The immortal of the Tang Dynasty, but the game starts at Xuanwu Gate?

In late April, several major events occurred in just a few days.

Internal strife broke out within the Shuofang separatist forces. Liang Luoren killed his cousin, Liang Shidu, the separatist leader, and surrendered Xiazhou to the Tang Dynasty.

With this, the Tang Dynasty completely quelled the last separatist force within the Great Wall and completed the unification of the north.

Xue Wanche was already on his way back to the capital.

Meanwhile, Mo Hui, the leader of the Khitan tribe, led his people to submit to the Tang Dynasty.

Finally... the Eastern Turkic leader Jieli sent envoys to negotiate, requesting to exchange Liang Shidu for the Khitan tribes that had submitted to him.

The messenger sent was none other than an old acquaintance, Zhishi Sili, Jieli's confidant, who has already arrived in Chang'an.

Li Shimin summoned his ministers to the Ganlu Hall to discuss how to handle the situation.

Wei Zheng was the most indignant: "Your Majesty, Liang Shidu was originally a dog raised by Jieli. Now Jieli himself is overwhelmed by internal strife, yet he still wants to use a dog to exchange for the Khitan tribe."

"This must not be agreed to."

"I second that!" Du Ruhui said coldly, "What is a mere Liang Shi who's now a stray dog?"

"It's laughable that Jieli wants to use him to exchange for the Khitan tribes. Does our Great Tang need to negotiate with them?"

"Once winter comes, we'll march on them and behead Liang Shidu!"

"Well said!" Changsun Wuji wholeheartedly agreed. "We're already preparing for war against the Eastern Turks, why are we even negotiating conditions with them?"

"Just call them directly!"

Li Shimin nodded in agreement; he shared the same thought.

Fang Xuanling, however, adopted a more moderate stance, viewing the issue from a different perspective: "Your Majesty, I also believe this is unacceptable."

"It's not just about Liang Shidu; the most important thing is that the Khitan tribes submitted to our Great Tang, and then we handed them back like merchandise. How will other tribes and small countries view us then?"

"Will they dare to submit to us in the future?"

"Hmm... Xuanling is right." Li Shimin wholeheartedly agreed. "Those who have surrendered should not be easily changed!"

"It's disheartening to think that this is being used for trading; we absolutely cannot do such a thing."

"Moreover, Liang Shidu is really nothing. When we send troops to the Eastern Turks this year, I will have Jieli come to Chang'an and dance for my people all day long."

Li Shimin at this moment is undoubtedly extremely confident.

His confidence stemmed from his superior weaponry and armor compared to the enemy, his valiant soldiers, and the generals who could command the entire army.

If it weren't for the increasingly severe locust plague, the fact that Crown Prince Li Chengqian was too young to oversee the country, and Empress Zhangsun's impending childbirth, he would have even wanted to personally lead an expedition to capture Jieli alive.

"Mr. Chen, what are your thoughts?"

Wei Zheng had long since learned his lesson and asked Chen Huai'an a question.

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone's eyes turned to Chen Huai'an.

Chen Huai'an was speechless: "I have no objection. I also insist that there should be no trade, otherwise it will only discourage people."

"Sometimes, conquest doesn't necessarily require war. Cultural assimilation, which subtly transforms them into Tang Dynasty people, is far more effective than war."

"Compared to Jieli and Liang Shidu, I am more interested in the Khitan tribes."

"Oh?" Li Shimin was not surprised that Chen Huai'an did not object. In this kind of thing, as long as one is not a fool, one would not object.

However, the assimilation mentioned by Chen Huai'an aroused his strong interest.

"You mean by assimilation that you're referring to using the Xia people to transform the barbarians?"

The phrase "using Chinese culture to transform barbarians" comes from Mencius: "I have heard of those who use Chinese culture to transform barbarians, but I have never heard of those who are transformed by barbarians."

What I mean is, I've only ever heard of using Chinese civilization to change barbarians, never of being changed by barbarians.

Li Shimin, who was well-versed in Confucian classics, naturally understood this principle.

"That's right." Chen Huai'an also pointed out another concept: "Since the Wei and Jin Dynasties, there has been a commonly used saying, which is called 'gradually being influenced by Chinese customs'."

"The term 'gradual influence' means to be slowly cultivated and subtly influenced, while 'Chinese style' is easy to understand; it refers to the customs and culture of China."

"During the Wei, Jin and Northern and Southern Dynasties, a large number of northern ethnic groups entered the Central Plains, and many ethnic groups were gradually assimilated, hence this saying."

Everyone nodded, indicating that they understood.

They all knew about this.

"You want to assimilate the Khitans?" Du Ruhui asked solemnly.

This is no small matter, nor can it be accomplished in just a few years.

"Why not?" Chen Huai'an countered. "Isn't the best way to conquer assimilate?"

"If the Khitans were forced to submit to our Great Tang because the taxes imposed by the Eastern Turks were too high, and they hoped to receive the protection of our Great Tang."

"But this relationship is still a superior-subordinate relationship. Can you really guarantee that once the Khitan recover, or if our Tang Dynasty declines one day, they won't harbor rebellious thoughts?"

"This..." Du Ruhui was stumped by the question and could not find a rebuttal.

Throughout history, not to mention foreign tribes and the Central Plains, backstabbing has often occurred in matters concerning national interests, even in ordinary times.

"Then... will assimilation always be effective?" Fang Xuanling questioned. "The Khitans are always the Khitans; barbarians cannot be trusted."

"If barbarians can't be trusted, then aren't the people of the Tang Dynasty trustworthy?" Chen Huai'an said first, then changed the subject, "People all laugh at Lü Bu for being a traitor who served three masters, saying that Lü Bu's halberd was used to stab his adoptive father."

"But he betrayed so many people, did he betray the Han Dynasty?"

Fang Xuanling was taken aback, then thought for a moment: "It seems there really isn't..."

"But what does that prove? Lü Bu was originally a man of the Han Dynasty, a man of China, so his loyalty is understandable."

"How can the Khitan compare?"

"Yes, Lü Bu is a Han Chinese, so his loyalty is beyond question," Chen Huai'an said earnestly. "Therefore, shouldn't we be trying to assimilate the Khitans and make them citizens of our Great Tang?"

"The submission of the Khitans is just the beginning; in the future, more tribes and countries will submit to our Great Tang."

"If you don't conform, will you always have to be wary of these forces that submit to you?"

"Isn't it most reassuring to entrust your back to your own people?"

Fang Xuanling hesitated for a moment: "That should be it."

The others, including Li Shimin, were also pondering this question.

Natural disasters can't happen every year. Chen Huai'an himself said that once this period is over, a year with favorable weather will come.

At that time, the Tang Dynasty will become increasingly prosperous under their leadership, and many countries will surely submit to them.

As more and more countries submitted, management naturally became increasingly difficult.

The best approach, of course, is assimilation.

Before the First Emperor unified the six kingdoms, weren't the people in each region Qin, Chu, and Zhao?

After Qin Shi Huang unified the six kingdoms, only the Qin people remained. Even with the change of dynasties, only the name changed.

"..."