All the way to the east, through the difficult and dangerous place of the Bashan Shushui Road, over the Qinling Mountains out of the river, it takes seven or eight days to reach the capital at the earliest. Pen | fun | pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 infoIt's September, and it seems to be visible to the naked eye along the way that the autumn mood changes between the mountains and fields. When walking, you can feel the grass and trees turning from green to yellow, and you can already feel the change of the autumn wind and the season.

On the afternoon of September 23, Wang Yuan and his entourage arrived at Chang'an City via Zhongnan Mountain.

The status of the two triumphant festival envoys in the Tang Dynasty is not low, and this time it is a triumphant return to the dynasty, and the news has long been delivered to Chang'an City. On the official road shrouded in smoke and willows outside the south city gate, there have already been officials of the DPRK and China waiting here. Leading the team is Yang Guozhong, the left minister.

Yang Guozhong stood on the official road with joy, followed by dozens of officials from the DPRK and China, most of whom were courtiers who were attached to him. As we all know, Wang Yuan is Yang Guozhong's person, so welcoming Wang Yuan's arrival in Beijing is obviously Yang Guozhong's protagonist. As for the absence of Li Linfu and the prince's party in the crowd, Wang Yuan was not surprised at all.

"Hahaha, it's here. My eyes are about to fall off. You two are really true, you two are not active in returning to Beijing to accept His Majesty's summons, and accepting the admiration of the soldiers and civilians of Chang'an, it has been almost a month, and it is too late. After seeing Wang Yuan and Gao Xianzhi dismount and walk, Yang Guozhong stepped forward and grabbed the arms of the two of them, and said with a smile.

Gao Xianzhi frowned and shook off Yang Guozhong's arm, but Wang Yuan didn't care, and said with a smile: "I told Zuo Xiang and my colleagues to wait for a long time." It's not easy to walk on the road, and we arrived in a hurry. ”

Yang Guozhong said with a smile: "Your Majesty asked yesterday, why haven't you two arrived yet." Now it's good, it's good to get there, go into the city and enter the city. ”

All the officials stepped forward to salute, and Wang Yuan returned the salute one by one to thank him. Gao Xianzhi's face was indifferent, just a faint fist, he was not good at dealing with these officials, according to his character, he should disdain to deal with them. Wang Yuan was different, and immediately mingled with these officials, surrounded by a large circle of people.

After making a fuss, everyone surrounded Yang Guozhong, Wang Yuan, and Gao Xianzhi and entered the city gate. Everything in Chang'an City is the same, the streets are still so wide and straight, the walls are towering, and the colors are solemn, Wang Yuan feels that as soon as he steps into Chang'an City, he immediately has to put away his smile and become rigorous and solemn.

Yang Guozhong ordered someone to arrange for Gao Xianzhi to live in the pavilion of the Ministry of War, and Wang Yuan did not need to arrange a place to live, he had the old mansion of Jing'anfang to live in. But before settling down, he had to go to the palace to meet Xuanzong. It is said that Xuanzong pinched his fingers to count the days, counting that the two of them should have arrived a few days ago, and he was already in a hurry.

Yang Guozhong led the two of them to Xingqing Palace only to report to see the driver, Xuanzong had already learned the news that Wang Yuan and others had arrived in Beijing today, and he was accompanying the concubine to enjoy the flowers, and he didn't even take off his civilian clothes after receiving the report, and he was busy arranging for people to meet the two in the diligent government building.

When Wang Yuan and Gao Xianzhi came to the front of the Qinzheng Building along the long corridor corridor, Xuanzong was already standing on the steps in front of the building with his hands in his hands, waiting for the two of them. Seeing the two of them coming together, Xuanzong laughed and greeted him, and said with a smile: "Sure enough, it is the Tang Shuangbi, and the name of the two of you is spreading everywhere, and it seems that I am worthy of the name at this time." Yushu Linfeng people are like wall jade, good, good, I am the leading figure in the Tang Dynasty. ”

Wang Yuan and Gao Xianzhi hurriedly stepped forward to bow and salute, Xuanzong smiled and ordered the two to be flattened, pulled the two into the building, and sat down in the magnificent hall.

"Two Aiqing, I have been counting the days when you entered Beijing, waiting for the two of you to come to see me. You delayed for a few days, and I thought something was going on, so I asked Guozhong to send someone to find out what was wrong. Haha, it seems that I have a lot of heart. Xuanzong said with a smile.

"I can testify to this, Your Majesty wants to see you two for many days. Hehe, it's the first time I've seen Your Majesty like this. Yang Guozhong said with a smile.

Wang Yuan said: "Thank you Your Majesty for your concern, the ministers have been delayed on the way, and your Majesty has been waiting for a long time." ”

Xuanzong waved his hand and said: "It's good to arrive safely, this time you two have made great contributions to my Tang Dynasty, so that the Tubo people have tasted the taste of offending my Tang Dynasty, I am very pleased." If it weren't for the fact that I couldn't mobilize more troops and horses to help, I would probably have destroyed Tibet this time. It's a pity, I still think it's a pity. ”

Wang Yuan was speechless, and it could be seen from Xuanzong's attitude that he still felt that this crusade had not achieved the desired result in his heart. Wang Yuan has nothing to say about this. Xuanzong completely ignored that this battle was already a dilemma in the end, and thought that there would be a better result, which could only be said to be his psychology of great joy.

"That's it, no matter what, this time I can punish Tubo and conclude a peace agreement that is extremely beneficial to my Tang Dynasty, and I am still satisfied. Tubo took the initiative to bow his head and admit defeat, and was willing to cede the land to pay compensation, it was completely the work of the two of you. When they were beaten, they were willing to bow their heads. However, the Tibetans are all wolves and ungrateful people, and sooner or later they will provoke, you two still have to be prepared, maybe one day you will be allowed to go out to completely destroy the Tibetans. Expanding the territory of my Tang Dynasty to the land of the Western Regions is a great achievement. Xuanzong said.

Wang Yuan and Gao Xianzhi could only nod their heads.

"Your Majesty, this battle ability to suppress Tibet is not only the credit of the two of us. All the soldiers who participated in the war made great achievements. The minister believes that His Majesty's decision not to summon Ge Shuhan and Li Guangbi to Beijing this time is biased. Although the two of them were defeated at Namtso Lake, they did their best. They took the Stone Castle City, but they only ventured in later, but this had a great deal to do with the imperial decree, and they couldn't be blamed completely. Wang Yuan said in a deep voice.

Yang Guozhong blinked anxiously and motioned to Wang Yuan not to say these words at this time. Wang Yuan pretended not to see it. Gao Xianzhi was a little surprised, and looked at Wang Yuan's gaze with some admiration. Wang Yuanlu said that this time he wanted to correct the names of Ge Shuhan and Li Guangbi, and these two people should not be left out in the cold. Gao Xianzhi thought that he was just talking, but he didn't expect him to really say it at the beginning of the meeting.

Xuanzong was a little embarrassed, in fact, these words had already been mentioned in the joint performance of Wang Yuan, Gao Xianzhi and the other four. At that time, Xuanzong was a little annoyed. At this moment, Wang Yuan mentioned it again, Xuanzong obviously couldn't save face, and he blamed Wang Yuan for not knowing the current affairs.

"Wang Yuan, I understand your heart for their protection. However, the imperial court issued an order at that time to pursue the victory, and the specific battle still needed to be decided by the leading generals at their own discretion, and the imperial court did not let them send more than 30,000 cavalry to the encirclement of the Tibetans. If the 30,000 troops of the Northern Route Army are not destroyed, the situation will be a different situation. The kingdom of Tibet may all be destroyed. This responsibility is more than enough to offset their credit for taking Stone Castle City. Besides, I already cherish them very much, and I have only removed them from their posts and reinstated them. Don't you want to think about what kind of punishment I gave Wang Zhonghei after the defeat of Shibao City? The matter is to be put to rest, and the two of them will have to prove it to me before I can reuse them. Xuanzong frowned.

At this point, Wang Yuan couldn't say anything. In fact, Wang Yuan just mentioned it in passing, and he just fulfilled his promise to Ge Shuhan and Li Guangbi. From Wang Yuan's standpoint, the demotion of Ge Shuhan and Li Guangbi is actually beneficial to himself, but Wang Yuan does not want to show that he has a sense of taking advantage of others, because Wang Yuan expects that this time he and Gao Xianzhi will be appointed as the envoy of Longyou Jiedu and the envoy of Hexi Jiedu will be officially a fact. This is also to keep Ge Shuhan and Li Guangbi from having a bad heart.

"Your Majesty is aware of everything, but the minister does not understand His Majesty's thoughts. The minister did not mention the matter again. ”

"That's right, who has merit, who has had, I know it in my heart. I'm not going to do anything foolish. I'm not old yet. Xuanzong laughed.

"Your Majesty's candle shines on the Holy Ming, and he is the first Ming Jun in the ages, and he admires the five-body throwing to the ground." Yang Guozhong said in a deep voice.

Wang Yuan and Gao Xianzhi almost wanted to be disgusted, this kind of sycophant words Yang Guozhong said it seriously, and his face did not change, which shows that this person has become a habit of singing praises of virtue.

"Well, I'm not as holy as you say. I don't want the false name of the first emperor of the Holy Ming Dynasty. As long as my Tang Dynasty is strong and prosperous, and the foundation of the country will continue to be passed on for thousands of years, I will be satisfied. Xuanzong waved his hand.

"That's for sure. My Datang foundation will be evergreen. Yang Guozhong smiled.

Xuanzong smiled and said to Wang Yuan and Gao Xianzhi: "Today is just my separate summons, and I will give you a banquet for the two of you in a while, and you will leave the palace after eating the banquet." Tomorrow morning, I will gather the ministers in the Nanxun Hall and announce the award for the two of you in public. You are all warriors who defend the border towns for me, Liu Bang sighed back then: Ande warriors guard the Quartet, but I don't have to do such a sigh. I am much luckier than that Liu Bangke. ”

Wang Yuan and Gao Xianzhi didn't even dare to say that they knelt down to thank him. Xuanzong was obviously in a bad mood by Wang Yuan's words just now, got up and waved his hand and said, "I will go and rest for a while, and the banquet will be set up in a while, let's have a few drinks together to celebrate your triumphant return to the court." Guozhong, you can accompany the two festival envoys for me. ”

Yang Guozhong bowed and said yes, Xuanzong took his hand and left slowly.