Chaos of the Three Kingdoms Summons

Chapter 2686 The Jin Emperor's Piece of Rice: Big and Round

The next day, early in the morning, Prince Li An of Jin, having received the imperial decree, arrived early to wait.

Of course, although he fought until midnight last night, Li Xiang still got up early at this time.

Over the years, it has become an almost instinctive habit for him.

Compared to the Crown Prince, the Prince of Jin had less gentleness in his features, but more heroic spirit and a touch of the unique arrogance of the imperial family.

"Fourth brother!" Li Xiang said gently.

"I have decided to launch a distant expedition against the Kushan Empire, a journey of thousands of miles across the sea, fraught with peril. If I were to have you accompany me, would you be afraid?"

Li Xiang could spend almost an entire afternoon asking the Crown Prince about his views on the battle and his ideas for solving some of the problems.

However, the situation was completely different for the Prince of Jin.

The crown prince is a ruler, even if he is not yet the true ruler, but merely the heir apparent. As a ruler, he needs the ability to grasp the direction and trajectory of the nation.

But the Prince of Jin was different; he was merely a subject!
Even though he was the emperor's son, he was still a subject in front of the emperor and the crown prince.

For ministers, when a matter becomes a decision, their responsibility is only to do it well. At most, they are given the right to make suggestions, but not the right to make decisions.

Upon hearing Li Xiang's voice, Li An's eyes lit up, and he straightened his chest, his voice booming: "Father! Your son has practiced martial arts since childhood, hoping to expand the country's territory and die on the battlefield!"

"What is there to fear from a mere sea route? I will surely lead the soldiers of Great Jin to fight bravely against the enemy and display the might of Great Jin!"

His eyes gleamed with a desire for military merit; after all, his father had risen to power through the army.

"Good! You have ambition! You are indeed worthy of being my son!"

Li Xiang nodded approvingly, then changed the subject, saying with a hint of earnestness, "In this southern expedition, Minister Bai will still be the leading general. Your father-in-law is one of the most capable generals in our dynasty!"

"You lad, you absolutely must learn more about leading troops and fighting battles from your father-in-law!"

"In war, bravery alone is not enough. A general needs to be responsible, but even more so, he needs to have a broad vision."

"Fourth brother, come here." Li Xiang's voice changed, but it was steady, yet carried an indescribable weight.

Prince Li An of Jin followed the instructions and stood beside the map, his gaze focusing on the crimson expanse.

Li Xiang's gaze fell heavily on the area prominently marked with vermilion, the southern Kushan region, the Indus River plain, and its winding coastline.

He pointed his finger heavily onto that land that symbolized wealth and strategic importance.

“Look closely here,” Li Xiang’s finger slowly traced the winding rivers and dense port markings on the map, “South of the Kushan Empire, a thousand miles of fertile land, rice harvested three times a year! Both banks of the great river are full of fertile fields!”

"Furthermore, it possesses a natural deep harbor, guarding the vital sea route to the prosperous lands of the West! Its wealth far surpasses that of a single province in the Central Plains! Its status is crucial to the fate of our Great Jin Dynasty for the next century!"

As Li An listened, he involuntarily held his breath slightly. He knew, of course, that this place was important. After all, with increasing exchanges with that side, everyone in the court was well aware that a vast empire also existed there—a fertile land and a civilization that had reached a certain level of development.

In this respect, Southeast Asia's productivity at that time was insignificant compared to that of the Kushan Empire.

However, although he knew the importance of this place, the fact that his father emphasized its value made the vague ambition in his heart suddenly ignite like a spark.

Turning around, Li Xiang's gaze sharpened, locking onto his son Li Xiaosi's young and eager face. His words were clear and resolute:

"Fourth Prince, I insist that you accompany the army on this expedition. Do you think it's just to give you some experience on the battlefield and teach you a few basic skills?"

Li Xiang shook his head slightly, a deep smile curving his lips. "No! I want you, my most valued son, to personally build this empire! For yourself! Build this empire!"

“Established… a foundation?” Li An’s heart skipped a beat. The enormous shock made his pupils shrink, and he could hardly believe his ears.

"Excellent!" Li Xiang declared decisively, no longer concealing his intentions, offering an allure powerful enough to ignite the bloodline of any prince:

"If this battle is successful, the southern part of Kushan will surely be incorporated into the territory of our Great Jin! However, this place is far across the ocean, and the customs are very different. Only a prince who is brave and decisive, has the blood of the imperial family, and is deeply trusted by me can be stationed here to pacify the people, intimidate the land, and serve as a permanent bulwark to protect the sea frontier!"

He stepped forward, his gaze intense, carrying an undeniable commitment.

"I promise you today that if you follow the army in this battle, lead from the front, and achieve great merit, helping the royal army to successfully seize and firmly control the southern lands of Kushan, then upon your triumphant return, I will bestow upon you the title of King of Kushan!"

Li Xiang's finger landed heavily once again on the vast landmass on the map.

"With this Indus River Plain as its center, I will carve out the fertile southern lands of the Kushan Empire for you as a hereditary fiefdom! Fourth Prince, from now on, you will be the first king of our Great Jin Dynasty, a fiefdom spanning thousands of miles of sea! This land will be the foundation of your future!"

"Kushan King? Hereditary fiefdom?!" Li An was struck as if by a heavy blow, and immense joy and ambition instantly swept over him!

Being crowned a king! That's nothing!
For the emperor's son, being granted the title of king is the bare minimum; it would be strange if he weren't!

He was already a king, and he used the name of his kingdom as his royal title, as well as the title of his father's former king.

The title of Prince of Jin made him the center of attention from a young age, even surpassing that of the Crown Prince.

However, a true fiefdom means that he will have full military and political power in his own hands! This means that he will no longer be an ordinary prince in Luoyang, but a regional lord who controls a vast territory and has the power of life and death!
The idea of ​​hereditary succession, passed down through generations, was too tempting for even the fourth son to resist!

They were both enfeoffed as kings who became regional lords, but if his father could truly deliver on all the promises he made, then all the kings of Southeast Asia combined couldn't compare to them.

The reason is simple: the Kushan Empire has already matured in all aspects, but Southeast Asia is still in the development stage. In the early stages, it requires a lot of investment from the kings, who must constantly nurture it with their blood and sweat, before they can reap the rewards later.

The Kushan Empire, once taken over, could easily win over the hearts of the people and, after a few years of development to heal the wounds of war, directly form a formidable force.

The most obvious difference is that the population of these two places is incomparable.

Southeast Asia combined has only a little over a million people left, and there are already eight kings.

What about the Kushan Empire? It's said this empire has tens of millions of people; if that became his fiefdom…