Chapter 221: Selection of Protector Generals

"I just don't know how your majesty will deal with these tribes. They are old ministers of the Xueyantuo Khanate." Zhao Jie said.

"Since they have surrendered to the Tang Dynasty, it is natural to give them some rewards as in the past, and let the chiefs of each tribe manage their own tribes." Du He said.

Du He is right! This is the system of tributary control, relying on rewards for the leaders of each tribe to let them manage their own tribes for the court.

"Then your majesty, aren't you afraid that they will rebel against the Tang Dynasty again? The Xueyantuo rebelled many times in the past. If it weren't for your highness, the Xueyantuo might not have perished."

"If these tribes are the same as the Xueyantuo, and after getting the benefits, they become disloyal, it is inevitable that a second Xueyantuo will appear." Zhao Jie said.

"So what if they rebel? Would the Tang Dynasty be afraid of these tribes? As long as they dare to rebel, the Tang Dynasty will send troops to suppress them." Li Chengqian said.

The northern desert at this time is no longer the time when the Xueyantuo Khanate ruled. Many of these tribes are loyal to the Tang Dynasty.

As long as someone in the northern desert has ulterior motives, as long as an order is given, these tribes loyal to the Tang Dynasty will solve such problems for the Tang Dynasty.

Besides, the Tang Dynasty still has the Anxi Protectorate. With them around, even if someone wants to rebel, they can't make any waves.

Nothing in this world can be perfect.

"Your Highness is right! We can also establish a protectorate in the northern desert to manage these tribes." Du He said.

This time, these tribes submitted to the Tang Dynasty. Li Er established five prefectures and seven states in Mobei, which were managed by the Yanran Protectorate, to manage these tribes.

"Your Majesty has his own opinion on this matter. I think Your Majesty will announce the treatment of these tribes in the morning court tomorrow." Li Chengqian said.

Du He and others did not discuss this for long. Anyway, it was not their turn to make a decision.

It was the business of the ministers and His Majesty the Emperor. Besides, it was not their turn.

After the three chatted for a while, Du He and Zhao Jie got up and left.

The next morning, Li Chengqian and the ministers were waiting in the Taiji Hall. With Wang Yuan's voice of "Your Majesty is here!",

the morning meeting of the Tang Empire officially began!

First, several officials reported some national affairs. Li Er discussed with the ministers in the court and then came up with a feasible plan.

"Your Majesty! Envoys from eleven tribes including the Uighur, Pugu, Tongluo, Bayegu, and Adie have arrived in Chang'an and request to see Your Majesty!" The official in charge of receiving the envoys came out to report.

"Now that the Xueyantuo has been destroyed, the Uighurs and other tribes have sincerely submitted to our Tang Dynasty. In the past, there was the Xueyantuo Khanate in the northern desert." "

The Tang Dynasty has limited control over the northern desert, and the Xueyantuo has repeatedly violated the border of the Tang Dynasty. Now the tribes are sincerely submitting to the Tang Dynasty."

"I have decided to establish the Yanran Protectorate in the former site of the Xueyantuo Khanate to govern these tribes. What do you think?" Li Er said, looking at the ministers. "

I think your Majesty's move is very appropriate. Establishing a Protectorate in the northern desert will help our Tang Dynasty control the Western Regions." Changsun Wuji said.

"What Changsun Situ said makes sense! We second it!" Fang Xuanling said.

"I second it!"

"I second it!..." The ministers seconded one after another. After all, this has always been the way the Tang Dynasty managed ethnic minorities.

"Your Majesty! I just don't know who should be appointed to the post of Protector General?" Fang Xuanling asked.

The Tang Dynasty established prefectures and states in these places, and the leaders of each tribe served as governors and governors, but the Protector Generals of the Protectorate in charge of these prefectures and states must be appointed by the court.

If all of them were handed over to the people of these tribes to manage, the court might not be able to rest assured. They might also take advantage of the benefits given by the court, take the opportunity to grow stronger, and then offend the Tang Dynasty.

Therefore, the Central Plains dynasties would set up Protectorates in these areas and send people to govern them.

The Protectorate General was a military agency set up by the Central Plains dynasties during the Han and Tang dynasties to monitor the ethnic groups along the border.

In Chinese, "Protector General" means "all". "Hu" means to lead troops to monitor, and "Protector General" means to monitor. In layman

's terms, it means to lead troops to monitor the movements of various ethnic groups and strengthen the court's management of these ethnic groups.

The main responsibility of the Protector General was to "comfort the vassals and pacify the foreign invaders". All matters related to "comfort, conquest, commemoration, and punishment" of the surrounding ethnic groups were under the jurisdiction of the Protector General.

The emergence of the Protector General was an objective need for the development of relations between the Central Plains dynasties and ethnic minorities in the border areas of the early Tang Dynasty.

The ministers in the court were arguing and quarreling, and they were red in the face for the position of Protector General of the Protector General.

Everyone felt that the candidates they recommended were suitable, and the candidates recommended by others were not as suitable as their own.

In just a short moment, no less than twenty people were on the list of recommended protectors.

This also proved that the Tang Dynasty was indeed full of talents, and those who were recommended were not ordinary people.

"Enough! What a disgrace to quarrel in the court!" Li Er shouted angrily.

The ministers immediately shut up and knelt quietly in their seats.

"Prince! Who do you think should be the protector of Yanran Protectorate?" Li Er looked at Li Chengqian and threw the question to Li Chengqian.

The eyes of the ministers were focused on Li Chengqian, especially the ministers who had just quarreled. They all hoped that the person they recommended could be appointed as the Protector General.

Li Er's question stumped Li Chengqian! Fortunately, he had the knowledge from the history books of later generations in his mind.

It recorded the names of the successive Protector Generals of Yanran Protectorate, which was also the Anbei Protectorate. Yanran Protectorate was the predecessor of Anbei Protectorate, but it was renamed many times later and finally changed to Anbei Protectorate.

Li Chengqian carefully thought about who was the first Protector General of the Protectorate recorded in the history books.

His eyes lit up, and a name appeared in his mind. Li Suli was the first Protector General of Yanran Protectorate.

"Father! Your son recommends Li Suli, Sima of Yangzhou Governor's Office, as the Protector General of Yanran Protectorate." Li Chengqian said.

"The Crown Prince recommends Li Sujie. What do you think?" Li Er did not agree directly with Li Chengqian's recommendation, but asked the ministers instead.

The ministers started a new round of heated discussions, analyzing Li Suli's background, ability, and past.

Some ministers would ask the Crown Prince about certain things from time to time, but the Crown Prince would answer casually and perfunctorily.

To be honest, Li Chengqian didn't know much about Li Suli. He only knew that he was the first Protector General of Yanran Protectorate and that he was pretty good during his tenure.

He didn't know anything else. He had no other choice but to just brush it off.

"Okay! Since he's the person recommended by the Crown Prince, let Li Suli be the Protector General of Yanran Protectorate! That's it, there's no need to discuss this matter any further."

In the end, it was Li Er who made the final decision, and Li Suli went from being a military officer of the Protectorate to a Protector General.