Tiantang Splendid

Chapter 5112: Taking Hostages
Watching Fang Jun walk into the pavilion with steady steps, Cheng Chumo put away his sword and stared at the situation nearby with a clear gaze. The admiration and respect in his heart was like the endless flow of the Yellow River.

In the past, people in Chang'an always scolded Fang Jun for being "arrogant and domineering", and a fool who would beat anyone when he got angry, without any regard for the dignity of the nobles.

However, now, Cheng Chumo finally realized what "arrogance and domineering" and "club-headed" meant!
The dudes are fighting? The dudes are beating up the nobles?
That’s nothing!

I really want to pull all the people in Chang'an over to see how aggressive and ready to kill Lu Dongzan, the second most powerful figure in Tubo, the leader of a tribe, and with tens of thousands of elite soldiers under his command!

If it were the rest of the "second generation" who acted arrogantly in Chang'an City all day, they would probably have wet their pants by now...

Inside the pavilion.

Lu Dongzan and Fang Jun sat opposite each other. There were several exquisite cakes on the coffee table. On a small stove on the side, barley wine was warming, and the aroma of the wine filled the air.

Lu Dongzan seemed to have completely forgotten Fang Jun's arrogance when he drew his sword to kill someone just now, and he did not get angry at all. He smiled faintly and said, "Duke Yue is advancing like a thunderbolt. I have not had time to prepare a banquet. Please fill your stomach with simple cakes. I will prepare a sumptuous banquet tomorrow to welcome Duke Yue."

Fang Jun shook his head and pointed at the plates of cakes. "Cakes like these are considered exquisite even in the imperial palace of the Tang Dynasty. Your Majesty doesn't dare to enjoy them every day, otherwise it would be too wasteful... But the Prime Minister said they were simple. Is the Gar tribe so rich and extravagant?"

Cheng Chumo, who was outside the pavilion, blinked when he heard this and thought to himself, Fang Er, you must be a fool. Can't you even hear someone's polite words?

However, Lu Dongzan was stunned and speechless, staring at the pastries in a daze.

Fang Jun picked up the wine pot and poured himself a glass. Not afraid of whether it was poisonous, he took a sip of the wine. The warm wine was wrapped in the aroma of barley and went down his throat smoothly, very delicious.

"I guess the Tubo people before couldn't enjoy such exquisite food at all?"

Lu Dongzan nodded and said, "It is easy to go from frugality to luxury, but it is difficult to go from luxury to frugality. I don't know since when, I thought my life was ordinary, but it has gradually become extravagant without knowing it. For a prime minister of a country, this is unacceptable."

The Tubo people were suffering from cold and hardship, and supplies were scarce. This was not a problem that could be solved by a certain amount of money. No matter how much money you had, it could not be exchanged for beef, flour, and grain. So the people were united, lived a hard and simple life, and concentrated their limited resources on the battlefield. Only in this way could the plateau be unified and Tubo rise.

But it’s only been a few years now?

The extravagant lifestyle has unknowingly eroded the entire ruling class. If this continues, who will follow the Zamp and his brother Lu Dongzan without complaint to conquer cities and expand continuously?
Fang Jun looked curious: "Why did you think of this? That's not what I meant!"

Lu Dongzan was stunned.

Fang Jun persuaded him earnestly: "Confucius said, food and sex are human nature! The Prime Minister will not question Confucius' words, right? The desire for food and sex is human nature. As long as there are conditions, who doesn't want to eat better and play with more beautiful women?"

Lu Dongzan was puzzled.

Fang Jun was very patient: "What the Prime Minister is thinking about right now is such a luxurious life, which has violated the original intention of commanding Tubo and unifying the plateau. But the Prime Minister has overlooked a fact. Ten or twenty years ago, could every Tubo person have these exquisite cakes and mellow wines if they wanted to eat them?"

Lu Dongzan frowned and looked at Fang Jun.

"May I ask you, Grand Minister, when did Tubo begin to have abundant supplies of daily necessities, and when people with money could enjoy a life they had never enjoyed before?"

Without Lu Dongzan's reply, Fang Jun gave the answer: "It started with the trade between Tubo and the Tang Dynasty. To be more precise, it started with the trade of highland barley wine!"

Lu Dongzan: “…”

It seems true.

He obtained the recipe of highland barley wine from Fang Jun, brewed wine with highland barley, sold it to the Tang Dynasty, and used the proceeds to purchase grain from the Tang Dynasty to subsidize Tubo... The Tang Dynasty obtained a unique wine, which was not only popular throughout the country, but also sold overseas with the fleet, making a lot of profit. Highland barley wine created a value for Tubo that far exceeded the highland barley consumed. Not only could it purchase the same amount of grain from the Tang Dynasty, but it also had a huge surplus and could purchase more other materials.

Such as porcelain, glass, paper, and many more luxury goods...

The quality of life of the Tibetans suddenly improved, and the world became prosperous and peaceful with singing and dancing.

Lu Dongzan said coldly, "But at the same time, Tubo has to rely on the Tang Dynasty to import food. A country's food lifeline is controlled by another country. This is a sign of the country's demise. Duke Yue said it as if he was thinking about Tubo, but in fact it was just a conspiracy."

The barley on the plateau can be used to make wine, and the Tibetans need to purchase grain from the Tang Dynasty to fill their stomachs. Once the two countries go to war and the Tang Dynasty cuts off their food imports, can the Tibetans still go to the battlefield with jars of wine?
What's more, when the huge profits from barley wine blinded the eyes of the Tibetan nobles, how could they have the courage to go to war with the Tang Dynasty?

Fang Jun was surprised: "Don't you think that without highland barley wine, the grain in Tibet is enough for you to eat?"

Lu Dongzan: “…”

Of course it’s not enough to eat.

The plateau has a harsh climate and poor soil. As the country develops and the population increases, food becomes a bottleneck restricting national development. Therefore, the entire Tubo is preparing for war and eyeing the Tang Dynasty covetously, hoping to plunder the Tang Dynasty through war.

Fang Jun knew Tubo's strategy very well: "War means death. No matter victory or defeat, countless Tubo men will die in the war. Now, we can fill Tubo's granaries and enrich the Tubo people's tables without war and only rely on trade. Isn't it a better thing?"

He paused, then spread his hands and said, "But the key point is, even if we go to war, can you Tubo defeat the Tang Dynasty? You can't fight, and you don't want to trade, so in the end both sides will suffer... What's the point of keeping your smart head? It's better to cut it off and give it to me. With your head, His Majesty may be able to confer a title of a county king on me. At that time, I will use the power of a king of a different surname to ensure that your descendants will enjoy wealth and glory in the Tang Dynasty. Isn't that the best of both worlds?"

Lu Dongzan: “…”

He has always been clear-headed and eloquent, but at this moment, facing Fang Jun's twisted logic, he was speechless.

It’s not that we don’t know how to refute, but in the face of absolute suppression by force, any rebuttal is pale and powerless.

Fang Jun took another sip of wine and continued, "The tribes in the Western Regions do better than you Tibetans. The high-quality grape wine is not only exported to the East and Southeast Asia, but has even been sold to the Kingdom of Damascus. Nowadays, the nobles in Damascus drink it with almost every meal. A jar of grape wine is worth more than gold!"

He raised his head and looked at Lu Dongzan: "The Arab Empire is now mobilizing troops and is ready to make a move. If nothing unexpected happens, they will definitely invade the border next spring. I am ordered by the emperor to rush to the Western Regions to take charge of the overall situation. With a powerful enemy at hand, the stability of the rear is particularly important and there can be no risk at all. However, I know that I am not very talented and have limited abilities. I would like to invite the Prime Minister to serve as my staff so that I can make suggestions and fill in the gaps. At the same time, I can also see the quality of life of the people in the Western Regions and appreciate the scenery of the Western Frontier. What do you think, Prime Minister?"

There was silence inside and outside the pavilion, except for the bonfire swaying and crackling in the wind.

Lu Dongzan closed his eyes, his wrinkled face calm.

The meaning of these words is very clear. The most important strategic goal of the Tang Dynasty at present is to defeat the invasion of the Arabs. In the face of this strategic goal, everything else can be abandoned, including the so-called "Tibetan strategy."

This means that the Tang Dynasty is not only very likely to withdraw all aid to the Gar tribe, but even worse, it will brazenly send troops to wipe out the Gar tribe and eliminate this hidden danger that lies south of the Qilian Mountains and can threaten the safety of the four Hexi counties at any time.

He opened his eyes and asked, "Is the Duke of Yue threatening me?"

Fang Jun shook his head. "It's not a threat. Who doesn't know that the Prime Minister is as tough as iron? Who doesn't know that the Gar tribe is brave and good at fighting, and would rather die than surrender? I am just telling the Prime Minister the truth. Either you follow me to the Western Regions and let Lun Qinling withdraw to Fuxi City to protect the four counties of Hexi from Tubo invasion for the Tang Dynasty, or I will give the order after dawn to capture Fuxi City and exterminate the Gar tribe! Choose one of the two, it's up to the Prime Minister to decide."

Lu Dongzan's eyes widened, and he subconsciously exerted force on the hand holding the wine glass, and a strong feeling of humiliation spread throughout his body.

But he couldn't do anything, and he didn't even dare to say a few harsh words.

If it was someone else in person, Lu Dongzan might have dared to bet that the other party was just bluffing, but since it was Fang Jun, Lu Dongzan didn't dare to bet.

Just from the fact that he swung his knife and killed someone because of a disagreement just now, it can be seen that this person has no patience for any foreigners, let alone the slightest mercy. He has only one goal: either use them and drive them around, or kill them all and prevent future troubles.

Kill Fang Jun now?
Let’s not talk about whether they could succeed. After all, the other party’s reputation as the bravest among the three armies was not in vain. Even if they could capture and kill him here, what would happen to the 6,000 cavalrymen behind him? What would happen to the tens of thousands of Tang troops in the four counties of Hexi? When the news of Fang Jun’s death reached the Western Regions, the tens of thousands of Anxi troops in the Anxi Protectorate would rather turn around and raze the Gar tribe to the ground, regardless of the fact that the Arabs were about to attack.

After a long pause, Lu Dongzan said, "This is a serious matter. Let me think about it and give the Duke of Yue a reply tomorrow morning."

Fang Jun was displeased: "The Prime Minister is a rare wise man in the world. You should know that there is no room for bargaining in this matter. You should be decisive and act immediately. There are too many variables overnight. How can I take the risk? Right now, right here, please give me an answer!"

Veins bulged on Lu Dongzan's forehead, and he stared at Fang Jun for a long while. Their eyes met, and murderous intent was overflowing.

Finally, Lu Dongzan had to succumb to the other party's tyranny.

"Okay, I will go to the Western Regions with you now, and let Xiduoyu stay to guard Fushi City."

Fang Jun shook his head: "The Prime Minister is old and looks very weak. He needs someone close to take care of him when he travels through mountains and rivers. Xiduo Yuding will have to accompany the Prime Minister. As for Fushi City, Zanpo who is stationed in Dafei River can be transferred back."

Lu Dongzan was helpless. It was not enough for him to be taken as a hostage, so was he going to have to sacrifice his own son?

Fang Jun is such a mean person...

(End of this chapter)