Zhutian: Starting from the Space-Time Merchant

Chapter 236 Chang'an City

"Liu Heita has run away."

"Cao, wife of Dou Jiande~"

"His Right Vice Minister, Pei Ju~"

"Cao Dan, the Imperial Secretary~"

"All civil and military officials presented seals, maps, registers of the people, military registers, and lands and cities in various prefectures and counties of Hebei and Shandong."

"Congratulations, King Qin! Congratulations, King Qin!"

"Hebei and Shandong are now at peace!"

Inside Mingzhou City, everyone was congratulating Li Erfeng.

This expedition almost wiped out the entire north in one battle, and Li Erfeng was very pleased with herself.

As he received congratulations from everyone, his thick beard trembled with laughter.

"King Qin."

Du Ruhui whispered a reminder, "Don't forget the great heroes of this battle."

"Luckily, Kemin reminded me."

Li Erfeng slapped her forehead, realizing she had almost made a huge mistake.

He hurriedly went to find Lin Dao to express his gratitude.

"If it weren't for Brother Zihou's divine chariot assistance, we might still be fighting outside Luoyang City right now."

"If it weren't for Brother Zihou's gift of a bicycle to rescue my uncle and aunt, we wouldn't have achieved such a great victory today."

"Brother Zihou should be first in credit for this battle."

Lin Dao smiled back at Li Erfeng's smiling face.

"When it came to fighting Wang Shichong, I offered to help. They handed him over to me to deal with, which was already my way of repaying them."

"As for the bicycle, I gave it to you voluntarily."

"Saving your uncle and aunt was for taking your raw silk."

"Let's not talk about his achievements anymore."

Lin Dao then changed the subject, "What do you think of the Five Surnames and Seven Noble Families?"

Most of the five surnames and seven clans originated from various parts of Hebei and Shandong.

When the Li Tang dynasty seized these territories, it was tantamount to taking over these powerful clans.

"This~~~"

Li Erfeng's heart tightened, and she carefully considered her words.

"These wealthy families wielded immense power, with kinship ties extending both within and outside the country, and their protégés and former officials spread throughout the land."

“Some of them have been passed down for hundreds or even thousands of years and are deeply rooted.”

"Treat this with caution."

What ordinary people perceive as a powerful and influential family.

Those with ability in their families become officials or ministers in the imperial court.

Those who lack ability stay in their hometowns and live off the land.

The emperor was determined to do so, even going so far as to confiscate property and exterminate entire families.

In reality, they were powerful and influential families.

Those who hold official positions in the imperial court are only the tip of the iceberg.

The old men who truly have decision-making power in the family all stay in their hometowns.

Through marriage alliances between family members and outsiders, the imperial family, nobles, and emerging forces could all be connected.

The land under his name spans across states and counties, with countless fields and paths.

The number of people who depended on them for their livelihood was in the tens of thousands.

Through a network of relationships built over hundreds or thousands of years, it spreads throughout the world.

The warehouses were filled with provisions, supplies, and military equipment.

The emperor wanted to confiscate property and exterminate the entire family?
They can mobilize an army of 100,000 in no time and connect with forces from all over the world to work together.

This is what a true aristocratic family looks like.

For a reference standard, one can look at the Yuan family at the end of the Han Dynasty.

Li Erfeng was not stupid; she knew the erosion and harm that powerful clans and aristocratic families posed to imperial power.

But they also knew the strength and foundation of powerful clans.

Even he could only treat it with caution.

These are monster groups with money, food, people, and connections.

Taking them down is easier said than done.

This is only in terms of hard power.

In terms of soft power, powerful families monopolize knowledge.

Without their support, the emperor couldn't even find enough talented people to govern the country.

After all, during the late Sui and early Tang dynasties, scholars accounted for only one-thousandth of the total population.

The vast majority of them came from powerful and influential families, or were people who received their financial support.

Even someone as powerful as Li Erfeng has to be cautious.

Lin Dao took out paper and pen and quickly took notes.

'Li Er was aware of the dangers posed by powerful clans and aristocratic families.'

'Li Er is temporarily powerless to do so.'

'Further observation needed~'

Li Erfeng's curiosity was bursting.

My heart was pounding like a monkey's claws; I was so eager to see what Lin Dao had written.

If possible, he would like to revise it a couple more times.

Putting away his pen and paper, Lin Dao simply asked, "When are we going back to Chang'an?"

He planned to investigate Li Jiancheng.

A final decision will be made as soon as possible.

"Once more troops arrive, they will take over the defense of various places and stabilize all areas of Hebei."

"It will probably take several more months."

"Alright." Lin Dao waved his hand. "In that case, let's take our leave for now. I'll head to Chang'an City first."

Li Erfeng was startled. "Zihou is leaving already?"

"Ah."

Lin Dao certainly couldn't wait for him for several months; he was going to Chang'an to investigate Li Jiancheng.

"Brother Zihou."

Seeing that Lin Dao was determined to leave, Li Erfeng pondered for a moment and then said, "I have been away from home for a long time and I miss my wife and children very much."

"Brother Zihou, could you please take a letter home for me?"

"can."

Watching the off-road vehicle on the forest road bump and jolt away on the rugged official road.

Li Erfeng then took out a letter and handed it to Yuchi Gong, saying, "Jingde, ride a fast horse back to Chang'an City as soon as possible and be sure to deliver this letter to Wuji."

"Afterwards, follow Wuji's instructions carefully, remember that!"

"Rest assured, Your Majesty."

Yuchi Jingde immediately bowed and said, "I'll go right away!"

On the way to Chang'an, there were bound to be interceptions and checks along the way. Fortunately, Li Erfeng had the identification she provided.

Upon learning that Lin Dao was from the Prince of Qin's mansion, the soldiers of Li Tang dared not stop him and respectfully let him pass.

King Li Erlang of Qin led his troops out of Chang'an and defeated Wang Shichong in less than a month.

Afterwards, they marched thousands of miles, defeated Dou Jiande in Hebei, and swept across the entire northern land.

Such formidable combat power and achievements made them, in the hearts of the Li Tang soldiers, the god of war reborn.

They treated the people of the Prince of Qin's residence with the utmost respect.

Historically, if Li Shimin had not chosen Xuanwu Gate but instead fled to Luoyang, the final result would have been the same.

He will lead a large army back to Chang'an, and the garrison inside and outside the city will mostly respond to him.

After all, the gap between Li Jiancheng and Li Erfeng in terms of military achievements and prestige was simply too great.

Li Jiancheng's only chance is to heed Wei Zheng's advice and physically eliminate Li Erfeng.

After all, once the person is gone, everything vanishes like smoke.

As they got closer to Chang'an, these interceptions and checks became more and more frequent.

After all, a metal car that moves on its own is too conspicuous.

Lin Dao simply sent the off-road vehicle back to Yonghe Time and Space, and used his silver to buy a horse from a passing caravan.

The Tang Dynasty was the same as the Song Dynasty.

The main currencies in circulation were still grain, silk, and copper coins.

Gold and silver are not widely circulated, but their value is known to everyone.

Caravans, in particular, have a strong preference for gold and silver items that are easy to carry.

Along the way, I saw that production and daily life were gradually returning to normal in various places.

Busy figures filled the fields, while ordinary people and caravans traveled along the roads.

The damage caused by the chaos at the end of the Sui Dynasty is finally coming to an end.

Every dynasty that falls is preceded by a period of bloody chaos.

The chaotic period at the end of the Sui Dynasty was probably the shortest in the history of all dynasties.

Because Li Erfeng conquered the world at an incredibly fast pace.

Several days later, Lin Dao finally arrived outside Chang'an City.

Chang'an, the capital of the Tang Dynasty, was Daxing City, which was built during the Sui Dynasty.

This is the largest city in the world in this era.

Its total area is nearly 90 square kilometers, more than seven times the size of Constantinople and more than six times the size of Rome.

It was even much larger than the capital city during the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Outside Mingde Gate, Lin Dao dismounted and looked at the city wall in front of him.

It is about three zhang high, with rammed earth inside and blue bricks on the outside.

Mingde Gate, which serves as the southern gate, has a total of five gate openings.

At this time, the four city gates on both sides were wide open, and caravans and people came and went in an endless stream.

"Chang'an City".

Lin Dao clapped his hands and led his horse toward the city gate.

"The starting point of the Silk Road, the center where all nations paid tribute."

"Unfortunately, its glory lasted only a little over a hundred years."

"The Tibetans breached the city several times."

"The Uyghurs even had the emperor's permission to enter the city and plunder."

"The extraordinary actions of these Tang Dynasty emperors were no less remarkable than those of Emperor Huizong and his son Zhao Ji."

"Putting everything else aside, even if Li Er were to ascend the throne, he would still have to kill Li Zhi and extinguish his lineage!"

Once you enter Mingde Gate, you'll find yourself on the famous Zhuque Avenue.

Zhuque Avenue is located on the central axis of Chang'an City.

From Mingde Gate, the path leads straight to Chengtian Gate, the south gate of the palace.

It is more than five kilometers long, or ten miles long.

The width exceeds 150 meters, which means it is wider than the length of a standard football field.

"I've traveled through so many timelines, and only the Heavenly Street of Bianliang City can rival it."

"Who says there were no vanity projects in ancient times? This is one."

Zhuque Avenue is wide and flat, offering excellent views.

From a military perspective, two machine guns are sufficient for firepower suppression.

Raindrops were falling softly from the sky.

Pedestrians around either sought shelter or took out their rain gear.

"A light rain on the street is as soft as butter; the grass looks green from afar, but is barely visible up close."

Lin Dao, who rarely showed off, took out his umbrella and opened it.

He walked along Zhuque Street toward Daxingfang.

At this time, Li Erfeng was still living with her father. The Chengqian Hall of the Qin Prince's Mansion, located in the imperial city, was where Li Chengqian was born.

Although he was renowned and had countless military achievements.

In reality, he was only twenty-one years old and lived in the palace with his elder and younger brothers, without separating from the family.

Li Yuan trusted his three eldest sons and took the initiative to share power with them.

This led to the legendary situation where 'Li Yuan, along with his three legitimate sons—Jiancheng, Shimin, and Yuanji—shared the empire.'

Later, Li Jiancheng and Li Erfeng accused each other of having affairs with Li Yuan's concubines.

Those who don't know the story might find it strange how the Crown Prince and other princes entered the palace and met the concubines.

The root cause is that the Crown Prince actually lived in the palace.

Li Erfeng disliked the poor quality of Chengqian Hall.

In addition, his daughter-in-law gave birth to Li Chengqian.

And Li Shimin made outstanding military achievements that were difficult to be rewarded with.

On Li Yuan's side, the Hongyi Palace was built outside the city and given to Li Erfeng and her family to live in.

Before the palace was completed, the Qin Prince's residence was temporarily located in Daningfang.

Lin Dao led his horse along Zhuque Avenue.

The sound of hooves thundered behind them as a group of more than ten riders galloped and roared in, causing chaos and panic among the people along the way.

Some people who came into the city to sell grain and vegetables were unable to avoid being hit by the horse and rolled over, vomiting blood.

Lin Dao frowned and stamped his foot, holding the umbrella around his neck, and reached out to open his travel bag.

He took a stun grenade from his bag, flicked the pin, and threw it in front of the laughing cavalry.

He turned around and raised his hand to press down on the horse's head.

'Boom! '

Men and horses were thrown about, and screams of agony filled the air.

The loud noise and intense light instantly threw more than a dozen riders to the ground, some suffering broken bones and even dying on the spot.

Lin Dao calmed the horse down and led it to the farmer who had been knocked over by the horse, then knelt down in front of him.

He slipped a silver ingot into his hand and gave him instructions.

"Get out of the city and go home as soon as possible."

(End of this chapter)