webnovelfull Chapter 585 Can I take back what I've given away?
Chapter 585 Can I take back what I've given away?
"Your Majesty, you cannot say such things carelessly. Even if the Marquis of Huaiyin still harbors the idea of being made a king, he should not be insulted in this way."
Zhang Liang, standing to the side, couldn't bear to watch any longer.
What a terrible idea!
Although he knew that Liu Bang's original intention was not to consider any other issues, but simply to have Han Xin stay behind.
Like Zhu Jianshen, ensure that no one else ever appears on the island again.
But he overlooked one point.
Even if someone were to grant a title of king to someone from such a place, who would want it?
It's not something that can be described simply by being infamous for eternity!
"Your Majesty, don't think about those impossible things. Our only option is to turn this island into charcoal and all the living things on it into barbecue."
Han Xin said calmly.
Should we leave people on the island directly?
How do you know that these people can always maintain their original aspirations?
Once these people develop unwarranted ambitions, how can we be sure they won't become the next wave of Japanese invaders?
He believed that Liu Bang was just talking nonsense.
If Liu Bang dared to leave him on this island to develop at will, Han Xin estimated that he would live to see Liu Bang fight back.
"Then what are we waiting for? Close the gate and release Han Xin!"
The Zhu family had already set an example, and now all they had to do was copy it.
Innovation is difficult, but anyone can copy.
Under the watchful eyes of countless people, emperors from successive dynasties ascended that island one by one.
After replenishing enough resources for the return journey, the entire island was ultimately reduced to scorched earth.
……
"That feels good, that's more satisfying!"
After most of the people had landed on the island, Old Zhu had already returned to the capital.
It's not enough if he alone, or even if his whole family, does it.
Far from enough.
In his view, such a blood feud must be completely erased from every timeline of every dynasty!
As for whether it's cruel or not.
Only humans can be called cruel; for animals, slaughtering them cleanly is their best fate.
"Unfortunately, many people in different eras were unable to do so due to limitations in their circumstances."
Zhu Di sighed slightly.
For example, during the Han Dynasty, although the country was powerful, it lacked the conditions to go to sea.
Not everyone can be like Emperor Gaozu of Han, receiving abundant rewards from immortals and being able to squander them at will.
If we were to force a large amount of money and grain to be used for voyages, we would probably fall into chaos ourselves first.
"That's something we really can't do."
"However, this does not mean that there will be any hidden dangers. We believe that they will leave behind their instructions."
“If we hadn’t known about this enemy, we might have let them grow, and perhaps even enjoyed their tribute like Emperor Taizong of Tang.”
"But knowing of the existence of such an enemy, and knowing that they would pose such a threat to our Great Xia and our great nation, they will not remain inactive."
"After all, not everyone would sit idly by and watch a threat grow stronger, let alone reward it. You agree, right, Li Er?"
Old Zhu said with a smile.
Li Er: "..."
If we're talking about the person who has gained the most profound understanding during this period, he should be considered one of them.
In the past, he would have enjoyed the feeling of all nations paying tribute to him.
He generously shared his techniques for forging weapons and cultivating crops, along with seeds, with the surrounding small countries that had won his favor.
Now he understands the risks of doing so.
When the Tang Dynasty was at its peak, there was naturally no trouble.
Even after they obtained those things, they still dared not provoke or harbor the slightest ambition.
But what if the central dynasty falls into internal strife and weakens?
Dynastic changes are inevitable; they are unavoidable.
No dynasty can last forever. Even if every generation has wise rulers, there will still be problems that are difficult to solve.
As long as a dynasty declines, those small countries outside the Great Wall can use the gifts it once bestowed upon them to harass the Central Plains, or even take over the Central Plains!
"Wuji, I may have been too complacent these past few years, indulging in the title of Heavenly Khan, and almost made a grave mistake."
"Tell me, can I take back anything I've given away?"
Faced with Lao Zhu's provocation from the sky, Li Er unusually did not retaliate.
He knew that Zhu Yuanzhang had always harbored resentment towards him for being generous, and that not only Zhu Yuanzhang, but also Emperor Taizu of Song, Zhao Kuangyin, had poisoned him.
Why was the Han Dynasty able to crush the Xiongnu?
Aside from Emperor Wu of Han's formidable strength and the brilliance of Wei Qing and Huo Qubing, the most important factor was the overwhelming superiority in weapon and armor forging technology.
Without these, even for Wei Qing and Huo Qubing, achieving such brilliant victories on the Xiongnu battlefield would not have been so easy.
Following the reign of the Heavenly Khan, while many nations came to pay tribute, foreign countries also took away a large amount of technology from the Tang Dynasty.
It's not just about planting, but also about forging.
Since then, weapons and armor have no longer been a weakness. To defeat them, one must rely on outstanding command abilities and the soldiers' desperate fighting to have a chance to defeat them honorably on the front lines.
Li Er has reflected on this matter more than once.
The moment he asked the question, it meant he wanted to make a change.
Changsun Wuji instantly understood his thoughts.
"Your Majesty, even if we do not actively send envoys to teach them, they will still send people to rack their brains to steal the knowledge."
"The foreign nations are not brainless; on the contrary, they are very clever. The reason why so many nations come to pay tribute is not only because of His Majesty's prestige, but also because they have realized that their disadvantage in this area is the fundamental reason why they have been firmly suppressed."
"Therefore, Your Majesty, it is absolutely unacceptable to withdraw the order. Changing the order frequently will not only fail to eradicate the problem, but will also diminish Your Majesty's prestige."
"If we really want to avoid what happened later, the only way is..."
"Just like when the Qin Dynasty unified the six kingdoms in the past!"
"Although the First Emperor was cruel, it must be said that his actions had some merits, such as annexing the lands of the six states into the Great Qin!"
Li Er understood what he meant.
This was intended to make him emulate the First Emperor of Qin, who swept across the six kingdoms and conquered the surrounding foreign lands.
But putting aside the difficulties involved, just the question of how to govern these conquered areas and where to find so many manpower is a major challenge.
Despite the abundance of talented individuals in the Tang Dynasty, if these regions were to be incorporated into its territory and governed independently, the number of officials would certainly be far from sufficient.
He will then face the same problem as the First Emperor.
With a shortage of lower-level officials, it won't be long before rebellions break out in those areas. At that time, simply sending troops to suppress the rebellions will be enough to drag the Tang Dynasty into an abyss!
"If it's just about taking them down, that's difficult, but I think our Great Tang can still do it."
"The biggest problem is, after we take it, how do we govern it?"