The Great Tang General

The Temple of War has important military and cultural significance in Chinese history.

Like the Confucian Temple, ministers of all dynasties considered it an honor to enter the Confucian Temple.

The inheritance of spirit is also particularly important.

"The Minister of War has won my heart, and the matter of the Martial Temple can be carried out."

"In addition to Taigong, Liuhou, and the Ten Philosophers, we will select sixty-four generals at this stage. Philosophers are role models for military generals, and they should not care about the flaws in their character. The sixty-four generals of ancient and modern times are also selected based on their military strategy, regardless of their moral character. The Political Affairs Hall, the Ministry of War, the Tiance Palace, and the Jixian Hall will jointly select the sixty-four generals before Wang Zhongsi, all the way back to the Zhou Dynasty."

"I will personally review it when the time comes."

"Our dynasty is a dynasty of rejuvenation, and many of our generals have made achievements that are comparable to those of the ancients. Eight generals of this generation have been selected and listed in the Martial Temple. After their death, they will be worshipped together with the ancient generals, adding a total of 72 generals to the Martial Temple."

"From now on, anyone who has made great contributions and set an example for generals and commanders can be nominated by the court and enter the Martial Temple."

Li Xuan agreed with Yan Zhenqing's proposal to establish a martial temple.

Also put forward your own requirements.

The sixty-four generals in the Temple of Martial Arts cannot be mixed with political factors.

Whether it was Wu Qi killing his wife to become a general or Bai Qi slaughtering captives.

That was the business of the ancients. People today can criticize their immorality, but we cannot deny their great military achievements.

We should learn how to command troops, manage the army, their military tactics and strategies.

The current recruit system of the Tang Dynasty is to strive for a greater goal. Military discipline must be enforced.

Because of the historical Temple of Martial Arts, people are not convinced.

Li Xuan said that before Wang Zhongsi, he wanted to list Wang Zhongsi as a general in the Temple of War.

He had never lost a battle in his life and had the bearing of a great general, so he was definitely qualified.

As for the eight generals today, now is not the time to choose.

Even without fighting, you can still achieve achievements that will go down in history in other aspects.

"I will obey your orders!"

"Your Majesty, Confucius is the King Wenxuan. According to the etiquette, Your Majesty should be the chief priest of Taigong and confer the title of King Wu. This will show the orthodoxy of the Temple of Martial Arts."

Yan Zhenqing played again.

In terms of military affairs, no one is more suitable to be conferred the title of Martial Temple than Li Xuan.

No emperor or general in ancient or modern times can compare with Li Xuan's great martial arts.

However, Li Xuan was the emperor, and the Martial Temple only enshrined his ministers.

"Confucius is Xuan, and Taigong is Cheng. Today, Lü Shang is posthumously named King Wucheng. I hope that the generals and soldiers of the Tang Dynasty can learn from Lü Shang, and be both a Taigong who fought for the country and a Shangfu who supported the country."

Li Xuan gave Jiang Taigong the title.

"Your Majesty is wise!"

The civil and military officials did not have too many opinions.

Today's court meeting has officially ended.

Before the end, Li Xuan announced a seven-day suspension of court, which would be resumed after Li Longji's funeral.

Li Xuan summoned the prime ministers to the government hall after the court meeting to discuss current state affairs and planning matters with them.

It is planned that all the roads in the districts and cities of Chang'an City will be paved with cement this year.

Next year, the construction of cement road between the two capitals will officially begin.

More people choose to add cement, sand and stone to the production.

……

After Li Xuan came out of the Zhengzheng Hall, he met Li Shizhi, and then went to Xingqing Palace with Li Shizhi to pay tribute to Li Longji.

Liu Shan has begun to preside over the sacrificial ceremony for Li Longji.

Li Xuan briefed Liu Shan on the construction of Li Longji's mausoleum.

It is required to be completed within seven months. It does not need to be too magnificent and economy is the key. Cement can be used to reinforce the interior of the mausoleum.

Pottery figurines can be fired by famous craftsmen.

The burial objects of gold, silver, jewelry, and silk were appropriate. After all, Li Longji had a lot of time to enjoy his life.

It’s not that Li Xuan was harsh; it was still the same even after Li Shizhi’s death.

If he died, he would leave a will to bury him in the green mountains, without the need for a monument, so that he could rest forever.

So as to avoid being visited by a group of tomb raiders.

"By the way, how did Concubine Yang react after she learned of the late emperor's death?"

Finally, Li Xuan asked Liu Shan about this matter.

Since Liu Shan was the Minister of Commerce, he also served as the envoy of Xingqing Palace.

Manage the affairs of Xingqing Palace.

"Replying to Your Majesty, according to the report from the female Taoist priest in Taizhen Temple, after learning that the late emperor had passed away, the imperial concubine just prayed to the Taoist ancestor and stayed up all night. I cannot guess what she felt. But I think it will be nothing. After experiencing love and hatred, glory and wealth, and the destruction of her family, the imperial concubine seems to have sincerely turned to Taoism."

Liu Dan replied to Li Xuan.

"Didn't she propose to pay homage to the late emperor?"

Li Xuan was puzzled.

"No! Since entering Taizhen Temple, the imperial concubine has been drinking plain tea, wearing plain clothes and no makeup, and has never set foot outside of Taizhen Temple."

Liu Dan replied to Li Xuan.

"The heyday of the peony will eventually pass. No need to monitor it any further."

Li Xuan gave an order.

Yang Yuhuan, like Li Longji, is also very complicated.

The years of Tianbao are an era closely connected with the Yang family.

Yang Yuhuan is the most important person in the Yang family.

Because of her existence, the Yang family was out of control. If it was just extravagance, the country would not collapse so quickly.

However, even the selling of official positions and titles can be done with impunity.

The two defeats in the Nanzhao wars were concealed and the souls of the innocent people could not return.

From top to bottom, everything was rotten, so Li Xuan took advantage of An Lushan's rebellion and gave a slight push, and the Li Longji era collapsed.

"Your Majesty, the late emperor had many beauties in his harem. Are you following the rules?"

Liu Dan had to ask Li Xuan this question.

"The reform is in full swing. Do you think the imperial power is greater, or the people?"

Li Xuan asked Liu Dan a question in return.

"Does your subject know how to do this?"

Liu Dan responded quickly.

The homeland is three thousand miles away, and I have been in the palace for twenty years.

With a cry of He Manzi, tears fell in front of you.

In history, Du Fu once wrote in his poem "Watching the Sword Dance of Gongsun Da Niang's Disciples" that "the former emperor had eight thousand maids."

In fact, Li Longji had far more than 8,000 palace maids in the imperial palaces and temporary palaces in Chang'an and Luoyang.

These were actually used as "reserve concubines".

Because during the Kaiyuan period, Li Longji appointed a "Flower and Bird Envoy" to search the world for beautiful women for him.

These flower and bird servants did not consider family background or status, and did not distinguish between noble and humble, but only looked at appearance. All the beautiful ones, regardless of their background or whether they were married, were brought into the deep palace for Li Longji to enjoy.

One out of ten will be given a chance to change clothes, and nine will be sent to the deep palace to be palace maids.

However, there were so many beauties that they filled the five major imperial palaces: Xingqing Palace, Daming Palace, Taiji Palace, Shangyang Palace, and Ziwei Palace.

Among ten, at most one was favored by Li Longji.

The other nine could only serve as maids doing various chores.

Is the one who is favored the lucky one?
No.

At most you can get a small title.

After tomorrow night, Li Longji might have forgotten it.

It was only after he got Yang Yuhuan that the Flower and Bird Envoy disappeared.

The women trapped in the deep palace can only shed tears in front of their beauties.

Fortunately, after Li Xuan ascended the throne, he released a large number of palace maids.

The Daming Palace and Huaqing Palace were also closed.

Close these two most ostentatious palaces.

But one thing is that Li Xuan cannot touch the concubines who were favored by Li Longji.

After all, Li Longji was still alive and was the emperor emeritus.

Li Xuan abolished the eunuch system and allowed the palace maids to go home and get married. He had his reasons.

But if all of Li Longji's concubines in Chang'an were released, it would inevitably lead to gossip.

Like Li Shimin's concubines, if they had no children, they would be forced to become nuns.

Obviously, Li Xuan did not want to do this. You know, Li Xuan's campaign to suppress Buddhism and Taoism had just ended, and he had released a large number of Taoists and monks back home.

Liu Dan was able to understand the emperor's mind and grasp its meaning.

"Your Majesty, Prince Guangping requests an audience."

When Li Xuan was writing an article in a side hall of Xingqing Palace, Yulin Lang reported to him.

"Let him in!"

Li Xuan responded.

Prince Guangping was Li Chu, the eldest son of Li Heng.

In this time and space, Li Chu did not change his name to Li Yu.

"Meet the Supreme One!"

Li Chu suppressed his expression and greeted Li Xuan.

Li Xuan stole his throne.

Li Chu also thought so. If Li Xuan had no intention of treason, he would definitely be the one to inherit the throne.

After all, he was Li Longji's eldest grandson and the grandson that Li Longji most favored.

"No need to be polite! Why is Prince Guangping here?"

Li Xuan asked Li Chu.

"The late emperor loved Yang, but he never saw her before his death. I ask Yang to be buried with the late emperor and continue to serve him in the afterlife."

Li Chu didn't waste any words and made a surprising request to Li Xuan.

Since the end of the Kaiyuan period, Li Longji's sons and grandsons have accumulated a lot of resentment and anger.

Li Longji guarded against his children and grandchildren as if they were thieves, and specially built the Sixteen Kings' Residences and the Hundred Grandsons' Courtyard in the northeast of Chang'an City.

Strictly monitor the every move of your children and grandchildren.

The crown prince does not live in the Eastern Palace, so one of the sixteen princes’ residences is used as the “temporary Eastern Palace”.

The funniest thing is that Li Longji had been on guard against his descendants all his life, but in the end his house was robbed by Li Xuan, a thief in the family.

Li Linfu was in power and was trying to seize his daughter-in-law.

Even in the Sixteen Princes' Residences and the Hundred Grandsons' Courtyard, the princes and grandchildren of the emperor suffered humiliation and were suppressed to the point that they could not raise their heads.

Li Chu's father, Li Heng, was framed by Li Linfu and once lost his life.

Wang Zhongsi and Li Heng were as close as brothers, but Wang Zhongsi was also framed and died suddenly.

When the Yang family brought chaos to the court, it became even harder for the princes and grandchildren of the emperor to survive.

Yang's servants whipped the princess.

During the banquet, the princes and grandchildren sat behind Yang.

Even when the emperor's grandson was getting married, he had to curry favor with Lady Guo and ask her to act as a guarantor with a huge sum of money, otherwise the wedding would definitely not take place.

What followed was the Maweiyi coup, in which the princes and grandchildren of the emperor were completely imprisoned.

Most of the family's assets were lost because of Li Xuan's reforms.

This resentment accumulated year after year, making Li Chu and others sad and angry.

But they could do nothing, and could not even have a sweet dream at night. They could only sigh to the sky.

They selectively vented their anger on Yang Yuhuan.

Li Linfu died, Yang Guozhong died, the Five Yangs died, An Lushan died, Li Longji died...

But Yang Yuhuan is still alive!

Their family lost their kingdom because of these people, so why is Yang Yuhuan still alive?

"The first person to make clay figures for burials will have no descendants? Prince Guangping is well versed in Confucian classics. Haven't you heard this saying?"

Li Xuan glared, very dissatisfied.

He actually dared to mention the matter of burial alive in front of him.

History is moving forward!

As a time traveler, he may not move forward, but he must never move backward.

People say that Confucius praised the first person who made clay figurines. Pottery figurines replaced living people, eliminating the need for living people to be buried with the dead.

But some people also say that Confucius cursed the first person who used clay figurines for burial, saying that his descendants would be extinct. Because clay figurines are similar to humans, he was afraid that cruel kings and princes would appear in the future and gradually replace clay figurines with living people.

Regardless of whether the terracotta figurines replaced living people or evolved into living people, Confucius was firmly opposed to the system of human sacrifice in that era.

Not even slaves.

It had been so many years since Yang Yuhuan's incident, but Li Xuan was very angry when Li Chu said this.

If it weren't for the funeral of Li Longji, Li Xuan would have punished Li Chu.

Li Chu was speechless, and he was also afraid of Li Xuan's power.

This was not his idea alone, but the idea of ​​the princes.

The princes hated Yang Yuhuan so much.

"The late emperor's body is still warm. As his descendants, you should do your best to be filial. We are a family. Prince Guangping does not understand the reform, so let's just assume that he never said this."

"I will not detain you any longer. After the late emperor's funeral, you will move out of Xingqing Palace and live in various quarters of Chang'an. I hope you will behave yourself. I want to be as lenient as Emperor Wen and Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty, but don't forget the stories of Liu Chang and Liu Wu."

Li Xuan spoke to Li Chu sternly, as if he was scolding his grandson.

In terms of seniority, Li Chu was just his distant nephew.

"Go back!"

Then, Li Xuan waved his hand and asked Li Chu to leave.

Li Chu was ashamed and angry, so he bowed and retreated.

Li Xuan didn't care and continued to write his article.

Now that the country has been swept away both inside and outside, Li Longji's descendants, no matter how talented they are, can only be the children of a wealthy family.

Li Chu told the other princes what Li Xuan had said, and they became even more frightened.

Kneeling in front of Li Longji's coffin, tears fell down in big drops.

The officials who came to pay homage to Li Longji could not help but sigh that the late emperor's son was so filial.

Civil and military officials entered the Xingqing Palace one by one as agreed to pay homage.

Outside the Xingqing Palace, there were also elderly people reminiscing about the past and paying homage at the foot of the Qinzhengwu Building.

Li Xuan was tolerant and did not drive anyone away.

Everyone has good memories.

In the early and middle period of Kaiyuan period, the political situation was clear and many people benefited from it.

On the seventh day, the grand sacrifice began.

Li Xuan led the civil and military officials, princes and nobles to watch the sacrificial rituals, and then sealed Li Longji's coffin and placed it in the Yuelong Hall.

At this point, the worship of Li Longji came to a temporary end.

Seven months later, the body was transported to Tai Mausoleum for burial.

Seven days after Li Longji's death.

His former rival, Chidai Zhudan, finally died of illness.

The two Chidai Zhudan who "entered" Chang'an were able to live so long, which can be considered a good mentality.

Before his death, he asked Trisong Detsen to write a letter to Li Xuan, requesting to be buried on the snowy plateau, outside the former city of Lhasa.

Born here, raised here, and died here.

Returning to one's roots is not only a tradition of the Chinese nation, but also a belief of most people.

Chidai Zhudan is very similar to Li Longji, with a glorious first half of his life and a failure in the second half.

The Tibetan Grand Alliance no longer exists.

Songtsen Gampo unified the snowy plateau when he was young. Chidai Zhudan, who compared himself to Songtsen Gampo, wanted to go back and confess his sins to his ancestors.

After weighing the pros and cons, Li Xuan rejected Chidai Zhudan's request.

It was only allowed that his remains be reburied on the snowy plateau thirty years later.

The Snow Region Protectorate has only been established for four years.

As the Grand Protector General, Chang Gun was still in the stage of winning the hearts of the people.

Nan Jiyun also led his troops out of Shanhe City from time to time to attack some unsubmissive tribes.

So far, only 3,000 Han households have moved into Shanhe City, and even the military dependents have not been fully relocated, so it is far from enough.

Even though I know the impact of the Ruler Belt and Pearl Pill is minimal, I don't want to make any more mistakes.

His goal was for the Tang Dynasty to have complete control over the Snowy Plateau and impose proportional taxes before the tenth year of Qianyuan.

The climate in the snowy plateau of this era was warm and very suitable for farming.

The future will gradually become colder.

Seize the end of the warm current and lay the foundation for the integration of the snowy plateau.

(End of this chapter)