The Tang Dynasty started from saving Empress Changsun

Lu Dongzan's willpower is not that weak, but he no longer has the confidence he had before in the face of something so incomprehensible as a train.

You don't need to know too much, just take a look at him to know the usefulness of this thing.

If Datang builds the train to the plateau, he can't even imagine the consequences.

Even if the environment on the plateau is harsh and there is no way to repair the railway, it is enough to repair those few important obstacles.

At that time, the Tang Dynasty's army and military supplies can be continuously transported there, and the consumption can also consume Tubo to death.

Even Datang didn't have to do it himself, he only needed to support the four countries of Dongnvguo, Bailanbu, Tuyuhun and Zhangzhung with food and grass.

How could Datang, who had the right time and place, marry the princess to them?

Lu Dongzan returned to his residence in a daze, and locked himself in the room for a day and a night. Just when his subordinates were about to knock on the door, he opened the door and walked out.

Gathered the core members of the envoys and said, "Iron...have you seen the train?"

Everyone nodded, and they naturally went to see it. Even now, many people still look shocked when they think about it.

Lu Dongzan said: "There are some things that everyone can understand without mentioning them. I am afraid that the purpose of our trip will not be achieved."

Everyone was silent, and they naturally understood this truth.

Someone worried: "If this trip fails, how should we explain to Zanpu?"

Lu Dongzan said solemnly: "Don't worry, everyone, Mr. Zanpu Naiming will not blame us for this. If he really commits a crime, I will bear it."

Everyone's expressions looked better, but they were still worried.

Sometimes there are some sins, and you can't get over them if you want to.

Of course, it is unlikely that Songtsan Gampo would convict them, but it failed anyway.

It is normal for official career to be affected to a certain extent.

What Lu Dongzan wanted was for everyone to think so, he took advantage of the situation and said: "If you are still not at ease, I have a way to make up for it."

Everyone was overjoyed and said, "I don't know what good strategy Xiaolun has?"

Lu Dongzan said: "The more information collected about Datang, the better."

Everyone naturally understood this truth and agreed with it.

So this group of Tubo people started to act, while continuing to ask to see the emperor, while lobbying the dignitaries, while asking around for various information.

Naturally, their actions could not be concealed from Li Shimin, but they did not stop them. He also wanted to use the Tubo people to understand the true thoughts of the officials.

It's not that he wants to settle accounts or something, he's not that narrow-minded.

It is to understand the thoughts of the officials, so that it will be easier to achieve the goal and reduce unnecessary verbal battles in the future.

Lu Dongzan went to visit the dignitaries as planned, and offered gold and silver beauties as bribes, but the result of the lobbying made him feel mixed.

All the generals refused his visit, and they didn't even meet each other.

Those in the civil service department saw Changsun Wuji, Fang Xuanling, Wei Zheng and others, but they all talked about him from left to right.

When it comes to the matter of marriage, they all evade saying that it is the emperor's family matter, and they, as foreign ministers, can't say too much.

When it comes to the truce with the plateau four countries, everyone has more to say, that is the family matter of your plateau five countries, and has nothing to do with us. …

As the suzerain state, my Tang Dynasty cannot interfere in the internal affairs of the vassal state at will, otherwise how will other vassal states treat us?

The most important thing is that you, Tubo, did not pay tribute to our Tang Dynasty.

Until now, you have always dealt with Datang as neighbors.

In this case, what do you want us to do?
Qingliu and Yushi, on the other hand, were moved by the talk.

Especially when it comes to the amount of money and food that the Tang Dynasty paid for this war, many people stated on the spot that as long as Tubo surrendered and paid tribute, they would write a letter to cease the war.

But Lu Dongzan was not fooled by the faces of this group of people.

Pay tribute?Tubo and Tang Dynasty are countries with diplomatic relations, how could they easily become vassals?
The Zanpu of our country is equal to your Tang emperor.

So the promise of these people is tantamount to no promise.

At this point, Lu Dongzan already knew that marriage is no longer possible.

However, for the convenience of inquiring about information, he still pretended to be actively running, and at the same time created conditions for others to inquire about information.

There are some things that cannot be hidden from people, such as the train, such as the Xuexue Academy, such as the Taoist factory area, such as the Taoist poverty alleviation plan.

All these matters were discussed by Quan Chang'an, and Chen Jingke also specially asked the two journals "Wangyue Tan" and "Suoyue Tan" to make many large-scale reports.

The core is to build momentum for Gephysics, industrialization, and labor manuals.

Knowing that the 'Iron Bull' was built by Qiuxuan Academy, the Tubo people began to inquire about the situation there.

It's a pity that the academy is located in a remote place, surrounded by wilderness, and it is still a compound with high walls. Li Shimin even specially stationed a battalion of troops here.

All the people who appeared around were as invisible as lice on a bald man's head.

They were driven back without even touching the side of the academy, let alone spying on information.

Not reconciled, they wanted to spend money to buy information, but the academy blocked not only foreigners, even Datang's own people were not allowed to approach at will.

Except for the staff of the academy, everyone else needs permission to go.

The reason for doing this is also very simple, just for safety.

I'm afraid that some enemies will come over and take over the academy, and the loss will be too great.

The more mysterious the place is, the more speculations there are. Anyway, Qiuxuan Academy has become a first-class mysterious place among the people.

All kinds of exaggerated to outrageous rumors abound.

The Tubo people were quickly confused by these rumors, so they had to give up their plans in this regard.

But fortunately, the factory area is not so strict.

Except that outsiders are not allowed to enter and exit casually in the factory area, other places are casual.

And there will be a large number of people coming and going every day, and there is no way to keep it secret.

Some Tibetans bought a small businessman who came to purchase, and mixed in with him.

Then I was so shocked by the various machines inside that I couldn't speak.

After returning, when he told his colleagues about his discovery, it aroused many doubts.

What an automatic saw, a cup of tea can saw a large tree into planks.

What kind of automatic loom is more than ten times faster than a human being, and it can run non-stop for a whole day. …

What pulverizer, sewing machine, what steam engine... It sounds like a myth.

But Lu Dongzan believed it. He took out a few books, namely "Moon Moon Talk" and "Suoyue Talk", and said:
"What he said is true. Those machines are driven by something called a steam engine, and the train is also driven by a steam engine. All of these are brought about by Chen Jingke from Zixiaoguan."

Then he introduced Chen Jingke's identity and origin:
15 years old this year, the descendant of the Chen family.

At the same time, he is also the only personal disciple of Sun Simiao, the sage of medicine, the leader of Taoism, and the master of Zixiao Temple.

He is also the son-in-law of Princess Jinyang, the first princess of the Tang Dynasty...

Although he is young, he has mastered all kinds of magical knowledge.

He is the dean of Qiuxuan Academy and the founder of the factory area. It is said that he built steam engines, looms, steam saws, sewing machines, trains, clocks, water pumps, etc.

Even books such as "Chinese Civilization" and "Journey to the West" were written by him.

"By the way, these two periodicals were also created by him, and the "Goddess of the Sea" published today was written by his concubine."

Hearing this, everyone seemed to have heard the Arabian Nights.

If they didn't know that Lu Dongzan would not joke about such things, they would really think that the other party was lying.

But the more this is the case, the more inconceivable they feel, is there really such an almighty great talent in the world?
But why don't such talents belong to Tubo?

Thinking of this, someone moved in his heart and said, "Xiao Lun, what if we 'invite' this Master Chen to Tubo?"

Everyone was also very moved, the so-called asking them to know what it meant.

Regardless of the method used, if such a talent can be taken away, then everything owned by the Tang Dynasty will belong to Tubo.

Lu Dongzan shook his head and said, "It's hard, Chen Jingke was assassinated before, and since then he has attached great importance to his own safety, and he is heavily guarded when he goes in and out."

"The emperor of the Tang Dynasty also sent the Imperial Army to protect his safety. It is impossible for us to break through the protection of these people and get in touch with him."

"Besides, we are under the surveillance of Datang, and we will be discovered if there is any change."

"Not only won't we get him, but it will anger the emperor of Tang Dynasty and give them an excuse to send troops to attack us."

Everyone was speechless.

In the past, they were not afraid of Datang, and they even took the initiative to fight Datang a few years ago.

Although they were defeated and returned to the plateau in the end, the Tang army was unable to pursue them.

They all knew that although they couldn't beat Tang Jun, the initiative was always in their hands by taking advantage of the natural dangers of the plateau.

If you want to fight, you can fight, if you don't want to fight, you can go back.

Therefore, not being afraid of Datang is also the greatest capital that dares to communicate with the country of brothers.

But now they dare not say that.

Datang could use Tuyuhun and other four countries to use troops against Tubo at any time, and even immigrated tens of thousands of households to Tuyuhun to adapt to the local environment.

There are still troops stationed in Bailan, Dongnüguo, and Tuyuhun, trying to adapt these troops to the local environment.

Although the effect is not obvious because of the short time, as long as Datang has the heart, one day he will be able to cultivate an army that can freely enter and leave the plateau.

At that time, it will be the end of Tubo. …

This had to make the Tubo people jealous, and they never dared to be as rampant as before.

Really kidnapping such an important person as Chen Jingke, not to mention whether it will succeed, even if it succeeds, I am afraid it will be useless, but it will accelerate the demise of Tubo.

This idea was rejected as soon as it was proposed.

Lu Dongzan asked again: "What other information did you find out?"

Another person said: "A few days ago I saw dozens of large ships unloading grain at the Water Transport Wharf, all of which were rice, so I went forward to inquire. According to the people of Tang, the rice came from Funan and other countries."

It is inevitable that the common people will exaggerate, especially when speaking to the Gentiles, the proud tone can be felt from far away.

Why do those small countries in the Indochina Peninsula have fertile land and a suitable climate, so you can harvest when you scatter the seeds in the ground.

Three crops can be harvested a year, and each crop yields two or three stones (two or three hundred catties) per mu.

There was so much food there that it rotted on the ground, and the livestock ate only the best rice.

But those countries especially admire Datang, and especially like the exquisite glass, silk, clocks and so on of Datang.

A few glass bottles, a piece of silk, a luxurious clock... can easily be exchanged for a boatload of food.

These fifty boatloads of grain are just a matter of dozens of bolts of silk.

Datang can get hundreds of millions of stones of rice from there every year, and the grain in the imperial warehouse is piled up like a mountain, and it is impossible to eat it all.

Those people even deliberately complained that the taste of the three-season rice is not as good as the two-season rice.

There is also a kind of one-season rice in Datang, which has a high yield of four or five stones and a very good taste.

It's a pity that only the rich and powerful can eat this kind of rice, and ordinary people have nowhere to buy it.

Lu Dongzan listened with a heavy heart, and naturally he would not fully believe these words.Especially when he later complained that the three-season rice was not tasty, it sounded like showing off.

But one thing he can be sure of is that Datang has obtained a new source of grain, and the quantity is quite large, and the price should not be expensive.

No wonder it can support the four countries of Tuyuhun regardless of cost, and the proportion of rice in the supported grain is very high.

You must know that transporting grain from the Central Plains to the plateau countries consumes a lot on the way.

For every grain of grain transported, ten grains will be consumed on the way, no matter how thick the family is, they can't afford such consumption.

But in fact, Datang has been doing this for two consecutive years, and there is no sign of stopping.

The point is, for such a behavior that obviously consumes national power, there is not much opposition within Datang.

He used this reason to lobby those Qingliu, but he didn't get much approval.

Before he was surprised, this is impossible.

Shouldn't Qingliu be very opposed to this behavior of killing one thousand enemies and harming eight hundred?
Why don't they object to this matter?

Now he finally understands.

These grains are not native to Datang, but bought from outside.

Without wasting money and people, Qingliu naturally has no reason to object.

But for Tubo, this is bad news that couldn't be worse.

Datang's plan is ready to come out, which is to rely on this extravagant war of attrition to drag down Tubo alive.

In the past few years, Tubo has spent almost all its resources in the war with the Four Nations Alliance.

It can be said that all industries in the country are in decline, and it has reached the point where the military rations are reduced in non-wartime.

At first they thought that such a war of attrition would not be easy for Datang, but now they know that is not the case at all.

So what's the point of this war of attrition?The point is that they have no chance of winning.

Also go to Funan and other countries to buy food?

Not to mention that they couldn't afford that price, even those countries with money would not dare to sell it to them because of Datang's face.

Even if they dare to sell, how can they transport so much grain back to the plateau?

The more I think about Lu Dongzan, the more confused I become. How to break this deadlock?
Do you really want to bow your head and surrender to Datang?