bookrandom Chapter 760: Battlefield Transformed into Home
Chapter 760: Battlefield Transformed into Home
The copper bells hanging from the eaves of the Taiji Hall shook violently, and the crisp sound mixed with the sound of iron armor colliding outside the hall, hitting the eardrums of the ministers like a heavy rain.
The morning light slanted through the hollow carvings on the caisson on the ceiling of the hall, casting mottled light and shadows on the golden brick floor, but was disrupted by a figure that suddenly broke in - a dusty postman knocked open the red door, and the wind he brought over overturned the bamboo slips in the hands of Li Yifu, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue, who was reporting on the salt and iron taxes.
The blue-gray bamboo slips rolled and scattered under the Panlong Pillar like a crow with broken wings. The crisp echoes they made were intertwined with the sound of people gasping for breath.
"Report! Your Majesty, news from the front!"
The postman knelt heavily on one knee, breathing heavily and emitting hot breaths.
"The entire country of India has abandoned its territory! It has been annexed by Arabia! The Arab coalition has abandoned many territories. General Pei is advancing slowly and steadily."
"According to statistics, the land they abandoned is as much as three times the size of the Western Regions!"
These words exploded like thunder, and the whole hall was in an uproar.
The civil officials swung their wide sleeves violently, grabbing each other's sleeves and whispering to each other.
The generals could not contain their excitement, their swords clanged at their waists, and the sound of metal clashing could be heard one after another.
"Your Majesty, may you be blessed with great fortune!"
The Minister of Rites was the first to shout.
"To acquire a thousand miles of fertile land without sacrificing a single soldier is an unprecedented feat!"
The Imperial Counselor stroked his beard in admiration, his eyes gleaming with excitement: "This is the will of heaven. The might and virtue of the Tang Dynasty terrifies the world, and the barbarians from all directions surrender at the sight of it!"
Amidst the endless praises, only Li Zhi, sitting on the dragon throne, had a cold expression.
He stroked the dragon pattern on the edge of the imperial desk with his fingertips, and his eyes under the crown were as sharp as an eagle, penetrating the crowd.
When the postman presented the military report, he took it very slowly. The white silk made a slight rustling sound as it unfolded, like a spring silkworm gnawing on mulberry leaves.
The hall was suddenly silent. Everyone held their breath and watched the emperor's fingertips write the ink-stained words. Even the green smoke rising from the bronze crane incense burner under the corridor seemed to freeze.
Suddenly, a low sneer broke the silence.
Li Zhi slammed the military report on the table, causing the sandalwood ashes in the bronze incense burner to fly and fall like fine snow.
"This rabble is quite interesting."
His voice was cold. "They want to drag the battlefield away from the Tang Dynasty so that our supply lines can be extended, and then they can stalemate with our army, so that the Tang Dynasty can't bear the consumption and retreat. Unfortunately, they still don't understand us well enough."
"Minister Li!"
Following this stern shout, Li Yifu stepped out like a frightened bird.
The crane patch on his official uniform swayed slightly with his trembling body, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
"Your Majesty, I am here!"
"Li Yifu, please convey my will."
When Li Zhi stood up, the twelve-tasseled crown jingled, and his black dragon robe swept across the imperial desk, bringing up a gust of wind.
"Tell the people of the Tang Dynasty about the lands of India and the abandoned lands of Arabia. The people of the Tang Dynasty can go there. Wherever there are ready-made cities and houses, and where there is farmland that can be cultivated, as long as they go, each one will be given a thousand acres of land."
At this point, his eyes swept across the ministers, "Just to tell them that the water source might be poisoned, so they can be careful to identify it, and there are various shady tricks."
"But I believe that the people of the Tang Dynasty still have some understanding of this."
Suddenly a strong wind blew outside the hall, making a dull whimpering sound.
Li Zhi walked up to the jade steps in front of the palace with his hands behind his back, overlooking his ministers, and his voice resounded throughout the hall: "The Arab coalition forces, do you think that our Tang Dynasty can't take over these unowned lands? People? Our Tang Dynasty has plenty!"
He waved his sleeves suddenly and pointed to the western sky.
"Also, we must organize the people as they march westward and ensure their safety. Every time the army takes a city, the people will follow and capture it. The people can take any property left behind by the army. Wherever they arrive, they will plant grain for me."
"My Tang Dynasty can afford it!"
"Conspiracies and tricks are not acceptable. We are the king's army and we follow the king's way!"
Li Yifu's forehead was covered with cold sweat, and he could only respond loudly: "Your Majesty is wise!"
"Send an order!" Li Zhi turned abruptly. "With the civilians behind us providing logistics support, tell Pei Xingjian to speed up the march. He doesn't need to worry about logistics. Recruit craftsmen with a large sum of money to travel west and lay rails along the way. Move quickly and don't let Pei Xingjian worry."
"Minister Li, remember, at all costs, you must build up the army's supply lines for me."
"However far the army advances, the Tang Dynasty's supply lines will be stretched that far!"
The decree spread throughout Chang'an as quickly as thunder.
On Zhuque Street, the people gathered to listen to the officials read the imperial edict, and their excited discussions reached the sky.
"A thousand acres of farmland! A wonderful thing I never dared to imagine in my lifetime!"
In the teahouse, a white-haired old man slammed the table in excitement, overturning the teacup, and the brown tea soup swirled across the wooden table like a river. "Let's go! Bring the whole family and go to Tianzhu to become landowners! Our family has been farming for generations, so are we afraid that we won't be able to cultivate good land?"
The storyteller slammed the gavel and temporarily changed the script: "Ladies and gentlemen, this is exactly the divine calculation of the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty, defeating the enemy invisibly!"
Three days later, smoke and dust billowed on the official road outside Chang'an City.
Tens of thousands of people pushed wooden carts loaded with farm tools, drove donkeys loaded with their belongings, and headed west with their families.
In the team there are white-haired old men leaning on crutches and carrying ancestral farm tools, as well as children riding on their fathers’ shoulders, waving willow branches and looking around curiously.
The grain-guarding team sent by the government were clad in iron armor, with swords hanging from their waists, guarding the team on both sides like two long black dragons.
As they walked, the veteran soldiers told the young soldiers about the customs and practices of the Western Regions. "We are not only protecting the people, but also exploring the way for the army!"
At the same time, the Hexi Corridor was bustling with activity.
The skilled craftsmen recruited by the Ministry of Works carried hammers and pushed bellows, working day and night along the desert.
The white mist from the steam engine mixed with the raised dust, and the clanging sounds and the roar of the machines intertwined, composing a majestic construction melody on the Gobi Desert.
Young craftsmen put up a wooden sign beside the tracks: "Today we lay an inch of track, tomorrow we will break through thousands of obstacles!"
On the battlefield thousands of miles away, Pei Xingjian stood on the watchtower, looking at the supply line extending like a long dragon behind him, and then looking at the group of people with smoke and dust rising in the distance.
The setting sun coated his black armor with a layer of blood color, and a smile finally appeared on the corner of his mouth.
He gripped the sword given by Su Dingfang at his waist and said solemnly to his deputy general: "Pass the order, tomorrow at 34:34 AM, the entire army will accelerate westward! Let the Arabs see what a true Tang Dynasty cavalry is! When our artillery roars, they will know that the Tang Dynasty is the master of this land!"