Da Tang: Father, can I resign?

Chapter 300 Everything has changed, yet nothing seems to have changed
Of course, Su Dingfang was just talking big and he wasn't really so bold as to desert his post and let the captives stand guard for him in Baekje.

Instead, they packed up the poor Pei Xingjian and sent him back to Pingzhou, and issued a "certificate" for him, which was the most they could do.

With this certificate, Pei Xingjian got the opportunity to meet his old boss Li Ming, that is, to meet the emperor.

No quotation marks, because Li Ming’s body has now truly become a saint.

He was the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty.

Pei Xingjian sat in the carriage from Pyongyang to Pyongzhou - a special treatment given by Lao Su - and felt uneasy all the way.

"What should I do? Have I betrayed His Highness Li Ming? His Highness is not someone who tolerates betrayal...

"No, I shouldn't call him His Highness. I should call him His Majesty the Emperor. If I let something slip in front of His Highness and make him unhappy, then everything will be over..."

Pei Xingjian kept muttering to himself.

He knew that His Highness Li Ming was a man who could accomplish great things, but he dared to become "Your Majesty" and compete with the great Tang Dynasty, and this was before the death of the emperor who was invincible in the world.

All I can say is, he is the most hardcore and ruthless person in the world.

Pei Xingjian didn't dare to imagine the consequences of being labeled a "traitor" by such a ruthless person.

"I must be free of guilt, I must be free of guilt..."

Xiao Pei spent the first few days in fear. Apart from eating and sleeping, he was thinking about how to avoid being held accountable by Li Mingqiu later.

It is obviously unrealistic to use his eloquent tongue to excuse himself. Although Xiao Pei has literary talent, he wants to outsmart the shrewd Li Ming... He'd better go to bed as soon as possible.

And for a weak scholar like him, it was unrealistic for him to climb over the wall and escape physically.

"Li Mingdian... His Majesty is a man who values ​​practical benefits. If I am valuable to him, he may not kill me.

"For example, if I could reveal some information about the Tang army..."

Pei Xingjian had a bad idea, but immediately dismissed it.

"No, no, selling out your master for fame and fortune, twice. This is unethical and unfilial. I, Pei, respectfully refuse any offer.

"It's definitely not because I'm just a small military officer in charge of the warehouse, and I don't know anything about the military intelligence that the other party might be interested in..."

After thinking hard and failing to find a way to avoid being liquidated, Pei Xingjian died five days after setting out on the journey.

"I am a fish on the chopping board now, and I can only leave it to fate. Li Ming is that fate..."

As soon as the thought of giving up arises, your horizons broaden instantly.

Pei Xingjian inadvertently glanced at the scenery outside the window and was stunned.

Only then did he realize that he had found himself in a prosperous city without knowing when.

The scenery outside the window was completely different from what he had seen in Silla. It was not completely desolate with a few small village houses interspersed here and there.

Instead, there are rows of tall houses and straight and flat rammed earth roads.

"what?"

Pei Xingjian was surprised.

This bustling street scene seems to be no less prosperous than Chang'an and Luoyang, except that the city is a little smaller.

"Have we arrived in Pingzhou yet?" he asked the driver in surprise.

The driver gave him a strange look.

"This is Jian'an City."

Jian'an City... Pei Xingjian thought about it for a moment and searched out this inconspicuous place name from the corners of his memory.

"A mountain city of Goguryeo? How could it be so prosperous???"

He felt culture shock.

Perhaps it was because he had stayed in poor Silla for too long, but he, a native of Chang'an, was actually shocked by the feeling of "country people coming to the city" in the city-state of Goguryeo.

In the northeast, which is covered with permafrost, mountains, forests and swamps, a city that is as big as that in the inland areas was built on flat ground. What is Buyeo Superman?
Want to fly from Pyongyang to Pyongzhou in five days? What the hell is this Tang Dynasty Superman? The driver muttered to himself for a while and continued on his way.

A line of silence.

In the next few days, Pei Xingjian witnessed with his own eyes one big city after another whose names he could not remember. They were all crowded with people, cars and horses, and tall buildings and pavilions were lined up one after another.

He now knew that these new large cities that had sprung up like bamboo shoots were also unimaginable during the Goguryeo period.

It’s Li Ming.

Li Ming organized these Buyeo people, who were foreigners, and built one architectural wonder after another with his own hands, leading them to make the leap from a slave society to a collective farm.

The founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty was so terrifying.

This is probably an achievement that even the founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty, His Majesty the current Supreme Emperor (the previous Supreme Emperor does not count as the founding emperor), would not easily achieve.

And he himself, an unknown Pei Xingjian, was about to meet such an emperor, who would decide his life and death.

God’s will is hard to fathom and cannot be predicted.

He knew about His Highness Li Ming. He had communicated with him several times when he was the editor-in-chief of Changan. He knew that he was a boss who paid salaries generously but made abnormal demands.

But he couldn't figure out His Majesty Li Ming.

Who knows what kind of transformation this period of ups and downs in governing the country will bring about for that highly malleable young leader...

In an increasingly uneasy mood, Pei Xingjian's carriage finally brought him into Pingzhou City, the center of the Ming Dynasty.

If I previously thought that Jian'an City and other Goguryeo cities were prosperous, it was because I was still using a filter at the time.

Now, to be fair, he had to admit that Pingzhou was no less powerful than Chang'an or Luoyang in terms of population, architecture, roads, etc., and was even stronger in some aspects.

For example, there are no walls here, and shops do not need to operate in a fixed location, so business is extremely prosperous.

The greater the new city, the more nervous Pei Xingjian became.

The little guy in my memory has gradually become blurred.

In his mind now, Li Ming's image gradually overlapped with that of His Majesty the Retired Emperor, a completely divine emperor who lived in the palace and was so majestic that no one could look directly at him...

boom!
He was daydreaming when the carriage suddenly braked and his head hit the window frame.

"Get off." The driver said in a muffled voice.

Huh? Where is this?
Pei Xingjian looked around in confusion.

They stopped in front of the door of a house...which was no different from the surrounding buildings, and there was no trace of a palace.

This place is still in the bustling city of Pingzhou...

Pei Xingjian's heart suddenly became alarmed.

"I'm here to see His Majesty, what are you doing?"

The driver glanced at him and said with his last bit of patience:
"This is where His Majesty works."

"Don't lie to me!" Pei Xingjian became hysterical:

"You are such a big and powerful country, a country that is no less magnificent than the Tang Dynasty. How could its emperor live in this shabby cottage?!

"What is your purpose in deceiving me?"

"..." The driver's mouth twitched. He didn't want to bother with this weirdo and grabbed him by the collar.

"Come down you!"

The frail Pei Xingjian was completely unable to resist and was roughly dragged into the door of the house.

His wailing was heard along the way:
"I have revised the manuscript for your majesty. I have General Su's order! I want to see your majesty! I want to see your majesty!"

…………

Any resistance is futile.

Pei Xingjian was grabbed by the neck by the guard and walked through a long corridor.

In the rooms on both sides of the corridor, clerks were sitting at their desks writing furiously, and occasionally a clerk would walk hurriedly down the corridor holding documents.

It looks no different from an ordinary government office.

yamen……

Pei Xingjian's heart skipped a beat.

Oh no, could it be the "relevant department" that specializes in dealing with spies? !
Are they going to torture him severely, squeeze out all the information they know, and then bury him somewhere in the backyard?
The ominous premonition made him feel suffocated. His legs softened and he uttered in a hoarse and trembling voice:
"Su Dingfang...Su Dingfang harmed me..."

What's wrong with him... The guards were very puzzled by this Chang'an man who suddenly went crazy. They were afraid that his mental illness would be transmitted to them, so they knocked on the door and left.

My life is over... Pei Xingjian closed his eyes silently and stood at the door, waiting to be dragged in by rough hands.

However, after a while, nothing happened. I only heard an old voice saying without any fluctuation:

"Close the door."

Ok?
Pei Xingjian slowly opened his eyes.

Only then did he see the layout of the room clearly. It was no different from the office he had seen in the corridor, except that the space was a little more spacious, there were more books, and there was a huge feng shui map hanging on the wall.

There were three people sitting in the room, two old men sitting at the bottom, and the seat at the top was buried in a pile of documents, so no one could be seen.

The three of them were busy with their own work, and no one looked at him.

The two old men sitting at the bottom looked familiar...

"Prime Minister Fang?! Grand Minister of War?!"

Pei Xingjian exclaimed.

Fang Xuanling and Zhangsun Wuji just looked up at him, then retracted their gaze and returned to their work, only reporting in passing:
"Your Majesty, the 'guest' Su Dingfang mentioned has arrived."

Then, from behind the pile of books and literature at the top, a familiar little head popped out:
"Oh, Pei Xingjian? Welcome, welcome!"

Pei Xingjian was immediately confused by the enthusiastic attitude.

He is still himself, the impetuous boy in my memory, without any change.

"Li Mingbi... Your Highness, no, I..."

"Haha, don't be so reserved. Don't just stand there. Come, come, sit down!" Li Ming stood up from his seat generously and invited him to take his seat as a guest.

Pei Xingjian felt that this was not real. He was in a daze and was persuaded by the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty to take his seat.

Is this really the emperor? He doesn't live in the palace, but in this inconspicuous government office in the middle of a busy city? And he shares an office with other people?

When Pei Xingjian's knees touched the ground, his intelligence also reached a high point. He immediately realized that he had made countless serious mistakes in front of the palace.

No matter what, he just kowtowed first - Pei Xingjian knelt down in front of Li Ming:
"I have failed your majesty..."

"No, I failed you."

Li Ming said sincerely:
“It was my fault for not thinking carefully enough to involve you outsiders in the newspaper office, and you suffered unwarranted persecution from the Tang False Emperor.

"You can't help yourself."

I have no choice... These four short words resonated strongly with Pei Xingjian and he almost cried.

Just these four words made this loyal and good man of the Tang Dynasty accept the concept of "Fake Emperor of Tang" without any resistance.

"Alas, the false emperor of Tang has forced you to become my enemy, killing each other and causing great suffering to all. I really cannot bear it."

Li Mingwu put on a sad expression.

Pei Xingjian had already been fooled... No, he was deeply moved and said with true feelings:
"Your Majesty, if you give me any orders, I will do whatever it takes to die!"

"Good, very energetic!" Li Ming changed the subject earnestly:
"Su Dingfang told me in his letter that he taught you some military tactics. How are you doing?"

Pei Xingjian's heart skipped a beat and he stammered:

"this and that……"

"The Central Plains front is currently short of manpower, while the situation on the peninsula has stabilized." Li Ming revealed his true intentions:
“It’s a bit of a waste to waste Su Dingfang on that front.

"So, I want to transfer him back and you can take his place."

Pei Xingjian retreated tactically.

How come he got all the way from Pyongyang to Pyongzhou, only to be kicked back to Pyongyang?

"Your Majesty, I am just a weak scholar..."

Li Ming solemnly patted Xiao Pei's shoulder, who was kneeling on the ground, and said:

"You should follow Ban Chao's example and join the army."

Pei Xingjian: "But..."

Li Ming: "I can read faces. You have a good face. I can tell from the looks of it that you will become a great general."

In the original timeline, Pei Xingjian was indeed a Confucian general who killed many people in the Western Regions and was promoted to the governor of Anxi.

"I appoint you as the military commander of Pyongyang Road, commanding Baekje and managing the civil and military affairs of the peninsula." Li Ming said:

"how?"

Things had come to this point, and Pei Xingjian really couldn't refuse.

He realized that his old boss Li Ming really hadn't changed at all.

"That……"

"Please come and make the trip."

…………

After kicking Pei Xingjian out of the room, Li Ming's expression immediately calmed down, and he said to his left and right arms:
"This move of driving the tiger to swallow the wolf is okay, right?

"Without expending any extra energy, I used the power of Baekje to restrain my father and brother from setting fire in my backyard."

Fang Xuanling continued to write something and responded:
"Best regards, Your Majesty."

But Changsun Wuji did not relax:
"With the wisdom of His Majesty the Emperor, you wouldn't be unaware that Baekje is a chess piece that can balance Silla, right?

"Didn't he think that we would retaliate against it?"

There was a brief silence.

"Perhaps, Baekje has been at odds with Silla and Tang for many years, so it is difficult to win them over. Or perhaps..."

Li Ming scratched his head:

“What can they do on the narrow land of the peninsula?
“If the enemy continues to send reinforcements to Silla, the summer typhoon will teach them a lesson. Over time, they will be the ones who can’t hold on.

"Ignore him, we will proceed according to our own policies and strategies."

Hmm... Changsun Wuji said nothing more.

Fang Xuanling stopped writing at the right moment and shook off his long and eloquently written masterpiece:
"Your Majesty, the plan for a full-scale attack on the Central Plains has been drafted. Please review it."

Li Ming took a deep breath:

"it is good."

Finally, the moment of decision came.

The Ming and Tang dynasties had already fought an economic war. They had also fought two diplomatic battles, and it can be said that each side had its own offensive and defensive victories.

As for the political warfare, it began when Li Ming was the governor of the two states of Liaodong.

The Tang people have already done their best to repay the favor. Now that the two emperors have returned and the political situation in the Tang Dynasty has stabilized, the number of people who have come to repay the favor has greatly decreased, and the effectiveness of the political offensive has also rapidly decreased.

Both sides have already tried all means of competition except war.

Next, it’s time to go to war.

"Order all frontline units to make final preparations for the battle and wait for Su Dingfang to arrive."

Li Ming said slowly:
"They conducted military exercises on the south bank of the river, waiting for an opportunity to attack the Central Plains and take Luoyang, the eastern capital."

The two prime ministers answered immediately:

"According to the order."

…………

Changan.

In the end, Li Shimin was not expelled to Ganlu Palace, and remained in Lizheng Palace as usual.

Li Chengqian sighed and found him at the old place.

"Father, the Silla army was defeated by the pseudo-Ming and Baekje, and the Silla capital was lost."

Li Shimin nodded with a relaxed look, and seemed to be in a very good mood:
"I understand. Since the opponent is Li Ming, it is not surprising to think of the idea of ​​joining forces with Baekje."

"..." Li Chengqian suspected that his father was gloating, but he had no evidence.

"What should we do next? Silla has not been completely defeated, and the pseudo-Ming does not have much power there. Should we continue to send reinforcements to the peninsula?"

Li Chengqian humbly asked:
"The first wave of support is only a small outpost force. The real main force is still in Yangzhou Port and will be able to join us soon to help Silla."

Li Shimin smiled unceremoniously:

"You transported troops across the sea and in the face of a typhoon to a narrow peninsula with no way to retreat. What's the difference between this and stabbing yourself in the thigh and letting the blood flow out?"

"…But this was all your idea, father! The troops have been deployed to the port, and the warships and civilian ships have been requisitioned. Why are you giving up now?"

Li Chengqian couldn't hold it anymore:
"Then what should we do next? Do you want me to lose the kingdom to Li Ming step by step? Or do you want Li Ming to be the common ruler of the world?"

Li Shimin slowly turned his head and looked at his uneasy eldest son, and said calmly:

"Relax."

(End of this chapter)