Chapter 465 Self-Digation

The capital of Chang'an, within the imperial city.

The fourth day of the first lunar month is the day of the royal family banquet. In the early morning, the Penglai Hall in the harem of the Ming Palace was lively. The princesses and the relatives of the concubines came to pay a New Year call to the emperor Li Shimin. Changsun Wuji, a high-ranking uncle, will naturally be present. What is remarkable is that he actually arrived side by side with Li Tai, the king of Wei.

In addition, as soon as the four concubines and nine concubines in the harem are present, it is rare for them to appear openly once a year. Concubine Wei, Yan Xianfei, Yin Defei and Yang Shufei are arranged separately. However, the appearance of the four concubines together is not as good as a newcomer, that is, one of the nine concubines most favored by Li Shimin recently, Xu Hui. It is said that this little woman is intelligent, erudite and talented. She never forgets to write a chapter in poetry and calligraphy. In terms of personality, he is gentle, graceful and generous. He also has a lot of political opinions and can persuade the emperor. He has the demeanor of the Empress Changsun in those years. At first, she was just a talented person. Because she was deeply favored by Li Shimin, she was late to meet her. She was soon promoted to Jieyu, and then she was promoted to Rongrong. Now she is one of the nine concubines second only to the four concubines.

Whether it is the queen or the crown prince, it is not only the emperor's family affairs, but also a major event of the country. In ancient times, there was an emperor in China. It has always been "a noble mother for her son, and a noble mother for a son". After the death of Empress Changsun, Li Shimin has not established a queen again. The ministers speculated that he did not want to influence the establishment of a reserve because of the queen.

Many people secretly speculated that since the death of Empress Changsun, the harem has been ownerless. Wei Guifei, who is second only to the queen, has never been authorized to replace the Empress Changsun to lead the harem. Although the Wei family is one of the prominent families in Chang'an, the Wei family has not had one or two outstanding top figures to hold the flag. The Du family has also had a Du Ruhui! In addition, Wei Guifei's pale and love has not been favored by Li Shimin in recent years. Her son is also relatively mediocre and has not entered Li Shimin's eyes, which is not within the scope of the consideration of the reserve. Therefore, people speculate that there is almost no possibility that Wei Guifei will be corrected in the future. Not to mention Yan Xianfei, she has long fallen out of favor. It is rumored that Li Shimin still wants to reduce her to a concubine, and Xu Hui is appointed as a virtuous concubine. Therefore, Yan Xianfei, who is already lacking in her mother's family, has been walking on thin ice, and there is no possibility of standing up.

The remaining two imperial concubines, Yin Defei and Yang Shufei.

In recent years, Yin Defei, who has always been low-key and forebearance, seems to be at the forefront of the storm, but unfortunately it is all "negative news". It is a miracle that her daughter got married and her son rebelled. It is a miracle that she can still survive in the harem. There is no doubt that what this sad celebrity now has may be the emperor's tolerance for her, the world's pity and respect for him, and the green lantern ancient Buddha.

Only Yang Shufei, that is, Li Ke, the king of Wu, is the mother. She is the biological daughter of Yang Guang, the last emperor of the former Sui Dynasty. Since he was accepted as a concubine by Li Shimin, although she only ranked at the end of the four concubines because she entered the door late, she was one of the most respected women in the harem. Even on the day when the Empress Changsun was alive, she was in and out with her sisters, almost on an equal footing. However, Yang Shufei, a subjugated princess, obviously has no political ambitions. For so many years, she has never heard of her domineering or questioning about state affairs. Her low-key and silence are better than that of Yin Defei. If she hadn't had a dazzling son who often haunted politics and court, she would have been almost forgotten.

From this point of view, it is unlikely that the four concubines will be appointed. Therefore, people couldn't help but turn their eyes to Xu Hui, who has been in the limelight recently. They thought that if she could give birth to a dragon for the emperor, she would not rule out the possibility of her being appointed as the queen later. However, the emperor has several sons who have grown up and are fighting for the throne. Even if Xu Hui can give birth to a prince in the future, once the emperor's funeral, can this pair of shallow orphans and widows survive?

It's no wonder that Li Shimin hasn't been re-established. To put it nicely, I miss Queen Changsun. In fact, he can't decide. This queen can't stand up. Without a queen, the harem will be chaotic, which is undoubtedly true.

If you don't sweep a house, how can you sweep the world? Li Shimin has a real headache.

The smoke around the Tang Dynasty is full of war, and the party valves in the court are competing for cold guns and hidden arrows. Even in the harem, there are clouds and waves.

The Tang Dynasty, which has been calm for more than ten years, ushered in an eventful autumn.

At today's royal family banquet, the eldest grandson Wuji and Li Tai, the king of Wei, are now talking and laughing together. Many people see it in their eyes and realize it in their hearts, thinking that these two people who are sick and pity each other must make peace and form an alliance. Now the military's strength has greatly expanded, and even the leader Sun Wuji's limelight has been suppressed. When Li Chengqian was still in the East Palace, Li Shimin thought about changing Li Tai as his heir. An important reason why he did not make a decision was that Changsun Wuji disagreed.

It's okay now. The two uncles change faces faster than turning over books, and it's actually an alliance. However, Li Tai has fallen out of favor, and Changsun Wuji is not as powerful as he was at the beginning. Can their temporary alliance, which may break down at any time, touch the emperor's heart?

After Li Chengqian's fall, the court pattern seemed to be clear, and now it is in chaos. No one knows who will be the prince of the East Palace and who will be the leader in the future.

Looking at the "family" who seemed to be harmonious at the banquet, Li Shimin smiled on his face and suffered in his heart. In his opinion, what these two people have on their faces is a smile, and it is obviously a conspiracy of yin and yang; what they eat and chew is wine and meat, which is clearly power and interests.

But he can't blame these people, because why is he not like this? When people live in this field of interest, they are like sailing against the water, and they can't help themselves. Not everyone can be as calm as Yin Defei.

Thinking of this, Li Shimin raised his glass and said to Yin Defei, "My concubine, I would like to give you a toast."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Yin Defei got up and raised her glass to drink. After drinking, she sat down. It was still calm.

Li Shimin sighed secretly and felt depressed.

Recently, the border has sent military information reports, which are both happy and worrying. On the other side of the northern grassland, Li Xun reported the victory and talked in detail about the war in which Xue Rengui led the remnants of a brigade in Kansai and was stunned by the battle of Yinan. Now, Li Xun led the Tang Dynasty Wang Shihui and the grassland nine surnamed Tiele's allied forces to conquer Xue Yantuo in a row, and defeated the enemy and captured the chieftain only in the morning and evening.

Li Shimin has been preparing for the aftermath of the grassland, and has also begun to pay attention to Xue Rengui, a once unknown general of the Kansai army. I heard that he made an unconventional decision. He went all the way north to break through the pass and turn to fight thousands of miles across the desert. Finally, he saved the strength of the Western Expeditionary Army. After breaking Xue Yantuo, he also borrowed tens of thousands of soldiers and horses from Huihu to help recover the lost land. The grasslands were in awe of him like gods... All these were done by famous generals and wizards.

This is good news. The bad news is that Li Daozong in Shanzhou, shortly after the victory of Huanyue Valley, Yangguan lost Xue Wanche and died in the country. Qin Mubai has personally led people to save him.

Li Shimin knows that Yangguan is actually not tight after the Magic Moon Valley victory. The main battlefield is still Dafeichuan. As long as the situation on the other side is not out of control, even if Yumenguan and Yangguan fall together, the Tubo people on that side will not dominate the victory or defeat. What's more, Qin Mubai personally led the troops to save him, which would definitely turn the situation around.

What depressed Li Shimin was the death of Xue Wanche. He once said himself that now (after Li Jing retired) there are nothing more than three famous generals in this dynasty, Li Xun, Li Daozong and Xue Wanche. And Xue Wanche fought, 'It's either a big victory or a big defeat'. Now in response to this, he lost his life and died in the battle.

Xue Wanche is Li Shimin's brother-in-law. Now, Princess Danyang, Xue Wanche's wife and the daughter of Gaozu Li Yuan, happened to be present at the banquet, laughing and drinking with everyone. She still didn't know the news of Xue Wanche's death.

"Well, let's wait for a few days after the Spring Festival, and Xue Wanche's coffin is sent to Chang'an. I'll tell her again!" Li Shimin is so secretly worried.

In this palace, even if it is a family banquet, it is hierarchical and strict. The atmosphere can't be very warm. At most, it is peaceful. Wang Gonggui and relatives came to congratulate Li Shimin on the Spring Festival in turn. In private, they were busy exchanging cups and exchanging feelings with each other. It was not so much a family banquet as a round of political capital exchange meeting.

Li Shimin is a little unhappy because he has something on his mind. After drinking a few glasses of wine, it was tasteless. Just as he was about to change his clothes and leave the table to take a breath, his close eunuch walked to him gently and whispered, "Your Majesty, Chu Suiliang, who is behind the Hongwen Museum, said that an emergency military report was sent on the front line, so he asked to see your majesty."

Li Shimin's heart suddenly broke out, thinking that if it hadn't been for the major military situation, Chu Suiliang would not have reported the army to the harem at this time. So he quietly got up and walked out, secretly telling the attendant to ask Chu Suiliang to go to the imperial study of the Zichen Hall of Daming Palace.

Soon after, Li Shimin arrived at the Zichen Hall, and Chu Suiliang was already waiting outside the door of the imperial study. As soon as they met, Chu Suiliang whispered, "Your Majesty, the western border has changed, and it's urgent!"

Li Shimin's heart was blocked, "Western Xinjiang? Isn't it Kansai, Mobei or Jiannan?"

"Tuozhou!!"

"Go into the imperial study!"

The two gentlemen and ministers quickly entered, and Chu Suiliang sent the military newspaper. Li Shimin hurriedly took it apart and sat down to see. As soon as I sat down, I suddenly stood up again.

Chu Suiliang looked at the emperor nervously, and the faces of the emperor and ministers changed.

"How can this... be possible?" Li Shimin's face was shocked and angry, "How did Garqinling hit Taozhou?"

"Weichen doesn't know! However, this is clearly the fact in front of us!" Chu Suiliang said urgently, "The city of Taozhou was broken, and the two counties of Taoyang and Lintan were slaughtered with blood. There were more than 13,000 soldiers and civilians, none of whom survived, and the city was also burned! After the incident, Yu Chi Jingde, the general manager of the march of Jiannan Province, rushed to the rescue, but it was empty. The Chalqinling led the army to withdraw and turn to Hezhou. Yu Chi Jingde led the army to pursue and ordered the soldiers and horses approaching the military government to strictly guard against the enemy, so as to prevent the Garqin Mausoleum from attacking Guanzhong!"

"Confused!" Li Shimin suddenly shouted, "Why is Yuchi Jingde so confused!"

"What's the matter, Your Majesty?" Chu Suiliang was surprised.

"He was led by the nose by the Chalqin Mausoleum!" Li Shimin raised his eyebrows and said in a low voice, "Gar Qinling deliberately set fire to the city, in order to attract the nearby Jiannan Army to save it. He is adjusting the tiger away from the mountain!"

"But General Yuchi, I dare not save him! What if the Chalqin Mausoleum is still nearby and even attack Guanzhong? Chu Suiliang was surprised and said, "After the defeat of the Chalinling, he has been retreating to Qingluoyuan. The surprise attack on Taozhou has been an amazing move. Does he still have the ability to transfer the tiger away from the mountain and then divide the troops to take Sichuan?"

"That's not going to happen. Beheading and seizing the city is not the ultimate goal of the Chalqin Mausoleum. Li Shimin's face was dark and he said, "Otherwise, he would not have killed me like a moth. Unless he is crazy, can he destroy my Tang Dynasty with just a little bit of him?

Chu Suiliang suddenly realized and said, "So... does he have another purpose? Is he trying to disrupt the western defense line of our army?

"He wants to escape!" Li Shimin said firmly, "However, there was Dafeichuan chasing soldiers in the back, and the Jiannan Army stopped him in front of him. He did not dare to retreat easily! Therefore, he diverted our army's attention and pulled our troops to withdraw time and space for himself from the escape camp!"

After saying that, Li Shimin strode to the screen behind the imperial study, ordered people to hang the map of the military and political land in western Xinjiang, pointed his hand to Taozhou and said, "Look! He conquered Taozhou, and Yu Chi Jingde, who was stationed in Songzhou, must come to save him, because this defense area was originally under his jurisdiction. As you said, now this place has been broken down. In case the garqinling wields an army and points directly to the two capitals in Guanzhong, Yuchi Jingde can't be blamed. At the same time, the fire in the backyard in Lanzhou will also shake. Dafeichuan and Lanzhou will definitely move on all sides, and they have to change from attack to defense, and the focus of the army will turn to the direction of the hinterland of Taozhou. You see - as soon as Taozhou was broken, the western border of our Tang Dynasty completely collapsed. Whether it was Kansai or Jiannan, the previous strategic deployments were all broken! Although it is extremely unlikely that the dead net of the fish in the garqinling will be broken into the pass, it has to be guarded. There will also be a sound of wind and cranes in the two capitals of Guanzhong!"

Chu Suiliang's face was so tight that he didn't dare to breathe. When he just received the military newspaper, he knew that the situation was very serious, but he didn't expect it to be so serious. Now listening to the emperor's analysis, his heart is suddenly beating - it's all right to the imperial capital! The lightning-like surprise attack of garqinling was like a sharp knife suddenly piercing into the heart of the Tang Dynasty. It was really powerful!

"This garchin mausoleum! ..." Li Shimin gritted his teeth and spit out these words, and his face became more and more solemn and grim. After a pause, he asked, "Dafei Chuan Shou General seems to be Hou Junji, right?"

Chu Suiliang vaguely heard the bad meaning from Li Shimin's words!

"Your Majesty, it's Hou Junji."

"He guarded Da Feichuan and controlled the remnants of the defeated army in the Chalqinling. Why did he let him slip away from under his eyes?" Li Shimin didn't roar, but every word was as cold and sharp as a cold knife.

Chu Sui's conscience is cold - murderous! Your Majesty... it's killing!

Li Shimin cut his back with one hand and pointed to the map of military and politics, meditating. Chu Suiliang did not dare to interrupt, but whispered, "Your Majesty, do you want to inform the Prime Minister of the Cabinet to hold an emergency military meeting before the imperial court?"

Li Shimin didn't seem to hear it. He still looked at the map with a grim face. His fingers moved slowly on it and said, "If you capture Taozhou, he can turn to Hezhou to continue the slaughter, or cross Taoshui and go straight behind Lanzhou, or turn to attack Minzhou. After quickly taking the city, he can use it as a basis for confrontation. Yu Chi Jingde's troops, who came to rescue, even pointed to Qinzhou and killed Guanzhong, endangering the two capitals. Taozhou is connected to both water and land. Why don't Qin Mubai and Yu Chi Jingde pay attention to such a military hub?

Chu Suiliang didn't dare to talk. In terms of military attainments, Li Jing is almost the only one in this dynasty who can keep pace with the emperor. He is analyzing the war situation, and there are really few people who can talk to him. However, Chu Suiliang vaguely heard the words in the emperor's mouth, and seemed to be quite dissatisfied with Yu Chi Jingde and Qin Mubai!

"Bah!"

Li Shimin slapped the map and shocked Chu Suiliang. The parchment map was smashed with a hole!

"We must eliminate the Chalqin Mausoleum! Otherwise, the damage will be endless!" Li Shimin said in a low voice, "Now, he is like a winter flea, slipping into the inside of people's thick coats. How abominable!"

"Your Majesty, do you inform the prime minister of the cabinet to convene an emergency military meeting?" Without any useful military advice, Chu Suiliang had to repeat this sentence.

Li Shimin paused and seemed to have heard it this time. He said, "First of all, we must strictly guard against the information from being leaked, so as not to cause panic and confuse the two Beijing. The imperial military conference could not be held for a while. It was spring break, and most ministers were in the province to celebrate the festival. In this way, you go and call Changsun Wuji, Fang Xuanling, Li Daliang and Li Junxian to me. These people are either in the imperial city or Chang'an now.

"Yes!"

"Wait!" Chu Suiliang was about to leave. Li Shimin called for a moment, hesitated for a moment, and said, "And the king of Jin and the king of Wei, call together."

Chu Sui was a little shocked and didn't dare to say anything, so he hurried away.

Li Shimin took a deep breath and exhaled. He frowned and looked at the big map that broke a hole. He said to himself, "In this case, he can still attack Taozhou to reverse the situation. The Chalqin Mausoleum is indeed a military genius! ...Qin Mubai and Yu Chi Jingde, what do you want me to say?"

"However, this move of the Chalqin Mausoleum is precisely to dig a grave for Tubo!!" Li Shimin's eyes were cold, "Do you want to die and come back? - I want you, only death, no afterlife!"