dognovel Chapter 1094 Returning to Chengdu
Chapter 1094 Returning to Chengdu
Pleading voices rose and fell.
"Your Majesty! You mustn't!" a chieftain pleaded in a trembling voice. "We have lived in the mountains for generations; we cannot survive without them!"
"Yes, Your Majesty! We can offer more tribute and contribute more people, only asking to remain in our homeland!"
"We beg Your Majesty to show mercy and grant us leniency. The Qiang tribes will be eternally grateful!"
"If we live among the Shu people, aren't we just going to let them bully and annex us?"
Even Aguli pursed his lips, lowered his head, and knelt on the ground, not daring to say any more flattering words.
He was going to be the emperor's dog, but even if he was going to be a dog, he should at least be a living dog, right?
If the tribe is moved out of the mountains, they will become like dog meat on the chopping block, and will eventually end up on the dinner table.
Seeing the strong reaction from the Qiang chieftains, Li Che's smile vanished, leaving only indifference.
As everyone was arguing, they noticed that the emperor suddenly stopped talking and was staring at them coldly.
A chill ran through him, and he dared not utter another sound.
Once everyone had quieted down, Li Che slowly spoke: "Now that the salt route is cut off, how will you survive? By hunting? By that little bit of barren mountain land?"
"I haven't told you yet, have I? Starting next month, the court will build a road from Chengdu directly to southern Sichuan, so that the court's grain and fodder supplies can be delivered directly into the mountains."
The chieftains looked at the emperor in shock.
If food supplies can be delivered into the mountains, doesn't that mean the emperor's army can too?
They had originally planned that if the emperor refused to budge, they would temporarily comply and agree, and then discuss the matter further after the Qing army withdrew.
Despite the Qing army's arrogant demeanor, their daily consumption is considerable, and they cannot maintain this situation for long.
Unexpectedly, the emperor wanted to build a road!
Doesn't this mean that the imperial court can send a large army to the camp at any time in the future?
"As for being bullied and annexed by the Shu people..." Li Che's lips twitched, "My laws are here, how can this be allowed to happen?!"
"After you move out, you will be registered as ordinary citizens, subject to the same government administration and the same education from the imperial court as the other citizens of Qing."
"If there is any bullying, the law will surely protect you, I can assure you."
"Isn't this better than you all being left to fend for yourselves in the mountains, ultimately leading to your own demise?"
Upon hearing Li Che's remarks, everyone fell silent.
If the emperor could truly treat everyone equally, what would be wrong with them moving to Shu and living among the Shu people?
The key point is that every emperor in the Central Plains made such a promise to their ancestors, but none of them were able to truly fulfill it.
These emperors were all highly racist, with a strong sense of distrust towards other races, and only trusted their own people.
Although Li Che was also a nationalist, he believed that culture, rather than bloodline, determines national identity.
As long as the Qiang people can integrate into the cultural life of the Qing people and learn the same benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness, instead of carrying forward their barbaric habits, Li Che is very willing to treat them as his own people.
He leaned forward slightly, his gaze so intense it was almost tangible, making everyone feel breathless.
"This is the way out I'm giving you, and it's the only way out. You can only choose to leave or stay, not to bargain with me."
Li Che didn't continue speaking, but leaned back in his chair, picked up the teacup again, and gently blew away the foam.
Unspoken words are more chilling than ten threats.
Those who do not take this path naturally choose to be enemies of the imperial court.
Then, all that awaits them is the dead end of military suppression.
The open space was deathly silent. The chieftains knelt there, their faces pale and their eyes vacant.
When the emperor's will came, they finally understood that their arrival determined the future fate of their entire tribe.
Is it about carrying the remains of one's ancestors to their doom, dying in these deep mountains?
Or should they lead their surviving members on this uncertain journey of migration?
Cell's single eye darted around rapidly, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
He was the first to come and surrender, thinking he could gain the upper hand, but he never expected that the emperor wanted to undermine him.
Thinking of this, his Adam's apple bobbed, and he wanted to speak again to bargain.
But when she met Li Che's calm and unwavering gaze, all the words stuck in her throat.
The young emperor paid no attention to their petty schemes; he drew an unquestionable line.
The other chieftains were even more ashen-faced.
The eyes of several hot-tempered chieftains were bloodshot, and their fingers unconsciously dug into the soil, as if they were about to erupt at any moment.
Meanwhile, the guards silently reached for their sword hilts, ready to cut the Qiang people into mincemeat if they made any sudden move.
Just then, Li Che put down his teacup, and the sound of the porcelain lightly tapping the wooden table was exceptionally clear.
Li Che slowly spoke: "It seems you still haven't figured it out. Do you think I'm forcing you to a dead end?"
He raised his hand and pointed towards the faintly visible salt wells in the distance: "Salt is the lifeblood of everyone."
“In the past, you relied on the threat of force to obtain salt, which led to constant disputes and an insecure life.”
"Now that I have taken over the salt wells and put them under state control, you will no longer need to risk your lives for a single drop of salt. You can purchase a fixed amount of salt permits from the state granary at a fair price every month. This is the first point."
He pointed towards the camp, where the makeshift workshops of the artisans accompanying the army were located: "Are there iron mines in the mountains? Are there good blacksmiths? Were your swords and arrows stolen, or were they made from inferior iron obtained from merchants?"
"After you move to the dam area, the imperial court will set up a market where you can exchange mountain products for ironware, cloth, and grain."
"If you have a skill, you can learn the art of craftsmanship and have another way to make a living. That's the second point."
Finally, his gaze swept over the crowd: "The mountains are rife with miasma and disease, and there is a lack of medical care and medicine. How many infants die young? How many adults die suddenly?"
“Once you leave the mountains and forests, the imperial court can send medical officials to travel around and teach you methods of prevention and treatment, and promote smallpox vaccination to prevent smallpox. This is the third point.”
With each word Li Che spoke, the leaders' faces grew more thoughtful.
Salt, iron, and medicine were real problems that plagued their survival, and in the past, they had to resort to robbery or smuggling.
“If we stay in the mountains,” Li Che’s tone turned cold, “the salt route will be cut off, merchants will be unable to travel, and we will be trapped in the poor mountains.”
"The imperial army doesn't need to conquer every village; it only needs to block the key routes. One year, two years... how long will your stored grain last? How many newborn children will survive?"
"At that time, without my intervention, you will perish on your own due to famine, disease, and infighting."
Li Che didn't need to threaten them directly; saying things like "surrender or die" was too low-level and unbecoming of his status.
He only needed to tell the story of what would happen in the future, and he believed that as long as the leaders weren't fools, they would make the right decisions.
“Relocation is painful, but it brings long-term peace and stability.” Li Che leaned forward slightly. “I can give you time to consider, or I can choose not to.”
"Those who are willing to migrate, register today. I will immediately order the allocation of the first batch of resettlement grain and salt, and designate fertile land in the river valley to help you build new villages. Your taxes will be halved for three years."
“Each leader can choose children to enroll in schools, or select warriors to serve in the army and earn their future through their abilities.”
He paused, then continued, "Think carefully, because after today, such a good thing will not happen again."
The approach combines kindness and severity, is well-organized, and clearly distinguishes between the path to survival and the path to death.
It's like a shopping mall having a limited-time half-price sale. Customers know the discount is for sales volume, but they'll still buy it because they're actually getting a real bargain.
Shalu was the first to speak: "The Bai Ma Qiang are willing to obey Your Majesty's decree and migrate as a whole! We beg Your Majesty for mercy and resettlement!"
He had no more illusions left; the emperor's conditions were both harsh and generous.
But at least it's a way out, and if His Majesty keeps his promise, perhaps there really will be a better future.
At this moment, all he could do was gamble, gamble that this unfathomable young emperor would keep his word.
With a leader in charge, the psychological defenses of the other leaders finally collapsed.
One, two, three... In the end, all the chieftains kneeling on the ground bowed deeply to express their submission.
"Qingpian Qiang... are willing to migrate."
"The Blackwater Tribe...will obey Your Majesty's arrangements."
"We hope Your Majesty will treat us kindly; we are willing to surrender."
Li Che looked at the prostrate chieftains before him, but there was no smugness on his face.
Conquering land is easy; conquering hearts is difficult.
Forcing the Qiang and Man tribes to come out of the mountains and accept the king's rule was only the first step in a long journey.
What we want is ethnic integration, which is by no means something that can be achieved overnight; it requires decades or even centuries of joint efforts from both sides.
"Qiu Bai."
"The end will be here."
“Record the names of each unit, arrange military clerks, and coordinate with familiar officials for translation.”
"Starting today, we will begin registration and record-keeping, survey and delineate relocation and resettlement areas, and instruct the logistics battalion to assist with the statistics."
"Here!"
"Luo Yueniang".
"Your subordinate is here!" Luo Yueniang stepped forward.
"Each battalion will draw personnel to form escort teams to assist the various units in their relocation. They will be responsible for maintaining order, preventing riots, and also preventing petty thieves from taking advantage of the situation."
"Remember, from this moment on, they are citizens of Daqing awaiting conscription, not enemy soldiers. But if anyone takes advantage of this to bully them, I will not let them off lightly."
"understand!"
Li Che nodded slightly, looked again at the chieftains who were still kneeling on the ground, and said slowly, "Get up, all of you. Now that you have made a decision, do it wholeheartedly."
"I will observe your performance."
The chieftains rose shakily, each with a complex expression.
"We will obey His Majesty's orders."
The successive submission of the chieftains of the Qiang and Man tribes was a good thing, but it also brought a lot of complicated matters that urgently needed to be addressed.
Li Che found such tedious government affairs extremely annoying, so he did not linger at the Ciyan Department for long and made an excuse to leave.
Now that the overall strategy has been decided, the specific execution has been handed over to Luo Yueniang, Yang Tong, and others. If I were to sit here and oversee things, it might restrict the actions of those below me.
After leaving behind some guidelines, Li Che led Qiu Bai, Hu Qiang, and other guards back to Chengdu.
. . . . . .
On the carriage, Li Che watched with great interest as the panda in front of him ate bamboo shoots, and couldn't help but lick his lips.
Is this stuff really that delicious?
Since the emperor was returning to Chengdu, the little one naturally traveled with him.
The little guy was initially uneasy about leaving the familiar mountains and forests, and he whimpered in the carriage.
But when Li Che put fresh bamboo shoots in its paws, it immediately focused on the food, quickly adapted to the swaying journey, and even learned to find a comfortable position to sleep soundly in the corner of the carriage.
"Your Majesty, it's time for your meal," Qiu Bai's voice came from outside the carriage.
Li Che responded, picked up the black and white dumpling beside him to wipe his hands, and then accepted the food that Qiu Bai handed him.