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

"Your Highness, this is a statistic of the number of officials recruited in various regions this year under the new policies. Compared to last year's official promotion assessment, there are 18,000 more... Once these people have gained experience in their respective positions for a period of time and become familiar with the new governance and implementation, they will soon be able to be deployed to the new territories of our Great Tang..."

In Taiyuan Prefecture, Wang Ming, the governor of Bingzhou, reported respectfully to Li Chengqian with a smile.

Eighteen thousand people—these were not ordinary low-level officials.

Rather, they were truly outstanding talents selected from these low-level officials and from the Imperial University and the First Official School's examination preparation classes.

In today's Tang Dynasty, where the administration of officials is increasingly focused on practical results, the fact that these individuals have stood out invariably means that they possess, at least theoretically, the ability to govern a city.

What's needed now is for them to put these theories into practice and integrate them with reality.

Li Chengqian nodded slightly, but still sighed softly.

"We are still short in terms of numbers, but it takes ten years to grow a tree and a hundred years to cultivate a person, let alone training local officials. This matter cannot be rushed. The Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Rites have done a good job this year."

Li Gang stroked his beard and said, “Your Highness need not be anxious. Now, under the promotion of Prince Wei, the new policies have been piloted in both Henan Circuit and Guannei Circuit. We have also sent special personnel to assist in the training of officials.”

"In five or six years at most, the new policies will take root and flourish throughout the entire Tang Dynasty."

Seeing that Li Chengqian was no longer saying anything, Wang Ming took out another document to report.

"Your Highness, Lord Changsun has already established a temporary Imperial Engineering University in the middle and upper reaches of the Yellow River in Longyou Province. The instructors are all senior officials in water conservancy and engineering. They are actively promoting the project while cultivating future talents through practical experience..."

Li Chengqian: "All the teaching content and knowledge should be compiled systematically, just like the textbooks of the Imperial University. We should also start preparing the professional textbooks for the Engineering University."

Li Chengqian seemed to have thought of something and suddenly asked Wang De, who was standing to the side.

"What have Changsun Chong and Changsun Huan been up to lately?"

Wang De bowed and said, "Your Highness, Young Master Changsun Chong has passed the entrance examination for the First Official School and has also passed this year's civil service examination. He is currently awaiting assignment to a county government for internship and training."

"Young Master Changsun Huan is still studying in the imperial examination class, but he has passed the internship assessment of the Taiyuan Prefectural Shipping Bureau and is currently applying to the imperial examination class for an off-campus internship..."

Li Chengqian's lips curled up slightly.

"It seems I overlooked them..." he murmured.

Suddenly, he narrowed his eyes and instructed Wang Ming beside him: "Assign Changsun Chong a relatively difficult county, and let's see how he is capable. As for Changsun Huan, let him follow his own path first."

Wang Ming respectfully accepted the order.

However, she was filled with envy and anticipation. The Changsun family was able to achieve all of this today because of two reasons: first, the merit of supporting the emperor, and second, the virtuous and kind Empress Changsun.

However... the Wang family of Taiyuan has now rendered meritorious service in supporting the emperor, and their chances of becoming empress are not entirely hopeless.

Just as Wang Ming finished reporting the rest of his work and was about to leave...

Sun Yi hurriedly ran over.

"Your Highness, Your Highness the Crown Prince, good news!"

Everyone was taken aback, but their expressions did not show the smiles that should have appeared.

They all looked bewildered, with a hint of helplessness and embarrassment, as they turned to look at their own crown prince, whose lips were twitching slightly.

Li Chengqian gently rubbed his forehead.

He sighed impatiently, "Where's this good news from? Is it from Silla?"

The Han King's actions against Japan cannot be strictly considered a war.

The only conflict that can be called a war right now is between Silla, which is under the control of the Tang Dynasty, and the pseudo-king Yeon Taejo of Goguryeo...

"This, Your Highness, is not a battle report from Prince Liang's side, but from the Emperor Emeritus's side..."

"What?! The Western Regions have already been conquered, and the Western Turks have been wiped out?!" Li Chengqian felt completely overwhelmed.

An ominous premonition rose in his mind, causing him to snatch the victory report from Sun Yi's hand.

Sassanid Persia...

Hey!

They've already advanced to the borders of what would later become Iraq and Iran.

How many thousands of miles away is it from the Tang Dynasty?

It's already twenty thousand miles away!

Li Chengqian: "......"

He gritted his teeth as he looked at the contents of the battle report in his hand. When he saw that it only forced the other side to submit to the Tang Dynasty and pay tribute by force, and did not say that the other side would be wiped out, his expression softened a little.

"Your Highness, the Emperor Emeritus is well aware of the pressure on the administration of our Great Tang Dynasty. He would certainly not create a new, unmanageable territory for our Great Tang Dynasty at this time."

"This would make Sassanid Persia submit and pay tribute, which is a good idea."

Yu Shinan, standing nearby, offered words of comfort with a smile.

Li Chengqian nodded slightly, but the worry on his face was impossible to hide.

"The shortage of officials is far too great... The Emperor Emeritus should be returning to Chang'an for the New Year this year. It's a good opportunity for me to have a serious talk with him. We can't expand any further!"

"You mean, the Crown Prince gave Tibet another severe beating?"

Chengdu Prefecture, Qingshu Palace.

The sizzling, spicy hot pot flavor filled his mouth, and as Lu Shiming faced the emperor's question, his old face was covered in sweat, looking rather disheveled.

While inhaling the cool air, he hurriedly clasped his hands and nodded.

"Yes, Your Majesty. It's been a bit of a hassle to get news from Chang'an to Jiannan Road, but fortunately, we're also close to the plateau, so what's happening there is no longer a secret."

"His Highness the Crown Prince really crippled Tibet without losing a single soldier this time."

"Now, on the plateau, Tibet has become nothing more than a pawn in the same game as the Tibetan Empire and other powers like Zhangzhung, serving as hyenas for our Tang Dynasty to capture slaves..."

After saying that, Lu Shiming picked up another piece of fresh fish and put it into the pot to blanch.

Li Shimin was truly exceptional in his treatment of his subordinates.

Now, a year has passed since he arrived in Chengdu, and he has already transformed Chengdu into an impregnable stronghold for General Li Shimin.

The government officials included Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, and Lu Shiming, a capable local official.

Military affairs were handled by General Li Shimin, who led the Xuanjia Army and the new Jiannan Road Army in day and night training.

Li Shimin ignored his subordinates who were eating non-stop, and instead stroked his chin, deep in thought.

After a while, seeing that everyone had almost finished eating, he slowly spoke.

"Gentlemen, you say that there are no more opponents on the plateau that can stop us now, and they have been ordered by the Crown Prince to capture slaves. Does that mean that we now have the right time to launch an expedition against Nanzhao?"

"Pfft! Cough cough cough..."

"What?! A campaign against Nanzhao?!" Du Ruhui's throat burned with pain, and his old face was flushed as he stared in disbelief at Emperor Li Shimin.

It was as if they were doubting their own ears.

"What's wrong? Now our troops are strong and well-equipped, and the new recruits of Jiannan Road have also grown a lot in the past year of bandit suppression training."

"The people have all been allocated land, and agriculture and commerce are developing quite smoothly. Isn't this the best time to take action against Nanzhao?"

Li Shimin was displeased.

"Du Ruhui! Are you going to disobey me again? Now, everyone in our Great Tang is striving for progress. Even your sons Du Gou and Du He are actively governing their respective regions."

"Why is it that you, this old codger whom my crown prince regards as a capable minister, are the one who contradicts me?!"

"what?!"

Du Ruhui: "..."

His old face was flushed red, but Li Shimin did not give him a chance to defend himself.

His tiger-like eyes shifted, staring intently at Fang Xuanling beside him.

"Kemin, tell me, am I wrong?"

Fang Xuanling: "This... Your Majesty, the terrain of Nanzhao is treacherous, and it is infested with miasma, insects, and snakes..."

Before he could finish speaking, Qiang Ben, who was in charge of military affairs in Chengdu Prefecture, interrupted him in a gruff voice.

"We, the new army of Jiannan Road, are all sons of Sichuan. Miasma and poisonous insects are nothing to us."

Fang Xuanling was momentarily speechless: "But what about the grain..."

The official in charge of agriculture coughed lightly.

"Ahem, Lord Fang, our provisions are plentiful. We have imported a lot of low-priced, high-quality rice from Linyi, which is more than enough to supply the 100,000 troops."

Li Shimin's smile immediately became more smug.

Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with helplessness.

This emperor's style of rewarding meritorious service and standing with his ministers in times of trouble, even taking the lead in the fight, coupled with the superb military command of General Tian Ce, all demonstrate his remarkable qualities over the past year.

It has already transformed Jiannan Road into the shape of his first generation of General Tian Ce.

Qiang Ben was most excited: "Your Majesty, I know several tribal chiefs in Nanzhao. Now, the six Zhao tribes in Nanzhao are fighting each other. Just last month, I heard that Mengxi Zhao and Yuexi Zhao had a big fight, and many people died."

Everyone waited expectantly for their leader to give the order.

Seeing that Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui had stopped talking, Li Shimin's smile gradually widened.

He slammed his hand on the table.

"Since that's the case... run along the wall!"

"The general is here!"

"I hereby appoint you as the vanguard commander of the southern expedition. Begin today to gather intelligence on the tribes of the Six Zhao. Try to win over the weaker tribes, and especially try to obtain the mountain maps of the Six Zhao region!"

"The last general takes command!"

"Lu Shiming!"

"Chen is here!"

"Increase the procurement of grain from Linyi, and also begin the preparation of weapons and medicines!"

"I accept your order!"

Looking at the excited crowd, Li Shimin suddenly stood up, put one foot on the chair he had just been sitting in, and raised his fist high.

"Let's shout our slogan one more time!"

“To succeed, you must first go crazy!”

The crowd shouted excitedly, "Charge forward regardless of everything!"

"One gamble, and three generations of your family will be rich!"

"The title of Duke or Marquis is passed down through three generations!"

"Southern Expedition!!!"