Datang: Just been appointed as the crown prince, the counterattack system is here

Chapter 323 Why Doesn't Father Emperor Take the Elixir of Immortality Like Qin Shi Huang? [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

"You've lost your will to think! What are you saying!?"

When Dahe Kuge came to his senses, he stared at Zhishi Sili with a look of astonishment, as if he had even forgotten his injuries.

But Zhishi Sili calmly said to him, "Brother Ku, I know about your relationship with Tuli, but I don't want to lie to you. I have long since submitted to His Highness the Crown Prince. Tuli was able to establish the Gurkha Khanate with the help of His Highness the Crown Prince, but he wants to break free from His Highness the Crown Prince's control."

"Do you know what this means?"

"What?" Dahe Kuge asked subconsciously.

Although this wasn't the first time he'd heard about the Tang Dynasty prince's deeds, he still couldn't understand how someone he'd never met could have such a powerful presence.

But then Zhishi Sili said meaningfully, "If we anger the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty, not only will Tuli die, but our entire tribe may be wiped out by him."

"Do you know what the Emperor of Tang did at the Double Ninth Festival banquet I attended in Chang'an?"

"He slaughtered the entire families of the most elite nobles of the Tang Dynasty, and also killed most of the Tang Dynasty's officials!"

"A person who is so ruthless to his own people, do you really intend to be his enemy?"

"This"

Upon hearing this, Dahe Kuge was so shocked that he was speechless.

But Zhi Shisi didn't finish his sentence.

Then he said meaningfully, "Do you think that just because Yishiyinan successfully usurped the throne, he can hold onto it? Do you think that after the Tang Dynasty destroyed the Eastern Turks, it would just abandon the northern deserts? Do you think His Highness the Crown Prince would really allow Tuli to exist forever?"

"I'm telling you, no way!"

"He's been plotting against us for a long time; I just gave him a legitimate opportunity!"

"No, you mean the Tang Dynasty will send troops to our side?" Dahe Kuge asked with a look of surprise.

Zhishi Sili smiled, then pointed to the Tang army behind him and said calmly, "Jieli has been captured, and the Eastern Turks have been destroyed, but they are still here. Why do you think that is?"

"this."

Dahe Kuge was speechless for a moment.

But then Zhishi Sili spoke eloquently: "The Han people have always had a saying, 'Those who are not of our race will surely have different hearts.' They will not believe us!"

"Therefore, they will definitely return here and completely conquer us until we become subjects of the Tang Dynasty!"

“How is this possible? How could we possibly become subjects of the Great Tang?” Dahe Kuge said, frowning.

Zhi Shisi smiled and glanced at him, then said with a sigh, "Nothing is impossible in this world. You haven't seen the Crown Prince's demeanor yet. Once you have, you'll know that there might really be divine beings in this world!"

"But isn't the Tang Dynasty about to go to war with Goguryeo? Will they be able to spare the resources to deal with Eulshiinam?"

Dahe Kuge still seemed somewhat incredulous as he said, "I've heard that Yishi Yinan is making allies everywhere, including Tuyuhun, Tibet, the Western Turks, and even the Western Regions. They seem to be waiting for the Tang Dynasty to go to war with Goguryeo so they can take advantage of the chaos!"

"Didn't I just tell you? I've found a legitimate opportunity for His Highness the Crown Prince!"

Zhi Shisi explained with a hint of amusement, "And this opportunity is to let the tiger return to the mountain!"

"In His Highness's original plan, as long as Tuli launched a war against the Western Turks, Tuyuhun, Tibet, and even those countries in the Western Regions that had not signed a military alliance treaty with the Tang Dynasty would jump out."

"In this way, he can take advantage of the chaos in the northern deserts to gain military power from the Tang emperor."

"But Tuli refused to cooperate with his plan, which is what made me decide to kill him."

"Because I don't want my tribe to become Tuli's casualties!"

"Therefore, Tuli must die, and Yishiyinan's ambitions are exactly what I want!"

"I see."

Dahe Kuge nodded in sudden realization, then looked coldly at Zhishi Sili and said, "You are truly despicable and shameless!"

"Whatever you say!"

Zhishi Sili said nonchalantly, "I once followed Jieli and was loyal to him, but how did he treat me? In the conflict with Tuli, he killed most of my tribe! Do you want my remaining tribe to be buried with Tuli?"

"I"

Dahe Kuge opened his mouth, but hesitated to speak.

Zhi Shi Sili seemed to have lost interest in the conversation and turned around directly, saying, "Everyone has the right to choose. I only chose the path that was beneficial to me, while you need to choose your own path."

After saying this, Zhishi Sili mounted his warhorse and rode away.

Just then, a Tang general rode up on horseback and asked with a smile, "Zhishi Sili, how did the talks go?"

"Okay!"

Zhishi Sili smiled and shrugged, then continued to speak eloquently: "The reason why Yishi Yinan was able to unite the various tribes was because he lied and claimed that the Tang Dynasty had agreed to his marriage proposal, and the reason why the other tribes submitted to him was because they were afraid of the Tang Dynasty."

"Now that the Tang Dynasty has refused to arrange a marriage alliance, it can be said that Yishiyinan has lost face. Coupled with the rebellion of the Khitan and other tribes, it is believed that it will not be long before his Xueyantuo Khanate will disintegrate and be divided up by the remaining tribes."

"And that was the perfect opportunity for the Tang Dynasty to pacify the northern deserts!"

"Hmm, that makes sense. What about Dahe Kuge? Will he submit to our Great Tang?"

“I just spoke with him. The decision is in his hands. We don’t need to force him to choose. He will naturally understand the current situation.”

Zhishi Sili continued, then changed the subject: "However, from my conversation with him, I obtained important information: Eulshi Yinan has allied with Goguryeo, Tibet, Tuyuhun, the Western Turks, and other countries in the Western Regions. We must be careful and prevent a Goguryeo surprise attack on the Tang Dynasty from happening on our side!"

"Don't worry about that. I've already informed Zhang Gongjin and Li Daliang to strengthen their defenses. I guarantee they won't succeed in their surprise attack!"

"Hehe, General Li Ji was right! I was overthinking it!"

"Hey, you can't say that. You're acting on His Highness the Crown Prince's orders, so naturally I have to cooperate with you!" Li Ji said with a smile, waving his hand.

Zhi Shisi gave Li Ji a deep look, then chuckled; "I never imagined that His Highness the Crown Prince and General Li Ji had such a connection, it's quite a surprise!"

"It's nothing. Even General Li Jing has connections with His Highness the Crown Prince, let alone me," Li Ji laughed.

Then, the two fell silent.

It wasn't until Oga Kuge led his warhorse over that the two exchanged a smile.

It's clear that Oga Kuchi has made his choice.

Now that he is the chieftain of the Khitan tribe, he also has to consider the well-being of his tribe.

Submitting to the Tang Dynasty was naturally the wisest choice.

But he spoke first: "When will His Highness the Crown Prince come to the Northern Desert? I want to follow him and sweep across the entire Northern Desert!"

Meanwhile, in Goguryeo, Pyongyang, at the residence of Daede-ro.

Yeon Gaesomun looked coldly at the Tang envoy in front of him and said coldly, "The Tang emperor has detained my Goguryeo envoy, and Goguryeo has already tolerated it once. Now we hear that the Tang is going to join forces with Silla and Baekje to deal with Goguryeo. How can we tolerate this?"

“Your Excellency has misunderstood. Our Great Tang has never said that it would unite with Silla and Baekje to deal with Goguryeo. These are all rumors. Your Excellency must not believe them!” The Tang envoy, Xiangli Xuanjiang, quickly explained.

But Yeon Gaesomun seemed convinced of this matter and insisted, "Whether it is a rumor or not, we will investigate and find out. But when the Sui Dynasty invaded Goguryeo, Silla took the opportunity to stab Goguryeo in the back and seized 500 li of land. If the Tang Dynasty is willing to befriend Goguryeo, it should make Silla return that land!"

"These are all old scores, why should Da Dui Lu be so petty? If you must be concerned, then Liaodong was once a prefecture of the Central Plains dynasty. Now that our Tang Dynasty is the ruler of the Central Plains, we don't hold a grudge. Why should Goguryeo insist on reclaiming its old territory?"

"Your magnanimity in not taking it to heart is your virtue; our pursuit of it is our duty. If the Tang Dynasty doesn't help us retrieve it, then war is inevitable!"

"This"

Upon hearing this, Xiangli Xuanjiang was speechless.

He knew that Yeon Gaesomun was an extraordinary person.

He was not only a cunning and powerful minister, but also a fierce and valiant warrior.

The Zizhi Tongjian records that he was "majestic in appearance, bold and unrestrained in spirit, and carried five swords, so that no one on his left or right dared to look up at him."

A person who carries five knives on his person—regardless of his skill level, his sheer presence alone is enough to inspire fear.

This formidable man also had a habit: whenever he mounted or dismounted, his ministers and generals had to kneel down to serve as his mounting stones.

No matter how high your official rank is, in front of Lord Yuan, you are all just stepping stones.

Whenever he went out, Lord Yuan was always very grand, with a entourage even larger than that of the king.

With such a powerful figure in power, it's hard to say what will become of the people of Goguryeo.

He felt a moment of sympathy for the people of Goguryeo who were about to suffer, but Xiangli Xuanjiang still did not forget Li Shimin's instructions.

But then he tentatively asked, "Since your country is unwilling to negotiate, surely I can take some of the remains of the soldiers from the previous dynasty back with me?" "You can take the remains back, but only after we've finished fighting!"

"No, is Da Dui Lu really going to insist on going his own way? Do you know that once the war starts, there will be no turning back!" Xiangli Xuanjiang stood up angrily and said.

"You don't need to worry about that, Your Excellency!"

Yeon Gaesomun sneered, "If we hadn't also sent an envoy, your attitude in speaking to me would have been enough to kill you and use you as a sacrifice to our flag. I hope you'll think twice before you speak!"

"you!"

Sangri Hyeonjang was so angry at Yeon Gaesomun that he was speechless.

However, knowing Yeon Gaesomun's temperament, he decided to leave Daede-ro's residence without hesitation, adhering to the principle that a wise man doesn't act rashly when faced with immediate losses.

After watching him leave, Yeon Gaesomun narrowed his eyes coldly and ordered in a deep voice, "Men! Keep a close eye on the Tang Dynasty envoy. If he dares to make any untoward moves, kill him without mercy!"

"Yes!"

Several Goguryeo warriors immediately knelt down to receive the order.

On the other side, the imperial palace, Ganlu Hall.

The silence between the father and son was broken by a report.

However, Tang Jian, the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies, reported: "Your Majesty, the envoys from Goguryeo have arrived in Chang'an and are currently being accommodated at the Court of State Ceremonies' guesthouse. They have already submitted their letter of credence and request an audience with His Highness the Crown Prince!"

"Ok?"

Li Shimin frowned deeply and turned to look at Li Chengqian.

But Li Chengqian sneered, "A mere scheme to sow discord, yet you dare to show off your meager skills in front of us, father and son? Utterly foolish!"

"Get them out of the Honglu Temple post station. Tell them that our Great Tang has already received two Goguryeo envoys, and their identities are questionable. They need to be verified before they can be accommodated. Let them find their own accommodation!"

"Ah? This"

Upon hearing this, Tang Jian was immediately surprised, and then looked up at Li Shimin.

Li Shimin narrowed his eyes slightly, paused for a moment, and then said coldly, "Do as the Crown Prince says!"

"Yes"

Tang Jian bowed and was about to step back, but after taking a few steps, he hesitated and wanted to turn back to persuade Li Shimin again. However, he was shocked to hear Li Chengqian mutter a casual remark.

Tang Jian's expression changed drastically. He no longer cared about persuading her and quickly pretended not to have heard anything, bowing as he withdrew from the main hall.

Meanwhile, Li Shimin slowly walked back to the emperor's throne and asked casually, "You weren't joking with me just now, were you? You really intend to destroy the four kingdoms in one fell swoop?"

“If such an opportunity arises, I will naturally not miss it. But the prerequisite is that Father Emperor can grant me command of the Northern Army; otherwise, even the best opportunity will be useless,” Li Chengqian said, spreading his hands.

Li Shimin gave him a deep look, then said coldly, "I can give you command of the Northern Army, but how can you convince me that you are not using it for evil purposes, but are truly expanding the country's territory?"

"What does Father mean by doing bad things?" Li Chengqian asked, feigning ignorance.

Li Shimin snorted coldly, then said directly, "I need you to give me something in exchange!"

"what?"

"Your musketeer!"

"Ah!"

Li Chengqian laughed: "Father's teeth are really good; he can bite through tough bones as soon as he opens his mouth!"

"What? You can't bear to part with it?"

Li Shimin raised an eyebrow, then leaned to the side and looked directly at Li Chengqian, saying, "We, father and son, have reached a point where we can talk about anything. I won't beat around the bush with you. If you want command of the Northern Army, you'll have to exchange it for the Musketeers. I need firearms to conquer cities and strongholds on the Goguryeo battlefield, but the Ministry of War's firearms aren't even one percent of what your Musketeers have. You should understand what I mean!"

"I understand what Father means, but I also need the Musketeers!"

Li Chengqian smiled and said, "Does Father Emperor think that your northern army alone can destroy the four kingdoms in one fell swoop?"

"Don't you still have your Eastern Palace Guard? Even with them on your side, don't you have confidence?"

"It seems my father is quite aware of my strength!"

Li Chengqian teased Li Shimin, then said, "Giving Father a musketeer guard is impossible, but I can give Father two artillery regiments, a battalion of medics, and a battalion of engineers. That will be enough for Father to conquer cities and seize strongholds!"

"Artillery regiment? Medic battalion? And engineer battalion? What are all these?"

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin immediately became interested.

Li Chengqian patiently explained, "The artillery regiment is an army specializing in operating artillery. One regiment has fifty cannons. Two regiments would have one hundred cannons. The medical battalion, needless to say, is specifically responsible for battlefield first aid. One battalion has about three hundred men. The engineers are used to build defensive fortifications and are more professional and efficient than the current engineering corps of the Tang Dynasty."

Li Shimin nodded as if suddenly realizing something, then pondered and said, "It sounds good, but I remember your proposal for military reform, as well as the army responsible for intelligence gathering."

"No, don't you have your own army responsible for intelligence gathering? Why are you always thinking about me?"

Li Chengqian retorted somewhat displeased.

But Li Shimin seemed determined to make an exorbitant demand.

But he said calmly, "Now you want my army, not the other way around!"

"You've already asked for so much, and you still don't consider it enough?"

"Of course not, I'm exchanging with you!"

Li Shimin said in a serious tone: "If you agree to add a reconnaissance battalion, I will agree to give you command of the northern army!"

"What if I don't agree?"

"Then there's no need to talk!"

"Ha, Father Emperor, you've really got a good plan!"

Li Chengqian gave a cold laugh, then said with a stern face, "What I'm offering are all practical benefits, but Father Emperor is only giving me command authority. Isn't that a bit excessive?"

"You don't have to!" Li Shimin sneered. "I never force anyone to do something!"

Li Chengqian: "."

Li Shimin: "."

The father and son looked at each other, both silent.

After a long pause, Li Chengqian took a deep breath, then slowly stood up from his seat. He stared at Li Shimin for a while before complaining, "When Qin Shi Huang gave Fusu 300,000 troops, he didn't even blink. I only asked you for 200,000 troops, and you're still so stingy. You're really not like a father!"

Li Shimin rolled his eyes and said disdainfully, "Fusu is a good son who is loyal to the emperor and loves his country. What are you? What can you do besides annoy me?"

"If that's what Father Emperor is saying, then Qin Shi Huang also ate elixirs of immortality. Why didn't you eat elixirs of immortality?"

"You scoundrel! I am perfectly healthy, why would I need any elixir?!"

"Yeah, I'm not crazy, why would I imitate Fusu?!"

"You traitor!"

Li Shimin suddenly stood up again.

But Li Chengqian quickly said, "Alright! Take command, then. Just don't beg me for help later, Father!"

Li Shimin laughed in exasperation: "Why don't you go and find out what my battle record is? I should be the one telling you that, so don't come begging me for help later!"

"Father, rest assured, that day will never come!"

“It’s best”

After saying this, the father and son didn't say another word.

It wasn't until Wushe came in from outside to remind Li Er to have his meal that Li Chengqian tactfully left Ganlu Hall.

In any case, he finally gained control of the 200,000-strong army.

Although a certain price was paid, it didn't make Li Er think too much about it.

That would be a huge success.

After all, if Li Er were to guess his true intentions, he probably wouldn't agree to give him the command of his 200,000 troops even if he were given the musketeers.

Li Chengqian thought to himself, then touched the musket in his arms and let out a long sigh.

(End of this chapter)