My father, Li Shimin, please call me Crown Prince

Chapter 362 Another Weishui Alliance?
Western Turkic, royal court.

Yibi Duolu Khan sat high on the throne.

On the left and right sides of the king's tent were the leaders of the Five Dulu Tribe and the Five Nushibi Tribe.

"The Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty must die!"

Yibi Duolu Khan spoke in a low voice with a firm tone.

As the son of Shibi Khan, Yibi Duolu Khan had a natural hatred for the Tang Dynasty. After all, the Eastern Turks were destroyed at the hands of Li Shimin.

Yibi Duolu Khan, whose name was Ashina Yugushe.

After the demise of the Eastern Turks, he fled to the Western Turks.

In the 11th year of Zhenguan, he joined forces with Tongtutun to attack Shaboladilish Khan.

The following year, he was supported by the five tribes of the Eastern Turks to become Khan, built Yaduhe Mountain, called himself Yipi Duolu Khan, and established the Western Turkic Beiting.

From another perspective, Ashina Yugushe is also a legendary figure.

However, this time the leaders below were not very convinced.

Everyone remained strangely silent.

"Are you all deaf?"

Yibi Duolu Khan shouted: "Twenty years ago, Tian Khan made us bow down by the Wei River, and now his son wants our lives!"

The fat body of Chuyue leader Ashina Nishu trembled, and his copper nose ring jingled. "Khan, please understand. My cattle and sheep have just survived the snowstorm, and more than half of the young and strong have been killed..."

The leader of the Chumi tribe agreed, "Yes, we suffered heavy losses last time, and the tribe's men haven't recovered yet, and now the Khan wants us to send troops again."

What is said here is that before, Yibi Duolu Khan persuaded Yanqi, Qiemo, Tokharistan, and Kucha to jointly send troops to Anxi Protectorate.

In the end, Guo Xiaoke, the commander-in-chief of the Anxi Road, led 3,000 cavalrymen to attack Yanqi.

Guo Xiaoke crossed the river at night and suddenly attacked Yanqi City. The Yanqi King Long Tuqizhi was caught off guard and was captured by the Tang army.

Later, the Western Turks were also defeated by Guo Xiaoke.

That incident caused Yibi Duolu Khan's prestige in Western Turkic Khanate to plummet.

This caused dissatisfaction among many tribal leaders.

Yibi Duolu Khan cursed: "Your vision is as short-sighted as a marmot curled up in a cave. You only dare to peek into the half-foot radius of the cave entrance, and you can't see the lush grassland at the end of the grassland."

"The Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty went to the east to conquer Goryeo, but he conquered the entire Liaodong. He made artillery that could even destroy the Tongguan Pass of the Tang Dynasty. That was when Li Jing led the troops to defend it, but he couldn't rely on the solid city walls to resist."

"The Tang Dynasty is already strong enough. If a second Heavenly Khan appears, will there be any hope for our grasslands to survive?"

"Are you all going to raise horses for the Han people?"

The leader of the Huluwuque tribe, Quechu, frowned and said, "Even if he has artillery, the winter on the grassland can freeze a million soldiers to death. We can just take the cattle and sheep and go into the Altai Mountains."

Sulu, the leader of the Tuqishi tribe, clenched his scimitar and said, "Khan, the grassland is vast and boundless. Even if the Tang army comes out in full force, it will only be like spreading sand in the desert."

Since ancient times, nomadic peoples have always been at a disadvantage to the Han people because of the difference in armaments and have always fought guerrilla warfare rather than direct combat.

The grassland is vast and boundless, and the biggest trouble for the Han people is not how to defeat the grassland tribes, but how to find them.

After all, when a large army is marching, the logistical pressure is too great.

This situation was not alleviated until the Yuan Dynasty. After all, Kublai Khan knew best where his brothers usually hid.

"Look at what the Tang prince did in Liaodong."

"He killed all the Liaodong nobles and then raised the untouchables up."

"Do you want this too?"

Yibi Duolu Khan's words made everyone a little worried.

The grassland is a real slavery country. If the prince of the Tang Dynasty really attacks, kills these nobles and liberates the slaves, the sky of the grassland will really change.

I saw that the expressions of many leaders had changed.

Yibi Duolu Khan continued: "We cannot let the crown prince of the Tang Dynasty become the emperor. It is not just us who think so. Many people in the Tang Dynasty think so. We have allies."

"The Emperor of the Tang Dynasty is seriously ill. This time we send troops to cause chaos in the Tang Dynasty."

Yibi Duolu Khan had a sharp vision. He wanted to emulate Jie Li Khan, plunder Guanzhong and march towards Chang'an.
-
Chang'an Cui Mansion.

Cui Wenxin returned on horseback.

Cui Shengyu's face darkened: "Uncle, do you still have the nerve to come back?"

"You are colluding with the Turks and bewitching the Five Surnames. You are trying to send the entire Cui family to hell!"

Cui Wenxin has been very busy during this period. She has been running around and lobbying everywhere.

Not only within the Cui family, but also within the other six families.

The main content of this lobbying was to secretly allow the Turks to enter the pass.

It’s just like the Weishui Alliance in the past.

The Five Surnames and Seven Families are not powerful in Chang'an City, but they have deep roots in Shandong.

Many local generals were from the five surnames and seven families.

Maybe they can't start a rebellion, but once they unite, there will be no problem in accomplishing certain things.

Cui Wenxin dismounted and let the reins fall: "Young Master, are you going to sacrifice your own family for the sake of justice?"

Cui Shengyu shouted, "It's ridiculous. When your majesty ascended the throne, we secretly joined forces with the Turks and forced him to form an alliance at the Wei River. But this is a different time. The Tang Dynasty is now strong. How can it be compared to the past?"

Cui Wenxin sneered: "So what if our country is strong? Can't we open the door?"

"Now that the prince is so arrogant, do you want to give us a way out?"

"The eldest son wants to curry favor with the crown prince, but the crown prince has no intention of paying any attention to you."

"When the crown prince ascends the throne, he will surely be even more ruthless than Your Majesty was to us."

"Look at the reform of the imperial examination system, it's clearly aimed at us."

Cui Shengyu was silent for a moment before saying, "Even if the prince has this intention, can the problem be solved by bringing the Turks in? At the Weishui Alliance, the Khan of Heaven rode alone to defeat the enemy. He relied on courage and insight, not inviting a wolf into the house!"

Cui Wenxin shouted, "Young Master, please look at Chang'an. Changsun Wuji has already sided with the Crown Prince, Fang Xuanling has closed the door to visitors, and even His Majesty has turned a blind eye to the Crown Prince's actions! If we don't take the initiative, we can only wait to be uprooted!"

Cui Shengyu advised: "We can't make the same mistake again! After the Weishui Alliance, the Five Surnames and Seven Families were severely weakened and Your Majesty almost took the opportunity to eliminate them."

When the Turks entered the country, they plundered indiscriminately. The territories of the Five Surnames and Seven Families in Shandong Province were also greatly affected.

Cui Wenxin insisted: "If the crown prince ascends the throne, our future will be completely cut off."

Cui Shengyu said: "Even so, you can't risk the lives of the entire family! The Cui family has been passed down for hundreds of years and cannot be destroyed in your hands!"

Cui Wenxin asked sternly: "Inherited for hundreds of years?"

"If the prince ascends the throne, the Cui family won't even have grass growing on their graves a hundred years later!" Cui Shengyu shook his head and said, "Then we can't cooperate with the Turks. This is treason."

Cui Wenxin said in a deep voice: "If I can save the Cui family, I am willing to bear the eternal infamy!"

"Yibi Duolu Khan is willing to send his son to Shandong as a hostage and promises to withdraw his troops immediately after the success. This is our only chance!"

Cui Shengyu laughed sadly and said, "Do you think the Turks will really keep their word? Will Yibi Duolu Khan care about his son's life?"

"Uncle, do you know how many people called us traitors after the Weishui Alliance?"

Cui Wenxin whispered: "I know very well."

"But compared to the future of Cui family, I would rather be a traitor to the country again."
-
At three quarters past the hour of Mao, the Daming Palace on Longshouyuan was like a boiling pot.

Before the morning mist had dissipated, three hundred oxcarts loaded with golden nanmu trees were winding up the newly built slope. The wheels made a creaking sound as they rolled over the gravel road, which intertwined with the shouts of the drivers to form a noisy rhythm.

More than a dozen strong laborers with bare chests were working together to drag a piece of wood as thick as a man's arms. The cowhide ropes were digging into their shoulders, and sweat was streaming down their spines. Their short brown clothes were soaked through and stuck to their backs, emitting bursts of white mist in the morning fog.

Suddenly someone's feet slipped and the wood tilted with a loud bang, causing people around to exclaim in surprise. Everyone hurriedly used wooden wedges to prop it up and finally stabilized the situation.

"Your Highness, the 100,000 strings of money and grain shipped from Luoyang have been deposited!"

Du He quickly climbed up the platform of Hanyuan Hall to report.

"However, the transport envoy sent an urgent message that the water level of the Yellow River has dropped, and the subsequent supplies may not arrive on time."

Li Chengqian looked forward, and heard the sound of chiseling stones. Hundreds of stonemasons were holding chisels and carving dragon patterns on a huge bluestone base, with sparks flying everywhere.

Further away, hundreds of tilers were standing on bamboo scaffolding, laying newly-fired glazed tiles on the eaves one by one. The glazed tiles reflected colorful light in the morning light, which contrasted with the craftsmen's shouts.

"Let the governor of Shanzhou requisition civilian ships and sail on the Wei River instead."

Li Chengqian ordered.

Han Wang Li Yuanchang was standing nearby. He glanced at Du He and whispered, "With such a large-scale construction project, I'm afraid His Majesty will be unable to sit still."

"The other day, the eunuch Zhang Ananda came to ask about it, and his words were full of criticism."

Li Chengqian laughed: "I am building a courtyard in my own palace, what does it have to do with the Taiji Palace?"

Zhao Jie held the memorial from the Ministry of Works in his hands, with sweat beading on his forehead.

Behind him, teams of porters were transporting blue bricks, lime and other building materials to various construction sites along the makeshift wooden plank road. Below the plank road, carpenters were drawing straight lines with ink fountains, and the sound of saws cutting wood could be heard one after another.

"Your Highness, the Censorate has already impeached you, saying that you have wasted people's money and resources and violated filial piety."

Li Chengqian sneered: "When father was doing things, why didn't anyone mention filial piety?"

"Don't worry about these rumors. When the time comes, we will deal with it."

"These guys from the Censorate will be punished sooner or later."

Du He took out a secret letter from his sleeve, handed it to the prince, and said, "Your Highness, there is movement from the Prince of Wei. He has been in frequent contact with the Five Surnames and Seven Families recently, and Cui Wenxin has been in and out of the Prince of Wei's mansion three times."

"It seems like they are planning something big, but we haven't figured it out yet."

"Cui Wenxin is always very cautious whenever she goes on a spy mission."

Li Chengqian glanced at the secret letter and said, "What a bunch of clowns."

"What other ideas can we come up with at this time?"

"Pass the order down. No inn in Chang'an is allowed to accommodate Turks."

"Have Hou Junji's men keep a close eye on the Weishui ferry. Anyone who dares to smuggle weapons will be killed without mercy."

Li Chengqian had no idea about the actions of the Five Surnames and Seven Families, as well as the appearance of the Turkic envoys.

But even if we know it, it is difficult to stop it.

The imperial power in Chang'an City seemed majestic, but in that era, it was very weak over the local areas.

It is no joke that the emperor and the aristocratic families rule the world together.

Since Li Shimin implemented the "Clan Records" to suppress the Shandong gentry, on the surface, the mansions of the Five Surnames and Seven Families in Chang'an are no longer crowded, and most of the voice in the court has been divided up by the Guanlong Group.

But Chang'an City is only the heart of the Tang Dynasty, and the prefectures throughout the country are the blood vessels through which the blood flows.

In various prefectures of Shandong, from county magistrates to provincial governors, half of the seals were in the hands of officials from the five surnames.

These deeply buried roots often caused the imperial decrees to be distorted beyond recognition by the time they reached the provincial capitals.

If the provincial governors in many places did not follow the wishes of the Five Surnames and Seven Families, their own power would be completely stripped away.

Moreover, the Five Surnames and Seven Aristocrats had a great influence in the literary circle. Officials were proud to marry women from the Five Surnames. Not to mention the local governments, even in the imperial court, important ministers and generals such as Fang Xuanling and Cheng Yaojin, their wives were women from the Five Surnames.

When Cui Wenxin shuttled between the mansions of the five surnames, what he was prying open was not a few high walls and deep courtyards, but the vascular network of the entire Tang Dynasty.
-
Taiji Palace, a courtyard.

Prince of Jin Li Zhi used the excuse of visiting his father to have another secret meeting with Wu Zetian.

"Mei Niang, Prince Li Tai of Wei wants to ally with the Turks and get rid of the crown prince!"

Li Zhi had no intention of hiding the matter of the Turks from Mei Niang.

Wu Zhao raised her eyebrows slightly, a cold light flashed in her eyes, but she remained calm: "Don't worry, King Jin, tell me in detail."

Li Zhi whispered, "Cui Wenxin has been lobbying among the Five Surnames and Seven Families to follow the example of the Weishui Alliance and let the Turks enter the pass."

"The King of Wei is colluding with them and wants to take this opportunity to overthrow the Crown Prince. Once something happens to the Crown Prince, Li Tai will take the opportunity to become the Crown Prince."

Wu Meiniang smiled gently, but her smile was somewhat fierce: "Isn't this a handle given by God? The King of Wei is stupid and actually took such a dangerous move."

Li Zhi asked, "What does Mei Niang mean?"

Wu Mei Niang's eyes flashed with cunning: "If the King of Wei really gets rid of the prince, we will make his collusion with the Turks public."

"Colluding with foreign enemies is a crime of treason. Your Majesty and the entire court will never tolerate him again. By then, the position of crown prince will be vacant. Looking at the royal family, who is more suitable than Prince Jin?"

Li Zhi was not too surprised, and frowned, saying, "But this matter is extremely risky. If the King of Wei finds out, won't my life be in danger?"

Just as the King of Wei could kill the Crown Prince, he could naturally kill him as well.

After all, he is no longer the General of the Right Jinwu Guard.

At this point, Li Zhi didn't think that Li Tai would spare his life.

If both he and the crown prince died, his father would have no other choice.

Wu Meiniang stroked Li Zhi's cheek and said softly, "Prince Jin, don't worry. We just need to wait for the right time and collect evidence in secret. Li Tai's actions will definitely be secretive, but as long as he takes action, there will be loopholes."

"We just need to keep a close eye on the interactions between the Five Surnames and Seven Families and the Turks, and we won't have any trouble finding any evidence against them."

After a pause, he continued, "Moreover, now that the Crown Prince has forcibly occupied the Daming Palace, the conflict between him and Your Majesty and the court is deepening."

"The King of Wei thought he had an opportunity, but he didn't know that he was stepping into the abyss step by step. When he and the Crown Prince are both defeated, it will be the best time for us to take action."

(End of this chapter)