The army and hundreds of officials led by Li Shimin walked for nearly two months against the cold wind and finally came to Shuofang City, but the weather did not give him face at all, the cold wind was howling for several days, and the heavy snow stopped and fell, and there was no sunny day.

In such bad weather, Li Shimin and the ministers could only stay in the house and not go out.

In the first few days, Li Shimin also discussed the future war with several major ministers, Xue Yantuo poured the country over, and hundreds of thousands of troops from the two countries faced each other, even Li Shimin had to deal with it carefully.

But with the news that Li Chengqian broke Xue Yantuo Khan's account and captured Zhenzhu Khan, Li Shimin completely let go of himself at once.

The tens of thousands of horses brought by Xue Yantuo's tent are the foundation of Xue Yantuo's rule over the grassland, without those tens of thousands of people, even if Yi Nan escapes, it is useless, not to mention that even Yi Nan was captured alive.

As soon as this news is released, the people led by Bazhuo will definitely collapse, and no one in northern Xinjiang will dare to compete with the Tang Dynasty.

After receiving such good news, no matter what kind of mentality these ministers had, they had to praise Li Chengqian, and for a while, the words of praise for virtue almost buried Li Shimin alive.

Li Shimin was naturally very happy when his son was angry, and his trip to Shuofang City was celebrated with wine for three consecutive days, and he drank and sang with his ministers, which was more victorious than Li Chengqian's camp in Kongduigou.

On this day, the banquet ended, and Li Shimin, who was still excited, summoned Gao Shilian, Fang Xuanling, Hou Junji, Xiao Yu, Liu Dewei, Yang Hongli, Yan Lide, Xue Wanche, Gao Jifu, Han Yuan, Lai Ji and other ministers, plus the two brothers Li Ke and Li Zhi, to the main hall where he lived for a drink and chat.

Li Shimin looked at everyone with a smile on his face: "Cheng Qian's victory can ensure that there will be no war in the northern part of the Tang Dynasty for decades, and Cheng Qian has the ability to destroy Xue Yantuo, so I can rest assured."

Next year, I will send troops to destroy Goguryeo, and the Tang Dynasty will no longer be in trouble. ”

This is said very proudly, and the Quartet Barbarian is simply a chicken and a dog in the eyes of his father and son.

As soon as Li Shimin's voice fell, Hou Junji, Xue Wanche and others all said loudly when they heard this: "Datang Wansheng!" ”

Li Shimin has praised Li Chengqian many times in the past few days, and everyone is used to it, but it is the first time that he openly proposes to go to Goguryeo next year.

Although Fang Xuanling has already left the center, he also knows that it is almost the New Year, and the emperor and the crown prince are still leading the army, and they cannot send troops to Goguryeo next year anyway, otherwise Tang will have no financial resources to maintain.

I wanted to persuade him, but I thought that I was not in my position and did not seek politics, so in the end, I just picked up the teacup and took a sip of tea and put it down.

Fang Xuanling didn't speak doesn't mean that no one will speak, and Gao Jifu, who waited for Junji and the others to congratulate him, walked out of his seat with a solemn expression, and said after solemnly saluting Li Shimin: "Your Majesty, the major event of the conquest is related to the danger of the society, how can Your Majesty take it as a joke." ”

"Huh?" Li Shimin's face instantly became very ugly when he heard this.

Li Shimin has been very excited these days, he really understood the significance of gunpowder on the battlefield through the descriptions of all parties, and he was very confident in the destruction of Goguryeo in World War I.

Although he said it in public today with the intention of tempting the minister, he did not expect that someone would directly teach him a lesson, and the anger in his heart was ignited at once.

"At this time, why should Brother Ji Fu be so serious when talking about tea after drinking." The people of the middle school came to help him and stood up.

Lai Ji is a person who is very good at observing and observing people, seeing that Li Shimin has drunk wine, isn't it looking for trouble when he goes to force him to admonish at this time?

However, Gao Jifu neither looked at Li Shimin's face nor listened to Laiji's reminder, and stiffened his neck and said: "Even if it is a tea talk after drinking, let alone announce this military matter, won't Your Majesty lose his ministers when he hears the king's secret?"

At this time, my Tang Dynasty used the strength of the country to conquer and destroy Xue Yantuo, how can I start a war in the northeast again before it has been successful?

If His Majesty's words are spread, Goguryeo will be a disaster for the Tang Dynasty, so I ask Your Majesty to retract the drunken gaffe just now. ”

Gao Jifu bowed to the ground after speaking, the big tent was unusually quiet, everyone looked at Li Shimin tremblingly, since Wei Zheng's death, anyone who dared to admonish like this has been severely reprimanded by Li Shimin, except for Li Chengqian, no one dares to contradict Li Shimin like this.

Li Shimin's eyes widened, and he looked at Gao Jifu below for a moment, and didn't say anything for a long time.

It's not that he doesn't want to clean up Gao Jifu, but he is worried that the words he is ready now will be refuted by Gao Jifu one by one, so it will be difficult for him to pass the court if he proposes to conquer Goguryeo in the future.

In the end, Li Shimin snorted coldly, stood up and left directly.

Seeing Li Shimin leave the table angrily, everyone got up together and saluted Li Shimin's throne without the announcement of the chamberlain.

The night was unhappily parted, and the next day no minister dared to mention the celebration again.

However, Li Shimin summoned several ministers in a row on this day, and those who were not summoned were speculating that their talk must be related to the conquest of Goguryeo.

It was completely dark the day before the winter meal, and Li Ke was about to call someone to pass the dinner, when he saw the servant next to Li Shimin come to deliver the message: Li Shimin summoned him to eat together.

Walking on the road, Li Ke summoned himself alone when he found out, and he couldn't help but have some guesses in his heart.

Although Li Ke went out with the driver this time, he also knew that Li Chengqian was leading the troops at this time, and Li Shimin's intention to take him and Li Zhi with him to monitor was very obvious.

Therefore, except for the matter of the flying pigeon biography that he originally mastered, other military and political affairs were not heard, and Li Shimin did not hand over other matters to him.

At this time, the chamberlain was summoned to have dinner with Li Shimin, but he did not summon Li Zhi, who lived next to him, and he must have something to do with himself.

As soon as Li Ke entered the big tent, he saw that Li Shimin was already sitting on the main seat, and hurriedly stepped forward to salute.

Li Shimin looked at Li Ke and said with a smile: "Sit down, we don't have to be polite to the father and son today." ”

Li Ke was suspicious when he heard this, and bowed quietly before sitting on the seat on the side.

At first glance, the dishes on the table are very simple, just a few green vegetables, but on closer inspection, it is very difficult, because the vegetables are very rare now.

Xiazhou is not Chang'an, no one grows vegetables by the hot springs, and the vegetables that Li Shimin eats are all transported from Chang'an except for all kinds of bean sprouts.

It is very difficult to get some green vegetables for a long distance, and Li Shimin is usually only supplied alone, and Li Shimin himself is reluctant to eat more, and he has to give them to a few old ministers.

Although Li Ke and Li Zhi are noble, they can eat bean sprouts at most, but today Li Shimin actually asked someone to cook four green vegetables for him.

Li Ke looked at the green vegetables and didn't know whether to eat them for a while.

Li Shimin saw Li Ke sit down but did not move his chopsticks, and said with a smile: "Ke'er has a merit in mastering flying pigeons, and my father specially asked someone to make green vegetables for you. ”

Li Ke saw that Li Shimin was moved by kindness, so he didn't care about 3721, and finished the meal on the small table like a storm.

When he looked up, he saw Li Shimin still looking at him with a smile, hurriedly put down his chopsticks and asked a little weakly, "Father, do you have something to say?"

"Hmm." Li Shimin didn't know what he was thinking, he was stunned at first, and then asked gently: "Ke'er can communicate with Cheng Qian recently?"

Li Ke didn't expect Li Shimin to ask him about Li Chengqian, so he thought for a while and said truthfully: "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is busy with military affairs, except for sending a letter to his father every ten days, he will bring a letter to his sons, ask about his father's living conditions, and order his sons to take care of his father, but there is no other correspondence. ”

"Oh! Li Shimin nodded thoughtfully, and then continued: "Since Yi Nan has been captured by Cheng Qian, and the Hui and other troops also intend to surrender to our Tang Dynasty, the destruction of Xue Yantuo is just around the corner.

Although the Tang Dynasty sent troops several times at the same time this time, it would not be too much loss to destroy Xue Yantuo, if it was to destroy the power of Xue Yantuo, marching east to Goguryeo would definitely get twice the result with half the effort, and Goguryeo would be wiped out in one battle. ”

"What my father said is very true." Li Ke knew Li Shimin's thoughts, so he followed Li Shimin's words.

When Li Shimin heard this, he sighed and said with a sad face: "Alas! However, these ministers were all short-sighted, and they couldn't see the harm of Goguryeo to the Tang Dynasty, so they did everything possible to obstruct me from sending troops to conquer Goguryeo. ”

"Ahh

Li Ke did not dare to express his opinion on this, Li Shimin had already sent troops to Goguryeo several times, but he was dissuaded by the minister every time.

But fortunately, Li Shimin didn't care about his support, whether he supported it or not had little to do with the overall situation, so Li Shimin continued: "Thinking about this, Cheng Qian should understand, you sent a letter to Cheng Qian with a password, since Xue Yantuo has been destroyed, let him return to Chang'an to supervise the country, and I personally led the troops to the east to conquer Goguryeo." ”

"Ahh

When Li Ke heard this, he was suddenly blindsided, whether it was Li Shimin's personal conquest and return of Li Chengqian's imprisonment to the country, he would have to issue an edict clearly, and now Li Shimin asked himself to write a letter to Li Chengqian without the support of the minister's Eastern Crusade?

Walking out of Li Shimin's big tent, Li Ke was still thinking, even if he let himself pass a message to Li Chengqian, he didn't need to be so courteous!

Thinking of those plates of green vegetables, Li Ke felt more and more strange about this matter.

Thinking all the way, Li Ke slowly figured it out, Li Shimin's eastward expedition to let Li Chengqian return to Chang'an to supervise the country, this is obviously a deal.

Judging from the arrangement of Li Shimin's personal expedition this time, it is impossible for Li Shimin to leave an adult crown prince in Chang'an to supervise the country in Goguryeo, because with Li Chengqian's strength, he can establish himself as emperor at any time.

But since it is a trade, what does Li Shimin want to gain through this transaction?

I'm just a messenger, why do I get such a generous treatment?