward to the grand scene of all nations paying homage to him.
Those who came to pay homage to the Tang Dynasty this time were not only the tribal subjects who were once controlled by the Dong Turks.
Many countries from the Western Regions also came.
When the Western Turks were at their most powerful, they almost controlled the Western Regions, but after the previous Khan was killed, the country has been in civil war.
The Western Regions have always been divided into the southern and northern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains, which can be said to be clearly divided. Now, Gaochang in the east of the Western Regions, Yutian and Shule in the southern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains, and other countries have come to the Tang Dynasty in order to get rid of the control of the Western Turks, ready to cling to a new support.
…
The prison cart carrying Jie Li slowly walked into Chang'an. Both sides outside the city of Chang'an were already filled with people. General Luo Xuanling of the Left Thousand Bull Guard was not there, so Luo Xuanye personally took charge of the security affairs in the field.
Li Shimin stood in front of tens of thousands of people wearing a full set of crown and robes.
"Jie Li!"
Li Shimin said loudly, "When you led the Turkic army to the Tang Dynasty, the scene was not very good. Today you came to Chang'an again. It is so peaceful and calm. I like today's scene very much."
Jie Li had a look of dissatisfaction and anger on his face. He thought Li Shimin was humiliating him.
Li Shimin said: "You are of noble origin. With the foundation of your father and brother, you ruled the vast lands north and south of the desert and countless powerful and brave people. But why did you end up like this?
Because I am a more powerful monarch than you, and the Tang Dynasty is a greater country than the Turks.
According to the customs of the grassland, I should have killed you, but I was unwilling to do so. This is because after you formed an alliance with me, you did not make any major intrusions and were able to abide by some of the alliance agreements. The grace I bestowed on you is the magnanimity of our great Tang Dynasty.
I will pardon your death sentence now, open the prison cart, and release Jie Li Khan."
What does it mean to wake up from the brink of death? Good news is coming. Jie Li knew that there was a tradition in the Central Plains to kill prisoners in front of the ancestral temple to show the glory of martial arts. He never expected that Li Shimin would let him go.
He walked out of the prison car, first looked at Li Shimin solemnly, then knelt on the ground and said with emotion: "Jie Li, thank His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Tang for not killing me. I wish the emperor of the Xia Dynasty to rule all the subjects under the sky."
Li Shimin laughed loudly upon hearing this and said, "Jie Li, now that you have come to the Tang Dynasty, don't talk about the Heaven anymore. The people of the Tang Dynasty worship the Emperor of Heaven. I am the Son of Heaven, so I have this divine power!"
Countless cheers and shouts resounded outside the city of Chang'an. A ray of light broke through the dark clouds in the sky and shone on Li Shimin, as if responding to his words. Under the bright light, Li Shimin seemed to be shrouded in a divine mist, spotted, sacred and bright, and even louder cheers rang out.
Li Shimin enjoyed this historic moment. He looked towards the northern border and the western regions, thinking back to what Luo Su had said, "Come quickly. I can't wait any longer."
…
There is a palace deep in the imperial palace. When you walk in here, you can feel a heavy and vicissitudes of life atmosphere. At night, you can even hear some whispering sounds, as if coming from the endless darkness.
Dim light filtered in from the slightly broken window, and fell weakly on the mottled ground, reflecting traces left by people, like a yellowed painting.
The owner of this place was once the supreme ruler of the empire, but now the auspicious beasts and auspicious clouds on the pillars of the palace have gradually disappeared, leaving only some vaguely discernible patterns. In some corners that have never been inhabited, there is dust accumulation and even spider webs.
Luo Xuanye and Li Xiuning pushed the door open and walked in. Along with the creaking sound, a smell of dampness and rotten wood hit them. Li Xiuning immediately frowned and said angrily, "Don't these palace servants open the windows on weekdays?"
Luo Xuanye also frowned slightly, but said nothing.
The two finally met Li Yuan again, and they came to deliver a message.
The news that the Dong Turks were defeated and Jie Li was captured finally reached Li Yuan's ears.
Li Yuan is now completely old, with wrinkles and spots all over his face. He is shrouded in a heavy aura of decadence. He is an old man on the verge of death, not the former supreme ruler of the empire.
When he heard what Luo Xuanye and Li Xiuning said, he instantly fell into a trance.
Winter Turks.
In his memory, that was a powerful enemy that the Tang Dynasty had to submit to. At the beginning, just pretending to be friendly with the Dong Turks was enough to give him a headache.
And now, Li Shimin had only been the emperor of the Tang Dynasty for four years, and he had already solved this incredibly powerful enemy. How could Li Yuan not be dazed?
Am I really that much worse than Jilang?
Is it true that I am not as good as Jilang?
Such thoughts lingered in Li Yuan's old heart. He had thought about it many times over the years, and each time the conclusion was the same, that is, he really should let Erlang be the emperor.
Li Xiuning said in a gentle voice: "Father, His Majesty asked us to invite you to attend the celebration banquet. Envoys from various countries will come to Chang'an to congratulate the Tang Dynasty for its glorious victory. He wants you to feel the joy together. The Tang Dynasty was founded by you. You should take a good look at its glory now."
Li Yuan fumbled on the bed with his hands, and kept saying, "Yes, I should go to the celebration banquet, to attend Erlang's celebration banquet."
Luo Xuanye clapped his hands, and a palace servant walked in from outside, holding the crown and clothes of the retired emperor in their hands. Luo Xuanye and Li Xiuning left the hall and waited quietly for Li Yuan to change his clothes.
Li Xiuning suddenly asked, "My husband, do you think father and His Majesty can reconcile?"
This has always been a thorn in her side. The father and son are still awkward with each other. Li Shimin is trying hard to prove his excellence, while Li Yuan is always trapped in the shadow of the Xuanwu Gate incident and cannot break free.
Luo Xuanye thought for a moment and then sighed, "I don't know, but father will definitely be pleased with your majesty's achievements. Your majesty is willing to see my father, which is already a great progress. Perhaps this time he is thinking of reconciliation."
…
In the Tai Chi Hall, there was a bright and sacred light. The dazzling sunlight tried its best to shine through and into the hall, like countless golden silk threads weaving into a flowing scroll. The wooden boards and stone slabs in the hall were all shining.
Important officials of the Tang Dynasty and envoys of chiefs from foreign countries sat in order under the pillars. The auspicious beasts and birds on almost every pillar were carved lifelike, delicate and gorgeous, and painted with colorful pigments. Under the sunlight, they looked even more solemn and magnificent.
Li Shimin sat on the imperial throne at the top, with a totem symbolizing the four directions of heaven and earth on the chair behind him. He was not at all restrained, and just sitting there with his horse and sword in his arms, he had infinite power.
"The Emperor has arrived!"
The eunuch's slightly sharp voice came from outside the hall, and the previously noisy sounds in the hall suddenly quieted down. Although the emperor had lost his power, who dared to really despise him?
Li Shimin stood up from the throne and looked straight out the door with no expression on his face. What was he thinking?
Nobody knows.
But everyone knew that it must be a very complicated expression.
Li Yuan appeared in front of the palace gate, with Li Xiuning and Luo Xuanye supporting him on his left and right. He stepped over the threshold carefully, then looked up and saw his son, his most outstanding son, among the crowd.
With the appearance of a dragon and a phoenix, and the appearance of the sun and the sky, when he is almost twenty years old, he will surely be able to save the world and bring peace to the people!
Now he has really saved the world and brought peace to the people, and his excellence is so great that Li Yuan can hardly believe it. In Li Shimin, he saw the shadows of the ancient sage kings in the books.
All the ministers in the hall lowered their heads slightly. It was best not to talk between this father and son, and not to be curious about anything, because the relationship between this father and son must be extremely complicated.
Li Shimin walked down from the top step by step. He felt that each step seemed to weigh a thousand pounds, and he could hardly move his legs. But he still walked step by step to Li Yuan.
Looking at the old man in front of him with wrinkles all over his face, this extremely old man, Li Shimin had countless thoughts in his mind. He recalled the scenes when Li Yuan taught him and loved him when he was young. He also recalled the scenes when Li Yuan gave up and abandoned him again and again after the establishment of the Tang Dynasty. How much he loved Li Yuan, he hated him as much.
Father, now that you have seen the results of my being emperor, do you regret it?
We shouldn't have gotten to that point. I am your best son and that is now indisputable.
He did not say so. He just stretched out his hand to Li Yuan, just like every son would do to his father, "Father, I will take you to the top. This is the celebration banquet of the Tang Dynasty, and this is also your celebration banquet."
Li Yuan put his hand on Li Shimin's hand. Li Shimin's hand was very strong. Li Yuan thought to himself that only such a strong hand could create such an achievement.
Li Shimin and Li Yuan walked towards the highest throne step by step. Li Xiuning and Luo Xuanye looked at each other, then walked to the first double seat on the left and sat down.
After the father and son sat down, a roar of applause suddenly broke out in the hall, "Long live the emperor, long live the emperor!"
How long has it been since Li Yuan heard such a voice?
He couldn't remember clearly, but such a scene had happened many times in his dreams at midnight, and now, this scene appeared before him.
This is a celebration banquet.
Whose celebration party is this?
The celebration banquet of the Tang Dynasty was also a celebration banquet for many countries that were unwilling to submit to the Winter Turks. On both sides of the hall sat important officials of the Tang Dynasty, while envoys from foreign countries came to the center of the hall one after another.
Some of these foreign envoys were khans or even kings. They presented gifts to Li Shimin, knelt at his feet and expressed their complete submission.
In front of everyone was Jie Li who had just been captured. Not only was he not killed, but he was also conferred a title by Li Shimin. This approach made all the barbarian chiefs suddenly feel the difference between Li Shimin and the previous emperors of the Central Plains.
Xueyantuo Khan Zhenzhu and Tuli, the little Khan of the Turks, walked out from the crowd, stood in the center of the hall, and said to the crowd in a loud voice: "Your Majesty, the honorable Emperor of the Great Tang, in the ancient Central Plains, great monarchs like you are all sons of heaven.
In our grassland, the greatest king is also loved by heaven.
In the Western Regions, Huang Tian Su Wang is also the only high god.
You unified the Central Plains and the grasslands, and also won the respect of the Western Regions. This is an unprecedented achievement. We all deeply respect you and submit to you.
sky!
This is the most noble word in the world.
To express our respect for you, we would like to present you with an unprecedented title:
God Khan!
The most supreme Khan who is loved by the Heaven.
You will be the master of all the people of the grassland, you will be the king of all the people of the grassland, as great as the sun and the moon under the sky."
The envoy from Khotan in the Western Regions stood up and said, "Great Emperor of the Xia Dynasty, great Khan of Heaven, according to legend, you are blessed by the Emperor of Heaven. We respect you as we respect the high priest, and we submit to you as we submit to the Supreme Lord of Heaven and the Great Lord of Heaven!"
God Khan!
Just as Tuli and Zhenzhu said, the word "Tian" is too extraordinary for the Xia people. How can they refuse the title of Tian Khan?
Li Yuan stared at those people in a daze, and the title of Heavenly Khan kept echoing in his ears.
Li Shimin laughed loudly and said, "I am the ruler of the world, and I should protect the people of the world. Play music, dance, and all the ministers, enter the palace and have fun!"
"Long live the Heavenly Khan of the grassland!"
Almost everyone shouted this extremely honorable title that appeared for the first time—"Tian Khan!"
There was singing and dancing in the hall, a scene of prosperity and splendor.
"My Great Tang Imperial Master will be here in the palace!"
Li Shimin laughed loudly amidst the laughter, and everyone in the hall immediately exclaimed.
"Master Imperial Master!"
————
The Tang Dynasty was so prosperous that the heavens were in chaos and the earth was covered. All were subject to it. All the prefectures and counties within the six directions were subordinate to it. All the Chinese called it the Holy Son of Heaven and the foreigners called it the Heavenly Khan. The Three Kings were not as good as it and the Five Emperors were not as good as it. The chieftains of the barbarians rose to prosper after getting the Tang seal and perished after removing it. Since ancient times, the ruler of the world, who controlled the Chinese and the four barbarians, had never been as prosperous as the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty! - "Book of Tang·Biographies of the Barbarians"
(End of this chapter)
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