The words of the eldest grandson Wuji are indeed the words of seeking the country, a remote location, no output, and the treasury has to allocate money and grain every year to help it, there is really no need for Datang to keep it.

The city is under the name of the Tang Dynasty, and the original name is not right, because of this city, the relationship between the Tang Dynasty and Gaochang is unprecedentedly cold, and the lord of Gaochang is resentful, and he does not dare to openly recover Xizhou, so he has to passively organize the army to plunder and harass the caravans passing on the Silk Road, which has led to many serious consequences, the commercial exchanges between the Tang Dynasty and the Western Regions have been almost severed, and the most direct result is that the Hu merchants in Chang'an City in recent years are obviously much less than in previous years, and some specialties of the Western Regions such as grape wine, Sanle pulp, Weaving blankets and so on, the price is getting more expensive year by year.

Although the Tang Dynasty does not look down on businessmen, the monarchs and ministers still attach great importance to commerce, and the circulation is bustling, and the monarchs and ministers at this time know that this is the way to strengthen the country and enrich the people. Because of Xizhou, a worthless city in the lonely desert, the business of the Tang Dynasty has been affected, and this account is a loss, so not only the courtiers, but even the two prime ministers, Sun Wuji and Fang Qiao, feel that it is better to give up Xizhou.

Strong national self-confidence has given the Tang Dynasty an open-minded atmosphere, and it doesn't matter if every inch of land is contested, because everyone knows that giving up is not a compromise, but because of the pros and cons, if the Tang Dynasty wants it, it can be easily taken back.

Even the prime minister gave up the attitude of Xizhou, and the thoughts of the courtiers below can be imagined.

Regarding the eldest grandson Wuji's statement, Li Shimin was noncommittal, but just smiled faintly.

"Xizhou, can you really give up?"

The eldest grandson Wuji twisted his thick eyebrows, and suddenly heard that the taste was wrong: "Xizhou...... Could it be that there is something else? ”

Li Shimin pointed to the map and said with a smile: "Auxiliary, you take a closer look at the map and see the location of Xizhou, you see." Xizhou is surrounded by desert on all sides, and is surrounded by Gaochang, Qiuzi, Tubo, Turkic and other countries, and can not grow grain. There is no other property, the real border of my Datang is actually within the Yumen Pass, out of the Yumen Pass and further, even if you advance thousands of miles, what you get is nothing more than a vast barren desert, as you and the courtiers said, these places, including the city of Xizhou, are just a piece ......of chicken ribs for the Tang Dynasty."

The eldest grandson, Wuji, is the prime minister of the country. The mind is extremely intelligent and sensitive, staring at the map carefully, and suddenly smacking some different flavors, muttering: "A city surrounded by wolves is not desirable in ordinary times, but on the other hand, if the Tang Dynasty and the countries of the Western Regions start a war, this city will ...... Hiss! ”

The eldest grandson Wuji's eyes suddenly widened. gasped and lost his voice: "If it's wartime." The existence of this city is amazing! ”

Li Shimin smiled, his face was proud, obviously, the layout of Xizhou many years ago was his proud work.

"Auxiliary machine might as well imagine, if my Tang Dynasty is now at war with the countries of the Western Regions, Xizhou is like a nail. Nail to the middle of the desert, the advance and retreat of any small country in the Western Regions cannot avoid Xizhou, and if this nail is not removed, the countries of the Western Regions can only take a defensive position forever. And can not go a step forward, on the other hand, Xizhou, if the troops are in the city, they can directly take Gaochang, Qiuzi, and even the Western Turks, and retreat can join forces with the defenders of Yumen Pass, and defend according to the danger, if our Tang army advances westward along the Silk Road, the existence of Xizhou can also form a deterrent to the southern Tubo, so that Songtsan Gampo does not dare to move a soldier and a pawn, so as to take the initiative for my king's division to take the Western Regions, auxiliary machine, this city ...... I can't give it up! ”

Rao is the eldest grandson Wuji's cultivation for many years, and at this moment, he also has a shocked face, staring at Li Shimin as if he doesn't know.

"No wonder...... Over the years, the courtiers have repeatedly advised His Majesty to give up Xizhou, but His Majesty has not accepted it, and His Majesty has ...... I want to map the countries of the Western Regions. ”

The eldest grandson Wuji muttered to himself in distraction, when his thoughts turned to the right direction and he looked at Xizhou again, the Xizhou on the map was so dazzling, no matter from which angle, it could not be ignored.

Li Shimin quietly looked at the reaction of the eldest grandson Wuji, and sighed: "The former Sui Dynasty has been too deep for the world, the Tang Dynasty has only been established for 20 years, and it is the time when all kinds of waste are waiting to be rebuilt, whether it is agriculture, or workshops, or even the way of merchants, they all need the help of the imperial court, so the Silk Road is too important to the Tang Dynasty, these years the countries of the Western Regions have frequently attacked merchants on the Silk Road, the Silk Road is not peaceful, and this road is the only main road that runs through the Tang Dynasty to the Western Regions......"

As he spoke, Li Shimin's tone suddenly became heavier, and he said word by word: "This road must be in the palm of my hand, otherwise I will not be able to sleep and eat." ”

The eldest grandson Wuji was taken aback.

The possessiveness of the majestic emperor is very strong, this kind of person never looks at the feet when he walks, because the road under his feet must be his, no one dares to stop him, and the road in the distance is also his, if not, possess it.

Simple, rough and brutal, but his fists are big.

No matter what a person with a big fist does, he takes it for granted, and no matter how arrogant and rude he does, there are countless people who help him complete the truth perfectly.

"This place in the Western Regions, I have long wanted to do it, but a few years ago, the national strength was insufficient, it was difficult to support the westward advance of the army, so I could only occupy Xizhou first, and the Tang Dynasty had a bridgehead that could be attacked and defended, and before the layout was properly arranged, I could not act rashly, for fear of startling the grass and snakes, and stimulating the resistance of the Western Regions, so I only sent two Zhichong Mansions to occupy it, giving the Western Regions countries the illusion that I did not attach importance to Xizhou, but just occupied it, and now it seems that I have fallen very well as this chess piece......"

The eldest grandson Wuji smiled bitterly: "Not to mention the countries of the Western Regions, the ministers and other old ministers who have followed Your Majesty for many years have not seen it, only know that Your Majesty is aiming at Xue Yantuo in the north of the Tang Dynasty and Goguryeo in the east, or that Tubo in the west is also somewhat scrupled by Your Majesty, but the ministers have never known that Your Majesty wants to map the countries of the Western Regions, and has already laid out the situation, just waiting for the final launch, but the ministers have been concealed from each other over the years......"

Li Shimin laughed, and his face was once again colorful.

The eldest grandson Wuji is not completely flattering, Li Shimin wants to draw the idea of the Western Regions, the ministers of the court really did not expect it, and they did not expect that Li Shimin had been laid out six years in advance, the chess piece in Xizhou was lightly dropped by Li Shimin in this inconspicuous place six years ago, and anyone who looked at it was a waste of chess, but when the rest of the chess pieces were put in a position on the chessboard, and everything was laid out properly, he looked back at the original step of the waste chess, and suddenly found that this waste chess played an extremely important role in the entire layout, It was still waiting quietly on the chessboard, like an eye in a military formation, invisibly exuding a murderous aura that soared into the sky.

The eldest grandson Wuji pondered for a long time, looking at the location of Xizhou on the map, he gradually understood all of Li Shimin's intentions, and said slowly: "When does Your Majesty want to launch?" ”

Li Shimin's face suddenly became a little unsightly, and he snorted: "I originally thought that Xue Yantuo could be pacified in half a year, but who knew that the war was not as smooth as I imagined, in contrast, Xue Yantuo was even more of my confidant, and Xue Yantuo must be pacified in order to free up his hands to clean up the Western Regions, so it will take three months to half a year to ......say the least."

"The minister understands what His Majesty means, but the minister can't figure it out, since Xizhou is so important, why did His Majesty send Li Su? He...... After all, it's just a baby, how can you take on this heavy responsibility? ”

Li Shimin said with a smile: "Li Suke is not only a baby, he went to Xizhou for less than a month, he killed thirteen officials in one fell swoop, and completely established his prestige, every step he took was calculated, including killing thirteen officials, it must not be an impulsive move, and then he must have a lot of big moves, Xizhou is short of food and money, lack of soldiers and generals, I have made up my mind, if he really can't support it, he will inevitably play a trick to me, ask the court to approve, with his temperament, if he asks for help, it can be regarded as my sharpness, At that time, I will transfer him back to Chang'an, and from now on, his edges and corners must be smoothed out, and I will have no scruples about using him......"

"Sending Li Su to Xizhou, it is also my calculation, or that sentence, talents are rare, Xizhou can hold it or not, it doesn't matter, if I want to choose, I am willing to exchange ten Xizhou for Li Su's talent, as long as he opens his mouth, I will let him go back to Chang'an to continue to live his lazy and comfortable life, grinding away his arrogance and edges, I can rest assured that he can use his ......" Saying that, Li Shimin patted the music on his hand and said with a smile: "Guess the auxiliary machine, what did this baby write on my song?" ”

The eldest grandson Wuji blinked, and said with a smile: "I'm afraid I didn't ask Your Majesty for help, right?" ”

Li Shimin sighed: "Exactly, Song Shushang only explained why he killed thirteen officials, and how Xizhou was poor and barren, the government exploited the people and merchants, and the city was surrounded by wolves, but he didn't say a word about whether the imperial court needed to allocate money, food, soldiers and horses......

Li Shimin muttered: "This baby, who looks well-behaved and smooth, is actually very stubborn, just like Dongyang......"

A faint trace of remorse flashed through his heart, Li Shimin shook his head, and shook off the inappropriate thoughts at this moment.

The eldest grandson Wuji cared about another thing, frowning and said, "The government is exploiting the people and businessmen? The minister remembered that the history of the Xizhou Thorn was...... Cao Yu, right? Zhenguan two years of Jinshi, he dared to break my Tang law? ”

Li Shimin snorted coldly: "What Cao Yu did, I have already heard about it, otherwise why do you think I asked Li Su to clean up this mess?" Next, let's see how Li Su acts, I only hope that he can save his life, don't care about the gains and losses in Xizhou, secondly, try to hold on a little longer, and persist until I level Xue Yantuo, Datang can free up his hands, for him, for Datang, it is all the clouds. ”

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PS: People in Hainan, on vacation with their wives, are constantly updated every day...... (To be continued......)