Early Tang Dynasty: forge ahead

Chapter 523 Inner Fear

Chen Qingsi wanted to return, but the overall situation in Tubo was still uncertain. Faced with this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, he could not miss it no matter what, and he really had to stay away.

He is now a little worried about the situation in Chang'an. Just a few days ago, he received a secret letter from Zhang Jianzhi.

The secret letter said that Li Hong was suddenly unwell, and there were vague rumors in the capital that Li Zhi was considering deposing him because of Li Hong's health problems.

Zhang Jianzhi felt that this matter was too strange and believed that it was not groundless.

Although Chen Qingsi was not in the capital and did not understand the situation, he understood Empress Wu.

When Empress Wu became really cruel, her own flesh and blood didn't matter at all.

Whether the little princess was killed by her own hands is questionable in history, and there is no clear record. But it is beyond doubt that Li Xian was forced to death by him.

Li Hong's current situation is somewhat similar to Li Xian's. It cannot be said that the mother and son are alienated, but because the harem cannot interfere in politics, there is a certain gap between mother and son.

In order to prevent power from falling into the hands of others, it is not uncommon for some people to take advantage of Li Hong's ill health.

Empress Wu is somewhat similar to Chima Luo in front of her. They are not without feelings, but neither of them takes feelings too seriously. In the face of interests, they can put their feelings aside at any time.

Chen Qingsi believed that when choosing between her son and power, Empress Wu would definitely choose the latter without any hesitation.

The ranks of Zhang Jianzhi and Di Renjie are too low, and the things they are intervening in are beyond their authority.

Someone needs to take charge of them...

Chen Qingsi also wrote a letter back to Zhang Jianzhi, asking him to control the progress a little and not to push the other party too hard, lest he become desperate.

As soon as the Tubo issue is resolved, Chen Qingsi will rush back to Chang'an without stopping.

As for the reason, Chen Qingsi had already thought of it and was anxious to go home to see his little daughter whom he had not yet met.

Li Hongqing gave birth to a daughter when Chen Qingsi led his troops to sweep Tubo.

Everyone knows that Chen Qingsi is homesick, and he won't arouse suspicion.

Seeing that Chen Qingsi was distracted, Chima Luo snorted in dissatisfaction and said, "The chief steward of Wuhai City has been captured. Have you thought about how to govern? General Xi is unparalleled in bravery. When it comes to martial prowess, he can be said to be invincible in the world."

When Chen Qingsi heard this, a person emerged in his mind and he thought: You are weak and ignorant, the truly brave ones are still in Haidong.

"Wuhai City will be a major military town in the future, and will also become a major trade town between the plateau and Qinghai. We need a prestigious local to help govern it. It would be best if this person is Tibetan, so that the Tibetan people can feel more at ease."

Chen Qingsi understood and asked, "Does Madam Zhuo have any suitable choice?"

He meant that too.

The capture of Wuhai City was just a means of insurance for the future. In their real plan, Tubo and the Tang court were not hostile to each other. The two sides would not only unify their culture, but also reopen the old road between Tang and Tubo and carry out in-depth trade exchanges.

Wuhai City will also become an important channel for communication between the two sides...

As for the future of Tubo, Wang Xiaojie's cooperation is not enough, and the Tang court must also show its own tolerant and inclusive spirit.

There is no doubt that the core power of Wuhai City is in the hands of the imperial court, but the deputy must be a Tibetan who can take into account the interests of the Tibetan people...

Chima Luo said: "I think my third uncle Qilichuan is the most suitable. He is capable and prestigious. He has been engaged in administrative affairs and is capable of taking on this important task."

Chen Qingsi was not surprised that Chimalo recommended Qilichuan, because the biggest problem facing the Lu family at the moment was insufficient talent reserves.

After several purges, most of the truly capable people were purged, and those who remained were mostly people of average ability.

Qilichuan is considered the tallest among the short men in the Lu family.

A Tibetan with a long career, average ability, and a good personality, he just meets Chen Qingsi's requirements.

Chimalo has made great efforts in dividing and connecting the internal Tubo these days, and the Lu family should also get some rewards.

Chen Qingsi was very generous, and seemed to have not thought about it at all. He waved his hand and said, "Okay, it's decided."

Chimalo got what he wanted, but he did not show any joy. Instead, he frowned slightly and looked a little at a loss.

Chen Qingsi asked, "What's wrong?"

Chima Luo reacted and made up an excuse: "No, I was just thinking about how to make Wang Xiaojie become the real Tibetan king smoothly."

Chen Qingsi knew that she was not telling the truth, so he did not say it out loud. He just followed her words and briefly discussed the situation in Tubo with her.

If you want to understand the Tubo situation as quickly as possible, you have to rely on the connections of the Lu family, and of course they will give you more.

Seeing that Chima Luo was worried, Chen Qingsi said, "Don't worry, even if I leave, I will ask Xi Junmai and Cheng Wuting to take special care of you."

Chimaloqiang smiled and thanked him.

After leaving the Governor's Mansion in Fu'ai City, Chimalo returned to his residence, worried. His mind was full of the news that Chen Qingsi would not stay long. His heart was empty and panicked. The feeling of loneliness and helplessness in Chang'an City surged into his heart again, and tears welled up in his eyes.

Chang'an is a dream place for most people in the world.

As the world's largest metropolis and the only capital city in the world with a population of over one million, its prosperity is unimaginable to outsiders.

If people of this era do not see Chang'an with their own eyes, they have no idea what the most prosperous place in the world is.

But for Chimalo, it was a large prison.

She was tricked by Galdongzan into coming to Chang'an, but she couldn't go back. Her family suffered misfortunes, her parents were killed, and she became a tool of the Tang Dynasty and was trapped in the Hongwenguan.

At that time, she was not even twenty years old, and was still a young girl who had not yet experienced any experience.

Even though Chimalo studies day and night in Chang'an and seems to have a good life, it's all an illusion.

In order to confuse the opponent and paralyze oneself, the cloak is worn.

It was Chen Qingsi who brought her out of Chang'an, it was Chen Qingsi who gave her enough sense of security, and it was Chen Qingsi who did not care about her being a girl and gave her the opportunity to display her abilities...

This is particularly important.

The Tibetans’ preference for boys over girls was even more serious because they were in a plateau, with a shortage of supplies and difficult mountain roads, which required more physical strength. That was why Tibetan men had a higher status…

But Chen Qingsi didn't care about all this. He had great confidence in his own abilities. He told himself all the crucial inside information and helped him establish his authority in the Meilu family.

If it weren't for Chen Qingsi, how could the hundreds of people in the Lu family obey a woman like her?
Chimaluo knew very well that his current situation was all thanks to Chen Qingsi.

Chen Qingsi's strength and protection made Chimalo admire the strong and even developed a certain sense of dependence on him.

At this moment, I learned that Chen Qingsi was leaving. In an instant, the fear that had disappeared came back again.

In fact, Chen Qingsi overestimated Chimalo. Chimalo's achievements in history were indeed great, but that was the Queen Mother of Tubo in her fully mature period. She could not compare with her in her current heart.

Chimalo didn't know what would happen after Chen Qingsi left.

But he was sure that after he left, there would be no one in Qinghai who had the power of life and death like him. Even if Xi Junmai and Cheng Wuting might take special care of him because of Chen Qingsi's instructions, their power was limited, and their help was also limited.

Will I be able to do as well as I do now?

Can the glory of the Meilu family be restored?

Chimaluo felt unsure. All her power now came from Chen Qingsi. She couldn't imagine what life would be like after Chen Qingsi left.

"If only I had real power!"

Chimaro let out a long sigh.

"Mrs. Zhuo!"

There was a knock on the door.

Chima Luo couldn't let others see his weakness, so he wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes, took a long breath, and said with a relaxed mood: "Come in!"

The person who entered the room was his third uncle Qilichuan.

Because they didn't know how to call Chimalo now, people without the Lu family followed the Tang people's example and called Chimalo "Miss Zhuo".

Chimaro did not object either.

"Madam Zhuo, this is the candidate you want. As you said, they are all young and powerful women of the right age. Even if they become the queen of Tubo, they will not pose much threat to us."

Chimaro took the list and looked at it carefully.

Qilichuan looked unwilling and depressed, and said: "The Queen of Tubo originally belonged to us without Lu family, but now she is the one that got it for free?"

Chima Luo thought of Mangsong Mangzan's ruthlessness and incompetence, and said, "If I really want to marry him, I might as well die. Besides, given the current situation in Tibet, what's the point of being the queen of Tibet?"

As she spoke, she was suddenly stunned, as if she had thought of something, and the corner of her mouth curled up into a crescent moon.

The Tang Dynasty launched a surprise attack on Wuhai City, and the most stimulated people were the Tibetans on the plateau who had already raised their flags and started a fierce battle between the two camps.

The two men, Nan and Chen, supported the Shao Zamp and the fake Zamp respectively. The two sides used threats or inducements to gather the few soldiers they had. When they were trying to bite each other's brains, they suddenly heard that the Tang army had launched a surprise attack on Wuhai City. They were so scared that it was like being poured with a bucket of ice water in winter.

Cool to the core.

Almost at the same time, Na Nan released her mouth that was biting Chen's left leg, and Chen also released her mouth that was biting Na Nan's arm.

They all retreated away from each other without any prior agreement.

No matter how much trouble the two of them make, it is an internal matter of Tubo, and it is not the turn of the Tang army to reap the benefits.

A truce was declared to stop the fighting, and scouts were sent out to investigate whether Chen Qingsi, the cunning and terrifying fox, was planning to take advantage of the opportunity to attack the plateau.

It was not until they were sure that the Tang army had no intention of attacking and that some of the Tang army's troops had withdrawn, and that Chen Qingsi's target was limited to Wuhai City, that the two sides opened their bloody mouths at each other.

Chen Qingsi, who was in Fu'ai City, was relieved when he learned that the two sides had started fighting again.

This was something he had not expected. He originally thought that taking just Wuhai City would not affect anything.

However, they did not expect that in the battle of Qinghai, their entire army was defeated. The Tubo people were afraid of Chen Qingsi like a tiger, and were like a frightened bird, and every tree and grass seemed to be an enemy.

Even though they only captured Wuhai City, they were still trembling with fear, fearing that Chen Qingsi would attack the plateau and destroy the power they had that could allow them to conquer the plateau.

"Fortunately, there was no danger!"

Chen Qingsi smiled and said to Chima Luo, "After all, they couldn't resist the temptation of power and started fighting again, and the fight was even more fierce."

As he spoke, he looked at the Tibetan map presented by the Meilu clan in front of him, marked the locations of the Nan clan and the Chen clan on it with a charcoal pencil, and analyzed: "This battle will not last long, it will be decided in about a month, at the latest by the end of this year, and the outcome will be decided in three months. They have just experienced a great defeat and do not have the strength to sustain a long war. Both of them will want to win as soon as possible and will not prolong the timeline..."

Chima Luo was convinced by Chen Qingsi's words at this moment, and said, "Then when should we take action?"

Chen Qingsi thought for a moment and said three words: "Wait for the right time!"

He paused and said, "I want to make sure that I can seize this opportunity when the time comes. Fu'ai City is too far from the plateau. I have to go to Wuhai City and leave today."

When Chima Luo saw Chen Qingsi looking at him while he was talking, he immediately said, "I'll get ready and go with the chief steward."

Chen Qingsi continued, "I need to know the outcome of the battle in a timely manner, and I will have to trouble Madam Zhuo when the time comes."

Chen Qingsi was able to establish contact with the front line through Lu's old connections. If he wanted to understand the situation, he had to have Chimalo as a middleman.

Chima Luo chuckled and said, "Helping the chief steward is also helping myself. There's no need to be so polite."

Chen Qingsi nodded slightly. Since Chimalo was helping him like this, he would certainly show his appreciation.

Chen Qingsi set out for Wuhai City that afternoon.

After three days of travel, we arrived at Wuhai City.

Looking at the city which was not big but had extremely strong defenses, Chen Qingsi secretly admired it.

It was also thanks to Chen's seizure of Gar's control over Wuhai City, otherwise, even if the surprise attack was successful, it would not be easy to capture the city smoothly. At least it would not be easy to obtain it after paying a painful price.

In the next few days, Chen Qingsi and Chima Luo deduced the battle situation from the map...

Chimalo passed the news to Chen Qingsi, who pushed the troops on the map and grasped the progress, advantages and disadvantages of both sides.

The two armies of Tianchen and Nanan met unexpectedly in a mountain stream. They fought a fierce battle and suffered heavy losses.

Chen Qingsi analyzed the map and the consequences of the unexpected losses of troops on both sides.

"General Manager, have a drink of water!"

Chimalu handed over a glass of water from the side.

Chen Qingsi's mind was on the map, so he didn't care. He took it, drank the water and returned it.

Looking at the map in front of him, Chen Qingsi's head inexplicably swelled, and his little brother inexplicably became erect, as if the map in front of him was a beautiful woman.

Chima Luo stared at Chen Qingsi nervously. Seeing him staring at the map in a daze, he couldn't help but panic. He thought to himself: No way, this medicine is only effective for highland yaks? It has no effect on humans? Third uncle, it clearly said that it also works on humans?

"General Manager?"

Chimalo called out timidly.

Then she was pushed to the ground by a huge force...

Chima Luo did not exclaim, but instead felt a little happy about his success. However, as time passed, that joy turned into fear...

(End of this chapter)