Northern Dynasties

Chapter 1383: Nanchuan puts down the rebellion
In Liaodong, the remnants of the Northern Qi were preparing for war intensively, but the Tang court had not yet put the full-scale pursuit and suppression of their forces on the agenda.

Not only because the Tang Dynasty's division needed to rest for a period of time after the successful completion of the Western Tour, but also because there were other things that needed to be dealt with urgently. That was that a rebellion broke out again in the Nanchuan area south of the Yangtze River, affecting most areas of Jiangzhou and even Hengzhou, which was located in the Lingbiao area.

This rebellion was mainly launched by a group of so-called Nanchuan tyrants. The root cause was that a series of policies promoted by the imperial court in the counties of Nanchuan, such as equal distribution of land and encouragement of farming, greatly damaged the interests of these Nanchuan tyrants. So they took advantage of the emperor's western tour to launch a rebellion in the local area, in an attempt to continue to maintain their separatist power.

When Li Tai's carriage arrived in Longyou, he received relevant reports that the court had begun to mobilize manpower and material resources in Shannan to prepare for the rebellion. After a little thought, he ordered the enthronement of his eldest son Li Jin as King of Qin, officially married him and established a government, and appointed him as the Grand Administrator of Jingzhou, sending him to Jiangling to preside over the suppression of the Nanchuan rebellion.

This was the first time that Li Tai granted his son a formal official title and appointed him to a position. It also meant that he began to strengthen his son's training and gradually exposed him to military and political affairs of the country.

Of course, military and national affairs should not be taken lightly. Although Li Tai wanted to train his son, it was impossible for him to directly hand over military and national affairs to him. He still had to arrange reliable people to assist him.

So Li Tai appointed his uncle Lu Shuhu as the Chief Clerk of the Qin Palace, Li Quji as the Sima of the Palace, and the former Jingzhou Governor and Duke of Deng Tian Hong as the Chief Clerk of the Jingzhou General's Office. Gao Jiong, Su Wei, Cui Hongdu, Lu Kai and others were appointed as his assistants. They went to Jiangling to take up their posts together and returned to the court after completing their duties.

The Nanchuan Rebellion had profound historical reasons. As early as the Southern Dynasties, there were many powerful families in the southern part of Jiangzhou. During the Hou Jing Rebellion, many powerful families ruled their own areas and dominated the countryside, making it increasingly difficult to control them. Even during the Southern Chen Dynasty, Chen Baxian was only able to control and win over those powerful families, and it was difficult to eradicate them completely.

During the Tang Dynasty's campaign to conquer the Chen Dynasty, its main targets were Chen Qian, a member of the Southern Chen royal family who was entrenched in the Three Wu regions, and Hou Andu and others. Other local forces that did not clearly resist the Tang Dynasty's rule were basically not eliminated.

At that time, because of the existence of Wang Lin, a troublemaker, many other problems in Nanchuan area did not emerge. In addition, Wang Lin directly surrendered to the Tang Dynasty, and those personnel problems had no chance to arise. The Tang Dynasty successfully controlled the Nanchuan area.

But the fact that these personnel problems did not arise for a while does not mean that they no longer exist, especially when the Tang Dynasty began to re-establish local order after ruling the area. This naturally made the Nanchuan tyrants who acted on their own feel more constrained. The privileges that they used to have in the countryside were repeatedly deprived of, and the human and land resources that they originally controlled were also constantly being incorporated. Naturally, these Nanchuan tyrants had been harboring resentment for a long time and had deep resentment.

However, the Tang Dynasty that unified the world was too powerful to be challenged by these local warlords. Therefore, even if they felt dissatisfied, they could only suppress it for the time being.

It was not until the emperor's western tour that these Nanchuan tyrants saw some opportunity to stir up trouble. They colluded with each other in private and made an appointment to start an uprising at the end of the year. They expelled the officials stationed in the counties and prefectures of the Tang Dynasty, and each of them occupied a river, valley, pond and river to form their own power.

The separatist gene of the Southern Dynasty was still quite strong, and the personnel problems that had accumulated for many years could not be completely resolved in just a few years of governance. These Nanchuan tyrants were lazy and took advantage of the situation, and soon they messed up the surrounding areas. As these Nanchuan tyrants rose up, there were also many tyrants and clans in other parts of Jiangdong who watched the development of the situation, and for a time the atmosphere in the entire Jiangdong region became solemn and tense.

What ordinary people are most concerned about is naturally how the court will quell the rebellion and how to deal with the rebels. However, for the officials, there is another matter that deserves their attention even more, that is, the King of Qin's appointment to office.

The Nanchuan rebellion was only a minor threat. It would not be difficult to suppress the rebellion once the imperial court sent troops to the country. However, the marriage of the Prince of Qin was a major event that concerned the foundation of the country. Although the eldest son of the emperor had not yet been directly named the crown prince, everyone understood that this was a temporary expedient because the emperor had not returned from his western tour and could not personally preside over the ceremony of the crown prince's coming of age. The future of the Prince of Qin was a foregone conclusion.

Although the ministers had seen the Prince of Qin in the past, they were all in different ceremonial occasions. Everyone was solemn and serious, and their personalities were limited. The relatives, friends and teachers that the Prince of Qin interacted with on a daily basis were all of high status, and rarely discussed the Prince of Qin's private affairs. Therefore, the outside world knew very little about the temperament and talents of the eldest prince.

The nature of the King of Qin is related to the inheritance and development of the Tang Empire in the future, so the ministers inside and outside the court are very curious about this. As the King of Qin is out of the cabinet this time, many people also want to observe him. It's a pity that the King of Qin has to go to Jiangling in Shannan when he is first appointed, which makes many officials in the capital quite disappointed, while the civil and military officials of Shannan Road are all in high spirits and ready to welcome His Majesty the King of Qin in the border.

As the imperial edict was issued, the King of Qin and his entourage quickly left Wuguan Pass in the south, without stopping along the way, and went straight to Jiangling. Li Qianzhe, the governor of Jingzhou, was still in charge of money and grain affairs in Jiangling Prefecture when he was suddenly informed by an envoy from the north that the King of Qin was about to enter the country. Li Qianzhe hurriedly led the state officials to the state border to welcome him.

"Your Highness, the Prince of Qin, is welcome to the state. We are late in welcoming you due to state affairs. Please forgive us, Your Highness!"

When Li Qianzhe and his party arrived at Wuning City, north of Jiangling, the King of Qin and his party had already arrived. Li Qianzhe was a little uneasy, so he hurriedly stepped forward to pay his respects.

"Changsha Lord, there is no need to be so polite. I am here on a mission, so the greeting and farewell ceremony is just a small matter. The court appointed you here to govern the people, so the rest is extraneous, so don't worry about it!"

Qin Wang Li Jin is now fifteen or sixteen years old. He has inherited the best looks from his parents and is very handsome. Although he has not yet formed a unique temperament, he is polite to others due to his good family education. He has a dignified personality and is quite cheerful. It just took him less than ten days to travel all the way from Chang'an to Shannan, so he looked a little tired.

When Li Qianzhe heard the King of Qin say this, he was slightly relieved. Although they had only met for a short time and had only exchanged a few words, he already had a good impression of this nobleman. After secretly sizing up the King of Qin, he could not help but sigh, "When I first saw Your Majesty at the Han River, I was astonished at first. Now I am meeting Your Highness in Jiangling, and I am still as astonished as I was then. Your Highness is young and has inherited the Lord's extraordinary style. It is truly amazing!"

Although what he said was more or less corny, no one in the crowd dared to laugh. Instead, they all nodded in agreement.

Although Li Jin was young, he had experienced many similar situations. He was delighted that others praised him for being very like his father, but he did not let it mess his mind. He just smiled and said, "From the bloodline, I expect he is not an ordinary person, but he is capable of doing things well, so he can avoid being called mediocre. It is too early for Changsha Gong to praise you. On the day when I return triumphantly to suppress the rebellion, I will borrow your words and report them to the Lord!"

Although she had just been conferred a title and married, Li Jin had never been kept in the deep palace and was not shy in dealing with people. She talked with Li Qianzhe for a few words and then, with his introduction, she met with the people of Jingzhou one by one, and then returned to Jiangling together.

"Although I am a novice, this city is destined for me! I am a newcomer to the world, and the victory song is playing on the top of the city. Duke Deng and others all followed the master to dominate the south of the mountain. Now I am fortunate to work with you, the world's famous generals. If I appear clumsy or timid, you need to help me cover up a little."

Arriving outside Jiangling City, Li Jin couldn't help but sigh as he looked at the city. Although it was his first time here, he felt very close to it in his heart. Thinking of his father's great achievements, he couldn't help but tell Tian Hong and others who were traveling with him.

After hearing this, Tian Hong hurriedly bowed and said, "We are also ordinary people in the world. Fortunately, we have been accepted by the Lord and have gained some fame. Your Highness has inherited the tradition and has been influenced by it. It is difficult for the scoundrels of Nanchuan to match him. We are fortunate to share the credit, just like before."

"It's okay to flatter with words, but we still need to work hard when facing things. I am here now under orders, and I will respond to any requests that may be helpful. I only ask that you put an end to the chaos as soon as possible and return triumphantly together!"

Given Li Jin's background, problems that most people find worrying are not a problem for him. What he needs to deal with is how to obtain truly useful information from a positive and enthusiastic consultation.

Therefore, under the guidance of his father, he understood from a very young age that he should separate people's words and actions, clarify his own goals, and grasp those elements that really help him achieve his goals.

Jiangling had gathered 50,000 soldiers from Shannan Road. After the arrival of the King of Qin, they set out one after another, marching by boat and car to Nanchuan. Tian Hong was in charge of supervising the battle on the front line, while Li Jin was stationed in the rear of Jiangling. With the assistance of his uncle Lu Shuhu and Li Qianzhe, the governor of Jingzhou, he understood and presided over the logistics of the army to suppress the rebellion, and at the same time met with and appeased the people from all over Shannan who came to seek an audience. The rebels in Nanchuan were scattered among the mountains, gullies, and ponds, so the actual fighting was not too difficult. After Tian Hong led his army into the country, he first defeated most of the rebels in Poyang South, but the subsequent encirclement and suppression was more troublesome.

Nanchuan is a place with many lakes, ponds and hills, not a flat land. When the rebels were scattered in the countryside, they played hide-and-seek with the government troops by taking advantage of their familiarity with the local terrain. Whenever the government troops approached them, they would scatter in a hurry. If the government troops retreated, they would start to plunder the countryside again.

The war to quell the rebellion lasted from the beginning of the year to late spring, and after more than three months, the encirclement and suppression of the rebels had not been completed. The war was at a stalemate, and the consumption of money and food was increasing day by day. If the rebellion continued, it would undoubtedly greatly delay farming, and the villagers would lose their crops and have no means of livelihood. They would probably lose their homes and join the bandits, making the rebellion even worse, thus falling into a vicious circle.

Faced with this situation, Wang Sengyin, the governor of Jiangzhou, proposed that instead of continuing the pursuit and suppression, it would be better to pacify them so as to avoid further waste of manpower and money in the war.

But when he made this proposal, he was immediately opposed by some generals who advocated war. The plan of the straight king Sengyin was not advisable. The previous disaster was caused by the evil and the evil. If he compromised now, it would only make these Nanchuan tyrants more stubborn and difficult to tame. Moreover, the reason why the war was in a stalemate was not because of the lack of combat power, but because the rebels were too cunning. At present, only by adhering to the principle of eradicating all evil can we hope to completely eliminate the root causes of these disasters.

Both sides insisted on their own opinions and argued endlessly, and no one could convince the other. As the dispute continued, other opinions emerged one after another. These opinions were naturally summarized to Qin Wang Li Jin, who made his judgment and choice.

But Li Jin felt that each of these opinions had its merits, but also had its shortcomings, and it was difficult for him to decide which one to adopt. Lu Shuhu and others also had their own opinions, so it was naturally difficult for them to give him constructive advice.

"The emperor has returned to the capital. If Your Highness is really unable to make a decision, it is better to report the situation to the court and let the Supreme One make the decision!"

Gao Jiong, one of the attendants, saw that the King of Qin had difficulty making a decision, so he made a suggestion.

After hearing this, Li Jin nodded in agreement, and then he quickly sent someone to report to the court. Soon after, a reply from the court arrived. However, what was received was not any guidance on decision-making, but a severe reprimand from the Supreme to the King of Qin. In the letter, the Supreme not only reprimanded the King of Qin for his indecision, but also issued an ultimatum, requiring the King of Qin to end the Nanchuan war before the summer no matter what, and return to the court to report regardless of the outcome.

6◇9◇Book◇Bar

Li Jin's worries in the past were that he didn't do his homework well enough, but now he failed in his first job, and you can imagine how frustrated he felt. Facing the huge pressure from his father, he could not avoid it, so he could only bite the bullet and think carefully again and again, and finally made a decision, which was to immediately stop the current war in Nanchuan and do his best to encourage farming and reward farmers.

After learning of the King of Qin's decision, some generals who advocated war were shocked. Even Tian Hong returned from the front to persuade the king not to do so. However, in the face of the people's persuasion and doubt, Li Jin just said in a deep voice: "This time we went to Nanchuan to quell the rebellion to promote governance, not to kill people. Now the killing has not stopped, and the farming work has been delayed. It can be said that both are lost. Since you can't have both, then you have to get one first. Although the bandits in Nanchuan are hateful, the people are pitiful. If the war continues and the farming work is greatly delayed, it will undoubtedly force the people to become bandits."

"But now the bandits are all at a dead end. If we give up on chasing them and give them a chance to catch their breath, they will surely cause even greater harm in the future!"

Tian Hong hurriedly spoke earnestly, managing to refrain from saying that the King of Qin's idea was a bit too soft-hearted.

"After the war is stopped, we should not only persuade the people to farm, but also persuade the bandits to farm. Tell the prefecture and county officials that if they are willing to lay down their weapons and reclaim wasteland, they will be forgiven. They will also be given grain seeds, farm tools, oxen, cloth, etc. according to the number of acres of wasteland they reclaim. The army is stationed in Nanchuan, and the money and food are being depleted day by day. If we can use the money from killing people to save lives and reward those who reclaim wasteland, it will be a great kindness!"

Li Jin continued in a deep voice, "Some people think this is a pedantic benevolence. The reason why thieves are thieves is that they are ignorant of benevolence and righteousness, and it is even more difficult to be influenced by kindness. But it is human nature to live a peaceful and happy life. In the past, people lived in chaos because the world was in strife and the people were living in misery. But now the imperial dynasty is in power. As long as we can live in order, who would be willing to die in chaos?

Moreover, the reason why people are people is not because of morality and righteousness, but because of farming. If the thieves abandon their weapons and take up the plow, what difference is there between them and the people? In the king's fields, they work three times and rest once, so who can be a thief? Killing people can eliminate thieves, and the same can be said for encouraging farming."

Tian Hong was at a loss for words when he heard this. He lowered his head and remained silent for a moment before he spoke again: "But Your Highness, what if these stubborn bandits still refuse to lay down their weapons and go to the fields, and do not obey the king's orders? You must know that they are originally savage and difficult to tame, so they raise troops to cause chaos. Bandits do not like to live in peace, so how can we lure them to live in peace?"

"Thieves are not happy to live in peace, but the people are. All the thieves who gather to cause chaos are the rich and fierce people in the village. The people in the village who can catch the thieves and report to the authorities or discover the thieves' nests can share their land and houses and their granaries."

Li Jin was not just talking about benevolence and righteousness. He also did not intend to let go easily those stubborn bandits. However, unlike his previous method of exhausting the army and spending huge amounts of money on recruiting soldiers, he planned to turn this into a conflict between the villagers and the local gentry, and eliminate the bandit leaders through the villagers' reports and their assistance and cooperation.

Someone had made such a suggestion before, but it was rejected on the grounds that it would teach people to be treacherous and corrupt local ethics. However, after thinking about it, Li Jin still felt that the so-called ethics were too vague, especially since the Nanchuan rebellion had not been resolved yet. Could this be called a simple and honest local ethics?

The foundation of the court's governance lies in the harmony of people and land. Since those thieves who are causing chaos are unwilling to accept the court's rule, it is natural to reward land to those who are willing to accept the court's rule. With the cooperation and guidance of these people, the pursuit of those thieves will naturally be clear in purpose and efficiency will be greatly increased!
As the King of Qin made this decision, most of the Tang army's divisions and brigades withdrew from Nanchuan, leaving only a small number of elite cavalry in the counties and prefectures. They also issued a series of decrees to reward farming and allow all places to resume spring farming as soon as possible.

As the government troops withdrew, the rebels felt that they had finally won the victory, so they returned to their hometowns in high spirits and ordered their people to hurry up and farm. After all, they needed to eat to make trouble, and many of the rebel leaders were wealthy people in the village. It would be a pity if their fields were left barren and the harvest failed due to the war.

However, as these rebel troops disbanded and returned to their hometowns and began to farm, the leaders of the rebels soon realized that the situation was not good. They had originally agreed to keep in touch with each other and to guard against the government troops' return and to gather again regularly.

The situation was fine at first, but gradually more and more people broke their promises. This was because everyone found that the government's management was unusually lax, and some rebel leaders could even roam around the countryside and enter and leave the city without being arrested. They only needed to report their land information to the government, and the government would verify it and give them food and other gifts.

Some people naturally felt that this was the benefit they had fought for, and since they had already fought for it, there was no point in fighting again. After all, the government troops had been really brutal in killing people when they had suppressed the rebellion, and many of their fellow villagers and children had died in the rebellion. Now that they had finally settled down and their situation had improved, they naturally didn't want to cause chaos again.

But this situation is obviously not in the interests of the local tyrants. They don't want a few small gifts from the government, but hope to completely monopolize the local resources and order and refuse to accept government control. Therefore, when they found that the people were discouraged by the government's small favors, they became alert and thought about gathering their people again.

However, they wanted to cause trouble again, but they didn't know that they had become the target of some villagers. Soon some powerful Wubi manors were suddenly broken into by the villagers, or captured by the villagers in cooperation with the government army.

At one time, those Nanchuan tyrants who dared to return to their hometowns were captured one after another, including some tyrants who had been active in the territory as early as the Hou Jing Rebellion, such as Yuzhang Zhou Di and Xiong Tanlang. They were all betrayed by their subordinates and fellow villagers and were captured one after another by the government troops.

As a result, the situation of suppressing the rebellion in Nanchuan was opened up. Some leaders were arrested one after another, and many people who had originally joined the rebellion took the opportunity of the government's cessation of war and encouraged farming to return to their hometowns and become obedient citizens again. By the time it was midsummer in May, all the wars in Nanchuan had been settled and the customs were harmonious.

As the Nanchuan Rebellion was put down, Li Jin, the King of Qin who had been stationed in Jiangling for several months, led a group of heroes who put down the rebellion and the captured leaders of the Nanchuan rebel army back to the capital to report their victory.