The fact that Yang Guang made three expeditions to Liaodong has actually thoroughly proved the pros and cons of large army expeditions.
In large army operations, the Central Plains can demonstrate its advantages in all aspects. It can be said that the larger the number of people, the more obvious the advantages from this national foundation will be.
But the disadvantages are also very big. In the cold weapon era, the national power was limited. An army of hundreds of thousands was almost formed with the strength of the country. An army of one million... was a situation that would only occur when the emperor's brain was broken.
Since ancient times, large armies have been engaged in battles. Once the number exceeds hundreds of thousands, some of them must be civilians. They can transport baggage before the war and serve as soldiers during the war.
The number of people reaching two to three hundred thousand is a limit. Using such a large army, even if a large part of them are civilians, will have a great impact on the national strength regardless of victory or defeat.
If the number of troops exceeds 500,000, it will definitely be a decisive war. The entire country will go to the battlefield, and a powerful country will not be able to sustain it for too long.
With an army of one million, it was unique in the era of cold weapons. It can be said that Yang Guang created a miracle.
And when he gathered his army in Hebei, the fate of the Sui Dynasty was actually determined. No matter whether he could destroy Goguryeo or not, the national power of the Sui Dynasty would be exhausted in this battle, not to mention that he lost.
At that time, the treasury of the former Sui Dynasty was already empty. They even came up with the bad idea of temporarily collecting taxes from the nobles, and countless civilians were mobilized.
The army's food and fodder are piled up in various warehouses along the road, but ordinary people are struggling on the edge of starvation...
The last two expeditions to Liaodong can be seen as an act of shame and anger, which was so rash that people couldn't figure it out. Therefore, they were abandoned halfway and did not cause any blow to Goguryeo.
In other words, the first battle of Liaodong had already exhausted the flesh and blood of the Sui Dynasty, and the subsequent two years of operations accelerated the collapse of the Sui Dynasty.
Therefore, without Li Bi's persuasion, Li Po would not make the same mistake as Yang Guang. Only a few years had passed, and they had all experienced that war. Who could easily forget the experience and lessons learned therein?
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Not only did the emperor and his wife not forget the story of the former Sui Dynasty, but the courtiers in the court were also extremely sensitive to it, and the topic of Goguryeo had become taboo in the court.
Whenever the name of Goguryeo is mentioned, everyone will be cautious, lest they say the wrong thing and let people think that they advocate the use of troops against Goguryeo.
This is one of the sequelae left by Yang Guang's three expeditions to Goguryeo.
Therefore, less than a day after Li Po issued the edict, Wen Yanbo, together with Su Quan, the Minister of Household Affairs, and Yu Chixin, the Minister of War Affairs, went to the palace to see him, hoping to discuss the Donglai military training with the emperor.
They are all old people, so there is no need to mince words when talking.
Li Po knew very well what his ministers were worried about. They were afraid that they would use the battle against Goguryeo to achieve greater success than the previous dynasty. This was very common among ambitious emperors.
Almost all foreign wars in the Central Plains have this color, but to a greater or lesser degree.
In many cases, it is a good thing for the emperor to be utilitarian, and his ministers will try their best to promote it, but they must be measured. If the emperor is too utilitarian, it will be a disaster for everyone.
Wen Yanbo's words were very direct, "Your Majesty... Your Majesty is equal to the world, and your majesty has only been in the world for only one year. Now you have established a clear political system, appeased the people's hearts, and rested and recuperated. All the ministers are inexplicably impressed, and they work together to help you, without daring to show any neglect."
But in addition to the war, I also ask your Majesty to act with caution. Goguryeo steals Liaodong and is connected to the overseas. It is difficult to defeat it. And there are Turks watching on the side. It can be said that a single move can affect the whole body. How can anything be accomplished in a hurry? I think
It should be slowed down.
What I worry about is not the success or failure of the war, but your Majesty's will.
Since your Majesty came to the throne, your priorities have been clearly divided. However, the matter of Liaodong is your Majesty's heart. He has repeatedly mentioned what happened to Goguryeo. This is what worries you, lest your Majesty cannot bear it...
Under the current situation, Tibet is already reluctant to deal with the Turks. If it raises troops in Liaodong again, I am afraid that it will repeat the mistakes of the Sui Dynasty. Your Majesty has always been wise, how can you be so confused on this matter?"
Originally, Su Quan and Yu Chixin had something to say, but after hearing what Wen Yanbo said, they both shrank their heads. They felt that Wen Yanbo's words were too fierce, and they were afraid that they might offend the Supreme, um, His Majesty.
The Tang Code has been revised and has clear regulations on the etiquette of monarchs and ministers. The titles of the Supreme are explicitly abolished. In writing, they are addressed as Son of Heaven, Holy Sage, etc., and verbally they are replaced by Your Majesty and Long Live.
This was obviously Li Po's intention. The Supreme always sounded a bit self-centered, which reminded him of the Supreme in the martial arts. He felt that it was not very solemn.
Your Majesty heard it and asked Yu Shinan, Yan Shigu and others. The origin of the title "Your Majesty" should have come from the Eastern Zhou Dynasty.
Later, the kings continued to use it, and it became popular in the Han Dynasty. However, in many cases, the word "Your Majesty" did not refer to the emperor himself, but to the person who delivered the imperial edict for the emperor, most of whom were eunuchs.
They live under the imperial steps, so they are called Your Majesty. Your Majesty refers to the steps. Aren't these the people standing under the steps?
However, it was later used interchangeably, and it was no longer a big deal for the ministers to call the emperor "Your Majesty".
For example, during the Pre-Qin Dynasty, there is a record of Jing Ke's assassination of Qin Zhong. Qin Wuyang presented the map box with this to enter into the words of His Majesty. The Majesty here refers to the people who accompanied Yingzheng, not the King of Qin himself.
There is another record in Qin Shihuang's Anthology: "Now your Majesty has raised righteous troops, punished the remaining thieves, and pacified the world. The whole country has been divided into prefectures and counties, and the laws and regulations have been unified. It has not been common since ancient times, and it is beyond the reach of the five emperors."
Here His Majesty refers to Qin Shihuang himself.
Later, Cai Yong in the late Han Dynasty also explained, "When someone calls you Your Majesty, the ministers will talk to the Emperor and dare not criticize the Emperor. Therefore, when someone calls you Your Majesty, they will tell you because it is a sign of humiliation and respect."
It clearly explains the origin of the word "Your Majesty".
After the Wei and Jin Dynasties, when Xianbei, Xiongnu and others were in power, everyone started to call them supreme. In fact, there was no originality. They still used the title of king in the Qin and Han Dynasties, but it was not commonly used.
The Xianbei people have carried it forward. Now that Tang Dian is certain, the first to change their tune is naturally the courtiers. It's just a matter of habit. It will take some time for everyone to completely change their tune.
This seems like a small thing, but it can also be said to be a clear signal for the restoration of Han rituals...
Xianbei's influence still had a lot of influence at the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, and all of them were abandoned in the Tang Dynasty. The title of the emperor was just one of them.
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Sure enough, Li Po frowned and stared. It had been a long time since he heard someone talking to him face to face, and he felt a little uncomfortable.
Just meeting Wen Yanbo's focused and calm gaze, Li Po's anger immediately dissipated a lot.
He has never been afraid to discuss matters with others. What bothers him is that some people clearly have selfish motives, but they still speak in a high-sounding way, as if they are serving the country and the people. Do you think I am a fool, or am I blind and deaf? If I don't punish you, it will be a bit unjustifiable.
Isn’t it?
He tapped his fingers on the desk and calmed down and said: "You are right, what happened in Liaodong is something that I feel very close to my heart. When I went east with the army, I experienced a lot of ups and downs, which is hard to forget.
A million-strong army, with nearly half of the casualties in the end... You are all latecomers. If the old troops of the Heng'an Town Army were here, you would definitely not say these things to me.
From the foot of Liaodong City, to the bank of the river, and then to the Sa River, almost all the way was paved with human lives. Compared with that time, what is a small battle to pacify the princes?
Along the way there were numerous corpses and blood everywhere. The Goguryeo, Mohe, and Khitan people all regarded us as prey.
I brought more than 2,000 people back to the west. I can't even count how many people died, and I can't even remember how many people I killed. The moment I returned to Sui from Feihu Ridge, I swore that it would be a waste of my life not to avenge this revenge.
.
After so many years, I have become the emperor of the Tang Dynasty, but I am timid in doing things, and I don't even dare to raise troops lightly. It is really hateful and annoying.
Today, I only mobilized my troops slightly, and you came to persuade me. Do you think that I have brought peace to the world, so you have become self-righteous, like Yang Guang, who doesn't know what to say?"
His majestic eyes wandered over several people, causing Su Dan and Yu Chixin to lower their heads deeply. Su Dan was already planning to give in, and was ready to promise the emperor a good supply of food and fodder for the army.
Yu Chixin calculated that he had only mobilized 10,000 troops, which seemed not enough. Should the Ministry of War ask for more troops to be sent to Donglai? The envoys from the Turks and Tibetans had all come to Chang'an, so it seemed that there was nothing wrong with attacking Goguryeo.
Well.
These two men had lived under Li Po's rule for many years and had accumulated a lot of authority. Seeing that Li Po's attitude was so resolute, they habitually prepared to turn around immediately.
Only Wen Yanbo remained unswerving. What Li Po said actually hit the mark on what he was most worried about. The emperor had brought peace to the world and his ambitions were growing. What could he not accomplish?
As Shangshu Zuopushe, the chief minister of the dynasty, once he notices such signs, he will naturally try to dissuade him, even if he resists the decree.
He thought about the wording for a while and said: "Even so, I think it is supreme... Your Majesty should also give priority to the country. How can you send troops outside without discussion? Regardless of success or failure, there is always a suspicion of frivolousness. I ask Your Majesty to still
Prudence is the best, gather your ministers and discuss it carefully before making a decision."
Li Po smiled, waved his hand nonchalantly and said: "Since you are here, I will discuss it with you. You all know that Ashina, the Turkic Turkic Khan, has been coveting Liaodong for a long time. You said that if anyone
If he takes Liaodong City, what will happen next?"
Huh? This topic was not too far or too close, but it went beyond Wen Yanbo and others' expectations, and they all became nervous at once.
Li Po looked at them and continued: "Both the Turks and Goguryeo are serious troubles. Now that we want to make an alliance with the Turks, how about attacking Goguryeo together? When you say we will make an alliance, will the Turkic Khan agree to my request?"
"
Having said this, he looked at several of his ministers with half-smiles, and imagined Ashina Yang Huan's expression when he heard this suggestion. He couldn't help but want to laugh a few times, but the strategy in his mind became clearer and clearer.