My father, Li Shimin, please call me Crown Prince

Chapter 373: The Pillar of Praise of the Tang Dynasty
Li Chengqian would never cooperate with the Five Surnames and Seven Families.

If this is the case, then what is the point of reform?

The era of aristocratic families was destined to end, and Li Chengqian had no need to accept it even if it was just a pretense.

If this is the case, what is the point of defending our country?

These noble families learned Confucianism and believed in loyalty to the emperor and patriotism, but they would do anything when it comes to profit.

Su Dingfang is back.

This time, Su Dingfang led an army of 10,000, but he was not going to target the main force of the Turks.

Therefore, there was no mention of Su Dingfang or the Shenwu Army in the victory report.

Li Chengqian knew that the strength of the Western Turks was like that, and with Li Jing's military talent, he could easily destroy them.

Don’t say this is not on the grassland.

Nomadic peoples have never had any advantages over the Central Plains.

Perhaps in history, there have been a few good invasions, but in fact they were caused by internal strife in the Central Plains itself.

For thousands of years, we have been oppressed and beaten.

Many people believe that the stereotype of nomadic people is that they are big and strong and ride horses wildly.

In fact, this is complete nonsense. The lives of most grassland people are completely different from those of the people in the Central Plains.

What about eating only meat and drinking cow and goat milk?

That is not something that the grassland people can enjoy. Only a very small number of grassland nobles are qualified to enjoy it.

Nowadays, most of the grassland people eat wild vegetables or rice bought with wool.

The vast majority of grassland people are skinny, not to mention physical fitness.

Of course, they are also brutal.

Because for most grassland people, going south to plunder was an option without any choice.

If you don't rob, you will starve to death in the winter on the grassland.

Su Dingfang set out this time to deal with the scattered grassland people.

half a month ago.

An army of ten thousand was broken into small pieces.

They were divided into large teams of ten and rushed to various counties and villages in Hedong.

Because only in this way can we better rescue the local people.

In Hequ County shrouded in darkness, twenty Shenwu soldiers sneaked into the village in the moonlight.

Captain Cheng Daniu raised his hand to signal everyone to disperse, and he led four people on war horses to move forward along the broken wall. The smell of rotten meat mixed with gunpowder smoke hit us in the face. Three corpses of civilians were hanging on the old locust tree at the entrance of the village, and the hems of their clothes were rustling in the wind.

Just as Zhang Hu was about to curse, Cheng Daniu suddenly held his shoulder.

Rough Turkic curses were heard in the darkness. Five grassland people riding skinny horses were waving scimitars and driving a dozen ragged villagers slowly towards the west of the village.

These cavalrymen obviously did not expect that they were about to run into the sharpest cavalry spears of the Tang Dynasty.

Cheng Daniu squeezed the horses' bellies hard, and five horses rushed out like arrows.

The grassland people were alarmed by the unusual movement and immediately drew their bows and arrows, which flew through the air.

Cheng Daniu shouted loudly, using his iron armor to block the arrows while urging his horse to speed up.

In the blink of an eye, the cavalry of both sides were in close combat.

Cheng Daniu's horse lance accurately pierced a grassland man's chest, and with the momentum of the warhorse charging forward, he picked up the corpse and flew it away; the old soldier next to him held a spear, and the tip of the spear was like a poisonous snake spitting out its tongue, going straight for the enemy's throat. The grassland man waved his sword to block, but the spear entangled his scimitar. The old soldier suddenly exerted force and pulled him off the horse with his sword.

Zhang Hu followed closely behind, raised his powerful crossbow, aimed at the fleeing grasslander and pulled the trigger. With a muffled "puff", the crossbow arrow pierced the man's back, and the man screamed and fell off his horse.

In the melee, a grassland man seized the opportunity and swung his scimitar at Cheng Daniu. Cheng Daniu dodged sideways and swung his lance backhandedly. The tip of the lance hit the enemy's face hard, smashing his brains on the spot.

In just a short moment, five grassland people were found dead on the spot. The common people looked at these god-like Tang Dynasty cavalrymen and couldn't help but kneel down and cry.

"remember."

Cheng Daniu wiped the blood off the lance.

"They are not warriors, they are just a group of bandits."

Before he finished speaking, the sound of hurried horse hooves could be heard again in the distance. This time it was seven grassland cavalrymen, brandishing scimitars and making strange noises as they rushed towards the Shenwu Army.

Cheng Daniu sneered and waved his hand. The five men immediately formed a cone formation, with their lances raised horizontally, like sharp spearheads made of steel.

The cavalry of both sides collided with a loud bang, and the grassland people's scimitars chopped on the iron armor of the Shenwu Army, only splashing a string of sparks. Cheng Daniu's horse spear went straight for the leader of the other side, and the man raised his sword to block, but the huge impact made his palm numb.

Cheng Daniu took the opportunity to pull out the spear violently, and then stabbed it out fiercely, and the spear pierced through the opponent's chest.

The rest of the Shenwu Army also cooperated tacitly, with spears like a forest, suppressing the enemy tightly. Zhang Hu seized the opportunity and fired three arrows in a row. The crossbow arrows accurately hit the enemy's vital points, and the seven grassland cavalrymen were soon dead all over the ground.

"Don't be afraid! We are the Shenwu Army under the command of Crown Prince Li Chengqian!"

Cheng Daniu shouted to the kneeling and trembling people, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince said that no citizen of the Tang Dynasty can be left behind!"

The kneeling people shouted loudly: "Long live His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"

"Thank you, Your Highness, for your kindness."

In the county town three hundred miles away, Su Dingfang was simulating the battle situation on a sand table.

The scouts reported that the Seventh Team encountered twenty Turkic cavalrymen.

Before the enemy got close, ten cavalrymen of the Shenwu Army had already taken the initiative. Holding horse lances and with their legs clamped around the horses' bellies, they rushed into the enemy formation like black lightning.

The grassland people drew their bows in panic, but the arrows were easily blocked by the shields of the Shenwu Army.

The Shenwu Army's spears and lances stabbed out like a storm, and half of the enemies fell off their horses before their scimitars got close.

In just half an incense stick of time, twenty corpses were lying in the wilderness, and the abducted women and children didn't even have time to be afraid.

"it is good!"

Su Dingfang was very satisfied with the Shenwu Army.

Although most of the Shenwu Army are former soldiers of the Three Kingdoms of Liaodong, they no longer consider themselves as people of Goryeo, Silla, or Baekje, but as Tang people and Han people.

Although the Shenwu Army was unstoppable, the grassland cavalry were scattered like locusts, and I don't know how many people were still suffering.

Late at night, a blood-soaked squad stumbled into the central army tent.

"General!" the captain in charge reported.

"We found a large Turkic tribe two hundred miles to the east. They drove hundreds of people northward."

Large Turkic tribes often had thousands or even tens of thousands of people.

These large tribes are different from small tribes. They not only plunder wealth, but also capture large numbers of people as slaves.

Su Dingfang naturally would not let him take the people of the Tang Dynasty away.

Even this tribe must remain in the Tang Dynasty forever, and no one can escape.

At dawn, three hundred Shenwu soldiers were ready for battle at the ferry.

Dust billowed from the other side of the river, and cries and shouts could be heard faintly. Su Dingfang, wearing a black iron armor, stood on a high place and looked at the cavalrymen who were slowly approaching.

When the first Turkic squad discovered the Tang army, they immediately reined in their horses and turned around, only to see countless dark shadows suddenly emerging from the valleys on both sides.

They are the light cavalry of the Shenwu Army, and their speed is faster than the grassland rangers.

At Su Dingfang's command, the Shenwu Army cavalry rushed out like a black torrent, with their lances raised high and crossbows fired at once. The grassland people hurriedly drew their bows to fight back, but were suppressed by the dense crossbows.

The Shenwu Army's spears and lances mercilessly harvested lives, and people and horses fell wherever they passed. The Turkic leader waved a blood-stained battle flag and tried to organize a resistance, but was pierced through the chest by three crossbow arrows at the same time. The remaining cavalry turned their horses around in fear, but found that their retreat had been cut off.

When the last Turkic soldier fell, Su Dingfang looked at the rescued people and suddenly felt that the lance in his hand had become much lighter.

From the perspective of the imperial court, the most important thing was to defeat the main force of the Turks.

Once the main force of the Turks was defeated, how could a few scattered soldiers cause any big waves?

But no one would have thought that these guerrillas from the grassland would tear so many families apart and so many Han children would suffer humiliation.

Li Chengqian recalled a text that he remembered very clearly when he was a child.

Small fish in shallow water.

The receding tide left many fish on the beach, and a little girl was busy returning the stranded fish to the sea.

Someone advised her not to waste her energy, saying that she couldn't save all the fish and no one cared about her actions. But the girl continued without even looking up: "But this little fish cares, this one cares, and this one, and this one..."

If Li Chengqian was just an ordinary person, he naturally wouldn't care about so many things.

However, he is the crown prince of the Tang Dynasty and the future emperor of the Tang Dynasty.

Every citizen under my command is equally important.

Some may ask, is it worth it?

If Su Dingfang's 10,000 Shenwu troops attack the main force of the Turks, the prince's reputation will surely be greatly enhanced.

However, if they are scattered like this, there will be no merit at all.

Hedong Road is so big and there are so many people, how can they all be rescued?

If we can save one, then that’s one.

Little do we know that a single spark can start a prairie fire.
-
With the end of the prisoner presentation ceremony.

Li Shimin's reputation once again reached a new peak.

It used to be Eastern Turkestan, now it is Western Turkestan.

This meant that the once powerful and domineering Turkic Khanate came to an end under the Tang Dynasty.

The entire Western Regions will be controlled by the Tang Dynasty.

In the palace of King Wei.

Li Tai is discussing with Chai Lingwu.

History is always strikingly similar.

"Is the King of Wei worried about the gift after the prisoner presentation ceremony?"

Chai Lingwu asked.

Li Tai nodded and said, "Tell me, is there any way to praise the merits of our father now?"

Chai Lingwu was prepared for this. He took two steps forward, pulled out a sheepskin scroll from his sleeve, and spread it out on the table: "I observed the sky at night and saw the Purple Star shining and the Huagai Star bright. This is a sign that all nations will come to pay tribute."

"Now that your majesty has annihilated the Eastern and Western Turks and subdued the four barbarians, you should follow the example of the ancient sage kings and establish the Great Tang as a pillar of praise for all nations!"

Chai Lingwu's fingertips slid across the towering octagonal prism in the picture.

"In the past, when Qin Shi Huang unified the six kingdoms, he cast twelve golden men to show his military achievements. Emperor Wu of Han opened up the Western Regions and erected a bronze pillar as the Han border. Your Majesty's achievements surpass those of Qin Shi Huang and Han Wudi. If we gather the strength of all nations to cast this pillar, engrave your achievements in defeating the Turks in the north and expanding the territory on it, and then let the chieftains of the four barbarians write their own eulogies, it will not only show the great power and virtue of the Tang Dynasty, but also let everyone in the world know that your Majesty is the one chosen by heaven."

Li Tai suddenly pressed the scroll: "Wait a minute."

The fat hand heavily poked at the word "Ten Thousand Nations". "Chiefs of the Four Barbarians? Are you saying that those barbarian kings who eat raw meat and drink blood should also leave their names on the pillar?"

Li Tai looked down on these barbarians from the bottom of his heart.

Chai Lingwu chuckled and leaned closer: "King of Wei, do you know that when Ma Yuan of the Eastern Han Dynasty conquered Jiaozhi, he erected a bronze pillar as the Han border and wrote on it, 'The bronze pillar is broken, Jiaozhi is destroyed'? When foreign nations saw this, they all dared not disobey."

"Your Majesty has now allowed the chieftains of the four barbarians to have their names engraved on the pillars, not to honor them, but to let the people of the world see that even the barbarians are convinced. Your Majesty's virtue has benefited more than just the Central Plains."

Chai Lingwu took out a list from his sleeve and said, "I have contacted the envoys from Sogdia and Tubo. They are all willing to submit a petition to the court in the name of vassal states, begging for a pillar and a monument to be built for Your Majesty."

Li Tai's breathing suddenly became heavier, and his eyes swept over the list: "What a good analogy! Back then, Ma Yuan established his authority with military force, and now our dynasty wins people over with culture and virtue. This is really in line with my father's way of governing the country by 'winning over distant people'."

Then, he frowned and said, "But this pillar of merit will cost a million kilograms of copper and iron."

"What if I am impeached for extravagance? My father has always advocated frugality."

Before he could finish his words, Li Tai was stunned for a moment.

He remembered that ever since his father took the prince's coal factory, he had been building a lot of projects, and frugality seemed to have nothing to do with it.

Chai Lingwu advised, "Your Majesty is frugal because he is afraid of hurting the vitality of the people. But if the copper and iron were offered 'voluntarily' by all nations, would Your Majesty refuse it?"

Li Tai said: "How can these small countries gather so much copper and iron? It will cost them their lives."

Chai Lingwu whispered: "They can't make it together, but the Five Surnames and Seven Families can."

"Your Majesty, you must know about the Turkic invasion. Your Majesty also needs to understand the Five Surnames and Seven Families. This is a good place to start."

Li Tai hesitated and said, "But if this is accomplished..."

"What will Father think of me? Will he think that I..."

Chai Lingwu strikes while the iron is hot: "I think the Prince of Wei is loyal to the emperor and loves the country, and he cares about the glory of your majesty!"

"In the sixth year of Zhenguan, Yu Shinan wrote On the Virtues of Saints, which pleased Your Majesty greatly, and he praised him as 'well-versed in ancient and modern times, and a man of profound insight'. Now the King of Wei is leading the casting of the pillar, which is precisely to leave Your Majesty's name in history!"

"Moreover"

Chai Lingwu whispered, "The King of Jin is in charge of the Jinwu Guards, and the Crown Prince has 30,000 Shenwu troops under his command."

"The King of Wei can then win over the civil officials and the four barbarians. The Crown Prince will send Su Dingfang to rescue the people and show small kindness, and the King of Wei will show great virtue."

"We have to play this game more generously than him."

Li Tai was thinking in his mind, remembering what his father once said: a king regards the world as one family and all the people as his children.

This is what my father taught me.

And isn’t this pillar, which is praised by all nations, a symbol of our unity as one family?

Li Tai made up his mind and said, "Let those foreign envoys go to the Honglu Temple tomorrow to make a joint petition, saying that they earnestly request to cast a pillar with state ceremony to congratulate Your Majesty on the achievement of destroying the Turks. In addition..."

After a pause, he continued, "Let the scholars of the Literary Institute draft the 'Ode to the Pillar' overnight. Write 'Your Majesty is divine and powerful, your glory spreads across the four corners, and you win over distant people.' Let the whole world know that I, Li Tai, am the one who understands my father the best."

Li Tai looked at the waning moon outside the window and suddenly said, "Tell me, when Qin Shi Huang cast the golden man, was he also thinking about how to let the world see his 'filial piety' like me?"

Chai Lingwu flattered him, "The King of Wei wins people over with his literary virtues."

"When the pillar is completed, the King of Wei will personally help Your Majesty ascend the Chengtian Gate to accept the homage of all nations. Just thinking about this scene makes my heart surge."

Li Tai squinted his eyes, as if he saw himself standing under the bronze pillar, with his father's hand on his shoulder, the entire court shouting "Long live the emperor", and the prince could only watch in the corner.

(End of this chapter)