After Marrying a Vegetative Princess, I went crazy with joy! - Chapter 131

Chapter 131

Li Er left the Princess Mansion in a gloomy mood. He once again felt Su Li’s stubbornness and difficulty.

To be fair, what Li Er told Su Li about the king with a different surname wasn’t a deception. He truly intended to offer Su Li this royal position. However, Su Li’s intuition wasn’t wrong.

Merely subduing Tubo wouldn’t warrant an immediate title from a different lineage. Even accomplished generals like Li Jing were only granted ducal titles, not kingships.

Su Li’s victory over Tubo was significant, but it wasn’t a crisis-threatening war for the Tang Dynasty. Expecting a title from a different lineage based on this limited achievement was far-fetched.

Li Er believed that young people should have ambitious goals to strive for. While Li Er imagined Su Li becoming a great overlord like Chu, he wouldn’t extend this opportunity to anyone.

Li Er had deep affection and high hopes for Su Li, but his favoritism was unique.

Li Er believed that if anyone achieved the extraordinary feat he envisioned, he would consider giving them immense glory.

However, he wouldn’t extend this opportunity to others. Li Jing might be a skilled warrior, but he wouldn’t let him take the lead in battles.

Li Er believed Su Li was different. He wanted Su Li to participate in all wars. His goal was to involve Su Li in battles to secure his own triumphs. He felt that giving Su Li the title of a king with a different surname was a reward for his loyalty.

Li Er thought that Su Li’s skills and relationship with him made this arrangement possible. He was willing to wait until Su Li grew older and his achievements accumulated before granting the title. He contemplated that even if Su Li died, posthumous titles were an option.

In Li Er’s eyes, this was already an extraordinary honor. But Su Li remained silent, frustrating Li Er and making him feel unappreciated.

This situation left Li Er feeling helpless and puzzled by Su Li’s attitude. He reflected on his own past and saw a contrast in the younger generation’s mindset.

Li Er found solace in imagining taking action with Su Li’s sharp blade. But even with the perfect opponent in mind, the sharp blade didn’t respond as expected.

Su Li remained unmoved even by the promise of a noble title. Holding Su Li’s potential in his hands, Li Er desired to eliminate an enemy to lift his spirits. He had chosen his opponent, but the sharp blade was still sheathed when he looked back.

Despite promising a royal title, Li Er couldn’t sway Su Li. Li Er had no choice but to consider another approach.

After a few more days, Su Li suddenly received an invitation from Li Er. He mentioned that he would be hosting a banquet in the Forest Garden, attended by comrades from the military. He hoped that Su Li would also attend.

Given the formal invitation from his father-in-law, Su Li found it hard to refuse to attend the event. As the sunset, Su Li arrived at the Forest Garden and followed a servant to a grand hall designated for banquets.

Before entering the hall, he heard a raucous noise from inside, indicating a lively atmosphere. Upon pushing the door open, Su Li was momentarily shocked.

A dozen or so people were in high spirits inside the hall, all familiar old generals.

Li Jing, Qin Qiong, Cheng Yaojin, Wei Chigong, and Li Daozong were among them. Dressed casually and holding wine glasses, they were in high spirits, laughing, cursing, and devoid of the typical demeanor of high-ranking officers.

Cheng Yaojin and Wei Chigong were wrestling bare-chested, with others cheering them on. Li Er was also among the crowd, boisterously shouting and drinking.

Seeing Su Li enter, Li Jing waved him over to join.

“A few days ago, His Majesty promised to grant you a royal title?” Li Jing asked straightforwardly.

Su Li smirked and replied, “Can’t you see that Your Majesty is trying to set a trap for me?”

Li Jing widened his eyes and said, “Kid, watch your words! His Majesty has never made unfounded claims about such matters!”

As a respected figure, Li Jing was well-informed about this issue. Over the years, Li Er’s suspicion of him had never been eliminated. However, Li Er always acted when it came to rewarding or punishing Li Jing.

Li Er could be said to have the most authority in deciding this matter. His suspicion of Su Li was something Li Jing could understand.

In these circumstances, Li Er wouldn’t act without careful consideration. Seeing Su Li’s entrance, the noisy crowd gradually quieted down. Li Er specifically organized this banquet to gauge Su Li’s reaction.

Li Er felt that perhaps Su Li was somewhat distant from him, and involving these casual veteran generals might yield results. At this moment, everyone stopped their activities and turned their attention to Su Li.

Su Li sighed and turned directly to Li Er, saying, “Your Majesty, I do plan to set out for a campaign…”

His straightforward response brought smiles to the faces of everyone present.

“Haha, I’ve always said that the Right Martial Guards have no timid generals!” Cheng Yaojin exclaimed at this point.

At this moment, Su Li continued to speak.

“Your Majesty, if I can pacify the northwestern part of the Great Tang Dynasty, including the Nine Surnames of Tiele, the Onion Ridge, the Western Turkestan, the Huihe, and the Tubo, in a single battle, can I be granted the title of the King with a Different Surname?”

What?

Li Er was somewhat puzzled.

The amount of information in Su Li’s words was so large that it took him a while to fully comprehend. The reactions of the others were similar to Li Er’s.

After a while, they finally grasped the meaning behind Su Li’s words.

So, Su Li intended to clear out all threats in the northwestern part of the Great Tang in one go?

He hesitated to respond because he thought dealing with just Tubo was beneath him. But how was that even possible?

The nations Su Li mentioned were powerful neighboring states and ethnic groups around the Tang Dynasty. The Tang Dynasty’s territorial expansion in the Western Regions alone would span thousands of miles if they could truly conquer them.

And the fertile northern pastures would also fall under the Tang Dynasty’s domain. Li Er had dreamed of such accomplishments countless times, but he recognized the stark reality each time he woke up. Such a feat might require a lifetime of effort and still not be achievable.

Only now did Li Er understand why Su Li initially asked for the Great Tang Opinion Map.

But what gave him the confidence to make such a claim?

The gaze of the surrounding generals all turned towards Li Er.

Li Er hadn’t anticipated that the words he had used a few days ago to motivate Su Li would be thrown back at him like this.