Tang Dynasty, my wife Wu Zetian

Chapter 321: Conferring the title of Consort
Li Zhi sat in the Lakeside Palace, thinking quietly for a while, and then instructed Wang Fusheng, "Send Xue Qing to see me."

Xue Rengui was now back on duty in the Forbidden Garden. After receiving the message, he came over shortly.

After the greetings, Li Zhi asked him to sit down and talk. He then asked him, "Mr. Xue, do you know about the situation of our Tang navy?"

Xue Rengui pondered for a moment and said, "As far as I know, there are more than eighty naval command posts in this dynasty, distributed along the coastal areas, with the largest number in Yingzhou, Laizhou, and Jiaozhou."

The navies of Yingzhou and Laizhou were both intended to deal with Goguryeo and Baekje, while the Jiaozhou navy was intended to intimidate the Nanyang countries.

More than eighty Zhechoufu, or about eighty thousand naval forces, are not many compared to the huge army of the Tang Dynasty.

This is normal, after all, the Tang Dynasty’s main enemies are still on land.

Li Zhi then asked, "What kind of warships does our navy use?"

Xue Rengui bowed and said, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I don't know about these things."

Wang Fusheng said softly, "Your Majesty, since this is related to warships, why don't you summon Prime Minister Yan to inquire?"

Most of the warships in the Tang Dynasty were supervised by the Ministry of Water Resources under the Ministry of Works. Yan Liben served as the Minister of Works and was a master of construction, so he naturally understood these things.

Li Zhi immediately summoned Yan Liben to the Linhu Palace for an audience.

Half an hour later, Yan Liben arrived at the Linhu Palace, and Li Zhi asked him about shipbuilding.

Yan Liben smiled and said, "Your Majesty, there are currently six most commonly used ship types in our Tang Dynasty navy."

Li Zhi hurriedly asked which six types they were.

Yan Liben said, "The first type is the battleship." He turned to look at Wang Fusheng and said, "Wang Dajian, could you please get me some paper and pen?"

Wang Fusheng agreed with a smile and asked someone to bring paper and pen and put them on the table.

Li Zhi knew that Yan Liben was an expert in painting, and he must have wanted to draw the fighting ships so that he could understand them more intuitively.

Sure enough, Yan Liben's brush moved like the wind, and soon, a warship appeared on the paper.

Yan Liben pointed to the ship's staircase with his pen and said, "Your Majesty, please see this ship has a stepped structure. The soldiers are arranged in steps, which allows us to fully utilize the manpower advantage during battle."

After Xue Rengui saw this, he secretly praised it.

This design makes it much easier for soldiers to shoot arrows without having to worry about hitting the person in front of them.

Li Zhi noticed that Yan Liben had drawn many tall masts around the ship, but there were no crossbars on them, making it impossible to hang sails. He asked, "Mr. Yan, what are these masts for?"

Yan Liben laughed and said, "Your Majesty, this thing is called a 'slapping pole.' It's controlled by a rope, with a heavy object hanging from it. It's used to slap approaching boats. It's a powerful weapon for our army in naval warfare!"

Li Zhi nodded and said, "Okay, go on and talk about the other ships."

Yan Liben quickly painted another boat.

This ship is larger and taller than the fighting ship just now. It has a three-story building on it. Just by looking at the structure, you can guess what kind of ship it is.

"Yan Qing, this is a building ship, right?"

Yan Liben smiled and said, "Exactly. This ship can command the enemy from a high vantage point and use crossbows, making it suitable for sieges. It can be very effective on rivers, but it is easy to capsize in naval battles."

Li Zhi nodded. The center of gravity of the boat was too high, and it would capsize if a wave came.

Yan Liben then drew the third warship.

The ship has a low bow and a high stern, is wide in front and narrow in the back, and has four to eight floats on each side of the ship, shaped like wings.

"Your Majesty, please look! This ship is called the Sea Falcon. Modeled after the Sea Falcon, it can navigate the raging seas. Even in the most turbulent of winds and waves, it remains stable. It also has the ability to accelerate displacement. It is our army's most powerful naval flagship!"

Li Zhi praised: "It is indeed extraordinary."

Yan Liben said, "The three types of warships mentioned above are our army's main battleships. In addition, we also have small boats, medium-sized warships, and messenger ships. By coordinating operations, we can maximize our combat power in naval battles!"

After hearing this, Li Zhi finally understood why Baekje collapsed after the confrontation with the Tang Dynasty navy.

The Tang Dynasty navy crushed the foreign navies of this period in terms of both equipment and tactical thinking. The gap in warfare proficiency between the two sides was too great.

Thinking about it this way, Liu Rengui's ability to defeat the Japanese navy in the Battle of Baisha River was actually a normal performance of a Tang Dynasty general.

Li Zhi said slowly, "Fu Sheng, send a message to Laizhou and Yingzhou, asking them to train their navy and prepare for battle."

Xue Rengui's heart trembled, and he asked with a fiery gaze, "Your Majesty, are you going to fight against Liaodong?"

Li Zhi said, "Let Liu Rengui prepare first and intimidate the Liaodong and coastal states. If he can't stop the war, then we'll join the war!"

Li Zhi's idea was very simple. Although he did not want to send troops to Liaodong right now, he was even more unwilling to let Baekje be annexed by any party, especially Japan.

If a war really breaks out on the peninsula, the Tang Dynasty cannot tie its own hands. Since it has powerful naval weapons, why should it be timid? It should fight when it needs to, without being polite.

Li Zhi made up his mind and ordered Xue Rengui and Yan Liben to withdraw.

He returned to the bedroom of Ganlu Palace and began to think about his trip.

With his current control over the court, nothing serious would happen even if he left the capital.

But then again, it never hurts to do a little more planning.

He pondered for a moment, then ordered someone to bring him paper and pen, and with a swift wave of his hand, he quickly wrote down an edict and stamped it with the jade seal.

He placed the decree in a gilded box and then asked Wang Fusheng to prepare to leave the palace in disguise.

A quarter of an hour later, Wang Fusheng was ready, and Li Zhi immediately left the palace and took a carriage to the Duke of Ying's Mansion.

When he arrived at the Duke of Yingguo's mansion, he walked straight through the gate and just entered the courtyard, he saw Li Ji and his men hurried over to greet him.

Li Zhi smiled and said, "Mr. Li, there's no need to be so polite. I hope I didn't disturb your rest by coming here suddenly."

Li Ji bowed and said, "I am old and frail, unable to attend court, so I am recuperating at home. I am truly ashamed to accept the imperial salary."

After the great victory in Yingzhou last year, the ministers proposed to attack Goguryeo. After being rejected by Li Zhi, Li Ji has been recuperating at home and has not attended court.

Li Zhi had wanted to come see him and say a few words of comfort to him a long time ago, but was delayed by several matters concerning the palace and royal family, and had forgotten about it.

He had been to the Li residence several times and was quite familiar with it. He walked casually and headed straight for the study, while Li Ji followed behind.

After a while, they arrived at the study. Li Zhi asked Wang Fusheng to take someone to guard the door. He walked to the desk and sat down. He said to Li Ji, "Mr. Li, please sit down."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Li Ji sat down on the chair closest to Li Zhi.

Li Zhi looked at him and said slowly, "Li Qing, I know that your long-cherished wish is to lead the army to conquer Goguryeo and fulfill the late emperor's last wish. I also want to destroy Goguryeo, but the time is not yet ripe."

Li Ji was moved and asked, "Your Majesty, what is the timing you are talking about?"

Li Zhi asked, "In your opinion, is Goguryeo stable at the moment?"

Li Ji pondered and said, "Quan Gaisuwen has usurped power and is controlling the government. There must be forces within Goguryeo that oppose him, but these people are no match for Quan Gaisuwen."

Li Zhi nodded and said, "Then let me ask you again, if Quan Gaisuwen died, what would happen to Goguryeo?"

Li Ji said decisively, "Goguryeo will undoubtedly be in turmoil!" Then he showed a look of surprise and said, "Your Majesty, do you think Quan Gaisuwen will die soon?"

Li Zhi said, "Whether he dies or not, as he ages, his control over Goguryeo will weaken, and Goguryeo will inevitably fall into chaos. That will be the best opportunity."

Li Ji lowered his head and thought for a while, then said, "I understand."

Li Zhi added, "I believe that with the sharpness of our Tang army, we can still defeat Goguryeo. However, Goguryeo's territory is vast and its population is large. If we cannot quickly eliminate Goguryeo, the people's livelihood in Hebei, which has just recovered, will be severely damaged."

Li Ji said, "Your Majesty is right."

Li Zhi smiled and said, "Don't worry. Whenever we need to fight Goguryeo in the future, I will definitely let you lead the army. This is my promise to you!"

He clapped his hands as he spoke.

Wang Fusheng walked in from outside, holding a gilded box in his hand and handed it to Li Ji.

Li Ji took it carefully and opened it. It turned out to be an imperial decree, appointing him as the commander-in-chief of the Pyongyang Road Army, commanding all the troops to attack Goguryeo.

At this moment, Li Ji was deeply moved. In fact, Li Zhi had misunderstood one thing. Li Ji's obsession was not with Goguryeo, but with the desire to return to the battlefield once more in the last years of his life.

Listen again to the sound of golden drums, the thundering sound of horse hooves, the whistling sound of feathered arrows, and the deafening sound of charging and fighting.

Feel again the grandeur of galloping on the battlefield and fighting with swords and spears.

In this way, he has no regrets in life.

He was old and knew that he could not compare with the two outstanding generals Su Dingfang and Xue Rengui, and was not even as sharp as the new generals Pei Xingjian, Gao Kan and Zhou Zhidu.

All he had left was experience.

However, most of these experiences were no longer useful because most of the enemies he had previously dealt with had been eliminated.

Only Goguryeo survived.

When conquering Goguryeo, Li Ji was one of the commanders-in-chief, responsible for commanding the army. He had rich experience and was very familiar with Goguryeo's military strength and terrain.

If the Tang army attacked Goguryeo, he would be the candidate with the greatest chance of taking command, which was why he was so persistent in attacking Goguryeo.

Now that the emperor had promised him that he would be in charge in the future, he no longer had any concerns. He kowtowed and wept, saying, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your trust!"

Li Zhi went over and helped him up, smiling and saying, "Why should we be so rude? After I leave the capital, I will entrust Chang'an City to you."

Li Ji said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, rest assured. I am here in Chang'an and will never let those villains succeed!"

Li Zhi said happily, "With Li Qing's words, I feel relieved."

Around the hour of You, Li Zhi left the Li Mansion and returned to the harem. After taking a stroll in Ganlu Palace, he went straight to Penglai Palace.

After Princess Yi Yang moved to the Princess Courtyard, Penglai Palace became a little deserted. Xu Jin was a quiet person and didn't mind it.

When she heard that the emperor was coming to the palace, she hurriedly put down her collection of poems and went out to welcome him with her attendants.

After welcoming Li Zhi into the hall, Xu Jin ordered someone to serve tea, and then instructed Die'er to go to the Shangshi Bureau to order Li Zhi's favorite meals.

After having dinner with her, Li Zhi did not leave, but sat with her on the couch and talked about interesting things in the previous dynasty.

Xu Jin was secretly happy, knowing that the emperor would stay tonight, so he told Li Zhi all the interesting stories and anecdotes he had read recently in books.

She knew that Li Zhi liked the history of the Six Dynasties, so the stories she told were all related to history, and many of them were unofficial histories.

After she finished speaking, Li Zhi would take out the official history and compare it with the unofficial history to verify each other.

The two chatted until around 11 p.m., and after Li Zhi had some tea and snacks, he began to read a book, while Xu Jin waited on him, massaging his shoulders and legs.

In the middle of the hour of Hai, she helped Li Zhi take a bath in the bathtub, and then the two of them got down to business.

After making love, Xu Jin leaned against Li Zhi's chest and whispered, "Your Majesty has been coming to my place more often recently."

Li Zhi looked down at her and said, "Are you unhappy?"

Xu Jin shook her head and whispered, "I'm just a little confused. Is it...what did Sister Zheng say to His Majesty?"

Li Zhi stroked her hair gently and said softly, "Chongrong, although I seldom interfere in the affairs of the harem, I know everything about it. You don't need me to tell you, I know what's going on."

Xu Jin raised his head, staring at Li Zhi with his dark eyes, and asked, "Your Majesty, do you know everything?"

Li Zhi sighed, "Of course I know that you're willing to stay in the palace for the Imperial Concubine's sake. Actually, someone as docile as you isn't suited to staying in the harem."

Xu Jin's eyes reddened, and she buried her head in Li Zhi's shoulder, saying, "As long as Your Majesty still has me in your heart, I will not regret it."

Li Zhi gently patted her back and said, "Don't worry. I promised you that I won't let you suffer any injustice. On the first and full moon of this month, I will issue an edict to confer you the title of Xianfei."

After hearing this, Xu Jin shuddered all over, turned her head, stared at Li Zhi, and said, "Your Majesty, I have no children, I am afraid..."

Li Zhi interrupted, "In this harem, no one is more sensible than you. In my heart, no one else is worthy of the title of virtuous concubine except you!"

Xu Jin smiled slightly, moisture condensed in her eyes, and two lines of tears flowed from the corners of her eyes. She felt that the emperor knew her so well, and even if she died immediately, she would be willing.

The next afternoon, Li Zhi went to Lizheng Hall and told Empress Wu his intention to promote Xu Jinxian.

Wu Meiniang whispered, "She has been with Your Majesty for more than ten years. She has always been well-educated and well-mannered. It is appropriate for her to be canonized as the Virtuous Consort."

In fact, it can be seen that Wu Meiniang did not very much support this matter.

However, Li Zhi had made up his mind, and on the first and fifteenth day of April, he announced the promotion of Xu Jin.

His reason was very justified. The harem needed a fourth lady to keep it in order to ensure that the palace was in order.

Since the imperial concubine is going to travel with the emperor, it is only natural to enthrone a fourth lady.

Therefore, none of the court officials objected.

Time passed and soon it was May. Li Zhi had arranged everything. That afternoon, he ordered someone to summon Li Hong to the Lizheng Hall.

"Your son greets his father." Li Hong bowed.

Li Zhi didn't let him sit down. He looked straight at him and said, "Hong'er, I'm leaving Beijing soon. I have something to tell you."

Li Hong said respectfully, "Yes."

Li Zhi said, "I have already given instructions for all the government affairs. Only some extremely important secrets will be delivered to me. The remaining imperial edicts will be sent from Ganlu Palace to the Eastern Palace for your review."

Li Hong's heart trembled, and he said, "I will review it carefully."

Li Zhi smiled and said, "You don't have to be too nervous. Those imperial edicts have been discussed by the prime ministers. Gao Youdao and the others will also review them for you. Only a few controversial ones will be shown to you."

Li Hong was surprised and asked, "Father, I'm afraid it's difficult for me to make a decision on these controversial memorials."

Li Zhi said, "Don't worry. If you can't make up your mind, just call back and they will revise it."

Li Hong said: "Yes."

Li Zhi continued, "If any major incident occurs in Chang'an and you are unable to make a decision, you can go to the Duke of Ying and ask for his advice."

Li Hongdao: "I'll remember it."

Li Zhi waved his hand and said, "Okay, that's all, you can leave."

Li Hong agreed and left.

He returned all the way to the Eastern Palace. When he passed by Lizheng Hall, a eunuch came to tell him that the Queen wanted him to come over.

Li Hong had no choice but to go to Lizheng Hall again and pay his respects to his mother.

Wu Meiniang pulled him to her side, stared at him, and said, "Hong'er, your father and I are leaving soon. Are you afraid?"

Li Hong hesitated for a moment and said, "I'm just a little reluctant, not afraid."

Wu Meiniang said with relief: "You have indeed grown up. But after we leave, if something happens in Chang'an City and you can't solve it, what will we do?"

Li Hongdao: "Father said that if there is anything undecided, ask the Grand Tutor!"

Wu Meiniang smiled and said, "Your father's words are certainly correct, but I will teach you a more reliable secret."

Li Hong asked happily, "What is it?"

Wu Meiniang said, "No matter what happens, if you find it difficult to make a decision, send someone to tell us immediately. Wait until your father's order comes back before you make a decision. Don't act on your own!"

Li Hong was stunned for a moment and asked, "Will my father be angry about this?"

Wu Meiniang smiled and said, "Of course not. You are just a child. It is normal for you to ask your parents for help when you encounter problems. As long as you ask us about everything, you won't make big mistakes."

Li Hong immediately felt much more relaxed. He nodded vigorously and said, "I'll remember it, son."

Wu Meiniang gave him some more instructions and then let him leave.

(End of this chapter)