Please call me Your Majesty!

Chapter 122 If you want to fight, then fight! The Western Expedition begins!

This is not Chu Shizhao deliberately raising Gu.

But when it comes to the issue of succession, Chu Shizhao cannot be careless.

How many wise and powerful monarchs worked so hard to build their empires, only to lose them at the hands of their own sons.

Qin Shihuang and Emperor Wen of Sui are two typical cases.

Of course, it would be difficult for Qin Shihuang to take over the throne, let alone Hu Hai. , Even Fusu would have found it difficult. Zulong, who had just unified the six kingdoms, had made drastic reforms that affected too many interests. The overthrow of the Qin Dynasty's rule not only dissatisfied the nobles of the six kingdoms, but also many people in Qin itself.

It’s just that Qin Shihuang’s majesty was high enough and his military power was strong enough. When he was alive, no one dared to touch him. After Qin Shihuang’s death, everyone felt that they were the real emperor.

An emperor without any ability would not be able to handle the job of Qin II.

In addition, the most outrageous person was Zhu Qizhen, the son of Ming Xuanzong Zhu Zhanji.

As a great and holy grandson, Zhu Zhanji can be called a hexagonal warrior in the Ming Dynasty, from domestic affairs to the ability to lead troops in battle, from governing the country to personal talent.

But is it useful?
No matter how wise and brave Zhu Zhanji was, he was still defeated by his "genius" son, Zhu Qizhen, a student studying abroad in Wala.

It can be said that Zhu Zhanji's eldest son, by his own efforts, lowered the overall evaluation of Emperor Xuanzong of the Ming Dynasty.

Li Yuan was honored because of his son, but Zhu Qizhen relied on his own abilities to lower his father's reputation.

If you can't give birth to a son, you will be criticized.

Among the emperors over thousands of years, Zhu Qizhen is really a rare typical example of someone who is both incompetent and playful.

The positive buff of the Renzong and Xuanzong reigns was enough to overthrow Zhu Qizhen in one go.

Logically speaking, most emperors couldn't do that.

Even among the incompetent emperors, he would be ranked as a T0 "god".

How could Chu Shizhao accept the appearance of such a 'Son of Heaven knocking on the door' among his successors? Therefore, when it comes to raising his son, Chu Shizhao puts backbone first, strength second, and morality third.

The family tradition of the Jinyang Li family was absorbed by Chu Jimin.

The thick black theory of Huan family in Liangzhou was digested by Chu Jiyue.

In simulation, the information it gives you is not necessarily accurate. It only gives you what you see, rather than telling you everything you cannot see.

You must judge the authenticity of these contents for yourself.

Look at it from the perspective of behavior and logic.

Chu Jiyue was able to obtain strong support from the group of civil officials.

This is already unusual.

Whether it is Guo You and Wen Yu from the poor family faction, or Huan Sheng, who is a relative by marriage and a new member of the aristocratic family.

They all showed their attachment.

Needless to say, Huan Sheng had to help Chu Jiyue just because of their blood relationship, but the other civil officials were not fools either.

It doesn't make sense to say that Chu Jiyue is a nerd who only cares about benevolence and righteousness.

Given Guo You's personality, it is impossible for him to choose a nerd as his lord. You can talk about benevolence, righteousness, and morality, but if you use the benevolence, righteousness, and morality in the books of sages to govern the country, do you think Guo You will curse at you?

In fact, Chu Shizhao's best solution was to let Chu Jiyue succeed to the throne.

Chu Jiyue was not only the first in line of succession and the legitimate son, but also the first one in the Huan family to hand in the original shares. In addition, Chu Shizhao launched many foreign wars during his reign. If it were not for the successful reform of the Single Whip Law, which provided a period of rapid economic development, the Great Zhou Dynasty would have been on the verge of collapse.

On the other hand, most of those who supported Chu Jimin were generals who came from the military merit system. Unlike the promotion method for civil officials, generals could not be promoted without fighting. Moreover, the generals brought by Chu Shizhao were all brave and good at fighting, and they were very eager to fight.

Let the second son succeed to the throne. Not to mention the second Emperor Wu of Han, in terms of military, he is at least a Zhu Di. It may not even be that Chu Jimin himself wanted to fight, but his generals wanted to "force" Chu Jimin to march north to gain military merit.

Chu Shizhao thought about it and decided that it should be based on the order of first come first served.

Otherwise, wouldn’t it discourage my subordinates?
[In the 19th year of Kaihuang, the Silk Road created by Chu Shizhao became increasingly prosperous. Many merchants of the Great Zhou Dynasty began to trade with foreign countries through this road. This also caused many countries passing through the Silk Road to start collecting taxes from merchants of the Great Zhou Dynasty in order to gain benefits.]

[At first, Chu Shizhao thought that the tax collection of these countries should be reasonable and appropriate, so he also collected commercial taxes from the Western Region merchants who traveled to and from the Great Zhou Dynasty. ]

[However, there was a country called Khwarezm, which was located on the Silk Road and occupied a piece of Feng Shui treasure land. It considered itself to be the overlord of the region and believed that the Silk Road contained gold and wealth, so it wanted to monopolize the trade advantages brought by the Silk Road.]

[Chu Shizhao sent envoys to constantly deal with these Western Regions countries. There were many merchants with official status of the Great Zhou Dynasty on the Silk Road, and Chu Shizhao also filled the treasury by selling silk, tea and other commodities that other countries did not have.]

[On the Silk Road, the silk, porcelain, and tea of ​​the Zhou Dynasty were the most popular commodities, and almost every transaction brought huge profits.]

[In March of the 19th year of Kaihuang, Khwarezm sent its own army to control the main trade routes on the Silk Road, and killed or captured the merchants from the Great Zhou Dynasty.]

[In Khwarezm, some rulers believed that the Great Zhou Dynasty was too far away from Khwarezm, and they were a must-pass place on the Silk Road. ]

[As a result, Khwarezm, which was a must-pass place, should have enjoyed the benefits brought by the Silk Road alone, but most of it was divided up by the Great Zhou Dynasty.]

【Now, Khwarezm is strong, with an army of more than 400,000, and has strong power to control the Silk Road. On the contrary, through some backward news, Khwarezm learned that the Great Zhou Dynasty had experienced the Luma Rebellion, and its national strength should not be enough to travel a long distance to fight them. 】

[From the perspective of interests and strength, Khwarezm felt that they had sufficient advantages, which is why they acted so brazenly. ]

[In April of the 19th year of Kaihuang, Chu Shizhao did not send envoys to contact Khwarezm, but instead asked the ministers at the court how to act in the face of such a situation in order to be worthy of the state.]

[At the court meeting, many ministers pointed out the advantages of the Great Zhou Dynasty, as well as its disadvantages.]

[Khwarezm is too far away from the homeland of the Great Zhou Dynasty. The long journey is not conducive to the transportation of food, which also means that it is extremely difficult for infantry to participate in this war. ]

【The main force of the Great Zhou Dynasty is still infantry. Khwarezm has so many troops, and it is difficult to annihilate the other side in terms of strength. 】【Since Khwarezm wants the benefits of the Silk Road, it is better to give these benefits to the barbarians. The Great Zhou Dynasty does not necessarily have to rely on trade. 】

【Chu Shizhao was extremely dissatisfied after hearing this.】

Huan Sheng stood up at the right time and said, "Our lord is wise and has conquered all the neighboring countries. But now a small foreign barbarian dares to bully us. How can we give in today and give in again tomorrow? How can this be justified?"

[“Since your majesty ascended the throne, my great Zhou Dynasty has been visited by many nations. How great is its prosperity. If we allow this small barbarian to gain power at this moment, the other vassal states that have submitted to my great Zhou Dynasty will inevitably harbor disloyalty. Therefore, I believe that this war must be fought.”]

[The Crown Prince Chu Jiyue, who was also the regent, was surprised. He had not expected that his uncle Huan Sheng would have such a resolute attitude this time, and even openly confronted a group of court officials.]

[After the court meeting, Chu Jiyue found Huan Sheng and asked curiously, "Uncle, what do you want to do?"]

[“If we really want to attack Khwarezm, it will weaken the national strength of the Great Zhou. Moreover, my father is old and it is not appropriate for him to lead the army to fight in person.”]

Huan Sheng sighed and said, "I have served the Lord for more than twenty years. I know your Majesty's heart."

[“After the Luma Rebellion, the envoy Su Fu was humiliated by the Xiongnu court, and Your Majesty was deeply ashamed. This is why he engraved the stone on Yanran and destroyed the Xiongnu.”]

[“The Silk Road was originally developed by our Great Zhou Dynasty, and countless trade routes were called Kaihuang Road. But now it has been taken over by Khwarezm. Isn’t this a contempt for the Great Zhou Dynasty?”]

[“The purpose of a country being strong is to avoid being bullied by foreign enemies. Now Khwarezm has bullied us. How do you think your Majesty can tolerate this with his temper?!”]

[“As long as your majesty is in power, you and I are your majesty’s subjects. Your majesty’s affairs are all our concerns. You can go against the officials, but as the heir to the throne, you and I, as a close minister and relative, cannot go against the monarch.”]

[“I have this honor, apart from my limited talents, more importantly, it is because of the friendship we had in the past. Your Majesty will never abandon the Huan family easily because of my loyalty.”]

[“Standing against Your Majesty is the way for our Huan family to die.”]

[Chu Jiyue stared at Huan Sheng and said, "But this battle is not easy to fight."]

[“If we empty the national treasury and fight an unnecessary war, it will be a loss for the people of the world and for the country.”]

Chu Jiyue analyzed the situation again and said, "With so many drawbacks, if we suffer a major defeat, not only will our father's wisdom be shattered, but the Great Zhou will also be in an irreparable situation."

[“What if the second prince supports the Western Expedition to Khwarezm?” Huan Sheng said coldly. ]

【Chu Jiyue fell into silence.】

[“The Second Prince supports your majesty’s expedition to the west, so your majesty should love him a little more. Since your majesty cannot lead the expedition in person, it is very likely that the Second Prince will be asked to lead the expedition in person. If he loses, it will be fine, but if the Second Prince wins, what will you do?” Huan Sheng continued: “This world does not belong to you alone.”]

[“God gives you a chance, if you don’t cherish it, someone else will.”]

[“Those military officials have long been eyeing the opportunity to make great achievements.” Huan Sheng sighed: “Uncle, I am standing next to those who advocate war this time. As the crown prince, can’t you see my intention clearly?”]

[“You, you should also let those military officials see your great talent and strategy.”]

[“It is wrong to cater to only a certain group of people. There may be some military officials who are loyal to the country.”]

[“What my uncle means is,” Chu Jiyue suddenly understood, “this time, if I don’t support my father’s westward expedition, then my second brother will seize this opportunity.”]

[“If he succeeds, he can lead his army to the west.”]

[“It’s fine if we lose, but once Jimin wins the Western Expedition, he will have unrivalled prestige in the army, hold military power, and be favoured by my father. Then I will be in danger.”]

Huan Sheng continued: "You are against it, and he is for it, so one of you must be wrong. If he is for it, and you are for it, then you are both wrong or both right."

[“If the Second Prince supports the Western Expedition, you should also support it. Since you are the legitimate son and the eldest son, you may be able to win over the generals who are going to the Western Expedition.”]

[“Among the generals in the court today, apart from Lan Qichou and Yang Yanchao who have close personal relationships with the Second Prince, and Li Jin and Li Shengming who are relatives and friends of the Second Prince, you can win over Yang Fang and Han Gu.” Huan Sheng then said, “Your second uncle Huan Jie has been in charge of Liangzhou for more than 30 years, and Huangfu Jian and Duan Qi are both generals from Liangzhou.”]

[“Things have come to this point. You can have no ambitions, and you can choose not to attack the Second Prince, but you must be able to protect yourself.”]

[“Also, you have to remember that Khwarezm not only disgraced the Great Zhou Dynasty, but also disgraced your father, your father.” Huan Sheng said earnestly: “If the king humiliates the minister, he will die. What’s more, he is your father?”]

Chu Jiyue immediately knelt on the ground, "Jiyue is grateful for your advice, uncle. I forgot the principle that if the king humiliates his subjects, they will die."

[“These barbarians bullied my father, and I, as his eldest son and heir apparent, actually thought about how to seek peace.” Chu Jiyue said indignantly, “This is my shame. I am willing to submit a letter and lead the Western Expedition on behalf of my father.”]

[“Good.” Huan Sheng nodded and said, “My uncle doesn’t have much time left. This is all I can say.”]

[“Eat the emperor’s salary and be loyal to him. Remember, there is only one person in the Zhou Dynasty who can call the wind and rain, and that is your father.”]

[“He is the only one who can manage all the officials and subjects in the world.”]

[In late April of the 19th year of Kaihuang, Chu Jiyue and Chu Jimin simultaneously submitted a petition, begging their father to conquer Khwarezm and the rebellious and unjust countries in the west, in order to stabilize the national prestige and care for the people.]

[Khwarezmian Empire killed the people of our Great Zhou Dynasty and robbed the merchants of our Great Zhou Dynasty in the Western Regions. It is really hateful! They deserve to be destroyed. ]

[In May of the 19th year of Kaihuang, after the two princes expressed their opinions, the other civil and military officials who were still waiting and watching, not knowing Chu Shizhao's true intentions and not daring to make a decision easily, expressed their dissatisfaction with indignation. Many people had been looking forward to the Western Expedition for a long time.]

[Now that Khwarezm has done this, we must march westwards and it is urgent! ]

[In June of the 19th year of Kaihuang, the Great Zhou Dynasty announced the rupture of diplomatic relations with Khwarezm. Chu Shizhao decided to march westward to Khwarezm. During this expedition, Chu Shizhao appointed Han Gu as the General of the Western Expedition and Chu Jimin as the commander-in-chief to assist in the war.]

[In order to prepare for this war, Chu Shizhao began to reorganize the troops on the territory of the Great Zhou Dynasty, train soldiers, improve their weapons, and collect food and grass.]

[In the 20th year of Kaihuang, the Western Expedition began! ! ! ]

[And Chu Shizhao, the common ruler of the world, personally opened the first act of the Great Zhou's Western Expedition! ! ! ]

【“Let’s face it!”】

[A simple and straightforward manifesto to fight against the rebels was written by Chu Shizhao himself and announced to the court.]

(End of this chapter)