Chapter 243 The water is too deep here, you can’t control it!

In fact, logically speaking, Li Simo should have died in the past two years.

According to history, Lao Li was frustrated when attacking Anshi City, and Li Simo was also shot by an arrow.

Old Li personally sucked out the pus and blood for Li Simo, which was praised as a good story at the time.

Perhaps it was because of this arrow that Li Simo's wound became infected, and he died in the 21st year of Zhenguan.

However, thanks to Li Xiang's butterfly wings, the war against Goguryeo was fought swiftly, and with the presence of military doctors such as Sun Simiao, Li Simao's wounds recovered very well, so he was naturally full of energy and even considered applying to Li Shimin again to return to the mainland.

In fact, Li Simo was a very interesting person, because he looked very much like a Hu person, not a Turk, so Choro Khan suspected that he was not from the Ashina race.

Li Simo served under two generations of Khan, Choluo and Jie Li, and often served as Jiabitele, but ultimately he was unable to take charge of military affairs and set up a military camp.

This may be the reason why his subordinates do not obey him very much.

On the way to Prince Wei's mansion, Li Xiang was still pondering over his wording.

After thinking for a while, he gave up. It was because I, Li Xiaoxiang, am an honest and reliable young man. How could I do something to deceive people?

After getting off the carriage, Li Xiang ran straight to the Prince of Wei's palace.

Of course the doorman recognized that the visitor was His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and he would have stopped him because he had nothing better to do.

When he ran to the main hall, Li Xiang burst into loud noise.

"Second uncle! Second uncle! My dearest and most beloved second uncle!"

Li Tai was drinking porridge from a bowl. When he heard this, his fat hands couldn't help shaking and the bowl almost fell.

After a period of frantic activity, Li Tai finally managed to steady the bowl.

"It's brother!" Li Xin raised his head excitedly. He didn't even think about eating. He put down the bowl and was about to walk out.

Li Tai glanced at Li Xin and said, "Sit down!"

"Oh." Li Xin then sat down with his head lowered. He glanced at Li Tai and continued to eat his porridge.

"Second uncle! Second uncle!"

Li Xiang shouted and slipped into the main hall.

"It's the thief nephew." Li Tai's accent was somewhat deliberate: "Have you eaten? Let's eat together."

"No need, second uncle. I've already eaten in Jingzhao Prefecture." Li Xiang laughed and bowed to Yan Wan: "Nephew greets aunt."

"No need to be so polite." Yan Wan nodded in greeting.

"Brother, why are you so free today?" Li Xin asked impatiently.

"I have something to ask for help from my uncle." Li Xiang said straight to the point without feeling awkward at all.

Hearing Li Xiang's words, Li Tai's heart was filled with alarm.

Damn it, I knew you had no good intentions in looking for me!
"Uncle, don't worry, let's talk about it after dinner." Li Xiang said to Li Tai quickly.

Li Tai took a deep breath, glanced at Li Xiang, and thought to himself, I don’t want to talk to you after dinner!

Li Tai ate his meal slowly and was not in a hurry. When it was almost 3:30 in the morning, Li Tai stood up leisurely and looked at Li Xiang: "Let's go. If you have something to say, follow me to the side hall to talk."

"Okay, second uncle." Li Xiang stood up and followed Li Tai to the side hall.

After walking to the side hall, Li Tai saw Li Xin following closely behind Li Xiang and asked expressionlessly, "What are you doing here?"

"Ah?" Li Xin pointed at himself blankly.

Seeing that Li Tai was about to say something, Li Xin felt nervous and turned around and ran away without any reluctance.

He had to run away, in case the tiger found some excuse to make things difficult for him. Li Xin thought it was better not to offend the tiger.

This is blood suppression.

Li Xiang watched Li Xin run out of the house and thought to himself, why are you so cowardly? Why don't you dare to fight with your father?

We are brothers, so why do you act like you see a rat when you see your father?

"Tell me what you want from me." Li Tai picked up the glass ball on the table and played with it in his hands: "You kid, you never come to me for no reason. Is there something tricky going on again?"

"Otherwise, why do people say that my second uncle is a wise king?" Li Xiang immediately flattered him: "My nephew has no other choice, so I came to my second uncle to find a solution."

"Hmm." Li Tai hummed without comment, like a master.

But Fat Qingque still had a plan in mind: "If you have something to say, just say it now, don't flatter me!"

"Haha..." Li Xiang laughed awkwardly to hide his embarrassment, and then said, "That's right, last night Huaihua County Prince Li Simo suddenly requested to submit to the Central Plains, wanting to return to the south of the Yellow River and no longer settle in Dingxiang City."

While speaking, Li Xiang looked up at Li Tai, trying to guess some emotions from his fat face.

However, Li Tai still had a smiling face, and he really was worthy of being Changsun Wuji's nephew.

Having said that, after all, nephews take after their uncles. Whether in terms of figure or chubby appearance, Li Tai looks very much like Changsun Wuji.

"Well, you continue talking, I'm listening." Li Tai spun the two large glass balls in his hands quickly.

As for the fitness balls, Li Xiang not only gave them to Xiao Yu, but also to his father and uncles.

The one who liked playing glass balls the most was none other than Li Zhi, and Li Tai had to step back a little.

This big glass ball is not only interesting, but also obviously valuable.

But they could never have imagined that the method of firing the glass balls was so simple. They only needed to change the recipe.

"Second Uncle, don't you have any ideas?" Li Xiang asked, looking up.

"What do I think?" Li Tai asked back with a smile, still not saying what he thought.

Li Xiang sighed and said with great sorrow: "Second uncle, the Turks must not be allowed in. The Yellow River has a thousand harms but only one benefit. The Hetao area is the most important horse breeding area for the court and also the bridgehead for controlling the grassland. It must be controlled by the court. How can we give it to the Turks?"

Li Tai nodded. Of course he agreed with Li Xiang's statement.

Although the Turks were a tribe that surrendered after being defeated in the war, they were not of the same race after all. It would be fine if they were allowed to become a barrier for the Tang Dynasty in the south of the desert, but how could they be allowed to cross the Yellow River and enter the heartland of the Central Plains? How could I allow others to snore beside my bed?
Li Tai understood this principle.

Even though he had many disagreements with the Eastern Palace, Li Tai rarely confronted the Eastern Palace on issues of principle.

His idea was very simple. Now, because of the discord in other places, it has led to political disputes. If these disputes affect the Tang Dynasty, then when I become the emperor in the future, won’t I still have to solve these problems?
So... Li Tai really listened to what Li Xiang meant.

Seeing Li Tai nod, Li Xiang decided to strike while the iron was hot.

"Besides, Uncle, how can you divide your own territory with others? That's self-division! There is no such thing in the world." Li Xiang was still indignant, his face twitching a little: "Isn't this sacrificing yourself to benefit others? We in the Tang Dynasty can't let such a fool do that."

"You are right. From ancient times to the present, this has indeed never been done." Li Tai said with emotion, and suddenly asked: "What does your grandfather say?"

"What the old man means is that since Prince Huaihua is not very comfortable staying in Dingxiang, if he wants to return to Chang'an, it is not impossible to discuss it." Li Xiang sighed.

After hearing this, Li Tai understood what Li Shimin meant.

In fact, what Li Xiang said was very true, and both he and Li Shimin could understand it. Otherwise, in the 13th year of Zhenguan, Li Shimin would not have ordered Li Simo to bring the Turks back to Dingxiang to serve as a barrier to the north.

After thinking about it for a while, Li Tai thought of a question. Could the so-called "not that it cannot be discussed" be an excuse made by Li Shimin?

We finally got you out to serve as a barrier for the Tang Dynasty in the south of the desert, and now you want to come back? No way!

This situation is not impossible...

"Uncle, I think it's not impossible for the Turks to move inland." Li Xiang said again.

Li Tai glanced at Li Xiang and said with a smile: "Boy, didn't you just say that the Turks were not allowed to move inland? You said that it would do no good but harm. Why do you think that moving inland is feasible now?"

He always felt that Li Xiang had some big trick up his sleeve, but he just didn't say it, as if he was waiting for something.

"If the Turks can get rid of their country's name, give up their identity on the grassland, completely submit to the Tang Dynasty, and disperse to the interior to live a farming life, then I think that would be acceptable." Li Xiang's words were firm.

Hearing Li Xiang's words, Li Tai couldn't help but tremble.

Oh, you little elephant, this strategy is too extreme...

"You are a little too extreme, Xiang'er." Li Tai shook his head and sighed, "Don't dare say this in front of outsiders. It's easy to hurt people's hearts."

That being said, Li Tai also felt that this method was feasible.

But it is not that I think this method is feasible in nature, but that I think it can be used as an excuse to reject the Turks.

He thought deeply about it. Anyway, the sage did not want the Turks to move inland, and his attitude had been the same since the 13th year of Zhenguan. It was Li Simo who was shameless and insisted on staying within the Yellow River.

Since the saint wants to refuse in his heart but can't say it out loud, why don't I, his son, come and share his worries.

Thinking of this, Li Tai's attitude began to change.

"This involves the most core interests of our Tang Dynasty. Even if I have to bear a little infamy, my nephew doesn't think it's a big deal." Li Xiang had the spirit of shouldering the moral responsibility.

"Listen to my advice, the water here is too deep, you can't control it, kid!" Li Tai shook his head and sighed, "Let me handle it for you, listen to me, you are the crown prince, you need to be magnanimous, I will say this for you."

Li Xiang: …

Are you Pan Zi too?
"Second uncle, this..." Li Xiang said modestly.

"If there's any infamy, uncle will take it for you." Li Tai slammed the table.

In Li Tai's view, this condition was absolutely unacceptable to the Turks and was tantamount to a humiliation for them.

In this way, we can both dignify the rejection of the Turks' migration and improve our reputation in front of the saint. This is killing two birds with one stone!

Okay, this method is great!

As for whether Li Xiang was using him, he was not worried. Even if he was, what would it matter? They were just using each other.

What's more, Li Tai also knew about the situation of the Khitan tribe in various places within the Guannei area. He didn't think that the Turks could endure such a miserable life.

After all, he is the governor of Yongzhou. Although it is just a figurehead, he can still be involved in all matters big and small in Guannei Road.

He thought about it and thought that Li Simo would not be crazy enough to give up the profitable wool business and go to the fields to dig for food.

Raising cattle and sheep and selling wool, isn’t this a good job?

"Second uncle..." Li Xiang grabbed Li Tai's fat hand, held hands and looked into each other's eyes, and was speechless.

"My dear nephew, I will definitely help you with this!" Li Tai once again reassured Li Xiang: "Don't worry about this matter, I will help you with it."

"Okay, second uncle." Li Xiang thanked with a smile.

After leaving the Prince of Wei's Palace, Li Xiang breathed a sigh of relief.

He didn't come here with the intention of tricking Li Tai, but he thought that someone must bring up this matter, otherwise what if old Aung...his dearest Aung couldn't save his face and really agreed to Li Simo's surrender?

Besides, if this thing can be accomplished, it will be a great achievement for Li Tai. It will not be a losing business anyway.

As for the purpose of proposing this condition, Li Xiang was only forcing the Turks to make a choice - either continue to stay in Dingxiang and eat sand and herd sheep, or accept all the conditions of the Tang Dynasty and submit to it. Otherwise, don't even think about it, there is no plan B in the middle.

Li Tai was not in a hurry to go to the stadium. After thinking it over, he decided to summon his staff to his house to help him discuss whether this matter was feasible.

After briefly explaining the situation, Wei Ting was the first to express his agreement.

"Your Majesty, I think this is feasible."

"Well, it is feasible." Liu Li agreed, "The Saint's idea has always been to make the Turks the northern barrier of the Tang Dynasty to resist the Xueyantuo. Even Li Simo's repeated requests to continue to stay south of the Yellow River did not change the Saint's mind. I think the Saint's mind has not changed. If the Saint wanted to agree to Li Simo's request, he would have agreed long ago, instead of waiting for the situation."

"But if we reject Li Simo's words directly, it will be difficult to say it. After all, Li Simo's tone is so humble." Liu Li continued: "If the king puts forward a harsh condition, whether to accept it or not is up to Li Simo."

"I think Li Simo will never accept such a condition." Wei Ting said with a smile: "The Turkic tribes are Li Simo's foundation. I don't think Li Simo has the courage to give up even his foundation."

"Do you all think this is feasible?" Li Tai looked up and asked.

Everyone nodded and said, "If Li Simo had made such a request at the court meeting, the king would have spoken out against it. If he made such a request again, and everyone in the court responded to it, Li Simo would definitely not be able to accept this condition and would give up the idea of ​​returning to the south of the Yellow River. The saint would also give the king a credit for this."

Since everyone thought it was feasible, Li Tai also made up his mind.

"Okay, then I'll say this when the Saint summons me!"

(End of this chapter)