Four hundred and sixtieth chapters call to Beijing
After two rounds of negotiations, the Tang Dynasty and Tubo finally reached an agreement. First, the two sides opened mutual markets in Longyou and Xichuan, focusing on private trade and supplemented by official trade. The two sides traded livestock, grain, daily necessities, medicinal materials and other goods;
Second, the Tang Dynasty agreed in principle to give up half of the battle for pulling grains, and the specific matters were negotiated by the local officials of both parties;
Third, Tubo agreed to abandon Qiemo City. In response, the Tang Dynasty would withdraw its troops from Shule, and the Tang Dynasty would send envoys to Anxi to urge Guo Xin, the governor of Anxi, to withdraw his troops from Shule.
After reaching a negotiation agreement, the two parties agreed that the Tang Dynasty would send a special envoy to the Longyou border to build an alliance.
Li Shi immediately sent Fan Ze, a member of the Ministry of Rites, as the envoy to build the altar, and went to Longyou to build the altar together with Qu Jiazan, deputy Tibetan envoy.
Li Shi also appointed Prime Minister Yang Yan as the envoy for the alliance, Cui Hanheng, the minister of Honglu Temple, and Zhang Yi, the envoy of Longyou Jiedu, as deputy envoys, and went to Longyou to form an alliance with the Tibetan Prime Minister Shang.
Before the results of the negotiations were announced to the public, Shi Donglai arranged for carrier pigeons to send the results of the negotiations to Zhangye as quickly as possible. The Tang-Tibet negotiations were related to the security of Hexi and the vital interests of the Sogdians. It was necessary to let Guo Song know about this matter as soon as possible.
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In the Jiedu Mansion, the officials were all furious. The Tang-Tibet negotiation made everyone furious. Giving up half of the big battles was not a big problem, but the consequences of the Tang army's withdrawal from Shule were very serious. This meant that the newly opened
The southern route of the Silk Road will be blocked by Tibet again. Shule is the only way to Tochara. Once Tibet completely controls Shule, Sogdian caravans will no longer take the southern route.
"How can the imperial court agree to such conditions?"
Zhang Qiu'an, who joined the army as a recorder, said extremely angrily: "We spent a lot of money and effort to open up the southern trade route. Now it's great. We didn't lose anything on the battlefield, but we actually lost it at the negotiation table. Anxi has just opened
One of the windows has been closed again, how can the imperial court be so cowardly and without principles?"
"Zhang Canjun, pay attention to the attitude of your words!"
Cui Wenjing knocked on the table with dissatisfaction and said: "The imperial court is considering the overall situation and will not only consider Anxi's interests. Please do not criticize the imperial court at will!"
At this time, everyone's eyes turned to Guo Song. Guo Song was pacing back and forth in the lobby with his hands behind his hands. He was not as excited as everyone else. After all, he was the chief officer and must consider the issue from the chief officer's perspective.
First of all, Anxi has nothing to do with him. He has no right to interfere with the court's strategy against Anxi. If he impulsively writes a letter to object, Yang Yan will seize the opportunity to impeach him. Secondly, he went to Anxi again to learn about the situation in Anxi.
He understood more deeply, and more importantly, the two parties had reached an agreement, which was irreversible. In addition to expressing his dissatisfaction, he could not change the outcome of the negotiation by writing a letter.
Guo Song said slowly: "I have been thinking about why Tubo is bent on taking Shule. I thought before that they wanted to sow discord between the Tang Dynasty and the Anxi countries. This time I went to Anxi and found out that they used tolerant methods.
Winning over the countries in Anxi has actually succeeded in estrangement between the Tang Dynasty and the countries in Anxi. The occupation of Shule will at most strengthen this alienation strategy and has little significance to Tubo."
Having said this, Guo Song turned around and said to everyone: "Now I suddenly thought of another possibility. Tubo wanted to occupy Shule. In fact, it was not just to occupy Anxi. Occupying Anxi was one aspect, and more importantly, it was convenient for Shule."
They send troops to Tochara at any time. They want to use Shule as a base to attack Tochara, and at the same time use Shule as a base to launch a war to attack Anxi. The strategic location of Shule is very important to them."
Everyone was lost in thought, and they had to admit that Jiedushi could see deeper and further than they did.
Cui Wenjing nodded, "Your Majesty has seen it very clearly and completely agrees with it. So how should we deal with it?"
"This is not something that the Hexi family can handle. I would like to make suggestions to the emperor to strengthen the defense of Kucha and Khotan towns and increase troops and supplies."
"Why Khotan Town?" Pan Liao asked puzzledly.
Guo Song smiled lightly, "Khotan Town blocks the passage between the plateau and Shule. If Tibet wants to launch a war against Anxi, it must first capture Yutian Town to ensure that the logistics are not cut off by the Tang army."
"What about the commercial trade?" Zhang Qiu'an asked urgently.
Guo Song pondered for a while and said: "Businessmen really can't go to Tocharo, so that's it. But we can encourage merchants from Anxi and other countries to come to Shazhou or Zhangye for trade. Our purpose of opening the trade road is to make this channel faster and more convenient."
, as long as there are merchants coming and going, supplies and commerce will develop along the way, which will help promote the connection between the Anxi countries and the Tang Dynasty. As for business taxes, they are not important, and they can even be exempted."
Guo Song's words undoubtedly set the final tone. Guo Song immediately wrote a memorial to the emperor and sent it to Chang'an as soon as possible.
........
Perhaps because Tubo was afraid that the Tang Dynasty would regret it, both sides of the alliance made rapid progress this time, and both acquiesced to a simpler approach. Originally, cattle, horses, and sheep were used as gifts for the alliance, and then Tubo Zanpu and the Emperor of Tang Dynasty participated in the alliance.
, since the monarchs of the two countries did not participate, at the suggestion of Zhang Yi, the governor of Longyou, both parties agreed to use chickens, ducks, and geese as gifts for the alliance, which lowered the standards of the alliance.
The Prime Minister Yang Yan and the Tibetan Prime Minister Shang made an alliance on the altar and acknowledged the three agreements signed by the two parties. At the same time, they agreed on the boundaries between the two countries. No more troops or castles could be built on the border garrison between the two countries. This time the alliance
It will be for a period of three years. After three years, the two parties will meet again to renew the alliance.
This alliance was of vital importance to both countries. Tubo's population was severely underpopulated and its financial resources were almost cut off. In particular, the defeat of Shazhou caused heavy losses to Tubo's army and supplies, which directly led to the fall of Tibetan Prime Minister Shang Xijie, and Tibet had to suspend its troops to restore its national strength.
, is also forced by the situation.
The Tang Dynasty's reduction of vassal status reached a critical juncture, and reaching an alliance with Tubo would help the Tang Dynasty concentrate on reducing its vassal status.
In the Qilin Hall of the Daming Palace, a guard was reporting to Li Shi about his trip to Hebei.
"Your Majesty, the vassal towns in Hebei are extremely tightly guarded. There are checkpoints all the way from Xiangzhou to Weizhou. He always walks on mountain roads. In Wei County, when staying in a hotel, he used the road issued by the Chang'an government. The shopkeeper immediately reported to the county government
The county government sent people to arrest me because of the whistleblower. Fortunately, a clerk reminded me that I was able to escape."
"What happened next?" Li Shi asked with an extremely ugly face.
"The humble job bought a road ticket to Weizhou and went all the way north, but my accent was wrong and I was almost arrested several times. I finally reached the border of Fanyang Jiedu. I couldn't get in here at all. A caravan told me that I must have
The tax payment record issued by Youzhou was not allowed in. I followed the caravan and sneaked in. The flags of the Tang Dynasty could no longer be seen in the counties. The court the people here were talking about was not the Chang'an court. I later found out that it actually meant Jiedu.
In the government office, the people all said that the emperor was going to reduce taxes this year. I was confused when I heard this, but later I found out that the emperor they were talking about was... Zhu Tao."
"What!" Li Shi was furious.
The guard was so frightened that he knelt down and was afraid to say anything anymore. After a while, Li Shi said with a livid face: "Go on, tell me your true feelings. I want to hear the truth, not the lies."
The guard knelt down and said: "Your Majesty, please calm down. Everything Beizi said is true. I saw it with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears. The vassal towns in Hebei only superficially deal with the imperial court, but are actually independent kingdoms. Only Beizi knows.
There are two official offices in each state in the vassal towns of Hebei. One is dedicated to dealing with the court. It seems that they also report to the court, but they actually have another official office called the vassal office. This is the real official office, and the common people only recognize this official office."
After the guard described what he saw and heard in detail, he retreated. Li Shi was still immersed in huge shock for a long time. Privy Councilor Huo Xianming said: "I have something in my heart, I don't know whether I should say it or not?"
"you say!"
Huo Xianming said slowly: "The strategy of the Western Region is actually just the icing on the cake. The premise is that the Central Plains is prosperous, the people are at home, and His Majesty's favor is everywhere. Only then does it need to open up new territories to make the Tang Dynasty wider. This is like having enough food and clothing for one person.
, after you have a house to live in, you can think about better food and clothing, and a bigger place to live.
But now, there are almost two imperial courts in the hinterland of the Tang Dynasty. Your Majesty needs to conquer the country for the second time. The Western Region is really not important. It is not a wise move to waste too many resources on the Western Region. This is what the old slave said from the bottom of his heart. Please, Your Majesty
Mingjian!"
That night, Li Shi almost stayed up all night. The severe situation in the vassal towns in the Central Plains of Hebei made Li Shi toss and turn and find it difficult to sleep. Early the next morning, Li Shi issued an order to announce that Guo Song, the governor of Hexi Jiedu, would rush to Beijing.
........
At this time, Xiangyang City was surrounded by 50,000 Huaixi regiments. There were less than 10,000 defenders in the city. They relied on the tall and solid walls for defense. However, after all, the troops were too few, and Liang Chongyi's situation was over.
At this time, Li Xilie's Huaixi Army marched westward and occupied Anzhou, Mianzhou, Tangzhou, Suizhou, Yingzhou, Jingzhou, Fuzhou, and finally entered Xiangzhou. The Huaixi Army burned, killed, looted, and raped all the way.
*Female, people in various states were filled with resentment, and angry letters flew to Chang'an like snowflakes, but they were all detained by Yang Yan.
It was Yang Yan's plan to let Li Xilie come to annihilate Liang Chongyi. Now that it has caused such serious consequences, how could he let the emperor know about it?
In the camp, Li Xilie respectfully accepted the order issued by the Emperor Li Shi. He presented the envoy with a large sum of money and sent him to Xiangyang City with a smile on his face. When he came back, he was furious.
"Do you think that I, Li Xilie, am a beggar? I will come when called and go away when called. I have sacrificed my life for him. So many soldiers have died. Where is the pension for the soldiers? Where is the compensation for the money and rice I spent? A Nanping County Prince thought
Send me away?"
At this time, Li Xilie's aide Zhao Sui advised: "Your Majesty, the emperor must give us face. This is a very delicate time. We cannot allow the imperial court to point its finger at us."
"But I'm not willing to just go back!"
Zhao Sui rolled his eyes and said: "Your Majesty, please write to the emperor, saying that many bandits took advantage of the fire, pretended to be the Huaixi Army, robbed the people, and ruined the reputation of the Huaixi Army. We must wipe out these bandits. In this way, we can at least occupy An."
"Miao, let's expand our power in the three states of Tang Dynasty, and then wait and see the situation. If it is profitable, we can occupy Jingzhou and Yingzhou. In this way, we have three states as a guarantee when we retreat, and we gain two more states when we advance."
"Wonderful! What a brilliant idea." Li Xilie was overjoyed.
Zhao Sui added: "I have another suggestion for my humble position. I heard that Lu Qi is very greedy for bribes. The prince can send someone to Beijing with gold and silk to bribe Lu Qi. He will speak for us in front of the emperor."
"Why not bribe Yang Yan?"
"Yang Yan is a person who values power rather than profit. The effect of buying him off will not be very good. Lu Qi is easier to deal with."
Li Xilie thought for a moment and then agreed with Zhao Sui's suggestion.
Zhao Sui further advised: "Since the prince wants to make long-term plans, he still needs to properly restrain the soldiers and win the hearts and minds of the people. This is the way to be independent."
Li Xilie was extremely ambitious and had the desire to become emperor. Of course he knew the importance of winning over the people. His restraint on the Huaixi Army was far greater than that of his uncle Li Zhongchen. However, the Huaixi Army was robbing and had a lot of complaints against him.
Knowing that he could not restrain himself, he acquiesced to the soldiers' looting.
Li Xilie was a little embarrassed. He had promised that after Xiangyang was captured, the soldiers would loot it for three days. After a while, he said: "If we loot Xiangyang one last time, I will tell them to restrain themselves and not mess around again."
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[Brothers, we are marching towards a thousand monthly tickets, and we sincerely ask brothers who have tickets to support us!]