Elegy of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 396 show me the money
"Back then, the Tang Dynasty was established not long ago. Many of the nine surnames of Zhaowu were officials in the Tang Dynasty. Today, epitaphs can be found everywhere outside Chang'an City.

Kang, Cao, An, Shi, and He all had their sons serving as officials in Chang'an, and even the king of Kang was friendly with the Tang Dynasty and even proposed that Kang be merged into the Tang Dynasty. What a grand scene it was!
Although Emperor Taizong refused, the entire Kang state shared the same desire to advance and retreat with the Tang Dynasty, and all the emperors and ministers of the Tang Dynasty felt the same. "

Fang Chongyong picked up the wine glass, but did not drink it. He just sighed and said disgusting words that he himself did not believe.

However, the expected approval and admiration did not happen. Instead, these words made the King of Kang and many dignitaries of Kang look embarrassed and speechless.

The huge palace was silent for a long time, no one spoke, and these people didn't know how to speak.

After all, Fang Chongyong's words, interpreted from different angles, may have completely opposite meanings!
It’s not that the King of Kang doesn’t want to please Fang Chongyong, or that he doesn’t want to establish friendship, but this friendship must not be pursued!

There is absolutely no room for bargaining!
If he could take a step back, he would do so immediately. It is really about the legitimacy of one's own governance, and there is no room for jokes or concessions.

Even if Fang Chongyong wanted to let King Kang's concubine or princess sleep with him, it would be nothing to the King of Kang, just a sprinkle of water.

At that time, the fat king did not blink an eye.

Only what the other party just said is absolutely unacceptable.

Hearing this, Kang Posuo nodded, coughed slightly and said:
"That's right. The predecessor of Kang State was part of the former Kang Ju State. During the Han Dynasty, Kang Ju State controlled 120,000 strings and was very powerful.

Originally, Fang Chongyong wanted to reminisce about the past and the old friendship between his allies before bringing up his own topic. Unexpectedly, he was silent, making it inconvenient for him to say what he said next.

Fang Chongyong said seriously, with a very cautious attitude.

"So-and-so probably understands."

"It's time to serve the food. It's almost time for the banquet."

But almost a hundred years before the founding of the Tang Dynasty, Kangju State was ruled by Guishang, and the royal families of each city-state were replaced, killed, or changed their surnames. Then nine small countries appeared.

How can the King of Kang continue his career?

"There is nothing more to say later. The Kang royal family has changed several times. The Yuezhi people have come to replace the Yuezhi people, the Turks have come to replace the Turks, and the Tuqi Shi people have come to replace the Tuqi Shi people!

Originally, the power of the Western Turks was taken over by the Tuqishi (heterosexual Turks). For example, Jinsikeya's father, the king of Shiguo, came from a Tuqishi called Chebishi.

Why do you say that?
Because the top political leaders of the small country in the Western Region have long been "reskinned." In other words, the nine surnames of Zhaowu are no longer the royal families of various countries. Instead, they monopolize the middle and lower classes of various countries in a very unique way, achieving a certain delicate political balance.

So the atmosphere that was warm just now suddenly became awkward and weird! No one knew whether Fang Chongyong had fallen into a trap because he didn't know the sentiments of the people in the Western Regions, or whether he was deliberately trying to beat the King of Kang!

He Changqi, Che Guangqian and others all shook their heads. It was impossible for them to know more than Fang Chongyong. Even in Fang Chongyong's previous life, it was impossible for a Shaanxi person to know a certain city in Uzbekistan very well, right?
At the critical moment, Kang Posuo, who had served as the special envoy of Kang State, came out and said with a troubled expression: "Angel, there are some things that are not convenient to talk about here. How about serving the food first."

There are many nobles with the real surname "Kang" in Kang State! Even in this hall!

If we really follow Fang Chongyong's "national narrative", now the nobles surnamed Kang in the hall can draw their swords and kill King Kang, and then be canonized as the new king by Fang Chongyong, which can be regarded as "restoring the old system".

Kang Posuo smiled bitterly.

It turns out that there is still this problem, Fang Chongyong suddenly became interested, made a gesture of invitation and said: "Please continue!"

Late at night, Kang Posuo led King Kang to visit the Tang Army camp.

In other words, the skeleton of the nine surnames of Zhaowu is still there, and the small and medium nobles are still the same people. But the "skin" outside has been replaced by "Turkic skin" or even "Turkish skin". These countries basically implement "dual politics" domestically!
That is to say, the Turkic nobles are one lineage, and the nobles with the nine surnames of Zhaowu are the same lineage. They intermarry with each other and share power. Whoever is suitable to come forward when taking sides will be the one who wins!
It can also be understood from this that these small countries in the Western Regions can jump repeatedly, but most of them will not be liquidated on a large scale.

Fang Chongyong established friendship here, but the king of Kang State was not named Kang. He was a descendant of the Turks. The Turks "parachuted" here in order to manage the country with the nine surnames of Zhaowu.

"Yes, we can't let the angels go hungry. This is disrespectful to the Tang Dynasty."

Fang Chongyong smiled very reluctantly, the muscles on his face were a little stiff, and he waved his hands pretending to be casual.

If the king of Kang State continues to fight, it will be no less than self-destruction!

……

Fang Zhongyong looked around and asked in confusion, "Did the ambassador say something wrong?"

The situation in Kang State is similar to that in Shi State.

The nine surnames of Zhaowu on the Hexi side are related by blood to the nine surnames of Zhaowu in the Western Regions. But the nine surnames of Zhaowu in the Western Regions do not represent these small countries west of Congling! The situation here is much more complicated than the nine surnames of Zhaowu.

The royal family of Kang State has been replaced by the nobles of Guishang, whose surname is Wen, not Kang. "

I wonder if the angel can understand what is said below. "

The political situation in the countries in the Western Regions is very complicated. After the founding of the Tang Dynasty, the nine surnames of Zhaowu moved eastward collectively, which can also be said to be a process of "remigration". Many people of the nine surnames of Zhaowu settled in Liangzhou. .

Fang Chongyong quickly went out of the military tent to greet them and put the two men inside.

"Then let's serve."

Among them, this part of the core of Kangju State is Kang State.

A banquet was finished in a dull atmosphere, and everyone was in a state of silence. Fang Chongyong didn't even remember what the food tasted like afterwards, so he hurried back to the camp outside the city.

After sitting down, Kang Posuo sighed and said, "The situation in Kang State is really difficult to describe in one sentence. I don't know where to start."

It was obvious that he had stepped into a big hole.

The doorway here really cannot be explained clearly in a few words.

The princes and ministers of Kang State echoed this. Judging from their expressions, Ambassador Fang probably really didn't know the inside story.

"Then let's start from the beginning."

Fang Chongyong instantly understood that Kang Posuo's identity was by no means as simple as a "special envoy". What he said had some political weight!

The original leader of the Stone Kingdom clan named "Shi" was another person. He was indeed in the Stone Kingdom, but was not within the scope of Gao Xianzhi's liquidation.

Many nobles even went to Chang'an to serve as officials.

Fang Chongyong sighed and nodded in agreement.

How could he not understand? Isn’t An Lushan a living example?

An Lushan's mother was Sogdian. After giving birth to An Lushan, she married An Sishun's uncle.

An Sishun's uncle is a descendant of the nine surnames of Zhaowu and the Turks. He can be regarded as a descendant of the Turkic people of the An royal family.

But for "Anguo" in the Western Regions, neither An Lushan nor An Sishun has anything to do with them!
Because there are other political forces in Anguo, and even the public cards are not An's!
However, the aristocratic group "An" has always existed stably among the middle and lower classes of Anguo politics.

The nine surnames of Zhaowu are like this in all countries. The middle and lower classes are stable, while the upper classes often change their skins.

So in the early years of the Tang Dynasty, the Kang royal family was the closest to the Tang Dynasty and proposed to merge with the Tang Dynasty. Although these are facts, they are all based on old history.

Because the royal family back then had been suddenly wiped out by the Turks, you couldn't find a dead person to have friendship with, right?
"To the west of Congling, the king's flag is really changing at the top of the city."

Fang Chongyong couldn't help but sigh, his plan of "talking about feelings" went bankrupt. But think about it, during the Zhenguan period, the Kang family still clamored for Kang to be merged into the Tang Dynasty.

But now they are blatantly taking sides to eat people. This change is really too sudden. Kang Posuo's reasons can actually explain the problem.

Since they are not the same group of people, there is no reason to implement the old policies of the past.

"What did King Kang say?"

Fang Chongyong looked at the fat King of Kang and asked.

"Back to the angels, small countries in the Western Region are all like this. Don't be surprised if you look at the angels."

The King of Kang put his hand on his chest, bowed and saluted Fang Chongyong and said, obviously wanting to get nothing.

If he and Kang Posuo come tonight, they will basically be able to settle matters in Kang country. After all, those thornheads and those who had followed the Abu Muslims wholeheartedly had been rounded up one by one by the Tang army and demoted to slaves. There will definitely be bleeding, but it's better to have less money. No one's money comes from wasted money.

Fang Chongyong looked at King Kang and said with burning eyes:

"The ambassador won't beat around the bush.

I now represent the Tang Dynasty, so I need your loyalty and the loyalty of Kang Guo.

There's nothing to say about this. Can you understand? "

Seeing that the other party didn't seem to understand, he gave a reminder: "Loyalty needs to be proven. The way to prove loyalty is not to make a guarantee or to lie. Do you understand this?"

Loyal?
King Kang and Kang Posuo looked at each other and seemed to understand something.

"There is no need to give it to a woman, no amount will do."

Fang Chongyong waved his hand and blocked the words that King Kang had not yet spoken.

"I wonder what the angel means..."

Kang Posuo asked doubtfully.

"The part of the wealth confiscated by the Tang army will be used for military expenses. This has been decided and there is no need to talk about it anymore.

Other conditions are up to you! It must be opened until the ambassador is satisfied.

Don’t worry, the Tang Dynasty will not ask for an inch of Kang’s land. "

Fang Chongyong waved his hand and said, not giving the other party any room for bargaining.

Do you just don’t want the country?
King Kang secretly cried out in his heart. After hearing this statement, Fang Chongyong's appetite cannot be small!

"Kang State still has some capable soldiers. We are willing to send troops to Anxi, Mulu, Kuishang and other places to help the Tang Dynasty wipe out the remnants of the cannibals."

Before King Kang could speak, Kang Posuo was the first to promise.

After hesitating for a moment, the fat king nodded in agreement, and his face began to turn gloomy.

"Are you acting alone, or are you helping Tang Jun?"

Fang Chongyong asked with a half-smile.

After a moment of silence, Kang Posuo said firmly: "We act alone."

"Okay! This is what this ambassador wants from you!"

Fang Zhongyong clapped his hands and laughed.

"As for the Tang Army's military expenses, you don't need to worry about it for the time being."

Fang Chongyong clapped his hands, Feng Changqing took out a piece of paper and spread it on the table, then stepped aside and waited quietly.

"You two, if the covenant is empty talk, it is better to make it written in black and white, isn't that right?

Since we want to treat each other with sincerity, I will not write this covenant, but you will write it, how about it?
One copy each in Chinese and Sogdian. "

Fang Chongyong was very generous and handed the brush on the pen holder to Kang Posuo, not afraid of what tricks the two of them would play.

Now that things have come to this, going back on your word is tantamount to offending Datang to death. So Kang Posuo drafted a covenant. The king of Kang read it and felt that it was okay, so he signed both documents.

Fang Chongyong asked Feng Changqing to find a Sogdian translator to translate the oath, and found that there was nothing fancy about it.

The covenant book said: Kang State is willing to be a vassal state of the Tang Dynasty, and the king of Kang State will still be the governor of the Kangju Dudu Mansion of the Tang Dynasty. And he was willing to personally lead the troops to recover Kushan, Mulu, An'an and other places occupied by the cannibals, without asking for reward or loot.

In fact, these places are not far from Samadha, the capital of Kang State, and they are all on the dense water bank of the Mother River. As long as the Kang army goes northwest along the dense water, they can conquer these cities along the way. There is no need to travel thousands of miles.

Of course, the premise is that you can win.

The covenant specifically emphasized that if Kang sent troops alone, Datang would not send troops to support it.

Fang Chongyong handed the covenant book to Feng Changqing and asked him and the translator to each copy a Chinese version and a Sogdian version, and asked the king of Kang and Kang Posuo to sign and fingerprint it.

Then he kept the original copy and gave the "reproduction" to the other party, which was regarded as a "business".

"It's getting late, you two should go back to Samatan City early."

Fang Chongyong stood up and gave the order to expel the guests.

The king of Kang State wilted like an eggplant beaten by frost. He forced himself to give Fang Chongyong a few polite words, and then left the Tang army camp.

He looked like an unlucky guy who had his yang energy sucked away by a monster, with the word "bad" written all over his face.

After the two left, Feng Changqing asked: "Jie Shuai, King of Kang State, why did you fall into the trap? Looking at him from a humble position, it seems that he doesn't understand the stakes."

"Because he understood his situation and what was going on during the banquet in the palace during the day."

Fang Chongyong sneered.

Hearing this, Feng Changqing felt confused at first, and then suddenly realized.

He said with a shocked look on his face: "Jie Shuai, are you just pretending to be emotional in the palace in Samadang City during the day?"

"Is it difficult to find out something about the nine surnames of Zhaowu from Jinsi Kaiya?"

Fang Chongyong asked rhetorically.

Feng Changqing was speechless. Because of this matter, it is not difficult to find knowledgeable people to inquire about.

Anaye's mother is from the real "Shi" surname of the Shi Kingdom, but it was just that the Shi Kingdom was "reskinned" by Tuqi Shi.

Jinskia's mother was of the same race as Anaye's mother, and she was also the king of the Stone Kingdom in Chebishi, a candidate for political marriage.

That's why Fang Chongyong often said that Jinskia was Anaye's distant cousin.

They all understand the relationship for this reason, so how could Fang Chongyong not know that the nine people of the Zhaowu family like to "change their skin politically"?
"I understand the humble position!

Jieshuai acted in that play during the day just to knock the mountain and shake the tiger!
On the surface, he pretended to be ignorant about the affairs of the nine surnames of Zhaowu, but in fact he was threatening the king of Kangguo in a subtle way!
If he disobeys us, we will replace someone with the surname Kang as the king. This can be regarded as "rectifying the chaos" and clearing up the old loyalty of Kang to the Tang Dynasty!

And Kang Posuo understood this and didn't want Kang to have internal strife, so he agreed first.

King Kang also came to his senses later and had to swallow the bitter pill.

If he doesn’t come to beg us now, he will beg us on his knees in the future.

If he doesn't agree, there is a high probability that Kang Posuo will have a bloody fight with the King of Kang and come to power with the support of the Tang Dynasty.

At that time, Kang Guo was still peeling off his skin even if he was not dead. He might even be worse off than Shi Guo!

Jieshuai accepted the offer as soon as he saw fit. He didn't ask for any money from them, but he wanted them to completely fall out with the big cannibal.

Sure enough, we got this group of people. "

Feng Changqing couldn't help but give Fang Zhongyong a thumbs up. I have to say, this trick is really beautiful!
"This just means that we can't be too rough in doing things, and we have to peel off the cocoon and find the source of conflicts. The real troublesome things are still to come."

Fang Chongyong couldn't help but sigh. He sent the court a huge memorial, which was full of unrealistic ideas. According to Li Linfu's thinking mode, this memorial should have been rejected by now and left unpublished. Then Ji Ge issued an imperial edict and ordered himself to return to Beiting as soon as possible, right?
This ambassador of the Western Regions Economic Strategy is really tired of being on horseback!

(End of this chapter)