The night breeze is blowing, and the galaxy is shining.

The herringbone canal converges, and more than a thousand bonfires burn on the earth, reflecting thousands of military tents scattered on the north bank of the Dayun, where Li Chengqian's triumphant camp was here.

At this time, Li Chengqian was sitting alone in the brightly lit Central Army tent. He was holding a book in his hand and his eyes were not focused, but just looking at the empty tent.

Li Chengqian had already encountered the predicament that Ma Zhou guessed. Zhao Jie ran from Luoyang to Yandu in advance to persuade Li Chengqian to raise the flag and rebel.

Some of his generals also agreed with Zhao Jie, making Li Chengqian so annoyed that he sometimes wanted to kill Zhao Jie to suppress this unhealthy trend.

But Li Chengqian dared not attack them easily now. Once these soldiers are free from their abilities, the outcome of his westward entry into Chang'an will be unpredictable.

It was impossible for Li Chengqian to launch a war within the Tang Dynasty at this time. He was surrounded by the achievements of destroying the country in the month, and tens of thousands of victorious troops followed him. As long as he entered the Chang'an City, he would be his.

If you want to raise the flag to clear the monarch, Changsun Wuji has reason to summon the soldiers of Guanzhong Prefecture and fight. In recent years, the construction of the Tang Dynasty was very good at being destroyed by this war.

In recent years, Li Chengqian was almost paranoid in order to change the fate of the Tang Dynasty or the Chinese nation. In order to build the Tang Dynasty into what he was in his heart, he had experienced the cycle of life and death and had put himself in desperate situations several times.

Did he do this just for the throne?

Of course not.

Otherwise, Li Shimin would have naturally ascended the throne as emperor last time.

How could he surrender to a few ambitious people?

What's even more hateful is that if Li Chengqian took advantage of their power to ascend to the throne, he would be grateful to these people and give them high officials and generous salaries. Even if they commit crimes, they should tolerate them. Otherwise, later history books would say that he killed his meritorious officials indiscriminately and was a tyrant.

"Bang!"

Li Chengqian thought about this and became more and more angry as he put down the book in his hand.

He whispered to himself, "It's all Li Shimin's trouble!"

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, Your Highness the King of Wu's fleet has also arrived in Banzhu. I sent someone to report that I will come to see Your Highness the Crown Prince tomorrow."

Liu Kui's voice sounded outside the big tent.

After hearing this, Li Chengqian took a deep breath, cleaned his mind, his eyes became deeper, and he slowly stood up and walked out of the tent.

Li Ke went to sea for the second time two years ago and originally came back three months ago, but he did not dock the fleet at Zajin Port like last time. Instead, he entered the land of Datang from the estuary of the Yangtze River, and then headed straight to Luoyang along the canal.

Although Li Ke wrote to him that the food he brought was going to the warehouse around Luoyang...

Li Chengqian did not believe this. Judging from Chang'an's edict, Li Shimin had completely abandoned him. Among the princes, only Li Zhi and Li Ke were qualified to replace him.

Li Zhi was completely tied to Changsun Wuji's chariot. As long as Li Shimin was not completely stupid, he would not consider Li Zhi entering the East Palace.

So Li Chengqian decided to wait for Li Ke here, at least detain the supplies on his ship first.

Li Chengqian thought while walking, and finally decided to take the initiative to see Li Ke tomorrow, test him again, and see what Li Ke thought, and had to bury him at this time.

"Transfer the will of the orphan king, and tomorrow we will hold a banquet on the shore of Banzhu to welcome the King of Wu and the soldiers who went out to sea." Li Chengqian ordered.

"Abide by the order!" Liu Kui's voice came from outside the tent.

Banzhu is the intersection of Tongji Canal and Yongji Canal of the Grand Canal of the Sui and Tang Dynasties. Li Chengqian's army came from Yandu along the Yongji Canal, and then went west to Luoyang, and along the Tongji Canal to the southeast was Bianzhou, which was Hou Kaifeng Prefecture.

Li Chengqian's garrison here was equivalent to directly blocking a trunk transportation line in the east and west of the Tang Dynasty. Fortunately, Chang'an and Luoyang had little dependence on the food in Jiangnan at this time. If it were in the late Five Dynasties, Li Chengqian would go southeast and directly proclaim himself emperor in Kaifeng.

...

...

On the second day, when the sun just rose, Li Chengqian was wearing a plain suit and surrounded by hundreds of cavalrymen, riding a horse to the edge of the canal.

Li Chengqian stood by the riverside, and the morning breeze blew up and his clothes were floating like a fairy. He looked up and saw no sparkling waves. The river water only saw cargo ships standing with sails.

Li Chengqian raised his whip and pointed at the cargo ship with deep water and said to the ministers behind him: "Look at your family, these are all things from overseas, no worse than those from the Tang Dynasty."

"Yes, yes, His Highness the Crown Prince's policy of opening the sea has benefited a lot of Tang Dynasty."

"This eastern expedition to Liaodong, many military rations were transported overseas, which is indeed rare..."

"I wonder what these ships are carrying?"

...

The ministers knew in their hearts that Li Chengqian was promoting his "overseas feudalization" policy, so they just smiled and followed a few words.

Li Chengqian didn't care about this. After all, these people still had to govern the world for him. It was impossible for them to be enfeoffed overseas now. If they wanted to go, the descendants of these people followed his descendants out.

After Li Chengqian said a few words, he saw King Li Ke of Wu and a group of people coming hurriedly. When Li Chengqian saw Li Ke, he turned over and dismounted and helped Liu Kui forward to meet him.

"My minister Li Ke meets His Highness the Crown Prince."

Li Ke and the soldiers who went out to sea behind him walked away from Li Chengqian and bowed and bowed five steps away.

Li Chengqian hurriedly took a few steps, helped Li Ke up with both hands, and said anxiously: "Three brother, please calm down!"

When Li Ke raised his head, he saw that Li Ke was handsome, but his expression was very haggard, unlike the wind and frost on the road.

Li Chengqian suppressed his doubts and looked at Li Ke and said sincerely: "Thank you for your hard work in third brother!"

Li Ke moved his lips and said nothing, and his eyes turned red first.

Li Chengqian turned his head and said to the soldiers behind Li Ke: "All the Lords are calm."

"Thank you, Prince."

After everyone thanked him, Li Ke controlled his emotions and smiled at Li Chengqian, "I am watching someone selecting ingredients to prepare lunch for His Royal Highness. I don't expect His Royal Highness to arrive so early. Please forgive me for your crime of losing my greeting."

After saying that, he bowed and bowed again.

Looking at Li Ke and Li Chengqian who bowed and bowed, he felt a little strange. He didn't even want to help Li Ke up again, and said sincerely: "When have you and my brothers cared about these things?"

After hearing this, Li Ke tried to speak again but stopped.

Seeing this, Li Chengqian continued, "Since you came back from the ground last time, our brothers have parted in Youzhou, and they have not seen each other for more than two years.

I heard that your fleet was here last night, and I wish I could fly to meet my third brother."

"It's my fault. I should have seen His Highness the Crown Prince last night, but..." As he said that, he turned around and looked at the fleet behind him and continued: "I really can't get rid of my body here. I received an order from His Highness the Crown Prince late at night: I will hold a banquet here today.

I ordered people to prepare ingredients overnight. I was just watching the blisters cook in person, but I didn’t expect the prince to arrive.”

After saying that, Li Ke smiled embarrassedly.

Li Chengqian reached out and patted Li Ke on the arm and said, "The third brother is intent."

Speaking of this, Li Chengqian pointed to the followers behind Li Ke and said, "Brother is here to meet the third brother and the heroes who went out to sea. You don't have to care about your food."

Although Li Chengqian had just lost his wife and son, he did not have to be filial, as long as he thought that the coffins of the two were still in the East Palace, he would not be in the mood to drink and entertain, and he only ate some vegetables and pasta every day.

Even if he held a banquet, he only used tea and snacks to entertain his civil and military officials. Fortunately, his ministers understood him and did not mind it.

Li Ke's expression became dim and whispered: "I have also heard about the matter between the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess..."

Li Chengqian didn't want to mention this matter now, but just sighed with a sad expression. Li Ke knew that he would not mention this matter.

For a moment, both of them were silent. Li Ke helped Li Chengqian walk slowly and walked towards the reed shed where the banquet was held.

After a while, Li Cheng adjusted his mood before he knew the reason and asked: "What good things are loaded on the boats of third brother?"

When Li Ke saw the question, he quickly replied: "My brothers are all transported back to the Tang Dynasty according to the orders of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. The main items that were transported back to the Tang Dynasty were mainly grain, spices and dried seafood." After hesitating, he continued: "There are two other ships of gold transported back from the Golden Continent."

Li Chengqian was shocked when he heard this. Li Ke wrote to him before only mentioning the food and did not mention that there were two ships of gold, but he quickly suppressed the shock in his heart and asked calmly: "Gold is not good, right?"
Chapter completed!