Volume 1 Princess Taiping Grows Up Chapter 31: Title or Dao Name
Li Yuechen knew why Li Zhi, who was sitting on the dragon throne, was so angry.
Since he ascended the throne, he has always had a goal in his heart, which is to surpass his father, Emperor Taizong Li Shimin!
He grew up under the wings of this great king, and he wanted to surpass him and achieve greater success than him!
Li Shimin destroyed the Eastern Turks and expanded the territory of the Tang Dynasty.
He destroyed the Western Turks, and the border of that area had another name more than a thousand years later - Uzbekistan.
Li Shimin failed to conquer Goguryeo, so he had to fight at all costs.
He even decided to lead the army in person despite everyone's dissuasion. If his physical condition did not allow it, he would probably really put on armor and go to the battlefield in person.
But even though he was lying in bed recuperating and unable to go to the battlefield in person, this place is still incorporated into the territory of the Tang Dynasty.
He could not allow himself to fail, simply because he wanted to surpass his father, Emperor Taizong Li Shimin!
With such obsession, the Tang Dynasty had been victorious in all wars over the years.
But today, his army was defeated!
He stood up suddenly, raised the health ball in his hand and was about to drop it heavily.
However, he accidentally glanced and saw his daughter behind the screen in the side passage.
She was staring at herself with a worried look on her face, worry revealed in her big eyes!
Li Zhi's heart softened, he took a long, deep breath, and then sat back on the dragon throne.
"What do you think of this situation, my dear ministers?"
The court was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. No one answered.
Li Zhi closed his eyes, sniffed, and then continued to ask: "If I send troops to help again, what do you think? "
It can be imagined that he is really angry now, and even the address has been changed from "all my dear ministers" to "all my ministers".
The left prime minister Jiang Ke looked around and saw that no one was speaking. He took two steps outside, raised the tablet in his hand and saluted, saying, "Your Majesty, I think this is inappropriate!"
"Why?" Li Zhi asked with a frown.
Jiang Ke replied in a deep voice: "Now that the defeat of this battle is certain, it is too late to send out more troops. If we forcefully send out troops to pursue them, the Tibetan army will retreat to defend, and our soldiers will find it difficult to adapt to the Tibetan climate. I am afraid the same result will occur..."
Listening to his story, Li Zhi did not say anything, but forced himself to calm down and fall into thought.
Li Yuechen in the side passage crossed his arms over his chest and nodded secretly.
The soldiers' service in the Tang Dynasty was based on the Fubing system. Simply put, as long as you were born in this country, you had the obligation to serve in the army.
But the fubing system also has its shortcomings. They are not full-time soldiers and they usually have to farm and do farm work.
Training is only done during the slack season, which means a lot of time is wasted.
Therefore, they were unable to advance deep into Tubo to fight. To solve this problem, they had to have professional soldiers stationed there for a long time to allow their bodies to adapt to the environment there.
Moreover, Tubo’s fighting power is not too weak.
It is worth mentioning that Tibet is still a slave-like society. During wars, a large number of slaves will be driven to clear the way.
Behind the slaves were Tibetan warriors wearing heavy armor. These people were the real elite combat troops.
Since Songtsen Gampo, Tubo's national strength has grown day by day, and coupled with its unique geographical environment, it has become a thorn in the side of the Tang Dynasty.
Not to mention that Xue Rengui's enemy this time is indeed difficult to deal with.
Gar Qinling, Prime Minister of Tubo. Because the Tibetan language called the Prime Minister "Da Lun", he was called "Lun Qinling."
This person is quite famous in Tubo and is by no means an ordinary person.
Jiang Ke was right. In the current situation, sending more troops would be futile. It was estimated that in a few days, news of the capture of Xue Rengui and others would be received.
Although unwilling to accept the defeat, one has to admit that the Tang Dynasty lost this battle completely.
However, what Li Yuechen is worried about now is another problem. First, once Anxi is captured, a large number of people will be displaced and suffer!
Secondly, the Tibetans are now in high spirits. Will they take this opportunity to invade the Tang Dynasty?
Li Yuechen believes that he is relatively good at logical analysis. If he were Lun Qinling, would he take advantage of the morale to invade the Tang Dynasty?
After thinking about it carefully, she shook her head slightly.
War must take into account benefits and objectives. Although Xue Rengui won the battle and morale was high, the Tang Dynasty was no pushover.
If we invade the Tang Dynasty at this time and provoke a full-scale counterattack, we will definitely not gain anything, but will instead lose a lot of soldiers in vain.
Of course, he might also think that his side was thinking this way and take advantage of the situation to attack.
But overall, his top priority now should be to digest the Anxi area that has been cut off, and the possibility of invading the Tang Dynasty should be small.
In the court, Jiang Ke continued: "Your Majesty, in my opinion, the most urgent task is to gather troops at the border to prevent the invasion of Tubo!"
Li Zhi nodded, raised his eyes and scanned the court, and said in a deep voice: "Do you have any objection to what Lord Jiang said?"
There was still silence in the court, and no one spoke.
After sighing, Li Zhi stood up and waved his hand impatiently: "Dismiss the court!"
After saying that, without waiting for Zhang Chengxin to finish shouting, he walked straight to the side passage.
Only after Zhang Chengxin shouted to withdraw from the court did he trot over quickly.
At this time, Li Zhi had already squatted down and picked up Li Yuechen. He forced a smile and said, "Oh, Chen'er has become a lot heavier. I can't hold him anymore!"
Li Yuechen grinned: "It's okay, if grandpa can't hold me in the future, I will hold grandpa!"
"Then I'll wait, hahaha..." Li Zhi laughed.
The only person who can make him feel better now is probably his daughter.
"Grandpa, don't worry about the affairs of the court. Chen'er doesn't want you to be unhappy." Li Yuechen advised.
Wu Zetian, who followed behind, smiled with satisfaction and gave her an encouraging look.
Li Zhi smiled bitterly: "I know the truth, but it is difficult to do it..."
"It is said in the Book of Changes: There are fifty great ways, forty-nine are derived from Heaven, and man escapes one. Chen'er believes that no matter how difficult the situation is, there is always a solution!" Li Yuechen replied.
Hearing her advice, Li Zhi smiled and turned back to look at Wu Zetian: "It seems that Chen'er has learned a lot!"
"Chen'er has never been a concern for us." Wu Zetian also had a look of pride on her face.
This sentence is not only seen in this era, but Li Yuechen also did the same in the past.
As an extreme athlete, she rode a board over huge waves several dozen meters high; rode a motorcycle over a dangerous peak less than one person wide; flew nearly 10,000 meters high in a wing suit; and slid over a nearly vertical snow-capped mountain on a snowboard...
She firmly believed that there were no limits for human beings, and as long as one thought carefully, there was absolutely no such thing as a situation where one was bound to die.
Now, she wanted to convey this idea to Li Zhi through her own mouth.
But how much he can receive is not something he can control.
…
After accompanying Li Zhi back to Yanying Palace, he said he felt a little sleepy after not staying there for long.
Li Yuechen did not stay any longer and prepared to leave after paying his respects.
Wu Zetian suddenly said, "Chen'er, since you are talking about the Book of Changes, are you interested in Taoism?"
Li Yuechen was stunned for a moment: "I don't know what mother means?"
Li Zhi next to her also looked at her with confusion.
Wu Zetian smiled bitterly: "Since I became the queen, I have rarely accompanied my mother. Now I am even too busy with state affairs to observe mourning. Are you willing to observe mourning on my behalf and pray for my grandmother?"
"But being a Taoist priest?" Li Yuechen asked.
In fact, it didn't matter to her to be a Taoist priest. In this era, royal family members did not necessarily have to abide by the precepts when they joined religion. In the final analysis, it was just a title.
It is said that when the third brother Li Xian was just one month old, Li Zhi and his wife asked Xuanzang to accept him as their disciple.
He also has an extremely childish Buddhist name - King of Buddha Light!
Fortunately, her brothers didn't know that she was writing Journey to the West, otherwise Li Xian would probably blame her for fabricating his master.
"Yes." Wu Zetian nodded, "I plan to let Li Chunfeng accept you as his apprentice, are you willing?"
Huh? Li Chunfeng is still alive?
Li Yuechen was surprised. Although he was not very clear about history, there were many legends about Yuan Tiangang and Li Chunfeng in later generations.
She had heard before that Yuan Tiangang lived in the reign of Emperor Taizong and has now passed away.
I originally thought that these two should be from the same generation, but I didn’t expect that Li Chunfeng was actually from the same era?
Li Yuechen raised her hand and saluted: "Grandma has always loved me very much. This move can not only replace my mother, but also be regarded as a token of my love. I am willing!"
Wu Zetian nodded: "That's good!"
Then he sent someone to find Li Chunfeng. Li Yuechen also took the opportunity to ask about Li Chunfeng's general situation.
It turns out that Li Chunfeng has been granted the title of Male of Changle County. Although he no longer holds an office in the court, he basically stays in the Imperial College every day. It seems that the Linde Calendar, which was completed just a few years ago, is his work.
Li Zhi was no longer in a hurry to go to bed. He lay in the rocking chair, brewing tea and waiting.
About a quarter of an hour later, Li Chunfeng followed Zhang Chengxin to the Yanying Palace.
"I greet your majesty, your majesty!"
While he was paying his respects, Li Yuechen raised her head and quietly looked at this celebrity who had left behind many legends.
He looked to be in his fifties or sixties, and his hair and beard were mostly white.
But he looks rosy and in good spirits.
Especially the eyes, which are very bright and sharp.
Seeing Li Yuechen looking at him, he smiled slightly and saluted, "Greetings, Princess!"
"Master, please don't be so polite!" Li Yuechen smiled and raised his hand.
Wu Zetian then explained to him the reason why she called him over. Li Chunfeng nodded and said , "Since both the queen and the princess have this intention, I will certainly obey your order!"
Seeing his mother nod to him, Li Yuechen stood up and saluted: "Li Yuechen greets Master!"
"Oh, Princess, you can't do that." Li Chunfeng hurriedly stopped her.
"Since you are my master, I should be polite to you!" Wu Zetian nodded, "Master, there is no need to refuse."
Li Chunfeng smiled and nodded: "I obey your orders, but since the princess has entered the Taoist sect, please Your Majesty and Your Majesty grant her a Taoist title."
"Taoist name..." Li Zhi, lying on the rocking chair, turned the health ball in his hand and looked at the ceiling and said, "Chen'er once said that he hoped that our Tang Dynasty would prosper and last forever. Since you hope for a peaceful and prosperous era, why not use 'Taiping' as your name?"
Oh shit!
Li Yuechen, who was standing next to him, was shocked when he heard this.
What the hell? Although I have long thought that I am Princess Taiping, but isn't this Taiping a title? How can it be a Taoist name?
Wu Zetian beside him nodded in agreement: "Your Majesty is right. Chen'er hopes that the Tang Dynasty will be peaceful. Your Majesty and I also hope that she will be peaceful as well. Let's settle it."
No one asked Li Yuechen for his opinion, and the Taoist name Taiping was decided.
Li Yuechen actually had no objection to this. It was just a Taoist name, so it didn't matter what he called it.
It doesn't really matter what it's called as long as it's not something childish like "The Empire's Desperate Tiger".
This is not an unfounded worry. Li Zhi and Wu Zetian, both old people with secondary problems, might really do such a thing.
To put it bluntly, this matter was just a formality and she didn't need to go to the Taoist temple.
There is a Sanqing Hall inside the Daming Palace, where the Taoist Laojun is enshrined. From now on, on the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month, you just need to go there to burn incense and recite Taoist scriptures.
However, for the sake of ceremony, Li Zhi immediately ordered the Shangyi Bureau to make a Taoist robe for her.
Li Yuechen didn’t know what Princess Taiping was like in history, but at least now, she had nominally become a Taoist priest!
And he is Li Chunfeng's apprentice!
…
Ten days later, news came that Xue Rengui, in order to prevent his soldiers from dying in vain, negotiated peace with Tubo and prepared to return to the court.
Li Zhi ordered the newly appointed Imperial Censor Le Yanwei to take people to meet them, and then directly escort Xue Rengui, Ashina Daozhen and Guo Daifeng back.
Li Yuechen, who was worried about the people of Anxi, went to listen again.
This war was very tragic. There were 100,000 troops when we went out, but now there are less than 10,000 who have returned.
Moreover, most of them have been seriously injured and may even suffer lifelong disabilities.
This battle was truly tragic.
Li Yuechen, who was standing behind the screen, wanted to do something, but after raising her pair of white and tender hands and taking a look, she could only put them down helplessly.
Perhaps because he didn't want his daughter to see him lose his temper, Li Zhi did not yell in the court.
He just gritted his teeth and pretended to be calm as he announced that Xue Rengui and the other two would be demoted to commoners.
Such a punishment is certainly severe, but after hearing their report, Li Yuechen couldn't help but think in his heart.
This battle is not just a problem for Guo Daifeng, but a complete miscalculation from the beginning of the decision-making.
But Li Yuechen felt that things should not be handled in this way.
Xue Rengui had made great contributions to the country and had maintained his undefeated legend.
It is really too much to think that one will face such punishment for failing a war.
However, she also knew that Li Zhi was very angry, so she didn't dare to say anything nonsense.
As I said, in this era, the sky is big, the earth is big, and the emperor is the biggest.
She could only talk about these things after Li Zhi had calmed down. Otherwise, not to mention begging for mercy, she was afraid that even her beloved daughter would be punished.
But what happened today made Li Yuechen feel that perhaps he should do something.
When I grow up, maybe I can do something that will benefit the country and the people, so that the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty can last longer.
