After the veteran general returned home in triumph, the emperor led hundreds of civil and military officials to welcome him thirty miles outside the city. This was the highest level of courtesy.
As Li Zhi and Empress Wu saluted, the civil and military officials also bowed and bowed without any resentment, saying in unison: "The heroic duke is victorious and triumphant, the king's master will rule the world, and the Tang Dynasty will be victorious!"
"The Tang Dynasty is victorious!"
Li Ji was moved to tears and hurriedly returned the gift to Li Zhi and everyone.
"I did not fulfill my duty as a minister, but I went so far as to force Your Majesty, the Queen and colleagues to go out of the city to welcome you, which is a shame for me." Li Ji said guiltily.
Li Zhi held Li Ji's hand and felt the rough orange peel-like touch on the back of his hand. He couldn't help but said sadly: "After two years of fighting, the hero aged too fast. He fell off his horse when he was in Goguryeo and almost died. It was me who I don’t show enough sympathy to my senior ministers, so I let my father-in-law do the hard work.”
Li Ji shook his head with tears in his eyes, unable to express any words of gratitude.
Seeing that the monarch and his ministers were so friendly to each other, the ministers behind him also bowed their heads in silence.
Li Qinzai looked at this picture quietly, with infinite emotion in his heart.
The Tang Dynasty may have many faults and darkness, but it is undeniable that the emperors of the early Tang Dynasty really cared deeply about the real heroes and treated them like a family, without any suspicion or suspicion. No doubt.
Not to mention that this phenomenon is common. If we extend the time line and look at thousands of years of history, there are only a few emperors who have such a broad-minded mind. Li Shimin and Li Zhi are one of them.
The greatest advantage of these two emperors was that they were trustworthy in their employment, especially when using troops externally. They never had random suspicions about the generals who commanded the troops, nor did they act like eunuchs or civilian officials supervising the army.
If you are given military power, you can use it with confidence and boldness. The emperor only needs to see the results and decide the process himself.
I don’t know if Principal Chang read history books more than a thousand years later, but he took his paranoia to the extreme. He overstepped his authority and even intervened at the brigade level. His subtle operations were as fierce as those of a tiger. As a result, the more he interfered, the more trouble he caused.
It must be said that it was a blessing for both Li Ji and Li Qinzai to serve as ministers under Li Zhi's rule.
If it were an emperor who was not very generous and liked to be suspicious, Li Qinzai's character would probably not be like this. He would spend his whole life being a salty fish and never show any of his true abilities to the outside world.
After chatting for a long time outside Liu Pavilion, they saw Li Ji's body trembling slightly. Li Qinzai was about to step forward and put a leather cloak on him, but Li Zhi noticed it sensitively.
Enduring the sadness in his heart, Li Zhi took off the leather cloak from his shoulders and put it on Li Ji himself. Then he took Li Ji's hand and invited him to ride in the imperial chariot.
Li Ji hurriedly refused, not even daring to say so.
Li Zhi invited him again and again, but Li Ji refused very firmly. If it doesn't work, it won't work. The king is the king, and the ministers are ministers. If a minister rides on the emperor's chariot, it will mess up the rules of etiquette.
The monarch and his ministers made some concessions, and the ministers secretly approved of it.
Don't be arrogant when you win, don't be discouraged when you lose. The heroes have made unparalleled achievements, but they are still humble and polite, and they are worthy of the merits of the three dynasties. It is not unreasonable for him to be highly respected by three generations of emperors.
Li Qinzai was a little embarrassed on the sidelines. Li Ji's attitude was obviously impeccable, and he often went in and out of the Tai Chi Palace, and often sat and drank with Li Zhi without much confrontation.
When he returned to Beijing from Haidong, I remember that Li Zhi also invited him to board the royal chariot, but he did not refuse, and the sun shone brightly, and he actually boarded the imperial chariot.
It was a good thing that Li Qinzai's holy family had not declined over the years, otherwise the mere act of riding in the royal chariot would have been known to the imperial censor and would have made him want to die.
Li Qinzai secretly warned himself that he should be more careful in the future and never do things like kicking his nose or face again, otherwise he would cause trouble for himself and the Li family.
Seeing that Li Ji resolutely refused to board the imperial chariot, Li Zhi couldn't force it anymore, so he had to board the imperial chariot with Empress Wu. Li Ji and Li Qinzai followed around the imperial chariot, and the emperor and his ministers returned to Chang'an City.
Yanping Gate, Chang'an.
Passing through the long and narrow city gate corridor, as soon as we entered the city, we saw countless people standing quietly on both sides of the road in the wind and snow. A high platform was built in the open space directly in front of us. On the high platform, a group of people were wearing armor and holding long swords and irons. The beautiful woman wearing a shield knelt down facing the city gate.
Seeing the emperor and Li Ji entering the city, the people on both sides of the road knelt in the snow and shouted in unison: "Congratulations on the triumphal return of the great Tang Dynasty, long live the emperor!"
Li Ji hurriedly stopped his horse and returned the salute to the people on the left and right with clasped fists.
The old general returned to the capital, his beard and hair all white. The rickety old body riding on the horse was like a candle burning out for his family and country, swaying with the last bit of light in the wind and snow.
Seeing Li Ji's old state, the people on both sides of the road couldn't help but feel sad.
I don't know who took the lead, but suddenly shouted in the crowd: "The heroic hero fought for the country and devoted himself to it. The Tang Dynasty is so lucky to have the heroic hero to assist him!"
Li Ji burst into tears again. He didn't know how to respond, so he had to keep clasping his fists left and right on his horse in return.
The team took a few steps closer, and with the sound of a rumble of drums, the Taichang Temple dancers on the high platform began to dance.
Different from the usual enchanting dance postures, today's Taichang Temple dancers dance the masculine and majestic "King of Qin's Breaking Formation Dance". The dancers wear armor, hold long swords and shields, and follow the powerful and exciting drum music. , after a loud scolding, the long sword struck the iron shield rapidly, and kept changing the formation.
Li Zhi and Empress Wu walked out of the imperial chariot and watched the formation-breaking dance side by side with Li Ji. The monarchs, ministers and the people watched with excitement, as if they were back to the beginning of the founding of the Tang Dynasty, where the emperor Taizong and the heroes of the world chased the lost deer together. In the long years.
After the dance, the dancers bowed and left.
Li Ji bowed to Li Zhi movedly: "Thank you for your majesty's generous courtesy. I am ashamed to accept it."
This formation-breaking music was obviously arranged by Li Zhi in advance, just to welcome Li Ji's triumphant victory after Li Ji entered the city.
Li Zhi laughed and said: "Your Majesty, you are not polite. I only hate that the etiquette is simple and not enough to show off your achievements."
Across the imperial chariot, Li Zhi suddenly held Li Ji's hand and said in a solemn voice: "Your Excellency is old and you can take care of yourself in the future. However, if there are any unresolved matters in the court, I hope you will not hesitate to teach me." You must live a long life and take a good look at the beautiful mountains and rivers of the Tang Dynasty today, which were all built by the late emperor and you."
Li Ji was moved and said: "Your Majesty has something to send, and I will not refuse. Even if I ask you to attack Buchen now, I will immediately set off to open up territory for Your Majesty!"
Li Zhi smiled and shook his head: "Young Master is the anchor of the Tang Dynasty. If there is no important matter in the future, I will never bother you easily. Besides, Young Master has many talents. If there is something going on in the court in the future, I will rely on Chong Jingchu. Let’s see if we, the mature monarchs and ministers, can create achievements that will carry forward the past and open up the future.”
Li Ji also smiled and said: "I am waiting for your majesty to achieve the great achievements of the late Emperor. In this way, I will die without regrets, and I will have the honor to meet the late Emperor Taizong."