Chapter 136:

Chapter 136:

Lu Dongzan was acquainted with Su Li. He greatly admired the sophistication of Central Plains culture, excelling in the six noble arts. This Tubo figure was a true all-rounder. Poetry was certainly among his interests.

During the months since descending from the plateau, Lu Dongzan read nearly all available books in Song Zhou City. His favorite was Su Lis poetry collection. Even though it had been a while since Su Lis hundred poems were composed during a wine-fueled night, it was still well-regarded in the Tang Dynasty.

Whenever Lu Dongzan bought books, he would hear people discussing it, naturally fostering his admiration for Su Lis talent. He read all of Su Lis poems and even memorized many of them. Lu Dongzan could be considered a fan of Su Li. He acknowledged that Su Lis poems were impressive.

But what did poetry have to do with warfare?

Li Er, as an impending emperor, should understand this, right?

Sending a Poet Sage to fight Tubo was disrespectful and humiliating.

How can I coexist with the Tang Dynasty? What do you say, uncle? Songtsan Gampos expression turned dark as he looked at Lu Dongzan, speaking with malice.

Lu Dongzan shook his head and said, If the Tang emperor wants to fight, lets fight first.

Wasnt the Tang emperor supposed to be a wise ruler? How could they make such an error?

Lu Dongzan could only think of one explanation. Perhaps Li Er didnt want to fight but faced immense internal resistance preventing him from directly agreeing to a marriage alliance. Hence, he sent a Poet Sage to fight, hoping for a quiet conflict with Tubo.

This scenario didnt seem implausible. However, Li Er surely overthought it!

Their disagreement resulted from a previous incident when Songtsan Gampo moved to the military camps. Nonetheless, it was for Lu Dongzans benefit as well.

Lu Dongzan had been engaged in warfare year-round, and he had a hidden ailment in his legs and feet that became extremely painful in rainy weather. Songtsan Gampo moved the military camps simply to make Lu Dongzan more comfortable. The two of them were like family members having a minor disagreement.

Preparation, of course, needs to be done in advance. I feel that the purpose of the Tang armys visit isnt as simple as it seems. Zanpu, how do you think we can ensure success without any doubt? Lu Dongzans serious expression prompted the question, causing Songtsan Gampo to start pondering immediately.

Facing 50,000 Tang soldiers didnt seem challenging to him. However, he was well aware of the cunning nature of the Tang people. Who knew what tricks they might employ? Despite his arrogance, Songtsan Gampo couldnt completely dismiss the gravity of the situation.

Planning for failure before even winning and considering a retreat might seem unproductive, but the turning point in history often hinges on just that mentality. A simple shift in mindset could have altered many long-lasting grudges.

For instance, if Xiang Yu, the King of Western Chu, had prepared for possible defeat when he rose to power, he might not have met his tragic end on the banks of the Wu River. Similarly, Zhuge Liangs careful prearrangement before his death allowed the often-misunderstood Liu Shan to rule as emperor for decades.

Lu Dongzan often shared these stories with Songtsan Gampo. When Lu Dongzan started speaking, Songtsan Gampo knew what he would ask.

Songtsan Gampo considered it for a moment and concluded that defeating the Tang army head-on didnt seem too difficult. The reason was straightforward the Tibetan army of 200,000 soldiers primarily consisted of skilled horse archers. How could they not defeat the Tang army?

But what if they couldnt defeat them

At this thought, an idea suddenly struck Songtsan Gampos mind.

Why dont I send a letter in advance and seek an alliance with the Nine Surnames of the Tiele and other tribes?

The words slipped out in a rush.