My long illness will soon claim me, beyond even heaven's saving. Yet three questions still puzzle me. First, …
My long illness will soon claim me, beyond even heaven's saving. Yet three questions still puzzle me.
First, to my uncle. In youth, you mastered the military canon and grasped the essence of tactics. By reading the stars, you foresaw that Tubo Kingdom's fortune was waning. You vowed to return to the homeland with unwavering resolve. When my father died, you gave yourself to the throne. They kept you there until the end and buried you far from home. All you left me were these words: "My moment would come, but I would not live to see it.“ You knew all along, and still you submitted?
Second, to my Emperor. In our hearts we upheld the Tang. Yet, our devotion and loyalty went unseen. My only regret is that the war is not yet won. Fate failed me, and men betrayed me. But why must the knife in the back come from my own kin?!
Third, to myself. Oghuz have devoured me, traitors have betrayed me, the Tang have abandoned me... What sin did I commit to deserve this?
I am innocent, and an innocent man does not submit!