In my dream of returning to the Tang Dynasty, I snatched Wu Zetian from my lap.

"Greetings, Your Highness the Prince of Han."

"Where are you going?" Eunuch Chang asked, looking at the large and small bags with a surprised expression.

Li Yuanchang stepped forward and bowed with his hands clasped: "Lord Chang, I was just about to return to Liangzhou. I have been away for more than three months, and there are many affairs to attend to in Liangzhou."

The eunuch immediately said, "Your Highness, please wait."

"His Majesty has summoned you to the palace to discuss important matters."

Upon hearing this, Li Yuanchang was taken aback. As a prefectural governor from another region, it was customary for him to leave after completing his report.

Li Shimin would consult with civil and military officials and the prime ministers when he had important matters to discuss. Why would he consult with me?

"Your Highness, it's true. How could I dare to spread such a thing?"

"Hurry up, His Majesty and the ministers are waiting." The eunuch looked quite anxious.

Upon hearing this, Li Yuanchang had no choice but to say to Guo Chao, "You all pack your things first, I'm going to the palace."

"yes!"

"Brother Chongzhen."

"Your Highness, you go ahead, I'll wait for you here." Li Chongzhen said with a smile, happy for Li Yuanchang.

And so, Li Yuanchang followed the eunuch Chang into Xuanwu Gate early in the morning.

Li Yuanchang could enter places that even a regional governor or a prince might only visit a few times in his entire life, but he could enter whenever he wanted, and he could even ride in a carriage in the palace.

As they walked in, the palace maids and eunuchs lined the path, gossiping among themselves.

"Who is this person, able to ride in a carriage in the palace? There aren't many people who can do that, are there?"

"It's the King of Han!"

"Even the King of Han has been granted the Nine Bestowments!"

"what?"

"Upon hearing that it was about a marriage alliance with Tibet, the eunuch Chang went to invite them early this morning."

"I see. The King of Han is truly favored. I wish I could be given to him as a reward."

"You? Give me a break! The hundred beautiful maids His Majesty bestowed upon the Prince of Han were all beauties of the imperial concubine selection!"

"..."

The Imperial Study.

Upon arriving here, Li Yuanchang took off his shoes and entered after being informed by someone.

If someone arrives here and doesn't go to the Liangyi Hall, it means there's something really important going on.

Although the Liangyi Hall is the officially recognized place for the morning court session, where all civil and military officials are required to attend, in reality, the secret decisions made by the top leadership are not discussed with all officials.

Normally, the Council of State Affairs would hold meetings in the Imperial Study or other secluded places, and the fact that Li Yuanchang was able to attend such meetings demonstrates that his abilities were indeed recognized by the entire high command.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects."

"Hmm, it's the Prince of Han," Li Shimin said.

All eyes turned to him: Changsun Wuji, Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, Chu Suiliang... about eight or nine people, all top-notch think tank members, but not a single military leader was present.

Seeing this commotion, Li Yuanchang was also curious: what big event could it be?

"I heard from Eunuch Chang that you were leaving early this morning?" Li Shimin asked.

Li Yuanchang replied, "Your Majesty, Liangzhou is busy with affairs. I have finished my escort duties and am thinking of returning as soon as possible."

"Is that so?"

"Do you have some grievance against me?"

"If you have any questions, just say so. We're all family here."

Li Yuanchang cursed a thousand times in his heart, but if he actually said it, you would be unhappy again.

"Your Majesty, how dare I?"

"It's really time to return to Liangzhou to handle some matters."

Li Shimin stared at him for a long time.

"There are so many officials in Liangzhou, including Jia Tong and Wang Hongzhi, you don't need to be in such a hurry."

"Perfect timing, there's something I'd like to ask your opinion on."

"Wuji, you go and tell the King of Han."

"Yes!" Changsun Wuji, who was in the lead, cupped his hands and then said with a smile, "Your Highness, the Prince of Han."

"Lord Changsun," Li Yuanchang said, bowing, but remaining vigilant throughout.

Changsun Wuji was a figure at the center of power. It is difficult to say whether he was good or bad during the Zhenguan era, but one thing is certain: Changsun Wuji was very capable, and he played a part in pushing for the death of the King of Han in history.

"Your Highness, are you familiar with Songtsen Gampo, the Khan of Tibet?"

Li Yuanchang raised an eyebrow. Could it be...?

"I've heard of it."

Changsun Wuji continued, "Several years ago, the Tibetan Khan Songtsen Gampo had already requested a marriage alliance with His Majesty, but His Majesty had not agreed until after the Battle of Songzhou, when a series of events occurred, and now the matter has been restarted."

Upon hearing this, Li Yuanchang thought to himself, "Just as I expected!"

In the fifteenth year of the Zhenguan era, a major event was about to occur: Princess Wencheng was sent to the Tibetan Empire!

"The Prince of Han has made great contributions in escorting the marriage alliance this time, and he is also experienced. Therefore, Your Majesty would like to ask the Prince of Han's opinion on what form the marriage alliance should take so as to demonstrate the might of our great Tang Dynasty, subdue the world as much as possible, and educate the Tibetan barbarians in the west so that they will not cause trouble again."

Li Yuanchang frowned, asking not whether to join forces, but how.

This indicates that the Tang Dynasty's high-ranking officials had basically tacitly approved of the marriage alliance.

"this……"

"King of Han, speak your mind without hesitation. I never punish those who speak out." Li Shimin noticed his hesitation and assumed that it was the first time he had spoken freely in such a setting.

"Yes, Your Highness, you can speak frankly. His Majesty has summoned you because he trusts you," Fang Xuanling said with a smile, stroking his beard.

Li Yuanchang hesitated briefly, making a brief choice between changing history and conforming to history.

In the end, he chose to follow his own will: "Your Majesty, Your Excellencies."

"I believe... it's best not to form an alliance!"

The four words landed with a resounding clang, and the entire imperial study fell silent instantly.

Changsun Wuji and the others were all stunned for a moment. The question was how to form a connection, and the reply was that they wouldn't. This...

They all looked at Li Shimin.

Li Shimin frowned slightly: "Why?"

Li Yuanchang was helpless. He couldn't very well say that even if they formed a marriage alliance, it would be useless. The Tibetan Empire would still attack the Tang Dynasty later, and this empire and the Tang Dynasty would never be able to reconcile. Their war would drag on for hundreds of years.

"Your Majesty, Tibet and Tuyuhun are different. Tuyuhun can indeed accelerate cultural assimilation and achieve the goal of peace by forming a marriage alliance with the Tang Dynasty."

"But Tibet, definitely not..."

"Why are you so resolute?" Li Shimin asked again.

"Because Tibet and Tuyuhun were essentially two different things, their national strength was worlds apart, and national strength determined their future choices."

"Tuyuhun lacked its own writing system, medicine, knitting, technology, religion... They had nothing and could only rely on the Tang Dynasty. They didn't even have any domestic depth, so the Qinghai Lake cavalry could move freely. It was easy for the Tang Dynasty to assimilate them and conquer them."

"But Tibet is different. They have a larger population and more abundant resources. Their religion, medicine, agriculture, weaving and so on have all formed their own system."

"Especially their territory, which is all plateau, the Tang army simply cannot cross it, which means that our Tang Dynasty does not have the ability to use force to cover it up."

"Even the Tang Dynasty would find it difficult to tame them. If Your Majesty chooses to form a marriage alliance and bestows upon them a large number of scriptures and seeds, this would be like raising a tiger to cause future trouble!"

Li Yuanchang was extremely serious. He knew very well that the peace maintained by Princess Wencheng's marriage to Tibet was only a fleeting moment.

The technology that the Tang Dynasty sent over actually helped the other side grow stronger, and many years later they were about to turn against each other.

That would kill a lot of people!