A Good Landlord in the Tang Dynasty: Starting from the Village Chief

Chapter 152: Arrogant Turkic Envoy

Li Yi and Wei Zheng, two brothers, led their horses out of the East Market.
Wei Zheng was instantly overcome with dejection, his spirits lifted and his face flushed with joy. He wished he could receive the order and leave Shandong right away.

"Get out of the way,"

Suddenly, there was a sound of horse hooves ahead, and more than ten riders rushed out, galloping down the street, as if no one was around. There was a huge crowd of people at the East Market Gate, including cart drivers, vendors, people carrying loads, and people shopping. Many people had no time to avoid the crowd.
There were screams all the time,
Someone was knocked down, someone's car flipped over,
But the knights walked away as if they had not seen anything.

Everyone was shouting and cursing behind them, but no one tried to stop or chase them.

"Who are these people, so arrogant and domineering?" Wei Zheng asked.

A military officer at the gate of the East Market said, "Those are the subordinates of Ashina Kutulu, the Turkic special agent."

"Are you just going to do nothing? Allowing a group of Turks to wreak havoc in Chang'an?"

Wu Hou shook his head helplessly and did not respond.

They want to intervene, but they dare not, and their superiors do not allow them to do so.

A Turkic special agent would not dare to be so arrogant in Chang'an, but everything has a reason.

"Brother, go back first."

Li Yi took Wei Zheng back to his own house in Pingkangfang and specially called Shi Niang out to meet him.

"This is my senior brother, from Quyang, Julu, Hebei, and he just came to Chang'an."

Li Yi briefly introduced Wei Zheng and talked about his experience of traveling with his master Li Zhenren to Ziyun Temple in Gucheng and meeting Wei Zheng as a master and disciple.

"I invite you to stay at my house, temporarily in the East Cross Courtyard."

Wei Zheng greeted him politely.

Li Yi brought Wei Zheng to the East Wing and arranged for him to stay in the West Wing guest room.
"Tell me quickly what's going on with the Turks?"

"There is indeed an inside story behind this matter," Li Yi sat down.

The Turks of the northern grasslands once swarmed across thousands of miles and were extremely powerful. However, in the early Sui Dynasty, Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty, Yang Jian, adopted a strategy of uniting the weak and separating the strong. He took advantage of the internal strife of the Turks and frequently attacked them. Later, he supported Qimin Khan, defeated the other Khans, and became the Great Khan of the Eastern Turks.
He also married two princesses to Qimin Khan, which earned Qimin Khan's loyalty to the Sui Dynasty.

After his son Shibi Khan succeeded to the throne, he also showed respect to the Sui Dynasty for many years, until Shibi Khan followed Yang Guang to watch the battle in Liaodong.

After seeing that the Sui Dynasty was strong on the outside but weak on the inside, he no longer feared the Central Plains.

Later, Shibi Khan took advantage of Yang Guang's northern tour outside the Great Wall and led 200,000 cavalry to launch a surprise attack. He surrounded Yang Guang in Yanmen and almost invited Yang Guang to visit the grassland.

Although the siege of Yanmen was finally lifted,
But after that, the Central Plains fell into complete chaos, and the Turks became increasingly contemptuous of China.

All the heroes who rose up in rebellion at the end of the Sui Dynasty submitted to the Turks.

A crucial point in Li Yuan's decision to launch an uprising in Taiyuan was that he obtained the support of the Turks.

Of course, the Turks will not help you for free, there are conditions.

Li Yuan was also very clear about this, so he made a promise to the Turks: he was willing to enter the capital with the Khan's troops, the people and land would be given to the Tang Gong, and the wealth and gold would be given to the Turks.

After receiving such a promise, the Turks actively sent troops to support.

In just a few months, Li Yuan broke into Chang'an City, established Yang You as the emperor, appointed himself as the prime minister, and named himself the King of Tang.

Shibi Khan immediately sent his special envoy, Qutulu, to congratulate him. In fact, he was asking for the benefits that had been promised to him, and all the wealth and treasures in Chang'an should belong to him.

Li Yuan did give Shibi Khan a lot of gold, silver, and money, but he did not give it as agreed. The reason was that China was not at peace and there were so many separatist forces. He needed to recruit soldiers and fight wars, which required money and food.

But Shibi Khan was not satisfied with this reason.

We agreed that the land and people belong to you, and all the wealth and gold belong to me. How can you go back on your word?

So the Turks also supported Liang Shidu, Liu Wuzhou and other forces.
After Li Yuan ascended the throne, he saw that the Turks supported his opponent, so he quickly sent Liu Wenjing, Zheng Yuanzhen and others to the Turks several times.
He gave a lot of gold and silver every time in an attempt to stabilize the Turks.

Just recently, after defeating Xue Ju, Li Yuan sent his nephew Li Chen, Duke of Xiangwu, and Zheng Yuanzhen, Minister of Rites, to the Turks again. This time, he also sent many prostitutes to Shibi Khan.

Shibi Khan also sent Ashina Qutlug to the Tang Dynasty.

This time, Kutulug came not to thank Li Yuan for sending him the beauty on behalf of Shibi Khan, but to ask for his share of the cake.

Even when Kutuluk was marching south, Shibi Khan sent troops to invade the border of the Tang Dynasty.
Li Yuan was also helpless.

But facing the powerful Turks, especially with so many separatist forces now, he didn't dare to turn against the Turks.

Therefore, when Kutulu came to Chang'an this time, Li Yuan directly pulled Kutulu to sit on his throne and rewarded him with gold, silk and beauties.

Ashina Kutlug was just a special agent of the Turkic people.

Relying on the strength of the Turks and being supported by Li Yuan, he became increasingly arrogant and domineering. His subordinates also openly rode their horses in the streets of Chang'an.
Even if they see something they like, they will just grab it.

The imperial court also received an order from the emperor not to pursue the matter. If merchants were robbed, the imperial court would pay for the theft.

"Actually, Your Majesty, this is just a temporary measure," Li Yi said.

Wei Zheng was very angry. "How can you be so servile to the Turks?"

"Brother, don't worry. Within ten years, my Tang Dynasty will begin to settle accounts with them." Li Yuan had never submitted to the Turks. It can only be said that at the beginning, he borrowed troops from the Turks and the two sides had a cooperative relationship.

Since the end of the Sui Dynasty, many rebel kings in various places have submitted to the Turks, including Liu Wuzhou, Liang Shidu, Zhang Changxun, Guo Zihe, etc. A major characteristic of these people is that they accepted the titles of Khan and She conferred by the Turkic Khan. For example, Liu Wuzhou was Dingyang Khan.

Wang Xuba, the king of Mantian in Hebei, was affiliated with the Turks and was named Khan of the South. After his death, his subordinate Wei Daoer inherited the title. After Wei Daoer's death, Zhen Zhaier inherited it.

Liang Shidu of Shuofang attached himself to the Turks and was given a wolf-head banner and named Datubilga Khan.

Yulin Guo Zihe was initially offered the title of Emperor Dingyang, but he did not dare to accept it and instead gave the title to Wulishe.

Zhang Changxun of Wuyuan was a close neighbor of the future Jie Li Khan Mohe Dushe. He also tried to curry favor with Mohe Dushe, became sworn brothers with him, and asked for the reward of Geli Teqin.

Liu Jizhen, a Xiongnu from Lishi, also asked the Turks for a title. Shibi Khan looked down on him as a mixed Hu man, and Liu Jizhen was so angry that he proclaimed himself Tuli Khan and insisted on being a running dog of the Turks.

At that time, Xue Ju of Longxi, Dou Jiande, Gao Kaidao, Luo Yi of Hebei, Wang Shichong of the Central Plains, and Li Gui of Hexi, although not enthroned by the Turks, all tried to please the Turks.

At least Li Yuan did not submit to the Turks, he just cooperated with them.

When he first started his army, Liu Wenjing brought back two thousand Turkic cavalry. At that time, the Turks demanded that Li Yuan's military flag be white, as they preferred white.

But in the end, Li Yuan chose a flag that was half white and half red.

No matter from which perspective, Li Yuan did not submit to the Turks.

It is much better than those Dingyang Khan, Nanmian Khan, Datu Khan, Gelitegin, Wulishe and so on.

"Brother, once the Central Plains is stable, we can naturally deal with these grassland wolves. Back in the day, when the Central Plains was strong, Qimin and Shibi, father and son, were very respectful.
When Changsun Sheng was on a diplomatic mission to the Turks, he pointed to the weeds in front of his tent and said, "This grass smells really good." Qimin Khan leaned over to smell it and said, "Why can't I smell any fragrance?"

Chang Sun Sheng said that since ancient times, when the emperor went on an inspection tour, the princes had to clean the roads themselves and remove the weeds on the road, so as to show their respect to the emperor. When I saw the weeds growing on the ground, I thought they were fragrant herbs that the Khan specially left for Your Majesty.

As soon as these words were spoken, Qimin Khan quickly drew the golden wolf-head sword from his waist and weeded the fields himself. The leaders of other tribes followed suit. Qimin Khan then passed down the Golden Wolf Order, and the whole country worked together to build a road from the grassland to Zhuo County. The road was three thousand miles long and one hundred meters wide, which was a spectacle.

"Brother, the Central Plains is currently in turmoil, with civil unrest raging. Only the Turks dare to act so arrogantly. Only when we are stable and strong will the Turks no longer be a threat to us."

Wei Zheng also lamented, "Thinking back to how great Emperor Wen of Sui was, he ended three hundred years of turmoil and division between the north and the south, worked hard to govern the country, and created the prosperous Kaihuang era. It's a pity that all of this was ruined by Yang Guang. He truly deserves the posthumous title of Yang."

"Although the imperial court defeated Xue Ju in Longyou this year and stabilized Guanlong, there is still Liang Shidu in Shuofang, Li Gui in Hexi, Liu Wuzhou in the northeast of Hedong, the birthplace of the dragon, and even Yao Junsu in Hedong, Zhu Can in Shannan, and Xiao Xian in Jingzhou.

The situation is still not optimistic and we are walking on thin ice. That is why it is particularly important for my senior brother to go to Shandong to recruit people. If he succeeds, it will be a great achievement.

The Tang Dynasty will also be able to pacify the Central Plains sooner and settle accounts with the Turks sooner in the future."

After hearing this, Wei Zheng felt that the burden on his shoulders suddenly became heavier.

at night,

Shi Niang rested her head in Li Yi's arms. "My brother wrote me a letter, saying he was very angry after learning about what happened at home. He said he had agreed with Grandpa about a million-dollar dowry and a grand wedding, but Grandpa was so heartless when he was away. My brother said he would help me make up the difference when he returned from Changchun Palace."

Li Yi smiled and said, "It doesn't matter whether there is one or not."

Shi Niang said seriously: "I want it,"

"it is good."

"After my brother comes back, we will go back to worship our ancestors. When we return home with flowers, hairpins, and ceremonial clothes, I want everyone in the Du family to see that this is the imperial decree my husband earned for me. I, Du Shiniang, did not marry the wrong person. It was they who made the mistake."

"Thank you for helping me save face." Li Yi turned his head and kissed her.

"Husband, I see that you have a special feeling towards this Senior Brother Wei."

Du Li felt that Li Yi had only stayed in the Taoist temple where Wei Zheng was for a short period of time, and their relationship should not be so close.

"My Senior Brother Wei, don't look like an old man, but he is actually very talented, with the talent of a prime minister, not inferior to your brother."

"I can't tell, can my husband read faces?"

"hehe."

"Husband, we have been busy sowing seeds every day lately, and you forgot to sow a piece of land."

"Have it?"

Du Li leaned close to his ear and whispered softly, "I haven't sown the seeds on this piece of land yet, Alang, don't use that fish intestine, plant some for me too."

Li Yi shook his head.
"You're only fifteen. Wait a few years. Your body isn't ready yet. It's dangerous to have your first child too early."

Du Li was a little disappointed after being rejected again. "Then you can give the child to Su Jun. She is nineteen. Let her give birth to a child and I will raise it."

"You really want to hold the baby, we are still young, why rush?"

"Our family is still waiting to have children. Alang now has one wife and two concubines. If we don't have children, even if others don't blame Alang, they will definitely say that I, the head wife, am jealous and vicious."

"If anyone dares to talk nonsense, I will go to his door and tear his mouth apart." Li Yi said with a smile.

Du Li hugged him tightly and said, "Alang, I am serious. You just need to sow the seeds. You don't need to worry about the pregnancy, childbirth, and raising the child during these ten months."

"We have three plots of land at home. You can't just leave them idle forever, Alang. It would be a waste of effort to just plow the land without planting any seeds."

(End of this chapter)