Chapter 372: Affection and Strength

In the third year of Wude, in mid-November, there was a biting cold wind.

The carriages of Li Yuanhui, the Grand Chancellor of the Eastern Shaanxi Circuit, the Commander-in-Chief of the Guandong Military Forces, the General of the Zhenjun Army, the Palace Attendant, the Grand Marshal, the Grand Commandant of the Imperial Court, and the King of Qi, with full ceremonial equipment, started from Luoyang and headed towards Guanzhong via the Xiaohan Road.

Except for the two pregnant women who did not accompany them, the other four women, including Princess Murong Jiayin, Concubine Zhang Yan, Princess Jincheng Duan Jin, Princess Yingchuan Tan'er, and the eldest son Li Chengping and the second son Li Chengdao, were all in the team.

The soldiers guarding on both sides of the carriage were all wearing cotton armor with copper buckles. Since its weight was only half of that of leather armor, it did not seem too heavy to wear during a march. Moreover, the guards were all riding horses, so the impact was even smaller.

The civil and military officials who accompanied him included the Central Guard General Li Qinglian, the Military Assistant Dugu Ying, the Attendants Yu Zhining and Gao Kan, and the Secretary Li Chunfeng.

The six guards of the Prince of Qi's palace all accompanied him, including the Left Guard Han Quan, the Right Guard Wang Fobao, the Second Left Guard Yuchi Jingde, the Second Right Guard Xie Shufang, the Third Left Guard Xue Wanche, and the Third Right Guard Duan Wuxuan.

Li Yaoshi, the Sima of the Prince of Qi's Palace, Chang Yanheng, the General of the Left Guard, Zhang Jian, the Prefect of Guangling, Zhang Zhen'e, the Left Commander-in-Chief of the Beiwei Army, Duan Wuda and Lou Jun, and the Guard General Dou Fengjie.

However, he only brought 3,000 guards and 600 Beiwei soldiers.

If he really took all 6,000 guards with him, it would be too conspicuous. In fact, even if a prince travels, a few hundred guards would be enough.

But Li Yuanhui deliberately brought more people this time, not because he was preparing to do anything, but because the current situation in Chang'an was a little irritating. Bringing more people was to keep some people safe and to calm down the anger at home.

Li Yuanhui was naturally riding in the same carriage with Princess Murong Jiayin. Although it was freezing cold outside, there was a brazier inside the carriage, so it was very warm. And the fire was processed smokeless charcoal, so there was no need to worry about gas poisoning.

Li Chengping, who was already three years old, lay on the car window, peeking out through a small gap, looking quite naughty.

Murong Jiayin scolded him, and he sat still for a while.

Li Yuanhui felt a little stuffy sitting in the car, but he was afraid to open all the car windows and let his wife and children get cold.

"Why is Silang so depressed? Don't you want to go back to Chang'an?" Murong Jiayin once again slapped away her son's hand that was trying to lift the curtain, then looked at Li Yuanhui's face and asked.

Li Yuanhui's face wasn't actually that ugly, but the two of them were a young couple and had been married for almost ten years. Apart from Tan'er, who grew up with him, Murong Jiayin knew him best.

"Not really. I just feel a little stuffy in this car, but when I go out for a horse ride, I feel a little cold. Haha, that's how people are. They always contradict themselves."

After Li Yuanhui said this, he laughed at himself.

Murong Jiayin smiled and said, "Si Lang, you must be worried about the situation in Chang'an, right?"

Li Yuanhui said: "It would be a lie to say that I'm not worried, but I'm not too worried. Aye is competing with the second brother now. The third brother and the eldest sister are actually speaking on the side of the second brother. But Aye is the emperor now after all. Sitting in that position, who doesn't want to be arbitrary?"

Speaking of this, Li Yuanhui and Murong Jiayin both thought of another emperor.

Murong Jiayin's father-in-law, Li Yuanhui's father-in-law, Murong Ying, Emperor Zhaowu of Great Yan.

It is very interesting that Li Yuan, the founding emperor, was far inferior to Murong Ying, the third generation emperor, in terms of control over power.

But thinking about his own country, Dayan, Murong Jiayin suddenly felt a little worried. His four brothers had all become emperors one after another.

Three of them have died now, and only one is left, serving as a puppet emperor in Hebei.

As for the Li brothers, the eldest brother Li Xiaoyan died in a palace coup. Currently, the three brothers Li Er, Li San and Li Si have not started an internal fight or confronted each other over the issue of inheritance rights.

But in fact, Murong Jiayin was also a little worried. If Li Si was defeated in the internal struggle, the entire Prince Qi’s Mansion would not have a good ending, including his son.

What if I win? Even if I win, will I be able to keep my position?

His third brother, Murong Yang, was the final winner, but now he was still a puppet at the mercy of others.

Everyone wants the best outcome: winning the internal struggle and the external war, and everyone is happy.

If this cannot be achieved, then the next best thing is not to participate in the internal struggle. If the external war can be won, Li Yuanhui can be the King of Qi at ease, and she will not think there is anything wrong with being a princess. The most feared is the other two situations. Losing the internal struggle and the external war would be a disaster.

As if he understood his wife's concerns, Li Yuanhui held her hand and said, "Don't worry too much. After all, we brothers are born of the same mother. My third brother and I have already agreed to support our second brother to be the crown prince. We will not let the situation go as far as the previous dynasty."

In fact, Li Yuanhui wanted to say that things would not get as bad as those brothers of yours, but the words did not come out of his mouth.

There is a great possibility that she will be angry after saying this, after all, it is not right to expose someone's shortcomings.

The Li family originally seized the world from the Murong family. As a princess of the previous dynasty, she became a princess in the current dynasty. It is impossible to say that there is no grudge or gap in her heart.

However, Murong Jiayin is a smart person and has already had some awareness.

Fortunately, Li Yuanhui treated her the same as always. After she lost the support of her father and brother from her natal family, the man she chose at the beginning, his husband, became her support.

Even in the new dynasty, the proper respectability has not diminished.

"What about Hebei?" Murong Jiayin continued to ask.

Li Yuanhui frowned slightly when he heard this, then smiled and said, "There is nothing to be afraid of. As long as we brothers can work together, the heroes of the world will not matter!"

A few days ago, Li Yuanhui still had a headache when he mentioned Liu Xuanji from Hebei.

Li Yuanhui's previous fear actually came from a mystical and metaphysical perspective, as well as the filter of some heroic figures in his previous life, rather than a real fear of a particular person.

When Zhang Jian suddenly mentioned during the discussion that Liu Xuanji was learning the system of the Tang Dynasty, Li Yuanhui suddenly realized that he had actually stood high enough.

In fact, Liu Xuanji learned a lot of things from him and Datang.

These included military farming, military reorganization, handling of surrendered soldiers, and even the Twelve Guards were copied and turned into the Twelve Armies.

Under his command, he had the most outstanding military talents and a team of brave generals. He controlled the vast territory of the Central Plains and Huai River. There were more than 100,000 troops following his lead.

So what are you worried about? Or what are you afraid of?

After thinking a lot, Li Yuanhui realized that his fear was actually more of a psychological suggestion caused by mysticism, fatalism, and even some half-true and half-false jokes he often told in his previous life.

For example, how to lose when a dragon hits your face, or when a great magician fights a time traveler.
After figuring this out, Li Yuanhui suddenly felt a sense of relief. A sufficiently stable Tang Dynasty would not be afraid of any opponent.

So the next question is very simple. Internal power struggle is inevitable.

But it must be controlled within a certain range and not overdo it.

This is what he was going to do when he went to Chang'an after he figured it out. Draw a red line and tell them not to cross it.

Of course, that's what they say, but it may not be effective.

But there are some things he has to do.

Who made him the most powerful force outside the Tang Dynasty court?

He is also the emperor's legitimate son and the full brother of the King of Qin and the King of Jin.

If you rely on favors, you might even have to beg on your knees.

Relying on strength means threatening to break off relations.

What about affection plus strength? Can we talk it out?
(End of this chapter)