Tang Dynasty Swordsman

Page 84

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Chapter Fifteen: The Bloodbath at the Meeting Ground

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After Li Ji came out of Dunmohedagan's tent, he deliberately circled around twice to make sure there were no "tails" following him before going to report to Princess Ningguo.

After hearing his explanation, Princess Ningguo's veil trembled slightly, as if she were smiling: "The Right Protector is noble, comparable to the Yabghu, and holds real power, unlike the Prince of Dunhuang, who is merely a figurehead, like a sinecure. In our Tang Dynasty, a vassal king holding the title of military governor would be like this—and you, Changwei, actually refused?"

Li Ji smiled bitterly: "How could I possibly get it? When the Crown Prince of Yabghu was tempting me, Dunmohedagan was also by my side, but he didn't say a word... He has only been in charge of the west for a short time, and Yidijian once promised to be the Yabghu for generations and guard the west. Would he be willing to hand it over to me? Where would he go then? To the east? From then on, the Khan's descendants would have no land left?"

Princess Ningguo laughed and said, "You are indeed cautious."

Li Ji replied, "Your Highness was right the other day. We should just sit on the sidelines and watch. If we suddenly intervene, it will surely damage the friendship between the Tang and the Uyghurs. Moreover, the Crown Prince of Yehu actually wants me to assassinate Yidijian... I'm afraid that once that knife is wielded, none of us, including the Prince of Dunhuang and the others, will be able to survive among the Uyghurs!"

"So your final answer is..."

"I will only protect Your Highness; I will not concern myself with anything else."

Princess Ningguo pondered for a moment, then asked, "In your opinion, what are the chances of the assassin succeeding at tomorrow's gathering?"

Li Ji shook his head and said, "I don't know either. Logically speaking, with Dunmohedagan's help and us not helping each other, the assassin's chances of success are very high. However, Dunmohedagan... if he is only pretending to help the Crown Prince Yabghu, and is actually just trying to lure him out so that he can be handed over to Yidijian for execution at tomorrow's assembly... then the Crown Prince Yabghu will indeed have attempted assassination—but will fail—and even if he manages to escape with his life, I'm afraid not many officials will support him anymore, right?"

"However, as a result, regardless of whether the assassination succeeds or not, the Uyghurs will not be thrown into chaos, which is still advantageous to our Tang Dynasty."

Nothing more was said that night. The next morning, someone came to fetch Princess Ningguo on behalf of Dunmohedagan. Li Ji asked Princess Ningguo to wear a soft armor hidden under her robes, and he himself was also fully armed, with two maces hanging from his waist, to escort her to the venue. Someone at the entrance stopped them, saying that according to custom, each official was only allowed to bring one guard, and no long weapons were permitted.

I guess this is to prevent people from getting into a fight over a disagreement at the meeting. But Li Ji thought to himself, you might as well not allow anyone to bring weapons at all. Allowing short weapons—like my double maces—is really not very meaningful.

If I really go mad, I can kill four or five adults on the spot with these two maces. Do you believe me?

The Uyghurs were, after all, a nomadic people, and even the tribal leaders had an innate habit of carrying weapons. If they were required to remove their swords when meeting important figures or attending court assemblies, like the Central Plains dynasties, they would probably just wave their hands and claim illness to avoid coming.

So Li Ji escorted Princess Ningguo into the venue—which was really just a leveled open space with curtains, canopies, and felt carpets arranged in a large circle around it. The guards bowed and guided Princess Ningguo to sit at the head of the table. Li Ji, with his hands on his double maces, stood behind her, glancing sideways and guessing that the felt carpet next to her was probably for sitting on.

One after another, dignitaries from various departments arrived, calling out to their friends and exchanging pleasantries, creating a rather noisy and chaotic scene. Li Ji, of course, didn't recognize most of them. He simply opened his eyes wide and looked around—Yi Di Jian hadn't arrived yet, but Dun Mo He Da Gan had, sitting at the head of the table on the right, the first seat, and was resting with his eyes closed.

Logically speaking, he's also a candidate, so shouldn't all the candidates sit together? Where are the other two candidates who are just putting on an act?

As the official start of the conference approached, everyone took their seats, their expressions showing a hint of impatience. Firstly, it was clearly just a formality; the election results were already predetermined, everyone knew it, and no one would use their votes to gain more benefits for themselves. Secondly, where was Yidi Jian? What kind of arrogant attitude was he putting on?

Just then, someone outside the hall suddenly shouted, "The Khan has arrived!"

Someone immediately scoffed, "He hasn't even been elected yet, what kind of Khan is he?"

In the past few days, whether he was meeting Yidijian, the Crown Prince of Yabghu, or Dunmohedagan, Li Ji spoke Tang language. However, Li Ji had been studying Uyghur with Ma Meng in private, and his basic hearing was no longer a problem. In addition, he had a good ear and could understand all the whispers of the tribal leaders.

The shouts had barely subsided when, after only four or five breaths, the sound of hurried footsteps arose. Everyone turned their gaze to the entrance of the venue and saw a man with his hand on his waist sword, leading six fully armed soldiers, swaggering in with an air of superiority.

Everyone, including Li Ji, was taken aback—this wasn't Yi Di Jian, it was Prince Ye Hu!

Before the commotion could even begin, the Crown Prince of Yabghu coldly surveyed the surroundings and declared loudly, "Yidijian murdered his king and father, attempting to usurp the Khan's throne; he has been executed by me!"

Everyone was shocked. Some adults instinctively shrank back, while others looked astonished and indignant, and stood up as if to argue with the Crown Prince.

Li Ji understood that it was mostly because he refused to promise to help the Crown Prince Yehu that he was worried that the assassination attempt at the meeting would not succeed—Li Ji said he would not help either side, but could he really believe him? And what if Li Ji leaked the information? Therefore, he acted overnight and, with the help of Dunmoheda, murdered Yidijian in advance.

But if you have this ability, why ask for my help? Is it because you don't want to get your hands dirty or damage your reputation, so you're using me as a scapegoat? It's a scheme to "kill with a borrowed knife." And what about the position of Right Assistant, what about never breaking your promise? I don't believe a word you say! Your intentions are truly despicable!

Li Ji almost wanted to jump up on the spot and smash that guy's skull with one mace!

He was barely holding back when he suddenly heard a cold snort from the hall. Immediately afterward, a guard behind an official stepped forward, lifted his helmet, and said, "You're dreaming! Look who I am!"

The Crown Prince Yehu stared intently, as if seeing a ghost, and exclaimed, "Impossible!"

It turned out that the person who appeared was none other than Yi Di Jian!

Immediately, Kenichi waved his hand and said, "This fellow plotted rebellion in the past and was lucky to escape death. Now he dares to come back and disrupt the meeting—cut them all down!"

With a whoosh, the surrounding guards rushed out, including some adults and their protectors, and surrounded Prince Yehu and his entourage.

Princess Ningguo was completely bewildered and asked Li Ji in a low voice, "What's going on?"

Li Ji gritted his teeth: "This is a scheme to lure the snake out of its hole!"

It seems my earlier concerns were correct. Dunmohedagan was "physically in Cao's camp but his heart was with Han"... no, he was using a double agent; he was actually in league with Yidijian! While thwarting the assassination plot of the Crown Prince of Yabghu would allow Yidijian to smoothly ascend the Khan's throne, the Crown Prince's exile remained a significant threat. Therefore, the feigned assassination attempt—whether a double was used or Dunmohedagan deceived the Crown Prince—was a mystery—to lure the Crown Prince out, and then publicly expose his crimes and execute him!

In the blink of an eye, both sides drew their swords and began to fight. Crown Prince Yehu entered with only six trusted men and quickly found himself at a disadvantage, with the entrance to the venue blocked by guards... Left with no other choice, he fought bravely and charged towards Princess Ningguo.

He had intended to take Princess Ningguo hostage, hoping to find a glimmer of hope, but Li Ji took a step forward and stood in front of her, drawing his double maces from his waist and glaring angrily. The Crown Prince Yehu was forced to shout, "Li Ji, help me!"

Li Ji thought to himself, "If you hadn't shouted that, you might still have survived. But now that you've said that, you're doomed! What good is shouting Tang Yu? Many people here, including Yi Dijian and Dunmohedagan, understand what I'm saying. They already know what's going on, so it's fine. But if the other officials suspect me of participating in your treason, it will inevitably implicate Princess Ningguo, and they won't be able to clear their names even if they jump into the Yellow River!"

Enraged by the Crown Prince's deception, he immediately swung his right mace and struck at the head—"Step back! Do not harm the Khatun!"

With a sharp "crack," the weapon struck the helmet squarely. Although he had only used a fraction of his strength—after all, he was a Uyghur prince, and if anyone was to kill him, it should be the Uyghurs themselves—the blow still sent the prince reeling and staggering backward. Immediately, the surrounding Uyghur soldiers swarmed around him, hacking him to pieces with a flurry of blows.

Li Ji couldn't help but think to himself: Heaven is not to be trifled with! What did you say yesterday? If we break our oath, we will be torn apart by a thousand knives. Isn't this a self-fulfilling prophecy?

As for the six henchmen of the Crown Prince Yehu, they were all killed. None of them were willing to surrender, and no one was willing to accept their surrender—because Yidi Jian had said beforehand, "Chop them all down!"

In a matter of moments, the situation changed drastically, and Prince Yehu died a bloody death in the meeting hall... To be honest, many of the officials present were inclined to support Prince Yehu. If he had stormed into the meeting hall and raised his arms to call for action, they might have been able to say a few words in agreement, at least preventing Yidi Jian from being elected. However, he claimed to have "killed" Yidi Jian, but Yidi Jian suddenly appeared, clearly stating his crime. Immediately, swords clashed, and no one dared to step forward to help Prince Yehu.

Unless the Crown Prince Yabghu brought in not six people, but six hundred or six hundred... But in Li Ji's opinion, since Dunmoheda Ganshi helped Yidijian, how could such a situation have occurred?

With the matter settled, even the officials who were most inclined towards the Crown Prince of Yabghu had no choice but to make up their minds and recommend Yidijian as Khan—there was no one else to protect.

Li Ji couldn't help but sigh inwardly, put away his mace, and stood behind Princess Ningguo again.

However, the next scene was another shocking turn of events, which was unexpected by everyone—including Li Ji.

Suddenly, Yidijian removed his helmet, tossed it aside, and knelt before the corpse of the Crown Prince Yabghu, bursting into tears. Someone urged, "Khan, please rise! He has brought death upon himself..." Yidijian shouted, "I am not the Khan! The Khan has been murdered by traitors. I have avenged the Khan, and I die without regret!" With that, he drew his sword, slashed his own neck, and blood spurted out. He collapsed to the ground.

This time, the ministers were no longer just surprised; their faces turned green!

Dunmohedagan seemed relatively calmer. He immediately stepped forward to check and then sighed to the heavens, "This is indeed not the Khan, but his double..." Some generals and officials who were familiar with Yidijian also gathered around and testified one after another—this guy's face looked similar, and his accent was similar, but upon closer inspection of his facial features and certain physical characteristics, he was indeed not Yidijian.

Moreover, if he were truly a transgender person, how could he possibly commit suicide?

Just now, the Crown Prince Yehu entered, claiming that he had killed Yidi Jian. The officials were shocked and their hearts were wavering. In their daze, this guy suddenly stood up, and naturally no one thought to get closer to examine him carefully. Then he shouted, "Kill them all!" The guards in the venue and those officials who were already biased towards Yidi Jian, upon hearing the imperial decree, would certainly jump out to fight the Crown Prince Yehu for the sake of their own future.

Who would have thought it was actually a counterfeit...

This series of unpredictable events caused Princess Ningguo's heart to surge with turmoil. Her veil trembled, and she grabbed Li Ji's wrist with her hand, her voice clearly trembling with tears—"What...what's going on here? Where is Yi Di Jian?"

After his initial shock, Li Ji pondered the events leading up to him and sneered, "That's a question for Your Excellency, the Prime Minister."

----------

Not long after, in a secluded tent, the body of Yi Dijian was found. He had been stabbed in the heart from behind and died.

Thus, both of the Khan's sons perished, and the one most qualified to succeed him became his nephew, the Khanate's prime minister, and the western chieftain, Setun Mohedagan. The tribal leaders unanimously voted to support Setun Mohedagan as Khan—titled "Khagudulu Bilge Khan."

Five days later, Prince Li Chengcai of Dunhuang and his entourage finally arrived at the Uyghur headquarters.

Li Chengcai had already received a message from Li Ji, so he concealed the imperial edict of investiture and did not announce it, only saying that he had come to offer condolences and to welcome back Princess Ningguo. Dunmohedagan immediately agreed and hinted to Li Chengcai to petition the Tang court to grant him an official title as soon as possible.

Dunmohedagan also said, "Not only should Dunli return to Tang, but Yidijian's wife should also return with him."

This is the result of Li Ji's negotiations with Dunmoheda a few days ago.

On the day Li Ji sought an audience with Dunmohedagan, he first offered his congratulations, saying, "Khan, your wish has been fulfilled; this is truly a cause for celebration."

Dunmohedagan said with a bitter smile, "The two sons of the former Khan died on the same day. That's why I was elected Khan by the tribes and had no choice but to become Khan. What is there to celebrate?"

Li Ji thought to himself, "Just keep pretending!"

Without your assistance, could Prince Yehu have killed Yidijian? You set a trap, killing both of them—what a cunning scheme! I never even suspected a thing beforehand. I wonder what tricks you would have played if I had agreed to help Prince Yehu that day.

He immediately sneered and asked, "In the midst of the chaos and fighting, I protected the Khatun unharmed. Do I deserve any credit for that?"

Although he knew it was all Dunmohedagan's conspiracy, and Dunmohedagan knew he knew too... he couldn't expose it, wouldn't that be suicide? Li Ji was actually asking: Did my failure to agree to the Crown Prince's request make your plan easier to execute? Does that count as a contribution?

Dunmohedagan immediately declared, "Of course, he has rendered great service and deserves a reward!" He then ordered his men to bring out precious items such as deer antlers and sable furs to thank Li Ji.

However, Li Ji was still not satisfied and requested, "I wish to be killed by the right."

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Chapter Sixteen, Changing Commanders in the Midst of Battle

Li Ji didn't hold back in praising his achievements to Dunmohedagan. Even though the other party rewarded him with a lot of money, he was still not satisfied and wanted to obtain the position of Right Killer. That was promised to me by the Crown Prince of Yehu. If I had accepted his invitation that day, or helped him at the meeting, you would have had to waste more brain cells to have any chance of succeeding.

Dunmohedagan, however, was not offended and smiled slightly, saying, "I have already decided to kill those around me, and given your status, even if you have rendered meritorious service to my Uyghurs, it is impossible for you to suddenly rise to a high position—how about I grant you the title of Tutunfa?"

"Tutunfa" can be translated as "supervisory official," ranking fifth among noble titles below Yabghu and She, with no fixed number of nobility and hereditary privilege. Li Ji made various demands to prevent Dunmohedagan from killing him to silence him—since I have made requests, I certainly won't spread your conspiracy around; Dunmohedagan gave him the empty title of Tutunfa to win over Li Ji.

The two reached a tacit understanding and couldn't help but smile at each other. Li Ji then earnestly requested that Princess Ningguo be sent back to Chang'an as soon as possible, and Dunmohedagan agreed. Li Ji then asked, "How are Yidi Jian's two wives doing?"

Upon hearing this, Dunmohedagan's expression changed slightly: "I will naturally take good care of him..."

Li Ji thought to himself, "Judging from your expression, I know what you're planning. You'll probably find a chance to kill those two women once things calm down." He quickly replied, "I am a great general of our Tang Dynasty. The Emperor has shown me great favor. He has fought many battles over the years, and many of his sons and brothers have died. If I could have these two women serve me, I would surely be delighted and grateful to the Khan."

Previously, the valiant Khan had requested a marriage alliance with the Tang Dynasty, and also suggested that his youngest son, Yidijian, be given a good marriage. The Tang court then ordered Pugu Huai'en to marry his two daughters to Yidijian. Li Ji had a relationship with Pugu Huai'en, so after consulting with Princess Ningguo beforehand, he came to request that Dunmohedagan release his two daughters.

Dunmohedagan hesitated for a moment and said, "According to the custom of my Yaoluoge clan, the two women should be buried alive with me, but since they have been released... it is not impossible to allow Kudun to return to Tang and send the two women back. However, my inner chambers are still empty."

He originally intended to follow the old precedent and marry Princess Ningguo, but Yidijian had already made a promise to Shigui, and it was inconvenient to go back on his word—after all, he had only recently ascended to the throne, and his foundation was not stable, so it was not advisable to create unnecessary trouble—so he set his sights on Yidijian's two wives. Li Ji repeatedly pleaded and went back to discuss the matter with Princess Ningguo several times. Finally, they agreed to keep the daughter of Prince Rong, Li Wan, and give her to Dunmohedagan as Khatun.

That woman was originally part of Princess Ningguo's dowry—what the Han people called a "concubine"—and as the daughter of a vassal king, her status was actually higher than that of Pugu Huai'en's two daughters. But for some reason, Princess Ningguo disliked her very much, so she was ultimately sacrificed.

Li Ji still felt a pang of pity, but Princess Ningguo said, "I was forced to marry into a foreign land, and what I would not have wanted done to myself, I should not do to others. However, I came here for the sake of my country and to strengthen the friendship between the Tang and the He. If I do not keep this girl, the Emperor will surely send a real princess in the future..." As she said this, her eyes reddened, as if she was about to cry—"My sisters are still young, how can I bear to let them follow in my footsteps?"

Having said all that, Li Ji had no choice but to comply with their request and sacrifice the daughter of the Prince of Rong. However, since she had already come to the Uyghur Khaganate with Princess Ningguo, her fate couldn't be any worse. Becoming the new Khan Khatun might actually be a blessing in disguise.

Before his departure, Dunmohedagan summoned Li Ji again and said to him, "I know you are a confidant of the Tang Crown Prince and the Prince of Qi, so there are some things that are inconvenient to say to Li Yehu (Li Chengcai). I hope you can find an opportunity to convey them to the Tang Crown Prince and the Prince of Qi."

"I humbly accept your guidance."

Dunmohedagan slowly said, "Every word I said to you when we first met was from the bottom of my heart. As long as I am here, Tang will not deceive the Uyghurs, and the Uyghurs will never betray Tang. Now that the Tang family is still in great trouble, and as a friendly nation and a relative by marriage, I should send reinforcements to help Tang quell the rebellion or defend against the barbarians. However, I have just ascended the throne, and the internal situation is not yet stable, so I am afraid it is difficult to send troops..."

Li Ji nodded, indicating that he completely understood.

Dunmohedagan continued, “If the Tang family still cannot quell the rebellion in a few years, they can send envoys to the camp, and I will do my best to help them. As for the barbarian bandits… their target is not Longyou, but Hexi and Anxi. If they are allowed to enter the Western Regions, they will surely become powerful and difficult to control. Moreover, the region borders the Uyghurs, so I cannot but send troops to conquer them.”

"Please tell the King of Qi that it would be best if the Tang family could defend Hexi and Anxi. If they are forced to retreat, and the Uyghurs are left to defend the barbarians alone, then the land and people they have gained can only be kept by themselves. Otherwise, there will be no way to explain to the other tribes, and my position as Khan will be unstable. This is said in advance, so do not complain in the future."

Li Ji retreated hesitantly—to be honest, though he appeared neither humble nor arrogant, he was actually quite afraid of this new Uyghur Khan. He didn't know whether this man's control of the Uyghurs would be a blessing or a curse for the Central Plains... He could only hope that Li Tan wouldn't mess things up in Longyou, and even if he fought the Tibetans to a draw, he wouldn't end up doing all the work for others and falling into the hands of the Uyghurs.

The Uyghurs already controlled the vast desert; if they were to also control the Western Regions… their power would be even greater. Whether Dunmohedagan's promise today would still hold true is anyone's guess. Politics is a frivolous affair; even formal oaths can be torn up at any time, let alone mere verbal promises.

So, escorting Princess Ningguo and the others, they followed Li Chengcai away from the Uyghur camp and set off to return to the Central Plains. The journey was uneventful. Princess Ningguo often sought out Li Ji to talk during their encampments to alleviate her loneliness, and over time, their friendship deepened.

However, Li Ji knew that this development was extremely dangerous, so he deliberately made excuses to decline the princess's invitations to talk several times. Princess Ningguo seemed to have noticed this as well, so when they met again, she asked Li Ji, "Changwei is about twenty years old, why is he still not married? After I return to Chang'an, I will talk to the Emperor and the Crown Prince to find a good marriage for Changwei."

Li Ji thought to himself, "To show that we are selfless, there's no need to rush into marriage. It's true that you can't avoid being told this no matter where you go..." He hurriedly declined, saying, "As the saying goes, 'How can I think of a home when the Xiongnu have not been defeated?'"

Princess Ningguo laughed and said, "You shouldn't interpret the Champion's words that way. There are many virtuous and virtuous ladies in Chang'an. Does the Grand Commandant, so devoted to the king's affairs, have no time to seek them out? Every year on the Shangsi Festival, there are spring outings and pleasant excursions; on the Double Ninth Festival, there are mountain climbing, archery, and chrysanthemum appreciation; the Thousand Autumns Festival is also very lively, and the Imperial Guards do not prohibit it. These days are all great opportunities to meet ladies. The Grand Commandant should not miss them."

Li Ji could only nod and agree, offering a few perfunctory words.

It wasn't until August that the group finally arrived in Chang'an. Li Heng sent his fifth son, Prince Peng, Li Jin, to greet them outside the city. Princess Ningguo was clearly not very happy—Li Jin was not her half-brother, so why didn't she send Crown Prince Li Yu to meet her? She exchanged only a few words with Li Jin before lowering the carriage curtain and refusing to show herself.

Upon entering the city, they arrived at the Mingfeng Gate, the main gate of the Daming Palace, only to find it filled with crimson robes and a sea of ​​people—it turned out that Li Heng had issued an edict ordering all the court officials to gather and welcome Princess Ningguo. Princess Ningguo was both moved and overjoyed, and tears streamed down her face… However, looking around, she saw some close relatives and family members—such as her sister, Princess Hezheng, and her nephew, Prince Fengjie, Li Shi—but still no sign of Li Yu.

Leaving aside the princess's visit to her father, Li Heng, at the Daming Palace, a few days later, Li Heng issued an edict bestowing upon Dunmohedagan the title of Khan of the Uyghur Wuyi Chenggong, and granting Li Wan's daughter the title of Princess Yongning, betrothing her to Khan Wuyi Chenggong as his Khatun. The envoy for the investiture was, of course, the same Prince of Dunhuang, Li Chengcai. Li Chengcai couldn't help but complain to his colleagues, "I should have had my fortune told long ago! This year I'm cursed with bad luck, unable to rest at all..."

Actually, he wasn't the only one whose fate was afflicted by the Traveling Horse star.

Qingluan was quite depressed. Her husband had been away on official business for half a year. He had finally returned, but they couldn't even consummate their marriage that night—Li Ji had to wait for Li Shi to come to the study.

When Li Shi escorted the princess to Mingfeng Gate during the day, he discreetly gave Li Ji a wink amidst the officials and ministers. Li Ji understood. Sure enough, that evening, Li Shi visited and first inquired about the journey—"How come the Uyghur Khan is neither Yidijian nor the Crown Prince of Yabghu, but some Dunmoha Tagan..."

Li Ji corrected, "It is Dunmohedagan. This man was originally the nephew of the valiant Khan. He served as prime minister. His bloodline was noble and his power was immense. So when Yidijian and the crown prince of Yabghu died, he naturally succeeded to the position of Khan."

Li Shi's thoughts began to wander: "In our Tang Dynasty, if the Crown Prince is not to be implicated... could it be the Prince of Qi's uncle? If the Prince of Qi's uncle is also not to be implicated, could it be the Prince of Yue?"

Li Ji thought to himself, "Are you cursing your own father to die? But you're so frank with me, which shows your sincerity, so I'm quite happy."

Li Shi inquired in detail about the Uyghur upheaval, and Li Ji, without any concealment, recounted the whole story in detail. Li Shi couldn't help but sigh, "Yidi Jian instigated his father to change the heir, and Qi Wang Shuhu kept the Yehu Crown Prince... In the end, all his schemes came to naught, while Dun Moha Tagan benefited!"

Li Ji sighed softly, "Yes, it's all 'making wedding clothes for others.'" Only after saying this did he realize that the poem "The Poor Girl" didn't seem to exist in this world.

Fortunately, Li Shi didn't seem to care. He simply stroked his newly grown beard, lost in thought for a long time. What was he thinking? He suddenly realized something: What if my father fights with Li Tong, and in the end, it benefits Uncle Qi? It would be one thing if Uncle Qi benefited, but I don't want my father to fight with Uncle Qi, and in the end, it benefits the Li family of Zhao!

Li Ji waited quietly for a while before Li Shi came to his senses and bowed to him, saying, "The Changwei has made a great contribution to safely welcoming back my aunt."

Li Ji waved his hand and said, "What merit have I made? Before we even arrived in the Uyghur territory, Yi Dijian had already granted the princess permission not to be buried alive with him and had even promised her return to Chang'an..."

"If Changwei had agreed to the Crown Prince's request and interfered in the Uyghur Khan's election, I'm afraid Agu would have had a hard time returning to Tang. Some things are meritorious if done, and some things are meritorious if not done."

"This is the princess's instruction; we can simply observe from the sidelines and not interfere."

Li Shi nodded, then sighed softly, "The guards are busy traveling, they probably don't know that another major event has occurred in the court!"