Tiantang Splendid

Chapter 4879: Zongzheng Shaoqing
The north wind was biting and the snow was flying. Zan Xiruo was walking alone in the wind and snow, trudging through it with difficulty. Finally, he reached a valley sheltered from the wind. He began to pile up the thick snow on both sides to block the cold wind. Then he took out a piece of felt from his backpack to cover his head, thus forming a relatively closed space with snow as a wall, and the wind and snow stopped immediately.

There are very few trees on the plateau. Even in this valley where there is plenty of water in summer, not many trees grow. It took me a long time to find some dead branches and grass around and make a bonfire with flint, but it was just a small flame with smoke. I took out some dry food, heated it up and ate some, then sat in the "snow house" to take a breath and rest.

The bitter cold of the plateau is not only due to the lack of supplies, but also the extremely cold climate in winter that can freeze all living things to death. If he walks along the south side of the mountain range like he did, he will be frozen to death in his sleep at night if he is not careful...

He took out the wine bag and shook it. There was only half a bag of wine left. After thinking for a while, he pulled out the cork and took a small sip to warm himself up. Then he carefully put the wine bag away.

It was a thousand miles to Huashi Gorge, and the journey was difficult in the freezing cold. There were only a few places to get supplies along the way, so all supplies had to be used sparingly. If he ate all the food before reaching the next supply point, the only thing waiting for him was freezing to death on the snowy plain and becoming food for wild beasts...

It was difficult to walk in the wind and snow, but he couldn't stop.

Although he sent someone to deliver a letter to his second brother saying that the six tribes of Nachang had concluded an alliance with the Gar tribe, in fact, this was not the case. He was discovered as soon as he arrived at the six tribes of Nachang. The most brutal, mysterious and loyal "Guangjun" under the Zamp arrived soon after, so he managed to escape the search of the "Guangjun", but the negotiations with the six tribes of Nachang were completely cancelled.

The alliance failed, and he knew very well how dangerous the Gar tribe was about to fall into, with the Tang people's fierce instigation from behind and the Zamp's overwhelming pressure from the front, and perhaps the genocide was just a matter of time.

He couldn't tell his second brother the truth, otherwise his second brother would stop and wait for death.

Only by deceiving the second brother and making him more confident and daring to take a risk and march straight in, will it be possible to break through the defense line and reach the city of Lhasa, thus completely stirring up the situation in Tubo.

By then, the six tribes of Nachang would certainly ignore the prestige of the Zamp and attack the flank of Luoshui City to gain the greatest benefits...

But before that, Lun Qinling would be fighting alone, on the line between life and death, and without any external reinforcements, he would be in danger of being destroyed at any time.

He had to rush to fight alongside his second brother. Even if they died, they had to die together, otherwise he would not be able to rest in peace.

*****
There was little wind in Guanzhong, and the heavy snow fell silently to the ground. The city walls and terraces were covered in silver. The streets were also filled with the rumbling of carriages and hurried pedestrians. The huge city of Chang'an did not stagnate because of the snow. On the contrary, the snow powder on the surface of Qingming Canal, Yong'an Canal, Qujiang Lake and other places melted and the mist was bright, adding a bit of sad and beautiful atmosphere.

Officials from Jingzhao Prefecture and Chang'an and Wannian counties braved the heavy snow and went deep into every neighborhood to distribute coal, grain and oil to the widows, widowers and orphans. They also mobilized people to urgently repair houses that had collapsed under the heavy snow. If there were any houses that were severely damaged, the people would be relocated to temples and Taoist temples in the city, and the government would allocate funds for their reconstruction after the snow stopped.

The officials were busy traveling around the city, solving the problems of food and lodging for the people affected by the disaster, which made the people of Chang'an applaud. Many Hu merchants witnessed all this and sighed that the civilization of the Tang Dynasty was unparalleled in the world. They were envious and lamented that they wished they could be born as Tang people...

A carriage drove into the side door of the Prince of Xiangyi's mansion. After the carriage stopped, Li Xiaoyi, Shaoqing of the Imperial Clan, dressed in a brocade robe, got out of the carriage. A waiter held an umbrella to shield his face from the snow and escorted him to the main hall.

He stamped his feet, changed his shoes and walked into the main hall. The charcoal basin in the hall was burning brightly, and it was warm as spring. The sandalwood in the incense burner was curling, and the coffee table was filled with steam. Li Shenfu, who was dressed in casual clothes and had white hair and beard, was kneeling in front of the coffee table, making tea. When he saw Li Xiaoyi come in, he smiled gently and waved, "My dear nephew, you came at the right time. Have a cup of tea to get rid of the cold and warm your body."

Li Xiaoyi bowed first, then walked to the tea table and knelt down. He took the wet handkerchief handed to him by the maid and wiped his hands. He took the cup of tea handed to him by Li Shenfu with both hands, took a sip, and praised, "Good tea!"

He glanced at the falling snow outside the open window and said with a smile, "My uncle is enjoying his old age now. He is really getting more and more comfortable. If I can live as leisurely and comfortable as my uncle when I reach his age, my life will not be in vain."

Li Shenfu smiled at his nephew, as if he didn't understand the meaning. He shook his head and drank a sip of tea: "I am old, I can't eat or sleep, I am just a dry bone in the tomb. You young people should not be so old, you should constantly improve and make progress, so as to live up to your prime years and achieve something. If Emperor Gaozu had no ambition to make progress, how could he have created the prosperous Tang Dynasty and left his name in history?"

Li Xiaoyi picked up a piece of cake and put it in his mouth, chewing it, and said slowly: "There are countless people in the world who are enterprising, but not everyone can succeed. It's time, fate, and luck. We rely on the hard work of our ancestors to enjoy wealth and honor. In addition to being grateful, we should also keep ourselves clean. Even if we can't add icing on the cake for the empire, we must never ruin this family business and bring shame to our ancestors."

"boom!"

Li Shenfu raised his eyebrows and scolded, "Who are you talking to? You youngsters are sitting back and enjoying the fruits of others' labor, but I once fought in battles with Emperor Gaozu. I have also made some contributions to the Tang Dynasty!"

What does "Even if I cannot add glory to the empire, I must not ruin this family business" mean?
Who are you insinuating?

Li Xiaoyi remained calm, smiled and drank a sip of tea, and said in a gentle tone: "Yes, uncle has made great military achievements and is well-known throughout the world. We, the younger generation, can only crawl under your wings and enjoy wealth and prosperity. It is really shameful. But what I said is also right. Now the world is stable and peaceful. As the younger generation, we can enjoy the prosperity created by the elders. There is nothing wrong. But if we are unwilling to abide by the law and insist on doing something far beyond our ability, wouldn’t it be a waste of the elders’ blood and sweat?"

Li Shenfu stared at Li Xiaoyi with sharp eyes. He didn't believe that this kid didn't understand what he meant. However, this kid was making innuendos and evasive remarks, and even vaguely disapproved of his decision, thinking that it was "a waste of the blood and sweat of the elders." It was really hateful.

I am the elder. The Tang Dynasty was established with my blood and sweat. If I fail myself, what does it have to do with you? !

Do you need to teach me a lesson?
Of course, he understood that the elder Li Xiaoyi referred to was his father, Li Shentong, King of Huai'an. He believed that his father Li Shentong's achievements far exceeded those of his uncle, and that his uncle was actually just like them, the younger generations, who were enjoying the fruits of their labor and wealth... Although this was indeed the case, Li Shenfu felt very uncomfortable listening to it.

Why does everyone deny his own achievements?

I also shed blood and sweat for the establishment of the Tang Dynasty. As for the fact that I failed to pacify the world and intimidate the barbarians afterwards...is that my problem?

It's Li Er who is jealous of talented people and excludes those who are different from him!
Li Xiaoyi felt a little uncomfortable under Li Shenfu's gaze. He naturally understood that his uncle wanted him to express his opinion. After pondering for a long time, he sighed and said, "My uncle just said that he is already old. Why should I persevere for my original obsession? Now you are a highly respected prince. Even if you succeed, it is unlikely that you will make further progress. On the contrary, if you fail, your reputation will be lost... Why bother?"

Li Shenfu still stared at him without saying anything.

Li Xiaoyi was helpless: "It's not that I don't want to follow my uncle, it's just that this position of Junior Official of the Imperial Clan is better than nothing. I have no prestige and no real power. Even if I want to assist my uncle, I am powerless."

This was not an excuse. Li Xiaogong was truly the "first prince of the royal family". Under him was the Minister of the Imperial Clan, the Prince of Han, Li Yuanjia. Even though Li Xiaoyi was the Junior Minister of the Imperial Clan, how loud could he speak?

Li Shenfu did not allow any delay: "Don't talk about those useless things, just tell me whether you are willing to follow us to achieve great things."

Li Xiaoyi smiled bitterly, hesitated for a while, and then shook his head and said, "My nephew does not have any great ambitions. He has a place in the Zongzheng Temple thanks to his father's merits. I have no talent myself, and I never dare to hope for those unattainable wealth and power. I just hope to live in peace until the end of my life."

"Haha, my nephew is really steady."

"My nephew has no ambition and is content with his lot, which disappoints his uncle."

Li Shenfu glanced at Li Xiaoyi, thought for a moment, and said, "Zongzhengqing."

Li Xiaoyi still smiled bitterly and shook his head: "Uncle, you misunderstood. My nephew is not interested in this."

"You Pushe, Minister of Rites. Don't rush to refuse. My dear nephew, you should think twice. This has broken the rules set by Emperor Gaozu. In the past, it would have been impossible for the children of the royal family to reach such a high level. This opportunity cannot be missed. It will never come again."

"This……"

Li Xiaoyi hesitated again and again, and sighed: "I am not greedy for fame and fortune, but as a member of the royal family, I have a heavy responsibility on my shoulders. I cannot bear to see treacherous people deceiving the king and doing evil things. I would rather cut through thorns and clear up the world, rectify the government, and protect the foundation of our Tang Dynasty for thousands of years!"

Li Shenfu clapped his hands and laughed: "Well said, this is the important task of our clan! You and I, uncle and nephew, have joined forces. Even if there are many obstacles and thorns ahead, we should move forward courageously and never regret even if we die nine times!"

"But I don't know what my uncle is planning and when he will start."

"Haha," Li Shenfu glanced at his nephew and smiled, "Don't worry, don't worry, you just need to be prepared. I will tell you how to act and how to cooperate at the critical moment. You don't need to worry too much about the rest. In this way, even if the plan fails, you can stay out of it. I am from the same mother as you and I have the same father. How can I bear to let you do something really dangerous? This is my love for you."

"Thank you for your love and care, uncle. I am deeply grateful."

Li Xiaoyi looked touched, but sneered in his heart.

Care?

Ultimately, you still don't trust me.

I am an old man who is greedy and stingy. It seems that after the matter is accomplished, I am afraid that I will overturn today's promise. The so-called Shangshu You Pushe and Minister of Rites are not even bait for fishing. If the fish is hooked, at least it can eat the bait into its mouth. All I get is a pie in the sky.