novelcrest Chapter 5443 Developing Liaodong
Chapter 5443 Developing Liaodong
Chapter 5443 Developing Liaodong
[Happy Chinese New Year, fellow book lovers!]
Being childless has always been a source of pain for Jin Deman. She desperately wants to have a child with Fang Jun, both for future security and to ensure that the child inherits her excellent bloodline, so that the child will be intelligent, clever, and outstanding in the future.
However, although Fang Jun was brave and strong and had many children, and she had been examined and found to be infertile, the two had been unable to conceive for many years, which made her feel anxious, disappointed, and even a little scared.
She has no sons to rely on, so she can't really expect Fang Jun to be devoted to her for decades.
Although she could sense that Fang Junfei was a heartless, cold-blooded man who wouldn't abandon her after getting tired of her, being dependent on others was completely different from having a son to rely on...
Does "increasing the probability" really work?
Even though she genuinely enjoyed the process...
In the summer, the trees in the Hibiscus Garden cast dappled shadows, and the shimmering lake in the distance could be faintly seen through the branches and leaves. Jin Deman quickly suppressed her negative emotions and asked with a smile, "Let's not talk about me anymore, let's talk about your Princess Jinyang... Why did you provoke her?"
Fang Jun was deeply troubled. He put down his teacup and sighed, "I once whipped a famous horse while drunk, and I fear that my affections will bring trouble to a beauty... Although I have no intention of provoking her, my own handsome talent and dashing demeanor are as dazzling as fireflies in the dark night, attracting the heart of a beauty. What should I do?"
"what!"
Jin Deman couldn't help but giggle, her body trembling, her breasts rising and falling beneath her thin clothes.
"A Grand Commandant as dignified as this, isn't he ashamed at all!"
"I'm just telling the truth. Hasn't the Queen noticed how excellent I am?"
Kim Deok-man scoffed, "Ugh! He's neither handsome nor dashing; he's just self-important."
Fang Jun was furious. He grabbed Jin Deman under the armpits and lifted her slender body up. Jin Deman was shocked. She flailed her arms and legs in mid-air. When she landed, she was straddling her husband. Fearing she would fall, she quickly used her hands and feet to cling to him tightly like an octopus.
A pair of large hands reached inside the hem of his clothes.
"Your Majesty dares to question my charm; you deserve to be punished!"
Jin Deman bit her cherry lips lightly, her eyes sparkling: "Is this punishment? It's clearly a reward!"
*****
As the sweltering summer heat intensified and autumn drew near, an ever-growing number of scholars from all over the country flocked to Chang'an for the imperial examinations. Not only were inns and hotels fully booked, but even Taoist temples and Buddhist monasteries were overflowing with people. To provide these scholars with food, clothing, and lodging, countless merchants and traders also converged upon the city, creating a bustling and vibrant atmosphere throughout Chang'an, a unique kind of prosperity under the shadow of the imperial examinations.
Inside the Hall of State Affairs, all the prime ministers and ministers were gathered together.
Because of Pei Huaijie's unusually low profile recently, the usual situation of opposing Ma Zhou's suggestions has not occurred for a long time. As a result, the progress of various government affairs has been extremely fast. As long as Ma Zhou raises any matter, the others either agree or remain silent.
This situation made Li Chengqian, who rarely presided over meetings of the Council of State Affairs, look gloomy and very unhappy.
Today, the Hall of State Affairs is the hall of state affairs of the empire, but not the hall of state affairs of the emperor. Its original purpose was to assist the emperor in handling government affairs, reduce procedures and improve efficiency. Now, however, it has become an independent entity, separate from imperial power.
Li Chengqian felt he had become a "human seal," where ministers of the Council of State and the Grand Council would discuss important political and military affairs, then send them to him, the emperor, to affix his imperial seal and promulgate them throughout the land.
They had finally managed to support Pei Huaijie, but he couldn't even withstand a single round before being defeated...
However, those capable ministers all stood on the opposite side, doing their best to restrain the imperial power while governing the country. Where exactly did things go wrong?
Am I a tyrannical and perverse ruler like Emperor Yang of Sui?
Li Chengqian fell into deep self-doubt.
After all the administrative matters were settled, the Grand Secretary Ma Zhou took out another document and placed it on the table in front of him: "This is a document that Cui Dunli, the Grand Protector of Liaodong, just submitted to the Grand Secretariat. It involves the development of Liaodong. Please take a look."
A clerk quickly stepped forward and handed the document to Li Ji, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.
Li Ji read it quickly, then passed it down to others.
Li Chengqian's face was expressionless. This document, submitted to the Secretariat by Cui Dunli, was now placed before the ministers of the Council of State Affairs, but he, the emperor, had not yet seen it...
Although the Grand Secretary had the authority to handle government affairs and did not need to consult the emperor on every matter, he only needed to discuss with the other ministers and then submit the matter to the emperor for a final decision. However, this act of depriving the emperor of his power to participate in and discuss government affairs made him extremely depressed.
The document was passed among the prime ministers and was read quickly.
The content was not complicated; Cui Dunli simply listed his surveys of Liaodong and other places after taking office, as well as his understanding of the various Hu tribes, and made the decision to crack down on the Hu tribes in Liaodong while developing Liaodong. He then requested the approval of the State Council.
Ma Zhou said, "Emperor Taizong launched a nationwide eastern expedition to conquer Goguryeo. The Khitan, Mohe, and other nomadic tribes that were once subservient to Goguryeo were forced to surrender or submit to the Tang Dynasty due to the military might of the Tang. However, these tribes are well-established in the Changbai Mountains and the Heilongjiang River region and are quite powerful. Most of them are not truly loyal to the Tang Dynasty, but rather outwardly compliant but inwardly harboring ambitions. If they are allowed to gather in various places and accumulate strength, they will inevitably cause trouble sooner or later. I think Cui Dunli's suggestion is very reasonable and they should be wiped out."
Although Goguryeo was destroyed, its remnants still occupied the Liaodong area. Coupled with various nomadic tribes, the situation was extremely complicated. Therefore, even though Cui Dunli took office as the Protectorate General of Liaodong, which governed a vast area and millions of people, no one in the court envied him. Instead, they thought it was a demotion in disguise.
Li Ji, deviating from his usual practice, proactively expressed his opinion: "Liaodong is a vast region with undulating mountains and numerous rivers, which is unfavorable for large-scale warfare. This was already evident during the campaign to conquer Goguryeo. If Su Dingfang hadn't led the navy to bombard and collapse the walls of Pingrang City with cannons, the outcome of the war would still be uncertain. Although the Khitan and Mohe tribes are not as strong as Goguryeo, they are all horse-riding tribes with fierce fighting power. If they rely on their superior elite troops to avoid our main force and adopt guerrilla tactics based on the complex terrain, it will be very easy for the government army to be exhausted and have serious consequences."
Everyone turned to look at them.
In the past, although Li Ji chose to break his "alliance" with Fang Jun and stand on His Majesty's side, it was more of a symbolic gesture. He never publicly expressed his opinions on specific matters, as if he were a clay sculpture.
It is extremely rare for someone to stand up and openly express their opposition to Ma and Zhou like this today.
Is there any hidden meaning behind this?
Tang Jian, the Minister of Civil Affairs, was old and frail, with white hair and beard, and his face was covered with wrinkles. He was decrepit and frail, yet he still refused to step down and relinquish his power.
He began, “The Sui and Tang dynasties launched four campaigns against Goguryeo, expending countless manpower and resources. The Sui dynasty was indirectly brought down by this, and countless Han Chinese soldiers were buried in Liaodong. Although Goguryeo has now fallen, the situation in Liaodong remains precarious and turbulent. From the perspective of national finances, it is not advisable to launch another large-scale military operation, as Liaodong is a remote and harsh place, and the losses would not outweigh the gains.”
This was also the reason why the court and the public opposed Emperor Taizong's plan to launch an eastern expedition against Goguryeo. Compared to the barren mountains, rivers, and wastelands of Liaodong, it would be better to concentrate efforts on developing the Yunmeng Marsh, where the water level had dropped significantly.
The Liaodong region is like a chicken rib—tasteless to eat, but a pity to throw away.
Ma Zhou disagreed: "Although Liaodong is indeed bitterly cold, it is by no means a wasteland. After Cui Dunli took office, he sent officials to survey the entire Liaodong region. It is a vast area with abundant water resources. In particular, fertile land is hidden under the thick layer of decaying leaves. In many places, the soil is black and you can squeeze oil out of it... With the continuous improvement of breeding technology and the advancement of farming technology, the land productivity has increased dramatically while the manpower required has decreased. In the past, the predicament of China was that the land was vast but the population was sparse and the labor force was insufficient. However, this situation will soon be completely reversed. The situation of too many people and too little land will become the norm. Policies such as 'people from Guanzhong filling the land of Hebei' should be continued."
With breeding improvements, advancements in agriculture, population explosion, and land consolidation, the Tang Dynasty will face an increasing shortage of land. While continuing its overseas colonization efforts, the reclamation of domestic land should be given top priority.
The first areas to be reclaimed were the Yunmeng Marsh, where the water level had dropped, and the black soil of Liaodong.
Of course, whether it is the fertile land exposed after the water level of Yunmengze drops, or the black soil hidden under thick layers of decaying leaves in Liaodong, both require a huge investment of manpower and resources to develop and become a truly fertile and vast granary.
However, as long as these two places can be successfully developed, the Tang Dynasty will not only no longer have to worry about food shortages, but will also be able to settle millions of people.
It benefits the country and its people; its merits will last for generations.
Pei Huaijie, who always insisted on "opposing whatever Ma Zhou approves of," sat calmly to the side, drinking tea without saying a word.
This contrasts sharply with Li Ji...
Li Chengqian looked around and sighed inwardly.
Fang Jun hadn't uttered a single word yet, but the situation was basically settled...
Develop Liaodong?
In Li Chengqian's view, this was not an urgent matter and should even be postponed. After all, with Cui Dunli taking up the post of Grand Protector of Liaodong and governing Liaodong, the entire Liaodong region naturally became Fang Jun's sphere of influence and, logically, one of the foundations of the Eastern Palace.
Liaodong is a vast region with many pastures and a fierce local culture. It is expected that a new "Liaodong Army" will soon be added, sweeping across Liaodong while swearing allegiance to the Crown Prince.
These forces, like cornerstones, built the foundation of the Eastern Palace. As the situation developed, the Eastern Palace became increasingly powerful, making it more and more difficult to succeed to the throne.
Therefore, he could not sit idly by and watch Liaodong be successfully developed.
"Compared to the harsh climate of Liaodong, I believe we should develop Yunmengze now. If we divide the land after the water level of Yunmengze drops into Hunan and Hubei, and settle officials and allocate resources to them respectively, so that they can develop in parallel and compete with each other, we will surely be able to cultivate countless farmlands in the warmer areas. The grain produced can then be transported north to Luoyang via waterways to nourish Guanzhong. This is the way to build a strong country."