But this situation was very unfavorable to Li Siyuan. Without wars, there would be no military merits, and he would not be able to continue to seize military power, win the hearts of the people, and expand his territory.
The longer time goes on, the more familiar and accepting the emperor will become to the people of the world. After all, he occupies a righteous position, so it is easy for him to win the hearts of the people.
What made Li Siyuan even more annoyed was that the emperor was like a real puppet in the imperial city, watching him slowly erode power and seize financial power, but he did nothing and just watched coldly.
No matter what he did, it felt like punching cotton and was extremely uncomfortable.
Chapter 54 Li Xingyun's Loss
Overseas island.
Li Xingyun marinated the fish and hung it on a wooden rack to dry. He was about to go back with Ji Ruxue to cook. As usual, he observed the sea and thought he could see nothing.
But this time it was different. A black dot appeared in his sight on the sea and gradually grew bigger.
He quickly told Ji Ruxue, cheering like a little child, "Xue'er, the boat is coming, we are saved!"
Ji Ruxue was stunned, thinking that Li Xingyun was lying to her, but when she saw his surprised expression, she believed him again. She turned around and looked at the sea, her eyes full of disbelief. There really was a ship coming!
Then she found that she was not as happy as she thought. She thought she would be happy when the ship came because they could leave this isolated place. But the first thing she thought of was that after leaving here, Li Xingyun would no longer belong to her.
The two of them would never be able to live such a stable and peaceful life again.
And she can no longer be herself.
Thinking of this, she suddenly felt reluctant to leave.
Li Xingyun cheered for a while after seeing the boat approaching. Then he noticed that Ji Ruxue looked a little strange. He walked over and asked with concern, "Xue'er, what's wrong with you?"
Ji Ruxue shook her head, "Xingyun, I'm fine. Is the ship coming?"
After a while of excitement, Li Xingyun quickly calmed down, "Xue'er, this ship must have been sent by Yuan Tiangang. We have to be careful later."
"Yes, I know."
However, the ship did not dock as Li Xingyun had imagined. Instead, it stopped a hundred meters away from the coast and slowly turned around.
Seeing this scene, the two looked at each other, and then Li Xingyun immediately ran to the shore and shouted loudly, using his internal strength, fearing that the people on the boat could not hear him.
To their disappointment, the people on the boat seemed not to hear his voice and continued to turn around until they were farther and farther away and gradually disappeared on the sea.
Surprises come and go quickly, and from joy to joy, you go from hell to heaven, and then from heaven to hell.
Li Xingyun slowly walked to Ji Ruxue, hugged her shoulders, and showed a bitter smile on his face, "It seems that Yuan Tiangang really doesn't intend to let us leave here. He sent people here to check whether we are still alive."
"Xue'er, maybe we really can't go back." The voice was full of loss and regret.
For some reason, after hearing Li Xingyun say that they couldn't go back, Ji Ruxue not only did not feel sad, but felt fortunate instead.
Because only here does Li Xingyun truly belong to her. If they leave here, they will once again face all kinds of conspiracies, power struggles, and they may even be controlled by others and become his weakness.
Thinking of this, she held Li Xingyun's hand and gently comforted him, "Xingyun, if you can't go back, then don't go back. Here, there are no disputes, no conspiracies, and not so many troubles."
"Maybe, we can still be together..." At the end, Ji Ruxue grabbed the corner of her clothes nervously, bit her red lips lightly, her pretty face flushed, she looked shy and lovely, and Li Xingyun was stunned.
Even though she didn't say anything, Li Xingyun knew what she meant next. He immediately hugged Ji Ruxue excitedly. Before he could feel the softness, he felt a burning pain on his face and his body flew backwards.
A moment later, Li Xingyun came over with a swollen face and said affectionately, "Xue'er, I'll listen to you. We won't go out."
However, what they didn't know was that at this moment, at the highest point of the isolated island, a dark figure stood with his hands behind his back, looking coldly at the two people on the shore. His eyes were deep and reserved, like an abyss with no end in sight.
······
grassland.
The delegation was ambushed by people from Tongwenguan, and most of them were killed or wounded. After an inventory, it was found that half of the accompanying soldiers were killed. Only a few elite soldiers of the Xuanming Sect were left, and they were almost wiped out. Zhang Zifan was also seriously injured.
If Su Ming had not been well prepared and had not calculated this in advance and asked Li Cunyi to follow secretly, I am afraid that Zhang Zifan and the others would be in great danger this time.
It took a day to cremate the dead soldiers, hastily bury the people from Tongwenguan, and clean up the battlefield. They did not rush to travel, but went to another place to rest for three days before setting off.
That night, almost all the people in Tongwenguan were wiped out, only a few small fish and shrimps escaped, so the rest of the journey was not very dangerous. The Khitan tribe was the strongest tribe on the grassland, and no tribe dared to mess with them.
Moreover, the Central Plains and the north are now unified, and the military strength is not weak, so the Tang Dynasty is also a behemoth in the eyes of the grassland people, so the tribes along the way are all respectful to them and dare not neglect them in the slightest.
It took the envoys a month to reach the Khitan Mobei royal court after traveling on the grassland. Once they arrived at the royal court, Qing Guo Qing Cheng was taken away by the Khitans, while the Tang envoys were accommodated in the post house of Linhuang Prefecture.
After arriving here, Zhang Zifan and his party finally relaxed. It took them nearly two months to walk from Luoyang to the Mobei Royal Court. They were exhausted, had poor food and sleep, and had to be on high alert to guard against enemy sneak attacks.
Now that they have arrived at the Mobei Royal Court, they can finally have a good rest.
Khitan Imperial Palace.
A man with a majestic appearance and a sturdy body was leaning on a chair, supporting his head, listening to the stories of the two stunningly beautiful sisters. On the chair under him was a white tiger skin, and the huge tiger head was standing on the ground, looking down at the hall.
This man is the current emperor of the Khitan Kingdom, Yelu Abaoji. He is now over 50 years old, but still in good health. He wears an exquisite felt hat on his head, with his black hair braided into small braids. He has bronze skin and a tough face, and looks intimidating without even being angry.
At this time, he listened with great interest to his sisters' stories about their experiences in the Central Plains, with an interested look in his eyes. When he heard that Li Xingyun had ascended the throne in Luoyang, the smile on his face became even more playful.
He didn't expect that the young man who saved him in the snowy mountains would become the emperor of Central Plains. It was really interesting. Afterwards, he asked Qingguo Qingcheng for more information about Li Xingyun. With a thoughtful look in his eyes, he also had a general understanding of the situation inside the Tang Dynasty.
The Tang Dynasty court was obviously weak and the ministers were strong. Li Siyuan controlled more than half of the troops and had extensive influence in the court. He could be said to have suppressed Li Xingyun to death. There was bound to be a life-and-death struggle between them. However, Li Xingyun's power was obviously not enough to fight against Li Siyuan, so he sent envoys to Khitan to seek foreign aid.
If that was the case, he would not hesitate to give this little brother some support.
When two tigers fight, one of them will be injured. This gave the Khitan an opportunity.
Thinking of this, Yelu Abaoji's smile became even more intense.
Chapter 55: Marriage, Yelu Abaoji's Plan
If Li Xingyun was not an emperor but an ordinary person, in order to repay him for saving his life in the past, Yelu Abaoji would definitely try his best to meet his demands, such as promoting him to a higher position, giving him gold, silver, jewelry and so on.
However, Li Xingyun is now the emperor, and both parties are on an equal footing. In the transactions between the two countries, this favor is merely a plus point, just like it is now.
Yelu Abaoji was first an emperor, then a Khitan, then a brother of extraordinary stature, and finally the person who wanted to repay a favor.
In his opinion, Li Xingyun sent an envoy to Khitan this time to seek peace and help, and it also made him see a great opportunity to weaken the Central Plains dynasty.
A powerful Central Plains dynasty was not what he wanted to see. Instead, a half-dead country with constant civil strife was what he needed. Especially for the grassland peoples, their biggest enemy, apart from natural disasters, was the Central Plains dynasty within the Great Wall.
This is something that every ambitious grassland monarch knows very well. Yelu Abaoji was able to establish the Khitan Kingdom in the grassland surrounded by wolves. Naturally, he was ambitious and was always eyeing the Central Plains.
But even if the Tang Dynasty has not unified the country and has only unified the north, the Khitan Kingdom cannot defeat it in a battle. This is an opponent of the same level. He must consider it carefully and not delay state affairs because of personal feelings.
After Qingguo Qingcheng finished speaking breathlessly, Yelu Abaoji slowly spoke, "Sister, you have come such a long way, it must be very tiring, go down and rest first, and we can talk about other things later."
Although the tone was negotiating, there was still a sense of urgency in the words.
Qingguo Qingcheng had a simple mind and didn't know that her brother had thought of so much in such a short time. She didn't say much and left under the guidance of the palace maid.
The hall became empty. Suddenly, Yelu Abaoji chuckled and asked, "Yueliduo, what do you think about this?" (Yueliduo was the nickname of the Queen of Yingtian in history. The Khitan couple should call each other that in private.)
At some point, a slim woman appeared on one side of the hall. She wore a felt hat and a purple mink coat that fit her body tightly, outlining her perfect figure. She had an oval face and was beautiful and full of the charm of a mature woman. She glanced at him with her phoenix eyes and said, "Chuolizhi, didn't you have an idea a long time ago?" (Chuolizhi was Yelu Abaoji's nickname.)
She was the Khitan Queen Yingtian, Shuliduo.
"Yueliduo is still the one who wins my heart. The dynasty in the Central Plains is in internal strife, and there are huge conflicts between their emperor and his ministers. I guess there will be a life-and-death struggle between them. Yueliduo, this is a great opportunity to weaken the Central Plains dynasty." Yelu Abaoji stroked his beard on his chin, constantly calculating.
Shuliduo walked to the throne gracefully, turned around and sat next to Yelu Abaoji, with a gentle smile in her eyes, "Qielizhi, do whatever you want, I support your decision. But, have you figured out how to do it?"
Yelu Abaoji nodded, "The Emperor of the Central Plains cannot control the overall situation and is completely suppressed by Jin Wang Li Siyuan. We must help him consolidate his position so that he can fight against Li Siyuan."
"But I haven't figured out how to help him yet." When he said this, a thoughtful look appeared on his face.
There was a gleam of brilliance in Shuliduo's beautiful eyes. Her eyes moved and her red lips slightly opened, pressing against Yelu Abaoji's chest. "Qiusilizhi, I have an idea."
"Oh? What do you think?"
"Let's make peace with him by marrying him. This way, we can not only help him to the greatest extent possible, but also insert a chess piece into the Tang Dynasty, which will facilitate our future actions. If any accidents happen to the Central Plains court in the future, we will also know about it in advance. This can be regarded as a backup plan." Queen Yingtian exhaled sweetly and slowly stated her plan.
Upon hearing this, Yelu Abaoji's eyes lit up. The queen's words seemed to have opened up his mind and made him daydream.
As long as they marry Li Xingyun, they can legitimately plant spies in Luoyang and pass on information. Even if something happens in Luoyang, they can use this as an excuse to interfere in the affairs of the Central Plains. It must be said that this is a brilliant move.
He looked at Shuliduo in his arms and asked with a smile, "What do you think about who to marry?"
Shuliduo felt the restless big hand, and a blush appeared on her face, "Xiusiliduo, don't you have two sisters?"
Hearing this, Yelu Abaoji was stunned. He had been saved by Li Xingyun, so he had seen him before. The boy was fair and handsome. If he stood with his sister...
When thinking of that scene, Yelu Abaoji felt a chill.
Although Yelu Tabuyan and Yelu Tabuhua were his biological sisters, he had to admit that their looks were indeed not good enough to be sent to the Tang Dynasty to be Li Xingyun's wives.
Are you sure that's not a vendetta?
Immediately, he shook his head quickly, "No, no, no, forget about my sister and the other two. They are not suitable at all. Let's change to someone else."
Shulido covered her mouth, a cunning look flashing in her eyes.
As smart as she was, she knew that the two young ladies were not suitable for marriage at all, but she still said it so that Yelu Abaoji could make the decision. She could give suggestions but could not interfere.
A smart woman will never act smart in front of her man, but will quietly give up her position and let the man show.
Yelu Abaoji pondered for a moment and made a decision, "It seems that only Aogu is the most suitable. She is my daughter, of noble status, and about the same age as Li Xingyun. She is just the right person to become the empress of the Tang Dynasty."
Shuliduo also had this idea, but she still showed a worried look, "Aogu is the goddess of the shamans. Is it inappropriate for us to send her to marry?"
However, she was interrupted by Yelu Abaoji before she finished speaking. He showed a domineering aura and said proudly, "I am the emperor of Khitan. Do I need to ask those old guys for their opinions on what I want to do?"
"Ao Gu is my daughter. No one can make decisions for her except me. Besides, the people in the Central Plains also need the gospel of shamanism. I think the great elders must be very happy." At the end, his voice gradually faded, containing a cold murderous intent.
As the ruler of a country, and the founding ruler at that, Yelu Abaoji was a man of great talent and strategy. Shamanism alone was not enough to make him worry. Compared with the huge Central Plains dynasty, Shamanism was just a slightly bigger trouble that he could easily solve as long as he wanted.
Hearing this, Shuliduo smiled gently, "Okay, since you have made up your mind, I will fully support you."
At this point, a conspiracy against the Tang Dynasty began.
Chapter 56: First Meeting with Yelü Abaoji
When Zhang Zifan and his men arrived at the royal court of Mobei, the news was quickly transmitted back to the Central Plains from Mobei. Li Siyuan was the first to learn of the news. After reading the information sent by his subordinates, he knew that Li Cunren had failed.
No matter how he failed, Zhang Zifan had already reached Mobei, and the first step of his plan had also failed. But he would never give up, they went safely from Luoyang to Mobei, but he would never let these people return home safely.
He wanted to leave them on the grassland and make them disappear!
Since Tongwenguan has failed, let the army come. In this era, the army is the real killing machine. When it comes to killing people, Tongwenguan and Xuanming Sect are far inferior. Even the Buliang Marshal will flee when facing the army.
Since ancient times, there has never been a real enemy of ten thousand people, unless a special means is used in advance, such as explosives, poison, etc. A single individual, no matter how high his martial arts skills are, cannot confront a large army head-on.
As long as a cavalry unit is sent to intercept them on their way back and prevent them from entering the border, the matter can be framed on the Khitan and conflict can be caused.
The reason why the envoys could not be allowed to enter the Central Plains and take action on their territory was because there would be records upon entering the border, which could be checked. When the envoys went out on a mission, there would definitely be people who saw it, and it was impossible for him to silence everyone who saw it.
Wherever the accident happens, that place will be blamed, the nature of the situation is different.
There was a cold light and murderous intent flashing in Li Siyuan's eyes, and he was ready to order his troops to take action. This time, they must not fail again.
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