Chapter 153
In Changan, within the Imperial Palace, Li Er had just received an emissary from the Nine Tribal Confederation and was in high spirits. According to the envoy, the Tubo people had been causing suffering to the northwestern tribes for a long time through reckless actions. Fortunately, the Tang Dynasty had dispatched troops to subdue Tubo, greatly humbling their arrogance.
The envoy further conveyed that the Nine Tribal Confederation recognized the Tang Dynasty as the true rulers of the land and had come to Changan to pay homage and establish a lasting alliance. After a series of flattering remarks, Li Er was delighted by the envoy’s words.
Li Er strived for cultural and military achievements to enhance his reputation during his reign. Even though the Tang Dynasty’s military action was not directly aimed at these tribes, they had sent envoys to show their allegiance. This demonstrated that under his leadership, the Tang Dynasty had become so powerful that neighboring nations willingly paid homage. To Li Er, this was a remarkable achievement he hadn’t heard of any previous emperor accomplishing.
Seeing off the envoys with a joyful heart, Li Er pondered the true intentions behind their visit. This question wasn’t overly complex, and soon, Li Er fully understood the situation. The envoys from the Nine Tribal Confederation had not arrived when Tubo was pressuring Song Zhou or before the Tang Dynasty initiated its military campaign. However, as soon as Tubo was defeated, they promptly arrived. This could only mean that the battle under the walls of Song Zhou had shattered the courage of these diverse tribes.
Upon realizing this, Li Er couldn’t help but be astonished. He had swiftly risen through the army’s ranks and ascended to the throne. He had interacted with various tribes before, each with their unique beliefs. To be honest, these tribes weren’t particularly afraid of death. Whether it was the God of Longevity or any other deity, they believed death was simply a release from suffering. It was precisely because of this that the warriors of these tribes became fearless and daring on the battlefield. While their fighting tactics might be lacking, their sheer ferocity could still pose significant trouble for the Tang army. These tribal warriors might lack other virtues, but they certainly possessed bravery.
Earlier reports had suggested that Su Li had single-handedly terrified the Tubo army, ultimately leading them to defeat. Li Er had initially thought it might be an exaggeration. However, now it seemed that the brutality of Su Li at that time might not have been fully described in those reports, not even by a tenth. After witnessing that battle, these fearless tribal warriors were frightened enough to come to Changan voluntarily to pay tribute and submit, indicating that Li Er had underestimated Su Li.
Li Er was certainly pleased with these foreign tributes but didn’t immediately agree to the envoys’ requests. Instead, he opened the memorial sent by Su Li.
“Your Majesty, I have been away from Changan for an extended period. Considering the timing, Changle is about to give birth. After this battle, I won’t have the time to leave…”
Once again, the message was conveyed in simple language, like a casual conversation. Li Er found it quite enjoyable to read. Rather than being an official report, this memorial seemed more like a lengthy letter from a son-in-law to his father-in-law. In the letter, Su Li expressed that he would only make this move once in the short term. He didn’t particularly relish warfare, and by now, he had mostly satisfied his cravings for it.
Currently, the forces in Song Zhou were fully prepared and ready. It all depended on Li Er’s stance. If you wanted to resolve the northwest situation with one decisive battle, then he would continue the fight. If you intended to take a more gradual approach, he would immediately return home and spend time with his wife and children.
At the end of the memorial, Su Li attached a short poem:
“May the child be simple and untroubled,
No harm or hardship befall officials and ministers.”
Upon reading this poem, Li Er was left speechless.
If you want to fight, just say so. There’s no need to use our unborn child to play word games with me, Li Er thought, feeling a mixture of annoyance and amusement at Su Li’s tactics.
He understood that this small poem reminded Su Li of the lack of a noble title. The underlying message was, “Don’t you think it’s time to grant me a prince title?” It briefly crossed Li Er’s mind that the Tang Dynasty had no history of granting titles to individuals from different clans and doing so for Su Li would set a precedent.
Originally, Li Er had planned to wait until Su Li grew older or perhaps even consider a posthumous title. However, after witnessing Su Li’s remarkable combat abilities, Li Er abandoned this idea. He wasn’t naive. Su Li seemed fully capable of alleviating the northwest with a single decisive battle, and if he achieved such a feat, why shouldn’t Li Er dare to grant him a prince title? By then, it might feel like he was waking up from a dream.
The territory Su Li could potentially bring under control in the northwest was vast, comparable to the current Tang Dynasty’s territory, with a population numbering in the tens of millions. Granting him a title from a different clan wouldn’t be excessive. Realizing this, Li Er made up his mind to support Su Li not only in continuing his campaign but also by providing ample resources. Su Li could fight wherever he desired.
In his letter, Su Li raised the issue of Tubo captives and offered a straightforward price, ten taels of silver for a strong laborer—an honest and reasonable offer. Li Er considered this price fair, understanding the historical consequences of excessive labor conscription during the Sui Dynasty.
Li Er had deliberately not responded to Su Li’s request earlier, hoping to negotiate the price. Now that Su Li had brought it up again, he was clearly eager for another campaign, presenting an opportune moment to discuss the terms.
The following day, Li Er declined the foreign envoys’ request to meet in court but agreed to all of Su Li’s requests mentioned in the letter. He handled everything personally, without involving the court or the Secretariat, issuing a direct decree to dispatch people to Song Zhou.
Li Er knew that military achievements were fleeting, and any delay could result in significant losses if Su Li suddenly decided to halt the campaign. Moreover, Changle had expressed her concerns frequently lately, particularly about Su Li’s absence.
Shortly after the court session ended, Changle’s voice was heard from outside, and she walked in with her pregnant belly. She complained, “Father Emperor, I’ve heard about the great victory in Song Zhou. When will you let my husband return?”
Seeing his daughter’s condition, Li Er quickly stood up to greet her, feeling somewhat guilty as he discreetly shielded the memorial he had just written. “You’re carrying such a heavy load. You don’t need to run around. I’ve told you before, Su Li will be back soon…”
Listening to Changle’s complaints, Li Er found himself at a loss for words, unable to scold his beloved daughter as he might have done with others. He could only smile wryly and try to appease her concerns.
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