My father, Li Shimin, please call me Crown Prince

Chapter 442 Tibet's Ambition

Before the smoke of battle had even cleared from the Talas River, Tang army banners had already been planted on the city walls of the nine Sogdian kingdoms.

In front of the golden-roofed palace of Kangguo, Guo Jin was receiving the royal seal presented by Sultan Shi Fuyanchuo of Shiguo. The golden seal, carved with camel patterns, gleamed coldly in the sunlight, but it no longer possessed its former majesty.

From this day forward, the royal titles of the nine Sogdian kingdoms will forever remain history.

"Issue the Crown Prince's decree!" Guo Jin unfurled the edict personally handed to him by Li Chengqian, and his voice echoed across the square through the messengers.

"The Nine Kingdoms of Sogdiana have historically submitted to the Tang Dynasty, yet they have wavered and secretly colluded with the Abbasid Caliphate, bringing disaster upon themselves. Now that the Tang army has quelled the rebellion, in order to secure the borders and ensure the well-being of the people, the old system of the Nine Kingdoms is hereby abolished, and they are all incorporated into the prefectures and counties under the jurisdiction of the Anxi Protectorate!"

The moment the edict was read, the King of Kangguo turned ashen-faced. The nobles behind him whispered among themselves, some clenching their fists, but dared not move under the threat of the Tang army's cannons.

Outside the square, Cheng Zhijie patrolled with his musketeers. The bloodstains on their armor had not yet been wiped dry, and the barrels of their muskets gleamed coldly in the sunlight, silently warning against any attempt to resist.

The crackdown on the old aristocracy was launched swiftly within three days.

Based on the secret accounts of the secret communications between the Tang army and the Abbasid Caliphate that the Inspection Department had obtained in advance, the Tang army went door to door to collect the royal seals and tallies of the various countries.

When the King of Kang was stripped of his crown, he tried to argue: "My Kang Kingdom has paid tribute to the Tang Dynasty for generations, why should my throne be abolished?"

Guo Jin slammed the black ledger in front of him, which clearly recorded his ironware trade with the Arabs last year: "Paying tribute is a duty, colluding with the enemy is treason. His Highness the Crown Prince has decreed that anyone who secretly communicates with the Arabs, regardless of whether they are royalty or noble, will be demoted to a commoner and their property confiscated!"

The nobles of Anguo fared even worse.

Many of them had participated in the false investiture by the Arabs, and the Tang army directly escorted them to Chang'an for questioning, much to the delight of the people along the way.

These nobles routinely seized fertile land and exploited caravans, causing widespread resentment among the people.

Because of Shi Guo's repeated betrayals and allegiance, his crimes were punished more severely. The royal men were exiled to Lingnan to repair sea hawk warships, while the women were assigned to the textile workshops of the county's Ministry of Revenue. The once magnificent royal palace was transformed into the Anxi County Practical School.

In order to completely eradicate the old forces, Guo Jin ordered "a thorough investigation of land and a determination of taxes for each household".

The clerks of the Inspection Bureau, carrying arithmetic books, measured the nobles' estates and distributed the land to commoners and tenants according to population. The privilege documents of the old nobles were burned in public. Amidst the billowing smoke, some cried out and some cursed, but they could not stop the iron-fisted advancement of the new policies.

Cheng Zhijie watched as those once arrogant nobles now carried hoes and worked in the fields, and couldn't help but laugh: "It should have been done long ago! Let them taste the bitterness of the common people, so they'll know who their true benefactors are!"

While abolishing the old system, the seeds of new policies quickly took root in the nine kingdoms of Zhaowu.

Li Chengqian sent officials from Chang'an who had passed the imperial examinations to take over the affairs of the prefectures and counties. He established the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the Ministry of War, and the Ministry of Commerce according to the six-ministry system of the county. The Ministry of Civil Affairs was in charge of disaster relief and agriculture and sericulture, the Ministry of War was in charge of city defense and household registration, and the Ministry of Commerce was in charge of trade routes and taxes. The performance evaluation of each department was linked to the increase in agricultural and sericulture production and the growth of commercial taxes, and was directly assessed by the Anxi Protectorate.

The first new policy implemented was the equal distribution of land and the new land register.

In the former territory of Kang State, the county clerks used three-dimensional land registration forms to register land and issued land deeds to each commoner household, which stated that land reclamation would be exempt from tax for three years.

A Sogdian man named Arohan, who had once been a tenant farmer of nobles, held the land deed with tears of emotion in his eyes: "My ancestors have rented land from nobles for generations, but now I finally have my own land!"

That very day, he led his family to reclaim the wasteland, and the county government even sent craftsmen to teach him how to use a new type of waterwheel for irrigation, expecting the autumn harvest to increase by 30%.

The improvement of trade routes has yielded immediate results.

The Ministry of Commerce established branches in Talas and Kangguo, implemented Tang bill settlement, and the Inspection Office strictly investigated smuggling on trade routes. Persian merchants and Sogdian caravans, who were once exploited by nobles, could now travel freely by simply declaring customs and paying taxes according to the three-dimensional customs declaration.

Arab merchants from the West Market also came upon hearing the news. Seeing the order under the Tang army's cannons, they dared not try anything funny anymore and obediently registered at the Ministry of Commerce, using Tang tickets to buy Shu brocade and porcelain.

In education, the Quanxueguan replaced the private schools of the old aristocracy. The teachers taught Chinese characters, mathematics, and the "Essentials of Agriculture and Sericulture" instead of Persian or Sanskrit.

When the children of the Li people in Shiguo entered the school for the first time, their eyes shone with curiosity as they looked at the waterwheel pattern on the blackboard.

A minor official from the county's Ministry of Rites said, "His Highness the Crown Prince has decreed that children in the Western Regions must also study and learn practical skills so that they can better defend this land in the future."

To prevent the restoration of the old aristocracy, the Tang army built cities and stationed troops in key locations in various prefectures, and fifty cannons were stationed in important towns such as Kangguo and Talas, with the cannons pointing directly towards the desert.

Cheng Zhijie led his cavalry to patrol the trade routes regularly. When they encountered any remnants of rebellious nobles, they would suppress them with muskets and display their heads on the city walls. The notice read: "Those who betray the Tang Dynasty, though far away, shall be punished."

But beyond the iron fist, there is also a policy of appeasement.

Li Chengqian ordered disaster relief loans to be allocated to prefectures and counties in the Western Regions, with a three-year interest-free period, to encourage people to plant drought-resistant rice varieties introduced from the Jiangnan region.

The craftsmen sent by the Ministry of Works taught the locals how to smelt iron, make porcelain, and improve agricultural tools.

The Huitongsi (Foreign Trade Office) also organized caravans to trade spices and fine horses from the Western Regions in Chang'an, allowing the people to experience the benefits of trade.

However, just as the nine kingdoms of Sogdiana were undergoing vigorous reforms, Tibet was experiencing some unrest.

The Red Mountain Palace in Lhasa was shrouded in the hot summer breeze. The barley fields outside the palace were tinged with green. The silkworm and mulberry paintings brought by Princess Wencheng hung on the palace pillars, and the mulberry leaves embroidered with silk thread swayed slightly in the light and shadow.

Songtsen Gampo sat on the golden throne, his fingertips caressing a piece of white jade pendant.

It was a gift from Princess Wencheng when she got married. The words "Harmony and Unity as One Family" carved on the jade pendant were worn smooth and shiny from being rubbed.

"Your Majesty! If you hesitate any longer, the Tang Dynasty will block Tibet's trade routes!"

Grand Chancellor Lu Dongzan's voice broke the silence in the hall. On the trade ledger in his hand, the tax silver marked in red ink had increased by 30%, which was painful to look at: "After the nine kingdoms of Zhaowu submitted to Tang, when we went to the Western Regions to exchange for ironware and buy silk, we had to go through the tax checkpoints of the Great Tang! Those tax officials checked the accounts one by one with the 'three-dimensional bill,' and even the brocade samples brought by the princess had to be taxed!"

The nobleman Trisong Detsen suddenly stood up, his scimitar clattering against the table: "The Grand Minister is right! The Tang Dynasty's monopoly of the Western Regions is ostensibly about establishing prefectures and counties, but in reality, it's about crippling our arms! Their cannons can shatter the walls of Kang, their muskets can kill on horseback, and now they've occupied Zhaowu. The next step is Qinghai! Are we going to wait until their iron hooves trample Lhasa before we make our move?"

The nobles inside the hall echoed their sentiments, with one pointing to the mulberry fields outside: "Even if the princess brings silkworms, the trade routes are blocked, and our cattle and sheep can't be exchanged for salt and iron. Sooner or later, the people will go hungry! The benefits of the Tang Dynasty were brought by the princess, but the harm was brought by their army!"

Songtsen Gampo slowly raised his hand, and the noise in the hall gradually subsided. His gaze swept over everyone, finally landing on the silkworm painting, and his voice carried a hint of barely perceptible weariness: "Have you forgotten? When Princess Wencheng entered Tibet, how many agricultural books did the Tang Emperor send her? Last year, when there was a plague in the snowy region, it was the Tang Dynasty physicians brought by the princess who brewed medicine to save lives."

"The weavers in Lhasa are all trained by the princess. If we become enemies with the Tang Dynasty, all these benefits will vanish."

“But the benefits won’t fill the national treasury!” Lu Dongzan stepped forward, his tone urgent.

"Your Majesty, the friendship between you and Princess Wencheng is admired by all of Tibet. However, the nobles' fiefdoms need to support their people, and the ironware of the snowy lands depends on imports from the Western Regions. The Tang Dynasty's monopoly on Zhaowu is cutting off Tibet's lifeline! Are we to ask our cavalry to lay down their scimitars and learn from the Tang people to plant mulberry trees and raise silkworms?"

Trisong Detsen added, “Your Majesty, we don’t want to go to war with the Tang Dynasty, we just want to reclaim the trade routes! Send a cavalry force to the edge of Qinghai to put pressure on the Tang Dynasty and let them know that Tibet is not to be trifled with. They will naturally relax the tax checkpoints! We can’t let the princess’s kindness become a shackle for us to swallow our anger!”

Songtsen Gampo's finger paused on the jade pendant. How could he not know the anxiety of the nobles? Most of Tibet's ironware came from the Western Regions, and the salt and tea trade routes were an important source of revenue for the nobles' fiefdoms. The Tang Dynasty's monopoly on Zhaowu had indeed gripped Tibet's weak point.

But he knew even better what going to war with the Tang Dynasty meant.

Princess Wencheng was teaching the people of Lhasa to plant mulberry trees and raise silkworms. The mulberry seedlings had just taken root, and the Tang Dynasty's medical officials were still vaccinating children in the snowy region against smallpox. Those vows of "being one family" could not be burned to ashes by the flames of war.

“To wage war against the Tang Dynasty would be to sever the princess’s life’s work.” Songtsen Gampo’s voice lowered, and his gaze fell on Trisong Detsen.

"Do you know how far the Tang Dynasty's cannons could fire? In the Battle of Talas, 20,000 Arab cavalrymen were routed before they even reached the Tang army's positions. No matter how brave the Tibetan cavalry are, can they withstand the bombardment of iron bullets? If a real war breaks out, how will the princess manage in Lhasa? The people will say that the king has forgotten the oath of 'being one family' for the sake of trade routes."

Silence fell over the hall as the nobles exchanged bewildered glances. Lu Dongzan's tone softened slightly, but he remained resentful: "But with trade routes blocked, the nobles are full of complaints. If we don't find a solution soon, I fear..."

"We need to find a solution, but not through war." Songtsen Gampo stood up, his white jade pendant swaying gently at his waist. "Send an envoy to Chang'an, not to declare war, but to see Princess Wencheng's brother and tell them that Tibet is willing to send more caravans to escort them and assist the Tang Dynasty in cracking down on smuggling. They only ask for a reduction in commercial taxes and the opening of two dedicated trade routes."

He paused, then looked at Lu Dongzan: "Have the envoy take the Shu brocade that the princess taught the people to weave, and tell the Tang emperor that Tibet remembers the friendship of the marriage alliance, but also needs a way to survive. In addition, pass on my order to have the artisans in Shannan learn iron smelting from the Tang physicians. Perhaps the agricultural technology book that the princess brought contains methods that do not require relying on iron tools from the Western Regions."

Trisong Detsen was still unwilling to give up: "What if the Tang Dynasty refuses to concede?"

“Then let’s wait.” Songtsen Gampo’s gaze turned eastward, towards Chang’an, and the sound of Princess Wencheng’s laughter seemed to drift on the hot wind. “The Crown Prince Li Chengqian of the Tang Dynasty is implementing new policies, and what he wants is stable trade routes, not to be enemies with Tibet. As long as we don’t make the first move, he won’t easily break the alliance with the princess. As for the losses of the nobles… allocate three hundred fine horses and fifty chests of salt from the Zanpu’s fiefdom to make up for the caravan’s losses first.”

The atmosphere in the hall gradually eased. Although the nobles still had doubts, no one mentioned the word "war" again.

Seeing that everyone had calmed down, Songtsen Gampo smiled and said, "Actually, we don't necessarily have to focus all our attention on the Tang Dynasty."

Trisong Detsen's eyes lit up: "What the Tsangpo means is..."

Songtsen Gampo laughed and said, "Although the trade routes to the Western Regions are blocked, there are even fatter opportunities in India."

“When King Harsha was alive, India was unified and powerful, and we could not interfere. Now that he is dead, the small kingdoms in northern India are fighting each other, which is the opportunity for Tibet to move south.”

“There is rice that we lack, gems that are more abundant than those in the Western Regions, and spices that can be traded with the Tang Dynasty.”

"Instead of competing with the Tang Dynasty for trade routes in the Western Regions, we should expand our territory in India!"

Lu Dongzan frowned slightly: "But India is a thousand miles away from Lhasa. Can our cavalry adapt to the heat and humidity of South Asia? Besides, if the Tang Dynasty takes this opportunity to send troops from Qinghai..."

Songtsen Gampo interrupted him, his gaze falling on the silkworm painting: "That's why we can't be enemies with the Tang Dynasty."

"With Princess Wencheng in Lhasa, the Tang Dynasty will not easily send troops. We will send envoys to Chang'an to say that Tibet is willing to help the Tang Dynasty stabilize the trade routes in the Western Regions, only asking the Tang Dynasty to tacitly allow us to go south to India."

"Trading a promise of 'not causing trouble' for a peaceful trip south is a worthwhile deal."

After saying this, Songtsen Gampo turned to Trisong Detsen: "You think the Tang Dynasty's cannons are powerful, but India doesn't even have decent city walls. If our cavalry goes there, it's like tigers entering a flock of sheep."

"If we conquer more of India's territory, will we still worry about the people going hungry? Once we acquire gems and spices, and then trade with the Tang Dynasty, will they still care about those meager taxes?"

The nobles inside the hall began to whisper among themselves, their anxiety gradually replaced by excitement.

Some people say, "India's rice is harvested twice a year, yielding much more than the barley from the snowy plateau!"

Someone chimed in, "I heard the gems there can be exchanged for ten cartloads of ironware. If only we could rob them..."

Looking at the expressions on everyone's faces, Songtsen Gampo continued, "We will use the agricultural techniques brought by Princess Wencheng in the snowy region."

"We will use the territory of India to strengthen Tibet."

"This is ten times better than fighting the Tang Dynasty head-on, as it neither disappoints the princess's feelings nor fails to fill the pockets of the nobles."

"As for the commercial taxes in the Western Regions, let's be patient for now. Once we've established a foothold in India, we'll have plenty of ways to get the Tang Dynasty to relax the conditions."

Lu Dongzan bowed and said, "Your Majesty is wise! I was short-sighted. Heading south to India would allow us to avoid the Tang Dynasty's advance and expand our territory for profit. It is indeed a safer option than competing for trade routes in the Western Regions."

Trisong Detsen also clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Your Majesty, I am willing to lead the cavalry south! I will definitely take back all the rice and gems of India for you!"

Songtsen Gampo's fingertips brushed against the white jade pendant once more, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

He knew that the ambitions of the nobility needed an outlet, and the chaos in India provided just that outlet.

As long as Tibet turns its attention to South Asia, it will no longer focus on the Western Regions and fight to the death with the Tang Dynasty. The peace and agricultural technology brought by Princess Wencheng can continue to take root and flourish in the snowy land.

And Tibet will grow stronger and stronger.

Of course, in Songtsen Gampo's mind, the most important thing was the Tang Dynasty's cannons.

If Tibet could obtain the manufacturing method of Tang Dynasty cannons, it would have its own cannons, and Tibet would surely become even more magnificent in the future.

(End of this chapter)