Chapter 334: You are such a small country, you are bullying me too much!
"Aye said that as the eldest brother, you should naturally shoulder the responsibility." Li Chengqian sighed and said, "Besides, you are the crown prince. From now on, the Tang Dynasty will be yours. I use the money from the Eastern Palace not for myself, but for the Tang Dynasty, which is actually equivalent to spending it on you. If you don't pay for it, will Qingque or Zhinu pay for it?"

"You're right, what you said does make sense." Li Xiang wiped the sweat from his temples. "Aung is right. After all, you are the crown prince. There is absolutely no reason for you to not pay the money and go to the King of Wei and the King of Jin instead."

"So I suddenly remembered that this was the reason why you built the Daming Palace for me?" Li Chengqian glanced at Li Xiang.

Before Li Xiang could retort, Li Tai suddenly said, "That's Xiang'er's filial piety. If you don't like it, you don't have to live here."

Li Chengqian was obviously choked, and he glared at Li Tai angrily.

This bastard Qingque is really...

Li Tai was stared at by death, but he didn't feel anything at all. Instead, he glared back.

Seeing his second uncle defending him so much and even fighting with Aye, Li Xiang felt that he should think of a solution.

If one day Aye becomes evil and wants to attack his second uncle, it would be bad if I am not in the capital.

Well, I have to talk to my aunt and ask Grandpa to give my second uncle something, such as being able to speak freely.

This is a good idea.

Of course, I don’t mean to upset my father. I am the most filial son in the Tang Dynasty. How could I possibly think like that?

I just want to find a human mirror for Aye, that's all.

The more Li Xiang thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed, and his smile became more evil.

Then he felt like someone had stepped on him.

"Put away your smirk, it's all over your face."

Li Mingda's voice sounded in their ears, very softly, and only the two of them could hear it.

Li Xiang then noticed that his expression was out of control. He looked around and saw that no one was paying attention to him. Instead, they were all looking at the brave Li Tai. He immediately reached out and rubbed his face hard to change his expression back to normal.

Li Chengqian choked for a long time after being retorted by Li Tai, and finally decided not to bother with him.

That night, Li Xiang sneaked into Daji Hall and found Li Mingda.

"Aunt, aunt."

"Hey, whose little pigeon is this?" Li Mingda chuckled and put down the "Tai Shang Huang Ting Nei Jing Yu Jing" in his hand, his eyes curved into two beautiful crescents.

Li Xiang also followed her and cooed twice again, then jumped over and sat down beside her.

"Why do you come here to disturb my meditation so late at night instead of going to sleep with your sister?" Li Mingda asked with a smile, leaning on the recliner.

"I'm here to discuss something with my aunt." Li Xiang said very bluntly: "Of course, I can't say I'm here to discuss something with my aunt, I'm here to ask her for help."

"I know that you, a little elephant, would never come to the temple for no reason." Li Mingda said, but he still said, "Tell me, is there anything you need from your aunt?"

"It's not a big deal. I just want you to talk to Grandfather and give my second uncle the right to speak freely." Li Xiang scratched his head and said, "Look at my second uncle, he doesn't know how to control his words. If he angers Grandfather one day, he will be furious and want to kill me. What should I do?"

Li Mingda crossed his arms, with an expression that he had seen through everything: "I'm afraid you don't just want to give your second uncle a right, you actually want to give--"

Having said that, Li Mingda raised his eyes and looked at Luoluo and others.

"You guys go out and wait first."

"Yes." The palace maids withdrew.

After everyone left, Li Mingda said leisurely, "In my opinion, you want to make trouble for your father, right?"

"It depends on what auntie said." Li Xiang chuckled, "Grandfather has his own mirror. Grandfather, who is so big, should also have his own mirror. What do you think, auntie?"

"What did I think?" Li Mingda snorted, "I think you, the little elephant, just didn't get enough beatings, but you actually dared to make up stories about your elders. It's really..."

"So aunt doesn't agree?" Li Xiang asked pitifully.

Li Mingda's heart softened. He picked up the Huangting Sutra beside him, rolled it up and gently hit Li Xiang on the head.

"How could I not agree? This is what Xiang'er asked me to do."

"Aunt is the best." Li Xiang stretched out his hand and made a gesture.

Li Mingda curled his lips and snorted, "Don't try to coax me with the words you use to coax your grandfather or your grandfather. I'm not them, and I won't be fooled by you."

"How can this be considered a lie? My nephew is completely sincere!" Li Xiang said confidently.

"Go, go back if you have nothing to do. How can you be so disrespectful so late at night?" Li Mingda spat and kicked Li Xiang.

Li Xiang was kicked twice and said goodbye with a smile.

The next day was still an ordinary day, without any ups and downs.

I thought today would just pass like this, but unexpectedly, news came from the Ministry of Rites that a Tubo envoy had arrived in the capital, saying that the Tubo King Songtsen Gampo had died of illness years ago, and the Tubo court sent someone to announce the death.

When Li Xiang heard the news, he scratched his head. He remembered that Songtsen Gampo should have died this year, so why did it happen last year?

However, what he did not know was that this was an error in the historical records of the Tang Dynasty. In fact, Songtsen Gampo did die in the 650rd year of Zhenguan, but the news of his death was not delivered to Chang'an until the first year of Yonghui. Therefore, it is generally believed in history that he died in AD.

However, according to the unearthed Tibetan document "Chronicle of Important Events in Tubo", Songtsen Gampo died in 649.

There are also many different opinions about the cause of Songtsen Gampo's death: one is that Princess Bhrikuti infected Songtsen Gampo with the plague, and Songtsen Gampo died soon after in Semogang, Pengyu; another is that Songtsen Gampo was assassinated by Bon believers who hated Buddhism.

The following year, Tubo held a very grand funeral and built a very tall tomb for Songtsen Gampo among the tombs of successive Tibetan kings in Qiongjie. It was called "Murimubo".

As his son Gongritsan died early, his grandson Mangsongmangsan succeeded to the throne, and Dalon Ludongsan became regent.

This time, Tubo sent envoys to the capital not only to report the death, but also to request enthronement.

After all, Tubo and the Tang Dynasty were not only uncle-nephew countries, but also vassal states that paid tribute to the Tang Dynasty.

If a new king succeeds to the throne in the country, he should be canonized by the Tang Dynasty before he can officially ascend the throne.

After learning about Songtsen Gampo's death, Li Chengqian felt a little sad. After all, he was his nominal brother-in-law, and Princess Wencheng Li Xueyan was also his cousin. Now that Songtsen Gampo died young, Li Chengqian, as a kind person, would of course show sadness.

Therefore, after discussing with his ministers, Li Chengqian appointed Songtsen Gampo as the Duke of the Imperial Household and the Prince of Xihai. At the same time, he ordered that Songtsen Gampo be posthumously named the King of Xiong, and a stone statue of him be carved according to his appearance and displayed under the Xuanque of Zhaoling Mausoleum.

Xiong, pronounced the same as "Cong", was a minority ethnic group in the southwest region in history.

As for Tubo's request, Li Chengqian also expressed his approval. It is natural for the son to succeed the father, and it is completely reasonable for Mangsong Mangzan to ascend the throne.

With a wave of his hand, he let Mangsong Mangtsen inherit the title of Prince of Xihai County and succeed the Tubo Zamp.

The Tibetan envoys who came along the way also asked to see Li Qinling, but after meeting the envoys, Li Qinling parted with them on bad terms.

That night, Li Xiang found out why the Tubo envoy wanted to see Li Qinling.

"Fuck it, this idiot actually set his sights on my Doudou!" Li Xiang slammed the table and angrily cursed, "Fuck it..."

It’s not Li Xiang’s fault that he lost his composure. Ever since he had Li Wushuang, he has always treated her as the apple of his eye.

Not only him, but also Li Shimin, Li Chengqian, Li Tai and Li Zhi, all regarded her as a treasure, and she was the apple of Li Mingda's eye.

Now, this yellow-haired boy from Tubo, a barbarian, dares to set his sights on my daughter?

Li Xiang felt as if he was disgusted by something.

"Who said it wasn't?" Xue Rengui also said angrily, "The Princess of Yan is a royal concubine, how could such a young boy covet her?"

However, the angriest person in the room was Li Qinling.

"Damn it! That bastard Mangsong Mangzan is just a barbarian from the plateau. How dare he have such delusions!" Li Qinling cursed with gnashing teeth: "Barbarian! Barbarian! Barbarian!"

Xue Rengui glanced at the furious Li Qinling, thought for a moment and decided to hold back the words "Aren't you the same?"

He changed his mind and realized that since Li Qinling came to the Tang Dynasty, he had made great contributions to the Tang Dynasty and even participated in the capture of the Western Turkic Khan. He had already been a Tang citizen.

What barbarians? Have you ever seen such barbarians?
A man like Li Qinling, who has yellow skin, black eyes, speaks Chinese and follows Chinese etiquette, is the most authentic Tang person possible.

"This is my good brother." Xue Rengui reached out and patted Li Qinling on the shoulder: "Well done! It's right that you didn't agree!"

"Bah! How can I agree to this!" Li Qinling was anxious: "Isn't this just a toad wanting to eat swan meat? Your Highness, give me three thousand soldiers and send that kid Mangsong Mangzan to Chang'an to apologize!"

"That's not necessary." Li Xiang waved his hands helplessly. "He's just asking for the princess' hand in marriage, so just refuse. If we raise an army to attack him just because he wants to marry a Tang princess, it would not only seem like an overreaction, but also show that we have no generosity."

"What should we do then?" Li Qinling asked.

"Didn't Your Highness just say that? Just reject it directly." Di Renjie smiled and stroked his beard.

There was one more thing Di Renjie didn't say. With the current might of the Tang Dynasty, what would it matter if they reprimanded him, let alone rejected him?
Could it be possible that Mangsong Mangzan could lead his troops down the plateau and fight with the Tang Dynasty?
When Li Xiang returned to the palace in the evening, Li Chengqian called him to the Lizheng Hall.

After all, something big happened today, and we have to notify Lao Li.

After hearing the news of Songtsen Gampo's death, Li Shimin was also a little sad.

"You did a good job." Li Shimin affirmed Li Chengqian's approach.

"Songtsen Gampo's son Gongri Gampo died early, so Tubo requested Gongri Gampo's son Mangsong Mangtsen to ascend the throne." Li Chengqian said again: "I think Mangsong Mangtsen is quite polite. After Songtsen Gampo's death, he did not conceal the news of his death and asked the Tang Dynasty to confer him a title, so I agreed to his request."

Before Li Shimin could answer, Li Xiang suddenly asked, "Aye, do you really think that Mangsong Mangzan knows etiquette?"

"Why?" Li Chengqian raised his eyebrows and asked, "Don't you think it's not true?"

"Yes, he is so polite that he let the Tubo envoy and Li Qinling hint openly and secretly that he wants to marry our Yan princess. He is very polite." Li Xiang said sarcastically.

"Princess of Yan?" Li Chengqian was stunned for a moment and hadn't realized who the Princess of Yan was.

Then, his face suddenly turned red.

"You are such a small country, you are bullying me too much!"

Li Chengqian roared angrily and overturned Li Shimin's desk.

Old Li watched his son transform into a desktop cleaning master, moved his mouth twice, and chose not to pursue the matter.

Forget it, the child is also angry, so just flip the table.

He actually took this matter very lightly. It was just a marriage proposal. If he didn't like it and disagreed, then that was it. Why should he overreact like this?

"Why isn't Aye angry?" Li Chengqian asked suspiciously when he saw the calm Li Shimin, "Don't you like Doudou the most?"

Who would have thought that Li Shimin would laugh and say, "Young people are young people. When the Turks asked me to marry Changle, I didn't say I would be as furious as you guys."

"Haha." Li Chengqian laughed: "Yes, you are not angry. You have captured Ashina Duobi and brought him to Chang'an to dance. There is really no need to be angry."

Li Shimin was not annoyed, but said to Li Chengqian: "You will experience many more things like this in the future. Do you think you will destroy every country that comes to you to ask for your princess? How can this be justified in this world?"

"Yes, why don't you take a look at the countries around you that are seeking to marry their princesses? Besides Tubo, what other countries exist around the Tang Dynasty?" Li Chengqian seemed to be arguing with Old Li, firing at full force: "Eastern Turks, Western Turks, Xueyantuo...why don't you take a look yourself?"

"But I did not send troops to attack and destroy their country just because they asked to marry the princess." Li Shimin still looked leisurely: "You must be patient--"

"Waiting for other reasons?" Li Chengqian looked up and asked.

"Yes, Aye." Li Xiang suddenly answered from behind him: "We must find a perfect reason. As the saying goes, there is a legitimate reason for our actions. Moreover, the Tang army is not used to the terrain of Tibet now. We have to wait until we have selected troops suitable for highland operations before we can conquer Tibet."

"Well, Tubo is not in a hurry," Li Shimin nodded, and then looked at Li Chengqian: "Great, did you remember what Xiang'er said?"

Li Chengqian curled his lips, nodded absentmindedly and said, "Yes, I remember it."

Although he said this, Li Chengqian was still muttering in his heart.

No, Qingque and the others must also know about this!

(End of this chapter)