Chapter 315: Zamp has passed away

In Qisa, the capital of Tubo, Songtsen Gampo, the king of Tubo, was lying on his bed, explaining his last wishes to his ministers.

"Zamp!" Ludongzan knelt in front of Songtsen Gampo and held his hand tightly.

They had been king and minister for many years, and Ludongzan had always been loyal to Songtsen Gampo. At first, he firmly believed that his king would make Tubo more glorious.

Songtsen Gampo did not disappoint him and made Tubo a powerful small country. Now, his king was about to leave them.

"Ludongzan, I am going to die, but my heir is still very young. Tubo will be in your hands in the future. I hope you can assist my heir as you have assisted me." Songtsen Gampo gave his last words.

His only son Gongri Gongzan died before him, so he had to pass the throne of Zamp to his grandson Mangsong Mangzan.

As Mangsong Mangzan was still young and incapable of taking charge of the Tibetan kingship, Songtsen Gampo had to choose his prime minister Ludongzan to assist him.

"Don't worry, Zamp! Even if I die, I will definitely assist the new Zamp and make Tibet stronger." Ludongzan said.

"Okay! After I die, the relationship with the suzerain Tang Dynasty should remain close. Tibet does not have the strength to fight against the Tang Dynasty now, but it will not be too late to take action when the time is right." Songtsen Gampo said.

In dealing with the Tang Dynasty, Tubo has always been peaceful on the surface, but secretly has been accumulating strength, waiting for the opportunity, and ready to confront the Tang Dynasty at any time.

"Yes! I know what to do!" said Ludongzan.

Songtsen Gampo closed his eyes with satisfaction. He had explained what he needed to explain. With Ludongzan, Tubo would not decline.

In the first year of Yonghui, the 33rd Zamp of the Tubo Dynasty died. Songtsen Gampo's grandson Mangsong Mangzan, supported by a group of ministers including Ludongzan, ascended the throne of Zamp and became the 34th Zamp of the Tubo Dynasty.

Because Mangsong Mangzan was still young, the power of Tubo was controlled by Ludongzan, and all major events were decided by Ludongzan.

Tubo sent an envoy to the Tang Dynasty, and rushed to Chang'an to report the situation of Zamp to Li Chengqian, the emperor of the Tang Dynasty.

...

In the Taiji Hall in Chang'an City.

"My dear ministers! I just received news from Tubo last night that the Zamp of Tubo, the son-in-law of our Tang

Dynasty, Songzan Ganbu, the Prince of Xihai, passed away in the first year of Yonghui." Li Chengqian said. "Your Majesty! Tubo is a vassal state of our Tang Dynasty and a relative by marriage. Now that the Prince of Xihai has passed away, Your Majesty should send an envoy to express condolences and confer the title of the new Zamp of Tubo, Mangsongmangzan, as the new Prince of Xihai." Chu Suiliang stepped out and said.

Now that Tubo and the Tang Dynasty have a close relationship, this is understandable, but Li Chengqian does not think so. Tubo is a serious concern after all.

Now the ruler of Tubo is a child, which will inevitably cause doubts in the country and the political power of Tubo will be unstable.

Now is the perfect time to launch a large-scale attack on Tubo. Even if we cannot destroy Tubo, we must make it suffer a great loss of vitality. We cannot let it recover within at least 20 years.

"What if I want to send troops to Tubo?" Li Chengqian said.

This statement immediately frightened Zhangsun Wuji and Chu Suiliang. Now the relationship between the Tang Dynasty and Tubo is harmonious. It is really immoral to bully orphans and widows without sufficient reasons.

"Your Majesty! This is absolutely unacceptable! Tubo is a vassal state of the Tang Dynasty. It is unjust to send troops to attack it without any reason."

"If we use an unjust army to attack a vassal state, God will be angry and will definitely punish us. The Tang Dynasty will definitely fail. The Tang Dynasty is a great country. How can we do such an unjust act? Please give up this idea, Your Majesty." Chu Suiliang advised.

Not only Chu Suiliang opposed it, but also Changsun Wuji and other ministers opposed Li Chengqian's doing so. Confucianism prevented them from doing such immoral things.

They often showed benevolence and morality in foreign affairs. As long as the other party was submissive, these guys educated in Confucianism would try their best to show benevolence and righteousness.

"The Minister of the Central Secretariat is right. Your Majesty, please think twice!" Zhangsun Wuji stood up and saluted.

"Your Majesty, please think twice!" Most of the ministers in the court supported Chu Suiliang's opinion, and even some of Li Chengqian's confidants agreed with Chu Suiliang's opinion.

This is enough to prove that Confucianism is deeply rooted.

"I just mentioned this matter casually. The Tang Dynasty and Tubo are relatives and have a close relationship. How could I do something that is treacherous and unfaithful?" "

Let the officials of the Ministry of Rites go to the Tubo Qisa City and pass my edict to Tubo Mangsong Mangzan and confer him the title of Xihai County King."

"Dismiss the court!" Li Chengqian said.

He had expected that there would be opposition, but he did not expect it to be so fierce, almost to the extent that the entire court and the public were opposed.

"Farewell, Your Majesty!" The ministers knelt down in a hurry and escorted the emperor out of the Taiji Hall before they could stand up and leave.

Li Chengqian stood up and walked down the steps, whispering to Wang Quan: "Call Wu Wang Li Ke, Shangshu Zuo Pushe Li Yu, You Lingjun General Xue Rengui, Li Anyan, Pei Xingjian and others to the Liangyi Hall."

"Yes!" Wang Quan accepted the order in a low voice.

When the ministers left the court, Li Ke, Xue Rengui and others were notified by the eunuchs that the emperor summoned them to the Liangyi Hall and asked them to go there.

Li Ke, Xue Rengui, Li Yu and other generals turned around and went directly to the Liangyi Hall.

This matter soon reached the ears of Zhangsun Wuji and others.

"Captain, your majesty secretly summoned Li Ke, Li Yu and other generals. What does your majesty want to do? Could it be that your majesty is still thinking about Tubo?" an official asked.

Just now, the emperor intended to take action against Tubo in the court. If it were not for the Ming Dynasty ministers' strong persuasion, he would have already dispatched troops.

Although the emperor gave up the idea, he immediately summoned the generals in secret after retiring.

This made them suspect that Li Chengqian still had not given up on Tubo and was still trying hard to deal with Tubo.

"No, I must ask your majesty in person!" Chu Suiliang couldn't bear it, and got up to go to the Liangyi Hall to question Li Chengqian.

Zhangsun Wuji was quick and grabbed Chu Suiliang, and didn't let him go to the emperor to argue.

"Captain, why are you holding me?" Chu Suiliang said.

"Suiliang, this matter is not urgent. His Majesty summoned the generals and wanted to attack Tubo, which was just our guess."

"You rashly questioned His Majesty. If His Majesty did not intend to use troops against Tubo, how would you explain it then?" Changsun Wuji said.

"This..." Changsun Wuji's words really stumped Chu Suiliang.

If it was true as Changsun Wuji said, if he had entered the Liangyi Hall without permission, and if the emperor really wanted to take action against Tubo, he could still use the reason of risking his life to make a direct remonstrance to deal with it.

But if it was not what they thought, entering the Liangyi Hall without permission, plus deceiving the emperor, was enough to punish him and his entire clan.