"No matter what Captain Zhenwei thinks, it is a credit to be able to build the library." Ma Daji said: "With the rent money of 100 houses, we can also do more for the country and the people." ”

His Majesty Li Er pondered for a moment and said, "King Bin, do you think he still has a descendant?" I have some concerns, but I really don't dare to give it easily! As he spoke, he couldn't help but laugh.

Ma Zhou also smiled and said: "Build ten to one, hasn't Your Majesty already rewarded it?" If there is a follow-up, it will be rewarded according to merit, so why should Your Majesty worry? ”

His Majesty Li Er smiled and nodded, called the palace people, and asked him to go to the Xu Mansion and give him a copy of the book "Guanzi".

Ma Zhou smiled without saying a word, and roughly guessed the plan of His Majesty Li Er.

After His Majesty Li Er finished explaining, he asked Ma Zhou about the fact that Tubo sent an envoy to apologize and came to ask for relatives with heavy gifts.

Ma Zhou agreed to the marriage, and most of the ministers of the DPRK and China also agreed.

When later generations mentioned marrying a daughter in a foreign land, they were filled with righteous indignation and called it a humiliating and amiable relative. But in the Tang Dynasty, it was not the same view, and it was called marriage from top to bottom, which did not mean humiliation, but was a gift that could be looked down upon.

Foreigners were also proud to marry clan daughters to the Tang Dynasty, and neighboring tribes such as the Tuyuhun, Turkic, Xiren, Khitan, and Hui tribes all fought hard for this treatment, and in this way, they improved their political status and prestige among the clan.

Therefore, in the Tang Dynasty, there was no shame in giving marriage, from the Son of Heaven to Buyi, everyone thought that it was a very common thing.

Tubo Zampu insisted on marrying the princess of the Tang Dynasty, on the one hand, he admired the culture of the kingdom, and on the other hand, he also had the intention of consolidating his position and subduing the tribes.

Why did His Majesty Li Er and the ministers tend to agree to this marriage proposal?

First of all, Tubo showed its own strength, which made Li Erjunchen re-examine; Secondly, the focus of the Tang army at that time was on the Western Turks, in Gaochang, in Goguryeo, and in Xue Yantuo, and it was necessary to avoid a situation of fighting on two fronts as much as possible.

Gaochang was a local government located in Turpan, Xinjiang, in present-day Xinjiang, and was also known as a chariot master during the Han Dynasty. In the Sui Dynasty, he began to pay tribute and was named the King of Gaochang and the Duke of Benguo.

In the third year of Tang Gaozu Wude, Qu Boya, the king of Gaochang, died, and his son Qu Wentai succeeded to the throne, and sent envoys to Chang'an to mourn, Gaozu sent envoys to pay tribute, and officially recognized Gaochang as a tribute state of the Tang Dynasty.

In the fourth year of Zhenguan, Lu Wentai and his wife Yuwen went to Chang'an, and were received by His Majesty Li Er's high standard, and gave his wife the surname Li, and was canonized as Princess Changle.

After that, the relationship between the Tang Dynasty and Gaochang was relatively harmonious. It was not until the sixth year of Zhenguan that Qu Wentai attached himself to the Western Turks, prevented the countries of the Western Regions from paying tribute to the Tang Dynasty through its borders, and sent troops to attack and harass the pro-Tang forces in the Western Regions such as Yiwu and Yanqi.

Obviously, the Tang Dynasty's entrapment of Ju Wentai did not achieve its goal. Ju Wentai only wanted to enjoy the benefits given by the Tang Dynasty, but he did not want to fulfill his obligations to the Tang Dynasty at all.

In order to win over the "King of Gaochang", His Majesty Li Er sent Wang Yande as an envoy to "Gaochang".

In the face of the rebuke of the Tang Dynasty envoys, Ju Wentai did not apologize, and self-righteously threatened: "Wouldn't it be nice for eagles to fly in the sky, pheasants to scurry among the artemisia grass, cats to play in front of the hall, and mice to settle in their burrows, each with its own place?" ”

Ju Wentai means: You are an eagle, I am a pheasant; You're a cat, I'm a mouse. Although you are strong and I am weak, you are far away, none of us can control anyone, don't keep pointing fingers?

Of course not, from a military and economic point of view, the "Gaochang Kingdom" is located in the Tang Dynasty's transportation arteries to the countries of the Western Regions, and it is a place that the Tang Dynasty cannot bypass through the Western Regions.

What's more, Yanqi and Yiwu have already cried to Donald about being bullied. If you don't stand up for your younger brother, won't others think that there is no way out for you to follow Donald? In the event that the countries of the Western Regions fall to the Western Turks because of this, the situation will be serious.

Therefore, either Gaochang surrenders or sends troops to surrender, His Majesty Li Er only has these two paths to choose from.

Although His Majesty Li Er has not yet given up the "united front" Gaochang, the hope seems to be getting smaller and smaller, and the possibility of using force is getting bigger and bigger.

Of course, His Majesty Li Er was only angry on the surface and did not show any intention of sending troops to the expedition, but Ma Zhou was so keen that he knew his Majesty's temperament very well, and knew that the expedition to Gaochang was already on the line, and the Tang army had to prepare for war with the Western Turks and Gaochang at the same time.

In such a situation, the Tubo surrendered and courted relatives, which gave the Tang Dynasty an opportunity to avoid fighting on two fronts.

Of course, as a kingdom and as a gift, His Majesty Li Er always has to take a handful, and he can't make Tubo feel that it is too easy.

"A mere envoy came to ask for a kiss, it is too much contempt for our court." Ma Zhou said with some disdain: "In the opinion of the micro-ministers, they will be reprimanded on this ground, and they will be asked to send another important minister to come, and then completely withdraw from the occupied Tuguhun and Shengqiang land, so as to show sincerity." ”

His Majesty Li Er thought about it and agreed. If the Tang Dynasty and Tubo can return to the state before the war, and Tuyuhun and Shengqiang can be restored, they can still become a buffer and barrier between Tang and Tubo.

If Tubo refuses to withdraw from the occupied territory, let alone promise marriage, the Tang army that has been mobilized in the past may continue to fight, completely repel Tubo, and help Tuyuhun and other vassal states recover.

"King Bin, if Tubo can be appeased, and Gaochang is still rude and overturned, I will send troops to conscript." His Majesty Li Er frowned slightly, and said: "Seven thousand miles away, and there is the Hanhai Desert to block it, the camels, horses, and materials needed are really huge. If this is the case, I am afraid that the county will be depressed and will not be restored for several years. ”

Ma Da Mi thought for a while and said with a wry smile: "What Your Majesty said is extremely true. Weichen also felt that the first year of Wang Shi was the year of service in Hexi. Flying and wielding, ten rooms and nine emptiness, it is indeed enough to worry. ”

The biggest obstacle to the conquest of Gaochang is the Gobi Desert, which has no water, no grass, and no one lives along the way, and all military supplies are transported and carried by themselves, and the amount will be astonishingly huge.

The key is that the number of troops sent must not be small, not only to be enough to defeat the alliance of the Western Turks and Gaochang, but also to stabilize the long-term occupation after the pacification of Gaochang, so that it can be the forward position for the management of the Western Regions.

Therefore, in the initial assumption of His Majesty Li Er, the conquest of Gaochang will be a major operation of more than 100,000 people. In addition to the infantry and cavalry, there must be a certain number of craftsmen accompanying the army.

Think about it, more than 100,000 horses, thousands of miles of expeditions, and the amount of grain and grass consumed is an astronomical amount. According to the ancient road conditions and transportation level, where can you prepare everything without half a year?

This not only tested the courage of His Majesty Li Er, but also tested the national strength of the Tang Dynasty.

You must know that when Ju Wentai came to Chang'an in the fourth year of Zhenguan, he saw the withering of Guanzhong and Longyou along the way, so he thought that the Tang Dynasty was poor and could not raise materials for the expedition of the army, which was also where his confidence lies.