bastard seizes tang

Chapter 600
In the 13th year of Zhenguan, at the end of winter, outside Chang'an.

More than ten miles outside Chang'an City, there is an official road. This official road is the only way to go from the north of Chang'an City to Chang'an in the south. There are many people coming and going every day. more.

On the side of the official road, wearing casual clothes, the crown prince Zhongyun Cen Changqian, who was only seventeen or eighteen years old, was standing on the side of the road with his hands tied, looking around carefully, looking in the direction of the official, obviously waiting for someone.

A moment later, a middle-aged man dressed in a black robe and a cloak, with a resolute and heroic face, came riding on the official road and slowly appeared. Cen Changqian, who had been waiting by the official road for a long time, suddenly regained his spirits.

"General Su stay, General Su stay." Cen Changqian hastily stepped forward, grabbed the reins of the middle-aged man, and said to the man.

Cen Changqian is the nephew of Cen Wenwen, the young master of the prince, an official in the East Palace, and the confidant of the prince Li Ke. It is not ordinary people who can make Cen Changqian wait here for a long time. At the end of the day, Su Dingfang, the general of Zuo Wuwei and the governor of Lushan, returned to Beijing to report on his duties.

Su Dingfang knew Cen Changqian, seeing Cen Changqian here, he got off his horse and said: "Changqian is not accompanying you in the palace, why is she here?"

Cen Changqian pointed to a carriage not far away, and said to Su Dingfang: "The crown prince is waiting in the carriage, the general will be there soon."

When Su Dingfang heard the words, he realized that Li Ke had actually come to wait for him by the official road in person, so he quickly handed over the horse to Cen Changqian, and he quickly stepped forward and got into the carriage.

Sure enough, as Cen Changqian said, after Su Dingfang got into the carriage, he saw Li Ke sitting in the carriage, waiting for him.

"The last general, Su Lie, pay homage to the crown prince." Su Dingfang got into the carriage and bowed to Li Ke.

Li Ke raised his hand and said with a warm smile: "Dingfang, sit down quickly, there is no need to be polite."

Su Dingfang followed Li Ke's words, sat down beside Li Ke, and then smiled at Li Ke: "The last general is far away from Mobei, and he has no contacts. It was the winter of last year when he learned that His Highness canonized the crown prince. At that time, the late general will know The crown prince's long-cherished wish was fulfilled, and he was overjoyed, but it's a pity that he was thousands of miles away, so he couldn't come to congratulate him in person."

Li Ke said with a smile: "My own people don't need so many etiquettes, it's enough for Ding Fang to have this kind of heart."

Then, Li Ke asked again: "I have been back to Beijing for more than a year, is Mobei still alive recently?"

Su Dingfang replied truthfully: "Everything is safe and sound. In the end, the prince's policy will be used to check and balance with Xue Yantuo, Huihe, and Turkic. Today's Mobei is only the Tang Dynasty, and the prince's orders are the only ones to follow."

Li Ke nodded and said: "That's good. Mobei is newly settled, and people's hearts are uneasy. Thanks to Dingfang sitting in Mobei for the past two years, this palace can really feel at ease. Mobei has worked hard in the bitter cold of Dingfang."

Su Dingfang said: "It's just for the general, how can you say it is hard. What's more, the crown prince has the kindness to know the situation. If it weren't for the prince, the final general would still be a pawn in the army."

Li Ke asked: "You are my palace's special trip to wait for you, why?"

Su Dingfang said: "The prince is waiting here, he must have some important orders."

Li Ke said: "That's right, I just have something important to explain to you. Today is not the same as in the past. Now I am the prince, you are the commander-in-chief, and I have friendship with you. I need to be more cautious in the future to avoid rumors in the court." , hurt you and me."

Today's Li Ke is the heir of the East Palace, and Su Dingfang is Li Ke's former subordinate, and he is also a border commander who controls Mobei and has a heavy army in his hands. It is inevitable that others will hear the news and impeach him. Li Ke will not dare to see Su Dingfang in the East Palace or Chang'an. So wait here today.

Su Dingfang said: "The crown prince has thought carefully and will understand in the end. I don't know what the crown prince has ordered?"

Li Ke said: "As far as I know, there are two reasons for your return to Beijing this time. One is to report on your work at the end of the year, but this is only secondary. A month ago, Li Xiyu, the governor of Liangzhou, committed a crime. Wu, has been dismissed. Li Xiyu is no more than a middle-of-the-road person, so it is difficult for him to take on a major position. His father also wanted to replace him a long time ago. His father made a special decree to ask you to return to Beijing. I am afraid that he wants to use you as the governor of Liangzhou."

When Su Dingfang heard the words, a slight look of surprise appeared on his face, and he asked, "Is it the crown prince's recommendation?"

Li Ke shook his head and said: "It's not my palace's intention. The Emperor Father has only mentioned this matter to the Secretary of State. The imperial decree has already been drafted. I only got the news yesterday. I'm afraid it will be issued after you arrive in Beijing."

Su Dingfang asked puzzledly: "Prince, do you know why His Majesty will be transferred to Liangzhou at the end?"

Li Ke replied without hesitation: "Tuyuhun." Then, Li Ke paused and said: "Since the defeat of Tuyuhun, it has been brought under the jurisdiction of the Liangzhou Governor's Mansion. .”

When Su Dingfang heard this, he nodded thoughtfully and said: "Although the end general of Tubo is in Mobei, he has heard of it. At the beginning of last year, my Tang Dynasty should have fought against Tubo."

Li Kedao: "That's right, Tubo Zanpu Songtsan Gampo can be said to be a British lord who was born out of nowhere, and his confidants such as Lun Keer, Shang Nang, Lu Dongzan, etc. can become prime ministers, and it has become a trend. Ding Fang came from Mobei. I don’t know, just a few days ago, the Yangtong and Niboluo countries in the south of Hetian on the plateau have surrendered to Tubo, and Tubo has become a great disaster for the southwest of our Tang Dynasty.”

Su Dingfang frowned slightly when he heard the words, and said to Li Ke: "Last year, the Zhongchen heard the news that my Tang soldiers defeated Tubo in Songzhou. It was no longer a serious problem for Tubo, but I didn't expect it to be here."

Li Ke said: "The so-called big defeat last year was just that Tubo was afraid of our military power in the Tang Dynasty and did not dare to challenge it. In the Songzhou battle, Tubo did not shake its foundation, and its military strength still exists. It must not be underestimated."

Su Dingfang immediately asked: "The prince made a special trip here to wait for the last general, so he must have explained this matter."

With Li Ke's current identity, he sneaked out of the city and came to see Su Dingfang outside Chang'an City just to inform Li Shimin that Su Dingfang would be the governor of Liangzhou.

Li Ke said: "That's right, even today, my Tang Dynasty still has a lot of contempt for Tubo. Tubo is by no means an ordinary barbarian. It is not difficult to defend against Tubo if we only form an army. The highlands are extremely difficult, and if the imperial father tells you that you will perform correctly in the imperial court tomorrow, you need to make preparations early, and you can't respond carelessly."

Listening to Li Ke's words, Su Dingfang also fully understood Li Ke's meaning. Since Li Ke knew the difficulty of conquering Tubo in the west, Li Ke was worried that Su Dingfang didn't know the depth of Tubo, so he agreed to pacify Tubo in one word in the court. He fell into a passive position, so he made a special trip to explain to him. Li Ke really took care of Su Dingfang as his confidant.

Su Dingfang replied: "Thank you, Prince, for your protection, I will know in the end,"

Su Dingfang acted safely and was not a rash advancer. Since Su Dingfang agreed to this matter, he naturally took it to heart.

Finally, Li Ke patted Su Dingfang on the shoulder again, and said to Su Dingfang: "The foundation of this palace is in Yangzhou, its wings are in Bingzhou and Mobei, and it has no power in Longyou. Your visit to West Town is the best opportunity. The first step for this palace to open up the situation in Guanlong is also the most critical step, so there must be no mistakes."

When Su Dingfang heard the words, he immediately responded: "Prince, don't worry. With the matter of Liangzhou, I will open up the situation in Longyou for the prince, so that the prince will not be disappointed."

(End of this chapter)