The Emperor ordered Zhao Tang

Chapter 118 New Qin and Shangjun

Dusk, west of Yanying Palace.

The afterglow of the setting sun fell on the Qiqiao Tower, where a banquet for old men was being held. The hosts were Du Rangneng and Liu Chongwang. The guests were of course the brothers Si Gong and Si Xiao; the sage also called Zha Zhu, Wang Congxun, Zhao Fu, and Mo Zang Qiqi to attend. The maids were graceful and the servants were busy, serving dishes one after another. Camel meat, fish slices, roasted lamb, cheese, preserved fruit, mare's milk, and wine. Golden Hu cakes, oil cakes, oil balls, and steamed cakes. Fried barley, salted beans, rice... There were many varieties.

"I heard that the Dangxiang people offer sacrifices to the Eternal Heaven every three years. The chieftains prick their arms to melt their blood into pulp, which they then put into a skull to drink. They also kill women in caves as a sacrifice to the gods." The sage held his chin and looked at Tuoba Sigong. Is this respectful or fake?
"Yes..." Unexpectedly, the saint asked him in person, and Tuoba Sigong was a little embarrassed. The Tuoba and Zheju tribes were no different from the Han people. They grew their hair in a bun, spoke Chinese, and their customs were becoming more Chinese, but other tribes were still very closed. He also felt that this was too barbaric, and he repeatedly ordered the five states of Xiasui to ban the use of skull tools and human sacrifices, but it never changed.

"Can it be fixed?"

"It's difficult. We have to use violence to defeat them." Tuoba Sigong replied.

During the Later Tang Dynasty, Abaoji's son Yelu Bei lost the battle for the throne with Yelu Deguang and went into exile in Luoyang. This guy loves to suck blood. Every day when he is thirsty, his wives and concubines cut their arms for him to drink. Zhao Yanshou's grandson Zhao Siwan loves to eat liver and gallbladder raw, and kills several beautiful women every day to take their internal organs. The self-proclaimed emperor of the Southern Han Dynasty and his warriors often captured the common people and beheaded them, burned them with fire, and dismembered them. There is no other reason, just love to watch. Gao Feng, the governor of Wuxing, has a lifelong ambition to kill all the people he can see. He will not rest in peace until the world is empty. Well, the saint recalled these jackals and leopards, and the Dangxiang are still civilized people.

But... since he's here, this habit must not work. The emperor should keep the people safe at home and teach the barbarians abroad. The barbarians must be eliminated and the kingly way must be spread. Don't say that this is a tradition since ancient times. If he gets tired of talking, he will let Wang Congxun, Li Zan, Liu Zhijun, Helian Weihuan, Sima Kanwu and other people come to talk to everyone.

"Go back and tell the tribes that they must follow the Chinese system when under the rule of the imperial court." The saint patted Tuoba Sigong on the shoulder and said amiably, "Starting this year, any leader who uses bone tools or human sacrifices will have his clan exterminated."

You were eating hot pot and singing at home, and suddenly you were captured by the leader and chopped into seven or eight pieces; this is the daily life of the Tangut people. If they followed the leader to rebel because of the words of the saint, it can only show that they are really despicable. Rather than letting the leader abuse them, it is better to let the king's army punish them.

Tuoba Sigong's heart trembled. It was said that this saint never talked big and always kept his word. If he said he would not kill you, even Yang Fugong, who had slapped him, would not be moved. If he said he would kill you, even a great thief like Zhu Wen, who had hundreds of thousands of soldiers, would fight you to the end at the cost of his life. Could the Dangxiang withstand his "thunderous wrath".

"As ordered."

"In addition, the seven tribes of Mo Zang, Yeli, Zhe Ju, Mi Qin, Fei Ting, Xi Feng and Tuoba will each select 2,000 strong and stupid herdsmen, slaves and knights, and send them to Chang'an to receive training from the Cavalry and Infantry Training Institute together with the farmers from various counties in the royal capital. The service period is tentatively set at three years. After the service, they can go home if they want, and stay if they want." The sage said again.

The saints have protected them for more than a hundred years, not to let them do all kinds of things like shamanism, stealing and fighting each other. But they are too primitive. There are only a few awakened people like Mei Zangqiqi and Xifeng Shuolihe who can't stand the hard life and run away from home. This is not beautiful! Why should the stupid, brave and warlike Tangut men be cannon fodder for the vassal states? How about serving the saints? Food and accommodation are provided, and there are rewards for fighting. The key is to be obedient, the headman has helped you train...

"Each group only needs 2,000 people at first." The saint emphasized again. If all these poor guys came down the mountain, who could afford to support them?

"I will bring the letter to the various ministries when I return."

The sage looked at Tuoba Sigong with satisfaction: "The warriors in the Central Plains are too fierce and difficult to control. Li Yuanhao, your chance is gone. I will start to participate deeply in the governance of the Dangxiang. There are no less than one million Dangxiang people in the northwest of Beijing. How can we not make good use of such precious wealth?"

After discussing the change of customs and conscription, the sage sat against the wall leisurely, holding the envoy Rounu in his arms, and while waiting for the opportunity to do the third thing, he stroked Rounu's belly. His movements were very gentle because Rounu's belly was pregnant with his child. Rounu leaned on his shoulder, looked at the sage with a smile, and said that she wanted to cut open his heart to see who his favorite concubine was.

"Mr. Xia, General Fu, please drink slowly. I am old and drunk and feel sleepy." Du Rangneng's face was flushed red. He put down the silver cup and waved his hand.

Liu Chongwang kept talking to the two generals about their family affairs, intentionally or unintentionally trying to find out their attitudes and closeness to their subordinates. He was born with a sweet mouth, and he could answer questions fluently no matter what they talked about, and his words were just right. After complimenting the Great Wei from time to time, he always made the Tuoba brothers laugh and say they were not worthy of it.

"Come on! Lord Xia can't drink so little." Wang Congxun sat cross-legged on a cushion, holding a bottle of wine, neither drinking nor putting it down. With a red face, he shouted to Tuoba Sigong: "Lord Xia, General Fu, brothers, come together to get us youngsters drunk!"

"General Wang, it was agreed before the banquet that everyone should drink a glass." Tuoba Sigong did not dare to be overbearing towards this favorite minister.

The saint's brother-in-law He Chuyu also instigated, "Cong Xun drank three cups in a row, while Lord Xia only drank one cup. Could it be that the Tanguts have a poor alcohol tolerance?"

Tuoba Sigong smiled bitterly. He was nearly sixty years old, how could he compare with you young men who were full of vigor and vitality? He was also a little panicked. What if he was drunk and made a fool of himself in the palace by being forced to drink by these warriors?

"Lord Xia has conquered the five states and his reputation is known throughout the country. Don't refuse the wine." Wang Congxun's nose was filled with alcohol and his eyes were bulging as he shouted, "I heard that Lord Xia originally wanted to take advantage of the situation to cause chaos and emulate Gongsun Shu and Liu Bei in Bashu to accomplish a great cause in the northwest. Why would he be afraid of being drunk?"

As soon as the words fell, dozens of eyes turned to him at the same time.

Of course, the sage taught Xiao Wang to say this. Hit the Tuoba tribe! The imperial court is well aware of your plans. However, it is inappropriate for an emperor to question a vassal, "I heard that you have considered rebellion?" Even if others have no intention of rebelling, they are prone to "protect themselves" when they are frightened. It is best for a warrior like Xiao Wang to mention it at a banquet after drinking. It is also in line with Xiao Wang's status, and it is something that a killer like him can say. If the old man is angry, just blame Xiao Wang for being rude.

Under the gaze of the crowd, Tuoba Sigong laughed and said, "These evil theories are intended to alienate the emperor and his ministers. Even a saint with great wisdom would just laugh at them. Only those scoundrels with narrow minds would take them seriously."

"That's right." The little prince laughed and said, "You have been a general for five generations, and you have guarded the border fortresses for generations. When Chaos broke out, all the towns surrendered, but you led 8,000 righteous men to the south overnight. With your meager strength, you were defeated three times, but you did not lose your spirit and your will became stronger. If you are not a loyal minister, then what kind of loyal ministers are you? Those who spread these rumors are guilty of unforgivable crimes. This time, Lord Xia is here to see you, and the rumors will be refuted without any attack!"

Well, it was perfect. The saint gave Xiao Wang full marks for his performance. He followed the words he taught him without missing a word. With time, he could become a noble. He liked Xiao Wang more and more.

"Lord Xia, drink to victory!" "General Fu, please." Zhazhu also raised the cup to Tuoba Sixiao. Then Zhazhu, Wang Congxun, Zhaofu, Mo Zangqiqi, He Chuyu and other young people surrounded the two brothers and drank. The graceful palace maids shuttled among them, filling up any empty silver cup. Tuoba Sixiao kept shaking his head after drinking, and Tuoba Sigong was also bitter.

However, the sage trusted and loved even a rebellious warrior like Wang Congxun, and Wang Congxun was willing to be under his command, which was rare. After a day of getting along, his initial trepidation and suspicion towards the sage turned into a feeling of inferiority.

He looked at the Qiqiao Tower again. The maids smiled at the saint, and the men on guard duty were all injured and disabled. Although they looked tough, they respected the saint. It seems that the rumored Qingji martyrs are not false. The saint arranged these people by his side; he is a good general who loves his soldiers like his own sons. The ancients have made it very clear how to improve morale, but how many generals can be found these days who are not greedy for money?
In today's world, there are people like Wang Chongrong who set up water wheels on the banks of the Yellow River, hang people they don't like on them and drown them in the Yellow River, and slaughter the whole families of civil and military officials at will. There are people like Li Keyong who are moody and can beat and scold even their own brothers. There are people who tie servants to stakes and cut them for fun. There are unprecedented demons who drive people across the river and kill millions of men and women in the city without leaving any survivors... There are countless of them. Only the saint keeps his original intention. What he does is indeed a wise and benevolent ruler.

boom.

Tuoba Sixiao slumped over the table, drunk.

The saint put Yuwen Rou down, and stared at Tuoba Sigong with his dark pupils for a long time. Tuoba Sigong felt a chill in his heart, rubbing his swollen temples, forcing himself to be quiet. Finally, the saint stroked Tuoba Sixiao's back and laughed loudly: "Haha, Lian Po is old today. Can he still eat?"

Tuoba Sigong suddenly felt dry in the mouth, and recalled an incident. It was the first year of Wende, when the sage was dying and the court was busy handing over power, he sent troops to attack and kill Li Xiaochang and annex Fu, Dan, Fang, and Yan, and appointed his brother Sixiao to stay behind. Now the sage stroked the back of his drunken brother, saying that Lian Po was old, and asked if he could still eat...

This indicated that he wanted to take back Fuyan. Why Fuyan instead of Xiasui? Because the five states of Xiasui were legitimately granted to him by the court for his meritorious service in conquering Chao, while the four states of Fuyan were taken from the court by taking advantage of the situation. At the same time, the sage was blaming the Tuoba tribe for their arrogance in seizing Fuyan and occupying the northern gate of the court, expressing his dissatisfaction with him.

"Your Majesty!" Tuoba Sigong stood up and bowed, his mind racing: "I ended up in Chu after staying in Shouchun, but I still want to employ Zhao people."

But the sage obviously wanted him to continue to be terrified. He looked at the Grand Commandant and Prime Minister Liu and asked coldly, "Is Lian Po such a person?"

The two ministers were silent for a long time, and then they spoke to prove that Lian Po was such a person: "Duke Xia presented more than 7700 cattle, sheep, camels and other livestock to the Shayuan Prison, 200 catties of silver to the Qionglin Treasury, 439 sets of armor, Xiazhou swords, and carts of medicinal materials and spices to the Xuanhui Courtyard."

In consideration of the wealth and the fact that the Tuoba brothers took the initiative to pay homage, and in accordance with the principle of buying horse bones, they will not be prosecuted.

"Xia Gong, sit down." After the two of them finished singing in unison, the saint stopped blaming them, helped Tuoba Sigong up, and then winked at Rounu.

Rounu took out a gift list and handed it to Tuoba Sigong.

Glancing over, Tuoba Sigong was shocked: "Your Majesty..."

"Dangxiang is also my people. I heard that many herdsmen in Pingxia are living in poverty, and there is even a strange story that one cow can be exchanged for ten bushels of rice. Lord Xia, take it back and distribute it to them." The sage held down the gift list he was sending back and said, "Zhu Ni stopped the tribute and did not allow the wealth from the southeast to pass through. Fujian, Zhejiang, Guangdong, and Rong can only go through Xiangyang, and it is very difficult to transport goods. The court is currently tight on spending, and the salaries of all officials have been cut by one third. My concubines and I also eat five plates per meal, so this is all; don't think it's too little."

"How dare I..." Tuoba Sigong was ashamed. He came to the court with the intention of taking advantage of the situation, just to keep himself safe. He expected the saint to reward him with a little bit of beautiful jade and silk, but he didn't expect the saint to be so kind.

Millet, beans, and rice can be used for the upcoming spring ploughing and can help to save the famine. Barley can be used to make wine. Tea is also a hot commodity after the large-scale war in Liangzhe and Sanchuan. Not to mention salt. As early as the Yuanhe period, the wife of a chieftain took her slaves to the salt pond to dig the ground and lick the salt. They were caught by the government and convicted. The case even alarmed Emperor Xianzong, who ordered a special amnesty and allocated salt for relief. In the Yuanhe period, there were cases where tribal leaders were so poor that they risked their lives to steal salt, let alone the current chaotic times.

As for iron pots, kitchen knives, iron basins, iron nails, hoes, plow points, hatchets, meat knives... they were nothing in the eyes of the court and some vassal states. But they were valuable treasures in Xia Sui because craftsmen were scarce and the Dangxiang were backward.

Saints know how to repay favors, and the imperial court is not just about taking in money and not giving out money; this is the first point. Second, extending favors is one of the important means of governing the Han and the barbarians. These things, which seem very ordinary to the people of Chang'an, can not only add food to the miserable lives of the poor Tanguts, but also weaken the influence of the headman on the people, strike at the headman's authority, and reduce the probability of the Tanguts being led by the leader to cause chaos; the emperor gave me salt to eat, gave me seeds, and gave me farm tools to use. What did the headman give me except peeling my skin and drinking my blood?
As long as we can lure the millions of Tanguts in the eight towns northwest of Beijing down the mountains, register them as citizens, and accept the Chinese monarchy, it will be a great achievement.

"The Khan is kindhearted, and I congratulate you on behalf of the Han and Tibetan people of the five states and nine tribes..." This time, Tuoba Sigong bowed down with all his heart. It is actually very simple to govern the Tanguts. Give them some benefits and they will listen to you. For a few vinegar cakes, I can fill the trenches for the Jingshi. But as is the way of the world, there are very few people who are willing to spend money on the people. But the saint is not a ruthless dictator like Emperor Yizong after all. He inherited the kindness of Emperor Taizong and Emperor Xianzong.

The saint raised his hand to silence him, and then said: "I appreciate the merits of the five generations of generals and ministers of the Tuoba tribe in killing Li Xiaochang and seizing the four states of Fuyan, so I will not pursue it. But when you ascend to heaven, I don't know how long I can tolerate Sixiao. Take him and his trusted soldiers away, return to Tongwan City, return to Pingxia tribe; this way, it is better than being plotted against in the military office, and the court will be at ease."

"Your Majesty..." Tuoba Sigong was deeply moved. The sage could have chosen to crush him with force, which would have been easy, or directly issue an imperial decree to dismiss Sixiao; but the sage used such a tactful and decent way to let him solve it himself. Where can you find such a monarch?

Wang Congxun, He Chuyu, Zhazhu, Mo Zangqiqi and others were stunned. Tuoba Sigong, who could be called a little rebel and an old fox in Hengshan, bowed down to the saint and called him Heavenly Khan?
The Taiwei and Liu looked at each other in joy. The sage's imperial magic was becoming more and more perfect.

On the 17th day of the first month of the second year of Jingfu, Xiasui Jiedushi Tuoba Sigong returned to the town. He also brought back a document from the shogunate that spread throughout the five states: "The emperor has a bright and pure appearance, a heroic spirit, a chivalrous spirit, and a will to restore the past. He respects scholars and common people, dreams of the wise and the noble, cares for the lonely, and the king's rule does not lose the love for the villains. The people and warriors of the country support him; it is natural for him to be revitalized."

On the 20th, Linzhou was changed to Xinqin County, and Yang Keshan, the brother of Yang Kezheng, the deputy envoy of the Privy Council, was appointed as the governor of Xinqin County, and Zhe Zongben, the military commander of the Five Garrisons, was appointed as the lieutenant of Xinqin. The Yang and Zhe families were completely supported by the court as important figures in resisting the Shatuo in the east and deterring the Dangxiang in the west. The governors of Fu, Yan, Dan, and Fang were abolished. The prefectures were downgraded to counties, and the counties were downgraded to towns, and they were combined into Shangjun.

It was also on this day that the veteran general Zhang Cunjing was dismissed from his military power because of Zhu Wen's suspicion. The Chuzhou Zhenzhe Envoy Hou Song killed the governor Liu Zan and attached the state to Yang Xingmi. The Suzhou General Zhang Yun also expelled the governor Zhang Shaoguang and called himself the defense envoy. Zhu Wen ushered in a new wave of rebellion.

(End of this chapter)