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

"It's snowing... Wow! It's snowing!!!"

Accompanied by panicked shouts.

The sound came from outside Tuli's tent.

As Tuli Khan Ashina Shibobi was drinking, watching Jieli wolf down a lamb leg and tear into it, his expression instantly changed.

He hurriedly got up and walked out of the tent.

When you look at the snowflakes, which were starting to fall sporadically but are now becoming denser at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Tuli's heart skipped a beat.

"How much grain and fodder have we prepared? And how are the cattle and sheep of the various tribes doing?!"

His expression changed drastically, and he asked anxiously.

however.

His response was a series of pale faces, as if his parents had died.

"Not much. We're already short of food. Previously, most of the tribe's food came from merchant caravans from the Tang Dynasty. And it's at least five or six days before the next caravan arrives..."

A tribal chief said, however.

No sooner had the words been spoken than Jieli's voice came from behind them.

"Tang Dynasty caravans? Forget about it, there won't be any Tang Dynasty caravans anymore..."

With weary eyes, Jieli watched the snowflakes falling from the sky and landing on the earth, and took a deep breath.

“Tuli, this is a calamity for our entire Turkic people. Things have come to this point, do you still think... that crystal treasure is really a divine treasure bestowed by the Eternal Heaven?”

"Think about it, I have just been defeated by the Tang Dynasty, which is the time when the Tang Dynasty is most vulnerable and worried that my Turks will invade the south again. And coincidentally, at this time, three divine treasures have descended, and none of them are for me?"

Tuli's expression froze, and he was about to retort angrily when Jieli suddenly handed him something.

"This, this is the Great Khan's Golden Seal!?"

A blazing fire instantly ignited in Tuli's eyes.

If the glass eagle treasure in his hand was merely a Turkic treasure "created" by him with some fictitious legends added on, then...

The golden seal that Jieli handed over at that moment was the universally recognized treasure of the Eternal Heaven by all the Turkic tribes!

Jieli did not give the other party a chance to reach out.

He swiftly withdrew the golden seal, but what he said left everyone present stunned.

"Tuli, have your men contact that fellow Ashina Dili and tell him... I, the Khan, want to melt down this golden seal of the Great Khan of the Turks and have him come to witness the ceremony!"

"What?! Melted?!"

.......

Snowflakes fluttered and danced in the sky above Yanmen Pass.

Although the land is not yet completely white, the silent winter of the North has already arrived.

At Yanmen Pass.

These Turkic cavalrymen of the Tang Dynasty stubbornly remained in their armor, bows in hand, waiting here.

Although the battle reports from the front-line grasslands had already been delivered back by messengers on horseback.

His Highness the Crown Prince achieved a great victory over Jieli, pursuing him for nearly a thousand miles.

Duke Hou Junji of Lu State controlled Dingxiang City and completely destroyed the Later Sui forces supported by the Turks.

The hot air rose with everyone's breath, then vanished in the blink of an eye.

In the wind and snow.

Suddenly, streaks of white shadows appeared on the distant horizon.

As the shadows gradually rose, figures carrying mourning staffs and dressed in white, along with their processions, came into view one by one.

Behind these groups, a formidable cavalry force, exuding an imposing aura amidst the snowstorm, slowly advanced alongside the Zheng family members in front.

Simple coffins were being steadily pulled by several horse-drawn carriages.

In front of the team.

Zheng Wuling, the eldest son of the first branch of the Zheng family in Xingyang, Zheng Wuyang, the eldest son of the second branch of the Zheng family in Xingyang, and other members of the Zheng family all had snow water mixed with tears on their faces.

Holding their respective clan elders' mourning staffs, they were dressed in white mourning clothes.

Upon receiving the news, Hou Junji and the officials of the Eastern Palace at Yanmen Pass rushed out from inside the pass.

among the crowd.

When Lu Wenhu and dozens of other "young talents" sent by the Lu family to make up the numbers looked at the Xingyang Zheng family's team, which was full of wounded, nearly half of whom had been killed, and even all the clan elders had died.

They were all horrified, their pupils contracting.

"Wow!"

As the procession approached the breeding area, the Turkic cavalrymen who had been waiting there hurriedly scattered to both sides of the road and dismounted.

He touched his chest, bowed his head, and paid his respects.

"Your humble servants respectfully welcome His Highness the Crown Prince's triumphant return!"

Before Yanmen Pass, Hou Junji and others solemnly bowed.

Li Chengqian waved his hand dismissively.

A calm gaze, yet one that clearly held a murderous intent, swept across the room.

"The Turks have broken their alliance and killed our Tang envoy. From this day forward, all merchants from Bingzhou are forbidden from trading with the Turks. All trade is suspended. Anyone who dares to defy this order will have their entire family exterminated!"

Everyone readily agreed.

This order had already been delivered by the cavalry of the Crown Prince's Six Commands two or three days ago.

Everyone, including the Turkic herders who are gathered here living in the breeding area, knows this.

The Tang Dynasty and the Turks are about to go to war!

Sure enough, the next moment.

Li Chengqian suddenly raised his spear.

In the biting cold, even the fluttering snowflakes seemed to acquire a sharp, razor-sharp sound, reaching the ears of everyone present.

"From this day forward! The Great Tang Dynasty and the Turks shall fight to the death!"

Hou Junji's eyes shone brightly.

Raise your arms and call out.

"Till death!"

In an instant, a roar filled with murderous intent resounded over Yanmen Pass.

"Till death!"

"A fight to the death!!"

"Till death!!!"

Return to Yanmen Pass.

Li Tai and Cheng Chumo excitedly went to take stock of the spoils of this expedition, but Li Chengqian, accompanied by Qian Yingying, quietly appeared at the residence arranged for the Zheng family members in Yanmen Pass.

At this moment, Zheng Wuling, the eldest son of the eldest branch and the highest-ranking member of the Zheng family present, was present.

He has clearly grown a lot in the past few days. Although he still cannot hide his grief on his face, he is still able to suppress his emotions and direct his people to bring back the remains of the Zheng clan members from the grassland.

They were placed into a coffin that had been prepared long ago.

Li Chengqian's sudden appearance startled everyone.

Zheng Wuling's mind raced instantly. Surely none of them had said anything outrageous just now?

"Your Highness, I pay my respects to His Majesty the Crown Prince!"

"Alright, no need for formalities..."

Li Chengqian waved his hand and stepped to the coffin of the eight elders of the Zheng family.

Bowing and prostrating in worship.

The Zheng family members standing nearby returned the greetings.

Li Chengqian's gaze was calm. Although he was quite wary and apprehensive about the aristocratic families, the eight elders of the Zheng family of Xingyang this time truly deserved the respect shown to him, the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty.

"I will petition the Emperor to bestow state gifts upon the eight elders of the Zheng clan, as well as the Zheng clan members who sacrificed their lives on the grasslands."

Zheng Wuling and the others hurriedly bowed in gratitude once again.

"Your Highness, we, your humble servants, thank you! As elders of our clan, we are not people who seek personal gain or glory. Everything we have done is solely for the sake of ensuring the long-lasting prosperity of our Great Tang Dynasty!"

Li Chengqian nodded slightly and took a scroll from Qian Yingying beside him.

He personally handed it to Zheng Wuling in front of him.

"This is a gift from me to the Zheng family of Xingyang. At the end of the year, the Bingzhou Circuit will hold examinations for officials in various regions. Members of the Zheng family of Xingyang are welcome to take the exam."

Hear the words.

Zheng Wuling looked up abruptly and, upon noticing Li Chengqian's sincere and calm gaze, tears welled up in her eyes instantly.

Kneeling on the ground with a plop.

He respectfully accepted the scroll with both hands.

"Waaah, the Zheng family of Xingyang thanks Your Highness for your kindness! We are willing to follow Your Highness's lead and dedicate ourselves to the Tang Dynasty until our dying breath!"

As Li Chengqian emerged from the residence of the Zheng family members, he glanced indifferently at the Lu family members from Fanyang who were hiding not far away, and curled his lip in disdain.

He turned around and walked directly towards his residence at Yanmen Pass.

"Hahaha, Your Majesty, I never expected that the Thunder God Crossbow would be so effective. It really is as if the Thunder God is angry. If we can mass-produce it, our Tang cavalry will be invincible in the world!"

Li Tai was in the stable, personally brushing the dirt off his mount.

Seeing his elder brother return, he was overjoyed.

Li Chengqian smiled faintly.

"The production of the Thunder God Crossbow is limited, and a mistake in its use could backfire. Moreover, with rain and snow, firearms cannot withstand dampness. True battles will ultimately rely on direct, hard-fought combat..."

aside.

Li Gang, the Junior Tutor to the Crown Prince, who had accompanied him to Yanmen Pass, frowned slightly.

"Your Highness, winter has arrived, and the grasslands have been severely weakened by months of fighting. All the tribes need the Tang Dynasty's caravans for food and daily necessities, so the trade here is closed."

"If Jieli and his men do not want to die from the wind, snow and hunger, they will have to raise an army and march south. However, Jieli alone has already been reduced to less than one-tenth of his troops by His Highness."

"Jieli might persuade Tuli and Naashina Dili to join forces and attack our Great Tang from the south..."

Hear the words.

Li Chengqian scoffed instantly.

"Join forces? That's exactly what I want—they join forces!"

"How vast is the grassland? The tribes have been out of contact for so long that they don't even know where the others have moved to. If we want the grassland to truly belong to our Great Tang, we must wipe out those old bastards, Jieli, in one fell swoop!"

"Heh, joining forces? Let's take them all down together!"

Li Gang pondered, "If that's the case, the Turkic forces marching south would likely number at least tens of thousands. After all... Turkic herders without food are essentially Turkic cavalry."

suddenly.

Li Gang looked at Li Chengqian.

"Is Your Highness preparing to officially deploy the tens of thousands of Turkic cavalry from the breeding area?"

......

"Tap tap tap..."

The thunderous sound of galloping hooves broke the early morning hustle and bustle of Chang'an.

On Suzaku Avenue, the crowd quickly parted to the sides of the road.

"Urgent dispatch from Yanmen Pass! His Highness the Crown Prince has decisively defeated the Turks and pursued Jieli for a thousand li!"

"Urgent! Get out of the way!"

Upon hearing this, the people were all in an uproar.

The most talked-about topic in Chang'an these days is undoubtedly the implementation of the new policies in Bingzhou.

Even the common people under the emperor's nose heard about the policies published in the "New Tang Dynasty Gazette".

It is being implemented step by step, and the lives of the local people are getting better and better every day.

They couldn't help but feel envious.

"Hiss! Does that Turkic Khan named Jieli never learn? He was chased like a stray dog ​​by our Crown Prince at the Wei River and almost died in our Great Tang."

"They've only been back on the grasslands for a short time, and they dare to provoke our prince again?"

"Hahaha, Your Highness is so brave! As expected of our Emperor's son, the Crown Prince of our Great Tang should be like this!"

"Is the Turkic Khaganate going to war with our Great Tang? Is Bingzhou about to be attacked?"

The people were discussing it amongst themselves. They could only piece together a general picture of the situation on the grassland from the fragments of information in the "New Tang Dynasty Gazette" and from the messenger.

however.

At this moment, news of the victory reached the imperial court.

Tai Chi Hall.

The officials who were holding the court assembly were all horrified.

Wei Zheng hurriedly stepped forward.

"Your Majesty, Your Highness's actions are truly foolish. Why let Jieli escape when you could have killed him?"

"Isn't this like letting a tiger return to the mountains?"

"The Turks are currently suffering from a harsh winter, with food scarce and cattle and sheep struggling to survive. I'm afraid Jieli will definitely try to persuade the other tribes to unite and launch a full-scale attack on our Great Tang!"

As soon as Wei Zheng finished speaking, Zheng Jiang, who was serving as the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies, suddenly frowned.

They stepped forward without hesitation.

"Your Majesty! Duke Wei's words are erroneous!"

His hand, gripping the scepter, trembled uncontrollably upon hearing the urgent report about the casualties among the Zheng family members of Xingyang.

"The Turks were in internal strife first. His Highness the Crown Prince of the Great Tang Dynasty could not bear to see the Turkic people die in the turmoil. He not only provided money to settle these people under the protection of the Great Tang Dynasty, but also gave them a place of stability."

"Furthermore, the cattle and sheep of the Turks that were obtained in exchange for grain and weapons were distributed to them so that they could make a living!"

"This is the boundless grace of our Great Tang Dynasty! The Turkic people, such as Jieli Tuli, are wolfish and ambitious. Not only are they ungrateful for the benevolence of our Great Tang Crown Prince, but they also dare to openly murder our Great Tang envoy!"

"Your Majesty, killing the envoy of our Great Tang Dynasty is not something that can be washed away by killing just one Jieli!"

"Your Highness, I support your policy!"

"Our Great Tang should employ a policy of extermination against the Turks!"

"Plow the courtyard and sweep the acupoints!"

"Let's wage a fierce, all-out war against all their steppe forces, and let those tribes know that even if they unite, they are no match for the iron cavalry of our Great Tang!"

"We must utterly destroy their morale! We must crush their will! We must break their bones!"

"Pursue the enemy!"

"Crush the tents of Jieli! Crush the tents of Tuli! Hunt down Ashina Dili!"

"Charge to Beihai! Charge to Jinshan!"

"Wherever our Great Tang Dynasty passes, only scorched earth remains! Let those Turkic barbarians understand what true imperial might is!!!"

Li Shimin was dumbfounded.

However, Wei Zheng himself, who had just said one sentence, looked completely bewildered and astonished.

At this moment, Zheng Jiang was clearly somewhat disrespectful in front of the emperor.

But according to the battle report just now, the eight elders of the Zheng clan, who were with the Turks, would rather die than surrender.

Two thousand of Zheng's men went north, and more than eight hundred were killed or wounded.

Even Emperor Li Shimin, who was present, could not blame the other party for such a trivial matter.

even.

Even veteran officials like Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui, who came from the Qin Prince's mansion, were secretly shocked when they heard that the Zheng family of Xingyang had actually achieved such a feat.

Once these aristocratic families make up their minds to do something...

That's truly insane...

No wonder people say that powerful clans are like ironclad dynasties, while dynasties come and go like flowing water.

"Your Majesty, it is unrealistic to mobilize troops from the surrounding areas of Chang'an at this time. Although Lingzhou and Hedong are close to Bingzhou, they also need troops to defend them..."

"I suggest that His Highness the Crown Prince be granted further control over the military..."

Du Ruhui spoke slowly.

The voice just fell.

Zheng Jiang: "Your Majesty! I second that proposal!"