Gaochang is a transportation hub, guarding the gateway to the Silk Road of the Han Dynasty. Li Shimin hoped to control the Silk Road by traveling through the Western Regions and conquer the countries in the Western Regions, including the Western Turks. Gaochang cannot be bypassed. However, Gaochang has been under the rule of Emperor Xuan of the Han Dynasty since the Han Dynasty.
At that time, the people of Guozuo were in power until now. The Ju family has been running Gaochang for more than five hundred years, which is longer than the dynasties in the Central Plains. Moreover, unlike foreigners, Gaochang is a Han country. Ju Wentai came to visit with his family.
Courtesy and thoughtful.
Whether it is attacking or occupying, it will actually damage the face of the heavenly country. This is also the tradition of all dynasties. A large country in the Central Plains does not raise unknown troops. In unjust conquests, it is important to have famous divisions. Otherwise, how is it different from barbarians?
Although in Li Shimin's heart, he doesn't mind being a barbarian, and there are not so many constraints in doing things this way. However, if he wants to be a wise king, he has to consider these things. Now that there is a way to avoid losing face, why bother?
Not for?
Moreover, this incident opened a new door for Li Shimin and made him suddenly enlightened. Why didn't he think of it before?
In the land of Gaochang, there is no need to use the army at all. We only need to support some horse bandits and harass them, and they will inevitably succumb. Instead of begging him, it is better to let him beg me. Why didn't I think of such a simple thing before?
Li Shimin figured this out, his mood cleared away from the gloom of the past few days, and he suddenly became cheerful.
"Li Mu! You are truly my blessed general!"
Li Mu immediately put on a confused look and said: "Your Majesty, what did I not do? I still want to plead guilty to Your Majesty. Not only did I hide it from Your Majesty, I also deposed the public official for personal reasons and took revenge on the envoys."
"Those are all trivial matters!" Li Shimin glanced at Li Mu and said mercilessly: "Don't you just want me to say it myself and forgive you? Are you being clever? In this matter, although you are
You did something wrong, but you did a good thing by mistake, and it was a thing that greatly benefited our country, the Tang Dynasty. If the merits and demerits are equal, I won't punish you."
Li Mu quickly climbed up the pole: "Can I give you some rewards?"
Li Shimin frowned and said, "Don't push yourself too far. I won't punish you. How dare you ask for a reward?"
Li Mu said with a smile: "Your Majesty, I am not asking for rewards for myself. Let's analyze this matter. You see, I am naturally like Your Majesty said. The merits and demerits are equal. I don't say anything and accept it. Then others
Your Majesty cannot turn a blind eye to your contribution."
"Someone else? Who?"
"For example, take my sworn brother Li Siwen, right? If he hadn't sent the message back in time, wouldn't His Majesty still be worried now? It can be said that the worries that the prime ministers of the three provinces and six ministries did not eliminate for your majesty, my sworn brother's
One letter solved the problem for Your Majesty. Shouldn't it be rewarded for such a great achievement?"
Li Shimin heard what he meant, and smiled helplessly: "You can force it far, so Li Siwen sent you a message, but he didn't send a message to me. If I want to reward you, I will reward you, but your merits and demerits are equal to each other, so I will
If you don't reward me, what does it have to do with him? It doesn't make sense for you to put the credit on him."
"How can it not make sense?" Li Mu hurriedly said: "He was the one who delivered the news, right? This is always true. Your Majesty cannot be unreasonable. How could your sworn brother deliver the news to Your Majesty? He just made a small mistake.
Lieutenant, I don’t have the right to submit a letter directly to His Majesty. If I go through normal channels, first to the Ministry of Personnel, and then to the Zhongshu Men, I am afraid that by the time His Majesty sees it, it will already be half a month later. What use can this be?
It is an expedient measure. I must have thought that I am loyal to Your Majesty. After seeing the news, I will immediately inform Your Majesty. I also did the same. It can be seen from this incident that I am loyal to Your Majesty.
Siwen is a resourceful and loyal young man who thinks of His Majesty wholeheartedly. He is a rare hero in our Tang Dynasty. Your Majesty loves talents, how can you not reward him?"
Li Shimin stared blankly at the eloquent Li Mu, and was shocked. He had never seen Li Siwen before. To put it bluntly, he was just a little better than the dandy young master, but not much. How could he say "
The "rare and rare" hero discovered this boy's sophistry skills and became famous again!
"If your Majesty does not reward you, it is unfair!" Li Mu snorted angrily: "If your Majesty is unfair, I think that all the knowledgeable people in the world will not be proud to assist your Majesty, and would rather retreat to the mountains and forests than serve him.
The Lord of Foolishness!”
Li Shimin was so angry that he laughed and said: "Ha! If I don't reward Li Siwen, will I be stupid?"
Li Mu guiltily avoided Li Shimin's eyes and muttered in a low voice: "It's not going anywhere."
"Good boy!" Li Shimin said helplessly: "In this civil and military dynasty, you are the only one who dares to talk about my stupidity...
I have done something big. Then I will give you a favor and reward Li Siwen. What do you think would be a good reward?"
Li Mu was so excited that he was about to ask for it when he heard Li Shimin add another sentence, saying: "The official can't be promoted, the money can't be rewarded, and the title can't be promoted. Besides, you can think of something else."
"I..." Li Mu almost choked himself to death.
Li Mu really wants to ask, besides officialdom, money, and title, what else is there? Who did you learn from, the majestic emperor, to be so hypocritical! You might as well say that I am just deducting money and not rewarding you!
"Well..." Li Mu pursed his lips, and Li Shimin looked at him with a smile, as if he had accomplished something big. From Li Mu's point of view, his gloating look was much worse than just learning that Ju Wentai's son had died.
Even happier.
"Your Majesty is so wise that I cannot match him... Since your Majesty said so, I will ask for a reward for my adopted brother that will allow him to return to Chang'an to visit his relatives. I hope your Majesty will grant you permission."
"Okay, I agree!"
Because Li Siwen didn't know who he was, he took Li Yourong back to Chang'an. Li Shimin drove him to Dingxiang, and his purpose was clear: he could not return to court unless summoned. This was originally an angry statement, but now Li Shimin had already calmed down, and it didn't matter at all.
It happened. Li Mu asked to lift the ban, so he got off the donkey and agreed.
"I allow him to visit twice a year, is that enough?"
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Li Mu knows the truth of giving up when you are ready, and twice is enough. Dingxiang is far away from Chang'an. If it happens four or five times a year, it will almost all be on the road. Li Siwen still belongs to Dingxiang.
As for Lieutenant Zhechong, he has the responsibility of guarding the land, so twice a year is enough.
"besides……"
"What else?" Li Shimin lowered his face and said, "Li Mu, you kid, don't push yourself too hard. I've already given you face, what else do you want?"
"Your Majesty has misunderstood. This time I am doing it for your Majesty and want to give him some advice."
Li Shimin frowned and said: "Li Mu, you are still young. Watch and learn more. Don't get involved in important family and country affairs. There will be many opportunities in the future."
"Please, Your Majesty, please let me finish my sentence." Li Mu begged, "Otherwise, it won't be easy for me to explain when I get home?"
"Home?" Li Shimin suddenly realized, and said: "You are here for your father-in-law, right?" Li Shimin glanced at Li Mu and saw the anxiety on his face, and became playful, and said with a cold face: "If you don't tell me,
I have forgotten! I have heard about Zhangjiazhai for a long time. I traveled to the right border of Long, doing some smuggling business and making a living by cheating and cheating! The crime is heinous, and the death is unjust! I will kill him quickly!"
Suddenly, as if he had just thought of it, Li Shimin said in surprise: "Zhangjiazhai is not far from Dingxiang. It just gives your sworn brother a chance to make meritorious deeds. When I return to the palace, I will issue an order to ask Li Siwen to order all the troops in the palace.
Wipe out Zhangjiazhai within fifteen days and bring peace to the people in the border town!"
"Your Majesty..." Li Mu knelt down immediately without thinking. He knew very well why Li Shimin said these words. If he didn't mean it, why would he specifically single out Li Siwen and Zhang Jiazhai?
His adopted brother went to kill his father-in-law? Isn't this just a matter of obvious embarrassment and he just had "please me quickly" written on his face?
There is no way, people have to bow their heads under the eaves, so let's perform this scene to satisfy the strange habits of this crooked emperor!
Li Mu hugged Li Shimin's thigh tightly and cried sadly, which could be said to make those who heard it sad and those who heard it shed tears.
"Your Majesty, I sincerely request your Majesty to forgive the young and old in Zhangjiazhai! Your Majesty does not know that the people in Zhangjiazhai are a group of pitiful people! Thinking back to those more than 20 years ago, when the world was in chaos and Lingzhou
The people were displaced. My father-in-law, Zhang Xun, could not bear the tragic death of the people in the war, so he took a group of fellow villagers and moved westward, hoping to escape the war. However, the world was full of war, and where could there be stability? He did not want to join the Turks, and he harbored evil intentions.
The whole world hates the former Sui Dynasty for being unkind and causing cholera, and refuses to surrender to the Sui Dynasty. He wants to be a righteous princess, but he has no choice but to form a stronghold to protect himself, and he becomes a bandit!"
"Your Majesty also knows that Zhangjiazhai makes a living by smuggling. It is said that they are horse bandits, but they are more like merchants. It cannot be said that there are no gangsters, but compared with the other two groups of horse bandits, they are definitely rare. No
When they are forced to have no choice but to do so, they will never entertain such an idea. Their enemies are not kind-hearted people, they are all extremely vicious people!"
"Among the three major horse bandits, only Zhangjiazhai has men, women, old and young. They are more like a group of refugees than horse bandits! Your Majesty has a good life, please give him a chance to recruit him.
!I am willing to be a guarantor for my father-in-law and for Zhangjiazhai. There are thousands of people, old and young, in the village who are looking forward to returning to the Tang Dynasty every day. Please give your Majesty a chance to let them, the people of the Central Plains, return to our country.
In the arms of the Tang Dynasty, Your Majesty’s benevolent and righteous deeds will surely be recorded in the annals of history and be passed down for thousands of years!”
When the excitement reached the point of excitement, Li Mu actually shed tears, leaving two tear marks on his face. It really looked like that!
Li Shimin also became moved. He didn't take this matter seriously in the first place. They were just horse bandits. They were suffering from scabies. The reason why they were not moved was not because they couldn't be moved, but because these horse bandits could not become a big trend. The army had just
The triumphant victory was just a matter of not taking the time to tidy up.
Li Mu's plea for his father-in-law was also an act of filial piety in Li Shimin's opinion. Of course, the most important thing was the last sentence.
It will be recorded in the annals of history and will be passed down for thousands of years.
A group of horse bandits who can die or die can have such an effect, which is somewhat useful.