Chapter 1002 General Marshal of Soldiers and Horses
Li Shimin was persuaded, but he still did not make a decision. He asked Changsun Wuji and others to withdraw, and he wanted to think about it alone.
At night, the moon was bright and the stars were sparse, but there was also a hint of chill. Eunuch Gao brought a cloak to Li Shimin and put it on Li Shimin. Li Shimin glanced at him and said, "I don't need this, I'm not old yet."
"Your Majesty's dragon body is important." Eunuch Gao helped Li Shimin tie it up and silently stepped aside. Li Shimin looked up at the sky, as if talking to himself or to Eunuch Gao: "Actually, I understand in my heart, I have to
The country is not upright. So I want to do something that is far ahead of my predecessors to prove that I am worthy of this position. I am not a foolhardy person. Before doing this, I have calculated it. It can be as fast as one year, or as slow as possible.
Two years. This battle will definitely be fought and won."
Li Shimin looked up to the sky and said: "But why did such an unexpected change happen? Am I really angry with both humans and gods?"
Eunuch Gao took half a step forward, as if he wanted to say something, but he was not sure whether Li Shimin was talking to him. It was obviously not appropriate to answer the question at this time, and more importantly, he didn't know how to answer it.
.
After thinking for a long time, Eunuch Gao whispered: "Your Majesty, maybe the situation is not that bad."
"No," Li Shimin turned around and said, "The situation must be worse than imagined. The Western Turks have always hated us, the Tang Dynasty. The land of the Hetao is their ancestral home, and there is not a day that goes by that they don't want to take it away.
When they come back, that's fine if they don't have the strength, but now that they have the strength, there's no reason not to move eastward."
"Nishu is just an accident. When he is around, I can rest assured. He can win over the tribes who are fond of the Tang Dynasty and achieve a balance within the Western Turks. This balance, coupled with my continuous promotion of the Silk Road, will keep internal affairs in check
The government provided a large number of orders to benefit them. It can still satisfy their appetite. I know that this is not a long-term solution, but I think that as long as I can survive for three years. I attacked Goguryeo and immediately moved to Xue Yantuo to win a great victory.
The Western Turks dare not act rashly due to such power. At that time, I will have nothing to fear even if my face is broken."
Li Shimin let out a long sigh and said: "Who would have thought that Ni Shuo would die just fine? It doesn't matter if he dies, all my plans will be disrupted."
Eunuch Gao thought for a moment, then swallowed the words that were on his lips.
"I know what you want to say." Li Shimin cast his gaze into the distance, like an elder who has insight into the world: "You want to say, or else follow the advice of the auxiliary machine and return to the court... I tell you, this is
The worst of the worst!"
"Changsun Wuji is a civil servant. He doesn't know how to fight, and he doesn't know how to fight. When he was young, he had a lot of ambition. Now that he's older, he even has no ambition. When an army goes out to fight, it's like stretching a bow, drawing an arrow, and firing a bow.
, there is no turning back. What he only cares about is the little property of the Changsun family. I have already figured it out and must not listen to him. If I return to the court at this time, the country will be in chaos. Moreover, even if I lead an army
Even if we fight against the Western Turks, we may not be able to win!"
"We may not be able to win... this," Gao Gong obviously did not expect that Li Shimin would say this, "We may not be able to win?" The Tang Dynasty was victorious, how could it not win?
"When I lead the army back to the court, the morale is bound to be low. There was no rest along the way, and the generals were exhausted. But the Western Turks can relax and wait for work. The consumption of food and grass along the way is not a small amount. I have prepared for several years, and not only have to put it all in,
The plan to recuperate and recuperate must also be stopped."
Li Shimin sighed and said: "The common people have just lived a good life for a few days. I really can't bear to let them go back to the situation of exchanging children for food!"
"Then..." Eunuch Gao did not expect that the situation would be so bad and asked: "Your Majesty, what should we do now?"
Outside the Tai Chi Palace, Eunuch Gao was so anxious that he was rubbing his hands. The sound of smashing things could be heard in the palace for half an hour. Counting the porcelain in the palace, almost all of them should have been killed. With Li Shimin's stingy character, he could smash things.
With so many things, he was obviously very angry.
Li Shimin never expected that Li Mu would dare to resist the decree. Didn't he know that this was a great kindness? Look at the letter he replied, what did he say? He might as well say he won't marry!
"The queen has arrived."
Eunuch Gao heard the fairy voice and hurriedly greeted him: "Is the queen feeling better?"
Yesterday, the queen was so angry that she fainted, but she woke up thanks to Liu Shenwei's acupuncture. Unexpectedly, she was still worried about this matter today, and Eunuch Gao felt a little sorry. Just as Empress Changsun was about to speak, she suddenly heard another loud noise in the palace.
He frowned and asked, "What's going on? Is there a reply from Li Mu?"
"Yes, there is a reply." Eunuch Gao opened his mouth, as if it was difficult to explain. Queen Changsun is such a smart person. He immediately guessed that Li Mu must have disagreed. Somehow, after learning this result, Changsun
The queen actually felt like she breathed a sigh of relief. In any case, she didn't make a big mistake.
"Why did you reply to the letter?"
"I really don't know." Eunuch Gao didn't lie. He indeed didn't see it. The letter didn't pass through his hands. It was directly handed over to Li Shimin by the young eunuch. After Li Shimin read it, he smashed it open while holding on to his hands.
After beating and cursing him, he was kicked out, and then he sent people to find Queen Changsun. He didn't know much more than Queen Changsun.
"Okay, step back." Empress Changsun waved her hand, and Eunuch Gao and the female officials she brought with her all took a few steps back. Empress Changsun pushed open the palace door, and Li Shimin's curses followed: "Gao Gao,
Didn't I say -" When he saw Empress Changsun, she put down the inkstone in her hand and sat down angrily: "The empress is ill and doesn't have a good rest, why are you here?"
The words were quite distant. Empress Changsun felt a pain in her heart, but she didn't have the same understanding as him, and said: "I heard that there is a letter from Li Mu. What did you say?"
"This kid doesn't know how to praise!" Li Shimin gritted his teeth and cursed: "I should kill him!" He paused and said as if he was angry: "I should kill him!"
Empress Changsun couldn't help but roll her eyes at him and thought to herself, I want to kill you but I can't bear to do it, so what are you talking about? She pretended not to have heard and continued to ask: "What exactly did you say? Do you have anything to say?"
"There, take a look for yourself." Li Shimin pointed to the ground and fell silent. Empress Changsun followed his finger and saw a ball of waste paper on the ground with footprints on it. It was obviously Li Shimin's death in anger.
What a masterpiece.
Queen Changsun walked over, picked up the paper and unfolded it, and saw the writing on it in beautiful white: "Your Majesty will not give up, and I am terrified. I dare not go against your Majesty's wishes, so I will accept it. But there is one thing.
, let’s talk about it at the beginning. Ordinary people’s families also need betrothal gifts and dowry when getting married. I boasted that when my eldest daughter gets married, she must receive a dowry worth millions, but to match it, I also have to
A betrothal gift is required. I don’t dare to ask for more betrothal gifts, only ten. The list is as follows..."
Seeing this, there is nothing unusual. Although it is strange to ask the royal family for a betrothal gift, it would not be so strange if it was Li Mu who did it. And he also said that he would prepare a copy of the value.
A dowry of millions of dollars, so generous, it is also appropriate to ask for a betrothal gift.
But when she saw the contents of the list clearly, Empress Changsun understood why Li Shimin was so angry. It read: "One tael of stars, two taels of moon, three taels of breeze, four taels of white clouds, five taels of flames, six taels
Gas, seven taels of smoke and eight taels of piano music, nine taels of fire-burning hail, and one catty of dried snowflakes. All the betrothal gifts I want are ready, and my daughter will deliver them to my door. The betrothal gifts I want are less, and the girl will not marry for eighty taels.
.”
Empress Changsun was stunned, and she didn’t blame Li Shimin for being so angry. Who could not be angry when seeing this? If you don’t want to agree, just say no. If you agree well, betrothal gifts are hard to do and what a loss!
"Are you angry?" Li Shimin saw Empress Changsun's expression and knew that she felt the same as him. He said with infinite grievance: "Does this kid deserve to die? If he doesn't deserve to die, he should be beaten. I will issue an order to let him send his daughter to the palace.
Come here and raise it with Prince Jin!"
With that said, Li Shimin was about to pick up the pen, ink, paper and inkstone he threw on the ground. Queen Changsun quickly stopped her: "Your Majesty, you can't!"
"No?" Li Shimin said angrily, "You didn't see what this bastard said? Where can I find him the thing he wants? Isn't this just teasing me!"
"Your Majesty is confused first, no wonder." Empress Changsun pulled Li Shimin to sit down and advised: "Li Mu did not directly reject your Majesty, which is also to save your majesty's face. Otherwise, if the news spreads, both sides will not look good. I'm sorry.
I have already said that this matter is inappropriate. Now Li Mu has made his attitude clear. If His Majesty insists on having his own way, not to mention the stubbornness of that boy Li Mu, he will definitely not hand over his daughter. Even if he does, how will future historians comment on His Majesty?
Is there any forced marriage?"
The four words "historian of later generations" really hit Li Shimin's mind. This matter is indeed easy to talk about, but it was not done by Ming Jun. It's not that Li Shimin didn't expect this, he didn't expect that Li Mu would refuse such an honor as a marriage.
How could someone refuse? This kid Li Mu really doesn’t look down on the royal family!
This thought came up, and Li Shimin became even more angry. But then he thought, if this person is Li Mu, it is normal for him to think like this. He is Li Mu, and the five surnames and seven sects are like cattle and horses in his eyes, so when does he care?
Exactly. The so-called royal family is just a branch of the Li family in Longxi. What's more, he has already joined the clan and can be considered a member of the royal family. There is really no need to think highly of him.
It's just that this feeling is really unpleasant. Moreover, now Li Shimin is riding a tiger and cannot get off. His decree has been made, and everyone in the world knows about his marriage proposal. Now that Li Mu has refused, he can't tell the world that Li Mu doesn't like me.
The King of Jin refuses to marry his daughter, right?
Having said that, do you still have the nerve?
Li Shimin expressed his worries, and Empress Changsun thought for a while and said: "Your Majesty, there is no need to worry. Didn't Li Mu say it when he replied to the letter? This is a family letter, not a memorial. This gives Your Majesty some room. Your Majesty
All you need to do is think of an excuse to get over it. Li Mu will definitely cooperate with His Majesty and won't expose it."
When Li Shimin heard this, he also understood what Li Mu meant. According to the rules, family letters can be kept private, but memorials are qualified to be reviewed by later historians. Just like daily notes, the emperor could not order them.
"Then -" Li Shimin frowned and said, "What do I say? I just issued the decree yesterday."
"The answer lies in this betrothal gift." Empress Changsun pointed to the letter and said: "Your Majesty can say that Li Mu agreed to the marriage, but it will be difficult to collect the required betrothal gift for a while, and the two children are still young. This matter is also
Don’t be in a hurry, just put it on hold for now.”
Li Shimin thought for a moment and said, "If someone mentions it in the future, how will I explain it?"
"Since Li Mu doesn't want to marry his daughter, let him worry about it." Empress Changsun said this, but she said in her heart: "There are almost no people in the court who support the marriage grant. It is so vague that it confuses everyone.
Who would be so ignorant to mention my thoughts?"
"What the queen said makes sense." Li Shimin said angrily: "Then if Li Mu doesn't want to marry his daughter, he will definitely resort to some tricks. I'm so angry that I can't do anything with him!"
For Li Shimin to say this, he admitted to giving up. Empress Changsun was not a country woman, so she had to let her man admit his mistake. The matter was resolved satisfactorily, and Empress Changsun was in a good mood, saying: "Your Majesty, you don't have to do this.
It’s sad, that guy Li Mu is already stupid, and he won’t change even if you get angry with him, so why is there any need?”
"What the Queen said is true," Li Shimin sighed: "I feel more and more that sending him to Luoyang is a correct decision. If he stays in Chang'an, I will be angry to death sooner or later."
Li Shimin let out a long breath, suddenly raised his head and saw the mess all over the ground, and immediately felt heartbroken: "This...how did it get smashed like this, even the senior officials, why didn't you stop me! It's all smashed, how much does it cost?"
, I’m afraid I won’t get a hundred strings?”
In fact, there were not that many. When we moved from the East Palace, there was no Ministry of Internal Affairs. The expenses in the palace were all "basic" and not worth much. Later, when the Ministry of Internal Affairs was established, we had more money, but
Empress Changsun felt that extravagance in the harem should not be allowed, so there was not much improvement. Li Shimin's utensils only increased a little, and were far from worth a hundred guan.
But in order to make Li Shimin change his bad habit of smashing things in the future, Empress Changsun decided to deliberately go overboard and said: "It's more than a hundred guans. Your Majesty, look at those two vases. They are both tributes from Jiangnan. Each one costs 3 guan."
Ten guan. The total of the smashed ones is probably more than 200 guan. Two hundred guan is enough for a family to eat rice for several years, but His Majesty smashed them all in a rage. Is this what a wise king would do?"
"Alas..." Li Shimin sighed and said, "I was confused for a moment, and I blame Li Mu. I have to ask him for the money."