My father, Li Shimin, please call me Crown Prince

Chapter 451 All Nations Request Tang Dynasty to Station Troops
Hou Junji and his cronies were executed, but no one else was implicated.

In fact, Li Chengqian had considered exiling him, but the impact of the restoration was too terrible.

This is already treason. If he is not executed, wouldn't that be telling others that the price of treason is very low?

The deaths of Hou Junji and his cronies caused a slight ripple in the imperial court, but not a major one.

After all, Hou Junji was not in the center of power. Although he was called the Minister of Personnel, the power of the Ministry of Personnel had long been hollowed out.

With Hou Junji's matter settled, Li Chengqian devoted more of his energy to educating and enlightening the world.

The biggest problem now is that we have no legitimate reason to send troops. After all, if we directly send troops to garrison the territory, what will the vassal states think? Will the Tang Dynasty expand its territory again?

The candlelight in the study of the Eastern Palace illuminated Li Chengqian's pensive face, and the place names such as Yanqi and Kucha on the map of the Western Regions were circled again and again in red ink.

Looking at the secret reports of "trade routes being robbed" and "canals being destroyed," I suddenly recalled the records of vassal states seeking refuge in later generations.

When foreign states are unable to maintain their own stability, they often proactively request powerful nations to station troops there, seeking both protection and the opportunity to consolidate their own rule.

"Perhaps we don't need to worry about the lack of a legitimate reason for our actions; we can let the foreign powers provide the necessary support."

A glint flashed in Li Chengqian's eyes, and he said to the eunuch standing by, "Summon Wei Ting, the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies, to the Eastern Palace immediately."

When Wei Ting arrived, travel-worn and weary, he also brought tribute lists from various Western Regions kingdoms.

He was a little nervous.

I wonder why His Highness the Crown Prince summoned him.

Li Chengqian gestured for him to sit down and got straight to the point: "Minister Wei has been dealing with foreign countries for many years, so he should know the difficulties faced by the countries in the Western Regions. Bandits rob trade routes, and small tribes seize farmland. They themselves lack sufficient troops and are afraid that the Tang Dynasty will take the opportunity to annex them, so they often keep quiet about these matters."

Upon hearing this, Wei Ting felt relieved. He always felt somewhat apprehensive when facing His Highness the Crown Prince, whose imperial might seemed even greater.

He nodded upon hearing this: "Your Highness is absolutely right. Last month, the envoy from Yanqi privately lamented that the canal water had been cut off by the upstream tribes, but dared not openly ask for assistance, for fear of being accused of inviting wolves into the house."

Li Chengqian instructed Wen Zhong to deliver the secret report to Wei Ting.

"That's the key."

"I want you to do one thing: take advantage of the opportunity to meet with foreign envoys to 'inadvertently' reveal the court's intentions."

"The Tang Dynasty, mindful of the friendship between its vassal states and seeing the disruption to trade routes and the disturbance to agriculture, intends to send elite troops to 'help protect the roads and safeguard the fields,' but the vassal states must make their own requests."

Wei Ting was taken aback: "Your Highness means... that the vassal states should take the initiative to ask us to station troops here?"

“Exactly.” Li Chengqian got up and walked to the map: “Think about it, Yanqi relies on the irrigation canal for their livelihood. If the canal is blocked, they can’t repair it or take it back. Sooner or later they will starve to death.”

"Kucha is a key point on the Silk Road. When the trade routes were robbed, its tariffs were reduced by half, and its national treasury was almost empty. It's not that they don't want protection, but they are afraid that it's easy to invite a god but difficult to send him away."

“Let’s spread the word that we will only protect the roads and fields, not occupy cities and seize land. This will give them a sense of security, and those who are desperate to survive will speak up first.”

He then instructed, "You must be careful not to speak too hastily, lest they become suspicious; nor should you be too vague, so that they understand that the Tang Dynasty has the ability and the intention to help them."

“It can be said that ‘in the court meeting a few days ago, Chancellor Fang and Minister Changsun were worried about the disaster in the vassal states and said that if there was a request, troops could be sent to protect the merchants,’ thus revealing the intentions of the court and showing that it was not just a whim of his.”

After a pause, Li Chengqian continued, "Of course, if the Tang Dynasty sends troops to garrison and protect us, they will definitely have to provide the provisions, and they must do so according to the Tang Dynasty's standards."

Wei Ting instantly understood: "His Highness wants to use the request from the vassal state to give the garrison a legitimate pretext! They've taken the initiative to ask, so they can't blame us for bringing troops to the city gates. If we accept their request, we can both demonstrate benevolence and gain control of the trade routes—killing two birds with one stone."
"Indeed," Li Chengqian laughed. "Foreign nations value face above all else. If we give them the dignity of borrowing troops to quell the rebellion, they'll be more likely to back down."

"Just send out the message and see how they react. If Yanqi or Kucha reply, report back to me immediately."

"If there is no movement for the time being, there is no need to worry. The bandits will not rest, and their farmland and irrigation canals will not be repaired by themselves. They will come looking for us sooner or later."

Li Chengqian pointed to the location of the military town on the map: "We'll discuss the size of the garrison when they actually come to us. Yanqi will have a maximum of three thousand, Kucha two thousand, and Shule one thousand. They will all be elite troops protecting the roads and fields, equipped with muskets and cannons. But to the outside world, we'll just say that we're helping them suppress bandits and protect the irrigation canals."

"Let them be responsible for supplies; it's reasonable and it also helps to protect their interests."

Wei Ting bowed and accepted the order: "I will summon the envoys of the various countries tomorrow and convey Your Highness's message. I will have the interpreters carefully observe their expressions and report back to Your Highness."

After seeing Wei Ting off, Li Chengqian laid out the map again.

He knew that this move required patience—the doubts of the foreign lands would not disappear overnight, but the pressure to survive would push them to make a choice.

When the first letter requesting troops to protect the canal arrived from the Western Regions, the path of education in the Tang Dynasty truly gained the prestige of being protected by sword and shield.

In the courtyard of the Honglu Temple, the fragrance of osmanthus had not yet dissipated. Wei Ting sat in the main seat, looking at the large group of foreign envoys below, and paused slightly in his tea-serving hand.

He originally thought that at most two or three city-states in the Western Regions would try to respond, but he did not expect that in just two days after the news was sent out, not only did envoys from the Western Regions crowd the door, but even envoys from Southeast Asia and the far north waited in the corridor with gifts, all of them looking anxious.

"Wei Honglu." The Yanqi envoy bowed first, his tone pleading: "The other day I heard from you, sir, that the Great Tang intends to protect the trade routes of vassal states. I drafted a document last night! The Yanqi canal has been cut off by upstream tribes for half a month, the rice seedlings are almost withered and dying, and the caravan has been robbed three times. I implore the Great Tang to send heavenly troops to Yanqi to protect the canal and suppress the bandits. My king is willing to contribute 30% of his rice as military rations!"

The Kucha envoy behind him immediately followed: "Kucha is the same! The Silk Road hub has been disrupted by bandits, causing a sharp decline in caravans and nearly emptying our national treasury. We are willing to offer a thousand fine horses and request the Tang army to garrison and protect the road. Kucha will provide all the provisions needed by the heavenly army!"

The envoys from the Western Regions chattered amongst themselves, some saying "tribal rebellion, seeking pacification," others "trade routes blocked, seeking protection," and even the envoy from Shule, who had been observing from the sidelines, presented a special product from the Western Regions: "Wei Honglu, as long as the Tang Dynasty garrisones Shule, the Tang Dynasty will receive 30% of the taxes from caravans west of the Pamir Mountains!"

Just as Wei Ting had calmed the envoys from the Western Regions, another report came from the corridor: "Envoys from Lin-yi, Zhenla (both land and water), and Duoheluo request an audience!"

The envoys from Southeast Asia, dressed in colorful silks, came forward carrying ivory and spices.

The Lin-yi envoy, speaking broken Tang dialect, said: "Wei Honglu, the pirates in the South China Sea are too fierce. Three out of ten of my country's merchant ships have been robbed. I beg the Great Tang to send a navy to my port to protect the maritime trade routes! My king is willing to offer ivory and hawksbill turtle shells every year!"

The Zhenla envoys, one on land and one by sea, added: "Not only pirates, but also inland tribes often seize farmland. If the Tang army comes, Zhenla is willing to pay for the army's expenses with rice and pepper, just to ensure a peaceful rice-growing environment!"

To Wei Ting's surprise, an interpreter rushed in the afternoon to report: "My lord, envoys from the far north, the Kyrgyz and Guligan, request an audience, saying they have important matters to discuss!"

When Wei Ting arrived at the side hall, he saw two messengers dressed in sable furs holding a heavy, dark lump of iron.

Later I learned that it was refined iron, a specialty of the far north, and there were also two complete white fox pelts.

The envoy from Guligan spoke in a rough but respectful tone: "Wei Honglu, the remnants of the Xueyantuo tribe in the northern desert keep raiding us, and most of our pastures have been occupied! We have heard that the Heavenly Army of the Great Tang is powerful, and we request that the Great Tang send troops to garrison near our royal court. We are willing to offer fine horses and sable furs, and even help the Heavenly Army raise warhorses!"

The Kyrgyz envoy immediately chimed in: "We Kyrgyz share the same ancestry as the Tang Dynasty, and we should help each other even more! As long as the Tang Dynasty stations troops here, we guarantee that the trade routes north of the Pamir Mountains will remain open, and we will share half of the tax revenue with the Tang Dynasty!"

The Kyrgyz were descendants of Li Ling.

Li Ling, a famous general of the Western Han Dynasty, surrendered to the Xiongnu, betraying his country. However, on the other hand, his actions were somewhat understandable. Emperor Wu of Han rashly executed Li Ling's entire clan, which truly broke Li Ling's heart. After Li Ling surrendered to the Xiongnu, the Xiongnu Chanyu married his princess to him, and several hundred years later, Li Ling's descendants became a powerful tribe on the grasslands.

After being appointed as the Right Wise King by the Xiongnu Chanyu, Li Ling was enfeoffed in the Jiankun area and led the people there.

He eventually died of illness in the Xiongnu and never returned to his homeland.

By the Tang Dynasty, Li Ling's descendants had become a prominent tribe on the grasslands. They evolved into the Kyrgyz tribe, a major nomadic people that coexisted with other nomadic groups such as the Turks and Uyghurs in the northern steppes. At this time, the Kyrgyz were located on the upper reaches of the Yenisei River, occupying lush grasslands rich in water and grass, and possessing a powerful cavalry.

Historical records state that west of Yiwu and north of Yanqi, there was the Xiajias tribe, also known as the ancient Jiankun, who were Jiegu in the early Tang Dynasty and later renamed Xiajias.

After Li Ling and before the Tang Dynasty, Li Ling's descendants established the Jiankun Kingdom. The Kyrgyz tribe had black hair and black eyes, clearly different from the nearby blond-haired, blue-eyed tribes, and were of Eurasian descent.

After the establishment of the Tang Dynasty, Laozi (Li Er) was revered as its founder, and Li Guang was revered as its ancestor. Li Ling's grandfather was Li Guang, and the chieftain of the Kyrgyz tribe was a descendant of Li Ling, thus sharing the same lineage as the Li Tang imperial family.

After the establishment of the Tang Dynasty, the Kyrgyz delegation heard the news of the establishment of the Li Tang Dynasty and came to the Tang Dynasty to pay tribute.

They traveled thousands of miles, crossing the territory controlled by the Turks, to reach the bustling city of Chang'an.

Emperor Taizong (Li Shimin) received them and, upon learning of the origins of the Kyrgyz tribe, was delighted and hosted a banquet for these guests from afar. The Kyrgyz chieftain requested to submit to the Tang Dynasty, and Emperor Taizong readily agreed.

Subsequently, the Tang Dynasty established the Jiankun Protectorate in the Kyrgyz region, which was under the jurisdiction of the Yanran Protectorate. Emperor Taizong of Tang appointed the Kyrgyz chieftain as the Jiankun Protector.

The Tang Dynasty and the Kyrgyz established a friendly relationship and lived together peacefully for more than a hundred years.

When the Tang Dynasty launched military operations against the Turks, the Kyrgyz would always harass them from behind, causing them great losses.

Wei Ting didn't really want to agree to send troops to the far north, since it was too cold and harsh, and supplies would be a major problem.

However, he could not refuse Kyrgyzstan's request directly and could only report it to His Highness the Crown Prince for a decision.

Wei Ting had the interpreter record everything and took the opportunity to ask them why they were in such a hurry.

The envoy from Yanqi smiled bitterly: "Wei Honglu is unaware of the fact that the tribes of the Western Regions are all envious of the Tang Dynasty's new policies that promote trade. They have done a lot of things such as robbing caravans and destroying irrigation canals. Our own troops cannot defeat them, so we can only ask the Tang Dynasty to take charge."

"With the Heavenly Soldiers of the Great Tang here, they dare not act recklessly."

The Lin-yi envoy stated frankly, "All the countries in the South China Sea fear the Tang Dynasty's navy, but they all want to do business under the Tang's protection. With the Tang army stationed here, not only will pirates not dare to come, but even the surrounding small countries will not dare to bully us. This is a worthwhile deal!"

The Tang Dynasty navy is now the absolute hegemon of the seas.

On the sea, pirates would flee at the mere sight of them, daring not to enter the waters patrolled by the Tang Dynasty navy.

The envoy from Guligan was even more direct: "The remnants of the Xueyantuo fear the Tang Dynasty like sheep fear wolves. As long as the Tang army plants its flags on our pastures, they won't even dare to approach. We offer horses and iron in exchange for a peaceful grazing—it's worth it!"

The most powerful Eastern and Western Turks in the northern desert region had their Khans captured and taken to Chang'an.

The Tang Dynasty's prestige on the grasslands was truly that of the Heavenly Khan.

Looking at the mountain of gifts and the thick stack of petitions for military assistance, Wei Ting thought to himself: His Highness the Crown Prince was indeed right! It's not that we don't want protection from foreign nations, but we're afraid of letting wolves into our home.

But when the need for survival and profit outweighed their doubts, they longed for the Tang Dynasty's military protection more than anyone else.

These envoys claimed to be grateful for the benevolence, but in reality, they were all shrewdly calculating their own interests.

They used the prestige of the Tang Dynasty to protect their own country, exchanging grain and local specialties for a sense of security—they understood this calculation better than anyone else.

Three days later, Wei Ting arrived at the Eastern Palace with a box full of documents and a list of gifts from the envoys. Li Chengqian was reviewing the new crop trial report from the Agriculture and Sericulture Department when he saw Wei Ting enter. He smiled and asked, "Minister Wei, you've been surrounded by envoys these past few days, haven't you?"

Wei Ting presented the documents with a broad smile: "Your Highness is a brilliant strategist! The six kingdoms of Yanqi, Kucha, Shule, and others in the Western Regions have already sent letters requesting troops, willing to offset military expenses with grain, horses, and trade taxes."

"The four Southeast Asian countries of Linyi, Zhenla, Duoheluo, and Srivijaya requested that their naval forces be stationed in the port to protect their merchants, and offered ivory, pepper, and rice; even the far north countries of Guligan and Kyrgyz have taken the initiative to request that their troops be stationed there, and are willing to offer fine iron, good horses, and pastures to support their soldiers!"

Wei Ting, fearing that His Highness the Crown Prince was unaware of the origins of the Kyrgyz, made a special explanation.

Li Chengqian hesitated for a moment before agreeing.

While stationing troops in Kyrgyzstan didn't bring much benefit, it did serve another purpose: establishing a transit point for those heading to the Americas.

This clearly requires the help of countries in the far north, and also the expansion of the Tang Dynasty's influence there.

Wei Ting handed over the gift list: "These are gifts from envoys of various countries. I dared not accept them, but brought them all. They said that as long as the Great Tang responds to the invitation, there will be generous gifts every year."

Li Chengqian flipped through the documents and saw that Yanqi wrote, "I am willing to offer a thousand acres of fertile land around the canal for agricultural technicians to try planting," Linyi proposed, "I am willing to open the port for Tang Dynasty merchant ships to dock with priority," and Guligan promised to "help the Tang Dynasty raise ten thousand warhorses." His smile deepened: "They do know how to make conditions, but they are also quite sincere."

He then said to Wei Ting, “Reply to all countries: The Great Tang, mindful of the tributary relationship, grants their request. However, the size of the garrison will be determined according to the needs. The three towns in the Western Regions will be maintained according to the previous regulations. In Southeast Asia, two thousand naval troops will be stationed at Linyi Port. In the far north, one thousand elite troops will be temporarily stationed at the border between Guligan and Kyrgyz. They will all be called the Assisting Army for Suppression. To the outside world, we will only say that we are helping the tributary countries quell the rebellion and protect their merchants at their request.”

“Furthermore,” Li Chengqian emphasized, “have them write in the documents that during the period of garrisoning, the agricultural technicians of the Great Tang can freely teach farming and irrigation techniques, establish schools, and tie the garrisoning and education together. They want soldiers, and we want roads and education; each gets what they need.”

Wei Ting bowed and accepted the order: "Your subject will take care of it immediately! The envoys from various countries are still waiting at the Court of State Ceremonial, and they will surely be overjoyed."

Watching Wei Ting's departing figure, Li Chengqian walked to the map and used a red pen to circle the garrison points in the Western Regions, Southeast Asia, and the far north.

These red dots, like nails, firmly anchored the influence of the Tang Dynasty onto the map of the world, and what pried it all apart was nothing more than a request from a vassal state.

He knew that the true path to enlightening all nations began with these troops who had voluntarily come to garrison the country.

The autumn sun shines brightly outside the window, illuminating the map as if it has already illuminated the civilized road that was protected by war and paved with interests.

However, to Li Chengqian's surprise, not only these vassal states, but also the Roman princess Theodosius came.

They requested that the Tang Dynasty station troops in Constantinople.

Li Chengqian was speechless: "Why are you getting involved?"

Constantinople was about 30,000 li (approximately 15,000 kilometers) from Chang'an, the capital of the Tang Dynasty. The journey alone would take more than a year and was fraught with risks.

Moreover, the Tang Dynasty had a poor relationship with the Arab Empire, and it was clear that the Arab Empire would not agree to allow the Tang Dynasty to send troops to pass through.

Waterways had not yet been excavated, such as the Suez Canal, and ocean voyages were even more risky.

(End of this chapter)