novelSusiti Chapter 104 This is clearly a reward!
Chapter 104 This is clearly a reward!
Chapter 104 This is clearly a reward!
On August 19th, it was sent to Beijing by express courier.
King Shuming of Wa refused to kneel and accept the title, so a passerby named Gao Biaoren drew his sword and took Shuming's head, shocking Asuka Kyoto.
Soga no Emishi lacked courage and dared not declare himself King of Wa. Instead, he appointed the widow of King Takamuko and the newlywed queen of King Shumei as King Kogyoku.
Oh, the Emperor Huangji himself was also a descendant of royalty.
Iwami was officially handed over to the Tang Dynasty. Five thousand soldiers were stationed in Iwami, and the craftsmen searched for the Silver Mountain and officially began mining.
Upon receiving the news, Dou Fengjie sighed with regret, wondering why Soga no Emishi didn't have the courage to declare himself king.
Gao Biaoren's temper was even more volatile than in official history, but it was very satisfying.
I wonder if Mononobe Komachi and his men, with the help of the Unity Army, can contend with the Soga clan.
Looking at Dou Fengjie's expression, Cheng Chumo muttered, "Why are you so gloomy? Wouldn't it have been quite satisfying to stab him like that?"
Dou Fengjie shook his head.
It's precisely because it was so enjoyable that I felt it wasn't quite right.
Dou Fengjie hoped that Japan would become more chaotic, and that the Soga clan and Mononobe clan could continue fighting for a hundred years or so.
It seems that Eri's persuasive skills are still lacking; she cannot use flowery words and elaborate rhetoric to inflate Soga Emishi's ego to the point of independence.
This student's understanding of Buddhism is also lacking!
At the same time, the weakness of the warship and the sea raft in terms of instability was exposed, and a warship was almost lost at sea.
To facilitate frequent travel between the Tang Dynasty and Japan, Fujian-style ships must be equipped as soon as possible.
"Unfortunately, with the current capabilities of the Tang Dynasty, it is not yet able to completely occupy Japan, nor is it sufficient to carry out predatory development."
Dou Fengjie sighed inwardly.
This matter has also sparked much discussion in the imperial court.
August 21st.
Inside the Taiji Hall, Imperial Censor Li Renfa raised his tablet and said, "Your subject Li Renfa impeaches Gao Biaoren, the Prefect of Xinzhou, for killing the King of Japan on a mere disagreement while serving as an envoy to Japan."
Li Shimin looked at Dou Fengjie, the last official of the Court of State Ceremonial, with a half-smile, and asked, "What's your assessment, Duke of Zan?"
Dou Fengjie sighed, stepped forward, and raised his tablet: "Governor Gao's actions cannot compare to the destruction of the Liang Kingdom by Gong Anxinggui alone. I am ashamed before my predecessors."
"The Duke of Zan actually supports such a move? This is damaging the reputation of the Tang Dynasty!" Li Renfa was shocked.
"Ban Chao, the Marquis of Dingyuan in the Eastern Han Dynasty, killed the King of Yanqi and the King of Weili, and spread his power and prestige in the remote wilderness, yet the Eastern Han Dynasty did not blame him." Dou Fengjie laughed.
Envoys and generals in battle inevitably have certain privileges and can make their own decisions when things happen.
If you restrict your actions in everything you do, you'll suffer the consequences.
The envoy's lack of assertiveness and meekness will only lead to his downfall, just like Yan Zhiwei's fate.
"However, punishment is unavoidable. Your subject Dou Fengjie suggests that Gao Biaoren be removed from his post as Prefect of Xinzhou and reassigned as Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel or Vice Minister of the Chancellery," Dou Fengjie said with a smile.
Li Renfa's eyes widened.
Lingnan Circuit's Xinzhou was a lower-level prefecture. Gao Biaoren, as the prefect, was a fourth-rank official with a lower rank. If he entered the court, he would become the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel or the Vice Minister of the Secretariat, both of which were fourth-rank officials. This was clearly a reward!
These two positions are jokingly referred to by officials as the "talented prime minister"!
Gao Biaoren could return to Chang'an from Xinzhou, 5,052 li away, after beheading the Japanese king—what an honor!
Of course, this was not Dou Fengjie's own intention; it was Li Shimin's true intention.
Minister of Ceremonies Li Tai stepped forward and raised his tablet, saying, "Any traveler who does not damage the majesty of the Tang Dynasty is considered to have performed a great service."
"Returning victorious after beheading the enemy chieftain is an even greater achievement. Your Majesty, I request that you appoint Gao Biaoren as Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices."
This means that Gao Biaoren should concurrently serve as the Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies and be involved in the affairs of the Court of State Ceremonies, without squeezing out the positions of Liu Shan and Changsun Huan.
The officials from the Court of State Ceremonial echoed each other, causing Li Renfa to silently retreat back to his seat.
Even if Dou Fengjie was notorious, he could face it calmly.
But he didn't have the guts to argue with Li Tai, a frontrunner for the crown prince position.
Don't talk about being opportunistic; that's how many people survive.
If you don't have the courage to burn your bridges, it's best not to get involved in matters of the imperial family.
Haven't you heard?
Crown Prince's Thousand Cavalry Officer Helan Chushi, having been ordered by Li Chengqian to bury Zhang Xuansu, has been transferred to Xiyi Prefecture as a military officer.
But did Helan Chushi have a choice at that time?
When Hou Junji heard the news, he broke out in a cold sweat.
If I hadn't listened to my cousin's advice and replaced him with Zhang Wenguan in the "marriage selection" process, I don't know how much I would have been implicated.
Dou Desu, the Director of the Imperial Household Department, said calmly, "The craftsmen who went to Shijian have already discovered the location of the silver mine. With the current mining capacity, it is estimated that it can be mined for a thousand years."
"There isn't much silver; it's just enough to build silver coins on top of copper coins, thus removing silk from the monetary unit of measurement."
The Imperial Household Department also established a metallurgical bureau and a minting bureau in Shijian to mint silver coins for the Tang Dynasty.
The exchange rate between silver coins and copper coins is tentatively set at one to one hundred.
The wild laughter of Tang Jian, the Minister of Civil Affairs, echoed throughout the hall.
Since arriving at the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Tang Jian has been troubled by the exchange rates of copper coins and silk, and the loss of silk is also a major headache.
With the removal of the function of currency from silk, the Ministry of Civil Affairs benefited the most.
Li Renfa pursed his lips, finally realizing that he was the only fool.
Gao Biaoren's killing of the Japanese king was not a spur-of-the-moment decision. His purpose in establishing his authority was to seize the silver mines of Iwami, thereby relieving the Tang Dynasty's currency shortage and establishing a silver coin system.
Unless King Shumei of Wa would kneel and bow cleanly and decisively, he would surely die.
Minister of War Hou Junji spoke in a measured tone: "It's good that the young men selected from the militia can have a job to make a living temporarily."
"Old Hou is quite competent as Minister of War," said Cheng Yaojin, Duke of Su, with a rare serious expression.
Many soldiers who retired from the military were not used to life as commoners, so it was good for them to have some experience as soldiers to help them recover.
Hou Junji had a slight smile in his eyes. Cheng Yaojin and he didn't get along well, so it was rare for him to hear such a thing.
"The Ministry of War's idea is to see if we can extend the experience of uniting the troops to the surrounding barbarian lands," said Cui Dunli, the Vice Minister of War.
Cui Dunli's words were very skillful; he presented his personal opinion as the Ministry of War's idea, thus allowing Hou Junji to benefit as well.
Dou Fengjie nodded, indicating that he had learned something, but whether he could actually use it or not was still up for debate.
Listen carefully to the underlying meaning; the so-called experience of uniting troops is to station troops in the four barbarian regions to intimidate foreign lands.
Japan can now station troops there. Should Silla or Baekje also station troops?
Goguryeo —
We cannot station troops here for the time being. Wu Daojiang is too fierce and stubborn, and there is a risk in stationing troops here.
On the western front, countries like Gaochang, Yanqi, and Kucha could also follow this model, gradually infiltrating them with united troops.
On the northern front, the Turkic Baidaochuan, the former Khitan Lengxing Mountain, and the Xi Bailang River could also be gradually garrisoned to serve as early warning systems for the Tang Dynasty.
In the southwest, beyond the Zongbala Mountains, the united forces of the various Qiang tribes, even if unable to stop the Tibetans from descending the mountains, could at least give the Tang Dynasty more time to react.
The important thing is that with the potential for profit, raising tens of thousands more united soldiers is not a problem.
Hou Junji smiled and nodded.
He believed that it would be quite appropriate for Cui Dunli to succeed him as Minister of War after his term of office expired.