Tiantang Splendid

Chapter 4811 Seeking Luzon
Why would any country, as long as it has the ability, continue to expand outward, occupy land, and plunder people? The reason is not as simple as being ambitious. The most fundamental reason is that land and population mean food and taxes, which can be used to supply the king's enjoyment or to develop people's livelihood. This is the main purpose of war.

Losing food and taxes from the Western Regions means that the central government loses control over the Western Regions. How is this different from a "country within a country"?
Relaxing the population migration policy and allowing people to travel to the Western Regions on their own will cause the population of the Western Regions to show an explosive increase. The vast land and abundant population are not under the control of the central government... Is it still the territory of the Tang Dynasty?

It's scary to think about it.

Fang Jun spread his hands and said, "Since the Central Government has not agreed, then we should quickly prepare the food and fodder that the Anxi Army needs. If those arrogant and brave generals are forced to starve while defending the country and the border, they might dare to come to Chang'an to cause trouble for you, the Minister of the Central Secretariat."

Liu Li tried to dissuade him earnestly: "The key to the reform you have been promoting, Duke Yue, is the separation of the military and politics. The money and food supply for the garrison is directly provided by the central government instead of being distributed by the local government. I have always agreed with this, so as to avoid the hidden danger of the army occupying one place without being controlled by the central government. But why do you want to set a precedent in the Western Regions? You must know that with the geographical environment of the Western Regions, if the Anxi Army holds troops and establishes itself, the court will be almost helpless. The cost of the crusade is too high!"

"The strategic position of the Western Region is different. It is the most important strategic buffer of the western frontier of the Tang Dynasty. Because it is too far away from Chang'an, the jurisdiction of the imperial court is somewhat out of reach. It needs a certain degree of autonomy. Otherwise, if it asks the central government for instructions on everything and relies heavily on the central government, it will lose its initiative and become too passive strategically."

For Fang Jun, there is no need to talk about reason, because facts have long proved that the tighter the central government controls the Western Regions, the faster the Western Regions will fall.

When military pay still had to be transported thousands of miles from Chang'an to the Western Regions to be distributed to the soldiers, how could we expect the Anxi Army to make a quick and effective mobile response under extreme circumstances?

For the Tang Dynasty, the Anxi Army was different from those Jiedushi. Even if the entire Western Regions were out of the rule of the Tang Dynasty, as long as it did not fall into the hands of the Turks or Tibetans, the Western Regions could always play its greatest strategic value - as a strategic buffer zone in the western border of the Tang Dynasty.

Let alone the Silk Road. With the opening of maritime trade today, the wealth flowing into the Tang Dynasty from the sea every year is more than ten times that of the Silk Road. The once prosperous Silk Road only has strategic value left, and its economic value is not worth mentioning.

In this case, the central government should release its control over the Western Regions. Facts have proven that there is nothing wrong with one country, two systems...

Liu Li pulled his beard, frowning, and after a long pause, he sighed and said, "This matter is of great importance. You and I cannot take charge of it. We should consult with His Majesty and discuss it in the Council of State Affairs. We should listen to the opinions of all parties and then make a decision."

This is exactly why Fang Jun looked down on Liu Li. This man has ability and integrity, but when it comes to the courage to take on responsibilities, he cannot be compared with Prime Ministers Fang, Du, and Gao. Even Cen Wenben, who has always adopted a conciliatory strategy, is far better than him.

As the prime minister of the empire, he has to make decisions on many matters concerning the development of the empire and the national economy and people's livelihood, but he is always indecisive and self-protective and unwilling to take responsibility. How can that be possible?

Fang Jun yawned and said, "Just follow the Secretary-General's wishes. I'm not in a hurry."

Liu Li had a bitter face. He originally wanted to kidnap Fang Jun for the supply of food and fodder to the Anxi Army. This would not only alleviate the current serious food consumption situation, but also reduce the strength of Fang Jun's subordinates and undermine Fang Jun's prestige. It could be said to kill two birds with one stone.

However, in the first round, Fang Jun used a trick to cut off the firewood from under him, and he was pinned against the wall and couldn't get down...

If the number of Anxi Army soldiers is not reduced, the huge consumption will make the central government overwhelmed and miserable; if the number of Anxi Army soldiers is reduced, it will have to bear the anger and attacks of the Anxi Army, the Hanhai Army, the Liaodong Army, and even the Navy; allowing the Anxi Army to cultivate land in the Western Regions, solve the problem of food, fodder and military pay on its own and recruit people from the Central Plains, it will easily breed a huge military group that is self-sufficient and outside the control of the central government; if the Anxi Army is not allowed to do so, it will have to ensure the timely and sufficient supply of its food, fodder, bags, military pay and equipment, and the central government will be stretched to the limit...things will be back to the starting point.

He gave Fang Jun a difficult problem, but Fang Jun threw an even bigger problem in front of him.

……

After Fang Jun left, Liu Li sat alone in the duty room with a sad face, thinking hard about how to solve the problem. He didn't even know when it was time to get off duty. It was not until the clerk came in boldly to remind him that he suddenly realized that it was getting late. He let out a breath and left the duty room. He took a car back to the mansion and had a simple dinner. Then he ran to the study with a heavy heart and locked himself in it, not allowing his family to disturb him...

There was a knock on the door.

Liu Li was awakened from his deep thoughts and shouted, "Didn't I tell you not to bother me?"

The eldest son Liu Hongye's voice rang out from outside the door: "Father, it's Duke Yun who is here to visit. He said he has something to discuss with you."

Liu Li stood up and went to open the door. He was very annoyed and said to his son, "This guy seems smart, but he is actually stupid. If there is anything, he can talk openly in the daytime. Why does he have to visit in the dead of night and cause criticism? Forget it, I will go to see him."

No matter how deep the prejudice against Zhang Liang was, he had to meet him now that he had arrived at his house. However, he didn't know what important matter had brought this man here at night.

The father and son came to the main hall one after the other. When they saw Zhang Liang, Zhang Liang hurriedly stood up. After greeting each other, they sat down.

Liu Li said: "I heard that Duke Yun was not feeling well recently and could not take up military duties as the Right Jinwu Guard, so he was recuperating in the mansion. It seems that he has recovered?"

He naturally knew that Zhang Liang's so-called "physical discomfort" was all an excuse. The fact was that a dignified minister of the Zhenguan period and the general of the Right Jinwu Guard was made so anxious and humiliated by a chief secretary under his command that he had to hide at home to avoid the limelight and plan countermeasures.

He also knew that even if he hid at home and did not show up, Fang Jun would still drag him to the outside of Mingde Gate for a long time and make him stand guard, and then give him a good beating.

But I don't know what kind of countermeasures this person has planned, and it actually happened to me...

Zhang Liang's face flushed. He could hear the sarcasm in the words. He said with a stiff face, "I thought about it and found that although Fang Jun is not directly in charge of the Left and Right Jinwu Guards, he has already infiltrated and managed the whole army. It is not easy to break a gap in the most stringent defense. It is better to find another way and attack them when they are least prepared."

Liu Li was confused and didn't understand what he meant: "Duke Yunguo, please speak frankly."

Zhang Liang was a little embarrassed, stroking his beard, and said, "Now that I have lost all my prestige in the Right Jinwu Guard, I cannot issue orders beyond the commander's tent, and I am constrained by Wang Xuance and others and cannot move forward. Instead of continuing to tangle with them and wasting time, why don't I take the initiative to withdraw and make other plans?"

Liu Li finally understood that this guy was scared and didn't want the position of Right Jinwu Guard General that he had asked for with great difficulty from His Majesty...

"How can we escape on our own initiative? How can we make another plan? How can we catch them off guard?"

"Although my position in the Right Jinwu Guard is in name only and no one obeys my orders, Fang Jun is still in the wrong for breaking the rules. Otherwise, if everyone treats an army as their own, wouldn't the world be in chaos? Why not take this opportunity to resign and seek to be transferred overseas? Fang Jun will definitely agree because he is in the wrong."

"Sent overseas?"

Liu Li looked confused. "You said that Fang Jun runs the Jinwu Guards in an ironclad way and does not allow others to interfere. I have reservations about this. It is not as bad as you said. But Fang Jun's control over the navy is truly impenetrable. The sea is the world of the navy. How can you interfere?"

You can't even beat Fang Jun on land, and you actually want to go to the sea where Fang Jun's home court is?

You probably don't know how to write the word death?

If Fang Jun had to worry about the impact and could not break the rules in the Jinwu Guard, so he left room for maneuver, but when he was on the sea, he would be helpless. There were rainstorms, hurricanes, pirates... Fang Jun could put you in a hundred positions, and kill you in each position.

Zhang Liang said hurriedly, "Of course not in the navy. What position would I take in the navy? Su Dingfang, the admiral of the navy, is only a third-rank official, on the same level as me... I mean Luzon! Luzon has many islands and vast fertile fields. Since the Three Kingdoms period, many Han people have gone to Southeast Asia and lived there. The navy has leased several ports and large tracts of land in Luzon. If we can control Luzon, the benefits will be too great! Moreover, I heard that the navy has dug several gold mines in Luzon..."

Liu Li knocked on the coffee table and reminded him, "The navy is the royal private army, so the gold mine dug in Luzon is your majesty's money!"

The reason why His Majesty gave you the position of General of the Right Jinwu Guard was to want you to balance the power of Fang Jun in the defense of Chang'an. But Fang Jun didn't even take any action, and you, a coward, were dealt with by Wang Xuance. Now you want to get your hands on His Majesty's gold mine?
Your Majesty is now determined to create great achievements to prove to the world that he is a qualified emperor and that Emperor Taizong's initial distrust of him was wrong. All of these require a large amount of money as support to achieve the goal. Your Majesty seems to be a good guy by saying "okay, okay" and "good, good" all day long, because no one has touched his bottom line.

If anyone dares to touch your money, I will dig up your ancestral graves!
Zhang Liang was shocked. "The Minister of the Central Secretariat has misunderstood. We are loyal to the emperor and love our country. How can we covet your majesty's money? But I think that your majesty trusts Fang Jun so much because Fang Jun has always spared no effort to support your majesty. But we cannot deny that the navy is searching for gold, silver and copper mines all over the world overseas. After mining, shiploads of them are added to your majesty's treasury. After all, who wouldn't look up to a minister who can make money?"

"Ok?"

Liu Li's heart moved: "You mean..."

Zhang Liang's eyes lit up: "Governor of Luzon! As long as we get this position, all the gold mines, timber, and spices in Luzon will fall into our control. When the time comes, we can transport them back to the Tang Dynasty and present them to His Majesty. Doesn't this mean that Fang Jun is not the only one who can do these things? We can do it if we are given the opportunity!"

(End of this chapter)