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

Chapter 372 Father and Son's Triumphant News Reaches Chang'an, Who is the Hero? [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

Before the morning light had even touched the azure sky, the sound of horses' hooves thundered on the official road to the east.

A courier horse galloped in, like a bolt of lightning striking the gates of Chang'an.

The messenger's hair, tied in a bun, danced wildly in the wind, like wild grass in the wind.

He stood upright on the saddle, holding a tightly bound red scroll aloft, like a striking battle flag.

Soldiers on the city wall of Chang'an ahead had spotted him long ago, and as he approached, the city gates roared open.

The heavy door hinges roared under immense force, and the city walls, as thick as mountains, opened gently before the visitor could enter.

The messenger sped through the shadows of the doorway like a bolt of lightning tearing through the silence, his hoarse cry shattering the tranquility of the morning.

"A great victory!"

"Great victory in Liaodong! His Majesty has captured nine cities in succession, beheaded more than 30,000, and taken 100,000 prisoners!"

Beneath the city wall, two old soldiers wearing tattered cloth coats were warming themselves by a fire in the corner, their hands still lingering on half a flatbread.

The firelight flickered briefly before settling down again. One of the flames suddenly coughed violently, and turbid tears welled up in its sunken eye sockets but never came out.

"Did you hear that? For so many years, in Liaodong! My leg was lost in the snow and wind of Liaodong!"

His voice was like a rusty saw slowly pulling, and his gaze seemed to pierce through time and space, looking once again at the Liaodong battlefield.

The devastating battle of a million-strong army, and the terror, helplessness, and bloodshed on the brink of life and death.
The proclamation, like a blazing flame, first pierced the ranks of officials waiting for court outside the Vermilion Bird Gate.

A subtle commotion spread rapidly like ripples on water, then instantly engulfed the crowd.

An elderly minister with white hair, surprisingly, dropped his official tablet, stepped out of the ranks, and asked in a hoarse yet excited voice, toward the galloping horse, "Commander—which unit made the kill?"

The only response he received was a clear and rapid rhythm of horses' hooves, and the ferocious characters on the proclamation, dripping with ink like blood: "The Emperor's holy might has broken through nine cities, recovered the land, and the remaining enemy forces have been routed!"
The words struck like thunderbolts, and the stunned silence lasted only a moment before being overwhelmed by a storm of cheers.

"Boom boom boom!"

The heavy drumbeats from the distant palace seemed to be drawn by the joyous news, becoming rapid and powerful.

The sound, like the beating of a heart, seemed to resonate with the pulse of the entire empire.

However, just when everyone thought this was an exhilarating moment, a horseman on horseback sped along the western official road like a shooting star, kicking up dust and morning dew, heading straight for the city gates that were about to close, shouting hoarsely: "Great victory for Xueyantuo! Great victory for Tuyuhun! The Crown Prince has annihilated two kingdoms! Open the city gates immediately—"

His voice was loud and powerful, instantly startling the soldiers who were closing the city gate. Their scalps tingled, and without any hesitation, they used all their strength to pull the city gate open again.

The messenger passed by them in the blink of an eye, like lightning, stirring up a cloud of dust.

The two veterans who were baking pancakes in the corner were stunned again. The lame veteran, in particular, stood up abruptly, staring blankly at the other veteran, and said, "I... I didn't hear wrong, did I? He said the Crown Prince destroyed two countries in one battle."

"Gulu."

The veteran being questioned subconsciously swallowed the sesame flatbread in his mouth and said, "I must have heard correctly. I used to be a soldier from Longxi, and that captain was indeed from Longxi."

"The prince..."

"Terrifying indeed."

At the same time, the two pieces of news spread like wildfire throughout Chang'an.

The first to erupt in excitement were the East and West markets.

A foreign merchant specializing in selling glass wine cups from the Western Regions, speaking in broken Mandarin, held up a glass cup smeared with gold powder and painted with flying apsaras, excitedly shouting, "Free! All free! The soldiers of the Great Tang are brave, even the gods and Buddhas will be pleased!"

The cheers suddenly echoed, as if lifting the entire market roof several inches upwards.

Many taverns even poured large jars of fine wine directly into the street, instantly filling the air with a strong aroma. The intense smell, mixed with boisterous cheers, soared into the sky.

A wheelbarrow driver who usually only quietly delivered night soil in the morning mist stood blankly in the freshly spilled wine for a moment. Suddenly, he bent down, grabbed a lost glass cup, and tremblingly scooped up the murky liquid, tilted his head back, and drank it down. Then, he joined in the noisy crowd and burst into laughter.

The aroma of wine, mingled with joy, rose under the morning sun, as if every grain of dust in Chang'an was drinking and reveling.

Manager Wang of the silk shop, who was usually very stingy, rushed into the street at this moment, shaking out bolts of his treasured Shu brocade, which shimmered in the morning light, and threw them vigorously into the crowd: "Take them! Take them all! Let our Tang Dynasty men be adorned with red and colorful decorations!"

The crimson, bright yellow, and indigo brocades fluttered in the air, like clouds suddenly descending to earth.

Cheers were deafening.

"Your Majesty! Victory!"

"Your Highness! Victory!"

"Great Tang! Victory!"

The crowds surged so large they almost burst through the wide street.

The musicians and dancers of the Jiaofangsi (Imperial Music Bureau) were swept up in this boundless enthusiasm, disregarding their manners, and lined up in the middle of the street.

The pipa was plucked rapidly like a sudden rain, and the jie drum was beaten like thunder. A majestic and tragic piece, "The Music of the King of Qin Breaking the Enemy's Formation," was played out.

The dancers, clad in armor and wielding halberds, moved with fierce power, their leaps and slashes vividly recreating the heroic scenes of bloodshed on the frontier and iron horses trampling through enemy lines.

The rousing music and dance steps, like triumphant spirits, reverberated and roared through the streets of Chang'an, prompting countless people to clap their hands and stomp their feet in rhythm, causing the entire earth to tremble.

On the banks of Qujiang Pool.

The scholars, usually known for their poetic and wine-loving lifestyle, have also abandoned their usual reserve today.

A newly appointed scholar, his plain robe stained with wine spilled by someone unknown, leaped onto a stone table by the pond, hurled his jade cup into the shimmering water, and let out a loud, clear cry.

"Do not laugh at me, drunk and lying on the battlefield; how many have returned from ancient battles? How fortunate I am! Let me sing to express my aspirations!"

A roar of applause erupted from the crowd.

A military academy student, surrounded by his classmates, came to the front of the stage and wrote down the poem that Li Chengqian had recited in Jiangling: "Beacon fires illuminate the western capital, my heart is filled with indignation. I would rather be a centurion than a scholar!"

The calligraphy was so fluent and the ink was still wet that countless hands were already eager to touch and copy it, as if trying to absorb the burning patriotic passion within the verses.

The sun gradually rose higher, but its heat was not as intense as the revelry in Chang'an.

Deep in Anyi Ward, in front of the old blacksmith's low-ceilinged hut, a few meat dishes and a jar of murky village wine were surprisingly placed on the dilapidated wooden table.

His only remaining right arm tightly clutched the wine jar, his weathered face flushed red, and large, turbid tears rolled down his cheeks, splashing into the rough earthenware bowl and mingling with the cloudy wine.

He addressed the neighbors gathered around him, repeating in a hoarse voice, "Did you hear that? Liaodong! The Liaodong battlefield! That's where I lost this arm back then!"

He gulped down a large mouthful of wine, choking and coughing violently, but ignored it. He roughly wiped the wine stains off his beard with the back of his rough hand, slammed his fist on the table, making the dishes jump, and roared hoarsely, "It was worth it! My life was worth it! Come on, fill it up! Fill it up for the brothers in the afterlife!"

He trembled as he filled another empty bowl, solemnly placed it on the corner of the table, and murmured into the void, "Sixth Brother, did Zhang hear the commotion in Chang'an? The Tang emperor is far more powerful than that dog of a Sui emperor! Drink!"

"Oh, by the way, the Tang Dynasty crown prince was also very capable. Father and son, each one more powerful than the other!"

The empty bowl silently faces the setting sun, filled with blood-red light, and also filled with sorrow and glory that no one can drink from.

Meanwhile, at Taiji Palace.

Fang Xuanling, the Left Minister of the Imperial Secretariat and Grand Secretary, who had originally planned to preside over the court assembly, immediately changed the agenda upon receiving the news of the victory and began to report the results of the battle at the front.

But he said with a smile, "More than four months have passed since the first victory. Now, another victory has come from Liaodong. The Liaodong army led by Your Majesty has captured nine cities in succession. As long as we capture Wugu City, Anshi City, and five other cities, the gateway to Goguryeo in Liaodong will be completely opened!"

"When that time comes, our army will advance rapidly and the destruction of Goguryeo will be just around the corner!"

Upon hearing this, all the civil and military officials showed expressions of delight.

"Your Majesty's move was truly extraordinary; you are indeed a hero of our Great Tang!" Gao Shilian, the Minister of Personnel, echoed.

He was the old minister who had questioned the envoy at the Vermilion Bird Gate earlier.

Even though more than half an hour has passed since then, his face is still as radiant as it was at the Vermilion Bird Gate.

But Fang Xuanling laughed again: "The heroes of our Great Tang are not only Your Majesty, but also His Highness the Crown Prince. According to news from Tuyuhun, the new Khan of Tuyuhun, Murong Shun, has requested to step down from the position of Khan of Tuyuhun and take up the post of Prince of Xiping of our Great Tang. He has also submitted a letter of surrender, annexing the existing territory of Tuyuhun into the territory of our Great Tang and requesting the court to re-establish prefectures and counties."

"In other words, after the Xueyantuo were destroyed, the Tuyuhun also perished."

Wow!
As soon as this statement came out, the whole audience was in an uproar!

Even Ma Zhou, the Minister of Revenue, Cen Wenben, the Vice Minister of Rites, and the Director of the Information Department, who had been silent all along, stood up and praised with smiles: "Your Highness is truly a hero!"

"Indeed! His Highness the Crown Prince annihilated two kingdoms in a single battle. Throughout history, few have been able to match him!" Upon hearing this, the old and new ministers instantly became clearly divided, and began to vie to praise their leader.

Some say that Li Shimin was the greatest emperor in history.

Some people say that Li Chengqian was the greatest crown prince in history.

In short, the entire Taiji Hall suddenly transformed into a martial arts arena, where everyone debated their own heroes.

The neutral faction, who witnessed all of this, watched them as if they were watching a monkey show.

It wasn't until Li Jing, the most neutral party, couldn't help but interject, "I think now is not the time to argue about who is the hero. The city is already in an uproar. The key question is whether we should stop them or let them continue to celebrate!"

"Yes, yes, yes! This matter really should be discussed!"

Fang Xuanling seemed to realize something and interjected, "His Majesty has instructed us to use a provisional cabinet as the governing framework to manage all domestic affairs. Now that His Majesty and the Crown Prince have brought good news one after another, we should indeed celebrate. However, the problem now is, without His Majesty's decree and the Crown Prince's instruction, are there any hidden dangers in such a large-scale celebration?"

“Indeed! When I was at the Vermilion Bird Gate, I saw many foreign merchants celebrating in violation of regulations. We must control them, otherwise, if something really happens, how will we explain it to His Majesty?” Gao Shilian immediately echoed.

But Sun Fujia disagreed: "The Hu merchants are celebrating because they acknowledge the strength of our Great Tang. As long as our Great Tang remains strong, they will behave like obedient children. What is there to worry about?"

"But they broke the rules!"

Xiao Yu stepped forward and said, "Does the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review mean that we should just sit idly by and do nothing about violations?"

"I didn't say we wouldn't care about violations; what I meant was, we shouldn't go to extremes!"

"What do you mean by overcorrection? It's clearly your inaction, Minister of the Court of Judicial Review!"

Xiao Yu sneered, "You're not even as good as Vice Minister Dai!"

"Hey, Junior Tutor to the Crown Prince, don't drag me into this! I didn't say anything!" Dai Zhou quickly stepped forward to distance himself from the situation.

For a time, the entire court was once again engulfed in endless debate.

Until Wei Zheng suddenly said, "The old rule still applies: the cabinet will vote to decide!"

Upon hearing this, the courtiers immediately fell silent.

Soon, all the cabinet ministers began to vote in front of the assembled officials.

The final result is that the minority submits to the majority.

Most cabinet ministers favored controlling the celebrations of the people of Chang'an.

But then Chu Suiliang, who was in charge of counting the votes, looked around at the assembled officials and said, "In your opinion, how should this be controlled?"

"this."

Upon hearing this, the ministers exchanged glances, looking at each other in bewilderment.

To be honest, they didn't know how to control it either, because the whole of Chang'an was now in a sea of ​​joy.

If not controlled properly, the consequences could be more serious than if it were not controlled at all.

"The Emperor Emeritus has arrived!"

Just as the ministers were looking at each other in bewilderment, a voice suddenly came from outside the door to announce something.

Fang Xuanling and Li Jing exchanged a glance, and immediately led the assembled officials to greet them respectfully.

"Your humble servants pay their respects to the Retired Emperor!"

"Yes, all of you, rise!"

Li Yuan calmly raised his hand, then sat down on the imperial throne without any hesitation, and said indifferently, "I have heard about the victory in Liaodong and the good news about the Crown Prince. Now, the entire city of Chang'an is cheering. I think this is a good thing. What do you think?"

"this."

The ministers exchanged glances, thinking to themselves, "If you think it's a good thing, then we certainly think it's a good thing too!"

The key question is, what exactly do you, the retired emperor, want to do?

Fang Xuanling, however, forced a smile and said, "Your Majesty's great victory and the Crown Prince's annihilation of two kingdoms are naturally great news. However, the war is not over yet. Your Majesty is still pacifying Goguryeo, and the Crown Prince is still quelling other rebellions. Therefore, I believe that this matter should not be made too noisy, lest..."

"In case of what?"

Before Fang Xuanling could finish speaking, Li Yuan interrupted him coldly, saying, "Is the Left Minister worried that we might be too happy too soon?"

“Your Majesty, I think the Left Minister’s concerns are valid. After all, things on the battlefield can change in an instant. If we want to celebrate, let’s wait until Your Majesty and the Crown Prince return in triumph,” Li Jing said, stepping forward at this moment.

Of all the ministers present, probably none knew more about the war than him.

But Li Yuan didn't think so.

He said with a hint of amusement, "I think you all, having lived to such an old age, are not as insightful as my grandson!"

"Back when we were in Jiangling, my grandson often advised me, 'Drink today, for tomorrow we may die!'"

"The people are happy now, but you don't want them to be too happy and worry about the future war. Isn't that just being a spoilsport?"

"In my opinion, we should be happy when we should be happy, and indignant when we should be indignant. That's what makes it meaningful! Otherwise, what's the difference between winning a battle and not winning one?"

"Uh, this."

Upon hearing this, the ministers were speechless.

But Li Yuan said in an unquestionable tone, "Alright, I didn't come here today to discuss things with you. I know you can't make the decision, but now I'll make the decision for you!"

"Guards, convey my decree: continue the music and dance! There will be no curfew in Chang'an today!"

Upon hearing this, the entire hall fell into a deathly silence, then erupted into a thunderous roar of "Long live the Emperor!" which had been suppressed for a long time.

Although Li Yuan's decree was suspected of overstepping its bounds, who cared at this moment?

How fortunate we are to celebrate with the nation!
As evening fell, all the gates of Chang'an City were wide open, with no restrictions placed on them.

The entire city of Chang'an was transformed into a flowing sea of ​​light and sound.

The lanterns hanging in front of every household are lit one after another, like a galaxy pouring down on the ground.

There were mischievous children, like nimble little monkeys, climbing up the tallest old locust tree in the neighborhood and riding on its thick branches.

Looking down at the brightly lit, bustling streets below, he was so excited that his face turned red.

He strained his voice, using all his strength, repeatedly imitating the shout he had heard that morning, his childish voice struggling to penetrate the clamor: "Your Majesty has achieved a great victory—His Highness the Crown Prince has annihilated two kingdoms in a single battle—"

His mother, looking up from under the tree, laughed and scolded, "You little monkey! Be careful not to fall! Come down quickly!"

But that sound had already been drowned out by the city's clamor of "May the Great Tang Dynasty be victorious!"

The child only saw his mother's smiling face, tilted up, flickering in the countless swaying lights, burning along with the entire city that never sleeps.

As night deepened, the clamor, like a receding tide, finally subsided amidst immense satisfaction and exhaustion. The old blacksmith sat alone on the cold stone steps of his small courtyard, the merriment of the world seemingly shut out beyond the courtyard walls.

The old horizontal sword in his arms, which had been with him for half his life and was salvaged from a pile of corpses in Liaodong, had deep and shallow engravings on its scabbard that gleamed dimly in the cold moonlight.

His calloused fingers traced the uneven marks again and again, incredibly slowly, as if caressing the long-cooled smoke of war and a vanished face.

The remaining, scattered cheers and drunken songs from outside the neighborhood drifted in, as if seen through a thick layer of frosted glass.

He raised his head and looked up at the sky.

The moon over Chang'an, round and clear, hung quietly in the dark blue sky, its gentle light like water, silently falling and softly covering the city that had just experienced ecstasy, as well as his empty left sleeve and the silent scars on the scabbard.

"Brothers of the Seventh Regiment..."

He gazed at the ancient, bright moon, his voice as soft as a dream, yet as if he had used the last ounce of strength in his remaining body, "The Great Tang's Chang'an has already celebrated for us."

The moonlight flowed silently, gently enveloping and permeating his lonely figure, along with the old, blood-soaked sword, and the boundless silence and desolation that remained after the clamor of this vast empire had subsided.

In the Duke of Lai's mansion, Du He, who was observing mourning for her father, repeatedly stroked Du Ruhui's memorial tablet with trembling hands, tears silently streaming down her haggard face: "Father, rest in peace. His Majesty and the Crown Prince have both triumphed; they are heroes of our Great Tang."

He murmured to himself, as if he were comforting his father who had recently passed away.

Please vote for me! Please vote for me! Last day!
(End of this chapter)