Chapter 3 Tang People's Simple Concept of Right and Wrong
Chapter 3 The Tang People’s Simple View of Right and Wrong ()
The empire's folk customs were open, and it was a private conversation in the military tent late at night, but when he heard the words "Your Highness the Idiot Princess," Ma Shixiang's face couldn't help but become nervous and ugly.
After that noble woman entered Weicheng, he was so cautious and nervous, never expecting that Ning Que would be so bold and make such a harsh evaluation, and he thought that Ning Que's evaluation was unfair, so
His face became even uglier.
Everyone knows that the four princesses of the Tang Dynasty were not idiots, but extremely virtuous highnesses.
With the great power of the Tang Dynasty and the prosperity of its military, whether it was facing the grassland barbarians or the other countries in the Central Plains, it would never consider the humiliating political method of peace and marriage.
The loyal barbarian generals married several clan daughters, and nothing like this happened again.
However, when instability began to appear in the grassland three years ago, and the Golden Horde, the largest barbarian tribe, showed signs of rebellion with the secret instigation and support of the hostile countries of the Tang Dynasty, the fourth princess, who was then thirteen or fourteen years old and deeply loved by His Majesty, turned out to be
Kneeling in front of the Daming Palace, knocking on the steps and weeping, regardless of the opposition of the whole country, he would rather give up the prosperity of Chang'an and insist on marrying far away to the grassland to be the continuation of the golden account.
As soon as this incident came out, the world was shocked, and there were a lot of discussions. The white-haired civil servants wrote memorials with grief, the emperor was so angry that he broke countless jade cups, and the queen had complicated emotions and didn't say a word. However, none of this could stop the young princess.
Determined, the prairie gold accountant was greatly honored after learning about the incident, and he liked the princess's temperament even more. He sent an envoy to drive five thousand cattle, sheep and horses into the court and asked humbly and sincerely for marriage. In the end, the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty had no choice but to decide to let his daughter marry on the 11th day of the Apocalypse.
Married in the grassland.
Less than half a year after the princess married into the grassland, she and the Chanyu couple were respectful and harmonious. The once ambitious and heroic leader of the barbarians turned into a calm lion on the grassland, quietly guarding the country, overlooking the foreign land, but no longer lightly starting wars.
.
It's a pity that no one expected that a few months ago, Chanyu died suddenly in his prime, and Chanyu's brother forcibly succeeded him. The situation on the border became complicated and tense again.
But ever since that thin girl knelt in front of the Daming Palace and decided on her own engagement, for four or five years, the northwest border of the Tang Empire had been in precious peace. It must be said that most of it was due to the princess.
.
It is rumored that the princess insisted on marrying far away from the grassland, and a large part of the reason was to avoid the queen. However, even if this is true, in the eyes of the military ministers and court officials, the fourth princess did not rely on his majesty's favor and faced the queen.
The act of actively retreating to avoid intensifying conflicts among the upper echelons of the empire is also an act of understanding the general situation and being extremely virtuous.
For the Tang Dynasty generals like Ma Shixiang, who had experienced many battles, they were not afraid of war, let alone the barbarians. It even felt extremely humiliating for a princess to marry an enemy far away - but no one would refuse peace, a gift from God.
Gift.
Therefore, their feelings towards Her Royal Highness the Princess were very complicated. There was some unfounded anger, but also some gratitude. In the end, all these emotions gradually turned into a trace of respect deep in their hearts that was inconvenient to talk to others.
Ning Que was an ordinary soldier. He didn't know if he could understand the general's complex emotions. Even if he did, he wouldn't care about it, because the thing he was fighting for now involved his personal safety, and he had always thought that there were not many things more important than his own life.
Important. So he pretended not to see the general's gloomy face and continued: "I roughly counted the arrow holes on the carriage. The new Chanyu's tricks were very dark and ingenious. I estimate that at least half of the princess's escorts were killed.
On the grassland.”
"It is said that they encountered horse thieves." Ma Shixiang's expression was a little unnatural when he spoke. Maybe even he didn't believe this statement.
"Even Jin Zhangyu wouldn't dare to blatantly attack my Princess of the Tang Dynasty, so of course...it can only be horse thieves, but everyone knows who plays the role of those horse thieves." Ning Que continued: "
But if you think about it carefully, it’s wrong. Everyone knows that the horse thieves are the new Shanyu’s cavalry. Where did that barbarian get so bold? Isn’t he afraid that the imperial court will get angry afterwards and send troops to level his golden account?”
The Tang Dynasty was founded by force. The people were simple and fierce in fighting. It was considered the strongest country in the world. They cared about dignity the most. However, if they wanted to completely wipe out the golden tents of the barbarians on the grasslands, they would have to lose most of their national power.
An attack on a married princess caused the empire to fall into turmoil and difficulty. This seemed impossible, but in fact, in the history of the Tang Dynasty, this kind of behavior could be said to be impulsive or heroic.
Qian Yun’s story.
The most famous example occurred in Taizu's later years.
At that time, a certain tribe in the grassland massacred a village in Baiyang Road. One hundred and forty villagers were killed. The imperial envoy went to question the crime, but was driven back by the arrogant and extravagant Shanyu of the tribe who cut off his ears. Taizu was furious.
Angry, he immediately decided to conquer the grasslands personally. The entire empire mobilized to support a mighty cavalry force of 80,000 cavalry in the expedition to the north. The tribe was shocked and frightened, and fled after hearing the wind, heading straight into the northern wilderness despite the wind and snow, while the Tang cavalry
They pursued them closely and fought for several months, finally annihilating the entire opposing tribe.
The battle lasted for several months and all the enemy cavalry were slaughtered. The seemingly simple description and the seemingly elegant ending concealed the terrible price paid by the Tang Empire for this.
In order to support this costly war, the imperial court sent millions of civilians and levied livestock from three counties in Hebei Province. The fields around Minshan were abandoned, and ten houses were empty. Taxes in the south were quadrupled. People were filled with resentment. Officials in the DPRK and China were unable to take care of political affairs at all.
, the world is on the verge of turmoil and even collapse.
The most wonderful temperament of the Tang Empire was revealed in this most dangerous moment and in the evaluation of this matter in the countless years that followed.
When the Imperial Cavalry was on an expedition into the wasteland, the rebels in the south did not take advantage of this opportunity to increase their offensive. Instead, they even sneaked back into the mountains, forests and lakes. It seemed that they did not want to hold back the Empire at this time. The rebellion
Maybe not everyone among the reckless people will think about the so-called national justice. Maybe some of them want to seize this God-given opportunity. However, they have to face a reality-the poor people who usually silently support them, among the rebels,
Many lower-level leaders and soldiers, when they decided to seize this opportunity, expressed their fiercest opposition with their footsteps and silence.
The historical status of Tang Taizu who won this battle was not high, even within the empire. Whether it is in history books or in the stories of restaurant storytellers, the evaluation of this hero is often inseparable from his great achievements and practical use.
The villain is a sycophant who likes cool methods, seeks longevity but has no moral principles, and so on.
But whether they are the most pedantic literati, the academy professors who are most indifferent to monarchy, or the farmers and businessmen who hate the increase of taxes the most, they will find various reasons to scold the founding emperor, but no one has ever thought that that scene was just
A war that consumes the country's power and makes the people suffer because of the king's anger should not be fought.
Because from the founding of the People's Republic of China to the present, people living in this land have always believed in and guarded a simple truth: I won't bully you, but you don't want to bully me. Even if I bully you, you still don't...
Want to bully me!
Whoever bullies me, I will beat.
This was the foundation of the Tang Empire.
This is the road to the great power of the Tang Empire.
This is exactly why the most powerful country in the world is called Tang.