Li You has been thinking about a problem, he believes that the various dynasties of the Han nation, historically, are not an empire in the true sense, including the current Tang Dynasty.

Throughout the history of China, the only one that can really be called an empire is probably the Qing Empire.

Concept of Empire: An empire generally refers to a country with a large territory, a large number of ruling peoples, and a strong monarchy with a continuous tradition. Moreover, the use of imperial titles generally requires international general recognition.

The head of state of an empire was generally the emperor, and Chinese often used transliteration for heads of empires outside of China (e.g., Augustus, caliph, sultan, tsar, etc.). Imperial monarchs were usually hereditary, but they were also elected and appointed, such as the emperors of the Roman Empire. These countries often refer to themselves as empires, or include the word empire in their official names (e.g., the Qing Empire, the British Empire, the Russian Empire, the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, etc.).

The outward manifestation of the empire has several points:

First, it is a monarchy with a huge land area.

Second, there are many ethnic groups, and direct and effective management is practiced.

Third, colonial rule was carried out in large numbers.

In this sense, the Qin Dynasty established by Qin Shi Huang was not an empire, but only a powerful state that unified the Han nation.

Genghis Khan's Mongol Empire, once glorious, did not have a complete concept of empire because its colonial rule did not keep up and eventually soon fell apart.

The more successful empires in history include the Roman Empire, the British Empire, the Persian Empire, the Great Food Empire, etc., and the most successful ones are the Russian Empire and the Qing Empire.

Although the Qing Empire was a Manchu Empire, the Han people eventually reached a high degree of assimilation, and left to what is now China's vast territories such as Xizang, Xinjiang, Mongolia, Yunnan, Guichuan, Taiwan and Hainan, as well as relatively integrated national cultures.

In this regard, Russia has done a good job, not counting the former Soviet Union, which still has more than 130 ethnic groups and a high degree of assimilation, leaving behind 20 million square kilometers of land.

Judging by the form of the empires mentioned above, they all have a common feature - colonial rule, so much so that they finally reach a high level of national assimilation.

The British Empire claimed that the sun never set, and the colonial rule was quite good, although due to their own population base is too small, the territory they ruled is too large, and the glory is still there, but they still have some colonies.

Genghis Khan's Mongol Empire had a smaller population base, and this congenital deficiency determined that the Mongol Empire could not be maintained for a long time.

The Tang Dynasty was huge, with many vassal states, and also had the first and second forms of the empire, but it did not effectively manage the vassal states, let alone carry out colonial rule.

As a result, the Tang dynasty eventually lost all of its vassal states, including Goguryeo, which is now being attacked.

Therefore, the Tang Dynasty cannot be called an empire in the true sense of the word.

The question Li You is thinking about now is that although such a large-scale expansion of territory in the Tang Dynasty can be brilliant for a while, how to manage these countries can make the various ethnic groups in these regions integrate with the Han nationality, which is the key to the eternal stability of the country.

Otherwise, as soon as the Tang army's army leaves, as long as the time is ripe, these countries will soon rebel and regain their independence from the rule of the Tang Dynasty.

Li You went and returned, and Li Shimin felt a little surprised. When Li You said what he was thinking about, it immediately attracted Li Shimin's attention, and he sent Li Jing, Li Ji, Li Daozong and others to listen to Li You's opinions together.

Li You said: "Father, the region of Goguryeo was conquered by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty and set up four counties of the Han Dynasty, but it was eventually rebelled by the locals.

Later, successive dynasties also conquered this area many times, and now it is called Goguryeo.

The Linyi that Li Ke, the third brother of Erchen, is now laying down, in the Han Dynasty, also belonged to the land of my Central Plains nation. But later it rebelled many times and became the current Linyi State.

The 36 countries of the Western Regions were already included in the territory of the Han Dynasty during the Han Dynasty. But later, basically all of them rebelled, and not long ago I was re-absorbed by my Datang.

The various tribes of the steppe, the Xiongnu, the Khitan, the Tuyuhun, the Wei Mur, the Turks and other ethnic groups have been conquered by the Han nation many times in history, and what is the result? It's not all rebellion.

Now I have expanded the territory and laid a huge territory. How to carry out long-term rule and ensure that these regional countries will not leave the territory of the Tang Dynasty is a question that must be seriously considered. ”

Li You's words caused Li Shimin and others to think deeply.

Expanding the territory was a blood-boiling feat for the kings and his generals, and everyone was very enthusiastic. And they all think they can rule over these regions and peoples.

Li Shimin and his generals are now in the same mentality. However, the questions raised by Li You were something they could not answer.

Although Li Shimin is conceited and thinks that he is the first emperor of the ages, he will not think that the emperors of all dynasties, including Qin Shi Huang, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty and others, are all mentally handicapped.

Li Shimin thought for a while and said: "What you said is very reasonable, what do you think is the problem?" ”

Li You said: "First of all, we must talk about the characteristics of the nation. Our Chinese nation has also encountered many divisions in its history, such as the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the Three Kingdoms and the Two Jin Dynasties, and the Northern and Southern Dynasties.

However, as said in "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", major events in the world must be combined for a long time. Just like the former Sui unified the north and south of the river, and on this basis, the Tang Dynasty unified the country.

This is because the Han nationality belongs to the same clan and the same ethnic group, and the national culture is highly integrated, just like a big family. Despite internal strife, there is a strong will for stability and unity, so it will eventually lead to reunification.

The vassal states are different, and compared with the Han nation, they are two ethnic groups with different cultures. They themselves and the Han nation are mutually exclusive, although they were conquered due to their temporary weakness, but in their bones, there is a strong desire to break away from the Han nation and regain their own independence.

That's the key. ”

Li Shimin and the others understood.

Li Shimin said: "Yes, when the Central Plains nation was strong, these foreign nations were either conquered, or they took the initiative to take refuge when they saw that the Han nation was strong. Once there is a split within the Central Plains nationalities and the state's control is weakened, they will break away from the rule of the Central Plains nationalities. ”

Li Jing said: "Yes, my Datang is now extremely strong and has conquered so many countries and nations. However, they were separated from the court, and there was always the possibility of rebellion.

Especially Goguryeo, a wolf country, even if they can destroy their country this time, this nation may not be able to be conquered. Perhaps in the future, if there is another British lord, he will still embark on the path of rebellion. ”

Li Ji, Li Daozong and others also thought that Li You was reasonable.

Li Shimin asked: "Li You, is there any way to solve this problem?" ”

Li You said: "Since Pangu opened the world, the ancestor of my Chinese people is just a nation in the Yellow River Valley, and the ethnic groups on the land of China are also hundreds of different ethnic groups.

In the course of countless wars and reunifications over thousands of years, as well as various other forms of exchanges, various ethnic groups have gradually formed a relatively unified national culture through various social exchanges such as intermarriage.

Although there are still some differences between them, such as different customs and habits, they can be collectively called the Chinese nation. ”

Speaking of this, Li Shimin immediately understood what Li You meant.

He said: "I see, if you want to keep Goguryeo and other vassal states in the territory of the Tang Dynasty, you must assimilate the people in these areas, so that they will also become my real Chinese people, and in this case, they will lose the motivation to rebel." ”

Li Jing nodded and said, "Yes, I'm afraid this is the only way." ”

Li You said: "What my father said is right, the general's opinion is also correct, this is the way, and it is the only way." ”

Li Shimin said: "Millions of Goguryeo people gather here, how can they assimilate them? Do you have any specific comments? ”