Chapter 5196: Feudalism

Chapter 5196: Feudalism
September has passed and the weather is nice and crisp in autumn.

The autumn harvest in the Guanzhong Plain has begun. Food is the most important thing for people, and there is nothing more important than the autumn harvest. Your Majesty personally went to the Circular Mound to offer sacrifices to heaven, praying to God to send less rain during these days and bless a good harvest. After that, local governments will organize and supervise the harvest of crops.

Far away in the Western Regions, the war had ended, but the battle was not over yet. Xue Rengui led more than 10,000 light cavalrymen under his command to pursue the enemy northward, chasing the Arab army all the way, using the "kite flying" tactics to perfection, and making the Arabs cry for their parents and piss their pants.

The detailed battle report on the Battle of Kesan City had already been sent to the Ministry of War. After being sorted out by the Minister of War Cui Dunli, all the battle reports were sent to the Secretariat. All commendations, rewards, pensions, and the disposal of remaining food, fodder, bags, and military equipment needed to be drafted by the Ministry of War and confirmed by the Secretariat with a signature and seal.

Therefore, Liu Li was so busy during this period that he could not even go home for more than ten days. He dealt with official documents until midnight every day, had a quick dinner in the official residence, took a bath and went to bed. He got up before dawn the next day to be busy again...

After washing up that morning, he ate the breakfast brought by the clerk, strolled in the yard for a while, made a pot of strong tea and placed it beside the desk, and then dealt with official documents.

Suddenly, the Minister of the Central Secretariat, Ren Yaxiang, came in hurriedly from outside the door and said in a hurry: "Sir, something big has happened in Japan!"

He walked to the desk in two or three steps and placed the memorial in his hand on it.

Liu Li picked up the report, opened it, and asked casually, "Why is it so urgent?"

Reading at a desk.

Ren Yaxiang said: "The remnants of Baekje crossed the sea to invade Iyo Island. The Mononobe clan who migrated there from Asuka-kyo had no choice but to ask the navy to send troops to drive out the bandits. The navy commander sent Lieutenant General Li Jinxing and Military Officer Li Yifu to lead thousands of soldiers to rescue... Now that the bandits have been driven out, Li Jinxing wants the Mononobe clan to lease the entire Iyo Island. That's not all. It is said that Mononobe Ashikaga has gone to Asuka-kyo, intending to connect various forces in Japan to hold a 'popular election', to depose the King of Japan by a popular vote, and to have the whole country submit to the Tang Dynasty!"

Liu Li's face was solemn as he read the report at a glance...

Ren Yaxiang said quickly: "Such a major event as destroying their breakfast was actually handled by a mere deputy admiral. He neither reported it to the Ministry of War nor asked for instructions from the Central Government. Now that the arrow is on the string, he casually submitted a report. It is really absurd!"

Throughout history, destroying a country has always been a major event. No matter whether it is a big country or a small country, the first thing to do is to respect its sovereignty and recognize its national destiny. Unless two countries are hostile and will fight to the death, they will not easily destroy other countries.

Especially for a small foreign country like Japan that paid tribute obediently and considered itself a vassal state, there was no war between Japan and the Tang Dynasty, and the entire country depended on and obeyed the Tang Dynasty. How could we destroy its country without any warning?
"'Popular election'... Oh, these guys in the navy are really smart."

Liu Li sneered, threw the report on the desk, and his face was as gloomy as water.

Whether it is "popular election" or attack, the essence is the same, which is to destroy the country and incorporate it into the territory.

Expanding territory is certainly the achievement of an empire, but everything must be authorized by the central government. The so-called "a general may not obey the king's orders" also has a limit. How can one destroy a country at will?
In Liu Li's view, the war in the Western Regions was a last resort, but the destruction of Japan was completely unnecessary.

Today, Japan is completely under the control of the Tang Dynasty and is in fact no different from a vassal state of the Tang Dynasty. So why should we go to so much trouble to help it win "popular elections" and make it submit to the Tang Dynasty?
Ren Yaxiang was angry: "The navy is isolated overseas and has a special status. It is difficult for the Political Affairs Hall or the Military Affairs Office to control it. Therefore, it has been allowed to do whatever it wants over the years, and the central government rarely intervenes. However, such acts of destroying the country must not be allowed to go on. Otherwise, with its powerful strength and control of the vast sea area, such things will inevitably happen one after another."

If an army is not under the control of the central government, is it still an imperial army?

Liu Li glanced at Ren Yaxiang, remained silent, and weighed the options rapidly in his mind.

Of course, he understood Ren Yaxiang's position. This man came from a military background and had military achievements, but he was classified as one of the "Meritorious Officials of the Zhenguan Period". He had always been at odds with Fang Jun's faction and their interests were conflicting. Now, the two major factions in the army even had a tendency to break up. How could he just sit and watch the navy conquer other countries, expand territory, and gain more prestige?

It's a pity that all the meritorious officials of the Zhenguan period were unruly and arrogant, and could not be used by him. Now Ren Yaxiang was pretending to be a good person in front of him, but he was just using him as the Minister of the Central Secretariat to target Fang Jun and the navy.

But to some extent, targeting Fang Jun and restricting the navy was also in his interest as the Minister of the Central Secretariat.

Now there is a pile of memorials commending the Anxi Army on the table. In this battle in the Western Regions, the Anxi Army performed brilliantly and won a great victory. There are countless people who have made contributions. After this, the Anxi Army will inevitably expand rapidly and almost become the number one army in the Tang Dynasty, trampling the Sixteen Guards under its feet.

In addition, the navy changed its previous strategy of "only money, not land" and began to capture cities and expand territory overseas...

The Center will completely lose control of the military.

His title of Zhongshu Ling will surely go down in history, and he will be denounced, despised, and spurned by countless civil officials...

At this time, a clerk came in from outside and said respectfully, "Your Majesty summoned you to the Imperial Study to see Him."

Liu Li tidied up the desk a bit, stood up and patted Ren Yaxiang on the shoulder, saying meaningfully: "Your Majesty's restart of the 'feudal world' is unstoppable. The military focus of the empire will inevitably be far overseas. If the navy cannot be restricted, the sixteen generals of the guards should all retire and return to their hometowns to farm."

After saying this, he quickly walked out of the official residence and went straight to the imperial study.

……

In the imperial study, Li Ji, Ma Zhou, Tang Jian, Liu Xiangdao, Cui Dunli had already arrived, and even Li Xiaogong and Li Jing, who had been living in seclusion recently, were present...

Liu Li was the last to arrive, and he apologized repeatedly: "I have been very busy with official duties recently, and I have kept Your Majesty waiting for so long. Please forgive me."

Li Chengqian said in a pleasant tone: "The Minister of the Central Secretariat is my assistant and the pillar of the country. He has always worked hard and made great contributions. Please take a seat quickly."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Liu Li walked quickly forward and sat down at the table to the left of Li Chengqian, then nodded to the ministers present one by one.

After the eunuchs served the fragrant tea, everyone left.

Li Chengqian took a sip of tea and got straight to the point: "I want to revive Emperor Taizong's policy of 'feudalizing the world'. I wonder what advice you have for me, my dear ministers?"

No one was surprised.

Although this was the first time the matter was discussed in a formal setting, rumors had already spread before, and His Majesty had consulted several important ministers on the matter.

Seeing that everyone was silent, Liu Xiangdao spoke first: "Your Majesty, please understand. When Emperor Taizong mentioned the policy of 'feudalizing the whole world', it included dozens of people including princes and meritorious officials. In the end, the meritorious officials collectively declined, and only a few princes were enfeoffed... I wonder if Your Majesty will now follow Emperor Taizong's original policy, or only enfeoff princes?"

The so-called "feudal world" policy of Emperor Taizong refers to the "hereditary enfeoffment of provincial governors" proposed by Emperor Taizong in the fifth year of Zhenguan. He proposed to emulate the Three Dynasties and divide the world among brothers, princes and meritorious officials and make their descendants inherit it in order to protect the central government and intimidate the local areas.

This move was strongly opposed by Wei Zheng and others, but Emperor Taizong still ordered the officials to draft relevant regulations and set levels in order to put them into practice.

By the tenth year of the Zhenguan reign, all the sons of Emperor Taizong had grown up. Even the youngest, Prince of Jin and Prince of Ji, were already eight or nine years old. According to the established rules, the princes needed to return to their country, that is, to the territories where they were granted fiefs. However, due to the death of Empress Zhangsun, the return was postponed to June of the following year. Emperor Taizong issued an edict to appoint the governor-general and provincial governor of Jingzhou, Prince of Jing Yuanjing, and other twenty-one princes, ordering their descendants to inherit the title, which opened the curtain for hereditary provincial governors.

A few days later, fourteen people including the meritorious official Changsun Wuji were appointed as provincial governors, and the title was also made hereditary. It was also stipulated that they could not be dismissed except for serious reasons. However, this again met with strong opposition from ministers represented by Wei Zheng and Li Baiyao, who submitted memorials to advise against this practice that went against the historical trend.

Wei Zheng even went directly to the Taiji Palace to advise Emperor Taizong in person, believing that it was not long since the chaos at the end of the Sui Dynasty, and everything was in ruins and waiting to be rebuilt. If they acted rashly and divided the country, it would be detrimental to the unification of the country. He therefore proposed the theory of "Five Don'ts".

Li Baiyao and others denied hereditary fiefdoms because the princes in the Spring and Autumn Period not only failed to protect the central government, but also ignored the royal family, annexed each other, and caused social unrest.

In the end, the "feudal governor" plan was abandoned, and the princes rushed to their fiefdoms. However, due to their young age and lack of ability to govern their fiefdoms, the situation became chaotic and full of problems. By the time Emperor Taizong passed away and the princes returned to Beijing, the so-called "feudal world" had already existed in name only...

Li Chengqian said, "The Tang Dynasty was conquered by Emperor Taizong with the assistance of Emperor Gaozu. Logically, my brothers and I should all inherit Emperor Taizong's legacy. Now that I have ascended to the throne and inherited the ancestral temple, how can I allow you brothers to be trapped in Chang'an? Therefore, I want you brothers to be enfeoffed in all directions and inherit our ancestral legacy together."

Liu Li said respectfully, "There are several key points in the current discussion. First, will enfeoffment of the kings cause unrest and instability in the world, or even lay hidden dangers for the future? Second, Your Majesty wants to enfeoff the lands in the country or overseas? Third, after the feudal system, will the armies and finances of each fiefdom be governed by itself, or will they be under the jurisdiction of the central government?"

The others all nodded, believing that this was the crux of the problem.

But in fact, there is no need to discuss the first point. The emperor is the master of the empire, and the empire is the world of Li Tang. Your Majesty wants to divide the ancestral heritage among your brothers. Who can object?
What we are discussing are only the second and third points.

Li Chengqian pondered for a moment and said, "Since the Zhou Dynasty, the feudal policy has been popular and popular, with both advantages and disadvantages, but generally speaking, the disadvantages outweigh the advantages. But I cannot bear to see one person usurp the ancestral heritage passed down by Emperor Taizong, so the feudal policy is inevitable, so I want to divide the land abroad into fiefdoms."

The atmosphere suddenly became serious.

Since it is a "foreign land", it must not belong to the empire at the moment, so we can only rely on the army to conquer it and then feudalize it.

Currently, the only army that is convenient for overseas operations and possesses absolute strength is the Royal Navy.

Emperor Taizong had more than a dozen sons, and each of them was given a fiefdom. Regardless of the size of the fiefdom, how much manpower, material resources and financial resources would be needed just to manage these dozen fiefdoms?
How much merit will be achieved by conquering cities, conquering countries, and expanding territory?
Li Ji remained silent, but Li Jing, who had never been involved in government affairs, rarely spoke out in opposition: "How can the blood of Emperor Taizong be left to wander outside?"

Everyone was stunned.

Tang Jian slammed the table and angrily scolded Li Jing: "You old thief, you fart!"

Li Jing: "..."