PFC Chapter 1132 The Tibetan Princess
Chapter 1132 The Tibetan Princess
Lu Dongzan's brows furrowed even more.
What's wrong with the Zanpu today? Why is he suddenly bringing up these old grievances?
Border tribes raiding each other is a common occurrence; why should it escalate to a full-scale war between the two countries?
The Qing emperor has always been arrogant and domineering. Could it be that he is raising an army to invade on behalf of his border people?
They are clearly coveting my Tibet and coveting the interests of the Western Regions!
The young king's attitude made him feel a little uneasy, but he still maintained a respectful demeanor.
He considered his words carefully before speaking:
"Your Majesty, occasional skirmishes between border tribes are quite common. For the Qing people to use this as a pretext for a large-scale invasion is clearly a long-planned scheme, and their ambitions are far from small!"
“Occasionally there are frictions…” the young Zanpu repeated the word softly, a fleeting, inscrutable look in his eyes, but it quickly disappeared.
He paused, then asked from a different angle, "Great Master, in your opinion, could we try to restore friendly relations with the Emperor of Qing?"
“By explaining the advantages and disadvantages to him, we may be able to persuade him to withdraw his troops peacefully. In this way, the people on the border can be spared the suffering of war, and our soldiers can also avoid unnecessary casualties.”
"Impossible!" Lu Dongzan blurted out almost without thinking, his voice rising slightly involuntarily due to his urgency.
Only after he spoke did he realize his rudeness.
The courtiers in the hall all turned their heads to look, and even his confidants behind him showed surprise.
The king was unaware that he had already sent envoys there, and their purpose was not to seek peace, but to delay the inevitable.
Although it's not a big deal, it was still something I did on my own initiative.
Normally it would be one thing, but today the king's attitude was clearly abnormal, so it's best not to expose it.
Thinking of this, Gar Tongtsen quickly composed himself, bowed deeply again, but his tone remained resolute: "Your Majesty, please forgive me, I have been disrespectful."
"However, my words come from the bottom of my heart. It is absolutely impossible for me to restore friendly relations with the Emperor of Qing!"
He raised his head and began to articulate the ideas that were already deeply ingrained in his mind: "Your Majesty, you are still young and may not know much about the Qing Kingdom."
"I have been sent as an envoy to the Central Plains many times, and I have witnessed their prosperity and am well aware of their ambitions!"
"Daqing is a fully grown tiger, while my Tubo is a rising young tiger!"
"In the words of the Qing people, it's like 'two tigers cannot share one mountain'!" Lu Dongzan's tone was heavy. "This is a truth that the Qing people themselves understand. Although the plateau and the Central Plains are separated by snow-capped mountains, their interests will eventually intersect."
"That is the Western Regions. What flows there is not sand, but gold. It is the economic lifeline of both countries!"
His voice rose again: "Daqing has just experienced internal turmoil and is in a period of transition between the old and the new. It appears strong, but in reality, there are hidden worries within. The country's strength is in a weak period of transition from decline to prosperity."
"This is a golden opportunity! We must seize this chance to suppress and weaken them as much as possible! We must firmly anchor our power in the Western Regions, control the trade routes, and extract wealth and strength!"
These words were so passionate and inspiring that they stirred the emotions of all the officials in the hall.
However, some officials watched silently, their faces showing concern.
"Your Majesty, do you know Emperor Li Che of the Qing Kingdom?" A hint of apprehension flashed in Lu Dongzan's eyes. "I have seen him in person. Even when he was still a prince, he was already quite extraordinary and stood out among all the princes."
"This man ascended the throne at a young age, possesses formidable martial arts skills, a resolute character, and an excellent drive to expand outwards!"
"He destroyed Goryeo, pacified Japan, annexed the grasslands, and secured the coastal borders... How could his ambition be limited to the Central Plains?"
"If we wait until he has fully consolidated his internal power and restored his national strength, his next goal will surely be to compete with our Tubo for hegemony in the Western Regions!"
"Once we lose the Western Regions and the benefits of the trade routes, Tibet will be like an eagle with broken wings, with no chance of soaring through the heavens again!"
After delivering this long speech, Lu Dongzan concluded with a tone that left no room for doubt:
"Therefore, this battle is not a matter of momentary anger, but a struggle for the fate of the nation. We have no way to avoid it, and we have no way to retreat!"
The young king listened quietly, his face remaining expressionless.
He nodded slightly, as if he had listened, or perhaps he was just indicating that he had heard.
“I think I understand what you’ve said.” He said softly, “The situation at the front is urgent, and I am young and know little about military affairs.”
He raised his eyes, his gaze falling on Lu Dongzan, and made a decision: "Therefore, all matters concerning the defense and combat on the southeastern front shall be entrusted to the Grand Marshal."
"Food, supplies, and troops are all needed from all departments within the country. I hope Your Excellency will act prudently to ensure the safety of our Tibetan territory."
"Your Majesty, I obey! I will certainly live up to your trust!" Gar Tongtsen felt a weight lifted from his heart and bowed solemnly.
The Zanpu ultimately relinquished power to himself, and that was enough.
As for those differing opinions... Lu Dongzan wasn't oblivious to them, but he didn't care.
Young people inevitably have some naive ideas.
Having experienced the horrors of war, one will naturally understand the cruelty of reality.
Lu Dongzan expressed his gratitude once again and took his leave with the other officials.
The palace doors slowly closed behind us, shutting out the sunlight and noise.
In the empty hall, only the young king remained on the throne, sitting alone in the interplay of light and shadow created by the sunlight.
The guardian deities on the mural have ferocious faces, looking down at the tiny figures below.
After a long while, a series of very light footsteps came from the side hall.
A beautiful young woman dressed in gorgeous Tibetan noblewoman's attire quietly approached.
She looked to be in her early twenties, with features somewhat resembling those of the young king, but with a more gentle and serene demeanor.
This person was none other than the elder sister of the Zanpu (Tibetan king), the eldest princess of Tibet.
She approached the throne, but did not bow. She simply stood quietly, her gaze gently falling on her brother's slightly lonely profile.
"Is there a conflict with the Great Treatise?" Princess Zhuoma's voice was gentle, like a stream flowing from melting snow.
The young king did not turn around, but continued to look ahead.
After a long pause, he gently shook his head: "No, Da Lun is my teacher, the pillar my father left me. I respect him very much and am grateful for his dedicated assistance over the years."
Princess Zhuoma remained silent, simply waiting quietly.
“But,” the young Zanpu’s voice lowered, carrying a hint of weariness beyond his years, “Sister, I feel… I’m no longer the child who needs his guidance.”
"But he... not just him, but many others seem to always treat me like a child who never grows up."
He turned around and looked at his intelligent older sister.
Those usually calm eyes now revealed a clear sense of apprehension: "Just like today's situation, I clearly didn't want to fight Daqing, but they felt we should fight Daqing, so in the end I had no choice but to agree."
"They say I will surely become a wise and enlightened ruler, but I can't even make a decision. Is this what a wise and enlightened ruler is like?"
Princess Zhuoma raised an eyebrow slightly: "Why are you unwilling to be an enemy of Daqing?"
“I grew up reading books about the Qing people,” the young Zanpu continued. “From those history books, classics, poems… I learned what kind of country Daqing was.”
"Those are not tribes on the plateau that can be conquered with just a surge of courage, nor are they the disorganized city-states of the Western Regions."
"It was a civilization that was so ancient that it inspired awe and so profound that it inspired a sense of powerlessness."
The young king's eyes revealed deep apprehension, as well as a hint of hidden longing.
"It is like an unshakeable snow-capped mountain, or like a sleeping lion, while we, the Tubo..."
He paused, then spoke even softer: “Look at our opponents over the years: the Xiangxiong, the remnants of the Tuyuhun, and the various kingdoms of the Western Regions.”
"They may be fierce, but compared to Daqing... they are like wild dogs fighting over a dead cow, while Daqing is a true lion."
"Even if it occasionally dozes off, it is by no means something a wild dog can provoke. Perhaps they have won too many victories in recent years and are indulging in the fantasy of the rise of Tibet, and have lost the ability to think calmly."
He looked at his sister, his eyes filled with confusion: "We should befriend Daqing, learn from them, and exchange resources to strengthen ourselves."
"Instead of actively provoking it, waking it from its slumber, and turning it into our most formidable enemy."
"Sister, I think... Da Lun might be wrong this time, and very wrong at that."
The princess listened quietly to her brother's thoughts, her face showing no surprise, only understanding.
She reached out and gently patted her younger brother's still thin shoulder, saying softly, "My little brother has really grown up. You've seen dangers that others couldn't or didn't want to see. Now that you've made your judgment, then..."
She smiled slightly, her eyes resolute: "Just do what you want to do, sister... I support you."
Looking at his sister's beautiful and warm smile, the young king felt a surge of warmth in his heart.
But then, a more complex emotion flashed across his eyes.
In Qingren's books, he saw not only the power of Daqing, but also its traditions.
He knew what the most common way for the two countries to become friends was.
That was a marriage alliance.
He was still young and had no children.
Daqing is the powerful party, and if they were to send a princess to marry into the Daqing family, the ambitious and talented emperor would certainly not agree.
Moreover, Emperor Qing was not very old and probably did not have a princess of marriageable age.
Therefore, if they wanted to arrange a marriage alliance, they could only send their closest sister.
Thinking of this, he quickly lowered his eyes to hide the fleeting ripples in his mind.
"Thank you, sister," the young king whispered, turning his gaze back to the sunlit sky outside the palace gates.
A resolute look, befitting a king, gradually appeared on his youthful face.
Some things can be done with great enthusiasm.
Some paths he must choose for himself.
Now that he can't control the decision of whether to fight or not, let the Da Lun and the others decide.
If we suffer a defeat at the hands of Emperor Qingren, it may be a great loss for the Great Lun, but it could also be an opportunity for us.