In my dream of returning to the Tang Dynasty, I snatched Wu Zetian from my lap.

The moment the two stepped out of the tent, everyone around them looked at them with a strange expression.

I haven't gone out all night!

They just drank and talked?

Even with the composure of a king, Kim Seung-man felt somewhat awkward at this moment.

"Pack up, finalize the map, and then we'll prepare to return," Li Yuanchang stepped forward, ending the awkward atmosphere.

"yes!"

"Do as the Far East King says." Kim Seung-man deliberately kept her distance from him, but her glances betrayed a hint of ambiguity.

Men and women who are not in a relationship have a strong sense of boundaries, but if something has happened between them, even if they are far apart, their sense of boundaries will not be strong.

"..."

After returning to the Silla capital, Lee Won-chang did not rush back, but personally took charge of the construction of the ranch.

This is no small matter.

In the Tang Dynasty, pastures were generally state-run, with officials stationed there, and the herders were mostly convicts or soldiers.

While the pastures of the Tang Dynasty were already quite well-developed at the time, Li Yuanchang still felt they were not good enough, mainly due to the rigid and inefficient institutions of the feudal era.

He wants to redesign an organization with a complete promotion system and accountability system, and set targets, rewarding those who meet them and replacing those who don't.

Meanwhile, because the ranch was located in Silla, it involved troop deployment and transportation, which forced the Far East and Silla to hold high-level negotiations.

After all, the two are not yet one.

As a result, Li Yuanchang and Jin Shengman often traveled together, even keeping a low profile and behaving intimately, which was almost an open secret among the higher-ups.

After a period of discussion, a major announcement was made by Li Yuanchang and Jin Shengman!

Silla was officially renamed Silla Prefecture, following the example of Baekje, and officially became part of the Far East.

The ranch was opened to the Far East Royal Palace, which took over and stationed troops there. Any reduction in agricultural production caused by this was compensated by the Far East Royal Palace, which also provided resources for the Silla people to reclaim and cultivate the land.

Furthermore, Li Yuanchang promised to provide at least one herding job for 10,000 households, with the recipients receiving a direct salary.

This was essentially a demolition compensation, a novel form of payment that not only didn't cause resentment among the people of Silla, but also led to their happy cooperation.

However, all officials in Silla remained unchanged, and their salaries were doubled. They also received substantial agricultural and commodity support from the Far East Royal Palace.

If the annual tax payment was insufficient, Li Yuanchang would make up the difference.

As for protection, needless to say, Silla became part of the Far East and naturally came under the protection of the Far East Royal Palace.

To prevent any discontent or even rebellion within Silla, Yi Won-chang adopted a name similar to "Jimi Prefecture," which was essentially an autonomous prefecture.

Its full name was Silla Autonomous Prefecture, but that was its official name; in reality, it was under the control of Yi Won-chang.

Furthermore, under Li Yuanchang's vision, with the two places connected and a large influx of goods, Han people would inevitably flock in and the spread of the Han language would lead to assimilation.

A thousand years from now, China will simply have one more ethnic group.

The entire Silla plan, as well as the construction of the ranch, proceeded exceptionally smoothly.

This was not only due to overwhelming strength and promises of benefits, but also because Li Yuanchang had been whispering in Her Majesty's ear in private.

He was the man who had actually measured how long Kim Seung-man's legs were, standing at 1.8 meters tall. Even if the Queen didn't bend over, he couldn't manage it...

……

Time flies, it's March of the second year of Yonghui.

As the harsh winter in the Far East gradually subsided, pastures, land reclamation, schools, and fishing flourished, and millions of people worked together under the leadership of Li Yuanchang.

Chang'an, however, is caught in a debate and crisis.

First, news from the Far East made the entire court uneasy and in an uproar. At the same time, the most powerful nemesis of the Tang Dynasty since its birth began to appear!

The Imperial Garden.

Wu Zetian sat playing the zither, butterflies fluttering around her, a scene of breathtaking beauty. She was becoming increasingly mature and beautiful, her eyes and brows possessing a magic that could drive men mad.

She is like a bright young girl, yet also like a mature woman; her unique temperament even exudes a regal aura!

Her identity was no longer a secret; at least Li Zhi knew it. However, due to Li Shimin's death, the matter was no longer so dangerous.

With her resourcefulness and decisiveness, Wu Zetian became Li Zhi's strategist and had long since secured her position.

Because of the Northern Song Dynasty merchants, Li Zhi was even unable to leave Wu Zetian's support for a time, and maintained absolute respect for her.

"Your Majesty, you seem to have no interest in listening to the zither today." Wu Meiniang stopped playing, and the music ceased.

Li Zhi, sitting at a distance, looked slightly worried, his brows furrowed.

He is no longer that naive boy, but a young man with a bit of a beard. Although he is not tough, his childishness has slowly faded away.

"well."

He sighed and waved for the palace maids and eunuchs to leave.

"Ling Shuang, it's just the two of us here, so I won't hide it from you."

"My Seventh Uncle's recent actions in the Far East have put me in a difficult position. Now, Lord Changsun and various ministries are impeaching him and even demanding military intervention."

Upon hearing this, Wu Meiniang's phoenix eyes flickered slightly; she naturally knew about the affairs in the Far East.

However, possessing exceptional political acumen, she did not rush to speak up for Li Yuanchang.

At this moment, Li Zhi's expression became even more serious, and he even seemed somewhat angry. He then said, "There is one more thing."

"After the death of Songtsen Gampo, the ruler of Tibet, his grandson Mangsongtsen succeeded him. However, because he was too young, Tibet was actually controlled by the Grand Minister Gar Tongtsen. After taking power, he broke the peace agreement with the Tang Dynasty and began to expand continuously."

"The Khan of Tuyuhun, Murong, has reported this matter many times, saying that the Tibetan cavalry passed through the area and abducted people, and he hopes that the Tang Dynasty can intervene."

"I issued an edict ordering the Tibetans to stop crossing the border, but they ignored it."

As he spoke, Li Zhi was clearly angry and frustrated.

"Ultimately, it was the death of the Emperor that caused the Tang Dynasty's influence over various barbarian tribes and foreign states to decline considerably. Tibet felt that the Tang Dynasty was no longer the same!"

"If Father were still alive, with his imperial might, would Tibet still dare to provoke us like this?"

Wu Zetian frowned slightly, realizing the seriousness of the situation.

"Ling Shuang, you've always been the most cunning. What do you tell me to do now?"

"The ministers intend to transfer the Far East King's troops eastward to attack Tibet and defend the west, but this is too far. I also fear that my seventh uncle will refuse, leaving me in a dilemma. If the ministers then remonstrate and hold my seventh uncle accountable, the peace we have painstakingly cultivated will be shattered."

"I am also worried that they have their own selfish motives. If we really go to war with Tibet, they will not be willing to take responsibility. Now there is a famine in the interior."

"I do not wish to fail the late Emperor's trust!"

It was clear that Li Zhi was very conflicted, distressed, and even helpless.

The current situation of the Tang Dynasty is far more complex than in history, with internal divisions and external threats. This is an almost insurmountable burden for the young Li Zhi.

He was saying that after Li Shimin's death, the deterrent effect on the outside world was not as great as before, but what he didn't actually say was that the deterrent effect on the inside world was also not as great as before.

Wu Meiniang hesitated, naturally not wanting Li Yuanchang to be the scapegoat; it was too dangerous.

Just as she was considering how to say it without revealing her relationship with Li Yuanchang, a hostile voice suddenly rang out.

"So Your Majesty is here! And Master Ling is here too!"