The Flourishing Tang Dynasty: Beginning with Marrying Yang Yuhuan

Chapter 216 Internal Centrifugal
"Of course it's true." Cuan Chongdao looked at Li Mi next to Li Lin in confusion and said, "General Li has helped a lot in this matter. He should be clear about the situation."

Li Lin was startled when he heard this, and looked at Li Mi with anger in his eyes, but he resisted the urge to vent his anger and turned to Cuan Chongdao and said, "Did you kill the entire families of Cuan Guiwang and Cuan Riyong?"

Cuan Chongdao replied truthfully: "King Cuan Gui's wife fled to Nanzhao."

"You can't even catch a woman?" Li Lin said with a hint of ridicule, "Well, please wait outside the camp for a while."

"Yes." Cuan Chongdao stepped back.

After Cuan Chongdao left the tent, Li Lin looked at Li Mi again and said, "General Li, why have you never told me about this?"

Li Mi said: "I only learned today that Cuan Chongdao killed King Cuan Gui and Cuan Riyu. However, I did use a strategy to sow discord among the Cuan family. I have always wanted to tell Your Highness about this, but..."

Li Mi wanted to say, "But Your Highness didn't give me any chance at all," but saying this would hurt the relationship, so he stopped.

However, although Li Mi did not finish speaking, Li Lin probably knew what Li Mi wanted to say.

Li Lin became even more angry, almost gritting his teeth and said, "General Li, I hope we can be of one mind. If there is anything in the future, please inform me in time."

"Yes." Li Mi bowed to Li Lin.

Li Lin said: "Since Cuan Chongdao has surrendered, it was General Li who helped, so please ask General Li to follow Cuan Chongdao to station in Shicheng first."

"Yes." Li Mi took the order and retreated with his generals.

Li Lin watched Li Mi walk out of the tent and angrily punched the table.

Xian Yu Zhongtong stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, Li Mi has always been rude to you, and now he has secretly used the trick against Cuan Shi without telling you. He wants to take all the credit!"

Seeing Xian Yuzhongtong taking advantage of the situation, He Fuguang was quite disdainful and stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, although General Li Mi is arrogant, he is definitely not a mean person who monopolizes the credit. After Your Highness enters Shicheng, you can hold a banquet to clear up the misunderstanding with General Li Mi."

"What?" Xian Yu Zhongtong was furious. "You actually asked His Highness to bow his head on his own initiative? He Fuguang, what are your intentions? Are you in cahoots with Li Mi?"

He Fuguang was also angry. He stepped forward and glared at Xianyu Zhongtong, saying, "Who is in the same group with whom? We are all generals of the Tang Dynasty and ministers of the saint! Xianyu Zhongtong, you don't have to rush to throw dirty water on me. Last time you were defeated in Yaozhou, which led to the sudden attack on His Highness by Nanzhao. The saint will not pursue this matter, and Your Highness will not pursue it, but you will not be able to escape the iron pen of history! History will settle accounts with you!"

Li Lin felt a headache when he heard the two people cursing at each other, and he interrupted them quickly, saying, "Enough! Generals, we should unite as one as we face a powerful enemy. Both generals are fighting for the Tang Dynasty, and although they have differences, they are both loyal!"

After that, he had someone bring two cups of wine, and handed them to Xian Yu Zhongtong and He Fuguang respectively, saying, "Give me a favor, the two generals, drink the wine in the cups, shake hands and make peace!"

When Li Lin said this, Xian Yu Zhongtong and He Fuguang dared not say anything more. They drank the wine in their cups and said to each other, "Please forgive me for my offense!"

"That's right!" Li Lin patted the two men on the shoulders, "Please ask the two generals to go down and organize the troops first. When Li Mi's news arrives, we will enter Shicheng."

"Yes." Xianyu Zhongtong and He Fuguang accepted the order at the same time and retreated. Other generals also retreated one after another. Only a few important confidants of Li Lin were left in the tent.

"Damn it!"

Li Lin cursed and kicked the desk over.

From Li Lin's perspective, he had just been tricked by Li Mi and was still angry when Xian Yu Zhongtong and He Fuguang started arguing again.

If he hadn't been on the march, he would never have been able to endure until now.

Seeing Li Lin so furious, Wei Zichun squatted down and picked up the commander's desk, picking up things on the ground and said, "Your Highness, the Prime Minister is a tolerant person. As the commander-in-chief of the three armies, you should not be angry about this." When Li Lin heard what Wei Zichun said, he began to understand Li Longji a little.

These so-called wise men will only tell you how to be tolerant and patient all day long without considering your emotions at all.

If he were like Li Longji, he would not be willing to listen to the teachings of these so-called wise men.

But now he is not Li Longji.

So he had to endure it a little longer.

Li Lin smiled sadly, squatted down and picked up things with Wei Zichun, and said: "You are right, I was too indulgent. Do you think Li Mi's behavior this time was really for his own credit?"

"It's hard to say." Wei Zichun shook his head. "But whether he is seeking personal merit or not, the suspicion between him and Your Highness is already very deep. I suggest that Your Highness should take him in if you can, but if you can't, you can find a chance to get rid of him."

"The one who understands me is Zichun!" Li Lin finally heard the most pleasing words today and smiled knowingly.

……

On the Nanzhao side, King Cuan Gui's wife found Piluoge and told him everything about Cuan Chongdao killing King Cuan Gui and Cuan Riyu, and asked Piluoge to send troops to attack.

Piluoge readily agreed, comforted King Cuan Gui's wife, and had someone bring her down to take good care of her.

Then, Piloge discussed state affairs with Geluofeng.

Pi Luoge said: "This Li Mi is quite resourceful. He actually alienated the Cuan family."

"Yes." Ge Luofeng agreed, "Li Mi is a rare talent, and he has a deep bond with his son. It's a pity that they now serve different masters and have no choice but to fight against each other."

"Father understands your feelings." Pi Luoge walked up to Ge Luofeng, "It is a tragedy for brothers to kill each other. But news just came from the front that the Tang Dynasty has occupied Shicheng and is advancing to Yaozhou. After Yaozhou, it is the mainland of Nanzhao. This is related to the life and death of Nanzhao. I hope my son will put the overall situation first."

"I understand, son." Geluo Feng bowed to Piluo Ge, "I didn't expect the Tang Dynasty to send troops so quickly."

Pi Luoge said: "The troops may not be fully prepared if they are dispatched quickly. The battle in the front is left to you. Your father will send someone to contact the Tubo side."

"Yes."

Ge Luofeng took the order and went to the front line in person.

After arriving at the front line, Geluofeng sent special envoys to Li Lin's army to request peace talks to prevent Tubo from reaping the benefits. At the same time, he stepped up the construction of fortifications and set up layers of defense lines in preparation for war.

……

On the Tang army side, due to the internal strife of the Cuan clan, Li Lin easily took control of eastern Yunnan and led his troops into Yaozhou.

In Yaozhou, the Tang army encountered fierce resistance from the Nanzhao army, but the Tang army had more people after all. After being defeated, Nanzhao retreated to the border of Yuanmou County, 50 miles away.

Although the Tang army won this battle, the miasma harassed the Tang soldiers again. Two-tenths of the Tang soldiers contracted malaria, and one-tenth of the soldiers lost their combat effectiveness due to reasons such as unfamiliarity with the local climate and water, and accidental ingestion of poisons.

Li Mi was quite worried and said to Li Lin: "Your Highness, it would be better to station in Yaozhou first, and then send people to spread your prestige and virtue, recruit Yibai militia and make them submit. Don't rush into their territory first, so as not to fall into their trap."

(End of this chapter)