Opening a Tavern in the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 190: Goryeo Provokes the Military Camp? Too Much

His words were filled with the optimism of a teenager, trying to relax everyone's tense nerves.

Yuyu hugged the puppet. Although there was still some worry on her face, she nodded and said crisply, "Yes, Datang is very powerful. Nothing will happen."

She shook the puppet in her hand, as if trying to dispel the cloud of unease that hung over everyone's heads.

Cheng Chumo crossed his arms, nodded slightly, and said loudly: "Everyone, don't worry. If anything really happens, we, the people of the Tang Dynasty, will all contribute our efforts. How can we allow foreign enemies to invade us?"

His calm and powerful words calmed the panicked hearts of many diners.

Everyone looked at each other and nodded slightly, and the tense atmosphere in Zuixianlou eased a little.

The messenger rushed all the way and finally rushed into the palace hall. His clothes were already soaked with sweat and his face was covered with dust.

He didn't bother to wipe it off, and fell to his knees with a thud, shouting, "Report!"

The voice echoed in the hall, revealing a sense of urgency and tension.

Li Shimin was sitting on the dragon throne, reviewing memorials. When he heard the word "report", the pen in his hand suddenly stopped and his brows frowned slightly.

He looked at the messenger sharply and asked calmly and majestically, "What's the matter? Why are you so flustered? Tell me quickly."

The messenger hurriedly presented the letter with both hands, his voice slightly breathless, "Your Majesty, urgent news has arrived from the border. Someone from Goryeo has come to the Tang military camp and openly challenged us, threatening to attack us."

"General Cheng and General Li have both returned to the Imperial Palace to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. Although the soldiers are fully prepared, without their commander, I'm afraid the situation will be very difficult. Your Majesty, please make a decision quickly!"

Li Shimin's face darkened. He took the letter and read it quickly, with anger gradually welling up in his eyes.

He slammed the letter onto the table, stood up suddenly, and paced back and forth, muttering, "Hmph, that Goryeo has such audacity to invade the border of the Tang Dynasty. Do they really think I'm easy to bully?"

Li Shimin's brows were furrowed, his eyes still filled with lingering anger. However, he quickly took a deep breath, tried to calm his emotions, waved to the messenger, and said in a deep voice, "Withdraw."

The messenger felt relieved and bowed respectfully, saying, "Yes, Your Majesty."

Then he slowly stood up and walked backwards out of the hall, trying to make his steps as light as possible for fear of disturbing the emperor again.

After walking out of the hall, the messenger breathed a sigh of relief, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and stood outside the hall waiting for further instructions.

In the main hall, Li Shimin sat back on the dragon throne, supported his forehead with his hands, and fell into deep thought.

The ministers looked at each other, no one dared to speak first. The whole hall was so quiet that one could almost hear each other's breathing.

After a long while, Li Shimin slowly raised his head and swept his eyes over the ministers one by one, his eyes revealing majesty and determination.

He finally broke the silence and said, "My dear ministers, do you have any good plans for dealing with the invasion of Goryeo?"

The ministers finally came to their senses and stepped forward, starting to discuss how to deal with the border crisis.

Everyone knew that this matter concerned the safety of the Tang Dynasty and dared not slack off in the slightest. The atmosphere in the entire hall became tense and solemn again.

"This Goryeo is so bold!" Li Shimin slammed the armrest of the dragon throne with his eyes wide open in anger.

The voice echoed in the empty hall, shocking everyone.

"Yes, yes, your majesty, what Goryeo did this time is really too much." A minister stepped forward, his face filled with indignation.

"They openly sent people to our Tang army camp to provoke us, showing no regard for our Tang. We will never tolerate such humiliation."

Other ministers also echoed this, and for a while the hall was buzzing with discussions.

However, a slightly deep voice soon broke this brief excitement: "But Your Majesty, there is nothing we can do now."

The speaker was an old minister, his brows were furrowed and his face was full of worry.

As soon as these words were spoken, the hall fell silent and everyone's eyes turned to him.

The old official continued, "General Cheng Yaojin and General Li Jing are both in the capital right now. Water from far away cannot quench a nearby fire."

"And the troops on the border are leaderless. Even if their morale is good, facing a possible large-scale attack without a commander in chief is extremely dangerous. If we act rashly, we might fall into Goryeo's trap."

Li Shimin frowned even deeper, as he knew very well that what the old minister said was true.

He looked at the Minister of War and asked, "Does the Ministry of War have a suitable candidate who can immediately go to the border to take charge of the situation?"

The Minister of War hurried out and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Your Majesty, while there are talented generals in the court, few are as familiar with the border situation as Generals Cheng and Li. Furthermore, time is of the essence. Finding the right people and rushing them to the border in a short period of time will be extremely difficult."

At this time, a young general stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I am willing to go! Although I am not talented, I am well-versed in military books. I am willing to share your worries and lead the army to fight the enemy."

Li Shimin shook his head slightly. "I am very pleased that you have such intentions. However, matters on the border require more than courage alone. Since Goryeo dares to provoke me, they must have made preparations. I cannot allow you to rashly go and take risks."

The court fell silent again, and the atmosphere was so oppressive that it was suffocating.

The Minister of Revenue stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, in addition to military response, we also need to consider food and supplies. If a war breaks out on the border, logistical supplies must keep up."

"But now that the autumn harvest has just passed, although there are grain reserves in various granaries, they still need to be properly arranged to supply a possible war to avoid any worries."

Li Shimin nodded and said, "The Ministry of Revenue is absolutely right. I will leave it to you to make the necessary preparations and ensure that there is sufficient food and fodder."

He stood up and paced around the hall, thinking about what to do.

"What is the purpose of Goryeo's provocation this time? Are they really going to start a war, or are they bluffing in an attempt to gain other benefits?" Li Shimin muttered to himself.

A counselor stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I believe that Goryeo may be trying to test the strength of the Tang Dynasty. Now that the two generals have returned to the capital during the Mid-Autumn Festival, they may see an opportunity."

"On the one hand, we might as well strengthen our border defenses to force them to retreat; on the other hand, we should quickly summon Generals Cheng and Li back to the palace to discuss and formulate a response plan as soon as possible."

Li Shimin stopped and said, "This plan is feasible. Pass on my order and order Cheng Yaojin and Li Jing to enter the palace immediately."

"At the same time, order border troops to closely monitor Goryeo's movements, reinforce their defenses, and refrain from any rash actions. Report any further movements from Goryeo immediately."

"Yes, your Majesty!" the ministers responded in unison.

Li Shimin frowned, pinched his eyebrows with his hand, his eyes full of solemnity.

The provocation of Goryeo is a tricky matter and we must be extremely cautious to ensure the stability of the Tang Dynasty.