The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 573 Final Chapter
At the foot of Jiayu Mountain, this place is now an important pass on the Hexi Corridor.

Jiayu Mountain is located in the middle section of the Hexi Corridor. When Jiayuguan was built, there were only two villages here.

These two villages were originally located at the foot of Jiayu Mountain and had only a hundred households.

And now, under the occasional gusts of westerly wind blowing from the northwest, a city wall stretching for dozens of kilometers has risen from the ground.

More than ten years later, when teams of Hu merchants came to the newly built Jiayuguan, they saw the majestic city gate, realized their own insignificance, and became more humble.

After entering Jiayuguan, people saw a prosperous city.

When people actually come here and see such a prosperous city, it is bustling with people behind Jiayuguan.

What the Tang people built was not just a city gate, they actually built a big city.

But in terms of location, Jiayuguan is located in the middle section of the Hexi Corridor, looking northwest, backed by Jiayu Mountain. It is also a very solid pass. Standing on the city wall and looking up, you can still see the snow-capped mountains of Qilian Mountains in the distance, but when people stand under the city, there is only a black dot.

The construction of Jiayuguan took twenty years, which consumed more manpower and material resources than when the Tang people built the Hexi Corridor.

Today, there are nearly 100,000 people living in Jiayuguan, including about 200,000 people in the villages inside and outside Jiayuguan.

In the past, this place was the heart of the Gobi Desert. However, after decades of tree planting by the Tang people, it is no longer appropriate to say that this place is the Gobi Desert. There are still many trees inside and outside the city of Jiayuguan.

When Jiayuguan was being built, soldiers from the Zhechoufu in the Hexi Corridor were stationed there while farming. They built 20,000 mu of land to the south of Jiayuguan, which could produce 10,000 mu of wheat and the rest could be used to grow various fruits and vegetables.

As for why the Tang people built a city here, in the eyes of the people in the Western Regions, behind Jiayuguan was the richest place in the Hexi Corridor, with the most abundant water and grass.

Looking east from the Qilian Mountains, which is the east of Jiayuguan, connected to the Hexi Corridor, all the way east towards the city of Chang'an, people can see flocks of birds and beasts in the valleys of the Hexi Corridor, and groups of horses walking on the grasslands and rivers.

Herds of cattle were munching on grass and water plants, and there were large flocks of sheep.

This is the scenery on the east side of Jiayuguan, with countless cattle and sheep and the most abundant water and grass. It is not only an excellent horse farm, but also a place where countless livestock can be raised.

It has to be said that the Tang people had a good vision. They built Jiayuguan and protected the most beautiful area of ​​the Hexi Corridor.

It is early spring in the Hexi Corridor, and the northwest wind is still strong here. However, inside Jiayuguan, it seems that the strong wind is blocked outside the tall and wide city walls, and it becomes much warmer inside the city.

An old monk was walking in Jiayuguan City, and he was talking with a Tibetan.

This old monk is Xuanzang. He is leaning on a cane, with a hunched back, watching a funeral.

The person buried in this funeral was a Tubo minister named Dazhan Dongsai. The Tubo people regarded him as a wise minister of Tubo, who was as famous as Lu Dongzan.

Xuanzang still remembered that he had met Dazhang Dongsai in Guzang City that year. Songtsen Gampo was also there at that time. He didn't expect that they were both gone now.

After teaching in the Hexi Corridor for many years, Xuanzang met a man, Zhang Jianzhi, a counselor sent by the court.

Xuanzang was sitting on the street in Jiayuguan, still holding a cane in his hand. He slowly raised his head and saw Zhang Jianzhi, and asked, "It's been so many years, and I thought the court had forgotten me."

Zhang Jianzhi nodded and said, "No one will forget your achievements and what you have done for the Tang Dynasty. We will pass it on, and your deeds will be passed down from generation to generation."

"Well, I'll help you."

After saying this, Xuanzang stood up shakily with the help of his cane, and he said again: "Come with me."

Zhang Jianzhi asked the guards around him to step back and give Xuanzang enough respect.

Walking along the busy main street, Zhang Jianzhi followed Xuanzang to a bookstore with the words "Chongwenguan Teaching" hung on the door plaque.

This is the teaching library built by Chongwenguan in the Hexi Corridor.

According to Zhang Jianzhi, there are six such teaching libraries in Jiayuguan, and each library has at least 500 students according to the children's ages.

Zhang Jianzhi saw that there were many blue-eyed Hu children and Tibetan children here, but they all spoke Guanzhong dialect.

Xuanzang walked into the study and came to a small room. He pushed the door open and said, "Come in."

The room was very dark, but after opening the door, sunlight came in and I could see the wall full of bookcases.

Only after Xuanzang lit the oil lamp did Zhang Jianzhi see a tidy table.

Xuanzang was leaning on a cane with one hand and holding an oil lamp with the other. He looked up at the top of the bookcase and asked, "Can I take it down?"

Hearing this, Zhang Jianzhi rolled up his sleeves, picked up a stool beside him, stepped on it, and reached out to take down the book that Xuanzang pointed to.

Xuanzang asked, "Do you know why Jiayuguan prospered so quickly?"

Zhang Jianzhi shook his head.

"Without Jiuquan County, there would be no Jiayuguan today." Xuanzang took the scroll from his hand, turned around and faced the bookshelf, sat down with his back to him, picked up the pen beside him, and continued: "The Tian Khan back then was a very powerful person. I am talking about the Tian Khan of the Qianqing Dynasty."

"That Heavenly Khan would not do anything without a purpose. Any arrangement he made was based on considerations of what would happen decades later. Take Jiayuguan for example. It borders Jiuquan County to the east, which was built during the Zhenguan period. It took Jiuquan County decades of population and material resources to build the current Jiayuguan."

Without the construction of the four Hexi counties and the foundation laid by the four Hexi counties, the Tang Dynasty would not have had the manpower and material resources to build Jiayuguan. It was when the emperor was still a prince, in his teens, that he had a vision that far surpassed others.

The Hexi Corridor was planned decades ago. Looking back at the construction of Jiayuguan now, all of this was planned long ago.

Not to mention the construction of the Anxi Protectorate. Perhaps he had known that Tubo would attack Songzhou, which was why he arranged Li Zhen to garrison in the Hexi Corridor.

Not to mention how he rose step by step to the position of emperor and controlled the military power of the entire Hexi Corridor.

It was precisely because of this kind of foresight and strategy that Songtsen Gampo, Lu Dongzan and the King of Gaochang combined would not be his match.

Xuanzang put down his pen, handed over the scroll in his hand and said, "This is the book your emperor wants."

Zhang Jianzhi took the scroll and asked again, "Aren't you going back to Chang'an with me?"

"I'm not going back." Xuanzang walked outside and looked at the students one by one. He explained, "I can't leave here. Look at these children."

Zhang Jianzhi frowned and stood there.

Xuanzang added: "At first, I didn't think I could teach for so long, but look at these children, they always come in groups and leave in groups. As they grow up, the children always come one after another."

"From the beginning of my teaching to now, I have taught a total of 321 children. I remember the name of each child. Some of them went to Chang'an, some went to the border, and some also went to teach in other places."

Zhang Jianzhi listened to a lot from Xuanzang. He also taught in rural areas, and understood Xuanzang's thoughts, especially the feeling when teaching children. Xuanzang seemed like a person trapped by teaching in rural areas.

But Zhang Jianzhi came with the emperor's order, and if he didn't take Xuanzang back, he didn't know how to explain to the emperor.

Zhang Jianzhi stayed in Jiayuguan for the time being, intending to continue persuading Xuanzang.

These days, Zhang Jianzhi would also read the book given to him by Xuanzang, which was his travel notes in the Western Regions, The Great Tang Records on the Western Regions.

This book records the style and appearance of the Western Regions before they were changed.

After half a month, Xuanzang was not convinced, but received the bad news that Xuanzang, who was over ninety years old, had passed away.

In the end, Zhang Jianzhi failed to persuade Xuanzang to go to Chang'an. After burying Xuanzang, he took part of the ashes and Xuanzang's books back to Chang'an City.

It’s a pity that Xuanzang left no relics.

In the eighteenth year of Shangyuan, just after the Grain Rain season, the imperial examination had just ended.

It was still raining in Guanzhong. Li Shizhi stood by the Taiye Lake and saw his grandfather sitting in the water pavilion through the rain.

Now everyone around grandpa has passed away. In Li Shizhi's memory, grandpa was left alone only after his wife and concubines passed away.

Most of the time, Li Shizhi always felt lonely when he saw his grandfather's back.

This kind of loneliness accompanied my grandfather for most of his later years. Maybe my grandfather didn't need too many people to accompany him. It was better for him to be alone. He would get annoyed if there were too many people around.

It was within Li Shizhi's expectation that his mother became the most talented woman in the world. She was erudite, talented, and gifted. Her talent and learning made all the famous writers in the world eclipse her.

Empress Shangguan became a target in the eyes of women all over the world.

"Since I was young, everything I learned around me was the best." Li Shizhi muttered to himself, and then said, "I have learned everything my grandfather taught me. I will tell my father that the crown prince of the Eastern Palace wants to learn politics."

The prince, who had just turned twenty and had just reached the age of twenty, spoke in a calm and unquestionable tone.

"Gorlish?"

The eunuch, who had just entered the East Palace, quickly came back to his senses. He bowed and said, "Yes."

……

This year's imperial examination is over and the results have finally been announced. The person who topped the list of Jinshi is Zhang Jiuling.

Zhong Kui was not surprised to get this result, as he had heard of Zhang Jiuling's reputation a long time ago.

As he had merely passed the imperial examination, Zhong Kui had no choice but to accept it even though he was dissatisfied.

Listening to the discussions of people around him, Zhong Kui waved his sleeves and was about to leave.

The students taking the imperial examinations this year are very lucky, as this happens to be the time when the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace issues a call for talents.

Zhong Kui lived in a thatched hut of a family in Chang'an City, and was able to do hard labor in exchange for a simple living accommodation.

But a eunuch came hurriedly and bowed, saying, "Zhong Kui, tomorrow morning, go to the East Palace and you must be there before the hour of Chen."

After saying this, the eunuch left. The next day, in the East Palace.

Shangguan Yi was busy in the Eastern Palace.

Li Shizhi said with his hands in his pockets, "Old man, you are already old, don't be so busy."

Shangguan Yi was still cleaning up diligently. He explained, "After I retire, there is nothing left for me to do."

Outside the East Palace, Gao Lishi looked at the dozen people here, holding a whisk in one hand, and ordered, "Come here."

Everyone was confused when they arrived at the East Palace, but they followed anyway.

Gao Lishi led everyone to a palace, frowned at them and said, "You are meeting His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, why don't you bow?"

This young man is His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. No one has ever seen the Crown Prince before, but a few people here have seen Shangguan Yi.

The old man is standing behind this young man, and this is the East Palace, so he must be the prince.

Zhang Jiuling looked at the young man standing in the sun with suspicion.

Zhong Kui was equally surprised.

Li Shizhi walked down the steps, patted Zhong Kui on the shoulder and said, "I said, see you in Chang'an."

Zhong Kui then came back to his senses and bowed.

Li Shizhi smiled at Zhang Jiuling again.

Zhang Jiuling hurriedly closed his eyes and saluted again.

"Zhong Kui?"

"exist."

Li Shizhi asked: "Have you ever cared about your appearance?"

Zhong Kui replied: "My parents gave me this gift. I don't care. What others think is none of my business."

His words were resounding.

In the twenty-fifth year of Shangyuan, starting from the Wude period, the Li Tang dynasty had changed generation after generation. Li Chengqian didn't know how old he was, probably eighty-six or eighty-five?

At this point in his life, Li Chengqian has become vague about his age as time flies.

The prince got married yesterday, and Li Chengqian just went to take a look and then left.

The prince married a very ordinary woman, and the Eastern Palace had a crown princess, so he had no worries.

Li Shizhi is very smart, has been keeping a low profile for many years, and is very capable, so there is no need to worry about this child.

And in the same year, a man named Wang Zhihuan passed the imperial examination and became a Jinshi.

There are still many people fishing in Chang'an, but Li Chengqian hasn't fished for a long time and falls asleep every time he goes fishing.

Two years later, Li Chengqian was reading The Great Tang Records on the Western Regions written by Xuanzang when he saw Li Shizhi running towards him.

He was wearing the emperor's crown and robes. Li Chengqian took a closer look and asked, "Did your father abdicate?"

Li Shizhi moved a stool and sat down next to his grandfather's chair like he did when he was a child.

"Don't dirty your crown and robes."

Li Shizhi said: "It doesn't matter."

This grandson was taught by himself. No matter in terms of tactics, wisdom, or ability in governing the country, there should be few people in the court who can be his opponent.

It was only natural that Yu Tu would abdicate.

"What year is it?"

"Grandpa, the era name chosen by your grandson is Hongdao."

"Oh, that's alright."

During the ten years of Hongdao, Li Chengqian became what people called an ancestor.

During the imperial examination that year, Li Chengqian met Wang Wei, Gao Shi, and a young man named Guo Ziyi.

Li Chengqian sat in a wheelchair, watching the sunset in the west by the Qujiang Lake. The people in his memory had long since passed away, and those who were still alive were all the new generation.

Li Chengqian still remembers the first time he came here. At that time, he smelled a foul smell from the ditch in the corner of Qujiang Lake. Now the smell is gone.

Two young men were coming towards us.

The young man who led the group was slightly older and bowed, saying, "Su Jin greets the ancestor."

Li Chengqian asked in a low voice: "Are you the young talent from the Wugong Su family?"

"I am ashamed that I dare not let my ancestors call me talented."

Li Chengqian looked at the other young man.

Su Jin introduced: "Ancestor, this is Li Bai."

Li Chengqian looked up at him, finally smiled, and said: "You are Li Bai..."

The old ancestor asked questions in a very strange tone. Su Jin suspected that the old ancestor had heard of Li Bai before?
Li Chengqian asked again: "Where is your good friend Gao Shi?"

Su Jin was confused again. How could his ancestor know the relationship between Li Bai and Gao Shi?

Without waiting for Li Bai to reply.

Li Chengqian smiled and said, "Very good, very good..."

In the eighteenth year of Hongdao, when it snowed again in Guanzhong, Li Chengqian, who was over a hundred years old, came to Qianling Mausoleum.

Under the escort of the crowd, the old ancestor looked at the tombstone and read out the names one by one.

The wind and snow fell on the ancestor's cloak. Slowly, the old ancestor sat down against the stone tablet and slowly closed his eyes.

Li Shizhi and his father rushed to Qianling Mausoleum overnight.

Gao Lishi cried and kowtowed repeatedly to apologize for his crime.

Li Shizhi did not blame him for not taking good care of Grandpa, and then whispered: "Grandpa knew he needed to come here, so he came. Everyone related to Grandpa is gone, and Grandpa has wanted to rest for a long time."

Compared to His Majesty's tranquility, the retired emperor, whose hair and beard had turned white, began to cry loudly.

In the eighteenth year of Hongdao, Li Tang's ancestor was buried at the age of 102. His temple name was Wenzong and his posthumous title was Emperor Shengming Rende Jing.

On the day of Emperor Wenzong's burial, millions of people in Guanzhong and Luoyang mourned for the emperor, followed by people in the Hexi Corridor, then people from the Western Regions and Tubo. Then, in this heavy snow, the mourners seemed to be spreading farther and farther.

Until all over the Central Plains, Liaodong, Lingnan, overseas, and even the westernmost tip of India.

Wang Xiaojie led the Tang army across the strait. He killed his way through the territory of the Arabs and into the territory of the Gauls. He held up the flag, waved the butcher knife, and shouted for the whole world to mourn for Emperor Wenzong.

……

Many years later, the powerful Tang Empire once conquered the territory as far north as possible, and was still marching westwards towards the end of the continent.

Today, it is still dark and the sky is gray.

A young man named Li Mi climbed up Mount Laojun. He was wearing a Taoist robe and followed by a group of children who were also wearing Taoist robes. Most of these children were only about ten years old. They walked and stopped for two days before they reached the top of the mountain.

Of course, Li Mi did not bring these children to Laojun Mountain to become Taoist priests, but the emperor had issued an edict allowing people to go to Laojun Mountain to pay homage to Taoist Priest Li Chunfeng.

Li Mi, who was currently teaching in rural areas, wanted to bring the children to Laojun Mountain and give lectures on the mountain.

Li Mi saw the huge observatory and the huge telescope, but he also heard his peers arguing about something that people had been arguing about recently.

When it comes to whether or not to build a railway, Li Mi is very pessimistic about this matter. The Tang Dynasty does have a lot of iron mines, but to build a railway that runs through the Hexi Corridor to Luoyang is not a question of the amount of iron mines, but a question of manpower recruitment.

Or people are still debating whether to change the current imperial system. One idea is that since it is always people who govern the world, people are the most important, and it doesn't matter whether the emperor exists or not.

Li Mi remembered that the person who proposed this idea was a Zhongshu Shilang named Li Guangbi.

But I haven't taken the imperial examination yet, and I can't get involved in the affairs of the court, so what does it have to do with me?
Just as he was thinking, Li Mi suddenly smiled. He saw the clouds were dissipating and a ray of golden morning light was shining on the top of Laojun Mountain.

The children behind him began to cheer, and Li Mi also laughed happily. He added: "I like what Emperor Wenzong once said. It won't get worse in the future."

A child asked: "Isn't Emperor Wenzong's favorite saying 'Time flies like an arrow, never ceasing day or night'?"

Li Mi led the children, talking and laughing, walking down the mountain in the sunshine.

(End of the book)

(End of this chapter)