Tiantang

Chapter 454 Kucha, the Emperor's Hongmen Banquet

Chapter 460 Kucha, the Emperor's Hongmen Banquet
In the whole world, I am the only one in China!
This was originally a sentence that the emperor had exchanged with Tian Kexin in private, but for some reason, it quickly spread in the army, and it almost became a slogan for the Chinese generals to train and march.

So much so that Zhang Xuan went to the barracks to inspect the army one morning before he set off to Kucha to accept the pilgrimage of the Western Regions. He just rode his horse and appeared in front of the soldiers waiting in line, waved his hand, and erupted in the camp. Shocking cheers and shouts: In the whole world, I am the only one in China!

In the whole world, I am the only one in China!
Long live my emperor!
Later, a certain kind of benign interaction and routine was formed.As long as in the army, the soldiers shouted "Long live my emperor", the emperor would reply "Long live China", and then there was a wave of passion like a mountain roaring and a tsunami.

On the first day of June in the third year of Yongning, Zhang Xuan led Nan Jiyun and Lei Wanchun's 5 Shence Army to march eastward from Suiye City and arrived in Qiuci nine days later.Guo Ziyi, on the other hand, led 20 Chinese troops and 3 Huihe cavalry to Shule south, rested in Shule, and prepared to cross Congling to the west and recover the land of the nine surnames of Zhaowu from the big cannibal.

Qiuci is one of the largest countries in the Western Regions, the royal city of Yiluolu City, and because this city is also the seat of the Anxi Protectorate, it is a leading city in the Western Regions, and it is also the commercial center and military hub of the land of Anxi.

"Your Majesty, the city is tens of miles around. It has three layers of walls. The palace is magnificent and looks like a god's residence. The outer city is almost comparable to the city wall of Chang'an in Xijing..." Nan Jiyun rode on a horse and pointed at Yi who was not far away. Lolu City, sighed.

Lei Wanchun next to him curled his lips dismissively, and said softly, "Don't talk nonsense, how can such a small city in the Western Regions be compared with Chang'an in Xijing, not to mention Chang'an, even Lingzhou City is better than this city?" There are too many cities."

"This kind of small place where the birds don't shit, my army will turn it into ruins!" Lei Wanchun swung his horsewhip arrogantly, and at the same time flicked a crisp whip flower.

Nan Jiyun frowned and glanced at Lei Wanchun, and said in a deep voice, "Presumptuous! Old Lei, how dare you speak rudely in front of His Majesty!"

The two have a close relationship, but because of their different personalities, they often bicker when they are together.Nan Jiyun thought Lei Wanchun was too rude, and Lei Wanchun complained that Nan Jiyun was hypocritical.In this way, along the way, listening to the bickering between the two became a great pleasure for Emperor Zhang Xuan.

Seeing that the two of them were about to start a war of words again, Zhang Xuan smiled lightly, "Okay, let's stop the war of words."

"Nanba, did you notify Feng Changqing?"

Nan Jiyun hurriedly said in a low voice respectfully, "Your Majesty, the last general has already sent someone to report to Lord Feng. We came in a hurry. I'm afraid Lord Feng didn't think of it—Your Majesty, look, it's not Lord Feng who brought people out of the city to meet His Majesty." gone?"

Nanji Yunyang pointed to the gate of Yiluolu City, and everyone stared at it. As long as Feng Changqing took the lead, behind him was a group of officials and generals from the Anxi Dufu Mansion, and after that, the people who had already arrived in Yiluolu in advance Luolu City is preparing to worship the emperor of China, the ruler of the 36 countries in the Western Regions.

Feng Changqing really did not expect the emperor's army to come so fast, which is also a manifestation of his underestimating the marching ability of the Shence Army.If it wasn't for the fact that the emperor was in the army, it would have taken at most 5 days for Nan Jiyun and Lei Wanchun to lead the 5 magic strategy army from Suiye City to attack Kucha.

Feng Changqing rushed to the front with the crowd, and bowed loudly, "My minister, Chang Qing, leads the Anxi Dufu Mansion and the kings of the 36 countries in the Western Regions. Please forgive me for being late in welcoming your majesty!"

Zhang Xuan got off his horse, his clear eyes fell on the group of kings of the small Western Regions who were kneeling on the dark ground through Feng Changqing's shoulders, and said calmly, "I came in a hurry, I forgive you for your innocence."

"Nanba, you bring 5000 troops into the city with me. Lei Wanchun, you lead a large army to station in the west of the city, and wait for my orders at any time."

Nan Jiyun bowed to accept the order, and Lei Wanchun didn't dare to neglect, so he generously agreed.

Knowing that the emperor brought 5 troops and horses, although Feng Changqing knelt down on the ground, he sighed secretly in his heart. It seemed that the emperor was really going to take thunderous measures against these little kings.

"Feng Changqing, stay flat and lead the way."

Zhang Xuan walked in the front and entered the city.Although the emperor was in time and Feng Changqing was not well prepared, he still ordered the Anxi army to put martial law in the whole city in a hurry, and all the merchants and people in the city stayed behind closed doors, so as not to disturb the emperor.

Although it is in the King City of Kucha, Nan Jiyun's Shence Army is still responsible for the emperor's safety.The national strength of Kucha is less than 5000, and Nan Jiyun's [-] troops can almost destroy the country of Kucha.

Led by Feng Changqing and King He Lu of Kucha, Zhang Xuan went straight to the palace of Kucha.

Inside and outside the huge palace, the Shence Army immediately took over the defense and surrounded it with three floors inside and three floors outside.

……

……

Emperor Zhang Xuan hosted a banquet in Helu's palace to entertain the kings of 36 countries in the Western Regions.The kings were actually quite uneasy, not knowing what the Emperor of China wanted to do by summoning them here.

But the Chinese courtiers knew in their hearts that this was a Hongmen banquet arranged by the emperor.Regardless of whether the lords of the countries in the Western Regions are willing or not, after today, their national titles will no longer be maintained.In other words, starting from tomorrow, the state of the small countries in the Western Regions will be completely broken, and they will be placed under the unification of the imperial court.

Feng Changqing has never announced the emperor's order. According to Zhang Xuan's will, this order will be announced on the spot in front of the emperor at today's feast.

In the evening, the kings of many small countries in the Western Regions began to enter the main hall of the Helu Palace, and under the guidance of the Anxi Army, they entered their seats.It is said that there are 36 countries, but in fact there are only 27 countries, because none of the kings of the nine surnames Zhaowu came.

And among the more than twenty countries, there are also some small countries and small tribes that Beiting belongs to.

Everyone entered the hall, but they didn't whisper to each other, but sat there silently, thinking about their own concerns.

The atmosphere was somewhat wrong, and the sensitive king already felt something was wrong.

"Your Majesty is here—"

At the entrance of the hall, came a heavy voice.

At this time, Zhang Xuan took off his armor and put on a formal dragon robe and crown. With his hands behind his back, he strode in, walking like a dragon or a tiger, with a calm posture, and the majesty of the emperor of Shangbang quietly emanated.

And behind him, Feng Changqing, Nan Jiyun, Lei Wanchun and others were either dressed in official robes or armor, or followed him solemnly or murderously, and they did not separate themselves until the emperor sat on the throne. Lined up in two classes, leading the heads of the countries of the Western Regions to bow down, "See Your Majesty, long live my emperor!"

"You're on par!" Zhang Xuan waved his hand.

Feng Changqing returned to his seat with a group of civil servants, but Nan Jiyun and Lei Wanchun stood beside the emperor, holding swords and looking awe-inspiring.

"Come, please drink this cup!" Zhang Xuan smiled lightly and raised his glass to invite him to drink.

"Please drink, Your Majesty!" He Lu and the others toasted quickly, and then drank it all in one gulp.

"Your Majesty, Xiao Dynasty pays homage to the Son of Heaven. I specially present one hundred beauties, singers, and two carts of beautiful jade... Please accept it with a smile!" He Lu was the first to go forward, presented the gift list to the emperor, and began to worship.

Just when someone was about to follow He Lu to offer treasures and pay homage, the emperor smiled slightly and said, "I won't accept gifts. I summoned you to King City of Kucha. I should have given you some gifts, but I came in a hurry and didn’t have time to prepare, so I’ll make up for it later—Nanba, write it down for me, in Zhongjing in the future, I’ll discuss with the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Households, and reward the kings of the Western Regions.”

He Lu was taken aback, and then his heart skipped a beat. He heard something very unusual from the emperor's words.

He hurriedly raised his head to look at the emperor, only to see the emperor pointing at Feng Changqing, Feng Changqing sighed inwardly and slowly got up, walked to the field, and said loudly, "Your Majesty has an order—"

"...For the long-term stability of the Western Regions, for the people of the Western Regions to live and work in peace and contentment, and for the prosperity of the Western Regions for a hundred years, I decided to remove the country titles of the countries in the Western Regions, retain the kings and nobles, and divide the Western Regions into 36 states, divided into Beiting and Anxi. The two ways are under the unified jurisdiction of the imperial court."

To Han Chen, Feng Changqing's words were nothing, but to the kings of the Western Regions, it was no less than a thunderbolt from a clear sky.

Well, the Chinese emperor wants to destroy their country? !

What a disaster!
The complexions of He Lu and the others suddenly turned extremely pale, and they trembled all over.

"Your Majesty, please forgive Xiao Wang for not accepting this. I have established the country of Kucha for hundreds of years and passed it down for more than ten generations... But Xiao Wang asked himself that he has always been loyal to the court and obeyed Wang Hua. Your Majesty wants to destroy me for no reason. Xiao Wang categorically unacceptable!"

He Lu said with a trembling voice righteously.

As soon as He Lu's voice fell, the other kings began to refute and express their anger, and the atmosphere in the hall suddenly became chaotic.

boom!Zhang Xuan suddenly slapped the table and stood up.

"I'm not trying to destroy your country or seize your power, but to set up prefectures and counties in the Western Regions and govern them as a whole." Zhang Xuan said with emotion, "I want to destroy Tubo, Ping Tuqishi and Ge Luolu. This is it. I can promise here that I will not take any of your respective royal wealth, nor will the imperial court take any of it, and your throne will not be replaced by heredity—but from now on, the Western Regions will all be governed by the imperial court.”

"I have made up my mind, and I will never change it in the slightest. My ugly words are up front. If anyone dares to disobey my orders, wherever my army arrives, no chicken or dog will be left behind!"

After Zhang Xuan finished speaking coldly, he sat down slowly.

"I can give you time to think about it. Feng Changqing, time! From now on, within an hour, whoever is willing to obey the orders of me and the court, I will confer on the spot and bestow manor land in the Central Plains, and even a mansion in Zhongjing Of course, it doesn't matter who is unwilling, I will never stop you, you can leave and return to the country on your own. But, after leaving the King City of Kucha, you are no longer my subject, but my enemy. Just like cavalry, send troops to destroy them."

He Lu gasped.

The emperor said so convincingly, obviously he had already made up his mind to destroy the countries of the Western Regions.It's a pity that these small countries in the Western Regions have the most troops, such as Kucha, with less than [-] troops, and as few as a thousand people. How can they withstand the iron hooves of China's hundreds of thousands of troops?

(End of this chapter)