Chapter 492 Patrol
After the defeat of Tuyuhun by Qinling, the King of Tuyuhun, with the help of the Tang army, recovered the lost land of Tuyuhun.
Through the relationship of the Tang Dynasty, he asked Tubo for the criminals who betrayed Tuyuhun. The Tibetan Zanpu gladly accepted it and sent people to send the criminals and their families to the King of Tuyuhun.
The Tibetan Zanpu also sent envoys to the Tang Dynasty to express Tubo's friendship with the Tang Dynasty.
For various considerations, Li Chengqian finally decided to keep Tubo, but asked Tubo to come to the Central Plains, confess their crimes to Li Chengqian in person, and present a surrender letter, and from then on pay tribute and become a vassal.
So the Tibetan king Pu Mangsong Mangzan sent envoys to Chang'an, Tang Dynasty, to pay homage to the emperor of Tang Dynasty, and presented treasures and surrender, indicating that Tibet was willing to be a vassal of Tang Dynasty.
Chang'an, Daming Palace.
Emperor Li Chengqian and Crown Prince Li Jue walked on the corridor of Daming Palace.
"After I meet the Tibetan envoys, I plan to tour the vast land of Tang Dynasty. As the crown prince, you will stay in Chang'an to supervise the country."
"Since you became the crown prince, you have never supervised the country once. This is the first time you have supervised the country since you became the crown prince."
"Think more about everything, listen more to the opinions of the ministers, and make your own judgment on how to do something." Li Chengqian said.
Since he ascended the throne, he rarely left the palace, let alone went to places farther away. It was time to go out for a walk, see the outside world, and understand the people
's sentiments in various places. "Yes, father, I will not let you down." Li Jue said.
"What you cannot let down is this world and these people. This is what you, as a crown prince, should do." Li Chengqian said.
"I remember it!" Li Jue said.
"Father, I heard that the ministers in the court..."
"What's wrong with the ministers in the court? What did you hear?" Li Chengqian asked in confusion.
"I heard that the ministers in the court were talking about your father's border patrol behind his back." Li Jue said.
Li Chengqian was even more confused. What's wrong with him going to inspect his own territory? What's wrong with going to personally understand the sentiments of the people in various places? What's the point of talking about it behind people's backs? Why not bring it up in person?
"What are they talking about behind my back? Tell me what you heard." Li Chengqian said.
"Yes, father!" Then Li Jue told Li Chengqian all the gossip he heard.
"I know! You go back first!" Li Chengqian said.
"I'll take my leave!" Li Jue saluted with his arms folded.
Looking at the back of the prince leaving, Li Chengqian was angry. As an emperor, going out on a tour and understanding the people's sentiments is what a king should do.
What made him angry was not the ministers' discussions. Even if someone opposed him leaving Chang'an and going out on a tour, they could have raised it in person.
What really made him angry was not the content of the ministers' discussions, but that they talked behind his back. When he was in court, these ministers didn't say a word, but after leaving the court, they spread the news.
What do they think of me as an emperor? A tyrant who cannot listen to honest advice? Or is there something they don't want me to know, something they want to cover up?
What do they think of the emperor? Or what do they think the emperor should hear and what he shouldn't know.
Li Chengqian frowned, flicked his sleeves, put his hands behind his back, and walked slowly towards the Purple Palace.
The next morning, the ministers reported their work and upcoming work plans to the emperor in Xuanzheng Hall, but still did not mention the emperor's tour.
"I want to inspect Liangzhou, but I heard that many people are talking about it behind my back. Since ancient times, emperors have always inspected and protected the country, so I decided to leave Chang'an and inspect the situation in remote areas." "
If you really think there is something wrong, why don't you say it to my face, but hide behind me and gossip after the court is dismissed?"
"Do you think I am a tyrant who can't stand the slightest bit of honest advice, or do you have something to hide and are afraid that I will see something I shouldn't see if I leave Chang'an, and you are afraid of what I know." Li Chengqian questioned.
If it is really as he guessed, these guys deserve to die.
All the ministers were silent. From the prime minister down, no one dared to look the emperor in the eye. They all lowered their heads, panicking.
"What? You all are silent? Could it be that my unfortunate prediction really came true and you don't want me to see the truth?" Li Chengqian was even more angry when he saw that they were silent.
"Your Majesty!" At this time, Lai Gongmin, the chief of the Dali Temple, stepped out and saluted with a jade tablet in his hand.
"I remember you seem to be Lai Gongmin, the chief of the Dali Temple!" Li Chengqian asked.
"It is you," Lai Gongmin said.
"You stand up, do you want to say something? Just say whatever you want to say. Even if you say something wrong, I won't blame you. You are much better than them."
"In this hall, from the prime minister down, you are the only one who dares to stand up and speak. I want to hear you tell the truth." Li Chengqian pointed at the civil and military officials and said.
He was angry and relieved. He was angry that the court spent so much money every year to support so many officials, but they only talked about others behind their backs.
He was relieved that among these people, there was still such a person who dared to stand up and speak.
"Your Majesty! Although it is common for emperors to patrol and protect the country, the peninsula has just been pacified and there are still many remnant forces of resistance. Although the war in the west has subsided, there is still no peace."
"Lianyou's population is declining, and it is not easy for Your Majesty to provide hundreds of millions of carriages and imperial carriages wherever they go. There are indeed some whispers and criticisms outside, but Your Majesty's edict has been issued, so the ministers dare not express their opinions in front of Your Majesty." Lai Gongmin said.
"You are right! But this is not a reason for you to keep silent but criticize behind my back. I am going out for inspection to comfort the soldiers who are loyal to the Tang Dynasty, not to have fun." Li Chengqian said.
"Your Majesty! Since last year, there has been famine in the capital and other places. Your Majesty should stay in the palace and stay in Chang'an. The border troubles have not yet been resolved. Your Majesty is indeed not suitable to leave Chang'an and go out for inspection." Lai Gongmin said.
"Let's stop here today! Dismiss!" Li Chengqian said.
"Your Majesty, we respectfully send you off!" The ministers knelt on the ground and respectfully sent Li Chengqian out of the Xuanzheng Hall first.
Not long after returning, Li Chengqian issued an edict that he would no longer go on border inspections. At the same time, he promoted Lai Gongmin to the position of Huangmen Shilang.
When the Tibetan envoys arrived in Chang'an, Li Chengqian met them in the Xuanzheng Hall. The Tibetan envoys presented the Tibetan Zamp's surrender letter to the Tang Emperor and pledged to be his vassal and pay tribute to the Tang.
Li Chengqian agreed to Tubo's submission to the Tang Dynasty, and at the same time asked Zamp to send his son to Chang'an to learn knowledge, and also asked Lun Qinling to live in Chang'an.
The Tubo envoy said that sending their prince to Chang'an to study was not a problem, but as for Lun Qinling's matter, he still needed to go back and ask Zamp for instructions, and he could not make the decision.