Traveling through Du He, Li Chengqian's rebellion begins

When the civil and military officials heard that feudal lords would be enfeoffed this year, they all stood up and bowed.

"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"

During the ensuing banquet, Li Chengqian and Li Shimin first inquired about what the generals had seen and heard over the years, and then began to reminisce about the events of their first departure from Chang'an more than ten years ago.

The banquet lasted for two hours before ending as the generals were still reluctant to leave.

Over the next few days, Li Chengqian and Li Shimin summoned these generals to learn about Africa's geography, customs, people's livelihood, and climate.

After catching up for a few days, Du He led the group of generals on a tour of Chang'an for a few more days.

When these generals saw the completely transformed Chang'an, and thought of the city construction in Africa, they all spoke up.

"Compared to Chang'an, the African continent seems to be still in the era of eating raw meat and drinking blood."

"If only our fiefdom were in India, Persia, or the Western Turkic Khaganate!"

“Central and southern Africa are alright. The land is flat, with abundant water and grass, and there is plenty of arable land. However, it is too far from the Tang Dynasty, and future trade will be difficult.”

"I wonder if those unlucky guys will be banished to Africa by His Majesty."

"..."

When Du He heard the generals whispering among themselves, his expression immediately turned strange.

If these generals knew that their fiefdom was in Africa, I wonder what they would think now.

Let them be happy for a while longer!

After returning to Chang'an, these generals did not need to attend court or assist in governance. Apart from spending time with their families, they were busy preparing for the migration of their entire clans.

After His Majesty bestows titles upon the princes and kings, they must immediately relocate.

As for other powerful families and vassal kings, they were also busy packing up their gold and silver treasures and winning over the people around their clan territories, so that these people would come and live with them in their fiefdoms.

Xuanzheng Hall.

Unlike the bustling scenes across the Tang Dynasty, the atmosphere inside the main hall was unusually peaceful.

On the imperial platform.

Li Chengqian said with comfort, "Du He, I have an idea. After the great conferment of titles upon the princes, I will ride with you in a hot air balloon to offer sacrifices to the heavens!"

"Hot air balloons can fly thousands of feet high; surely the mountains in this world can't be that high?"

What?

Offering sacrifices to the heavens in a hot air balloon?

What's wrong with Li Chengqian's thought process?

Du He quickly said, "Your Majesty, it is possible to fly a hundred feet in a hot air balloon to offer sacrifices to the heavens, but flying ten thousand feet is very risky, almost a matter of life and death."

"How about we go to Mount Tai or the Himalayas to perform the Fengshan ceremony?"

Thinking of what Du He had said before, the highest peak of the Himalayas is about 3 feet high, covered in ice and snow, with thin air, and it is very difficult to climb it by human power alone.

However, performing the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai would not be enough to demonstrate his great achievements.

Hesitated for a long time.

Li Chengqian said with regret, "In that case, let's perform the Fengshan ceremony in Chang'an by hot air balloon. I hope that millions of people in Chang'an can witness this grand event together!"

Du He said with a smile, "Your Majesty is wise!"

Over the years, the two of them often talked about the Fengshan ceremony. Li Chengqian's initial idea was to perform the Fengshan ceremony at the top of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Later, as he got older, he wanted to perform the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai. Now, he has changed his mind and decided to perform the Fengshan ceremony by hot air balloon.

However, Li Chengqian's idea is quite good; at least it doesn't require so much trouble.

Du He asked curiously, "Your Majesty, now that the Tang Dynasty has unified the world, Hou Junji, Xue Rengui, Cheng Yaojin and others will return in two months. Can you tell me now how much more land you have granted me?"

Li Chengqian smiled and shook his head: "It's a secret."

There was a pause.

Li Chengqian winked and said, "You'll find out when the time comes."

Seeing Li Chengqian's mysterious demeanor, Du He pursed her lips and didn't ask any further questions.

The two then began to discuss the affairs of the Tang Dynasty and the progress of various projects recently implemented.

Li Chengqian stroked his beard and said, "Du He, the railway tracks, stretching tens of thousands of miles, have already been laid from Laizhou to the Byzantine territory, and will reach Rouen in less than two years."

When will a manned train be built?

"And the hot air balloons, I've heard you've been sending people to test them frequently lately. How are their stability and reliability now?"

This railway was laid in the middle of the official road, so there was no need to cut through mountains to build roads, and no need to send extra officials to maintain the railway. Those in charge of the post stations could simply do the maintenance along the way.

Du He cupped his hands and said, "The steam engine technology has completed its third iteration. After the fourth iteration, it will be able to officially carry people."

"The engineering team guarding the Abbasid Caliphate has discovered oil and they are studying the technology for extracting and refining it. Meanwhile, the craftsmen at the Gewu Garden have begun to study internal combustion engine technology, which will be used in the manufacture of trains and automobiles in the future."

"As for hot air balloon technology, it is now quite stable and reliable, and can be used when the weather is good."

Upon hearing Du He utter two more unfamiliar words, Li Chengqian's expression shifted slightly, but he didn't ask any further questions.

Since I wouldn't understand even if I asked, I might as well wait for Du He to make it.

Over the next two months, the issue that Du He and Li Chengqian discussed most was the specific fiefdoms of powerful families and officials.

Du He now knows everything about everyone else's fiefdom, but he doesn't know anything about his own.

...

Time flies, and September 15th has arrived in the blink of an eye.

On the day the army that had conquered North and South America returned in triumph, Chang'an was immediately filled with celebration. The city was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, just like during the New Year.

Under Li Chengqian's advance order, officials in various prefectures and counties of the Tang Dynasty held grand banquets to celebrate the unification of the country.

Daming Palace.

Inside the Linde Hall.

The Li imperial family and civil and military officials gathered together, filling the spacious hall to capacity.

On the imperial platform.

Li Shimin's gaze swept over Li Jing, Cheng Yaojin, Yuchi Gong, Niu Jinda, Li Junxian, Xue Wanche, and others. Looking at the group of white-bearded civil and military officials, his tone was full of emotion.

"The officials of the Zhenguan era are all old now!"

Du He wrote in a poem, “I wanted to buy osmanthus flowers and share wine, but it will never be like the carefree days of my youth.”

Time flies!

The faces of the civil and military officials in the main hall were also filled with emotion.

The left side of the main hall, towards the front.

Ma Zhou stroked his beard and said, "The officials who entered office during the Wude era and the early Zhenguan era are all in their seventies or eighties, while the officials who entered office at the end of the Zhenguan era are already in their thirties or forties."

"Forty years have passed in the blink of an eye. Just as another poem by King Han says, youth will not return, and a day will not dawn twice!"

"However, as we, the ministers, gradually grow old, His Majesty and the King of Han still look like young men, as if they will not grow old with time."

Upon hearing Ma Zhou's words of lament, all the civil and military officials turned their attention to Li Chengqian and Du He.

In their eyes, His Majesty and the King of Han had matured considerably, but their appearances did not seem particularly aged.

Perhaps this is the benefit of neglecting one's duties!

Many officials had experienced the reigns of the emperors Wude and Zhenguan, and they had never seen anyone like King Han and His Majesty who preferred to shirk their responsibilities.

Other monarchs and high-ranking officials wished they could hold all the power in their own hands.

Both His Majesty and the King of Han wished they could divide all their power among themselves.

Or perhaps it was because they didn't need to work day and night, nor did they need to overwork themselves with state affairs, and could take time each day to accompany their wives and children and travel around, that allowed them to age more slowly.