Da Tang: Father, can I resign?

Chapter 208 So you are the traitor? !

Li Ming's eyes shone:
"Poisoning? Or faking an accident?"

Fang Xuanling was stunned:
“It doesn’t have to be so extreme.

"As long as Your Highness can shift the focus of your trusted aides in the court from governing the country to attacking Changsun Wuji, it will be fine."

The higher you climb, the more governance becomes like a turn-based strategy game.

You make a move, I counter it, and the political resources of each party are limited.

The allocation of political resources can be broadly divided into two uses:
Governance and political struggle.

Devoting oneself to governing the country to the benefit of the nation and its people will only make one vulnerable to attacks from political opponents, and one will do more and make more mistakes.

Devoting themselves to political struggles and self-interest, the consequences... needless to say.

How to reasonably allocate political resources between "political struggle" and "governing the country" is the sign of a mature politician.

This is Li Ming's first time on the job, and he comes with a sincere desire to get things done.

As a result, he was tricked by his own insects and was forced to become an expert in micro-manipulation.

Damn, I thought too highly of them.

He thought that after the baptism of the economic crisis and through his own magnanimity towards others, he could win the hearts of the people and everyone would happily contribute to the construction of feudalism.

After all this time, he's still cheating!
"So, Prime Minister Fang believes that the ones who are making trouble behind the scenes are still Li Chengqian, Li Tai and Li Zhi?" Li Ming confirmed again and again.

Rather than the aristocratic families, the landlord class, the remnants of Guanzhong, the unruly people of Hebei, or foreign forces?

Fang Xuanling nodded and insisted:

"It's Changsun Wuji."

He has no say over the royal family of Changsun's lineage, not even behind their backs.

"Then there is the labor room minister."

Li Ming said sincerely:
"You are the only one I have trusted in the court, Prime Minister Fang."

Although the Fourteen Traitors Party is now... no, the Ming Party is thriving.

However, the real core circle is still composed of just a few people, all of whom were attracted by Li Ming's personal charm.

The other Ming Party members, one category, joined in to follow the trend.

Another category is the Cui family and the Yang family, headed by Cui Renshi and Yang Shidao, all of whom are from their maternal clan or their sister's in-laws.

It cannot be said that the above two types of members are not loyal enough or not talented enough.

However, when something really happens, Li Ming still prefers to make decisions with his old friend.

However, now, Wei Daijia is mining and farming in Liaodong, Li Daozon is eating barbecue with the Turks in the south of the desert, and Hou Junji and Xue Wanche have been transferred to Shuobei to fight.

The basic strength around Li Ming was actually drained away, leaving only Fang Xuanling...

"Brother Ming!"

A rough duck voice sounded, it was Chang Sun Yan.

He also received permission to enter the palace and the Liangyi Hall without knocking.

"Oh, Secretary Chang Sun."

Li Ming greeted his friends meaningfully.

Fang Xuanling covered it up by drinking tea and glanced at the young man calmly.

Chang Sunyan was completely unprepared. He swiftly brought out a new stack of documents and started playing Jenga on the pile of documents in front of Li Ming.

"These are Liaodong's reports. Daily, weekly, monthly reports are all here."

No matter how busy he is, Li Ming always takes time to pay extra attention to Liaodong.

As the basic foundation for his own business and the model house he was going to build for Datang, that place must not be lost.

Li Ming stood up immediately and nodded:
"Yes, Not Bad."

The bureaucratic system in Liaodong truly enforces orders.

So, even though there is a time difference of at least ten days or half a month between it and Chang'an.

However, the policy implementation and feedback there may not take as long as Changan.

Therefore, the effect is very obvious.

The economy and people's livelihood developed further, and most importantly, Goguryeo was also being digested steadily.

"Brother Ming." After completing the task assigned by the leader, Chang Sunyan spoke:

"Can I go back to Liaodong?"

Li Ming put down the documents and looked at him friendly:
"Why, Secretary Changsun?"

"Uh, because..." Chang Sunyan hesitated:

"My main job is in Liaodong, right?"

No, your main job is actually to be a conscripted young man, and you are not even a regular employee... Fang Xuanling complained in his heart.

"Look." Li Ming patted the report:
"With you, Liaodong is like this. Without you, Liaodong will still be like this. So, isn't your return to Liaodong in vain?"

"Uh……"

Chang Sunyan was choked.

But birds of a feather flock together. Under the guidance of the mean Li Ming, he was no longer the little baby and was not fooled.

"It was because of my keen eye that I discovered these two talents, Cen Changqian and Wang Benli, that everything in Liaodong went smoothly."

Seeing that his plan failed, Li Ming put on an official air:

"Secretary Changsun, what is your position?"

Chang Sunyan: "Chief Executive Secretary."

Li Ming: "Have you ever seen a secretary who lives in a different place from his boss?"

Chang Sunyan: "Uh..."

The little baby of the Changsun family was still trapped.

"Then Brother Ming, what do you want me to do in Chang'an?"

My little brother is very capable and a man who gets things done.

Li Ming ordered:
“My energy is tied up in state affairs, and I can’t take care of the grassroots, especially the intelligence in Chang’an.

"You will take charge of the Chang'an newspaper office for me, and you will also need to keep an eye on the intelligence from Di Renjie and Lai Junchen."

"Hanging with the old buddies? No problem!"

Chang Sunyan accepted the order happily and left excitedly.

Fang Xuanling followed him with his eyes, took a sip of tea and said:
"Your Highness, why don't you use Chang Sun Yan's identity to investigate Chang Sun Wu Ji's conspiracy?"

Li Ming pondered for a moment and asked:
"Father, between me and your son, who do you choose?"

Fang Xuanling hesitated for a moment.

"Since ancient times, it has been difficult to be both loyal and filial." Li Ming said leisurely:

“So, I won’t force my subordinates to choose between loyalty and filial piety.

"Otherwise, I would have lost that subordinate."

Fang Xuanling paused for a moment, then slowly smiled:

"Your Highness really has the style of your father.

"Chang Sun Wuji is such a fool that he can't tell good from bad. How blind he is."

After explaining everything that needed to be explained, Fang Xuanling took his leave.

The national policy tree has been slightly adjusted, from "focusing on domestic affairs" to "focusing on domestic affairs while taking political struggle into consideration".

"Huh..." Li Ming let out a breath and put his energy back into the mountain of books and the sea of literature.

After Fang Xuanling's reminder, he felt more and more that many members of the former legitimate son party were suspected of flooding the forum with spam.

All trivial matters were reported to him, and even small matters like adding tables and chairs to the yamen were asked for his approval.

"We need to establish a reporting process for major matters and set up the authority for each level to handle the matters. Otherwise, I will be exhausted and never be able to finish the work."

Li Ming muttered.

The problem of flooding can be solved, but the other extreme - deliberate concealment - is difficult to eradicate.

This is determined by the information asymmetry between superiors and subordinates, and it cannot be solved by establishing any rules of procedure.

"We need eyes and ears, we need spies...

"The Intelligence Committee is responsible for external affairs, and the Anti-Counterrevolutionary Committee is responsible for dealing with bureaucrats. What kind of intelligence is still lacking? What aspect of governing the country is still lacking in the intelligence agencies..."

Li Ming pondered and slapped his head:
"Stupid, the problem is the economy!"

National economy and people's livelihood, the core of governing the country is economy.

All the evil done by the remnant of Changsun will also be reflected in the economy.

However, as a leader in solving the economic crisis.

Economic intelligence became Li Ming's blind spot.

In Liaodong, he had a Finance Committee and a complete survey and statistical system.

But in Chang'an, he could only rely on his elder brother Tang Jian's Ministry of Civil Affairs.

Tang Jian, what can I say?

He is known for his uprightness, but his ability in statistics and economic management is just so-so.

This also led to the Ministry of Civil Affairs, which was in charge of the economy and household registration, having a lower ranking among the six ministries of the Shangshu Province.

It is better to have the Ministry of War, which is in charge of building weapons, and the Ministry of Rites, which is in charge of convincing people with reason.

It's just slightly higher than the civil engineering brother's engineering rank.

“It is currently impossible to open a Datang Statistics Bureau.

"I need an organization that focuses on market information. Di Renjie and Lai Junchen don't have the knowledge in this area, so I need to find someone else to take the lead..."

"His Majesty."

The Minister of Rites Li Daozon and the Turkic Khan Ashina Simo came out of the tent to pay a visit.

He had been staying for almost a year on the grassland north of the Great Wall, which was allocated to the remnants of the Turks by Emperor Li Shimin.

At the beginning, it was Dai Tian Khan who appointed Ashina Simo as the new Khan of the Turks. By the way, he helped the Turks who had just returned to their hometown and had not yet gained a foothold to clean up the unwelcome guests, such as the Tiele tribes.

As a result, the 80,000 troops of Emperor Li Shimin were cleared out.

"I...have failed to live up to your majesty's trust and deserve death..."

Li Daozon, who led the Turks and failed to defeat the Xueyantuo, knelt on one knee to apologize to Li Shimin, with dejection written all over his square face.

Ever since leaving Li Ming, Yuan Lu Wangfu seemed to have been having bad luck.

"He deserves to die." Ashina Simo followed closely behind.

Why don’t you two losers just die… Li Shimin’s veins bulged.

He and his main force had just crossed the river and climbed over the Great Wall after traveling thousands of miles to arrive at the headquarters of the Simo Turks - Dingxiang City.

Originally, the area south of the desert north of the Great Wall, where no farmland could be cultivated, was assigned to the remnants of the Turks in order to "use barbarians to control barbarians" and allow the Turks to contain the Xueyantuo.

But judging from the results, Li Shimin seemed to have added a new strategic burden to himself.

The Turks were so exhausted that they were chased away by the Tiele people.

He wrote several letters requesting to move south and join the glorious civil engineering team to add bricks and tiles to the Great Wall and resist the southward advance of the northern barbarians.

Li Shimin was so angry that he personally led a large army to the north to attack Xueyantuo.

However, Li Daozon and Ashina Simo, these two great treasures who are as weak as a feather, cannot be beaten or scolded.

After Li Xiaogong's death, Li Daozon became the only member of the royal family in the court and he could not be moved.

As for Ashina Simo, his relationship with the Tang Dynasty was more like that of a vassal state, and he could not be touched.

If you disturb him, the 200 thousand or so Turks under his command will also disturb.

"You have been guarding the border for the Tang Dynasty. Thank you for your hard work."

Even if they have no merit, they have worked hard, so Li Shimin just wanted to be polite to them.

…………

The most luxurious tent in the tribe is naturally reserved for the Khan.

When he first arrived, Li Shimin did not even bother to wash off the dust and dust, but directly convened a meeting of the generals.

Li Shiji, Hou Junji, Xue Wanche, as well as Li Chengqian and Li Daozon, sat cross-legged on the woolen felt, waiting for His Majesty's orders.

Seeing the prince's younger brother sitting nearby, Li Daozon was so surprised that he even forgot to greet him.

Mo Nan was not unfamiliar with letters, and he knew about major changes in the court.

He knew that His Majesty had come up with a four-character challenge.

Knowing that comrade Li Ming, whom he assisted, Prince Cao, Prince Lu, Prince Song, the Liaodong Jiedushi, the Tongpingzhangshi and the Canjingzhengshi, and the Regent, he almost won the championship.

He also knew that Li Chengqian had suffered a humiliating defeat.

But it was beyond his expectation that Li Chengqian was defeated by Li Ming and could no longer stay in Chang'an and had to join the army to fight.

In just one year, he grew from a brat who was so restricted by himself that he could hardly leave the Lizheng Palace, to a regent who almost ruled the world.

Your Highness Li Ming, you have a knack...

"Uncle." Li Chengqian greeted Li Daozon very respectfully and politely.

During the Jiucheng Palace Incident, it was Li Daozon who rescued Li Chengqian and saved his life.

"Your Highness."

Li Daozon then hurriedly returned the gift.

Li Shimin was in the main position and was the first to understand the situation:

"King Jiangxia, why is Xueyantuo so difficult to defeat?

"The Turks were squeezed to the Great Wall, but their numbers did not decrease. Why is that?"

Li Dao Zong frowned and said thoughtfully:
“Those Tiele people are extremely cunning and elusive, and are especially good at night attacks.

"The Turks were only heard but not seen, so it was difficult for the main force to track them, and their own sheep, women, children and tents were always attacked by surprise.

"So, there were almost no major battles, and not many people died in battle, but the living space was increasingly squeezed."

Li Shiji said almost affirmatively:
"There are traitors among the Turks."

"The Turks and Tiele people share the same origin and race, so it is not uncommon for them to have traitors among themselves." Hou Junji said:
"The problem is that these Turkic people led by Ashina Simo have been in the Central Plains for too long and are no longer adapted to life on the grasslands."

Xue Wanche couldn't help but grin:
"I originally wanted to use these Turks to lead the way for us, but now it seems..."

As soon as he arrived at the battlefield, Lao Xue's IQ immediately took the lead.

"It is better to ask for others than to ask for yourself."

Li Shimin set the general tone for this war.

“Our army sent out many scouts to investigate the movements of the Xueyantuo main force.

"The Turks are just vassal troops, playing the role of auxiliary combat and logistics."

Li Chengqian was lost in thought as he listened to the generals' stories.

As a senior spiritual Turk, when he really came to the Turkic tent.

He felt that the blood in his body was boiling.

grassland……

Spreading out 80,000 Tang troops on the vast grassland was no different from throwing a handful of sand into the desert.

Therefore, when attacking nomadic tribes, combat power is not the key.

The key is intelligence.

Whether it was the Tang army's extermination of the Turks or the Han army's extermination of the Xiongnu, any military action to conquer the grassland could not be done without local "guides".

The Tang Dynasty went a step further than the Han Dynasty and directly "used barbarians to control barbarians", mobilizing the power of the allied barbarians on a large scale to attack the hostile barbarians.

This is also one of the reasons why the Tang Dynasty was able to conquer the four barbarians and swallow up several countries in a short period of time.

Without the support of the vassal army, the Tang army alone would have found it difficult to achieve anything because of its small number of troops, difficulty in obtaining supplies, and limited intelligence.

Therefore, when the Turkic vassal army was not very reliable...

"Father, is Ashina Simo up to the task of supporting the Heavenly Army?"

Li Chengqian asked seriously.

Several generals were all stunned, and then they all nodded in agreement.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's concerns accurately hit the crux of this battle.

On the battlefield, there is no political stance, only victory or defeat, life or death.

When Li Chengqian first entered the military camp, he displayed a keen military sense that several generals could not deny.

"good question!"

Li Shimin was surprised and happy.

It was the first time he realized that the prince had inherited his military talent!

This child is not completely unlike his father!
"But don't worry."

Li Shimin said confidently:
"I have sent Minister Cen Wenben to the Great Xianbei Mountains to order the Shiwei tribe to attack the Xueyantuo from the east.

“At the same time, from the south, have the Turks attack the Xueyantuo’s flank.

"Hold them at both ends, and wait for Xueyantuo to reveal their main force. Then our army will attack with one blow and annihilate them!"

Everyone nodded after hearing this.

Your Majesty's strategy is simple but not simplistic.

The operations of large-scale troops must be simple, clear and efficient, and not too complicated, otherwise there will be chaos without even fighting.

…………

Da Xianbei Mountain.

The forests are dense and rich in rare treasures such as mink fur, ginseng and antlers.

The Shiwei people fished, hunted, herded, farmed, raised livestock, and gathered ginseng and wild fruits here. They were not biased towards one thing and knew a little bit about everything.

Is a smart opportunist and pragmatist.

If you are not smart, you cannot survive in this land.

The Shiwei people maintained close relations with the Tang Dynasty, Goguryeo, and all other ethnic groups and countries.

Trade is a relationship, and war and plunder are also relationships.

A grand banquet was held in the chieftain Moheduo's tent.

Because the envoy Cen Wenben came to visit.

"My Lord has been kind to you. Now my Lord has a request, and you must respond."

Cen Wenben was arrogant and condescending, giving orders to these clever barbarians.

Moheduo often traded with merchants from the Central Plains, so he could speak Chinese.

The rough man with a boar-like figure responded dully:

"Your master gave us iron farm tools, so that millet and wheat can grow wildly on the black soil.

"Your master is our master.