Chapter 5362 All Nations Pay Tribute

Chapter 5362 All Nations Pay Tribute
Jayavarman strolled around the West Market, stopping frequently to eat flatbread, drink grape wine, watch the dances of the Kucha courtesans, and then traveled around Chang'an City by carriage.

As night fell, Jayavarman returned to the capital. While waiting to enter the city outside the Vermilion Bird Gate, he looked back from his carriage and saw the lights of millions of homes flowing like a sea of ​​stars, and Buddhist temples and pagodas piercing the night sky like golden swords. The entire city of Chang'an seemed like a giant furnace, forging the culture of the four seas and eight wastelands into the grandeur of the Tang Dynasty.

He suddenly understood why the legend of "Chang'an" circulated everywhere in the world. Whether it was foreign nobles or poor slaves, they all had a great desire to go to Chang'an—it was not only the center of the world, but also a paradise that all travelers dreamed of.

……

The next morning, Jayavarman awoke early and, with the help of his wives, concubines, and maids, washed and dressed, changed into his old royal robes, put on his magnificent crown, and even went out to wait for the officials from the Court of State Ceremonial to come to the palace before having his meal, for fear that he might have eaten or drunk too much and then need to relieve himself and thus lose his composure before the king...

Led by officials from the Court of State Ceremonial, Jayavarman proceeded to Chengtian Gate to await entry into the palace. There, he discovered that the imperial city was different from the one he had seen the day before.

Today is a cloudy day with a light autumn rain. Squads of imperial guards in black helmets and armor stand straight on both sides of the main street, holding long spears. The rain wets the red tassels on their helmets and flows down their armor. On the Chengtian Gate, the drums thunder and the majestic cavalry patrol back and forth.

Just by watching this scene, Jayavarman gained a clear understanding of the power disparity between the Tang Dynasty and Zhenla.

The Jinla army naturally had armor, but even in the humid and rainy weather of Jinla, officers and soldiers were not allowed to wear armor whenever it rained—because rainwater would cause the iron armor to rust and corrode.

Armor is not only expensive, but also complicated to make and crafted. A single suit of armor can take several months or even a year to make in the hands of a wax craftsman, and once it rusts or corrodes, it is difficult to maintain.

However, the armor that the Zhenla army regarded as a treasure was worthless in the Tang Dynasty—the sight of people wearing armor simply to maintain order and stand guard was absolutely impossible in Zhenla.

Then I thought of the heavily armored infantry that flooded into Qu City like a tidal wave when the Tang army captured it...

Jayavarman suddenly felt a little better. With such a huge disparity in national strength, it was understandable that he would be defeated and his country destroyed. It was not a fault of the war!

……

As soon as the appointed time arrived, Jayavarman stood in front of Chengtian Gate and looked ahead through the slowly opening palace gate. He saw the inner palace gates opening one by one, layer by layer, and the passageway under his feet continued to extend forward until a palace built on a high white marble platform stood majestically like a heavenly palace in the clouds.

"Summon the barbarian king to court—"

The imperial guards' booming voices rang in my ears, and then the sound lingered and echoed between the palace gates, its lingering notes never fading away.

It adds a touch of majesty and solemnity, showcasing the grandeur of the Celestial Empire to the fullest extent.

Accompanied by officials from the Ministry of Rites and the Court of State Ceremonies, Jayavarman stepped into Chengtian Gate, passed through Jiade Gate and Taiji Gate, and when he stood in front of Taiji Hall and looked up at this majestic palace that symbolized the supreme imperial power of the Tang Dynasty, the overwhelming majesty and weight of it made him nervous, his blood rush, and even his breathing somewhat difficult.

Upon entering the magnificent and spacious Taiji Hall, this sense of psychological oppression reached its peak.

Although he hadn't drunk any water that morning, Jayavarman suddenly felt a dull ache in his lower abdomen and a slight urge to urinate...

Fortunately, the Tang emperor was gentle and kind.

After paying his respects with the courtesy due to a subject, he presented a letter of request to submit to the Tang Dynasty. In the hall, an eunuch read out the imperial edict conferring upon him the title of Duke and granting him a residence. After all the formalities were completed, the Tang emperor even beckoned him to come forward a few steps and spoke to him with a smile.

Li Chengqian asked him with a smile, "Your Majesty, since you came to Chang'an, have you taken a stroll around to appreciate the sights and sights of Chang'an? Are they different from those in Zhenla?"

He had expected that these words would need to be translated, but to his surprise, Jayavarman replied in Chinese.

"When I was living in another region, my view was limited to a small area. I thought I was the most extravagant person in the world. Now that I have set foot in Chang'an, I realize that there is no greater wealth and power in the world. If the people of Zhenla can be as rich and stable as the people of Tang in the future, my defeat may not be a bad thing. My descendants will benefit from this misfortune."

Many ministers in the hall smiled amiably.

A deposed monarch, captured by another country, can use this perspective to whitewash his defeat and turn it into a contribution to his nation... Such shamelessness is rare indeed.

Li Chengqian, however, did not care about this. Instead, he asked in surprise, "As far as I know, your Zhenla inherited the script of Funan, which originated in India. But how come the king speaks Chinese so fluently?"

Jayavarman respectfully said, "Although the script and language of Zhenla are inherited from Funan, the barbaric lands have always regarded China as their suzerain state. The civilization of the Celestial Empire is the most precious in both Funan and Zhenla. Only nobles can learn it, and officials and slaves of the middle and lower classes are not qualified to learn or use it."

What he didn't say was that in recent years, due to the invasion of Buddhism in the Indochina Peninsula, both upper-class nobles and middle-class officials have begun to convert to Buddhism. Buddhism is flourishing in the Indochina Peninsula, and perhaps it won't be long before the culture from India replaces Chinese culture.

Li Chengqian was unaware of the details of the Indochina Peninsula, and was overjoyed upon hearing this: "Since the king's heart is set on China, then let him stay in Chang'an for a long time. Perhaps in a few decades, the king's children and grandchildren will also be able to obtain a Tang Dynasty household registration."

Jayavarman placed his right hand on his chest, bowed, and thanked him, saying, "That is exactly what I wished for!"

My heart was filled with mixed feelings of joy and sorrow.

Chang'an was the premier capital city in the land, its luxury, wealth, and magnificent splendor unparalleled in the world. Living there was the dream of countless people from other races. Yet, he had once been the ruler of Zhenla, but after his defeat and capture, he was imprisoned. Not only had all his former power vanished, but he was also like a prisoner in Chang'an.

But in any case, for a deposed ruler to be treated well in Chang'an and to enjoy a life of extreme wealth and luxury was already the best possible outcome...

……

After all the receptions for the foreign guests were completed, Li Chengqian returned to the Wude Hall to wash up and have a meal. Then, Wang De entered and announced that Li Ji, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, Liu Ji, the Grand Secretary, Ma Zhou, the Attendant-in-Ordinary, and Liu Rengui, the Minister of War, were to pay their respects.

Li Chengqian summoned them for an audience. He went to the back hall to change into a set of casual clothes, and after coming out, he sat on a mat by the window. He asked the eunuchs to prepare tea, and then the ministers filed in.

After the emperor and his ministers exchanged greetings, Li Chengqian warmly invited everyone to take their seats.

"My esteemed ministers, what brings you here together?"

The group exchanged glances, and finally, Liu Ji, the Grand Secretary, spoke.

"Your Majesty is wise. The Tang army is invincible and has expanded its territory. Now, it has even brought most of the Indochina Peninsula into its territory and bestowed upon the princes as fiefdoms. The country is powerful and all nations come to pay tribute. We, your subjects, congratulate Your Majesty!"

"Eh!"

Li Chengqian smiled and waved his hand: "How could I be such a person who loves to boast? It's best to say less of this kind of boasting. If you have any advice, please speak directly."

"Here!"

Liu Ji agreed, then said solemnly, "Does Your Majesty remember those Hu people who surrendered and became assimilated during the Zhenguan era?"

Li Chengqian, not understanding the meaning of these words, smiled and said, "How could I forget? Back then, when Emperor Taizong bestowed wine upon the emperor, the Hu Xuan dance of Jieli Khan was met with cheers from the entire hall."

In the ninth year of the Wude era, the Turkic Khan, who had roamed the northern frontier and commanded 300,000 archers, launched a surprise attack on the border of the Tang Dynasty. Taking advantage of the internal turmoil in Chang'an, he passed through Jingzhou and conquered Wugong, advancing all the way to Yinma River, only forty miles away from Chang'an.

Emperor Taizong personally went to the Wei River, signed a treaty under duress, and emptied the entire treasury of Guanzhong before the enemy army withdrew, which he considered a great humiliation.

Yet this same Khan, who once drank from the Wei River and besieged the city, ultimately became a prisoner of the Tang Dynasty, singing and dancing before Emperor Taizong…

That was not only the majesty of the empire, but also a moment in which Emperor Taizong shone brightly throughout the ages.

Liu Ji shook his head and said, "Your Majesty only remembers the glory, but forgets the fickle nature of the Hu people."

His face was solemn as he recounted the events with great familiarity: "In the fourth year of the Zhenguan era, after Duke Ying destroyed the Eastern Turks, more than 100,000 surrendered Turkic households were relocated to the area south of the Hetao region, and rebelled a few years later; in the seventeenth year of the Zhenguan era, the leader of the Khitan Dahe clan, Kuge, led his people to surrender, but rebelled again the following year; in the fifth year of the Zhenguan era, the Liao people of Luo and Dou caves rebelled; in the twelfth year of the Zhenguan era, the Liao people of Wuzhou rebelled, and 20,000 troops were dispatched to suppress them... The most egregious of all was Ashina Jieshe!"

Emperor Taizong held him in high esteem and trusted him greatly, even appointing him as a general in charge of palace guards. However, he plotted to assassinate Emperor Taizong.

"Your Majesty, the barbarians are shameless and self-serving. Since they are not of our kind, they must harbor ulterior motives!"

Li Chengqian seemed to be thinking: "I wholeheartedly agree with what the Grand Secretary said."

Liu Rengui said, “After discussion, we all agreed that now that the Tang Dynasty has expanded its territory and conquered countless foreign tribes, their people and chieftains should be treated well. They can be given wealth and honor and prestigious titles, but they should not be given real power.”

Ma Zhou echoed, "Whether it is the prince of the Gar tribe or the chief of Zhenla, they are no different from the Turks. They are all foreigners and it is inevitable that they will harbor different intentions. Your Majesty can grant them mansions and official titles, which can appease their hearts and serve as a model for others. However, you must never let them hold real power, otherwise it will surely leave hidden dangers."

Li Chengqian nodded and looked at Li Ji: "What did the Duke of Ying say?"

This top military leader of the empire was always tight-lipped and remained on the sidelines, neither asking nor speaking, which he was used to...

Li Ji carefully considered his words and slowly said, "What you all said makes a lot of sense, but we should also make some distinctions. We cannot simply generalize based on the idea that 'those who are not of our kind must have different hearts.'"

In the Tang Dynasty, the ethnic issue was a very complex one.

Because the Li Tang imperial family itself had Xianbei blood, what kind of people were "our people"? And what kind of people were "foreign people"?
It's impossible to explain clearly.