My father, Li Shimin, requests Your Majesty to become the Retired Emperor.

Chapter 50 The Crown Prince's Strategic Planning and Qingque's Swift Action

Wei Zheng thought to himself, "You killed your brother and your younger brother, isn't that ruthless enough?"

However, he couldn't say it aloud, even though he thought it to himself: "Let's talk about Liu Xiu again."

Liu Xiu deposed his eldest son, Liu Jiang, and installed his fourth son, Liu Zhuang, as crown prince, ensuring a smooth transition without causing any major upheavals.

"How did Emperor Guangwu of Han manage to do that?" Li Shimin asked.

Before Liu Xiu did this, he had already planned it out. He focused on the following aspects:

First, he deposed Empress Guo Shengtong, Liu Jiang's birth mother, and made Yin Lihua his empress.

Historically, the first few monarchs did not depose their empresses before deposing their crown princes.

The advantage of doing this is that it deprives the former crown prince of his backing, weakens his power, and naturally reduces the resistance.

Secondly, Liu Xiu appeased the princes:

Guo Shengtong also had a son named Liu Fu. Liu Xiu enfeoffed Liu Fu as the King of Zhongshan and expanded his sphere of influence, annexing Changshan Commandery into the Zhongshan Kingdom.

Guo Shengtong was then made Empress Dowager of Zhongshan, which gave her some peace of mind and made her feel a little better.

At the same time, Liu Xiu promoted all nine princes to higher ranks, from dukes to kings. Those who benefited naturally had no objections.

Secondly, Liu Jiang is very clever.

Seeing that his mother had been deposed, he took the initiative to submit a memorial to resign from his position as crown prince.

Liu Xiu was somewhat reluctant to do so, and after hesitating for several years, he finally deposed him and appointed him as the King of Donghai.

Liu Jiang was timid and unassuming.

After arriving at his fiefdom, he was persuaded by his subordinates to submit several memorials requesting the return of the East Sea, and he asked the Crown Prince to firmly decline the offer.

Because Liu Jiang was self-aware and insisted on yielding, he received a positive response from Liu Xiu and Liu Zhuang.

"In that case, Emperor Guangwu of Han was extremely wise."

"Yes, Liu Xiu ruled the world with gentleness; his Machiavellian skills were unmatched."

Liu Xiu had an older brother named Liu Yan, who was one of the leaders of the Nanyang Uprising. He was resolute and flamboyant, and he joined forces with the Green Forest Army to defeat Wang Mang and made great achievements.

After the Battle of Kunyang, Liu Xuan became Emperor Gengshi.

Because Liu Yan had a very high prestige in the army and a strong personality, Liu Xuan felt that Liu Yan would pose a threat to him, so he decided to get rid of him.

Liu Xuan then found a pretext to kill Liu Yan.

Upon learning of this, Liu Xiu was deeply saddened. He cried himself to sleep that night, soaking his pillow with tears, and harbored a deep hatred for Liu Xuan.

However, considering that he was not strong enough to fight against Liu Xuan, he took the initiative to apologize to Liu Xuan, saying that Liu Yan's death was deserved.

This made Liu Xuan feel a little embarrassed, and he trusted and relied on Liu Xiu even more.

Finally, Liu Xiu got the opportunity to develop his own strength, and continued to grow stronger, eventually becoming the founding emperor of the Eastern Han Dynasty.

Finally, his decision to give Liu Xuan a grand funeral was driven by political considerations.

As they were talking, Li Chengqian entered from outside, knelt on the ground, and called out, "Father Emperor!"

Li Shimin looked down at him and said, "Get up!"

"Yes, Father!"

After Li Chengqian stood up, he bowed to Wei Zheng as a teacher.

Wei Zheng reciprocated with courtesy.

Li Shimin, with his hands behind his back, asked, "What brings you to see me?"

"Here is a letter of victory, please take a look, Father!" Li Chengqian said, taking out the letter that Ashina She'er had sent back.

Li Shimin opened the letter and read it three times from beginning to end.

Li Chengqian thought that Ashina She'er had won this battle, and his father, the emperor, would surely be very happy. However, he was wrong. Li Shimin's face turned from sunny to gloomy, and then turned ashen.

Li Shimin then handed the letter to Wei Zheng.

Wei Zheng frowned after reading it.

Li Shimin angrily asked, "Who ordered Ashina She'er to do that?"

"This—," Li Chengqian sensed something was wrong when he heard his father's tone. He thought that this was all Du Zhenglun's bad idea. If his father was happy to hear this news, he could expose Du Zhenglun and perhaps even receive some rewards. At this moment, seeing that his father was very angry, he said loudly, "No one instructed him to do this."

"Really? According to you, Ashina She'er is quite capable." Li Shimin's tone was full of sarcasm.

"Ashina She'er was indeed very brave in battle."

"Brave? In my opinion, Ashina She'er is truly hateful! He is utterly lawless!"

If he wanted to borrow troops, he could have openly asked me. Instead, he had Princess Hengyang steal my military tally and secretly transferred two thousand elite cavalrymen. I haven't settled this score with him yet.

Now that he has defeated Xue Yantuo's troops, he should send our two thousand soldiers back. Why haven't they returned yet?

What does he want to do?

Does he want to amass military power and become influential?

He borrowed my troops, doesn't he intend to return them?

"Father, don't worry too much. He must have encountered some battle at the front and can't get away for the time being. Otherwise, he would definitely send the army back."

"That would be best! Also, regarding the Tuyuhun, we should either not fight them at all, or if we do fight, we should completely annihilate them. What's the use of capturing two hundred of them like this? It would only alert them."

From now on, the Tuyuhun will be more vigilant against our Tang Dynasty. If we send a large army to conquer them again, it will be even more difficult. Do you understand?

Upon hearing this, Li Chengqian felt flustered, but outwardly remained calm: "Father is wise!"

Li Shimin was still furious.

Wei Zheng first gave Li Chengqian a wink, signaling him not to speak recklessly.

Wei Zheng coughed twice: "Your Majesty, in my humble opinion, Ashina She'er has made mistakes, but he has also made merits."

He was indeed guilty of allowing Princess Hengyang to steal the military tally while His Majesty was drunk.

However, you can't entirely blame him and Princess Hengyang for this; His Majesty also bears some responsibility.

Ok?

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin thought to himself, "You old Taoist priest, whose side are you on? You're actually criticizing me."

"Where did I go wrong?" Li Shimin was very unconvinced.

"Your Majesty's mistake was drinking so much wine."

"If you weren't drunk, how would Princess Hengyang have had the opportunity to steal the military tally?"

"No, I did hunt a bit more game that day, so those people kept toasting me. What could I do?"

"When your subjects offer you wine, it's out of their goodwill, but you don't have to get drunk."

"Uh—." Li Shimin didn't know how to answer him for a moment.

"To be fair, Your Majesty bears half the responsibility for the theft of the military tally. It cannot be entirely placed on Princess Hengyang and Ashina She'er."

Li Chengqian, who was listening nearby, chuckled to himself, thinking that only Wei Zheng would dare to say such a thing; no one else would dare to say it in front of his father, the emperor.

Wei Zheng continued, shaking his head, "Ashina She'er defeated Xue Yantuo's troops with fewer troops and captured two hundred Tuyuhun soldiers. This is quite an achievement, which shows that Ashina She'er is a rare and excellent general. At the same time, it has also demonstrated the prestige of our Tang army and made those Western Region countries tremble with fear."

Therefore, Ashina She'er's merits and demerits can be considered to offset each other, and we beseech Your Majesty to pardon his crimes.

Moreover, he was already engaged to Princess Hengyang, which meant he was already the son-in-law of the Tang Dynasty.

Your Majesty is magnanimous; you can forgive even those in the enemy camp, such as Xue Wanche and Yuchi Gong. So, what is there that you cannot forgive in your own brother-in-law?

As the saying goes, words can unlock the heart. Upon hearing Wei Zheng's words, Li Shimin sighed and said, "Alright, as you say, I can pardon Ashina She'er's crime."

However, he must return my two thousand cavalrymen as quickly as possible; they are the elite of the Imperial Guard, each one a treasure.

Wei Zheng, having heard that Li Shimin had already made concessions, knew better than to say anything more.

Upon hearing this, Li Chengqian was secretly anxious. If Ashina She'er returned the two thousand cavalrymen, his plans would be affected. However, at this point, there was nothing he could do.

Li Shimin said, "Fuyun is truly despicable! He once signed a treaty with our Great Tang, promising to pay tribute every year and guaranteeing never to invade our Great Tang's borders. Therefore, we sent his son, Murong Shun, back to us."

Unexpectedly, Fu Yun turned on his word faster than flipping through a book. Seeing that Murong Shun had returned and had no more worries, he tore up the alliance again. Not only did he refuse to pay tribute, but he also continued to wage war against our Tang Dynasty border.

The Hexi Corridor has been part of our territory since Zhang Qian opened the Silk Road. How can I allow it to be occupied by the Tuyuhun for so long?

However, the Tang Dynasty has only recently been established, and we have been at war every year. Last year, we just destroyed the Eastern Turks. I cherish my people and soldiers, so I do not want to start another war. But Fuyun has taken our tolerance and forbearance as weakness and vulnerability. This is intolerable!

"Your Majesty's constant concern for the people is a blessing indeed!" Wei Zheng seized the opportunity to flatter Li Shimin.

Li Shimin's expression softened slightly, and he turned his gaze to Li Chengqian: "If we were to conquer Tuyuhun, what strategy should we adopt?"

Upon hearing this, Wei Zheng frowned, knowing that the question was very pointed and difficult to answer. Li Shimin had fought battles for half his life and was an expert in military strategy.

If Li Chengqian answers even slightly incorrectly, it will affect his standing in the emperor's eyes.

Wei Zheng couldn't help but worry about Li Chengqian.

After a moment's thought, Li Chengqian said calmly, "Father, I have heard that during the Three Kingdoms period, Ma Chao raised an army to attack Cao Cao in order to avenge his father, Ma Teng."

Ma Chao and Han Sui's Xiliang troops were stationed at Tongguan, confronting Cao Cao.

The two sides fought several battles, with each side experiencing victories and defeats, but Cao Cao was never able to defeat Ma Chao.

Later, Cao Cao used a counter-espionage tactic to sow discord between Ma Chao and Han Sui.

After Ma Chao and Han Sui fell out, Cao Cao easily defeated Ma Chao.

Previously, Tuyuhun allied with the Eastern Turks. Now that the Eastern Turks no longer exist, they have turned to ally with the Dangxiang and other Western Region states.

The leader of the Tangut people, Tuoba Chici, is a man who will not act without self-interest, and he is not someone to be trifled with. If we directly send troops to attack Tuyuhun, then the Tangut people and the Western Regions will definitely send troops to their aid, resulting in heavy casualties, and the outcome will be unpredictable.

Therefore, I suggest that we first pacify the Dangxiang and the Western Regions. The Dangxiang people do not live in good conditions, so many of them will surely surrender to our Great Tang. Once Tuyuhun is completely isolated, we can then launch a large-scale attack and achieve victory in one battle.”

After hearing this, the gloom on Li Shimin's face disappeared, because he did not expect Li Chengqian to say such a thing. His analysis was reasonable, well-founded, and practical.

Li Shimin glanced at Wei Zheng, a smug look on his face: "It seems that you have indeed grown up after your coming-of-age ceremony. I agree with your suggestion."

However, if the goal is to pacify the Dangxiang and other kingdoms in the Western Regions, who would be the most suitable candidate?

"Your subject is willing to go," Li Chengqian volunteered.

"This—." Li Shimin hesitated for a moment.

Li Chengqian's words terrified Wei Zheng, who quickly pulled Li Chengqian aside and whispered, "Your Highness, are you crazy? This is no child's play."

When Ying Bu rebelled, Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, planned to send his crown prince, Liu Ying, to lead the troops to meet the enemy.

Some suggested that if the Crown Prince won this battle, it would not be beneficial to consolidating his position.

If the Crown Prince were to lose, it would be a huge problem, seriously affecting his position in the court.

After much deliberation, Empress Lü concluded that the man's words made sense, so she forbade Liu Ying from going into battle. In the end, Liu Bang personally led the army to conquer Ying Bu.

The soldiers of the Tuyuhun and Dangxiang are extremely fierce. If you go there personally, the chances of survival are slim. It would be better not to go.

After hearing Wei Zheng's words, Li Chengqian smiled and said, "I'm so bored in this Eastern Palace. This is a good opportunity to go out and relax."

"To relax?" Wei Zheng shook his hands, thinking to himself, "You have a really good attitude. That place is a den of dragons and tigers; this is no joke."

However, no matter how Wei Zheng tried to persuade him, Li Chengqian would not listen.

Finally, Li Shimin said, "I will give this matter some thought."

night.

Lizheng Hall.

Empress Zhangsun had just coaxed Li Zhi to sleep when Li Shimin walked in from outside.

Empress Zhangsun noticed that Li Shimin looked quite well today.

She quickly got up, took off Li Shimin's outer garment, hung it up, and poured him a cup of hot tea.

Li Shimin sat down at the table and recounted the events of the day to Empress Zhangsun.

Empress Zhangsun's expression changed after hearing this: "Your Majesty, do you mean you intend to send Chengqian to pacify the Dangxiang and the Western Regions?"

"It wasn't me who ordered him to go; he went of his own volition."

"The journey to the Tanguts is long and arduous, involving traversing mountains and rivers, and is extremely risky. Chengqian has just undergone his coming-of-age ceremony and is still young and inexperienced, so I'm afraid he will not be able to accomplish anything."

"With so many civil and military officials in the court, why must Your Majesty send Chengqian instead of just anyone?"

"The Empress is right. However, the solution proposed by Chengqian today is exactly what I want."

Empress Zhangsun rose and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I offer my congratulations to the Great Tang Dynasty and to Your Majesty!"

What do you mean by that?

"Chengqian was a clever child from a very young age, and he often had some ingenious ideas. After growing up, under the guidance of teachers such as Kong Yingda, Lu Deming and Wei Zheng, he studied hard and worked diligently. Now, he has achieved academic success and can help you handle some government affairs. Moreover, in general, there is nothing wrong with the memorials he reviews."

His ability to propose practical and effective solutions to complex situations demonstrates his thoughtfulness—isn't that a blessing for the nation?

Li Shimin nodded: "Aside from not having written any books, Chengqian is no worse than Taier in other aspects."

Upon hearing this, Empress Zhangsun frowned: "Why does Your Majesty say such things?"

During the Three Kingdoms period, when Zhuge Liang first arrived in Eastern Wu, the civil officials there questioned him, asking if he had written any books.

Kongming said, "Some people can write thousands of words in a row, and no one can match his skill in finding the perfect phrases. But when faced with real problems, they are at a loss. What use are people like that?"

As for Cao Cao's sons, who could write as well as Cao Zhi?

His poem "Ode to the Goddess of the Luo River" made him famous throughout the world, but why did Cao Cao choose Cao Pi instead of him when selecting his successor?

Cao Cao understood a crucial principle: as a ruler, you may not write books, but the most important thing is to know how to handle complex and ever-changing situations. Cao Pi was clearly far superior to Cao Zhi in this regard.

"The Empress is right."

As they were talking, Li Tai entered, prostrated himself on the ground, and kowtowed: "Your subject greets Your Majesty and Mother!"

Li Shimin looked down at him and asked with a smile, "Have you gotten fatter again, buddy?"

"Your Majesty, I have indeed gained more than thirty pounds recently."

"It's grown so much, how much does it weigh now?"

"The horse beneath me can no longer carry me."

"Oh, then so be it. There is a Ferghana horse in my stable. You may take it."

"Thank you, Father Emperor!"

Li Tai was overjoyed because he knew that the Heavenly Horse was extremely precious. In the past, Emperor Wu of Han had launched a war to obtain the Heavenly Horse and had even written several poems praising it.

Li Shimin picked up his teacup, took a sip, and asked, "What brings you here so late?"

"It won't be long before I go to Yangzhou. So, while I'm in the capital, it's only right that I pay my respects to Father and Mother morning and evening. Also, I heard something and came to ask about it."

"What is it?"

"Your Majesty has heard that Your Majesty intends to send your elder brother to pacify the Dangxiang and the various kingdoms of the Western Regions. Is this true?"

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin thought to himself that this kid was quite well-informed: "Yes, that's true."

"I believe I can handle this matter, and I request to be sent as an envoy to the Dangxiang and the Western Regions."

Li Shimin smiled and said to Empress Zhangsun, "See? This kid has made something of himself now."

Empress Zhangsun looked at Li Tai and said, "You are only twelve years old. Going to the Dangxiang is no child's play. You cannot go."

"No, Mother, I am no longer young. When Gan Luo was twelve years old, he had already become a high-ranking official in Qin."

"I believe this matter is not too difficult. I beg Father and Mother to give me a chance to prove myself," Li Tai said firmly.

"You can't go."

"Why can't I go, but my brother can? Are you being biased?" Li Tai pouted.

"How can you not tell good from bad words?" Empress Zhangsun was also very angry when she heard him say this.

Upon seeing this, Li Shimin tried to smooth things over, saying, "Since you insist on going, take more guards with you and go on your mission to the Dangxiang."

"Thank you, Father Emperor, for granting my request."

Having received his father's decree, Li Tai was even more delighted, thinking that as long as he established merits on the frontier, he would have a better chance of vying for the position of crown prince.