The film and television world begins with the battle for the throne in Kowloon

Chapter 774: Feudal System (VI)
"As for the highest-level princes, all these military power, financial power, personnel power, and administrative power are given to them, allowing them to enjoy a high degree of freedom and rule as kings, just like an independent kingdom."

Li Yan pointed to the northwest and said, "However, this highest level of princes can only be established in the northwest. There have been small countries in those places since ancient times. Unlike the grasslands, which are highly mobile and difficult to manage, the northwest can definitely build cities and establish countries."

"We must use the vassal states of the Tang Dynasty to gradually replace the original local foreign forces."

"But there is one thing. All the rights of the first-level vassal states can be given to them, but there is one fundamental thing that cannot be shaken in any way. That is, the sovereignty of the vassal states belongs to the Tang Dynasty, which is different from the surrounding vassal states in the past."

"They must fly under the banner of the Tang Dynasty, recognize the sovereignty of the Tang Dynasty over them, and not invade each other, expand their power without authorization, and establish foreign relations with countries and forces outside the Tang Dynasty as an independent entity behind the back of the Tang Dynasty, and recognize that the vassal states are an inseparable part of the Tang Dynasty."

"We must fully implement sinicization, learn Chinese characters and the classics of our Central Plains, speak our language, act according to the rules of the Tang Dynasty, and abandon the original characters and customs that may cause huge differences."

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin said proudly, "Of course. The national strength and military power of our Great Tang are unparalleled. Once we conquer those places, they will become our territory. Even the population and property will belong to us. If we divide them up now, the princes will do so even if we don't ask for it."

"Otherwise, they will always be excluded from the orthodoxy of the Central Plains and regarded as barbarians, and those backward local natives will never accept and recognize their ruling status."

Hearing this, Li Yan breathed a sigh of relief. He was thinking from the perspective of future democracy and human rights, wondering whether changing customs would lead to huge confrontation. But think about it, this is the ancient times where one can expand at will as long as they have the strength!

In the conquered territory, they can kill and burn people at will and take away everything. Now they just need to give up their bad habits and learn the "advanced culture" of the Celestial Empire, which will be of great benefit to their integration into mainstream society.

As long as the local lords and chieftains and other primitive rulers with weak resistance are defeated, the people below will do whatever they are asked to do as long as their lives can be better.
Li Yan has seen that in modern times, most countries in the world have entered the civilized era, but the people in the western plateau are still living in the slave era, with their lives being disposed of at will by their own territory. Now it seems that the people there should be living a more difficult life.

This was equivalent to the Tang Dynasty liberating them in advance.

If this is the case, the Tang Dynasty only needs to maintain its external superiority for two or three hundred years as it did in history. The plateau area and the Central Plains will in fact be a whole. No matter which side has the upper hand, what will be replaced is the superstructure, and the grassroots will not be shaken on a large scale.

In ancient times, the invasion of two forces caused large-scale killings and arson. The main reason was that they could not be accepted by the people of the other side, and they could only maintain their rule through violent suppression. If the grassroots people had the mentality that they were all one of them when changing rulers.

The force that has the upper hand will never be so brutal. No matter what, once they win, they are all on their side.
Li Yan nodded and continued, "As for the second-level princes in the middle zone, they can be given some power based on the distance of the region, the difficulty of governance, the development of the regional economy, and the importance to the Tang Dynasty."

"For example, the power of governance and some personnel power can be given to the princes, while the court can retain the power of garrisoning troops and finances, the power to appoint some important chief officials, etc. This can be adjusted flexibly according to the actual situation."

"Even in places where the timing is right and the degree of sinicization is high, we can make adjustments to gradually recover the vassal states that are relatively close to us and bring them under the unified jurisdiction of the court, while enfeoffing the vassal kings to more distant places."

"In this way, advancing layer by layer like a wave, supervised, transitional, and completely thrown out, the entire system can ensure that the Tang Dynasty is not restricted by internal resources and expands its territory."

"If you meet a wise ruler, you can even reduce the power of the vassal states and expand your strength. If you meet a weak ruler, at least you can maintain the basic territory of the Central Plains to defend yourself."

"Let's take a step back. Even if the Tang Dynasty lost control of the vassal states, due to the harsh environment and lack of resources, it would take time for them to annex each other. No matter who wants to unify the entire West, it will take several generations, or even longer."

"Under normal circumstances, local forces will not take the initiative to provoke the court unless they are strong enough. The Zhou emperor in the Zhou Dynasty was reduced to a place with only four warring states left, and the remaining powerful countries did not dare to destroy him at will."

"It has lasted for hundreds of years just relying on a righteous reputation."

"And so much time has added endless variables, enough to give the Tang Dynasty the opportunity to split up and disintegrate and clean up the situation."

Li Yan shrugged helplessly and said, "Of course, if we can't turn the tables for hundreds of years, then there is nothing we can do until we perish."

Li Shimin became more and more excited as he listened, and finally clapped his hands and exclaimed, "Yes, although it has not been implemented yet, I can already confirm that this method is feasible. Your entire set of ideas has completely broken the previous stereotypes of the Tang Dynasty and has given the Tang Dynasty a brighter future."

"To be honest, I, Xuanling Wuji and others have basically made it. After the war with the Turks, unless there is a huge threat or provocation, the Tang Dynasty will no longer take the initiative to launch large-scale wars, and will shift all its energy to internal construction."

"But after listening to your far-sighted plan today, I think that our Tang Dynasty can take two steps at the same time, governing and expanding at the same time."

Li Yan added: "Yes, Father, in fact, as long as the plan is well made, appropriate external expansion can also solve many domestic problems, such as resource constraints, land scarcity, and insufficient population, which can be alleviated through foreign wars." "For example, these aristocratic families and the problems of meritorious officials and relatives can also release these elites."

"They are trouble inside, but they are talents outside. We can use their talents, greed and ambition to expand the territory and guard the border for our Tang Dynasty. Moreover, they can see the wider world outside and the enemies farther away after they leave Chang'an City."

"In order to preserve the country, they will actively rely on the support of the court to resist external pressure and get benefits from outside, instead of just focusing on their own two acres and three shares of land and competing with the court and the people for profits."

"The family that cuts ice does not keep cattle or sheep."

At this point, Li Yan naturally felt a little resentful: "The interior of the Tang Dynasty is a novice village, a trial field for the weak to grow and become stronger. Once they become strong, they should go outside to expand their living space, instead of using their power and resource scale to compete with ordinary people in the local area."

"what?"

Li Shimin looked at Li Yan, whose emotions were suddenly out of control, and subconsciously asked, "What is the Novice Village? And the Involution?"

"Oh"

Li Yan slowly calmed down, and then explained: "My son is saying that these powerful forces, unlike ordinary people, have a hard time surviving."

"They have outstanding insights, economic size and strong strength. They should be the pioneers of the country and look outward instead of racking their brains to take away the survival rations of ordinary people."

"They are trouble inside and benefit outside. With them guarding the periphery of the Tang Dynasty, no matter who wants to invade our Tang Dynasty, we have to deal with them first. When they attack the inside, our Tang Dynasty will be well-rested and can deal with it calmly."

"In short, it's much better to have more people outside than to have everyone crowded in one place and fight hard inside."

Li Shimin nodded silently, probably understanding what Li Yan meant. He also agreed with this point.

Seeing that Li Shimin had taken his words to heart, Li Yan reminded him, "However, father, you must remember that the Central Plains of the Tang Dynasty is the foundation for controlling the peripheral vassal states. Maintaining absolute external advantages is the basis for maintaining a vast territory."

Li Yan pointed to the northeast and said, "Although there are only three vassal states in the northeast, Goguryeo, Silla Baekje, and some forces in the bitter cold land in the north, there is the sea behind here, and there is no depth. We must not leave here."

"The climate here is cold, is that not okay?" Li Shimin was stunned. In his opinion, these places were of no use.

Li Yan immediately knew that his reminder was necessary. Thinking of the fact that the Mongols and Jurchens of later generations rose in the land of white mountains and black waters, he said seriously, "It's absolutely not possible here. Don't underestimate this small corner of the Northeast, a place as small as an egg ball, but it has caused a lot of trouble for the Central Plains."

"Yang Guang of the Sui Dynasty was indirectly destroyed because of his attack on Goguryeo. Although the reasons are complicated, this small empire managed to withstand the attack of the entire Sui Dynasty and even brought down the Sui Dynasty, which shows how tenacious its vitality is."

"Don't forget, it is also an agricultural nation, and it has the ambition and hope to replace our Central Plains."

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin was suddenly shocked. He stared at the peninsula with a gloomy face and nodded heavily.

"The northeast, east, southeast, south, and southwest Bashu and Hanzhong must all be included in the scope of the Tang Dynasty, and we must maintain sufficient national strength to control the periphery. In this way, we can rely on the Central Plains to control the northwest, and rely on the northwest to control the grasslands, without any worries."

"No matter how big the turmoil in the north is, our Tang Dynasty will not be attacked from both sides and fight on two fronts."

"Even if it turns into a rebellion among the Seven Kingdoms, our Tang Dynasty can calmly quell it."

"However, it will take more than a hundred years for these places to be incorporated into the Central Plains. There is no need to rush for the time being. Even if they don't obey, the Tang Dynasty can send troops to conquer them and then seal them off again. This way, it won't cause many princes to attack them collectively."

(End of this chapter)