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

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

In the first few days, Li Shimin discussed future wars with several major ministers. Xue Yantuo came to the country, and hundreds of thousands of troops of the two countries were facing each other. Even Li Shimin had to deal with them carefully.

However, as news came that Li Chengqian had broken Xue Yantuo Khan's tent and captured Zhenzhu Khan alive, Li Shimin completely let himself go.

The tens of thousands of people and horses brought by Xueyantuo Khan's tent were the root of Xueyantuo's rule over the grassland. Without those tens of thousands of people, it would be useless even if the Yi Nan escaped, let alone even the Yi Nan was captured alive.

As long as this news is released, the people led by Bazhuo will definitely collapse. No one in the northern border dares to compete with the Tang Dynasty.

No matter what mentality comes from, these ministers will praise Li Chengqian. For a moment, the words of praise almost buried Li Shimin alive.

Li Shimin was naturally very happy when his son was striving for good luck. He held a wine to celebrate his trip in Shuofang City for three consecutive days, and drank with his ministers and sang with him with a more victorious atmosphere than the Kongduigou camp where Li Chengqian was.

After the banquet that day, 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, as well as Li Ke and Li Zhi, to the main hall for chatting.

Li Shimin looked at everyone with a smile and said, "Chengqian's victory can ensure that there is no war in the northern border of the Tang Dynasty for decades, and Chengqian has the ability to destroy Xue Yantuo, so I feel relieved.

Next year, I will send troops to destroy the Goguryeo Tang generals and will be boundless."

This is very proud of his words. In the eyes of his father and son, the barbarians in all directions are simply a native of the world.

As soon as Li Shimin finished speaking, Hou Junji, Xue Wanche and others all shouted loudly when they heard this: "The Tang Dynasty is a victorious!"

Li Shimin praised Li Chengqian many times in recent days and everyone was used to it, but it was the first time he had opened his mind to go to Goguryeo next year.

Although Fang Xuanling has left the center, he also knows that the Chinese New Year is almost over now, the emperor and the crown prince are still leading their troops, and they will not be able to send troops to Goguryeo next year, otherwise the Tang general will have no financial resources to maintain it.

I wanted to persuade me, but when I thought that I was not in my position and did not do anything, I finally picked up the teacup and drank a sip of tea and put it down.

If Fang Xuanling doesn't say anything, it means no one will speak. Gao Jifu, who came to his reaction, walked out of the seat with a solemn expression, saluted Li Shimin solemnly and said, "Your Majesty, the great conquest is related to the country's danger, so how can Your Majesty take a joke?"

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

Li Shimin has been very excited these days. He has truly understood the meaning of gunpowder on the battlefield through descriptions from all parties and is very confident in destroying Goguryeo in one battle.

Although I said it in public today, I didn't expect someone to teach him a lesson directly, and my anger was suddenly ignited.

"Why should Brother Ji Fu be so serious about this after drinking and tea?" The Secretariat of the Central Secretariat got up and said.

Lai Ji is a very good at observing sex. Seeing that Li Shimin had drunk wine and was going to make a suggestion, wasn’t it because he was looking for trouble?

However, Gao Jifu neither looked at Li Shimin's expression nor heard Lai Ji's reminder. He said with a hard neck: "Since you are drinking and tea, you should not make this military and national affairs public. Will Your Majesty lose his ministers when he hears the truth?

At this time, our Tang Dynasty used all its might to destroy Xue Yantuo. How could we start a light war in the Northeast before it was achieved yet?

If Your Majesty’s words are spread, Goguryeo will be a problem for the Tang Dynasty. Therefore, I ask Your Majesty to take back what he said after drinking just now."

After Gao Jifu said that, he leaned on the ground. The tent was extremely quiet. Everyone looked at Li Shimin tremblingly. Since Wei Zheng's death, anyone who dared to make such advice had been severely criticized by Li Shimin. Except for Li Chengqian, no one dared to contradict Li Shimin like this.

Li Shimin's eyes widened, and he looked at Gao Jifu below without a moment, without saying anything for a long time.

It’s not that he didn’t want to deal with Gao Jifu, but he was worried that all the things he prepared now would be refuted by Gao Jifu one by one. Then it would be difficult for him to challenge Goguryeo in the court in the future.

Finally, Li Shimin snorted coldly, stood up and left.

When everyone saw Li Shimin leaving the seat in anger, they did not need the eunuch to announce it and stood up and saluted Li Shimin's throne to bid farewell.

The night ended unhappily, and no minister dared to mention the celebration the next day.

However, Li Shimin summoned several ministers in succession on this day, and those who were not summoned were speculating: they said that they must have something to do with the conquest of Goguryeo.

The winter day was short and the day before the meal was completely dark. Li Ke was about to call someone to tell him dinner when he saw the eunuch beside Li Shimin coming to pass the imperial edict: Li Shimin summoned him to have a meal together.

When Li Ke found out that he summoned him alone, he couldn't help but have some speculations in his heart.

Although Li Ke went on the war with him 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 by his side to monitor him was very obvious.

Therefore, except for the Feige's letters he had originally mastered, Li Shimin did not report any other military and political affairs, nor did he hand over other matters to him.

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

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

Li Shimin looked at Li Ke and smiled and said, "Sit down quickly, we are just father and son today, there is no need to be too polite."

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

At first glance, the dishes served at the seat are very simple, just a few vegetables, but when you look closely, it is very difficult, because it is very rare to be used in vegetables now.

In Xiazhou, there is no one in Chang'an, no one grows vegetables by the hot springs. The vegetables that Li Shimin ate except for various bean sprouts were transported from Chang'an.

It was very difficult to get some vegetables when the journey was long. Usually, Li Shimin only served him. Li Shimin himself couldn't bear to eat too much, and he had to distribute it to several elderly ministers.

Although Li Ke and Li Zhi were at most noble, they could eat bean sprouts, but today Li Shimin actually asked someone to make four vegetables for him.

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

Seeing Li Ke sitting down but not moving his chopsticks, Li Shimin smiled and said, "Ke'er has made contributions to mastering the flying pigeons. My father specially made people to make vegetables for you. The vegetables are hard to get, so eat them quickly. After eating them, my father still has something to say to you."

Seeing that Li Shimin was so kind, Li Ke was moved, so he ignored it and finished the meal on the small table like a wind storm.

He looked up and saw Li Shimin still looking at him with a smile, and quickly put down his chopsticks and asked with guilt, "Father, do you have something to say?"

"Yes." Li Shimin was stunned when he heard this, and then asked gently: "Cheer can pass a letter with Chengqian soon?"

Li Ke did not expect Li Shimin to ask him about Li Chengqian. He thought for a while and said truthfully: "His prince is busy with military affairs. He would send a letter to his father every ten days, ask about his father's daily life, and order his father to take good care of his father's life, there was no other correspondence."

"Oh! Li Shimin nodded thoughtfully, and then continued: "Since the Yi Nan has been captured by Chengqian, the Uighur tribes and other tribes are also interested in surrendering to our Tang Dynasty. It is just around the corner to destroy Xue Yantuo.

Although the Tang Dynasty sent several troops at the same time this time, it would not be too much to destroy Xue Yantuo. If you carry the power of destroy Xue Yantuo and march eastward to Goguryeo, you will definitely achieve twice the result with half the effort. You can destroy Goguryeo in one battle."

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

Li Shimin sighed and said with a frown when he heard this: "Oh! But these ministers are short-sighted and cannot see the harm of Goguryeo to the Tang Dynasty, so he actually obstructed me from sending troops to conquer Goguryeo."

"ah."

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

Fortunately, Li Shimin didn't care about his support. Whether he supported or not has much to do with the overall situation, so Li Shimin continued: "I think Chengqian should understand this matter. You sent a letter to Chengqian with a password. Since Xue Yantuo has been destroyed, let him go back to Chang'an to supervise the country. I personally lead the troops to go east to attack Goguryeo."

"ah!"

Li Ke was confused when he heard this. Whether Li Shimin personally expeditioned and Li Chengqian had to issue an edict. Now, Li Shimin asked himself to write a letter to Li Chengqian without the support of the Eastern Expedition?

Li Ke was still thinking that even if he asked him to pass the message to Li Chengqian, he wouldn't have to be so polite!

Thinking of those plates of vegetables, Li Ke felt that this matter was stranger.

As I walked along the way, I slowly figured it out that Li Shimin's Eastern Expedition and asked Li Chengqian to return to Chang'an to supervise the country was obviously a deal.

Judging from the arrangements of Li Shimin's personal expedition this time, it was impossible for Li Shimin to leave an adult crown prince to be retained in Chang'an to govern the country in the east, because with Li Chengqian's strength, he could become the emperor at any time.

But since it is a transaction, what does Li Shimin want to get through this transaction?
Chapter completed!