In Fang Jun's view, the split of the Guanlong nobles may be just around the corner.
Changsun Wuji's unscrupulous and crazy attacks, Dugu Lan's pretentiousness and anticlimax, and even Gao Shilian's change of ways and finding another way out, all indicate that the Guanlong nobles are facing a huge crisis, and perhaps disintegration is not far away.
His Majesty Li Er will only use indirect means to promote the intensification of the internal crisis of the Guanlong nobles, but will not intervene directly.
After all, the status of the Eastern March in the heart of His Majesty Li Er is unparalleled and cannot be shaken by anyone.
At this point, it is not easy to discuss the topic in depth, otherwise it will be suspected of "guessing what is best". With Li Chengqian's cautious character and his respect for His Majesty Li Er, he would never dare to do such a thing...
Li Chengqian then changed the topic and asked curiously: "Erlang came to remonstrate with his father, and the city of Chang'an was under martial law inside and outside, and all entrances and exits were controlled. He said that he was preparing a grand ceremony for the opening of the academy. But he didn't know this. What does the ceremony look like, that it can attract so many people?"
Martial law in the capital was not an easy task in all dynasties.
If something terrible had not happened in the DPRK, this policy would never have been implemented. Otherwise, it would have caused random suspicion in the local area and confused people's minds...
Speaking of this, Fang Jun couldn't help but feel a little proud: "In two days, the opening ceremony of the academy will be held. Your Highness will be able to attend it in person. It will definitely shock all the people watching, from the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors to the Kyushu. It is unheard of in the world! Even in the history of history, I am afraid that it will leave a strong mark. It will shock the past and the present, and enlighten the deaf. It is nothing more than this! Of course, in fact, martial law in the capital is not necessary. It was a trick used by the Tibetan envoys..."
Then he explained the situation in the Western Regions to Li Chengqian in detail.
In particular, Tubo's plot and the fact that it sent people to delay Lu Dongzan's journey along the way forced him to delay his arrival in Beijing. Finally, the news that he had arrived in the Western Regions was returned to the capital. This made Datang in this Already taking the initiative in negotiations that have not yet begun...
Li Chengqian didn't know that there were so many details behind this incident. He listened silently and said with emotion: "Erlang is the pillar of the real country! It's just that even though Tubo was shameless and took advantage of the situation, in view of the dangerous situation in the Western Regions, they agreed to his request." That’s fine, so why go to such trouble?”
Martial law in the capital is not just as simple as sending some soldiers to guard the city gates and strictly prohibiting people from entering and exiting.
Chang'an is the undisputed heart of the empire. Its politics, military, and economy are all the center of the empire. How can the losses caused by martial law in all aspects be a small amount? It would be better to simply give Tubo some benefits, appease them and just sit back and watch, or think of funding and assisting in sending troops. There is no need to waste all these thoughts. A little carelessness may even cause turmoil in the court?
Fang Jun filled the wine glasses in front of them with a pot. He picked up the wine glasses and took a sip. He said earnestly, "What benefits do you think the Tubo people want for this time?"
Li Chengqian thought for a moment and said, "Could it be that old things are brought up again and we want to get married again?"
Fang Jun patted the table lightly and said: "Your Majesty has a keen eye, that's right! The situation was critical at that time. If Tubo was openly rejected, the Tubo people would be so angry that they would send troops to cut off the retreat of the Anxi army, even cutting off the entire silk thread. Road! And there is still a picture hanging in His Majesty's study that says, "If there is no marriage, no land, no compensation, no tribute, the emperor will guard the country and the king will die." How can you agree to Tubo's marriage proposal? Besides, the Tubo people have a huge appetite. Very soon, they not only asked for marriage, but also asked Datang to add books on arithmetic, medicine, architecture, iron smelting, etc., as well as skilled craftsmen to the dowry... Your Highness, just imagine, if these are given exactly as Tubo only requires, then there will be What are the consequences?"
Li Chengqian took a breath of cold air: "Doesn't it mean that given time, the Tubo people will be able to achieve rapid development in various fields such as military and medical care?"
"That's right! Our Han people have had a crushing advantage over the surrounding barbarians since ancient times. Even if they are sometimes killed by the barbarians, it is only for a short period of time. As long as the domestic political situation is stable and the weather is smooth, any barbarian tribe can only be passive. You deserve to be beaten! And what is the reason for all this? Compared with force, how can the Han people who farm all year round compare to the barbarians who have grown up on horseback? Compared with fierceness, how can the Han people compare with the strong in benevolence, justice, etiquette, wisdom and trust? A barbarian who is king and kills without blinking an eye? What the Han people rely on is only wisdom! And the wisdom condensed by generations of Han people is the knowledge of arithmetic, medical skills, architecture, smelting, etc., as well as countless students, Doctors and craftsmen! If we hand over these advantages accumulated over thousands of years to others, let the Tubo people accept and absorb them, and then turn around to torture the Han people, we will be eternal sinners!"
Fang Jun was impassioned.
In fact, it is not that serious. Whether it is arithmetic, medicine, construction, or smelting, it is not an exclusive secret that is kept secret. If you want to learn it, people from any country can learn it. No matter how much control the state imposes, it cannot be airtight.
The smelting techniques of the Tang Dynasty were passed to the Japanese country, and they were eliminated and improved from generation to generation, and finally became the world's famous swords, but we ourselves have lost the inheritance...
There are some things that Tubo can learn even if they are not given to him.
But Fang Jun must plant a thought in Li Chengqian's cognition, that is, "these things cannot be given"!
In the entire feudal society, from the ruling class to the traffickers and pawns, no one has ever regarded the crystallization of wisdom accumulated from generation to generation as wealth, let alone paid attention to it. They call it "strange and obscene skills", It is a heresy to think that only the Four Books and Five Classics are important. This is a big mistake!
How can the world be governed by philosophy alone?
How to enrich the country and strengthen the army without natural science?
It’s not that philosophy is unimportant. China’s philosophical system is a treasure of mankind, but it can’t walk on one leg!
If natural science can develop and progress together with the philosophical system... Fang Jun simply cannot imagine how powerful the Chinese nation can be.
Li Chengqian was a little confused.
He couldn't accept Fang Jun's theory for a while. He felt that it made some sense, but also felt that it was very inappropriate. However, after thinking about it, he never noticed what was wrong...
He knitted his eyebrows and said: "You are a rude and vulgar person. Even if you teach them those things, can they learn it?"
From ancient times to the present, the Han people have never looked squarely at the barbarians. Even though the barbarians invaded the Central Plains and wreaked havoc in China, the Han people still looked down on the vulgar and barbaric barbarians in their bones. The mentality of being arrogant and looking down on others was overwhelming. This is the most serious thing. racism.
I am the most noble, all other races are trash...
Fang Jun was speechless.
This condescending mentality has always existed in the bones of the Chinese people. Even if they were killed by the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty and the country was bloody, even if their heads were chopped off by the Jurchens, it has never been eliminated.
Until the country was opened by the powerful ships and cannons of the West, and then its ferocious neighbors conquered most of the country with aircraft and cannons, killing countless compatriots. The land of China fell into a dark hell, and this root of pride was abruptly broken. the backbone.
Everything must be reversed at the extreme. When thousands of years of pride are knocked off in one day, servility and humiliation will arise in its place.
Even if the invaders are driven away, even if we embark on a great revival, there are still some people who are kneeling on the ground and unable to get up...
Extreme pride turns into conceit, and extreme degradation turns into inferiority complex.
Fang Jun said patiently: "Even if there is the slightest possibility, we cannot be enemies. The Tang Dynasty is a kingdom of heaven, and what can be exported to the outside world can only be culture. We must make all the surrounding barbarians speak Chinese, write Chinese characters, and use Han rites caused their original customs to gradually disappear. A hundred years later, they were completely integrated into the Tang Dynasty and became a tribe with no difference from the Han people. However, medical skills, arithmetic, and smelting, which are beneficial to the national economy and people's livelihood, must be tightly guarded, and nothing can be done. You can’t teach them.”
Li Chengqian had some realization: "Is it like what Annan is doing now?"
Fang Jun said: "Exactly!"
Today's Annan Protectorate controls a large area of territory from Jiaozhou to the south, because most of the land is close to the sea and is covered by the navy. The rise of sea trade and the stable situation caused countless Han people to leave their homes and go to Annan to seek life in the fleet.
With the large influx of Han people, the "Datang Culture Promotion Association" headed by Wei King Li Tai recruited a large number of scholars and literati to go to Annan to open private schools and teach Chinese studies.
