The Great Tang General

In the next few years, Li Xuan will look for a courageous person to learn navigation and hydrological knowledge and challenge the vast ocean together with scholars and scientists.

After hearing Li Xuan's words, Chinese and foreign scholars in the Palace of Wisdom were shocked.

They were just arguing about whether the world was round or square.

Thought it was a debate.

Until now, such topics have only been debates and have been unrealistic.

However, the Supreme One proposed an attempt to sail out to sea on a ship and explore the end of the world.

What is the difference between this and committing suicide?
The unknown is the most terrifying thing.

Perhaps what the Supreme said is correct. If the heaven and earth are spherical, if you start from the east, you will return from the west.

The Supreme has improved the compass, which can, to a certain extent, help people determine directions in the vast ocean.

If the world were not a sphere but a piece of land, the end of the ocean would be the end of heaven and earth.

But they were wondering, how did this land exist?
In fact, whether it is China, the Persian nation, or the West.

In every ancient nation, there have been scholars who have speculated that the world is a sphere, and a rotating sphere at that.

The reason is simple, the sun and the moon are constantly cycling, rising and setting.

To deny this statement is to deny that there is only one sun and moon.

But this advanced concept sounds far-fetched.

Those who are not on this path will not be convinced.

There has never been an emperor like Li Xuan who personally participated in the debate and used practical actions to verify it.

It's a joke to look at the sky from a well, but many people are looking at the sky from a well without realizing it.

"Your Majesty, I want to verify what the heaven and earth are like? I want to witness the universe. If there is a chance, I am willing to cross the sea, walk across Fusang, walk into the vastness, and never return until I see the horizon."

A man in his thirties, wearing a black round-necked robe, bowed to Li Xuan and volunteered.

He didn't want to show off, but really wanted to verify this guess.

Especially after Li Xuan said this, the desire in his heart became stronger and stronger.

Even though I know that going east into the sea will be a road of no return.

"You've barely escaped death, do you still dare to go?"

Li Xuan asked in a deep voice.

"To gain the truth, I will never regret even if I die!"

The man answered in a strong voice.

"What's your name, sir?"

Seeing that this man had ambitions, Li Xuan asked his name.

The Han scholars present here all have a history. Some have passed the imperial examinations, while others are students of famous teachers.

"My name is Guo Zaitao."

Guo Zaitao replied to Li Xuan.

He passed the imperial examination and became a student of the great astronomer Zhang Biao.

Zhang Biao's teacher was the famous monk Yixing.

During the Kaiyuan period, a group of monks worked at the Lizheng Academy. In terms of science, they were unmatched.

"You have great courage! We will wait until the voyage is finalized before selecting those who are interested."

Li Xuan nodded. He did not promise easily, but just remembered the name Guo Zaitao.

He will pay attention to Guo Zaitao's knowledge and creations.

Not everyone can undertake the great voyages of discovery, and Li Xuan did not have many opportunities to experiment.

Now the first generation of new-style tower ships in Qilu Province has been completed.

Gathering the most skilled craftsmen in the field of shipbuilding of the Tang Dynasty and bringing out the pinnacle of Tang Dynasty shipbuilding technology, Li Xuan also made improvements to the hull and style of the ship.

The newly built ships are responsible for transporting grain from Qi and Lu provinces to Bohai Protectorate. While adapting to the navigation, we will find out the shortcomings of the tower ships and continue to transform them, striving to build a second generation of larger and more suitable tower ships that can ride the wind and waves and not be afraid of storms.

Li Xuan said no more about the roundness of the earth.

This is just a brief introduction and scholars will explore it further in the future.

Next, Li Xuan told the scholars another story.

Basic mechanics story.

Principles of motion such as velocity and acceleration, gravity and free fall, relativity, inertia, projectiles, etc.

These are the most basic knowledge for later generations and are very easy to experiment with, but they are the beginning of physics.

Li Xuan told this to the scholars.

Then he proposed Newton's first law, Newton's second law, and Newton's third law.

And list the formula on a piece of paper.

Scholars can verify this in the future.

Physics is not valued in this era. Apart from literature and history, scholars' favorite subject is astronomy.

But Li Xuan's identity means that he has a huge say.

His every word and action is regarded as a guiding principle by countless people.

He pioneered basic physics and Newton's three laws of motion, which are enough to be the key to open the hearts of many scholars.

As long as the guidance is correct, many people will delve deeper into this area.

All science starts here...

Li Xuan will not say more for now.

Every knowledge node needs to be brewed.

Li Xuan sincerely hopes that the Palace of Wisdom can develop further.

His few words were a major step forward for the times and won countless time for scholars.

……

Outside Luoyang City, Grand Canal Wharf.

Hundreds of ships docked at the pier, and some Tiance Guards boarded the ships.

Li Xuan also boarded the dragon boat with his wife and daughter, accompanied by the people.

Target: Linhuai County.

As the morning light breaks, ripples appear on the wide river surface.

An extraordinary royal ship cut through the water, its bow looking like a dragon roaring to the sky, its eyes inlaid with colored glaze, sparkling and sharp, its dragon whiskers fluttering, showing its majesty.

The entire ship is more than ten meters long and after being rebuilt, it looks very majestic.

This was Li Longji's regular ship, but Li Longji had never been on it once.

Let Li Xuan experience it.

On the boat, you can enjoy the customs and people on both sides of the strait and the beautiful scenery.

When Li Xuan was traveling south, a minister suggested temporarily cutting off the Grand Canal and using it only as a waterway for the emperor to avoid those with ulterior motives.

But Li Xuan refused.

This most prosperous commercial waterway will cause huge losses to trade even if it stops for only ten days or half a month.

The butterfly effect may cause some vendors to go bankrupt and ordinary people to suffer losses.

It is no exaggeration to say that the Grand Canal was the basis for the livelihood and clothing of millions of canal workers.

Hundreds of ships were lined up and set sail, and thousands of imperial guards rode south on horseback.

All the ships coming to Luoyang noticed this scene.

"The Great Tang Dynasty Black Dragon Flag! There are also the Golden Leaf Flag and the Triangular Brocade Beast Flag. What are those?"

A crew member on a ship pointed ahead and asked in shock.

These large ships cannot be caravans.

Especially the ship in the middle, which is magnificent, huge, luxurious and daunting.

"Could it be..."

"This is the banner of the Supreme... The Supreme is going to tour the south along the Grand Canal..."

Those with insight speculated that the emperor was going to tour the south.

In fact, this is the only explanation.

Apart from the emperor, which nobleman would dare to make such a grand scene?
Luoyang is Wang Jing's place, and the news will soon reach Chang'an.

The Grand Canal is spacious, and ordinary ships must stay away from the emperor's dragon boat.

If you approach deliberately, you might be regarded as an assassin.

"It is our great honor to see His Majesty on his southern tour. A ship full of silk is nothing to be proud of..."

Some businessmen were very excited.

That's the Supreme! The most wise emperor in all eternity.

At least that's what the businessmen think. In an era when the status of merchants is getting lower and lower, abolishing city registration will prevent merchants from being ridiculed.

Even if the tax rate on merchants is increased, they are willing to do so.

Who doesn’t want to live with dignity?
“Long live!” “Long live!”

Every ship passing by the dragon boat will shout "Long live the dragon" to show respect to the Supreme.

Moreover, countless people from both sides of the river watched the dragon boats sailing south along the Grand Canal.

Li Xuan was wearing casual clothes on the deck of the dragon boat, watching and listening to all this, his heart surging with emotion.

"My husband, the noise you made during your southern tour alarmed the merchants."

Pei Lingxi accompanied Li Xuan on the deck and chatted and laughed with Li Xuan.

Pei Lingxi, who is in her thirties, is graceful and elegant. She is still beautiful, especially her eyebrows and eyes, which are as fresh as when she was a girl.

They have been married for many years and are still as good as ever.

The emperor's identity did not create any barriers to their relationship.

This is due to Li Xuan's character.

Pei Lingxi believed that she was the happiest queen of all time.

Pei Lingxi was sincerely happy that her husband could win the love of the people.

"The last emperor to travel south along the Grand Canal was Emperor Yang of Sui. He went to Jiangdu and never returned to Luoyang."

When Li Xuan saw Pei Lingxi saying that the team was powerful, he felt that what he said was very inappropriate.

"How can Emperor Sui Yang be compared with my husband?"

Pei Lingxi felt that this was unlucky.

Everyone in the Tang Dynasty knew that Emperor Yang of Sui was a tyrant and a foolish ruler, and that the Tang Dynasty replacing him was in accordance with the will of heaven.

"Thinking of these stories, I can be sober and self-motivated, and implement the lofty ideal that the people are the most important, the country is second, and the emperor is the least important."

Li Xuan answered slowly.

The country and the society can be changed, but the people cannot be changed.

When Emperor Yang of Sui went to the south of the Yangtze River for the first time, he dispatched more than 5,000 ships.

It took nearly two months from the time the first ship left the port to the time the last ship left.

The huge fleet was lined up in a row, stretching for hundreds of miles, so long that it was impossible to see the end.

The entourage, together with various miscellaneous servants, numbered almost 100,000 people. Wherever the fleet went, local officials brought the people within a radius of 500 miles to provide the fleet with food, meat, and daily necessities. There were tens of thousands of people who delivered meals and replenished their daily necessities.

It’s really a torment for the people!
So when Li Xuan went on his southern tour, he tried to keep things as simple as possible.

He made a southern tour to inspect the people's livelihood, unlike Emperor Yang of Sui who was nostalgic for the beautiful Jiangdu.

"My husband is a saint, and I will support him with all my strength."

Pei Lingxi was already satisfied to be able to travel with Li Xuan and enjoy the scenery along the way.

She was just a little woman, and the only thing she could do was to manage the harem well and not add trouble to her husband.

After spending some time with Pei Lingxi, Jiang Yueyao, Shuang'er and Changli, along with their two little daughters, arrived on the deck.

The way his little daughter, who was still not walking steadily, called "Grandpa" made Li Xuan laugh heartily.

Compared to traveling in a carriage, it is extremely pleasant to enjoy the scenery on a big ship.

They also look forward to the splendor of Jiangnan, to see the legendary Yangtze River, and the Jiangnan water towns described in poems.

When a ship is sailing, it will stop when it encounters a pier.

Usually we stay at the dock overnight and leave at sunrise.

Li Xuan is not in a hurry.

Every time we arrived at a dock, local officials would come to pay us a visit.

Li Xuan only asked about local civil affairs symbolically.

His target is not the area north of the Huai River, and he will not make a specific inspection.

In October, Li Xuan arrived at Linhuai and stopped in this county close to the Huai River to rest.

Li Xuan also planned to inspect Linhuai County.

The inner guards were in plain clothes, standing on guard among the crowd welcoming Li Xuan.

Li Xuan asked Liao Zhengrong to send the Embroidered Uniform Guard to inquire about the situation in Linhuai County.

only the guy drinking water knows it's cold or hot.

The people under their rule know exactly how well local officials are doing.

Many times, the common people of a place would glare at the local officials, but the imperial court was unaware of it.

The Tang Dynasty had a vast territory, and it was very easy for officials to collude with each other and deceive their superiors and subordinates.

The farther away from the emperor, the more likely this situation is to occur.

Chang'an is far away from the Huai River area and even farther from the south of the Yangtze River.

This time Li Xuan went to the south of the Yangtze River very suddenly and did not notify the provincial government.

Decision made in September, departure in September.

When Li Xuan went south along the Grand Canal, he learned from the merchant ships and the counties along the Grand Canal that the Supreme was on a southern tour.

The local officials were solemn and worked hard to reorganize the counties, fearing that Li Xuan would stop at a ferry and kill their own government offices.

Although Linhuai County was located north of the Huai River, it belonged to Huainan Province.

The current governor of Linhuai is Chang Xuan, who is over 40 years old.

The accompanying officials told Li Xuan that Chang Hyun had performed very well in the assessment.

To Li Xuan, this didn’t mean anything, because none of the current prefects had poor assessment scores.

Even so, several governors were executed and some were dismissed every year.

"I, Chang Xuan, the governor of Linhuai, respectfully welcome the emperor to your presence. Long live the emperor..."

"Welcome the Queen and all the ladies..."

At Linhuai Wharf, Chang Xuan straightened his clothes and, together with the officials of Linhuai, paid homage to Li Xuan.

Afterwards, all the officials bowed together.

"No gift!"

Li Xuan raised his hand to signal.

He was wearing simple autumn uniform, but he was clearly visible under the attention of his courtiers.

Moreover, Chang Hyun had met Li Xuan in Chang'an.

There were county soldiers and constables guarding outside the dock.

Upon learning that Li Xuan was coming, people from all over Linhuai came, bringing their old and young with them.

Ordinary people all wanted to catch a glimpse of the emperor and share in his good fortune.

Since the founding of the Tang Dynasty, the old emperor has been just a title in the eyes of the people of Huainan.

No emperor had ever arrived here.

Not to mention that Li Xuan was an emperor who was both a great poet and a hero.

The curved plow used by the people in Huainan was invented by Li Xuan, and the improved waterwheel was also created by Li Xuan.

The newly grown cotton and vegetables were all introduced by Li Xuan from outside the region.

The children can recite poems such as "Who knows that every grain of rice on the plate is the result of hard work" and "Four hundred and eighty temples in the Southern Dynasties, many towers are in the mist and rain" very easily.

When An Lushan rebelled, the people were frightened when they heard that he was going to attack Huainan.

The day when the lowly were removed and the people got land to farm, they wept bitterly.

Who wouldn't want to meet this kind of emperor?
Not to mention it is the busy farming season, even if it is the busy farming season, the people of Linhuai County, Linhuai Commandery will come to welcome them.

"Your Majesty has gone to great lengths to come to Linhuai in person. This is truly a blessing for us and the people."

As the governor, Chang Hyun stepped forward to show his respect again.

Although the journey was tiring, the emperor's carriage and horses, as well as the imperial guards' war horses, had to be transported down from the ships, which Linhuai County was unable to arrange.

"It has been five years since I ascended the throne, and I have finally had time to reach Linhuai. I am just taking a look, and you can do as before."

Li Xuan said casually.

"I will obey your orders!"

The officials below probably know the character of the Supreme Being.

He was able to eliminate the lowly and turn them into good people, and killed so many people. After Li Xuan arrived, who dared to slack off?
"Prefect Chang, what is the current population of Linhuai County?"

Li Xuan told Pei Lingxi and other girls to play nearby while he waited for the carriage to disembark.

He brought his entourage of officials and Chang Xuan to observe the place where the Tongji Canal of the Grand Canal connected to the Huai River. Looking at the gentle flow of the Grand Canal connecting to the Huai River, he asked Chang Xuan.

"Reporting to the Supreme, there are 47,072 households in Linhuai, with a total of 287,300 people."

Chang Hyun answered Li Xuan and knew everything about him.

Linhuai County has a large population, but it is only relative.

Linhuai County used to belong to Henan Province. In Henan Province, except for the remote counties in Qi and Lu, Linhuai County could compete for the last place.

The North China Plain has been the richest place in China since ancient times.

Judging from the terrain, Linhuai County still has a lot of room for development...

(End of this chapter)