Tang Dynasty: Father, if you don't rebel, I will!

The various "feudal kings" of Japan were filled with dread because of the arrival of the Tang Dynasty army in Fukuoka.

Silla, Baekje, and Goguryeo were constantly engaged in open and covert struggles, with frequent border conflicts.

The Turkic Khaganate was already defunct in name only. The remaining group, led by the Siyabgu Khan, was already disunited and scattered with the Tang army on its westward expedition, with Turkic tribes frequently breaking away from the group and fleeing westward.

Meanwhile, on the Tibetan Plateau, the Tubo, Supi, Yangtong, and various tribes large and small that had once betrayed Tubo and split off from it were all in a state of turmoil and conflict.

However, the Tang Dynasty was surrounded by these countries.

But the Mid-Autumn Festival of the second year of Zhenguan was fast approaching.

Although there were still half a month until the festival, the Mid-Autumn Festival atmosphere had already spread throughout the entire Tang Dynasty.

"People have money now, and they're willing to spend it..."

Li Chengqian was dressed in luxurious casual clothes, exuding an innate noble air. Combined with his heroic and handsome face, even with a beautiful woman like Li Xueyan by his side, he was still quite dashing.

In this relatively open-minded Tang Dynasty, they inevitably attracted frequent glances from young women and wives on the street.

Even more so, some of them stared directly at Li Chengqian, giving him flirtatious glances.

However, at this moment, the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty was focused entirely on the ordinary people who were shopping in the shops along the street.

Li Xueyan smiled sweetly beside her.

"This is Taiyuan Prefecture after all, and the people here were the first to enjoy the benefits brought by the Crown Prince's new policies. Naturally, their wealth is the greatest. Although other places cannot compare with Taiyuan Prefecture, the people here are clearly much richer this year."

"Hahaha..." Li Chengqian laughed heartily.

"It will be alright. The future will only get better and better. When that time comes, ordinary people will gradually become more and more of the customers of your clothing business, Xueyan."

"At present, I can only ensure that the people of my Great Tang are well-fed and clothed, but in the future, they will surely eat and dress well!"

"The people of my Celestial Empire should act like the Celestial Empire!"

Li Chengqian's words brought a hint of anticipation to the faces of the Imperial Guards and the soldiers of the Eastern Palace's Six Guards who were protecting him from the crowd.

With such a wise ruler, they fought and died on the battlefield for the sake of the Tang Dynasty.

How could I feel regret?

The Zhenguan is not yet officially operational to the public.

The insufficient number of trains and the temporary absence of station officials along the line ultimately prevented the people of the Tang Dynasty from experiencing the powerful capabilities of the "ancestor of steam" during this Mid-Autumn Festival.

but.

Li Yun has already received his military order, and the deadline is this year's Lunar New Year at the latest.

The main railway line from Chang'an to Taiyuan will be fully operational.

The number of Zhenguan trains can also guarantee at least five batches.

As for now.

The Zhenguan car became Li Chengqian's private vehicle for convenient travel between the two places.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching.

On the streets of Taiyuan Prefecture, people were either buying groceries or taking their wives and children out to buy cloth or new clothes.

The restaurants along the street displayed several large jars of fine wine at their entrances, including homemade rice wine.

There were also distributors of products from the Bingzhou government, similar to Bingzhou Fenjiu.

In designated livestock sales areas, one can see many standard Turkic people using slightly broken Chinese, speaking and gesturing to tell the price of live sheep to those who come to buy them.

They even produced the quarantine documents issued by Zhenbei Road.

Even though the people of Bingzhou are now living a more comfortable life, it is still unrealistic to buy a whole sheep to eat during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

People mostly buy meat such as chicken, duck, and fish.

However, some villages, encouraged by the government, formed collectives of villages or clans to establish industries such as medicinal herb plantations, flour mills, and chicken farms.

However, they were able to purchase some live sheep in the manner of preparing festival gifts.

They took it back and distributed it to every household.

"Your Highness, those people up ahead, they seem to be Duke Du and his entourage..."

Wang De, who was following behind Li Chengqian, suddenly spoke in a low voice.

Following the direction of his finger, Li Chengqian indeed spotted Ashina Quli in the crowd, leading several former Western Turkic tribal leaders as they strolled through the market, stopping and starting from time to time.

His own father, the emperor who had fled Chang'an, had entrusted him with the task before he left.

Everything was handled perfectly.

This included granting Ashina Quli a noble title.

Li Chengqian stepped forward and could vaguely hear several Turkic leaders discussing where they would spend the Mid-Autumn Festival this year.

Some people said they wanted to stay in Taiyuan, since it was their home.

They haven't had enough of living in that big house yet.

Some people said they wanted to visit Chang'an, since none of them had ever been there before.

Others said they wanted to go to Zhenbei Road to see how their former clansmen were doing...

Ashina Quli seemed to sense something, turned around, and happened to meet Li Chengqian's ambiguous smile. His heart skipped a beat.

He hurriedly stepped forward to pay his respects, but was stopped by a look from Li Chengqian.

"Hehe, it seems that Duke Du is living a good life lately, he's quite carefree and plump."

Ashina Quli smiled awkwardly and touched his stomach.

"This... Your Highness is too kind. I haven't been around much in a while. Taiyuan is great in every way, except that the food stalls at night are just too tempting since the curfew was lifted."

"Hahaha!"

Li Chengqian shook his head and laughed.

"You can't blame me for this. I specifically asked Prince Lu to remind you that if you didn't want your mouths watering late at night, you'd better not choose those houses. What a pity~"

Li Chengqian reached out and slapped Ashina Quli, the former Khan of the Western Turkic Left Wing tribe, on his round belly.

Ashina Quli, dressed in a brocade Tang-style robe, looked awkwardly at her swaying belly.

He couldn't help but chuckle awkwardly and scratch his head.

"How are your days in the Tang Dynasty? Are they fulfilling?"

Li Chengqian strolled along the street with his hands behind his back.

Ashina Quli followed cautiously beside him, and hesitated for a moment when he heard the question.

In the end, he simply nodded.

He looked completely satisfied.

"Very good, excellent, eating well and sleeping well..."

Li Chengqian glanced at him sideways, then looked at the Turkic tribal leaders behind him.

"What about you? Do you think so too?"

The group exchanged glances, noticing Ashina Quli's subtle gaze, and quickly nodded in agreement.

Seeing this, Li Chengqian couldn't help but shake his head regretfully.

"Tsk... Well, it seems I was overthinking it."

Li Chengqian smacked his lips.

"I was originally planning to ask you for help dealing with some wandering Turkic tribes in the Western Regions, but it seems I'll have to ask Ashina She'er and the others..."

"Your Highness, we are willing to go!"

Before Ashina Quli could speak, someone couldn't help but speak up excitedly.

Li Chengqian turned his head, a half-smile on his face.

"Don't you guys really enjoy this kind of life where you eat your fill and sleep, and sleep your fill and eat again?"

Everyone was suddenly embarrassed.

Life was comfortable, but at least they were tribal leaders, unlike being kept like pigs by the Tang Dynasty.

Clearly, they were still like Ashina She'er and his ilk, able to fight for the Tang Dynasty and earn military merits.

To live a more dignified and comfortable life.

It also makes you feel safer.

Li Chengqian patted Ashina Quli's stomach again, as Ashina Quli awkwardly scratched his head to the side.

"Reduce your appetite, control your desires. I have other plans for you."

Watching Li Chengqian disappear into the surrounding crowd in a short while, with his hands behind his back, Ashina Quli looked down at his stomach.

Noticing the cautious looks from his subordinates, he glared at them with annoyance.

"From now on, if any of you dare to invite me out for drinks and barbecue late at night, I'll whip you with my horsewhip!"

Ashina Quli's gaze lingered for a moment on the potbellies of the men, which were just as big as his own. He gritted his teeth and, in a fit of exasperation, punched one of them in the stomach.

"Did you hear the Crown Prince's order? Go back, practice martial arts, and lose weight!"

"If the Crown Prince orders us to go to war, you won't even be able to mount your horses. I, the Duke, will personally deal with you!"

As Li Chengqian and his group were approaching, the Mid-Autumn Festival was just around the corner.

I finished up the work I was working on.

As they prepared to take the train to Chang'an to celebrate the festival with Empress Zhangsun and the others.

The appearance of one person caused Li Chengqian to be slightly taken aback for a moment.

"Your Highness, it has been confirmed; it is indeed Songtsen Gampo himself!" Wang De replied.

Hear the news.

Li Chengqian glanced at Qian Yingying and the others, who had already packed their things and were preparing to go to the train station.

"In the past, wasn't it always Galdontsen who was in charge of the delivery of slaves? How come this time, Songtsen Gampo, the Tsangpo, dared to come to my Great Tang in person... Isn't he afraid that I will just detain him?"

Li Chengqian was joking.

For the Tang Dynasty, a Songtsen Gampo in Tibet would be far more useful and valuable than one in Chang'an.

Li Chengqian pondered for a moment.

Suddenly he spoke and gave an order.

"Let their people stay to hand over the slaves. As for Songtsen Gampo, go and ask him. If there's anything you need, talk to me on the train!"

train?

When I heard this Tang Dynasty phrase that I had never heard before.

Songtsen Gampo searched his memory for a long time, but still couldn't figure out what it was.

I can only imagine a burning carriage in my mind based on the literal meaning of the words.

Shall we chat on the train?

Songtsen Gampo's expression showed a momentary look of horror, which Kong Yingda noticed.

Kong Yingda, who was about to leave work, was not going to have a pleasant expression, even though the person in front of him was the king of Tibet.

But now the "king" of Tibet is gone!

Supi claimed that they were the true rulers of Tibet, but Yangtong disagreed, saying that they were the legitimate successors of Tibet.

"Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival of our Great Tang Dynasty, an important festival for family reunion. If the Zanpu is unwilling, then we will have to wait for our Crown Prince to return from Chang'an in half a month before we can discuss it further."

"Half a month?!" Songtsen Gampo exclaimed in surprise.

Half a month is enough time for the Nepalese Kingdom and the Sheep Kingdom to make a huge profit from the Harsha Dynasty!

Currently, they have truly received substantial support from the Tang Dynasty.

Besides Tibet, there was only one other country, Nepal.

If it were Yang Tong, then Su Pi and his fellows would also have received support from those armors and weapons.

Songtsen Gampo could hardly believe that his dream of unifying the plateau would ever be realized in this lifetime.

Thinking of this, Songtsen Gampo quickly nodded in agreement.

When he arrived at Taiyuan Railway Station, led by officials from the Foreign Affairs Department, and saw the Zhenguan train, which the Tibetans considered a marvel of steel engineering, he was deeply impressed.

He was completely dumbfounded.

He remained motionless, like a puppet, until the accompanying officials led him into the carriage and he sat down in a solitary seat.

He still had a blank expression on his face.

suddenly.

"Woo——"

The sharp sound of the steam horn startled him, bringing him back to his senses.

He almost instinctively got up, and then instinctively reached for his waist.

Then he remembered that his knife had been confiscated by officials of the Tang Dynasty.

A slightly flippant voice came from the entrance to the carriage on one side.

"You must be Songtsen Gampo. You look a bit older than I expected..."

He turned his head and saw a handsome young man with a dangerous aura like that of a fierce tiger.

Songtsen Gampo was also taught martial arts from a young age and was a ruthless man who survived countless battles.

But looking at the young man in front of him...

Do not know why.

He actually felt that at such close range, the other party could easily strangle him like a chicken by breaking its neck.