Chapter Thirty: A Year of Peace and Leisure

  Li Yuan burst into a rage in the imperial court, and Li Shimin volunteered to lead troops to attack Jinyang to boost military morale! The ministers all requested to go to war. When Li Yuan saw that the Minister of Works, Dugu Huairen, also asked to go to war, he finally exploded in front of the ministers: "Minister of Works, you incompetent one dare ask for battle?! Repeatedly attacking Pusang without success, with heavy casualties!" He threw down the memorial: "Don't hurry and retreat from me!"

  All officials are forbidden to speak! Li Yuan immediately announced several attack orders, ordering Zhaojun King Li Xiangong to go and attack the barbarian chief Ranyao, Qin Wang Li Shimin to attack Hedong, and after the victory, he led the army back south to attack Xiayuan County... Li Yuan, who was not willing to fail, then discussed with the officials again to discuss the counterattack against Wang Shichong.

  Wang Ting and Xuanzang finally made Li Yuanba tired of the language bombing, and Li Yuanba directly threw them out of the mansion! The little monk saw that he couldn't do anything about it, received a summons from the Buddhist sect, bid farewell to Wang Ting and rushed to Jingtu Temple!

  Wang Ting returned to the mansion, rubbing her almost broken neck, and no longer bothered Li Yuanba. She just wanted to think of a way to make Li Yuanba recognize Confucianism, so she stayed in her room all day, deep in thought!

  Li Yuanba was determined to travel the world, and with the arrival of spring, he set out on his journey. After Li Yuanba left, his father-in-law Du Fuwei felt disheartened and lazy, and personally went to Chang'an to resign and move into Li Yuanba's mansion. Li Yuan ordered Li Yuanji to take over the affairs of Huainan and set off immediately.

  Wang Ting learned that Li Yuanba had left and returned to the sect. The sect leader Wang Lin, motivated by self-interest, ordered his granddaughter to find Li Yuanba in order to form an alliance with the Li family and gain a higher position for the Confucian school! He also sent someone to inform Li Yue of the sect's decision. After careful consideration, Li Yue decided to test the waters by offering to marry his grandson Li Shimin to Wang Lin's granddaughter. Wang Lin refused! Because they needed extremely strong military power to support the sect's influence in the Jianghu, Li Yue had no choice but to agree...

  Wang Ting reluctantly went down to Jianghu to find Li Yuanba. Upon learning that Li Yuanba had traveled to Jiangnan, Wang Ting quickly chased after him on horseback.

  Jiangnan, a beautiful place with fertile land. Every time war broke out, more northern people flooded into Jiangnan due to its relative stability compared to the north, making Jiangnan increasingly prosperous!

  Li Yuanba's specially made large carriage, pulled by four horses. Along the way from Chang'an, Li Yuanba's outing news quickly spread throughout the world! Li Yuanba's every move now catches up with the emperor, without any privacy rights. The difference is that the emperor has no privacy in the palace; while Li Yuanba has no privacy in the whole world...

  Du Qing wanted to follow Li Yuanba on a trip, saying that there was someone to take care of her on the way. But Li Yuanba refused, why bring a maid on a trip? Moreover, Li Yuanba now also knew that he was being watched, what if he was poisoned while eating? She is now Du Fuwei's only relative and the person Li Yuanba can trust!

  Fresh and natural air, Li Yuanba can finally enjoy it leisurely after coming to this world for six years! After Li Yuanba went out, he wanted to ask about the local martial arts schools every time he arrived at a place, but no one dared to tell him. Every time he came to a place, the people here had been informed in advance...

  Li Yuanba came out this time, bringing enough supplies. All the way eating, Li Yuanba didn't think about being poisoned or anything, because he had no feeling at all! However, people from all over the world knew that Li Yubao, the killing god of the Li family, was not afraid of poison! So other forces who wanted Li Yuanba to die desperately studied spiritual techniques. But spiritual techniques were rare and only a few large sects had them, and they were all treasures of the sect, how could they be given to the world?! Knowing that Li Yuanba was not afraid of spiritual attacks, but kept it secret!

  Li Yuanba encountered several strange incidents, where groups of people with varying numbers stood opposite him on bustling streets, staring at him intensely. Li Yuanba approached them to ask what was going on, but before he could reach them, some covered their heads while others went crazy - not a single one seemed normal! Along the way, Li Yuanba frequently exclaimed: "This is freedom in ancient times! Even mental patients can roam the streets in groups!"

  A matured kung fu requires countless lives to perfect, especially spiritual kung fu that involves the human brain, which requires even more lives and time. To Li Yuanba, these are all trivial matters, having no relation to him whatsoever!

  Li Yuanba left after only a few days in Jiangnan. What's the point of being alone? Wherever he goes, it's like being a monster, with no one daring to get close to him. Is there any meaning to this?

  In July, Li Shimin was ordered by Emperor Gaozu of Tang to launch a campaign against Wang Shichong and capture Zijing. Wang Shichong retreated to Luoyang to defend it.

  This year, Li Yuan's power in the Great Tang expanded dramatically!

  In the third year of Wude (620), in August, Emperor Gaozu of Tang sent an envoy to Hebei to negotiate a peace treaty with Dou Jiande. At that time, Li Shimin was leading troops to attack Wang Shichong, and in order to prevent Dou Jiande from assisting Wang Shichong, Li Yuan attempted to form a temporary alliance with Dou Jiande. Dou Jiande also agreed to make peace with Tang and released the Princess Tong'an, who had been captured during the Battle of Luoyang, allowing her to return to Chang'an together with the Tang envoy.

  In the third year of Wude (620), in June, Tian Qian killed Yang Shilin and defected to Wang Shichong. Wang Shichong appointed him as the General Governor of Xuan Prefecture. In September, Tian Qian led his 25 subordinate prefectures to surrender to Tang. Due to Tian Qian's surrender to Tang, Wang Shichong's garrison at Xiangyang (now Xiangfan City, Hubei) and the Eastern Capital Luoyang were cut off. Emperor Gaozu of Tang appointed Tian Qian as the Prefect of Xuan Prefecture and granted him the title of Duke of Cai State.

  Du Ruhui killed Yuwen Yuan in September 620 and surrendered to Tang with Puyang.

  In the third year of Wude (620), in September, Tang's General-in-Chief Luo Shi Xin launched a surprise attack on Wang Shichong's Huashi Fortress (now Xigong District, Henan Province) and after winning, he advanced to besiege Qianjin Fortress (now north of Luoyang County). He used strategy to capture Qianjin Fortress.

  Gao Kaidao surrendered to the Tang through Li Yifu. In October, Emperor Gaozu of Tang appointed Gao Kaidao as the Grand General of Wei Prefecture, gave him the surname Li, and enfeoffed him as Duke of Beiping Commandery.

  In the third year of Wude (620), in October, Guo Qing came to Chang'an and surrendered to Tang. He resumed his surname Yang and was appointed as Shang Zhuguo and Duke of Xun.

  In the third year of Wude (620), in November, Dong Jingzhen surrendered Changsha to Tang. Emperor Gaozu of Tang ordered Xiaguo Governor Permit Shao to send troops to respond.

  Among them, Li Yuanji succeeded Du Fuwei and was eager to establish military achievements. He led his army to attack Li Zitong, sending hundreds of elite soldiers to launch a surprise night raid on the enemy camp, taking advantage of the wind to set fires, and defeating Li Zitong's army, capturing thousands of people. Li Zitong's army ran out of food, and with no reinforcements arriving, he had to abandon Jiangdu and retreat to Jingkou. The entire region west of the Yangtze River was occupied by Li Yuanji. After his victory, he moved to Danyang.

  At this time, the ambitions of several brothers in the Li family are getting bigger and bigger! Li Shimin's military achievements are outstanding, with a hundred victories in a hundred battles, and his reputation in the army has already surpassed that of Crown Prince Li Jiancheng. The subordinates of Li Jiancheng were worried for the crown prince, and Li Jiancheng smiled slightly: "Since I started my army, I have independently established the Hedong large camp! Assisted my father and organized the uprising, led the troops as the main general, and served as the commander-in-chief of the left army! Now that I am the crown prince, I don't need any military achievements to support me. My several brothers are in great need of military achievements. Let them establish even greater merits, which will show that there is no mediocre talent in the Li family!"

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