Chapter 251: Powerful
In the Xuanzheng Hall, all the ministers congratulated the emperor. Not only did the Turks retreat, but they also suffered heavy casualties along the way and their prestige was completely destroyed. This alone could ensure that there would be no war for several years.

Moreover, it has been so long, and they all knew the news that the King of Qin had invaded the Turks from Youzhou. The King of Qin would not have led hundreds of thousands of troops just to see the grassland scenery.

All the voices of discord in Chang'an City disappeared, leaving only praises for the emperor.

Especially after the court received the good news from Liaodong today, the emperor's prestige was greatly enhanced.

Goguryeo, which cast a shadow over the entire Central Plains, had its capital quietly conquered without the imperial court mobilizing any troops or recruiting a million-strong army, and even while the court was still fighting the Turks.

The ruler of Goguryeo surrendered, and all the royal family members in Pyongyang were slaughtered. More than ten cities including Xuantu, Hengshan, Gaimu, Momi, Liaodong, Baiyan, Bisha, Maigu, Yinshan, and Houhuang were controlled by the Tang army.

Fifty thousand horses, fifty thousand cattle, ten thousand pieces of armor, and countless gold, silver, and jewelry were seized.

Goguryeo, led by Prime Minister Eulji Mundeok, submitted a letter of surrender.

What does it mean to be a great martial arts master? Who can say anything wrong in front of such an emperor?
In the face of the flattery of his ministers, the emperor simply issued an order: "Relocate 70,000 households from Liao, Gai, and Yanzhou to Liaodong County and Beiping County, and relocate 50,000 households from Pyongyang to Xiping County and Xihai County..."

Then, the emperor rewarded Zhang Huli and Luo Yi. The emperor promoted them to Dukes and granted them titles of Shangzhuguo. He also appointed their eldest sons as fifth-rank court officials and awarded them a thousand pieces of silk...

The whole Chang'an was filled with joy that day, but from the next day on, it began to tremble again.

Because the emperor had started a new round of purges, he ignored the advice of Wei Zheng, Wang Gui and others, and established a new government office called Jinyiwei, under which he set up the Beizhenfusi and appointed Wuxing Hou Shen Guang as the chief officer.

He was in charge of the imperial prison and had the power to arrest, interrogate, execute and sentence people on his own.

This newly established government office, before its powers were clearly defined and when court officials still had objections, started directly with His Majesty's former confidant, Weicheng County Duke and Right Guard General Zhai Rang, and arrested all of his brothers and sons and put them in prison. Zhai Rang was also dismissed from office and demoted by the Emperor.

This was already very scary, and the subsequent actions made the world dumbfounded. The Jinyiwei actually pointed the finger at the relatives of Xu Shiji, Li Mi and other pillars of the country who had just made great contributions.

All the officials in the court were in danger, and impeachment memorials were piled up like snow, but the emperor turned a blind eye. Xu Shiji, Li Mi and others only submitted memorials to apologize.

The ministers had only one thought left: Emperor Yang had returned, and was forced back by them.

When Duke Weiguo Li Jing was still dozens of miles away from Chang'an, he was stopped by many familiar faces, but Li Jing didn't want to see them.

But they knelt down in the middle of the road and refused to move. Li Jing had no choice but to come forward, and they all sat down in a wild pavilion.

"Duke Wei, the country is in danger!"

"Now you are the only one who can perhaps persuade His Majesty."

Li Jing shook his head indifferently: "If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have done it in the first place."

"Your Majesty has already severely punished those involved in the affairs of the retired emperor. Now that all the ministers have bowed their heads, Your Majesty still refuses to give up. You have set up the Jinyiwei to replace the Ministry of Justice and the Dali Temple, making the laws of the country meaningless. This is a sign of the country's demise."

No one except the emperor wanted to see the appearance of the Jinyiwei, and Li Jing was no exception. However, he had always been a peaceful person and never thought of arguing with the emperor.

"I am just an ordinary man. I am not good at the affairs of the court."

No matter how much they talked, Li Jing did not waver at all.

An old man from the Xue clan in Hedong suddenly said, "Your Majesty once said to Gao Jiong that he only owed death. Duke Weiguo has made countless achievements and is invincible. I'm afraid his death is not far away!"

Li Jing said: "Then I will die. I am over fifty years old and already old.

Moreover, if I had not mixed with you, I might have lived to be sixty years old. With you, my death is near!" "Duke Weiguo, if he doesn't consider himself, he should also consider his children and grandchildren."

Li Jing stood up and shook his head: "If you keep talking, the Jinyiwei will find you soon."

Li Jing turned and left after he finished speaking, but suddenly he felt something was wrong and instinctively dodged to the side, but he still felt a pain in his waist.

The personal guards also rushed over, and Li Jing barely avoided the subsequent stab, while the man was pinned to the ground.

It was not the guards, but the people standing with him: "Are you crazy? Are you going to kill us?"

"Duke Weiguo, this has nothing to do with us!"

The guards protected Li Jing with red eyes, and then took down the group of people.

The man cried, "As long as Li Jing is alive, the tyrant emperor will have no flaws. You are so stupid. You shouldn't have stopped me!"

...............

Jie Li and Tong Yehu were too optimistic. Their troops immediately dispersed when they saw the mighty Tang army blocking their way home.

Among the group of defeated soldiers, their figures protected by elite bodyguards were particularly conspicuous. The Tang cavalry chasing from behind surrounded them on all sides.

Before Jie Li and Tong Yehu could make a choice, their personal guards captured them.

The Turkic Khans of the east and west were captured in such a ridiculous way.

Yuchi Jingde said with regret: "These spineless Turks don't give me a chance to make great achievements!"

Seeing that the biggest fish had been caught, Li Shimin no longer needed to be cautious and immediately ordered his men to attack. As for the 70,000 to 80,000 Turks, they should be killed if necessary and captured if possible, but their horses should not be harmed!

Not far away, Li Mi and Xu Shiji also returned with the captured Turkic soldiers.

Wang Bo was somewhat unwilling: "Even if it's not good to compete with the King of Qin, it's good to share the meat. I have chased him here with so much hardship."

"That's right. If we hadn't pressed him from behind, it wouldn't have been easy for the King of Qin to capture the Turkic Khan so easily."

Li Mi asked, "Do you really think that the Duke of Wei can't capture them?"

"Duke Weiguo is already extremely wealthy and powerful, and we are still a little short of that, so we are a little reluctant to let him go."

"The Duke of Wei is like a military genius. How can you compare with him? There is no title to be given, and it can't be a good thing."

At the side of the King of Qin, Changsun Wuji also said: "I don't know whether it is a disaster or a blessing."

Li Shimin said with a smile: "I am the only one who has captured the Khans of both the Eastern and Western Turkic tribes in one battle. This will make me a mark in the history books. How many people would love to have this achievement but cannot."

"Your Highness knows that's not what I'm talking about. After the incident with the Retired Emperor, His Majesty is no longer the same as before. After all, you are the Retired Emperor's second son. The Prince of Jin is in poor health, and the Prince of Qi has been deposed. I don't know how many eyes in this world are staring at you."

Li Shimin's joy faded a lot when he heard this: "How could I not know this? But if I do nothing, wouldn't it be seen by my brother as hiding my strength and holding back?"

…………

(End of this chapter)