LFHYB -Chapter 116 Taizong Undermines His Lifelong Achievements

Changsun Wuji was naturally gifted in governance. Aside from occasionally being absent-minded, he had no major flaws.

As for his reluctance to offer advice and tendency to flatter superiors, that wasn’t considered a defect with Li Shimin.

After all, now Li Shimin not only had “the mirror” Wei Zheng, but also his younger brother Li Sanqiang, who had hardly ever spoken kindly to him since childhood. There was no need for Changsun Wuji to speak bluntly.

After Changsun Wuji joined them, Li Shimin felt the weight on his shoulders lighten a bit.

He complained to his close friends: “Now I finally feel a little like a true ruler. What was life like before? Everything was just me and A-Xuan doing it! A-Xuan is weak, so I couldn’t give him too much work. I had to handle all the trivial tasks myself!”

Li Shimin took a gulp of wine and continued thumping his thigh in frustration: “There’s no ruler more frustrated than me!”

Changsun Wuji tried to comfort him: “Alright, alright. Aren’t we here—me, Fang Xuanling, Du Kemin? Once Xue Shou arrives, you’ll be more at ease.”

Du Ruhui sneered: “And don’t forget Wei Zheng. That man could persuade the local militia to besiege Zhuojun. He’s a talent—perfect for stirring things up during times of chaos.”

Fang Qiao nearly spit out his tea: “Kemin, how strong are your feelings toward Wei Zheng… Wei Xuancheng?”

Du Ruhui said: “No feelings against him; I’m complimenting him. Don’t worry, when he arrives, I’ll warmly call him Wei Xuancheng myself.”

Fang Qiao murmured: “A person with such an arrogant attitude isn’t exactly a gentleman.”

Du Ruhui raised an eyebrow: “Did I ever claim to be a gentleman?”

Changsun Wuji looked puzzled: “Wei Zheng, Wei Xuancheng? Who’s that?”

Li Shimin said: “A formidable person, our ally, your colleague. Ah, you really didn’t know?”

Changsun Wuji felt a surge of nameless anger: “I didn’t know?!”

Li Shimin replied calmly: “Oh, I forgot to tell you. Small matter, really.”

Changsun Wuji almost wanted to smash the lamb bone in his hand over his brother-in-law’s head.

Small matter?! He subtly felt left out. Unfair!

Li Shimin laughed it off: “Your father surely knows. Didn’t he tell you? Then ask him why he didn’t.”

Changsun Wuji felt both angry and aggrieved: “Stop using my father to pressure me.”

Li Shimin sighed: “It’s not that I want to pressure you, but he’s not only my father-in-law, he’s also my teacher. What else can I do? I have to follow him.”

Fang Qiao tried to smooth things over: “Wuji, there’s nothing you can do about it.”

Du Ruhui added: “Perhaps General Changsun thought you still needed some honing. But since he agreed to let you come to Zhangye, he must believe you are capable of handling things on your own.”

Li Shimin said: “Yes, now you should know everything. By the way, did you know A-Xuan can interpret the Chen Wei texts?”

Changsun Wuji cursed loudly: “I know nothing!”

Li Shimin laughed heartily: “Hahahahaha.”

Fang Qiao and Du Ruhui couldn’t hold back either and quickly lowered their heads to drink water to hide their laughter.

Changsun Wuji felt even more aggrieved. Finally, he couldn’t hold it in and hurled the lamb bone at Li Shimin.

Li Shimin dodged to the side, laughing even more wildly.

Changsun Wuji rolled up his sleeves, ready to fight his brother.

Fang Qiao wanted to intervene but was held back by Du Ruhui.

Du Ruhui chuckled: “Let them fight. Let’s see if Fourth Brother Changsun has truly inherited General Changsun’s skills.”

Fang Qiao sighed: “What a ruckus.”

After sighing, he watched Li Shimin and Changsun Wuji fight in a messy, chaotic way, covered in lamb fat, and couldn’t help but laugh.

Du Ruhui winked: “Fourth Brother Changsun looks better when he’s like this.”

Fang Qiao nodded.

Earlier, Changsun Wuji had been respectful to the ruler, observing all the rites of lord and subject in advance, which had been uncomfortable to watch.

Judging by Erlang’s reaction, he probably didn’t enjoy it either, which is why he deliberately provoked Changsun Wuji.

Perhaps one day in the future, they would have to be careful and respectful toward the ruler—but not now.

Everyone needs a period of youthful recklessness; otherwise, what’s the point of living?

“I wonder if Dade’s journey is going smoothly,” Fang Qiao said. “He’ll regret missing this scene.”

Du Ruhui said proudly: “Not only will I remember it, I’ll sketch it too. But by now, he’s probably discovered the surprise Erlang prepared for him and is stomping his feet, cursing.”

Fang Qiao chuckled: “Likely so.”

While Fang Qiao and Du Ruhui were gossiping about Li Xuanba, he himself was indeed stomping and cursing at his second brother.

He had reached Dunhuang Commandery and was taking the chance to visit this famous scenic spot while resupplying.

The Mogao Caves had already been excavated, becoming a gathering place for monks and temples. Li Xuanba casually bowed to all the deities, but the caves were worth a respectful visit.

While arranging work, Li Xuanba noticed a young soldier in the group looked familiar.

He felt a pang in his heart and told Luo Shixin to “bring that soldier over.”

Luo Shixin’s expression changed.

Li Xuanba felt even more tense.

Li Xuanba scolded: “You knew?! And purposely hid it from me?”

Luo Shixin stammered.

Li Xuanba laughed angrily: “Bring him over quickly!”

Luo Shixin sighed and brought the “young soldier” forward.

Li Zhiyun wiped the dust from his face with the back of his hand and grinned: “Third Brother, you’re so slow to notice.”

Li Xuanba pinched Li Zhiyun’s cheek: “Why are you here? Do you realize how dangerous it is?”

Li Zhiyun cried out in pain: “Second Brother said I’ve grown up, so I should come train a bit.”

Li Xuanba scolded: “It’s freezing, the journey is long, what if you fall ill or get hurt?”

Li Zhiyun said, “Third Brother, my health is better than yours. You won’t get sick, and I won’t either. Stop fussing—your face is about to wrinkle. This is something Second Brother agreed to!”

Li Xuanba loosened his grip and said weakly, “Why didn’t you tell me beforehand?”

Li Zhiyun rubbed his face and replied, “Second Brother knew Third Brother definitely wouldn’t agree, so he let me sneak in quietly.”

Li Xuanba glared fiercely to the east, muttering a few curses under his breath.

Li Zhiyun acted as if he hadn’t heard Third Brother swearing.

Li Xuanba took a few deep breaths to calm his anger. “What else has he been hiding from me?”

Li Zhiyun said, “Just one more thing. Other than that, nothing else.”

Li Zhiyun stretched out his arm and shouted, “Wudi!”

A “chirp-chirp” birdcall sounded, and a mighty, imposing golden eagle—utterly unlike its delicate call—descended from the sky.

Li Xuanba: “……”

He took another deep breath and shouted, “Hangou!”

Hangou also descended from the sky.

Li Xuanba grabbed Hangou by the head. “I meant… why have you been eating so much lately? I thought you were just trying to fatten up because of the cold. You already knew?”

Hangou shrank its neck.

Wudi flapped its wings proudly.

Li Xuanba felt utterly helpless. “Shixin, you knew too?”

Luo Shixin lowered his head.

Zhou Da couldn’t hold back and said, “Actually, I knew as well. This was the Young Master’s order.”

Li Xuanba gritted his teeth. “Yes, yes, yes—all kept from me!”

After Li Xuanba left, Li Shimin would continue to wait for the right moment to strike, training the troops while expanding his influence.

That was why Li Xuanba was instructed to keep a golden eagle by his side. Sudden attacks from above could be surprisingly effective, and both Hangou and Wudi were already familiar with the terrain around Zhangye, so they could also carry out military messages.

Li Shimin had cheerfully agreed with “Sure, sure,” then secretly inserted Li Zhiyun into Li Xuanba’s unit and had Wudi follow along as well.

He knew Li Xuanba wouldn’t agree, so he simply did it behind his back. Once it was done, he was confident Li Xuanba wouldn’t send Li Zhiyun and Wudi back alone.

Compared to sending a boy and an eagle alone, Li Xuanba would surely think it safer to have this mischievous child and eagle with him.

Clearly, not only did the twin younger brother understand his elder twin, but it was also effortless for the elder twin to “scheme” against his younger twin.

Physics and Saintly Principles say: forces are always mutual.

The personnel Li Xuanba had with him were all arranged by Li Shimin himself and led by Zhou Da and Luo Shixin. Li Xuanba knew he didn’t have the skill to command troops, so he didn’t interfere—only when he reached Dunhuang to procure supplies did he check the personnel.

For now, he had only tapped the two eagles’ behinds and lightly knocked Li Zhiyun’s head, then helplessly continued on.

What else could he do?

Although Li Zhiyun had washed the dust off his face, he still mingled with the soldiers and refused to stay with Third Brother.

Li Zhiyun argued earnestly, “Next year I’ll join the military camp too. Second Brother said there’s a simple, though crude, way to learn to lead troops: eat and live with the soldiers. Only then can you know how to command them!”

Li Xuanba could only instruct Luo Shixin to take good care of Li Zhiyun.

After all, following Luo Shixin, Li Zhiyun wouldn’t suffer too much.

Wudi no longer needed to hide. Every day, it clung to Li Xuanba, driving Hangou out to scout, essentially transforming into a giant, fluffy pet.

Hangou could no longer tolerate it and fought Wudi fiercely.

Li Xuanba held his forehead. Why did he have to worry about eagle children while on a diplomatic mission to the Western Turks? At least the fifth one (referring to another eagle) was easygoing and worry-free.

Originally, Li Xuanba had indulged Wudi for a few days because he felt bad that it had been hiding and hadn’t eaten or rested well. Seeing Hangou get angry, he quickly balanced the scales and arranged a duty roster for the two eagles, forbidding Wudi from slacking again.

Wudi complied but deliberately snatched Hangou’s meat.

Hangou fought Wudi again.

Li Xuanba pinched Wudi’s head. “Are you deliberately trying to make Hangou angry? Why?”

Wudi: “Chirp-chirp-chirp-chirp!”

Hangou flapped its wings in reply: “Chirp-chirp-chirp-chirp!”

Li Xuanba understood.

Because Li Shimin noticed Hangou was more sensible, he kept Hangou by Li Xuanba’s side, which made Wudi angry. Unable to challenge the leader, Wudi took out its frustration on Hangou.

Li Xuanba leaned back in exasperation. Despite the efforts of himself and Second Brother, why had Wudi still become a “bad child”? He had once mocked Second Brother for not knowing how to raise children—karma had returned!

“If you mess around again, I’ll get angry,” Li Xuanba said sternly. “I’ll make you… one eagle… return to Zhangye alone. You won’t come out on missions again.”

Wudi drooped its head. “Chirp.”

Hangou preened its feathers. Serves him right!

Li Xuanba assigned Wudi five consecutive days of duty as punishment for its temper tantrum.

Although Wudi was mischievous, as long as it had work to do, it completed it diligently and never made mistakes.

Li Xuanba was relieved. Wudi’s nature was still fundamentally good.

Wudi stopped misbehaving, and Hangou soon reconciled. The two eagle brothers were affectionate again, grooming and playfully scratching each other.

Li Xuanba breathed a sigh of relief, finally able to shift his attention from the two eagle children and continue preparing for the talks with the Western Turk Khagan.

On the way to Yiwu City, Li Xuanba kept mentally rehearsing the upcoming meeting.

Although he had ample experience dealing with the emperor and high officials, this was his first time acting as a “diplomat.”

In this life, Li Xuanba had done many “firsts,” and he believed there were few things that absolutely required him.

For example, logistics—if it weren’t for him, Second Brother could handle it himself.

It was just a matter of scrambling to provide supplies while at war. If things got tight and supplies ran out, people would just get hungry—Second Brother had survived that in history, and victory was still possible.

Li Xuanba considered his only irreplaceable advantage to be his “big-picture perspective,” cultivated under a modern education.

The historical records don’t document the details, and changing them now would also alter the future, so Li Xuanba’s “precognition mode” would lose its value.

But the “global view mode” wouldn’t.

Li Xuanba had a “global perspective” on people of this era.

He knew how many states existed at the time, what frictions existed between them, and what major events they would face in the future. He also knew the Earth was round, where the important mountains and rivers were, and roughly when and where major natural disasters would occur globally, allowing him to plan in advance.

Thus, he was confident he could persuade the Western Turkic Khagan to send troops to help his second brother harass the Eastern Turks.

After finishing a simulation and refining the details of a meeting, Li Xuanba cleared his mind, letting idle thoughts serve as rest.

Thinking of his second brother crying out of hunger, Li Xuanba recalled the historical Qin King Li Shimin’s campaign in Hedong.

If one only looked at the outcomes of Li Shimin’s military career, all his battles were overwhelming victories. But Li Xuanba, determined to be the ultimate “Tang Taizong critic,” combed through every historical record to extract the crises and near-disasters hidden beneath each of Li Shimin’s seemingly absolute victories.

For example, the widely recognized peak of Li Shimin’s military career was the “One Battle Capturing Two Kings,” but that was merely his most publicly celebrated moment.

If one considered the battle with the greatest impact on the Tang Dynasty, it was actually when Li Shimin, under orders, went east to defeat Liu Wuzhou.

In 619 CE, Liu Wuzhou, following Song Jingang’s advice, attempted to seize the world using Taiyuan as a springboard.

Li Yuanji abandoned the city, soldiers, and officials, fleeing Taiyuan overnight with his wives and concubines; Li Zhongwen, the Minor Minister of the Ministry of Rites, and Jiang Baoyi, General of the Left Guard, were defeated by Liu Wuzhou’s general Huang Ziying; Right Prime Minister Pei Ji’s entire army was wiped out, leaving him to flee alone.

Almost all of Hedong was lost, and most of the elite troops were gone. Li Yuan issued a decree: “The enemy is too strong to contend with. We should abandon the area east of the Yellow River and cautiously defend Guanzhong.”

At that time, there were separatist forces in Heryou and Bashu. The Tang Dynasty, battered by Liu Wuzhou, was ready to give up competing for the Central Plains and shrink to the small Guanzhong region, becoming one of the weaker separatist forces.

Historical records, to avoid disrespecting the emperor, did not comment much on this, and the Hedong campaign was sparsely described. Yet the imperial decree alone shows that the Tang Dynasty was teetering on the line between a “unified empire” and “fragmented states.”

At this critical moment, Li Shimin, stationed at Changchun Palace, submitted a petition: “Taiyuan is the foundation of our kingdom, Hedong is prosperous, and the capital relies on it. To abandon it is intolerable. If granted thirty thousand elite troops, I can completely defeat Wuzhou and reclaim Fen and Jin.”

He requested Li Yuan to lend him thirty thousand elite soldiers to campaign eastward into Hedong.

Li Yuan agreed, handing over the Guanzhong troops to Li Shimin. Li Shimin’s eastward campaign defeated Liu Wuzhou, preserving Tang’s chance to unify the country.

Li Xuanba tightened his grip on the reins, a smile—half mockery, half wry—crossing his face.

Changchun Palace sat at a strategic pass between Hedong and Guanzhong.

For nearly a year, Qin King Li Shimin had been stationed there, watching Tang’s Hedong territory fall while waiting in vain for Li Yuan’s order to lead the army.

The Tang armies had suffered successive “complete defeats,” and in the end, all Li Shimin could obtain was “thirty thousand elite soldiers”—the maximum Li Yuan could muster in Guanzhong.

Li Yuan, watching Tang’s repeated setbacks, still hesitated to grant Li Shimin command. Perhaps he already feared Li Shimin’s capability.

It was only after this episode that Li Yuan “reinstated” Li Shimin, enabling him to achieve his later feats in campaigns north and south.

When Li Shimin departed for Hedong, Li Yuan personally came to Changchun Palace to send him off, giving him the ceremonial splendor.

But that was the only “splendor.”

The Tang Dynasty was precarious: supplies were insufficient, and the food routes were unreliable.

Li Shimin, to campaign in Hedong, had to lead Tang’s last elite troops and secure his own supplies on the march.

In the decisive battle, Li Shimin did not remove his armor for three days, went two days without food, and pursued the enemy over two hundred miles daily, sharing a single sheep among his troops before the key engagement to boost morale.

The Duke of Hejian, Liu Hongji, tried to persuade him: “You advance endlessly; don’t you care for your life?”

Li Shimin replied: “I exhaust my loyalty for the state; how can I care for myself?”

Li Xuanba, recalling these words, took a deep breath of the northern air and calmed himself.

Later anecdotes about Li Shimin were amusing—for instance, at Zhangnan Fort, the garrison hesitated to open the gates. Li Shimin removed his helmet and said, “It is I,” prompting the soldiers to rejoice and welcome him.

But few knew the full story: “His attendants informed the garrison that the king had not eaten, so they offered coarse wine and porridge.”

After sharing the single sheep with his army, Li Shimin had gone without food until reaching Zhangnan Fort, finally eating a coarse meal.

Tang Taizong, the young Qin King, was remarkable in that he trained his troops, fought battles, managed logistics, and oversaw supplies himself—doing everything alone.

Yet even with boundless energy, he could not do everything simultaneously.

So when he lacked time to gather supplies, he went hungry; when he could not rest, he endured pain.

He survived hunger and injury, recovering both land and troops that were nearly lost, bringing Tang back from the brink of extinction on the stage of contesting the realm, leaving future generations with the impression that it was just an “insignificant overwhelming victory.”

It was truly awe-inspiring—so awe-inspiring that Li Xuanba felt a thrill of admiration.

He was grateful to be merely a “Taizong critic.”

Ordinary generals never endured such hardships. Most Tang generals did not.

Li Shimin, however, was always deployed in moments of crisis, where logistics were strained and reinforcements unavailable, leaving him no choice but to endure.

The “beautiful, strong, and tragic” type is the most captivating. If Emperor Taizong didn’t endure these hardships, leaving only “beautiful and strong” without the “tragic,” future generations’ appraisal of him would likely not be as stirring.

If one could pull it off, it would truly be the pinnacle of “Taizong bashing,” and he—Li Xuanba—would feel immensely proud.

Li Xuanba thought to himself.

To accomplish the ultimate mission of “Taizong bashing,” there was still much he had to do. Time was too short; he needed to act quickly.

For Wei Huai Wang Li Xuanba, he would die in the tenth year of the Daye era of the Sui dynasty, in 614 AD, at the age of sixteen.

It was now already the ninth year of Daye, November of 613 AD.

Li Xuanba did not know if he would die of illness the next year. After all, in ancient times with extremely limited medical resources, dying of illness was truly a matter of fate.

His mother had died from an infectious disease—avoiding Zhuo Commandery would have prevented that; he, on the other hand, was born weak, a congenital frailty, a cause of death he could not fight against.

He could only leave it to fate.

Therefore, he had to make the most of the time he was still alive and devote himself to the cause of “Taizong bashing.”

Li Xuanba let his mind wander, carefully recalling the details of the “Battle of Hedong by Li Shimin,” before continuing to mentally simulate this mission.

Even if he could not survive his destined death, his second brother would never again fight for days and nights without food or rest.

Fang Qiao, Du Ruhui, Changsun Wuji, Wei Zheng, and Xue Shou had all already recognized his second brother as their lord, leaving their father aside; their mother had also managed so many “charitable estates” in Hedong.

Even without support from the Tang, his second brother would never worry simultaneously about fighting and feeding the entire army.

What kind of foolish monarch would make generals fight without providing provisions? His second brother was not some naive prince—he would have rebelled long ago if that were the case, Father!

“Achoo!”

Li Yuan rubbed his nose, holding the imperial edict, looking troubled.

“Sir, it’s good news that His Majesty has appointed you as the pacification envoy to Shanxi and Hedong. Why the frown?” Lady Dou asked, puzzled.

Li Yuan sighed, “The Crown Prince was rebuked, yet I, guarding Luoyang alongside him, have been appointed Right Xiaowei General and pacification envoy to Shanxi and Hedong, as well as governor of Taiyuan. I can’t help but suspect that His Majesty is setting a trap for me.”

Lady Dou considered and said, “His Majesty fears the Crown Prince and does not wish to reward him. But someone had to be rewarded for defending Luoyang. So His Majesty gave all the merit to you, promoting you beyond the norm. Since the ascension of Khan Shibi, the Sui have become increasingly arrogant. His Majesty appointing you as envoy may be meant to keep you wary of Khan Shibi, not a conspiracy.”

Li Yuan said, “Perhaps… but it’s still better for me to stay low-profile.”

Lady Dou said, “Sir, if you keep a quiet life, accept more bribes, and instead present them to His Majesty as fine horses and trained dogs, His Majesty would likely no longer fear you.”

Li Yuan nodded, “That is exactly my thought.”

He sighed again, “I am in charge of one region, and my second son is in charge of another. His Majesty should not have a father and son each guarding a region. Should I have my second son petition to resign?”

Lady Dou’s eyes flickered slightly. “Second son has just achieved great merit. There are few events now that inspire the Sui people. His victory surely brings relief to His Majesty. To suggest removing his post now would put His Majesty in an awkward position. Better to request that His Majesty have him continue to pursue the remnants of the Tuyuhun, and only after full victory, transfer Erlang and Sanlang to your side as generals.”

Lady Dou smiled, “As envoy, you should have Tiger Guard generals and Tiger Fang generals under your command. In typical noble families, father, sons, and brothers often serve as generals together.”

Li Yuan tapped his head and laughed, “You are right, Madam. I have been too cautious. I shall submit the petition immediately.”

After Li Yuan left, Lady Dou sighed and quickly wrote a letter to be sent to Zhangye.

With the abilities of Erlang and Sanlang, the region west of the Yellow River might already be nearly under their control; they must not be delayed by their father.

She could only stall; solving the situation had to be left for the sons themselves.

Lady Dou sighed again, feeling a headache coming on.

When Li Yuan met Yang Guang, as Lady Dou expected, he was not praised for being sensible; instead, he annoyed Yang Guang by causing trouble.

Privately, Yang Guang told his ministers, “What skill does Li Yuan have? His promotion to general relies only on family status and my trust. Guarding a strong city from weak bandits could be done by anyone. It is Li Erlang, breaking Xihai Commandery with 800 cavalry, who is the true general of the Sui. Alas, Li Yuan is Li Erlang’s father, so I cannot reward Li Erlang separately.”

Pei Shiju said, “The Duke of Tang is appointed governor of Taiyuan, merely continuing to defend the city. Li Erlang is sent to the Western Regions to subdue and intimidate rebellious tribes. It is common in the Sui for fathers and elder brothers to be in court while younger generals march out. The Duke of Tang is being overly cautious.”

Su Wei frowned, “Your Majesty, Li Erlang must not be recalled! The Central Plains are full of bandits; Yang Xuangan’s rebellion is not yet quelled. The Western tribes are untrustworthy; they might take advantage to rebel!”

Although Yuwen Shu was a sycophantic corrupt official, he was also an experienced military commander.

He agreed, “Your Majesty, the remnants of the Tuyuhun are a minor matter. But Khan Shibi is becoming arrogant toward the Sui. Li Erlang in the western riverlands can contain him. Your Majesty should not recall Li Erlang. He should be appointed field marshal to pursue the victory, reclaim the counties occupied by Tuyuhun remnants, and prevent any collusion between them and Khan Shibi.”

Yu Shiji respectfully said, “Your Majesty, the Duke of Tang has never been kind to Li Erlang or Li Sanlang. Having just been promoted, he now wants to remove the posts of Li Erlang and Li Sanlang so as not to overshadow Li Jiancheng, the Duke of Tang’s heir. This is likely the real reason, unrelated to caution.”

Yu Shiji sighed inwardly; his younger brother had guessed correctly: the first act of the Duke of Tang’s promotion was to suppress Li Erlang and Li Sanlang.

Yang Guang frowned, “Li Yuan and his sons still do not get along?”

Su Wei, hearing Yu Shiji, thought there might be some truth to it: “It’s not that they are at odds, it’s just that the fingers of the hand have different strengths and weaknesses.”

Pei Yun listened in a daze.

Every time his colleagues mentioned Li Erlang or Li Sanlang, he was completely confused. Even now, having accepted payments from Li Erlang and Li Sanlang, he still felt somewhat out of place.

How did they know so much about the Duke Tang residence? Was I the only one completely in the dark?

Pei Yun could only grit his teeth and nod along: “The Sui Dynasty has countless capable generals who can defend cities. A young commander like Li Erlang is rare even in the historical records. When Huo Qubing became Marquis of Champion, the Han emperor did not concern himself with his father. Your Majesty is merely judging merit and awarding accordingly. While Duke Tang’s actions may seem cautious, in reality, they put Your Majesty in an unfair position.”

Pei Shiju, Su Wei, Yu Shiji, and Yuwen Shu all stole glances at Pei Yun, wondering if he also had a private friendly relationship with Li Erlang and Li Sanlang that he was hiding from them.

Even the emperor’s confidants were saying this, and Yang Guang was persuaded.

He recalled how, after Yang Xian became crown prince, Li Shimin and Li Xuanba deliberately distanced themselves from him. Yang Xian seemed to maintain friendliness with Li Shimin and Li Xuanba on his own initiative. Li Shimin and Li Xuanba were noticeably more aloof toward Crown Prince Yang Xian than when he was still Prince Qi, which made Yang Guang’s favor for them grow even stronger.

Previously, he had worried that Li Shimin and Li Xuanba being close to Crown Prince Yang Xian might be a threat, which was why he hadn’t kept them in the palace. Now, it seemed he had misjudged the two boys.

However, since Li Shimin and Li Xuanba had indeed been close to the crown prince before, Yang Guang wanted to make use of them but didn’t want them back in the Central Plains.

By stationing Li Shimin and Li Xuanba far in the Western Regions, they could not be used by the crown prince to threaten his rule, yet they could intimidate the rebellious tribes in the West—a win-win situation.

As for Li Yuan, Yang Guang thought that if he simply told Li Shimin and Li Xuanba about Li Yuan’s lack of benevolence and his attempt to persuade him to spare the boys’ positions, the two nephews would grow even more distant from Li Yuan.

In this way, Li Shimin and Li Xuanba were perfect candidates to become his trusted men. Being oppressed by Li Yuan, they could only rely on themselves to escape his control.

After careful consideration, Yang Guang appointed Li Shimin as General of the Right of the Yellow River (He You Xingjun Dajiang), with Li Xuanba as his deputy, to continue defending Zhangye, commanding the region of He You, and exterminating the remaining Tuyuhun forces.

Because Yang Guang had been startled when the rebel army besieged Zhuo County, the Sui Dynasty was now fully committed to suppressing the rebels and had no resources to reinforce the He You region.

Normally, at this time, the He You region would have fallen.

Yang Guang, having basic knowledge of rulership, naturally knew this.

Thus, he granted Li Shimin and Li Xuanba authority to oversee the Western Regions, similar to Changsun Sheng under Emperor Wen of Sui, allowing them to independently decide how to handle affairs there.

Although Pei Shiju had once been involved in the Western Regions, Yang Guang disliked delegating authority. Back then, Pei Shiju’s power was far less than Changsun Sheng’s. While Changsun Sheng could kill the Turkic khan at his discretion, Pei Shiju had to report his plan and wait for Yang Guang’s approval before acting.

Now, Li Shimin and Li Xuanba had the same autonomy that Changsun Sheng once enjoyed.

Since the Sui Dynasty could not provide logistical support for He You, Li Shimin, as “General of the Campaign,” had the authority to procure his own military supplies. All Eagle-Yang prefectures in He You were under his jurisdiction.

Because He You had no appointed pacification commissioner, Li Shimin was effectively the nominal commissioner for the region.

However, the position of “General of the Campaign” was temporary, assigned only during wartime and removed afterward, unlike the permanent role of pacification commissioner. Since Li Shimin had just fought the remaining Tuyuhun forces, no one in the court thought the appointment excessive.

In short, with the Sui Dynasty unable to spare troops for He You, only this young general, Li Shimin, could hold the region.

Yang Guang did not give Li Shimin or Li Xuanba official rank promotions.

He dangled the promise of greater positions, intending to reward them with high offices after their next military achievements.

“You two are also of marriageable age. Once you settle down, I will be able to give you grand positions,” Yang Guang said, seemingly satisfied with the tone of a senior relative advising juniors.

He deliberately added phrases to comfort them: “Li Yuan is a bad man; I, your maternal uncle, am kind to you.” Li Erlang and Li Sanlang would surely become even more loyal to him.

Li Yuan, upon learning this, laughed and cried in disbelief: “I’ve been wronged! How did it turn into me being unkind to Erlang and Sanlang? If Your Majesty weren’t so suspicious, would I have had to worry so much?”

Lady Dou comforted him: “Your Majesty wouldn’t think he is suspicious, so there’s no fault on His part. It’s your overthinking. Precisely because Your Majesty is suspicious, when he reads your thoughts, he becomes angry and deliberately sows discord between you and Erlang and Sanlang. Perhaps he will even use them against you. This is also the ruler’s way of exercising power.”

Li Yuan sighed: “Deliberate provocation… Hmph, the late emperor treated my family the same way. Wife, speak with the Changsun and Yuwen families. With the world in chaos, we don’t know what the future holds. This year, arrange the marriages for Erlang and Sanlang. Once they are married, they can focus on their careers. I believe they, too, feel uneasy about the current situation and will agree.”

Lady Dou hesitated: “But General Changsun specifically said that Guanyin is still young…”

Li Yuan said: “Marry first, consummate after they reach adulthood. Dade is still weak; even if Zhuniang is healthy, how could he consummate early? Keep Guanyin and Zhuniang with you and treat them as your own daughters.”

Lady Dou immediately understood Li Yuan’s intention.

Li Yuan not only wanted Erlang and Sanlang to marry early to settle down, but also, seeing the world in chaos, wished to bind the Yuwen and Changsun families in advance, preventing them from siding with others.

Additionally, Lady Dou was uncertain whether her husband intended to use Guanyin and Zhuniang as a connection to Erlang and Sanlang.

Li Yuan said: “You must carefully guide Guanyin and Zhuniang, letting them know of our love for Erlang and Sanlang. Never let others sow discord between them.”

Lady Dou exhaled heavily in her heart and smiled: “Of course.”

…

Li Xuanba knew nothing about court affairs, but he and his second brother had long discussed whether their father’s promotions would affect their own careers.

But they had Gao Jiong, Yuwen Bi, Xue Daoheng, and Changsun Sheng as teachers. Even though Yu Shinan was quiet and unobtrusive, sometimes he could play a crucial role.

After the two brothers shared their worries with their teachers, the teachers told them not to worry; such minor matters would be closely watched.

When Li Xuanba left the Central Plains, he entrusted the “financial connections” with Yang Guang’s close aides entirely to Changsun Sheng.

Changsun Sheng could manage the Western Regions as well as the “Great Sui.”

With that, Li Shimin and Li Xuanba could rest easy about court affairs, no longer anxious.

Finally, they arrived at Yiwu City. Qishe Khan personally came to the city gates to welcome them, treating Yiwu as if it were his own city.

In reality, Yiwu City had already become territory of the Western Turkic Khaganate. The generals of the Sui stationed there had withdrawn, and although the soldiers still wore Sui uniforms, they were now fed with Western Turkic rations. It wasn’t until the fourth year of the Zhenguan era that the lord of Yiwu finally submitted to the Tang.

Li Xuanba did not show the embarrassed and angry expression that Qishe Khan had expected. Instead, he smiled gracefully and respectfully saluted him: “I have long heard of your majesty’s renown. Seeing you today, truly, you are vigorous and imposing for your age; your fame is well deserved.”

Qishe Khan’s face twitched slightly when Li Xuanba called him “vigorous for his age.”

Qishe Khan had recently driven away his nephew, Chuluo Khan. Chuluo now lingered near Yang Guang as a kind of mascot. Being a generation older than Chuluo, Qishe Khan was naturally feeling the effects of age.

Historically, Qishe Khan would die in five or six years; now he already felt somewhat powerless.

Qishe Khan first tried to assert his authority over Li Xuanba, but Li Xuanba did not respond.

Then Li Xuanba subtly challenged Qishe Khan, pointing out that he was getting old, and that one day the Western Turks might fall into uncertain hands.

Back and forth, Qishe Khan forcibly regarded it as a draw. His scorn for the young and frail Li Xuanba diminished, and he became willing to discuss serious matters with him.

Without concern for Li Xuanba’s fatigue from the journey, Qishe Khan immediately hosted a banquet in his honor.

Li Xuanba did not refuse. He only requested a little time to wash and change, tidying his appearance before attending the feast.

Though Li Xuanba was thin and weak, his appearance was still attractive. The Western Turkic nobles’ favorable impression of him increased—but those admiring looks made Luo Shixin and Zhou Da grip the hilts of their swords more tightly.

Barbarian nobles were indiscriminate in food and drink, especially fond of pampered young men and women from the Central Plains.

Li Xuanba glanced at the person who had offended him with a look, then said to Qishe Khan: “Khan, I feel insulted. For the sake of peace between the Sui and Western Turks, may a few of your people be executed?”

The Western Turkic nobles in the hall were shocked. Someone even swore aloud in Turkic.

Qishe Khan silenced the crowd and said coldly, “General Li, what do you mean by this?”

Li Xuanba replied, “When two countries meet, if someone insults the Khan, the Sui will certainly deal with that person. Should not the Sui envoy receive the same treatment here? I thought the Khan wished for good relations with the Sui, but I see you came to provoke them?”

Li Xuanba sighed: “Chuluo Khan is insignificant; he will likely never set foot on the steppe again. I had hoped to discuss the Sasanian Empire with you. Their king is attacking Jerusalem in the Byzantine Empire. If they succeed, perhaps they may restore the territory of the old Achaemenid Empire. The Sui should seek good relations with them.”

Qishe Khan’s heart stiffened. “You actually know of the Sasanian Empire?!”

Li Xuanba laughed heartily: “The Khan’s closest neighbor—how could I not know?”

Qishe Khan fell silent for a long time.

He then pointed to one man: “This person is the lowest in status and dared to offend a noble. He should be executed.”

Li Xuanba said, “I will grant the Khan face; execute only him.” “Shixin.”

Luo Shixin approached the Western Turkic noble, who was already restrained by Qishe Khan’s guards. With a swift motion, his curved sword was drawn and then decapitated the man in a single fluid stroke.

The man’s neck was quite tough; the way Luo Shixin lightly severed it showed the immense strength of this young man.

Thinking of the reputation of the other Li general, Qishe Khan completely let go of any remaining disdain for Li Xuanba.

He rose and invited him: “Your elder brother is also General Li. I am older than you; may I call you Li Sanlang? This place is unclean; let us move to another place for the feast and discuss the Sasanian Empire quietly.”

Li Xuanba smiled: “As the elder, the Khan may certainly call me Li Sanlang. Please.”

Indeed, compared to the defeated Chuluo Khan, the Sasanian Empire was the true threat in Qishe Khan’s eyes.