Early Tang Dynasty: forge ahead

Chapter 429 The Invincible Existence

Chen Qingsi bowed to Li Zhi and Empress Wu respectively, then turned and left.

Empress Wu watched Chen Qingsi leave with a dark look in her eyes.

After the last confinement, Empress Wu was certain that someone was secretly plotting against her.

Empress Wu didn't know who this person was, but Chen Qingsi was one of her main suspects.

The reason is very simple. Everything had been going smoothly for me, but since Chen Qingsi came back from Baekje, things started to go wrong for me and many things were restricted.

Especially events such as the Fengshan offering ceremony, which concerned his huge interests, were destroyed by Chen Qingsi.

Although Chen Qingsi was an envoy of Fengshan, all his actions were reasonable and there was nothing to criticize. He also did not reveal his own thoughts, so there was no way for the other party to target him.

Coincidence is the most reasonable explanation.

But one's own interests have indeed been lost.

This is true.

Taking all these factors into consideration, Chen Qingsi's suspicion cannot be cleared.

Chen Qingsi has great potential and strong abilities.

If it really happened to him, the consequences would be extremely terrible.

Empress Wu was unwilling to believe that it was Chen Qingsi, but she had to prepare for the worst.

In addition to Chen Qingsi, there are many other people who are worthy of suspicion, including Dai Zhide, Zhang Wenguan, and Xiao Dezhao's Eastern Palace staff in Chang'an, as well as the aristocratic group in Guandong.

Be it Chen Qingsi, the East Palace staff, or the samurai from Kanto, none of them are easy opponents.

After these failures, Empress Wu deeply understood that only masters can fight against masters.

Without outstanding helpers, any action taken would be taken advantage of by the enemy in the dark.

Wait!
Empress Wu suppressed her emotions.

When Li Yifu arrives, it will be time to fight back.

The only thing I can do now is to endure.

Jiying Hall of Luoyang Palace.

Li Zhi held a farewell banquet for Persian A Luohan in this hall.

Chen Qingsi arrived at the banquet early in the morning as a companion. Inside the tall palace walls, colorful flags were fluttering, and the palace maids were dressed in gorgeous costumes and holding colorful lanterns, adding a touch of brightness to the banquet.

At this banquet, two Shangshu and six vice ministers from various ministries came, which shows how much Li Zhi valued A Luohan.

Chen Qingsi didn't find it strange either.

Before yesterday, he didn't know A Luohan.

After learning that Li Zhi had arranged for him to accompany him, he immediately used his connections to learn about A Luohan's deeds.

To put it bluntly, Arohan was a defeated dog who was driven by the Arab Empire from Ctesiphon all the way to Tocharistan, the northern region known as the graveyard of empires.

Although he was clearly a lost dog, A Luohan used his superb diplomatic skills to persuade the tribal people from Tokharistan and the basin from the Uhu River to the Tianzhu River to resist the Arab Empire together. He brought together many small tribes that had been fighting each other and were scattered like sand, which was quite similar to the style of Su Qin who united the six kingdoms to fight against the powerful Qin in the past.

This ability cannot be underestimated...

In fact, in history, Arrowhan’s contribution to China is not limited to this.

Wu Zhou's military was weak and had lost its deterrent power.

In order to get a piece of the pie and devour the Chinese dynasty, several countries including the Arabs, Western Turks, Tubo, Western Turks, and Zhiwei attacked Wu Zhou together.

It was at this time that Arrowham exerted his power. Relying on his diplomatic means, he alienated and divided the forces of the Western countries and used the power of the Eastern Roman Empire to hold back the power of the most powerful food country, preventing it from being involved in the war.

The usually weak Wu Zhou Dynasty responded with the whole country's strength, and with the extraordinary performance of Wang Xiaojie, Han Sizhong and Li Duozuo, they repelled the multinational coalition forces, which became one of the few highlights worth mentioning in the Wu Zhou Dynasty's military.

But if A Luohan had not used diplomatic means to hold back the most powerful Arab Empire, the Wu Zhou Dynasty, which destroyed its own Great Wall, might not have been able to stop the multinational coalition forces.

After this battle, A Luohan called on the countries in the Western Regions to pool together hundreds of billions of dollars to purchase copper and iron to build Tianshu.

The Wu Zhou pillar weighs two million jin and has eight sides with coiled dragons and unicorns circling around it. On top is a plate that rises up into the clouds and receives dew, and on the top are four dragons standing and holding flaming beads. The Tianshu, in which all nations praise the virtues of the Great Zhou, was also built in this environment.

Although Alohan was a Persian, he did make great contributions to China.

A Luohan arrived at Jiying Hall early under the leadership of Li Yiyan.

A Luohan said to Li Yiyan: "After the game that day, I asked people around me about Mr. Chen's deeds. Those great achievements were jaw-dropping. Who would have thought that there would be such a person in this world, who could write such beautiful words as 'The spring river tide is connected to the sea level, and the bright moon on the sea rises with the tide. The ripples follow the waves for thousands of miles, and there is no spring river without a bright moon', and who could lead troops to fight against injustice, establish great military exploits, and be a good person who is both civil and military. People really admire and envy him..."

"I was wondering if I would be lucky enough to meet him, but then I learned that His Majesty had asked Mr. Chen to accompany me. I feel so honored, and I cannot let him wait any longer."

A Luohan said anxiously.

Li Yiyan said, "I'm afraid I'll disappoint the general!"

He looked at Chen Qingsi who was talking with his colleagues outside Jiying Hall not far away.

A Luohan obviously noticed it as well and walked up quickly.

"A Luohan has met Minister Chen!"

A Luohan seemed very enthusiastic and looked very familiar.

Chen Qingsi also reacted very quickly and bowed in return: "Greetings, General Right Envoy."

Ah Luohan's enthusiasm remained unabated, and he exclaimed, "I have only been in the Central Plains for half a year, but I have already heard of Minister Chen's name. From the "Two Poems of Pity for the Peasants" that express concern for the country and the people, to the heroic "Dapeng", to the line "Don't worry about having no friends on the road ahead, everyone in the world knows you", one can't help but sigh that there is such an outstanding person in this world. Could it be that the Star of Literature has descended to the world?"

"Later, I heard that there was a general named Chen and a minister named Chen who pacified Baekje, pacified Wa, subdued Silla, and made plans to conquer Goguryeo to take care of the northeast. I thought, the Tang Dynasty is full of talents, and with these two Chens in civil and military affairs, who can defeat them?"

"It was not until recently that I learned that Mr. Chen, Grand Commander Chen, and Minister Chen were actually the same person."

“Shocked and amazed, beyond words.”

"Today I am able to meet the real person. I hate that God didn't let me get to know the Shangshu sooner, but I am also grateful that God has been kind to me, allowing me to get to know the Shangshu and drink with him."

The Persian in front of him was tall and mighty, with a deep brown complexion, a thick black beard and a sharp nose. He wore a gorgeous straight robe, which was densely embroidered with golden patterns, interspersed with some colorful patterns with purple and green as the background. His eyes were deep and infectious, full of sincerity and sincerity.

Chen Qingsi secretly praised: "No wonder Luohan can stir up trouble in Central Asia with just his mouth. His appearance and his worldly wisdom make it easy for him to win the favor of others." Chen Qingsi also responded enthusiastically: "In China, there are two sages, named Su Qin and Zhang Yi. Su Qin did not waste any grain, did not bother any soldiers, did not fight any soldiers, did not break any strings, did not break any arrows, and made the princes close to each other, virtuous as brothers, and dispersed the tyrants to suppress the powerful Qin."

"Zhang Yi divided the states into two groups and persuaded the states in Shandong to break up the alliance. He changed the states from resisting Qin to serving Qin by forming alliances, thus encroaching on the territories of the states and laying a solid foundation for Qin to unify the world."

"General A Luohan also had the spirit of Su Qin and Zhang Yi. In times of crisis, he turned the tide and caused Persia to rise again."

It is too early to say that Persia will rise again.

However, the remaining Persian nobles did recapture a strategic location that originally belonged to Persia from the hands of the Arab Empire in the Uhuru River Basin, the location of the Central Asian imperial graveyard.

Both of them are truly capable people, and their mutual flattery is not just commercial flattery as the literati see it, but rather praising each other's real achievements.

Chen Qingsi and A Luohan smiled at each other, feeling that they had met too late.

In fact, both of them knew each other's identity and position.

However, the alliance between Persia and the Tang Dynasty is beneficial to both sides, so both sides must show absolute friendship.

The two of them introduced their friends and colleagues to each other like old friends who hadn't seen each other for a long time.

Chen Qingsi introduced the assistant minister who accompanied him, while A Luohan introduced Li Yiyan, the deputy minister of the Ministry of Rites who had been responsible for accompanying him.

Li Yiyan suppressed his excitement and said, "Hello, Minister Chen."

Li Yiyan was the top scholar in the fifth year of Wude, and was much older than Chen Qingsi in terms of age. But that did not prevent him from following Chen Qingsi's example.

It was only yesterday that Chen Qingsi found out that the official from the Ministry of Rites who was responsible for taking care of A Luohan was actually named Li Yi Yan.

Of course Chen Qingsi knew who Li Yiyan was. He was famous for his integrity and was also the backbone of the anti-Wu movement...

Li Yiyan is tall and strong, with bright eyes and a heroic look between his eyebrows. He is a very charming middle-aged man.

Chen Qingsi returned the gift naturally, even though he wanted to bring this talented person into the Qingliu Party's camp.

However, the protagonist of tonight was A Luohan, and he couldn't steal the show, so he just greeted him briefly and chatted with him casually.

Until the party starts.

A Luohan and Chen Qingsi sat at the head of the table, and Li Yiyan sat in the second row behind them.

Emperor Li Zhi also showed his respect and trust for A Luohan. He did not just attend the banquet for show, but spoke a lot to A Luohan in person.

A Luohan was so grateful that he kept praising the emperor's great grace.

Chen Qingsi also joined in.

Diplomatic talents like A Luohan are extremely rare, and his value is often greater than thousands of troops.

Persia rose in the southwest of the Iranian Plateau. At its peak, its territory stretched from the Indus River and the Pamir Plateau in the east to the Balkan Peninsula and the Mediterranean Sea in the west, from the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea in the south to the Caucasus Mountains and the Aral Sea in the north. It was the first great empire spanning three continents: Asia, Europe, and Africa.

The identity of Alohan, the Persian prince, is very valuable in the West. The Tang Dynasty is not short of diplomatic talents, and their abilities are not necessarily inferior to his. However, without Alohan's bloodline, he lacks corresponding recognition in front of many Western nobles.

Li Zhi obviously realized the value of A Luohan and treated him very kindly.

Chen Qingsi drank a lot of wine from A Luohan. The Persian prince was a little drunk. Looking at the court ladies at the banquet, whose skirts fluttered like dancing butterflies, he said with a thick tongue, "I've heard Mai Maidi talk about Minister Chen a long time ago. I just couldn't believe that Minister Chen was promoted to this position in just a few years. It's amazing."

McMadie?
Chen Qingsi thought about it for a moment and figured out who it was. It was the envoy of Tocharia, who was also the crown prince. He had made friends with him at a Spring Festival banquet many years ago in order to understand the layout of Tubo in the west.

One side spoke ill of Tubo, the other side spoke ill of the Arab Empire, and both sides had their own intentions.

Chen Qingsi followed up the topic and asked, "How is Prince Mai Maidi doing now?"

A Luo sighed, "He has died in battle, killed by the Arabs. He was a hero, and died on the battlefield defending Tocharistan."

Chen Qingsi was silent for a moment. He didn't have much friendship with Mai Maidi. He just thought of the other's son Abadam who was studying in the Imperial College.

Chen Qingsi promoted the reform of the Imperial College and facilitated exchanges between students from other countries and his own country, and Abadam was one of the best among them.

Chen Qingsi is now also a father, and he can't help but feel sentimental.

Ah Luo said with regret: "In recent years, the exchanges between the Arabs and Tubo have deepened. They have opened up trade routes, supported each other, and fought against the Indian robbers. They have become allies."

Chen Qingsi was not surprised by the news.

Now the Tang army has stationed troops in Qinghai Lake, completely cutting off trade between the two countries.

If Tubo wanted to develop its economy, it could only deepen its exchanges with the Arab Empire.

Regardless of whether the Arab Empire wanted to advance eastward or suppress the spread of Chinese cultural influence to the west, an alliance with Tubo was the best choice.

Therefore, the alliance between the Arab Empire and Tubo was a completely foreseeable situation in which both sides gained what they needed and benefited from it.

A Luohan continued, "Tibet wants Qinghai Lake, and the Arab Empire wants the Western Regions. Their alliance will be very disadvantageous to the imperial court, Persia, Tocharistan and other countries. Minister Chen, now is the time of civil unrest in the Arab Empire. This is the best opportunity. As long as Your Majesty is willing to help, we can completely cut off all exchanges between the Arab Empire and Tibet. It will also be a great benefit to the imperial court."

Chen Qingsi pretended to be in deep thought, thinking that what A Luohan said made sense.

But in fact he mixed lies with the truth.

It is true that the Arab Empire wanted the Western Regions, but the Western Regions were not their only option.

They could go north to attack the Eastern Roman Empire, also known as the Byzantine Empire, go west to attack Tunisia and Morocco, or even cross the Strait of Gibraltar, expedition to Spain, attack the Visigothic Kingdom, or cross the Pyrenees to attack the Frankish Kingdom.

These are all options. Instead of fighting a bunch of countries that are easy to fight, why not compete with the powerful Tang Dynasty for the Western Regions?

Obviously not a wise choice.

Chen Qingsi looked at A Luohan and said earnestly, "Then you think too simply of the Kingdom of Dashi. The civil strife in Dashi this time is definitely not an opportunity. If you act rashly, you will pay a heavy price, and even cause the current good situation in the Wuhu waters to completely erode."

"The imperial court has its own difficulties. We will support you in restoring your country, but not now."

The strategy of the Tang Dynasty during this period in history was like shit. It won battles over and over again, but became weaker and weaker until Lun Qinling broke its golden body, which led to its strategy shrinking and its influence greatly reduced.

Now Chen Qingsi has made up for the strategic deficiencies of the Tang Dynasty. The three surrendered cities in the north have consolidated the grassland tribes. Silla is no longer a threat, Japan is also stable, and a large silver mountain has been obtained for free. Tubo has also been forced to the plateau...

As long as Goguryeo is destroyed, the Northeast issue will be completely solved!

The Tang Dynasty shifted its focus to the Western Regions and strengthened its control over them.

At this time, the Tang Dynasty will be invincible.

(End of this chapter)