The Xuanzheng Hall is second only to the Hanyuan Hall in the Daming Palace. The buildings on the left and right are now used by Zhongshu Province and Menxia Province. Li Shimin usually reviewed memorials in the Xuanzheng Hall after leaving the court.

Today, Xuanzheng Hall is a lively scene.

Both Hou Junji and Li Jing are taking the initiative to ask for help.

Of course, as civil servants Wei Zheng and Dai Zhou, they were a little confused.

If we don’t fight, where will the Tang Dynasty lose its face?

Let's go to war. Not to mention the waste of people and money, it seems that there will be no real benefits in the end.

According to Wei Zheng's understanding, even if the Tang Dynasty captured Tuyuhun, it would be difficult to actually rule the plateau in the end. It would be nothing more than re-establishing another khan who temporarily bowed at the feet of the Tang Dynasty.

"Xuanling, what do you think?"

Li Shimin saw that everyone had expressed their opinions, but Fang Xuanling had not spoken yet.

"Your Majesty, His Royal Highness the King of Chu wishes to see you!"

Before Fang Xuanling could speak, a young eunuch came in to report.

"Xuan!"

Li Shimin didn't want to talk nonsense. At this time, Li Kuan came to him. With his style of not going to the Three Treasures Palace for anything, he most likely had received news of the attack on Liangzhou. Let's see what he thinks.

After a while, Li Kuan appeared in front of everyone.

I go!

what's going on!

Li Kuan felt that he suddenly became the center of attention.

"My dear friends and I are discussing important matters. If you have anything to say, just say it. If you have nothing else, leave as soon as possible."

Li Shimin said this, but only he knew what he was thinking in his heart.

"Your Majesty, it is said that Tuyuhun attacked Liangzhou. As soon as the minister got the news, he immediately went to the palace to see your Majesty."

Li Shimin's expression was calm, "I have also received an urgent report from Wubaili. This is what we are discussing now. What do you have to say?"

In the past few years, although Li Kuan has always done some weird things, both Li Shimin and the ministers of the DPRK have gradually turned from suspicion to expectation.

This time, what answer should Li Kuanneng give that everyone is looking forward to?

This is why as soon as Li Kuan entered the gate, everyone turned their attention to him.

"Tuyuhun is a shameless small country that has repeatedly betrayed its trust. In the past, Chen Tang once said: It is better to hang your head in the barbarian mansion on the street to show that it is thousands of miles away. Anyone who openly offends the powerful Han will be punished no matter how far away! The ministers believe that Tuyuhun behaves like this, and it is not enough to survive.

To frighten Xiaoxiao, immortality is not enough to pacify the northwest, and immortality is not enough to raise the prestige of our country. I request that I accompany the army on the expedition. If Tuyuhun is not destroyed, I swear not to return to Chang'an."

As soon as Li Kuan came up, there was a violent storm and he was full of murderous intent. He actually said, "I will never return to Chang'an until Tuyuhun is destroyed." This shocked everyone.

When did His Highness the King of Chu become so tough?

Did the Chu Palace suffer huge losses in Liangzhou?

How did Tuyuhun offend this master?

"Well said! Your Majesty, the old minister once again requested to go to Tuyuhun, vowing to open up territory for the Tang Dynasty and promote the prestige of our country."

Although Li Jing is in his early sixties this year and his body is not as strong as before, his words have not changed at all.

"Your Highness, King of Chu, Tuyuhun is certainly abominable, but his crime will not lead to the destruction of the country. Our Tang Dynasty is a country of etiquette. We only need to send another envoy to refute Fu Yun. This will save the people and money.

"

Lu Kuan, the Minister of Rites, obviously did not support Li Kuan's statement.

"Hmph, Lu Shangshu, the envoys sent out by the Ministry of Rites last time are still in Fu Yun's hands. Do you want to send another batch of hostages to them?"

Hou Junji rarely said a word for Li Kuan.

"Yes, under the current situation, if you send envoys to Tuyuhun again, it will be like a meat bun beating a dog, and there will be no return. Could it be that Lu Shangshu wants to go to Tuyuhun in person and persuade Fu Yun to come to Chang'an City to plead guilty?"

Li Kuan knew that Lu Kuan had always been at odds with him. As the representative of the Lu family in the court, he did not expect him to stand with him.

However, disregarding the interests of the Tang Dynasty for the sake of personal grudges was not acceptable to Li Kuan.

"The military is a major event of the country, the place of life and death, and the way of survival. Your Highness, King Chu, this Tuyuhun army has strong troops and horses, and it occupies the right time and place. Duan Zhixuan led the army to the expedition before, spending countless money and food, but what happened, you are not

I didn’t see it. Why are you starting to fight lightly now? Could it be that because your royal highness, King Chu, has a fiefdom in Liangzhou, for your own selfish interests, the entire Tang Dynasty will suffer along with it? "

"War is for peace. Only through war can we let the surrounding people know that they cannot infringe on the majesty of the Tang Dynasty. Let them know that not even an inch of land or a single family of the Tang Dynasty can be trampled upon or insulted by them, so that they can surrender without fighting.

The purpose of the human army. Lu Shangshu must have never been to the northwest, right?

Around Liangzhou, tribes such as Tuyuhun, Xitujue, Xueyantuo, Qiang, Dangxiang, and Uighurs are distributed. Once one family rises up to provoke the Tang Dynasty and is not punished, other tribes will follow suit. The situation in the northwest of the entire Tang Dynasty

It will collapse immediately, and the one we need to face will no longer be Tuyuhun. It is most beneficial to Datang to send troops at this time."

Regardless of whether it is public or private, Li Kuan is a resolute fighter today.

If Tuyuhun is not destroyed, it will be difficult for him to make any further progress in the grassland strategy. What is even more deceiving is that if Tuyuhun is not destroyed, where can he find a country to destroy it within a year?

"Xuanling, what do you think?"

Li Shimin once again asked his right-hand man for his opinion.

"Your Majesty, I think what His Royal Highness the King of Chu is saying makes sense. Tuyuhun has repeatedly attacked the northwest states of the Tang Dynasty, and now he has detained my Tang envoys. His disobedience is clearly revealed. Although it is winter now and there are many troops and horses mobilized. It is inconvenient, but the long-term pain is worse than the short-term pain, so attacking Tuyuhun directly with thunderous means should be the best option at present."

Li Shimin had already made a decision in his mind, but now after listening to everyone's opinions, he was even more determined to send troops to Tuyuhun again.

If Fu Yun wants to die, I will help him!

"We are willing to be the vanguard of the army and set off soon!"

When Li Kuan saw Li Shimin's expression, he quickly stood up and expressed his willingness to participate in the war.

"Dai Aiqing, the Ministry of Revenue immediately prepares the food and grass allocated by the army. All ministries are also preparing to send troops in advance. That's it for today!"

Li Shimin did not answer Li Kuan's words. He still had to weigh who should go on the expedition and how many troops he should take the initiative in advance. This kind of thing was not suitable for making an immediate decision now.

However, the decision should be made, and within a few days, the imperial edict was officially issued.

Li Jing was appointed as the general manager of the march of Xihai Road. At the same time, he also appointed Hou Junji, the Minister of the Ministry of War, and Li Daozong, the Minister of the Ministry of Justice, as the general managers of the march of each road, all under the command of Li Jing.

After Li Kuan entered the palace many times to harass Li Shimin, he got his wish and was appointed as the vanguard of the army. In addition to leading his own bodyguards, he also had three thousand elite cavalry.

Of course, apart from Li Kuan's miraculous defeat of 20,000 elite Western Turks, his other military skills were not known to everyone, so Li Shimin also sent a general to assist him.
Chapter completed!