Li Yuan, who had been discussing the matter for two hours, rubbed his brows tiredly. After all the ministers and ministers had retired, he turned around and said, "Da Lang, Er Lang, what do you think of today's events?"
This time, Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin looked at each other.
"What my father did shows the country's prestige." Li Jiancheng frowned slightly, "I'm just afraid of the Turks..."
Li Shimin raised his voice and interrupted: "Brother is overly concerned. My father founded Li Tang and has already unified the world. Do we still want to surrender to the Turkic barbarians?"
Li Yuan nodded slightly, and Li Jiancheng also closed his mouth... He just cursed in his heart, saying that he would dominate the world. Is this a reminder of his military exploits?
Li Yuan knew very well that the two sons had very different personalities. The eldest son was steady and fearful in the face of the Turks, while the second son was sharp in his actions and never feared in the face of the Turks.
In fact, Li Jiancheng was not like this at the beginning. When Jinyang raised troops, swept through Guanzhong and attacked Chang'an, Li Jiancheng was quite successful. However, an incident in the fourth year of Wude greatly reduced his prestige in the army.
Two years ago, while Li Shimin led his army to attack Luoyang, Prince Li Jiancheng sent troops to conquer Jihu, causing Zhang Changxun, the governor of Fengzhou, to defect to the Tang Dynasty. Although this was not comparable to Li Shimin's victory over the Central Plains, it was still a worthy military achievement.
Unfortunately, Li Jiancheng was afraid of the Turks and wrote a letter suggesting that Fengzhou be abolished, the people moved to live in Lingzhou, and Wuyuan and Yuping were separated from the Turks.
Li Shimin returned to the court and was promoted to General Tiance and established the Tiance Mansion. His authority in the military was unparalleled for a while. He was very dissatisfied with Li Jiancheng's cession of Wuyuan and Yuping that day... Li Jiancheng's prestige in the military was greatly weakened, and there were also reasons for this.
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After all, ceding two states cannot be considered a military achievement, right?
The Turks were a behemoth hovering over Li Tang's family, and they posed a huge threat to Li Tang. Li Yuan had to obey several times, but with the unification of the world, as the founding king, Li Yuan also had great ambitions... At least, he was lying on the bed.
How can you allow others to sleep soundly on your side!
Well, in recent years, the Tang Dynasty has gradually unified the world, and the Turkic Jieli Khan has begun to invade the south frequently. Guanzhong, Hedong, Hebei, and Shandong have all been plundered by the Turks.
But now Li Yuan is still angry... After all, Jieli Khan's several southern invasions were finally blocked, although partial troops once captured Dazhen Pass, which was only more than a hundred miles away from Jingzhao.
Li Jiancheng once privately proposed to move the capital, but Li Yuan was noncommittal... He also knew that the eldest son's suggestion was more selfish, because in the fight against the Turks, the second son Li Shimin was likely to become the commander-in-chief of the army, which was not a good thing for the East Palace.
Of course, Li Shimin was not without action in private. He once made suggestions to Li Yuan many times... The prince ceded the land of the Loop, which made Guanzhong unstable.
Well, Li Shimin can see that in the next few years, the Turks will definitely invade the south from time to time, and maybe they can reach the vicinity of Jingzhao... Why can they reach the vicinity of Jingzhao?
Of course, it was because Prince Li Jiancheng ceded the land of Hetao, which allowed the Turks to cross the Yellow River and invade Lingzhou.
You must know that Fengzhou in the Hetao is more than 2,000 miles away from Chang'an, while Lingzhou is only 1,200 miles away from Chang'an. In other words, what Li Jiancheng ceded was not just Yulin and Wuyuan, but a strategic depth of almost a thousand miles.
.
This is also the reason why the Turkic main force attacked Hedong last year, but the partial army was able to reach Yuanzhou...it was too close!
The two sons below were still arguing, and Li Yuan seemed not to have heard or seen it... Anyway, it was already commonplace, and various thoughts were swirling in his mind until Princess Pingyang left the palace and entered the Liangyi Palace.
"Pingyang is here." Li Yuan waved his hand with a smile, "I heard that we went out to the city yesterday to ride and hunt... so we have to be careful."
"Thank you, father." Although Princess Pingyang was dressed in palace clothes, her appearance was heroic and she no longer looked as weak as Li Shan had seen that day.
"Third sister is here." Li Jiancheng said with a smile: "My brother-in-law has a heavy responsibility on his shoulders this time, and he will definitely come home with a great victory."
Li Shimin simply said hello, "Third Sister."
Princess Pingyang has been stationed in Jinyang for many years, and her husband Chai Shao has been under Li Shimin most of the time. However, Chai Shao is much older than Li Shimin, and he had a good relationship with Li Jiancheng back then. Generally speaking, Princess Pingyang and his wife are in the process of fighting for the right to inherit the throne.
Be in a neutral position.
Of course, in Li Jiancheng's view, Princess Pingyang should be close to the East Palace... You know, she was the one who recommended Li Huairen!
Li Yuan really liked this daughter. He asked her again and again, casually rewarded her with many precious medicinal materials, and ordered a banquet to be held in the Wanchun Hall, a side hall.
"Today's family dinner..." Li Yuan paused, turned around and asked, "Is Huairen not here yet?"
Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin didn't change their expressions, but they were a little surprised in their hearts. It seemed that the young man was really important in his father's heart... He was invited to the dinner despite clearly saying it was a family dinner.
The palace man on the side leaned over and said: "The Duke of Guantao County is outside the palace."
After a while, Li Yuan pointed at Li Shan who was walking quickly into the palace, and said with a smile: "I go to the Imperial Medical Office to give lectures every day, but I haven't entered the palace for a long time. Why?"
Li Shan bowed and said seriously: "My nephew is willing to go to the palace to talk to his uncle from time to time, but he is worried that the saint is busy with state affairs and dare not disturb him."
Well, that's some honest advice.
Li Shimin, who knew Li Shan best, sneered in his heart. Ling Jing had already told him that Li Shan was shrinking his head these days.
Li Jiancheng was about to smooth things over when he heard a burst of laughter.
Li Yuan laughed so hard, "Huairen is afraid that he will be reprimanded by the people in Zhongshushe again, right?"
Princess Pingyang was confused when she heard it, but Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin understood it... This refers to Cui Xin, who had previously strongly advised Li Yuan to appoint Li Shanzhong as the scholar.
Li Shan pursed his lips, "My uncle's words... my nephew doesn't understand."
"Don't you understand?" Li Yuan took a sip of wine and said with a smile: "It is said that the day before that day, you indulged in Pingkangfang, and Cui Sheren naturally wanted to take it out on you!"
"Uncle!" Li Shan shouted, trying his best to blush, "Uncle..."
Li Shan never expected that old man Li Yuan would be a big talker... and he would just tell this matter!
Li Yuan also realized it at this time. Li Shan emphasized it again and again last time... This matter must not be leaked.
"I heard that Cui Xin is interested in choosing a son-in-law..." Li Jiancheng asked tentatively: "Huairen is interested?"
Li Shimin rolled his eyes, "But Cui Xin is the Cui family of Qinghe..."
The relationship between Li Shan and the Cui family of Qinghe... is known throughout the court. If Cui Bo is killed, can he still marry the Cui family of Qinghe?
Li Jiancheng also knew that there was quite a gap between Prince Qianniu Cui Hao and Li Shan.
"No such thing, no such thing." Li Shan denied desperately, and at the same time kept squinting his eyes at the slightly embarrassed Li Yuan.
Li Yuan coughed twice, and then closed his mouth again under Li Shan's expectant eyes... He had only heard Yu Wenshiji mention this matter a few days ago.
Li Shan went to the palace for an audience, and after leaving the Taiji Palace, he was reprimanded by Cui Xin, a member of the Zhongshushe... He was probably scolding Li Shannian for not being a weak official, wandering around Pingkangfang, writing some erotic poems, and behaving inappropriately at a young age...
Yuwen Shiji just mentioned it casually, but Li Yuan knew as soon as he heard it... Cui Xin was venting his anger on his daughter's behalf. Li Yuan had done similar things before.
In the early years, Li Yuan's fifth daughter, Princess Changguang, was betrothed to Zhao Cijing of the Zhao family in Tianshui. The latter's son was from a noble family who often kept concubines, so Princess Changguang was quite coldly received... Li Yuan scolded his son-in-law for this, and in the first year of Wude, he kicked her out to lead the army, but she left
If he doesn't come back, the bones won't be recovered.
Li Jiancheng made a mental calculation. The Cui family of Qinghe was attached to the East Palace and many of their children served in the East Palace. If Li Huairen married Cui Xin's daughter...
But Li Shimin was a little suspicious. He suspected that Li Shan had done this deliberately... because he and Cui Xin had contacts, and they were both descendants of the Cui family in Qinghe. Cui Junsu, who had a good relationship with Cui Xin, was appointed as the chief of the Qin Palace.