If I let you stay in Lingnan, how could you become the crown prince of the Tang Dynasty?

Chapter 45: Lure the tiger away from the mountain, ask the Sixth Prince to fight the Turks

Early in the morning, Li Shimin sat upright on the dragon throne, discussing state affairs with his ministers.

At this time, General Li Jing stepped forward to report:
"Your Majesty, the northern Turks have recently repeatedly invaded our borders, destroyed our border walls and seized our fortresses, and even robbed our food, cattle and horses, and abducted our Tang people as slaves!"

"The troubles in the north are endless, all because the Xiongnu think that our Tang Dynasty is weak and can be bullied. I ask Your Majesty to send troops to attack the Turks deep in the northern desert, and imitate the Han Dynasty's Guanjun Hou Fenglangjuxu, so as to solve the troubles in our northern border!"

When Li Shimin heard Li Jing's report, he couldn't help but frown.

The Turks have always been a thorn in the side of the Tang Dynasty.

Although Li Shimin had attacked DTZ many times and even nearly destroyed the country,

But the nomadic people on the grassland have a characteristic: they live wherever there is water and grass, and have no fixed place to live. They usually live in the form of tribes scattered throughout the grassland.

Although DTZ Khan was captured by Li Shimin and taken to Chang'an, he also set up the Beiting Protectorate in the north.

But the Turkic tribes are still there, and the Western Turks have recently been on the rise and have united many tribes that originally belonged to the DTZ.

Various tribes and leaders on the grassland sprang up like mushrooms after a rain, and it was impossible to kill them all.

You defeat one, and within two years another will pop up. You drive away one tribe, and the next year another tribe will come.

It was a bit like guerrilla warfare, which caused the Tang Dynasty a lot of headaches.

Moreover, as long as a few years pass on the grassland, a person who can lead all the tribes will emerge. With one order to cross the Great Wall to rob the Tang people and forage for grass and valleys, all the tribes will happily follow on horseback with sabers in hand.

After all, the grassland is barren and can only be used to graze cattle and sheep. These Turks have nothing and are barefoot and are not afraid of wearing shoes.

As long as they crossed the Great Wall, they could plunder the people of the Tang Dynasty and take their food, cattle and sheep for themselves.

What's more, the women in the Tang Dynasty are all beautiful, much better than those women on the grassland who are exposed to the wind and sun every day and have extremely bad skin!

It is precisely because of the temptation of money, food and women that the Turkic invasion is almost difficult to stop!

After Li Jing finished speaking, he looked at Li Shimin eagerly.

He wants to ask for a fight!

As soon as the emperor gave the order, he would immediately lead his troops to attack again.

But Li Shimin was not very willing to let Li Jing go.

Li Jing is now old, and because of his contribution to the suppression of DTZ, he has long been named Duke of Dai.

It can be said to be a high-ranking position.

If he was sent to conquer the Turks again and was defeated, the Tang Dynasty would lose a veteran general, leaving a record in history books for future generations that a veteran general was exhausted to death by someone else.

If I win, how will I be rewarded?

Li Jing was already the Duke of Dai, which was the highest of the five noble titles: duke, marquis, earl, viscount and baron.

If I confer another title on him, will I give up the throne of emperor to him?
So, even though he saw Li Jing looking at him eagerly, Li Shimin did not speak immediately.

At this time, Changsun Wuji suddenly took a step forward:
"His Majesty!"

"I heard that the Sixth Prince has made many great achievements in Lingnan. Not only has he made the people of Lingnan live and work in peace and contentment, and the business is booming, but he has also driven the barbarians in various parts of Lingnan away in panic!"

When it comes to the affairs of the Sixth Prince Li An in Lingnan, Li Shimin will no longer be sleepy!
This is his son.

Moreover, what Li An did in Lingnan was indeed like an old sow bringing bad omens, one thing after another!
Li Shimin laughed and said:
"Speaking of which, An'er has done a really good job in Lingnan!"

As he spoke, he recounted Li An's various deeds in Lingnan in the court.

When Li An dared to lead an army deep into the mountains of the barbarians, holding a sword and leading the soldiers to charge forward, Li Shimin could not help but dance with joy. Yuchi Gong beside him also nodded continuously.

After all, he had personally gone to Lingnan to verify this matter, so he was very happy to hear the emperor talk about it.

A group of veteran generals and ministers also listened with great interest.

When it comes to the story that Li An chopped off the head of the barbarian chief and inserted it into the tip of a spear, and then stewed it with wild boar and elk meat, and said that he had stewed the chief, a group of ministers could not help but applaud.

"That's a good idea!"

"The barbarians fear power but not virtue, and they are brutal by nature. They love to devour the flesh of the people of the Tang Dynasty! Your Highness the Sixth Prince is using his own way to treat them, which has completely intimidated these barbarians!"

"That's right! The key is that the Sixth Prince didn't really stew a living person, but used wild boar meat to shock them. This is very interesting!"

"The Sixth Prince is indeed brave and resourceful!"

"The Qiankun Baojian that Your Majesty sold to us before was also made by the Sixth Prince. It can be seen that the Sixth Prince is extremely intelligent!"

"It is a great honor for your Majesty to have a child like the Sixth Prince!"

Li Shimin couldn't help but feel very happy when he heard the unanimous praise from a group of ministers.

He twirled his beard and nodded:
"My son really looks like me!"

When Changsun Wuji heard this, his heart sank.

It seems that His Majesty really likes the Sixth Prince.

However, he still put on a smile on the surface, walked to the front and said:
"Your Majesty, Lingnan has always been a poor and remote place, and the people are poor and destitute. After the Sixth Prince went there, he managed the water and rivers there, and the people lived and worked in peace and contentment. This shows that the Sixth Prince is extremely talented!"

"Moreover, Lingnan has many mountains and numerous barbarians, which has always been a headache for the Tang Dynasty. But I didn't expect that the Sixth Prince has subdued the barbarians in just two years. It can be seen that the Sixth Prince's military tactics are extremely outstanding!"

Hearing this, although Li Shimin nodded, his eyes looked at Changsun Wuji.

Changsun Wuji is Li Zhi’s uncle!

This kid has never praised any prince except Li Zhi!
Even though I brought so many dressing mirrors from Lingnan and sold them for two million taels of silver, enriching the Tang Dynasty's treasury, this old guy never said a word of good for the Sixth Prince!

What happened to him today?
The sun rises from the west?

What is this old guy up to?
Chang Sun Wuji paused for a moment and said with a smile:

"Your Majesty, since the Sixth Prince is so outstanding in military tactics and strategy, and has experience in attacking barbarians, why not transfer him back from Lingnan and send him to the north to fight the Turks?"

When these words were spoken, everyone was stunned.

It seems like this is what this old guy is up to!

The Sixth Prince is indeed good, and the same is true, but...

As the saying goes, a gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall.

Li An is a prince after all!

How could it make sense to leave all the generals in the court unattended and send a prince to conquer the Turks!

Although Li Shimin often led the army to war in person, he was the Heavenly Khan who had fought wars for half his life!

After all, the Sixth Prince was only a teenager. Although he had fought against the barbarians, in the eyes of the ministers, the Lingnan barbarians were just thieves hiding in the mountains. They could not be compared with the powerful Turks on the grassland!

Letting a young boy lead a large army to attack the Turks, it seems a bit unreliable!

(End of this chapter)