LFHYB -Chapter 167 I Will Not Break My Oath if I Don’t Act

In the winter of 616 CE, the twelfth year of Sui Daye, Yang Guang met his end in Jiangdu.

By the first month of the year, the news had spread throughout the realm, as if the distance from north to south had suddenly shrunk.

Li Shimin and Li Xuanba convened their subordinates to analyze the situation in preparation for their next move.

Longyou Circuit fell entirely under their control. When news of chaos reached Longyou, some in Wugong County attempted to stir trouble but were quickly suppressed.

Li Xuanba said: “I don’t think Li Gui and the others were trying to rebel—they were just testing the waters. Who in their right mind would rise up a hundred li from their camp and bow their head in submission?”

Li Shimin: “That’s not important. Don’t get sidetracked.”

He assembled his elite generals, leaving only Li Zhiyun and a group of mid-ranking officers for his sister. The only senior commanders were Zhou Da and Xiang Gu, his earliest subordinates, alongside him and Li Xuanba.

He even took Changsun Wuji away, leaving Changsun Kangning to pacify the Western Regions.

Since all of them were Changsun’s protégés and the barbarian matriarch had significant authority, Changsun Kangning could easily handle the ongoing civil war in Western Turks and the passivity of kingdoms like Gaochang.

Yuwen Zhu had originally intended to accompany and look after Li Xuanba, but Li Xuanba only took the poor old man Sun Simiao with him, leaving Yuwen Zhu behind to assist Changsun Kangning.

Although Changsun Kangning had the talent and capability to manage the foreigners, she was young and grew up in the inner court, sometimes timid and in need of support.

Changsun Kangning was only fourteen, and Yuwen Zhu just eighteen. At that age, even those from prominent families could not stand alone. Yet as matriarchs of Li Shimin and Li Xuanba’s group, they had to grit their teeth and persevere.

Outwardly, Li Zhiyun seemed to guard the rear for Li Shimin and Li Xuanba, but as matriarchs, Changsun Kangning and Yuwen Zhu represented their authority, making them the real deputies to Li Zhiyun, more than officials like Fang Qiao or Du Ruhui.

Li Xuanba and Li Shimin had also considered having Li Zhao as the main commander to guard Longyou, thinking that, being a woman, she might work better with Changsun Kangning and Yuwen Zhu.

Li Shimin’s civil officials and relatives were all in Longyou, so it was secure.

“Longyou Circuit is mostly plateau and hills. Aside from a small area near the river, there’s little arable land. Our current troops mostly survive by plundering the Turks. But now the Turks have been repelled, and supplies are harder to obtain,” Changsun Wuji said. “In my opinion, we should quickly seize the Guanzhong Plain, even move south into Shu. Only with the grain from Guanzhong and Chengdu Plains can we sweep across the realm.”

Pei Xingyan shook his head: “Since we do not plan to attack Daxing, it’s best to leave Guanzhong alone. Moreover, the strategy you set was to strike only those who submit to the Turks, correct? No one in Guanzhong or Chengdu has submitted yet.”

Zong Luohu and Qin Qiong, unfamiliar with strategy, remained silent. Xue Ju wanted to speak but felt embarrassed seeing that Zong and Qin said nothing.

Li Shimin noticed Xue Ju’s hesitation and asked: “Shao Xuan, speak your mind. Am I not your lord? Am I not someone you can trust to say everything you know?”

Xue Ju quickly replied: “No, no, it’s just that I’m unsure if my thoughts are correct.”

Li Shimin smiled and said, “Right or wrong, just speak first.”

Xue Ju replied, “Although we are indeed short on provisions, with the few men we have, can we really take Guanzhong and Shu? Perhaps we should first secure the east bank of the Yellow River—this way, if anyone attacks us, we’ll at least have some buffer.”

Li Shimin laughed: “That’s exactly what I was thinking!”

Xue Ju’s smile instantly brightened.

Changsun Wuji and Pei Xingyan exchanged a speechless glance. If Li Er (Li Shimin) has already made up his mind about what to do, why is he even asking us?

Li Xuanba sipped the warm water he was holding and spoke slowly: “I also agree we should first strategize around the east bank of the Yellow River, to prevent our only granary in the Xitao Plain from being affected by war. But the plan to take Shu can proceed simultaneously.”

Changsun Wuji asked, “Where do we even have troops to spare?”

Pei Xingyan said, “Didn’t we say we would only attack if the Turks declared submission?”

Li Xuanba replied, “Conquering a region doesn’t necessarily require war. We did promise our second brother that we would only attack the Turks’ forces, so as long as second brother doesn’t take action, it’s fine.”

He took another sip from his cup and continued: “By stating it this way, anyone with a bit of sense will know we are just raising the banner of righteousness, not truly unwilling to contend for the empire. So anyone else in the world who hasn’t considered declaring themselves emperor will surely understand this. From what I see, the situation in Shu is relatively stable; a few minor usurpers are quickly eliminated, and they even lowered the banner of the Sui Dynasty, so they are persuadable.”

Li Shimin rubbed his chin and nodded. “Makes sense. Anyway, we can send someone to ask. Even if it fails, there’s no loss. I believe they won’t harm the messenger. So, who will go?”

Li Xuanba said, “Isn’t that obvious? Of course, it should be Teacher Changsun’s own disciple, the fourth son of the Changsun family, who inherits Teacher Changsun’s teachings—he should go himself.”

Changsun Wuji: “…You two brothers really have to harmonize like this, huh?”

Li Shimin said, “What do you mean, ‘harmonize’? We’re talking seriously.”

Li Xuanba said, “Just tell us if we’re right or not, and whether you can accomplish it.”

Changsun Wuji was speechless but could only agree.

He still wanted to personally fight in battle to prove he was a capable general. Now, even leaving Zhangye, he still had to play the role of persuader?

Pei Xingyan stifled a laugh.

He had already told Changsun Wuji that Li Er and Li San (Li Xuanba) were definitely treating him as a stand-in for the veteran general Changsun, so Wuji shouldn’t expect to act as a true warrior.

Li Shimin, seeing that Changsun Wuji had agreed, reassured him: “Don’t worry, I won’t make you go alone. My uncle Li Shentong will go with you. But you must take the initiative, understand?”

When Li Zhao raised his army, he recruited Li Shentong and other members of the Li clan who had escaped from Daxing, including Li Shou, Li Yuan’s cousin.

Li Shou’s courtesy name was Shentong. After Li Zhao submitted under Li Shimin, he tactfully hinted that he would also follow Li Shimin’s command, so Li Shimin addressed him by his courtesy name.

However, since Li Shou was still Li Shimin’s elder, he might side with his peer Li Yuan if he met him. That’s why Li Shimin made it clear that Changsun Wuji must hold the initiative.

Changsun Wuji was slightly worried: “He is your uncle, after all. What if he tries to seize power?”

Li Xuanba said, “If he tries to take your authority, it proves he isn’t truly submitting. You should just act as you see fit.”

Li Shimin laughed: “I am the master, the future emperor. Whoever I appoint as commander is the commander.”

Changsun Wuji no longer hesitated: “Understood.”

He realized why he had to go south to Shu to pacify and persuade the people. Beyond his father’s teachings, he was the brother-in-law of his lord, Li Shimin. Even if Li Shou was older, he dared not offend him too much.

The emperor always used in-laws as a tool to keep the clan in check. Li Shimin, not yet crowned, would surely face older royal relatives trying to assert authority. Changsun Wuji had to begin shouldering his responsibilities as an imperial in-law now.

Li Shimin didn’t state it outright, but Changsun Wuji, who had grown up with him, immediately understood the unspoken message.

Once he realized this, a thin layer of cold sweat appeared on his back.

Only now did he truly recognize that the friend he had once laughed and joked with had already begun to take on the demeanor of an emperor.

After arranging for Changsun Wuji, Li Shimin turned to Pei Xingyan: “The Guanzhong Plain is rife with bandits. When we attack Daxing, it will be troublesome. Shoujing, could you temporarily change your name and pose as a bandit commander?”

Pei Xingyan pointed to himself speechlessly: “Do I look like a bandit commander?”

Li Shimin laughed: “Exactly because you don’t, that’s why you should go. I don’t actually intend to create a real bandit. The Huxian County that my sister occupies will be under your management. You just need to train troops, gather refugees, and give Teacher Gao a pretext to stop the Daxing Sui army from marching west.”

Li Xuanba said, “Brother Pei, the garrison commander must act according to circumstances. Whether to defend, retreat, or attack is up to the local commander. Right now, under second brother, only you can handle it independently.”

Pei Xingyan immediately said, “Then there’s no choice. I’ll take it!”

Qin Qiong and Zong Luohu remained calm. Both knew their abilities weren’t yet sufficient to ‘act according to circumstances,’ so they didn’t envy him.

Xue Ju felt a bit jealous. He thought that if Pei Xingyan and Changsun Wuji weren’t higher in status, he could also act independently.

But the status gap was too great. Even if Xue Ju was jealous, there was nothing he could do.

“Shaoxuan, take a thousand men to Mayi Commandery to support my father and defeat Liu Wuzhou,” Li Shimin said. “You have no entanglement with the Sui Dynasty, and are just my subordinate, so you can speak more freely to my father. Tell him I am a loyal subject of the Sui. Understood?”

Li Xuanba added, “You can make up the rest yourself, but emphasize how we struggled with loyalty and filial duty. Whether your father believes it or not, make others sympathize with us. I trust your eloquence.”

Li Shimin said, “After defeating Liu Wuzhou, return quickly. As for the East or West Turks, or any other excuse, you can decide yourself. Tell them that because father raised the army in haste, many rebellions occurred in Longyou, the Daxing Sui army marched west, and the Turks began frequent harassment. We, Xuanba and I, were exhausted and in great difficulty.”

Li Xuanba said, “Tell Father that Second Brother and I scraped together enough to muster two thousand elite cavalry. We’re sending a thousand out to save him.”

Xue Ju’s grin stretched almost to his ears. “Understood, understood! Leave it to me! I’ll be back soon… back where?”

Li Shimin said, “Shuofang, Liang Shidu.”

Xue Ju understood immediately. Liang Shidu, huh—the dog who had just pledged allegiance to the Turks.

Having fought alongside Li Shimin and captured two Turkic khans in one battle, Xue Ju had a very low opinion of the Turks. People actually pledging allegiance to the Turks and acting like dogs—what a joke! If they were going to submit, why not pledge allegiance to my lord, who specializes in killing barbarian khans?

Li Shimin already had a rather strange nickname among the barbarians: the “Khan Slayer.”

Whether it was Tuyuhun or Eastern Turks, he had killed or captured one major and one minor khan at their peak (the Tuyuhun king was equivalent to a minor Turkic khan). Even though the Tuyuhun had been weakened by Sui forces, and the two Eastern Turkic khans captured weren’t fatally harmed, you could say four khans had fallen at Li Shimin’s hands.

Barbarians were dogs before their own lord; yet here were people acting like the dogs of dogs. Xue Ju looked down on them profoundly.

Li Xuanba glanced at Xue Ju with a twinge of regret.

What a pity—he couldn’t spoil the plot for Xue Ju. In the original timeline, you were a Turkic dog, too.