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

In the northern Turkic region, the Imperial Guards reported to the emperor at least once every three days.

Under Qianlou's deliberate control and disruption, the battle for succession among the already selected "Ashina family heirs" has now begun on the grasslands.

It quickly escalated to a fever pitch.

Jieli suffered two consecutive defeats, coupled with the long-standing dissatisfaction of Tuli Khan and various tribal leaders with him, and the fact that it was autumn in the grasslands when the horses were fat and strong.

With the advantages of favorable timing, location, and human factors, the project was launched.

The Turks had only been fighting amongst themselves for a month, yet the number of dead and wounded was equivalent to another major defeat for the Tang Dynasty.

On the grasslands, many small Turkic tribes were either conquered and incorporated by Jieli and his men, or were simply forced to flee to the surrounding areas.

Yangcheng Palace.

"Your Highness, this is a list of Turkic tribes that have come to our Great Tang to seek refuge and become our subjects, compiled by the border authorities over this period. As you wished, I have settled them all in Beiheng Prefecture. There is a grassland there that is well under the jurisdiction of our Great Tang..."

Li Chengqian took the roster handed to him by Hou Junji and looked at it. It was densely packed with Turkic tribal herders who had already been registered.

A hint of joy appeared on his face, but it was only fleeting.

He nodded slightly.

"These small tribes are the backbone of our forces, essential for us to truly control the Turks in the future. We must make proper arrangements for them..."

Duke Hou Junji of Lu hesitated slightly.

“Well, Your Highness, it’s not that I don’t trust you, it’s just… perhaps it’s because you haven’t personally seen these tribes. They don’t have much fighting power, and they don’t have many cattle and sheep. More than 40% of the people on this list are elderly people.”

however.

Upon hearing that 40% of the herders were elderly, the smile that had just disappeared from Li Chengqian's face instantly reappeared.

"real!?"

Hou Junji nodded.

"These people all have some health problems, and given the situation of the Turks this year, they probably won't survive the winter. That's why these small tribes have flocked to our Great Tang."

"But Your Highness, do you mean these old people are some kind of treasure?"

"That's natural!"

Li Chengqian stood up excitedly and suddenly waved to Wang De beside him.

"Go, bring that scoundrel Cheng Chumo here to me!"

Upon hearing this, Wang De hurriedly ran out.

Not long after, Cheng Chumo, who was clearly out of breath from riding all the way, entered the Shougong Hall under the guidance of Wang De.

Upon entering, one sees Crown Prince Li Chengqian, who is excitedly discussing something with the Duke of Lu around a table.

"Your Highness, is it really possible to make such exorbitant profits?!"

Hou Junji's voice rose a notch, his eyes burning with fervor as he stared intently at Li Chengqian, who was equally excited.

Upon seeing the latter nod, he immediately stood up straight.

He started pacing back and forth in front of Li Chengqian's desk, somewhat excited.

"On the grasslands, wool is nothing more than discarded waste, barely even enough to start a fire. How can it really be so profitable?!"

Cheng Chumo didn't understand what the Duke of Lu meant by muttering about wool.

He stepped forward and approached Li Chengqian.

"Your subordinate greets Your Highness the Crown Prince!"

Li Chengqian waved his hand to indicate that the other party should not stand on ceremony, and then sat back in the armchair in front of his desk. He looked at Cheng Chumo, who was gradually becoming more and more reserved and uncomfortable under his gaze, with a half-smile.

"I sent you to raise pigs, thinking you would only do it for ten days or so before coming to me for a transfer. I never expected you to stay for a month."

Cheng Chumo's expression froze, and he looked somewhat gloomy and disappointed.

Perhaps because Li Chengqian had never deliberately put on airs in front of these noble sons of the Prince of Qin's mansion, Cheng Chumo glanced around.

He couldn't help but mutter to himself.

"I wouldn't do it if I had no other choice!"

Li Chengqian laughed heartily, showing no anger.

"Then why don't you come and ask me to transfer you to a different position?"

Cheng Chumo immediately looked indignant: "My father found out that His Highness made me raise pigs, and he specifically sent someone to warn me that if I dared to resign, he would personally come to Taiyuan Prefecture and break my legs..."

Li Chengqian then understood.

He couldn't help but chuckle twice, inwardly cursing Cheng Yaojin, the old fox.

"Alright, don't make that face. Uncle Cheng is right. Just do whatever I assign you. Your father is the Emperor's right-hand man, and you're quite capable. I won't neglect you."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Chumo nodded slightly, remembering the purpose of his visit.

"Your Highness, is there something you wish to entrust to me today?"

Li Chengqian handed the other party a booklet that he had just prepared.

"The contents of this document are directly related to whether our Great Tang Dynasty can avenge the humiliation of being besieged by the Turks this winter, when they are weakened by internal strife!"

Upon hearing this, Cheng Chumo, who had initially been somewhat dismissive, instantly became serious.

Opening the booklet in his hand, Cheng Chumo was immediately struck by a dense string of text and some rather intricate illustrations, leaving him completely bewildered.

Li Chengqian said helplessly, "Confucius and his team have completed the preparations for the new enlightenment. Next, Bingzhou will launch the new enlightenment education throughout the province, focusing on literacy. You should also brush up on your literacy in your spare time!"

Cheng Chumo immediately closed the booklet, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

Hou Junji, standing to the side, couldn't help but sneer.

"Your father, besides whipping you brothers with a ruler and a leather whip every day, never once thought of using those two things to help you study properly. At such a young age, you still can't even understand the blueprints and flowcharts His Highness gave you..."

Hou Junji's smug look prompted Li Chengqian to roll his eyes in exasperation.

Okay.

Who was it that kept asking "why this" and "what that is" while I was preparing these things?

Now he's acting all high and mighty in front of a junior.

Li Chengqian shook his head slightly in his heart, but said nothing. Hou Junji was just that kind of guy who liked sensual pleasures and extravagance.

But it must be admitted that, given the current situation in Bingzhou, it is most appropriate for this guy to come and help him, the crown prince.

"Duke of Lu, now that you understand, and I have explained the process to you, you should take Cheng Chumo to Bei Hengzhou and immediately begin building the workshops and breeding farms!"

As he spoke, Li Chengqian beckoned slightly to Hou Junji, whose eyes lit up and immediately moved closer to Li Chengqian.

A sound that only the two of them could hear entered their ears.

"You shall receive a share of the profits from wool spinning, but do not boast about it."

Suddenly.

Hou Junji, who was already impatient because of this issue, suddenly became incredibly energetic.

Suddenly, he straightened his chest and raised his head, displaying the same solemn and excited demeanor he had when facing Li Chengqian's father, Emperor Li Shimin.

"Your Highness, rest assured! With me here, I guarantee that both the cattle and sheep farms and this wool textile workshop will be perfectly safe! If anything goes wrong, I will offer my head as a reward!"

Seeing Hou Junji hurriedly pulling Cheng Chumo, who was still confused about the situation, away from the Shougong Hall, Li Chengqian shook his head slightly.

He let out a faint laugh.

"Your Highness, the situation on the grasslands is currently unclear. Although there are cities in Beiheng Prefecture that can be defended, the livestock farms and wool textile workshops you have designated are certainly not within the capacity of the city..."

Qian Yingying whispered a reminder.

But Li Chengqian smiled faintly and waved his hand casually.

"Hehe, right now the four Ashina clans of the Eastern Turks are fighting amongst themselves, and they are locked in a fierce battle. They can be secretly happy that I did not order my Tang army to advance into the Turks at this time."

Li Chengqian stood up, strolled to the outside of the Shougong Hall, and looked out at most of Taiyuan Prefecture in the distance.

Compared to Taiyuan Prefecture a month ago, the streets now appear noticeably more bustling.

The bustling crowds and the endless stream of horse-drawn carriages were a constant sight.

"I thought that a prosperous New Year for the people wouldn't be possible until next year, but now it seems I'll have to properly thank our good neighbors this winter..."

......

at the same time.

On the outskirts of Taiyuan Prefecture, in a place called Sunjiazhuang.

Wang Qingyun stared coldly at the few guys in front of him who were trying to put up a stubborn resistance.

"Sun Xiang! I'm giving you one last chance. Get your men out of the way immediately! Nationalizing the land and distributing it to the people is a crucial part of His Highness's new policies! Anyone who dares to obstruct this will have their family property confiscated and their entire clan exterminated!"

Sun Xiang, despite his obese body, trembled with anger at Wang Qingyun's words.

"You, Wang Qingyun! Does your Wang family truly intend to humiliate us like this? Don't forget, when it comes to the most land in Bingzhou, who can compare to your Wang family!?"

"When you helped the Li family father and son seize our ancestral property, did you ever think about it?"

"Our current predicament is the end of your Wang family tomorrow!"

"What kind of bullshit nationalization of land is this? It's nothing but a tyrannical regime by the Li family to squeeze every last drop of blood from us common people!"

"My Sun family refuses to accept this!!!"

Behind Sun Xiang, dozens of thugs wielding knives, swords, and clubs roared in unison upon hearing their master's shout.

not far away.

The villagers of Sunjiazhuang who were watching this scene all had complicated expressions.

Just a few days ago, a new item called "The Great Tang New Report," supposedly overseen by His Highness the Crown Prince's fourth brother, Prince Yue, suddenly spread throughout the counties surrounding Taiyuan Prefecture.

Like the official gazette of the government, it even contained the policies that the emperors were going to implement.

Originally, these people who toiled in the land, and many of them were even tenant farmers of the Sun family, had no way of knowing what was written on it.

However, as the Crown Prince's soldiers, armed and riding warhorses, spread the word from village to village...

Everyone was stunned.

The Emperor forcibly purchased land from landlords with large tracts of land at the land prices of the first year of the Wude era, without asking for a single copper coin.

Let these peasants do the farming.

The phrases "the tiller owns the land," "land is exempt from taxes," and "the price of grain is guaranteed by the emperor" all sound like complete nonsense.

Where in the world can you find such a good thing?

We peasants wouldn't even dare to dream of such a wonderful thing!

I heard that the entire Taiyuan Prefecture, and even the entire Bingzhou, has been in an uproar because of the contents of the "New Tang Dynasty Gazette".

All the landlords and powerful families protested.

however.

As a result, soon a force of soldiers from the Eastern Palace, just like today, heavily armored and equipped with powerful bows and crossbows, arrived at the home of a landlord who was not cooperating with the new policies.

Wang Qingyun took a deep breath and shook his head slightly.

They spurred their horses and headed back.

Sun Xiang is not the first to rebel in this way, nor will he be the last.

As Wang Qingyun retreated, they suddenly began to stride forward, and with a series of twanging sounds, they abruptly aimed their weapons at the elite soldiers of the Eastern Palace's Six Guards.

The uncontrollable anger that had been fueled by the ruin of the family business was instantly doused with ice water.

"Prepare!"

A centurion shouted sharply, and Sun Xiang and the thugs from the Sun family behind him all changed their expressions drastically.

No way, these guys are actually serious?!

The Crown Prince has absolutely no shame!

Is it really as rumored, a case of forcibly seizing land?!

Cold sweat instantly broke out on Sun Xiang's forehead. Seeing that the six centurions of the Eastern Palace were about to raise their arms to order the arrows to be fired, they were all so frightened that they hurriedly retreated.

"Etc., etc!"

Sun Xiang was terrified and hurriedly shouted twice.

"Minister Wang, I can sell these lands to the imperial court, I..."

"It's being sold to my Great Tang Dynasty! From now on, these lands will be nationalized; they are not the wealth of the royal family, but the wealth of the people of my Great Tang!"

Sun Xiang cursed the hypocrite in his heart, but could only grit his teeth and nod.

"25 strings of cash for an acre of fertile land! This price is far too low. Nowadays, 25 strings of cash isn't even enough to find an acre of dry land. This price is truly beneath the dignity of His Highness the Crown Prince of the Great Tang Dynasty. I..."

Wang Qingyun immediately snorted coldly.

"Important message from His Highness the Crown Prince of the Great Tang Dynasty!"

"I don't care about dignity! I want every farmer in my Great Tang Dynasty to have land! That's the dignity I deserve as the Crown Prince!"

Sun Xiang: "......"

On the official road from Bingzhou to Chang'an, horses galloped at breakneck speed.

These letters, carrying letters from various aristocratic families, landlords, and powerful clansmen, along with the first edition of the *Great Tang New Gazette* published in Bingzhou, were rushing towards Chang'an...