We have fought to the Arctic Circle, and you want me to inherit the throne?

Chapter 1163 Come and be my subject!

The letter presented by Chisang Yangdon was embroidered with gold thread, making it luxurious and formal.

The text above was written in both Tibetan and Xia languages, and the wording was extremely humble.

The Tibetan invasion to the east was entirely attributed to treacherous officials within the country who had misled the emperor.

The king, who had been bullied in his youth, has now come to his senses and is willing to relinquish his title and become a vassal state of Daqing forever, paying tribute every year and offering countless cattle, sheep, gold, silver, and treasures.

He knelt on the ground, his forehead touching the earth, and his words were even more obsequious.

Li Che was likened to a celestial being illuminating a snow-capped mountain, and the Qing army was depicted as a royal army that brought peace to the people and punished the guilty.

Li Che leaned back in a bearskin-covered armchair, his gaze sweeping over the incessant chatter of Chi Sang Yangdun and the glittering gift boxes.

He wasn't interested in any of these things.

What truly interested him was Lu Dongzan, who had been standing silently to the side.

Li Che tapped the chair handle lightly with his fingers. Apart from Chi Sang Yangdun's slightly high-pitched voice, the only other sound in the tent was the monotonous tapping.

The blows, one after another, made the hearts of the Tibetan nobles who had come with Chisang Yangdun flutter with unease.

After Chisang Yangdun finally finished speaking, a brief silence fell over the tent.

Li Che seemed to have just come to his senses, and slowly opened his mouth, but his words were not directed at Chisang Yangdun, who was prostrate on the ground.

"Lu Dongzan".

Li Che smiled and said, "It's been a long time."

Lu Dongzan raised his eyes. The young prince who once showed his brilliance at the grand ceremony in the capital was now an emperor who controlled a vast territory and commanded hundreds of thousands of iron cavalry.

The years have not changed the young emperor's appearance in the slightest; he remains as heroic as ever.

But the things in those eyes were even more profound, like a frozen lake with undercurrents surging beneath that surface, capable of swallowing everything.

Lu Dongzan quickly cupped his hands, maintaining the etiquette of a subject to his monarch: "It has been many years since we last met. Your Majesty's demeanor is even more magnificent, your power extends throughout the land, and all nations submit to you."

"This humble servant is now very old and has no time to look back."

He paused, then gave a bitter laugh: "Back when His Majesty was still the Prince of Feng, he once said, with the fierce spirit of the Feng Army, that if any foreign ministers made a mistake, he would surely send troops to the plateau one day."

"But little did we expect that our jest would become a self-fulfilling prophecy."

At this moment, Lu Dongzan offered no explanation, no resentment, and no anger.

He simply stood there, acknowledging defeat and accepting the consequences.

The arrogance that belonged to the great Tubo scholar had been completely worn away by successive defeats.

He accepted his fate.

"Old?" Li Che shook his head slightly, as if he had heard something interesting. "I remember you're only in your early forties, right? That's the prime of your life, the time to strive and make a difference."

Upon hearing this, Chisang Yangdun's prostrate body stiffened instantly, and the Tibetan nobles who had come with him quickly exchanged glances.

What does Emperor Qing mean by these words?

Is it mockery, or is there something else at play?

In contrast, Lu Dongzan, though he had doubts, remained calm.

Li Che's gaze remained fixed on him, seemingly oblivious to the reactions of Chi Sang Yangdun and the others.

"Your humble servant dares not," Lu Dongzan said, bowing again. "I have failed in my command of the troops, causing them to fight against Your Majesty's army, resulting in the deaths of soldiers on both sides and the loss of territory. This is a grave crime."

"This humble subject is willing to bear the consequences himself; whether you kill or torture him is entirely up to you."

"Now that Your Majesty has displayed your thunderous power, please be merciful and forgiving, and do not take your anger out on the ordinary Tibetan people. They are merely following orders and have no power to act independently."

The smile on Li Che's face faded, replaced by a mocking expression: "I don't understand what you're saying."

"I ask you, along this journey, have my troops slaughtered Tibetan villages? Have they driven away herders?"

Lu Dongzan looked troubled.

Of course not. In fact, what shocked Lu Dongzan the most in this battle was the fighting power of the Qing army, and the second most shocking thing was the discipline of the Qing army.

How does an army that forbids its soldiers from looting maintain such high morale?

"Not only that! When the Qing army encountered hunger and cold, they opened their granaries to distribute food and provided medical treatment. On the contrary, it was you Tibetans who..."

His gaze was sharp as a knife, sweeping over Chisang Yangdun and the others, before finally fixing on Lu Dongzan's face: "The Tibetan chieftains and nobles exploit and oppress their people, perhaps ten or a hundred times more cruelly than my enemy army."

“You build your own high platform with the blood and flesh of slaves, and water your own gardens with the fat of your subjects. Humph... You should think about how to treat your own people better.”

"Lu Dongzan, can't you see these things?"

"Or did you see it, but still let them do as they pleased?"

Lu Dongzan's Adam's apple bobbed, and he silently lowered his head.

How could he not know? He knew it all too well!

The rise of Tibet was two sides of the same coin: external plunder and internal exploitation.

The support of the aristocratic class is the cornerstone of the regime's military power, and what sustains this cornerstone is the continuous upward flow of resources from ordinary people.

He once thought this was the only way to become a strong nation, the fangs of a tiger.

In retrospect, these fangs have ultimately gnawed at the very earth upon which they stand.

Lu Dongzan had no words to refute and could only lower his head and remain silent.

Li Che looked at his graying head, and after a moment seemed to find it boring, slightly suppressing the sharpness in his eyes.

"Alright, let's put the past aside for now."

"Lu Dongzan, do you know why I specifically wanted to see you today?"

Lu Dongzan raised his head, his eyes showing even deeper weariness: "Your Majesty simply wants to see the disheveled state of a defeated general and to personally determine the guilt of an official."

“Your subject has said that he is willing to accept it.”

“Nonsense.” Li Che scoffed, leaning back in his chair. “Your crimes will be judged by the Tibetan king.”

"He's quite adept at this power struggle: seizing power, imprisoning, purging his cronies..."

"Now that you're in Tibet, you probably don't even have a place to stand, do you?"

"How can a stray dog ​​be expected to admit guilt?"

These words left Lu Dongzan utterly humiliated; his cheek muscles twitched slightly, and his lips pressed into a pale, straight line.

Li Che took in his reaction, paused for a moment, and then suddenly threw out a shocking question.

"Well?" He slightly raised his chin. "Since there is no place for you in Tibet... Gar Tongtsen, come and become my subject!"

A moment of silence fell over the tent, then was shattered by Chisang Yangdun's terrified cry: "Your Majesty! No!"

The shout was so frantic and sharp that it caused many of the generals inside the tent to frown.

Li Che's gaze suddenly shifted to him, showing no anger, but simply looking at him calmly: "What, do you have a problem with that?"

Although Li Che's tone was not sharp, it made Chi Sang Yangdun feel as if he had been doused with ice water, and he suddenly shivered.

He still forced himself to say, "Your Majesty is wise! Gar Tongtsen is the culprit behind this war between our two countries. The Zanpu (Tibetan King) is a man of great righteousness. He has brought Gar Tongtsen before Your Majesty to show his sincerity in never committing such a crime again and in seeking eternal peace!"

"If Your Majesty takes in this barbarian, it will discourage the Zanpu from seeking sincerity and also damage Your Majesty's virtue of rewarding and punishing according to the principles of a celestial empire!"

Although the king did not explicitly state his intentions during this visit, Chisang Yangdun had his own plans.

Lu Dongzan is a troublesome matter. It would be best to use Emperor Qing to either kill or imprison him, thus eliminating any future threat.

If Lu Dongzan were to be employed by Emperor Qing instead, wouldn't all of his plans fall through?

What's even more frightening is what will happen to Tibet if Gar Tongtsen gains power in Daqing.

After hearing his words, Li Che lightly tapped the armrest with his finger: "Your Zanpu gave him to me, didn't he?"

“Yes…that’s right!” Chisang Yangdun quickly replied.

"Since he has been given to me," Li Che narrowed his eyes slightly, "whether he lives or dies, whether he is used or discarded, is my business."

"Do I need to explain to your king, or to you, how I decide to deal with this?!"

“This…” Chisang Yangdun was speechless, his face turned red, his lips trembled, but he dared not utter another word.

He suddenly realized that the emperor in front of him didn't care about the king's feelings at all.

The emperor was an insurmountable mountain in his eyes, but in the emperor's eyes, he was nothing.

Li Che stopped looking at him and turned his gaze back to Lu Dongzan's face.

Lu Dongzan was also looking at him, his eyes, which had once been full of ambition and calculation, were now filled with astonishment.

He could tell from Li Che's eyes that this was not a test or an insult.

This young Emperor Qing was serious.

“Don’t think I’m joking.” Li Che looked at him seriously. “Perhaps you could say that this is the first condition for both sides to continue negotiations.”

“Lu Dongzan, only if you surrender to me can we talk.”

"If you insist on being a blindly loyal subject and filial son..." Li Che's tone became indifferent, "then there is nothing more for our two countries to talk about. Whether you go back to Lhasa to die or stay here to die, I don't care."

"As for Tibet, let it rot and fester under the Qing army's blockade. I only have to spend a little more money, but I can get rid of a major threat in the northwest. It's worth it!"

Lu Dongzan and the others suddenly felt immense pressure, as Emperor Qing gave them no room for maneuver.

The knife is in someone else's hand, and the positions of the knife and the chopping board and the fish and meat are clearly defined.

Lu Dongzan closed his eyes, forcing himself to calm down.

He knew that Li Che must have something in mind, but he couldn't figure out exactly what it was.

But at this moment, he had nowhere to stand in Lhasa, his family's fate was in the hands of the Zanpu, and he himself was a prisoner...

What can I rely on? What can I lose?

When he opened his eyes again, the last trace of struggle on his face had faded.

Lu Dongzan straightened his already neatly pressed robe sleeves, took a half step back, and then slowly bowed down to Li Che.

"Your subject...Lu Dongzan."

"I am willing to surrender to Your Majesty and serve Daqing faithfully. In this life, I will never have any other intentions."

"it is good!"

Li Che stood up from his chair, a cheer escaping his lips, his smile radiant and genuine, without the slightest hint of pretense.

He even took two quick steps forward and personally offered a helping hand, exclaiming, "Excellent! Well done, Lu Dongzan! He understands the times and the big picture!"

"You'll stay here today. I'll host a banquet later and we'll have a few drinks and a good chat! Haha!"

"By the way, you don't need to worry about your family either. I'll send someone to fetch them right away."

His undisguised excitement and high regard for the person inside the tent took everyone by surprise.

Especially Lu Dongzan, who straightened up and looked at Li Che's undisguised joy, his surprise made him ask:

"Your Majesty... I am ultimately a Tibetan, and I once fought against the royal army. Your Majesty still treats me so kindly. I am humbled."

"What about the Tibetans?" Li Che waved his hand dismissively. "I have warriors from the Mohe, civil officials from Goryeo, generals from the Khitan, and even generals from the Portuguese overseas."

"If they are willing to serve me, I will grant them a future."

"Within the four seas, all land belongs to the king; on the shores of the land, all people are subjects of the king."

"In my heart, I only distinguish between 'capable ministers' and 'mediocre talents,' I have never distinguished between Tibetans and Qing people?"