The Great Tang General

"Are you satisfied with this punishment, Right Prime Minister?"

Li Xuan said to Li Xian.

"I am convinced."

Li Xian was willing to accept the punishment of a three-month salary deduction.

These were insignificant for a man of his station.

Not a single bit changed, it is a wake-up call.

He will reflect on himself and no longer cross the line for various reasons.

"Ever since the Qin Dynasty swept across the world and unified China, the noble and the humble, the happy and the miserable, the dynasties have changed. It's like a person in a bottle. If he doesn't climb up, he will never climb out of the bottle."

"The future begins with you and me, the ruler and his subjects. If we don't want to repeat the past mistakes and allow lives to be lost again and again, we must carry out the reforms to the end. It is now the fourth year of Qianyuan, and our reforms will also begin. If we are not careful, all our previous efforts will be wasted."

"Human desires are endless. No matter how strict the law is, it is impossible to eliminate human desires forever. The end of the elimination of lowly people and the restoration of good people does not mean that the county will be stable."

"The Tang Dynasty is vast, not to mention the remnants of evil that have not been eradicated, they will continue to attack from time to time; new powerful people will emerge like mushrooms after rain."

"Every morning, I look at the civil and military officials, hoping that God will give me a sharp eye to catch the treacherous officials. Is it possible that there are no treacherous officials in the court, but only loyal officials?"

"Only if I and you prime ministers maintain fairness and justice, work diligently, and be frugal and honest can we have long-term peace and stability."

"There are always officials who are blinded by desire. They are not afraid of me, the sword in my hand, or you. They compete with you in wits and courage, pretending to obey you but secretly disobeying you. If you want to find them, you must be impeccable yourself."

"This is what I really think..."

Li Xuan asked Li Xian to sit down and spoke earnestly.

When the imperial court undergoes a major change next year, he will still appoint Li Xian as the chief prime minister to continue the policy.

He needs to further change the mindset of the scholar-officials.

Don't take anything for granted.

Li Xuan did not want the "Niu-Li factional dispute" to emerge in a few years.

Once the poor nobles and the gentry have been resentful for a long time and a great ideological split occurs, they will not start from the perspective of national policy, but from the perspective of grudges.

Anger triumphs over reason.

Whatever you agree with, I oppose.

Whatever you object to, I agree with.

Without asking any questions.

Beliefs and ideas are completely different and diametrically opposed.

The country will fall into endless internal friction and stagnate.

The good situation established by Li Xuan would also fall into ruin at the last moment.

"When I return home, I will immediately write an article to apologize to Wang Zhonghua, the deputy governor of Lujiang, and reflect on myself. Your Majesty, please open a corner in the Great Tang Monthly, and wait for the next issue of the monthly newspaper to be published so that the world can see it."

Li Xian made up his mind and bowed to Li Xuan again.

At this moment, he was certain that it was his own "prejudice" that made him choose Yuan Wei and abandon Wang Chonghua.

It’s not a question of age, nor is it a question of qualifications.

He is the chief prime minister, the head of all officials, and a role model for the world.

Be brave enough to admit mistakes and take responsibility.

Don’t let Wang Zhonghua’s efforts be less than a bit of prejudice.

"This will damage the dignity of the chief prime minister, so it is unnecessary. Just keep it in mind."

Li Xuan shook his head slightly.

The mistake Li Xian made was not serious. He admitted his mistake and was able to correct it, so he has been given a slight punishment.

Once published in the Tang Monthly, it might deal a blow to Li Xian's prestige.

Of course, it is also possible to enhance Li Xian's reputation and the prestige of the court, so that scholars can work hard and county officials can be selfless and dedicated.

"I think this is inevitable for the country to move forward. The prime minister is also a member of the evaluation team, and all officials, big and small, should understand this."

Li Xian requested again, speaking seriously.

"Well! When you finish writing the letter, please deliver it to Luoyang yourself."

After some hesitation, Li Xuan finally agreed to Li Xian's request.

When I was a child, I thought it was easy to apologize by carrying a thorn stick on one's back. However, many people will refuse to admit even the smallest mistake when they grow up, let alone apologize by carrying a thorn stick on one's back.

It is easy to say one thing and do another, but how many people can actually achieve the unity of knowing and doing?

"Thank you, Supreme!"

Li Xian thanked Li Xuan and left Ganlu Hall.

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, this incident caused a sensation in Chang'an.

Everyone in the court and the country knew that the Supreme Emperor punished Li Xian because he did not strictly abide by the performance evaluation system.

When they learned the reason, countless people were shocked.

The original assessment was different from the current one.

From top to bottom, they are: top-top, top-middle, top-bottom, middle-top, middle-middle, middle-bottom, bottom-top, bottom-middle, and bottom-bottom.

It is under the charge of the Yuanwailang of Kaogong.

Now it is divided into five levels: excellent, good, qualified, observation, and elimination.

But there is a more detailed score division.

According to the past, Wang Chonghua and Yuan Wei should both have achieved great political achievements.

There is nothing wrong with Li Xian doing this.

As the most trusted chief prime minister of the Supreme, being punished for one point reflects the Supreme's selflessness.

It also proves that it is a great virtue for the chief prime minister to admit his mistakes and correct them.

Don't be vague and bluff just because the mistake is not big.

Don't praise people's good looks, just let their pure energy fill the universe.

The national atmosphere has reached an unprecedented level, and the scholars are positive and progressive.

Everyone wanted to "gain fame and fortune" in this era and fulfill the political ambition of "making the king as good as Yao and Shun and making the customs more refined."

If it really doesn't work, I will obey the will of the Supreme, return to my hometown, teach and educate people in the local school, pass on the torch, and do my best to contribute to the development of the country.

When the Chief Prime Minister's apology article appeared on the front page of the Tang Monthly.

People believe that this is the beginning of a great change in the times.

The greater the ability, the greater the responsibility.

Respect the Confucian spirit and emphasize personal responsibility rather than personal power.

People all over the world can more intuitively feel what a prime minister is.

What kind of sense of responsibility and moral character are needed to reach this position.

The fifth day of September.

Li Xuan brought civil and military officials to the Mingde Gate and held a grand groundbreaking ceremony.

The first cement road in the Tang Dynasty, from Mingde Gate to Zhuque Gate.

The original cement road replaced Zhuque Street.

Although it is not long, it is very wide.

This small step will be a big step in human history.

After more than a year of firing, the Tang Dynasty mobilized tens of thousands of strong men to transport cement fired in the north of Chang'an, as well as sand, large and small stones, and clay from afar to the outside of Mingde Gate.

From today onwards, all places where cement roads have been built are closed to traffic.

If you damage the road before the cement solidifies, you will be severely punished.

Common people and merchants took a detour through other gates, passing through the market town.

Now the gates of the neighborhoods are not closed day or night.

Zhuque Avenue is a wide cement road with two lanes in the middle, one for cars and the other for horses, donkeys and camels.

There are two on each side for pedestrians.

Once Zhuque Street is fully completed, narrower cement roads will be built to connect the various markets, and even the drainage system will be rebuilt.

This is to avoid a rainstorm like the one in the 13th year of Tianbao, which turned the city of Chang'an into a swamp.

The workers were already familiar with how to allocate the proportions and had repeatedly practiced the steps of road construction.

They are confident that they can complete the new Suzaku Street in one go.

Building the cement road in Chang'an was to prepare for the ancient road between the two capitals.

In this day and age, without ridiculously heavy vehicles, maintaining a road for twenty years should not be a problem.

Although the cost-effectiveness is not high, everything started from scratch.

After all, it was impossible to extract asphalt in large quantities in this era, so it was unrealistic to build an asphalt road running through the north and south.

The top priority is to build more cement plants, burn more cement, and screen more sand and gravel.

As Li Xuan swung the first hoe, the construction of the cement road officially started.

The people were extremely curious.

But with the order from the Supreme, they dared not approach.

It was not until more than a month later that the first 100-meter-long cement road was allowed to be walked on, and the people and dignitaries of Chang'an were shocked.

The wide concrete road with separated lanes can accommodate ten carriages running side by side.

The cattle track is almost as wide as the car track.

Each path is blocked by a wooden fence where some flowers and shrubs can be planted.

The two pedestrian paths are three meters wide each, and vendors are allowed to set up stalls next to them, completely separating the pedestrian paths from vehicles and horses.

The road surface is smooth, like a huge slab of stone.

Once completed, no more worries about muddy roads after rain.

This is the welfare of the people.

It's ten thousand times better than building a palace.

Moreover, when people build cement roads, there will be almost no casualties if adequate protection is provided.

Take a peek and see the whole leopard.

After the first section of Suzaku Street was completed, the people in the city couldn't help but shout "Long live".

They danced excitedly in the allowed areas.

From the elderly to women, everyone wants to step on the cement road once in advance.

Some people even took the initiative to participate in the labor outside the city, transporting cement, sand and stone to Chang'an City to carry out the next stage of construction.

The notice stated that the cement road would pass through the alleys of every block.

People are looking forward to the early formation of a well-connected road network in the city.

……

Some are happy and some are sad.

When Chang'an was bustling with activity and people were looking forward to the future, a piece of news shook the Uighur Chanyu City.

"bump!"

"Bah! The Celestial Empire, the Heavenly Khan. How shameful and ridiculous. Not only did they seize our gold, silver and jewelry, they also denied the late Khan's will..."

In the Uighur palace, Yidijian slammed the table so hard that his lungs almost exploded with anger.

It is a good idea not to hit a smiling person, but the Tang Dynasty, having taken so much gold from the Uighurs, threatened to attack them.

Li Xuan wanted to support the coward Prince Yehu and fight him to the end.

"We should have guessed that Li Xuan would not give up. We have no choice but to prepare for war and defend the power of the royal court."

Moheda Gan had been appointed as the prime minister of the Huihe at this time. He and Yidijian had the same fate.

If Prince Yehu returns, he will be killed without a burial place.

Mohedagan suggested that Yidijian surrender to the Tang Dynasty, just holding on to a glimmer of hope.

He should have been prepared from the moment he disobeyed Li Xuan and sought power.

Li Xuan asked Yi Dijian to tie his hands and go to Chang'an to confess his crime, obviously leaving no room for him.

"When will the Tang army attack, and what strategy will it have?"

Yidijian asked Mohedagan.

Compared with his cousin, he had led troops into battle only a few times.

Moreover, Mohedagan enjoys prestige among the various military forces.

"Reporting to the Great Khan, it is unlikely this winter. A large-scale military deployment requires preparation. Perhaps the Tang Dynasty is bluffing and will not attack for a year or two."

Moheda was unable to make a judgment.

Regardless of whether the Tang Dynasty attacked the Uighurs or not, he just hoped that Li Xuan would not lead the army in person.

Everyone on the grassland knew about the Heavenly Khan. Even the small tribes by the Little Sea (today's Lake Baikal) knew about the unparalleled power of the Heavenly Khan of the Central Plains.

As long as Li Xuan does not go to the battle personally, Mohedagan believes that the Uighur warriors are fully confident of annihilating the enemy in the future.

"Damn it! I will kill the coward's wife and children first to vent my hatred."

Yidijian doesn't want to lose power.

It was a wonderful feeling to hear the tribes shouting "Great Khan" during the great alliance meeting on the grassland.

He believed that everything was due to Crown Prince Yehu, and that it was Crown Prince Yehu's restlessness that made it impossible for him to consolidate his power and expand his influence.

"Great Khan, you can't do that. Killing his wife and children will not have any effect. Instead, it will make the tribes in all directions no longer obey you. Now, you should reward the tribes in all directions and pay attention to the movements in Taiyuan, Shuofang, Hexi and other directions of the Tang Dynasty. In this way, you can command the tribes in times of crisis."

Mohedagan persuaded Yidijian.

Uncontrollable tribes have already appeared in the Uighur Alliance.

The reason is very simple. Moyanchuo's will to abolish and kill Crown Prince Yehu was a completely false accusation.

Therefore, many tribes close to Prince Yehu were dissatisfied.

Moreover, the Tang Dynasty was at its peak, and the brilliance of the Khan was so dazzling that people could not open their eyes.

For some non-Uighur Hu people, they needed to pay taxes if they surrendered to the Uighurs, and they also needed to pay taxes if they surrendered to the Tian Khan.

What's the difference?
After all, the foundation of the Uighur Khanate was too shallow.

Mohedagan believes that unity is most important in times of storm.

"Listen to my brother's honest advice!"

Yidijian clenched his fists, gave up the idea of ​​killing Prince Yehu's wife and children, and began to win over the tribes from all directions and prepare for war.

He also followed Mohedagan's advice and reduced taxes on subordinate tribes and clansmen.

It was claimed that if Prince Yehu let the wolf in, the tribe would have to bear heavier taxes than before.

With a combination of measures, Yidijian won over the hearts of some people.

But the Uighurs were far from being as powerful as the former Turkic Khanate.

Perhaps the Uighurs will follow Yidijian to the end.

However, among the old Turkic tribes and the Nine-surname Tiele, there were traitors everywhere.

After learning about Tian Khan's "condemnation", they showed signs of not following orders but announcements.

Yidijian is young after all, and cannot intimidate the grassland tribes like Moyanchuo did.

……

After the Mid-Autumn Festival in September, the King of Yunnan, Geluo Feng, entered Chang'an to pay homage to the Supreme Emperor.

After Feng Jiayi returned to his country, he explained everything to Ge Luofeng.

The Tang Dynasty destroyed Tubo, leaving Nanzhao without a barrier and no longer qualified to fight against the Tang Dynasty.

Although they won two battles with Tang, they aroused the indignation of the people of Tang.

Although Du Fu's "March of the Chariots" criticized Li Longji's warmongering, it also implicitly satirized Yang Guozhong.

But the confident people of the Tang Dynasty found it very unpleasant to read.

Li Xuan used "Huaxia" and many other concepts to promote the rise of nationalism.

In this era of natural selection and survival of the fittest, it is impossible to curb this kind of thinking.

The only option left for Nanzhao was to become a protectorate of the Tang Dynasty.

Ge Luofeng's decision was wise.

The Tang army entered Yunnan and relocated the people.

It took away a lot of power from the royal family, but it also allowed the Nanzhao royal family to survive as long as the royal families of Kucha and Khotan.

Li Xuan promised to "inherit the throne without interruption and live with the country forever."

No matter where the Yunnan Protectorate goes in the future, at least the royal bloodline will continue.

"Meet the Supreme One!"

Li Xuan summoned Ge Luofeng in the pavilion of Taiye Lake in Taiji Palace.

Ge Luofeng bowed respectfully to Li Xuan.

The last time he came to Chang'an, he was not yet the king and had met Li Xuan a few times.

At that time, Li Xuan was the great hero who defeated Tubo in the Battle of Dafeichuan and captured Chidai Zhudan alive.

Ge Luofeng is extremely respectful.

At the banquet, he felt that the best among men was just like this.

Now Li Xuan has transformed himself and has firmly established himself as the emperor.

I can only sigh that things and people have changed.

He kept thinking, how great it would be without Yang Guozhong!
Nanzhao should still be an independent entity.

When he left Taihe City, he asked a wizard to divine the future, and the result was good luck.

Sometimes, blessing and misfortune go hand in hand.

The fate of the Nanzhao people can only be determined by history.

"No need to be so polite, come, please take a seat and prepare some wine."

Li Xuan gave an order.

The servant placed a "chair" in front of the table.

This chair is the same height as Li Xuan's chair.

This is the result of improved furniture.

In the government hall, all departments and ministries, all seats were replaced with chairs.

Civilian use is permitted.

The kneeling practice since the Spring and Autumn Period has continued to this day.

Many ministers had difficulty walking, mostly because they had to sit on their knees.

There is a reason why people in the Tang Dynasty like Hu beds and Hu stools.

There is no need to make things difficult for yourself.

"Thank you, Supreme!"

Ge Luofeng sat down carefully.

In Yunnan, he is the king.

In the majestic Taiji Palace, facing the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty, he was a humble official.

Since entering the palace, he has seen a great difference from what it was ten years ago.

The road on Suzaku Street is like a miracle.

Despite its novelty, the stone bricks in the palace are not as beautiful as the concrete roads.

Fruits, snacks and fine wine were quickly brought in by palace maids and placed on the table.

"I have heard that hundreds of nations have gathered to celebrate this grand event. Over a thousand years, they have all come to Chang'an to watch the flowers bloom. As a foreign country, I was unable to attend in person. Please forgive me, Your Majesty!"

Unlike other foreign states, King Geluofeng of Yunnan called Li Xuan the Supreme to indicate that he was an internal official.

Like his father Piloge, his title was Duke of Yue, and he was granted the title of Kaifu Yitong Sansi, and later added the title of Zhuguo.

"Now that the King of Yunnan has come, it's the same. We are old friends reminiscing about the past, and we can do it anytime, anywhere."

Li Xuan smiled slightly and raised his glass to Ge Luofeng.

Yunnan Protectorate was located south of Jiannan and south of Qianzhong.

Now many areas in that area cannot be "transformed into Han Chinese", which means that it is impossible for the Tang Dynasty to directly control the Yunnan Protectorate.

Let’s use the old method and station troops first.

Then try to immigrate.

Build more roads.

Step by step, Yunnan will accept the advanced cultural ideas of the Tang Dynasty in the process of sinicization, and sooner or later will develop a sense of identity with the Tang Dynasty.

"I am very grateful."

Ge Luofeng raised the cup with both hands and drank it all in one gulp.

As a king, he always resonates with Li Xuan's words.

Li Xuan's great charm made him unconsciously stand in awe.

For the next hour, Li Xuan and Ge Luofeng drank while learning about the situation in Yunnan, as well as the surrounding tribes and countries.

Nanzhao was a new country established by Geluofeng's father after he unified the Six Zhaos with the support of the Tang Dynasty.

There was almost no foundation, and transportation was extremely imperfect in that mountainous area.

Li Xuan looked at the map and found that it would take more than a thousand miles to open up the route from Taihe City in Nanzhao to the Indian Ocean.

Although Jiao Geluofeng defeated the Pyu Kingdom once and occupied some of its territory, the Pyu Kingdom was still the biggest enemy of Nanzhao's southward expansion.

There are also the Queendom, Lu Zhenla, the remnants of the Six Zhaos, and the barbarians of various surnames. They are all obstacles!
Li Xuan understood that it was impossible for the current Tang Dynasty to annex Southeast Asia.

But he was still young and could use decades to annex the rich Southeast Asia.

He planned from two directions.

One is Jiaozhi County in Lingnan.

The second is the Yunnan Protectorate.

Moreover, Li Xuan’s dream is to open up an outlet to the Indian Ocean for the mainland.

He wants to thoroughly digest this place and make it one of China.

Therefore, Yunnan is of utmost importance to Li Xuan.

When Li Xuan was drinking with Ge Luofeng, he kept making big promises to Ge Luofeng and supported his expansion.

After defeating the Pyu Kingdom, it expanded to the southwest.

Li Xuan was certain that there was an ocean in the southwest, reaching the Bay of Bengal, and facing India across the sea.

The Tang Dynasty wanted to develop an important town there like Nanhai County to radiate the Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan regions.

The Tang Dynasty would provide Nanzhao with high-quality horses, food, and armor.

When necessary, the troops of the Shu County Governor's Office will help the Yunnan soldiers to expand the territory.

"A thousand miles to the southwest is the sea. If the King of Yunnan can drink from the sea, your portrait will be enshrined in the Lingyan Pavilion for generations. The history books of the Tang Dynasty will also include a biography of you."

When the wine was in high spirits, Li Xuan pointed in the direction of Lingyan Pavilion and said to Ge Luofeng...

(End of this chapter)