Leaving Taiping Village, everyone rode their horses and galloped.

The scenery regressed rapidly in Li Su's eyes, and the warm spring breeze swept across his face, soft and itchy, very comfortable.

As soon as the breeze blew, Li Su's mind suddenly sobered up, and he couldn't help but have doubts when he thought of Dongyang's appearance just now.

Did she have something to say to herself?

The meeting just now was too hurried, Li Su secretly remembered that after the face was over, he would ask her well.

After more than an hour, Li Su led the subordinates into Chang'an City, and after entering the city, Li Su dismounted honestly, and the subordinates led the horses for him, while Li Su walked slowly in front of him.

Although Li Shimin had already allowed him to ride a horse in Chang'an City, Li Su rarely rode a horse in the city. The emperor's permission does not mean that he can be unscrupulous, people are polite, they can't be regarded as blessings, the humility and prudence that courtiers should have should be kept in mind at all times, so many courtiers have been killed by the emperor inexplicably, probably the courtiers really didn't treat themselves as outsiders, he did whatever the emperor allowed, he was very arrogant and had no taboos, always thinking that he was the treasure that the emperor held in the palm of his hand, and the ending of this kind of person rarely ended his life.

Leading the horse through the squares of Chang'an City, straight into Zhuque Street, and going forward along Zhuque Street, Li Su soon arrived in front of the Taiji Palace.

The Yulin guard at the door handed the waist card, after the guard carefully checked, he sent someone into the palace to pass the ceremony, and after waiting for about half an hour, the palace door opened, and a young eunuch flashed out of the crack in the door, smiling and saluting Li Su, and then leading Li Su inside.

Follow the eunuch into the palace, until the gate of the Ganlu Palace, the eunuch signaled Li Su to wait outside the palace, and it didn't take long for the eunuch to pass the word, and His Majesty announced that Li Su entered the palace.

Li Su took off his shoes under the corridor of the hall and quietly entered the hall wearing only his clothes.

Walking into the hall, Li Su obviously noticed a strong atmosphere of depression, only to feel that the hall was very depressing, and even the sunlight spilled in with a negative smell.

Looking up, Li Shimin was half-sitting and half-lying on the soft couch at the head of the hall, and after taking a closer look at Li Shimin's appearance, Li Su couldn't help but be surprised.

Li Shimin's hair was half white, his expression was haggard, his complexion was gray, a white scarf was wrapped around his forehead, and his eyes were dull.

"Minister, Li Su, the prince of Jingyang County, meet Your Majesty." Li Su bowed to Li Shimin.

Li Shimin hummed, his lips opened and closed, and he whispered a word, Li Su was more than a foot away from him at the moment, Li Shimin's voice was too soft, and Li Su didn't hear it clearly.

"Well, what did Your Majesty just say? Shuchen's ears are not good, so he didn't hear clearly. Li Su said embarrassedly.

Li Shimin sighed, his voice was much higher, and this time Li Su heard it clearly.

"I just said I want you to come closer, I ...... Talking is laborious. ”

After saying a word, Li Shimin was already a little breathless, and at the same time glared at him angrily.

Li Su sighed secretly, listening to Li Shimin's words, he seemed to be very weak due to the lack of energy, and his majesty the Heavenly Khan, who was once high-spirited and energetic, was like an old man in his last years at this time, the hero was in the twilight, and the king's spirit was exhausted.

The end of the Eastern Crusade almost crushed the emperor who had always refused to admit defeat, and the glory and prestige of his life were exhausted in this battle.

Li Su walked towards Li Shimin and stopped when he was two steps away from him.

When he got closer, Li Su found that Li Shimin was much older, and there were even sporadic black age spots on his face, and his breathing was a little short, listening to the snoring and panting, giving people a feeling that he would die immediately if he couldn't breathe at any time.

"Your Majesty, you ...... Take care of your dragon. Li Su said with a sad expression.

No matter how much he doesn't like Li Shimin, it is undeniable that Li Shimin is a good emperor after all, this emperor is a failure as a father, a failure as a boss, a failure when a brother, and a failure when someone else's son, but he is undoubtedly successful in the role of emperor, and it is because of him that the Tang Dynasty will be so wonderful, so passionate, and the glorious and prosperous era will be full of vitality and vitality when it is full of magic and romance.

The prosperity is still there, and the heroes are old.

Li Shimin looked at Li Su, and finally a smile appeared on his face: "Yesterday, Li Ji entered the palace and told me in detail about your sniping at the enemy after the break, I am very pleased, the results of you and Li Ji have saved me a lot of face, this Eastern Crusade was a defeat, because of the planning of your uncle and nephew, the defeat was turned into a draw, I heard that the idea of attacking the capital of Goguryeo was still yours?" Sure enough, it is worthy of the Tang Dynasty Yingjie, and it is not in vain that I have forgiven you for the troubles that have broken through again and again over the years, you ...... Very good. ”

Li Su hurriedly said: "The ministers are just doing what they are ordered, and they have no merit, Your Majesty's strategizing is far better than thousands of miles away, and the ministers and others are all strategic instructions from Your Majesty to break through the enemy's capital, and the ministers dare not take credit." ”

Li Shimin said with a flat expression: "Hehe, Li Ji entered the palace to see me yesterday, and it was the same thing, did your uncle and nephew already discuss it?" Are you determined to give me the credit for this work? ”

"Your Majesty, the minister is not pushing the credit, His Majesty ordered the minister to wait for the sniper before the enemy is cut off, and it is this way to order the minister, the minister is just acting on the orders of His Majesty, and he does not dare to take half the credit."

Li Shimin suddenly sneered: "You pushed it cleanly, but I didn't have such a thick skin to catch it, whoever takes the credit belongs to whom, if I even snatch the credit of the courtiers, wouldn't this emperor be sad?" From the beginning of the army against the Sui to the present, when have I done anything to steal merit? Li Su, do you think my skin is as thick as yours? ”

Li Su's mind turned quickly, but he said: "Don't dare, the minister's face is actually as thin as His Majesty's, it can be said that it can be blown and broken, and the world's misunderstanding of the minister is very deep......"

"Shut up!" Li Shimin glared at him fiercely, and his breath was a little chaotic again, this time he was obviously angry with Li Su.

After a quick breath, Li Shimin said slowly: "The merits and demerits of the merits and demerits will be commented on by future generations." In fact, I don't have to wait for posterity to comment on the crusade I launched, I can make a judgment myself. ”

After a pause, Li Shimin said with a dejected expression: "The defeat of the Eastern Crusade is all my fault!" ”

Li Su was stunned for a moment, raised his head and quickly glanced at him, then lowered his head and didn't squeak.

"The timing of the launch of this battle is not right, the treasury is poor, the grain and grass are insufficient, the ordnance is compact, the morale is unstable, the decision-making is wrong, etc., these are the hidden dangers buried in the battle of the Eastern Crusade, the burning of our army's grain and grass by the six divisions of the Yan Ya is one of the main reasons for the defeat, but not all, our army has been attacking the city of Anshi for a long time without going down, the morale of the lost soldiers is low, and the enemy suddenly attacked, all the hidden dangers have broken out, which is the real reason for the defeat of the Eastern Crusade. In short, I had made too many mistakes in this war, and I realized that the Battle of the Eastern Crusade had been wrong from the beginning, and if I had waited another three or five years, perhaps the outcome would have been different. ”

Li Su hung his head and still didn't speak, about this battle, there were too many people who died, too many people were wrong, and there were too many people who thought after the war, after the end of the war, it seemed that everyone had become Zhuge Liang, it was wrong to do this at the beginning, it was right to do that, it was good to fight here at the beginning, and it was wrong to fight there......

After all the good and bad things are said for you, what else can Li Su say?

Looking at the sunlight outside the hall with a lost expression, the sunlight was a little dazzling, Li Shimin squinted his eyes and sighed leisurely: "Zizheng, tell me, can I conquer Goguryeo in my lifetime?" ”

Li Su lowered his head and said: "Your Majesty, Goguryeo has been ruled by the lord of the country, Gaozang and Quangai Suwen are different, at least the two have different attitudes towards the Tang Dynasty." ”

Li Shimin understood the meaning of his words: "What do you mean, let me rest the heart of the Eastern Crusade?" ”

"Yes, the minister thinks that in the past ten years, there should be no more eastward crusades, please give your majesty a chance to breathe for the people of the Tang Dynasty."

Li Shimin narrowed his eyes: "This is your idea?" ”

Li Su looked up into his eyes and replied firmly: "Yes, the minister thinks that it is not appropriate to launch any large-scale war in the Tang Dynasty within ten years, and if it continues, the foundation of the good prosperity will be exhausted, and the people will return to poverty. The war is over, and it's time for the people and soldiers to take a breather. ”

Li Shimin stared at Li Su's face for a long time, and said slowly: "Zi Zheng Si said, it is really a theory of seeking the country and governing the world, and unconsciously, Zi Zheng is gradually becoming like a qualified courtier, I am very pleased......

did not respond positively to Li Su's words, Li Shimin suddenly said another thing: "...... Gao Zang seized power, and the palace beheaded the spring Gai Suwen, what he did should be inseparable from Zizheng, right? ”

Li Su smiled: "It has a relationship, but it doesn't have a big relationship, the minister did give him some advice, and even temporarily gave him five hundred earth-shaking thunders, but unfortunately Gao Zang had his own ideas, and he didn't do everything according to the minister's words, of course, the final result was successful, and it didn't matter what the process was." ”

"From the standpoint of Datang, do you think that Gaozang's power is better than Quan Gai Suwen and more in line with the interests of Datang?"

Li Su said honestly: "The minister doesn't dare to guarantee it, but the minister thinks that it doesn't matter who is in power in Goguryeo, whether it is Quangai Suwen or Gaozang, they are hostile to the Tang Dynasty in their hearts, what the minister needs to do is to make the Goguryeo Kingdom chaotic, chaotic into a pot of porridge, mutiny and seizure of power or something, who loses and who wins, the minister doesn't care, what the minister cares about is that they can't make time to fight against the Tang Dynasty after the chaos, they can only forcibly suppress the hostility and honestly bow down to the Tang Dynasty." ”

Li Shimin smiled: "Since they are hostile, sooner or later they will tear off their submissive coats again, how should Datang deal with it at that time?" ”

Li Su also smiled: "That is already a decade or two years later, at that time, the Tang Dynasty has probably taken a breath, and Your Majesty will lead the army to teach them a lesson, or simply destroy their country." ”

Li Shimin laughed: "Okay, Zizheng has done a good job in this matter!" In fact, the news of your breakthrough of the capital of Goguryeo was transmitted back to Chang'an, and everyone in the world praised the merits of the enemy, but in my opinion, you helped Gaozang seize power and create chaos in the enemy country, and the weight of this work is much heavier than the destruction of the enemy's capital. ”

After laughing, Li Shimin suddenly appeared sad and muttered: "Ten years...... Where can I wait for ten years? ”

Li Su was shocked and looked up at him, but saw Li Shimin's expression gloomy, and his face was as old and mottled as a thousand-year-old wall.

"Your Majesty......" Li Su wanted to say a few words of comfort, but when the words came to his mouth, he couldn't say anything.

Any comfort seemed empty and powerless at this time, Li Sushi really didn't know how to persuade the emperor to reinvigorate, Li Shimin at this time in his eyes, like a withered lamp about to burn out.

Li Shimin smiled freely and said: "That's it, leave it to the next generation of emperors, I have spent twenty years to lay down this great cause, it is enough, if there are really heroic spirits floating in the world, I can pat my chest and tell those who have passed away that although I have made many mistakes and done many things to confuse good and evil, I am worthy of the people of Li and the Li family, and this is enough." ”

Li Su bowed and said: "Your Majesty is not inferior to any emperor in the past and present, this is the minister's heart. ”

Li Shimin said with a smile: "It is very rare to get the praise of Zizheng, at this time, I am floating with Zizheng, but unfortunately my body can no longer drink wine......"

Li Su felt a little sad in his heart, was silent for a moment, and said: "Your Majesty take good care of your body, take care of your dragon body, and the minister will definitely be able to wait until the day when you will have a drink with Your Majesty, and this day will not be too far away." ”

Li Shimin laughed and said: "Zizheng can also say flattering words, I pretend to believe your words." ”

Li Suqiang smiled: "Your Majesty doesn't have to pretend, everything the minister says is the truth." ”

Li Shimin said gloomily: "This time, I'm afraid that the limit is really not far away, alas, the emperor wants to dominate the industry, and the country is ......."

Li Shimin's voice became quieter, the conversation between the monarch and the minister just now had exhausted Li Shimin's energy, Li Shimin said and spoke, his eyelids began to droop, and his head dozed off little by little.

Li Su waited for a long time, and seeing Li Shimin drooping his head and not making a sound, Li Su couldn't help but take a step forward cautiously and called softly: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty ......"

What answered him was Li Shimin's heavy snoring.

In the screen behind the palace, Chang Tu's figure came out like a ghost, and said gloomily: "Your Majesty is asleep, and Li Xiangong can withdraw from the palace." ”

Li Su was startled, then reacted, hurriedly saluted Li Shimin and slowly withdrew from the hall.

Stepping out of the palace gate, Li Su's heart moved, and he turned around and looked at Li Shimin deeply.

Li Shimin is still sitting in the hall, his head drooping, Chang Tu is quietly putting a skin on him, the sun is shining on him, dragging his figure lengthy, gradually, his body turns into a blurred light and shadow, the light and shadow seem to be slowly weakened in the sunlight, looking lonely and old.

Li Su's eyes were red inexplicably, he didn't like Li Shimin, he didn't like him from the day he met him until today. However, over the years, all kinds of grievances between him and Li Shimin have surfaced in his heart, pinching his fingers and counting them, after all, there are more favors than grievances, as his courtier, Li Su has to give Li Shimin a fair judgment, this emperor of the ages has actually done a good job, really good.

Silent, Li Su stood outside the hall, quietly waved at Li Shimin, and only got up and left for a long time.

Chang Tu had been quietly looking at Li Su outside the hall, seeing Li Su saluting silently, Chang Tu's cold expression eased slightly, and his eyes showed a little softness, until Li Su left, Chang Tu shifted his gaze to Li Shimin.

Li Shimin was still asleep, sleeping very deeply, because it was a sitting position, Li Shimin's body was shaky, Chang Tu hurriedly stretched out his hand, held Li Shimin's shoulder, and then slowly, gently let him lie on the soft couch, tightly wrapped around his skin, until Li Shimin slept steadily, Chang Tu withdrew his hand, still like a shadow, silently standing behind Li Shimin.

For some reason, when Li Shimin's vitality gradually ran out, Chang Tu's straight javelin-like body also looked old and stiff.

In the quiet hall, Chang Tu suddenly sighed, and he didn't know who he was sighing for.

…………

…………

Leaving the Taiji Palace, Li Su walked out of the palace gate and exhaled a turbid breath in his chest.

In fact, there is still a lot of things to say today, Li Su's great achievements in Goguryeo are famous all over the world, and it stands to reason that Li Shimin should be rewarded for his merits, but Li Shimin didn't mention a word, and of course Li Su was happy to ignore it, anyway, he didn't have much interest in being promoted to knight.

It's just that Li Shimin never mentioned the reward, which inevitably left Li Su with a suspense. Whether it was Li Shimin's health that was not good and his brain was a little confused, so he forgot to mention the reward, or Li Shimin had another deep meaning and deliberately did not mention this matter, Li Su couldn't figure it out.

It was still early, so Li Su decided to go to the Jin Palace, and then visit a few elders. When returning to Chang'an, many due rituals must be done, which is one of the reasons why Li Su has always been quite popular in the court.

The Jin Palace, also on Suzaku Street, not far from Taiji Palace. Li Su walked in front alone, the subordinates behind led the horses, and everyone walked slowly, walking towards Suzaku Street like spring.

The main entrance of Taiji Palace is facing Suzaku Street, both sides of the street are the mansions of princes and magnates, and most of the people who can live in this street are the founding princes or county kings of the current dynasty, including Cheng Biting Jin, Niu Jinda, etc.

Suzaku Street is a dangerous place for Li Su, Chang'an City is safe, almost to the realm of not leaving the road behind and not closing the door at night, but Suzaku Street is an exception, of course, Li Su is also an exception, I don't know why, whenever Li Su walks on this street, he is often robbed inexplicably, and the strong Liang hero who robbed him is the same person every time, not only that, this strong Liang hero does not rob others, but robs him specifically, as if Li Su's mission is to prepare all kinds of heavy gifts, waiting to be snatched away by this hero, very aggrieved mood. So when walking on this street, Li Su inevitably felt a little trembling and sneaky.

Today is both unfortunate and fortunate, fortunately, Li Su entered the palace today, did not bring gifts, unfortunately, even if he has no long things, but he still met this strong man, I really don't know how much evil he has made in his previous life......

"Wahahaha, little posterity stop! The old man can meet you when he comes out to move, our two are really fate! ”

A burst of demonic laughter came from behind Li Su, refreshing his mind and causing disaster and ruining fortune.