Chapter 174: |
Chapter 174
Li Er approached a stone table, sat, and asked Su Li to join him. “Li Daozong has sent word from the Western Regions. The Xue Yantuo tribe is in great turmoil. They intend to overthrow the Xue Yantuo and then move north, sweeping through the Western Regions,” Li Er said with a grin.
During this period, there had been a series of positive developments for the Tang Dynasty. The news from the Western Regions was particularly gratifying. Currently, the Tubo Kingdom has been conquered. Even when the Tubo nobles and royalty arrived in Changan, Li Er treated them fairly. He was granted the title of Anxi Duke to Songtsan Gampo's nearly four-year-old son.
As for the other prominent nobles, he bestowed upon them various honorary but practically meaningless military titles. These individuals were destined never to return to Tubo and could only live as wealthy magnates in Changan. Essentially, they were confined by Li Er and pampered like livestock.
Officers dispatched to Tubo to oversee the pastoral regions were already en route. Li Er planned to establish a Western Southwest Protectorate in the former Tubo lands, as this newly acquired territory required gradual consolidation and governance.
The various kingdoms in the Western Regions were currently in a precarious state. Among the numerous tribes in the Western Regions, the most formidable was the Xue Yantuo tribe. Xue Yantuo had long been known for their powerful military presence in the Western Regions. Their constant border skirmishes had become a nuisance for Li Er. When Li Er defeated the Eastern Turk Khan, the Xue Yantuo tribe also sent troops to assist the Tang forces in encircling the Turks. Such a tribe, always ready to seize opportunities when they sensed weakness, genuinely warranted the Tang Dynasty's attention.
However, after Su Li personally beheaded the leader of the Xue Yantuo during the Battle of Kunlun Mountains, internal chaos erupted within the tribe. They were presently entangled in internal conflicts and even covertly reached out to the Tang forces to seek surrender. It was clear that within half a year, the once-mighty Xue Yantuo would follow in the Tubo Kingdom's footsteps and fade into history.
After Su Li retired from the military, the Tang forces’ offensive capabilities significantly diminished, reverting to their previous, slower approach to warfare. This was an inevitable situation. Throughout the realm, only Su Li could conquer cities and territories, annihilate countries, and expand borders as if it were as simple as breathing. Although the progress had slowed down, Li Er remained content.
War reports from the Western Regions revealed that many small states had already begun to migrate. If the Tang Dynasty wished to permanently retain them, they would have to deploy additional troops, requiring substantial resources and manpower. But Li Er believed it was a worthwhile endeavor.
Li Er intended to subtly remind Su Li that he believed the situation in the Western Regions could be managed even without Su Li’s involvement. Although Su Li had returned willingly, Li Er had readily agreed to his request to return to the capital, indicating Li Er’s growing wariness of Su Li.
Didn’t Su Li realize it? Li Er had been diligently visiting the princess’s residence during this time. After the grandson’s birth, he offered valuable gifts and bestowed a name upon him. Besides Yuan Tiangang’s advice, Li Er also had his own concerns. He wanted to convey to Su Li that he felt wary of Su Li’s power. However, this was instinctual for an emperor. Whether he understood it or not, he couldn’t help it.
Yet, as Changle’s husband and a commander who had made significant contributions to the Tang Dynasty, he would never mistreat him. They addressed issues step by step. He hoped he would not hold a grudge against him because of this matter.
Regarding Li Er’s behavior, Su Li could only think, “It’s like sharing an intimate moment with someone and expecting to remain untouched afterward!” In this world, one can’t have it all. If it were someone else with Su Li’s abilities and accomplishments, being feared by Li Er would undoubtedly lead to turmoil in the Tang Dynasty. Li Er’s concerns were of little consequence to Su Li, who had no interest in fame and fortune. For Su Li, the only pursuit in the Tang Dynasty was a warm bed with his wife and children. What were fame and fortune to him?
When it came to indulgence, Su Li couldn’t help but wonder if the luxuries of the Tang Dynasty could compare to those in the future. If he truly desired such things, he could simply immerse himself in accumulating points, gather 9,999,999 of them, and return to his original time to enjoy all sorts of indulgences there. As for accomplishments, with his remarkable abilities, he could easily become a respected figure in various future countries simply by showcasing his talents. Was it worth attaching much importance to the achievements of the Tang Dynasty? In short, Li Er’s concerns seemed quite meaningless to Su Li.
However, Su Li couldn’t directly express these thoughts to Li Er. His only request to Li Er was to treat Princess Changle better, and in that aspect, Li Er was doing well. When Changle learned about the gifts sent by Li Er and Zhangsun Wu Fei, she was overjoyed. It was only natural for his wife to be treated this way, and if Li Er could continue, Su Li would be more than satisfied.
“The Ministry of Rites has been discussing your fief and estate recently. Do you have any thoughts on this?” Li Er suddenly asked. According to protocol, a prince should have a fief, but Su Li’s situation was unique. It wasn’t practical to bestow his hometown, Wuji County in Jizhou, as his fief, and he couldn’t go to a fief as the husband of a princess. Then there was the matter of the estate.
In the Tang Dynasty, whether a prince, crown prince or duke, they all had to be members of the imperial family to be eligible for an estate. First-rank princes had estates for ten thousand households, while second-rank princes and dukes had estates for five thousand households. Being a prince by marriage and not by blood, Su Li would be considered a second-rank prince.
Moreover, the concept of a fief wasn’t particularly meaningful. It was mostly symbolic. For instance, Li Daozong, the illustrious Prince of Jiangxia, didn’t truly have his own independent kingdom in Jiangxia. His actual fief had only six hundred households. However, that was the situation of the early Tang Dynasty, which was struggling on many fronts. These influential nobles largely consumed the wealth generated by the common people, leaving little for Li Er to distribute.
Of course, these outwardly obligatory offerings had to be given no matter how he looked at it. Su Li’s situation was unique, as he was the only non-imperial prince in the Tang Dynasty, so there were no precedents to follow. This situation was causing headaches for the officers at the Ministry of Rites, and Li Er wasn’t sure how to handle it either.
From Li Er’s perspective, bestowing the title of a non-imperial prince upon Su Li was already a significant departure from convention. Su Li thought for a moment and then smiled, saying, “Your Majesty, the princess’s residence is quite satisfactory, and I have no desire to leave Changan for other places. As for a fief, let’s not go that far. Just grant me an estate and a stipend. As you can see, I now have a son and must make arrangements for his future.”
Upon hearing this, Li Er looked at Su Li in surprise. “You’re my son-in-law. Could I really mistreat you?” Li Er scolded with a laugh. At this moment, the heavy stone in his heart seemed to have lifted.
Su Li’s statement indicated that he didn’t have ambitious plans. He was simply requesting some material wealth. Such things might be hard for Li Er to part with when giving them to others, but when it came to Su Li, he seemed willing to provide whatever was needed.