At the same time, while Ye Sanlang and the others were talking, things were not very peaceful in Chang'an.
In the imperial study room of the Daming Palace of the Tang Dynasty, Li Longji looked with a livid face at a Tang soldier kneeling in front of his desk. He looked very tired, because it was this man who rushed from Shibao City to Chang'an to report the military situation.
Li Longji's face looked very bad, and it could be seen that he was extremely angry now.
"What do you think, Gao Weng?" he asked.
Gao Weng is naturally Gao Lishi, the powerful eunuch next to Li Longji. On many things, he likes to ask Gao Lishi first. After all, Gao Lishi has been with him for decades and can figure out his answers to many things. Meaning, and then expressing his own opinions will greatly affect his decision-making.
"In Yi Laonu's view, Tubo Zanpu has been aggressively recruiting troops in recent years, and it seems that he has a plan. However, because Princess Jincheng is involved, there is not much conflict. However, after Princess Jincheng died of illness last year, this Tubo Zanpu Pu seems to be a little unscrupulous. This time Tubo sent troops to Dafeichuan, it is very likely that they have a motive. I guess their next target should be Shibao City."
It seems that Tubo sent troops to Feichuan. If this was put before March of the 17th year of Kaiyuan, this would probably be nothing. Before that, Tubo and Tang Dynasty had been fighting fiercely. However, in March of the 17th year of Kaiyuan, Shuofang Jiedushi King Xinle Li Wei took him by surprise and attacked thousands of miles away. Unexpectedly, Tubo captured the important town of Shibao City. After that, Tubo lost its advantage of this generation. A losing streak. Under internal and external pressure, Tubo just issued a marriage request, so Li Longji sent Princess Jincheng to Tibet. The two sides drew a boundary in the 21st year of Kaiyuan. Except for occasional small frictions, there were few major actions.
Eight years have passed so far. Princess Jincheng passed away last year. After that, something was not right with Tubo Zanpu.
However, Li Longji didn't pay attention to any of this. He lingered in the gentle countryside of Belle and had not gone to court for a long time. Even privately, some people and officials regarded him as a faint king. However, he was very clear-headed when it came to matters related to his own power and national affairs. After all, he was also the wise king who created the prosperous Kaiyuan era. Although he later began to fall because of Yang Yuhuan, he was only It can be said to be a mixed bag of good and bad.
So, when Gao Lishi hurriedly ran into his palace and reported that there was an urgent military message from Anxi, his intention to play with the beauties suddenly disappeared. His heart skipped a beat, and he immediately ran to the imperial study room to summon him. This messenger. Only then did he learn that Tubo had sent 40,000 troops to station in Dafeichuan, which made him break into a cold sweat. He suddenly remembered that no matter Anxi, Beiting, Hexi, Shuofang, or Longyou, they had not conducted large-scale battles with Tubo for many years. If it were not for the occasional friction with the surrounding tribes, perhaps the training would have been a little lax. Thinking about the imperial troops in the Central Plains, he actually knew very well that the imperial military system in the Central Plains had collapsed. Although there were nominally one million soldiers, there were now only an estimated 100,000 old, weak, sick and disabled people with low combat effectiveness left. If Tubo really If they capture Shibao City and march straight into the Central Plains, the world will probably be in chaos.
"Immediately order Longyou and Shuofang to step up their military training. If they feel it is not enough, order to give Niu Xianke and Zhang Zhongliang 50,000 to expand their troops and allow them to expand their troops..." He thought for a moment and then said: "Tell them to act according to the situation. , if there is any change in Tubo, allow them to send troops."
Li Longji's move was indeed good. He knew that these Jiedushi envoys secretly had private armies, which was why he changed the title of these Jiedushi envoys every once in a while. Although he gave Niu Xianke and Zhang Zhong They were offered 50,000 quota to expand the army, but they didn't contribute a single cent. This was a way to test them. "Yes." A voice echoed in the room, then disappeared.
Gao Lishi and the messenger knew that those should be the guards around Li Longji. They were all masters of martial arts. These were just those who followed him at all times on weekdays. In fact, there were many masters of cultivation hidden in this palace. , if something really happens, then they will take action.
"Go down, I will reward you in a few days." Li Longji said.
The messenger who was kneeling on the ground nodded, with a hint of joy in his eyes, and quickly stood up and exited the imperial study.
Li Longji pressed his head with a headache. Not only the Tuyuhun, but also the Khitan and Xi tribes were ready to make a move. Even the Tubo, which had been quiet for several years, actually sent troops to Feichuan in an attempt to invade Shibao City? There was a fierce light in his eyes. Could it be that these guys really forgot the majesty of the Tang Dynasty? Then hit them until they remember.
Although the military system of various provinces in the Central Plains has collapsed, the real fighting troops of the Tang Dynasty are the frontier troops. Those guys are really licking blood at the edge of the knife. They crawled out from the pile of dead, and their combat effectiveness can match that of several soldiers. Today, the total number of border troops in various towns in Datang is hundreds of thousands. Regardless of the number needed to guard the border, if something happens, he can also recruit 200,000 border soldiers who are good at fighting. In particular, the most famous Anxi Modao Army and Youzhou Iron Cavalry can make any enemy of the Tang Dynasty fearful.
However, in that case, the consumption of the national treasury would not be able to keep up at all, and he might have to impose heavy taxes to collect food and expenses for sending troops. However, he also knew that in today's world, not only was the military system broken, but there was even a big cancer in his heart. , that is land annexation, because this will make people's lives very difficult. If heavy taxes are imposed again, the Tang Dynasty will fall apart from within before those tribes attack.
However, at this point, we can only prescribe the right medicine. If Tubo does not make any changes, then it will be fine, but if Tubo really sends troops to Shibao City, then he will beat him until he can't stand up!
Although Li Longji looked very unhappy, Gao Lishi hesitated behind him, lowered his head, and said in his ear: "Your Majesty, I'm afraid things are not that simple."
Li Longji raised his eyebrows. He knew that his intelligence department was in the hands of Gao Lishi. By saying this, he probably knew some very important information.
"Tell me, Mr. Gao, why bother hiding it?"
"It is said that the Kunlun Great Light Palace sent an envoy and many believers to follow the Tubo into Dafeichuan, and then disappeared. It is said that they probably wanted to secretly go to the Central Plains to preach."
"Messenger? They actually sent an envoy?!" Li Longji sighed.
The Kunlun Great Light Palace, one of the five major powers, has actually had many years of grudges with the Li Tang court. The most important grudge lies in attitude. As early as many years ago, the Central Plains court at that time declared the Great Guangming Palace to be a cult, and launched an all-out attack on the Great Guangming Palace, even destroying many branches of the Grand Guangming Palace, resulting in considerable hostility between the two sides.
Over the years, the Great Guangming Palace has only frequently sent believers to preach in the Central Plains, and has not dared to make any big moves. In fact, as a first-class force, the lineup of powerful people in the Great Light Palace is also terrifying. The basic management consists of five disciples, two envoys on the left and right, many protectors, elders, and the supreme king. It is said that the general protector is a strong person at the Heavenly Immortal level, and Wumingzi is even more powerful at the Golden Immortal level. The two envoys on the left and right are said to have reached the peak of the Golden Immortal level, but they can't get over that hurdle no matter what. From this, we can see the gap between the first-rate forces and the second-rate ones. Tiantian Jianmen can be regarded as a famous sect in the world, but before its breakthrough, its leader was only the peak of the Golden Immortal level, and this Great Light Palace Light It took just two envoys to catch up with the master of the Tianjian Sect, not to mention the religious king who was said to have entered the Heavenly Emperor level for a long time.
Unexpectedly, they couldn't help but send an envoy. Such a strong person was not something that ordinary experts could handle.
After thinking for a moment, Li Longji solemnly raised his head and said: "Send a report to Shushan and ask them to send personnel to intercept the people in the Great Guangming Palace. They must not be allowed to take root in our Central Plains!";
