Traveling through the Gaowu Tang Dynasty, Li Kuan and Li Shimin became the second sons of the Prince

Chapter 482 Deterrence

"Did that brat leave any words?" Emperor Li II asked casually while writing the edict.

"Yes." Du Ruhui's answer was concise and to the point.

"Does it have anything to do with me?" Emperor Li II put down his pen and looked at Du Ruhui.

"Your Majesty... Strictly speaking, the message from His Royal Highness the Prince of Chu is only about Princess Sizi." Du Ruhui said awkwardly, "His Royal Highness the Prince of Chu asked me to take a message to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, asking him to take good care of Princess Sizi."

"..." His Majesty Li II felt that he was a failure as a father sometimes: "The Crown Prince is in the East Palace."

"I know." Du Ruhui smiled slightly, "Then I'll take my leave."

"Hmm..." Emperor Li II was in a depressed mood at that time, and he didn't know what he was expecting.

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His Royal Highness the King of Chu led his retainers northwards this time, riding on Arabian horses, and in order to ensure efficiency of the journey, each person had three horses.

So when they spent six days and five nights to arrive in Lingzhou, Xue Wanjun, who was in charge of guarding Lingzhou, thought he was hallucinating when he heard the reports from his subordinates.

Not... His Royal Highness the King of Chu? Coming to Lingzhou?!

When Xue Wanjun saw His Royal Highness the King of Chu and his retainers wolfing down their food in the city, he thought they were fleeing: "Your Royal Highness the King of Chu...what...have you...been exposed?"

“No…” Although His Royal Highness the Prince of Chu was not very familiar with Xue Wanjun, his brother Xue Wanche was one of his retainers after all, so he had naturally heard of his Confucian general brother from Xue Wanche. But now, His Royal Highness the Prince of Chu did not see it that way: “Why do you look like Yuwen Qing?! Do I look so much like a traitor?!”

"Your Highness the King of Chu... Then what are you doing in Lingzhou?" Xue Wanjun frowned when he heard this: "You can't be here for sightseeing, right?"

"I'm going to the grassland to kill people!" After swallowing the last bite of the pancake, His Royal Highness the King of Chu put down the lamb leg bone in his hand, then picked up the bowl and drank the lamb soup in the bowl: "Prepare 2,100 war horses for me. I will use them tomorrow morning. Is there any problem?"

"Your Highness," Xue Wanjun frowned upon hearing this, "I can make the decision on the war horses, but the deployment of the troops..."

He thought that His Royal Highness the King of Chu was asking him to borrow troops, but he just didn't say it explicitly.

"I won't make it difficult for you." Li Kuan said, looking at the retainers around him: "Everyone should have a good rest tonight. Starting tomorrow, we will have to travel again."

"Your Highness, do you really have people in the northwest?" Wang Xuance has always been skeptical about this matter.

"Won't you know tomorrow?"

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The next day, early in the morning, outside Lingzhou City.

When Wang Xuance saw with his own eyes two thousand men in black riding horses and holding large crossbows, he realized that his understanding of his own master was still too superficial.

"This number of people should be enough..." His Royal Highness the King of Chu, wearing a dark battle armor and riding a newly equipped warhorse, looked at the square formation in front of him and couldn't help asking Xue Wanjun beside him: "General Xue, how many soldiers does the Huihe tribe have?"

"I estimate that, counting only adult males, there are about five to six thousand." Xue Wanjun tried to make His Royal Highness the King of Chu give up.

But the result was counterproductive.

"That will definitely be enough." His Royal Highness the King of Chu nodded and said, "The tactics used by the Champion Marquis back then... I also want to try it..."

"Your Highness, I can send a family general to lead the way for you." Seeing that he could not persuade His Highness the King of Chu, Xue Wanjun simply bet his entire fortune on it: "There are about 150 people, all of whom are elite warriors who have fought many battles. The key is that they are familiar with the grassland environment."

"That's great. Thank you for your help." Li Kuan found that the people in the Xue family were really loyal.

"These are just my responsibilities..." Xue Wanjun looked a little sad when he heard this.

"From this batch of Ferghana horses I left behind, you can pick out two for yourself and keep them as a gift from me. Of course, you have to take good care of the rest!" When His Royal Highness the King of Chu admires someone, he will naturally be generous to him.

"Your Highness, how can this be done..." Xue Wanjun refused with great difficulty.

After all, for military generals, BMW weapons and armor are basically their lifeblood.

"Don't be so formal with me!" His Royal Highness the King of Chu laughed when he heard this. Thinking of Xue Wanche who was far away in Chang'an, he blinked his eyes and said, "We are all family."

"Huh?" Xue Wanjun was obviously stunned when he heard that.

"Xue Wanche, your brother is getting along well with me!" Seeing that the other party did not understand what he meant, His Royal Highness the King of Chu kindly explained it again.

"I hope Your Highness does not mind my foolish behavior." Xue Wanjun has always been more worried than proud of his younger brother.

"I despise him," His Royal Highness the Prince of Chu never liked polite words. He was a down-to-earth person. "But I have many people like Xue Wanche under my command, so it doesn't matter."

"Your Highness, Prince of Chu, should we leave now?" Just as His Highness finished speaking, Yuwen Qing rode over to urge him: "Didn't you say that you wanted to let the envoys see your efficiency before they return home?"

"..."Looking at Yuwen Qing who suddenly appeared in front of him, His Royal Highness the Prince of Chu felt inexplicably confused.

"Your Highness, take care." Xue Wanjun glanced at Yuwen Qing, smiled, and then handed his lance to His Highness the King of Chu: "I heard that Your Highness is good at using the lance. I wish Your Highness the King of Chu a successful start!"

"Okay, okay!" Li Kuan laughed when he heard that, and then took the lance from the other party.

This also means that the Eighteen Tribes of the Grassland are in danger!

At that time, in the big tent of the Pugu tribe, one of the Tiele tribes, the Pugu leader Pugu Su was sitting happily with other leaders.

However, on this occasion, next to Pugu Su sat a middle-aged man whose attire was completely different from that of the Tiele tribes. However, the leaders did not find this strange, and they raised their glasses to him, nodded, and smiled from time to time to express their goodwill to him.

And the reason why they gathered here today was naturally for an important event.

"Everyone," as the host, Pu Gu Su naturally had to say a few words before the banquet began: "Ever since the Tang Chu King's troops passed through our borders, our Tiele tribes have lost their former good days. Now, in order to buy time for all of us, Chief Yima has gone to Chang'an alone, enduring humiliation and seeking a chance for us to breathe, so this first bowl of wine should be toasted to him!"

"Respect Yima!"

The leaders of other tribes raised their wine bowls, said their toasts, and then drank them all.

"After toasting to Yima, I think we should toast to the Goguryeo envoy Yeon Gaesomun, who is willing to stand up and form an alliance with us despite the extremely critical situation!" Pugu Su said, raising the wine bowl on the table that was refilled by the maid and clinking it with Yeon Gaesomun beside him: "From now on, the Tiele tribes and the Goguryeo Kingdom will help each other!"

"Let's help each other!" Yeon Gaesomun smiled and drank the wine in the bowl.

"it is good!"

The leaders were instantly moved by Yeon Gaesomun's heroism and cheered loudly.

But at this moment, Yeon Gaesomun raised the wine bowl in his hand high and said, "If I break my oath, destroy this bowl!" After that, he smashed the wine bowl hard to the ground.

"Pah!" Looking at the broken wine bowl on the ground, the leaders of the Tiele tribes were stunned at first, and then they looked at each other. For some reason, no one was willing to cheer again...

Although no one wants to admit it, even if they are all barbarians, they can still tell the difference when faced with the threat of real barbarians.

The Prince of Chu of the Tang Dynasty... is far more dangerous than your so-called sinister oath...

(If I don’t update at 9 o’clock tomorrow, I will take a day off. I have a severe toothache, which makes my head throb… I have tried to alleviate it, but if the symptoms don’t get better tomorrow, I will have to take a day off. I’m sorry to tell you all this…)