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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 258: Preparing for War
Listening to the speeches of several representatives from the Great Era tribes, the Baekje King felt a sense of weariness. When he first ascended to the throne, he had some ambitions, but after so many years, all his energy had been worn down by repeated internal struggles.
Whether to fight or to surrender no longer mattered. If victorious, he could continue to indulge; if defeated, death was inevitable.
If he surrendered, with good fortune he might find peace as the Dai Fang County King under the Tang Dynasty; with bad luck, he would still face death.
The distinction seemed negligible. The Baekje King raised his cup and drank deeply, already contemplating which consort he would spend the night with.
The Baekje King's attitude displeased the officials, but they said nothing; they could not simply return power to him.
Differing somewhat from others, Neifa Zuoping Sha said, "I have heard that the Tang Dynasty has established the Andong Protectorate in Pyongyang and intends to set up governor's offices in other regions, promoting capable leaders to govern Liaodong."
"The Tang army is indeed formidable and cannot be ignored. We cannot act recklessly without considering the State and our families."
Internal Minister Zopei Jiazhan glanced at the Sovereign: "It is not impossible, but recently, the Tang army forcibly demanded a large amount of grain from the noble families of Goguryeo without any compensation.
What if they treat us the same way in the future?"
This statement solidified the resolve of the other family representatives.
"We must still send someone to persuade Silla. Even if we are to surrender, it should be after ensuring the interests of all families, especially His Majesty. How can he remain just a Prince?"
The Baekje King nodded: "Then let us prepare our troops for war."
"Yes!"
In the Year of Taiping Three, during winter, Tongye Hu of the Western Turkic Khanate married Princess Gaomi in Chang'an. Shortly after their wedding, they set off on their journey back west. The Emperor ordered Duke Qin Shubao of New Li County to escort them to Qin Wang Military.
The Western Turkic realm was currently in chaos, and only a few states from the western regions sent envoys to attend the wedding. Without a full escort, it was uncertain whether Tongye could survive the journey back to Qianquan.
However, this was a good thing; otherwise, how could the Tang troops easily enter Western Turkic territory? Once they became familiar with the terrain, it was believed that next time, Li Shimin would not need Tongye Hu to lead him but could find his brother-in-law's home on his own.
After sending off Tongye Hu, Tuli could no longer sit idle. He repeatedly dispatched envoys seeking marriage alliances, and Princess Yicheng even sent gifts that Sui Wendi had once bestowed as dowries.
Yet the Emperor remained silent about agreeing to a marriage alliance with the Eastern Turkic.
Not killing Tongye Hu and even considering a marriage alliance was because Western Turkic was not currently a strategic target for the Tang dynasty.
In the west, the Tang still needed time to digest the Four Commanderies they had reclaimed from Tuguhun. As long as Western Turkic did not send troops to invade or obstruct trade routes, both nations could coexist peacefully.
At least until the Tang dealt with Liaodong and resolved the DTZ situation, this was how they treated Tongye Hu; otherwise, he would have been executed alongside Xieli long ago.
Tuli's situation was different. After Goguryeo's exit from the scene, who would be the true overlord of this region? Should Bohai, Khitan, Kumohe, Mohe, and Shiwey obey someone else's command?
Should the Central Plains Emperor continue to send vast amounts of gold and silk to Prairie Khan every year, or should Prairie Khan humbly serve the Central Plains Son of Heaven as Great Khan like a servant?
This represented the fundamental conflict between the two nations. From Shibi Khan to Xieli, they all attempted to prove that the newly established Tang dynasty was still insufficient to shake Turkic hegemony.
Although Tuli appeared to be showing weakness now, he did not relax his control over Khitan and other nations. He strictly prohibited them from coming to pay their respects. It could be anticipated that once he completely eliminated Xieli's remnants and built up some strength, he would undoubtedly challenge again.
Given this situation, Li Jian Cheng was not prepared to give Tuli time to consolidate his internal affairs; instead, he intended to actively disrupt their internal relationships.
Thus, the marriage alliance was naturally no longer necessary.
...
After winter set in, Chang'an finally lost some of its oppressive atmosphere. The Jinyiwei had not made an appearance for quite some time, and not only the officials and nobles but also the common people breathed a sigh of relief.
Although the Jinyiwei dealt with imperial cases and had never been directly involved with them, it did not prevent them from feeling a sense of awe. Even high-ranking officials were subject to their whims; they could take lives as they pleased.
If one day they were to encounter the Jinyiwei, it would be even easier than killing a chicken. How could they not be afraid? Rumor had it that the torture methods employed by the Northern Pacification Commission were more brutal than hell itself.
During the court meeting, the emperor decreed that next year there would be an Enke, allowing those demoted officials to participate and select the best among them for reappointment.
This eased the hearts of many officials. The emperor had not shown any favor to the noble families in recent months; if this continued, it would not bode well for the court or the realm.
"Your Majesty is wise. Currently, the western border Four Commanderies and the newly established Andong Protectorate are in need of officials. It is indeed a crucial time for appointments."
"Your Majesty, will others be allowed to participate in this Enke?"
Li Jian Cheng replied, "Since it is an Enke, it will only target those officials who were demoted due to streamlining. However, this will be the only session; during the next Imperial Examination, scholars from all over will be able to participate. At that time, I will also establish a Martial Examination, overseen by the Ministry of War, to set subjects and select talented individuals to strengthen our military."
Minister of War Fang Xuanling stepped forward to agree. His recent burdens had been heavy, but he was eager to showcase his ambitions.
The courtiers began to flatter the emperor; whether it was the Imperial Examination or Martial Examination, no matter how they were conducted, it was inevitable that those from noble backgrounds would have the greatest advantage.
Thus, in their eyes, this was also a form of reassurance from the emperor. It seemed that the palace coup had passed.
After Pei Ji's death, the Retired Emperor had not been mentioned in court for a long time, becoming a taboo subject.
Li Jian Cheng looked at his ministers with satisfaction. It must be said that since he had taken decisive action, the court was running smoothly, and even local governance had become more transparent.
With the great defeat of the Turkic people, the destruction of Goguryeo, and the establishment of the Andong Protectorate, his edicts could now be executed directly without going through the three provinces.
However, this was still against regulations, so reforming the system was urgent; next year would require further strengthening of central authority.
After dismissing the court, the emperor summoned his confidants, who came from various backgrounds including Guanlong, Shandong Jiangnan, and even commoners.
Li Jian Cheng had to admit that his ability to suppress Guanlong so quickly was largely thanks to the hard work of two generations of emperors from the Sui Dynasty. During their reigns, they had significantly weakened the Noble Families of Guanlong in various ways.
By the later years of Emperor Yang's reign, Guanlong had already fallen into a difficult situation. After a considerable portion was eliminated with Yang Xuangan's downfall, the remaining forces concentrated their hopes on him, with a small part still supporting Li Mi.
However, both he and Li Mi had their own promoted confidants and did not rely solely on Guanlong. This led to a situation where, at the founding of the Tang Dynasty, Guanlong appeared to hold high positions and wealth.
In reality, however, they held little military power. Li Jian Cheng preferred to leave some military authority in the hands of those who surrendered rather than distribute it among his relatives.
………
(End of Chapter)
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