The 20th day of the fifth month in the first year of the Zhaowu reign of the Tang Dynasty.

Inside the Imperial Study in Nanjing's Imperial City.

On the ninth day after Marquis Lan Yu of Anxi led his army to destroy the Wusun Kingdom, and on the third day after the Arab Empire's eastern expeditionary army set off, Emperor Zhaowu of the Tang Dynasty, Chen Huai'an, far away in the imperial city of Jinling, finally received two memorials from the Anxi Protectorate (Northern Prefecture).

One letter, presented to Chen Huai'an through the Ministry of War in the name of the Anxi Protectorate (Northern Protectorate), detailed the causes and consequences of Marquis Lan Yu of Anxi leading his troops to destroy the Wusun Kingdom, and requested Emperor Zhaowu Chen Huai'an's instructions on how the Anxi Protectorate should deal with the two kingdoms of Xiaowan and Wusun.

The other letter was a memorial delivered directly to Chen Huai'an by the Longcheng Inner Guard, the intelligence agency directly under the control of the Tang Dynasty emperor. The person who submitted the memorial was Tan Li, Lan Yu's deputy general.

In this memorial, Tan Li reported to Emperor Zhaowu, Chen Huai'an, that Lan Yu had insulted Queen Aliya of Wusun, ultimately causing the Queen to commit suicide by hitting her head against a beam, unable to bear the humiliation.

It turns out that the deputy general Tan Li also had another identity: he was the head of the Anxi Protectorate of Longcheng Inner Guard, and was directly under the command of Emperor Zhaowu Chen Huai'an.

When Chen Huai'an saw the two memorials and learned about the recent events in the Western Regions, he was immediately enraged.

In particular, after conquering the Wusun capital, Marquis Lan Yu of Anxi committed such a beastly act against the queen, which was a disgrace to the Tang Dynasty and to Zhaowu Chen Huai'an, who was revered as the Heavenly Khan by the kings of the Western Regions.

It was fortunate that the Wusun Kingdom and Jinling City were separated by 6,800 li;

Otherwise, given Emperor Zhaowu Chen Huai'an's personality, he would probably have drawn his sword and killed Lan Yu on the spot in a fit of rage!

snort!

Inside the imperial study, Chen Huai'an snorted coldly and muttered to himself, "This Marquis of Anxi, Lan Yu, really knows how to pick his moments to cause trouble for me. He's nothing but an arrogant and reckless general, showing absolutely no remorse!"

In his rage, Chen Huai'an also felt some remorse.

He was aware of Lan Yu's arrogance.

However, this situation never occurred when Lan Yu followed him to conquer the Western Regions!

As a result, Chen Huai'an relaxed his vigilance towards Lan Yu, believing that the boy had changed his ways. That's why he entrusted him with the important task of guarding the Western Regions, and also arranged for Huo Qubing, the Marquis of Champion, to be stationed in Khotan, hoping that the two could check and balance each other.

Little did anyone know that after escaping the control of Emperor Zhaowu Chen Huai'an, Lan Yu was like a wild horse that had broken free of its reins, and no one could control him at all.

One mistake almost caused a major disaster.

If Lan Yu's act of humiliating the Queen of Wusun is exposed, it will surely cause a huge uproar among the kingdoms of the Western Regions!

At that time, wouldn't the prosperity of the land-based Silk Road that Chen Huai'an had painstakingly built up be destroyed in an instant?

"This Lan Yu, when he returns to the capital to report for duty next time, I will definitely strip him of all his titles and honors!"

As Chen Huai'an perused the contents of the two memorials, his anger towards Lan Yu remained undiminished, yet he had to set aside his energy to consider how to handle the relationship between Xiaowan and Wusun.

Currently, both countries are in a state of chaos with no leader. Whether to support a new regime in one of the two countries or to have the Tang Dynasty send someone to take over is a real headache.

This issue will likely have to be left for discussion and resolution at tomorrow's court assembly.

"Your Majesty—"

"Lord Lu Jiang, the Marquis of Loyalty and Valor, requests an audience!"

At this moment, the voice of Cai He, the chief eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, suddenly came from outside the Imperial Study.

Um?

Inside the Imperial Study, Chen Huai'an, who was seething with anger, raised an eyebrow upon hearing the old eunuch Cai He's announcement.

This Marquis of Loyalty and Valor, Lu Jiang, was ordered by the emperor to tour the country and was fully responsible for supervising the first imperial examinations of the Tang Dynasty in various regions.

Now that the first nationwide provincial examination of the Tang Dynasty has just ended, why is Lu Jiang returning to Jinling City?

Logically speaking, in just three months, Lu Jiang, who should have been touring the whole country, probably hasn't even covered one-fifth of the Tang Dynasty's territory.

"Let him in!"

Filled with doubts, Chen Huai'an finally ordered that Marquis Zhongyong, Lu Jiang, come in to speak.

"Summon Marquis Lu Jiang, the Loyal and Brave, to the palace for an audience!"

Soon, Lu Jiang, dressed in an official robe, hurriedly arrived. After entering the imperial study, he first performed the three kneelings and nine kowtows to Chen Huai'an, a grand ceremony befitting a subject, before loudly proclaiming, "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

"Minister Lu, please rise!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the two took their seats according to the etiquette between a ruler and his subject.

Chen Huai'an said, "Minister Lu, if I remember correctly, it has only been three months since you were ordered to tour the country and secretly supervise the first imperial examination of the Tang Dynasty, right?"

"In just three short months, you've traveled to every county and prefecture in the Tang Dynasty?"

"Your Majesty, I...I did not!"

Lu Jiang, who had been sitting upright, hurriedly stood up and apologized to Chen Huai'an, saying, "Your Majesty, I know full well that returning without an imperial edict is a capital offense, but... but during my tour I encountered a problem that compelled me to return to the capital to see Your Majesty."

"If Your Majesty wishes to punish me, I have nothing to say. However, faced with such a critical issue that could shake the very foundation of our Great Tang Dynasty, I have no choice but to report to Your Majesty!"

As he spoke, Marquis Lu Jiang, the Marquis of Zhongyong, knelt down before Chen Huai'an once again, took out a prepared memorial from the sleeve of his official robe, and respectfully handed it to Chen Huai'an.

"Your Majesty, this is a memorial that I have spent several days drafting. Please take a look!"

Um?

Chen Huai'an frowned slightly, took the memorial from Lu Jiang's hand, and asked, "Lu Jiang, did you find anyone obstructing the imperial examination reform during the inspection, or was there anyone engaging in favoritism and corruption?"

Lu Jiang said, "Your Majesty, there is none!"

"Yes, it is about a massive smuggling case that I discovered during my inspection tour, involving four provinces, eight prefectures, and thirty-two counties of the Tang Dynasty!"

"What?"

Upon hearing what Marquis Lu Jiang, the Loyal and Brave, had said, even Chen Huai'an, who had long since mastered the art of ruling, couldn't help but raise an eyebrow and tremble slightly.

He said sternly, "Lu Jiang, explain yourself clearly, what exactly happened?"

"I will look at it as I speak!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Immediately afterwards, Lu Jiang said, "Your Majesty, when I was inspecting the two provinces south of the Yangtze River by imperial decree, I discovered that the Governor-General of Liangjiang, Su Chen, and the Governor-General of Lianghu, Jiang Ning..."

Almost simultaneously, Chen Huai'an also opened the memorial in his hand, which was at least 10,000 words long.

The first line of text that catches the eye is "A major smuggling case that violates the Tang Dynasty's 'Tea-Horse Prohibition,' involving four provinces, eight prefectures, and thirty-two counties!"

Chen Huai'an's head exploded with a "buzz".

Lu Jiang continued, "The powerful and valiant nobles of Youyun, led by Liu Ziyu, the Marquis of Wuyi of the Great Tang Dynasty, colluded with Su Chen, Jiang Ning, and other high-ranking officials in the Jiangnan region. They bribed the guards at checkpoints in four provinces, eight prefectures, and thirty-two counties, allowing them to smuggle goods freely between the border and the interior..."

Based on Lu Jiang's explanation and the contents of the memorials in his hand, Chen Huai'an finally understood why Marquis Zhongyong Lu Jiang returned to the capital halfway through his inspection tour to meet with him.

Led by Liu Ziyu, a fierce general from Youyun, and coerced by Su Chen, the governor of Liangjiang and Lianghu, and Jiang Ning, a huge interest group consisting of more than dozens of powerful officials and military generals of the third rank or above from inside and outside the court.

From the moment Emperor Zhaowu Chen Huai'an conquered Jinling and proclaimed himself emperor, he secretly violated the court's "Tea and Horse Prohibition" by smuggling porcelain, silk, tea, and other goods from the Jiangnan region to the Guanzhong Plain and the Western Regions in exchange for huge price differences.

Subsequently, they smuggled horses, livestock, woolen textiles, and other goods from foreign lands to the Jiangnan region, profiting from both ends.

What angered and frightened Chen Huai'an was not only that the border generals led by Liu Ziyu violated the tea-horse trade ban to make money, but that the entire border defense line of the Tang Dynasty was rendered useless after these fierce generals guarding the border were done in this way.

If the things that these fierce generals, led by Liu Ziyu, were smuggling were not porcelain, silk, horses, or livestock, but enemy troops, then the consequences would be severe!

Suddenly, a familiar name caught Chen Huai'an's eye on the memorial in his hand—Lan Yu, the Marquis of Anxi of the Great Tang Dynasty!