Li Zhi, don't be a coward

The layout of the country must be prepared for a rainy day.

Although the Tang Dynasty has not yet sent troops to the east, the neighboring countries around the Tang Dynasty know very well that Goguryeo must be unlucky for this expedition.

In the year of Zhenguan, Li Shimin personally conquered Goguryeo. There are different opinions on whether the war was won or lost, but at least it is certain that Goguryeo was seriously injured.

After the Tang Dynasty withdrew its troops, it implemented a policy of fortifying the walls and clearing the wilderness of Goguryeo, that is, burning the grain fields and farm warehouses in Goguryeo, often robbing Goguryeo's young and strong people across the border, and blocking the borders of Goguryeo, prohibiting trade, etc.

These policies were still implemented meticulously by Liaodong's frontier army until more than ten years after Li Zhi ascended the throne.

Goguryeo, a typical mountainous country, could not stand up to the Tang Dynasty's targeting. Now it is already starved and dead, with ten houses and nine empty houses. The country is dying.

The building will tip, just push with one finger and it will come crashing down.

What Datang is preparing now is to stretch out this finger and completely wipe this country off the map.

Neighboring countries are not fools, so naturally they have seen the situation clearly, so although Goguryeo has not yet been destroyed, Silla has begun to plan ahead and set its sights on the land of Baekje.

Silla's envoys bribed the courtiers by heart, and those who took the bribes naturally took money from others to eliminate disasters for others. Some have already begun to write memorials secretly, planning to go to the emperor to give up Baekje.

However, the incident of bribery was exposed overnight, and the city was full of uproar.

When the public opinion was turbulent, let alone persuade the emperor to give up Baekje, they themselves would not be able to protect themselves. If the incident became serious, the emperor would be furious and order a strict investigation, and no one who had accepted bribes from Silla would be able to escape.

…………

Inside the Siyi Pavilion.

The Tubo envoy Tashile looked excited, pacing back and forth in the not-so-spacious small room.

Obviously, he came to Chang'an to congratulate the Emperor of Tang in Chang'an on behalf of the great minister of Tubo, but he never expected that the group of monkeys in Silla Kingdom would explode such a big thunderstorm.

Although one of Tubo and Silla is in the west and the other in the east, there is an entire Tang Dynasty in between.

But this time what the Silla envoys did was inextricably linked to Tubo.

"Hurry up, send a fast horse back to Tubo and report to the prime minister, saying that Silla wants to take over Baekje, and there are criticisms from the government and the people of the Tang Dynasty. How should the minister act, please reply to the prime minister quickly."

A follower was puzzled and said: "What does the dispute between Silla and Tang have to do with our Tubo?"

Tashi Le took a deep look at him. At this moment, he no longer seemed to be rough and straightforward, and a gleam flashed in his eyes.

"Do you know what the emperor of Tang will do next?" Tashi Le asked.

The entourage replied without hesitation: "The Eastern Expedition to Goguryeo, it is said that the Tang State has already begun to prepare food, grass and military equipment, and train soldiers day and night."

Tashile sighed, and said, "Now that Goguryeo is weak, there is no suspense about destroying the country, so after the Tang Dynasty destroys Goguryeo, do you know what the emperor of Tang Dynasty will do next?"

The follower shook his head in confusion.

Tashile looked towards the direction of Taiji Palace, and sighed: "Next, the Tang Kingdom will go westward. To be precise, they will fight with Tubo to the death."

The entourage turned pale with shock: "How dare Tang Guo..."

Tashi Le sneered: "Why don't you dare in the Tang Dynasty? Tian Khan's descendants have not weakened his father's prestige. The Tang Dynasty's emperor is wise, but he is not inferior to his father. The plan is clear."

"The Tang Dynasty is rich in products and fertile land, and the national capital accumulated for one or two years can support a big war. But my Tubo land is barren. Since Tuyuhun was defeated and withdrew, my vitality has not recovered, and Daxiang's current body is also... "

Tashile sighed: "If the Tang Dynasty destroys Goguryeo, then the day of my Tubo's subjugation is also imminent. Tubo is the confidant of the Tang Dynasty. As long as they can spare their hands, they will definitely send troops to conquer us."

Speaking of this, Tashile showed a hideous expression on his face, and gritted his teeth: "So, we can't let the Tang Dynasty destroy Goguryeo too easily. Even if we destroy it, the peninsula countries cannot be peaceful. We must create troubles and contain Tang's people. Strength, make it unable to look around, and buy time for us to accumulate national power for Tubo!"

…………

On the other side of the Siyi Pavilion, Jin Wenying, the envoy of Silla, was furious in the room.

At this time, he is like a raging lion, and any animal that dares to approach its territory will be torn to pieces by him.

"Who is spreading the rumors in Chang'an City? Who is it!" Jin Wenying said angrily.

"We have persuaded more than a dozen courtiers of the Tang Dynasty to discuss the abandonment of Baekje. Who spread the news about the bribery?"

An attendant who did not deserve to have a name said in panic: "General Jin, calm down, no one in our Silla mission dares to reveal a word. This matter was definitely not done by someone inside our mission."

Jin Wenying said coldly: "The only people who know about it are our mission and more than [-] Tang officials who took bribes. We didn't leak it. Could it be that those Tang officials told others because they thought their lives were too long?"

"Nowadays, the city is full of disturbances, and the whole Chang'an is staring at our Silla mission, telling us that we cannot move. I don't know where the thieves are ruining my big business, and their intentions are so vicious!"

The entourage muttered: "General Jin, what shall we do next?"

Jin Wenying said angrily: "What else can I do? I can only stay in the Siyi Pavilion peacefully, and I can't do anything! This matter may have been heard by the heavens. If the emperor of the Tang Dynasty is alert, Silla will never accept Baekje. Possibly, even the Tang Luo alliance will break down."

The entourage cautiously said: "Nowadays the city is full of wind and rain, should we take the initiative to express to the emperor of Tang, saying that the so-called bribery of Tang officials is nothing but the enemy is trying to provoke the relationship between Tang and Silla..."

Jin Wenying, who was furious, suddenly calmed down, and even smiled kindly at her followers.

"Come on, come here, come closer, and stretch out your pig's face!"

With a crisp cracking sound, Jin Wenying returned to her furious state, and shouted, "Would you like to beat the gongs and drums and tell the world that this matter has nothing to do with us in Silla?"

"To cover it up, if you don't tell yourself, how can there be an idiot like you in the mission... By the way, who recommended you to join the mission? Did you come here specially to have a meal?"

…………

Tai Chi Palace.

In the afternoon when rumors were raging, a memorial appeared in front of Li Zhi.

"...On behalf of the King of Silla, I swear to His Majesty the Great Tang Tian Khan that the rumors in Beijing are maliciously spreading rumors and causing trouble, in an attempt to drive a wedge between Great Tang Shangguo and loyal vassal Silla."

"The so-called envoys of the Silla Kingdom bribed the courtiers in Beijing and China are even more false, and there is no evidence. I hope His Majesty Khan will learn from you."