Early Tang Dynasty: forge ahead

Chapter 443 Under the Couch
The headquarters at the foot of Mount Tai.

"Your Majesty, Minister Chen has arrived!"

Li Zhi's brows unconsciously revealed a hint of joy. This kind of happiness was not controlled by his self-consciousness. It was a natural emotion that came from admiring and being close to someone to a certain level.

During this Fengshan ceremony, Chen Qingsi's little tricks and the Taishi Bureau's research on astronomical phenomena brought him huge benefits.

Not to mention how the people of the Tang Dynasty would react when the news spread, one can get a glimpse of how they would react just by looking at the attitudes of the kings, chiefs, and envoys from various countries who witnessed the miracle with their own eyes.

As the ultimate beneficiary, Li Zhi reaped huge rewards this time.

His prestige is so high that it even exceeds that of his father...

Faced with the scene here, Li Zhi's attitude towards Chen Qingsi, who caused all this, naturally became more important.

"Xuan!"

Chen Qingsi walked into the tent confidently and saw that in addition to the emperor Li Zhi, there were also two prime ministers, Xu Jingzong and Dou Deyuan.

Not to mention that Xu Jingzong was an evergreen in his later years, Dou Deyuan was a newly appointed prime minister who had been in office for less than a year.

"I have met His Majesty!"

Chen Qingsi first bowed and greeted Li Zhi, then nodded to Xu Jingzong and Dou Deyuan.

Xu Jingzong felt bitter in his heart, but he also understood that Chen Qingsi was no longer someone he could easily deal with. At his age, it was better to have less trouble than more, so he smiled and returned the greeting.

As for Dou Deyuan, he nodded in return.

Although he is the prime minister, he is no match for the hidden prime minister in front of him in terms of political resources.

Today is the day to meet with kings, chiefs, and envoys of various countries one by one and fulfill the duties of the Heavenly Khan.

Tian Khan is not just a title.

Some people in later generations compared the Saint Khan of the Sui Dynasty with the Heavenly Khan of the Tang Dynasty, but in fact, the two are completely incomparable.

The title of Saint Khan was just a symbolic one. Yang Jian was indeed a remarkable emperor. He followed Changsun Sheng's advice to make friends with those far away and attack those near, to separate the strong and unite the weak, and to use the conflicts between the Turkic leaders Shaboluo Khan, Datou Khan, and Apo Khan to alienate them and make them attack each other, thus causing internal division. As a result, the Eastern Turkic Khan Qimin submitted to the emperor and, in order to thank Yang Jian for his kindness, he called Yang Jian the Saint Moyuan Khan.

This Saint Khan was just a honorific title recognized by a tribe in the Eastern Turks. It was just a honorific title and he had no real power of command.

The Tian Khan was the leader respected by all the northern grassland tribes. The Tang Dynasty emperor had the privilege of political appointment and dismissal, military dispatch, etc. over them.

When the Tang army went on foreign expeditions, they usually issued two troop mobilization orders, one to the local government troops and one to the grassland tribes.

Even in the 20th year of Zhenguan, the remnants of the Xueyantuo rebelled in Yu Dujun Mountain.

Li Shimin only sent Li Ji and Minister of War Cui Dunli to appease the rebels. The two of them and their guards had no more than a hundred people. But as soon as Li Ji arrived at Yu Dujun Mountain, the surrounding tribes gathered under his command and wiped out the remnants of the Xueyantuo.

In the Tang Dynasty, joint operations between the government troops and various tribes on the grassland were standard.

The gap between the Saint Khan and the Heavenly Khan cannot be measured by reason.

Originally, this event took place every year. After the New Year's Day ceremony, the vassal states would present their tributes to consolidate their relations with the Celestial Empire.

The Emperor of the Tang Dynasty would personally meet with these vassal states in the main hall and listen to their requests.

For example, they were treated unfairly, or hoped to gain some convenience in trade, or wanted the support of the Tang Dynasty in some aspects.

They considered themselves to be subjects of the Tang Dynasty, but unlike the court officials, they were not able to meet with the emperor to discuss issues anytime and anywhere.

When paying tribute, it became a custom to be received by the emperor to discuss matters.

Especially at the beginning of the year, the tribute-paying team was huge, so we had to take time out to deal with the affairs of the various tribes on the grassland.

Now the local environment has just been changed to the foot of Mount Tai.

This kind of meeting is usually attended by the emperor and the prime ministers, who discuss and respond to each other.

But now, the Shangshu Chen Qingsi has made an exception and got involved, and the key is that no one has any objection.

Chen Qingsi sat down below Xu Jingzong.

Li Zhi said: "The envoy of the Kingdom of Daqin applied to the Ministry of Rites yesterday to discuss the Persian affairs with our country on their behalf."

Chen Qingsi nodded slightly and understood the purpose of his visit.

"I have decided to wait a day. Today I will meet with the kings of all the countries in the Western Regions to understand the real situation in the Western Regions. With preparation, I will not lose the opportunity when discussing Persia with the Arab Empire."

Li Zhi was obviously unwilling to give up the Wuhu waters currently controlled by Persia, although he also knew that the imperial court did not have that much influence over the Wuhu waters, and had no actual control over them.

But this is the first time that the Huaxia Dynasty has introduced Huaxia power here...

This is just like Zhang Qian who opened up the Western Regions. Zhang Qian did not conquer the Western Regions at first, but just established exchanges with them. But it is because of this relationship that the Western Regions are now completely under the control of China.

Persia needed help from the Tang Dynasty, and accepting the Tang Dynasty's enthronement was an opportunity to expand the Tang Dynasty's influence westward and gain real control.

Chen Qingsi had the same idea.

It was not in the interests of the Tang Dynasty to plunge the Western Regions into war and turmoil for the sake of Persia.

But from a long-term perspective, preserving Persia meant giving the Tang Dynasty the opportunity to extend its tentacles deeper into Central Asia.

Persia can be saved, and it is worth saving, but there must be a limit...

"Congratulations to His Majesty the Emperor of the Celestial Empire!"

The first person to meet the emperor was the King of Bolor, Meipengbo.

As soon as he entered, he knelt down and worshiped, kowtowed devoutly.

The biggest change in the Western Regions was the Kingdom of Bolor, which was located in the upper reaches of the Indus River in the Ladakh region east of Kashmir. It was a major transportation route between the Indian subcontinent, Central Asia, and the western and northwestern regions of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

This is the only way for Tubo to enter the Western Regions. It is no exaggeration to call it the gateway to the Western Regions.

After falling out with Tubo, Pei Xingjian in the Western Regions immediately realized the key to Bolor's geographical location. He wrote to the court to deepen exchanges with Bolor in order to cut off Tubo's idea of ​​entering the Western Regions through Bolor.

The Kingdom of Bolor received attention from the imperial court and suddenly became a prominent presence in the Western Regions.

This is the fact. In the current Tang Dynasty, as long as the country pays more attention to you and gives you a little care, you can make a country benefit a hundred times.

The Kingdom of Bolor became the gatekeeper of the Tang Dynasty against Tubo and was unrivaled in its power.

To express his gratitude, the King of Bolor came to the Central Plains in person to meet the emperor.

The Kingdom of Bolor had nothing to ask for. Its words were full of admiration for the Tang Dynasty and it repeatedly expressed its loyalty.

I guess so...

Before this, Bolor was just an insignificant small country located in a strategic location, which is in line with the old saying that a man is innocent unless he is in possession of a treasure.

Tubo had long intended to seize the Kingdom of Bolor, but due to pressure from the Tang Dynasty, it did not take direct action. Instead, it sent people to infiltrate, intending to seize Qinghai Lake and then open up a major road to the Western Regions.

Now that Qinghai Lake has not been taken, the capture of Bolor is stillborn. A place that is coveted but unimportant, far from the Silk Road, is destined to be poor and dangerous.

However, under the care of the Tang Dynasty, the Kingdom of Bolor received a certain amount of resource allocation.

The national situation has changed dramatically, and I am grateful for the prosperity.

Li Zhi asked about the situation in the Western Regions, gave some encouragement, and then dismissed the other party.

"Congratulations to His Majesty the Emperor of the Celestial Empire!"

The person who came to the audience this time was the prince of Kucha.

The Tang Dynasty established four military garrisons in the Western Regions to control them. Among them, the Anxi Protectorate was built in Qiuci, which was the most critical ally of the Tang Dynasty in the Western Regions.

Originally, the first person summoned should have been the King of Kucha, but the King of Kucha was old and sick and unable to travel a long distance, so the one who came was the Crown Prince of Kucha, Nali.

The status of the Prince of Kucha was naturally inferior to that of the King of Bolor, so he ranked second.

Nali did not have any special requests, but just praised the court and expressed his father's regret that he could not be present in person.

As usual, Li Zhi gave a few words of encouragement and then asked about the situation in the Western Regions.

Nali also answered in detail.

Several small countries in the core of the Western Regions, including Nuguo, Shiguo, Yutian, Yanqi, and Shule, came to pay homage to the emperor one after another.

They had no extra requests and were grateful to the court.

Chen Qingsi was not surprised by this, because the person who truly held power in the Western Regions was Pei Xingjian.

This disciple of Su Dingfang may not be as good as his mentor in military affairs, but his talent in politics is much better than his mentor.

Pei Xingjian spread the Confucian ideas of benevolence and righteousness in the Western Regions and governed the Western Regions with the laws of benevolence and righteousness. He treated everyone equally and won great praise.

Because of Chen Qingsi's existence, the prestige and power of the Tang Dynasty has become even greater...

But the person who turned this prestige and power into practical benefits was Pei Xingjian.

Li Zhi had heard Su Dingfang praise Pei Xingjian many times, and had also heard Chen Qingsi mention Pei Xingjian. He knew that he was a talented person, but he did not expect that he had such ability.

After the King of Shiguo left, Li Zhi said with emotion: "The Western Regions are united in purpose, which comforts me greatly."

Chen Qingsi said: "The Arabs must pass through the Western Regions to get here. I want to see the situation in the Western Regions with my own eyes. If the Western Regions are like this, we will have more bargaining chips in our hands."

Li Zhi nodded in approval and said, "Lord Dou, please draft an edict for me later to reward Pei Xingjian."

The stability in the Western Regions gave Chen Qingsi more confidence.

The next countries to come for an audience were the small countries on the periphery of the core of the Western Regions. Due to issues of geographical strength, these small countries often acted as fence-sitters in the Western Regions.

Li Zhi was not too harsh on them. Small countries have their own way of survival.

Especially for small countries located next to powerful forces, it is unrealistic to expect them not to be fence-sitters.

Their demands also reflect the most unstable situation in the Western Regions.

There is no doubt that the Arab Empire is the most unstable factor now.

The most terrifying thing is a group of religious countries that are extremely hostile to other cultures.

Especially after meeting with the king of Tocharistan, Chen Qingsi gained a better understanding of the domestic situation in the Arab Empire.

The King of Tocharia, Dolaiti, knelt before Li Zhi and said sincerely, "Your Majesty, the people of the Arab Empire are extremely brutal and barbaric. They are extremely cruel to those who do not believe in Arab law. They regard the true God Allah as the only existence and do not allow other gods in the world. Anyone who has such an idea is a pagan in their eyes and can be slaughtered."

"They absolutely cannot accept the court's open-minded and tolerant thinking. If they were to destroy Persia, it would definitely endanger the Western Regions..."

Duolaiti spoke very sincerely. He came to the Tang Dynasty in person to make a final effort, hoping to persuade Li Zhi to deal with the Arabs.

Because they had decided to join forces with the Byzantine Empire to launch a counterattack against the Caliphate while the civil unrest in the Caliphate was still unresolved.

This is a case of killing first and asking for permission later...

But Dolait had his own considerations. He was first the king of Tocharia and then a vassal of the Tang Dynasty.

Naturally, he put the interests of Tocharia first, rather than the interests of the Tang Dynasty.

Tocharistan is located in the southwest of the Xiling Mountains and the upper reaches of the Wuhu River. Since ancient times, it has been a transportation and trade center connecting India, the Western Regions, West Asia, and Central Asia. It is also an important political and cultural center.

According to Volume 1 of the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, this country is over 3,000 miles long from east to west and over 1,000 miles long from north to south. It is bordered by the Pamir Plateau in the east, Persia in the west, the Great Snow Mountain (i.e. the Hindu Kush Mountains) in the south, and the Iron Gate (south of Samarkand) in the north.

A place of four wars...

Tocharian had always been able to play both sides between Persia and the Central Plains, and with its own strong strength, it lived a happy life. Even though it was in a place surrounded by wars, it could enjoy peace.

As Persia was defeated by the Arab Empire, its good days came to an end.

At the beginning, Tocharian did not want to care about the life or death of Persia. The Arab Empire was too strong. It would rather die than let a friend die. There was no reason to take risks for another country.

But as the true situation of the Arab Empire spread to Tocharistan, Dorati became terrified.

They are a bunch of religious lunatics. They don't care about morality, justice or fairness. Anyone who doesn't believe in the Arab law is their enemy.

Tocharian people believed in Buddhism. If they had just watched the Caliphate destroy Persia and had been neighbors with such a group of lunatics, one can imagine what would have happened to Tocharian.

For the future of Tocharistan, Dolaiti gave great support to Persia and even asked the Central Plains for help on Persia many times.

Before that, there was civil unrest in the Caliphate, and the Syrian Governor Muawiyah fought the Battle of Suifen with Talib ibn Ali.

Persia and Tocharia took the opportunity to recapture part of the Persian land that was occupied by the Arab Empire...

Now that Muawiyah has quelled the civil strife, if he is allowed to take a break, Persia and Tocharia will certainly be doomed.

Rather than sit back and wait for death, it is better to fight to the death.

It would be even better if we could drag the Tang Dynasty into the water.

Duo Lai could not hold back his kowtow and kept talking nonsense.

But Li Zhi remained unmoved and did not agree. Instead, he refused to send troops on the grounds that Persia and Tocharistan had sent troops without authorization.

Of course, he did not say no, but only said: "I also do not want to see your lives destroyed, and I will take action when the time comes."

Duo Lai had no choice but to thank him and leave.

Chen Qingsi watched the Tocharian king slowly retreating, thinking about what Tocharian had revealed about the Arab Empire, and also realized the problem that he had previously overlooked.

Li Zhi did not consult Xu Jingzong and Dou Deyuan, but looked at Chen Qingsi and asked, "What do you think, Mr. Chen?"

Chen Qingsi sorted out his thoughts for a while, then bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I have overlooked a problem before. I once said that the direction of the development of the Arab Empire is very broad, and there is no need to offend our Tang Dynasty. Now I take back this statement. The Arab Empire can indeed flourish in all directions and has many directions of expansion. But the only one who can threaten them is our Tang Dynasty. It is a normal idea to eliminate the forces that can threaten you, rather than avoiding the threat and bullying the existence that cannot threaten you..."

(End of this chapter)