Tiantang Splendid

Chapter 5333 Meeting at Taqu
The city of Borobudur was built on the shore of Lake Tonle Sap. Given its powerful navy that swept across the Indochina Peninsula, the city's defenses were mostly focused on the north to guard against a possible attack from the city of Tachuk. However, in the Battle of Lake Tonle Sap, the Tang navy sailed up the river and into the lake, completely defeating the overconfident navy of Shuizhenla in a single day. The originally most solid lake defenses became a huge breach, like a beast with its claws chopped off, its soft belly fully exposed to the Tang army's onslaught.

With nowhere to fight and nowhere to escape, the leader of the "Guluozhi" army had no choice but to lead his civil and military officials to open the east gate and welcome the Tang army into the city, and the whole country surrendered.

As the sun rose, the water gates opened, and Tang soldiers sailed into the city in their warships. Fu Li, along with civil and military officials and the city's residents, lined the streets to welcome them. As they stood there, the rising sun seemed to gild the Tang soldiers and warships with gold, making their armor and weapons appear even more majestic, awe-inspiring, and powerful.

Only after the Tang army's advance troops entered the city, occupied key passes, and disarmed all the defending troops did Yang Zhou board a warship and enter the city.

The surrender ceremony was held in the square in front of the palace. Apart from the civil and military officials of Shuizhenla and the organized welcoming party for the Tang army, almost all the people of the city came to watch.

Faced with the Tang soldiers, their armor gleaming and swords flashing, maintaining a tight guard with sentries every three or five steps, the people of Brahmaputra felt little fear or apprehension, but rather curiosity.

Compared to the "legitimate kingdom" in the north, Shuizhenla had extensive connections with the outside world through waterways. Not only were there merchants from the Tang Dynasty and Linyi, but one could also occasionally see merchants from the Abbasid Caliphate. Relatively speaking, news flowed more freely, and people were naturally aware of the illustrious reputation of the world's number one power.

Thanks to the Tang Dynasty's royal navy, which had been invincible across the oceans for years, and which had been more focused on suppressing pirates while being friendly to ordinary people and merchants, the saying "wherever the Tang army goes, wealth flows in" was widely circulated.

While the Tang army was indeed fierce and invincible, it brought wealth and better trade wherever it went, making life better in every place. In particular, the Tang Dynasty's administrative institutions were more honest and efficient, which was very popular with the local people.

After all, the Tang Dynasty emphasized "having laws to follow." What should and shouldn't be done, what could be rewarded and what must be punished, were all clearly written in the legal provisions. The people under its rule only needed to follow the rules to live and work in peace, unlike the previous "chieftains" in various places who acted arbitrarily and recklessly, causing their lives and property to be in danger at any moment...

The two characters “大唐” (Great Tang) signify “civilization”.

Furthermore, the fact that the arrogant navy could not even hold out for a day before being defeated and completely annihilated filled the hearts of the common people and merchants with a sense of security and vanity in relying on the strong.

The people here have no faith, let alone a sense of national identity. They only know that they can survive by attaching themselves to the strong. Whoever has the bigger fist or the sharper knife wins.

He who has the strongest army and the most powerful horses shall be king!
……

Yang Zhou was in high spirits.

Who would have thought that he would give up his status and power that he had worked hard for in the Sixteen Guards for many years, and be transferred to the Navy, and actually step into the pinnacle of his life?
For a military general, conquering a country and capturing its chieftain alive is the highest honor. That's why Li Jing was revered as the "God of War," Li Ji was honored as the "Number One in the Army," and the Prince of Hejian was able to hold a transcendent position in the Li Tang imperial family, which was full of fierce generals.

Now, Yang Zhou has also joined this ranks!

Titles and ranks were beckoning to him.

If he is transferred back to Chang'an in the future, he will at least be given the official position of one of the Sixteen Guards Generals!
When in a good mood, he was amiable to the officials and royalty of Sujinla. Apart from ordering the sealing of the treasury and the detention of prisoners, he did not restrict the entry and exit of people in the country. When the Sujinla navy was completely wiped out and the army was disarmed and detained outside the city, he could not cause any trouble.

Of course, as the de facto king of Zhenla and the "Guluozhi" of the Zhenla Kingdom, Fuli had to travel to Chang'an with his entire family.

Inside the palace, Fuli yielded the throne, his expression humble.

"The superior nation's soldiers are sharp and their might shakes the world. I admire them greatly. Today, I am willing to surrender the entire nation to the Tang Dynasty. From now on, I will serve them and swear to be loyal to them to the death."

The de facto king was extremely resentful.

While the king was enjoying his wealth, beauty, and fine wine in the capital, the Tang Dynasty, relying on its military might, suddenly attacked and turned him into a prisoner...

Yang Zhou exclaimed in surprise, "Your Majesty speaks Chinese very well."

Fu Li said, “The Tang Dynasty is prosperous and thriving, and people all over the world admire it. I have always promoted Sinicization in the country, writing Chinese characters, speaking Chinese, and getting closer to the civilization of the superior country.”

Yang Zhou nodded, having no interest in pretense, and sat imposingly on his throne, holding up three fingers: "Three things!"

"Firstly, you and the entire royal family should immediately board a Tang warship and head to Chang'an to present a letter of surrender to His Majesty the Emperor of Tang and await His Majesty's arrangements."

"Secondly, prepare provisions for 20,000 troops to fight for three months, and complete the collection within three days."

"Thirdly, we will reorganize all the soldiers of Shuizhenla, distribute weapons to them, and assist our army in the northern expedition to Taqu City to overthrow the rule of Jayavarman."

Fu Li was somewhat flustered: "Ah, this..."

Yang Zhou raised an eyebrow: "What's the problem?"

Fu Li looked troubled: "The last two points are easy to discuss. Since we have already surrendered to the Tang Dynasty, we will do our best to help. But the first point... to be honest, although my body seems to be in good condition, it is actually very weak. I take three liters of medicine every day and often stay in bed for several days. I'm afraid I will die before we even reach the Great Kingdom!"

Yang Zhou looked the man up and down and saw that although he was dark and thin, he was in good spirits. How could he be as bad as people said?

"There is no room for discussion on this matter; it must be carried out without question. Zhenla was originally a vassal state of Funan, yet it has defied its superiors, usurped the throne, and persecuted the Funan royal family in every way. This is intolerable to the Great Tang. Therefore, His Majesty has issued an imperial decree to the four seas, and the mighty warriors of the Great Tang will uphold the legitimate dynasty and lead an army to destroy the country. The king must go to Chang'an to receive punishment as a warning to others."

Seeing that Fuli's face was ashen and he was trembling with fear, he added, "But Your Majesty, rest assured, the Emperor of our Great Tang is kind and benevolent and will not harm you."

Fu Li's mouth was full of bitterness, but what else could she say?

Their prized navy couldn't even hold out for a day. If they dared to have the slightest ulterior motive, they'd probably be beheaded and their heads hung above the city gates...

He had no choice but to agree dejectedly.

As for Yang Zhou's claim of "insubordination and usurpation of the throne," he didn't even bother to defend himself, because he knew it was just an excuse. Even if he used his eloquence to completely absolve himself of the responsibility for destroying Funan, the Tang people could still find other reasons.

Just by looking at how the Tang army first destroyed Lin-yi, then Shuizhenla, and then marched north to attack Taqu, it is clear that the Tang people had already regarded the entire Indochina Peninsula as their own, and no one and nothing could change the strategic objectives of the Tang Dynasty.

Since that's the case, then honestly surrendering might allow them to have a peaceful end.

That night, upon hearing that the entire clan was to travel across the ocean to the Tang Dynasty, the palace was filled with weeping and wailing.

Fu Li was also inevitably saddened and shed tears, but she still managed to persuade him by using both gentle persuasion and firmness.

He told his wife, children, and clansmen that he had heard that the Tang Dynasty always treated the rulers of enemy countries who surrendered with great favor, and that the Tang army was disciplined and did not commit any offenses after entering the city. They did not even confiscate the gold and silver treasures in his palace. He said that it was not necessarily a bad thing for him to take this money and go to Chang'an, the most luxurious and magnificent city in the world, to live out his days in peace.

Only then did his wife, children, and clansmen stop crying, and even feel a sense of longing.

After all, that's Chang'an!
……

The navy on Tonle Sap Lake was like a snail's shell. Once the shell was broken, the tender flesh inside was revealed. It was docile, gentle, and submissive. Not only did it offer no resistance within the city, but when the Tang people set off firecrackers outside their shops to celebrate, many people went out to watch the spectacle.

Few people from Shuizhenla believed this was a war of national annihilation; many young women even cast flirtatious glances at the orderly processions of tall, valiant Tang soldiers marching by in the streets…

Everything went exceptionally smoothly.

Three days later, Fuli, along with his wife, children, clansmen, and treasures from the royal palace treasury, boarded a Tang army warship, crossed Dong Sali Lake, entered the Mekong River, and sailed downstream to the sea, heading towards Chang'an, thousands of miles away.

Shuizhenla's army obediently accepted the Tang army's reorganization, and after receiving their weapons, they happily served as the vanguard, marching north and heading straight for Taqu City, hundreds of miles away.

This puzzled Yang Zhou greatly. Could there not be a single man of courage among the thousands of prisoners?
After all, the Tang Dynasty not only destroyed the Shuizhenla people, but now it also wants to drive them to attack the Luzhenla people!

As a result, a doctor who was temporarily conscripted and accompanied the army helped him understand the situation...

Although Jinla, as a vassal state, overthrew and destroyed Funan, occupying all of its territory, the southern region of Jinla, where Funan's capital was located, and with its dense network of waterways and crisscrossing mountains making transportation inconvenient, meant that Tagchu City had limited control over the south. To rule it, Tagchu City could only hollow out the entire south through forced conscription, imposing taxes, and levying corvée labor.

Although the people of the south worked hard, they lived a life of hardship, barely clothed and hungry. They harbored deep resentment towards the northern city of Taqu. This was the basis for Fuli's ability to easily seize control of the entire Shuizhenla region as "Guluozhi" and establish his own kingdom, standing on equal footing with King Jayavarman.

There is deep-seated hatred between the North and the South.

Therefore, now that the Tang army is marching north to attack Taqu, the soldiers of Shuizhenla not only have no resistance, but are also in high spirits and full of enthusiasm, thanks to their good food...

On the other side, Xi Junmai led his fleet to land at a small fishing village called Thonburi, and then marched north along the Chao Phraya River plain, sweeping away and either recruiting or eliminating the settlements of various ethnic groups along the way, with his army heading straight for the capital of Chenla, Thachhu.

In early June of the sixth year of the Renhe era, Liu Renyuan, Yang Zhou, and Xi Junmai led three armies that swept across the Indochina Peninsula and successfully joined forces one hundred miles south of Taqu City.