Tang Dynasty: The Holy Prince, the Dragon that Reigns Over the World

On the second day after Li Chengqian's crowning ceremony, at a tavern in Chang'an, the Goguryeo envoy, the son of King Rongliu, the fourth prince Gaoao, met with the Turkic envoy in a private room. Although Goguryeo accepted Li Yuan's canonization in the seventh year of Wude, it had close contacts with the Eastern Turkic in private.

"Eastern Turkic State Master, Liang Shidao pays respect to the Fourth Prince." Liang Shidao was dressed in a black robe, his face was not visible. He bowed and saluted.

"Oh? So the National Master is here too. Why wasn't he there at the ceremony yesterday?" Gao Ao asked.

"I have a close relationship with the Li royal family, so it is not convenient for me to show up." Liang Shidao said with a smile.

"What is the matter that you have asked me to meet you today?" Gao Ao asked.

"I heard that during the ceremony yesterday, the Tang court actually arranged the prince to sit behind the Silla envoys. I feel very sorry for your country." Liang Shidao fanned the flames.

"Humph, I am also quite dissatisfied. In the past, the Sui Dynasty was strong and powerful. It invaded Goguryeo three times, but was defeated by our country every time. How does the Tang Dynasty compare to the Sui Dynasty? The Tang Dynasty was established not long ago, but it is so arrogant.

Although Goguryeo is a small country with few people, it has outstanding people and beautiful scenery. In literature, we have Confucius, the sage, and in martial arts, we have the King of Western Chu. The people of Goguryeo are kind and do not like to fight. Does the Tang Dynasty think that Goguryeo is afraid of him? "Gao Ao said angrily.

Liang Shidao suppressed his disgust when he saw the arrogant and shameless look.

"Your Highness is right. The Tang Kingdom is indeed going too far. Moreover, Crown Prince Li Chengqian boasts that he is the best in martial arts and the most talented in writing. I heard that the fourth crown prince is a scholar from Goguryeo. He has a fierce general under his command who is unrivaled in the world. Why not take advantage of the banquet hosted by the Tang Emperor tomorrow to have a sparring match with Li Chengqian and dampen the Tang Kingdom's fighting spirit." Liang Shidao said with a smile, suppressing his nausea.

"That's exactly what this prince meant." Gao Ao nodded.

The two chatted for a while, Liang Shidao praised Gao Ao to the highest level, and said nothing good about Li Chengqian. Gao Ao felt like he was floating in the air.

Finally, Liang Shidao couldn't stand the nausea any more. He could only excuse himself and leave quickly. Gao Ao left with an expression that he was still not satisfied.

Today, what Liang Shidao and Gao Ao said was brought to the Prince's Mansion by Chang Sun Chong that night. After reading it, Li Chengqian mocked.

"How dare you, a tiny country, claim to have outstanding people and beautiful scenery. You have Confucius, the great teacher in literature, and the King of Western Chu in martial arts. Is this you, the Goguryeo people? Do you have that gene?

Just because you defeated Emperor Yang of Sui, you think you are invincible? It seems that the shamelessness and arrogance of the Korean people are ingrained in their bones. "

"Do you need to prepare? Do you want to~" Chang Sun Chong made a gesture of wiping his neck.

"Do we need to make preparations for such an ordinary A-level character?" Li Chengqian said disdainfully.

"And let me tell you, Brother Chong, he is a prince after all. You can kill him just like you say so. Do you treat it like killing a chicken?" Li Chengqian said speechlessly.

"Hmph, what prince? In my opinion, he is just a traitor. I will have the Imperial Guards kill this damn Fourth Prince and then put the blame on the Eastern Turkic envoys.

Don't worry, my Jinyiwei will do it absolutely cleanly. Even if we are discovered, will Goguryeo dare to go to war with my Tang Dynasty?" Chang Sun Chong said calmly.

"My dear brother Chong, why are you becoming more and more violent? You are engaged to Li Zhi, how can I feel at ease with you like this?

Remember, our main focus now is to deal with old Jie Li. We don't need to bother with such a nobody. Oh, I'll write a letter. When Liang Shidao leaves Chang'an, I'll hand the letter to him without anyone noticing. " Li Chengqian immediately wrote a letter, sealed it and gave it to Changsun Chong.

Chang Sun Chong took the letter and left when he saw that Li Chengqian had no other instructions.

On the third day after Li Chengqian's coming-of-age ceremony, Li Shimin held a banquet for foreign envoys and civil and military officials outside the Linde Hall. Zhangsun Wugou was not present at the banquet because she was about to give birth, so Concubine Yang (Li Ke's biological mother, the daughter of Emperor Yang of Sui) attended on her behalf.

"Thank you all for coming from afar to attend my son's crowning ceremony. Please drink this cup to the full." Li Shimin raised his cup and drank. Then he ordered the singing and dancing to begin.

The ministers and envoys from various countries toasted each other and chatted. After a song and dance, the fourth prince of Goguryeo came out with a proud glass and saluted Li Chengqian.

"I am Gao Ao, the fourth prince of Goguryeo. Congratulations to the Crown Prince of Tang on his coronation." After saying that, Gao Ao drank the wine in the glass.

Li Chengqian stood up and raised his glass in return. Li Chengqian looked at Gao Ao and thought to himself, "She looks quite wretched, but it matches her shameless and arrogant nature."

"Your Highness Su Wen is extremely talented and learned, and this prince can be said to be the best writer in Goguryeo. Today I would like to discuss a few things with Your Highness, and I hope Your Highness will give me some advice." Gao Ao said with his head held high.

"Is Wen Guan evaluating himself at this moment? Is it appropriate? This person is either a genius or he is stupid." Everyone present thought.

"Oh? How about the competition?" Li Chengqian asked calmly.

"Your Highness and I have each written a poem on the theme of autumn. Please comment on it here. The loser will drink a glass of wine as a penalty." Gao Ao smiled.

"I haven't written a poem for a long time, mainly because I just don't have the time and I'm too lazy to do it.

Today the fourth prince wants to compete with me. How about this, the loser kowtows to the other and becomes his disciple. Do you dare?" Li Chengqian said with a smile. "If you want to die, I will grant your wish." Li Chengqian thought to himself.

Gao Ao thought that Li Chengqian was afraid that he could not beat him, so he threatened to kowtow and become his disciple, forcing him not to dare to make the bet. He said excitedly, "Okay, it's a deal. Your Highness, please."

"The Fourth Prince is the guest, so he should go first." Li Chengqian said.

"Okay." Gao Ao pretended to be silent, and everyone present listened attentively. They all wanted to see what kind of shocking work this self-proclaimed "natural talent" of the fourth prince of Goguryeo could produce.

Gao Ao slowly opened his mouth and recited the poem he had carefully crafted before, "Spring is gone, summer is over, and autumn is approaching. Leaves are like butterflies flying in anticipation of autumn. Suddenly, a cold wind blows overnight, and the sadness of thousands of miles rises into the sky."

After hearing this, everyone was shocked and their mouths dropped open. What the hell is this?

"Fourth Prince, with this level of skill, you can still be the best writer in Goguryeo? With this level, you are just like a kid who just entered school in the Tang Dynasty. Fourth Prince, are you kidding?" Kong Yingda said incredulously. Everyone present laughed after hearing this.

Gao Ao saw this and said angrily, "Don't make fun of me. It's your turn, His Highness."

Li Chengqian shook his head and smiled bitterly. With this level, it was a waste of time for him to be a little worried just now.

"Since ancient times, people have felt sad and lonely in autumn. I say autumn is better than spring. A crane flies up from the clear sky, bringing poetic sentiment to the blue sky." Li Chengqian slowly recited "One of Two Autumn Poems" by Liu Yuxi. The whole audience cheered loudly.

"Fourth Prince, can you win?" Li Chengqian asked.

"I lost." Gao Ao looked dejected.

"Very good, kneel down, kowtow, and become my disciple." Li Chengqian said.

"Master, please accept my disciple's greetings." Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Gao Ao had no choice but to kneel down and kowtow to become his disciple.

"Well, very good. I wonder what else the Fourth Prince would like to compete in?" Li Chengqian asked after taking a sip of wine.

"I have a fierce general under my command, who is unrivaled in the world. He is willing to compete with Your Highness to toast you. Whoever loses must kneel down and kowtow three times to the other." Gao Ao said without giving up.

"Okay. But I didn't know how to control my strength. It would be bad if I hurt you, brother." Li Chengqian said jokingly. All the officials of the Tang Dynasty laughed at him. To compete with the prince was to seek humiliation.

"Your Highness, fists and feet have no eyes. This prince knows that." Gao Ao nodded.

"Well, come on." Li Chengqian stayed in his original seat and did not stand up.

"Jin Buyu, have a sparring match with the Crown Prince of Tang." Gao Ao said loudly.

What kind of name is this, Li Chengqian thought with disgust.

A sturdy man came over with a ghost sword. Seeing that Li Chengqian did not stand up, Jin Buyu clasped his fists and shouted.

"I am Jin Buyu from Goguryeo. Please ask His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Tang to stand up and give me some advice."

"No need, I can still kill you with the wine cup in front of me even if I am sitting." After saying that, Li Chengqian flicked the wine cup in front of him. The wine cup immediately flew towards Jin Buyu who was a hundred steps away like lightning.

Seeing this, Jin Buyu raised his knife to defend himself. However, the wine cup was too fast, and before he could raise his knife, the wine cup had already pierced through his body and fell to the ground intact.

When the envoys from other foreign countries present saw this, they were all terrified.

"Alas, you are not good at either literature or martial arts. I really don't know where you Goguryeo get the confidence to be so arrogant." Li Chengqian sighed.

Gao Ao stared blankly at Jin Buyu's body on the ground. Finally, he couldn't bear it anymore and left crying with his face covered.

The banquet continued and both the guests and the hosts enjoyed themselves.

Two days later, envoys from various countries left and returned home one after another. Liang Shidao hid in the tent of the Turkic carriage. Suddenly, Liang Shidao found something wrong under the cushion. He opened it and found a letter. It read "The State Master of Eastern Turkic, Liang Shidao personally wrote."

Liang Shidao curiously opened the letter, which read, "Old man, do you think I don't know that you instigated the idiot fourth prince of Goguryeo to challenge me? You just want to make Goguryeo and my Tang Dynasty hostile to each other. I advise you not to use such low-level tactics against me. I find it very boring. Signed: Li Chengqian, the Crown Prince of Tang Dynasty."

After reading it, Liang Shidao asked his attendants anxiously if they had seen anyone dropping the letter. They all said no.

Liang Shidao felt cold all over his body and broke out in a cold sweat. He thought Li Chengqian was terrible and urged the carriage to return to the Turks as soon as possible.