Time Travel: I am the idle king Li Shen and Li Shimin in the Tang Dynasty

It was an island without a name, not because it had no country, but because Li Shen simply didn't write it down.

Having lived there for so many years, Zhao Laosi had long since figured out the situation on each island.

They also occupied a small island, blocking the shipping lanes to the Spice Islands.

The reason they didn't write their names was because Li Shen felt they didn't deserve names; he believed there were no good people among the natives of this place.

The people here are extremely xenophobic, and because of the harsh environment on the island, they are equally vicious.

However, it depends on who it is. For a pirate crew that spends most of its time at sea, it's nothing. With a single order from Zhao Laosi, those who resisted were slaughtered and thrown into the sea to feed the fish.

"Gentlemen, there are indeed many native people on the islands in this sea area. They are still an uncivilized barbarian tribe."

Many of the Kunlun slaves in the Tang Dynasty were captured from here by merchants from the Western Regions.

They lived on islands, were skilled in the water, and many merchants would buy some of them as servants.

Li Shen pointed to the ground with a small stick as he explained.

"I remember that there were some small countries here that came to the Tang Dynasty to pay tribute. I think there was one called Kalinga."

Li Shimin then spoke up, recalling that there seemed to be such a country that had come before, but not every year.

Looking at the map now, it's clear they travel a long way and can't come every year.

“Ah, and everyone else, this place is not just the country of Kalinga. According to our intelligence, the country of Kalinga was originally located here.”

Later, due to military pressure from Srivijaya, the Kingdom of Kalinga moved to East Java.

There are many countries in this region: Javada, Bhagavan, Haradan, Gandharva, and Bhali, but they are all very small and weak.

Li Shen explained to everyone again that these were all messages sent back by Zhao Laosi.

"Your Highness, there are many small kingdoms here. This old minister wishes to ask how to deal with them. Although our Great Tang is powerful, it is far away from here."

If they unite against us, we may not be able to defend our city.

The imperial court will not station a large force here.

Changsun Wuji asked the question.

Throughout history, the Tang Dynasty's military forces have not been stationed on land, but rather on the sea, which they considered a natural barrier.

Even though Malacca is important, not too many troops will be stationed there.

"Hehe, I have already thought about this problem. Our Great Tang is determined to take this place, so everything that stands in our way is an enemy."

Since they are enemies, we need not show any mercy. My opinion is that those who submit to me will prosper, and those who oppose me will perish.

All the men were conscripted to do corvée labor, building roads, city walls, and border fortifications, while the women stayed behind to reproduce.

All the rebels were killed and thrown into the sea to feed the fish.

"Gentlemen, these islands have gold and silver deposits. Aren't you tempted?"

Li Shen appeared to be smiling, but his eyes narrowed, revealing a ruthless and fierce glint.

He was no longer a novice. Although he hadn't personally killed many people, he had witnessed tens of thousands die at his hands, most of whom he had watched die right before his eyes.

Li Shen is now mentally very strong.

Li Shen always kept one sentence in mind: Never forget national humiliation. What future generations did to the Chinese people, let their ancestors pay for it.

Some races are born evil, their genes carrying a sinister quality; such people are descendants of demons.

As a messenger of justice, Li Shen must wipe them out completely.

Li Shen's words made the people present frown: slaughter, extermination.

As the legends say, Prince Ji was indeed vicious and ruthless.

Those overseas natives had no grudge against King Ji, yet King Ji wanted to slaughter them for his own benefit.

Everyone present frowned, even Li Shimin frowned as he looked at Li Shen, the son who always played tricks on him, had this side to him too.

"What kind of looks are those of you? For those of our kind, their hearts are different. They are different from other races. They are stubborn and unyielding, and they are wild and untamed."

Rather than waiting for them to rebel against us in the future, we might as well strike first.

Li Shen was puzzled when he saw everyone looking at him like that.

“Your Highness Prince Ji, such actions are probably against the will of Heaven,” Changsun Wuji shook his head in rejection.

"Duke Zhao, if Ma Zhongshu had said these words, I would have no reason to refute them. But you, Duke Zhao, have followed my father for so many years and have even been to the battlefield."

"There are some things I don't need to say, are there?"

Li Shen raised an eyelid and looked at Changsun Wuji.

Damn it, when you were slaughtering people, you didn't say it was against the natural order, but when it comes to me, it's against the natural order.

After years of fighting, how could there not have been massacres of cities? Countless innocent civilians alone died.

And the northern barbarians always carried out massacres; otherwise, why would they be so afraid of the Tang Dynasty?

Every time they entered the city, they burned, killed, and looted. Why was Hou Junji severely punished?

Now that they've succeeded, they're spouting all sorts of benevolence and morality, which Li Shen finds utterly distasteful.

Changsun Wuji felt somewhat embarrassed by what Li Shen said. Indeed, he had killed many innocent people when he was conquering the world.

When two armies clash, life and death are irrelevant, but sometimes it does affect ordinary people, with conscription and forced labor, resulting in countless deaths.

Although massacres of entire cities were not publicized, they did occur.

"Your Highness, if all their men are conscripted for forced labor, how will the women give birth?"

Ma Zhou then stepped in to smooth things over and change the subject.

"This is what I wanted to say. In the past, prisoners were exiled to Lingnan. Now we can send them to these islands so that they can multiply and thrive."

They are still people of our Great Tang Dynasty, and the imperial court can control them more easily there.

Even if this place falls out of our control in the future, no matter what, they will always be descendants of the Tang Dynasty people, and they will forever be Tang Dynasty people.

In this era, matrilinealism is not important; what matters is men.

The men were from the Tang Dynasty, and their children were of Tang blood. In addition, through verbal instruction and personal example, the children would come to believe that they were Tang people from a young age.

Centuries later, they are still of the bloodline of the Tang Dynasty.

"That's not a good plan," Hou Junji agreed. As generals, they were decisive and ruthless, and felt no guilt whatsoever for killing.

The important thing is to conform to the interests of the imperial court or oneself.

"But if this matter gets out, it might cause the people to criticize the court, and if the foreign vassal states find out, it will damage the reputation of our Great Tang as a land of etiquette."

After thinking for a moment, Ma Zhou spoke up. "Regardless, the Tang Dynasty now proclaims itself a land of propriety, governing the country with rites."

“What Ma Zhongshu said is absolutely right. If this gets out to the outside world, it will indeed have a great impact on the court, and the court’s reputation will plummet.”

The imperial court has always been a benevolent and righteous army, and the sudden news of the massacre of foreign tribes would be unacceptable to the people.

(Leave no one behind)