"So, the Turkic Khan also wants to meet as soon as possible. Do you know why she is so urgent?"
Li Po asked the most important question.
The alliance was a suggestion put forward by Ashina Mudan the year before last. At that time, the princes had not decided yet, and neither side took it seriously.
The Turks probably regarded this as an additional condition and meant to exert pressure. They probably wanted to gain some initiative in the process of pacifying the princes in the Tang Dynasty.
Moreover, the other conditions proposed were also very excessive, and there were almost few that Li Po could agree to, such as surrendering to the Turks, sending an heir to the Turkic royal court, etc.
In addition, Ashina Qiuluo, the Western Turkic Khan, led his troops around Yulin, Shuofang, and Lingzhou.
Li Po felt strong hostility, so while expressing his rejection, he deployed heavy troops in the north to prepare for the Turks' attack.
But last year, after Ashina Peony came to Chang'an again, her attitude had changed drastically.
Although there were factors of family affection involved, it was definitely not the main reason. He felt that something must have happened in the Turkic country.
He felt a little regretful now. He should not have suggested that Ashina Yang Huan move the Khan tent north... If the Turkic Royal Court stayed in Dali City, the threat would indeed be greater, but if they were nearby, they could easily detect it.
Turkic movements.
It's too far away now, nothing can be seen or touched, and everything that happens is left to guessing, which gives people a headache.
Gao Biaoren shook his head as expected, "I'm ashamed to say that I made inquiries in many places in the royal court, but didn't get much. I just heard from people that Ashina Qura, the Khan of the West, fell out of favor and is now the Khan of the East in the royal court.
There are many people who hear and talk about Ashina.
Ashina Duowen has sent more and more gifts to the royal court in the past two years. When the nobles talk about him, most of them praise him. If this were in Chang'an, the ministers would definitely advise the Supreme Lord to reduce the vassal status as soon as possible to avoid raising the vassalage.
Tigers are infested.
The Turkic Khan knot is better than that of the Tang Dynasty, is it because..."
Li Po nodded, maybe?
"What are the rules for the succession of the Turkic Khan?"
Cui Dunli said: "Back to the Supreme Being, generally speaking, it is no different from me. Before the death of the khan, there will always be a person of your choice who will be designated to inherit the throne of the khan.
Either a brother or a nephew, they are all close relatives and do not need to be recommended by noble relatives.
However, there are many people in the Turks who act willfully and ambitiously. If the person who succeeds to the throne cannot convince everyone, riots will arise. The Turks have shed countless blood due to the struggle for the throne over the years, and the two khans in the east and west are fighting for power.
, has become a chronic disease of the Turks.
The Khan wants to appoint a successor, and if he does not choose from the two of them, it will easily lead to rebellion."
Li Po then asked, "Does Ashina Yang Huan still look healthy? She shouldn't be old, right? Well, the grasslands are windy and wild, and there are many people who die in their prime. Ashina Yang Huan... can't
yes……"
Both Gao Biaoren and Gao Biaoren shook their heads with serious faces, "Khan doesn't look sick..."
Li Po also felt that this guess was not very reliable, and it was suspected of cursing the other party. For a king, it was too frivolous, so he changed the subject and said: "Okay, anyway, this trip to the Tang Dynasty,
Useful and harmless.
You all have worked hard, thousands of miles back and forth, the mountains are high and the rivers are far, and the wind is freezing. In my opinion, my ministers of the Tang Dynasty should go out more and broaden their horizons. You must know that there are not only the Tang Dynasty and the Turks in the world, but also many other
Many races.
What are they thinking? What are they doing? Even if they don’t think as much as my Tang Dynasty ministers and don’t do as well as us, existence is the truth...
Only by knowing these, can we decide on various measures that are in line with the wishes of the Tang Dynasty and acceptable to the other party. You, Honglu Temple, must understand these principles.
Don't think that people are not well dressed, live in a bad place, and treat guests with less courtesy than the people of the Tang Dynasty, so you can't despise them. Over time, you will inevitably become complacent and lose the original intention of the sages who founded Honglu Temple."
Gao Biaoren and Cui Dunli nodded repeatedly. Their words were grand and their vision and mind were very comparable to those of others. They should be coming from the mouth of an emperor.
"The words of the Supreme Being are far-sighted and enlightening. I will definitely remember them in my heart and will not dare or forget them."
……………………
Chang'an in April is in the late spring season, and the vegetation is becoming more and more prosperous.
From the end of March to April, it is the spring plowing season in most parts of the north. This year is different from previous years, with the re-division of the fields mixed in.
According to the newly established land-acre system, all ministries and offices in the central and central government must allocate manpower to help Sinong Temple and the Ministry of Revenue, and try their best to complete this very arduous task this year.
The war is gradually getting away from people's lives, and restoring production has naturally become a top priority.
Some necessary activities are also gradually resuming, such as spring festivals.
This year's Spring Festival is the first sacrificial event held after the emperor ascended the throne, and it is of extraordinary significance.
In addition to praying to heaven for good weather this year and peace and prosperity for the country and the people, it also has the meaning of offering sacrifices to the ancestors of heaven and earth so that the world can regain its unity.
Regardless of whether Li Po was willing or not, the court officials attached great importance to this, and after he nodded, they went all out to prepare.
The eighth day of April is an auspicious day.
Li Po led hundreds of civil and military officials out of the southern suburbs of Chang'an to hold a ceremony to worship heaven.
The procedure was very cumbersome, and Taichang Temple provided Li Po with a cumbersome dress, and he walked up to the altar in great splendor.
Needless to say, the grand occasion was nothing compared to it when Li Po ascended the throne.
Before the ceremony began, the people of Chang'an were almost in an uproar because they couldn't help but watch. The three gates in the south of Chang'an City had been blocked by people leaving the city since early morning.
The Chang'an garrison, whether it was Qianniu Beishen Mansion or the left and right garrison, were doing their best to maintain order. It was not until the emperor drove out of the city in his chariot that the situation calmed down.
Wherever the emperor and his entourage went, the people of Chang'an lined the streets to greet them, and shouts of long live the emperor kept coming.
No matter what the people in other places were like, the people in Chang'an had lived a stable life for several years and were sincerely grateful to the emperor who gave them a stable life.
Coupled with the frequent good news from outside, almost all the good news that arrived in Chang'an was all kinds of good news. At the beginning of this year, a New Year's Eve Lantern Festival was successfully held, which made the people of Chang'an feel the long-lost happiness. It can be said that the people's hearts are attached to it.
In fact, since last year, the evaluation of the emperor or courtiers in the streets of Chang'an has become increasingly positive. No one is discussing the emperor's origin anymore, and no one is comparing Li Yuan to others, and no one is talking about Nana.
If there is trouble, be careful when you go out.
The public security in Chang'an is also getting better day by day. Both the nobles of Guanxi and the people of Jin are combing their feathers. The number of dandies running rampant in the streets is becoming increasingly rare. They are either caught by the people of Chang'an's magistrate's office or locked up at home by their relatives.
teach.
The lives of ordinary people were getting better and better, and their sense of identification with the new regime of the Tang Dynasty was getting better and better day by day.
What is luck? People's hearts are luck.
The arrival of a peaceful and prosperous era cannot be achieved by what officials want, it still depends on the people's will.
If the people do not have enough to eat and clothe themselves, and have to be in fear all day long, the foundation of the regime will be shaken. On the contrary, if the people live a more comfortable life, then the emperor and the nobles will be as stable as Mount Tai in their seats.
The truth is actually this truth. Unfortunately, since ancient times, there are really few people who can truly understand and do it...
And Li Pozheng was firmly on the right path, as evidenced by the reaction of the people of Chang'an.
The grand occasion of the ceremony also confirmed this point from another angle.
……………………
When Li Li was dressed in fine clothes, wearing a high crown, and slowly climbed up to the altar, he looked at the densely packed crowd in the distance, which was almost ten miles away, but there was no sound. The feeling was almost beyond words.
describe.
He couldn't help but think back to the scene when he was in Zhuojun, when Yang Guang was standing on a high platform with millions of troops gathered below. Perhaps Yang Guang at that time and what he was thinking now should have something in common.
Because the huge sense of accomplishment was boiling and rolling in his chest, almost making him scream to the sky.
There is actually only a thin line between the emperor and the gods...
……………………
Offering sacrifices and reading out rituals did not leave the emperor any room for free play. All procedures strictly followed the regulations of the Heaven Sacrifice Ceremony. These have long been written into the Tang Dynasty, and even clothing and etiquette have been clearly stipulated.
.
However, it must be said that the sacrificial rituals in the current era were much simpler than those in later times, and because the Tang Dynasty had not been established for a long time, sacrificing sacrifices to heaven and earth had a strong meaning of declaring national prestige and inheriting peace.
There was no city specifically set up for sacrifices, so people could not help but watch. The grand occasion was unprecedented, but it also posed a huge security risk. The emperor and courtiers were exposed without any protection, and could easily be taken advantage of by assassins.
And it is easy for congestion and stampede events to occur...
But in general, these can be considered within the tolerance range. The public security in Chang'an is not that bad. Li Po has traveled many times and has not encountered any danger.
The sound of drum music sounds, which means that the heaven-sacrifice ceremony is coming to an end.
Li Po stayed in front of the altar for a while, until Taichang Temple Qing Yuwen, a scholar, played a long note as if singing: "The ceremony is completed..."
Li Po then looked south and worshiped in front of the altar. This was the moment to send off to the gods.
According to his habit, he was mumbling in his heart at this moment, God Haotian came and went in a hurry, and it was really a bit of a poor reception. However, since we became the emperor, we have not worshiped anyone again. I kowtow to you today, how can you do it?
Take it easy.
If we don't have a good year, your popularity will be diminished.
As the emperor prostrated himself on the ground, civil and military officials and the onlookers kowtowed and murmured to themselves, probably taking advantage of the emperor's light to conduct their own private affairs. There was a buzzing sound in the place.
If there really is a god, he might faint at this moment and lament the greed of mortals. Their incense is not so pleasant.
