Northern Dynasties

Chapter 1370 We Are Successful
In Qin County, Jiangbei, a large number of people had been gathering and waiting outside the city since early morning. It was not until the afternoon that a grand and majestic team appeared on the north road of the city and slowly walked towards Qin County City.

"Your subordinates welcome the angel!"

Upon seeing this, the group of disciples who had been waiting outside the city for a long time came forward and lined up on the left side of the road to greet him.

However, the team did not stop in the north, but bypassed Qinjun City and came to the bank of the river in the south. Not long after, Xiao Zhao, wearing a Southern Dynasty hat and belt, walked out of the team.

He walked to the riverside, looked up to the sky and southward, his sight passed through the vast river, and he burst into tears before he opened his mouth. The Qin County disciples followed him all the way here, and because they knew who Xiao Zhao was, they could understand his behavior and stood quietly by his side without disturbing him.

"I never expected that I could return to Jiangnan in this life!"

After a long while, Xiao Zhao bowed to the south of the Yangtze River, then slowly stood up, turned around and looked back at the Qinjun disciples who had been waiting on the side, and said with a sigh: "My lord is so benevolent that the remnants of the Liang family like me can still be used and returned. You Jiangzuo disciples can go!"

"We have long been thirsty and waiting. Now that the angel has arrived, we are grateful for God's will!"

After hearing this, all the officials of the Southern Chen in Qin County bowed in response.

Compared with general wars of annihilation, the Tang Dynasty's means of conquering the Southern Chen were much gentler, step-by-step and had been prepared for a long time. Although it was inevitably accompanied by war, it was mainly aimed at the diehards within the Southern Chen who refused to unify the North and the South. However, those who did not oppose the unification of the North and the South, or at least did not strongly oppose it, were basically not attacked or harmed.

The previous series of wars had allowed the Tang Dynasty to actually control the entire Jiangdong region, but it still retained the Southern Chen court. Regardless of its purpose, this attitude could be described as very mild.

Even when Chen Chang and his ministers were summoned to Chang'an this time, Xiao Zhao, a member of the Southern Liang royal family, was sent as an envoy. Of course, this was also to tell these people that as long as they cooperated, they would not be punished or harmed when they came to the capital this time, and even their official titles and glory would be continued.

After such a long period of self-digestion, the rulers and ministers of the Southern Chen Dynasty have long realized that the unification of the world is an irreversible trend, and they do not have much resistance to this in their hearts. Some of them even secretly hope that this day will come sooner so that the situation can progress to the next step as soon as possible and everyone can strive for and embrace the good changes in the situation.

Xiao Zhao's arrival this time was highly anticipated. Although many people from Jiangdong had fled north to Guanzhong before, most of them stayed in Jiangdong to wait and see how the situation changed. When Xiao Zhao came south, the people in Jiangdong, both in the government and in the opposition, all paid close attention to him.

Chen Chang, the Lord of Chen, also welcomed Xiao Zhao's arrival in the city and entertained him. The relationship between them was somewhat subtle. Chen Chang's father, Chen Baxian, was originally a minister of Southern Liang, but he usurped Liang and established the Chen Dynasty. Therefore, in Xiao Zhao's eyes, Chen Chang was undoubtedly a traitor.

However, Chen Baxian usurped the throne from the son of Emperor Yuan of Liang, Xiao Yi. The hatred between Xiao Zhao and Xiao Yi was very deep, even exceeding the basic family-country stance. He also made a great effort to destroy the Jiangling regime. From this perspective, there was no need for him to blame Chen Baxian for usurping the throne.

Especially now that he is the prime minister and imperial envoy of the Tang Dynasty, he is here on behalf of the court to summon the Chen Lord to the court, which can be regarded as personally destroying the Southern Chen regime. In short, it is a messy account, and there is no clear enemy or friend position between the two sides. Therefore, during the meeting, Xiao Zhao only told Chen Chang about the various procedures and arrangements after summoning him to the court as the prime minister of the Tang Dynasty.

As for Chen Chang, he took this last opportunity to propose some conditions for himself and his family to the Tang envoy, trying his best to get greater preferential treatment.

The communication between the two sides went relatively smoothly. Since Xiao Zhao still had to wait for the passage of other personnel distributed throughout Jiangdong, and Chen Chang also had to take stock of the people accompanying him before leaving, the two sides agreed to set out north in half a month.

In addition to the ruler and ministers of Chen Chang, those who came to the court this time included Xu Du and others who had surrendered before, as well as a number of heroes who had returned home and made meritorious contributions in the war in Jiangdong, such as the family of Guangzhou Governor Ouyang He and Gaozhou Governor Feng Pu.

While waiting for these people to gather, Xiao Zhao was not idle. He led his people across the river to Jiankang to pay homage to the old city and pay homage to the tombs of his ancestors. This was not a private action, but an arrangement made by the court, and it was also a part of appeasing the people of Jiangdong.

Although it was the Southern Chen regime that ruled Jiangdong before, the Southern Chen regime actually only effectively controlled Jiangdong for a few years after Chen Baxian proclaimed himself emperor. After that, it fell into various internal and external troubles and disputes. Under the constraints of various internal and external factors in the past few years, Chen Chang, the ruler, had a very weak presence in the country.

So if we really have to say, the Southern Liang regime, which ruled for nearly half a century, had a more far-reaching influence in Jiangdong.

Although Emperor Wu of Liang did something big in his dying years, we have to admit that during his reign, the Southern Dynasties regime maintained social stability for a long period of time. He firmly controlled the government for more than 30 years by himself, and it was not until his death that various suppressed hidden dangers finally broke out.

Therefore, when Xiao Zhao returned to Jiangdong to pay homage to his ancestors' tombs, many old people from the Southern Liang Dynasty heard the news and rushed to witness this scene. Recalling the prosperity of Jiangzuo in the old days of the Southern Liang Dynasty, they could not help but burst into tears.

After the death of their father, the Xiao Zhao brothers had been excluded and suppressed by their uncles. Their grandfather Xiao Yan also acquiesced to this situation, so they had little emotion for the old events in Jiankang. So, when this group of old men gathered together, they once again publicized the imperial decree of the Tang Dynasty.

Soon, the relevant personnel gathered together, and they were about to set off for Chang'an. Although Chen Chang's presence in the country was not strong, he was the monarch who ruled Jiangdong after all, so before he left, many Southern Dynasty subjects came to see him off.

Chen Chang felt that as a king of a fallen country, he was unwilling to meet his followers, but after taking a look at Xiao Zhao who was traveling with him, he decided to show up and meet his subjects.

He encouraged himself in the car for a long time, then stood up and walked out. Looking at the people of Jiangdong who were isolated on both sides of the road by the Tang army, his eyes were a little wet for a moment. He took a deep breath and said in a trembling voice: "We Jiangdong elders love justice, but unfortunately we have encountered a mediocre ruler, so people's livelihood is not prosperous. But today, His Majesty the Supreme Emperor of the Tang Dynasty has mercy on us, and His Majesty the Great Tang Dynasty has crossed the river to govern, and Jiangdong politics will soon prosper! This mediocre man has let you down, and I will go to the court to apologize. Please don't worry about it. As long as the people are harmonious and the people's livelihood is prosperous, I will be satisfied!"

After saying this, he bowed to everyone around him, shed tears and said goodbye, then got on the carriage and left. Seeing this, the elders of Jiangdong also shed tears and bid farewell to their old master.

Needless to say, the journey was long overdue. When the time entered the twelfth lunar month, the group finally arrived in Chang'an. A grand welcome ceremony had already been prepared at Bashang, east of Chang'an City, with the prime minister leading all the officials to personally welcome them on behalf of the Supreme Emperor. If it was just Chen Chang and his group, there would not be a need for such a big show, mainly because there were a group of victorious warriors who had returned from the southern expedition.

Chen Chang had lived in Chang'an as a hostage for several years before, and he still had the same impression of Chang'an. However, when he revisited this time, he saw a city beyond his imagination and unprecedented grandeur. For a moment, he was surprised and widened his eyes with an expression of disbelief. At this time, in addition to the officials arranged by the court to welcome him, many people rushed to Chang'an City after hearing the news. When they saw the carriage of the King of Southern Chen in the team, they immediately raised their arms and shouted with pride: "The king's army is powerful and has destroyed a country! Capture the thief leader and toast to my supreme emperor!"

This cry naturally made the rulers and ministers of the Southern Chen Dynasty feel embarrassed and uneasy, but this was the privilege that the victor should have. The people's emotions were passionate and direct, and they were naturally excited and proud of the country's strong power.

After entering the city, the group of people went straight to the imperial city. Today, there was still a grand banquet in the Qianyuan Hall of the imperial city to welcome the triumphant heroes and the emperor and ministers of the Southern Chen Dynasty. When the crowd arrived outside the Qianyuan Hall, Emperor Li Tai, who had been waiting for a long time, also came to the hall, accompanied by the eldest son Li Jin and several other sons who were becoming more and more knowledgeable.

Soon, the crowd filed into the hall. The heroes were naturally beaming with joy and excitement. However, many people from the Southern Dynasty had never seen the current Supreme. They only heard about how unparalleled the Supreme was in rumors. They were more or less skeptical and thought that the praise was exaggerated. When they entered the hall today, they could not help but muster up the courage to peek into the hall.

Because there was no formal court meeting this night, the emperor did not wear formal robes and crowns, but only a ochre-yellow robe. His clothing was relatively simple, but his eyes were starry, his eyebrows were sharp, and his face was handsome. When he stood up from the imperial bed and looked down at the people entering the palace, he gave people an almost tangible sense of oppression.

Since it was not a formal ceremonial occasion, Li Tai was more casual.

His gaze first paused on Chen Chang, who was leading the Southern Dynasty's followers to the palace. After a slight nod, he turned his gaze to another team of triumphant warriors led by Li Xun. His expression suddenly became lively, and he looked at everyone with eyes full of satisfaction and joy.

"Today, I have been treating the people in the palace hard, and I have no intention of handling affairs. I have summoned all my followers to boast about my military achievements. However, these people only think that the generals and soldiers have achieved another achievement, but they don't know how great this achievement is! Since the Yongjia period of the Former Jin Dynasty, the Red County has been torn apart and the world has been in turmoil. At that time, the ancients may have said that it was a temporary disaster, but they did not expect that the disaster would last for more than several generations. How can the righteous people of China bear to cling to the remnants? But those who are ambitious and strong all take it as their responsibility to restore the country and rebuild the country! There are countless people with lofty ideals, and it is difficult to describe the blood, tears and setbacks!"

Li Tai took a deep breath and then said in a louder voice: "But today, we have succeeded! For thousands of years, I and you will have a seat together! The gap in the sky can be made up, the crack in the earth can be filled, and if this can be done, why can't it be done? The heaven and the earth are lucky to have met us during the long catastrophe. We are lucky to have full ambition and energy to create great achievements! You and the masses are not only the heroes of one day, but also the role models of our China for thousands of years. You can rebuild and achieve revival! If the sons of the future cannot surpass us, how can you call yourself a hero?"

As he spoke, he walked into the hall and took his son Li Jin to introduce the heroes in the hall one by one. At the same time, he said solemnly: "You will enjoy a prosperous era in the future, but don't think that the world should be like this. If it weren't for these people working together to fight and wipe out the enemies, how could there be peace? Building a family and defending a country is not a temporary thing, but a lifelong career. Be prepared for danger in times of peace, but always remember it as long as you are still alive!"

It is no wonder that Li Tai was so overjoyed, not only because he personally led the talented people of the Tang Dynasty to create a great feat that no one had been able to accomplish in hundreds of years, but also because he had the memory of future generations and was more aware of the significance of the re-unification of the world to the entire evolution of China.

It is precisely because of this unification and revival that from then on, although the entire Chinese nation has experienced decline and chaos, everyone, from the elderly to the youngest, has a deep belief that it will eventually rise and revive!
Seeing the Supreme so excited, all the heroes became more excited and proud. Even the ruler and ministers of the Southern Chen Dynasty were infected by this and felt that ending the rule of the Southern Dynasty would not be a bad thing. Clinging to the past would ultimately lead to little hope for a long-term future.

Considering the mood of the Southern Chen monarch and his ministers present, and the fact that Li Tai had already known about the details of the battle from the previous announcement of the meritorious service, he did not continue to ask the heroes for details of the battle, but just continued to reward them with wine.

Of course, he did not neglect the rulers and ministers of the Southern Dynasty. He raised his glass and said to Chen Chang with a smile, "Don't be sad because of the gains and losses of one person's power. Because of your surrender, countless chaos and murderous intentions in the world have been eliminated. This is also a great achievement. Now that you have returned to my school, I will treat you as before, and you will not let down your father's trust in you, and you will not let down your contribution to the people this time!"

As the king of a fallen country, Chen Chang was more or less uneasy in his heart. When he heard the Supreme once again publicly express his willingness to treat him well, he was immediately grateful and stood up repeatedly to raise his glass to toast and express his gratitude.

Li Tai was also very enthusiastic about Xu Du, Ouyang He and other surrendered people. He personally came to their table to offer them wine and laughed, saying: "The benefit of conquering Wu is for you gentlemen. Since you have come, the world's talents will flow into the elite, and I will also gain it!"

However, when he was serving wine to Ouyang He, he was startled by a little black monkey on Ouyang He's table. After hearing the introduction, he realized that it was Ouyang Xun. He couldn't help but feel happy and directly asked someone to lead the little monkey to the table of his sons. When the children gathered together, he liked his sons even more.

In addition to Ouyang Xun, there was another child in the palace, that is Yu Shinan. His father and brother died in the king's affairs, and there was no one left in the family. When the relevant matters were reported, Li Tai noticed it and specifically instructed to bring Yu Shinan into the court this time.

Because it was the mourning period, Yu Shinan was not interested in music and dance, so he was arranged to stay in a tent in the corner of the hall, accompanied by his teacher Gu Yewang. Li Tai walked to the tent and saw a haggard child in shabby clothes sitting behind a small table, looking lonely and pitiful.

Yu Shinan was only a little boy of five or six years old, and had just suffered a tragic accident. Naturally, he felt a little uneasy in such an occasion. When he saw the Supreme came to see him, he was so scared that he shrank behind the table and trembled. His teacher Gu Yewang beside him made repeated hints, but he did not pay attention. He just clenched his two little fists, tightened his clothes, lowered his head and shed tears nervously.

Li Tai walked slowly to the banquet, leaned over and picked up the boy, and said, "Your father and brother are loyal and righteous men who sacrificed their lives for the king. A family of loyalty and righteousness will never be alone! Now I have several children of your age. From now on, you will be fed and raised in my house. When you come of age, I will let you return home to inherit the throne!"

"Thank you so much for your kindness, Your Majesty. Thank you so much, Your Majesty, thank you so much..."

King Gu Ye, who was standing by, also became excited when he heard this, and he kept reminding Yu Shinan in a low voice. The rest of the crowd also showed joy when they saw this, especially those of the Southern Dynasty, who were even more moved by the Supreme's adoption of the orphan.

After a banquet, the next day there will be a series of celebration ceremonies that have been prepared for a long time. They are arranged from the beginning of the month to the end of the year, and every day is full.

All the heroes who had made contributions in the Southern Expedition were greatly rewarded. King Jiangxia Li Xun's title was not promoted, but his sons were all given the title of Duke of a County. Generals Shi Ning, Tian Hong, Quan Jingxuan and others were all given the title of Duke of a State. The rest of the generals were also promoted. The rewards of various fields, houses and other valuables were too numerous to count. At the same time, in accordance with past practice, if one was willing to accept the reward of fields and houses from Jiangdong, the reward would be doubled.

As for the Southern Chen, Xu Du, Ouyang He and other meritorious officials who returned to the court were also promoted, but they had to serve directly in the court instead of returning to Jiangdong. People like Feng Pu from Lingnan, who had a special situation, temporarily returned to Lingnan, but Feng Pu no longer served as the governor of Gaozhou, but was transferred to the position of General of the Imperial Guards, and led the Li Liao troops to serve as imperial guards in the next year.

After Chen Chang, the ruler of Southern Chen, entered the court, he was granted the title of Duke of Chen, and his treatment was similar to that of Xiao Zhao, the Duke of Liang. However, he was not directly appointed as prime minister, but was instead appointed as Guanglu Qing, which was also a third-rank court position and one of the Nine Ministers.

Since then, the Tang Dynasty has unified the majority of the country in both reality and form, and only in some remote areas such as Liaodong, Lingnan and Jiaozhou, there are still some resistance forces. These are only regional problems, and there is no need to mobilize the whole country to conquer them for the time being.

After the Jiangdong war ended, the Tang Dynasty would once again enter a period of recuperation and internal integration, and continue to radiate outward and increase influence through non-military means, so as to accumulate strength and go further.