Da Tang: Father, can I resign?

Chapter 98: Eat His Majesty's Blood-Boiled Buns
"Oh?"

Li Shimin was a little surprised and raised his eyebrows.

"Xiao Yu, Xiao Shiwen, is a great scholar from the Lanling Xiao family. He was the prime minister during the reign of the Supreme Emperor and has survived many storms.

"How can you regard this old senior's painstaking memorial as rubbish... are you very knowledgeable?"

He quickly suppressed his inner surprise and deliberately made his tone sarcastic.

Li Ming shrugged nonchalantly:

"I don't care who wrote this memorial, and I don't care how learned he is.

“All I know is that what’s written here is garbage.”

Li Shimin moved his butt forward and rested his elbows on the table with interest:
"Elaborate."

"Ah? Do you need a reason for this?" Li Shimin's question made Li Ming unconfident and he didn't know where to start.

As a loyal supporter of "There is Only One China in the World" and an avid fan of map coloring games.

Li Ming simply felt that Xiao Yu's suggestion in the memorial to the emperor of China of "setting up vassal states and using barbarians to control barbarians" was nonsense.

They launched a huge expedition at great expense to destroy the Gaochang Kingdom, but then handed over power to the local indigenous ruling class.

No local officials were sent to govern, and the local people's household registration and taxes did not need to be reported to the court.

Isn't this the same as taking off your pants to fart?
Why did the soldiers shed their blood and sacrifice their lives? Why did the common people pay rent and labor service?
Isn't it disgusting that a country was destroyed but not annexed, and a piece of a different-colored map was left standing in the Western Regions?
However, Li Ming also realized that since his father was testing him in this way, he certainly could not answer "I have obsessive-compulsive disorder."

The annexation of territory cannot be taken for granted and requires sufficient reasons.

The real situation is much more complicated than the game. You can't automatically digest a piece of land by just pressing "annex".

To make a piece of land and its people submit requires the “cost” of time and energy to manage.

War is the continuation of politics, and politics is a business that constantly calculates "costs" and "benefits".

To bring territories thousands of miles from farming cores under control, the benefits required must be sufficient to cover the costs.

Income, there is not much arable land in that damn place of the Western Regions.

What benefits can Gaochang bring to the Tang Dynasty...

Li Ming imitated Hou Junji, picked up an oil lamp and shone it on the wall of the study while talking to himself.

There, there hangs a huge geomancy map of the Western Regions.

Li Shimin observed his youngest son's every move without saying a word, with the light in his eyes flickering with the candlelight.

"Aha!"

As soon as it is placed on the map, the importance of Gaochang Kingdom becomes clear at a glance:

"Gaochang State's geographical location is extremely important. It is an important passageway for our dynasty to the Western Regions. To the north of Gaochang, the Western Turks are eyeing it covetously.

"If we don't send people to govern this Feng Shui treasure land, if the local natives defect to the Western Turks or other forces, the passage from the Tang Dynasty to the Western Regions will be cut off."

Great minds think alike... Li Shimin stroked his beard with great satisfaction.

Finally someone understood his painstaking efforts.

And this soulmate is his own son.

This made him very pleased.

But Li Shimin still had to continue to increase the strength of Li Ming.

He asked testingly:

"Your Royal Palace Sima Hou Junji just led the heavenly soldiers to plunder the Gaochang Kingdom.

"After this battle, the might of the Tang Dynasty spread throughout the Western Regions.

"The local natives are still ignorant of education, and they still don't understand the benefits of swords. Do they dare to rebel against the Tang Dynasty again?"

Li Ming's keyboard warrior addiction kicked in and he started pointing at the map:

"Geolocation determines everything."

"Geopolitical?" Hearing this new word, although unfamiliar but very interesting, Li Shimin's mouth curled up involuntarily:
"Go on."

Li Ming pointed at the map:

"Gaochang is located at the western end of the Hexi Corridor, bordering the Tang Dynasty to the east and small Western Regions countries such as Yanqi, Qiuci, and Yutian to the west. It can reach Persia directly along the Chihe (Tarim River) and Wuhu River. To the north is the Western Turks, and to the south is Tubo.

"It is located right at the junction of various civilizations, including the Central Plains, Persia, Sindhu (ancient India), and nomadic civilizations. It is a naturally volatile region that cannot be changed by human will.

"As long as the Central Plains is strong as it is now, it's still fine. But once the Central Plains declines..."

Li Ming picked up a feather duster, stood on tiptoe, and desperately pointed out the path to the Western Region.

"Gaochang will inevitably fall to the enemy." He said seriously:

“By then, the trade routes to the Western Regions will be cut off, and the Central Plains will have already weakened, so it will probably be difficult to launch an expedition like last year.

"In this way, the benefits of connecting trade will also be lost, and the situation in the Central Plains will be even worse.

"Not only will it accelerate the decline of the Central Plains, it will also make us unable to control the Western Regions."

Li Ming remembered the records in history books.

Since the fall of the Anxi Protectorate of the Tang Dynasty, the Western Regions have been out of the control of the Central Plains for a hundred years.

As a result, later generations can only recall the prosperity of the Han and Tang dynasties in poetry.

This won’t work!

Li Ming stepped on Xiao Yu's memorial:

"So this memorial demanding the abandonment of Gaochang is not only rubbish, it is a crime against history!"

Li Shimin's brows immediately frowned.

Li Ming's opinion hit exactly the blind spot in his thinking.

As the Heavenly Khan who could destroy anyone he defeated, Li Shimin was full of vigor and vitality.

The Hu people don't obey? Just beat them up.

During the Zhenguan period when everything was flourishing, he indeed gave little strategic thought to the nation's declining strength.

The Tang Dynasty, like other dynasties, always experienced a process of prosperity and decline.

How can we maintain our influence over the Western Regions and the stability and integrity of the Central Plains as much as possible when the country is in decline?
Using some of the Hu people who were kept outside to guard the border was obviously not a very reliable idea...

"What you said... makes a lot of sense." Li Shimin nodded heavily.

Although both of them came to the common conclusion that "the Gaochang homeland should be directly governed and the Western Prefecture should be established", it is obvious that Li Ming's reasons are more convincing than his.

"However……"

Li Shimin could not help but sit up straight. "However, all the civil officials in the court opposed this move, with Xiao Yu's attitude being the most typical. You have also seen the three reasons he listed.

“Although I am the ruler of a country, I cannot do everything myself, I need the bureaucrats below to do the work.

"I can force a national policy through, but if the officials don't accept it, they can still pretend to obey it but secretly disobey it, making it impossible to accomplish the task."

Unconsciously, Li Shimin's attitude gradually changed from simple testing to discussion.

Li Ming also listened very attentively.

He knew that what Li Shimin said were from the bottom of his heart.

These are all valuable experiences that can only be experienced by being an emperor in person...

"So, as a ruler, you must not only be good at political tactics, but also be able to move people's hearts." Li Shimin calmly explained:

"Nowadays, all officials are unwilling to directly govern Xizhou, and only want to follow the old rules and rule by restraint.

"How can you convince them?"

Li Ming stroked his nonexistent beard and replied:
“To convince them, we must first know why officials are against governing the Western States.”

"Aren't the reasons written in the memorial?" Li Shimin asked knowingly.

Li Ming folded his arms:
"Because it is written in the memorial, this cannot be the real reason."

Li Shimin raised his eyebrows.

"I guess the civil officials feel that directly ruling the Western Province will not bring them direct benefits, but it will increase their workload."

Li Ming gave his guess based on his own experience as a grassroots civil servant.

When there is one more street in the area under my jurisdiction, the workload will increase disproportionately.

Personnel changes, daily report submissions, on-site and off-site inspections, various KPI assessments...official document trivia can drive people crazy.

From the perspective of grassroots staff, Li Ming felt that the attitude of these civil servants in the Zhenguan Dynasty towards the Western Regions was generally based on the mentality of "less trouble is worse than more".

"Absolutely, absolutely!" Li Shimin couldn't help but applaud repeatedly.

He was beyond surprised.

This little fellow, still wet behind the ears, was a little prince who was born in the deep palace and raised by women.

How did they grasp the mentality of those old officials so accurately?

Even Li Shimin had to suffer several setbacks from the old ministers of the previous dynasty after he ascended the throne before he roughly figured out the tricks of the old officials who were lazy and slacking off.

Li Shimin even had a vague illusion.

It was as if the person he was talking to was not a child.

Instead, he is like a low-level clerk who has been working at his desk for years and has a slippery habit.

"Now that we know the reasons why officials are not cooperating, we just need to prescribe the right remedy." Li Ming continued to analyze:

“First, we must explain Gaochang’s unique geographical advantages to the civil officials and convince those who are most concerned about state affairs.

"But there are definitely only a few loyal ministers like this. Grandpa, you can write them down in a small notebook. These people will be of great use in the future."

"That's true." Li Shimin sat up straight without realizing it.

Li Ming continued to elaborate on his thoughts:
“And to convince the majority of other officials, their interests must be aligned with the interests of the country.

“Although Gaochang does not produce much grain, it is located on a major trade route, which not only makes the local area prosperous, but also makes domestic trade more prosperous.

"The extra commercial taxes and tariffs can be used as 'investment attraction awards' to give officials some small benefits. If they get real benefits, they naturally have no reason to object."

Li Shimin burst into laughter when he heard this:
"You really can think of a way to bribe the officials."

"What kind of bribe is this? This is called profit sharing." Li Ming said in a very mercenary way:

"If there are other objections, Grandpa, you actually have a reason that no one can refuse."

Li Shimin raised his eyebrows:
"What reason?"

Li Ming showed a wicked smile:
"Eating the blood of one's own people."

"What what?" Li Shimin didn't understand for a moment and stood there in a daze.

"We are taking advantage of the Jiucheng Palace incident." Li Ming said:
"Ashina Jieshelu, as a surrendered barbarian, enjoyed wealth and honor in the capital and was deeply trusted by the emperor, but he still brazenly committed such a rebellious act, which shows that barbarians cannot be trusted.

"Since the barbarians cannot be trusted, what's the point of 'binding' them? Isn't it just our wishful thinking?"

"This..." Li Shimin was startled, and after savoring it carefully, he immediately stood up from the dragon couch:

"That's right! Barbarians can't be trusted!"

The loyalty of the barbarians to the Central Plains dynasty is the key to the success of the policy of control.

The so-called "control" is essentially the Central Plains dynasty ceding ruling power to the ruling class of remote barbarians in exchange for the barbarians not causing trouble.

The Central Plains saved on ruling costs, and the barbarians gained real power, a win-win situation.

However, if the barbarians cannot be trusted...

The foundation of the policy of control is like being built on quicksand!
Li Shimin paced back and forth with his hands behind his back, his head down, his brain spinning rapidly.

For the first time, he began to doubt the effectiveness of the policy of control.

Li Ming's eyes followed Li Shimin all the time, and he did not forget to fan the flames:
“Your Majesty almost paid the price with blood because he trusted the barbarians.

“But now, the ministers in the court still choose to trust the character of the barbarians and set up vassal states on the trade routes.

"What do they want to do? Aren't they just waiting for those barbarians to continue to rebel and cut off the trade routes?

"If that time comes, will there be another Hou Junji in our dynasty? Will there be enough energy to lead the army to the west?"

Li Shimin suddenly stopped, pointed at Li Ming with a trembling finger, and suddenly realized:

"What you said... makes sense!
"China is the root and trunk of the tree, while the four barbarians are just the branches and leaves. How can we cut off the root and trunk to support the branches and leaves?" (China is the root and trunk; the four barbarians are the branches and leaves. How can the tree flourish if we cut off the root and trunk to support the branches and leaves?)

Seeing that his father was teachable, Li Ming nodded with great satisfaction.

Productivity determines production relations. It is difficult to say whether the policy of restraint is right or wrong, but it is far from being as bad as Li Ming said.

But Li Ming never argues about right or wrong.

Only children know right from wrong.

Adults care about benefits.

After brainwashing his father, the emperor, Li Ming finally showed his true colors:
"It won't work to control the state.

"So, should the control over Xichang Prefecture in the Western Regions and Ying Prefecture in Liaodong be abolished?"

(End of this chapter)