Tonight is the highlight moment in Li Zhi’s life.
Wang Shi's pacification of Haidong was an unparalleled achievement that can be recorded in the history of history. The prestige of Li Zhi, the emperor of the Tang Dynasty, reached its peak among the government and the public.
Everyone in the world should not judge heroes based on success or failure, but the fact is that those who enjoy cheers and worship are often successful heroes, while those who fail can only get a sigh of sympathy from the world.
On the Drum Tower of Taiji Palace, Li Zhi and Empress Wu stood side by side. Outside the palace gate, there was a sea of people, all of whom were Chang'an subjects who came after hearing the good news.
The huge lanterns were raised, and the crowded people saw the emperor and queen standing on the Drum Tower. The crowd suddenly fell silent, and then everyone knelt down to face Li Zhi and Empress Wu.
Looking at the dark crowd downstairs of the palace, Li Zhi couldn't help but feel excited and his breathing speeded up. With tears in his eyes, he tried his best to smile and waved to the crowd.
Outside the quiet palace wall, someone suddenly roared.
"The Tang Dynasty is victorious!"
"Long live your Majesty!"
The crowd roared, and tens of millions of people looked at the thin but firm body on the Drum Tower at the same time. It was as if people had just met the emperor today.
He is no longer the son of the late Emperor Taizong, he is him. Today, the emperor Li Zhi is the most powerful person in the world, and he is the best among his peers.
The glory of the Tang Dynasty did not disappear with the passing of Emperor Taizong. Instead, it carried on the past and forged ahead into the future, becoming stronger and stronger with each generation.
Amid the cheers that sounded like landslides and earth shattering, Li Zhi had tears streaming down his face, his lips were trembling, he raised his hands high and murmured in a choked voice: "The Tang Dynasty... is victorious!"
…………
The years are long, and you can experience the joys and sorrows of the world by yourself.
More than two months have passed. During these peaceful and tranquil days, Li Qinzai, in addition to staying with Jin Xiang, his wife and children at home, continued to teach and educate those little bastards.
The days were as leisurely as usual, and Li Qinzai would never learn to dedicate himself to death.
Whether it is government affairs or private matters at home, if they come up, they will be dealt with easily, and if they are not encountered, they will not fight over them.
Those who pursue power have been deceived. The greater the power, the more desperately they have to pursue greater power. However, they have never thought about it. When a person's power is so great that the emperor does not know how to reward you, he will have to give it to you.
A glass of poisonous wine, three feet of white silk.
Li Qinzai feels that his current status and power are just right. He does not bear too much responsibility and will not be feared. He occasionally attends court meetings and hangs around like a street kid with nothing to do. When the time comes, he happily accepts the gifts from the court.
Salary.
Receiving a salary is not enough. As long as you are thick-skinned and can bargain calmly and fearlessly with the officials of the Ministry of Household Affairs, you will be told that the salary is too small to support the family. If the noble prince takes the whole family to the streets to beg for food, I am afraid that
The imperial court is not so respectable.
My little life was uneventful, with a little fun occasionally.
As long as you are not blinded by excessive ambition, life is actually quite beautiful. You can calm down and watch the flowers fade and bloom, spring passes and autumn comes, the spring breeze passes, and the ice and snow melt.
Two months later, Li Qinzai took leave of his wife and children, led a group of troops to leave Chang'an City, and headed straight for Luoyang.
It is now the middle of winter, and the outside of Luoyang City is covered with snow and silver.
Li Qinzai and his colleagues stood quietly outside the gate of Luoyang City on horseback. Everyone had been waiting for a long time, and thick white snow had accumulated on their shoulders.
Two hours later, Li Qinzai finally spotted a cavalry troop approaching slowly from a distance outside the city.
There are about hundreds of cavalry members, all wearing armor and helmets, holding halberds, swords and iron shields.
They walked silently in the snow, but they exuded a strong sense of solemnity, making pedestrians on the road avoid them in awe.
Passers-by did not know the origin of this cavalry, but they could tell from their momentum that they were a cavalry of the Tang Dynasty that had seen blood and killed people. The aura that smelled like rust was brought from the battlefield.
The smell of blood came.
After discovering the cavalry, Li Qinzai was immediately overjoyed and immediately rode up to greet them.
He galloped all the way and soon arrived at the front of the cavalry.
The knights of the cavalry saw Li Qinzai from afar, so they hurriedly dismounted their horses and stood respectfully. They all clasped their fists at Li Qinzai and said, "Greetings to the Fifth Young Master."
Li Qinzai also got off his horse and returned the greeting: "Brothers, you have worked hard all the way, and the Tang Dynasty will be victorious!"
"The Tang Dynasty is victorious!"
This cavalry team that came from afar was the personal bodyguard of the Li family, veterans who had been closely protecting Li Ji all year round.
In the middle of the cavalry, Li Ji, still wearing armor, was stroking his beard and looking at him with a smile.
Li Qinzai's eyes met his, and after taking a look, his eyes couldn't help but turn red.
After not seeing each other for more than half a year, Li Ji has become much older.
His hair and beard were all white, mixed with the white snow on his face and shoulders. His cheeks were getting more and more vicissitudes of life, and his expression was full of exhaustion. Only his eyes were still shining, as if they could penetrate the fog of the world and pierce straight through.
Deep in the human soul.
"Grandpa—" Li Qinzai just shouted, and then he was so choked that he couldn't speak.
Li Ji was very happy to see him. He dismounted his horse with a slightly slow movement, strode up to Li Qinzai, patted his shoulder, and said with joy and anger: "You bastard, I returned to the capital with an order, but you came here
Luoyang comes to welcome me. It’s freezing cold, but I’m not afraid of catching a cold!”
Li Qinzai sniffed and said with a smile: "My grandson originally planned to go to Dengzhou to welcome you, but it is too cold. With my grandson's filial piety, I can only go to Luoyang to welcome you."
Li Ji laughed loudly: "The bastard's words are still so irritating. Come, let me see if I haven't seen you for more than half a year. Is there any change in my Li family's Qilin son?"
Li Qinzai stood up straight and looked at Li Ji at the same time.
Li Ji's figure was obviously stooped. During the two years of the Eastern Expedition, Li Ji seemed to have aged by more than ten years. He was clearly in his early seventies, but he looked like an octogenarian with only a few years to live.
His skinny body stood in the snow, with a bearskin cloak draped over his shoulders. His body was a little afraid of the cold, and his shoulders were trembling slightly.
Li Qinzai held his hand distressedly. Li Ji's hand was as rough as bark, with bulging veins, and he still had the smell of old age unique to the old man.
After a long sigh, Li Qinzai said distressedly: "Grandpa, we haven't seen each other for half a year. I was a majestic general manager when I went to war. Now I have returned in triumph, but I am as cold as a grandson..."
Li Ji was startled, then became furious and kicked him up.
"If you don't know how to speak, don't speak! If you hadn't come all the way to meet me, I would have given you a good meal when we met today! You bastard, let's go, get on your horse and go into the city, find a place to warm yourself up."
After a brief conversation in the snow outside the city, the grandfather and grandson led the tribe into Luoyang City.
This is Li Qinzai's second visit to the eastern capital of the Tang Dynasty. Today's Luoyang is also very prosperous, with a population of close to one million. The neighborhoods in the city imitate the layout of Chang'an City. Both the location and layout are quite similar to Chang'an City. Very similar.
This cavalry team, filled with a chilling spirit, entered the city and quickly attracted the attention of the soldiers defending the city.
After the camp general came forward to inquire, he was shocked to learn that it was actually a British Duke.
Half an hour later, officials such as the Luoyang prefect, Chang Shi, Dongtai Shizhong, and generals rushed to the post to pay homage to Li Ji.