Chapter 603 Presenting Captives on the Emperor's Birthday
On the first day of the tenth lunar month, the Emperor's birthday, the scorching sun did not diminish the people of Chang'an's desire to go and enjoy the festivities.
Only Li San Niang, Tang Ming Yue, and Nan Xing remained on duty at the Yongpingfang Pharmacy, while the rest were given leave.
It would be a lie to say that Li San Niang didn't want to go to Zhuque Square to see Shi Le'an present the captives. After all, such an event was truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and having the chance to witness it would satisfy her curiosity.
The only reason was that it was Li Sanniang's turn to be on duty;
Secondly, Li San Niang also realized that there would definitely be many people who wanted to see the excitement. Even if they went to the scene, they probably wouldn't be able to see anything and could only experience the atmosphere.
Therefore, the difference between going or not going wasn't significant for Li San Niang.
In addition, Li Sanniang, who had asked for leave a few days ago because of her report, was too embarrassed to tell Manager Gao that she didn't want to be on duty and wanted to go watch the excitement.
Tang Mingyue was willing to stay on duty because she wanted to save up her days off so that she could take Chen Yanfu and the children to climb mountains outside the city next Double Ninth Festival.
"There probably won't be many patients coming today; they've all probably gone to Suzaku Square."
Li San Niang nodded, agreeing with Tang Mingyue's words.
"Who wouldn't want to join in the fun at such a grand event?"
Just as Li San Niang and Tang Ming Yue had said, at this moment, looking up at Zhuque Street, one could see a dense crowd of people, a bustling scene of noise and shoulder to shoulder.
Thanks to the patrolling constables every three zhang (about 921cm) to maintain order, and the Imperial Guards on both sides of the street, it would have been strange if a stampede hadn't occurred.
As the time drew near, on the city wall of the Imperial City's Vermilion Bird Gate, which is adjacent to Vermilion Bird Square, two huge war drums were sounded by mighty soldiers from the east and west directions.
The drumbeats gradually changed from a soft, sparse sound to a rapid, high-pitched "thump, thump, thump," and as the drumbeats grew louder, the onlookers on both sides of Zhuque Street automatically quieted down.
At this moment, you can see a group of soldiers in black armor escorting three people slowly walking towards the Zhuque Gate of the Imperial City from the end of Zhuque Avenue.
Behind these three, the most conspicuous figure was Shi Le'an, riding a tall horse, fully armored, holding the reins in his left hand and gripping a red-tasseled spear tightly in his right.
In fact, when it comes to "escorting" high-ranking generals of the Western Turks to present as prisoners to Emperor Wu, Shi Le'an did not actually treat these three Turks with braids in the same disrespectful manner as he would a prisoner of war.
After all, one of these three was a descendant of a Western Turkic noble family, named General Ashina She'er.
Shi Le'an did not put the three in shackles or deprive them of clothes. In fact, apart from being deprived of their freedom, Shi Le'an specially arranged for people in the Honglu Temple to provide them with good food and drink.
As for why this is the case?
Firstly, the Western Turks no longer exist, so the victors have no need to deliberately humiliate the defeated; this is the magnanimity of the victors.
Secondly, Shi Le'an also wanted to take good care of the three of them and keep them to present as captives on the Emperor's birthday, thus completing a glorious moment for himself and the Tang Dynasty.
Thirdly, it is naturally about valuing talent.
Ashina She'er, one of the three, was indeed a skilled general. If it weren't for the fact that the Tang Dynasty was blessed with gunpowder, although the Tang Dynasty would have eventually defeated this Western Turkic tribe, it wouldn't have been so easy.
Furthermore, going forward, the management of the Western Regions will still need to be handled by the local people.
Then treating them with courtesy is the right thing to do.
People on both sides of Suzaku Avenue shouted excitedly as they saw the approaching procession.
When one person shouted "The Tang Dynasty will surely win!", it spread from one to two, then to four, and gradually the whole street was filled with the shouts of "The Tang Dynasty will surely win!"
This feeling of belonging to one's own country is a novel experience for the nomadic Ashina Sher people.
Ashina She'er wasn't particularly afraid of the frenzy of these people. He knew that if they really wanted to kill him, the general (Shi Le'an) behind him would have done so long ago.
Since his life has been spared, it proves he was useful.
Those who are useful will not die.
Moreover, Ashina She'er believed that "the Tang Dynasty is a powerful country, and it is not shameful to lose to a country with such heavenly artifacts. Perhaps it was the gods who guided me here."
What followed was much simpler. Emperor Wu, dressed in black with red trim and gold patterns, stood on the Vermilion Bird Gate to receive the captives presented by Shi Le'an and delivered the words befitting an emperor at this moment.
It was nothing more than praising the soldiers who had gone to investigate, and then rewarding them. Wang Dang came out, took the imperial edict, and read it aloud, promoting those who deserved promotion and rewarding those who deserved rewards.
The most important point here is that three Turks, led by Ashina She'er, knelt on one knee and bowed their heads to Emperor Wu on the city wall to show their submission.
Of course, Emperor Wu was generous and granted Ashina She'er an official title, but he did not send him back to the Western Turks directly, leaving him in the camp outside the capital.
After the ceremony of presenting the captives was over, the usual procedure was for the court officials to enter the palace to celebrate Emperor Wu's birthday.
The people gathered on both sides of Suzaku Avenue naturally couldn't see it, but being able to witness the captive presentation ceremony was already quite satisfying for them.
"Hehe, our Great Tang is really powerful. Anyone who doesn't obey will be beaten until they do."
"Judging from that, they've gotten that Turkic guy with the pigtail a government position."
"Isn't that right?"
"Sigh, that Turk must be quite capable, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to do that."
The two were having a good chat when suddenly someone interrupted, "You're not right about that."
Suddenly I realized that it's all gone now. That's our Tang Dynasty territory now, and they are our Tang people.
"Wouldn't it be normal to give those with ability an official position?"
Just as the three were about to continue arguing, there was another commotion in the Vermilion Bird Square. A court official was striking a large bronze gong.
Attracted by the sound of the gong, the crowd stopped in their tracks, wanting to see what other tricks this person had up their sleeve.
A court official dressed in a blue robe stood on a high platform, holding a scroll and reading it to the people below who had been released by the soldiers.
"...Therefore, the Sage has decided to open the borders and conduct trade with the thirty-six surrounding countries."
...It encourages private merchants to use this trade route, as they need not worry about safety, as the imperial guards will escort them along the way.
...Those who are interested may register with the ward head. The first to arrive, regardless of gender, will each be allocated eighty mu of land...
The crowd, who had been preoccupied with the prisoner-of-war incident, now focused their attention on the business matters and the immigration to the border that the official had mentioned.
Those who didn't hear clearly, only catching a word or two, were so anxious they scratched their heads and kept asking the people next to them what was being said.
After a short while, the official, having read through the new policies, bowed to the people below and said loudly, "The specific policies will be posted at the gates of each ward. If you have any questions, please go and ask the ward head."
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