I am not a deposed emperor of Han Dynasty

Chapter 522 The Han army marches out with banners, the knights colonize with swords, and the Western Region becomes King Mu!

However, leaving these small countries behind could spread the reputation of the Han Dynasty far and wide, but it was also a temporary solution.

The thirty-six countries in the Western Regions are located in important oases along the Silk Road. Trading missions must obtain supplies in these places, so the location is dangerous.

For this reason, the Xiongnu, the Han, and even the Wusun Kingdom had to win over them.

Several forces were in stalemate and tug-of-war with each other, one was ebbing and the other was ebbing. Sometimes the Huns had the upper hand, and sometimes the Han had the upper hand. The thirty-six countries in the Western Regions survived in the cracks.

When the thirty-six countries in the Western Regions fell to the Huns, they often attacked the Han Dynasty's envoys and caravans, causing many losses of people and property.

In the past, the Huns and the Han were equally powerful in the Western Regions. Even if the Han stationed troops in various countries in the Western Regions, they were easily attacked by the Huns.

At that time, the Han army in Yumen Pass will be beyond reach, and the garrison will have to face the fierce Xiongnu bandits alone, which is tantamount to seeking death.

But things are different now. Liu He is going to launch a final battle against the Huns this time and completely drive the Huns out of Mobei.

This means that the way of governing the thirty-six countries in the Western Region will also change.

This time, under Chang Hui's coercion and inducement, the thirty-six countries in the Western Regions jointly sent 2,500 victorious troops to form the Western Region Guards. Liu Bing was appointed captain and followed the Wusun army on the expedition.

The number of the Western Region Guards is not large, but it is a letter of surrender - so that they no longer have two sides.

This is the beginning for Liu He to completely solve the problems of the Thirty-Six Kingdoms and the Western Regions. The subsequent strategy has been planned and will be carried out step by step.

The first step is to establish the Western Region Protectorate.

In the original timeline, it would not be until sixteen years later that the Han Dynasty would establish the Western Region Protectorate in Wulei City.

After that, the Han Dynasty would directly grant officials to the "kings" of various countries in the Western Regions, incorporate them into the administrative system of the Han Dynasty, and exercise direct jurisdiction over them.

Even if it is a small country, it will inevitably resist, so a small but capable garrison is essential.

The establishment of the Protectorate of the Western Regions marked the official implementation of the Han Dynasty's jurisdiction over the Western Regions and its claim of sovereignty "since ancient times."

Liu He advanced the appearance of the Western Region Protectorate by sixteen years. Zheng Ji, who was supposed to be the first Western Region Protector, is still serving as the team leader under Han Zeng.

However, Liu He had already thought of one person to shoulder this honor and responsibility - Dahong Lu Xingren and Haihun Hou Liu Bingji.

In this way, Liu Bing can use his talents while staying away from Chang'an City, which is a good thing for him and Liu He.

The second step is immigration and farming.

After the Western Region Protectorate completes its direct jurisdiction over various countries, Liu He will issue an order to use generous conditions to gather people from all over the world to immigrate to various countries in the Western Region to enrich the local areas.

The Western Region is not an endless desert. There are not only small oases, but also many endless plains and grasslands.

Water vapor from the Arctic Ocean and Atlantic Ocean will drive straight in along the gaps between the mountains, reaching the western and northern parts of the Western Region.

Moistened by these two streams of water vapor, many places in Mobei are even more suitable for farming and grazing than the Hetao area.

As long as the relationship between man and land is properly handled and developed appropriately, this place can accommodate a large number of immigrants.

More than two thousand years later, in order to enrich the frontier fortress, didn't tens of thousands of Han soldiers and civilians come here to build a shield for China and develop this place into a new "Fortress on the South of the Yangtze River"?

Liu He not only wanted to bring the Western Regions under the jurisdiction of the Han Dynasty, but also wanted to fill the Western Regions with Han people through immigration and develop it into the core of the Han Dynasty.

The third step is naturally to move the Hu people to Han Dynasty.

After enough Han immigrants from the Western Regions arrived, there would be no need for the people from the Western Regions countries who originally lived here to stay.

Liu He was unwilling to do something to massacre all the Hu people, not that he still had extravagant hopes of becoming king, but that it was not worthwhile to bear this crime for tens of thousands of Hu people.

When the time comes, he will directly issue an edict to move the Hu people from various countries in the Western Regions to Han Dynasty.

Of course, there is no living space for them in the already overcrowded Guanzhong area. Their destination is the Guandong County and the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

They would either gradually be assimilated by the Han people through constant intermarriage, or they would die on the road to open up the south for the Han people.

In short, they will be like an insignificant drop of water, integrated into the vast ocean, and completely become a part of the big man.

This is their glory and destiny.

During this process, there will definitely be resistance and rebellion.

Once something like this happens, they will no longer be the people of the Han Dynasty, but the enemies of the Han Dynasty.

When the time comes, where the Han army's frontline points, there will definitely be rivers of blood.

The fourth step is to develop the Western Region in an orderly manner.

Things that existed in the Han Dynasty's counties must also exist in the Western Regions: government offices, post pavilions, straight roads, "Sacred Scriptures"... will all appear in the Western Regions.

By then, the Western Regions will not only become the western gate of the Han Empire, but also a smooth road connecting China and the West, and will also become a true fortress in Jiangnan.

In the end, the Western Regions will become the springboard for the Han army to move towards Central Asia and Europe, laying the foundation for the Han Dynasty to expand its territory.

As for the pioneers in opening up new territories, Liu He had already thought about it, and they were the rangers entrenched in Chang'an and Sanfu.

There are very few truly famous rangers, but the group of rangers is still very large, and together with the evil boys who imitate them, there are probably tens of thousands of them.

Letting them stay in Chang'an City or local counties will still be a factor of instability.

Killing people in the streets, clinging to wealthy families, disturbing the people - the Xia at this time was completely different from the Xia later.

For more than a year, Liu He followed the original plan and asked Guo Xie to take Liu Bing to roam among the knights, spreading the idea that "a great knight serves the country and the people".

Guo Xie and Liu Bing have done a good job and have achieved great results. Now the rangers are ready to do something in the fortress.

After the development of the Western Region, Liu He would call on these adventurous rangers and their relatives to march towards Central Asia and Europe.

Like the white colonial pioneers in history, they would establish strongholds for the Chinese people in Central Asia and Europe, becoming a springboard for the Han Dynasty to expand their territory.

Perhaps in the future, these rangers will travel across the ocean to colonize and develop the New World, filling the entire world with Chinese flags.

Liu He couldn't see clearly what happened next.

How far the big man can go is beyond Liu He's control.

Just like other things he did before, he only gave an initial impetus, and then left it to the Han people and subjects to decide the subsequent development path.

The starting point of all these ambitions is pinned on the current war.

Liu He had absolute confidence and knew that the Han army would definitely win, but he was still a little nervous: after all, many people were destined not to return to Chang'an City.

On this day, for four hours from Chen hour to noon, tens of thousands of Han troops left Chang'an City under the watch of Liu He.

Liu He, who was standing on the north gate tower, remained silent, watching the increasingly blurry figures walking further and further away.

It wasn't until the black shadow in the distance became increasingly blurred and finally disappeared at the end of his field of vision that Liu He withdrew his gaze.

The New Deal is in the ascendant, and there are still many measures to be implemented gradually. Liu He cannot stop for a moment.

He wanted to take advantage of the majesty of the Han army to implement these new policies one by one as soon as possible.

"Wei Xian!" Liu He turned to Wei Xian who was not far away and asked.

"I await the imperial edict," Wei Xian said, taking three steps and two steps at a time, and bowed in front of Liu He.

In the past, Wei Xian was always a bit arrogant and liked to put on airs because he was a veteran minister.

But today, his body was lying extremely low, and his appearance was even more respectful.

"Get back on your feet." "No!" Wei Xian stood up, and all the courtiers lined up looked at the monarch and his ministers.

"Do you still remember the bet you made with me?" Liu He asked.

At this moment, the smile Liu He showed was as warm as when he first arrived in Chang'an, which was completely different from the sneers and sneers at the court meeting a few days ago.

If it were in the past, all the courtiers standing on the city wall would be like a spring breeze, stroking their beards and smiling, secretly praising the emperor's sage.

But it was different now. Each of them was silent, their hands clinging to the sides of their robes, not daring to say a word.

They would not feel refreshed, but would worry about whether there was any murderous intention behind the emperor's smile.

"I remember..." Wei Xian replied reluctantly.

"Then tell me."

"If Your Majesty can win the Shiqu Pavilion debate, Wei Chen will be the first examiner of the imperial examination." Wei Xian replied hesitantly.

"Wei Ge has a good memory, so I would like to ask, did I win?" Liu He asked reluctantly.

"Your Majesty...Your Majesty won..." Wei Xian felt a little depressed when he mentioned this sad incident.

"It is already September. Guanglu Temple and Taixue have completed preparations for the first national examination, and Confucian scholars are arriving one after another..."

"This is a great event for scholars and officials in the Han Dynasty, and it will provide a model for the county and state examinations in March next year..."

"Guang Luxun, Gong Sui and Taixue ordered Wang Shi to be the sub-examiner for this national examination. They and I believe that Mr. Wei Ge should be the main examiner."

"Is Mr. Wei Ge willing to take on this important responsibility as agreed before?"

Liu He asked this question with a smile. Wei Xian's throat was choked, and he didn't know how to answer because his mood was too complicated.

In fact, this bet has always been weighing on Wei Xian's heart like a stone.

At first, Wei Xian hoped that the emperor would forget about this bet, so that he would not have to make a fool of himself and be the humiliated surrender.

But now, Wei Xian's heart changed. He wanted to be the examiner and do something for the world, so he began to fear that the emperor would no longer trust him and would not allow him to be the examiner.

In this way, Wei Xian is always in a contradiction.

Today, the emperor asked him to serve as the examiner, which made him feel a little ashamed: he did not expect that the emperor still trusted him despite his resistance to the New Deal.

This is more proof that the emperor did not want him to admit defeat, but recognized his knowledge, ability and public spirit, and expressed his admiration for him.

He has been betrayed many times, but the emperor still trusts him as before. This will certainly bring out Wei Xian's "villainous heart" and make this villainous heart ashamed.

Therefore, Wei Xiancai didn't know how to speak at this moment.

"Mr. Wei Ge, are you unwilling to take on this responsibility, or are you unwilling to fulfill your bet with me?"

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty... I, my veteran, are quite interested in the New Deal these days..." Wei Xian, who had gray hair on his temples, was still hesitant.

"Mr. Wei Ge, there is no need to say more. Let yesterday's matters remain yesterday. As long as you understand the meaning of the New Deal today, you will still be a loyal minister of the Han Dynasty." Liu He said.

"but……"

Wei Xian still wanted to refuse, but Liu He did not give him this chance.

"Mr. Wei Ge, if you still consider yourself a loyal minister of the Han Dynasty, then you should shoulder this responsibility and successfully conduct the first imperial examination."

"This is an explanation to me, and it is also an explanation to the Confucian scholars in the world."

"You are the representative of the scholars in the court. It is most suitable for you to serve as the examiner, so I want you to take on this important responsibility."

"Of course, if you feel that this matter is really difficult, I will not force it and will find another suitable candidate to serve as the examiner."

The emperor spoke eloquently, without any coercion or threats, but with all frankness and straightforwardness, which caused most of the stagnation in Wei Xian's heart to collapse.

Of course Wei Xian still regarded himself as a loyal minister of the Han Dynasty, so how could he refuse the emperor's request?

"Thanks to your majesty's trust, the old minister received the imperial edict, and he has lived up to the divine grace!" Wei Xian finished speaking tremblingly, and finally knelt down.

The other courtiers standing nearby, regardless of their stance, were visibly relieved.

Especially Wei Xuancheng, who was standing a little further away, showed a hint of imperceptible relief - at least he didn't have to break up with his father so early.

Liu He helped Wei Xian, who was kneeling on the ground, up, then turned his head to look at the courtiers, and his eyes stayed on Zhang Anshi for the longest time.

In the past few days, Zhang Anshi and the others have been much more obedient, but they may still have some resentment in their hearts, especially Liu De, whose loyalty to him may have been shaken a bit.

But no matter what, Liu He was still willing to give them another chance.

After all, they want to be loyal ministers and they have the ability. Before the officials selected through the imperial examination fill up the court, they are still weak.

"I hope that Mr. Wei Ge can shoulder the important responsibilities, and I also hope that all of you, dear friends, can shoulder your own responsibilities."

"Looking at the Han army going out today, I wonder how many good men died on the battlefield. Whether they were from a poor family or a noble family, as long as their hearts are with the Han, they are loyal ministers."

"For more than half a year, some people may not understand the New Deal, and some may not understand me, but I can see that you all still think of the loyal ministers of the Han Dynasty."

When Liu He said this, he stopped again.

That meaningful gaze swept over Zhang Anshi, Bingji, Liu De, Wei Xian, and the courtiers who advanced and retreated with them one by one.

Fortunately, I can see some emotion on their faces.

"Taking advantage of this auspicious day for the Han army's expedition, I have decided not to pursue you for your past mistakes, but I also hope that you can sincerely support the New Deal."

"I have said that the purpose of the New Deal is to enrich the people and strengthen the Han people. This people includes all the people in the Han Dynasty, including not only common people and poor families, but also aristocratic families."

"I still regard you as the loyal ministers of the Han Dynasty. Are you still willing to regard yourself as the loyal ministers of the Han Dynasty?"

After the emperor finished speaking, there was silence under the north city gate.

But soon, the courtiers all knelt down from head to tail, front to back.

Then, under the leadership of Zhang Anshi, they said in unison: "I am willing to be a loyal minister of the Han Dynasty. I will definitely support the New Deal from now on and dare not make any differences."

The sound was like a roaring tsunami, much louder than that day in the front hall.

I was so surprised that the wall covering on the city wall rustled down, and a pair of swallows jumped out of the eaves and flew southward in a hurry.

"If anyone resists the New Deal again, I will definitely exterminate them as a warning to others!"

Of course, Liu He just recited these murderous words silently in his heart and did not say it out loud: This is really the last chance.

"Everyone is alive and well, and there are still many things to do in their respective government offices, so please go about your business!"

"promise!"

Liu He cast his eyes to the north for the last time and saw a group of wild geese flying in groups under the leadership of the leading goose, letting out bursts of mournful screams.

The New Deal has the last major issue left, which is the "money" issue. It's time to settle the big man's account.

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(End of this chapter)