Chapter 1: I, Li Shimin, will come back

Chenjiabao's huge canteen can accommodate more than 2,000 people at one time. There is no way, there are more than 3,000 maids, palace laves, eunuchs, and miscellaneous servants who Li Xiuning married over, plus the servants and guards on Chen Ying's mansion.

When the place is too small, there is no way to sit down.

Cheng Zhijie came to Chenjiabao for the first time, looking at the tall and empty canteen, stunned. More than 100 soldiers of Li Shimin's escort army changed into the Tsing Yi tights of the servants of the Chen Mansion and slowly lined up into the canteen. More than a hundred people entered the huge canteen, which in fact only occupied a very small corner.

At this time, the soldiers' meals were relatively simple, and Zhang Zhongjian sent Chen Ying a boatload of fish, although there were dried fish, salted fish, and a lot of bacon meat. Chenjiabao's husband made horse gelatin fish noodles, threw the dried horse gelatin fish fillets into a pot and added oil, salt, sauce and vinegar to cook into a thick fish soup, and then mixed the flour, pulled into bean sprouts-thick noodles and threw them into the pot, boiling until the foam was soaring, and the aroma was tangy.

The remnants of the guards of the Qin Wangfu surrounded them with green eyes, inhaling the aroma vigorously, and their saliva flowed wildly, this scene made Liu Renliang too familiar, when the soldiers of the Zuowu Houwei were led by Chen Ying for the first time, they tasted the taste of eating a full meal for the first time, and they were all like birds, so that the soldiers of the Qinwei Mansion saw enough jokes, and now it was their turn to see the jokes of the Qin Wangfu guards.

Cheng Zhi was taken aback when he saw that this noodle was full of oil and water, fragrant, and large pieces of fish appeared in the noodle soup from time to time, and said to Liu Ren: "This ...... Isn't that too expensive? ”

Liu Renliang said lightly: "Don't break the cost, don't break the cost!" Isn't it just fish and soup cakes anyway? It's not worth a few bucks, let the brothers eat it with an open belly! ”

In the following half sentence, Liu Renliang did not tell Cheng Zhijie that Chen Jiabao's food was already the lowest class.

Li Shimin smiled and said to Cheng Zhijie: "Old Cheng, don't worry, the third brother-in-law is famously rich, even if 100,000 people come to eat this meal, he won't be able to eat him!" ”

This unlimited meal made the guards of the Qin Wangfu eat with round bellies and burps. Li Shimin, Cheng Zhijie, Hou Mo Chen Xu, and Du Ruhui were also lining up and preparing to eat, when they were told that they were going to eat at a small restaurant.

Li Shimin, Du Ruhui, Hou Mo, Chen Xu, and Cheng Zhijie entered the small hall and ate a table of delicacies from the mountains and seas, and of course, mellow liquor, which was available in unlimited quantities, which made Cheng Zhijie very happy.

If Li Shimin hadn't stopped him, Cheng Zhijie would have been going to chop off the chicken head with Chen Ying. There is no way, Qin Wangfu is poor, even the most elite Xuanjia Iron Army like Li Shimin can only eat enough during the battle time, of course, that kind of full meal is only meat and vegetables, and the staple food is mainly coarse grains.

After eating, Liu Renliang asked the treasury to give them a high-manganese steel armor, how expensive is a pair of high-manganese steel armor now, Li Shimin knows that he has to start with less than two hundred times, and he may not be able to buy it. In addition to the armor, Chen Ying was very generous, and gave them a high-manganese steel breaking saber that was sharpened like clay.

Breaking the saber is one of the elite standard equipment under Chen Ying, and like the hook and sickle gun, it is an unpassed secret. The horizontal knife belongs to the two-handed straight-edged knife, and the broken saber is not only longer than the horizontal knife, but also has a perfect arc, which is not only beautiful, but also more murderous.

Li Shimin silently calculated, even if his small army of more than 100 people was fully equipped, at least 30,000.

Li Shimin was even more puzzled in his heart, what was Chen Ying's purpose in doing this? However, Chen Ying and Li Xiuning never showed up, although Li Shimin knew that the eldest grandson Wujian was in Chenjiabao, but their husband and wife did not have a chance to meet.

Li Shimin stayed in Chenjiabao for more than half a month, and he had nothing to do every day, sleeping when he was full, and eating when he was full. It was not until the morning of January 16 that Li Shimin and others were notified to gather together.

At this time, Li Xiuning and Chen Ying were standing in plain clothes in front of the Jieyu River east of Chenjiabao. At this time, there was a huge convoy in front of the Jieyu River, and the faces of these convoys were very unfamiliar, many of them had dark skin, dry and cracked skin, and had a salty smell on their bodies, and at a glance they knew that they were border people begging for a living at sea.

Li Shimin looked very excited, looked at Li Xiuning and muttered, "Third sister, third brother-in-law!" ”

Chen Ying pointed to a majestic man beside him and said, "This is Brother Zhang Zhongjian Zhang." ”

Li Shimin looked at Zhang Zhongjian's face, and instantly understood in his head that in the face of a heroic man like Zhang Zhongjian who could laugh at the prince, Li Shimin did not dare to slack off, and bowed down and said: "I've seen Zhang Daxia!" ”

Zhang Zhongjian promised Chen Ying to take Li Shimin to the Americas, and the price Chen Ying should pay was 18,000 sets of armor, which was already all Chen Ying's inventory in Chenjiabao, not only armor, but also 6,000 high-carbon steel horizontal knives, 3,000 high-manganese steel horizontal knives, 6,000 spear blades, 5,000 scorpion crossbows, and one million arrowheads.

These equipment were enough for Zhang Zhongjian to arm tens of thousands of troops, just in exchange for Li Shimin to use Zhang Zhongjian's channels to leave Chang'an and stay away from the Central Plains.

Li Xiuning looked at Li Shimin and said, "Erlang, today Da Lang ascends the throne!" ”

Li Shimin said indignantly: "What's the use? ”

Li Xiuning looked puzzled.

Li Shimin pointed to the distance, and said with an angry face: "He can't sit still in these thousands of miles!" ”

Chen Ying smiled faintly: "This is a later story, don't mention it for the time being, now you can't go to Hedong, leave the Central Plains with Brother Zhang immediately, they are willing to leave the Central Plains with you, I won't stop you, if you are willing to stay, I will protect them from death!" ”

After speaking, Chen Ying turned around and left.

Leave the space to Li Xiuning and Li Shimin!

Sending Li Shimin to the Americas, Chen Ying of course also has selfish intentions. America is a rich continent, Zhang Zhongjian will never be able to eat it alone, although the rebellion at the end of the Sui Dynasty, his background is one thing, Zhang Zhongjian did not grasp the opportunity, and it is also problematic. For example, Dou Jiande, he created a very good overall situation.

Li Shimin can gain a foothold in the Americas, Chen Ying has never doubted that as the heavenly khan in history, Li Shimin is destined to be not an ordinary person. Once he gains a firm foothold in the Americas, he may establish another Datang.

The key is that if Li Shimin establishes a base in the Americas, once Li Jiancheng learns the news, he will spare no effort to establish the most powerful naval division in the Tang Dynasty, just like Zhu Di in the Ming Dynasty, Zheng He went to the West seven times, not only to trade or declare the country's status, but also to find Zhu Yunwen's whereabouts.

It's a pity that Zhu Yunwen didn't build an empire overseas that could threaten the Ming Dynasty, otherwise the Ming Dynasty's sailors would be more than ten times stronger than history.

Zhang Zhongjian looked at Chen Ying and said with a wry smile: "You brother-in-law, I really don't have to say it, I want to have a sister, I must marry you!" ”

Chen Ying looked at Zhang Zhongjian's respectful face, and quickly shook his head and said, "Forget it, let's be like this, it's better to be like brothers!" ”

Zhang Zhongjian smiled and said: "Brother Chen, what you didn't say, thank you for your kindness!" ”

As he spoke, Zhang Zhongjian took out a rusty bronze medal from his arms and handed it to Chen Ying.

Chen Ying looked at this ordinary bronze medal and found that there was a "Zhang" character carved on it, and Chen Ying looked at Zhang Zhongjian in puzzlement.

Zhang Zhongjian smiled and said: "In the future, if Brother Chen is in need, whether it is you or your descendants, as long as you take this bronze medal and go to Zhang's blacksmith shop under the Tianjin Bridge in Luoyang City, they will inform me, no matter what you ask, my brother is absolutely unambiguous, including this life!" ”

Li Xiuning and Li Shimin chattered for nearly an hour and a half, and Chen Ying found that Li Shimin was in tears, kowtowed to Chen Ying three times, and left with Zhang Zhongjian.

Du Ruhui, Cheng Zhijie, including Hou Mo and Chen Xu also left the Central Plains with Li Shimin.

Li Xiuning looked at the distant backs of Li Shimin and the others, and said with a lonely face: "If you say goodbye today, I don't know if we can meet again in this life!" ”

Chen Ying smiled: "It's better not to meet!" ”

Li Xiuning was stunned and said, "What's the matter?" ”

"Once we meet, it is a brotherly fight, and the world is in trouble!" Chen Ying groaned: "It's better not to see each other than to see each other!" ”

When Li Xiuning and Chen Ying returned to Chenjiabao.

Chen Ying gave Li Xiuning a wide coat and told her to lie down and rest.

Li Xiuning said: "Today, Da Lang ascended the throne, and you didn't go to watch the ceremony?" ”

Chen Ying smiled and said: "I have already taken leave, the princess is in labor today, I don't have to go!" ”

Li Xiuning stretched out his hand and pointed at Chen Ying's forehead and said, "But I'm not in labor today, the crime of bullying the king!" ”

"What a big thing a woman has a child, you just say that you have a pain in the abdomen!" Chen Ying smiled: "Isn't this a fool?" ”

At this moment, He Yue'er bowed down and said, "There is a lieutenant outside the mansion who came to issue an edict!" ”

Chen Ying asked suspiciously: "It shouldn't be, now the crown prince's enthronement ceremony will definitely not end so soon!" ”

He Yue'er said: "It seems to be the eunuch of the Ganlu Palace!" ”

Chen Ying said: "Please let him in!" ”

After a short time, a eunuch came to the inner hall and coughed: "Princess Pingyang takes the order!" ”

Li Xiuning and Chen Ying hurriedly stood up.

The little eunuch said in a low voice: "The Emperor of the Tang Dynasty said: Since ancient times, the emperor succeeded the heavens and raised the royal area, and he would establish the Yuan Prince and Maolong Guoben, and the Mianzong Society would have no borders. I have been working hard all night. Look up to the ancestors of Mo Lie. Entrusted. Cheng Ao Yanqing, end in Yuanliang. The concubine Xiuning, the Japanese table Yingqi, is gifted and beautiful, has a pure nature, and is obedient to public opinion. I would like to tell heaven and earth, the temple, and the community. On the 16th day of the first month of the seventh year of Wude, Xiuning was awarded the golden book of life treasure and established as the imperial concubine. is in the West Palace, leads the three provinces with Shangshu Ling, and assists the generals, commands the soldiers and horses of the world, comforts the four seas, and conquests are not subordinate......"

Hearing this, Li Xiuning and Chen Ying's faces changed greatly.

After Chen Ying pushed Li Xiuning, Li Xiuning reacted.

Li Xiuning held the holy decree in her hand, looking at Li Yuan's familiar handwriting, she muttered, "Chen Lang, what should I do?" ”

Chen Yingdao: "Edict! ”

After the little eunuch left, Li Xiuning sat down on the bed with tears in her eyes.

When Li Xiuning saw this, how could he not know that Li Yuan didn't want to give up power, he used this method to replace Li Shimin with Li Xiuning to balance Li Jiancheng.

Li Xiuning got up angrily, walked to the candlestick with the holy decree, and was about to light it.

Chen Ying stepped forward and snatched this holy decree.

Li Xiuning said angrily: "Do you really want me to be this princess?" ”

"It's one thing to be inappropriate, but this decree must be kept!" Chen Ying said seriously: "Keep it for emergencies!" ”

"But...... In case of! "Li Xiuning is not ignorant of politics, once Li Jiancheng learns of the existence of such a holy decree, she and Chen Ying will be a thorn in Li Jiancheng's side and flesh!

Chen Ying hurriedly explained: "You must keep it!" ”

There are some words that Chen Ying has no way to explain to Li Xiuning.

In the ninth year of Wude's Xuanwumen Change, when the blood stains were not dry, the Eastern Turk Jieli Khan led more than 20 cavalry, all the way to Guanzhong, killed under the city of Chang'an, and forced Li Shimin to sign the Weishui Alliance. This was also the first unequal treaty signed by Li Shimin to lose power and humiliate the country, but four years later, Li Shimin destroyed the Eastern Turks.

But looking at the history books, it is not difficult to see that there are actually certain objective factors that caused such a first shame in the founding of the Tang Dynasty.

In the seventh year of Wude, there was a great drought in Guanzhong, and the tax in Guanzhong was only forty percent of the usual. Wude was even worse in eight years, receiving less than two percent. When Wude was in the ninth year, until June, it didn't rain in Guanzhong, let alone collect taxes, and even the common people needed state relief.

Food supply has always been the lifeline of the farming people's expedition outside the Saiwai, most of the border passes are barren land, and the grain produced by the locals is not enough to eat, let alone provide the army, every grain of rice, every piece of cloth needed by the army, has to be transported within the customs.

From the interior to the border fortress, not to mention thousands of miles away, thousands of miles of grain, the manpower required is unimaginable, and the consumption on the way is also unimaginable, the treasury allocated 500,000 stone grain, and finally transported to the border can have 100,000 stone, thank God, where is the rest of the 400,000 stone? It's all eaten on the way! In addition, officials at all levels are greedy for ink, and the consumption is even more amazing, so the 20,000 troops go out on an expedition, often requiring hundreds of thousands of people to transport food, water and weapons in the back, otherwise the battle will not be able to be fought, and the astonishing consumption is destined to make each expedition unsustainable.

Historically, even though there are still more than 100,000 fierce elites at the border passes, there is still no way to stop the torrent of Eastern Turkic cavalry, there is no food, and the army that can fight is in vain.

Li Shimin can force Li Yuan to abdicate, in fact, it is also because part of the reason is that Li Yuan has made the people of Guan Zhongmin miserable, and the people have a fresh sense of expectation for Li Shimin to change the emperor.

However, at present, although Chen Ying knows the upcoming crisis of Datang, he doesn't know if Li Jiancheng can survive it.

Will Li Jiancheng listen to Chen Ying's opinion, after all, in history, Wei Zheng also persuaded Li Jiancheng to kill the King of Qin, but Li Jiancheng did not kill him, but fell short.

Li Xiuning looked at Chen Ying with a resolute attitude, and said with a suspicious face: "What do you want to do?" ”

Chen Ying explained with a smile: "This is a thought of Your Majesty, and it is also the confidence to live, do you want to disappoint Your Majesty?" ”

Li Xiuning said anxiously: "But ......"

At this moment, Li Xiuning's face changed greatly, and she reached out to cover her stomach and shouted, "It hurts...... It hurts, I'm going to give birth! ”

Chen Ying suddenly shouted: "Come on, please Wen Po!" ”

……

The convoy moved forward slowly, Li Shimin, who was dressed as a guard, suddenly ran to the side of the road, stretched out his hand to dig into the ground that was frozen hard like iron, and after a while, Li Shimin's hands were drenched with blood, and finally Li Shimin took out a piece of hard soil and put it in his arms.

Looking at the direction of Chang'an City in the distance, he yelled at the wilderness: "I...... Plum...... Generation...... People...... Will be back! “