The Eastern Crusade was a major event, and the process of preparing for the Eastern Crusade was lengthy and cumbersome.

From the beginning to the end of a war, the process of preparation and aftermath often takes longer than the process of a formal campaign.

Today's Datang is not a rich country and a strong people, it can only be said that it is better than the Zhenguan period.

During the Zhenguan period, Li Shimin frequently used troops abroad, resulting in deeper and deeper civil suffering, after Li Zhi ascended the throne, he had to adopt a policy of recuperation and recuperation, and in the more than ten years since he ascended the throne, the number of times that the Tang Dynasty used troops abroad was rare, and the common people finally recovered a little vitality.

According to Li Zhi's original plan, the Eastern Crusade may be delayed for a few more years, so that the people's population and wealth can be raised to a higher level, and then the Eastern Crusade will be considered.

However, the sweet potatoes introduced by Li Qinzai gave Li Zhi full confidence.

After Li Zhi thought about it carefully, he felt that Datang already had the confidence to do it to the outside world.

With sweet potatoes yielding 5,000 catties per mu, the state treasury will soon be full, the biggest grain problem in the country will be basically solved, and the time will be ripe for the use of troops abroad.

In the final analysis, the person who asked Li Zhi to change the established national policy was Li Qinzai.

Not only the Eastern Crusade, Li Zhi also wanted to conquer Tibet, if the two powerful enemies of the east and the west could be annihilated during his reign of the Son of Heaven, what kind of reputation would he have in the history books, and it would not be too much to call him "the first emperor of the ages", right?

"Conquer Goguryeo first, and then conquer Tibet, and in ten years, I can rest easy in addition to these two strong enemies!" Li Zhi's cheeks were slightly red, he was already a little drunk, and his laughter was a little crazy.

Li Qinzai frowned, but still raised his lamp and said, "The Tang Dynasty has been in the Tang Dynasty for thousands of generations, Your Majesty Emperor Wei Ze serves the four seas, and the ministers congratulate Your Majesty."

Li Zhi drank it happily and laughed: "This is thanks to Jing Chu, I am very fortunate that the national dynasty has such loyal ministers and good generals as Jing Chu, who can relieve my worries and make contributions to the society."

However, Li Qinzai's frowning expression for a brief moment just now was seen by the quiet Empress Wu on the side.

Empress Wu suddenly smiled and said, "Does Jing Chu have any advice?"

Li Qinzai hurriedly said, "The minister has no advice."

Empress Wu said: "There are no outsiders in the palace today, Your Majesty has always regarded Jing Chu as brothers, how can brothers cover up their wrongs, there are words but not words, and it is not the way of brothers and friends."

Li Qinzai smacked his lips and secretly analyzed whether the intention of Empress Wu's sentence was good or evil.

Tsk, the girls don't look like good people.

After Empress Wu said this, Li Zhi's drunkenness also woke up a little, and he glanced at Li Qinzai seriously, and said, "Jing Chu has something to say, do you still need to cover up between you and me? Or are you afraid that if you say the wrong thing, I will punish you? Haha, don't worry, I'm a small person."

Li Qinzai sighed, in fact, most of the time, he doesn't like to talk too much, and he doesn't like to point fingers at state affairs, which is not only easy to cause trouble, but also makes himself a person inside and out.

Many times, his truth is forced out by someone, such as at this moment.

After thinking about it, since Li Zhijin is the county magistrate, this favor is still not small after all, and he might as well say a few words when he should tell the truth.

If you find that Li Zhi has signs of turning his face halfway, he immediately stops, and then sings praises to him.

People are sophisticated, you know!

So Li Qinzai pondered for a long time and said, "Since Your Majesty and the Empress have to say it to the ministers, then the ministers have advice."

Li Zhi said with a smile: "Jing Chu is coming."

Li Qinzai said slowly: "Today's advice is related to the century-old strategy of the Tang Dynasty......

Before he finished speaking, Li Zhi and Empress Wu were startled, and after glancing at each other, Li Zhi interrupted him with a wave of his hand, and raised his voice outside the hall: "Come on, summon the secretary of the middle school to enter the palace and play the right."

Li Qinzai hurriedly said: "There is no need to be so formal, the minister speaks casually, Your Majesty listens to it casually, if it doesn't get into your ears, it will be a drunken nonsense, don't take it ......seriously."

Li Zhi and Empress Wu adjusted their sitting postures at the same time, becoming serious and upright, Li Zhi shook his head and said solemnly: "Jing Chu's advice, I have always attached importance to it, today Jing Chu advises the Tang Dynasty for a hundred years, this is a major event of the country, the monarch and the ministers play it right, there must be manners and rules."

At this time, Empress Wu consciously

sat behind Li Zhi's side, a shoulder's distance from Li Zhi, and tidied up his clothes and appearance, with a serious expression and calm eyes.

Not long after, the housekeeper Cui Sheng hurriedly entered the palace, after saluting Li Zhi and Empress Wu, the palace people brought a low table and pen and paper, Cui Sheng sat not far away without saying a word, holding a pen dipped in ink, and waiting for the play.

The sense of ceremony is too strong, Li Qinzai can't fix it, twists his body uncomfortably, and always feels stinged all over.

What are these vain heads doing, you can't be like the barbecue stall in the previous life, drinking cold beer while skewering, and then all kinds of cowhides, all kinds of pointing out the country, and all kinds of international situations, and that kind of scene is relaxed.

Seeing Li Qinzai's uncomfortable expression, Li Zhi smiled: "Jing Chu, you and I have played more than once, don't be so nervous, what you want to say but it doesn't hurt."

Li Qinzai grinned, forced a few laughs, and turned his head to look at Cui Sheng.

"Uncle...... Your sister gave birth to a baby, why didn't you come to see it? By the way, did you give a gift?"

Cui Sheng rolled his eyes and said lightly: "It's a gift, people are not available, I'll see it in a few days."

"I'm a county magistrate again, don't forget to make up for it again......," Li Qinzai said in a dry tone.

Cui Sheng didn't bother to pay attention to him this time.

Li Zhi and Empress Wu sneered, and the solemn atmosphere in the hall finally eased a little.

Li Qinzai gradually became less nervous, so he took a deep breath and said, "Your Majesty, the minister thinks that the century-old strategy of the Tang Dynasty can start with grain, followed by the eastward expedition to Goguryeo, and the western expedition to Tibet.

"What about after solving the two strong enemies of Datang? Your Majesty is still enterprising?"

Li Zhi thought for a moment and said hesitantly, "If Goguryeo and Tubo are solved, I think ...... Continuing the Westward Expedition? The thirty-six countries of the Western Regions, as well as the Great Food Empire further afield, can all be included in the territory of the Tang Dynasty."

Li Qinzai sighed and said, "Your Majesty's mind is still on the territory and territory, and the minister thinks it is inappropriate."

Li Zhi straightened up and said, "I wish to hear the beginning of the scene."

Li Qinzai pondered for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, what do you think of sweet potatoes?"

Li Zhi nodded: "It can be called a heaven-sent artifact, and with it, I have the confidence to go east and west."

Li Qinzai said again: "Your Majesty thinks that the world is so big, is there only this kind of heaven-sent divine artifact?"

Li Zhi was stunned for a moment and said, "What Jing Chu means is ......."

"Your Majesty, the minister thinks that the emperor is on the throne and it is a merit to expand the territory, but if he can make the people eat and drink without worrying about food and drink for thousands of generations, and there will never be famine in the world, it is the greatest merit of a generation of British monarchs and holy lords."

"If this achievement can be achieved, all generations of people in the world will be grateful to Your Majesty, Your Majesty's reputation will not fade for thousands of years, and the "Emperor of the Ages" is well deserved."

Li Zhi said puzzledly: "What does Jing Chu mean that I should postpone the expansion of my territory, and instead focus my national strength on finding new grain varieties with high yields?"

Li Qinzai shook his head and said, "What the minister means is that the emperor's eyes can't just be on the land, the west of the Tang Dynasty is the endless continent, and the east is the vast and boundless sea."

"The end of the sea is the goal of Datang's century-old strategy."