Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 274 Dong Xie
The Duke of Wei was quite dissatisfied after reviewing the documents. In his view, there were already enough valiant cavalry generals in the Court, but true military leaders capable of commanding large armies were few and far between.
Currently, aside from himself and Qin Wang, there was only the Earl of England left. As for Su Dingfang, whom he had promoted in the Military, he still needed more training.
Li Xiaogong, Li Mi, Du Fuwei, and others could indeed lead troops, but they could only contend against equally matched opponents. They had the talent for leadership but lacked the ability to turn the tide of battle and ensure victory.
Li Mi was well aware of Li Jing's capabilities and advised, "Those who excel in archery and horsemanship while also mastering military strategies are often from Guanlong or perhaps Dai Bei. It is rare to find such individuals among common folk.
However, heroes often emerge from humble beginnings; some are simply born warriors with military tactics ingrained in their minds. If you wish to find a gem among them, perhaps you could petition His Majesty to establish war games or seek counsel during battles."
Meanwhile, outside, the Long Target archery competition continued. To some extent, the Martial Examination also reflected one's background; developing exceptional skills in mounted archery and cavalry warfare required a good horse, which was not something an ordinary family could afford.
Li Jing felt disappointed on one side, while Li Shimin felt similarly on the other. The participants in the Martial Examination generally had decent qualities, but none matched the valiant generals he had hoped to see.
Not to mention Qin Shubao, Zhang Hutan, Yuchi Jingde, Dan Xiongxin, and Xue Rengao; even second-tier figures like Du Fuwei, Xue Ju, Xue Wanchu, Luo Yi, Cheng Zhijie, and Kan Leng were absent.
Poor Li Mi had to placate everyone to ensure that the Martial Examination went smoothly without any errors.
When the Emperor received the report, he thought back to how he had shown leniency towards Li Mi several times before; it seemed he had made the right decision.
However, if there were any natural disasters before this year's grain collection, it would truly become a headache. Li Jian Cheng finally understood why sacrifices were always necessary; it was indeed a matter of divine will.
Left Chancellor of the Ministry of Personnel Liu Wenjing countered, "There are still many Han people in Goguryeo; thus we can relocate them in large numbers. However, for the people of Silla and Baekje, if we were to relocate them at all, it would have to be done gradually over many years. To hastily move hundreds of thousands without proper arrangements would lead to disaster."
"Minister Fang," he continued, "does the Ministry of War believe that we can still cut down on some soldiers?"
"I intend to reduce the number of troops across the realm and allow some to return to their homes to farm and pass down their family traditions."
The Minister of Rites, Wang Yi, stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I believe we could also relocate people from Liaodong to settle in the Central Plains."
The Minister of War, Fang Xuanling, also stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, during the Taiping Yuan Year, the court already reduced over a hundred thousand troops. Now, with ongoing military actions in Liaodong and the Turkic people suffering from snow disasters, they may invade at any moment. Further reductions may not be wise."
Li Jian Cheng sat high in his seat, his arms casually resting on the armrests as if he were not seated upon the throne of the supreme ruler of the realm. "Streamlining our forces is essential for peace. The war in Liaodong will soon come to an end, and I will not reduce the troops stationed at the Northern Frontier to guard against the Turkic people."
Under the auspices of Qintianjian and the Ministry of Rites, the emperor left the city to worship Heaven and Earth, praying for national stability and peace, as well as blessings to alleviate disasters.
Fang Xuanling responded, "In reply to Your Majesty, I have yet to consult with the Ministry of War regarding this matter."
The Minister of Civil Affairs, Wang Gui, immediately echoed his sentiments: "I concur. The populations in Silla and Baekje are numerous; if we could relocate another ten thousand households to the Central Plains..."
Such a capable official who could manage both civil and military affairs while balancing internal relationships is hard to find.
The realm has suffered through chaotic times; population numbers have sharply declined, fields lie fallow due to lack of laborers, and grain production is insufficient. To this day, several large granaries have almost no stored grain at all, which greatly worries me."
Recently, there have been floods in the south and earthquakes in Hebei. The court has been busy with disaster relief; fortunately, harvests in previous years were decent enough to provide some aid for those affected by calamities.
The Monastic Daoism in Luoyang has also been working diligently to alleviate His Majesty's worries. After several years of strict control, the number of temples and Daoist monasteries across the realm has sharply decreased. Tens of thousands of Monastic Daoists have been forced to return to secular life, and many lands have been reclaimed by the court, ordering local Departments of Military Affairs to cultivate these lands.
The emperor nodded. "Then after this audience, let the Ministries of Rites, War, and Civil Affairs convene for consultation."
"Yes."
An official from Honglu Temple stepped forward: "Your Majesty, Chief Dong Xie Xie Yuanshen and Chief Nan Xie Xie Qiang have come personally to pay their respects."
Li Jian Cheng had spent his entire life in the North and had hardly heard of Eastern Xie and Southern Xie.
An official from Honglu Temple immediately explained, "Dong Xie and Nan Xie are branches of the Southern Barbarians, located in Qianxi. Their customs lack written language; they carve wood for contracts, live in nests, carry swords at all times, wear bear skin caps, and drape themselves in the skins of fierce beasts. When they gather, they beat bronze drums."
"Why have they come to court?"
The Minister of Rites, Zhang Liang, stepped forward. "It seems they are here due to natural disasters and foreign enemies. They have heard of Your Majesty's might and the wealth of the Tang Dynasty, and have come to request allegiance and food supplies."
The emperor summoned the two leaders to the palace. The leader of Dong Xie was an elderly man, while the leader of Nan Xie was a robust figure. Both wore clothing typical of the Central Plains, but their necks and wrists were adorned with protective bone ornaments.
They struggled with the official language but were clearly awed by the grandeur of the imperial palace. With eyes full of reverence, they stole glances at the emperor before kneeling down to pay their respects, following the teachings of the Honglu Temple official from the previous day.
They had brought over a hundred pieces of tiger and bear skins as gifts for the emperor.
Seeing their honest demeanor, the emperor asked about the size of their territories before issuing a decree: "In that case, let it be so. The land of Dong Xie shall be designated as Yingzhou, and the land of Nan Xie shall be designated as Zhuangzhou. The two leaders will serve as Prefects under the command of Qianzhou's governor and will obey court orders."
After they bowed in gratitude, the emperor turned to the officials from the Ministry of Civil Affairs. "As for food supplies, can Qianzhou Granary provide some relief?"
The Minister of Civil Affairs stepped forward. "Qianzhou Granary still has over fifty thousand stones of grain in storage."
The emperor nodded and ordered Qianzhou to arrange for relief supplies, stating that if it was insufficient, more grain could be sourced from elsewhere.
He did not place much importance on Eastern Xie and Southern Xie; rather, he valued controlling resources. The court's influence in that region was still lacking; most officials were based north of Wu River, while south of Wu River consisted mainly of semi-autonomous states. Some even lacked any semblance of autonomy.
The two leaders expressed their profound gratitude once again. They understood well that what they had brought was far from enough to exchange for such a large quantity of grain.
What a magnificent and wealthy Divine Being! No wonder they can reside in such a heavenly palace; they should have come sooner!
After the court session, the Emperor was just about to have his meal when the Imperial Historian, Wen Yanbo, and the Minister of Justice, Dai Zhou, requested an audience.
One hailed from the Wen family of Taiyuan, while the other was a commoner, yet both were exceptionally talented and were candidates for Chancellor under Li Jian Cheng.
"Announce them."
Before long, the two entered the hall and bowed to the Emperor. "We pay our respects to Your Majesty. Long live My Emperor."
"Be at ease. Take a seat."
Tables and chairs became quite popular, and heavy sofas were seldom used.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
The Emperor remained as approachable as ever, especially when facing his confidants. He smiled at the two of them and said, "You two came rushing over right after court. You must be hungry; why not join me for a meal?"
………
(End of Chapter)
Comment 0 Comment Count