"I respectfully send my regards to Your Majesty."

Zhou Yafu led a large number of generals, all of whom were wearing armor and carrying swords across their waists. They bowed slightly and gave Liu Che a military salute.

"The prime minister and the generals came here under armor, what's the matter?" Liu Che knocked on the table, pretending to be confused, and asked deliberately.

In the past year or two, the martial arts group of the Han Dynasty, with Liu Che's explicit or covert encouragement, has been rushing towards the broad road of militarism and imperialism.

Now, the voices of appeasement and peace that were once strong in the past have almost completely disappeared from the military generals' group.

Especially after Wuyuan opened its doors, hundreds of middle- and high-level officers from all over the world entered Wuyuan for further studies.

These people were basically transferred to Chang'an from the Great Wall defense line and northern counties.

Their family and hometown have been under the threat of Xiongnu invasion for a long time in the past. In the past few decades, almost every household had someone killed or injured in the war with the Xiongnu.

Naturally, one can imagine their attitude towards the Huns.

These people were the most determined militant faction of the Han Dynasty.

When they came to Chang'an and entered the Martial Arts Academy, their voices and strength immediately increased exponentially.

No one can ignore their demands and claims anymore.

Even the Holy Mother's Advocate faction, facing the calls of these captains and commanders from the northern counties, could only pinch their noses and help them wave the flag and shout.

Because anyone who dares to go against them is tantamount to going against the northern military generals and the landlord group, and is tantamount to standing on the opposite side of the people. Once any political force or academic thought is spurned by the people, the people will naturally vote with their feet to let them step down and get out.

Even the country and the emperor dare not act against the will of the people and the voice of the people.

This is also the trick that militarism and imperialism are best at using public opinion to coerce thought and politics.

If you don't come with us, we will let you go with the late emperor

If there hadn't been a scholar from Imperial College who was checking and balancing these generals, now, in the imperial court, it would be guaranteed that every time there was a court meeting, the first topic would be the revenge of Duke Xiang for the ninth generation and the great conflict of the Spring and Autumn Period. When would His Majesty avenge the Emperor Gaozu?

, Empress Lu, the hatred of Taizong?

But even the students of Taixue and the literati and officials are actually basically the main militant faction.

However, they are slightly gentler than the generals.

What else should I say, "The Yi and Di have never been righteous, so since ancient times, kings have always been righteous teachers to attack them".

What they mean is that the battle must still be fought. But the specific method of fighting must be arranged by us, the scholar-bureaucrats who can strategize and win thousands of miles away. The rough warriors should just sit down obediently and listen to our arrangements. Fight wherever we tell you.

Don't beep.

Even the few remaining peaceful people and the Holy Mother dare not say that "world peace is the most important" and can only talk about persuading people with virtue and persuading people with righteousness.

He advocated that we should not fight unjust wars, but should 'raise the king's troops to attack the unjust'.

Under such circumstances, the public opinion and ideological circles naturally believed that "those who understand current affairs are heroes" and honestly joined in advocating the benefits and benefits of war.

"Your Majesty, I have heard that on Xinmao, the month before last, in the city of Meiling, Changsha, South Vietnamese soldiers entered the city and killed dozens of our merchants!" Zhou Yafu raised his head and said to Liu Che with great righteousness: "Such a great treason.

The atrocities committed by His Majesty Jiazi, despite his unjust edict, shocked all the people of the world. Although I am ignorant and do not uphold justice, and I do not understand the meaning of the poem, I am filled with righteous indignation. I implore Your Majesty to investigate this matter!

Revenge for the innocent dead and refugees!”

General Dou Ying immediately led the military generals and bowed respectfully and asked: "I sincerely ask your Majesty to avenge the innocent deaths of the refugees and people!"

Liu Che looked at the generals who had their heads lowered and their bodies hunched over, their faces flushed and excited.

I laughed a little proudly in my heart.

Since he ascended the throne, if there is anything he is most proud of.

There is no doubt that it was on the basis of Emperor Taizong Xiaowen that he further clarified the concept that the emperor was ordered by heaven to protect the Chinese people.

This concept cannot be said to be very advanced.

There was a similar discussion during the Yin and Shang Dynasties more than a thousand years ago.

As the saying goes, "The emperor is the father and mother of the people and the king of the world."

But for a long time, this was just a slogan. Just shout it, and no one took it seriously.

It was not until the reign of Liu Che's grandfather, Emperor Taizong Xiaowen, that the emperor was the first to put forward the slogan "I am the only one who can control chaos in the world", and based on the old idea of ​​"the emperor is the parent of the people and the king of the world", he further

It is proposed that 'the people are born to be prosperous, so they should be given a king to nourish and govern them.'

For the first time in Chinese history, there was an example where the emperor no longer only wanted power but did not shoulder obligations and responsibilities.

This is only one step away from the emperor announcing that I am the protector of the people, and I will chop off the limbs of anyone who touches my people.

After Liu Che came to power, he took this final step through the Jiazi Edict.

It clarified the fact that the emperor, as the lord of the world, had the obligation to protect the people under his rule. And the corpses that guarded North Korea proved the will and determination of the emperor and the country.

Since then, public opinion and thought have adjusted themselves around Liu Che's statement.

Confucianism was the quickest to react, and soon Mencius was brought out, and the people-emphasis sect based on the thoughts of the Simeng school emerged.

Nowadays, no matter what you think, at least on the surface, no one from all schools of thought would dare to be cruel inside or outside.

Anyone who dares to say that China should be patient and give benefits to the Yi and Di in exchange for peace will be immediately paralyzed by countless trolls.

In Liu Che's view, such a change is a great progress no less than the invention of the steam engine.

From then on, the Liu royal family can hang on their chests the title of 'Protector of the People of the World', and any future emperors must follow the path they have opened.

At least on the surface, public opinion between the government and the opposition and national decision-making must take Liu Che's statement into account.

This is just like how no matter how many bosses are changed, no one dares to discard the thoughts and theories of Taizu Taizong.

No matter how much you don't like them, you still have to treat these two as gods.

Every meeting must begin with the opening remarks of "Victoriously advance along the great road of Taizu's thoughts and Taizong's theory."

This is enough.

Now, the performance of Zhou Yafu and the generals is the result of the changes in public opinion and thinking after Jiazi's edict.

If you look at it a few years ago, not to mention that South Vietnam killed more than a dozen businessmen, it was him who invaded the Han Dynasty and killed the border residents. I am afraid the first thing the courtiers thought of was not to come to Liu Che with murderous intent to demand revenge and send troops.

At most, if you are exhausted, someone will suggest sending an envoy over to give you a lecture.

The South Vietnamese retreated obediently. They surrendered and admitted their mistakes, and the matter was over.

Unless the emperor requests it, the bureaucrats will never speak on the issue of war and peace without authorization.

But things changed after Jiazi's edict.

As the protector of the people of the world, the emperor became politically correct.

Anyone who infringes upon the lives and property of Han people without permission is slapping the emperor in the face.

As the saying goes, if the emperor humiliates his ministers and dies, the courtiers and bureaucrats must express their firm position on this issue.

Otherwise, if the label of ‘disloyalty’ is slapped off, who can hold on?

Liu Che stood up, took the memorials of the kings of Qi and Lu, looked at them in his hands, and then looked at the generals headed by Zhou Yafu.

If there were no tricks in this matter, Liu Che would dare to eat the Xuanshi Palace.

You know it if you think about it.

The kings of Qi and Lu, what kind of things are they? Doesn’t Liu Che still know?

Being unable to afford early benefits is a true reflection of these guys.

Are there not many people who have been tricked and killed by these guys now and in the past?

Suddenly, they started making noises for the sake of more than a dozen businessmen, and they had their own agenda!

However, the Xiu Yiwei's report has not yet come, so Liu Che doesn't know the whole story for the time being.

In addition, the report from the King of Changsha is still on the way.

When Liu's report comes, Liu Che will probably know what kind of wrong medicine South Vietnam took to dare to provoke the Han Dynasty.

But no matter what the truth is, there is something shady behind this matter.

The South Vietnamese entered Juechang on the border of the Han Dynasty, killed more than a dozen businessmen, and injured dozens more. This is definitely a fact that cannot be escaped.

After all, it is impossible for the current Han Dynasty army and bureaucracy to evolve to the point where they write, direct and act themselves, and then use this as an excuse for war.

They are just trying to imitate and learn from the old skills of the Warring States and Qin Dynasty.

But Liu Che must express his position on this matter.

Regardless of whether the South Vietnamese are justified or not, if they dare to enter the Han border and kill Han people, this is a sin! This is a crime!

No matter what difficulties South Vietnam has.

Liu Chedu will definitely use this as an excuse to force and coerce South Vietnam to make further surrender gestures, or even directly start a war to regain his homeland.

"South Vietnam is good at killing soldiers and civilians." Liu Che cleared his throat and said: "I will never ignore it. I will first order Changsha to send an envoy to South Vietnam, and order South Vietnam Wang Tuo to hand over the culprit immediately, and then wait for punishment!"

Well, let the King of South Vietnam surrender first. In this way, regardless of whether it is justified or not, South Vietnam will fall into an unjust and tragic end.

As for when businessmen can openly become ‘scholars and people’.

Don't worry about such inconsequential details.
To be continued...