Tang Dynasty, my wife Wu Zetian

Chapter 427 What is His Majesty waiting for?
On the other hand, after separating from Li and Xue, Li Zhi also began to think about the selection of a leader for the Eighth Route Army.

According to the military system of the Tang Dynasty, the commander-in-chief was called the Grand General of the Army, and the generals of each route were called the Generals of the Army.

Li Ji and Xue Rengui were appointed as the Grand Commander and Deputy Grand Commander of the Army, respectively. Each of them was also to lead an army and concurrently serve as the Grand Commander of the Army. This was a foregone conclusion.

The choice of commanders for the remaining six armies is more difficult to make.

Su Dingfang was stationed in Kunming and Tibet, while Pei Xingjian was intimidating the Western Regions; neither of them could be persuaded to leave.

Cheng Zhijie and Yuchi Gong are both too old. Sending them on a campaign again seems to pose a risk. It's not that we're worried about them losing the battle, but rather that they might not be able to withstand the strain and could die of illness on the battlefield.

If we don't choose them, these two will definitely throw a tantrum again.

As Li Zhi pondered, he unknowingly walked to the West Sea Pond. Looking up, he saw a child sitting on the shore, staring blankly at the West Sea Pond, followed by several bodyguards.

Li Zhi walked over and asked the boy, "Ren'er, what are you doing here?"

The boy was Li Ren, the eighth son of Li Zhi. Upon seeing Li Zhi, he slowly stood up, dusted himself off, and bowed, saying, "Your son greets Father."

This child has had a rather peculiar temperament since birth. She doesn't cry or fuss, and is very quiet, like a little girl. She does everything slowly and calmly.

Li Zhi sometimes even suspected that this tiny body contained another soul that had traveled from another time.

However, once Li Ren could speak, Li Zhi changed his mind, because the child loved to ask questions, such as why the sky is blue and why the water is green.

After exchanging greetings, Li Ren pointed and said, "Father, I am watching birds."

Li Zhi looked in the direction he was pointing and indeed saw two birds paddling on the water in the distance.

"Ren'er, do you know what kind of bird that is?" Li Zhi asked.

Li Ren said, "Duck."

Li Zhi laughed and said, "Those are mandarin ducks, not ducks."

Li Ren asked blankly, "Is it the mandarin duck on Mother's handkerchief?"

Li Zhidao: "Yes."

Li Ren asked, "Can mandarin ducks fly?"

Li Zhidao said, "Yes, but they usually fly at night or during migration and are rarely seen by people."

Li Ren then asked, "I just saw it eat a small fish. Why do mandarin ducks eat small fish?"

Li Zhi said, "It's the same principle as you need to eat. If you don't eat, won't you get hungry?"

Li Ren looked up at him with his little face and asked again, "Then why do you get hungry if you don't eat?"

Li Zhidao said, "Because people need to consume energy, being hungry is your body sending you a signal that you are not getting enough energy and need to eat to replenish it."

"Hey, what is energy?" Li Ren kept asking.

Li Zhi was suddenly at a loss; once the child started asking questions, he wouldn't stop.

Many things that are taken for granted become confusing even to themselves when he asks them questions.

Li Zhi changed the subject, asking, "Ren'er, where is your mother?"

Li Rendao said, "Mother is practicing a new musical instrument in the house."

Li Zhi asked, "What new musical instrument?"

Li Ren shook his head: "I don't know."

Li Zhi said, "Then go ask your mother and tell your father another day, okay?"

Li Ren nodded vigorously, then turned and ran away.

After Li Zhi had this commotion with him, he felt much more relaxed and was able to resolve the problem in his mind.

Since he dared to use Li Ji, there was nothing he wouldn't dare to do with Yuchi Gong and Cheng Zhijie.

These veterans had helped him a lot back then, and now he should give them another chance.

With this in mind, Li Zhi slowly came up with a candidate.

However, it cannot be announced at this time. It must wait until Yeon Gaesomun dies and Goguryeo experiences internal strife before it can be made public.

……

Goguryeo, Pyongyang, Royal Palace.

Quan Gaisuwen lay on the bed, barely alive.

Since the death of his most feared enemy, Li Shimin, in the first year of the Yonghui era, he began to indulge himself without restraint. Although he is only over sixty years old now, his body has been completely drained!

His three sons and his most trusted ministers were kneeling before his sickbed, their eyes red and swollen, and Izumi Osamu was still sobbing.

With a hoarse voice, Quan Gaisuwen said slowly, "Boy, don't cry. From now on, you will be Molizhi of Goguryeo. You can't let others see your weak side!"

Quan Nansheng gritted his teeth and said, "Yes!" stopping his crying.

Quan Gaisuwen said slowly, "In my entire life, I have never bowed my head to anyone, and even the Heavenly Khan cannot do anything to me! I have lived to this day and can die without regrets. However, there are still a few things I cannot let go of, and you must listen carefully."

Everyone agreed in unison.

Yeon Gaesomun slowly said, "First, after I die, the pro-god faction in Goguryeo will surely rise from the ashes. Boy, how do you plan to deal with it?"

Izumi Nanami said, "This..."

Quan Gai Suwen said slowly, "Since you haven't figured it out, then do as I tell you."

Quan Nansheng hurriedly replied, "Yes!"

Quan Gaisu said, "When you are away from home, you should make good use of Xincheng. He has a very high reputation in the court. As long as he is there, he can intimidate the court and prevent other officials from acting rashly!"

Quan Nansheng replied, "Yes."

Quan Gaisuwen called out loudly, "Is Xincheng here?"

A bald general shouted, "Your subordinate is here!"

Quan Gaisu said, "Do you still remember how carefree and exhilarating it was when we killed the treacherous king together?"

The bald general said sincerely, "I will never forget!"

Quan Gaisu said, "I will never forget it either. I am about to leave first. I hope you can assist my son as you have assisted me. Can you promise me that?"

Xin Cheng shouted, “Mo Lizhi, please rest assured, my loyalty will continue to your son!”

Quan Gai Suwen said, "Good, good!"

He suddenly felt his spirits return, knowing it was a final burst of energy before death, and quickly added, "Nannan, internally, you must unite your brothers. Nanjian inherited my military talent, and Nanchan is intelligent and resourceful. As long as you brothers work together, you will be able to overcome any difficulty!"

Quan Nansheng said, "I will definitely give my two younger brothers a good position!"

Quan Gaisuwen shouted, "Why aren't you two saying anything?"

Quan Nansan and Quan Nanjian exchanged a glance and said in unison, "We will definitely assist our elder brother!"

Yeon Gaesomun continued, “Nang Geon may have military talent, but he is still too young. If I die, the Tang Dynasty will surely invade. Nam Geon, you must remember, there is only one way to resist the Tang Dynasty.”

Quan Nansheng asked anxiously, "What method?"

Quan Gaisuwen beckoned and said, "Come here, come closer and listen."

Quan Nansheng came to his side and put his ear close.

Yeon Gaesomun whispered in his ear, "Although we Goguryeo have many generals, only one person can shoulder the heavy responsibility of resisting the Tang Dynasty, and that person is Eulji Jin."

Quan Nansheng was taken aback and was about to ask a question when he was interrupted by Quan Gaisuwen.

"I know you're wondering why I would lock up Eulji-jin, who is so important?"

"That's because this man is unruly and you can't control him. I deliberately locked him up, and after you become the Molizhi, I will personally release him. He will definitely be grateful to you, serve you, and help you defeat the Tang Dynasty."

Quan Nansheng, moved by his father's good intentions, choked up and said, "I will remember."

Quan Gaisuwen suddenly laughed three times, his neck tilted to the side, and he breathed his last.

Quan Nansheng was devastated and lay on the body, weeping bitterly.

Neither Izumi Ken nor Izumi San showed much sadness; they glanced at each other, their expressions both gloomy.

Three days later, Quan Nansheng held a ceremony to succeed Mo Lizhi as the new head of the company. At the same time, following Quan Gaesomun's instructions, he went to the prison and released Euljijin.

Immediately afterwards, he made a surprising decision: he released Gao Baozang's son, Gao Funan, and sent him to lead an envoy to the Tang Dynasty to express goodwill towards the Tang.

Upon learning of this, Quan Nanjian and Quan Nansan immediately went to the palace to find Quan Nansheng and express their opposition. Quan Nanjian said, "Brother, when Father was alive, he was always wary of Gao Baozang. How could you release his son?"

Quan Nanchan was even more blunt, glaring at us and saying, "Such an important matter, and you didn't even consult us? Have you forgotten your father's instructions?"

Quan Nansheng said, "This is General Xincheng's suggestion, and I think it's excellent. You don't need to worry!"

Izumi Namsan angrily retorted, "Very good? What's so good about it?"

Quan Nansheng said, "If the Tang Dynasty wants to attack Goguryeo, it will only do so under the pretext of Gao Baozang, accusing us of imprisoning him. If we send Gao Funan to Chang'an and tell them that Gao Baozang is doing well, what reason will the Tang people have to attack us?"

Quan Nanchan asked anxiously, "Have you thought about what will happen if he goes to Chang'an and requests the Tang Dynasty to attack us?"

Quan Nansheng said, "No, his parents are in my hands, they wouldn't dare to talk nonsense!"

Quan Nanjian sneered, "The Tang people can find any excuse to attack us. Do you think sending Gao Funan over will stop them from attacking?"

Quan Nan said unhappily, "If they can't find a good reason, the soldiers will lose morale! No need for further words, my mind is made up!"

The following day, Gao Funan led a delegation toward Chang'an.

At this time, Chang'an City was also not at peace.

News of Yeon Gaesomun's death had reached Chang'an. Upon learning of this, civil and military officials submitted memorials urging an attack on Goguryeo.

Surprisingly, Li Zhi did not immediately agree.

The most anxious were the military generals, including Cheng Zhijie and Yuchi Gong.

The emperor had clearly formulated a battle plan with Li Ji and Xue Rengui, but he was reluctant to announce the selection of the commander-in-chief of the Eighth Route Army.

They had initially thought that the emperor intended to wait until he heard of Yeon Gaesomun's death before making the announcement.

Now that Quan Gaisuwen is dead, the emperor still refuses to announce it, how can they not be anxious?
The generals requested an audience with the emperor several times, but Li Zhi always said to wait a little longer, as logistics still needed to be arranged.

However, they had already inquired with the Ministry of Revenue. At the beginning of the year, the emperor had instructed the Ministry of Revenue to make preparations in advance, and the military provisions and logistics had been almost fully allocated.

Everyone was puzzled; what was the emperor waiting for?
Li Ji didn't understand either, but he wasn't in a hurry.

The moment news of Yeon Gaesomun's death arrived, he understood perfectly that the emperor had a far deeper understanding of the Goguryeo affair than he had.

When he wanted to attack Goguryeo, the emperor opposed it and said that Yeon Gaesomun's life was not long.

Now that the emperor's prediction had come true, Li Ji completely trusted Li Zhi's judgment based on this alone.

However, the reason he was able to remain so stable was because Li Zhi had already internally designated him as the Grand Commander of the Army.

Cheng Zhijie and Yuchi Gong, of course, could not remain as calm as him. They came to see him every day, which annoyed him greatly.

That day, the two came over again, and Yuchi Gong asked, "Old Li, do you think His Majesty is waiting for the imperial examination to end?"

It is now June, and the temporary imperial examination organized by Li Zhi will begin in ten days.

Li Ji shook his head and said, "I don't know."

Cheng Zhijie asked, "Is His Majesty waiting for news from Anxi?"

Meanwhile, the Anxi Protectorate was also preparing for a war to help Tokharistan restore its kingdom. This matter was being handled by Pei Xingjian and the Inner Court, and few of the court officials knew about it.

Li Ji shook his head again: "I don't know."

Yuchi Gong glared and said, "Is His Majesty secretly plotting something with you, deliberately keeping it from us?"

Li Ji said irritably, "Does His Majesty have anything he needs to hide from you?"

Cheng Zhijie put on a fawning smile and said, "Old Li, go to the palace and ask again. You are His Majesty's chosen Grand Commander of the Army. We won't compete with you for it, but it wouldn't be too much to ask each of us to be a Grand Commander of the Army, would it?"

Li Ji shook his head and said, "His Majesty has already made all the arrangements for this matter and probably has already decided on the candidate. There's no use in me saying anything. You should all go home and wait for news."

The two exchanged a glance, and seeing that he was unyielding, they were both helpless and could only leave angrily.

After the two left, Li Ji didn't even have time to rest before a servant came to report that Changsun Wuji had arrived.

Li Ji chuckled inwardly, thinking, "Now that the war with Goguryeo has begun, even Changsun Wuji can't hold back anymore." He ordered someone to invite Changsun Wuji to his study.

After waiting in the study for a short while, Changsun Wuji arrived.

He was more composed than Cheng Zhijie and Yuchi Gong, and slowly drank a cup of tea before explaining his purpose.

"Brother Li, I've come to make a deal with you."

Li Ji sighed, "Brother Changsun, I know you came for Goguryeo, but your current identity..."

Changsun Wuji glanced at him and interrupted, "Do you think I came to you to plead for my life in order to participate in the war against Goguryeo?"

"Is not it?"

Changsun Wuji snorted, "Of course not. I am just a commoner, not a veteran of the battlefield. How could His Majesty send me to the battlefield?"

Li Ji squinted and said, "If you didn't come here for this matter, then everything is fine."

Changsun Wuji raised his hand and said, "Don't make any promises yet. I won't let you agree to something for nothing. Instead, I'll exchange some information with you."

Li Ji asked curiously, "What are you exchanging?"

Changsun Wuji said, "You must also be curious as to why His Majesty has not yet issued the decree to attack Goguryeo."

Li Ji's heart skipped a beat: "You know?"

"good."

"why?"

Changsun Wuji said, "Let's talk about the terms first."

Li Ji stood up, poured Changsun Wuji another cup of tea, and said, "Tell me, what do you want me to do?"

Do you know Zhao Chiman?

“He’s Changsun Quan’s nephew, of course I know that.” Li Ji raised his eyelids slightly and asked, “You came here for him?”

Changsun Wuji said, "He is currently serving as a Sima in the Xiongjin Governor's Office. I hope that when you attack Goguryeo, you will transfer him to your command and give him a chance."

Li Ji hesitated and did not answer.

Changsun Wuji raised his eyebrows and said, "I recommend him to you not only because of his relationship with Changsun Quan, but also because his strategy and bravery are no less than Jiang Ke's."

Li Ji said calmly, "Jiang Ke's abilities have been tested on the battlefield."

Changsun Wuji said, "You can test him then. If you find him unusable, let him transport grain. I will not blame you!"

Li Ji said, "Alright, I can agree to your request. Before the great battle, I will transfer him to my command. Whether he can achieve merit depends on his own efforts."

Changsun Wuji smiled and cupped his hands in thanks: "Thank you."

Li Ji said, "You haven't said anything yet, why won't His Majesty take action?"

Changsun Wuji smiled and said, "His Majesty is waiting for some news."

"what news?"

"News of internal strife in Goguryeo?"

"What?" Li Ji was stunned.

Changsun Wuji slowly said, "Quangai Suwen's three sons have a bad relationship and may fight among themselves for the position of Molizhi."

Li Ji frowned and said, "Even if they don't get along, given the current situation, they should know that our Great Tang is eyeing us covetously. How could they possibly fight amongst themselves? And how dare they fight amongst themselves?"

Changsun Wuji said calmly, "Logically speaking, they shouldn't be fighting amongst themselves, but you don't know the situation in Goguryeo. You're also not familiar with Yeon Gaesomun's three sons."

Li Ji probed, "Judging from what you're saying, Brother Changsun, you seem to be quite familiar with them?"

Changsun Wuji said, "You don't need to test me. In short, you don't need to worry at all. His Majesty's determination to attack Goguryeo is very firm. Just focus on preparing for war."

"I know that."

Changsun Wuji said, "Since that's the case, I have nothing more to say. Don't forget our agreement. Farewell." He turned and left.

Although Emperor Gaozong (Li Zhi) did not declare war on Goguryeo, the atmosphere of war was gradually enveloping Chang'an.

Not only was Li Ji making preparations, but the entire Tang Dynasty court began preparing for the war against Goguryeo.

For many veteran officials, this was a war they had been waiting for for twenty years. They all hoped to complete this great undertaking before they died, and to be able to meet the late emperor after their deaths.

(End of this chapter)