Chapter 13: Du Fu is Busy (First Watch)

  A new day has begun, good morning to all friends! By the way, seeking some recommendation votes.

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  Gao Xianzhi fought well in this battle, and as the Anxi Da Duhu, Li Linfu also had merit. If Emperor Xuanzong were to issue an edict to greatly celebrate this victory, his reputation would become even more renowned and his position even more secure - that was what he was counting on.

  Li Longji has governed the Great Tang Dynasty with great prosperity and peace, making it a utopia, with flourishing literature and arts, and brilliant military achievements that inspire admiration.

  The Tang Dynasty had a lot of external wars, mainly concentrated in the reigns of Emperor Taizong and Emperor Xuanzong. Among these two dynasties, the reign of Emperor Xuanzong was the most turbulent. When Li Longji ascended to the throne, the four borders of the Tang Dynasty were not at peace. In the north, there were the Later Turks; in the northwest, there were the Tibetans; in the Western Regions, there were the Arabs; and there were also remnants of the Khitans and Tuyuhun causing trouble, making it a world in turmoil.

  Thanks to Li Longji's efforts, up to now, the post-Turkic has perished, the Tuyuhun remnants have been destroyed, the Khitan was defeated by Wang Zhongshi in three battles and suffered a great defeat... These military achievements are all greater than this attack on Little Bolu, much greater. Li Longji would naturally not take it seriously.

  However, the significance of defeating Small Bolü is extremely important. This separates Tibet and Dashi, making it impossible for these two countries to join forces again, making it easier for the Tang Dynasty to defeat them one by one. Therefore, we must celebrate and let the whole world know.

  The Peony Garden is open.

  Furong Garden was a famous royal garden in the Tang Dynasty. On important festivals or when there were major happy events, it would be open to allow common people to enter.

  Every time Furong Garden is open, it's crowded with people, and the scene is unprecedented.

  "Long live Your Majesty!"

  Li Linfu was able to become the prime minister and have his current power and status because he never disobeyed Li Longji's will. Once Li Longji made up his mind, although he regretted missing an opportunity to gain a good reputation, he did not mention it again. Instead, he changed the subject and said: "Your Majesty, now that the Anxi Protectorate has won a great victory, the morale of the army is boosted, and the spirit of the soldiers is high. It's time to take advantage of the momentum and compete with the Arabs."

  "Hmm!" Li Longji nodded slightly, quite agreeing with this statement.

  Seeing Li Longji's reaction was not bad, Li Linfu's enthusiasm became even more sufficient, saying: "Since Your Majesty ascended the throne, the Tang Dynasty has been prosperous in literature and martial arts, the remnants of the Turkic Khanate, Tuyuhun, Khitan have all been defeated by the Tang Dynasty, Tibet has suffered a great defeat, and Dashi does not dare to move eastward..."

  One by one, one thing after another, they counted Li Longji's merits, making Li Longji so happy that his eyes narrowed with joy.

  "As long as the Great Tang's heavenly soldiers march westward, Daxi will not dare to provoke the Great Tang's edge, and the Great Tang's army can conquer Persia. The Great Tang will have no more regrets!" Li Linfu's tone was somewhat higher.

  "What a regret for the Great Tang!" Li Longji's eyes flashed with light, and he nodded heavily, expressing his strong approval. "During the reign of Emperor Taizong, Persia sent an envoy to Chang'an before its downfall, requesting the Tang Dynasty to send troops. At that time, the Western Turks blocked the way for the Tang Dynasty to advance westward, so the Tang Dynasty could not march forward, and Emperor Taizong had no choice but to refuse. The Tang army was unable to head west, and Persia was eventually destroyed by the Arabs. This is indeed a regret for the Great Tang! If the Tang Dynasty had sent troops at that time, there would be no Arab Empire today."

  Tang Taizong refused to send troops to rescue Persia, which is a regrettable thing for the Tang Dynasty. This is a regrettable thing that has been on the minds of the emperors of the Tang Dynasty for generations. As soon as Li Longji mentioned it, he couldn't help but feel sorry, with a gleam in his eyes like a sword: "I have devoted my heart and soul to governing the country, and I have worked hard to build up our military strength, all for the purpose of conquering Persia and eliminating any regrets for the Tang Dynasty!"

  Later generations criticized Li Longji for being good at border achievements and always liking to expand westward, and the reason lies here!

  Li Longji solved the problem of the northern Huihe and Khitan, defeated the Tubo, only the west had enemies, Dashi was his only opponent, he didn't send troops to the west, where else could he send troops?

  "Your Majesty, I request that you dispatch troops to reinforce the Western Regions!" Li Linfu's face remained calm and expressionless, but his heart was stirred up, this being one of the rare moments in his life when he felt such excitement.

  Imagine if the Tang Dynasty took advantage of this opportunity to send troops and engage in a great war with the Arab Empire, winning several major victories. He would have made tremendous contributions, his position and power would be even more solidified, and that tiger-like Yang Guozhong would not be able to do anything to him.

  Yang Zhao is Yang Guozhong, at this time Yang Guozhong was still called Yang Zhao and had not yet been given the name Guozhong.

  "Absolutely not!"

  Just as Li Linfu was about to make a move, he heard Li Longji firmly refuse: "If you want to send troops to the Western Regions, you must first capture Shigucheng. This small stone fortress city is holding back more than 100,000 elite Tang soldiers. If we don't take down Shigucheng, I won't dispatch any more troops or supplies to the Western Regions."

  Li Longji was Li Longji, although he wanted to send troops to the Western Regions for reinforcements, he knew the danger of doing so.

  Li Linfu could effortlessly gain great merit, but unexpectedly Li Longji was as sharp-eyed as a hawk and saw through the danger, which made him very resentful. Having missed such an opportunity to gain merit, where else could he find it?

  "Your Majesty, even if it's impossible to send more, dispatching 30,000 to 40,000 troops is still feasible." Li Linfu was absolutely unwilling to give up such a good opportunity.

  "No!" Li Longji vetoed again, saying: "The Great Food is also a powerful country with a vast territory of ten thousand miles. Although its national strength is not as good as that of the Tang Dynasty, it is not so easy to defeat. Since being defeated by the Tang Dynasty in the third year of Kaiyuan, the Great Food has been accumulating strength and waiting for an opportunity. If this war breaks out again, it will be a big battle. The Stone Fortress City has not fallen yet. If the Tang Dynasty and the Great Food clash at a critical moment, Tubo will make trouble from the middle, and the consequences are unpredictable. This battle with the Great Food, if we don't fight, then let's not fight; but if we do fight, we must win!"

  Li Longji's insight was astonishing, and he was right. In history, Gao Xianzhi launched the Battle of Talas, and the Tang Dynasty invested 80% of its troops in the Western Regions, while the Arab Empire deployed tens of thousands of elite soldiers, it was indeed a major battle.

  "In that case, Your Majesty, why not issue a stern edict and order Wang Zhongsi to send troops?" The Stone Fortress City was a thorn stuck in Li Longji's throat. If he didn't take it down, he wouldn't let the Anxi Protectorate and the Arabs have a big fight. Li Linfu could only retreat and seek secondary options.

  Li Longji sank into thought, remaining silent for a long time. After a while, he let out a faint sigh and said: "Wang Zhongyi is a young prodigy, well-versed in the art of war, with responses that are always beyond expectations. If Shibao City can be taken, he will definitely send troops! This matter requires further consideration."

  No one understood Wang Zhongshi better than Li Longji, and Wang Zhongshi refused to send troops. Li Longji also knew that his concerns were very reasonable.

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  Li Changguo, Li Bai and Gao Miaoli came to Pingkangfang to ask about Du Fu's whereabouts.

  Three people spent several days, but did not get any news from Du Fu. Li Bai and Du Fu had only met once before. In the past, when Li Bai was granted gold and released, he traveled east to Luoyang and met Du Fu, and they had a great conversation, becoming close friends immediately. At that time, Du Fu wanted to go west to Chang'an to seek fame, and the address he left for Li Bai was no longer useful.

  It is like looking for a needle in the ocean to search for Du Fu in Chang'an with a population of over one million, no matter how hard they try, there is not a single gain.

  "May I ask, sir, have you ever seen a scholar over thirty years old named Du Fu, also known as Zi Mei..." Li Bai asked an old man in the alley with courtesy.

  "Are you asking about Du Fu?"

  The old man was taken aback, rolled his eyes, as if recalling: "Years ago, oh, maybe three years, maybe four years, people get older, can't remember clearly, there was a scholar named Du Fu who lived in Pingkang Alley."

  This was the first time they had heard news of Du Fu, and Li Changguo, Li Bai, and Gao Moli were greatly invigorated.

  "Du Fu is very busy!"

  Li Changguo and his wife were overjoyed, but the old man's mouth was slightly ajar, with a hint of sarcasm and a few hints of disdain.