The Emperor ordered Zhao Tang

Chapter 342 The Alliance of Shirahara

As expected, the events unfolded according to the historical timeline. The Eastern Army and Western Army Alliance held a meeting with various nobles, accepted the Sage's conditions, and fulfilled their promises—to be governed by Tang officials and to govern the land according to Tang laws.

As a matter of exchanging favors and ensuring personal safety, deciding on an official position was a difficult task. The emperor asked his advisors, who all replied, "Qili is already a general and minister of the Eastern Army; granting him the title of governor is too lenient. A royal title is too weighty and unjust. Appointing him prime minister would be disrespectful. It is appropriate to summon the Nine Ministers."

After numerous negotiations, an imperial edict was issued:

Bai Qili, the Minister of the Eighth Army, the Commander of the Tibetan Army, and the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, led 20,000 troops to assist in suppressing the rebellion and brought his family to the court to serve as officials.

Qili complied with this arrangement.

However, the price was that the sage pointed to the mountain as the boundary, enclosing the area of ​​Tianbao Mountain within a radius of 500 li, and publicly issued an edict: establishing the Marquisate of Xi'an, and appointing his son Shuogu as the Marquis of Xi'an.

Cai Bangzan, the military governor of Qinghai, was appointed as the Left General of the Valiant Guard.

Noble families such as the Wei and Nanang clans were all granted additional titles.

The territory of the Eastern Army was roughly divided into five prefectures: Xihai, Zhenguan, Shengli, Yuanhe, and Changqing.

The territory of Xihai County includes Chaka Salt Lake, Dafeichuan, and Chiling area.

The Zhenguan region encompasses the Shule River basin corridor area, bounded by the Daxueshan Mountains to the east, the Shule South Mountains to the north, the Qilian Mountains to the south, and the Menggu Mountains to the west.

The land east of the Bayingol River basin, north of Ulan, and west of Fusi City under the jurisdiction of the Holy Li.

This area is a scenic western grassland, with some mountains as well.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, this should become another major horse ranch for Saint Tang in the Western Continent.

The Yuanhe and Changqing prefectures respectively governed the northern and southern parts of the former Tuyuhun territory. After conquering the Xiqingshan and Miyao areas in the south, it bordered the Shu region geographically. Of course, the southern part had not yet been conquered. There, another group of Tubo forces was currently engaged in a battle with Wu Xiong.

Thus, the territory ruled during the Han and Wei dynasties, and the lost territory of the Tang dynasty, was formally restored—according to the negotiations, they would continue to reside in the southern part of the Western Regions.

The parallel system of prefectures and kingdoms is currently only in the planning stage.

It will require continuous dispatch of officials and immigrants in the future, and a gradual process of turning the millstone around with Tibet, before it can truly be turned into our own land.

On the sixteenth day of the first month of the first year of Guanghua, Yueyuan was established.

The snowstorm had just stopped, and the sky was clear and blue.

At noon, the emperor held a grand assembly of his ministers at Sheleyuan. After the imperial edict was issued, Moluqili breathed a sigh of relief and also took the initiative to come to pay homage.

The officials entered in order of rank and official position, and all knelt upon reaching the throne. Music officials, dancers, and bell-playing musicians performed music and songs to the right of the throne—this was the proper etiquette. Censors in court robes stood in a circle on the left, holding tablets, observing the emperor and his ministers—this was the law.

"Clang, clang..." Amidst the sound of the pipa, surrounded by ministers and military officials, the emperor took his seat before the imperial tent to attend the audience ceremony and the sacrificial ceremony of the Eastern Army and Western Prefecture.

This was something the ministers strongly insisted on. They believed that Tibet had no credibility, and the only thing that could restrain them was to make them swear a blood oath against Tibet's deeply ingrained beliefs in their Bon religion and its shamanistic customs.

There's a Cantonese guy saying, "Swear an oath to Mazu," and a Sichuanese guy saying, "Let's go buy some paper, we'll go to the City God Temple and settle this." That's the vibe.

More than 20,000 infantry and cavalry were assembled on both sides of Shele Plain. This was partly for security, but more importantly, it was to show off military strength. The Tibetans were used to bullying the weak and fearing the strong, and on such a grand occasion, if you didn't show them that your fists were made of iron, they would easily become contemptuous of you.

Later generations of Tibetan nobles and the Zhao emperor were on good terms, but their subordinates often caused trouble for the Song Dynasty—"The tribes of Hezhou and Wushengjun became increasingly arrogant, blocking the tribute route of the Khotan kingdoms and seizing Banci"? To put it bluntly, wasn't it still because the Song Dynasty's military strength was weak?
The nobles thought, "So what if I offended you?"

At this moment, in the center of the venue, several statues of deities and a ram-headed god ram stood solemnly.

A large group of Tibetan shamans and priests were singing, dancing, and rapping under these statues. Sorry, wrong channel, it was a ritual involving singing, dancing, and reciting lyrics.

As their most experienced shaman, Qu Bujiemi, the head of the Qu family, presided over the ceremony.

The other wizards, each holding a flag, surrounded the altar.

"Your Majesty, it has begun." As a fierce wind swept through, Zhao Jia straightened up and announced.

"Go!" The sage, with a grand and imposing air, sat with his hands clasped and nodded to several ministers.

Former prime minister Zhang Jun, who had served as his advisor and was appointed Left Attendant Gentleman of the Palace after Li Keyong's major defeat, and Right Attendant Gentleman of the Palace Li Dao led more than ten ministers and strode to the sacrificial site, surrounded by military officers.

Chiefs such as Cai Bangzanzhuo, Qu Bucha, and Wei Danxiang, along with dozens of junior clan leaders, all paid their respects.

"Please summon the Little Alliance!" Qu Bujie shouted.

The "small alliance" was a ceremony used by the Tibetan rulers to enhance mutual trust. Held annually, both sides swore an oath to the gods, promising loyalty and pledging their undying allegiance. However, a sage possesses his own civilized system; he would never stoop to such a self-degrading act.

Under the guidance of the shaman, Zhang Jun, Li Dao, and other ministers representing him drew their swords and, together with men and women such as Mo Luqili, Qu Buduzi, and Wei Danxiang, crawled into the enclosure and hacked wildly at more than a hundred dogs, sheep, and monkeys.

Amidst the clanging and slashing sounds, fragments of blood and flesh sprayed all over their faces.

"Poor dog, wretched horse!" The sage sat there, watching monkey after monkey being hacked down and howling in pain.

After the killing, the group drove the corpses into the pit.

Led by Moluqili, the Tibetan ministers raised their hands to the sky at the edge of the pit: "May the gods bear witness, the ruler and his subjects are friends, and we, the subjects, pledge our lives to Your Majesty. If Your Majesty dies, we will all commit suicide to be with you! Those who break this oath are such beasts!"

The master of ceremonies called out, "Three bows!"

The ministers bowed three times to the sage at the foot of the altar, and then stepped forward to present him with precious treasures.

This one step alone took a long time, but everyone watched patiently.

Today, the Holy Tang Emperor is crowned King, becoming your emperor, master, and Zanpu! As the Tibetan officials took turns to pay homage, offer dances, and present treasures, all the ministers and generals joined the music officials in chanting ancient poems.

"In the past, when the Yan dynasty ended, China was in chaos and disorder."

“A red crow appears in the suburbs of Feng, and black clouds rise above Mount Mang.”

"The great gift will be given to the Zhou chariot, and the violent opening of the Yin tributary will be prohibited."

"The living and the dead are praised together, and the imperial lineage is as vast as the heavens and the earth."

This is a piece of music from the sacrificial rites to the Supreme God, praising the martial virtue of the Tang Dynasty. It has been passed down since the Zhenguan era, and no minister was unfamiliar with singing and dancing to it.

"When the Yan dynasty ended, China fell into chaos."

"The Red Crow appeared on the outskirts of Fengdu, and dark clouds shrouded the heart of the Heluo region."

"The chariots and horses of Bangzhou, laden with generous rewards, destroyed the tyranny of the Yin Shang dynasty."

"Light and darkness alike praise it; the rule of the Holy Tang Dynasty will be as enduring as heaven and earth."

As the courtiers softly chanted their praises, the emperor nodded gently in agreement, as if Yin Ying and Yu Daolian were sitting on a high terrace in Penglai, holding their pipa, reciting those ancient times to the chessboard-like layout of Chang'an.

The warm winter sun shone down, casting a layer of white light on everyone.

The entire Shirakawa-hara was immersed in sacred chanting.

What kind of scene and atmosphere was this? It can only be described as indescribable. The densely packed Tibetan troops and slaves kneeling outside Shele Plain couldn't help but lower their heads and shout at the hill.

They were paying homage to the new king.

They are worshipping the common lord of both the Chinese and the barbarians.

They were expressing their humility and loyalty to Saint Tang.

In the corner, the historian stroked his beard, writing down the scene with fluid strokes on a moisture-proof parchment scroll.

The artist also closely observed each person and memorized each scene.

He was determined to depict the grand occasion of the alliance at Leyuan as a classic that would be passed down to future generations.

"Your subject Qu Buduzi greets Your Majesty." The Bodhisattva Lingxian, with her beautiful features and flowing red robes, bowed deeply before the throne.

The sage stared intently at that delicate and beautiful face, her chest that could barely be contained when she bent over, and her round, plump buttocks when she sticks out.

It's really strange, why are women's butts so round, so wide, so big, and so perky?

Is it genetic selection that drives human reproduction?
"Your subject respectfully presents three pairs of golden cups and a set of Persian armor..." Qu Buduzi finished bowing and presented the gifts.

Nangong accepted it on his behalf.

But they found that the sage was slow to tell them to rise, his eyes darting around as if he were plotting something.

"Ahem..." Rou Nu reminded him softly at an inopportune moment, "Your Majesty."

"Huh?" The sage snapped out of his daze, his face hardening, and nodded coldly: "Go down."

Qu Buduzi frowned slightly, then calmed down. She was a very sensitive woman, and she had clearly caught the aggressive look in that dog-like emperor's eyes. Moreover, as a woman, she could immediately sense the intentions behind a man's gaze—even if he hid it very well.

Really down!
After the small alliance ceremony, Tibetan warriors led dozens of horses, cattle, and donkeys to the statues, breaking their limbs and disemboweling them. Then, they led dozens of male and female statues to the statues and repeated the process to conduct the large alliance ceremony.

Originally, this was supposed to be done with living people, as the custom of the barbarians was to kill people for sacrifice. However, since they had been submitted to the Tang Dynasty, this barbaric practice that was against the natural order had to be eliminated, so the emperor issued an edict to have statues made in their place.

This step is called the Great Oath, which is an oath made to the gods.

After the sacrifice was completed, the Tibetan officials knelt before the statue and swore in unison: "From this day forward, we are all subjects of the Holy Tang Dynasty, and we will never betray each other. May those who break this oath be as cruel as these beasts!"

"My lords—" As the ceremony drew to a close, the Emperor surveyed the entire assembly: "Each tribe may send its sons to the capital to serve as military officers, and they shall be incorporated into the Divine Path Gentlemen's Army. From now on, if any tribes have disputes, they shall not attack or kill each other without authorization, but shall report to the court. If there is any external invasion, once the report arrives, the Holy Tang Dynasty will not tolerate it."

"The rest are military and political affairs, and will be subject to the court's decisions."

"Your subject obeys!" Moluqili and the others replied in unison.

Once the sacrificial ceremony concluded, the venue automatically transformed into a banquet.

For now, this is all we can do. Nominally, we've incorporated the Eastern and Western armies, mobilized 20,000 noble troops for the war, and taken noble sons as military officers and hostages. As for the remaining tribal governance and the handling of other Tibetan troops, that's a problem for the time being. And the other side is unwilling to hand them over anytime soon.

It is quite remarkable that such achievements could be made in half a war, a war that was not even a fierce one.

The matter in the Western Sea has been settled.

Next, it's time to go back and deal with Zhu Dalang. The Bian people are incredibly restless; they've forgotten the lessons learned at Tongguan, Hezhong, and Hengshui. We need to show them their true colors!

Returning to base!

Let the imperial court handle the aftermath here. We've been enjoying ourselves in Jincheng for so long, it's time to get a bit more serious.

(End of this chapter)