Tang Dynasty: A Guide to Avoiding Pitfalls for Li Er at the Start

Chapter 328 I Want to Add Fuel to the Fire for the Turks
"A hundred riders?"

Wen He was startled by the commotion downstairs and peered over the railing, where she happened to meet Huang Chun's searching gaze in the crowd.

A hint of urgency flashed in Huang Chun's eyes. The moment their eyes met, they both read something in each other's eyes.

Huang Chun lowered his voice and instructed the Hundred Cavalry Guards behind him: "Go and guard the back gate. When you find the person, go directly through the back gate. Don't alert anyone else."

The people he brought today were all new recruits previously selected by Su Dingfang.

Even Zhang Wenxiao, Wen He's most trusted confidant, wasn't brought along.

It's obvious that this is to guard against Wen He.

After giving his instructions, Huang Chun straightened his clothes and strode upstairs.

Wen He had some doubts.

Do the Hundred Riders have a mission today?
Why didn't anyone come to inform him, the captain of the hundred cavalry?
Moreover, Huang Chun himself was leading the team, which was somewhat unusual.

Before he could figure it out, Huang Chun had already rushed to the private room on the second floor. When he pushed the door open, his eyes swept around the room like he was sweeping away mines, and finally landed on Wen He with a hint of anxiety.

"Where is that young man?"

As soon as he entered, he asked questions, his gaze shifting back and forth between Wen He and Yan Lide.

Wen He and Yan Lide were both completely baffled.

"What young master?"

Wen He countered with a question.

Huang Chun's throat moved, but he didn't dare to make a sound. He only mouthed two words to Wen He: "Crown Prince."

Wen He suddenly realized, and then replied calmly, "He has returned to his residence."

Now it was Huang Chun's turn to be puzzled.

He had heard in the palace that Wen He had actually led the Crown Prince into a brothel, and he was immediately terrified. He cursed Wen He a thousand times in his heart for his audacity, while hurriedly gathering a hundred riders, fearing that something might go wrong if they arrived late.

Judging from Wen He's calm demeanor, she didn't seem to have done anything wrong.

"That young man... has he really never been here before?"

Huang Chun was still uneasy and asked again warily, glancing at the screen in the corner of the private room as if the Crown Prince might be hiding there.

Wen He finally understood why the Hundred Riders had come, and was somewhat amused and exasperated: "Old Huang, do you think I'm such a reckless person?"

Huang Chun was taken aback when he heard this, but after thinking about it carefully, he realized that it made perfect sense.

Wen He may seem carefree at times, but she is always prudent in her work. How could she possibly commit such a serious mistake?
So, it must be that the message from the palace was wrong, or that someone was deliberately slandering us?

He immediately made up his mind, and his previous anxiety dissipated considerably, and his expression softened.

Yan Lide, who was standing to the side, lost his appetite for drinking due to the nonsensical conversation. He frowned in dissatisfaction and said in a deep voice, "What exactly is the purpose of Supervisor Huang's visit here?"

He is a high-ranking official of the third rank; it is not up to a mere eunuch to interrogate him like this.

Huang Chun naturally dared not offend him, and quickly bowed and apologized: "It was this servant's rudeness! However, this servant was acting on His Majesty's orders to invite Minister Yan and the County Magistrate of Gaoyang to the palace for an audience."

Upon hearing this, Wen He immediately raised an eyebrow.

Well, this is definitely Li Chengqian's fault.

Someone must have seen him secretly following behind and then exaggerated the story to His Majesty, saying that he had taken the Crown Prince to a brothel.

Thinking of this, Wen He felt both amused and exasperated.

That kid got away quickly, but he was left to clean up the mess.

But since Li Er had already issued the decree, he and Yan Lide naturally could not refuse.

Wen He exchanged a helpless glance with Yan Lide, and had no choice but to follow Huang Chun to the palace.

Before long, the candlelight inside the Lizheng Hall had burned even brighter.

"What about Gao Ming?"

As soon as Wen He and Yan Lide stepped into the palace, Li Shimin's stern questioning came straight at them.

He sat upright on the dragon throne, his brows furrowed, and the wine cups on the table had long since gone cold.

Not far away, Cheng Zhijie stroked his beard, winked at Wen He, and a smile peeked out from between his stubble, clearly finding the situation lively and interesting.

Anyone who sees His Majesty in a fit of anger and the young man about to be reprimanded can't help but want to take a second look.

Li Daozong stood a little further away, one hand pretending to stroke his clothes, but actually covering the slightly upturned corners of his mouth.

His other eye raised an eyebrow at Wen He, his gaze carrying a hint of mockery, as if to say, "You've gotten yourself into trouble again."

Li Jing's face was as solemn as a deep pool, his brows furrowed into a deep frown, and his gaze would occasionally sweep over Wen He, his eyes like hooks, clearly conveying the message "be careful what you say."

His Majesty is in a fit of anger; even the slightest misspoken word could backfire.

The most conspicuous one was Changsun Wuji. He stood beside the imperial desk, his face so dark it looked like it could drip water, and his tightly pursed lips were stretched into a straight line.

Wen He could even see that his fingers were clenched white inside his sleeve, clearly suppressing immense anger.

If it weren't for the fact that it was inconvenient to express his opinion in front of His Majesty at this moment, he would probably have already presented a memorial of impeachment and rattled off a series of accusations against Wen He.

Wen He was perfectly aware of everyone's expressions.

These people must have misunderstood.

He calmly cupped his hands, a slight smile on his face: "Your Majesty, His Highness the Crown Prince has returned to my residence."

Seeing his nonchalant expression, Li Shimin's forehead veins bulged, and he slammed his fist on the imperial desk: "You brat! How dare you take the Crown Prince to such a filthy place, and still dare to laugh and joke here!"

"Your Majesty, it's a misunderstanding!" Wen He quickly interrupted him, her tone earnest.

"His Highness the Crown Prince never went to Qingfeng Tower with us; it was just me and Minister Yan the whole time."

Li Shimin was taken aback, clearly not expecting him to say such a thing. His anger subsided slightly, and he looked at Yan Lide with suspicion.

Yan Lide immediately stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty, it is indeed as Wen Xianzi said. From beginning to end today, only I and the other two had a small gathering at Qingfeng Tower. We did not bring any of Wen Xianzi's students with us."

That statement is actually a bit exaggerated.

Li Yifu originally wanted to go, but Wen He sent him to escort the Crown Prince, which is why he couldn't follow.

Li Shimin stared at the two men for a long time. Seeing that they looked calm and their eyes were unwavering, not feigning anything, his tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed.

So it was just a false alarm?

Am I mistaken?
As he was pondering, a person suddenly knelt down with a "plop" below the steps. It was Gao Yue. The young eunuch's face turned pale, and he kowtowed repeatedly: "Your Majesty, this servant deserves to die! This servant heard rumors from others and reported them without verifying them, disturbing Your Majesty. I beg Your Majesty to punish me!"

He felt like dying at that moment.

It's all his fault for being so anxious after hearing about the Crown Prince's affairs that he didn't even bother to investigate.

That's why this whole thing happened.

Fortunately, His Majesty was wise and did not escalate the matter, but simply sent Huang Chun with a hundred cavalrymen.

Otherwise, he probably wouldn't have survived today.

Everyone present then seemed to wake from a dream and looked at Gao Yue.

Indeed, the whole incident started with a single sentence from this young eunuch.

If he hadn't said that Wen He had taken the Crown Prince to a brothel, His Majesty wouldn't have been angry, much less ordered the Hundred Cavalry to mobilize a large force to "invite" him.

Li Shimin looked at Gao Yue with a cold gaze: "Twenty strokes, drag her away."

The punishment wasn't severe, but it was enough to teach Gao Yue a lesson.

"Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty!" Gao Yue kowtowed and was carried out.

Li Shimin knew that Gao Yue's mistake was unintentional.

But Yan Lide is a third-rank minister, and he has been dragged into these rumors for no reason. He has to give an explanation.

As for Wen He?
Li Shimin's gaze fell back on Wen He, and he suddenly widened his eyes and shouted angrily, "What are you doing in a place like that at such a young age? Did you touch those women just now?"

Wen He quickly shook his head, a hint of helplessness on his face: "Your Majesty, I am only eleven years old. How could I do such a thing? It was just that Minister Yan said he wanted to celebrate the successful trial production of horseshoes and insisted on taking me there."

"Hahaha."

As soon as he finished speaking, a loud, boisterous laugh suddenly erupted in the hall.

Everyone turned around and saw Cheng Zhijie laughing so hard he was doubled over, slapping his thigh with one hand and pointing at Wen He with the other: "Your Majesty, you see, I told you! What can a virgin do in that place? At most, he can smell the perfume and glance at the dancers. He wouldn't dare to do anything real, would he? He doesn't have that ability."

"Cheng Yaojin!" Wen He's face flushed red instantly, both angry and embarrassed.
You're the newbie!

You're the one who's incompetent!
I spent one night...

Well, I didn't even have a girlfriend in my past life.

I want to cry but have no tears.

Cheng Zhijie didn't care whether he was angry or not, and stroked his beard, laughing even more happily: "Don't be angry, Wen County boy. In a few years when you come of age, I will send you a few Hu girls from the Western Regions. Those Hu girls are all very charming, I guarantee they will make your bones go weak."

Upon hearing this, a knowing laugh immediately filled the hall.

Even the usually composed Li Jing couldn't help but smile, his eyes showing a hint of indulgence from an elder looking at a younger generation.

These are all seasoned warriors who have fought their way through the battlefield; no one needs to pretend to be aloof.

Even the emperor himself had slept with Hu women back in the day.

Li Shimin waved his hand, stopping everyone's laughter and commotion: "Alright, stop teasing him."

After Cheng Zhijie's outburst, the awkwardness and tension caused by the misunderstanding vanished without a trace. The atmosphere in the hall became lively again, and the flames in the charcoal brazier seemed to burn brighter.

He looked at Wen He, his tone softening: "Now that you've entered the palace, stay and celebrate with me and all the ministers. You deserve the most credit for the horseshoe incident, but as for this reward... you're still young, and I'm worried that your mind might not be settled, so I'll keep it in mind for now. When you're a few years older and have made even greater contributions, I'll reward you with it all at once."

This can be considered as Li Er giving himself a way out.

He was actually worried about what official position to give Wen He for this achievement.

He is, after all, too young.

So they used this as an excuse to temporarily suppress the matter.

However, this credit still needs to be recognized in the future.

Wen He hadn't expected any immediate reward, so upon hearing this, he bowed and thanked Your Majesty, saying, "Your Majesty, I thank you. It is my honor to be able to do my part for the soldiers of the Great Tang. I dare not ask for any reward."

He knew in his heart that he would probably have to hold onto his title of Viscount of Gaoyang County for several more years.

After all, he's too young, and being promoted too quickly could easily arouse jealousy. It's better to take it easy and do his job well first.

Yan Lide watched from the side, stroking his beard and nodding silently.

Wen He is so young, yet she has such a temperament, neither arrogant nor impatient.

The two took their seats one after the other.

Although Wen He's rank is low, this victory celebration banquet is held for him.

Therefore, he was placed next to Li Daozong.

He had just sat down at the desk when Li Daozong suddenly leaned over, covering half his face with his wide robe sleeves, and said to him in a low voice, "Little brat, why didn't you take me with you when you went to Qingfeng Tower?"

Upon hearing this, Wen He glanced at him, her tone laced with sarcasm: "It seems like you're the one who's in a hurry to enter the palace."

Li Daozong was taken aback, then thought back to the matter.

It seems so?
When he received the horseshoe, he was only thinking about rushing to the palace to report the good news, and didn't have time to ask Wen He about the follow-up arrangements. He couldn't help but touch his nose awkwardly and tried to explain, "I was just eager to report your achievements. You see, if I hadn't made a decisive decision, why would His Majesty have specially arranged this celebration banquet for you?"

"Then I really thank you!"

Wen He practically spat out those words through gritted teeth, her eyes clearly saying, "I don't believe you."

If it weren't for Li Daozong's "kindness", he wouldn't have been cornered at Qingfeng Tower by the Hundred Cavalry.
Although the newly arrived Hundred Cavalry Guards outwardly showed some respect for him because of his rank as a captain and did not dare to act violently, the thought of being "invited" back to the palace was still frustrating.

Li Daozong, however, seemed oblivious to the dissatisfaction in his words, and instead laughed even more heartily: "No need to be polite, this is what I should do."

He grinned, revealing a set of white teeth. His shameless appearance made Wen He's hands itch; she really wanted to punch him.

Of course, it's just a thought.

If it really comes down to a fight, given Li Daozong's years of combat experience, he'd probably be completely crushed.

Wen He turned her face away, too lazy to pay him any more attention, and took a sip of tea.

Li Daozong, however, persisted, moving closer and lowering his voice, "Seriously, how do the dancers at Qingfeng Tower compare to the Hu women sent as tribute from the Western Regions last year? I heard that a new dancer from Jiangnan recently arrived, and her water sleeve dance is exceptionally beautiful..."

"Prince Rencheng".

Wen He put down her teacup and interrupted him with a forced smile.

"His Majesty is still here."

Li Daozong reluctantly shut his mouth, but still winked at him, his eyes brimming with undisguised curiosity, just like a child eyeing a piece of candy.

Wen He ignored him and took a few sips of the hot soup on the table. The bone broth was thick and rich, with the savory aroma of mushrooms, which was just right to suppress the effects of the alcohol.

While he and Li Daozong were chatting and laughing in hushed tones, many eyes in the hall were quietly turning towards him.

There was curiosity, scrutiny, and a degree of inquiry.

One of the gazes, however, made Wen He pause slightly, quite surprised.

It is Hou Junji.

He sat in the seat diagonally opposite, dressed in the official robes of a duke. His complexion was not good, and there was a hint of gloom between his brows. He was holding a wine cup in a daze, but his gaze kept falling on Wen He, with a hint of something indescribable.

Wen He frowned slightly.

He was there too.

To be honest, he never thought he would ever see Hou Junji in the imperial court or at a banquet in his lifetime.

This meritorious official of the Xuanwu Gate Incident was granted the title of Duke of Liang and received high honors.

Li Shimin actually treated him well. He never publicly claimed that he was the one who personally executed Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji, thus preserving his reputation.

However, the Shandong gentry were convinced that he was behind it, and impeachment memorials have been submitted over the years, suppressing his official career both openly and covertly, leaving him with the title of Duke but unable to wield real power.

As for whether Li Shimin tacitly approved this, Wen He couldn't say for sure.

Emperors are always shrewd and calculating. They need meritorious officials to keep order and to balance the power of various factions. Perhaps placing Hou Junji in this ambiguous position is the safest arrangement.

As he was pondering, Hou Junji seemed to notice his gaze, paused in his hand holding the wine cup, and looked up at him.

The moment their eyes met, a complex emotion flashed in Hou Junji's eyes. He then raised his wine cup and gave him a perfunctory toast, a gesture that was neither warm nor hostile.

Wen He hesitated for a moment, then picked up her teacup in return.

He neither liked nor disliked this famous general.

After all, the bloodshed of the Xuanwu Gate Incident had long passed, and Hou Junji now resembled a disillusioned figure marginalized by the court.

"What are you looking at?"

Li Daozong followed his gaze and glanced at Hou Junji, then lowered his voice.

"Ignore him. He's been in a bad mood lately. I heard he volunteered to go and manage the Western Regions, but His Majesty didn't accept."

Wen He suddenly realized why Hou Junji looked so melancholy.

This Duke of Liang was always ambitious and eager to make achievements. Being left idle in Chang'an naturally made him very uncomfortable.

"who cares."

Wen He looked away and scooped up a spoonful of soup.

"Let's drink our own."

Li Daozong chuckled: "That makes sense. Come, try this roasted meat. The new chef in the imperial kitchen has excellent skills."

Wen He picked up a piece of roasted meat and put it in her mouth, the aroma of the fat spreading on her tongue.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that Hou Junji had turned his head and was talking to the official next to him, but his back view always seemed to carry a sense of loneliness.

Just as he was pondering this, the sound of a palace attendant announcing his arrival came from outside the hall. It turned out that the imperial kitchen had delivered newly brewed wine.

Li Shimin raised his wine cup and smiled as he gestured to the crowd: "Come, let us drink to these horseshoes, and to the future of our Tang Dynasty cavalry!"

The entire hall raised its cups in response, and amidst the clinking of wine glasses, Li Daozong quietly nudged Wen He's arm and whispered, "When you have some free time later, invite me to Qingfeng Tower again as a token of my gratitude."

Not long after, Li Shimin, slightly drunk, got up, waved his hand, and said he wanted to rest.

Everyone hurriedly rose to see him off, but he stopped at the palace gate and turned to look at Wen He: "Come with me."

Wen He was taken aback, and had no choice but to quickly follow.

Cheng Zhijie winked at him from behind, while Li Daozong made a "good luck to you" face, which made him both laugh and cry.

It was already late at night when we left the Lizheng Hall.

The moon hung high in the sky, its clear light bathing the palace path. The palace lanterns on both sides swayed dimly, casting long shadows of the two people.

Looking up, the starry sky was as dazzling as black velvet studded with diamonds. Without the neon lights of later cities obscuring it, the night sky appeared exceptionally vast and magnificent.

"Do you know why I summoned the generals of the Twelve Guards today?"

Li Shimin walked slowly, his voice revealing neither joy nor anger.

Wen He followed behind, thought for a moment, and replied, "For the Turks?"

Aside from this major threat entrenched in the northern border, he couldn't think of anything else that could make the emperor summon so many powerful military figures.

Li Shimin did not stop walking and nodded slightly.

Wen He could guess, and Li Shimin was not surprised.

After all, the earliest intelligence about the internal divisions within the Turkic Khaganate was delivered by the Hundred Cavalry Commandery.

"I intend to add fuel to the fire for the Turks."

Li Shimin suddenly spoke, his tone carrying an unquestionable resolve.

"Okay."

Wen He subconsciously agreed, but then felt that the words were too light and added.

"The Turks have been raiding southwards for years, and they really should be taught a lesson."

"Then you shall help me." Li Shimin turned to look at him, the moonlight shining on his face, half bright and half hidden in shadow.

"what?"

Wen He was stunned and quickly waved her hand.

"Your Majesty wouldn't be asking me to be an envoy to the Turks, would you? No way, I'm not capable of that!"

Not to mention that it was the dead of winter in the Turkic lands, a time when people's ears could freeze off, his small frame simply couldn't withstand the long journey.

Li Shimin raised his hand and flicked him on the head, but the force was not strong.

"Your Majesty, this is not being reasonable!"

Wen He covered her forehead and muttered.

"I'm just afraid of messing up the job."

Li Shimin glared at him irritably: "I have my own arrangements for the mission, but..."

He changed the subject.

"I plan to send someone with some 'gifts of thanks'—your glass, soap, and the new wool yarn. Produce more of them recently, and I will have the Ministry of Civil Affairs contact your household to purchase them."

Wen He's eyes lit up.

Is this a way to use these things as gifts to sow discord among the Turks?

Historically, it seems that after the Xueyantuo rebelled, Li Shimin did indeed bestow the title of Khan upon that barbarian.

He quickly replied, "No problem! It's just that the number of craftsmen in the glass kiln and soap workshop is limited. If we need more, we'll probably have to recruit some more people."

"I grant your permission," Li Shimin nodded, then added.

"And horseshoes, at least 100,000 of them must be made within a year."

"One hundred thousand pieces?"

Wen He gasped.

It has to be said that Li Er's ambitions are truly enormous now.

But can the Tang Dynasty produce more than 20,000 warhorses now?

Despite the Tang Dynasty's seemingly invincible cavalry warfare, the Tang Dynasty now relies on purchasing weapons from the Turks.

“Your Majesty, this is no small sum. The Ministry of Works is already facing a shortage of iron, and forging horseshoes is time-consuming…”

"Regarding the iron ore, I have instructed the Ministry of Civil Affairs to coordinate with the iron mines in various regions to prioritize supplying you. If there is a shortage of craftsmen, blacksmiths will be drawn from the army or recruited from the civilian population, with preferential treatment."

Li Shimin interrupted him, his tone resolute.

"I want all the warhorses of the Twelve Guards to have their horseshoes replaced with new ones before the spring of next year. When spring arrives and the flowers bloom, it will be time to go to war."

At this point, Li Shimin suddenly stopped and turned to look at Wen He, his gaze deep: "Do you know about Yinan of Xueyantuo?"

Wen He had expected that he would ask about this name. He nodded, his tone becoming serious: "This man is even more difficult to deal with than Jieli. His Majesty appointed him Khan, but he did not truly submit. He repeatedly disobeyed orders while pretending to comply. He had only been away from Jieli's command for a year when he raised 200,000 followers on the grasslands. This shows his skill and ambition."

He paused, then added, "After Jieli's defeat and death, Yinan gradually gained power in the northern desert and eventually became a major threat to the northern border of the Tang Dynasty."

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin's brows indeed furrowed tightly.

Wen He's words clearly confirmed his hidden worries.

After a long pause, he replied in a deep voice, "Yes, I understand."

Seeing this, Wen He said nothing more, only quietly watching the emperor's clenched fists.

His knuckles were white, clearly indicating that he was genuinely angry.

Before the imperial city was locked, Wen He was escorted out of Xuanwu Gate by a palace attendant.

He led the familiar little pony and leisurely made his way back to his mansion before curfew.

The next day, Wen He took Li Chengqian out as usual, or went to the Ministry of War for a stroll.

Just as they were about to leave, they saw A Dong hurrying over and bowing to Wen He and Li Chengqian.

"Young master, someone from the palace has arrived. They say they were sent by Her Majesty the Empress."

(End of this chapter)