My father, Li Shimin, requests Your Majesty to become the Retired Emperor.

Chapter 58 Su Wan: Fu Yun, old man, an envoy from a great nation does not bow to the ruler of a smal

The border of Fusi City.

Li Chengqian led his men and seven hundred soldiers to garrison here.

Li Chengqian asked Du Zhenglun, "Would you be willing to go to Fushi City to see Fuyun Khan and find out their true strength?"

Upon hearing this, Du Zhenglun thought to himself, "That Khan Fuyun is fierce and cruel. If we go there, wouldn't it be tantamount to sending ourselves to our deaths?"

Thinking of this, he put on a bitter face and said, "Your Highness, has this humble subject done something wrong? Has he angered Your Highness? Is that why you want to punish this humble subject?"

Li Chengqian couldn't help but laugh at his cowardly appearance: "You're overthinking it. If you don't want to go, then I'll go myself."

At this moment, Princess Chengyang pinched Du He, who was standing next to her.

Du He understood and quickly stepped forward: "Your Highness, this humble subject is willing to go!"

Li Chengqian nodded slightly: "Very good! Your courage is commendable."

Su Wan said, "I want to go too."

"You're a young lady, that won't do!" Li Chengqian naturally knew that this mission to Tuyuhun was extremely dangerous.

"The Tuyuhun people always think of themselves as heroes and don't take the Tang people seriously. I'm quite curious to see what's so great about them."

Li Chengqian pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "The Tuyuhun people do indeed have their remarkable qualities."

The people of this nation are resilient and tenacious, which is one of the reasons why they have become so powerful.

They originally lived in the Northeast region. Later, they traveled thousands of miles to this place, and finally drove out the Tangut people and occupied this auspicious land.

Later, during the Sui Dynasty, Emperor Yang of Sui sent the veteran general Yuwen Shu and Prince Yang Xiong to lead troops to attack Tuyuhun. Fuyun Khan was defeated and sought refuge in Dangxiang.

However, Fuyun Khan did not give up and waited for an opportunity to make a comeback.

Finally, taking advantage of the chaos at the end of the Sui Dynasty, he restored the country.

Therefore, it is clear that their nation's ability to dominate a region was by no means accidental.

"Our Great Tang has treated the Tuyuhun people well, sending Murong Shun back and opening trade routes. Yet they have repeatedly invaded the borders of the Great Tang, burning, killing, and looting. Isn't that going too far?"

Li Chengqian sighed: "Khan Fuyun did not listen to his son Murong Shun, but listened to Tianzhu King, which is why this has happened."

Regardless of the circumstances, the people of both countries are innocent. If Khan Fuyun shows any remorse, I do not recommend waging war against Tuyuhun.

Su Wan crossed her arms and said, "Your Highness, you are a kind person, so you always think the best of others."

However, some people are utterly wicked, and you can't move them with your tolerance. The only way to deal with such people is to fight fire with fire!

"This time, I will go myself!"

"You don't need to go. You stay here and oversee things from the rear. I'll go. I'll be fine," Su Wan said confidently.

Su Gui bowed and said, "Please allow me to accompany them!"

Li Chengqian said, "Alright, then you must be careful."

Fatong said, "Your Highness, I have written a letter urging my grandfather to make peace with the Tang Dynasty. Is that alright?"

"Show it to me."

Fatong took out a letter from his pocket and respectfully handed it to Li Chengqian.

Li Chengqian opened the letter, read it from beginning to end, and praised, "You have made great progress in the past few years in the Tang Dynasty. You have a more thorough understanding of issues. If your grandfather could listen to your advice, then I would definitely persuade my father not to wage war against Tuyuhun."

"This humble monk thanks Your Highness in advance."

the next morning.

Su Wan, Su Gui, and Du He traveled to Fusi City.

When Fuyun Khan heard about this, he ordered the city gates to be opened and the three of them to enter the city.

To demonstrate his military might, Fuyun Khan deliberately deployed over a thousand armored soldiers outside the palace gates.

Those armored soldiers, fully armored and wielding long spears, swaggered around arrogantly.

Su Wan, Su Gui, and Du He entered the main hall.

On either side of the main hall stood civil and military officials.

Fuyun Khan sat in the center, Murong Shun stood to his left, and Tianzhu King stood to his right.

Su Wan bowed but did not kneel: "Su Wan has come to pay homage to the Khan on the orders of the Crown Prince of the Great Tang!"

Before Khan Fuyun could speak, King Tianzhu became enraged: "Why don't you kneel before our Khan?"

"An envoy from a great nation does not bow to the ruler of a small state!" Su Wan's voice was loud and clear.

Khan Fuyun waved his hand to stop Tianzhu King, and looked the three of them over: "Does the Li Tang dynasty have no one else? Why send a young girl like you as an envoy?"

Upon hearing this, all the civil and military officials burst into laughter.

"Our Great Tang Dynasty has an abundance of talented people, enough to fill carts and boats, in countless numbers."

However, our missions are differentiated. For those great powers, we naturally send high-ranking officials, but for some small, foreign countries, sending a lowly girl like me is already an exception.

Su Wan's implication was that the Tuyuhun were not even considered a small foreign state.

"You!" Upon hearing this, Fuyun Khan's beard bristled with anger. "What a sharp tongue you have!"

"I was just telling the truth."

"What brings you to our Tuyuhun Kingdom?"

"Our Crown Prince Li Chengqian of the Great Tang Dynasty, having nothing better to do, took a tour of the Western Regions. He passed through this place and sent me to inquire about your health."

"Is Li Chengqian really that kind? Why doesn't he come?"

"When the kingdoms of the Western Regions heard that the Crown Prince of the Great Tang had come in person, they all rushed to pay him a visit. Where else would they sit at home waiting for the Crown Prince to come and visit them?"

Su Wan's meaning was clear: the Tuyuhun people are far too old.

"In that case, are there any letters?"

"some."

Su Wan took out two letters from her bosom and handed them to Du He. Du He then handed the two letters to Murong Shun, who in turn passed them on to Fu Yun Khan.

When Fuyun Khan opened the letter, he found that one of the letters was written to him by Li Chengqian, and the other by Fatong.

Li Chengqian's letter roughly meant:

First, we extend our greetings to Khan Fuyun, inquiring about his good health.

Secondly, we hope that Khan Fuyun will not invade the borders of the Tang Dynasty, and that we can live in peace, engage in friendly trade, and benefit the people of both countries.

Fatong's letter was meant to persuade his grandfather not to unite with the Tangut and other states in an attempt to oppose the Tang Dynasty.

After reading the two letters, Fuyun Khan handed them to Tianzhu King and Murong Shun.

Fuyun Khan stroked his beard: "If I remember correctly, Li Chengqian is only thirteen years old this year, isn't he?"

"Yes, he just had his coming-of-age ceremony," Su Wan said calmly.

"You're still wet behind the ears, barely out of your diaper, yet you dare to put on airs before me, the Khan, and speak so presumptuously about matters of state. It's truly laughable." Khan Fuyun said dismissively, his tone full of sarcasm.

"Khan, that's not how you put it. People often say, 'Ambition knows no age, and a hundred years is wasted without ambition.'"

Back in the Spring and Autumn Period, there was a child prodigy named Xiang Tuo, who was only seven years old. Confucius treated him as a teacher and consulted him.

Gan Luo of Qin was only twelve years old when he went on a mission to Zhao. He managed to get more than a dozen cities from Qin, and as a result, he was appointed as a high minister by the King of Qin.

During the Three Kingdoms period, Cao Cao's son, Cao Chong, was able to weigh an elephant at a very young age, demonstrating a mental capacity that surpassed that of adults.

Cai Wenji could distinguish the sounds of strings when she was six years old, and so on;

The four people mentioned above are all very young, yet they are all remarkable.

And there are many more who lack ability, such as Jie of Xia, King You of Zhou, King Huai of Chu, and Emperor Hui of Jin, to name just a few.

Su Wan's words retorted to Fu Yun Khan, which was tantamount to saying that Fu Yun Khan was not even as capable as those who lacked ability.

"Uh—." Fu Yun Khan choked.

"A few days ago, our Crown Prince of Tang sent back two hundred of you prisoners. I presume you have already inspected and accepted them?" Su Wan asked.

"The Khan already knew about this."

"Our Great Tang has always loved peace and treated prisoners of war kindly. Moreover, your grandson Murong Nuohebo is living a good life in the Great Tang."

Su Wan meant that you shouldn't forget that your grandson is still in our hands.

Because of the turmoil in the country, Fuyun Khan entrusted Murong Nuohebo to Bopo to take to Daxingshan Temple. This was originally a very secret matter, and no one knew about it.

However, secrets don't stay hidden forever. Several years later, Murong Nuohebo had grown up a bit, and the matter was leaked out.

Therefore, Li Tai bribed Murong Nuohebo and promised him that if he could kill Li Chengqian, he would ensure that Li Tai would become the king of Tuyuhun after he became the crown prince and inherited the throne.

Fuyun Khan also wrote to Bopo, asking him to send Murong Nuohebo back to Tuyuhun. However, Murong Nuohebo said that he was used to living in Tang Dynasty and did not want to go back.

This greatly troubled Fuyun Khan. His sons grew up and no longer obeyed him; his grandsons had grown up and no longer listened to him.

Fuyun Khan said, "Back then, the Tang dynasty took care of my son Murong Shun, and now they are also taking care of my grandson Murong Nuohebo. I am grateful for this."

However, when Li Yuan sent troops to attack Li Gui, he was outnumbered and no match for him. He asked our Tuyuhun for help, and we gave him our full support.

But how did he treat us afterwards?

This applies to relations between nations, and it also applies to relations between individuals. It's like asking your neighbor for help; if they help you, do you simply forget about it?

Su Wan had also heard about this matter, and it seemed that Li Yuan's actions were not very transparent. However, as an envoy of the Tang Dynasty, she could not say anything else: "Khan, I think your words are a bit one-sided."

Don't forget that during the Sui Dynasty, Murong Shun was sent as an envoy to the Sui Dynasty and was detained by Emperor Yang of Sui. Later, Emperor Yang of Sui was killed by Yuwen Huaji. It was our Tang Dynasty that protected Murong Shun and finally sent him safely back to Tuyuhun.

"Without the protection of our Great Tang Dynasty, I doubt Murong Shun would have survived to this day."

Murong Shun, who was right next to him, heard everything clearly and nodded repeatedly: "Yes, I am very grateful for this! Without the protection of the Tang Dynasty, I would have died long ago."

"I think no amount of gold or silver could bring your son back to life, could it? How can you say that our Great Tang Dynasty has offered no assistance whatsoever?"

Fu Yun Khan remained silent.

In fact, after the Tang Dynasty and Tuyuhun attacked Li Gui together, Li Yuan did thank Fuyun Khan, but his appetite was too big and he did not meet his expectations.

Su Wan added, "This time, I have brought another agreement, the purpose of which is to hope that our two countries can coexist peacefully and not infringe on each other's borders."

In recent years, Li Shimin has been busy with domestic wars. In 628, he eliminated Liang Shidu of Shuofang and last year he destroyed the Eastern Turks. He has no time to look westward.

This led Fuyun Khan to believe that the Tang army feared the Tuyuhun army. Therefore, at the instigation of Tianzhu King, he repeatedly sent troops to invade the borders of the Tang Dynasty, more than twenty times, and obtained countless riches.

After reading the agreement, Fuyun Khan said, "I will give this matter some time to think. You may go to the guesthouse to rest first."

It was the third watch of the night.

Fuyun Khan was sitting in a daze behind his desk when Murong Shun came to pay his respects: "Father, what are your thoughts on that agreement?"

Fuyun Khan looked at him and asked, "What's your opinion?"

"Your subject believes that Father should sign this agreement and from now on never invade the borders of the Great Tang again. Perhaps then our Tuyuhun can be safe and sound."

Why do you say that?

"Firstly, I have lived in the Tang Dynasty for many years and have heard and seen that the Tang Dynasty of today is not the same as the Tang Dynasty of the past. It is now powerful and its army is extremely strong."

A few years ago, Emperor Taizong of Tang was busy with internal strife, so he was tolerant of us. The situation is different now.

Secondly, with a war god-level general like Li Jing, who in our Tuyuhun could rival him?

At its peak, the Eastern Turks had an army of a million, but what happened? They were still defeated by Li Jing.

Thirdly, we have lost an ally like the Eastern Turks, and relying on the Tanguts is unreliable. I've heard that Li Chengqian has already visited the Tanguts, and that Tuoba Chici intends to surrender to the Tang Dynasty.

"What? Does this kid not even care about his own father-in-law?" Fuyun Khan was furious.

"The Tangut people consist of eight tribes, and the other seven tribes are all going to surrender to the Tang Dynasty. How can he, as an individual, control the situation? This is the inevitable trend of the times."

Moreover, your grandson Murong Nuohebo is still in the Tang Dynasty. Don't you care about his life?

"This—." Fuyun Khan remained silent after hearing his son's words.

"The Khan said that he would treat all peoples, whether they were nomadic or agricultural, equally. He said it, and he did it."

Think about it again, old man. Back when our country was strong, Emperor Yang of Sui was no match for Li Shimin, and the Sui army was even less powerful than the Tang army. We couldn't even defeat the Sui army and our country was destroyed by them.

Now, although we have restored our country, we are confined to a corner of the world and have been severely weakened. The Tang Dynasty is vast and thriving. How can we be their match?

What magnanimity and forbearance it is that the Khan can forgive us for our repeated incursions into their borders!

Therefore, Father, please do not hesitate, do not listen to others' rumors, treat the envoys well, and decisively sign the agreement. From now on, we will submit to the Tang Dynasty and pay tribute to the Tang Dynasty every year. This is a golden opportunity and a foolproof plan for our two families to make peace. If you do not heed my good advice and insist on being an enemy of the Tang Dynasty, then the great calamity for our Tuyuhun will not be far off.

"You are right. Go back and rest. Tomorrow, I will summon the envoy again and sign this agreement in person," said Fuyun Khan.

"Father is wise! In that case, Tuyuhun is very fortunate! Your son takes his leave!" Murong Shun said and left.

Fuyun Khan was in a state of turmoil and restlessness. He paced back and forth in the hall with his hands behind his back and his head down.

A guard entered and reported to him, "King Tianzhu requests an audience!"

"Quickly, invite him in!"

Not long after, King Tianzhu entered from outside. After performing the rites, he called out, "Bring him in!"

Four soldiers carried a body in from outside on a stretcher and gently placed it on the ground. The body was covered with a white sheet.

Fuyun Khan, unaware of what was happening, asked, "Whose corpse is this?"

"Khan, please watch for yourself."

A soldier unveiled the white cloth.

Fuyun Khan glanced at him and saw that it was his grandson, Murong Nuohepen.

He lay prostrate on Murong Nuohepen's corpse, tears streaming down his face, and wept loudly.

King Tianzhu tried to persuade him from the side.

After a long while, Khan Fuyun finally stopped wailing and asked, "Who killed him?"

"Who else could it be besides Li Chengqian?"

"Was it really a murder? What's the evidence?"

"Yes, there is a letter to prove it!" While ordering his men to carry the body away, King Tianzhu took out a letter and handed it to Khan Fuyun. The letter was written by Princess Guanghua.

When Fuyun Khan opened the letter, he read that Li Chengqian had sent his men to capture Murong Nuohepen and tie his arms.

Later, they encountered a tornado in the desert. Because Murong Nuohepen could not extend his arms, he fell from mid-air and died. Ultimately, it was Li Chengqian who killed him.

In addition, Princess Guanghua also said in her letter that Tuoba Chici intended to surrender to the Tang Dynasty, and the leaders of the seven Dangxiang tribes also planned to surrender to the Tang Dynasty. She hoped that her father would take decisive measures.

Tianzhu Wang and Murong Shun have always been at odds, constantly clashing and fighting each other, especially on their attitudes toward the Li Tang dynasty, where their opinions are completely different.

Murong Shun intended to surrender to the Tang Dynasty, but he resolutely opposed it.

King Tianzhu worried that if Murong Shun were to become Khan one day, it might be detrimental to him.

He planned to launch a coup and declare himself Khan once Fuyun Khan died.

He seized the opportunity to advise, "Khan, don't think that Li Chengqian is too young to understand anything. On the contrary, he is cunning and ruthless."

"To be frank, any of us can surrender to the Tang Dynasty, but you, Khan, cannot."

Why?

"Khan, you are well-versed in history. Have you forgotten that during the Three Kingdoms period, Cao Cao led an army of 830,000 south to attack Eastern Wu? Zhang Zhao and others from Eastern Wu all advised Sun Quan to surrender to Cao Cao, but only Lu Su advised him not to surrender."

Because those ministers only cared about their own future. After they surrendered, they could still get official positions. But what would Sun Quan get if he surrendered to Cao Cao?

Finally, Lu Zijing overruled the objections of the majority, so Sun Quan decided to resist Cao Cao. He appointed Zhou Yu as Grand Commander, and finally, in the Battle of Red Cliffs, he won a victory against overwhelming odds and burned Cao Cao's 830,000-strong army.

Aren't you in the same situation as Sun Quan now?

Therefore, you absolutely must not surrender to the Tang Dynasty!

Li Shimin was the most ruthless person imaginable. He had one face in public and another in private. Just think about it: all those who had ever opposed him, such as Xue Ju, Xue Rengao and his son, Liu Wuzhou, Wang Shichong, Dou Jiande, and others, were all killed by him.