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

Chapter 92 How vast is this world?

Li Shimin was not surprised at all that Wen He could guess.

The three little ones standing to the side were all stunned with surprise.

"Aye!"

Li Chengqian was somewhat flustered. His previous teachers had all told him about the current situation in the Turkic Khaganate.

The newly established Tang Dynasty was not entirely a match for the Turks. If war broke out, I'm afraid his father would have to go on another expedition.

"What's the panic? They're just a bunch of Turks. You'll be the crown prince someday, why are you so flustered..."

"cough!"

Before Li Shimin could finish speaking, Wen He suddenly coughed, interrupting him.

Suddenly interrupted, he glared at Wen He in displeasure, only to see the latter wink at him.

He then realized what was happening.

Wen He had previously told him that Li Chengqian in later generations collapsed because of too much pressure.

His reprimand now is likely to put even more pressure on the child.

'Sigh, this is one of my problems.'

He then softened his tone and patted Li Chengqian's head: "With me here, those barbarians are nothing but dust, easily destroyed. The future Tang Dynasty will not need to fear them, and neither will you."

"Hmm." Li Chengqian was somewhat surprised.

He thought his father would scold him, but to his surprise, his father changed his attitude after his teacher just coughed.

'Could it be that Father is afraid of you, sir?'

He couldn't help but wonder, but he knew he shouldn't ask such questions.

"That's right! With Father here, who can be a match for the Tang Dynasty!" Li Tai declared, hands on his hips and head held high.

Li Ke nodded approvingly.

In their hearts, their father was the strongest war god of the Tang Dynasty.

In fact it is.

In terms of Li Shimin's achievements, it's likely that all the meritorious officials of the early Tang Dynasty combined couldn't match his accomplishments.

After all, those meritorious officials all made their achievements under his command.

"Enough, stop bragging, lest outsiders laugh at us." Li Shimin waved his hand, otherwise, with the corners of his mouth uncontrollably turning upwards, Wen He would have actually believed his words.

"Wen He." Li Shimin coughed lightly and called his name.

"During the previous court discussion, all the ministers advised me not to personally lead any expeditions in the future. What do you think?" Li Shimin suddenly changed the subject.

He knelt down on the mat beside him, and Li Chengqian, with exceptional foresight, brought him a heel rest.

"If you don't want to go, then you don't have to go. You'll be the emperor in the future, so don't ask me about this."

Those powerful figures all advised Li Shimin not to go, even if he voiced his objections.

I fear that in a few days, during the court assembly, memorials impeaching him will fill Li Shimin's desk.

Seeing his lack of courage, Li Shimin immediately snorted and turned to ask his three sons.

“Father, when I grow up, I will fight for you against the Turks!” Li Tai replied without hesitation.

"You should take good care of your pigs." Wen He sat down as well, and upon hearing this, she casually picked up a piece of wood and threw it at him.

Then Li Shimin glared at him fiercely: "What kind of talk is that? Qingque is so ambitious, I think..."

He was about to continue speaking when he was interrupted by Wen He's meaningful gaze.

Yes, it's best if Qingque doesn't lead troops in the future.

"I think your husband is right."

"Ah!" Li Tai was stunned. He hadn't expected his father to be so obedient to his teacher. He immediately pouted, somewhat resentful.

Li Ke, who was standing to the side, pondered for a moment and then slowly spoke.

“Father, you will become the emperor in the future. As the saying goes, a gentleman does not sit in a dangerous place. Even if you really want to go on a campaign, you should wait until your elder brother is older. Then I will accompany you and protect you.”

Li Chengqian glanced at him in surprise, and Li Ke actually smiled at him.

Li Shimin was overjoyed upon hearing this: "Good, Ke'er is right. See? My son has such courage at such a young age, and he even said he would protect me in the future. Hahahaha."

He turned to look at Wen He and burst into laughter.

The latter chuckled twice and sighed helplessly.

All I can say is that Yang Liangdi was indeed a good teacher.

But does this kid even have the heart for it?

He was a little conflicted.

"However, I actually prefer to learn from you, sir. You have been saying many wonderful things lately, even boiling water contains profound truths."

Li Ke suddenly changed the subject.

But his words struck a chord with Li Shimin. The latter nodded approvingly, and when he looked at Wen He, his gaze held a hint of satisfaction: "It seems you have not disappointed me."

"So, Your Highness, will there be a reward?" Wen He teased.

"No, we've given you more than enough. How can someone so young keep so much wealth?"

Li Shimin's face immediately darkened.

He didn't have much money left in his private treasury. In such a short time, he had given away his entire estate to Wen He.

Now they're even using the forbidden gardens as rewards.

That brat is really greedy.

Fortunately, he was not power-hungry.

"What do you say, Gao Ming?" Li Shimin asked Li Chengqian.

The latter pursed his lips, pondered for a moment, and then bowed deeply to Li Shimin: "Your son believes that we should not go to war with the Turks now. Master Kong said that exhausting our resources for war is reckless..."

Before he could finish speaking, he saw Li Shimin's face darken, and he immediately dared not continue.

"Don't be afraid, please continue," Wen He reminded her.

Li Chengqian glanced at Li Shimin, swallowed hard, and then continued, "I think we should wait a few more years until the Tang Dynasty is well-fed under your rule before launching a campaign against the Turks."

After Li Chengqian finished speaking, he lowered his head, not daring to look Li Shimin in the eye.

However, before Li Shimin could speak, he heard Wen He praising him.

"Isn't that well said, Your Highness? Don't keep scaring him, you're making the child all frightened."

Li Shimin glanced helplessly at Wen He.

"I did not blame him."

This brat, does he think I'm a tyrant?

Am I really that terrifying?

"That makes sense, but now the Turks are about to harass our Great Tang. What do you think we should do?"

Li Shimin continued to ask in a calm voice.

Li Chengqian was so nervous that sweat beaded on his forehead. He swallowed several times, his face full of confusion, unsure of what to say.

“It is indeed wrong to be warlike and aggressive. As the saying goes, even a large country will perish if it loves war,” Wen He said, trying to help him out of the predicament.

Li Shimin remained silent, watching him in quiet contemplation.

Li Tai and Li Ke were somewhat worried, and Li Chengqian was even more nervous, clutching his sleeve tightly.

The three children never expected that Wen He would say such things in front of Li Shimin.

But soon, Wen He changed the subject: "But there is another sentence after this: 'Though the world is at peace, forgetting war is dangerous.' Don't think that just because there are high walls outside and the Great Wall is blocking the way, those barbarians will only roam the grasslands."

Li Shimin's lips curled up slightly.

He knew that there must be another meaning behind Wen He's previous words.

Seeing him so earnestly lecturing the three little ones, he didn't disturb them, but turned and gestured to Wen Zhong, who was in a corner not far away.

Ask him to bring over some tea.

Wen He was not bothered by his little actions and continued to speak to the three little ones.

“If a country is strong and does not wage war, then in their eyes, the rich Central Plains will be a piece of fat meat, and disasters like those at the end of the Western Jin Dynasty will happen again.”

"Although the grassland people can't kill them all, they are like the weeds in the yard. They need to be cut down from time to time, otherwise they will grow everywhere."

"When the grassland people are completely weak, we will bring immigrants from the Tang Dynasty and exile prisoners there. We will put them under military supervision and let them raise cattle and sheep. They will not be allowed to graze freely. We will also build military towns. After a few decades, that place will be the territory that our Tang Dynasty has always had since ancient times."

The three children were confused by his last sentence and didn't quite understand it.

But Li Shimin felt as if there was a ball of fire in his chest.

"Has our Great Tang Dynasty always had its own territory?"

At this moment, he felt that Wen He's words resonated with what he had said to Changsun Wugou before.

Wherever the sun and moon shine, wherever rivers flow, all shall be my subjects!

But he always had a question in his mind.

How vast is this world?

Li Shimin suddenly asked a question, his gaze towards Wen He burning like a raging fire.

Wen He looked at him.

This was the first time Li Shimin had asked him this question on his own initiative.

How vast is this world?

Wen He suddenly laughed and shouted outside, "Bring me my paper and pen!"