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

At this moment, his desire to return to Chang'an immediately grew even more urgent.

"Your Highness, are you going back?" Li Yi asked.

Li Yuanchang shook his head.

"Even if I go back now, I can't be faster than a message sent by express courier. As long as they know I'm not dead, the princess and the others will be able to cheer up."

"Moreover, I cannot leave!"

"If we leave, Brother Gong and the thousands of comrades from Lantian County will have died in vain. Their funeral arrangements, their justice, and their military achievements must be fulfilled!"

"There are some other matters that await my attention."

"I have already sent some letters back home, and I'm sure my ladies will understand once they read them."

"Yes." Li Yi cupped his hands in greeting.

Li Yuanchang took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his inner anxiety.

"Have you arrived at the Genna Grassland yet?"

"We've arrived!" Li Yi nodded. "But when I got there, I learned that His Highness had already fled."

"At that time, there were no Xueyantuo troops left!"

"I heard there's been a rebellion within the Qimeng tribe."

"Rebellion?!" Li Yuanchang's eyes widened in shock.

Guo Chao gave him a look that said, "That's exactly right."

"Yes, the eldest son of the tribal chief, with the help of the Xueyantuo army, completed the rebellion and took control of all the people and resources."

"What about Qisenluge?" Li Yuanchang blurted out.

"Well, I don't know. When I learned that Your Highness had escaped successfully, I came straight back," Li Yi said.

Li Yuanchang frowned deeply!

"Damn it, this Ada really is rebelling!"

"I knew this bastard was a traitor!" He couldn't help but curse. If his anger was self-inflicted, then Lu Ge Li Yuanchang could not be ignored.

The kindness of saving my life and the meticulous care I received are already a blessing from heaven.

Not to mention letting him go, how could Xueyantuo let him off so easily?

Even if she could, Ada had long coveted her, and without her father's protection, she would likely find it difficult to protect herself.

He desperately wants to rush back and wipe out Ada.

But that's not feasible in reality, unless Li Shimin agrees, as it involves military strategy.

"so!"

"Send someone to go ahead, or bribe the local herders, to find out about the current situation of the Qisen tribe. Report back immediately if you have any news."

"yes!"

"..."

Thus, Li Yuanchang spent his days at the western front headquarters, worrying about both sides.

With the arrival of winter and no fighting on the western front, he would go to Li Ji's office almost every day to ask if there had been any replies from Chang'an.

Even if a letter from Chang'an were delivered by express courier, it would still take at least ten days.

Before that, there was nothing he could do but rest and recuperate while waiting for news.

The new year passed amidst the cold winds and the standoff between war and peace.

The Tang Dynasty entered the sixteenth year of the Zhenguan era.

During this long period of time, Chang'an was already shaken. The King of Han, who had been declared dead for a long time, was suddenly announced to be alive!

He was even buried in the imperial mausoleum, but he didn't die!

Some people laughed heartily, overjoyed, while others reacted as if their father had died.

On January 13th, news from Chang'an finally reached the western front camp!

All the waiting was worthwhile; with war raging for three months, a letter from home is worth a fortune.

Li Yuanchang received letters from Situ Lan, Qin Keyu, Cui Wanqing, Chi Lian, and many others.

Every word was written in blood, every sentence in tears.

Even through the cold ink, one can feel the excitement they felt when writing these letters; what is lost and then found is always the most precious thing.

Besides family letters, there were also many military orders from Li Shimin!

"Your Highness, His Majesty's decree has arrived: Wang Mai and several other traitors in the army must be executed immediately!"

"The Lantian County Granary Unit designation will be retained, and the families of all fallen soldiers will be immediately compensated by the Chang'an Association; not a single one will be left behind!"

Upon hearing this, all the soldiers of Lantian County were delighted.

They shouted, "Your Majesty is wise! Your Majesty is wise!!"

Li Ji then produced a handwritten edict and said, "Furthermore, His Majesty has agreed to the proposal, allowing us to contact various tribes on the grasslands, offer them benefits, leverage their strengths, and even form a coalition army."

"His Majesty has entrusted this matter to you, and has officially appointed you as the General of Lantian, and transferred the Lantian County Garrison and all surviving logistics personnel to you."

Upon hearing this, everyone in the western camp was slightly surprised, yet it was also within their expectations.

As the saying goes, those who survive a great calamity are destined for good fortune. Li Yuanchang's feat of dragging down the entire Shatuo army was already a great achievement.

Having nearly died in battle, the emperor could not afford to be stingy.

Besides, this was originally just a pretext for gilding his reputation, so Li Shimin naturally began to fulfill his promises.

"Hehe, Big Brother got promoted again!" Cheng Chuliang laughed carefree, and even muttered to others what kind of official the General of Lantian was.

In the Zhenguan era, the Grand General was a third-rank official, a position held entirely by high-ranking officials, and belonged to the central military command.

This is completely different from the Grand Governor of Liangzhou; one is a local position, and the other is a central one, so their natures are different.

Although Li Yuanchang did not receive authorization from the Imperial Guards, it was not far off. Lantian County was located around Chang'an, so this was tantamount to giving Li Yuanchang the entire military force of Lantian.

If the war ends and Li Yuanchang is reinstated, he could potentially become a figure who wields real military power in both the central and local governments.

Nobility, official position, military rank—all in one!

Such people do exist, but very few have reached the highest level.

"Your subject obeys the decree!" Li Yuanchang received the edict, somewhat excited.

The excitement wasn't because he'd been appointed a Grand General, but because he could finally take action.

He wanted to save Luge, and also to hasten the demise of the Xueyantuo through this method, so that he could return home sooner.

"Your Highness, here is another confidential letter from His Majesty, which you are required to read in person," Li Ji said, handing it over.

Li Yuanchang took it, opened it, and took a look.

After reading the contents of the letter, he couldn't help but feel a little sad.

You could say Li Shimin was good, but he was ruthless and selfish like any emperor. You could also say he was bad, but among emperors, he was definitely one of the most compassionate and righteous.

Upon learning of his own death, he vomited blood.

The letter not only entrusted him with an important task, but also explicitly stated that if there was danger, he should withdraw and not do everything himself. He should just go to the front line for a stroll and let the subordinates fight.

He really does seem like the eldest brother in an ordinary family.

Perhaps Li Shimin cherished talent, or perhaps he realized he was no longer young and was atoning for his sins, or perhaps he was laying the groundwork for what was to come. Maybe he had a little bit of all those thoughts.

Utilitarianism and family affection should coexist.

"call!"

"Your Majesty's kindness is deeply appreciated!" he said, half sincerely and half politely.

Li Ji joked, "Your Highness has now officially become a commander-in-chief in charge of a region."

"This is the military tally for the three thousand soldiers of Lantian County. King of Han, please keep it safe."

As he spoke, he handed it over.

The soldiers who died in battle were the warehouse officers and soldiers of Lantian County. They were logistics personnel and not soldiers of the Zhechong Prefecture. The real front-line soldiers were not on the supply route, but were fighting on the front lines with Li Ji.

Now, everything fell to Li Yuanchang, who was responsible for contacting and turning various tribes, large and small, against each other, and even directly commanding the allied forces.

"Thank you!!"

He took it very seriously, even gripping it tightly.

He knew that this was not his personal glory, but rather the result of the lives of thousands of people.