Datang: From exiled prince to eternal tyrant

Chapter 73
Li Shimin guessed right, Changsun Wuji did send people to investigate the sinking of the ship.

But after checking back and forth several times, I still couldn't find any clues.

Just when Changsun Wuji was very annoyed and wanted to turn over the section of the canal and carefully search for Li Ke's omissions, another urgent matter appeared and hindered his plan.

The Turkic envoy has arrived.

Jieli Khan died in the previous battle, and the Turkic army was defeated by Li Ke, but the Turkic army has not yet perished.

After receiving the news of Turkic death in battle, the Turkic Khanate quickly sent envoys to negotiate with Datang.

Xieli's death in battle was a common occurrence on the battlefield.

You led troops across the border, fought straight to the gates of our Chang'an city, and were killed by my Tang Dynasty God General. What's there to complain about?

But since the Turks sent envoys, Li Shimin still treated them with courtesy, and sent Dou Lukuan, Minister of Rites, to receive them.

The two parties agreed to meet Li Shimin at the court meeting three days later.

Dou Lukuan stayed with the Turkic envoy for two days, and one day before the court meeting, Li Shimin called Dou Lukuan into the palace and met him in the Ganlu Hall.

This Dou Lukuan is a fat man with a generous personality, and it is for this reason that Li Shimin appointed him as the Minister of Rites.

But when he entered the Ganlu Hall, he had a look of resentment and vomited bitterness.

"Your Majesty, I tried my best to take care of the Turkic man, but he picked and picked and kept making trouble!"

"Sometimes they say that the food in our post station is not good, another moment they say that there are too few places to have fun in Chang'an, and another moment they say that the weather here is bad, it is really rude!"

"Besides, this person utters obscenities at every turn, and curses people when he doesn't agree with him. It's simply insulting to the gentlemen!"

Dou Lukuan was so angry that his face was red and his ears were flushed, and he kept telling the envoy's various bad deeds.

When Li Shimin heard this, he immediately felt angry.

Although compared to military strength, both sides have their own advantages and disadvantages, but when it comes to food, the Great Tang is far better than the Turks.What right does he have to pick on bad food?
Besides, Chang'an is a famous capital in the world, much more prosperous than your Turkic capital, and the climate is much better, yet he dared to pick and choose and complain a lot.

Besides, the Turks' new defeat should have weakened their momentum.

You, a little special envoy, came to my Tang capital, and you should be honest and law-abiding, but you are so arrogant and rude to my Tang Shangguan.

"It just doesn't make sense!"

Li Shimin slapped the table and said angrily.

He knew Dou Lukuan's character well, even this good old man was so angry, it was obvious that this special envoy had gone too far and annoyed Dou Lukuan.

Xu Shi vomited a lot of bitterness, and now Dou Lukuan looked much better. Li Shimin patted the table, and then made Dou Lukuan rational again.

At this time, he cupped his hands and said: "Your Majesty, I feel that there seems to be something wrong with this special envoy."

"Oh?" Li Shimin asked curiously, "What's the problem?"

Dou Lukuan pondered for a moment, raised his head and said, "The Turkic Khan was beaten to death by my Tang Dynasty a while ago, and fled in embarrassment. The Turkic Khan was beheaded by His Royal Highness the King of Shu. It stands to reason that they shouldn't be so arrogant. But Seeing the words and deeds of the special envoy, I seem to have confidence, as if the one who lost the battle recently was not them, but me, Tang..."

"I really can't figure it out, is it because the special envoy is confused and can't see the situation clearly, or does he really have something to rely on and is confident?"

Li Shimin nodded, admitting that Dou Lukuan's judgment was correct.

"Supposedly, he can be appointed as a special envoy to Chang'an, so he should not be a rich man, so that he can't even see the situation clearly..."

Li Shimin said: "The bigger possibility is that this Turkic special envoy really has something to rely on. He thinks he can conquer us, so he dares to be so arrogant."

Dou Lukuan clasped his hands and said: "This minister is also thinking the same way, but... this minister is not clear yet, what kind of support does he have to dare to be so presumptuous."

Li Shimin sighed: "Forget it, we have limited information now, and we can't figure it out by guessing. It will be clear when the two sides negotiate at the court meeting tomorrow."

He waved his hand: "You have worked hard these past few days, go back and rest first! Everything will be revealed tomorrow!"

The night passed very quickly, and soon it was time for the court meeting.

Li Shimin dressed up and dealt with the Turkic envoy in the most heroic manner.

The court meeting first discussed political affairs, and Li Shimin didn't want to waste too much energy here, so he skipped it without talking a few words.

Afterwards, the ministers played the matter, and the ministers put forward what they wanted to present, and discussed it with the ministers, and finally Li Shimin made the decision.

But today everyone knows what the focus of today is, and they will no longer disturb the Holy Majesty with trivial matters, and affect the reception of the Turkic envoy later.

Even Changsun Wuji put aside the matter of the shipwreck of the eighteen officials, and focused on preparing to deal with the Turkic envoy.

After everything was settled, Li Shimin finally signaled to Wang De to start the reception of the special envoy.

"Please invite the Turkic envoy to meet you!"

Following Wang De's high-pitched whistle, the Turkic special envoy walked into the hall swaggeringly.

"My next Turkic envoy, Ashina Bakan!"

The man just pressed his chest with one hand and nodded slightly, as a greeting.

He didn't even bend his waist, which was very disrespectful to Li Shimin.

"Bold lunatic, you are so contemptuous when you see me, the Great Tang Monarch!"

Some people have come forward to accuse the Turkic envoy.

At this time, in the entire Great Tang Dynasty Hall, everyone was glaring, and the atmosphere was very dignified.

As if nothing had happened, Ashina Bakan continued to hold his chest and laughed loudly: "The monarch is your monarch, not my Bakan monarch. Why should I respect you?"

With the power of one person, he shouted loudly in the hall, he really had a bit of courage.

Li Shimin slightly raised his hand at this time, stopping many officials who wanted to refute.

"The special envoy came to Chang'an this time, why?"

Li Shimin asked.

The special envoy restrained himself a little at this moment, he took out a document from his cuff, and presented it.

"This is the compensation requested by my Turkic Khanate, please take a look at it, Your Majesty!"

When Li Shimin heard this, he almost couldn't help but beat Ashina Bakan. It was unheard of for the two countries to fight and the loser to ask for money from the winner.

At this time, Wang De had already handed over the document. Li Shimin opened it and took a look, and immediately felt angry in his heart.

The Turkic people wrote in the documents that the Turkic Jieli Khan was killed by the Tang people and died in Chang'an, so they wanted to ask the Tang Dynasty for a lot of money to appease the anger of the Turkic people.

The Turks killed so many Tang people, and Li Shimin didn't ask for compensation from the Turks. How could these people have the nerve to ask for money?

Throwing away the document, Li Shimin said: "Don't mention this matter again. If you want to talk, I am willing to accept a peaceful situation between us. But if you commit plunder in the name of peace talks, I will never do it." I will agree!"

(End of this chapter)