Control your ancestors and create an immortal family starting from the Eastern Han Dynasty

Chapter 202: The An Lushan Rebellion Erupts by Connecting with Various Barbarian Tribes (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
In fact, if he could, An Lushan would not have wanted to give up Hebei.

As the Gu family's stronghold for hundreds of years.

Regardless of how powerful Hebei is now, the Gu family's reputation alone carries immense significance.

And the most important thing is——

An Lushan's desires went beyond what appeared to be simple; what he truly wanted was Li Shimin's will.

To put it bluntly, they wanted the Gu family's support.

But given the current situation, he has to make a choice.

Instead of wasting time waiting for an answer that has no clear conclusion, it's better to be decisive and make a decision sooner rather than later.

This will make his path incredibly difficult.

But for someone like An Lushan, who rose from the very bottom, difficulties are often the least of his worries.

Tibet.

The current ruler of Tibet is Trisong Detsen.

As early as the end of the thirteenth year of the Tianbao era, this person orchestrated a coup that killed the king, Tride Tsugten, and seized control of the entire Tibetan Empire.

There are many factors involved.

This was not only because Tride Tsugten embraced Buddhism in his later years and intentionally abandoned his expansionist strategy, but also because it exacerbated conflicts among the nobility.

The most crucial point is that there was some connection between Trisong Detsen and An Lushan.

This is how history changes.

The appearance of the Gu family ultimately affected too many things, forcing An Lushan to make many choices in order to put his mind at ease.

Besides Tibet—

He also had plans for the three kingdoms of Liaodong.

Especially Goguryeo, a country that was almost destroyed by Gu Jing in the past, is now his ally.

This shows just how deeply An Lushan concealed his true nature.

In March, in the city of Lhasa, deep within the royal palace.

Trisong Detsen's gaze fell on the weary envoy of An Lushan, and a meaningful smile involuntarily appeared on his lips.

He didn't exchange pleasantries, but went straight to speaking in Tibetan, his voice deep and imposing:
"It seems that An Lushan has agreed to this emperor's conditions?"

He leaned forward slightly, his gaze as sharp as a hawk's, making no attempt to conceal his ambition to seize the world: "The land of Hexi, the vast territory of the Western Regions, will henceforth belong to my Tubo."

The fertile grasslands of Hexi and the vital Silk Road gateway in the Western Regions were all lands that the Tibetan kings of all dynasties had dreamed of.

It's a pity that the Tang Dynasty was once so powerful, with the god of war Gu Jing in charge, which prevented the Tibetan cavalry from looking eastward.

Even though the Tang Dynasty is showing signs of decline and the Tibetan Empire is gradually encroaching on its territory, its gains are ultimately limited.

This is also why he and An Lushan were able to get together.

Both of them had ulterior motives.

The envoy, well-versed in Tibetan etiquette, immediately lowered his head and responded in a deep voice in equally fluent Tibetan:

"My Lord has said that if great things are accomplished, the promise will be kept!"

"We earnestly hope that the Zanpu (Tibetan king) will soon lead his troops eastward!"

—Marching eastward!
Upon hearing this, the air in the hall suddenly froze, then boiled over!
Almost all the Tibetan nobles had an uncontrollable excitement on their faces and a bloodthirsty desire burning in their eyes.

Plundering, conquering, and expanding territory have long been ingrained in their blood, becoming an instinct for survival.

What's more, what lies before us is boundless wealth and endless grasslands!

All of this left them no choice but to be incredibly excited.

Trisong Detsen's expression was solemn, his gaze deep and unfathomable, and he did not immediately express his opinion.

The envoy understood immediately, and without waiting, stepped forward and revealed An Lushan's entire plan without reservation.

—This was originally at An Lushan's behest.

He understood people's hearts well and was certain that the greedy wolves of Tibet would not be foolish enough to turn away the fat meat that was already in their mouths.

This is a deal where cooperation benefits both parties, while separation harms both!

"Your Majesty, you are wise!" The envoy's voice suddenly rose, carrying a chilling fervor, as if An Lushan himself had possessed him: "My Lord An said that when wolves share food, speed is of the essence, but ruthlessness is even more crucial!"

"To the east, my lord An has already sharpened his blade!" He suddenly pointed eastward, "A fierce army of 150,000, all battle-hardened border troops!"

"We await only the order, and then we will sweep out from Fanyang!"

"Speed ​​south along the Grand Canal, heading straight for the vital passage to Luoyang!"

"Furthermore, with the assistance of allied forces such as Goguryeo, the army will number no less than 200,000!"

"An Gong makes an oath—"

"The 20th!"

"In just twenty days, the flags on the walls of Luoyang will surely change hands!"

He made a choking gesture with both hands and said sternly, "If this lifeline of the Grand Canal is severed, Guanzhong will be a half-dead, trapped beast!"

Then, he abruptly turned to Trisong Detsen, his gaze intense, like that of a hawk eyeing its prey:
"As for the west—Your Majesty! Success or failure rests entirely on your shoulders!"

"As long as the Zanpu's iron cavalry thunders like lightning and pierces through Longyou in one fell swoop!" He clenched his fist and slammed it heavily into the void, "Ten days!"

"Capture Dazhen Pass within ten days and break through the natural barrier of Longshan!"

"At that time, even if Geshu Han has extraordinary abilities," the envoy said with a cruel smile, "he will be firmly pinned down in Longxi by our army and unable to move!"

"Chencang, Fufeng, Wugong... west of Chang'an, a land of fertile soil, where the warriors of the Zanpu can roam freely!" He spread his arms, his voice full of seduction, "The western gate of Chang'an is your hunting ground, where you can take whatever you want!"

"."

This envoy clearly understood human nature and knew exactly how to manipulate these people.

Only self-interest can make people lose control of themselves.

Sure enough, as soon as he said these words, the eyes of everyone present even turned red, and everyone's eyes were full of longing.

Even Trisong Detsen was somewhat tempted.

to be honest--

This was a pincer attack strategy. An Lushan wanted the Tibetans to help him draw attention away from the enemy, so that he could quickly strike at their heart.

This would compensate for his inability to occupy Hebei.

Of course, An Lushan wouldn't reveal the truth.

In fact, his plan also included the intention of taking advantage of Tibet, which was much closer to Guanzhong than Fanyang.

This is a conspiracy.

He wanted Tibet to help him draw the main attention of the Tang Dynasty!
He was quite certain that Tibet would not refuse this opportunity that had been offered to them; that was just the nature of barbarians.

An Lushan was originally a non-Han Chinese.

He knows this best.

Sure enough, after a brief silence, Trisong Detsen, sensing the gazes of the Tibetan nobles, finally nodded slightly.
"Can!!!"

Meanwhile, in Minnesota.

Merchant ships are riding the giant waves and heading overseas.

Today, the maritime trade of the Tang Dynasty is even more prosperous.

Although it doesn't look as dazzling as it did before the chaos, it has indeed matured a lot overall.

To put it bluntly, the market has been brought under control.

This is one of Li Longji's achievements.

Although he has now forgotten the Gu family and even abandoned the entire world, he still holds a tight grip on maritime trade.

The most crucial reason is that the taxes levied on maritime trade are real.

For someone who cares a lot about political achievements, this naturally meant he had to keep a close watch on things at all times, and he almost always maintained the policies that Gu Jing had set for the Tang Dynasty.

This also enabled the entire maritime trade of the Tang Dynasty to continue to move forward.

This was also Li Longji's proudest achievement.

But things always have two sides, and the same is true for maritime trade. No matter the era, when the interests involved are large enough...

Then bandits will inevitably appear.

Although the Tang Dynasty had been building up its naval forces, this was no longer enough to completely solve everything.

Even today, there are still many bandits along the maritime borders.

These bandits came from all over the country, and they had already gained extensive experience in defending against the Tang Dynasty's navy, which made it extremely difficult for the Tang Dynasty to deal with them.

Li Longji had already issued several orders during the Kaiyuan era.

However, the problem has never been completely solved, and there is nothing that can be done about it.

At this moment, aboard those merchant ships, An Lushan's envoys were also present. In fact, to prevent shipwrecks, their numbers were far greater than those of envoys heading to other places.

Clearly, An Lushan did not want any accidents to happen.

They joined forces with pirates.

This was also a plan that An Lushan had already conceived.

The Tang Dynasty's elite troops are all on the frontier. To put it bluntly, it is strong on the outside but weak on the inside. An Lushan has already planned to rebel. How could he give these border troops a chance to return to Guanzhong?

The navy of the Tang Dynasty is undoubtedly the most powerful in the entire Tang Dynasty at present.

Although these people had no significant achievements on land.

Whether it's their equipment or their daily training, it's enough to demonstrate their strength.

An Lushan had to stall these people.

Not just Minnesota.

This applies to Panyu and Donglai, which are among the most crucial ports of the Tang Dynasty today.

In addition to these pirates, there were also troops from Goguryeo and Baekje.

The Gu family's power is now waning.

None of them wanted to miss their old grudges, nor did they want to give up this opportunity, since An Lushan had promised them a share of the profits from maritime trade.

Who wouldn't be envious of this cake?
The world is in turmoil, and events can change in an instant.

Meanwhile, news of Li Longji's neglect of Gu Hao, leading to Gu Hao's death, gradually spread throughout the land.

This is definitely a major event for the whole world.

Just as Li Longji had predicted.

The overwhelming discussions pressed down on him like a mountain, with some even claiming that Li Longji was the tyrannical emperor of the Han Dynasty.

This was undoubtedly a major blow to Li Longji.

He sent Li Heng to take care of Gu Hao in order to avoid these criticisms, but he never expected that Gu Hao would die, which was completely beyond his expectations.

Unlike the Former Han Dynasty.

Although the political atmosphere of the Tang Dynasty is not as good as that during Li Shimin's time, the spirit of offering advice still exists.

Especially under this overwhelming trend.

When the ministers and even scholars discovered that speaking up for the Gu family could win them fame throughout the land, this overwhelming criticism would reach Li Longji's ears.

There were even instances where Li Longji was forced to issue an edict of self-reproach.

For someone like Li Longji, this move could absolutely be called a rebellion!
—The situation has changed drastically!
Li Longji was furious and vented his anger in the palace.

But no matter how angry he was, he understood perfectly well.

He couldn't use too harsh methods in this matter, otherwise he might suffer the consequences.

But how could you expect him to admit his mistake like that?

Within the palace.

Seeing that Li Longji's face remained tense, Yang Yuhuan couldn't help but advise, "Your Majesty, why not issue the edict of self-reproach?"

Her face was as calm as water, and although she wasn't putting on any pretense, her eyes seemed to be able to captivate the soul.

"An edict of self-reproach?!"

These three words were like a red-hot branding iron, fiercely searing Li Longji's most sensitive pride.

He sprang up from his throne, staring at Yang Yuhuan like a wounded lion, and roared fiercely: "I am the Son of Heaven! The supreme ruler!"

He pointed his halberd outside the palace, his voice shaking the roof tiles, "How can I, for the sake of a mere subject, issue such a humiliating edict?!"

"If this precedent is set, how will future generations govern the country?"

"Does the Gu family really intend to rise above me, the Emperor of the Great Tang?!"

"How dare you insult me ​​as the tyrannical emperor of Han?"

"how?"

"Did Emperor Li of Han have such achievements as I have?"

"I would never do such a thing!"

Li Longji paused, his gaze growing even more profound: "Let them make a scene!"

"come!"

"Go and summon Yang Guozhong!"

As an emperor with real power, he had far too many methods at his disposal.

And there will always be someone to help him solve everything.

Take Yang Guozhong for example.

Li Longji wouldn't take minor criticisms to heart; what truly angered him were the comments made about him.

He lived to his age and held power for decades.

This is what Li Longji cares about most.

Upon hearing this, Yang Yuhuan sighed softly, but did not say anything more.

At this moment, inside the Marquis of Champion's mansion, the white banners had not yet fallen, and sorrow still lingered.

Gu Xuan has gradually taken over everything and has begun to shoulder the heavy responsibility of the Marquis of Champion's Mansion with a group of elders.

He ignored all of this.

There was neither progress nor interference.

The loss of central authority is definitely not a good thing for the current situation.

But this was the path that Li Longji himself chose.

What Gu Yi needs to do is cherish all his time and make various arrangements.

Unfortunately, the talents of the Gu family members in modern times are quite average.

As for Gu Yi himself, although he has made significant progress in this period of time, it is still very difficult for him to directly analyze the various possibilities of future major battles and make corresponding preparations.

The only option is to plan ahead and do everything that needs to be done.

He even felt that An Lushan might have been involved in pushing things forward.

But what can Gu Yi do?
If this were during the Han Dynasty, he might have chosen to help the court for the greater good, but that was because the Gu family was too deeply intertwined with the court.

But things are completely different now.

The Gu family is bound to the entire Nine Provinces.

Moreover, since the decision has already been made to abandon Li Longji, there is no reason to turn back.

Since Li Longji made a mistake, he had to bear the consequences, and this would also affect future emperors.

This adds another layer of protection to the Gu family.

The world is in constant turmoil.

It happened in June;

News of the Tibetan invasion finally arrived, causing turmoil to suddenly erupt in the already turbulent world.

I have heard about the situation of the Tibetan invasion.

Li Longji had no choice but to withdraw troops to guard against the Tibetan invasion.

At the same time—

Unrest also occurred in various coastal areas.

Almost everyone had noticed something was wrong. Regardless of how determined the Tibetans were in their attack, how dare these pirates harass the Tang Dynasty?

Even people like Yang Guozhong have noticed that something is wrong.

But Gu Yi was perfectly clear about it.

It's obvious that An Lushan is about to make a move!

as predicted.

In July of the fourteenth year of the Tianbao era, news finally arrived from Fanyang via express courier: An Lushan had raised an army in Fanyang.

The banner they raised was completely different from the original history.

It was not about eliminating treacherous officials during the Jingnan Campaign.

It wasn't about "purging the court of corrupt officials and executing loyal ministers," but rather a direct rebuke of the current emperor—"Li Longji has betrayed his ancestors, is incompetent and immoral, and resembles the tyrannical Emperor Liu Bei of Han!"

"For the sake of peace and stability in the world, we should depose the incompetent ruler and establish a wise one!"

—When the news spread, the entire land was shaken!
(P.S.: It's my birthday today, so I'm asking for your monthly votes. I'd completely forgotten. My parents reminded me. Thanks for your support, brothers!!)
(End of this chapter)