Chapter 1418 The position of the prince is as stable as a mountain
This is the first time Li Hao has officially participated in the military and political affairs of the empire. Even in the later meetings, if nothing unexpected happened, he could only listen and probably not even say a few words. Even if he did speak, he would only say a few words at most. There are no nutritious formulas.
But it still makes Li Hao feel nervous!
Therefore, being able to attend this imperial military strategy meeting with my father today is in itself an event of extremely great political significance.
Three days ago, his father told him to prepare and attend the military meeting in three days.
After learning the news, although he remained calm on the surface, he was very excited inside. His mother, Empress Dong, was even more excited than him. Empress Dong didn't sleep well all night last night. She had already personally dressed her son Li Hao in this military uniform with four dragon patterns that she had sewn by herself.
The reason why they are so excited is because they all know that Li Xuan and Li Hao's participation in this imperial strategic and military meeting is not just an imperial strategic and military meeting, but represents that the imperial prince Li Hao will gradually embark on a new journey. front desk, and began to gradually participate in imperial government affairs.
By allowing Li Hao to formally participate in government affairs, Li Xuan is tantamount to sending a very important political signal to the whole world: the Holy Emperor Li Xuan has begun to pave the way for his successor!
At the same time, this signal is enough to warn other princes, as well as the relatives and courtiers behind the princes, to stay calm and not have any thoughts of seizing the heir!
Li Hao's position as prince is as stable as Mount Tai.
At least, that’s how it seems now!
Prince Li Hao followed his father, Emperor Li Xuan, with a calm smile on his face as always. The expression on his face, every move he made, and even the length of his steps made it impossible to escape even the slightest trace. , it’s exactly the standard procedure in etiquette textbooks.
At this time, after he followed Li Xuan slowly into the conference room, the generals began to perform military salutes and shouted to welcome the Holy Emperor!
As he moved forward, he said: "No need to be polite, just get on your feet!"
The first two sentences are naturally polite, but the last sentence is the key point. If Li Xuan didn't say a word of courtesy, these generals would have to maintain a saluting posture.
Although he was late, Li Xuan obviously would not explain anything for this, let alone say something like apologies. His status as emperor did not allow him to say these words.
So after he simply said a few words, he strode forward. At this time, all the generals also began to salute the imperial prince Li Hao, and each one said that they had seen His Highness!
Li Hao was different from Li Xuan, but he smiled and nodded slightly: "My lords, there is no need to be polite!"
Afterwards, Li Hao followed Li Xuan into the conference room. Then Li Xuan went to the front of the rectangular table alone and sat on a huge dragon chair. As for Li Hao, he did not sit on the rectangular table, but he did not. Stupidly, he followed Li Xuan up to the small high platform, and stood under the dragon chair and in front of the rectangular table. Naturally, at this time, the imperial secretary had already moved a chair and placed it behind Li Hao.
However, Li Hao did not sit down yet, but continued to stand!
The other generals also walked to the rectangular table one after another according to their respective military branches, military ranks, and positions. Like Prince Li Hao, they did not sit down directly.
Li Xuan said lightly: "Give me a seat!" After everyone thanked them, everyone including Li Hao sat down.
After everyone sat down one after another, you can find that their sitting positions are clearly defined. The front of the rectangular table is naturally empty because this side faces Li Xuan.
The person on the left is headed by the Minister on Duty in the Royal Study Room and the Deputy Envoy of the Army Privy Council, General Hao Bainian. Next, there is Army General Deng Xide, the Director of the Privy Council's Operations Department. Next, there is the Minister of Staff and the Minister of Military and Political Affairs in the Privy Council. The Minister of Logistics, the Minister of Ordnance, and several other ministers, followed by the Director of Army Cavalry, the Director of Army Artillery, and the Director of Army Quartermasters, followed by the Commander of the First Army, and then several others from the Privy Council. The heads of extremely important department-level organizations, that is, the Director of the Intelligence Department under the Operations Department, the Strategy Department under the General Staff Department, etc.
There were 14 army generals attending the meeting, including Hao Bainian, including six generals and eight lieutenant generals!
On the right side, there are a group of generals of the Navy, headed by the Minister on Duty in the Imperial Study Room and Admiral Song Binglin, Deputy Envoy of the Naval Command Office. Under him are the Navy's Military Command Department, Staff Department, Military and Political Department, and Logistics Department. The Ministers of the Ship Administration Department and other departments, in addition to the Commander of the Second Fleet and the Commander of the Third Fleet, there are also generals from several important subordinate agencies.
There were twelve naval generals participating in the meeting, including Admiral Song Binglin, and they were all admirals and vice-admirals.
On the back sides and tail of the rectangular table were several generals of the Guards and the commanders of the Tang Dynasty Western Company fleet.
All together, there are nearly thirty people.
At this time, everyone saw Li Xuan pick up a document from the imperial secretary next to him, then flipped through two pages and said: "Before we talk about the business, let me talk about another little thing. This is a document sent back from the northwest. The report said that the Tatars have restarted a new round of western expedition, and their expansion direction is not to continue to attack the Safavid Dynasty in the west as we had expected, but to the south and Timur in northern India. The dynasty is at war."
"I don't need to say more about the importance of India. I'm afraid you also know it. Therefore, the Indian strategy must be accelerated to ensure that the empire's military power is deployed to northern India as soon as possible. I don't want to be with the Tatars in a few years. A cavalry battle on the Indian peninsula!”
Li Xuan suddenly talked about the Tatars, but many people still didn't know about this situation, especially the navy generals. They never paid attention to the Tatars. Only some army generals learned about it in time. The situation of the Tatars.
But this is not the point. The point is what Li Xuan said, the Indian strategy must be accelerated!
When Li Xuan said these words, he basically set the tone for today's meeting, which is to launch the Indian strategy as soon as possible.
The next time, the Yangtze River where military meetings were usually held came into the conference room again. People from the army and navy, as well as the commanders of the Guards and the company fleet, all expressed their opinions, but they did not discuss Malacca. Battle is not a specific discussion of a certain battle.
There is no need to talk about these things on an occasion like today, and the Battle of Malacca has already begun, so it is useless to discuss it at the rear.
What they discussed was not a certain battle or two, but a strategic issue or strategic direction issue.
Today's imperial military strategy meeting will decide not a specific battle, but the main expansion direction of the Tang Dynasty in the next year or even two or three years.
As well as issues such as the order of expansion and how much resources are planned to be invested.
Although it is said that the war with the Portuguese has already started, it is better to fight to what extent the war with the Portuguese should be carried out, through what method, and at the same time.
At the same time, we have to take into account the reaction of the Spanish and the reaction of other countries or forces, such as the Timurid Dynasty in northern India. This dynasty has occupied many northern India and many Central Asian regions. Its strength is not weak. Now
The Tatars have targeted their expansion, and they don't know what kind of chain reaction will follow.
The worst situation is that if the Timurid Dynasty cannot stop the Tatars, then the Tatars will be able to drive straight in from northern India and then sweep all the way across the Indian Peninsula. They do not believe that except for the Timurid Dynasty, other people in the Indian region
It is simply impossible for the indigenous princes to be able to withstand the Tatar army.
Then there are the Spaniards. Although the monarchs and ministers of the Tang Empire did not think much of Spain and still regarded them as Western barbarians in their hearts, it is undeniable that Spain is still very powerful these days, and its maritime power is extremely powerful.
, colonies spread throughout Africa and the Americas.
The overall strength is much stronger than Portugal!
If the Empire attacks Portugal, how will Spain react? Will it welcome the Empire's attack on Portugal, or will it be wary of it and even support the Portuguese in resisting the Empire's attack?
Although the Tang Empire's navy is currently powerful, being powerful does not mean that it can deploy its military power all over the world. At least in the Atlantic region, the Imperial Navy is very helpless. It is not that the warships are not powerful enough or there are not enough warships, but that in the
There is not even a supply port in the Atlantic Ocean.
The reason why Spain and Portugal are able to gain huge benefits from global maritime trade is because they have numerous colonies around the world, and the colonies represent supply ports.
Therefore, their warships can freely travel around the world without worrying about supply issues.
On the contrary, the Tang Imperial Navy was unable to do this. At most, it could only provide supplies at any time in the Western Pacific and some Indian waters. In other seas, it often had to rely on the supplies carried by the fleet itself for operations.
Because it lacks many supply ports, this is why the Tang Dynasty Navy is so keen on supporting the Immigration and Reclamation Division to build colonies around the world, because colonies represent ports and supplies.
It is a pity that due to the limitations of technical capabilities these days, it is not so easy to build a colony. It requires a lot of time and resources. Resources are not bad. Although the Tang Empire is short of money every year,
This also needs to be compared with something. With the fiscal budget system of the Tang Empire, no matter how much fiscal revenue there is, there is a shortage of money every year.
But for the huge Tang Empire, the resources consumed in developing and building colonial strongholds were nothing.