"Is thirty years a long time?" Jin Yuxin said with a smile: "It still seems like yesterday when your father and I were in the Hwarang team!"
"Yes!" Jin Famin said with a smile: "In your eyes, all this does seem like yesterday, but how many people in this world can be like Yu Xingong?"
"Your Majesty, look at the orange trees in my yard, how sweet the fruits are!" Jin Yuxin said with a smile: "But the person who planted the orange trees has long since passed away. Can he eat the oranges?"
"No!" Jin Famin shook his head. He already understood that there was something behind Jin Yuxin's words. After thinking for a moment, he asked: "Mr. Yu Xin, would you like me to be more patient?"
"That's right! Your Majesty, I wish you could understand this truth!" Jin Yuxin said with a smile: "When your father and I were in the Hwarang team, Baekje and Goguryeo had already formed an alliance, and the Japanese country had always been on good terms with Baekje. It was Queen Seondeok who came to the throne. Although she was kind and smart, she was still a woman. Some people in the country advocated an alliance with the Tang Dynasty to deal with Goguryeo in order to avenge great revenge. However, the Tang Dynasty had just emerged from the war, the country was empty, and they were worried that the previous generation had failed to win the Liao Dynasty three times. The lessons that led to chaos in the world, so we were not active in attacking Goguryeo. In this situation, if your father and I couldn't bear it and waited for the opportunity, how could Silla be where it is today? Although the current situation is a hundred times better than before, the strength of the Tang people It is also far better than Goguryeo and Baekje. If we can’t concentrate and wait for action, the Goguryeo and Baekje people will be a lesson for us!”
"What Yu Xingong said is that the boy has learned a lesson!" Jin Famin nodded: "You mean I have to continue waiting?"
"Yes, the current chaos in Liaodong has emerged. After the defeat of Dafeichuan, the Tang people are showing signs of fatigue. But the centipede is still alive. The Tang people are a big country in the world. If we act rashly and take the lead, we will really piss off If the Tang people are killed, our joy will still be in vain!"
"What do you mean-?" Jin Famin showed a confused look.
"Don't you understand?" Jin Yuxin said with a smile: "When the moon is full, it will be waning, and when the water is full, it will overflow. This is the truth in the world, and the people of the Tang Dynasty were no exception. After the Tang people lost to Tubo in Dafeichuan, the moon was full and the water overflowed. We will definitely retreat in Liaodong, but the territory we give up may not belong to Silla!"
"If it's not ours, then who else can it be?" Jin Famin said anxiously.
"I don't know!" Jin Yuxin said with a smile: "In the final analysis, Tang Dynasty lost his deer, and all the heroes chased it. Who can catch the deer in the end depends not only on running fast and jumping high, but also to a large extent. Who do Tang people want to give it to!"
Hearing this, Jin Famin completely understood what Jin Yuxin meant. After nearly forty years of military expansion from Taizong to Gaozong, the scope of control of the Tang Empire reached a certain limit. The defeat of Dafeichuan was the result rather than the cause of this limit. In this case, appropriate contraction or retreat is an inevitable choice for the imperial rulers.
But as the great Soviet commander Ivan Stepanovich Konev defended himself when he was questioned by the three-member committee after the siege of Vyazma-Bryansk: "Retreat is the most complicated thing. combat situation". There are many examples in history where retreat turns into collapse and finally dominoes become out of control. Therefore, after the Tang people confirmed that they had to shrink from Liaodong and give up part of the territory beyond their capabilities, they had to face a problem - to whom would they hand over the land they withdrew from, or who would be allowed to occupy this land? There is a lot of knowledge here. Due to the existence of the Overland Silk Road and its political center located in Guanzhong, the military power of the Tang Empire was actually "leaning westward", and the rise of Tubo intensified this.
Therefore, for the Tang people, the best choice was a vassal that was enough to ensure peace in Liaodong, but not strong enough to bear the barrier, so that the empire could draw out enough military power to fight Tibet after a proper retreat, while ensuring Hebei's stable. Therefore, Jin Yuxin and Qi Sibiyu coincidentally made the same choice - on the one hand, they secretly muddied the waters in Liaodong, increased the cost of Tang's rule in Liaodong, and forced it to shrink as soon as possible; on the other hand, they resolutely distinguished themselves. and the rebels. He would never break up with the Tang Dynasty and stick to his duties as a vassal. If necessary, he could even send troops to help the Tang people eliminate the rebels. When he had to have a military conflict with the Tang people, he would stop it in moderation and show that his ambitions were limited to Liaodong. A certain part of it will never affect Hebei. In short, Jin Yuxin was telling the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty from beginning to end: We Silla people are the best border guards of the Tang Dynasty. As long as you hand over Liaodong to us, we will definitely take over those Khitan and Mohe people. Once the messy savages are in good order, you can sit back and relax!
To finally win in such a competition, the Silla people have a natural advantage, that is, they have contributed to the Tang people for decades. Both Jin Renwen and Jin Famin came to Chang'an to meet the emperor. He has a very good personal relationship with the upper echelons of the Tang Dynasty, and the trust he has built in the process cannot be compared to those savages who just crawled out of the woods. Therefore, Jin Yuxin repeatedly reminded his son-in-law to be patient and not to act too hastily and damage the relationship with the Tang people beyond repair. Of course, the Tang people would not easily hand over the land of Liaodong that they had exchanged for countless blood, but reality would eventually force them to make a painful choice.
"Yu Xingong, I understand what you mean!" Jin Famin nodded excitedly: "I immediately ordered the mountain cities closest to the Datong River to be abandoned to show friendship to the Tang people!"
"Well, that's a good idea!" Jin Yuxin nodded with satisfaction. The mountain cities Jin Famin mentioned were the pinnacles of the Silla people's northern frontier. They had several conflicts with the Tang Dynasty's Pyongyang garrison. It would be difficult to abandon them. Double meaning: firstly, it showed friendship to the Tang Dynasty's Pyongyang defenders; secondly, it also increased the burden on the local defenders, because the Tang Dynasty only had more than a thousand defenders in Pyongyang and could not devote more manpower to control these mountain cities.
"Then the matter of supporting the Goguryeo rebels should be temporarily slowed down?" Jin Famin asked.
"No, that matter continues as it is, there is no need to slow down!" Jin Yuxin's tone was very firm, and his strength seemed to have returned to this dying body.
"Then why? Wouldn't this anger the Tang people? This matter must not be hidden!"
"Of course this cannot be hidden from the Tang people, and it will also anger the Tang people's generals, but it will not anger Chang'an!" Jin Yuxin smiled: "Because Chang'an knows very well that the Goguryeo people are just bargaining chips for us to exchange for! As long as the price is right, we will They will kill this group of Goguryeo people. Let's put it this way, the Chang'an court is very cold-blooded. They don't care about us, let alone the blood of their own soldiers. If they are determined to abandon Liaodong, they will calmly choose the one with the highest bid. One, that’s us!”
"The one with the highest bid?" Jin Famin immediately understood. Those Silla people who he secretly supported were one of the bargaining chips that Goguryeo could offer. If they don't support it now, where will the bargaining chips come from in the future? Thinking of this, he couldn't help but admire and be grateful to the old man in the wheelchair. He grabbed the old man's hands and pressed them on his chest: "Yu Xingong, if it weren't for you, I really don't know what I would do! "
"Haha!" Jin Yuxin laughed twice: "Your Majesty, please rest assured! Your father has given his life to me so that I can help you fulfill his unfinished wish. I will definitely see you with my own eyes. It’s in your hands!”
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October, Chang'an.
Autumn is the most beautiful season in this great city. The summer heat has faded, but the new wind blowing from the Loess Plateau has not yet begun. Of course, the most important thing is that this is still the hunting season. The nobles in Chang'an City have taken their beloved falcons and hounds and rushed to the mountains, forests and swamps to engage in this very enjoyable activity. Lingmarsh is the holy land in the minds of these hunters. This swamp located to the west of Chang'an not only has various waterfowls, but also many lotus flowers. It is a very popular tourist place for the nobles of Chang'an.
"Your Highness, look over there, there is a white water heron!" Murong Parrot pointed to the reed marsh in front of him and shouted loudly. Li Hong hurriedly took the falcon from the hands of the eagle slave on the side, unhooked the blindfold, and pushed it forward with force. The brave bird immediately rushed out. It was like a flying arrow and pounced on the water bird. Its movements It was so fast that it was only discovered less than twenty meters away. The egret flapped its wings in a hurry and tried to escape, but it was too late. The falcon accurately grabbed the egret's neck with its sharp claws, and then pecked it. Breaking the neck bones of the prey kills it.
"Caught, my Jumong is caught!" Li Hong jumped up excitedly. He waved his arms vigorously. The eagle slave on the side blew the whistle vigorously. The falcon flew back again. Li Hong hurriedly asked the maid on the side. A piece of fresh beef was placed on the silver plate and handed to the falcon's mouth. The raptor screamed with joy and then started to eat.
"Good eagle, good eagle!" Li Hong caressed the feathers of the falcon. Seeing this, the eagle slave on the side hurriedly whispered: "Your Highness, be careful. This beast has a bad temper. If it hurts the body, it will be a disaster." It’s the villain’s sin. If you want to touch it, wait until the villain puts a blindfold on it before touching it!”
"That's it!" Li Hong sighed, and took two more pieces of beef for the falcon to eat, and then handed them to the eagle slave. He waved behind him: "Sancho, you came from Chengdu this time, how is Sanlang's health? "
"Reporting to His Highness the Crown Prince, my master is in good health. He asked me to come to Chang'an to pay homage to the Crown Prince and ask how he is doing!"
"It's good to be in good health!" Li Hong smiled: "It's a pity that Guo Daifeng was used to send troops to conquer Tibet this time. If Sanlang was allowed to go, there would definitely not be such a defeat!"
Sangqiu was overjoyed when he heard the prince praising his master, and hurriedly responded: "Your Highness the prince is wise, these Tubo people are actually nothing special. As soon as my master went to Songzhou, he won two battles and captured thousands of Tibetan thieves. . If my master had been allowed to lead the army, he would have beaten the Tibetan people to the point of kowtowing and begging for mercy!"
"Haha!" Li Hong laughed: "That's right. The saint should go on patrol in two months and let me stay in Chang'an to supervise the country. It would be great if your master could also come to Chang'an and assist me!"
No matter how ignorant Sancho was, he knew that this kind of thing was not something that a person of his status could say, so he could only bow his head and say nothing. Seeing this, Li Hong smiled and sighed: "Yes, this kind of thing is indeed not something you can do. I said, let’s do this, you go back this time and tell your master: Take good care of your health, and then come to Chang’an to assist me in three years at most and two years at least!”
"The villain will definitely bring His Highness the Prince's words!" Sancho shouted quickly.
"Okay!" Li Hong waved and signaled the eagle slave to come over: "This eagle is a tribute from Liaodong. I will give it to your master as a return gift!"
Sancho confusedly took the armguard from the eagle slave and put it on his left arm. Then the falcon stood on it with its sharp claws. He was thinking about how he could take the bird back when suddenly When he noticed that Murong Nao was winking at him, he realized that the interview was over.
After leaving the prince's boat, Sancho carefully brought the falcon back to the land. Murong Parrot caught up from behind, holding the cage and two bags in his hands: "Put this thing in the cage quickly, and these two Bring a pocket too, it’s all for feeding this thing!”
"It's so troublesome!" Sancho cried bitterly: "This is really killing people, how can I raise such a bird!"
"There's nothing you can do about it. This is a gift from His Highness the Crown Prince. You have to bring it to Ambassador Wang in its entirety, otherwise it will be disrespectful!" Murong Miao showed a narrow smile: "Sangqiu, you have to be careful along the way. Thanks for your hard work!"
"What should we do?"
"Don't be too anxious. I estimate that His Highness the Crown Prince will send you the eagle slaves he raised later!" Murong Miao smiled and said: "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince treats your master very seriously!"
"That's good. If nothing happens, I'll go back to Chengdu in a few days!"
"In a few days, there's no need to be in such a hurry, right?" Murong Miao said with a smile: "It's so hard to come to Chang'an, and you just leave without looking around? I don't know when you can come back next time!"
"Why don't you leave after the errand is done? How can this be reasonable!" Sancho shook his head: "Maybe the master still needs someone to help him!"
"You, you!" Murong Mu smiled and said, "Why are you so anxious? I heard two days ago that the tribute convoy from Jiannan Road just arrived in Chang'an. Wouldn't it be better for you to go back with them? It's so far from Chang'an to Chengdu, and They are all mountain roads, so it would be better if there are more people!”
Hearing what Murong Moo said, Sanqiu hesitated. He had to pass through many mountain roads from Chang'an to Chengdu. Even if he was accompanied by elite soldiers, it could not be guaranteed. Besides, it would be better if he could stay in Chang'an for a few more days. Thinking of this, he slowly He nodded: "Okay, then let's wait for them to go back together."
"That's right!" Murong Miao patted Sanqiu on the shoulder: "I'm going to take a few days off tomorrow. I'll be a host and take you to Chang'an to have a good time and open your eyes!"
"Aren't you on duty at the East Palace? Can you ask for leave?" Sancho asked doubtfully. (End of chapter)
