Tang Dynasty: Father, if you don't rebel, I will!

Inside the main hall of the Gaochang Royal Palace.

Dressed in women's clothing, with a face full of shame and indignation, yet forced to force a smile and dance gracefully in front of everyone, King Qu Wentai of Gaochang was now accompanied by this Western Turkic envoy.

But he just couldn't continue dancing.

Stepping on the right foot with the left, or being bumped by a concubine while twisting one's waist...

"Your Majesty the Tang Emperor! Our Great Khan has said that your act of occupying our Western Turkic vassal state of Gaochang under the pretext of avenging Tongyabgu Khan is unjust!"

"We urge your country to immediately withdraw from the entire territory of Gaochang and pay compensation to Gaochang!"

This Turkic envoy spoke Tang language.

however.

As soon as he finished speaking, the once lively hall became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Even the court musicians of Gaochang Kingdom who were responsible for the performance were so frightened by the other party's bold and absurd remarks that their minds went blank for a moment.

Li Yuan: "???"

He held the wine glass in his hand, his posture frozen in place.

He slightly opened his mouth, revealing a surprised expression that was identical to that of all the Tang generals present, without any trace of acting.

He turned his head and looked at Li Jing, the Duke of England, who was sitting to his left.

But at almost the same time, the latter turned his head and looked in his direction, and the two looked at each other.

The disbelief and confusion in his eyes suddenly found a resonance at this moment.

They... have no hearing problems.

The problem lies with the brain of the Western Turkic Khan!

"boom!"

Li Yuan, who had been looking bored and dejected as Qu Wentai's performance became increasingly dull, suddenly had his old face turn bright red.

He slammed the golden wine cup in his hand to the ground, pointed at the Turkic envoy, and was about to say something.

However, he was so excited that the words he was about to say got stuck in his throat.

however.

To the Western Turkic envoy on the right wing, this reaction was seen as the Tang Dynasty being frightened by the Western Turkic's sudden warning.

That same arrogant expression they had when facing countries like Persia and Arabia was now being used on the Tang Dynasty.

"Our Khan said that the Turks do not want to go to war with the Tang Dynasty, but the Tang Dynasty's actions have made our Khan unable to tolerate it. Not only did they send troops to our vassal state, but they also enslaved all the people here. Our Khan absolutely cannot sit idly by!"

"Now that my Great Khan has assembled an army of 300,000, if the Tang Emperor does not wish to start a war, he should immediately withdraw from the Kingdom of Gaochang."

"And return to us all the grasslands that you took from Jieli and Tuli."

hiss!

As they gradually realized they weren't hallucinating, the other Tang generals present also sobered up considerably in an instant.

Pairs of eyes, bloodshot with greed, stared at the Western Turkic envoy who was still completely unaware of the situation.

He sat cross-legged, his hands opening and closing on his knees, glancing impatiently every now and then in the direction of the retired Emperor Li Yuan.

Li Yuan's hands trembled slightly with excitement.

He coughed twice, as if he was suppressing some expression.

"Turkic envoy, you just said that the Western Regions countries sought help from your Turks, and then your Siyabgu Khan sent 300,000 troops to attack my Great Tang?"

The Turkic envoy tilted his head back, his face full of arrogance and haughtiness.

"That's right! The kingdoms of the Western Regions were originally vassal states of our Turkic Khaganate, and the royal families of many of them were even relatives of our Great Khan. If the Tang Dynasty attacks them, it is attacking our Turkic Khaganate!"

"We Turks are determined to manage the affairs of the Western Regions! If the Tang Dynasty is sensible, it would be best to withdraw obediently."

Li Yuan nodded repeatedly. However, along with Wei Guogong Pei Ji and Song Guogong Xiao Yu, the corners of their mouths were almost unable to be suppressed, which all showed the "sorrow" of everyone present when they heard this "bad news".

"Ahem, you just said that you wanted us to cede Zhenbei Road from our Great Tang Dynasty?"

Upon hearing this, the Turkic envoy was instantly enraged.

"Nonsense! That was clearly our Turkic territory. It was your Great Tang that bullied us and robbed it from Jieli and his people. There is no such thing as Zhenbei Dao in this world!"

"That is my Turkic eastern land!"

Immediately, Li Yuan and the others could no longer maintain their composure.

"Very well, so you mean you not only want to stand up for those despicable Western Region states that attempted to ambush my Tang army, but you also don't recognize my Great Tang's sovereignty over Zhenbei Road?"

"Hmph! Of course! If the Great Tang doesn't want our elite Turkic troops to reach the gates of Chang'an, it's best to admit defeat sooner rather than later!"

"Hahahaha!"

Upon hearing this, Li Yuan was finally the first to lose his temper.

He burst into loud laughter on the spot.

As he laughed, he seemed a little unsatisfied and suddenly slammed his hand on the table in front of him.

"Hahaha! Great, hahaha! That's fantastic!"

Pei Ji, Xiao Yu, Li Jing, and other Tang generals present, including Qu Tutong, Duan Zhixuan, Li Daozong, and Li Xiaogong, all burst into laughter.

The Turkic envoy was furious: "Why are you laughing? Do you think we Turks dare not?"

"No, no, no, of course you dare, hahaha!" The veteran general Qu Tutong laughed heartily.

Li Xiaogong was somewhat baffled by the Western Turkic Khan, Siyabgu. Just how stupid could this guy be to think that the Tang Dynasty, which had conquered Gaochang and annihilated 70,000 Western Region allied troops in just one month, could achieve such a feat?

Is he capable of coming to challenge me?

Li Yuan laughed heartily, his eyes shining as he looked at the somewhat bewildered Turkic envoy, as if he were looking at some novel treasure.

Pointing at the other person with a finger outstretched.

"Since you Turks are not convinced and want to meet me, then so be it!"

"A word is settled!"

"Double happiness! Hahahaha..."

They were initially puzzled as to why they had sent the Tang envoy to provoke the Left Wing Moheduo Khan of the Western Turks, but now that the Tang Dynasty had already conquered Gaochang, there was still no news.

Li Yuan and other high-ranking officials of the Tang Dynasty's western expedition were still hesitant about how to proceed with the war against the Western Turks.

At this moment, they all wished they could rush to the Western Turkic Khaganate and give the Right Wing Khan of the Western Turkic Khaganate a big kiss.

Another village has a bright future!

The Tang Dynasty needed a Khan like the Western Turks, who was both ambitious and invincible.

The Western Turkic envoys were still somewhat confused about what the Tang Dynasty meant when Li Yuan suddenly ordered them to be rewarded with a lot of gold and silver.

It is euphemistically called "the etiquette of a great nation".

Along with the gold and silver came a formal declaration of war between the Tang Dynasty and the Western Turks, drafted jointly by Xiao Yu, Duke of Song, and Pei Ji, Duke of Wei.

It bears the seal of His Majesty Li Yuan, the Supreme Emperor of the Tang Dynasty and Grand Marshal of the Western Expedition.

They were even worried that the other party might lose it on the way, so they thoughtfully prepared an extra one.

The Turkic envoy was taken away.

Inside the main hall, the boredom on Li Yuan's face vanished instantly.

With a wave of his hand, Qu Wentai and his kneeling concubines shouted, "What are you standing there for? Keep the music playing, keep dancing!"

The melodious music, though tinged with a sense of melancholy, rang out once again from the musicians of Gaochang.

Qu Wentai forced a smile, his dance moves still graceful...

night.

After a hearty meal, Li Yuan couldn't wait to summon Li Jing and other military generals.

The flickering candlelight was reflected in Li Yuan's eyes.

He eagerly grasped Li Jing, the military genius of the Tang Dynasty, in front of him.

"Medicine Master, the Turks have finally made their move. Although I am the commander-in-chief of this western expedition, everything is now under your command. I have only one request... In the first battle against that Siye Khan, I must not only win, but win decisively!"

"Do you have any idea?"

Li Jing did not look at the military exercise sand table in front of him.

He had simulated this scenario countless times in his mind, and he had even considered this possibility before he even left Chang'an.

Hearing Li Yuan's request.

He pondered for a long time, then suddenly raised his eyes, his expression solemn.

"Your Majesty, in this battle, we do not know whether the Khan of the Four Yabghu was ignorant or truly relying on something, but you must know one thing... You are undoubtedly his greatest target!"

"He must have encouraged the Turkic soldiers by saying that capturing you would allow them to coerce wealth and land from our Great Tang."

Li Yuan nodded deeply.

"You mean, I should be the bait? To lure them in?"

Li Daozong and Li Xiaogong, who were standing next to Li Yuan, changed their expressions and were about to say something, but Li Yuan raised his hand to stop them.

"Alright! The day I set off from Chang'an, I already made it clear to Shimin and Chengqian that once I left Chang'an, I would be the Grand Marshal of the Western Expedition, not some retired emperor!"

"If I were captured by them, I would do everything in my power to commit suicide, and I would never give those traitors the chance to humiliate my Great Tang!"

He stared intently at Li Jing.

"Pharmacist, please share your thoughts!"

That night, Li Yuan and the others discussed things until very late before going back to rest.

Early the next morning.

The Turkic envoy, carrying gold and silver bestowed by Li Yuan and a formal declaration of war to the Western Turks, departed from the capital of Gaochang.

Inside the palace, Li Yuan pondered for a moment.

Suddenly someone brought him pen and ink.

"My dear son Shimin, I read your letter with good news..."

......

The left wing of the Western Turkic Khaganate.

Mohedu Khan looked at Zheng Wuhe and his companions, who seemed to be completely unfazed by the food and roasted meat they were offered, and who were wolfing it down as if they wanted to eat themselves to death.

Finally, they could no longer tolerate it.

"Someone! Take everything away! Take everything away!"

Suddenly.

Before the soldiers outside could enter, a dozen or so leaders of the Left Wing Turkic tribes who had gathered there rushed forward.

They simply picked up the whole roasted lamb, the wine, and other items in front of Zheng Wuhe and his group, and threw them all out.

"Hey hey hey? I'm not full yet, *burp*"

Tang Luo's half-eaten lamb leg was snatched away by a Turkic leader who didn't care about the greasiness.

"You're still not full? You're about to choke to death!"

Mohedu Khan felt annoyed and frustrated looking at these shameless fellows.

"Lord Zheng, you've seen the situation now. The reason you wanted for war, I haven't given you. That fool Ashina Dili has already delivered himself to our doorstep..."

Zheng Wuhe swallowed the mutton with its strong gamey smell and cupped his hands in greeting.

"Your humble servant thanks the Great Khan of the Turks, the Yabghu."

"Don't bow to me, Khan!!!" Moheduo slammed his fist on the table in anger.

He pointed to the tribal leaders, large and small, around him, because of the empty promises made by Siyehu Khan and the provocations and instigation by Zheng Wuhe and his group during this period.

Half of the tribes under his command chose to leave him.

He followed that madman Ashina Dili, the Khan of the Four Yabghu, to attack the Tang Dynasty.

"Now that you've made such a mess of our Left Wing, we need you to figure out how to survive!"

Hear the words.

Tang Luo, who was stuffed, lay down on the ground and picked at his teeth in a roguish manner.

"Survival? There is none! None of us intend to live!"

Instantly, the surrounding tribal leaders were all enraged.

Mohedu Khan raised his hand to stop the angry crowd, took a deep breath, and looked at Zheng Wuhe, the leader of the delegation.

He spoke softly.

"Lord Zheng...do you really refuse to give us a way out?"

Zheng Wuhe spread his hands: "To be honest, I am suffering from a terminal illness and will not live for another year or two. This trip has already earned my future children a hereditary title for three generations. I am content!"

Mo Hedu gave a cold laugh.

Get up slowly.

"A title? That's truly wonderful..."