Chapter 420: Strategy
for the Future When the news of the victory in the Battle of Baekgang reached the palace, Li Chengqian was overjoyed and wanted to announce such a major event during the court meeting.
"I just received a letter from Liu Rengui. This time, our army fought with the Japanese navy at Baekgang, and won four battles in a row. Four hundred Japanese warships were burned and destroyed. The smoke rose to the sky, the sea was all red, the bandits were greatly defeated, Baekje was pacified, and the king Buyeo supported by Baekje fled to Goguryeo." Li Chengqian said.
In the Battle of Baekgang, Baekje princes Buyeo Yuzhong, Buyeo Shengzhong and others saw that Japan was defeated, so they led the remaining remnants to surrender.
Baekje King Buyeo Feng fled to Goguryeo by boat, while Buyeo Bok-sin's son Buyeo Siji followed the remnants of Japan to flee to Japan.
King Cheonji of Japan granted Buyeo Siji the official position of Xiaojinxia and gave him the surname Guishi, so he was also called Guishi Siji, and Buyeo Bok-sin was also called Guishi Bok-sin.
"This is really great! In this way, my Tang Dynasty will destroy Goguryeo in no time. God bless my Tang Dynasty." Li Ke said happily.
"God bless the Tang Dynasty!" The ministers shouted.
"This time, Baekje rebellion, Japan was involved. What do you think, how should we deal with the problem of Japan?" Li Chengqian asked. His idea was to send troops to take the opportunity to destroy Japan.
Those who offend my Tang Dynasty must be punished no matter how far away they are!
Let alone across the sea, even across the Milky Way, he must send troops to destroy Japan and let them know the majesty of the Celestial Empire, which cannot be desecrated.
But the current situation does not allow him to do so. Goguryeo has not yet been eliminated, which is a hidden danger in the Liaodong region.
Mobei is now more chaotic than before, which is all the work of Tubo. Even most of the Western Turks have defected to Tubo and become a force to resist the Tang army.
Tubo has launched repeated attacks on Tuyuhun, and it is unknown how long Tuyuhun can hold on.
The Tang Dynasty is either conquering or on the way to conquer.
"I think that Japan is located overseas, and we don't know the situation at sea. The ocean is not like the land. Once we are in danger, we will die without a burial place."
"Therefore, I think it is better to give up on Japan. After the Battle of Baekgang, Japan has seen the power of our army and will not dare to commit crimes again." Changsun Wuji said.
"I think what the commander said is very true! But we can't let it go. It is better to send an envoy to Japan to ask for an explanation from Japan, let Japan compensate for the losses of our army, and let Japan prepare food and financial compensation to us." Zhang Jiulang, the assistant minister of the Ministry of War, said.
"The Minister of War has a point! Baekje is the territory of our Great Tang. Japan actually dared to send troops to support Buyeo Fengfu and become an enemy of our Great Tang. What is its intention?"
"The mission to Japan will be sent by Wenlinlang Yuan Zhen to ask why Japan helped the rebels and became an enemy of our Great Tang." Li Chengqian said.
During the reign of Emperor Yang of Sui, a Wenlinlang of the ninth rank was sent to Japan. For a small country like Japan, sending a Wenlinlang was considered a respectable thing.
"Baekje has been pacified. It is time to go on an expedition to Goguryeo. This time, we must completely destroy Goguryeo so that the Liaodong border of our Great Tang can be peaceful." Li Chengqian said.
As soon as Li Chengqian finished speaking, the Minister of War stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty! Now that our Great Tang has just pacified Baekje, it would be better for us to rest and recuperate for a few years before we attack Goguryeo."
"Speed is of the essence in war! Now is the time to send troops to attack Goguryeo while Goguryeo has not yet set its mind on Baekje."
"Once Goguryeo reacts and unites with anti-Tang forces, by then, let alone attacking Goguryeo, even Baekje may be captured by Goguryeo."
"Therefore, it is imperative to attack Goguryeo. Now, before Goguryeo has completely reacted, we should attack from both sides and conquer Goguryeo in one fell swoop." Li Chengqian said.
It is imperative to destroy Goguryeo. Only by destroying Goguryeo can the Tang Dynasty allocate some troops to deal with Tubo and suppress the rebellion in the northern desert.
In terms of the current situation, it is the right time to destroy Goguryeo. The Tang Dynasty has the right time, right place and right people.
If we don't destroy Goguryeo now, when will we?
"Your Majesty, the Western Turks are now causing trouble in the northern desert. I think the first priority should be to quell the rebellion of the Western Turks." The Minister of War said.
"Last year, I ordered Qilihebi to go to Mobei to pacify the nine Tiele tribes. Qilihebi arrived in Mobei and quickly pacified the nine Tiele tribes."
"Mobei had been pacified, but then Guize rebelled again, so I ordered Su Haizheng, the commander-in-chief of the sea route, to send troops to suppress it."
"Why, not only was Mobei not pacified, but the Western Turks also surrendered to Tubo? What's going on?" Li Chengqian said.
"This matter was caused by Ashina Buzhen, the Khan of Jiwangjue and the General of the Right Guard and the Protector of Mengchi. He had a grudge against Ashina Mishe, the Khan of Xingxiwang and the Protector of Kunling."
"He secretly lied that Ashina Mishe was plotting a rebellion and asked Su Haizheng to kill Ashina Mishe. Su Haizheng believed it to be true and forged the imperial edict to claim that Your Majesty had entrusted him to give tens of thousands of pieces of brocade and silk to the Khan and the chieftains."
"Xingxiwang Khan Ashina Mishe was unaware of the fraud and went to accept the reward. Su Haizheng took the opportunity to kill them all."
"But they also let the two tribes of Shunishi and Basaigan escape. Su Haizheng later pacified them together with Jiwang Jue Khan. On the way back, they were killed by the Gongyue tribe and the Tubo army in the south of Shule." The Minister of War said.
On the surface, it was an internal struggle within the Turks, but in fact it was the Tubo who instigated the discord, which led to the intensification of the conflict between Ashina Mishe and Ashina Buzhen.
The purpose was to disrupt the deployment of the Tang Dynasty in Tuyuhun, so that they would have a chance to annex Tuyuhun.
Unfortunately! Li Chengqian did not fall for it and evacuated the Tang army in Tuyuhun.
Seeing that their plan had no effect on the Tang Dynasty, the Tubo people came up with another plan. They instigated the Western Turks to attack the Tang Dynasty's Tingzhou. Lai Ji, the governor of Tingzhou, died in battle in Tingzhou, sacrificing his life for his country.
"Su Haizheng was afraid of fighting when he met the Tubo army in the south of Shule, but he actually dared to bribe Tubo with military funds, which simply disgraced the Tang Dynasty." Li Chengqian said.
"Your Majesty, didn't you punish Su Haizheng? Why are you bringing up the old matter again?" Changsun Wuji said.
Because of this, Li Chengqian almost killed Su Haizheng himself. If it weren't for everyone's plea, Su Haizheng would have died without a burial place!
At the request of everyone, Li Chengqian changed the sentence and exiled Su Haizheng and his family to Qianzhou.
"I bring up this matter again today because I want to tell you that Tubo is the greatest threat to our Great Tang. As long as Tubo is not eliminated, there will never be peace in the northern desert."
"The reason why I am so anxious to send troops to attack Goguryeo is to resolve the hidden danger in Liaoning as soon as possible so that I can withdraw troops to deal with Tubo."
"Only by resolving the problem of Tubo can we completely eradicate the rebellion in the northern desert. Therefore, the attack on Goguryeo is urgent." Li Chengqian said.
Looking at the determined emperor, although the ministers wanted to dissuade him, they knew they were powerless.