Datang: What's wrong with my fief being a billion points larger?

Chapter 75 Killing someone with a borrowed knife

Li Yuanji and Tan Dian were talking as they walked. Tan Dian listened to what Li Yuanji asked and then responded.

"Your Majesty, although the journey is long, it cannot stop me from coming to see you. This is my duty. It is mainly inconvenient to carry supplies, otherwise I would have come to you long ago.

I have heard a long time ago that Your Majesty wants to develop Lingnan. As Your Majesty's minister, I will of course fully support Your Majesty. Now the area under my rule is also beginning to be reclaimed, but we have few manpower and limited food, so the speed of reclamation cannot be compared with Your Majesty's here. I am stupid.

I did come to Haikang three years ago. Looking at this city now, I almost thought I had entered the prosperous Tang Dynasty. I have never seen such a scene in Lingnan.

Lingnan was poor, and people would resort to violence over trivial matters. As the population gradually increased, resources became increasingly tight. As the court gradually strengthened its governance over Lingnan, the governors of various states, in order to compete for population, constantly forced people to become citizens and pay taxes.

This is also the root cause of people's frequent rebellion, and some people cannot be satisfied and just start fighting to strengthen themselves."

When Tan Dian reached this point, he laughed at himself and then continued speaking.

“To be honest, Your Majesty, before Your Majesty came, I, Ning Changzhen and others had already discussed sending troops. Ning Changzhen and his companions were afraid that the Saint would punish them because of the tribute issue, so they sent troops to attack.

And I sent troops only because of Nanfuzhou. Most of Nanfuzhou was previously managed by me, but because Chen Longshu reported to the court, the current Nanfuzhou was established.

I am very worried. Now it is Nanfuzhou. Will other states be divided out from my original jurisdiction in the future?
The imperial court is out of reach of this matter. Although Lingnan belongs to the Tang Dynasty, it is more like a small border country. If my power continues to decline, then one day I will be swallowed up by those people and I will have to resist.

This is also the reason why I followed Ning Changzhen and others to rise up against the Tang Dynasty. I know that no matter what the reason is, the crime has been committed. Today, I came here not only to visit the king, but also to ask the king to punish me. "

Tan Dian came in front of Li Yuanji, knelt on one knee, and clasped his hands together.

Li Yuanji looked at Tan Dian and began to admire the man in front of him more and more. He was courageous, decisive, able to see the situation clearly, and capable.

After a while, Li Yuanji slowly spoke.

"Get up. Although you are guilty, the matter has passed. I don't care about the past. But from now on, Lingnan will be my fiefdom, so it won't happen again. Just remember one thing: in Lingnan, only my words count."

Tan Dian was startled and stood up immediately.

"My lord, thank you, Your Majesty!"

The two men talked as they walked and soon arrived at Li Yuanji's palace. After pouring the tea, Yu Minghe left, leaving only Li Yuanji and Tan Dian.

Tan Dian then spoke with a serious expression.

"Your Majesty, I have come here to show you my loyalty. Before, no one came to manage the court, and we were used to being free and easy. Now that Your Majesty has come, I will tell you the truth. I am no match for you.

I also know about the large army behind the king. Together with the large army here, even if I use all my strength, I will not be able to compete with the king. In addition, Feng Mingda has already been here, so I know that Feng Mingda must have followed in the king's footsteps.

Feng Mingda is the host of the Feng family. He not only represents the Feng family, but also represents the will of the Gaoliang Li people. The Gaoliang Li people also inherited the ideas of Lady Qiaoguo. What else can I do? I can only show my loyalty to the king.

Originally, I would have been the first one to arrive, but Feng Mingda got there first. However, this has also strengthened my resolve. I hope Your Majesty will forgive me."

Listening to Tan Dian's words, Li Yuanji said that he was really shocked. Tan Dian was really bold in speaking. It could be said that he put what both parties knew in their hearts directly on the table and told him directly.

Li Yuanji really felt that anyone who could become the leader of a faction must have some ability, whether it was Feng Ang, Chen Longshu, or the current Tan Dian, three people with three different ways of doing things.

Li Yuanji had to admit that Tan Dian was indeed a smart man. He knew that Tan Dian already had an idea in his mind, so he used this method to dispel his doubts. Without courage and ability, most people would not dare to use this trick.

After all, if he used these things to kill Tan Dian, no one would say anything, and it would not cause serious consequences. As for what Tan Dian said, he believed it, but not completely. As for Tan Dian, he was more willing to believe that it was because of his power that Tan Dian chose to follow him.

But does this reason still matter now? It doesn't matter anymore.

Li Yuanji immediately laughed and said, "You are the one who dares to say this. No matter Mingda or Chen Longshu, they dare not say these words. Only you say it, and I believe it.

Also, you may not know this, but just yesterday, Chen Longshu came here and stayed for half a day before going back, bringing some money and food with him.

As soon as he arrived, he started complaining to me about things in Nanfuzhou. The chieftains of various caves in Nanfuzhou were rebelling and refusing to submit to the king. They requested that I send troops to suppress the rebels.

From what you said, those places were originally your territory. Can you tell me what happened?"

When Tan Dian heard this, he was first happy, but then depressed. He was happy because Li Yuanji's words meant that he had received a response for the time being. As long as he believed in him now, as for the future, Tan Dian believed that with his actions, he would be able to truly gain Li Yuanji's recognition.

He had no choice. As he said, he couldn't beat Li Yuanji on his own, and now Feng Ang was added, and he had to use a hammer. He was not like some people who always had a lucky mentality, thinking that it would be the same after Li Yuanji came, as it was before.

However, after hearing what came next, Tan Dian's heart suddenly sank. That was Chen Longshu's preemptive attack. Tan Dian really wanted to jump up and curse him. If he didn't come this time, wouldn't he be definitely sanctioned?
Tan Dian then said, "Your Majesty, the incident in Nanfuzhou was caused by Chen Longshu forcing the chieftains of each cave to join the household registration, which caused dissatisfaction among the chieftains of each county in Nanfuzhou. I did secretly bring the chieftains together.

What Chen Longshu did was really too much. Not only did he force people to register as residents, but after they registered, he also began to collect taxes. This place was already poor, and there was not much money or grain, which directly led to the inability to survive. More and more people opposed it.

Moreover, the taxes collected by Chen Longshu were not handed over to the court, but were kept by himself. Finally, under the resistance of the chieftains of various caves, Chen Longshu had no choice but to retreat to Longzhou.

If it weren't for Chen Longshu's perverse actions, these people would never have rebelled against him. Your Majesty, now the people of Nanfuzhou and Longzhou, as well as the people of Liao, have a hard time surviving, so many of them have moved to other places."

Tan Dian spoke with grief and anger. After a while, Li Yuanji slowly opened his mouth.

"Duke Tan, since Chen Longshu has committed a crime against humanity, he must be punished. I don't like people like him. I am here to develop Lingnan, not to suck the blood of the people of Lingnan.

How is this person different from Ning Changzhen, who spread rumors about me?

But Chen Longshu is a minister after all, and I am helpless. Okay, let it be. I am not in the mood anymore, so let it be. "

After Li Yuanji finished speaking, he walked out helplessly. Tan Dian followed him, frowned and thought for a long time, and suddenly became extremely determined.

"Let's go, we will go back immediately. You go and inform the troops in each state to gather in Yizhou. Keep it secret!"

Afterwards, Tan Dian resigned from Li Yuanji and went back. Tan Dian knew very well what he should do next. As a minister of Li Yuanji, he should share Li Yuanji's worries. Tan Dian knew very well that this was the duty of a minister.

Since Li Yuanji doesn't like him, let that person disappear.

"Your Majesty, Tan Dian left in a hurry, and two of his followers separated after he left."

Li Yuanji had no worries at all at this moment, his face was full of smiles.

"Well, I see."

Li Yuanji was indeed very happy. He felt that he could handle this Tan Dian.

(End of this chapter)