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

Mid-October of the sixth year of the Zhenguan era.

Guangzhou Port.

The Tang Dynasty's first royal fleet has been fully prepared and is ready to set sail again.

However, unlike the last time they went to sea, when only a total of 260 ships from the Tang Dynasty's navy set sail, this time the fleet size could be said to be the largest in the world even in this era.

The Royal First Fleet, which included 260 treasure ships and medium-sized ships such as the Cloud Pattern Cantonese Ship, was disregarded.

The large ocean-going vessel of the Tang Dynasty Zhenguan era (referencing the Yu Da Niang ship), designed and built by Dengzhou Shipyard, can be said to be the flagship of several major Guangzhou merchants who went to sea today.

There were as many as 50 ships in this fleet, each costing over 100,000 guan to build but actually selling for a terrifying 390,000 guan.

In addition, there were many private shipyards that built civilian cargo ships according to the blueprints provided by the government.

The entire fleet consisted of more than four hundred ships.

In order to ensure that such a historic naval fleet could successfully and safely reach Jeddah in the Red Sea and then sail back safely.

This poses a significant challenge to the Tang Dynasty's current navy, its existing navigation technology, and aspects such as maritime replenishment and fleet management.

The captains of the Royal First Fleet were on high alert, and the officials of Guangzhou Port and the surrounding Chaozhou Port had been preparing for this moment for an unknown period of time.

The navy was tense, the officials were tense, and the merchants who went to sea with the fleet were also praying to all the gods and Buddhas in their hearts. The statues of Buddhist and Taoist deities on the fleet were specially placed in a special place for worship.

If they weren't afraid of being beheaded by the Prince of Han, they probably would have even moved the ancestral tablet of the Crown Prince, which they secretly worshipped at home, onto the ship and placed it in the very center of the statue...

"set off!"

After the captains of the fleet successively reported their supplies and personnel, and after the inventory was completed and a final inspection of all parts of the ships was finished, Prince Li Ke of Han immediately gave the order.

"Wow!"

"Wow!"

"........."

The sound of huge sails being unfurled, accompanied by the cries of waves and seabirds circling overhead, filled the ports of Guangzhou and Chaozhou.

Ships from both ports need to gather together and form a formation.

Only then could we officially set sail towards the South Seas.

"Brother! Be careful on your journey!!!"

Li You waved from the shore, calling out regardless of whether Li Ke could hear him.

Meanwhile, on the shore, people saw boats carrying their fathers or husbands setting sail, and the people cheered excitedly.

"My husband, come back safe and sound. The children and I are waiting for you at home!"

"Have a safe journey, Master!"

"Big brother, please be careful! We're waiting for you to come back rich!!!"

On the Zhenhai treasure ship, King Purokashyapa II looked at the crowded port and the waving Tang people, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

This was the second large-scale voyage by the Tang Dynasty, with a staggering four hundred ships.

Moreover, they are mostly medium to large-sized ocean-going vessels.

Building a ship of this size would be extremely difficult for the Kingdom of Zhelouqi.

They have timber, manpower, and a seaport, but... they lack technology!

Simis was still grinning foolishly beside his father, waving to the Tang people on the shore as if he were also a sailor who sailed for the Tang Dynasty.

"Father, let's build a ship when we get back. I also want to go to sea with His Highness the Prince of Han!"

"I can also bring wealth to the kingdom! I've heard His Highness the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty say that there's a place in this world called Wampis, which possesses the most precious treasures in the world."

"Give me a boat, and I'm sure I'll find the treasure!"

Pulaijisa II: "...tsk."

I'm really worried about this guy; he might get sold out one day and still be counting the money for the seller.

The entire Li Chengqian family knew about Li Ke's renewed voyage.

In the days leading up to their departure, the golden eagles sent by Li Chengqian kept in touch with each other, whether it was his own emperor father, who was currently in Chengdu, or the retired emperor Li Yuan, who was still in Hexi Road.

They all felt a greater sense of seriousness and admiration for this prince who had the blood of the previous dynasty.

Neither Li Shimin nor Li Yuan had ever been to sea, but they were aware of the dangers of the sea.

A typhoon can destroy even a massive ship like a treasure vessel; a single misstep could result in it being smashed to pieces by the waves, with everyone on board perishing at sea.

Having already sailed once, Li Ke was even more aware of the dangers involved, but he still chose to personally lead the fleet on another voyage.

This fearless spirit in the face of death is enough to make Li Shimin and Li Yuan take this prince seriously.

Even if the other party has the bloodline of the Yang family from the previous dynasty...

The news of the Tang Dynasty's latest voyage was made without any attempt to conceal it. Not only were countries like Tibet and Sassanid Persia aware of it, but the southeastern countries, whose relations with the Tang Dynasty were currently tense, were also paying close attention.

Wasn't Linyi plundered by generals under the command of the King of Chu of the Tang Dynasty, who landed at sea?

Therefore, when the first royal fleet of the Tang Dynasty sailed along the sea route, it happened to pass by the coastal areas of the southeastern countries, and replenished its fresh water supply along the way.

These countries all witnessed firsthand the terrifying and dreadful nature of this fleet.

The southeastern countries of Lin-yi, Champa, and Zhenla were the first to witness the true appearance of this fleet.

"This this......."

Fan Fanzhi stood on a rocky hill by the sea, the wet rocks still sticky with salty seawater. At this moment, Fan Fanzhi was watching the fleet sailing past him.

The fleet that had almost completely filled the sea in sight... was now trembling, its body covered in cold sweat.

Beside him, the leaders of several Lin-yi tribes were completely senile.

Previously, according to the description of that scoundrel Fan Fanzhi, they were filled with hatred for the Tang Dynasty, which had robbed them of their grain and much property, and they even agreed with the other side's suggestion that they must retaliate in kind.

But at this moment...

An eye for an eye?

Blood for blood?

Did a coconut hit your head while you were sleeping? To be an enemy of such a terrifying Tang Dynasty?

A pair of eyes, filled with a mixture of anger, blame, and resentment, slowly fell upon Lin Yi Wang Fan Zhi, causing the belatedly aware man to tremble involuntarily.

"This...this has nothing to do with me. Didn't you also refuse to accept Tang paper money back then? Besides, this time it was clearly the Tang Dynasty that initiated the disturbance...But don't worry, I will send another envoy to the Tang Dynasty to explain things clearly to the Crown Prince..."

Although Fan Fanzhi's explanation was somewhat weak, he still possessed a certain degree of authority as the King of Linyi for many years.

however.

Just as the various tribes temporarily accepted his solution, hoping to reconcile with the Tang Dynasty, the Lin-yi envoy, who had been expelled from the Sifangguan by the Tang Dynasty, returned in disgrace.

The news he brought back was so shocking that Fan Fanzhi fell off his throne.

This instantly threw all the tribes, large and small, in Linyi into disarray.

Datang!

They were stripped of their status as a vassal state of Linyi!

From this moment on, Linyi... lost the protection of the Tang Dynasty.

This also means that the Tang Dynasty, the current leader in Asia, has expelled Lin Yi from their "Asia citizenship".

The message was delivered to Li Chengqian in Chang'an by the King of Chu using a golden eagle.

"Upon receiving messages from their respective envoys, the kings of Zhenla and Siam launched an attack on King Fan Fanzhi of Linyi, citing tribal disputes as a pretext. The two sides joined forces and immediately appeared to have pre-arranged the distribution of spoils. Fan Fanzhi resisted for less than half a month before being driven to flee into the deep mountains and forests."

"Linyi, there is no longer a King Fan Fanzhi of Linyi..."

Having offended the Tang Dynasty, he didn't even have the right to make a comeback.

"Heh...that's utterly nonsensical."

Li Chengqian didn't even take Fan Fanzhi seriously.

He simply instructed the Ministry of Rites: "I don't care whether Linyi will be replaced by a new dynasty or annexed by the surrounding Zhenla and Siam, but one thing is certain... that grain-producing area belongs to my Great Tang!"

Tang Jian understood and left to carry out the order.

It would be inappropriate to plant the flag of the Tang Dynasty directly in the grain-producing area of ​​the Linyi Plain. After all, the Tang Dynasty is not short of arable land and it is not worth losing its dignity for the sake of this land.

However... it wouldn't be a problem for His Highness the Prince of Chu to find any pretext, with the support of Duke Feng Ang of Yue, to send a force to make that area a colony of the Tang Dynasty in Linyi.

After all, Datang contributed money, effort, and technology to manage the large-scale planting in the area.

Finally, the grain is harvested, and some income is given back to the local area.

This should be called an investment!

After Tang Jian left, Li Chengqian was about to go to see Li Zhi, who was in charge of the country, to see if the kid was slacking off, when suddenly a voice came to his mind.

【Ding! 】

[Report on a resounding victory in the projection war!]

Your subordinate, "Li Jing, General of the Northern Garrison of the Tang Dynasty," has successfully captured "Darosdu, the capital of the Barbarian Alliance."

The leader of the "Historical Dimension: Barbarian Alliance" committed suicide.

You have achieved a complete victory over the "Historical Plane: Barbarian Alliance"

[Ding! Congratulations on receiving the "Nation Destruction Gift Pack (Barbarian Alliance)"]