The layout of the country must be prepared for rainy days.
Although the Tang Dynasty has not yet sent troops for the Eastern Expedition, the neighboring countries around the Tang Dynasty know very well that Goguryeo will not be lucky in this Eastern Expedition.
In the Zhenguan year, Li Shimin personally conquered Goguryeo. Later generations have different opinions on whether the war was won or lost, but at least it is certain that Goguryeo's vitality was seriously damaged.
It was not enough that the vitality was severely damaged. After the Tang Dynasty withdrew its troops, it implemented a policy of clearing out Goguryeo, which meant burning the grain fields and farm warehouses in Goguryeo, often crossing the border to plunder Goguryeo's young people, and sealing off Goguryeo's borders, prohibiting trade, etc.
These policies were still implemented meticulously by the border troops in Liaodong until more than ten years after Li Zhi ascended the throne.
How could a typical mountainous country like Goguryeo withstand such a target from the Tang Dynasty? Now it is already full of people dying of hunger, its ten houses are empty, the country is on its deathbed, its kings and ministers have lost the will to make progress, and their soldiers have no intention of conquering.
The building will collapse, and it will fall down with just a push of a finger.
What Datang is preparing now is to stretch out this finger and completely wipe this country off the map.
The surrounding neighboring countries are not fools, and they have naturally seen the situation clearly. Therefore, although Goguryeo has not yet been destroyed, Silla has begun to take precautions and is eyeing the land of Baekje.
The envoys of Silla had tacitly agreed to bribe the courtiers, and those who accepted the bribes would naturally take money from others to eliminate disasters for them. Some of them had already begun to secretly write memorials, preparing to go to court to persuade the emperor to abandon Baekje.
However, the bribery incident was revealed overnight, causing uproar in the city. The courtiers who had accepted the bribe were speechless and everyone was in danger.
When public opinion is raging, let alone persuade the emperor to abandon Baekje. They themselves will not be able to protect themselves. If things get serious, the emperor will be furious and order a strict investigation, and no one who has accepted bribes from Silla will be able to escape.
…………
Inside the Siyi Pavilion.
The Tibetan envoy Zashile looked excited and paced back and forth in the small room.
Obviously he only came to Chang'an on behalf of the Tibetan Prime Minister to congratulate the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty. He never expected that the monkeys from the Silla Kingdom would actually explode such a big thunder.
Although Tubo and Silla were located in the west and the other in the east, there was an entire Tang Dynasty between them.
But what the Silla envoys did this time was inextricably related to Tubo.
"Quickly, send a fast horse back to Tubo and report to the Prime Minister, saying that Silla wants to take over Baekje. There are widespread criticisms between the court and the public in Tang Dynasty. How should I act? Please reply to the Prime Minister as soon as possible."
A follower asked in confusion: "What does the dispute between Silla and Tang have to do with us, Tubo?"
Zashile took a deep look at him. At this moment, he no longer seemed rugged and upright, and there was a gleam in his eyes.
"Do you know what the Emperor of Tang will do next?" Zahile asked.
The follower replied without hesitation: "For the Eastern Campaign against Goguryeo, it is said that the Tang State has begun to prepare food, fodder and weapons, and is training its soldiers day and night."
Zashile sighed and said: "Now that Goguryeo is weak, there is no suspense about its destruction. So after the Tang Dynasty destroys Goguryeo, do you know what the Tang Dynasty's emperor will do next?"
The follower shook his head in confusion.
Zashile looked towards the direction of Taiji Palace and sighed: "Next, the Tang Dynasty will go to the west. To be precise, it will fight to the death with Tubo."
The entourage was shocked: "How dare Tang Guo..."
Zashile sneered: "Why don't Tang dare? The descendants of Tian Khan have not weakened the reputation of their father. The wise emperor of Tang is no less wise than his father. He will have great influence on Tang in the next ten or even decades.
The plans are all clear."
"The Tang Dynasty is rich in products and has vast fertile fields. A year or two of accumulated national capital can support a war. However, the land in Tubo is barren. Since Tuyuhun was defeated and the army was withdrawn, its vitality has not recovered. The Prime Minister's current body is also...
"
Zashile sighed: "If the Tang Dynasty destroys Goguryeo, then the day of Tubo's subjugation is imminent. Tubo is a close enemy of the Tang Dynasty. As long as they can free their hands, they will definitely send troops to conquer us."
As he spoke, a ferocious look appeared on Zashile's face, and he gritted his teeth and said: "So, we cannot let the Tang Kingdom destroy Goguryeo too easily. Even if we destroy it, we cannot bring peace to the peninsula countries. We must create trouble and contain the Tang Kingdom.
Strength, making it unable to look westward, and giving us Tibet time to accumulate national power!"
…………
On the other side of the Sei Pavilion, Silla envoy Jin Wenying was furious in the room.
At this time, he was like a furious lion, any animal that dared to approach its territory would be torn into pieces by him.
"Who is spreading the rumor in Chang'an City? Who is it?" Jin Wenying said angrily.
"We have persuaded more than ten courtiers of the Tang Dynasty to discuss the abandonment of Baekje. Who spread the word about the bribery?"
An attendant who did not deserve his name said in panic: "General Jin, please calm down. No one in our Silla mission dares to reveal even a single word. This matter was definitely not done by anyone within our mission."
Jin Wenying said coldly: "The only people who knew about it were our mission and the more than 20 Tang ministers who took bribes. We didn't leak it. Could it be that those Tang ministers told others because they thought their lives were too long?"
"Now there is a commotion all over the city. The whole Chang'an people are staring at our Silla mission and making us unable to move. I don't know where the thieves are, and they are ruining my important affairs. Their intentions are so vicious!"
The attendant said calmly: "General Jin, what should we do next?"
Jin Wenying said angrily: "What else can I do? I can only stay in Seyi Hall peacefully and can't do anything! This matter may have been heard by heaven. If the emperor of Tang Dynasty is alert, Silla will never accept Baekje."
Maybe, even the Tang-Luo alliance will break up."
The attendant said cautiously: "Now that the city is full of turmoil, should we take the initiative to report to the Emperor of Tang that the so-called bribery of Tang officials is all false and that it is the enemy who is trying to sow discord between Tang and Silla..."
The furious Jin Wenying suddenly calmed down and even smiled warmly at his entourage.
"Come on, come here, come closer and put your pig face over here!"
With a crisp snap, Jin Wenying returned to her furious state and shouted: "Do you want to beat the gongs and drums and tell the world that this matter has nothing to do with our Silla?"
"If you want to hide it, if you don't admit it, how can there be a fool like you in the mission... By the way, who recommended you to join the mission? Did you just follow me all the way to earn a living?"
…………
Tai Chi Palace.
In the afternoon when rumors were raging, a memorial appeared in front of Li Zhi.
"...I swear on behalf of the Lord of Silla to His Majesty the Heavenly Khan of the Tang Dynasty that there are rumors in the capital that someone is maliciously spreading rumors to cause trouble in an attempt to drive a wedge between the Tang Dynasty and the loyal minister Silla."
"The so-called incident of the envoys of the Silla Kingdom bribing the courtiers in Beijing is even more false. There is no evidence. I pray for His Majesty the Khan to clarify this."