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

"It was someone who was sabotaging us, not because the army on the western front was losing ground."

"Thank you, Your Highness!" A large number of generals clasped their hands in thanks, impressed by Li Yuanchang's magnanimity.

Li Ji sat by the bed and asked curiously, "Your Highness, so many people clearly saw you being knocked off a hundred-foot waterfall by a warhorse during the chaotic battle and falling into the Wuding River."

"I heard you were covered in injuries before you went down there, how did you survive?"

"Furthermore, I notice that your sword wounds seem to have healed; there are signs of bandaging?"

Upon hearing this, everyone turned to look at him with curiosity.

This is a doomed situation!

Li Yuanchang smiled wryly and recounted his series of experiences to Li Ji and the others.

When the topic turned to the fact that the Qimeng tribe had contacted the Xueyantuo people, all the commanders in the camp frowned, their eyes revealing murderous intent.

"Finally, as you all know, I was rescued."

"I see. Your Highness is truly blessed by Heaven. If it had been just a hair's breadth off, it would have been all over," Li Ji exclaimed.

Li Yuanchang nodded.

"I survived by sheer luck."

"Speaking of this matter," he drawled, his eyes suddenly turning serious, "Grand Steward, I have a suggestion, but I'm unsure whether I should make it."

Li Ji said, "Your Highness, please speak freely."

"During my time wandering the grasslands, I discovered that there are alliances of varying sizes among the different tribes. The Mongol tribe is just one of them. The Xueyantuo are consolidating the northern deserts to fight against the Tang Dynasty. In reality, there are probably many other tribes involved behind the scenes."

"If we allow the Xueyantuo and other ethnic groups to be allowed to roam freely, this war will likely drag on for a very long time."

"Perhaps our army can take the initiative to suppress a portion of the neutral ethnic groups, persuade them to send troops together, and offer them some benefits. Maybe the war can end faster."

"Most importantly, the Tang Dynasty can save a large amount of national strength and manpower," Li Yuanchang said.

Upon hearing this, Li Ji did not immediately dismiss it, but rather considered it carefully.

A master always has a heart for learning.

"May I ask, Your Highness, do you believe that the Qimeng tribes are inclined to side with the Xueyantuo and oppose the Tang Dynasty?"

Li Yuanchang's eyes lit up. A famous coach is indeed a famous coach; he understands everything immediately.

"right!"

"But this does not mean that all members of the Mongol tribes are like this. Their right-wing forces adhere to the traditional mindset of nomadic peoples and have always been xenophobic, that is, they reject the Tang Dynasty."

"But most people just want to survive."

"Within the Mongol tribes, some yearned for the Tang Dynasty, while others sided with traditional grassland hegemons like the Xueyantuo."

"If this is true for one tribe, what about the second and the third?"

"Quantitative change leads to qualitative change. If left unchecked, Xueyantuo will have a continuous stream of military power behind them."

"If the Tang Dynasty can incorporate these small tribes and offer them benefits, we can turn around and use their power to destroy the Xueyantuo."

"If the commander agrees, we can send another army to first control the Mongol tribes, and then set up a front against the Xueyantuo along the north of the Yin Mountains and the west of the Gobi Desert."

"Subsequently, the Tang army commanded troops, the tribes contributed their labor, and the distribution was based on their work to settle the north."

"In this way, the logistics of the Tang Dynasty will not have to be so strained."

Upon hearing this, Li Ji's eyes, which seemed to hold the secrets of the universe, lit up slightly. He thought to himself, "What a brilliant idea to distribute according to work! This is a perfect way to settle things in the north!"

He acted with almost no hesitation and was extremely decisive.

"I think it's good."

"Actually, the higher authorities did not advocate fighting to the end, because the cost would be too high. It was only because the Xueyantuo's southward invasion directly threatened the Tang Dynasty's homeland that troops were dispatched."

"How about this, I will draft a memorial and submit it to Chang'an. If His Majesty approves it, then so be it."

Li Yuanchang's eyes lit up immediately; he hadn't expected Li Ji to be so easy to talk to.

He agreed to help with just one sentence.

He was almost certain that Li Shimin would agree. Historically, Li Shimin fought for more than four years and finally dismantled the Xueyantuo through political means.

Its fundamental purpose was to avoid the kind of reckless military campaigns that led to the destruction of the enemy and the collapse of its own forces, as Emperor Wu of Han had done.

Uniting the various tribes of the grasslands was clearly in line with the national policy of the Tang Dynasty, and the Mongol tribes were a perfect opportunity for this.

Of course, Li Yuanchang also had his own selfish reasons. He didn't want the war to last too long, and he missed home.

Secondly, the Qimeng tribe had saved his life, and he was worried about the situation of Luge and the others after he escaped.

There is no doubt that Ada is a right-wing extremist, and his existence threatens many people.

Given Li Yuanchang's current status, he is not qualified to mobilize troops, and he cannot even help Lu Ge, as this would be considered unauthorized troop deployment.

So this was the only thing he could do.

"good!"

"Thank you very much, General!"

……

Li Ji was a pragmatist, and he thought it was good, so he wrote a folded paper on the same day.

In the following days.

Guo Chao woke up.

Li Yuanchang's body is also recovering rapidly, and he will soon be able to get out of bed and walk.

Cheng Chuliang, Yuchi Baoqi, and all of Li Yuanchang's former subordinates from Youzhou, along with the few remaining troops from Lantian County, all rushed to the western front headquarters upon receiving the news.

Thanks to Li Yuanchang's intervention, Li Ji was magnanimous and gave him face, not pursuing the responsibility of Cheng Chuliang and others for causing trouble.

December 26th.

When the old comrades reunited, Cheng Chuliang and Yuchi Baoqi hugged Li Yuanchang and cried their hearts out, thinking they would never see each other again in this life.

The genuine emotions that surfaced brought tears to Li Yuanchang's eyes.

December 28th.

The last to arrive at Li Yuanchang's side was Chi Lian, Li Yi, from the Black Ice Guard.

When the bad news came out, the Black Ice Platform was almost brought to a standstill.

Upon receiving Li Yuanchang's secret letter, Li Yi immediately set off, leading all his men disguised as a merchant caravan to meet him.

However, due to the incident involving the Meng tribe, the two sides completely missed each other.

"Your Highness, I was too late to save you!" Li Yi apologized, looking at the alive Li Yuanchang with great emotion.

Li Yuanchang helped them up, saying, "This isn't your fault."

"Get up. I originally planned to wait for you to come, but the plan has changed."

"By the way, how's things at home?"

Li Yi hesitated, then said with a grim expression, "Your Highness, the news of your devastation has shaken the entire household. The three ladies are heartbroken and have fallen ill."

"On the day of the funeral, after giving instructions on all matters, the princess left a will, requesting to die with His Highness."

"Later, because the Crown Prince cried bitterly, the Queen found it hard to bear and ultimately gave up on committing suicide."

Li Yuanchang's expression changed drastically.

"However, Your Highness, rest assured, everything is fine now. Everyone in the Prince's residence is watching over the Princess Consort, who has already returned to Chang'an."

"However, all three ladies fell ill and became very thin, unable to eat anything every day."

Li Yuanchang frowned, as if something had gripped his heart.

He knew that when the news got back, Situ Lan and the others wouldn't be able to handle the blow.

What she feared most came to pass. If the prince hadn't been so young, Situ Lan might have truly been buried alive with him. She had once said that they would share the same bed in life and the same grave in death.

A gentle exterior hides an extremely fierce heart.