A Good Landlord in the Tang Dynasty: Emperor Yuan Cong

Chapter 1144 Surrender
Qu Yong rushed back to Luntai again, exhausted, and this time he brought with him the surrender letter from the Prince of Gaochang.

Wu Huaiyu received Qu Changshi with great enthusiasm. Compared with his last coldness, this time he was much more enthusiastic. Not only did he invite Qu Yong to take a seat, he also personally made tea for him.

Qu Yong took the teacup and was flattered.

After expressing his gratitude repeatedly, he took out the Gaochang surrender letter that he had carefully protected from his arms.

"Your Highness, kneel outside the military gate and plead guilty to the Minister of War."

Wu Huaiyu knew that Qu Zhisheng had also come, and he also knew that he was kneeling outside the military gate, but he warmly entertained Qu Changshi and did not meet Qu Zhisheng immediately.

Let him kneel down first.

Wu Huaiyu opened the surrender letter and saw that Qu Zhisheng was quite unfilial. He surrendered but still tried to shirk responsibility, saying that Gaochang betrayed Tang because of Yu Gushe's coercion and that the previous king made a big mistake in a moment of confusion.
Anyway, the responsibility lies with Yu Gushe and the deceased Qu Wentai. It has nothing to do with him, the Crown Prince of Gaochang. He is just a crown prince.

Wu Huaiyu just laughed at this.

But whether he shirks responsibility or not is actually irrelevant.

Along with the surrender letter, Qu Zhisheng also attached a map of Gaochang, which was 800 li from east to west and 500 li from north to south, as well as the registered population. Gaochang State now consisted of three counties, five counties and 22 cities, with an official registered population of 8,046 households, 37,700 people, 4,300 war horses, and amounts of silver, money and grain.

Looking at this number,

Wu Huaiyu couldn't help but laugh again.

"Qu Changshi, tell me the truth, how many households does Gaochang have now? Qu Zhisheng previously threatened to fight to the end, but he has assembled more than 20,000 soldiers and horses."

"How is it possible that Gaochang State only has 8,000 households and 30,000 people?"

Qu Changshi held the teacup in his hand, not caring about the fatigue from the journey, and answered carefully, "Those are all in the government's household register. In fact, there are more than that. Soldiers, craftsmen, merchants, monks, Taoist priests, and nuns are not in the household register. In addition, the followers and slaves of the nobles and powerful families are not in the household register.

In addition, there are many hidden households and escaped households.

Gaochang was a country with Han people as the majority, and an oasis city-state. It prospered due to the Silk Road trade.
This is even a country where Buddhism is prevalent.

Therefore, Gaochang is different from the general agricultural counties in the Central Plains. It has developed industry and commerce, and Buddhism is also very prosperous. There are many craftsmen and merchants, many monks and nuns, and even a large number of Gaochang people who believe in Buddhism and practice. Of course, there are also many people who just use the name of practice to avoid taxes and labor service.

This is very similar to the situation during the Northern and Southern Dynasties in the Central Plains.

In addition, Gaochang kept a large number of slaves, which resulted in a huge difference between the registered population of Gaochang and its actual population.

On the surface, there were only more than 8,000 households and more than 30,000 people. But in fact, if all the people in Gaochang were counted, whether they were merchants, craftsmen, monks, slaves, retainers, and those hidden households, then the actual population of Gaochang would exceed 100,000.

A hundred thousand people actually only have about twenty thousand households, which is just one Zhongzhou in the Central Plains.

At the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, there were many hidden households. Aristocrats, powerful people, and temples also had a large number of followers, slaves, and even hidden households. Since the Zhenguan period, the situation has improved a lot, and a large number of hidden households and escaped households have been cleared out.

"Gaochang doesn't have many soldiers. Many of them are mercenaries and men from the people who were temporarily conscripted."

Qu Changshi said that a small part of the 20,000 people were mercenaries from the Sogdian Hu of the Nine Zhaowu Clans. Those people were hired specifically, and were very elite and professional, but the hiring price was not cheap. Some of the mercenaries came from the Turkic tribes.
As long as they can afford the money, they are willing to accept employment, and sometimes they can even directly employ a small tribe.

Thanks to Qu Changshi's open and detailed knowledge, Wu Huaiyu gained a better understanding of Gaochang's background, which was more comprehensive and detailed than the intelligence obtained by the Tang Dynasty's intelligence department.

Wu Huaiyu chatted with Qu Changshi for a long time.
When they had almost finished chatting, Huaiyu waved and the food was served.

A sumptuous meal was prepared, including roasted lamb and stir-fried dishes in iron pots, such as stir-fried beef, stir-fried lamb shreds, stir-fried fresh mushrooms, stewed wild duck soup, stir-fried pheasant, and roasted oxtail...
Qu Changshi couldn't help drooling when looking at these dishes.

But he didn't remember the prince who was still kneeling outside the military gate.
"Prince Wu, the prince is still kneeling outside the military gate to plead guilty."

"Oh, I would have forgotten if you hadn't mentioned it," Wu Huaiyu pretended not to remember, "Hurry up and ask His Royal Highness to come down. It's so sunny, don't get a heat stroke."

Kou Ji-sung is really dizzy from the sun,

Their whole bodies were soaked with sweat, which was wet and dry again, and their clothes were covered with white salt stains. Fortunately, Gaochang was very hot in summer, and there was also a Flaming Mountain, so it was still bearable.

At this time, he didn't dare to get up, let alone get angry.
He has surrendered.

I have no right to be angry.

Wu Huaiyu left him alone and exposed him to the sun, but he could only endure it.

Just when he was about to faint, Qu Changshi appeared.

"Your Highness, Prime Minister Wu invites you to a banquet."

"water,"

Kou Ji-sung's throat was so dry that it felt like smoking, and his lips were also chapped.

Qu Changshi was well prepared and brought a bag of water. As soon as he took it down, Qu Zhisheng snatched it away and gulped it down. After only two sips, he drank too quickly and choked, and kept coughing.

It took a while before I finally calmed down.

He continued to drink.

He drank the whole bag of water in one go.

But after drinking so much water, I didn’t feel better. Instead, I felt even worse, even nauseous.

Qu Changshi helped him to the shade of a big tree, and pinched his neck with his fingers, leaving dark purple marks.

"Let's go, don't keep Wu Xiang waiting for too long."

Kou Zhisheng took a break under the shade of the tree and finally felt better.

The two of them went to Wu Huaiyu's tent.

The big tent was set up outside Luntai City, in a forest. It was cool even in the hot summer.

Qu Zhisheng looked at the towering Luntai City in the distance.

The Tang army is really fast.

What kind of enemy was he facing?

At this moment, he felt more and more that it was right for him to surrender.
Qu Zhisheng came to the big tent.

He knelt on the ground again and loudly pleaded guilty.

Wu Huaiyu did not come out, but an officer came to him and asked him to go in.

The tent is huge.

In fact, it was the Golden Wolf Tent that Yugu had set up, which could accommodate hundreds of people. Wu Huaiyu led them all the way, and Luntai City had not yet been built.

So he chose to camp in this small wood outside the city.
"The surrendered Gaochang native Qu Zhisheng pays homage to Prime Minister Wu."

"Prince Qu, please stand up and take a seat."

The table was filled with rich dishes, but Qu Zhisheng had no appetite at this moment. He felt like his stomach was full of water, and when he walked, his stomach made a rumbling sound.

"Have a bowl of sour rice water to whet your appetite. This is my sister's exclusive recipe. It is very sour and refreshing and appetizing." People in Guanzhong like to eat pasta and they also like to drink rice water in summer.

Jiangshui is sour, made from fermented vegetables and noodle soup. In the hot summer, it is easy to ferment and a clear Jiangshui can be brewed quickly.

Jiangshui is sour and refreshing. It tastes sour at first, but the aftertaste is endless. Jiangshui vegetables are sweet, crisp and tender.
You can use the rice water to make rice water cold noodles, rice water stir-fried rice balls, or use the rice water to make vegetable tofu, which are all very delicious.
In addition to the large table of dishes, Wu Huaiyu also served fish in rice water made from cornmeal and rice water to Prince Qu and the Chief of the Imperial Court.
The thin cornmeal paste is first heated and stirred into a thick paste with bubbles. Then a funnel with holes is used to squeeze the paste out of the holes and drop it into a basin. It becomes small tadpole-like noodle fish, which people in Guanzhong call "toad bone buckets".
The fish in Jiangshui not only retains its round shape and smooth taste, but is also refreshing, cool, and sour.

Wu Huaiyu's eldest sister, Lady Wu Yu'e of the State of Yan, made the best tasting rice soup, and her rice soup fish was also unique. Wu Huaiyu inherited the unique skills from her eldest sister.

Being away from home, he rarely had time to relax in Luntai, so he prepared a few jars of rice water.

I can’t live without it every day.

Kou Zhisheng just felt reluctant to refuse, but after taking a bite, he felt refreshed. The sour and strong soup and the smooth and cool fish were so delicious together.

I was feeling dizzy and bloated, but after drinking this bowl of fish soup, I felt much better.

"Can I have another bowl?"

Qu Zhisheng had no interest in beef, mutton, pheasant, duck or pigeon meat, but he had a special liking for this bowl of fish in soup.

Finally, Qu Zhisheng ate three bowls of fish soup.
In exchange for three bowls of Physalis fish, Qu Zhisheng rewarded him with three thousand taels of gold.

He brought these three thousand taels of gold from Gaochang City to Luntai, which was worth 750,000 Persian silver coins, or 24,000 strings of Tang Dynasty bronze Kaiyuan coins.

But it's only a little over 100 kilograms of gold, so it's not a big deal to carry it.

"What do you mean, my lord?"

"It's just a small gift, not a token of respect," Qu Zhisheng spent a lot of money this time. Last time, he asked Qu Changshi to send gifts, including beauties, famous horses, and silver, with a value of several thousand strings of cash. Wu Huaiyu confiscated them on the surface, but he also withheld the gifts, saying that they were for military use.

But Qu Zhisheng thought that this was just an excuse of Wu Huaiyu, and the thing must have fallen into his hands. Who wouldn't like money?

This time, he deliberately brought three thousand taels of gold, and the royal gold hidden at fifty taels per ingot, a total of sixty ingots.

This is a huge fortune no matter where it is placed.

He sent this valuable gift at this time, of course, hoping to gain Wu Huaiyu's protection.

Gaochang was destroyed, but he hoped that he and Qu Shi could still be safe. Even if he went to Chang'an, he hoped that the journey would be safe. Once he arrived in Chang'an, he would still need someone to protect him.

If Wu Huaiyu is willing to protect me, the three thousand taels of gold will still be valuable.

"You Gaochang are quite rich, no wonder you dared to challenge the Tang Dynasty."

Wu Huaiyu remained calm in the face of the three thousand taels of gold.
The wealth of Gaochang State alone was not as great as that of the Wu family. Three thousand taels of gold might be irresistible to others, but to him, it was nothing.

"I will take charge of the three thousand taels of gold and ask Dou Changshi to give you a receipt later."

Wu Huaiyu accepted it, but it seemed as if he had not accepted it.

Qu Zhisheng hesitated for a moment, but did not bother about it. As long as he accepted it, it would be fine, no matter what name he used or how he accepted it.

With these three thousand taels of gold, the distance between the two was shortened a lot.

While digesting their food, they discussed the aftermath of Gaochang's surrender. Wu Huaiyu needed Qu Zhisheng to come forward to assist the Tang army in taking over the cities of Gaochang, and also promised that as long as the cities of Gaochang surrendered, their lives and property would be guaranteed.
The property of the Gaochang royal family will also be guaranteed, but only movable property.

The fields and pastures will definitely not be left to them anymore and will be confiscated.

Gaochang State was renamed Xizhou, with five counties under it.

Re-register the household population, measure the land and houses, and check the land and properties of Buddhist temples.
In principle, the safety of life and property of the old people of Gaochang was guaranteed and maintained unchanged; their important properties such as family members, livestock and land were checked and registered before being exchanged for new deeds, which would allow them to be recognized and protected by the Western Province of the Tang Dynasty.

Of course, Xizhou will also have to implement the Two Tax System in the future, and naturally taxes will have to be paid based on household registration, property, and land.

However, the Han people from the interior of China that were enslaved, maids, and followers of the Gaochang people, whether they were bought in the past or intercepted and captured during the Sui Dynasty chaos, will be rescued.

Those who wish to stay in Xizhou will be granted land and registered as residents. If anyone wants to return to their hometown, arrangements will be made to send them back.

In addition, the fields and pastures of the former Gaochang royal family, the government-owned fields and pastures, and the mines would naturally be owned by the Tang Dynasty.

Furthermore, all Gaochang troops had to be disbanded, their weapons, armor, war horses, etc. confiscated, and their personnel dismissed.

Gaochang is definitely going to change.
However, Wu Huaiyu promised that he would try his best to maintain stability, and as long as the old people of Gaochang could cooperate, there would not be much impact.

All members of the royal family of Qu were to move to Chang'an in Guanzhong.

Wu Huaiyu did not touch their floating wealth.

"Thank you, Prime Minister Wu." Qu accepted the conditions proposed by Wu Huaiyu. After all, the country was destroyed, but he could still have such conditions. He should be content.

At least after they surrendered, the Tang army surrounding Gaochang City had always been very disciplined and remained stationed outside the city, without any intention of entering the city.
If it were the Turks, they would have let their troops enter the city and looted for three days.

When Gaochang conquered the five cities of Yanqi, they also looted them on a large scale. Not only did they plunder all the wealth in the five cities, but when they left, they even captured thousands of men, women and children who were in the cities and did not have time to escape.

They are still in Gaochang.

Qu Zhisheng gave the three thousand taels of gold he brought to Wu Huaiyu.
Fifty taels per ingot, a total of sixty ingots of gold, of very good quality.

Wu Huaiyu called the Chief Clerk Dou Dan and the Sima Gao Xingxing, as well as the Deputy Chief General Cheng Yaojin and the Chief of the Central Army Wu Huaiyi, and asked them to bear witness together.

Then Dou Changshi wrote a receipt to Qu Zhisheng.

After Qu Zhisheng left,
Cheng Yaojin looked at the gold wall made of sixty large gold ingots. "Three thousand taels of gold, the Qu family is so generous with just one move. I don't know how much is hidden in the Gaochang Palace. There must be at least thirty thousand, right?"

Old Cheng picked up a large gold ingot, weighing more than three pounds, and tossed it in his hand to play with it.
"General Manager, how many of us should we divide this gold?"

Wu Huaiyu laughed and said, "If the deputy chief steward really wants to share, does he dare to take it?"

Old Cheng chuckled and said, "If the chief steward dares to divide it, I dare to take it."

"You're dreaming. These three thousand taels of gold will be put into the camp account for military supplies and rewards."

"Prime Minister Wu, the Gaochang prince has surrendered, so the original plan should be stopped. But what about the promises we made to the Turkic tribes?"

Wu Huaiyu had previously promised the Turkic tribes that if they attacked the cities of Gaochang, whoever captured the city would own the money, silk, livestock, and slaves in the city.

All the troops are working hard to attack the city. Although they have not captured it yet, they are almost there and it is only a matter of time before they capture it.

"Plans can never keep up with changes. The battlefield changes in an instant. Now that Gaochang has surrendered, there is naturally no need to attack the city anymore."

"Send someone to inform the tribes to stop attacking Gaochang City, and have the leaders of each tribe come to Gaochang City to meet with me to discuss the next steps."

Cheng Yaojin said, "I'm afraid some people are unwilling to give up this fat piece of meat that has come to their mouths. What if they don't listen to your orders and continue to attack the city and plunder?"

Wu Huaiyu smiled at Lao Cheng and said, "If someone really doesn't obey orders, then we'll have to trouble the deputy chief steward to take action."

(End of this chapter)