Chapter 20 The Emperor asks for advice
"Some time ago, I went to visit Prince Xin'an. He was too old to get out of bed. In the early Tang Dynasty, my clan had famous generals such as Xiaogong and Daozong, who were feared throughout the world. Now only Prince Xin'an is left, and he is about to leave me."

After Li Longji motioned for Li Xuan to sit down, he spoke to Li Xuan emotionally.

The Prince of Xin'an he mentioned was named Li Yi, and was the grandson of Li Ke, the Prince of Wu, the third son of Li Shimin.

During the Kaiyuan period, Li Yi rose from a civil official to a military official, serving as the Jiedushi of Longxi. He traveled thousands of miles and captured Shibao City, the most important fortress on the border between Tang and Tubo, at a minimal cost, enabling the Tang Dynasty to take the strategic initiative against Tubo and turn defense into offense.

Later, he defeated the Xi and Khitan and made outstanding achievements, making him a well-deserved famous general.

In terms of strategic contribution to the Tang Dynasty, Li Yi is second only to Wang Zhongsi in contemporary times.

"Prince Xin'an is a role model for the royal family. I have always hoped to be like Huo Qubing, conquer the Wolf's Lair and expand the territory for the saint."

Li Xuan expressed his feelings to Li Longji, and he understood what Li Longji meant.

Li Longji hoped that another famous general like Prince Xin'an Li Yi would appear among the royal family.

Li Xuan didn't want to engage in excessive military expansion, but he knew Li Longji's preferences better.

How did Wang Zhongsi lose power a few years later?
Block Bian Gong!

Anyone who dares to say "turn swords into plows" at this time will be driven out of Chang'an by Li Longji.

If Li Xuan wanted to take power, he had to carry out Li Longji's will.

"Qi Lang has great ambitions, but Huo Qubing's achievements are not easy to achieve. The Turks are like the end of the storm, and they are not far away!"

When he said this, it meant that Li Longji had begun to test Li Xuan's military strategy and vision.

"The saint is wise. The fall of the Turkic Khanate is only a matter of time. However, among all the tribes on the grassland, the Huihe is the strongest, with 100,000 soldiers under its command and a clear system. The Huihe leader, Guli Peiluo, is decisive and brave, and his son Moyanchuo is shrewd and wise. They will definitely take over the former Xiongnu territory and become the new overlord of the grassland."

After thinking for a while, Li Xuan replied to Li Longji.

"Qi Lang is really far-sighted!"

Li Longji was surprised because Li Xuan's words were almost identical to what Wang Zhongsi wrote in his letter.

Wang Zhongsi also believed that Basmil and Qarlug were not strong enough to compete with the Uighurs. If the Turks were destroyed, the Uighurs would take over all the former territories of the Xiongnu.

"Qillang, what do you think we should do? You can speak freely without any reservations." Li Longji asked Li Xuan for advice again.

"The grassland tribes live by the water and grass, and are not easy to control. Moreover, the current enemies of the Tang Dynasty are the capricious Tubo and the unpredictable Western Regions. Although the country is prosperous, it is not wise to make too many enemies. The saint can promise the Huihe tribe to allow them to establish the Huihe Khanate and occupy all the former Xiongnu lands. But they must pay tribute to the Tang Dynasty with high-quality horses and sable furs every year."

Li Xuan suggested to Li Longji.

During the Tianbao period in history, the Uighurs were nominally a vassal of the Tang Dynasty. Although they accepted the title, they were completely autonomous in politics and military.

Therefore, during the An-Shi Rebellion, the Uighurs also wanted to gain some benefits from the Tang Dynasty.

In view of the generally harmonious relations with the Uighurs in history, Li Xuan would not advise Li Longji to use force against the Uighurs.

"The Turks have been reviving, and when something unexpected happens, they invade our borders, seize our people, and covet our property. If the Huihes establish a nation, will they be like the Turks, forgetting their principles when they see profit?"

Li Longji was worried about this.

Since the 29th year of Kaiyuan, when the Tubo people massacred people in Dahua County, Guzhou, Li Longji hated the Tubo people to the core and no longer believed in the so-called "uncle-nephew relationship" of the Tubo people.

Tibet had always been a major concern for Li Longji, and his strategy was mainly to deal with it.

"Don't worry, sage. Even if the Huihe people establish a nation, it won't be established overnight. Since ancient times, the Western Regions have been the wings of the grasslands. As long as the Tang Dynasty firmly grasps these wings, the Huihe people will be locked in the grasslands and the desert. We can also win over some other tribes in the grasslands to balance them. Once the Huihe people have different intentions, several armies will be sent out at the same time to destroy them in a short time."

Li Xuan reported the strategic direction to Li Longji.

Of course, if the Tang Dynasty lost the Western Regions, its control over the grasslands would no longer exist.

"good!"

Li Longji's mind suddenly became clear.

"A month ago, the Anxi Protectorate sent a letter saying that a country called Dashi, far away from the mountains, was expanding eastward. The nine Zhaowu clans, which were originally vassal states of the Tang Dynasty, successively submitted to Dashi and now want to win over the countries in the Western Regions. What do you think of this, Qilang?"

He shouldn't have asked Li Xuan these questions, but when Li Xuan mentioned the Western Regions, Li Longji tried to ask about it.

He was going to issue an edict asking the Deputy Protector of Anxi and Wang Zhongsi to return to the capital and tell him the detailed distance to Daqin.

"I have met some Arab merchants and have some superficial understanding of the Arabs. The Arabs have a vast territory, spanning the ocean and reaching the territory of Europe... However, in recent years, there have been two factions in the Arabs fighting to the death, and they have no intention of expanding eastward. There is no need to worry about the Arabs for the time being..."

Li Xuan told Li Longji.

The current Caliphate is called the White Caliphate.

It will take a few years before the powerful Black Caliphate will be established.

It seems that Li Longji still doesn't quite understand.

Li Xuan simply focused on introducing to Li Longji the Umayyad Dynasty of the Arab Empire, the Isaurian Dynasty of the Byzantine Empire, the Merovingian Dynasty of the Frankish Kingdom, and the religions and characteristics they believed in.

Li Longji was fascinated by these novelties.

"When Tubo surrenders, we can deploy a large number of troops in the Western Regions to compete with the Arabs for the land of the Nine Surnames of Zhaowu, rebuild the Persian Governor's Office, completely rule the Western Regions, and spread the reputation of the Great Tang and your majesty to the world!"

Finally, Li Xuan painted a big picture for Li Longji, which made Li Longji excited.

It was as if he had returned to decades ago when he led five hundred assassins to eliminate Empress Wei.

He didn't expect that Li Xuan knew so much about things outside the domain.

None of the officials from the Honglu Temple told him this.

What a genius!

"I have heard of the great powers along the Silk Road, but I never thought that these countries were so vast. Qilang, which one do you think is stronger, the Tang Dynasty, the Arab Empire, the Byzantine Empire, or the Qin Dynasty?"

Li Longji's desire for control drove him to know the status of the Tang Dynasty.

Dashi was the name given to the Arabs by the Tang people, Fulin was the name given to the Byzantines by the Tang people, and Daqin was the name given to the Franks by the Tang people.

But they often refer to Westerners as Fulin or Daqin. "Our Great Tang succeeded the Chinese orthodoxy and was the Celestial Empire. Even the most powerful Arab Empire had a population less than half that of the Great Tang, and was far less prosperous than the Great Tang under the rule of the saints."

Li Xuan is telling the truth.

Although the Arab Empire was larger in area and better at war, forcing the West to flee in panic, its actual population was only half that of the Tang Dynasty.

Handicrafts and agriculture are also far behind.

In the feudal era, population was the foundation of a country's strength.

The so-called Byzantine, Arab, and Frank countries, like China, had many dynasties.

But China is still China after a thousand years, while these countries have disappeared in the long river of history.

"In this way, we can recapture the old Zhaowu land that was occupied by the Arabs, and our Great Tang Dynasty will shock the West."

After hearing Li Xuan's words, Li Longji felt relieved and said proudly: "Throughout the ages, no emperor has ever been able to do this!"

"The sage is the only emperor in the history. He has great talent and strategy, so he must be able to do this."

Seeing that his big promises were effective, Li Xuan used all the praise he could.

Then, Li Longji asked Li Xuan about the method of deploying troops. Li Xuan told Li Longji about the cavalry tactics of Genghis Khan in later generations, which refreshed Li Longji's eyes.

He was also asked about "The Art of War" and "The Art of War", and Li Xuan answered fluently.

At this time, Li Longji thought that Li Xuan was his Huo Qubing.

Can help him accomplish his great martial arts.

"If you want to accomplish these feats, you must have the assistance of a minister like Qilang."

Li Longji loved Li Xuan even more, and said sternly: "I want to appoint you as the deputy envoy of Feng'an Army, are you willing?"

Before, he admired Li Xuan's literary talent and didn't want Li Xuan to go to the frontier.

After learning about these things, he decided to vigorously train Li Xuan.

"I... am willing. I will serve you till my death and will not let the barbarians set foot in the Tang Dynasty."

Li Xuan stood up without any hesitation and thanked Li Longji.

Feng'an Army was an important military town under the Shuofang Jiedushi.

If a deputy envoy appointed by Li Longji can make military achievements, he will be more likely to be noticed by Li Longji and promotion will be easy.

Li Xuan also knew that this was the critical moment for the Tang Dynasty to destroy the Turkic Khanate, and it was the best time to make a contribution.

This was the opportunity he had always dreamed of.

"I know that there is much criticism in the government and the public about my appointment of a Hu person as the general. What do you think of General Qilang joining the army?"

After Li Longji asked Li Xuan to stand up, he asked Li Xuan another question.

In fact, Li Longji already had an unshakable answer in his heart.

That is, Li Longji believed that the Hu people were not like Han officials, who had complex connections in the court and were easier to control.

As an emperor who rose to power through a coup, he was not confident that a Han general from a noble family would be in control of a large army.

Wang Zhongsi is Li Longji's adopted son, and at least Li Longji now trusts him absolutely.

But Li Longji overlooked one point: those who are not of my race must have different hearts!
Li Xuan knew it well, but he couldn't disobey Li Longji, so he said slowly: "I heard that the ancient sage king Wu Ding could employ even slaves for building boards, so he got sages like Fu Yue to assist in the revival of the country. It is the king's business to employ generals and ministers, and the ministers just need to be loyal to their duties. Don't worry about other things."

"Qi Lang knows my intention! Just like when I used Niu Xianke, everyone said that Niu Xianke was not talented and knowledgeable, but Niu Xianke served as prime minister for several years and the country was peaceful and the people were safe. Now that Niu Xianke is dead, who can say it is not true?"

Li Longji was satisfied with Li Xuan's answer and smiled and clapped his hands.

At this moment, a complex expression flashed across Li Xuan's eyes.

I still remember Li Longji's wisdom during the Kaiyuan period.

He had a heart-to-heart talk with Prime Minister Yao Chong and agreed on ten rules.

He placed Prime Minister Song Jing's book of words by his side and read it whenever he went out, using it as a lifelong reminder.

He carried the memorial from Prime Minister Pei Yaoqing with him to remind himself to care for the people.

He gave up his entertainment because of the funeral of Prime Minister Su Yan.

He was remonstrated by Prime Minister Han Xiu and became thinner and thinner. He once said, "Although I look thin, the world will become fat."

He was so angry that he blushed when Prime Minister Zhang Jiuling gave him a frank remonstrance, but he still recalled "Jiuling's demeanor".

The Kaiyuan Prosperity was by no means accidental.

However, his diligence and frugality back then had already led him into the land of pleasure and vanity, from which he could not extricate himself.

Li Xuan knew that some of Li Longji's things were wrong, but he didn't dare to say much.

The history of Zhang Jiuling and the major events during the Tianbao period provided Li Xuan with a lot of verification, and he knew which remarks could not be touched upon.

He could only make his own plans in his mind and take each step carefully.

Logically speaking, Li Xuan should resign at this time.

But Li Longji ordered Gao Lishi to send delicacies and fine wines to Chenxiang Pavilion as he wanted to host a banquet for Li Xuan.

Normally, only prime ministers and officials of the third rank could receive such treatment. This was a great favor to Li Xuan.

At the banquet, Li Xuan always praised Li Longji as a sage monarch. Although Li Longji laughed and scolded Li Xuan for being "glib" and "too embellished", he was very happy in his heart.

……

(End of this chapter)