Da Tang: Father, can I resign?

Chapter 232: His Majesty May Want to Save Him, but Saving His Majesty Is Unlikely
"Cheng Qian?!"

Li Shimin woke up suddenly.

The strange voices outside the tent suddenly stopped.

Li Shimin did not get up immediately. He lay flat on the mattress, staring at the tent roof made of wolf skin, gasping for breath in fear.

The felt made of sheepskin is very warm even in the cold and windy Shuobei Mountains.

He listened to the howling of the north wind outside the window, huddled in the thick quilt, smelled the bedding which still had a slight smell of sheep, his head was dizzy and he suddenly had an illusion.

It was as if everything he encountered in Shuobei was just a very long nightmare.

At that time, he was attacked by the Tiele, Shiwei and Turkic peoples, and was separated from Li Shiji's large army. He and Li Chengqian hid in the mountains in a panic.

The "Hundred Riders" personal guards were in name only, with only a dozen left after the casualties.

When they were out of ammunition and food and had nowhere else to go, they ran into Qibi Heli's tribe.

He was Qibi Heli, the old Tiele descendant who had disappeared after his diplomatic mission to Xueyantuo and was highly suspected to be "Tongtie".

At that time, just when everyone was in despair.

Qibi Heli dismounted from his horse, prostrated himself at Li Shimin's feet and cried bitterly, telling how he was kidnapped by Xueyantuo Zhenzhu Khan Yinan and had to pretend to change his faith and regretted it every day.

A bearded Hu man cried bitterly and banged his head on the ground, just like a decent girl who had been defiled.

Now that His Majesty was in trouble, Qibi Heli no longer had to pretend to be a despicable villain. He led his men to turn against the Emperor on the spot and vowed to send His Majesty the Emperor back to Chang'an safely.

A friend in need is a friend indeed. Although the Fourteen Evil Clan had great power, ruled a certain area, and had their own troops, they were all loyal ministers of the Tang Dynasty.

With the help of Khitan Heli's troops, Li Shimin and his entourage finally breathed a sigh of relief. They traveled through the hinterland of Yinshan Mountain, avoiding the search and arrest by the Xueyantuo, and moved as far south as possible in an attempt to return to Han territory.

However, it is so difficult.

The Yin Mountains are a byproduct of the north-south compression of the Eurasian Plate and the Indian Plate. Therefore, the mountain range runs east-west and the southern foot is uplifted by a fault.

This results in many east-west valleys in the Yin Mountains, but only a few north-south passages, and they are difficult to travel on.

The Tiele people were not stupid. As winter was approaching, they had no intention of continuing to play hide-and-seek with Li Shimin in the mountains.

As long as the few routes to the south are blocked, the isolated and helpless Old Li will be left to freeze in the mountains for a whole winter.

Not to mention that the saint is the Son of Heaven, even if God himself came, he would still be frozen solid.

"hiss!"

Li Shimin suddenly felt a headache and dizziness, and tinnitus in his right ear, as if there was a thick barrier between him and the real world.

This feeling of illusion had occurred before he followed Li Ming's diet therapy.

But what were the conditions he was living under in the palace at that time, and what are the conditions he is living under in the wild now?

Even though he is now the emperor, Old Li can only force himself to close his eyes and breathe heavily.

After a long time, his mind finally became clearer, and he managed to support his tired body and sat up. He picked up a piece of hard cheese and started chewing it.

The strong salty, sour and smelly milk flavor had a great refreshing effect and made Li Shimin completely awake in an instant.

"Father."

Li Chengqian entered the tent holding a basin of hot water:
"Please wash up."

Li Shimin frowned immediately:
"These are extraordinary times and should not be wasted."

Li Chengqian was not annoyed at all for his warm response, and explained respectfully and gently:
"There is a water source in the mountains..."

"I'm talking about fuel, precious fuel." Li Shimin interrupted him a little impatiently.

The Yinshan area where the mine is now located was not a barren land during the Tang Dynasty, but the vegetation was very sparse, especially in autumn and winter.

Lack of fuel is one of the biggest reasons why nomads have always found it difficult to light up the smelting technology tree.

As an emperor who fought his way through the battlefields, Lao Li was still able to take things as they come. He was not like a certain skeleton in a tomb who vomited blood and died because he could not drink honey water.

It’s a little dirty, but the real problem is not having fire to cook.

This kid is so out of touch with reality, how can he be so ignorant? !

"...Yes, father, you are right."

Li Chengqian kept the basin of water and left angrily.

Looking at his eldest son's limping back, Li Shimin's bad temper at waking up suddenly disappeared, his mind gradually cooled down, and he felt very uncomfortable.

I have clearly reminded myself many times that I should control my temper, stay united in times of crisis, and not get angry easily.

However, the reality went against his will. As he went deeper into the wilderness, he could no longer suppress the fire in his heart.

Even worse than ever.

Is it because of this turbulent life and the rough and unrefined diet that made him more and more angry...

"Oh... just make do with it."

Li Shimin wrapped his sheepskin coat tightly, stood up heavily, put his cracked hands into the hot water, couldn't help but let out a comfortable sigh, and took a sip of it.

Although the prince was scolded, the water had already been boiled and it was a sunk cost. It couldn't be wasted.

Li Shimin simply washed up and felt refreshed. He chewed some dried horse meat and slowly walked out of the tent.

The sharp northwest wind blew past, causing him to shrink his neck subconsciously.

"Kowtow to Your Majesty!"

The hundred cavalrymen greeted him spiritedly.

These elite soldiers who had fought desperately to cover him were now covered in dust and wore thick, dirty jackets with half of their sleeves open.

Apart from the language, their appearance and attire are basically the same as those of the Hu people.

This is a convergent evolution under harsh conditions, to adapt to the Inner Mongolia Plateau climate with scarce resources and huge temperature differences between day and night.

Li Shimin suddenly felt an uncontrollable sadness. He muttered, nodded to the soldiers standing on both sides, and staggered out of the camp.

Qibi Heli's men sat around the fire in groups of three or four, or collected grass to feed the horses.

Although they were not very close to the fallen emperor of the Tang Dynasty, they faithfully followed Qibi Heli's orders and did not make things difficult for them. They adopted a pragmatic attitude of keeping a respectful distance and living a peaceful life.

Li Shimin was quite grateful to these Hu people, whom he had never met before. At least they did not exchange his head for the reward from Zhenzhu Khan.

While greeting the resting Hu people with a smile, he strolled all the way to a stream.

The stream water is cold, with ice chips floating on it.

Qibi Heli had already untied his exaggeratedly large turban and was washing his hair in the icy stream.

Although you can't be too particular in the wild, you still have to pay attention to personal hygiene if conditions permit.

After all, your scalp will itch too much when you wear a helmet.

Li Shimin did not interrupt Qibi's immersive experience, and waited quietly for this misunderstood loyal Tang Dynasty man to finish his job.

As he waited, his eyes were flashed by an unusual light.

The light reflected from Qibiheli's head.

It turned out that his Han-style bun was shaved into a Mediterranean style, with only a few braids left around the edge of his head. His bald, boiled egg-shaped head sparkled under the brief sunlight.

"Your Majesty?!"

Qibi Heli finally noticed His Majesty Li Er standing beside him. He had no time to wipe his hair dry, so he hurriedly used his headscarf to protect his head, knelt on the ground and stammered to explain:
"It was the Tiele people who forced me to shave my head! It's not that I have any second thoughts about China!"

"It's okay, it's okay. Long hair is inconvenient to take care of. It's more convenient to cut your hair outside the Great Wall!" Li Shimin waved his hand and chatted with Qibi for a few words before getting down to business:

"The roads to the south have been blocked by Xueyantuo. It seems that Yi Nan wants to trap us to death in the mountains in winter. How should we deal with it?"

Qibi Heli was not worried about this:
“I have conducted a thorough survey of the mountains here and found that the valleys are different from each other.

“Some areas are warm and humid, and some are productive, plus I have stockpiled a lot of forage in advance.

"It won't be a problem to get through this winter."

After winter, when the next spring comes, it will be the scene of the great Tang Dynasty's heavenly soldiers showing their might, sweeping the fields and welcoming back His Majesty the Crown Prince.

But Li Shimin was not satisfied with this answer:
“Is there a faster way?”

He couldn't wait.

It’s hard to say what would happen if the emperor of an empire disappeared for an entire winter.

As an emperor who came to power through a coup, he had a natural insecurity about the throne.

What's more, all of his sons are outstanding people with unique skills.

He didn't dare to imagine what these young guys would do when he was not around.

What if they no longer recognized him as the emperor? What if they hastily declared him dead? What if they fought tooth and nail for the throne?
Even if the worst case scenario didn't happen.

Several of his generals were wandering outside with 80,000 of their most elite soldiers.

What if the army is besieged? What if the supply is cut off? What if Li Shiji has his own army? ...

It's all a problem.

The disappearance of the emperor is not just the disappearance of a hiker, the scope of involvement is too wide.

If his whereabouts become clear one day later, it will bring huge risks to the country.

"This..." Qibi Heli didn't know how to answer.

The mountain roads leading south were blocked by the Tiele people and their vassal troops. It was extremely dangerous to not take the mountain roads and to cross the mountains rashly in the autumn and winter, and it was a life-threatening situation.

Both options are life-threatening, and it is far less secure than spending the winter in the mountains and waiting for the situation to change next year.

"What if we go east first?" Li Shimin looked at him with interest.

"East?"

Qibi Heli had indeed never imagined this new path of Your Majesty.

As mentioned earlier, there may not be many north-south passages in Yinshan, but there are many more east-west corridors.

"It is impossible for the Xueyantuo to have so many troops to blockade all the valleys and basins in Yinshan.

"We can move eastward first, find the weak point in their defense, and then wait for an opportunity to move southward."

Li Shimin told his plan.

The essence of Li Shimin's combat strategy is to use continuous movement to mobilize the enemy, drag down the enemy's logistics, and detect the weaknesses of the enemy's front line.

"Besides, even if we can't find an opportunity to go south, heading east may also be a way out."

Qibi Heli made a calculation in his mind and frowned:
"Further eastwards is the densely forested Da Xianbei Mountain. The Shiwei tribe there has just betrayed Your Majesty..." "Then will we run into the guns of the Western Turks if we go west? Is the fragmented Shiwei more terrifying than the Western Turks and Xueyantuo?" Li Shimin asked in return.

Qibi Heli was speechless.

"Besides, going east is also close to Goguryeo, which is the sphere of influence of Regent Li Ming. It is always safer there...than here."

Li Shimin persuaded.

The emperor had made up his mind, and the loyal minister Qibi Heli immediately expressed his opinion:
"I am willing to follow Your Majesty eastward, even if it means going through fire and water or even death!"

No, no, no, it’s not that dangerous to go east... Li Shimin’s mouth twitched.

Li Shimin had another reason why he was so anxious to find a way to return to the Central Plains.

That is, his physical condition does not allow him to continue staying here.

In this barren land, surrounded and blocked, it is impossible to eat any "green and fresh" vegetables.

Even though he was an emperor, he could only eat what he had.

Apart from meat, there are only a variety of dairy products here.

Even the locals have trouble eating it.

Not to mention Li Shimin, who had a number of underlying cardiovascular diseases.

In the past few days, his headaches have become more severe, and the numbness in the extremities of his hands and feet has become increasingly severe.

He was worried that if his health continued to deteriorate, he might not be able to survive the winter.

Therefore, we must find a way to go south, and we must do it as soon as possible!
"Thank you for your help during this period."

Li Shimin sincerely encouraged Qibi Heli and then returned to the camp along the same route.

Qibi Heli bowed respectfully towards the emperor's back, and as soon as the emperor was out of sight, he immediately took off his turban and began to wipe it frantically.

"Cold, cold, cold..." His teeth were chattering.

He was in too much of a hurry to wrap his hair just now and didn't dry it thoroughly, so the few remaining hairs have now frozen into lumps of ice.

…………

When Li Shimin returned to the door of the tent, Li Chengqian was sitting on a stool outside the door, staring at the dark sky in a daze.

This distraught look made Li Shimin angry again, and he subconsciously shouted in a hoarse voice:

"You don't know how to sit properly, how can you be so disrespectful!"

Li Chengqian's entire body shook as if he had been electrocuted, and he stood up in panic:
"Father...Father?"

Why can't I control my temper again... Li Shimin has begun to regret, but he is too embarrassed to apologize.

So he said coldly, "Get ready to go," bent down and went into the tent, leaving his back for him to figure out.

Li Chengqian's expression began to distort.

You are always nice to others, but you beat and scold your eldest son at will, right?

"Mei Niang, do I have to endure it any longer?"

The tone of aggrieved, like a spoiled child.

Then he tilted his head slightly to the side, as if listening to something.

Then, his expression gradually became open-minded, and he nodded and muttered to himself:
"Well, Mei Niang, you are right. A little impatience can ruin a great plan.

"To regain everything I have lost, I must first bring him back to Chang'an alive..."

…………

"The supply team has only set out halfway?!"

In the Dingxiang City camp, Li Shiji was shocked and questioned his deputy general.

The deputy general nodded helplessly:
"I personally went to Youzhou, Yunzhou and other frontline prefectures and found that the war warehouses were fully stocked with food and fodder.

“But the local bureaucrats kept delaying and shirking their responsibilities, and deliberately refused to distribute the food.

"Even the half that was allocated slowly was allocated reluctantly only after I urged you repeatedly."

"This is just nonsense!" Hou Junji was furious.

The importance of logistics is self-evident.

If they don't have food, the soldiers will eat each other.

What are the local officials in Youyun area thinking!
"Hiss..." Li Shiji thought of a deeper level.

"Now that Your Majesty is gone and the Youyun region is leaderless, will it...

"Are you trying to take this opportunity to rebel?"

Hou Junji was startled at first, then nodded in agreement:
"possible."

The Youyun line is close to Dingxiang City. It is the county closest to the front line and the most convenient for supplies.

However, these places were the sphere of influence of the Hebei gentry.

Anyone who understands will understand the attitude and position of the Hebei gentry towards the Tang Dynasty.

Before, with His Majesty the Emperor keeping an eye on things, those insects didn't dare to act rashly.

But once the emperor was away, they could not help but become active in their thoughts when they had an opportunity to take advantage of.

"The current food and grass can only support less than half a month. We should return to the capital as soon as possible and settle accounts with those insects who are blocking the logistics!"

Hou Junji slammed the table.

Xue Wanche asked almost subconsciously:

"If we withdraw, what will happen to your majesty?"

"Indeed." Li Dao Zong continued:
"The army cannot be withdrawn, we only need to send some soldiers to Youyun to 'borrow food'.

"Give the bureaucrats who procrastinate a little 'incentive'."

Hou Junji glared at the Prince of Jiangxia who was suspected of having ties with the Turks:
"Do you have a role to speak here?"

Li Dao Zong was very dissatisfied:
"This is about the life and death of your majesty..."

But halfway through his words, he found that Hou Junji was winking at him.

Li Dao Zong: “Hmm?”

Hou Junji: “Yeah.”

Li Dao Zong: "Oh~"

understood.

If Your Majesty can be promoted...as a matter of course.

Then, the one who will take over your majesty's position is...

I dare not think too much, but it is very imaginative!

Xue Wanche blinked his clear and stupid big copper-bell eyes, looked at Li Daozon, and then at Hou Junji.

"What are you talking about?"

The two said in unison
"It's too early for you to discuss this topic."

"..." Li Shiji looked at the group of fourteen traitors sneaking around there in silence, and his head ached for no reason.

He was the commander-in-chief of this battle and the one who ultimately took the blame.

He was fully responsible for the loss of the emperor and the destruction of the army.

The importance of the emperor is self-evident, but the importance of the 80,000 troops under his command is no less than that of the emperor himself.

These 80,000 people are not just random fill-in-the-blanks, but the flesh and blood of the Tang Dynasty.

The basis for deterring all villains at home and abroad, the "truth" that convinces people with reason.

Therefore, Li Shiji had to make a "I want it all" plan.

He must be careful.

Li Daozong's plan seemed to have the best of both worlds, but it actually contained a big bomb -

That is to completely intensify the conflict with the Hebei region.

We succeeded in grabbing food this time, but what about next time?

What if the people of Hebei simply stopped storing grain in military granaries, openly rebelled, and completely cut off the logistics lines?
Do you want to rob with a knife?

While they were busy looking for the emperor and confronting the Xueyantuo on the front line, they were going to stage a fire in the backyard?
"Let's send envoys westward to ask for support from Xiazhou, Lingzhou and other prefectures and counties."

Li Shiji decided that he had to wait and borrow grain from the northwestern states that also bordered Xueyantuo.

Although those counties are dry and barren and can't produce much grain, it is better to have some food than nothing.

Hou Junji frowned immediately:
"Two east-west supply lines? Not only are they too long and prone to wear and tear and ambushes, they will also greatly limit our army's range of movement."

Xue Wanche agreed:
"I think it's better to follow the original plan and lead the army to capture Yinshan Mountain in one go. His Majesty is there anyway, so we can take him down and look for him slowly."

"You're looking for death!" This proposal was rejected in unison by the other three.

It would undoubtedly be extremely risky to rashly lead the troops forward when the rear base in Hebei was in a state of disloyalty and unstable logistics.

First of all, under the premise that they have formed a big enemy in Yinshan, Xueyantuo will definitely defend the Yinshan line to the death.

What if during this gap, the Hebei nobles take the opportunity to play a big trick on you...

Then, with the enemy attacked from all sides and their logistics cut off, it is really possible that the 80,000 elite troops of the Tang Dynasty would be wiped out!
Even if His Majesty the Emperor was rescued in the end.

His Majesty would probably spend the rest of his life wandering around the Taiji Palace half-crazy, muttering something like "Li Shiji, give me back my legion."

What to do... Li Shiji felt his scalp tingling.

It is not right to search for the emperor with all your strength, nor is it right to retreat.

To withdraw troops without authorization on the pretext of logistics would be tantamount to abandoning the emperor and the crown prince in Shuobei.

This operation is really too abstract. It will probably be published in a novel like "The Story of Two Officials" in the future.

The 80,000-strong army had no choice but to stay in Dingxiang City awkwardly like now, waiting for the arrival of this cold winter.

(End of this chapter)