Chapter 472 The Fan of the Authorities

Late night, in Li Jingfu, Duke of Wei.

Li Shimin and Li Jing sat opposite each other. There was an antique tea tray between them, and the tea was fragrant. Under the reflection of the oil lamp, the faces of the two emperors and ministers looked a little solemn.

"Pharmaceuist, what do you think now?" Li Shimin asked with a worried face, "It's not that I won't let you enjoy your old age. It's just that I can't decide on this matter."

"Hou Junji..." Li Jing sighed, stroked his head and said, "If you cut both sides with a knife, you can also hurt yourself. The old minister asserted seven years ago that this man would embark on a crooked road sooner or later. Therefore, the old minister kept it when he taught him the art of war. Therefore, he was still worried and cut off contact with the old minister.

"This is the point. What can I do?" Li Shimin also sighed and said, "I haven't announced this news in public yet, but I believe it won't be long before the whole country knows. At that time, the people of the world will not blame the resentment of the chaos in western Xinjiang on Hou Junji? - That's to blame Qin Mubai!"

Li Jing's snow-white eyebrows were slightly twisted, and he said to himself: Listening to your majesty's words, he obviously wanted to protect or protect Qin Mubai. It is not surprising that Qin Mubai has a bright future when he is young. He has just made great achievements. If he suffers a great crime at this time, it is really contrary to His Majesty's original intention. After all, it is not easy to cultivate a young talent and a rising star; it is quite easy to destroy a reputation. But for such a big mistake, someone must come out to take responsibility - in this way, Hou Junji is indeed bound to die! Presumably, Hou Junji also figured out this layer before he made a move to break the fish dead net, which is indeed in line with his character!

"Your Majesty, I think what we need to do now is how to make a military decision and response." Li Jing said, "Are aside all the causal interests, Hou Junji has led 50,000 people to the plateau. No matter how he wins or loses, there will definitely be a bloody storm on the plateau, which will kill countless lives. Since Hou Junji wielded a knife and killed the prisoner, there was a complete break between the Tang Dynasty and Tubo, and there was no possibility of peace. Therefore, in fact, Hou Junji became the master for your majesty and became the home of the Tang Dynasty - completely cut off the back road of the alliance.

"This back road is not broken by Hou Junji, but by the Chalqin Mausoleum! Hou Junji only accidentally caused this situation, and the wild man who advocates hegemony, did it deliberately!" Li Shimin frowned and showed a trace of awe-in light in his eyes. He said, "He dared to slaughter the city in Taozhou, that is, he did the first year of junior high school, and Hou Junji only did the fifteenth. Since then, I have felt that the time for the decisive battle between the two countries has come. However, Hou Junji may not know about the slaughter of the city in the garqinling, and happened to slaughter the prisoners for other purposes. This also marks a complete break between our Tang Dynasty and Tibet. Sooner or later, we will fight for survival. I just don't know if it's really time for a decisive battle; if so, how to fight this battle? Please don't hesitate to ask the pharmacist for advice.

Li Jing hurriedly bent down and bowed his hand, "I dare not!"

"It's okay for the pharmacist to say it bluntly."

"Your Majesty, are you considering whether to sign a personal expedition?" Li Jing asked.

"Exactly." Li Shimin nodded, "But I have gone back once. If the old things are mentioned again at this time, I'm afraid it will be ridiculed. However, who should I appoint for such a huge national war? - Qin Mubai, after all, he is still young. From the activation of Hou Junji, I can see that he is still a little young and frivolous. Not to mention Hou Junji's temperament ability, looking at his resume background alone, Qin Mubai should not use him at such a time, which is a great risk!"

"It's true..." Li Jing's heart tightened, so he had to follow the emperor's meaning and said, "Mu Bai, after all, it's still a little tender."

Neither of them said anything. In fact, it means that Hou Junji was removed from the court on suspicion of the East Palace conspiracy. On the surface, this matter seems to be manipulated by Changsun Wuji, but if there is no tacit from the emperor behind the scenes, how can Changsun Wuji dare to act arbitrarily? - Isn't this against the emperor?

If it hadn't been for Qin Mubai's clear background and clear position, and deeply trusted by the emperor, the use of Hou Junji alone would be enough for him to be caught by his political opponents and beaten him to death.

There is no clear line between the recruitment and surrender. Such behavior is quite dangerous in the court and political situation.

Now, Hou Junji has poked a big basket again. Even if the emperor has the intention to favor Qin Mubai, I'm afraid it will be difficult to hide the mouth of everyone. At this time, to hand over the command of the "national war" to Qin Mubai, Li Shimin is worried about how to convince the public - after all, Qin Mubai is not the only one available in the court!

Li Jing chewed through every word in Li Shimin's words, and his heart was like a mirror. After meditating for a moment, he said, "Your Majesty, let the old minister go!"

"No, no!" Li Shimin quickly waved his hand, "You are old and sick. How can I make you go on an expedition? - Pharmacist, don't get me wrong, I'm not here to invite you out of the mountain. To be clear, I want you to recommend a commander. This candidate can be anyone in the imperial army, including me.

Li Jingbai frowned slightly, meditated for a long time, and shook his head: "There is no suitable candidate."

"None of them?" Li Shimin was a little surprised, "Including me?"

"No." Li Jing shook his head.

"Why?" Li Shimin did not give up on asking.

"The general is suspicious and the army is timid, and the way to defeat. Even your majesty was so hesitant and hesitant before the war, and he was worried about gains and losses. May I ask, who else dares to take this responsibility? After Li Jing said that, he quickly bent down and arched his hand, "The old minister is frankly against the dragon's face. I hope your majesty will forgive you!"

"The pharmacist is innocent." Li Shimin felt a little like a dream. He patted his forehead twice and sighed, "I really think too much this time!" I think about how firmness and persistence I was when I fought against the Turkic Khanate. After so many years, have I become timid and cowardly?

"No. Your Majesty is still the ambitious emperor of the Tang Dynasty and Tianhe Khan. Li Jing arched his hand and said, "It's not all war that makes your majesty hesitate and hesitate."

Li Shimin frowned lightly and nodded with acquiescence.

Li Jing's words hit the nail on the head and pierced Li Shimin's heart.

In his early years, when he fought against the Turkic Khanate, Li Shimin had just ascended the throne. At that time, he, the emperor who killed his brother and killed his brother to force his father and ascended the throne, was not very glorious. He wanted to buy people's hearts and consolidate the throne and eliminate the hidden prince's party. Externally, he wanted to fight against the powerful Turkic iron horse, which can be said to be exhausted.

But these are actually only external difficulties. As long as you work hard, you can finally solve them. And all these difficulties, together, are not as good as the hidden dangers in the hall.

This hidden danger is related to the future of the Tang Dynasty - the battle between the crown princes.

And this hidden danger can't be solved by hard work. Since the Prince's case was abolished, the East Palace has been vacant. Even Li Shimin himself can't decide who will take over his country in the future - to make it more clear, what route will the Tang Dynasty follow in the future, and which political group will determine the fate of the Tang Dynasty?!

Is it to continue to forge ahead and angrily magnify the glory of the Tang Dynasty; or to keep the legacy of chastity and continue the legacy of chastity? - Literally, there is no doubt that the former should be chosen. However, the former is more than a hundred times more difficult than the latter.

More importantly, in Li Shimin's vision, there is no such successor or such auxiliary political group!

In the final analysis, in the depths of Li Shimin's heart, the development of the Western Regions plan is not just to dominate the territory or to seek commercial profits on the Silk Road. Otherwise, it is not cost-effective to pay such a heavy war price. Li Shimin, out of the mind of an emperor, clearly realized that the civil government group on the present hall had completely taken over the mouthpiece and was full of power. It's not bad to be in position. Once I handed over the country to my son, who can control this completely one-sided court?

At that time, will his son be the emperor, or will those literary ministers be the emperor?

An important reason for the development of the Western Regions plan is to promote the strength of the military in the DPRK, hoping to achieve a cultural and military balance and mutual restraint, so as to facilitate the flexible control of his successors in the future.

There is nothing wrong with this starting point, and it has always been the same for kings, and many people have realized the emperor's intention.

However, there is something that Li Shimin didn't expect now - if the war with Tubo continues, the Tang Dynasty may be inseparable from the war in the next few years. Let alone how long to fight with Tubo, even if Zanpu abandoned the sect who captured Tubo alive like in those years, it is far more difficult to completely calm down the plateau due to geographical weather and other reasons than to clean up the grassland in those years.

What's more, how long has it been since the grassland that has just paced down rebelled again?

There is another important reason why Li Shimin has to consider. Tubo is also a powerful country, and there are many small countries and military allies around him. That is to say, at the same time as launching the final battle against Tubo, it launched a war against Tianzhu, Nannuma, Western Turks and many other countries!

As soon as this war starts, the Tang Dynasty will definitely take war as the theme in the next ten years, twenty or even longer!

Can the Tang Dynasty really afford such a war? If he fights, can Li Shimin see the end of this war in his lifetime?

Even if you win in the end, is it really cost-effective to exchange an empty treasury, withered people's livelihood, countless corpses and blood for a barren plateau?

......

This is no longer as simple as a war. In Li Shimin's view, this will determine the fate of the Tang Dynasty and the pattern and direction of the Tang Dynasty in the next hundred years. It is also directly related to what kind of national policy he should choose, what kind of route he should choose to let his descendants go, and what kind of political group to choose to assist his successor!

This is much more difficult than in those years when he made up his mind to fight against the Turks. Because at that time, the contradiction between the Tang Dynasty and the Turks was sharp and simple. It could not be solved, but it was also easy to solve. At that time, Li Shimin was only 30 years old, so he didn't have to rush to think about the successor at all! He, who had just become emperor, was ambitious to do a big business to persuade his people to consolidate the throne - and then he did it.

But now, nearly half a hundred Li Shimin is deciding what he can't see in the future. How can he not hesitate and hesitate?

......

For such a thing, Li Shimin can only discuss with Li Jing, who has retired, and dare not talk to Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling. Because they are also fascinated by the authorities with their own thoughts.

Li Jing clearly felt depressed and heavy. His Majesty carried an invisible burden of ten thousand pounds, which was more painful and painful than when he fought against the Turks. No wonder he repeatedly said that he wanted to conquer himself. It was not that he couldn't trust his ministers and generals, but His Majesty, who wanted to witness it with his own eyes and then decide all this.

"Pharmaceuist, why are you silent?" Li Shimin frowned slightly and said slowly, "I have always quoted pharmacists as my confidant. The contradictions and concerns in my heart at this moment must be known to the pharmacist. Today, as a friend and brother, I come to ask Brother Jing the truth, how about it?

Li Jing was shocked and arched his hand quietly, "Your Majesty, please speak."

"I know that pharmacists have always had the ability to know people. I just want to ask, Qin Mubai, the closed disciple of the pharmacist, can he be the responsibility of Wang Zuo? Li Shimin asked.

Li Jing's face suddenly changed.

Li Shimin smiled and said, "The pharmacist doesn't have to be nervous. I said it. I just asked as a friend and brother. Pharmacist, you can not say it.

"The old minister must have nothing to say." Li Jing smiled bitterly, "Your Majesty, no one can answer such a question. Your Majesty praises that the old minister has the ability to know people, but how can the old minister's clumsy eyes be compared with your Majesty's eyes? Even your majesty can't understand it. What can the old minister do?

"Okay, just think I didn't say it!" Li Shimin smiled helplessly, clapped his knees and stood up, and slowly paced back and forth in the room with his hands.

Li Jing secretly wiped his cold sweat! - He really hasn't done such a thing. Even if he is on the battlefield and in the shadow of swords, he can still be as stable as Mount Tai.

No one dares to answer the question that the emperor just asked. On the surface, the emperor just asked him what he thought of Qin Mubai's talent; in fact, the emperor was asking him what kind of path the Tang Dynasty should take in the future, what kind of century-old national policy he should implement, what kind of people should choose to form a political group to assist the government, and what kind of prince should choose - to replace him!

I'm afraid that Li Shimin's father, Gaozu, Li Yuan, may not dare to answer such a question!!!

"I, how should I make a decision?" Li Shimin walked to the steps, looked up at the dark dark night sky without stars and moon, and muttered, "I'm afraid this is the most difficult thing I've ever encountered in my life!"

Li Jing really wants to keep silent. But since the emperor came today, on the one hand, he valued his opinion as a retired minister, and on the other hand, he expressed his deepest trust in Li Jing.

After thinking for a long time, Li Jing stood up and walked to the side of Li Shimin. He arched his hand and said, "Your Majesty, in terms of military alone, the old minister has a compromise."

"Oh? Come on!"

"The facts are in front of us, and the issue of war and peace can no longer be considered." Li Jing said, "Therefore, the most urgent thing is to concentrate on using troops first. Only after mastering the victory or defeat can Your Majesty think and decide other things with ease.

After listening to Li Jing's words, Li Shimin was stunned.

Li Jing was also stunned, "Your Majesty, I made a mistake."

"No, the pharmacist broke the sky and woke me up like a dream." Li Shimin blinked a few times, "It's really a fan of the authorities. It seems that I really think too much! What the pharmacist saw was that no matter what, war was inevitable, and the Tang Dynasty must not lose! Otherwise, all my thoughts are unfounded fantasies! - Well, it's time for me to go to Lanzhou with the left and right dragon and military guards that I have already prepared!"