Chapter 139: Plotting to Kidnap the Princess, Whispering in the Autumn Rain

Promptly changing his tune, he said, "Father, your son means that the Tibetans are wolves. When our ancestor, Emperor Taizong, was alive, he did not disdain their humble origins and bestowed Princess Wencheng upon them in marriage, sending along a vast number of artisans and immense wealth. She was even ranked behind only the princess of the minor state of Nepal. Armed with the riches, artisans, and technological expertise of our Tang Dynasty—learning how to smelt iron and forge weapons—the Tibetans felt no gratitude toward our Great Tang, yet they continually harass our borders."

It was not solely because of Princess Wencheng's marriage that the Tibetans learned to smelt iron and manufacture weapons; however, that matrimonial alliance, which brought a multitude of artisans to their lands, caused a tremendous leap forward in Tibetan technology. For instance, the lamellar armor currently worn by Tibetan soldiers, or the straight sabers they wield, are vastly more advanced than before. Equipped with sharp weapons, the Tibetans embarked on a fresh wave of expansion.

Consequently, Li Wei had consistently opposed this matrimonial alliance. Yet, that was not the whole story. While statecraft was difficult to judge, Emperor Lizhi certainly fell short of Emperor Taizong in military prowess. Emperor Taizong would never have blindly plunged into the so-called Lhasa Route; at the time, the Goguryeo issue remained unresolved, leaving him with neither the inclination nor the leisure to campaign across the snowy plateaus. Even with a cloud of brilliant generals, how would they fare if they truly set foot on the snowfields? This marriage was a political concession. Moreover, the bride was merely the daughter of Li Daozong rather than the emperor's own flesh and blood. The concessions had been somewhat excessive, yet if the returns were meager, the Tibetans would hardly be moved—though sending those artisans was undeniably a mistake. Nevertheless, those two matrimonial alliances deeply imprinted the Tibetan realm with Central Plains culture, laying the groundwork for future unification. The gains and losses intertwined here were impossible to disentangle completely.

Li Wei continued, "Furthermore, your son has heard that there are many people of our Great Tang living within Tibetan territories, yet the Tibetans classify our people among the lowest rank of commoners. Princess Wencheng is a daughter of the Tang imperial lineage. An orphaned woman sent away to a land ten thousand miles distant, to the most remote and isolated snowfields, she lived in utter loneliness. For the sake of Tibet, she vied for no power, bore every hardship without complaint, taught their people agriculture and sericulture, and guided their state institutions and ceremonial rites. Yet ever since Songtsen Gampo passed away, she has frequently suffered indignities and desecration at the hands of the Tibetans."

"Say no more," Li Zhi rebuked sternly.

The reason Princess Wencheng was enduring such hardship now ultimately boiled down to the fact that the Tang Dynasty had lost. If this military campaign ended in a crushing victory, the Tibetans would naturally treat Princess Wencheng with the utmost reverence, like an honored guest.

Both father and son harbored somewhat biased perspectives: Li Wei felt a deep sense of injustice on behalf of Princess Wencheng, while Li Zhi found his imperial pride wounded and difficult to salvage. Li Wei's mention of her ranking below the princess of the minor state of Nepal was also a matter of unavoidable circumstance. Before Princess Wencheng entered Tibet, Songtsen Gampo had already taken Princess Bhrikuti, daughter of King Amsuvarma of Nepal, as his bride. Due to the formidable strength of the Tang Dynasty, Songtsen Gampo never mistreated Princess Wencheng throughout his lifetime. Furthermore, the chief minister Gar Tongtsen used a series of uncanny, ghost-like arts akin to those of Ming Chongyan to ensure harmony between the wives. Unfortunately, neither princess was blessed with a son, prompting Songtsen Gampo to take four additional consorts: Naru Rongsa, Xiangxiongsa, Mengsa, and Chigang. Chigang gave birth to Gungsong Gungtsen, but good times did not last; Gungsong Gungtsen died of illness at the age of eighteen, leaving behind an heir, Mangsong Mangtsen. Had Princess Wencheng been able to leave behind a son, Tibet and the Han lands might well have become one family over two decades ago.

As for the Gar clan, which currently held real power in Tibet, they respected you when they needed you, but would certainly cease to do so when they did not. Princess Wencheng had no political voice and had suffered various humiliations; her treatment was undeniably unfair.

"Understood."

"Tell us about that wolf."

Upon hearing the mention of wolves, Hao Chujun found it somewhat amusing, yet his curiosity was piqued as well. He wondered if Liu Rengui had been shamelessly overhyping the crown prince simply to test whether the prince possessed any genuine military talent.

Li Wei explained, "A wolf pack is invariably led by an alpha wolf, which ensures unified actions capable of forcing even tigers and leopards to retreat three paces. However, the position of this alpha wolf is highly precarious. If another male wolf perceives itself strong enough to defeat it, it will issue a challenge. Naturally, as long as all the other wolves recognize the alpha's strength, they will submit to it with absolute obedience."

Though unstated, everyone present fully grasped the underlying meaning of Li Wei's words.

Jiang Ke hesitated for a moment before saying, "Does Your Highness mean that we need not pay heed to the minor tribes, but should instead cultivate a few major tribes? This would make it easier to probe their strengths and weaknesses while keeping our objectives clear and precise."

"That is precisely what this orphan has in mind. However, men are ultimately different from wolves; we cannot simply cultivate a single dominant wolf, lest one Tibet fall only for another to rise in its place. Minor tribes may also be cultivated—those we know and understand clearly—while those unknown and unclear can be ignored. As for the major tribes, there are not many within Tibetan territory, merely a few dozen, making them convenient to investigate. If Tibet is reduced to a state resembling the Spring and Autumn or Warring States periods, they will instead come one by one to implore our Great Tang for assistance. We might not even need to deploy an army... though this orphan cannot say whether other hidden drawbacks might arise."

"Minister Jiang, what is your view?" Li Zhi inquired.

Jiang Ke frowned and replied, "Allow this minister a few more days to ponder this."

Since such caution was required, Li Zhi was in no particular rush. He turned his gaze back to Li Wei and asked, "Hong'er, what else is there?"

What else could there be? Li Wei fell into deep thought once more. After a long moment, he said, "The Tuyuhun people remaining in Qinghai can no longer be trusted. Your son learned only recently that while Tibet can field an army of four hundred thousand, they must garrison various regions. This time, Gar Trinring Tsenpo was able to mobilize a force of four hundred thousand likely because half of them were supplied by the Tuyuhun. The Tuyuhun have historically been split into two factions: one loyal to our Great Tang and another loyal to Tibet. Those loyal to our Great Tang were led by the Tuyuhun Khagan Murong Nuohebo to the vicinity of Shanzhou, while the remaining tribes are fiercely loyal to Tibet. In this conflict, to secure victory, Tibet has recalled its armies stationed in the Western Regions; even in victory, they are defeated. However, in a few years, once the Tuyuhun are fully assimilated—"

Peace would only endure for these next few years; once a few more years had passed, they would inevitably resume their expansion eastward.

"Furthermore, the Mulu clan..."

Li Wei always felt this name sounded remarkably familiar.

Jiang Ke had not thought of this angle and offered an explanation on the prince's behalf, "This is a tribe belonging to the Women, specifically the princess of the Mulu clan. Her family originally served as domestic retainers to King Ruji Miba of the Twelve Minor Principalities of Tibet. When the rising Tibetan state consolidated power, they became the chiliarchs of the Upper Rula region, with their territory located precisely within Women. After decades of development and management, they have grown into a major clan within Women. The scouts refer to her simply by her clan name as the Mulu woman, though her full given name is Drosa Chimale. She is currently only thirteen years old. Because the Tibetan Tsanpo, now in his early thirties, has long remained without an heir, they have selected several new royal consorts. The betrothal has already been finalized, and she is to be sent into the royal household next year. Yet this minister ponders: Tibet is expanding rapidly, imposing heavy burdens on its common people. By taking this woman in marriage, they intend to demonstrate their appeasement of the various Women tribes. After all, despite being a Tsanpo, his bride—even if hailing from a major Women clan—still possesses a somewhat humble background."

"Drosa Chimale?" Li Wei muttered softly. Although his recollection was somewhat hazy, a rising tide of suspicion gripped his heart. Could this person turn out to be the future female ruler of Tibet, the de facto wise Empress Dowager without the formal title, and the "grandmother" of Princess Jincheng?

Suddenly, he declared, "Let us kidnap her."

"For what reason?" Wu Zetian flashed out from behind the hanging curtain, her expression incredulous. Could this boy possibly be trying to emulate Helan Minzhi?

Unable to reveal the true reason, Li Wei hastily improvised, "Imperial Mother, Women is an exceptionally important major tribe within Tibet, alongside Sunbo, which was originally the state of Supi. Women was likewise a major state. Although subjugated by Tibet, both tribes have harbored persistent dissatisfaction toward Tibetan rule, and rebellions erupt with frequency. If we kidnap this woman, proclaim that she deeply admires Central Plains civilization, and subsequently find a suitable imperial scion to wed her to the Tang Dynasty, what would the Tibetan royal court think? What would the various Women tribes think?"

"Your Highness, this strategy is brilliantly conceived! Furthermore, this minister has heard that this young woman is exceptionally intelligent and holds a deep admiration for our Central Plains culture," Jiang Ke exclaimed, clapping his hands in praise. Though titled a princess, she was merely the princess of a tribe numbering a few thousand souls, ranking far below the daughters of high-ranking officials in the Tang capital. Kidnapping her would not be overly difficult.

"Minister Jiang, is Hong'er spouting nonsense, and are you joining him in his folly?" The corners of Li Zhi's mouth twitched uncontrollably. Kidnapping the princess of a foreign state—and the princess of a minor tribe at that—what kind of decorum was this?

"Your Majesty, this concubine believes this strategy is entirely feasible," Wu Zetian said, holding up a map. "Your Majesty, look—Women and Sunbo lie quite close to the city of Lhasa, and their people do not suffer from plateau sickness. Once these two major tribes descend into chaos, Tibet will find itself unable to look elsewhere for several years. Otherwise, should they successfully swallow the Tuyuhun, it would spell grave danger for our Great Tang."

Thanks to Li Wei's prior reminders, everyone was now well aware of altitude sickness, even if they used different names for the affliction.

How adaptable his mother truly was! And it went far beyond mere disruption: if this woman were abducted and brought to the Tang realm, the Tibetan Tsanpo might well be left without an heir, plunging Tibet into inevitable internal turmoil. The more he pondered this prospect, the more triumphant Li Wei felt. He argued, "Sagely benevolence and righteousness are naturally the foundation of governing a state and conducting oneself as a person—yet that applies to the civilized populace of the Central Plains. Discussing sagely righteousness with the Tibetans is akin to playing the lute to a cow. The art of warfare has always combined orthodox tactics with deceit. Father, I beg you to think this over carefully."

"This still feels rather improper," Li Zhi said hesitantly. However, with his wife, his son, and the Left Chancellor—who possessed a military background—all expressing their approval, and with his own understanding of military strategy being rather limited, his resolve began to soften. He looked toward Yan Liben and asked, "Minister Yan, what is your opinion?"

"This minister does not quite grasp these military matters. Perhaps we should consult Minister Pei or Minister Liu," Yan Liben replied, gesturing toward Pei Xingjian and Liu Rengui.

Consulting Pei Xingjian was acceptable, but asking Liu Rengui would undoubtedly result in him sharing the exact same perspective as the crown prince. Li Zhi pressed on, "I still feel this is inappropriate. If the deed is discovered, Women might not turn against Tibet; instead, they might unite with Tibet out of shared hatred for a common enemy."

"With Your Majesty's permission, none of this is overly difficult. This matter can be entrusted to this minister to resolve," Jiang Ke volunteered. As he contemplated his upcoming journey to Liangzhou, anxiety gnawed at his heart; after all, Xue Rengui had suffered defeat, and he knew he was even less capable. Terrified of failure, he felt that any viable stratagem to subdue the enemy without fighting was worth employing to the fullest extent.

And thus, these supreme leaders of the Great Tang began deliberating the specifics of how to kidnap a foreign chieftain's little princess.

After listening for a short while, Li Zhi felt an eerie chill in the air. He sighed and said, "I still feel this is not quite right. You may all withdraw for now."

"As you command," the ministers chorused. As Li Wei prepared to follow them out, Li Zhi called out, "Hong'er, stay behind."

"Yes."

Watching the others depart, Li Zhi finally spoke, "Hong'er, seeing that your health has recovered fills me with joy, and you are vastly more astute than you used to be."

"Your son dares not accept such high praise."

"Do not celebrate just yet. There is something I have wanted to say to you for a long time. While these changes in you are positive, the schemes you have concocted recently are entirely devoid of sagely benevolence and righteousness, treading instead down crooked and unorthodox paths. I cannot help but worry..."

"..."

"What do you see outside?"

"It is raining outside."

"That rain—that is the foundation of the state."

"Father's instruction is entirely correct. Frontier achievements are secondary; ensuring that the common people within our borders live peaceful and prosperous lives is the true foundation of the state."

"That is what you ought to be devoting your studies to, while military affairs are best left to the generals. We are currently in an era of preserving our heritage, not founding a dynasty."

"Understood."

"Alas, yet I harbor deep anxieties—what trials might next year bring?" The capricious heavens had struck deep fear into Li Zhi's heart, for natural disasters seemed to strike year after year, and none of them were trivial. A mere autumn rain, however, was hardly worth mentioning.

"Father, your son has something to say, though I know not whether I should voice it." Father was still father, after all; seeing him so burdened with worry, Li Wei could not entirely harden his heart.

"Speak your mind."

"Guanzhong has always possessed infertile soil, a dense population, and inconvenient transportation routes. In years of bountiful harvest, surplus grain cannot be sold; yet in years of disaster, the roads are immediately littered with the corpses of the starved. Why doesn't the imperial court enact measures to relocate these populations to more spacious regions—such as the lands of Lianghuai and Jiangnan, which are exceptionally suited for agriculture, particularly rice cultivation? In years past during great harvests, millet sold for a mere three to five cash per dou, whereas rice from Jiangnan commanded upwards of ten cash." He had previously discussed this very issue with Wei Yuanzhong; while guarding the two capitals was important, the population pressure had simply become too great. Naturally, the imperial court had attempted certain resettlement measures in the past, but the execution had lacked sufficient vigor.

Furthermore, why were the common people so reluctant to relocate to Jiangnan? This was not Lingnan; was Jiangnan truly so terrifying? Wei Yuanzhong had offered no answers, so he wished to see whether his father held any insights. He finally voiced this question that had weighed heavily upon his mind for so long.