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

A year's time.

The railway line from Taiyuan Prefecture directly to Shizhou in Hedong Road, which is later Shijiazhuang, has completed its route preparation, and construction has begun on some sections.

However, several more routes have been added from Taiyuan Prefecture to Chang'an, and several more Zhenguan steam trains have been put into operation.

The bustling scene, with its loud, rhythmic roar and billowing white steam, has become a must-visit spot for merchants from the Western Regions and traveling traders from all over the world.

Today, Emperor Emeritus Li Yuan, who had been away from the Western Turks and Gaochang for over a year, finally returned to the Tang Dynasty with a portion of his troops.

The grand procession of carriages and horses carried a large amount of gold and silver treasures from the Western Regions and other countries.

Li Yuan sat in the spacious carriage and clinked glasses with Xiao Yu and Pei Ji, who had returned with him.

"Haha, this year is the wedding of Xiangcheng and your son, so it's a double celebration. Xuanzhen, tell me, does your Pei family of Hedong, such a large family, not even have a pretty and presentable daughter?"

Xiao Yu smiled reservedly, while Pei Ji looked bitter and embarrassed.

“Your Majesty, these words truly make this old minister ashamed… There are quite a few men in the family, but the female relatives are rather few and far between. Alas… This old minister has urged the clan, but it seems that the daughters of my Pei family are not fortunate enough to be by the side of His Highness the Crown Prince, such a wise and enlightened ruler.”

Xiao Yu couldn't quite contain her smile.

"Hehe, Duke Wei, there's no need to be so pessimistic. His Highness the Crown Prince is not even sixteen yet. If the clansmen work hard, they can raise and educate a beautiful young lady from a respectable family. It's not entirely impossible."

Pei Ji rolled his eyes.

"I will relay Duke Song's words to His Highness the Crown Prince. It will also be a good opportunity to see if His Highness can accept a concubine who is more than ten years younger than him..."

"Cough, cough, cough!"

"Lord Pei, I've had too much to drink. These were just words spoken in my drunken state and should not be taken seriously."

"Hmph, your son is able to marry Princess Xiangcheng and be entrusted with important responsibilities by His Highness the Crown Prince... Just wait and see how I get you drunk on your wedding day..."

"Hahaha"

Human beings' joys and sorrows are not the same.

Or rather, the joy of these elite Tang soldiers, returning to the Tang Dynasty with military achievements and holidays, looking triumphant and proud, was not shared with the Sassanid Persian envoys in the group.

Salmana was required to wear a veil.

But now, sitting in the magnificent carriage, her pair of deep blue, jewel-like eyes had traveled with the caravan through the Western Regions and then into what was once the Kingdom of Gaochang, now the Western Prefecture of the Tang Dynasty.

I was completely awestruck by all the wonders of the Tang Dynasty.

Whether it's a wide, flat cement road, or a cement road where you can't even feel the slightest bump.

Or perhaps the scene of cotton plantations everywhere in Xizhou County.

The sight of those Tang people, dressed in finery and using exquisite porcelain for tea, made her deeply aware of the wealth and terror of this "Eastern Evil Dragon" empire.

If their Sassanid Persian Empire possessed such a powerful nation and army.

The Arab Empire, which caused my father and his family so much trouble, would certainly not pose the slightest threat.

From Xizhou County to Taiyuan Prefecture, there are well-maintained and smooth cement pipelines along the way, but even so, Salmana can still see many scenes of construction in full swing.

"These are all the lands of ordinary people?!"

Salmana was in a carriage with two translators.

One could translate her Persian into Turkic, and the other could translate Turkic into Tang language.

Sassanid Persia was far from the Tang Dynasty, a distance of 20,000 li, which included countless mountains, grasslands, and deserts.

Even the most daring merchants from the Western Regions in this day and age would never dare to travel such a long distance with their goods during this chaotic period.

That is why a translator who can speak both Chinese and Persian can be considered a rare breed.

"Yes, these are all lands of the people of the Tang Dynasty, but now it should be said that these are their farms... because His Highness the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty encourages the reclamation of wasteland and the planting of grains and crops, and many people have chosen to come to the more northerly areas to reclaim wasteland."

The Turkic girl named Ayushun spoke.

Lifting the carriage curtain, one can see several burly Tang men wielding hammers on both sides of the official road, inserting farm signs certified by the Tang government into the land.

Along with the surrounding fences.

Inside the fence, large groups of people, clearly slaves and wearing shackles, were bending over and bowing their heads, working humbly and fearfully.

Salmana listened to the translator's reply, her pretty face beneath the veil filled with shock and astonishment.

It's not that I'm shocked by the existence of slavery.

Slavery existed in Sassanid Persia, but those slaves were mostly nobles or death row inmates used by the state for tasks like building cities and roads or doing heavy manual labor.

Commoners were not entitled to own slaves, let alone such a vast and expansive farm.

Ayu Shun looked at the Sassanid Persian princess, whose stunning beauty could still be felt even through the veil, and her eyes were filled with envy.

If she were as beautiful as him, perhaps the chieftain could be persuaded to send her to participate in the future Crown Prince's harem selection.

"What are they planting?" Salmana asked in a low voice.

Ayu Shun glanced at it and said, "It should be alfalfa. There's not enough time to plant winter wheat on this land. Alfalfa is a good alternative because our Tang Dynasty is encouraging grazing and animal husbandry on a large scale. Whether you use it yourself or sell it to the court, it's very profitable."

Salmana nodded slightly.

The Sasanian Persian princes, nobles, and officials paid no heed to these matters; they only concerned themselves with issuing tax orders to the common people who tilled the land.

The convoy proceeded in a grand procession towards Taiyuan Prefecture.

The closer Salmana got to Bingzhou, the more she was awestruck by the grandeur and novelty of the Tang Dynasty.

Even in October, the official road was still lush and green, said to be planted with grains that could withstand the cold winter. Along the road, children and commoners of the Tang Dynasty were all filled with laughter and joy.

The breath of life in this unfamiliar land seems to have been blessed by heaven.

"Gods above, this is unbelievable... Is this the legendary kingdom of gods?"

Salmana's sapphire-blue eyes were glazed over, and she couldn't help but mutter to herself in Persian.

She was terrified when she learned that she was to be given as a gift to the grandson of the emperor of the "Eastern Evil Dragon Empire".

Images of the "Eastern Evil Dragon Empire"—grotesque, ferocious, and terrifying—could even involuntarily surface in my mind.

But I never expected this.

This place is such a prosperous and joyous paradise...

The clatter of hooves came from the front of the column, and a cavalry messenger from the nearby Taiyuan Prefecture quickly arrived.

"Your Majesty, His Highness the Crown Prince departed for Chang'an yesterday. Please transfer the goods from this trip to the Ministry of Commerce and proceed to Chang'an!"

Li Yuan was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and waved his hand.

"Very well, just what I need. I'll experience the Zhenguan steed that's been described in the newspapers as having miraculous powers..."

When the name Zhenguan was mentioned, Li Yuan couldn't help but sigh with resentment towards Pei Ji and Xiao Yu beside him.

"Hey, what do you guys think we should use for the title 'Zhenguan'? Wouldn't 'Wude' sound better?"

Pei Ji and the other man suppressed their laughter and remained silent.

Then, the long procession was split up. The carts carrying cotton followed the officials of the Ministry of Commerce, while Li Yuan's side was accompanied by his personal guards and imperial guards.

Carrying boxes of gold and jewelry whose value he was too lazy to estimate in detail, along with his important officials, he headed towards the train station in Taiyuan.

"Dang~dang~dang~"

The magnificent clock tower of Taiyuan Imperial University, which even carries a sense of sanctity, resounded with continuous chimes.

This caused Salmana to gasp again.

She recognized this thing. When she was sent by the people of the kingdom to the Western Prefecture of the Great Tang Dynasty, she was arranged to stay in a place where there was this kind of magical artifact with markings that could record time.

"My God, there really is such a powerful artifact?"

Ayu Shun felt that if the carriage hadn't been moving at that moment, this Sassanid Persian princess, who believed in some god, would probably have bowed and kowtowed three times to the clock tower of the Imperial University on the spot.

She watched this scene in silence.

If she hadn't now become a citizen of the Tang Dynasty, if His Highness the Crown Prince hadn't given them the opportunity to learn to read and write and to work...

Perhaps she is just as ignorant and foolish as the other person?

Taiyuan Railway Station had already received advance notice of the Emperor Emeritus's return to the capital.

Therefore, when everyone arrived at the train station, a special train called Zhenguan was already ready and waiting to depart.

"Tsk tsk tsk, is this the train that can reach Chang'an in a day?"

Accompanied by railway station officials, Li Yuan looked around the train.

They clicked their tongues in amazement.

Then it seems that older men have a natural interest in these big guys.

He resolutely refused the officials' request to move to the back carriages and insisted on staying at the front of the train.

"Let's go! Show me how this iron behemoth can run!"

Li Yuan casually took out a few gold ingots and stuffed them directly into the pockets of the crew members in front of him.

His generous and magnanimous gesture, coupled with the expectant look in his eyes as the retired emperor, immediately put the crew at their peak performance.

"Whoosh—!"

Once the steam pressure reaches the target level, the power begins to be converted.

The Zhenguan train, which had seven or eight long carriages, began to move slowly.

In the carriage.

Salmana's body tensed, and the maids who had come with her from Sassanid Persia, as well as the officials and envoys who had accompanied her to negotiate tribute with the Tang Dynasty, all gasped in shock.

They all stared in horror and disbelief at the scenery outside the glass window that was beginning to rush past at an accelerated pace.

He was muttering incomprehensible Persian.

Their pale faces and the cold sweat pouring down their faces spoke volumes about the shock they were experiencing.

As the very heart of the new policy, the people of Taiyuan Prefecture in the Tang Dynasty were abuzz with discussion when they first saw this astonishing new creation.

Not to mention the Sassanid Persia, which was still in a state of barbarism.

And at the same time.

In Chang'an, Li Tai's brows were furrowed tightly.

He looked at his elder brother, who was holding a portrait and showing it to him.

"Brother, what do you mean by this?"

Li Chengqian blinked: "Isn't it obvious? Let me show you. You're at the age where you should be preparing to become the Queen Consort of Wei. And just in time, isn't this Queen of Silla here?"

"I think giving her the position of concubine of the Prince of Wei would be quite good..."

"boom!"

Li Tai slammed his hand on the table, his eyes filled with anger and sadness as he glared at his elder brother, the Emperor.

This was the first time he had ever glared at his elder brother with such an expression.

"I won't marry her! You can marry her if you want!"

With that, he dropped the document he was halfway through reviewing, slammed the door, and stormed out.

Li Chengqian was left alone, looking bewildered, and turned to stare blankly at Fan Qi beside him.

"What's there to be angry about, acting like you've swallowed gunpowder... If you don't want to marry me, then don't marry me, why make such a big fuss?"

Fan Qi lowered her head, trembling.

He knows the truth, but it's better not to know this truth...