Early Tang Dynasty: forge ahead

Chapter 434 Onset
Chenggao, Zhengzhou.

Chen Qingsi stood on the city wall, watching the Fengshan team step into this thousand-year-old city.

Some people may not know Chenggao, but when it comes to Hulao Pass, everyone knows it.

Hulao Pass is located in Chenggao, but at this time it has been changed to Wulao Pass to avoid the taboo of Taizu Li Hu.

Heading east from Luoyang, the road was smooth and the journey of the large army was particularly smooth. Some minor conflicts were resolved with the joint efforts of more than 30 assistants.

After several days of sleeping in the open air, we rested in Chenggao according to the original plan.

Li Jingye climbed up the tower in two steps and said, "Mr. Chen, His Majesty and Empress Wu have been settled."

Li Jingye looked happy, obviously he had been rewarded.

Because of Li Zhi's respect for Li Ji, Li Jingye would be praised even if he just completed an arithmetic problem of one plus one equals two.

But Li Jingye obviously doesn't have this awareness and really thinks he is very capable.

Chen Qingsi smiled and didn't care. It was the nature of young people to be hot-tempered. He could just give him a beating when the opportunity arose.

After spending a few days together, Chen Qingsi also discovered that Li Jingye was a very capable and talented young man, but he just overestimated his abilities.

"here you go!"

Chen Qingsi responded.

Li Jingye asked, "Sir, do you have any other instructions?"

"Not for now!" Chen Qingsi said casually, looking at the mountains in the distance, and said: "Gather at the east courtyard of the posthouse in an hour, and we will make a summary together..."

Li Jingye said: "Okay, then I will take my leave first!"

Chen Qingsi nodded, his eyes fixed on the distance, and said, "This is truly a place that must be fought for by military strategists."

Chenggao is bordered by the Yellow River to the north, Sishui River to the east, and Fangshan Mountain to the south. There is only one narrow Chenggao Road that runs through the east and west. It is said that "if the Chenggao Road is blocked, the world will be blocked." Together with Xingyang, Jinti Pass and Guangwu Mountain to the east, Huangma Pass and Xuanmen Pass to the west, several dangerous passes are connected together to guard the eastern gate of the Central Plains.

Many epic battles in history were fought on this land...

At the appointed time, Chen Qingsi appeared in the east courtyard of the inn.

The thirty-six assistants personally appointed by Chen Qingsi have arrived. They sit on mats in the lobby in order of their official positions and talk to each other in low voices.

Until Chen Qingsi appeared, there was silence for a moment, and then various names were uttered.

"Chen Shangshu..."

"Mr. Chen..."

"Mr. Qingxi..."

Various honorifics were heard at the same time, of course, the most common one was Minister Chen.

Most of those called "Mr. Chen" were acquaintances, while those called "Mr. Qingxi" were mostly officials from Jiangnan.

No matter what they were called, without exception, the attitudes of the thirty-six people were extremely enthusiastic.

Anyone who can be included in Chen Qingsi’s list, even if he does not become a prime minister in the future, will at least be a pillar of the court and a figure who will go down in history.

People in later generations often laugh at General Pan Feng, but they don’t know that Pan Feng is one in a million.

No matter who they are, as long as they can leave their name in history, they are different from ordinary people.

What's more, the ministers, chancellors, and chancellors who left their names...

They all knew the political significance of this Fengshan ceremony, and understood that being chosen by Chen Qingsi was as much a fortune as pie falling from the sky.

Facing their mentor, the group naturally felt grateful.

Chen Qingsi first bowed to the people below him to show his respect.

After everyone returned the greetings, Chen Qingsi began his speech with ease.

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Now that we have arrived in Chenggao, thanks to your joint efforts, the goal of the first stage of our journey eastward has been achieved. This is worthy of celebration and encouragement.”

"Your Majesty is very satisfied with your performance."

Just two sentences set the atmosphere in motion.

The people below also showed expressions of delight, but they all pricked up their ears and listened attentively.

Everyone knows that if nothing unexpected happens, accidents will happen.

Chen Qingsi did not disappoint their expectations and changed the subject immediately.

"But this is just the first step. The real test that awaits us has just begun."

Chen Qingsi's expression was serious. He was not exaggerating, but stating the facts.

Luoyang Basin is a basin surrounded by Xiaoshan Mountain and its branches Mangshan Mountain, Xiong'er Mountain, Songshan Mountain and its branch Wan'an Mountain, etc. The center is Luoyang Plain formed by the alluvial deposits of Yihe River and Luohe River. The terrain here is flat and open, and the transportation is convenient; the climate is warm, the products are abundant, and the fertile alluvial plain ensures a good harvest of agricultural production, so it has become the center of ancient Chinese culture...

Everything is going smoothly now, the key is that the internal situation is stable.

A group of princes and noble ladies were laughing and joking all the way, just treating it as a leisurely and relaxing trip.

That’s because it is located in the Luoyang Basin and the roads are wide.

The road going east out of Hulao Pass becomes more difficult to travel.

As a strategic point, there is often only a long path passing through the mountains.

Walking that way is not so comfortable.

After passing the pass, the road to Mount Tai is not so easy to travel, especially on the way east, they will experience the change of weather from autumn to winter, and may even encounter the last rain of autumn or the first snow of winter.

Soldiers can endure it, but how many of the royal ladies who enjoy all the wealth and glory can endure it?
Chen Qingsi made a detailed analysis of his own concerns and the difficulties they were about to face.

Everyone listened attentively, and most of them nodded slightly in agreement.

Although many problems have not yet erupted, some clues have already appeared.

For example, the most common thing is going to the toilet. No matter how beautiful a court noble is, she cannot avoid eating, drinking, defecating, urinating and sleeping.

In addition to eating, drinking and sleeping, which can be controlled, defecation and urination are not under personal control and can be felt at any time...

The nobles and young ladies in the palace have all kinds of rules, which can be accommodated in the Luoyang Basin. But when you really get to the fortress trails, or when it's raining and snowing, who will give you convenience?

Trouble will follow.

Chen Qingsi analyzed all the minor problems that had cropped up these days with everyone and discussed ways to deal with them together.

Finally, he asked for the opinions of the public: "I believe there are still many problems that have not been revealed. If you encounter them, it will be a test of your ability to respond. In addition, if I have overlooked something, you can also speak up boldly. With the efforts of everyone, we can successfully complete this mission and show our face in front of His Majesty."

"Haha..." He laughed, "Your Majesty, I believe I don't need to say much about how much importance you attach to this Fengshan event."

When facing this group of smart people, it is useless to just paint a rosy picture. We have to let them see the real benefits before they will give their all.

What these people selected by Chen Qingsi lack is opportunities.

As long as they are given the opportunity, they will be able to seize it. At one time, more than 30 people expressed their opinions one by one.

Chen Qingsi either adopted, modified, or rejected the proposal and gave his own reasons. They were all future upstarts in the court and left a good impression on each other.

This move also greatly inspired a group of up-and-coming talents. They never expected that the famous Mr. Chen would respect "little people" like them so much.

Not only do we give them opportunities, we also attach great importance to their views and opinions, and most of them have strange thoughts.

Everything happened just as Chen Qingsi expected. Ever since leaving Chenggao and heading east...

The road you travel is no longer a straight, solid, wide official road, but a winding path between mountains.

When we can no longer gather in groups of three or five, eat snacks, and chat about all sorts of topics...

When the insects and ants that I had never seen or heard of before entered the carriage...

Various acute problems began to arise.

However, because the preparations were too thorough, all of them were handled one by one by the departments and groups that Chen Qingsi had specially formed for this Fengshan trip.

Even if there are things they cannot handle, they can rely on their own talents to control the emergencies within a certain range and have Chen Qingsi come forward to resolve them.

A luxurious car was driving on the road, and a pair of elegant old ladies were chatting with emotion.

"It would be great if the late emperor could see today's grand occasion with his own eyes."

"Yes! The late emperor had two regrets in his life. One was that he was not able to offer sacrifices to the gods on Mount Tai and comfort the people like the Qin Emperor and Han Emperor. The other was that he was not able to destroy Goguryeo... It would be great if Your Majesty could fulfill the late emperor's last wish to see him."

The two of them felt the bumps of the car, their expressions revealing a hint of reminiscence.

The two old ladies were the few concubines left by Li Shimin, Concubine Wei Gui of Ji State and Concubine Yan of Yue State.

These two are not talented people like Empress Wu's previous concubines...

Wei Gui, the Concubine of Ji State, was a noble concubine at that time, and was ranked as the fourth lady of the first rank. Empress Changsun died early, and Wei Gui, the Imperial Noble Concubine, had the same status as the Empress.

The status of the Yue State Concubine Yan was also extraordinary. She was first conferred the title of Concubine Xian and later promoted to Concubine De, second only to Concubine Gui.

A person of Empress Wu's talent was directly sent to Ganye Temple to become a nun.

However, Wei Gui and Yan were treated with high standards of courtesy, were given the title of imperial concubines, and followed their sons to their fiefdoms to enjoy family happiness.

Wei Gui and Yan lived very comfortably in their later years. Their children did not cause them any worries. King Ji and King Yue were both very filial to them.

Li Zhi was also very respectful to the two. Not only did he treat them as elders when he visited Zhaoling Mausoleum, but also during this Fengshan ceremony, he offered sacrifices to both heaven and earth.

Wei Gui, the Queen Mother of Ji State, was the first to offer sacrifices to the land and was in charge of all matters related to the sacrifices.

The two concubines were originally one civil and one military. Wei Gui was from the Jingzhao Wei family and was a lady of a noble family, while Yan was from a military family of the Northern Dynasties. The three generations of the Yan family experienced the Western Wei, Northern Zhou, and Sui dynasties, held high positions, led troops to fight, and were military aristocrats.

When we were in the palace, we didn't interact much because we had different interests.

But after they parted ways, they each followed their sons to their fiefdoms and had not seen each other for ten years. This time they met again for Fengshan, and they were as close as sisters, talking about everything.

Yan said: "It's not just a wish. Not only can you and I witness His Majesty's Fengshan ceremony, but we can also witness the fall of Goguryeo."

Wei Gui has a gentle personality. As he gets older, he becomes really Buddhist and completely indifferent to worldly affairs.

However, it was not the case with Yan. As a descendant of a military family, she had some judgment regarding military affairs. After chatting with her son and hearing some of the things he revealed, she learned about the situation of Goguryeo and realized that Goguryeo could not hold out for long.

"Old sister, you don't know that there is a new great figure in the court. He is comparable to the Duke of Wei in the past and the Duke of Ying now. He has already provoked civil strife in Goguryeo. It won't be long before Pyongyang will become the territory of our Tang Dynasty..."

"Ahem..." Wei Gui coughed a few times, took a few deep breaths, and said with some difficulty: "That's great, that's great."

Yan looked at Wei Gui, whose face was a little pale, and said with concern: "Old sister, you must take good care of your health."

Wei Gui waved his hands, and after a while, he said, "It's an old problem, it's okay, it's okay..."

She said it was fine, but her eyes rolled back and she fell down.

Yan screamed in horror: "Stop the car, stop the car, someone come, someone come!"

The carriage suddenly stopped.

Xiao Miaochen's body leaned forward due to habit, but she was quick-witted and used the seat to steady herself.

A woman opposite her screamed and fell on the carriage.

Xiao Miaochen hurriedly helped her up and asked with concern: "Madam Liu, are you hurt?"

Madam Liu is Xiao Miaochen's close friend whom she recently met.

As Chen Qingsi's status and identity became more and more important, Xiao Miaochen's status as the mistress of the family also rose, and she was flattered by many people.

Madam Liu is one of them.

Of course Xiao Miaochen is on good terms with her, for a simple reason: Madam Liu’s husband is called Tang Xiujing.

Speaking of Tang Xiujing, he is a tragic character. His father passed away when he was young, and he was raised by his mother. He was also very ambitious. He successively studied under Ma Jiayun and Jia Gongyan, studied "Book of Changes" and "Book of Rites", and passed the Mingjing exam. His future was quite bright.

But he was unlucky and was transferred to be the chief clerk of the Prince of Wu's Palace, becoming a member of the court of Prince of Wu Li Ke.

The result was naturally tragic. Li Ke was falsely accused of treason and Tang Xiujing was demoted to the position of Household Officer in Yingzhou.

Originally, Tang Xiujing would remain silent in the Northeast for more than ten years, until the Turkic Ashina Nishufu betrayed the Tang Dynasty and instigated the Xi and Khitan to rebel. Tang Xiujing then fought his first battle in his life and won a great victory, thus reaching the peak of his life.

Now because of Chen Qingsi's existence, the situation in Northeast China has changed drastically.

Under the governance planning of Chen Qingsi and Liu Rengui, Baekje and Yingzhou formed a complementary resource relationship.

As Silla joined later, the productivity of the two countries met Liaodong's production needs.

It's funny to say that in history, because of the Tang Dynasty's strategic shift to the west, famous generals such as Xue Rengui, Li Jinxing, and Cheng Wuting were transferred to the western front, resulting in no one available in the northeast for a while. Tang Xiujing, a civil servant, stepped up and achieved an extraordinary life.

What now?
Under the command of Cheng Mingzhen, the Northeast's combat effectiveness is unrivaled in the world, and several of his capable generals are well-known.

But there is a lack of talent in internal affairs.

Tang Xiujing was a man of both civil and military talents, and he stood out at this time. Cheng Mingzhen handed over all government affairs to him. In just three years, his status in Liaodong rose sharply, and he became the most respected civil official under Cheng Mingzhen.

When Li Zhi was performing the Fengshan ceremony, the Xi and Khitan peoples in the northeast also responded to the call. Cheng Mingzhen asked Tang Xiujing to lead the chiefs of the major tribes in the northeast to come to Luoyang to participate in the Fengshan ceremony.

Tang Xiujing had suffered a lot in the political arena and was well versed in the ways of being an official, so he specifically instructed his wife to curry favor with Xiao Miaochen.

Xiao Miaochen also accepted Chen Qingsi's arrangement and accepted it sincerely.

"what happened?"

Seeing that Liu was fine, Xiao Miaochen asked.

Qingkong said: "It's not clear yet, Qianyan will go and find out."

After a while, Qian Yan came back with some fear and said, "The Concubine Dowager suddenly got sick from an old illness and there was a mess in front. The Queen also seemed to be ill, and there was no one to take care of things for a while."

(End of this chapter)