Chapter 2 In the second round, Lu Dongzan met Ma Zhou Qu Wentai by chance to challenge the Western Regions

Lu Dongzan and He Jiluo rode back to "Persian Residence" side by side. At that time, the night was dark and there were fewer and fewer pedestrians on the road.Tang Jian heard that Lu Dongzan lived in "Persian House" by himself, and insisted on letting him live in an official post.Lu Dongzan lived in "Persian Residence" for several days, and felt that the living environment and food taste here were very suitable for him, so he rejected Tang Jian's kindness. Seeing the expressions of Yuchi Jingde and others, He Jiluo was very excited, and said, "Mr. Lu, what do you think of these three people?" Just now I heard Yuchi Jingde and others call him "Luxiang", and thought it was very appropriate, so I changed the name accordingly.

Lu Dongzan nodded and said: "These three people treat each other with sincerity, are generous and loyal, and they are the first choice if they want to make friends." "That's right. I guess, when they meet the emperor these few days, they will definitely talk about you." Lu Dongzan was not excited, and shook his head and said: "The three of them will definitely confess this matter frankly when they see the emperor. But, what a resolute mind the emperor has, how can he listen to such a major military affairs? Changed your mind just because of persuasion?" "These three are people close to the emperor, wouldn't they be of no use?"

"Maybe it will be useful, but it's not very useful. I haven't seen the emperor, but I can get a general understanding of the emperor's strategy after listening to your introduction and collecting information from all parties. For example, the section on employing people has its own unique features Places like Yuchi Jingde, Cheng Yaojin, and Duan Zhixuan, who fought for the emperor for many years and helped him ascend the throne. It is no longer useful. When he encounters major wars, he prefers Li Jing and others to lead the battle. From this point of view, the emperor employs people with more talents than relatives. This is quite different from the Han Dynasty, such as Li Guangli, Huo Qubing, etc. Everyone is a relative of the emperor."

He Jiluo showed a look of admiration on his face: "Unexpectedly, Mr. Lu could see so many things from people's words, and his insight is three-pointed. Mr. Lu, people in Chang'an say that I am a master of Zhongtu, if you are here If I live in Chang'an for a while, I will be compared to you." The two of them returned to "Persian House" while talking.They got off their horses in front of the door, led them into the hospital, and saw an old man walking under the shadow of a lamp.He Jiluo took the initiative to say hello: "Mr. Dou, why don't you take a break at this late hour?"

The old man was Dou Gong, the owner of "Bosiju", his eyes were a little dim, when he heard someone greet him, he responded first, then walked up to He Jiluo to identify him carefully, and then said: "Oh, so it is Jiluo. It's so late, what kind of guests did you send this old man?" "Hey, so Mr. Dou doesn't know this guest? He has been living in the 'Persian House' for a long time, and this man is Lu Dongzan, Prime Minister of Tubo." Mr. Dou looked at Lu Dongzan carefully, nodded and said: "I have heard the assistant mention it before, but I have never met him. Mr. Lu, you live here and make the small shop flourish."

He Jiluo translated Dou Gong's words to Lu Dongzan. Lu Dongzan gave a deep bow and said, "I came to the capital, but I never thought there would be such a place, which makes people from other lands feel like their home country. Mr. Dou, you still manage well!" Dou Gong waved his hands and said: "The guest officer came to the shop, and he is my mother's food and clothing. I thank you in every possible way. Mr. Lu, if you say this from the bottom of your heart, I will be honored by Hua Gon." After finishing speaking, he cupped his hands again and said : "It's getting late, the old man won't bother you two anymore, please go to the room and rest."

It was night, He Jiluo didn't go back to his house, and he rested with Lu Dongzan. When the two returned to the guest room, He Jiluo praised Dou Gongdao: "Mr. Lu, although this old man may not look amazing, he is very famous in the capital." "Well, it can be seen that this person treats customers with sincerity and is quite capable of doing business." "That's right, the ground was a puddle at the beginning. Dou Gong had a unique vision and bought this place at a low price, and he has made a fortune since then. However, he is famous in the capital, not just because of his good management, but largely because of his benevolence and righteousness. He treats people with the heart. There are rumors in Beijing that when Ma Zhou was in trouble, Duke Dou took the initiative to help him and led him to Chang He's family. In this way, Ma Zhou was appreciated by the emperor at the end, and he has the prominent position today. People in the capital say The reason why Ma Zhou was able to exist today is due to the benevolence and righteousness of Dou Gong.”

"Oh? Unexpectedly, before Ma Zhou made his fortune, there was such a twists and turns story?" Lu Dongzan became interested and asked He Jiluo to tell the story of Ma Zhou in detail. It was also a coincidence that when Lu Dongzan and He Jiluo talked about Ma Zhou, he came to "Persian House" after noon the next day. Thanks to Li Shimin's kindness, Ma Zhou was promoted successively. He was good at admonishing and arguing.For a while, Li Shimin seemed to have to see Ma Zhou every day, otherwise he would lose something. Li Shimin sighed to Fang Xuanling one day: "If I don't see Ma Zhou every day, I feel that something is missing." Ma Zhou has just made his fortune. When he was a censor, he sent people to look for suitable houses in the capital, and his tone was very loud, and ordinary houses were not in his eyes.The people in the court thought that Ma Zhouxiang had no savings, and wanted to buy such a luxury house shortly after he became an official, they all laughed secretly.A few days later, a luxury house in Anyefang was for sale, worth two million yuan. After hearing the news, Ma Zhou went to watch it and offered to buy it on the spot.On the second day, Li Shimin issued an edict to ask Yousi to buy the house and donate it to Ma Zhou with money from the official treasury.At this time, Baiguan suddenly realized: Dare to love Ma Zhou with the emperor's backing, only then can he be as strong as a cow!

Thanks to Li Shimin's appreciation, Ma Zhou was promoted very quickly. At first, he was a supervisory censor, and soon he was promoted to be a minister, transferred to Zhongshu Sheren, and moved to serve as a censor and admonish doctor. History, can be said to be proud of the spring breeze.Ma Zhou became an important minister of the court from a commoner, and he still has deep memories of what happened to him when he was in distress.Like Zhao Renben, Dou Gong, Chang He, etc., he regarded them as benefactors, visited them diligently every year, and gave them money and things.For those who have humiliated him, the eyes are added.Cui Xian, magistrate of Junyi County, heard that Ma Zhou had made a fortune. After entering Beijing, he had the cheek to ask for an audience with Ma Zhou. What did you say in the past?" At that time, Ma Zhou left Bozhou and came to Bianzhou. His distant relative Zhao Ren wanted to introduce him to Junyi County for a job. Cui Xian humiliated Ma Zhou face to face at the banquet, which made Ma Zhou drop a sentence: " There will always be a day when you want to see me but can't." Cui Xian thought that Ma Zhou's big talk was flamboyant, but today it turned out to be a reality.Hearing this, Cui Xian stood there for a long time before leaving in embarrassment.A year later, Ma Zhou took part in the examination of meritorious service for officials, found a random excuse, and abolished Cui Xian's post as county magistrate.Ma Zhou was also very annoyed with Wei Ting, because when he was a guest of Chang He at the beginning, Wei Ting said with a smile to Chang He: "What treasure can you find on the street? Let me tell you, you might as well ask the Imperial College to help you." Find one at random, that's the most reassuring way. Haha, don't try to take advantage of it." Ma Zhou stood aside at this moment, hearing this, his heart felt like a needle pricking him, and he felt extremely insulted.Since then, the two of them served as ministers together, and Ma Zhou never had a good look towards Wei Ting.

Ma Zhou entered the "Persian Residence" this time in order to visit Zhao Renben.At this time, the examination date was approaching, and Zhao Renben and his young son went to Beijing to participate in the examination. Naturally, Ma Zhou had to pay a visit to his benefactor. Because Zhao Renben was Ma Zhou's old friend, Duke Dou asked his staff to arrange him to live in the upper room of "Persian Residence", which happened to be adjacent to Lu Dongzan.When Ma Zhou entered the "Persian Residence", Duke Dou and others naturally received him warmly, let the staff lead the way, and personally accompanied him to Zhao Renben's house, there was quite a commotion.

Lu Dongzan was pacing slowly among the flower gardens in Xishou at this time, seeing Duke Dou sending Ma Zhou into the dorm respectfully, he couldn't help but take a few extra glances.At this moment, He Jiluo also stepped into the upper courtyard and saw Lu Dongzan pacing there, so he took a few steps to come to Lu Dongzan. Lu Dongzan pointed to Zhao Renben's house and asked, "Who is this person? I can tell that Duke Dou doesn't accept personnel easily. Why is he so respectful today? This person must be extraordinary." He Jiluo smiled and said: "This person is indeed very famous. Lu Xiang already mentioned his name yesterday." Lu Dongzan was at a loss. "Have you forgotten? We met Dou Gong yesterday, who did we mention?" "Is this person Ma Zhou?" "That's right, it's this person. It is said that the person living in this house is a distant relative of his named Zhao Renben, who once helped him at that time." Lu Dongzan was silent, and after a while, he raised his head and said, "Ji Luo, I want to meet Ma Zhou, how about you introduce me for me later?" He Jiluo hesitated and said, "Is it okay for us to meet each other rashly?" "It's okay. Aren't you familiar with Mr. Dou? You go to him now. Mr. Dou is a warm-hearted person, and he will definitely help you. I want to see Ma Zhou, and I don't want to talk about important military affairs, just to get acquainted. " He Jiluo hesitated and went to find Duke Dou. Lu Dongzan wanted to see Ma Zhou now because he knew that Ma Zhou was extremely trusted in front of Li Shimin.Regarding the marriage between the Tang Dynasty and Tubo, reasonable people know that cooperation will benefit both, and division will lose both. If Ma Zhou knew his predicament in the capital, he would definitely take the opportunity to speak out in front of Li Shimin. He Jiluo came back after a while, and praised Lu Dong: "Mr. Dou is indeed a warm-hearted person. He listened to my intention and agreed. However, what is Ma Zhou's heart? Whether he is willing to see you is up to me. It's really bottomless." Lu Dongzan nodded, and said, "As long as Duke Dou can pass this on to Ma Zhou, he will consider it." "There is a system in the court. Officials are not allowed to associate with foreign countries without the consent of the court. Ma Zhou has always acted cautiously and uprightly. Does he have any concerns?" "Haha, we just met each other on the road, so how can we talk about deliberately making friends with foreign countries? If Ma Zhou is such a cowardly person, how can he become the emperor's capable minister? Ji Luo, you are a little overwhelmed." While the two were talking, they saw someone walking out of Zhao Renben's house, and the leader was Duke Dou.Dou Gong waved to the two of them. Seeing this, the two of them thought that the matter was over, so they took a few steps and went forward. The two groups of people came to the front and stood facing each other. Dou Gong pointed to Lu Dongzan and said to Ma Zhou: "Doctor Ma, this is the Tubo Xiangguo who lives in the small shop, named Lu Dongzan." Ma Zhou took a step forward and cupped his hands and said, "I've heard of the great name of Prime Minister Lu, but I didn't expect to meet you today. It's really my luck." He Jiluo translated what Ma Zhou said to Lu Dongzan. Lu Dongzan heard the words, and hurriedly cupped his hands and said: "I have also heard of Dr. Ma's virtuous name, and I admire him very much, because I asked to see him abruptly." The two of you came and went, and exchanged polite greetings. When Ma Zhou saw that the sun had set to the west, he praised Lu Dong: "I came here today to visit my old relatives, and asked my benefactor to prepare a small banquet for them. Mr. Lu, we will meet here. It's fate, if you don't think the banquet is crude, how about joining us? I heard that Lu Xiang assisted Tubo Zanpu, who has been very prosperous on the plateau these years, and I want to ask for advice." Lu Dongzan was overjoyed, and naturally agreed repeatedly. Under the guidance of Dou Gong, they walked to the wine shop facing the street while talking.During the dinner, Ma Zhou asked Lu Dongzan: "Mr. Lu, does the Tubo country drink wine?" "Persian House" is famous for receiving foreign guests, and it has a large amount of wine in its cellar.Today's drink at the banquet is the wine that was transported from Yizhou. Lu Dongzan replied: "Our country has lived on the plateau for generations. In order to keep out the severe cold, we are good at drinking kumiss. After I entered the capital, I drank wine several times and thought it tasted good. I have asked Ji Luo to buy a batch for me. I will take it with me when I return to China. back." "Oh, it seems that Lu Xiang also likes new things. Are there other things that can enter the eyes of Dharma?" "When I come to Middle-earth, there are many things that I can see. Speaking of which, Dr. Ma may not believe that I sometimes have the idea of ​​staying in Middle-earth." "Really? If Lu Xiangruo really has this idea, I will report to the emperor and request that Lu Xiang be granted the official position of Tang Dynasty. In this way, I have another pillar of the court." "My humble thanks to Dr. Ma for his kindness. However, I have the idea of ​​staying in Middle-earth, and I feel more and more the unique vision of my lord. I really can't figure it out. My lord has never left the plateau. How can I know the prosperity of Middle-earth? So that it gives birth to endless envy?" Lu Dongzan changed the topic slightly, and then turned to the main topic. Ma Zhou sighed and said: "Since he is an outstanding person, he has his own merits. The reputation of Zhongtu has been famous for a long time. Although Lu Xiang and Zanpu are thousands of miles away, it is not uncommon to hear about it. Tang has a good relationship, even going to war, such an indomitable fighting spirit is really lamentable." When Ma Zhou said this, everyone in the seat couldn't help chuckling at the same time. Lu Dongzan laughed at himself and said, "There is a saying in Zhongtu that 'If you don't fight, you won't know each other'. Without this battle, how could I come to Beijing?" Ma Zhou asked: "That's right, when I met Tang Jian that day, he said by the way that Prime Minister Lu just came to Beijing, and it has been a long time since then. Why did you stay here until now? Do you really want to stay?" Are you in the capital?" Lu Dongzan sighed for a long time, and said: "Before I leave the country, the lord has something to say. Alas, it is really hard for me to return to my country!" He Jiluo then briefly described the process to Ma Zhou. Ma Zhou murmured: "Oh, so that's the case." The imperial court has rules, and Honglu Temple is in charge of dealing with foreign countries, and other officials are not allowed to interfere. Ma Zhou really doesn't know the purpose of Lu Dongzan's trip at this time. Lu Dongzan resorted to the tactic of trying to catch him again, and raised a lamp and said, "Doctor Ma, I respect you again. In fact, what Ji Luo said was a bit exaggerated. After all, we are old friends, and it is reasonable for him to worry about me. Doctor Ma, as long as the emperor and you know Zanpu's admiration for Zhonghua, whether I can complete the mission is actually secondary." Holding the wine cup in his hand, Ma Zhou gestured to Lu Dongzan, "Mr. Lu, you can say such a thing, which proves that you have a big heart. You can imagine how Zanpu is like this in Tubo. When Ma Zhou said this, he already had a lot of good feelings for Qizong Nongzan. "Yes, when Ji Luoyuan was in Tibet, he once witnessed Zanpu's majesty. After these years of training, according to Lu Xiang, Zanpu has become more and more sophisticated." He Jiluo interjected. Ma Zhou obviously had a strong interest in He Jiluo, and said with a smile: "Haha, Jiluo, it seems that you have become a loyal lobbyist in Tubo now. I have heard about some of your encounters. You were a Persian spice merchant at first, but unexpectedly You got caught up in the affairs of the court and fled outside the territory, didn’t want to enter Tubo and got acquainted with Lu Xiang, and now you start to mediate foreign affairs, you businessman, it seems that you are not doing your job properly.” Lu Dongzan, Dou Gong, and Zhao Renben looked at He Jiluo with a smile, thinking that what Ma Zhou said was right, and indeed this person had something interesting. He Jiluo shook his head and said: "The villain can't help himself. In order to sell spices, he always wanted to get to know more people, but he couldn't believe that he couldn't stop being caught in it. The villain was caught in the relationship between Tang and Tubo. Knowing this, the villain might as well abandon business and become an official, so that it is justified." Ma Zhou praised: "It's good that you are like this. You have many contacts and don't seek personal gain. If you are willing to help others, the most important thing is loyalty. Come, I will respect you." Lu Dongzan saw that Ma Zhou didn't want to talk about the topic of marriage, so he was embarrassed to bring it up again.After the banquet, they walked out of the restaurant and saw that it was already dark outside, so they bid farewell. Yuchi Jingde, Cheng Yaojin, and Duan Zhixuan really kept their promises. When they met Li Shimin on different occasions, they tried every means to mention Lu Dongzan.When Li Shimin heard Yuchi Jingde and Duan Zhixuan mentioning Lu Dongzan, he just asked indifferently: "Oh, I think He Jiluo brought him to visit you?" After speaking, he switched to other topics.When Yuchi Jingde and Duan Zhixuan met Li Shimin now, they were not like when they were subordinates of Prince Qin's residence, they could answer each other casually. Instead, they felt infinite fear in their hearts, fearing that they might say something wrong, so they dare not chase after him.In this way, they wanted to help Lu Dongzan, but they couldn't help at all.A few days later, Cheng Yaojin entered the palace to meet Li Shimin, and after finishing the topic, Cheng Yaojin mentioned Lu Dongzan's name intentionally or unintentionally: "Your Majesty, I met an interesting person a few days ago." Li Shimin liked Cheng Yaojin's humorous character, and joked: "Well, an interesting character? I think you are quite interesting." "This interesting person is actually a foreigner. He is said to be the Prime Minister of the Tubo Kingdom on the plateau, and his name is Ludongzan." "Lu Dongzan? Oh, I remembered, Jingde and Zhixuan also mentioned it a few days ago. There are rules in the imperial court, and officials are not allowed to make friends with foreign countries. If you do this, aren't you afraid that I will punish you?" When Li Shimin said this, his expression became more serious. Cheng Yaojin nodded and said: "I dare not. I was drinking with Zhixuan in Jingde's house that day, and it happened that He Jiluo led Lu Dongzan to come, because we met by chance. That day, I saw Lu Dongzan's expression With a figure like a penny pole, but wearing a loose robe, his appearance looks ridiculous. When he speaks, his eyes are shining, which reminds me of the appearance of Mr. Ouyang." "Really? It turns out that Lu Dongzan was born like Ouyang Xun? That's interesting." "Compared to Mr. Ouyang, Lu Dongzan is more attractive after all. However, when Mr. Ouyang speaks, he often drops his book bag, and I am afraid that I will avoid it. This Lu Dongzan is in a different situation. This person speaks with discretion. It is very accurate, he is the prime minister of Tubo, and he talks very harmoniously with the ministers and other rough people, so that the ministers and others are willing to be with him." "Well, since you love Lu Dongzan so much, next time I send someone to Tibet, I will let you go." "Your Majesty, you are not joking, but I am willing to serve as an envoy." "Haha, you're so caring, I'm a little hesitant again. You're a little bit hesitant when it comes to diplomatic relations. Carefulness is the most important thing in diplomatic relations. Your temperament is always funny and humorous, and you make people happy at banquets. However, it is inevitable that there are too many mistakes in diplomatic relations. Forget it, I take back my foreword, you should do your job honestly. If you like the scenery of the plateau, you can go there with Jingde and others to see it for a while. " "Well, if Lu Dongzan returns to the country this time, I will go to the plateau with him for a while." "whatever." "Thank you, Your Majesty. It's just...just...it's just that Lu Dongzan came to ask for a marriage but failed, and I don't know when it will happen." "I said just now that the matter of diplomatic relations is not your job, and you are not allowed to mention it in the future. I have my own ideas about how to get married." Li Shimin's voice was stern, Cheng Yaojin was so frightened that he didn't dare to say any more, and bowed to leave in panic. After that, Ma Zhou came to see Li Shimin and talked about Tubo without any scruples. Ma Zhou said: "Your Majesty, I visited an old friend in a post a few days ago, and happened to meet Lu Dongzan, Prime Minister of Tubo." "Oh, this Lu Dongzan is quite popular in Beijing. He often meets high officials in the court. A few days ago, Jingde, Zhixuan, and Yaojin mentioned Lu Dongzan's name in front of me one after another. It seems that he Still very active." "Your Majesty, Lu Dongzan is in fact hard to come back from the country!" "Why?" "When Lu Dongzan was about to leave, Qi Zong Nong praised him and said that if he couldn't visit Princess Tang, he would not be allowed to return home." "Could it be that Ma Qing has sympathy for this?" "I dare not have sympathy, but I have something to say about the diplomatic relations between our country and Tubo." "Well, you might as well talk about it." "Lu Dongzan was ordered to seek peace, and it was a trivial matter to stay in Chang'an. What I think about is the long-term relationship between our country and Tubo. I am an admonishing doctor, regardless of domestic and foreign affairs. Whatever I feel, I don't say anything. Not fast." "I also like Qizong to praise this person. He is young and has used his own power to make the Tubo Kingdom rise from the plateau. This person is not as arrogant and simple as Jieli. For example, he is dedicated to seeking peace with our country. It can be seen that he thinks deeply and has a long-term vision.” "That's right, this is exactly what I'm thinking about. I heard that Abandoned Zong Nongzan has made good relations with our country, and he has tried to make peace with us, so he led troops to invade our border. Our country is strong, and we are not afraid of provocations from the barbarians. However, he was devoted to making good friends with me, and His Majesty remained indifferent. After a long time, I was afraid that I would lose my heart to praise him. Like Lu Dongzan drowning in Beijing, it seems a small matter, but it is also a major event. The minister and Lu Dongzan only met for a while , I found that this person is so deep and thoughtful, that he is really a minister who abandoned his family and praised him. If your majesty insists on not seeing him, I am afraid that accidents will happen. I remember your majesty once said that in order to seek stability for one side, how could it be pity for a woman to go out? I think , Your Majesty needs to think twice about this matter." Li Shimin got up and paced around the case, looked up to the sky and sighed: "I originally wanted to discuss this matter in a long-term way, but it seems that it is actually impossible." He turned to Ma Zhou and said, "Ma Qing, I have been thinking about the Siyi these days. What am I thinking?" "I don't know." "When the national power was strong, the monarchs and ministers of the past dynasties often thought of expanding the frontier, like Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. This is the case. Our dynasty is now strong and prosperous. Relying on national power to regain the old land, and even shocking the minds of foreign races, so that they dare not act rashly, I will do it It’s just that how to do it needs to be properly considered.” "Your Majesty has kept the people quiet since Zhenguan, and has not easily used weapons against others. Like the battle with Eastern Turks and Tuyuhun, the provocation came first, and it was not forced by force. Now that Beidi is safe, Your Majesty is the Khan of Heaven; Dongyi and Tuyuhun The friendship between Nanban and our country has not been disturbed, but Xirong seems to have to work hard. Tubo is adjacent to Xirong, and its every move has a bearing on the overall situation, so it must be done carefully. I think that your Majesty has resolved the diplomatic relations over the years. Do not use force to force people, but use virtue to transform them, and now it has gradually produced results." "Well, you can say the word 'dehua', which shows that you can understand my mind. What I have been thinking these days is what will happen to the future of Tubo? If it is getting stronger, there must be a plan to control it. This is the reason why I have been reluctant to agree to Lu Dongzan's marriage proposal." Ma Zhou immediately understood Li Shimin's true thoughts.Over the years, Li Shimin has accepted Wei Zheng's proposition, that is, "the country will be at peace and the four barbarians will be self-contained" and is committed to developing and strengthening the country, which is the foundation of foreign diplomacy.When dealing with specific affairs, he did not rule by doing nothing, but pursued the strategy of "friending far away and attacking near, staying away from the strong and joining the weak".The most obvious example is the conquest of Eastern Turks.In order to deal with the Eastern Turks, Li Shimin tried to make friends with the Western Turks, that is, "distant friendship"; he also supported Xue Yantuo, Huihe and other tribes to divide the power of the Eastern Turks.When the Eastern Turks declined, Li Jing's mere tens of thousands of troops could defeat them.Ma Zhou knew that Li Shimin was comparing Eastern Turks with Tubo.In terms of distance, Tubo is farther than Eastern Turks, but it is also bordered by Tang Dynasty. When it is strong, it is very easy to start a war with Tang Dynasty; The combination of Borneo and other countries is of no help to check and balance Tubo, and this is where the difficulty arises.Thinking of this, Ma Zhou felt helpless, so he agreed, "Your Majesty is very worried. Tubo has risen not long ago, and is eager to communicate with our country. However, it has taken advantage of the geographical advantage. If it becomes stronger in the future, how can they plan to plot against you?" Central Plains?" Li Shimin sighed: "Yes, people's desires are endlessly greedy, and so are countries, especially some emerging countries, which often rely on force to occupy more land to show off the world. The land will eventually be lost. I understand this truth, but how many people from the barbarians can understand it? It seems that the abandonment of the ancestors makes sense, but what about the descendants? If I can't take measures to check and balance, I really don't want to cause Tubo to bring disaster to future generations." Ma Zhou secretly praised Li Shimin for his foresight. The two were silent for a moment, then Li Shimin suddenly laughed and said, "If you want to talk about greed, Xiong Xiazi is the most interesting. I heard that when Xiong Xiazi went to the cornfield to break corn cobs, he broke off a cob with his left palm and stuffed it under his armpit. , and then broke off a stick with his right palm and clamped it under his armpit. In the end, it only took two millet sticks, but it fell to the ground behind him. With human intelligence, one should not be like Xiong Xiazi, but some people claim to be heroic , It is hard to stop him from attacking the city, but in fact, what he did in the end was like a blind bear." Ma Zhou nodded and sighed: "This is a loss for both sides! After the attack, it was hard to get the land, and it made the people suffer at that time. It is really a disaster." He changed his tone again, and continued to talk about the Tubo topic: "The Tubo country lives on the plateau. The climate there is extremely cold, the land is vast and the population is sparsely populated. It is actually too difficult to carry out conquests. I have observed carefully that the Tubo people seem to be attached to their homeland. When they go to war abroad, they often return to their homeland after a large amount of plunder. They do not plan to seek the land of other countries. In this regard, Qizong Nongzan is somewhat similar to Jieli. From this point of view, we seem to have good relations with Tubo, and the two countries should not invade each other, which is for the benefit of both." "That's right, I understand this reasoning. Given the strength of our country, Tubo will not dare to invade our country for the rest of my life. What will happen in the future? If there are unworthy descendants who destroy the country by themselves and the country's power becomes weaker, Tubo will definitely invade the border." Ma Zhou secretly sighed in his heart, thinking that it would be too difficult to maintain the prosperity for thousands of generations.How dare you judge what is going on behind you now?Thinking of this, Ma Zhou said with relief: "Your Majesty made a decision to appease the people and treat Huayi as a family's national policy. This way of passing on for generations will ensure a long-term fortune. I thought that it would be difficult for Your Majesty to guard against unworthy younger generations, so now start to formulate All kinds of national policies have become established formulas, and it is still possible to make the younger generations follow them." Li Shimin pondered for a long time, nodded and said: "What Ma Qing said is very reasonable. I will make every national policy into a formula so that the younger generations will follow it. I will do my best. Alright, Ma Qing, let's not get further away, let's talk about it." Let's talk about the subject at hand." Ma Zhou understood that what Li Shimin was thinking at the moment was not whether to make peace with Tubo, but the overall plan arising from this point.He followed Li Shimin's train of thought and replied: "Whether Your Majesty agrees to make peace with Tubo is actually a means. If you don't agree to make peace with Tubo, there are other ways to maintain harmony. In short, the key to the stability of the country lies in whether you can Strong and prosperous. Abandoning his ancestors and praising the use of force to dominate the plateau, now is the time to be full of ambition. He has the idea of ​​making peace with our country, and he has the basis for transforming it with virtue. It’s just that he is now focused on making peace with our country. If he finds another It may take a lot of trouble to go the other way.” "Yes, this person is focused on this, how can I not know? In the future, even if the clan's daughter is married to Tubo, she can't follow the old path of Princess Yicheng. She must find a daughter who is gentle and understanding. Alas, Ma Qing, I want When it comes to governing the country, diplomatic affairs are the most troublesome, and if you are not careful, it will easily lead to hostility between the two countries. It is really not easy for Tang Jian to work hard on this all these years." "Tang Jian's ability to manage diplomatic affairs freely is the result of His Majesty's benevolent treatment of others. These days, I have carefully studied the way of our country's diplomatic relations. Your Majesty treats foreigners with kindness and righteousness. When foreigners return, Your Majesty does not force them to assimilate, but let nature take its course. It is one; not to plunder captives and disperse them as slaves and maidservants, this is two; not to allow mixed marriages, this is three; not to reject different religions of different ethnic groups, and let them believe in them independently, this is four. Slow, but in the end it will not be exchanged for the deep hatred of foreign races due to irascibility. Abandoning the ancestors, praising and longing for the Chinese culture, I believe that virtue will be more deeply rooted in their hearts." Li Shimin beamed with joy, and praised: "Ma Qing knows my heart best! As you said just now, I treat foreigners freely, and the process of Chinese culture being accepted by them is very slow, but I think they will eventually accept it." Middle-earth culture! Why do I say this? Middle-earth culture has lasted thousands of years, and its connotations are profound and profound. It is difficult for any tribe to do anything in the short term. This is where my confidence lies. With this kind of confidence, why should we care about the immediate affairs of other races? ?” Convinced, Ma Zhou bowed and said, "Your Majesty's foresight and foresight are unmatched by others." Li Shimin laughed: "Foresight and foresight? No. I promote Qingming politics in the court, and declare the way of virtue to the outside world, all of which make people avoid conspiracy and tricks, and treat each other with sincerity. Speaking of it, if I am an elder for a day, The only thing is this kind of defenseless heart. Ma Qing, I dare not compare with the ancient sages. Since the Qin and Han Dynasties, it is difficult for a monarch with a heart like mine to come out on my right." "That's right, Qin Shihuang was tyrannical and domineering, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was powerful, and Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty was narrow-minded. They are hard to compare with Your Majesty." "If you say that Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty had a broad mind, and he was committed to the sinicization of Xianbei people, this mind is very human." After the Northern Wei Dynasty ruled the north, various conflicts, especially ethnic conflicts, gradually intensified.After Emperor Xiaowen ascended the throne, due to the current situation, he tried to get rid of the conservative thinking of the Xianbei nobles, and carried out a series of changes for this purpose.He moved the capital from Pingcheng (now Datong, Shanxi Province) to Luoyang, and replaced the old clothes of Xianbei with Chinese clothes. The court banned the use of Chinese in Xianbei language, and stipulated that the Xianbei people who moved to Luoyang should take Luoyang as their native place, and they should not be buried in Pingcheng after death, so as to communicate with Xianbei nobles. Marriage relationship with the Han family, changing the old Xianbei surname to a Han surname with a similar sound or meaning, stipulating the ranks of the Xianbei and Han noble surnames and making the Xianbei nobles a powerful family.These measures of Emperor Xiaowen showed that the Xianbei Tuoba tribe, who had conquered the Han and other ethnic minorities, had to be conquered by the higher culture of the Han.During this process of conquest, the excellent part of Xianbei culture was absorbed by Han culture in the Central Plains, especially the experience and skills of Xianbei animal husbandry were spread among northern Han people, thus enriching the connotation of Han culture.These actions of Emperor Xiaowen promoted the progress of the tribe and eliminated the barriers between the nations. As a king of a foreign race, he indeed had extraordinary courage. Ma Zhou replied: "Emperor Xiaowen implemented Sinicization measures because of the situation, and did not do it intentionally like His Majesty. Such a difference can better show His Majesty's mind." "Haha, Ma Qing, when will you learn to speak well?" "I don't dare to flatter His Majesty, I only know how to tell the truth." "Well, I actually like to listen to good things, but Wei Zheng, you usually say too little good things." Ma Zhou bowed and thanked him: "Thank you for your compliments. I, Wei Zheng and others have the same thoughts, that is, to assist His Majesty to succeed in the way, and to use up our talents and talents. If you speak good words, they are better than harsh words, and The reason why I don't speak nice words is because His Majesty has worked hard to govern and can't bear the words of treachery. I privately think that if I please His Majesty on the spot, His Majesty may be happy, but after a while, His Majesty will definitely wake up. In my heart, I will be annoyed at the minister for flattering the Lord. In this case, it is best for the minister to say some words of loyalty." "Haha, there is a saying called 'clear and wise to protect your life', your so-called words of loyalty are probably the way to protect your life, right?" "I don't dare. I only know that when I meet an open-minded monarch and enjoy the prosperity of the Qingming Dynasty, what I do is based on the situation." "Look at you, you have the same temper as Wei Zheng. Ma Qing, in recent years, I feel that things are getting smoother and smoother. Do you know why? Now that I understand it, it's because I have a group of capable civil servants and generals under my command. I didn't expect that Where you are, you can always make suggestions; if I don’t do the right thing, you can give advice in time. With you guys, I can save my worry and effort.” The two monarchs and ministers were originally talking about diplomatic relations, but they changed the topic while talking.Li Shimin praised the ability of his ministers, and Ma Zhou sincerely praised the emperor's wisdom. In the end, it was Li Shimin who took the lead to return to the original topic: "As you said, if I don't agree to the marriage, this Lu Dongzan will have to stay in the capital for a long time if he is in danger of returning to the country?" "Chen Guan Ludong praises the posture, it is true." Hearing the words and distinguishing the sound, Ma Zhou felt that Li Shimin had the intention of meeting Lu Dongzan at this time, so he quickly said: "I think it is a matter of mutual benefit for our country to have a good relationship with Tubo. Then look at Qizong's praise and Lu Dongzan. Dong Zan is not a mediocre person. If he agrees to make peace with him, it will be for the general trend. Otherwise, it is really worthless to make the two countries turn against each other because of trivial matters, and make our country suddenly become a stronger enemy." "I said a long time ago that in order to keep the border safe, why should I spare a woman? Ma Qing, please convey the decree to Tang Jian on my behalf: within three days, I will receive Lu Dongzan." "The minister obeys the order." However, within three days, Li Shimin still failed to meet Lu Dongzan, due to another disaster in the Western Regions. Nishi Khan won the support of Tang Dynasty, and countries such as Qiuci and Yanqi came back one after another, and their power gradually became stronger, driving Siyehu Khan to the west.Yanqi State soon asked Datang to open up a new road, and Li Shimin agreed, which aroused deep dissatisfaction with Qu Wentai, the king of Gaochang who dominated the road in the past.With Qu Wentai's power, he never dared to challenge Datang alone, but he was unwilling to lose his former respected status, so he decided to turn against Datang, and secretly sent someone to contact Khan Siyehu. Among the countries in the Western Regions, apart from the Western Turkic Khanate, the Gaochang Kingdom is the most powerful.Siyehu Khan's mood at this time is also very contradictory. On the one hand, he has nothing to do with Nilu Khan, who is supported by Datang; on the other hand, he is extremely unwilling to lose the eastern territory.Qu Wentai now took the initiative to throw himself into his arms, and Khan Siyehu was overjoyed, and decided to join forces with Gaochangguo to gradually move his power eastward. Nishi Khan has been supported by the Tang Dynasty in recent years, and there are several vassal states under him. He is complacent and complacent. He has committed the same problem as Jieli. He neglects to win over his tribe and often simply issues orders. After a long time, the tribe gradually resents Heart. Siyehu Khan knew that if he wanted to expand his power, he had to be based on his own people, and it was very unreliable to rely on leading foreigners to occupy territory.Now that he had the idea of ​​expanding eastward, he sent people to the Turkic tribes under Nishu Khan's administration to find out the situation. After learning that these tribes had resentment towards Nishu Khan, he started to take action. Siyehu Khan named Ashina Buzhen as Yehu, and ordered him to lead people to start eastward. Ashina Buzhen was a brave man. He led 3,000 horses and set off across the Tianshan Mountains. In front of him were the Chuyue and Chumi tribes of the Turks. These tribes were now under the control of Nishi Khan. 阿史那步真单骑来到处月部落帐前，求见部落首领。他鼓舌说了自己的来意，一席话说得部落首领率部归附肆叶护可汗。在此示范下，处密等部落相继来归。如此，肆叶护可汗不费一刀一兵就轻松控制了天山东路。阿史那步真带领手下一路东行，直抵可汗浮屠城设立牙帐。 可汗浮屠城在高昌城的正北方，两城相间三百余里。 麴文泰得知阿史那步真在可汗浮屠城建牙帐，顿时喜动颜色。他令人准备好一应珍宝礼物，亲自去可汗浮屠城面见阿史那步真。 阿史那步真倒是一名颇识礼节之人，闻听麴文泰到此，急忙出帐迎接，口称：“鄙人正准备这几日前往贵国拜见国王，不料国王今日大驾来此，使鄙人有些手足无措。” 麴文泰说道：“鄙国与贵可汗通使多次，举国臣民得知贵可汗欲图东进，早已望眼欲穿。叶护如今在可汗浮屠城建牙设帐，坐拥雄兵数万，即让鄙国有了依靠。” 阿史那步真躬身道：“不敢。鄙人来到可汗浮屠城，人地两疏，今后仰仗国王的地方还多着呢。请，请，请入帐内叙谈。” 麴文泰入帐后，即让手下人将带来的珍宝诸物献给阿史那步真。众突厥人看到眼花缭乱的珍宝，心花怒放，觉得肆叶护可汗决意东进实在英明，西域之地多产毛皮等物，哪儿有这般精美的器物？ 阿史那步真推辞道：“国王陛下，鄙人今后仰仗高昌国的地方甚多，岂能反客为主，反受礼物？鄙人万万不敢受，或者陛下将此珍宝散给高昌国百姓，那也是好的。” 麴文泰哼了一声，说道：“宝物赠贵人，岂是猪狗似的百姓能享受的？叶护，请勿推却，高昌国现在正有借重汗国的地方！” “陛下欲求何事？” “叶护携铁骑东来，一举降服处月、处密诸部落，势力大增。举目西域，能与叶护可匹敌者，唯泥孰可汗而已。依孤估计，若叶护携累胜之机，再与我国联手，泥孰可汗未必能敌。孤以为，叶护再向东进，即到了大唐边境，现在西域未稳，不宜与大唐发生冲突，唯今之计，叶护似可南下，削弱泥孰可汗势力。” “好呀，鄙人正有此意。陛下今出此语，更添胜算。然泥孰司汗建牙西南，道路太远，我们欲削其势力，不知先从何处下手？” “先攻焉耆！”麴文泰恨恨地说道。 “为何要先攻焉耆？” “焉耆与我国相邻，届时叶护从西包抄，孤领兵自东向西攻击，即可一举攻下。拿下焉耆之后，其西面的龟兹诸国即会望风而降，如此就切断了泥孰可汗的爪牙。我们稍作整顿，可以无羁绊全力对付泥孰可汗。如此，西域大局可定矣。”麴文泰口中这样说，心中还有另外一层意思，即是焉耆国倚仗泥孰可汗与大唐的关系，向大唐请开西域通路，如此就打破了高昌国垄断西域通路的专权，使高昌国在大唐君臣心目中的地位大为降低。追根溯源，麴文泰认为，焉耆国是自己与大唐交恶的始作俑者，他因而要先收拾突骑支。麴文泰恼怒突骑支日久，只是以前自己势单力薄，不敢与大唐贸然翻脸。现在来了强助，正是扬眉吐气的时候。碍于要顺利说通阿史那步真，麴文泰不敢将自己的私心全盘托出。 阿史那步真现在正是志得意满之时，此次东进，肆叶护可汗要求他全力削弱泥孰可汗的势力，而非对付大唐。其时，大唐国力强盛，四方诸国不敢轻易向大唐启衅。麴文泰提出先攻焉耆，很符合阿史那步真的心思。 两人一拍即合。 十日后，阿史那步真从处月、处密诸部落中挑选了一万精骑，斜向西南杀向焉耆。这边，麴文泰集合国内重兵，悄悄沿着与焉耆国相邻的边境上一字排开。得知突厥铁骑已经攻入焉耆国境内的消息后，麴文泰即号令全线猛力发动。 焉耆国东接高昌，西邻龟兹，亦为汉时故地。境内土地肥沃，盛产葡萄和鱼、盐，人们又善营商贾之利，国家相对比较富庶。只是其国境比较狭小，仅有焉耆城为中心的五座城池，人口不过两万，仅有兵力两千余人。如此小国，处在西域犬牙交错的形势之中，多亏其王突骑支左右逢源，善于把握大势，及时附属西突厥等大国势力之下求得庇护，方保不为强国吞并。 泥孰可汗得大唐册封支持，焉耆国附属其下，又向大唐请求开辟新路，其转运之利滚滚而来，正是突骑支得意之时。他没有料到麴文泰和阿史那步真联手攻来，因事先毫无防范，未及招架即全线崩溃，其五座城池很快全部被攻破。 突骑支知道麴文泰对自己恨之入骨，他收拾起自己变色龙的角色，带领家人和万余人弃城逃跑。他们先是西行至龟兹观察风头，以定下步行止。 麴文泰听说突骑支率众逃跑，留下了五座空城，心有不甘，又找到阿史那步真商议，意欲乘胜追击，顺手将龟兹国灭掉。 阿史那步真是一名稳妥之人，他不同意再攻龟兹，说道：“我听说中土有句话，叫做'穷寇勿追'，我们长途奔袭数百里，已将焉耆攻破，达到此行目的，何必再节外生枝？” 麴文泰恭维阿史那步真道：“突厥铁骑向来势如旋风，现在攻破焉耆，正是势盛之时。若就此罢手，即会消磨志气。叶护此战胜后，威风横行大漠，眼前的龟兹何足道哉？” 阿史那步真的心中又是另外一番心思。处月、处密等部落才降服不久，自己又刚刚在可汗浮屠城设立牙帐，若从此向西攻去，处月、处密等部落势必因劳乏而顿生怨心，弄不好易生变乱，自己也就失去了可汗浮屠城这个根本。阿史那步真权衡利弊，决定先退回可汗浮屠城，安定一段时间后，再徐图进展。 麹文泰见阿史那步真意志坚定，遂叹口气，不好再强求。 突厥兵和高昌兵分两路退出焉耆，他们掠走了焉耆五城内未及逃走的一千五百余人，准备带回去作为奴隶。出城之时，又在每个城中放了一把火，将其城中房屋全部烧尽。 过了一个多月，麴文泰又携带礼物到可汗浮屠城面见阿史那步真，两人见面寒暄数句，麴文泰直接说道：“叶护，现在焉耆已灭，西境渐安，唯东方大唐之伊州近来增添兵力，似乎对我们不利。” “大唐莫非要来打抱不平吗？” “正有这个意思，叶护，我们一不做，二不休，干脆趁其未完全布置好之时，联手给予其雷霆一击，让大唐见识一下我们的手段！”