“A few days ago, news came from the Lingnan Navy that things haven’t changed much in the South Seas. It seems the Monkey Clan is having a fierce battle with some tribe. We don’t know about places further away. I told them not to bother investigating; the Tang Dynasty is busy enough right now,” Li Shimin explained.
"Your Majesty is wise. With the current population of the Tang Dynasty, it will take at least one or two decades for these areas within the country to develop," Qin Mu agreed.
“You’re right, my dear minister. Population is the biggest problem limiting us.”
"Under His Majesty's wise leadership, the Tang Dynasty is now thriving. If it weren't for the great changes in the world, it would have already reached a golden age. If we can focus on development for another one or two decades, we will surely be able to sweep across the land and create an unprecedented empire."
"Haha! That's right, that's what I think too. Difficulties are also opportunities. I'm going to build a huge empire!" Li Shimin laughed loudly. Indeed, that's the kind of person he is. The more difficult the situation, the more he likes to face it head-on. If things are really peaceful, he loses his passion.
"It's definitely possible." Qin Mu's tone was firm, and he firmly believed in this. Although this was a different kind of family, the Tang Dynasty would become the most powerful empire in the world, perhaps even the only one, and he would work hard for it.
"Huaidao, I wish to bestow upon you a piece of land." Li Shimin said solemnly, patting Qin Mu on the shoulder.
"Hehe, thank you, Your Majesty. My fiefdom has increased again." Qin Mu bowed slightly in thanks.
"Well, let's add three hundred li for now," Li Shimin said, stroking his chin.
"What! How much!" Qin Mu was taken aback and looked up at Li Shimin.
"Hehe, that's right, it's three hundred li. I'll add more if you make more contributions in the future," Li Shimin said with a smile.
"I wonder where my fiefdom is?" Qin Mu asked after thinking calmly.
Seeing that Qin Mu had reacted, Li Shimin didn't keep him in suspense and said with a smile, "In the South Seas, on one of those islands, you can choose a place yourself. I will issue an edict that it will be your permanent fief, passed down through generations, and your territory will be with the nation."
"This...this...Your Majesty, this is unprecedented. How could I possibly divide the nation's territory?" Qin Mu shook his head in surprise. Normally, fiefdoms decrease with rank, passed down through generations, sharing the fate of the nation. In other words, as long as the Tang Dynasty existed, those lands belonged to Qin Mu.
"I am deeply gratified that you have such a mindset, my dear minister. However, you need not worry. I have given this matter considerable thought. The court does not have the power to occupy those overseas lands. Even if I bestow them upon you, you will still need to develop them yourself. The court will not help you with the population problem. Not only you, but I will also bestow more lands upon you in the future." Li Shimin nodded in satisfaction and said.
"Your Majesty is wise." Qin Mu understood Li Shimin's meaning and said with genuine admiration.
Li Shimin intended to use territories beyond the reach of the Tang Dynasty to win over the hearts and minds of the people, and also to gain their assistance on the borders, perhaps even helping with outward expansion—a multi-pronged approach. Qin Mu guessed that Li Shimin had already planned which territories to bestow upon them, ensuring they wouldn't become uncontrollable. Crucially, he could also persuade powerful families within the country to relinquish their lands in exchange for these territories. This measure set a precedent and was a remarkably wise policy.
The islands overseas may not even be inhabited. Even if they were to form warlords, it would be futile without a population. Qin Mu even deduced that if this system were to continue, the scene of warlord separatism in another world would not appear, nor would it shake the foundation of the imperial court.
Li Shimin's visit to the Six Doors was actually intended to have Qin Mu lead men to assist in the arrest. Through interrogation, he learned the extent of Li Chengdao's preparations and the number of people he had planted in Chang'an. Destruction is always easier than construction; no one is perfect, and some ministers had their weaknesses exposed, forcing them to do things under duress. Furthermore, there were many poor people, who could be bribed with money. In recent years, Li Chengdao's power had suffered a significant blow, so he had focused on making money. His collusion with the beastmen allowed him to establish several merchant caravans, especially after the opening of the border market in Shengzhou, which allowed him to openly cross the border and earn considerable profits.
Li Shimin stated his purpose, and Qin Mu naturally had to cooperate. Thus, a large number of constables dressed in flying fish robes rushed out of the Six Doors again.
The people of Chang'an once again saw the notices posted by the Six Doors (the government's security agency) announcing a crackdown on crime in the city. They were delighted, even overjoyed, by the notices, which brought back memories of a few years prior: the arrest of numerous thugs and ruffians, bringing Chang'an to the point where doors were practically left unlocked at night. Small vendors no longer worried about extorting protection money, ordinary citizens no longer feared petty theft, and even the sons of officials and the wealthy became more obedient, mostly staying indoors. Those who were out were polite and well-behaved, fearing arrest by the Six Doors. Although the punishments weren't severe, guarding the city gates and main streets was still quite shameful.
Li Shimin's imperial edict was issued to Qin Mu with great fanfare, which shocked the entire city of Chang'an and quickly spread throughout the Tang Dynasty. Who wouldn't want a piece of land that would benefit the country? Moreover, this also conveyed a message to the outside world: you don't need to worry about your merits overshadowing the emperor. I have plenty of ways to reward you, as long as your merits are great enough.
A duke could possess three hundred li of permanent land, so what about a state duke? Although it was only in the South Seas, even further than Lingnan, those enormous islands. In the past, it would have been a barren wasteland, but now the entire Tang Dynasty ate dried fruits, seafood, and fresh fruit from the south; how could they not know how much wealth awaited discovery there? Perhaps only a small number of people were needed to manage an island, and there was the dark-skinned, long-armed Black Ape tribe, honest and hardworking, who could salvage pearls from the sea. Spices from overseas were much cheaper than those from the Western Regions. Now, the Buddhist community had become more docile because spices from the Western Regions had become worthless, causing them to lose almost half their income.
The powerful families were also tempted. They had manpower and money. Previously, the powerful families of the Northwest had moved into the mountains, completely devouring that huge piece of meat. They couldn't let this opportunity slip by. If Li Shimin's meritorious officials divided up the overseas islands, would there be a next time? The north had beast tribes, so that was out of the question in the short term. Besides, what could the grasslands be used for? Aside from grazing, it seemed only for medicinal herbs. The profits in the south were enormous, and there were also skilled warriors like Qin Mu, ensuring their safety. Didn't you see how the monkey tribe was defeated and forced to surrender? Just the Jiangnan and Lingnan provinces combined nearly wiped out the monkey tribe; compared to the grassland wolf tribes, they were clearly much easier to bully.
No one is a fool, and the aristocratic families immediately sensed the underlying meaning. However, in terms of merit, they certainly couldn't compare to the veteran ministers who had risen to power with Li Shimin. So, what reason could they use to impress Li Shimin? Naturally, they could only use what Li Shimin valued most: the land north of the Yangtze River, which had always been the pillar of the court. At the same time, because it was close to Chang'an, it was easy for the court to manage. Therefore, the land of the aristocratic families had always been the court's favorite.
The problem could be identified, but no one dared to take the lead, because they were unsure whether Li Shimin would renege on his promise, giving away land without any reward. They were all waiting for the second person to receive a reward. And that person soon appeared, and not just one person, but a group! Qin Qiong, Luo Yi, and Li Jing were the first to act. None of the three were in Chang'an, yet they submitted memorials one after another, offering their own fiefdoms. Ostensibly, they were doing their part to help the court cope with the drastic changes and financial difficulties. Following closely behind, several powerful princes, including Li Shentong, Li Shenfu, and Li Daozong, along with over thirty high-ranking officials such as Cheng Zhijie, Yuchi Jingde, Changsun Wuji, and Fang Xuanling, simultaneously offered their family lands, swearing oaths to dedicate their entire fortunes to contributing to the stability of the Tang Dynasty.
Li Shimin was decisive. After acquiring these lands, he issued decrees to bestow the islands of Southeast Asia upon them, and ordered the Lingnan Navy to quickly clear the islands to facilitate their relocation. Furthermore, Li Shimin stated that he would provide assistance with immigration and initial infrastructure development, allowing them to focus on serving the court without worrying about the consequences.
In reality, the relationship between ruler and subject was not as harmonious as it appeared. Qin Qiong, Luo Yi, and Li Shentong were all persuaded by Qin Mu, which is why Qin Qiong and Luo Yi reacted immediately. As for why Luo Yi listened, it was because Luo Cheng had been allocated over a hundred li of land in the Northwest. Although there wasn't a single person there yet, it was a status permitted by the court, and Qin Mu had been taking care of the Luo family, consistently sending valuable gifts from the South Seas. Having already given up once—and that most important power—giving up land again was a completely different matter. In his letter, Qin Mu had also suggested which island to choose, with actual projected yields, which was one of the reasons he was interested.
Li Jing made his own decision. He had truly fought in numerous battles, achieving immense merit. He was granted the title of Duke and held the official position of Minister of the Six Ministries, almost reaching the point where he could no longer be granted any higher rank. However, the Tang Dynasty was currently in dire need of manpower everywhere, and his merits continued to accumulate. This made him very melancholy, causing him to become very low-key and even avoid contact with others, precisely to avoid suspicion and become a solitary official. A solitary official is the least likely to be worried about, after all, a lonely person cannot do things well even if they want to. Therefore, Li Jing understood Li Shimin's intention and responded immediately, essentially saying, "Look, I not only have no men, but also no money. You don't need to worry about me either. As for the overseas fiefdoms, my descendants can guard them."
It's not surprising that Li Shentong and his group were a step behind; after all, they had a large and powerful family business, and they had more to consider. So, they were a little behind. However, with someone taking the lead, those behind would definitely follow. In this kind of situation, whether they liked it or not, they had to follow.
Compared to the first group of Qin Qiong, Luo Yi, and Li Jing, Li Shimin accepted the gifts from the later groups but did not immediately bestow rewards upon them. Instead, he waited a month before announcing another large number of fiefdoms and rewards.
After the bestowal of rewards, even more people took action. Countless ministers and noble families wanted to offer up their lands, but this time Li Shimin refused them all, reasoning that the court had sufficient strength to handle the difficulties and did not need the officials and common people of the Tang Dynasty to sacrifice their property.
At this point, those people were filled with regret. For the past month, they had been watching and waiting to see what Li Shimin would do, but Li Shimin had given up! This left them completely bewildered. Others had already reaped the benefits, while they could only watch. They didn't need to guess what would happen next, since everyone else had moved away, and those of them who remained were the most obstructive.
Unfortunately, a traitor emerged among them. The Zheng family, one of the five prominent clans and seven noble families, saw its third branch donate all its land. Not only did they receive new fiefdoms, but Zheng Renji's eldest son, Zheng Xuanyi, who was originally the Sima of the Anbei Protectorate, was directly promoted to the Prefect of Luofu County; his second son, Zheng Chang, who was a county magistrate under Luoyang, was promoted to the position of Registrar of Households in Luoyang.
It's worth noting that at the beginning of the year, the Zheng family offended Li Shimin again. Everyone thought that the third branch of the Zheng family had no hope of rising to prominence during Li Shimin's reign. Who would have thought that in just six months, the situation would change dramatically, and they would suddenly become popular again. And this time, it wasn't because of his daughter's selection to enter the palace.
"Teacher, why don't you teach us poetry?" a very delicate and beautiful girl asked.
"Poetry is written from the heart; how can you write without inspiration?" Qin Mu said without looking up as he helped Princess Changning sit down.
This young girl was the one he valued most among his group, and also the most talented and intelligent. Her name was Zheng Liwan, the daughter of Zheng Renji, and she was the reason he offended Li Shimin at the beginning of the year. Of course, whether Li Shimin was truly angry, no one knows.
At the beginning of the year, Empress Zhangsun suggested holding a selection of concubines for Li Shimin, since the last time he held such a selection was in the first year of the Zhenguan era. According to current calculations, the first batch of women to enter the palace would be too old and no longer suitable for the emperor.
Zheng Liwan was one of the women chosen at the beginning of the year. However, when Wei Zheng heard that Zheng Liwan was already engaged, he immediately submitted a memorial to stop it, and Li Shimin naturally complied. But this raised another problem: who would dare to take the woman the emperor had his eye on? The Lu family, who were supposedly engaged to Zheng Liwan, immediately came forward to clarify that there was no engagement. But three months later, the young man who was rumored to be engaged suddenly died! What would others think? Even Li Shimin was implicated, because there were rumors that he had killed her, and Li Shimin couldn't explain this. If he spoke up, it would only make things worse.
The Zheng family was also panicked! They didn't know how Li Shimin would deal with them in the future, so Zheng Renji sent his daughter to Qin Mu's household, thinking that at least it would ensure her safety. This time, Zheng Renji listened to the Qin family and surrendered all his land. Of course! The rewards were also huge: rewards and promotions. Li Shimin made it clear that he would not retaliate against them.
Under these circumstances, Zheng Liwan has become much more lively recently, and she likes to ask Qin Mu more questions. Moreover, as a girl, she has no worries about entering and leaving the Qin family's backyard, and she gets along very well with Qin Yuxin.
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