Tang Dynasty, my wife Wu Zetian

Chapter 146 Zhaoling Offers Prisoners
Linhu Hall is one of the palaces with the best views in Taiji Palace.

It was a hot July and the weather was scorching.

Li Zhi liked to stand on the lake-viewing platform north of the Linhu Palace and look out at the Nanhai Pond in the north.

Facing the water, the gentle breeze makes people feel extremely comfortable.

When Xue Rengui came to the palace, Li Zhi was admiring the scenery at the Guanhu Terrace.

He ordered the eunuchs to lead Xue Rengui to the Guanhu Terrace, and ordered Wang Fusheng to prepare the imperial wine in advance.

"Mr. Xue, your northern expedition this time has demonstrated the power of the Tang Dynasty and has not disappointed me. Come, I will personally toast you a glass." Li Zhi said with a smile.

Xue Rengui bent down to take the wine cup. After Li Zhi finished drinking, he drank the wine in the cup and said with a bow: "I am in Yancheng and have no choice..."

Li Zhi waved his hand and said, "This matter is excusable, there is no need to mention it again."

Xue Rengui replied, "Your Majesty, I have returned to Chang'an in such a hurry because I have something important to report to you."

Li Zhi walked to the railing and looked up at the lake. He saw a water bird swooping down from the sky. With a "splash", it picked up a fish and flew back into the air.

"Tell me, what's the matter?" he said slowly.

Xue Rengui came up behind him and said, "Among the Turkic tribes west of Suiye City, several have disappeared."

Li Zhi was slightly startled, then tilted his head and asked, "Gone?"

Xue Rengui said, "Yes, west of Suiye City, there was limited water and grass. The Dulu and Nushipi tribes fought fiercely for this area, and the Dulu were defeated and fled northwest towards Hengluo City. They disappeared without a trace."

In fact, the reason why the Dulu tribe was defeated by the Nushibi tribe was because Xue Rengui defeated the strongest Tuqishi tribe of the Dulu tribe.

Li Zhi pinched his chin and said, "Could it be that they have moved westward like the Xiongnu did back then?"

Xue Rengui said, "It is very likely that to the west of Hengluo, there are the Shi Kingdom, the Parthian Kingdom, and the Huoxun Kingdom. They have all sent envoys to the Anxi Protectorate, hoping that the Tang Dynasty will restrain the Turks and allow them to return to their old homeland."

Li Zhi laughed heartily and said, "It's going to rain, my mother is getting married, and the Turks are moving west. How can we stop them? Can we even chase them?"

He thought that the westward migration of the Turks might cause chaos in Central Asia, and he felt a little happy in his heart and waved his hand.

"Don't worry about them."

Xue Rengui said: "Yes."

Li Zhi turned around, leaned on the railing, and asked Xue Rengui, "What was Helu's reaction after he was captured?"

Xue Rengui frowned and said, "He seems to know he's going to die. He's extremely arrogant and has said a lot of disrespectful things. But his son Diyun seems to be trying to surrender."

Li Zhi smiled and said, "That's great. I was just worried that he would submit all of a sudden."

Xue Rengui was stunned, not quite understanding what Li Zhi meant.

Li Zhi said slowly, "Xue Qing, you personally fought against the Turks this time. What is your impression of them?"

Xue Rengui thought for a moment and said, "After my contact with the Turks, I found that they seem to be even more brutal than the Goguryeo and Tibetans. They are completely unlike those who once submitted to us."

Li Zhi nodded and said, "Well said. What do you think is the reason?"

Xue Rengui shook his head: "I can't think of it."

Li Zhi walked to a nearby stone bench and sat down. He then extended his hand to signal Xue Rengui to sit down as well. He slowly said, "In my opinion, there are two reasons for this situation. The first is the difference in civilization."

"Civilization...differences?" Xue Rengui repeated, as if he found these words a bit awkward.

Li Zhi said: "Our Central Plains has always been an agricultural civilization. Goguryeo and Tubo are both semi-agricultural civilizations, while the Turks are a nomadic civilization."

"The Turkic people's herding can only support a small population. Once their population increases, they can no longer support themselves and can only plunder everywhere."

"For agricultural civilizations, becoming powerful is the pursuit of stability. However, for them, becoming powerful means conquering and seizing pastures and water to feed a larger population. This is an irreconcilable contradiction. They cannot remain subservient to the Tang Dynasty forever."

Xue Rengui thought about it carefully and said, "Your Majesty, I agree with you. We can't support too many people with just cattle and sheep."

Li Zhi continued, "So if we want the nomadic peoples to truly submit, we can't rely solely on temporary friendship or gratitude. We need to change the system."

Xue Rengui asked, "Are you referring to the restraint system?"

Li Zhi nodded and said, "That's right. The restraint system can only be effective temporarily, not long-term."

To put it simply, the Tang Dynasty's control system means that as long as you submit to the Tang Dynasty, you are allowed to govern yourself.

In the縻system, local leaders appointed themselves emperors and reported to the Tang Dynasty. They were not required to pay taxes or provide troops.

If the Tang Dynasty wants them to send troops, it has to issue an order to recruit them. If too many troops are recruited, they will become resentful.

The縻system flourished during the Han and Tang dynasties. It was replaced by the縻system during the Yuan and Ming dynasties. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, it gradually developed into the縻system.

It is obvious that after learning lessons, later generations continued to strengthen centralization, which is also an effective method.

During the Tang Dynasty, the territory was very large, but many of them were vassal states and were unstable, so it shrank drastically after the Anshi Rebellion.

Now that we have just conquered Western Turkestan, post-war governance is very important, and it is a good opportunity to promote the reform of the vassal system.

Li Zhi did not intend to become rich all at once. He first slowly moved closer to the chieftain system of the Ming Dynasty, observed the situation, and then made follow-up plans.

A while ago, he had expressed some ideas about amending the control system in the court, and was immediately met with strong opposition from the civil servants.

The reason is simple; this is the ancestral rule.

The civil officials were afraid that the emperor would be carried away by victory and start to act recklessly, so they took a very tough stance and were determined to make his remonstrances to the death.

Most of these civil servants are upright and their starting point is also for the country.

Li Zhi was helpless and could not directly demote them and cause chaos in the court.

He has been thinking about it for a while and he must find a way to make the civil servants realize the drawbacks of the control system.

These civil servants stayed in the capital for a long time and had no contact with the Turks. They put themselves in their shoes and believed that as long as the Tang Dynasty treated the Turks kindly, they would be grateful and wholeheartedly submit to it.

This is the limitation of the times and the limitation of vision.

Even a soldier like Xue Rengui could not understand the actual situation of the nomadic peoples without directly fighting them. Li Zhi wanted to use Helu to change the civil officials' views on foreign tribes and thus implement the reform of the control policy.

So the more arrogant Helu is, the better.

……

Five days later, Su Dingfang escorted Helu and a group of captives back to Chang'an.

Li Zhi issued an edict, ordering Su Dingfang to escort Helu to the south of Chang'an City, enter from Mingde Gate, and parade him north along Zhuque Street for public display.

After arriving at Suzaku Gate, the team turned west, then turned north, exited from Gwanghwamun, and headed towards Zhaoling.

Li Zhi was planning to offer the captives directly at Zhaoling.

In the prison car, Helu was first paraded through the streets, and then he heard that he was being sent to Zhaoling to pay homage to Li Shimin. He was very angry and kept cursing all the way, cursing both Li Zhi and Su Dingfang.

Later, the accompanying soldiers sealed his mouth and he finally calmed down.

In the afternoon, the surrender team finally arrived at Zhaoling. Li Zhi and his ministers had already been waiting at the altar of North Sima Gate.

When they reached the foot of the mountain, everyone dismounted and Helu was taken off the prison car.

When passing by Taizong's mausoleum, the soldiers escorting him forced him to kowtow to the mausoleum.

Follow the main road all the way up the mountain and around to Bei Sima Gate.

This is the worship platform of Zhaoling Mausoleum. It is higher in the south and lower in the north, with five layers, each layer higher than the previous one.

Li Zhi and his ministers were standing on the fourth floor. A kneeling platform was built in the west corner, and there was a stone tablet on the platform. They were all temporary structures, which recorded Helu's crimes.

Helu was taken to the kneeling platform and knelt facing the main mausoleum.

He struggled to stand up, but four soldiers held his shoulders and legs firmly with four batons.

The other prisoners were kneeling on the third level.

As the ceremonial officer sang the ceremony, Li Zhi stepped out, personally paid homage to Emperor Taizong, and recited the prayer.

Because the sacrificial text was too long, he only read part of it, and the rest was read by the ritual officer. It took him two hours to finish it.

Li Zhi followed the procedure and went to Taizong's bedroom in the west to pay homage.

When he returned to the altar to worship again, the process should have been completed.

Li Zhi suddenly walked towards Helu, and all the ministers were surprised and looked at him sideways.

Li Zhi came up to Helu, removed the gauze that was blocking his mouth, and said in a deep voice: "Helu, I have something to ask you."

Helu stared at him without saying a word.

Xu Jingzong walked up behind Li Zhi and whispered, "Your Majesty, if you have anything to say, ask it when you get back. Asking here might disturb Taizong's heroic spirit."

Li Zhi waved his hand and said, "No, I believe the late emperor would also like to know the questions I want to ask."

Seeing this, Xu Jingzong didn't dare to say anything more.

Li Zhi looked at Helu and asked, "Helu, you came to surrender when you were desperate, and the late emperor treated you well. Why did you rebel against the Tang Dynasty?"

Helu sneered and said, "Why are you still asking these questions now? If you want to kill me, then kill me."

Li Zhi said solemnly, "You are the Khan of the Turks after all. If you dare to do such a treacherous thing, don't you dare to admit it?"

Helu said angrily: "What a bullshit betrayal! We Turks don't believe in such things!"

Han Ai shouted, "How bold the Hu people are!"

Li Zhi glanced sideways at the ministers and said, "It is now between me and Helu who are talking. You are not allowed to interrupt!"

Helu laughed heartily and said, "We Turks are the eagles of the grasslands. We only believe in the strong. The weak are not worthy of our support!"

Li Zhi looked at him and said, "Are you saying that I am a weak person?"

Helu snorted and said, "Indeed, Su Dingfang only used a sneak attack to break into my tent. In a head-on battle, I wouldn't necessarily lose!"

Li Zhi asked, "So, when you surrendered, you were planning to rebel?"

Helu said confidently, "I did surrender sincerely at first, but later my tribe grew stronger and stronger, and the Heavenly Khan passed away. It was only right that a stronger person should inherit the throne of Heavenly Khan."

Li Zhi shook his head and said, "I have always believed that the Turks are loyal, brave and upright. I never thought there would be scum like you among them."

Helu was furious: "I am a pure Turk. What do you know? Most of us Turks do not submit to the Tang Dynasty. It was the chiefs who persuaded me to rebel against the Tang Dynasty!"

Li Zhi said, "Nonsense! Since you surrendered, the Tang Dynasty has given you pastures for grazing and protected you. How could the other chiefs rebel?"

Helu felt a sense of pleasure when he saw that Li Zhi seemed a little angry.

"You naturally don't understand. We Turks are a people who pursue conquest. We are warriors born for battle. No one can make us submit forever, not even the Tang Dynasty."

Many officials' faces changed after hearing this.

Li Zhi snorted and said, "That's nonsense. You must have instigated them to rebel against the Tang. Otherwise, why are the Eastern Turks so loyal?"

Helu laughed loudly: "Li Zhi, you are too naive. Even if they are not as good as us Western Turks, they are descendants of Tumen Khan after all. Do you think they will always submit to you?"

Li Zhi said: "Stop trying to sow discord!"

Helu laughed and said, "If you don't believe me, forget it. Just wait and see, Li Zhi. Even if this Khan dies, we Turks will destroy the Tang Dynasty in the future, just like we destroyed the Rouran!"

The Turks were originally iron smelting slaves of the Rouran Khanate. Later, after they grew stronger, they destroyed the Rouran Khanate.

Li Zhi glanced sideways at his ministers and saw that the civil officials all had ugly expressions, while the military generals all looked indignant. Thinking that time was almost up, he did not ask any more questions.

The surrender ceremony ended quickly.

After resting for one night in the palace at the foot of the mountain, Li Zhi returned to Chang'an City in the imperial sedan chair the next day.

(End of this chapter)