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

[Ding! Great Victory Gift Pack (Khitan) - Open]

Congratulations on obtaining 6000 Khitan horses (half male and half female), which can be summoned.

Khitan horse...isn't that just a Mongolian horse?

Today, the palace is filled with a festive atmosphere. The baby's one-month celebration can only be described as grand and extravagant. Not only did nobles from Chang'an bring their families to the palace to offer their congratulations, but also...

Even the princes and princesses born to the retired emperor, whether they were already married or sent abroad, traveled thousands of miles to Chang'an.

At this moment, "the imperial aunt affectionately put an expensive jade bracelet on the little boy's wrist," and "the imperial uncle brought a longevity lock that had been blessed by a Taoist priest after a devout prayer"...

They surrounded Xiao Sizi's bed, their affection and doting manner evident.

Fortunately, this little girl is not only energetic despite her young age, but also not shy. She was giggling as everyone teased her.

Li Chengqian sat quietly at a table to the side, sipping his tea.

Whether it was because his father had achieved greater success in the projection war, or because the little girl Xiao Sizi brought a bit of mystical good fortune to his side, Li Chengqian had a sudden thought when he was bored.

Open the gift pack.

I never expected to receive such a big surprise.

Mongolian horse!

Although Mongolian horses are small in stature, their endurance is truly terrifying. They are not only suitable for long journeys, but can also persist in marching under extreme conditions.

When the Scourge of God later lashed those white barbarians in the West, he mostly rode such warhorses.

Exceptional endurance, superior adaptability, and high mobility were undoubtedly a super buff for cavalry in this era!

With six thousand Mongolian horses, if properly trained, the Tang Dynasty could easily build a formidable cavalry force for its western expeditions in four or five years.

What is the Scourge of God?

My father, Li Shimin, was skilled with a horsewhip!

Just then, his father walked in from outside, followed by several imperial clan generals, including Li Daozong and Li Xiaogong, as well as several elderly members of the Li family who were in charge of managing the ancestral temple.

They must have come to see the girl, Xiao Sizi.

"Your subject pays respects to Your Highness the Crown Prince. May Your Highness be well..."

Although Li Daozong was one of Li Chengqian's fathers-in-law, he dared not be careless when he saw Li Chengqian here, and quickly bowed to him along with Li Xiaogong and others.

"Haha, you two, alright, this is a family dinner, don't be so reserved."

Li Shimin smiled and waved his hand, and Li Chengqian nodded slightly in return.

The group relaxed a little.

"Father, please come with me for a moment..."

Amidst the questioning gazes of Li Daozong and the others, Li Chengqian called his father outside.

"what happened?"

"Father, I have a way to make you famous in history..."

Li Shimin's pupils contracted instantly, and then, as if he had suddenly realized something, he waved his hands in a panic.

"No, no, no, Chengqian, you have already prepared enough new policy papers for me. If we talk about governing, I think you are more talented. During my Zhenguan reign, I will be satisfied if I can govern the southern border well and make the people of the north and south of my Great Tang prosperous and healthy."

"It's enough to make a name for yourself in history. As for any other methods you come up with, you and Qingque can keep them... If all else fails, I think that kid Zhinu is quite undisciplined."

"You should find him!"

Li Chengqian was speechless for a moment, taken aback by the other party's anti-fraud reaction.

He stared at the other person speechlessly.

"Father, in your eyes, am I really such an unreasonable and ruthless scoundrel as Li Bapi?"

Li Shimin sneered inwardly.

What I fear most is your reasoning, rather than your irrationality!

"Ahem, my energy is limited. You can leave your so-called achievements that will be recorded in history to your younger brothers... If all else fails, you can go and mess with your uncles. Wasn't the seventh prince, Prince Lu, well-trained by you?"

He seemed to have seen through Li Chengqian, waved his hand, and prepared to walk into the hall.

"Tsk, is that so... Alright then, I'll ask around and see if anyone's interested in leading an army on a western expedition..."

A western expedition?

Li Shimin stopped in his tracks.

He turned his head, surprised and puzzled.

"A western expedition? Why another western expedition? The Sassanid Persians are utterly hopeless. I haven't received any memorials from the Ministry of War recently."

Li Chengqian smiled faintly: "What I am referring to is not now, but five years from now."

As he spoke, he recounted how his Imperial Guards had captured a rather strong new breed of horse from the far north.

After explaining the advantages of Mongolian horses, Li Chengqian immediately noticed his father's Adam's apple bobbing.

"Hehe, originally I just wanted to ask Father Emperor's opinion in advance, but since Father Emperor has decided that governing only the southern border will be the perfect outcome for the Zhenguan era, I will not say any more."

"This will happen four or five years from now. Just as you said, Father, Qingque and the others will have grown into young men, which will be a good opportunity for them to gain some experience..."

"Hey, hey, hey? Brilliant, brilliant, hahaha, don't go! What's your hurry?"

Seeing that Li Chengqian was about to leave, Li Shimin immediately became anxious.

She grabbed him and, while smiling apologetically, gently patted her eldest son's chest, appearing humble and begging him to calm down.

"Oh dear, you rascal, I didn't quite understand just now. I thought you were about to start a war with someone right away? It's not a good time for the Tang Dynasty to wage war, as you said. I was just worried you'd act impulsively..."

Li Chengqian gave a half-smile.

"Didn't Father plan to retire in four or five years after he has successfully implemented the new policies in the Southern Territory?"

Li Shimin's expression instantly turned serious, adopting a stern and imposing manner.

"I am in the prime of my life, how can I, like those old men with white hair, spend my days idly playing with my children and grandchildren?! I am the emperor!"

"Such a momentous matter requires the emperor to consider the people's well-being! If I don't take up this post, who will?!"

Seeing his eager and obsequious appearance, Li Chengqian stopped teasing him.

They talked about warhorses and agreed that after the baby's one-month celebration banquet, they would take the other person to the horse farm to see it. Only then were they allowed to happily go and play with the baby.

"Hehehe, Xiaogong, Chengfan, I have received another great job from the Crown Prince that will be recorded in history! You two will accompany the Crown Prince to Datong Prefecture in a couple of days."

Li Xiaogong and his companion froze, watching their emperor once again lost in a beautiful dream.

They couldn't help but sigh in their hearts.

The two of them had just returned from the western expedition not long ago, and now it seemed they were about to embark on another expedition.

Can't people just take a break?

In ancient times, with poor sanitation, a baby's safe birth did not mean everything was alright; whether the baby could grow up healthy to a full month old was also a major hurdle.

This is why the custom of a full moon banquet came about.

The purpose is twofold: first, to celebrate the newborn's good health, and second, to formally determine the baby's name.

Crown Princess Qian Yingying is already very pregnant.

Because she is pregnant with twins and her due date is just over a month away, it is very difficult for her to move around, but she still personally attended the full moon celebration today.

Sitting next to Li Chengqian, there were people carefully attending to him.

As Li Shimin personally held the baby, accompanied by elders of the Li Tang imperial family and officials from the Ministry of Rites, he completed the rituals of worshipping the ancestors of the Li Tang dynasty and praying for the baby's well-being.

A name of Xiao Sizi, written in Li Shimin's own handwriting.

It was then unfolded and came into view of the guests present.

Li Mingda...

As in history, however, with the emergence of Li Chengqian, the world has finally changed somewhat.

With the affairs at the Ministry of Rites concluded, Li Shimin gave a wink to Fan Qi, the eunuch beside him.

The latter immediately and respectfully produced an imperial edict under the watchful eyes of the crowd.

"By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees..."

The decree was simple: to bestow the title of Princess Jinyang upon Li Mingda, who had just turned one month old, thus formally establishing her title!

This is certainly not in accordance with the rules, after all, it is uncertain whether a baby girl who has just turned one month old will be able to grow up smoothly.

However, both the Emperor and the Crown Prince standing to the side smiled and nodded.

No one dared to step forward and show off their presence at this time.

"Hahaha! My little rascal, little Mingda... Come, let your father take you flying, oh ho~"

"Oh, Your Majesty, Your Majesty..."

The lively full moon banquet ended amidst blessings. Foreign ministers, nobles, and civil officials, whether or not they had the opportunity to enter the palace to attend the banquet, all presented gifts to Princess Jinyang, Li Mingda.

It seems that as the time of parting draws closer, Emperor Li Shimin wishes he could spend every minute and every second with Xiao Sizi.

The palace servants stood by him nervously and fearfully, afraid that the emperor might accidentally hurt Li Mingda, the youngest but most beloved legitimate princess of the Tang Dynasty.

Finally, despite Emperor Li Shimin's repeated pleas and entreaties, he was unable to take his beloved daughter on the train to Taiyuan Prefecture after Empress Zhangsun's stern refusal.

"Tsk tsk tsk, men~"

Li Chengqian looked at his father, who seemed lost and dejected, and crossed his arms and pouted.

Taiyuan Prefecture had horse farms.

However, given that these 6,000 very precious Mongolian horses were intended for large-scale breeding in the future, Li Chengqian ultimately chose to deploy all of them in Datong.

Today, Datong, adjacent to Zhenbei Road, is the largest livestock breeding and trading center in the Tang Dynasty.

And here you'll find the best horse breeders.

When Qian Lou, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, arrived earlier, he gave a barely perceptible nod to Crown Prince Li Chengqian upon seeing Li Chengqian and his entourage.

"Your Highness, Your Majesty, the horse farm is ready. All the warhorses are in excellent health, and the horse breeders recruited have all been vetted by the Embroidered Uniform Guard and are trustworthy."

Led by Qianlou, Li Shimin and Li Chengqian, the most powerful father and son, were accompanied by Li Xiaogong and Li Daozong.

The vast grassland outside Datong City has now been divided into sections, like a grid.

Next to each area, there are signs issued by the government, with the numbers of their respective ranches and farms.

Riding a horse along the official road, one can see Turkic people living in peace and contentment everywhere.

"Who could have imagined that in just three to five years, these Turkic people would become so loyal to our Great Tang Dynasty..." Li Shimin couldn't help but sigh.

"On this trip to the southern border, I will surely ensure that all the barbarian peoples of the Six Zhao Kingdoms sincerely submit to my Great Tang!"

Li Shimin gripped the reins tightly, his eyes filled with fighting spirit and determination.

Seeing this, Li Chengqian couldn't help but think of his own General Tian Ce, who strategized and won battles from afar in the world of projected war.

A slight smile involuntarily appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"Hehe, Father, you look so handsome working hard!"