The Tang Dynasty started from saving Empress Changsun

Chapter 219
When mentioning the issue of food, Chen Jingke immediately thought of what he and Cheng Huailiang said a few days ago. Isn't this a coincidence?

The three of them do not have the ability to engage in maritime trade, but Datang does.The imperial court has a shipyard and a certain amount of navy in its hands.

The new shipbuilding and navigation techniques he gave to the court before can also be quickly put into use.

Through this move, a fleet that is familiar with the sea has been trained. In the future, whether it is flattening Liaodong or going to Nanyang, it will be helpful, or it will have a foundation for launching great voyages.

So he said: "I know that there is food in one place, which can at least provide food for millions of people in Datang every year."

Li Shimin was overjoyed at first, and then said seriously: "This matter is so important that you can't joke about it."

Chen Jingke said affirmatively: "How dare I joke about such a big thing, and I told you about that place before, and you should be able to think of where it is with your wisdom."

Said it before?Li Shimin immediately thought that it should have been mentioned when he introduced the world map.

So where is it?

He quickly started to analyze in his brain. It should not be too far away from Datang, and the transportation should be convenient, otherwise there would be no point in having more food.

The abundance of food there means that the land is fertile and can be planted in multiple seasons a year... Yes.

"But Indochina?"

Chen Jingke said: "Your Majesty is wise, it is the Indochina Peninsula. It is located in the tropics where crops can grow all year round, and rice is cropped three times a year."

"The land is so fertile that it doesn't matter if you just sprinkle a handful of seeds, and you can come directly to harvest the crops in a few months."

"It's just the favorable innate conditions that make the locals lazy and unmotivated..."

"Give them a little incentive to produce so much more food that we can feed millions of people just by getting some of it back."

Li Shimin said in embarrassment: "But you also said that the environment there is hot and humid, and malaria is rampant. We northerners are not suitable for the local climate."

"There is no way for the imperial court to send troops to conquer there. How can we let them grow food, and how can we collect food from them?"

"..." Chen Jingke gave him a thumbs up in his heart. As expected of Li Shimin, the way of thinking about problems is so direct.

"Why do you have to send troops to conquer? Sometimes, if you change your mind, things may become simpler."

Li Shimin said directly: "If there is any way to do it, just say it, don't be tricky."

The eldest grandson Wugou smiled heartily, the conversation between these two people was so interesting.

Chen Jingke pretended not to hear the reprimand in his words, and said:

"The indigenous tribes and countries on the Indochina Peninsula admire the Central Plains Dynasty very much. Send a few envoys there, and a single edict can make them pay tribute."

"You give their lords and chiefs some fine silk, porcelain, sugar, glass and other luxury goods."

"It's best to give it in front of all the nobles in their country, and let them see what it means to be a treasure from the kingdom of heaven."

"Those natives who have never seen the world will definitely be greedy. We will send caravans to sell these things and let them exchange them for food."

"If they want to obtain these luxuries, they will inevitably drive the people under their rule to farm and produce more food."

"And we only need to use a glass bowl to exchange a shipment of food from them."

"Without spending a single soldier, the Indochina Peninsula will become Datang's granary, continuously providing us with food."

"Bang." Li Shimin slapped the table and reprimanded: "Shameless, really shameless, how is this behavior different from robbers?"

The next moment he suppressed his anger, and asked his elder grandson Wugou seriously: "Guanyin maidservant, what do you think of this method?"

Chen Jingke stared dumbfounded, is this playing tricks?

"Pfft ha ha..." Changsun Wugou covered his mouth and laughed, and said while laughing, "I think it's feasible, Erlang might as well give it a try, even if it doesn't work, there is no loss."

Li Shimin nodded, and then said to Chen Jingke: "In the future, if you have anything to say, just say it directly. Don't beat around the bush. It's not clear what it looks like."

Only then did Chen Jingke understand that he was teasing himself on purpose just now, and said aggrievedly: "Didn't I want to explain it to you more clearly?"

The eldest grandson Wugou wiped away the tears from laughing, and said, "Well, Jing Ke is a good and careful boy, he deserves to be praised."

Chen Jingke was so embarrassed that he almost picked out three rooms and one living room with his toes.

Li Shimin said again: "But your method is really ingenious. If you succeed, you will find a new granary for Datang. I will reward you for such a great effort."

Chen Jingke said weakly: "Hey, what kind of reward do you want, a little son is enough."

The eldest grandson Wugou interjected: "Remember it first, after a few years it will be rewarded together."

Chen Jingke didn't want to draw too much attention to herself, so naturally she wouldn't say anything.Besides, Li Shimin owed him a lot of rewards, and this one is not bad.

Now that this idea has been made, there is no need to hide it. He continued: "There is another place that is also suitable for this method, and that is the country of Japanese slaves."

Immediately, Li Shimin's mind came up with the situation of the Japanese slave country, and asked: "Is there also a lot of food there?"

Chen Jingke shook his head and said, "It's not that it is rich in food, but there are several gold, silver and copper mines with huge reserves. If you can get these gold, silver and copper, it can alleviate the Tang Dynasty's financial crisis."

"Besides, the Japanese slaves were ambitious and unwilling to be under others. During the former Sui Dynasty, they sent envoys to the Central Plains twice."

"The letters of credence carried are called "The Emperor of the Sunrise to the Emperor of the Sun", and "The Emperor of the East respects the Emperor of the White West" respectively."

"It can be seen that they are submissive in their mouths, but in their hearts they regard themselves as emperors. This kind of country is very dangerous."

It was the first time Li Shimin had heard of this, and he dared to call himself the Son of Heaven?Dare to be called the emperor of the Central Plains Dynasty?
This directly touched his Ni Lin, which is tolerable or unbearable.

Changsun Wugou said thoughtfully: "I remember that in the fifth year of Zhenguan, the imperial court sent Gao Biaoren, Duke of Bohai County, as an envoy to the Wonu Kingdom."

"Because of the lord's refusal to accept the order according to the etiquette, he was trapped in a dispute. It was not until the seventh year of Zhenguan that he was able to escape and return to the Tang Dynasty. It can be seen that the country does not have much respect for the Tang Dynasty."

Li Shimin's face was so gloomy that it was about to rain, and he said: "When the new navy is formed, I will destroy it."

Chen Jingke was not so optimistic, saying: "The Wanu country is different from Goguryeo. It is too far away from the Tang Dynasty and can only travel by water. It is difficult to destroy the country."

"If Your Majesty really wants to conquer this place, it's not impossible, but you must make a long-term plan to gradually erode it."

Li Shimin naturally understood this truth, and asked, "What can you do?"

Chen Jingke said: "There is a way, but I don't know if it is feasible."

Li Shimin said: "Speak, I will judge whether it is feasible or not."

So Chen Jingke explained his own method again: "The situation in the Wanu country is more similar to that in the pre-Qin period, and the enfeoffment system was adopted."

"In addition to the king, there are hundreds of vassal states below. Some small states are even the size of a township in my Tang Dynasty, and the constant conquests by various forces are very lively."

"In addition to the internal turmoil, they also have a foreign enemy, the Ainu. The two sides have been fighting for hundreds of years and their hatred is as deep as the sea, and there is no possibility of reconciliation."

"Opportunities are everywhere if we think about it."

Li Shimin nodded slightly, it was nothing more than fanning the flames, sowing discord, making them fight each other and weaken themselves.

At this time, Chen Jingke scratched his head and said, "We seem to be talking a little too far. What I wanted to say just now... Oh, by the way, sell luxury goods unique to Datang there."

"Buying luxury goods requires money. You can either exchange them for food, cloth and other items, or exchange them for gold, silver and copper."

"There are many gold, silver and copper mines on the island of Wunu. We can encourage them to open mines, and even send craftsmen to help them find the mines."

"These mineral veins are fat, and whoever owns them will become the target of others. When the imperial court guides them, it will be easy for them to fall into civil strife."

"Cultural propaganda is also very important. It is necessary to assimilate them culturally and remove ideological obstacles for the subsequent imperial conquest."

Li Shimin nodded again. Although the specific plan is a bit idealistic, there is no problem with this idea.

However, Changsun Wugou raised a different opinion, saying: "This place is too far away from the Tang Dynasty, even if it is defeated, it will be difficult to govern for a long time. I think it is enough to teach them a lesson."

Chen Jingke smiled and said: "Haha... Auntie is right. In fact, this is also the purpose of my coming to His Majesty today."

Li Shimin and Changsun Wugou were both stunned for a moment, some didn't understand what he meant.

"Say it well, what's going on?"

Chen Jingke said: "Your Majesty's decision to prosecute the governor reminds me of an idea made by the elders of the family. I will come here and talk to you."

The impulsively stupid thing made Li Shimin a little embarrassed, but he couldn't say anything, so he could only pretend to be nonchalant: "What idea?"

Chen Jingke said: "The world is so vast, how can our Chinese civilization achieve its rule?"

Li Shimin immediately forgot what was embarrassing or not, and asked, "What solution did the elders of your clan think of?"

Ever since he knew what the world really looked like, he was also thinking about this issue, which was one of the reasons why he was hesitant to take any action.

Some places are so far away that it takes a year and a half to go back and forth, so what is the rule?What's the use of hard work if you can't rule?

Now that there is an answer for reference, I am naturally very interested.

It was clear to the bystanders that the eldest grandson Wugou on the side had already guessed what Chen Jingke wanted to say from the conversation just now, and said:
"Fond, enfeoff the overseas land to the hero?"

Chen Jingke said in admiration: "Auntie is too smart, yes, it is enfeoffment, and the land that the Tang Dynasty is unable to rule is entrusted to the heroes."

"In this way, the expansion of Chinese civilization can be realized, and the friendship between His Majesty and the ministers can be fulfilled. Your idea of ​​being appointed governor can also be realized in another way."

"And there is another advantage to doing this. These dignitaries leave Datang to seal the country, and no one can restrain you anymore."

"You can promote officials who are loyal to the court and appoint low-ranking officials, and the real power is monopolized and arbitrary."

(End of this chapter)