The First National Preceptor of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 357

Eunuch Kou immediately glared at him and said, "Hurry up and report to the Emperor truthfully. There has been a war on the border, but the court has not received a single word of news."

This was practically a message to Li Shimin that his throne was unstable and that someone was challenging his imperial authority.

Duan Lun glanced at Eunuch Kou as he spoke.

Eunuch Kou immediately jogged downstairs and saw Duan Jun take out two more memorials.

"This is a memorial from the generals of the Anxi Protectorate and the Northern Protectorate. His Majesty will know after reading it that Xu Tian is actually a treacherous villain."

Li Shimin only looked at the wrinkles, his fingers trembling slightly, his face expressionless and without any indication. However, Eunuch Kou, watching from the side, was secretly alarmed. Since the emperor sat on the dragon throne, he had never been so disrespectful.

Li Shimin quickly put the memorial aside.

Seeing that the Emperor seemed genuinely angry, Duan Lun became even more confident and said from the side, "Your Majesty, the Western Turkic Khan, Jili, does not intend to attack our border towns, but rather requests that Grand Tutor Xu take in the Turkic children to study at the Hongwen Academy."

This was originally a very routine matter, yet Grand Tutor Xu made a decision based on his own emotions. He actually rejected Jili's request, and I believe this action is damaging diplomatic relations between the Tang Dynasty and the Turks.”

At this moment, a young eunuch who was standing outside the Golden Palace rushed in. Eunuch Kou felt as if he had lost his backbone today. Seeing the young eunuch rushing into the palace as if he were courting death, his eyelids twitched incessantly.

Eunuch Kou glared at the young eunuch, but the eunuch didn't stop. Kou's expression changed, and he picked up his head and walked away.

"What exactly happened? Speak quickly, or I will have you dragged out and beaten to death immediately."

The young eunuch glanced at his master and immediately said, "Eunuch Kou has some news from outside. Xie Quan of the Chenjun Xie clan, who was sent as an envoy to the Western Turks, has returned to the capital."

Eunuch Kou nodded, and finally walked to Li Shimin's side, whispering the matter to him in detail. Li Shimin's expression relaxed.

"Summon Xie Quan to the capital."

Eunuch Kou stepped aside and called out in his hoarse voice, "Xie Quan, please come to pay your respects."

Soon a man in a white robe walked in from outside. The man had a cold and aloof look, with his eyebrows drawn into his temples, making him look very sharp. However, the nonchalant expression on his face, due to his mission of several months, made him seem to have the radiance of the sun, moon, and stars.

Xie Quan was a famous handsome man in Chen County, and for a moment everyone seemed to forget about the busy affairs of the court and couldn't help but look up at Xie Quan.

"Your Majesty, I heard what Minister Duan of the Ministry of Works said before I met Your Majesty. As for why the border was not reported to the court, it must be because Prince Rui suppressed the news."

Your Majesty, I suspect the situation was urgent, and Prince Rui had no choice but to resort to this measure. As for why the officials of the Protectorate submitted their memorial, it's because Prince Rui had the two generals bound at the border and replaced them with his own men.”

Li Shimin chuckled softly, and Xie Quan's expression softened.

Li Shimin said, "I know all of this, please continue."

Xie Quan loosened his grip on the imperial tally before saying, "I believe that Prince Rui did not intend to rebel. At the time, I was in the Western Turkic Khaganate. If Prince Rui had not mobilized troops to protect the border towns, I fear I do not know what Goryeo might have done."

"During my mission to the western border, I discovered that Jili Khan is an extremely ambitious man with intentions of rebellion."

Li Shimin immediately frowned.

The entire court was completely silent. The Eastern Turks and Goryeo had now joined forces, and the Western Turks were eyeing the Tang Dynasty from the north.

Now, His Highness Prince Rui, who was once capable of fighting against a hundred men, has resigned from his military post and is going to the border to build an academy.

This naturally caused panic among everyone, and their gazes, which had been probing before, became serious instead of probing.

"At the time, I was in the Western Turkic army and had no close relationship with Prince Rui. However, I felt that he was too bloodthirsty, but not as serious as Lord Duan said."