Chapter 4978 Crisis of Monarchy
The world is too big, and in an era before steam engines could be mounted on ships, there was actually not much benefit in occupying land everywhere. It seems that there is plundered wealth all over the world, but in fact, most of this wealth is spent on long shipping routes. Only a handful of it is transported back to the country and is actually used for national construction.
What is the benefit of mobilizing countless armies to make the whole world a mess for this handful of wealth?
The most important thing is that war will accelerate the awakening of people's wisdom and catalyze the process of civilization. The Tang Dynasty is already at the top of the world's civilization, and it will be difficult to reach the sky any further. However, those barbarians who are still in the stage of slashing and burning and drinking blood from raw materials can possibly Complete evolution in the midst of war.
Once these civilizations entered the feudal era from the slave era, it meant an increase in productivity and brought great obstacles to the Tang Dynasty's hegemony.
Therefore, in Fang Jun's idea, there is no need to ignite wars all over the world. As long as the caravans of the Tang Dynasty can travel around the world, the wealth of the world will be transported back to the Tang Dynasty through the ocean in a silent and moisturizing way through trade, completing the Great Tang Dynasty. The infrastructure construction and primitive capital accumulation of the Tang Dynasty allowed barbarians throughout the world to indulge in the gentle taming of Chinese culture. This was the most correct way to conquer.
If Datang could be able to complete another cultural evolution during this period, that would be great.
There is no doubt that when wealth is accumulated to a certain extent, civilization evolution will be completed.
……
"But the navy cannot do nothing. While ensuring its rule in the leased areas, it must also provoke and promote the division of local forces, support the weak and attack the strong, so that they will be in a long-term internal confrontation situation. They must not You can’t survive without relying on the support of the Tang Dynasty.”
What Fang Jun said in confidence was a method of governance that had been used by many colonists in later generations and had proven to be effective.
Wu Meiniang thought for a while and said: "For example, what happened to the Tang Dynasty in Japan?"
Although the Japanese country is just an overseas island country, it has its own hereditary inheritance and the foundation of unity. It seemed to be a piece of scattered sand before, but it is impossible to say that one day a wise and powerful monarch will appear to unify the islands and completely transform.
But what about now?
The long-standing imperial heirs were completely cut off, and wars were everywhere on the island. Not only did the Eni people invaded most of the land from north to south, but even the Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla people who were defeated by the Tang Dynasty all fled to the sea by boat. They burned, killed, looted, or occupied land. Several islands were in ruins and desolate.
The "Yamato Clan" may never have a chance to unify the islands.
The Tang Dynasty did not directly participate in the war, but it made all parties rely on the Tang Dynasty. They sold the interests of the mines on the islands to obtain the support of the Tang Dynasty. When the goods were sold to the Japanese country, the wealth accumulated by the Japanese people for generations was looted.
Fang Jun nodded and said: "The Tang Dynasty can instigate wars, but try not to participate in them. Fighting head-on with the cannibals like Yang Zhou in the Persian Sea is a last resort. After this battle, the navy will most likely not be seen again." Fight such a war, because we will support other forces within it to touch The rule of the Caliphate is about to be overwhelmed and overwhelmed. Instead of fighting back against the navy, it must even take the initiative to negotiate with the navy to seek an armistice and promote trade between the two sides. Otherwise, once the Tang Dynasty intervenes, the rule of the Caliphate will be in danger of collapse. .”
Hussein is still wandering among the mountains of Oman. He has signed a series of unequal "traitorous treaties" with Datang in exchange for Datang's funding. He only needs to wait until the funding arrives for more than tens of thousands of soldiers under his command to complete the exchange. If you put it on, you will fight your way out of the mountains, through the vast Rub al-Khali Desert, across the Mesopotamia and the Mesopotamia, and head straight for Damascus.
Wu Meiniang's eyes sparkled, her lips pursed, and she couldn't help but tighten her legs.
This feeling of sitting high up in the clouds, overlooking all living beings, with the country in my hands and the world at my fingertips, made her delicate body tremble, and the blood in her body flowed faster, as if the tide was ebbing and flowing...
In comparison, fighting for power within the palace is really boring.
*****
At dawn, dark clouds piled up, the wind blew coldly, and the sunny weather was brewing for another heavy snowfall. The lanterns on the tower of Chunming Gate swayed in the cold wind, and the light shone on the official road below the city. The city gate had been opened, and people leaving and entering the city lined up to be interrogated by the defenders and slowly entered the city gate.
Although the imperial court has not made any disclosure of the clan mutiny, and the city of Chang'an has never suffered a military disaster, the clan mutiny is no longer a secret. After all, it has spread too widely and has a great influence, and it has already spread throughout the city.
However, perhaps it is because the mutinies have occurred one after another since Your Majesty ascended the throne, and the people are accustomed to it and are not surprised. Or perhaps the scope of the mutiny was limited to the palace city and did not spill over to affect the city. Therefore, the officials, people, and merchants quickly calmed down, and it was time to As soon as they did something, a mutiny quickly disappeared without a trace.
Even the passionate and enthusiastic students of the Imperial College who always follow current affairs did not take to the streets to march and criticize officials...
The rapid sound of horse hooves came from far and near. The people who lined up to enter the city looked back in shock and saw three fast horses galloping towards them. The knights on the horses were carrying a small flag on their backs. Both men and horses were covered with a layer of frost, and they arrived at the Chunming Gate.
The people of Chang'an were well-informed and knew that this was an urgent courier coming to the capital from other places to deliver battle reports. Military affairs could not be delayed in the slightest, so they all gave way and let the couriers enter the city.
The three messengers clasped their fists on horseback, saluted, and rode towards the city gate.
The person with good intentions then asked loudly: "May I ask the messenger, where is the battle report? Is it a victory or a loss?"
Hearing this, one of the messengers turned around and shouted loudly: "The navy defeated the navy of the Great Shiro Kingdom in the Persian Sea, sank hundreds of warships, killed thousands of enemy soldiers, and forced the governor of Shirov Port of the Great Shiro Kingdom to sign the agreement. Big win!”
"The Navy is mighty!"
"The Tang Dynasty is victorious!"
Hearing the "big victory", the people in front of the city gate raised their arms and shouted a few times, but the mood was not very enthusiastic. It was more like politely shouting slogans and showing off. After all, the army is everyone's "soldiers". "To win through hard work, you have to give some face.
As for "sinking hundreds of warships" and "killing thousands of enemy troops", it is difficult to excite the people of the Tang Dynasty who have long been accustomed to expanding their territory thousands of miles and killing tens of thousands of enemies. It is not about destroying the country and falling into the city. What's all the fuss about a victory of this magnitude?
What's more, the "Persian Sea" and "Shirov Port"... where are they?
Never heard of it.
The three messengers were speechless, but at this time there were already thousands of soldiers guarding the city checking their badges and documents. They had no time to explain to the people how the navy defeated the main force of the Da Shi Kingdom's navy in a battle tens of thousands of miles away, and immediately entered the city gate. Take a horse ride along Chunmingmen Street.
……
Li Chengqian got up before dawn. After bathing and changing clothes, he sat in the imperial study and began to process official documents without waiting for breakfast.
During these days, due to the rebellion of the rebels, not only were many affairs added, but also ordinary government affairs were squeezed. Thick official documents and memorials were piled up like a hill on the imperial desk. Wang De, the chamberlain, served tea and water to help Let's collect the memorials that His Majesty has reviewed.
Li Chengqian raised his head while reviewing memorials, looked at the official documents that had not been reduced at all, and sighed slightly.
To be a wise king, one does not just have to be determined and capable, but also to have abundant energy.
Such a huge enemy country, whose territory spans thousands of miles, has hundreds of millions of people under its control, and has the largest bureaucracy among all the countries in the world. It has countless government affairs every day. Such a large number of government affairs test the king's energy. Once the energy is insufficient and it is difficult to take care of it all, mistakes will inevitably be made, and even power will be lost. However, if everything must be done personally and meticulously, it is really a waste of effort and unsustainable...
There was the sound of footsteps outside, and a servant came in quickly and reported: "Your Majesty, a Navy messenger has arrived outside Chengtian Gate with a battle report."
Then he took two steps forward and raised the battle report with both hands.
Wang De quickly took it and presented it to the imperial case.
Li Chengqian looked a little nervous. He took the battle report and unfolded it. He read it at a glance, but his eyes were slightly confused...
"Port Shirov?"
After searching in my mind, I found that there was no memory of this place, so I got up and went to the side room. There were several maps hanging on the wall of the side room. I found one of them, found the location of the Persian Sea, and then followed the description and index in the battle report. , finally found Shirov Port.
Then convert it according to the scale... For a while, I didn't even calculate how far Shirov Port was from Chang'an.
The number is a bit big...
Before returning to the imperial desk with his hands behind his back, he took a sip of tea, pursed his lips and read the battle report again, then threw the battle report on the imperial desk with an angry groan.
Naturally, what he was concerned about was not how far away Shirov Port was from Chang'an, but that he was angry that the navy had launched a war without permission with the "second most powerful country in the world", the Food Country, without even asking the central government for instructions in advance. The war ended. After that, the battle report was sent back and the contract with the Food Country was attached.
The war was a complete victory, the Tang Dynasty was powerful in foreign lands, and the war harvests were extremely rich... but this is not important.
The important thing is that the army can choose to go to war on its own, and it is not a small-scale battle, but a head-on naval battle with the main naval force of another huge country.
Of course, Li Chengqian also understood that the Persian Sea was too far away from the Tang Dynasty. If any action required Chang'an to obtain the imperial edict before it could be carried out, it would inevitably delay the war. The generals at the front should have the right to make decisions on the fly... But no matter how good the reasons were, they could not erase the influence of the imperial edict. Contempt of kingship.
The two countries went to war, and the Tang Dynasty took the initiative to attack. It could ignore the king and do its own thing. It was not until after the war that a perfunctory war report was informed. How humiliating!
If things go on like this, how much military power will he, the emperor, have left in his hands? !
Will he eventually be trapped in the palace as a mascot? !
Wang De bowed and stood aside, looking at His Majesty's livid complexion, feeling worried and trembling in his heart.
After a long time, His Majesty's gloomy voice came to my ears: "Summon Liu Ji and Ma Zhou to see you immediately!" "Here."