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

Chang'an, Taiji Hall.

The courtiers were now engaged in lively discussion over the news from Baikal County regarding the "Northern Desert Common Prosperity Development Committee."

Before Crown Prince Li Chengqian even arrived.

At this moment, several civil and military officials, including Changsun Wuji, Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, and Qin Qiong, gathered around Prince Jin, Li Zhi, who was in charge of the country.

"Your Highness Prince Jin, you must persuade His Highness the Crown Prince. Princess Gaoyang's actions may indeed divide the Tiele tribes from within and cause them to become disloyal, but they will not bring any benefit to our Great Tang!"

"Yes, Your Highness, our Hydraulic Engineering University has recently developed a new water conservancy technology called the Karez system. It is an improved engineering technology based on the Han Dynasty's parallel canal system. It connects underground rivers through vertical underground channels, outlets, and open channels, and can be built in extremely arid areas. Combined with a steam-powered pumping system, Your Highness... once this project is built on a large scale in places like the Hexi Corridor, our Great Tang will truly be able to control the Western Regions and the Hexi Corridor!"

"Your Highness, Lord Changsun's words are true. This old minister has already gone to investigate with the people from the Ministry of Works. The karez system is indeed a great achievement for the present and a benefit for future generations. If it is built on a large scale, the barren lands of the Western Regions can be transformed into fertile soil..."

Several people surrounded Li Zhi.

However, faced with the words that the people kept repeating but never explicitly stated, "We want slaves, not the obedient people of the Tiele tribe," he could only keep dodging the question.

"Hehe, my lords, this is a matter of great importance that is beyond my ability to handle and decide. Even if you persuade me, my brother will not allow it, so I will still have to do as my brother wishes."

Seeing the anxiety on their faces, Li Zhi quickly spoke again, interrupting their attempts to persuade him.

"I think Gao Yang's move is quite good. Besides, she didn't say she wanted to subdue the entire Tiele tribe. Right now, the Xueyantuo people in the Tiele tribe make up half of the entire population. If these people are not convinced, it's not too late to discuss conquering and enslaving them later."

Changsun Wuji glared at his nephew with displeasure.

"You're just trying to smooth things over! Prince Jin, you really should go out and see for yourself how well the people along the water conservancy projects are doing now, thanks to these projects that benefit the country and its people!"

Li Zhi: "......"

Hey!

Uncle, the way you're saying that makes it sound like I don't want to go out for a walk.

Do you think I can even get out of here?!

I finally got a holiday to go out and have some fun with Wu Zetian, but I still got followed by the Embroidered Uniform Guard!

Li Zhi was too lazy to argue with his uncle, who already had the folk name of "River God," so he rolled his eyes and simply became a wooden statue.

Just then, with a loud announcement from Wang De, Crown Prince Li Chengqian walked into the hall from the back.

"Your subject pays respects to Your Highness the Crown Prince. May Your Highness live a thousand years!"

"No gifts!"

Li Chengqian appeared decisive and efficient, with a smile on his face.

After everyone straightened up, he waved the report from Baikal County in his hand. It was a personal letter written to him by Gao Yang and delivered by a golden eagle.

The above content is much more detailed than what the Sixth Department received.

"You have all surely received the message from Princess Gaoyang from Baikal County, right? What do you think of the Northern Desert Common Prosperity and Development Committee?"

Although everyone could see the almost undisguised satisfied smile on Crown Prince Li Chengqian's face.

Of the officials present, nearly half opposed this measure...

"Your Highness! I have something to say!"

The Minister of Justice, Li Daozong, one of his fathers-in-law and Prince of Rencheng, stepped forward.

Li Chengqian nodded, and the latter cleared his throat, his face solemn and generous.

"Your Highness, I believe that Princess Gaoyang's actions are benevolent and virtuous for herself and for the people of her fiefdom in the future... Indeed!"

He looked up, his eyes revealing the fortitude characteristic of a soldier.

"Princess Gaoyang's actions are not a good thing for the country! On the contrary, I believe they have caused great harm!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Chengqian saw that many people in the hall were nodding to each other.

His lips twitched; he could tell at a glance what these people were thinking.

"Your Highness, when the Eastern Turkic Khaganate was first destroyed, our Great Tang Dynasty was in dire need of rebuilding. Therefore, we relied on the superiority of our firearms and military might to intimidate all sides. Although the Tiele tribes, like Silla and Japan, submitted to our Great Tang Dynasty and paid tribute, it was common knowledge throughout the world that they accepted Turkic exiles and plundered the remnants of the Turkic tribes!"

"Although they are now bowing and scraping before my glorious Tang Dynasty, their true nature is nothing more than fear of the might of my Tang Dynasty, and they are by no means as devoted to the people as the Turks!"

"Such wolves in sheep's clothing, lying in wait for their chance, are being appeased and fed by Princess Gaoyang. I believe this is inappropriate!"

After Li Daozong finished speaking, several officials immediately stepped forward to echo his words.

"Your Highness, I second that proposal!"

"Your Highness, I also agree! The Tiele tribes may be slaves of our Great Tang, but they must never enter our Great Tang and become resources for our Tang people!"

"Your Highness, I request that Your Highness issue an edict ordering Princess Gaoyang to disband the Northern Desert Common Prosperity and Development Committee!"

As soon as the civil officials' voices faded, a loud voice rang out from one side of the Taiji Hall.

"Your Majesty, the Tiele tribes are all bad. Now, my Zhenbei Road has 100,000 iron cavalry. With just one order from Your Highness, I, Ashina Quli, am willing to pacify the northern desert for Your Majesty!"

Duke Duguo, Ashina Quli, seized every opportunity.

His words immediately prompted other Turkic generals in the hall, such as Ashina She'er, to volunteer for battle.

Hou Junji was startled.

"Your Highness, this old minister is extremely familiar with the northern deserts. If I were to lead a northern expedition..."

"Your Majesty the True Khan, if we're talking about familiarity with the northern deserts, who can be more familiar with them than me, Ashina Quli? Your Majesty the True Khan, let me go!"

Hou Junji turned his head with resentment and glared fiercely at Ashina Quli beside him.

The latter, however, was not afraid of him at all. He glared at him and retorted rather arrogantly.

"What? Duke of Lu, you're not convinced? Back then, I led hundreds of thousands of men, bypassing Gaochang, traversing the northern deserts, and entering the Zhenbei Road, only to be discovered by you at Yanmen Pass. If I had let you lead troops to the northern deserts, it would have been a minor matter if you had been defeated, but His Highness the Crown Prince would have suffered heavy losses..."

"You bastard! You're asking for it!!!"

All around him, strange gazes fell upon Hou Junji at that moment.

His old face instantly turned as red as a pig's liver.

Some say that her daughter is pregnant with the emperor's grandson, others say that she earned a lot of gold and silver for the Tang Dynasty in Japan, and still others say that she made contributions to the Tang Dynasty in the past.

All of them paled in comparison to the statement, "I led hundreds of thousands of men and sneaked up to your city without anyone noticing." This was the greatest humiliation of Hou Junji's life.

Enraged that Ashina Quli had exposed him in public, he immediately swung his fist and aimed it at the man's face.

In an instant, the court assembly that had just begun became a complete mess.

Li Chengqian rubbed his forehead.

At that moment, he suddenly seemed to feel the helplessness and headache his father felt when facing those two brutes, Cheng Yaojin and Yuchi Gong.

Both sides are equally dear to me, and most importantly, they are both determined to fight for their country.

"Alright, alright, alright! Pull them apart! Pull them apart from me!"

Li Chengqian slammed his hand on the table.

As Qian Lou, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, stepped forward and grabbed Ashina Quli by the waist, Hou Junji was also pulled away by Yuchi Gong, Li Xiaogong, and several others. Only then did the scene barely return to calm.

Li Chengqian took a deep breath and watched as the officials either searched for their shoes or secretly covered the broken part of their ceremonial tablets. He suddenly regretted his bandit-like behavior back then.

Several years of imperial examinations and several years of official reforms have swept away most of the aristocratic officials in the court, only to welcome in a group of loyal but vulgar soldiers.

Upon seeing this, Changsun Wuji quickly stepped forward.

"Your Highness, this old minister believes that although the actions of the Prince of Rencheng, the Duke of Lu, and the Duke of Du are somewhat biased, they are generally not bad... I humbly request Your Highness to make a wise decision and adopt a policy of appeasement towards the Tiele tribes, as the disadvantages outweigh the advantages!"

"At the very least... the entire Xueyantuo tribe should be wiped out! Their whole clan should be enslaved!"

Li Chengqian: "......"

Centuries later, I wonder if my uncle's divine status remains on earth or in the underworld...