The veteran triumphed, and the Son of Heaven led hundreds of civil and military officials to welcome him out of the city thirty miles, which was the highest level of courtesy.

With the salute of Li Zhi and Empress Wu, the civil and military officials also bowed without complaint, and said in unison: "The British Duke has won a triumphant victory, the king has set the world, and the Tang Dynasty has won a thousand victories!" ”

"Datang Wansheng!"

Li Tao was moved to tears, and hurriedly returned the salute to Li Zhi and the others.

"The old minister just did his duty, and he actually worked His Majesty, the queen and his colleagues to go out of the city to greet him, and he tortured the old minister." Li Tao said guiltily.

Li Zhi held Li Tao's hand, felt the rough touch like orange peel on the back of his hand, and couldn't help but say sadly: "After two years of fighting, Yinggong aged too fast, and he fell off his horse when he was in Goguryeo, and he almost died for a while. ”

Li Tao shook his head again and again with tears in his eyes, and his words of gratitude were no longer spoken.

Seeing that the monarch and the ministers were so compatible, the ministers behind them also hung their heads in silence.

Li Qinzai looked at this picture quietly, and his heart was filled with infinite emotion.

The Tang Dynasty, it can have a lot of faults, and there are also a lot of gloom, but it is undeniable that the emperors of the early Tang Dynasty really dug their hearts and lungs into the real heroes, and they treated them like a family, neither suspicious nor suspicious.

Mo said that this phenomenon is very common, stretching the timeline, looking at thousands of years of history, there are really few emperors who have such a mind, Li Shimin and Li Zhi are one of them.

The greatest strength of these two emperors is that they are not suspicious in employing people, especially when using troops abroad, they will never be suspicious of the generals who command the army, nor will they engage in any eunuchs or civil officials supervising the army.

If you are given the right to use the army, you can use the army boldly and boldly, and the Son of Heaven only needs to see the result, and the process is decided by himself.

I don't know if Principal Chang reads history books more than a thousand years later, but he took his suspicion to the extreme, overstepping the command and even intervening at the brigade level, and the subtle operation was as fierce as a tiger, and the more he intervened, the more accidents occurred.

I have to say that being able to be a minister under Li Zhi is a blessing for both Li Tao and Li Qinzai.

If you change the emperor who is not big in measure and likes to be suspicious, Li Qinzai's character will probably not be like this, he will never show any real skills to the outside world when he dies.

Liu Ting greeted him for a long time, and saw that Li Tao's body trembled slightly, Li Qinzai was just about to step forward to put a leather coat on him, but Li Zhi found it sensitively.

Endured the sourness in his heart, Li Zhi took off the skin on his shoulders, personally draped Li Tao, and then took Li Tao's hand and invited him to ride the royal chariot with him.

Li Tao hurriedly refused, and he didn't dare to say anything.

Li Zhi invited repeatedly, but Li Tao refused very firmly, if it doesn't work, it won't work, the king is the king, the minister is the minister, if the courtier takes the imperial chariot of the Son of Heaven, this is a mess of the common etiquette.

The monarch and the ministers pushed and gave in, and the ministers secretly approved.

Victory is not arrogant, defeat is not discouraged, the British government has made great achievements, but he is still humble and courteous, and he is worthy of the merits of the three dynasties, and it is not unreasonable for people to win the weight of the three generations of emperors.

Li Qinzai was a little embarrassed on the side, Li Tao's attitude was obviously perfect, and he often went in and out of the Taiji Palace, and often sat and drank with Li Zhi.

When he returned to Beijing from Haidong, he remembered that Li Zhi also invited him to board the imperial chariot together, and he did not refuse, and he gave him a little sunshine, and he really boarded the imperial chariot.

It is also thanks to Li Qinzai's unfading saintly family over the years, otherwise he would have been known by the imperial history of the court and the central government, and he would have wanted to die.

Li Qinzai secretly reminded himself that he could have a snack in the future, and don't do this kind of thing anymore, otherwise he will bury trouble for himself and the Li family.

Seeing that Li Tao resolutely refused to board the imperial chariot, Li Zhi was not good and reluctant, so he had to join forces with the Empress Wu to board the imperial chariot, Li Tao and Li Qinzai followed around the imperial chariot, and the monarch returned to Chang'an City.

Chang'an Yanping Gate.

Passing through the narrow city gate, just entering the city, you will see hundreds of people standing quietly on both sides of the road in the wind and snow, and a high platform has been set up in the open space in front of you, on the high platform, a group of beautiful women wearing armor and holding long swords and iron shields are kneeling in the direction of the city gate.

Seeing the Son of Heaven and Li Tao entering the city, the people on both sides of the road knelt in the snow one after another, and said in unison: "Congratulations to Yingying Gong's triumph, Datang Wansheng, long live the Son of Heaven!" ”

Li Tao hurriedly stopped his horse and returned the salute with his fists at the people who saluted on the left and right.

The veteran returned to Beijing, his beard and hair were all white, and his rickety and old body riding on a horse was like a candle that burned himself for his family and country, swaying the last bit of light in the wind and snow.

Seeing Li Tao's old state, the people on both sides of the road couldn't help but feel sour in their hearts.

I don't know who took the lead, and suddenly said loudly in the crowd: "Ying Gong fought for the country, did his best, Datang was assisted by Ying Gong, fortunately magnificent!" ”

Li Tao burst into tears again, not knowing how to respond, so he had to keep clasping his fists left and right on the horse to return the salute.

The team took a few steps closer, and with the sound of rumbling drums, the Taijoji Maiko on the high platform was already dancing.

Different from the usual enchanting dance, today's Taichang Temple Maiko dance is the masculine and majestic "Qin King Breaking Array Dance", the dancers wear armor, holding long swords and shields, with the mighty drum music, after a coquettish sound, the long knife hurriedly beats the iron shield, and keeps changing formations.

Li Zhi and Empress Wu walked out of the imperial chariot and watched the breaking dance side by side with Li Tao, and the monarchs and ministers and the people were excited, as if returning to the beginning of the founding of the Tang Dynasty, the Jin Ge Iron Horse, the first emperor Taizong and the heroes of the world chased away the lost deer in the eventful years.

After a dance, the dancers bowed and retreated.

Li Tao bowed to Li Zhi with emotion: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your generous courtesy, the old minister is ashamed." ”

This song of breaking the formation was obviously arranged by Li Zhi in advance, and it was only used to welcome Li Tao's triumph after Li Tao entered the city.

Li Zhi laughed and said, "Ying Gong is not polite, I only hate the simplicity of etiquette, which is not enough to show the merits of Ying Gong." ”

Across the imperial chariot, Li Zhi suddenly held Li Tao's hand, and said solemnly: "Duke Ying is old, and he can live for as long as possible in the future, but if there is anything undecided in the court, I hope that Duke Ying will not hesitate to teach me, you must live a long life, take a good look at the splendid mountains and rivers of the Tang Dynasty today, which were all laid by the first emperor and you personally." ”

Li Tao said movingly: "Your Majesty has sent something, the old minister will not shirk, even if the old minister wants to cut down the minister now, the old minister will immediately open up the territory for His Majesty!" ”

Li Zhi smiled and shook his head: "Ying Gong is the Dinghai Shen Needle of the Tang Dynasty, if there is no major matter in the future, I will never bother you easily, besides, Ying Gong has many talents, and there will be things in the court in the future. ”

Li Tao also smiled: "The old minister is waiting for His Majesty to create the exploits of the first emperor of Yuanmai, so that the old minister will die without regrets, and he will have the face to see the first emperor Taizong under Jiuquan." ”