My father, Li Shimin, please call me Crown Prince

Chapter 466 The Persian King's Hope for Restoration
In early winter of the 26th year of the Zhenguan era, at the Wei River Bridge outside Chang'an, a cold wind swirled fine snow, which landed on Wang Xuance's worn scarlet court robes.

He reined in his horse and gazed at the majestic city walls covered in snow in the distance.

From the time he was sent as an envoy to India by the Crown Prince in the seventeenth year of the Zhenguan era until his return, nearly ten years have passed.

Behind him in the procession, Yazdegerd III, the last emperor of the Sasanian dynasty of Persia, was dressed in a brocade robe. Although he looked haggard, he could not hide his curiosity about this eastern capital, his gaze fixed on the city walls of Chang'an.

"We're almost there, King of Persia. Chang'an is just ahead."

Wang Xuance's voice was somewhat hoarse; ten years of wind and sand and constant travel had added a touch of vicissitude to his originally clear voice.

“When I left in the seventeenth year of Zhenguan, His Highness the Crown Prince was still overseeing the country in the Eastern Palace. In the twentieth year of Zhenguan, King Harsha suddenly passed away, and India fell into internal strife. In accordance with the Crown Prince’s teaching of ‘maintaining good relations with neighbors and securing the borders,’ I stayed behind to help Princess Rajeshri stabilize the situation. I stayed for six years.”

Upon hearing this, Yizhe'ai III's eyes lit up slightly, and he asked in broken Chinese, "Your Majesty, last year in Kannauj, the way that princess looked at you... was different."

He still remembered when Wang Xuance took his leave last year, Princess Rajeshli stood on the city wall, her eyes red, and handed over the jewel-encrusted Indian scimitar, reluctant to turn away for a long time.

Wang Xuance paused, his gaze drifting into the distance, as if he had returned to that autumn day in the twentieth year of the Zhenguan era.

King Harsha was murdered at his palace on the Ganges, and his powerful minister Arunasva led an army to besiege Kanauj.

Princess Rajeshri joined forces with him to quell the rebellion.

Wang Xuance sighed softly, his tone filled with complex melancholy: "We borrowed Nepalese cavalry and allied with southern tribes to reclaim lost territory city by city, helped her formulate laws and reform the bureaucracy, and even the most unruly Punjab tribe in India was willing to submit to her. Last spring, she was able to rule the court alone, and I said I would take you back to Tang—but she..."

Before he could finish speaking, Wang Xuance took out a neatly folded Indian brocade handkerchief from his bosom. The handkerchief was embroidered with lotus flowers of the Ganges River and willows of Chang'an. It was embroidered by Rajeshli herself.

"She hugged me and said she would offer me the title of Queen of India to stay in Kanauj. She said if I refused, she would come with me to the Tang Dynasty, even if she was just an ordinary woman. But I am an envoy of the Tang Dynasty, how can I stay because of personal feelings?"

After a long silence, Yazdegerd III gently patted his shoulder: "Your Excellency has the Tang Dynasty in your heart, as well as Her Highness the Princess. This is not wrong."

As they spoke, the procession had already reached the city gate.

Wang Xuance carefully tucked the handkerchief back into his robes and was about to ride into the city when he was interrupted by a commotion in the street. A newsboy, waving a still-wet Chang'an Gazette, ran through the snow, shouting, "Breaking news! Breaking news! The Arab Empire has submitted to the Tang Dynasty! The annual tribute of two thousand bolts of Persian brocade and two hundred fine horses has arrived in Chang'an!"

Yizdegerd III abruptly reined in his horse, the reins almost slipping from his grasp.

"The Arabs...have submitted?"

He was once the ruler of Persia, and he still vividly remembers the ferocity of the Arab Empire when it conquered the Persian capital.

But now, the empire that destroyed his dynasty is bowing down to the Tang? He turned to look at Wang Xuance, his eyes filled with shock: "The Tang... is it really that strong?"

Wang Xuance was also taken aback for a moment, then smiled with relief, tears welling up in his eyes: "Your Highness's methods have always exceeded the expectations of ordinary people."

“When I left, the Western Regions were still plagued by war; in the past ten years, I helped Rajeshri stabilize the situation in India, but the Tang Dynasty had already pacified Tibet and conquered the Arabs... Fortunately, I did not miss this day. When I left last year, Rajeshri said, ‘If the Tang Dynasty is willing to protect India, I am willing to send envoys to pay tribute every year.’ Now it seems that her choice was right.”

The procession slowly drove into Zhuque Avenue. Wang Xuance looked at the changes on the street and was filled with emotion.

The West Market Archway, which was rather simple ten years ago, has now been replaced with a style of carved beams and painted rafters; in the taverns along the street, you can find not only Tang Dynasty flatbreads, but also Indian spices.

Red ribbons hung in front of every household, and children ran through the snow with windmills, shouting "The Arabs have come to pay homage!"—this prosperous era was even more magnificent than when he left ten years ago.

"Look, that's Persian brocade!" Yazdegerd III suddenly pointed to the signboard of a silk shop, his voice tinged with excitement.

The Persian brocade hanging in the shop had the same patterns as the royal family back then, but now it had become a common commodity on the streets of Chang'an.

“Now that the trade routes between the Tang Dynasty and the Western Regions are open, Persian brocades and Indian spices can be transported to Chang’an,” Wang Xuance explained.

Upon entering the city, Li Chengqian heard the news and sent officials to settle the Persian king.

Wang Xuance naturally wanted to go home and get some rest.

The next day.

Inside the Xiande Hall of the East Palace, the charcoal fire in the warm pavilion was burning brightly, dispelling the winter chill.

Wang Xuance, dressed in a newly made scarlet court robe, slowly walked into the hall.

The civil and military officials stood on both sides of the hall, all their eyes fixed on the envoy who had returned after ten years of trials and tribulations. Even veteran officials like Fang Xuanling and Changsun Wuji had eyes full of anticipation.

They had already heard about Wang Xuance's deeds in India from the foreign merchants, but they still wanted to hear him recount the past ten years in person.

Li Chengqian sat upright on the throne in the hall. When he saw Wang Xuance enter, he raised his hand slightly and said, "Xuance, you must be tired from your journey. No need for formalities. Tell me in detail about your ten years of mission to India."

After bowing, Wang Xuance straightened up. Although his voice was still a little hoarse, he spoke clearly: "Your Highness, in the seventeenth year of Zhenguan, I and Li Yibiao went on a mission to India. At that time, India under King Harsha was powerful and all the tribes were subservient to us."

"King Harsha held the Tang Dynasty in high esteem. Upon hearing Your Highness's proposal of 'good neighborliness and trade,' he immediately agreed to trade with the Tang Dynasty, exchange caravans, and even specially sent his only daughter, Princess Rajeshri, to accompany him to learn the Tang Dynasty's laws and regulations."

"In the twenty-first year of the Zhenguan era, I intended to discuss the details of trade with King Harsha, but I was shocked to hear the terrible news that King Harsha was poisoned to death by the powerful minister Arjuna at his palace on the Ganges!"

"Arunasva colluded with the Kingdom of Kamarupa, promising to cede the Ganges Delta in exchange for support, in order to seize power."

These words moved all the officials in the hall. Fang Xuanling frowned and said, "With King Harsha murdered in his prime, the situation in India will surely descend into chaos!"

“Exactly.” Wang Xuance nodded, his tone becoming more serious. “Arunasva poisoned Queen Harsha and attempted to murder Harsha’s only daughter, Princess Rajeshri. Fortunately, Princess Rajeshri was prepared.”

"Your Majesty, Li Yibiao and I seized the opportunity to travel north under cover of night. After many perilous journeys, we arrived in Nepal first." "On behalf of the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo, I negotiated with the King of Nepal. Songtsen Gampo married Princess Bhrikuti of Nepal, and the two countries enjoyed a deep friendship. The King of Nepal then generously lent me seven thousand cavalry."

"At the same time, I ordered Li Yibiao to go to Tibet to borrow troops from Songtsen Gampo. He borrowed 1,200 soldiers and then summoned the neighboring vassal states of the Tang Dynasty to assemble a coalition army of more than 10,000 men."

"I have appointed myself commander-in-chief and appointed Li Yibiao as vanguard. We are determined to seek justice and march straight to India."

"Outside Chabo and Luocheng in North India, we encountered an army of tens of thousands personally led by Arjuna, including a fearsome war elephant force. Those war elephants were huge, with thick hides and flesh, and when they charged, the earth shook and the ground trembled. Ordinary swords and spears could not even scratch them."

“I racked my brains for a way to defeat the enemy. I remembered Tian Dan’s ‘Fire Ox Formation’ from the Warring States period. So I imitated his method and ordered people to collect yellow oxen in the city, tie sharp blades to their horns, tie straw to their tails, and drizzle them with oil.”

"During the battle, the bull tails were set on fire. The frightened bulls charged towards the elephant formation. The elephants, startled by this, were thrown into disarray and turned to flee, which in turn broke up Arunasva's infantry formation."

"We took advantage of the situation to launch a surprise attack, and fought fiercely for three days and three nights, killing thousands of enemy soldiers, drowning more than 10,000, and capturing more than 10,000, thus defeating Arunasva's main force in one fell swoop."

"Seeing the situation was not good, Arunasva abandoned the city and fled, gathering his scattered troops in an attempt to fight again."

"Your Majesty, Li Yibiao and I pursued our victory and advanced into Central India. Arjuna then fled to Eastern India and pleaded with King Sikyumo of Eastern India to send troops to his aid. We devised a plan to counter this, dividing our forces into two groups. One group feigned a retreat to lure Arjuna into a trap, while the other group laid an ambush."

"When Arunasva led his remaining troops in pursuit, the ambush troops emerged and surrounded him, annihilating him in one fell swoop and successfully capturing Arunasva alive. The city of Chaoganto, which his wife defended with tens of thousands of troops, was also captured by Li Yibiao's forces. From then on, cities and towns near and far in India surrendered without resistance, and the situation gradually stabilized."

"In the years that followed, I assisted Princess Rajeshli in reforming the government and formulating the Indian Trade Law to regulate trade with the Tang Dynasty. At the same time, I subdued the unruly tribes such as Punjab. Until last spring, when the princess officially ascended the throne as Queen of India and the situation in India was completely stabilized, I dared to protect King Ismail III of Persia and bring him back to Tang."

As he spoke, Wang Xuance took out two documents from his bosom and presented them with both hands: "These are the letters of state entrusted to me by Queen Rajeshri. She wishes to send envoys to the Tang Dynasty every year in the name of the Queen of India, offering tributes such as ivory and gemstones. She also specifically mentioned that she would send noble sons to Chang'an to study military strategy in order to consolidate her royal power."

"The other document is my record of the 'Records of the Customs and Products of India,' which details the geography, climate, and products of India for Your Highness's reference."

Li Chengqian took the document, glanced at it for a moment, and his eyes were full of praise: "Xuan Ce, you used extraordinary courage to borrow troops to quell the rebellion, cleverly used ingenious strategies to defeat the enemy, and helped the Queen stabilize India and open up trade routes in the southwest for the Tang Dynasty. These achievements are worthy of being recorded in history. By my decree, Wang Xuan Ce is rewarded with one hundred taels of gold and one thousand bolts of brocade, promoted to the rank of Chaosan Dafu, and still in charge of trade affairs in the Western Regions."

"Furthermore, the request of the Queen of Tianzhu to send her children to Chang'an for study is granted. The Imperial Academy shall arrange their food and lodging and teach them military strategy and classics."

"Thank you for your grace, Your Highness!"

Wang Xuance bowed deeply in gratitude, tears welling in his eyes. Ten years of hard work and perseverance had finally earned him the greatest recognition.

After Wang Xuance withdrew, Li Chengqian said to the eunuch Wen Zhong beside him, "Summon King Ismail III of Persia to the palace."

Shortly afterward, Yazdegerd III, dressed in a Persian royal robe, entered the palace under the guidance of his attendants.

He gripped the royal seal at his waist with both hands, his knuckles turning white. Though his steps were steady, his eyes held an undisguised anticipation.

He had already planned in his heart that if the Tang Dynasty was willing to help Persia restore its kingdom, even if it was only to reclaim a portion of its former territory, he would be willing to offer his entire Sassanid tribe as hostage and follow the Tang Dynasty forever.

Upon entering the hall, Yazdegerd III bowed solemnly and said, "Yizdegerd of the Sasanian dynasty of Persia pays respects to His Highness the Crown Prince of the Great Tang."

Li Chengqian did not rise, but merely raised his hand slightly, his tone so calm that no emotion could be discerned: "No need for formalities. You must have had a long journey from India."

This simple response made Yazdegerd III's heart sink slightly, but he still suppressed his unease and looked up at Li Chengqian on the throne, his voice carrying a hint of urgency: "Your Highness, I have long heard that the Tang Dynasty's power extends to all corners of the world, and even the Arabs have submitted to it."

"In the past, Persia was destroyed by the Arabs, and the royal family fled to a foreign land. If it were not for the protection of Wang Zhonglang, it would have been destroyed long ago. Today, I am returning to Tang, and I am willing to exchange everything of the Sasanian royal family for a little help from the Great Tang—even if it is just to preserve the hope of Persia's restoration, I will follow the lead of the Great Tang for the rest of my life!"

Li Chengqian's gaze swept over him, his fingertips lightly tapping the armrest of the throne, his tone still calm: "Your Majesty, the Tang Dynasty protects you because it is mindful of your difficult exile. As for the past affairs of Persia... Now that the Arabs have submitted to the Tang Dynasty, the Western Regions should prioritize stability and should not cause any further trouble."

These words were like a bucket of cold water, chilling Haydez III to the bone.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something more, but Li Chengqian raised his hand to interrupt him: "I have already ordered people to prepare a residence in the west of the city. You and the royal family members can live there with peace of mind. Daily expenses will be provided by the Court of State Ceremonial."

In just a few words, there was no mention of restoring the country, no promise of assistance, and every word was about arrangements for a peaceful residence.

Looking at Li Chengqian's calm and composed face, Yazdegerd III suddenly realized that the Tang Dynasty's protection of him was merely a display of the magnanimity of the Celestial Empire, and not a genuine desire to stand up for Persia.

The expectation in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by an undisguised disappointment; even the hand holding the seal drooped slightly.

"...Your Majesty, I thank you for your grace." Yzga III's voice lowered, the urgency from before gone, replaced by an undisguised sense of desolation.

Li Chengqian seemed oblivious to his emotions and added casually, "In the future, if there is any need in Chang'an, you can send someone to inform the Court of State Ceremonial; there is no need to go to the palace in person."

Having said that, he said to the eunuch, "Send the Persians back."

Yazdegerd III bowed and turned to leave the palace. The charcoal fire in the warm chamber was still burning brightly, but it could not warm his cold heart.

He once thought Chang'an was the hope of the Persian royal family, but now he realizes that it is just another place for him to live in exile.

After Yazdegerd III left, Changsun Wuji asked softly, "Your Highness, isn't this too cold towards the Persian king?"

Li Chengqian shook his head slightly: "Indifferent? If the Tang Dynasty were to grant the promise of Persia's restoration, it would be to create new rifts with the Arabs. Now that the Arabs have just submitted and the situation in the Western Regions has just stabilized, there is no need to create further trouble for the time being."

After a slight pause, he added, "It's not the right time yet."

Yazdegerd III is a good pawn, but the Tang Dynasty has no need to launch an expedition now.

When Tibet is completely settled, and the Tang Dynasty is more prosperous and wealthy, with sufficient financial and military resources, then it will be time to launch an expedition to Arabia.

(End of this chapter)