roccoschili Chapter 102 The Alliance of the Yangtze River
Chapter 102 The Alliance of the Yangtze River
Chapter 102 The Alliance of the Yangtze River (Part 1)
In the Southern Tang Dynasty, in Jiangning Prefecture, deep within the palace, in the Crown Prince's sleeping quarters, the atmosphere was so somber it was almost palpable.
Li Jing looked at Li Congjia, who was sitting blankly on the couch with empty, unfocused eyes, and couldn't help but sigh heavily.
"The fault of this battle does not lie with you, but with me—with me. I underestimated that Zhao Song brat. My son, do not dwell on your self-blame."
Li Jing gently patted Li Congjia's shoulder, then sat down beside him, a sigh escaping his lips, carrying with it endless weariness.
Logically, after the Crown Prince suffered such a humiliating defeat leading his troops, Li Jing, as the ruler of the country, should have reconsidered the position of heir apparent.
In reality, Li Jing had no other choice at this point.
The process of Li Jing establishing Li Congjia as his heir was not smooth.
A group of senior officials, led by Zhong Mo, all said that Li Congjia was weak-willed, obsessed with Buddhism, and unfit to shoulder the responsibilities of the ancestral temple. They jointly submitted a memorial requesting that Li Congshan be appointed as the new emperor.
Li Jing himself defied public opinion, claiming that Li Congjia had the appearance of a sage and was the eldest son of the legitimate wife, and insisted on making him the crown prince.
For this reason, Li Jing did not hesitate to launch a bloody purge.
This purge successfully helped Li Congjia gain a foothold in the imperial court.
However, this also created a hidden danger—the next ruler of Southern Tang could only be Li Congjia.
Otherwise, the imperial court could easily be shaken up again, a situation that countless people are unwilling to accept or see.
Originally, this potential problem was not a big deal.
But who could have imagined that this battle would expose Li Congjia's inherent cowardice and military incompetence?
Even so, not a single official in the entire court suggested changing the crown prince.
Once a group of vested interests is formed, how can it be easily broken down?
Li Jing naturally understood this principle, which is why he came to the Crown Prince's palace to comfort his depressed son.
"Fortunately, our Great Tang has not suffered any fundamental damage in this battle." Li Jing composed himself and tried to boost his son's morale. "The 200,000-strong army is still here, and the foundation in Jiangnan remains. Our Great Tang will stand firm."
Upon hearing this, Li Congjia couldn't help but move his lips, but remained silent.
He wanted to say something.
His crown princess is gone—isn't that a loss?
Li Jing saw through his thoughts, his face darkened, and he said with a hint of disappointment, "As the crown prince, how can you let your heart be preoccupied with matters of the heart!"
"While Zhou Ehuang was undoubtedly exceptionally talented, our vast Jiangnan region is teeming with talented women, and there are certainly those who can rival her!"
"A mere woman, her passing is but a passing moment, but if you remain so listless, I will truly have to consider whether it's time to replace the crown prince!"
These last words struck Li Congjia's heart like a hammer blow. His body trembled slightly, and a strange emotion finally surfaced in his empty eyes. After a long silence, he said weakly, "Your subject understands—"
"One defeat is nothing. Throughout history, how many capable generals and ministers have been able to win a hundred battles without being defeated?"
""
Seeing that his son finally responded, Li Jing said earnestly, "Don't judge gains and losses by one defeat, and don't compare yourself to others in a short time. There is still a long way to go, and everything can turn around."
Upon hearing this, the confusion and listlessness in Li Congjia's eyes gradually faded, and he couldn't help but clench his fist.
Yes, the Jiangnan region is inherently wealthy, far surpassing the Central Plains. Now, with 200,000 troops still in force, they may well be able to avenge their past humiliations in the future!
Just as a sliver of confidence began to rise in his heart, Li Jing suddenly sighed and changed the subject, saying, "However, for now, we should still avoid the sharp edge of the Zhao Song dynasty—"
"Huh?" Li Congjia looked up blankly.
"This time it was only Zhao Xiaozhe leading the troops. If it were Zhao Kuangyin—Jiangning would probably have already fallen."
Li Jing shook his head, and when he mentioned Zhao Kuangyin, there was a deep-seated fear in his eyes: "Therefore, as long as Zhao Kuangyin is still alive, our Great Tang Dynasty—cannot advance north."
"Then, won't the Zhao Song dynasty attack?" Li Congjia asked, puzzled.
Not at the moment.
Li Jing said confidently, "All the feudal lords in the world are eyeing the Central Plains with covetous eyes. Apart from the Khitan, our Great Tang is the most powerful nation. Zhao Kuangyin will not easily start a war against us."
"After the peace treaty is reached, you only need to follow my example of how I treated Emperor Shizong of Zhou, submit to the Song Dynasty and pay tribute every year, and Zhao Kuangyin will have no excuse to attack."
"You should take this opportunity to make Jiangnan as solid as a rock. At that time, it is still uncertain who will emerge victorious."
At this point, Li Jing's expression grew increasingly serious. He stared intently at Li Congjia and instructed him, "My days are numbered. Remember, if the Song Dynasty attacks, Lin Renzhao, Zhang Yanqing, Chai Kehong, and others are all generals capable of undertaking important tasks. Under no circumstances should you hinder them!"
"Your subject has remembered it." Seeing Li Jing's serious expression, Li Congjia quickly replied.
Li Jing was slightly relieved, patted him heavily on the shoulder, and got up to leave.
Just then, an urgent report came from outside the palace: "Your Majesty and Crown Prince, the Song envoy has sent word that they wish to negotiate peace on the river!"
"Understood," Li Jing replied casually.
"The Song envoy also said that their eldest son personally presided over the peace negotiations, therefore—our dynasty should also send His Highness there in person to show our sincerity," the eunuch stammered as he added.
These words plunged the bedchamber into dead silence once more. After a long while, a voice, tinged with suppressed humiliation and resentment, slowly drifted out: "Understood."
In mid-November of the first year of the Jianlong era of the Song Dynasty, the ships of the Song and Tang dynasties, which were negotiating peace, were moored opposite each other on the Yangtze River.
So-called negotiation is actually an upgraded version of deception. Both sides go back and forth, bragging and having meals, but there's not much real substance.
But in any case, this was the first time the Song Dynasty had negotiated with someone, so Zhao Dezhao brought out his top negotiation experts.
Ludoson!
Lu Duoxun was on a mission in Yangzhou and had been captured by Li Chongjin, but fortunately he was spared death thanks to Zhai Shouxun's protection.
This was also the only civil official under Zhao Dezhao. Others, such as Li Chuyun, were good at intimidating people, but not so good at empty talk.
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"I have met the Crown Prince of Tang."
"Greetings to the Song envoy."
After exchanging greetings, Lu Duoxun and Cao Bin led Li Congjia into the cabin.
As soon as Li Congjia entered the cabin, he frowned and turned to look at Lu Duoxun: "Wasn't it said that Zhao Dezhao would arrive in person? Where is he?"
"Please wait a moment, Your Highness. He is changing his clothes." Lu Duoxun smiled gently, but his tone showed no apology whatsoever.
Upon hearing this, Li Congjia instantly understood that Zhao Dezhao had done this on purpose. A hint of resentment and anger flashed across his face, but given the current situation, he could only suppress his anger and silently sit down to wait.
Before long, a unified chant rang out from outside the cabin: "Welcome, Prince Wugong!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Ludoson immediately stood up to greet him.
Li Congjia was about to get up when Xu Xuan gently tugged at his sleeve. He was slightly taken aback, but trusting Xu Xuan, he sat back down.
Ludoson glanced at the two of them, smiled, and suddenly called out loudly, "Welcome, Your Majesty!"
Zhao Kuangyin is here too?!
Upon hearing Zhao Dezhao's words, Li Congjia was greatly shocked. He jumped up from his seat and looked out of the cabin with a stern gaze.
Xu Xuan also stood up with a solemn expression, as if facing a formidable enemy.
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