Chapter 145 Li Longji Introduces An Lushan
"Qi Lang has a heart!"

After playing with the colorful parrot for a while, Li Longji praised Li Xuan.

This is a true famous general and wise minister, who can win on the battlefield and also think about his own interests.

It was said that Li Xuan waited for several nights to catch the colorful parrot, which made Li Longji even more satisfied with Li Xuan.

Li Xuan forced Tubo to ask for peace and made Chidai Zhudan write a letter of apology in person. This was the happiest thing for Li Longji in recent years. Even the demise of the Turkic Khanate did not make him so happy.

Since becoming the Zamp, Chidai Zhudan has been writing letters with rude words. At that time, Li Longji thought he was young.

Later, he went back on his words repeatedly, which made him lose face.

What touched his bottom line even more was the massacre of Tang civilians and the attack on Xiaoboluo, which made the twenty countries in the Western Regions become vassals of Tubo and greatly damaged Li Longji's reputation and majesty. This was something he could not tolerate.

"Saint, you have always said that Qilang is a talented man. We have seen him being handsome, but we have never seen him reciting poetry. Why not let Qilang improvise a poem?"

Yang Yuyao looked at Li Xuan with a smile in her eyes and asked Li Longji in a soft voice.

"Qi Lang is riding four horses and galloping back. He is tired from the journey and perhaps has no interest in elegance!"

Li Longji considered Li Xuan and did not agree immediately.

"General Li is good at making famous flowers. There are thousands of beautiful flowers around the Dragon Pond. Why not let Qilang pick a flower at random to add charm to it!"

Yang Yuyao was playing with an exquisite fan, and it seemed that she wanted to witness Li Xuan's talent with her own eyes.

"Qi Lang, are you interested? I won't force you!"

Li Longji couldn't bear to refuse and asked Li Xuan.

He is also a poet and knows that writing poetry requires inspiration. If you force it, it will be a poem written on commission, and such a poem is doomed to never be passed down through the ages.

"After visiting the Dragon Pond, I will present a poem for the Saint and his wife."

Li Xuan nodded slightly.

With so many flowers, he has a lot of room to choose from!

"Qi Lang's poems are all excellent. I am too modest. I am looking forward to Qi Lang's brilliant writing!"

Seeing that Li Xuan agreed readily, Li Longji stroked his beard and smiled.

"Look out, ladies. Qilang will definitely come up with something good."

Yang Yuhuan whispered to her sisters that she was very confident in Li Xuan's literary talent.

Gao Lishi ordered his servants to prepare paper and pen.

Li Longji took Li Xuan for a tour by the Dragon Pond, with Yang Yuhuan sitting on Li Longji's right.

Yang Yuyao seemed to be very close to Li Xuan and stood on Li Xuan's left.

He almost pressed his body against Li Xuan.

In her opinion, it was a wonderful thing to be able to make love with a handsome and powerful young hero like Li Xuan.

She was confident that with her charm, she could easily control a young man like Li Xuan.

Yang Yuyao wanted to get close to Li Longji because Li Longji was the most powerful person in the world, and the lives of countless people depended on his thoughts.

The moment she saw Li Xuan, her heart was suddenly moved.

She felt a great sense of accomplishment to be able to conquer such an invincible hero on the battlefield.

But Li Xuan deliberately kept a distance from Yang Yuyao, making Yang Yuyao think that Li Xuan could not let go in such an environment.

Li Longji was standing by and told Li Xuan which foreign country had contributed those flowers.

The waters of Longchi are pure blue and shimmering, like a mirror.

In addition to the flowers around, there are also many famous flowers in the pond, including lotus flowers that have not yet budded.

At this time, Li Xuan saw some white flowers and stopped for a long time.

"Qi Lang, this is the rare flower that Fu Lin sent to the court in the tenth year of Kaiyuan. It is called Narcissus. Unfortunately, Qi Lang arrived too late and the red narcissus has already withered. There is another kind that can bloom in winter. Once it blooms, it will wither for nearly two months. Yuhuan and I like it very much..."

Li Longji explained to Li Xuan that such flowers had just been introduced to China and were only available in the imperial palace.

Li Longji also told Li Xuan some characteristics of daffodils, just to broaden Li Xuan's horizons.

He also did not ask Li Xuan to compose the first narcissus poem in history.

"Daffodil, what a nice name!"

Li Xuan certainly knew narcissus, which is one of the top ten traditional famous flowers in later generations.

Historical records do show that Li Longji once gave Lady Guoguo twelve pots of red daffodils, all of which were made of gold, jade and other treasures.

"I ask you to look at the daffodils closely and write a poem about them."

Li Xuan bowed to Li Longji and said.

"If Qilang can write a poem about narcissus, I will reward him handsomely."

Li Longji was shocked.

This is not like traditional flowers, there is nothing to learn from.

Yang Yuhuan was looking forward to Li Xuan making a famous line about daffodils.

Li Xuan had actually already thought about it, but in order to arouse Li Longji's anticipation, he deliberately approached the narcissus, sniffed it gently, and observed it from a distance.

Li Longji and Yang Yuhuan waited quietly without being disturbed.

Half a quarter of an hour later, Li Xuan bowed to Li Longji and said, "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting for a long time, Your Majesty."

"Is Qilang magical?"

Yang Yuhuan asked.

“Already!”

"Put on the pen, ink, paper and inkstone!"

After Li Xuan finished speaking, Li Longji gave instructions.

The next moment, even the table was brought over.

After the palace maid ground the ink, Li Xuan took up the pen.

Yang Yuhuan and her three sisters came forward, and Li Longji was watching from the side.

The title of the poem is "Singing about Daffodils in Dragon Pond".

It is a wonder that flowers bloom with the help of water, and the water becomes its bones and jade becomes its skin.

The subtle fragrance has overwhelmed the sweet-smelling honeysuckle, but the winter plum has no better branches.

At this time, Li Xuan's handwriting was elegant and beautiful. Although he imitated Chu Suiliang's handwriting, one could see some of his own style.

This is also why Li Xuan insisted on practicing. Apart from marching and fighting, he would usually find time to practice calligraphy.

This fresh and unworldly little poem is the best of all the poems about narcissus in history, but the first two lines are so vivid that the image of the fairy Lingbo comes to life on paper.

There are no excessive metaphors, it just depicts the spirit and character of daffodils.

Yang Yuhuan read the poem word by word, from the title to the verses.

The first two sentences made her heart waver, and she sighed from the bottom of her heart that Li Xuan was full of talent, comparable to Li Bai.

But Li Xuan did not have the slightest trace of Li Bai's arrogance.

Moreover, Li Xuan did not impress the world with his literary talent, but was praised by the world for his heroic spirit!
The previous example of bows and swords covered with snow was an example. Last winter, with only a thousand cavalrymen, they attacked for a thousand miles and rescued the women and children of the Tang Dynasty under siege and blockade. This made some literati who had cursed Li Xuan as a "cruel official" change their views on Li Xuan and wrote about him in great detail.

Of course, Li Xuan succeeded. If he failed, he would be ridiculed as a person like Zhao Kuo and Ma Su.

Yang Yuhuan recognized Li Xuan's heroic spirit.

The other sisters of the Yang family were full of praise, especially Yang Yuyao, who wondered in her heart whether the phrase "water as bones and jade as skin" was secretly praising her.

"Clap clap..."

"I admire Qilang's literary talent. I heard that those Shandong scholars ridiculed my clan for not having a great poet, but now we have one. Let's see who dares to mock us!"

Li Longji clapped his hands.

He likes to write poetry. It is precisely because of his talent that he does not think that his poetry is the best in the world. Wang Wei, Li Bai, Wang Changling, He Zhizhang, Meng Haoran and others are the great poets admired by scholars.

Li Longji also acknowledged that they were very talented writers.

Now with Li Xuan's proficiency in both literature and martial arts, these great poets have become overshadowed.

"Your Majesty, thank you for your praise. It was your guidance that gave me the inspiration!" Li Xuan has always been very humble.

"I won't break my promise! I will reward Qilang with ten pots of red daffodils, which I will send to the Duke of Song's residence later. I will also have a craftsman cast a daffodil out of gold and give it to Qilang."

Li Longji laughed and fulfilled his reward to Li Xuan.

"Thank you very much, Saint!"

Li Xuan did not refuse.

Li Longji was in a good mood to reward, and pretending to refuse would interrupt Li Longji's interest.

"My ladies, we have seen Qilang and appreciated his talent. Please enjoy yourself in the garden! I want to discuss military affairs with Qilang!"

Li Longji thought of something else he had to ask Li Xuan, and if he delayed any further, it would get late.

"I will not disturb Sanlang any more!"

The considerate Yang Yuhuan bowed to Li Longji and left with the three Yang sisters.

They were holding colorful parrots and poems written by Li Xuan in their hands and were going to discuss them aside.

Before leaving, Yang Yuyao looked at Li Xuan, wanting to send him a glance, but Li Xuan looked straight at her and ignored her.

This made Yang Yuyao very angry.

He thought that if he met Li Xuan in private, he would not be able to escape her control.

……

Here, under the leadership of Gao Lishi, Li Xuan and Li Longji entered the second floor of Chenxiang Pavilion. Fruits, snacks, and tea were all prepared, and it seemed that they wanted to have a deep discussion with Li Xuan.

Sure enough, as soon as Li Longji came, he asked about the Battle of Lishui and the Battle of Qinghai, and more detailed battle situations.

Li Xuan patiently told Li Longji the story.

Especially during the battle of Qinghai, he said that the sage loved the people like his own children, and that the Tubo's treatment of the people of the Tang Dynasty was an insult to the sage. When the king is worried, the ministers are humiliated, and when the king is humiliated, the ministers die. Therefore, he would not hesitate to die in revenge to save the women and children in order to rectify the sage's virtue.

His words aroused Li Longji's emotions and made Li Longji feel that Li Xuan was considering him everywhere.

Li Longji also specifically asked Li Xuan about the process of killing the Tubo general, especially the process of taking the head of Molu Xiequ among thousands of troops.

Li Xuan used exaggerated words to exaggerate!
Li Longji was excited when he heard this. If he had not seen Li Xuan's martial arts, he would definitely let Li Xuan perform a show like Wang Nandi, riding a horse and holding a spear in front of the palace.

"Qi Lang's "Helong Qu" is the best frontier poem."

After listening to Li Xuan's description for a whole hour, Li Longji praised Li Xuan's frontier poems.

"Don't dare take it!"

Li Xuan smiled slightly. In his mind, the best frontier poem was Wang Changling's "Out of the Frontier", which was a masterpiece known to all women and children. Li Longji thought "Helongqu" was well written because he thought the last couplet was the finishing touch.

But many people in later generations believe that the first and second couplets of this poem are the essence.

"Qilang, the Zhonglun of Tibet came to the court the day before yesterday. Some ministers hope to accept Tibet's peace proposal, so as to restore the friendship between uncle and nephew and avoid fighting. What do you think, Qilang?"

Finally, Li Longji began to ask about the real business.

Every time he encounters a matter of war or peace, he always feels upset.

Because most ministers support renegotiation and peace.

The ministers’ idea was simple: the Tang Dynasty had gained such a huge advantage, and seeking peace now would not only do no harm to the Tang Dynasty, but would also demonstrate the magnanimity of the Tang Dynasty, the Celestial Empire.

In addition, Tubo brought gold, silver and jewelry with them, showing great sincerity. If they were rejected, other foreign states would think that the Tang Dynasty was unreasonable.

"No! Saint, do you remember how many alliances there were between the Tang Dynasty and Tubo? The Heyuan Alliance and the Chiling Alliance were completely useless. Even in the alliance during Emperor Gaozong's time, they still expelled the Tuyuhun Murong family, occupied Qinghai, and enslaved Tuyuhun, Dangxiang and other tribes. They also robbed the Jiuqu area of ​​the Tang Dynasty by trickery. Chidai Zhudan is ambitious, and Tubo has wolfish ambitions. Their goal is Helong of the Tang Dynasty. Once they are allowed to catch their breath, our army will have to pay a greater price. Moreover, if our army inflicts heavy damage on Tubo again, Tubo will inevitably withdraw troops from the Western Regions, and they dare not spy on the Western Regions again. The Xichuan area will also be safe!"

Li Xuan advised Li Longji: "Those ministers who are trying to persuade for peace are typical pedantic thinkers, without a single ray of strategy in their eyes."

He didn't expect that Mojie Sangdongzebu would arrive in Chang'an so quickly, and it seemed that he didn't stop at all on the way.

But Li Xuan was not panicked at all, as he understood Li Longji's intention of "seeking merit on the border."

It is almost impossible to use some gold, silver and jewelry to stop Li Longji from expanding.

"Qi Lang and I think the same thing. Tubo wants to delay time. Chi Dai Zhu Dan is a treacherous and cunning guy. He sent an envoy here to delay the war."

Li Longji cursed his brother-in-law loudly. Among all the civil and military officials in the court, Qilang was the only one he liked.

"I plan to start the campaign against Tubo in autumn. This time, we will surely be able to recapture Jiuqu. When we find another opportunity, I will launch an attack on Qinghai. I will make Shibao City completely a wasteland, and make the fertile land of Hehuang revitalized, making our Tang Dynasty prosperous."

Li Xuan asked Li Longji.

"Qi Lang, just go ahead and do it. I support you. There is no war in Shuofang and Hedong. If you don't have enough troops, I will let Zhongsi send troops to support you!"

Li Longji's trust in Li Xuan was beyond compare, not only in his loyalty but also in his ability.

Every example Li Xuan gives is very clear and to the point.

In the congratulatory letters and proclamations, it seemed that Li Xuan won the victory through bravery, but Li Xuan was strict in military management, bold and flexible in the use of troops, and had many strategies.

Always achieve the greatest victory at the lowest cost.

In so many battles, the ratio of casualties to the enemy was one to ten.

This applies to not just one or two battles, but all battles, big or small.

In the Battle of Qinghai, at the cost of 500 casualties, a total of more than 15,000 enemy troops were killed or captured.

No one has ever been able to do this throughout history!
It is no wonder that people in the court and the public called Li Xuan the "God of War".

"The troops from Shuofang and Hedong have to move to Yunlong, which is very costly. The troops from the two towns under my command are enough to win!"

Li Xuan said he did not need Wang Zhongsi's support.

He would never engage in a battle with Tubo involving an army of 100,000 to attack a fortress.

Li Xuan was on the attacking side, and there were heavy casualties.

The significance of him forming Thomas no longer exists.

"I believe in Shichiro."

Li Longji nodded slightly, and then asked Li Xuan: "Qilang, how do you think we can shut up those who agree to peace?"

Li Xuan was speechless when he heard this. Wasn't your old method to demote a few officials to deter others?

But when Li Longji asked him, he thought for a moment and said slowly: "In the 29th year of Kaiyuan, Tubo seized Shibao City. Jiuqu Land was also obtained by Tubo through fraud. If they hand over Shibao City and return Jiuqu Land to me, I will agree to Tubo's request for peace. The sage told the ministers this."

"Yes! Shibao City and Jiuqu belong to our Great Tang. Anyone who dares to oppose it has ulterior motives! But Tubo will definitely not agree. This way, we can justify the war. Envoys from other countries will not say anything either!"

Li Longji thought Li Xuan’s suggestion was very good and suddenly he was enlightened.

During the court meeting tomorrow, I will use this to silence Youyou.

When Li Xuan and Li Longji talked about Li Shizhi and Li Xuan expressed his filial piety, Li Longji's face suddenly changed.

"Why is this happening, Saint?"

Li Xuan asked carefully, thinking he had said something wrong.

"In a few days, it will be my Erlang's memorial day. I miss them so much!"

When Li Longji saw the heroic and extraordinary Li Xuan, he thought of his former sons.

I regret killing them!
Li Xuan's hair stood on end when he heard this. The Erlang that Li Longji mentioned must be the former crown prince Li Ying.

Why are you asking these fatal questions?

But then again, it was precisely because I trusted Li Xuan that I said these difficult words to him.

The blood of the three sons shed at Dongyi has become a taboo for all civil and military officials in the court, and no one dares to mention it.

It was as if Li Longji had never had these three sons.

"Although the former crown prince and the kings made a great mistake, the saint is a kind father and it is human nature to miss him!"

The saint asked a question, and Li Xuan had no choice but to answer, and could only give a comforting voice.

Li Xuan believed that at this moment, Li Longji truly missed Li Ying, Li Yao, and Li Ju.

But that did not prevent Li Longji from killing them.

Because the one who is alive is the prince, and only the one who is dead is his son.

If anyone threatens the crown prince's power, he must die. In ancient times, there were examples of crown princes forcing the emperor to abdicate, and even of Shang Chen killing his father.

Li Longji was a suspicious person. Once he was suspected, he would firmly believe even the slightest clue in his heart.

So Li Xuan was cautious everywhere.

"I often wake up because of this. Is there any way to solve it?"

Li Longji asked Li Xuan.

It means that I always have nightmares about Li Ying and others.

"The saints can follow the example of Emperor Wu of Han and build the Sizi Palace to prove to the world the saints' generosity and kindness."

It would be strange if I didn’t have nightmares about such a big thing.

Li Xuan felt that Li Longji was far behind Li Shimin in this respect.

Even though his ancestor Li Chengqian was proven to have rebelled, he was only demoted.

The Li Ying case is a complete wrongful case.

But Li Xuan couldn't tell it, as that would irritate Li Longji.

Even if Li Longji had doubts about the Li Ying case, he would not allow anyone to reinvestigate it.

This guilt will be brought into his nightmares.

"Qi Lang is absolutely right. I will have someone build a platform for missing my child!"

Li Longji thought Li Xuan's suggestion was excellent.

After this incident, he trusted Li Xuan more and felt that Li Xuan could share his worries in other aspects just like Gao Lishi!

"General Fan Yangan just arrived in Chang'an three days ago. Although his ability is not as good as Qilang's, he is sincerely loyal. After the court meeting tomorrow, I will introduce him to you!"

Li Longji changed the subject and spoke to Li Xuan.

"Thank you, Saint. I have also heard of General An's name."

Li Xuan was startled to find that Fatty An was also in Chang'an.

What a coincidence this time.

But Li Xuan knew that Fatty An could flatter Li Longji even more than he did. He was a guy who was willing to dress up as a clown and disregard his dignity for the sake of power.

Li Xuan can't do this!
In terms of ability, An Lushan definitely had one thing, which was mastering six foreign languages, which is rare in later generations.

An Lushan knew very well that as long as Li Longji trusted him, he could achieve his goal.

"It's getting late! Come with me to eat, then go home to visit Duke Song!"

As it was getting dark, Li Longji asked Li Xuan to stay for dinner.

At this time, Yang Yuhuan's sisters had already gone back, and only Yang Yuhuan was with them.

Li Longji reminded Li Xuan implicitly that the matter of Sizi Terrace would be discussed at the court meeting tomorrow.

Li Xuan responded, and then Gao Lishi sent Li Xuan out of the palace!
It was already night and all the gates in Chang'an were closed.

The drums stop beating and the people disperse, only the moon is shining in the nine streets.

But Li Xuan was able to pass, and the gate was opened for Li Xuan!

(End of this chapter)