Chapter 31: Eating Roasted Suckling Pig, the Dangxiang Submit to the Tang

Just as the various groups were having the time of their lives.

Li Er thought of the road construction Su Liang had proposed today, and wanted to see what his old man thought about building roads, as it was, after all, such a massive project.

He had originally intended to wait for the next morning court session to discuss it with the ministers, but this was a perfect opportunity to sound out his father.

He then looked at his old man and spoke slowly: "Father... Su Liang wants to build roads throughout the Great Tang, what do you think?"

"Oh? Is it like the road from Changancheng to Taoyuan County?" Li Yuan asked immediately.

"Yes, Su Liang said if we are going to build them, we should build better roads so they last longer," Li Er said, proceeding step by step.

"Build them then. I've heard of that road too, it's quite good!!" Li Yuan said nonchalantly.

"It's just that... Su Liang wants to build five thousand li of roads within half a year, this..." Li Er stopped halfway through his sentence.

"Five thousand li?" Upon hearing this, Li Yuan frowned slightly, his expression turning solemn.

After thinking for a moment, he said calmly: "Didn't my cousin also build the Grand Canal spanning thousands of li? Such a beneficial act for the people, do you still need to ask for my opinion?"

"Besides, building roads is much easier than building a canal."

"It's just that the timeline... could be extended."

At this moment, Su Liang thought to himself: The Great Tang will face four consecutive years of severe drought in the future; it's not as simple as just building five thousand li of roads!!

With so much free labor, why not make good use of it.

After thinking for a moment, Su Liang said firmly: "No, it must be half a year. I can arrange this matter."

Seeing Su Liang's tone so firm, Li Yuan said calmly: "Currently, our Great Tang lacks population, and we cannot yet mobilize civilian laborers on a massive scale."

"This matter benefits the country and the people; as long as you discuss it well with the court ministers and make proper arrangements, just be sure not to overwork the people..."

Halfway through, Li Yuan looked at Su Liang with deep eyes and continued: "As for the finances... Young Master Su can contribute a little."

Su Liang remained silent upon hearing this. Li Yuan was clearly trying to slaughter him, this fat sheep!!

With Su Liang's current financial resources, supporting one or two million laborers to build roads was no pressure at all. This money was a trifle to Su Liang, not to mention that what Su Liang had in mind was relief through work.

"As for some of the materials needed for road construction, if this old friend of mine can help, let him help. It will also serve to repay some favors on my behalf," Li Yuan said immediately upon seeing Su Liang's silent acquiescence.

Su Liang noticed the expectant gaze of Wu Shiyue at this moment.

Damn it... he's thinking of investing again!!

He thought to himself.

He then chuckled: "Hehe... Your Majesty is joking. The Wu family has been in business for generations and has deep foundations. If we can get the help of the Duke of Ying, many things will be much easier to handle."

"Your Majesty's words truly humble this young one."

After Su Liang finished speaking, he immediately looked at Wu Shiyue and continued: "I will have to trouble the Duke of Ying from now on!!"

"Haha... no trouble, no trouble," Wu Shiyue laughed heartily upon hearing this.

"The Prince of Chu can rest assured, as long as it is within my power, I will certainly assist with all my might!"

He then changed the subject and looked at Su Liang happily: "It's just that... I have a matter I would like to trouble the Prince of Chu with."

"Hehe... Duke of Ying, you are too polite. If there is anything, just give the order. From now on, just like the Retired Emperor, you can call me Young Master Su," Su Liang said.

"Good! Then I will speak plainly..." Wu Shiyue said happily.

"My youngest daughter has just arrived in Changancheng, and having heard of Young Master Su's great talent, she has long wished to make your acquaintance."

"Unfortunately, you have always been closing your doors to guests, I wonder when it might be convenient?"

Youngest daughter... youngest daughter...

Su Liang muttered to himself, could it be... Wu Zetian?

In history, Wu Zetian was three years younger than Changle, and if she was also affected by the butterfly effect...

Then wouldn't Wu Zetian be... wouldn't she already be eleven years old this year?

Could it be that Wu Shiyue still wants to...

Coming back to his senses, Su Liang immediately asked: "The youngest daughter the Duke of Ying speaks of... could it be the eleven-year-old Wu Zhao?"

"Oh? Young Master Su even knows my daughter's given name?" Wu Shiyue said with a grin.

"My daughter has indeed just turned eleven this year!"

"Ahem..." Su Liang realized he had said something he shouldn't have, and immediately coughed twice to ease the awkwardness.

At this time, Li Yuan also looked at Su Liang with a face full of confusion. Why did Su Liang know so clearly about the daughter Wu Shiyue had kept in the inner chambers? During this time, the Wu family had been living in Yuzhou.

Li Er and Empress Zhangsun were not surprised upon hearing this; Su Liang could even name the Hanfeng Hall of the Cuiwei Palace, so nothing could surprise them anymore.

However, Changle and Little Sizi on the side were not so calm...

They had already put down the golden playing cards in their hands and were looking at Su Liang with confused expressions.

Su Liang wished he could slap himself a few times; wasn't he clearly looking for trouble for himself?

Seeing Su Liang slightly embarrassed, Li Er chimed in: "Haha... Su Liang will have time after he returns from his visit. At that time, the Duke of Ying is welcome to visit the Furong Garden."

"Didn't the Retired Emperor say he wanted to move to the Furong Garden? You can just go visit him together then."

After Li Er finished speaking, he gave Su Liang a meaningful look.

Su Liang also cast a grateful look at Li Er upon hearing this...

It was already nearing noon.

Su Liang took this opportunity to have the roasted suckling pig brought over.

Li Er and the others knew that Su Liang had not only prepared games for the Retired Emperor today, but also corresponding food. After the servants brought the roasted suckling pig, everyone gathered around...

Wu Shiyue immediately exclaimed: "This... this is pig meat? How can you let the Retired Emperor eat such filthy meat?"

Su Liang only smiled slightly upon hearing this.

In ancient times, because pigs were not castrated when raised, they had a strong, gamey odor and were difficult to swallow, so people generally considered pork to be an unclean item.

Only the lower classes who could not afford beef or mutton would eat pork; nobles and the wealthy would never touch it.

It was not until the Song Dynasty, with the rise of the catering industry, that pork was slowly promoted.

It was also at that time that Su Shi invented Dongpo pork.

Li Er looked at Wu Shiyue with disdain; he was truly someone who hadn't lived in Changancheng, lacking any worldly experience.

Li Er had long known about Su Liang raising pigs. Su Liang had introduced them to him; the meat of castrated pigs not only lacked the gamey odor but was also a rare delicacy.

It was just that it took half a year for a pig to grow up, so being able to eat roasted suckling pig at this moment was already quite good.

Li Er had long been craving it, so he immediately picked up the prepared dagger himself and cut off a small piece of meat to put in his mouth.

"Haha... it is truly delicious, the skin is crispy and the meat is tender, fatty but not greasy," Li Er said, his mouth full of oil.

Hearing Li Er's praise, Li Yuan also became interested as he looked at the golden-brown, glistening roasted suckling pig emitting a rich aroma. Li Yuan had also sent people to buy food from Su Liang's restaurant many times, and it was quite delicious.

He then snatched the dagger from Li Er's hand and began to cut the pork...

A few moments later...

"Hiss... this meat is slightly spicy with a fresh fragrance, the texture is neither greasy nor gamey, and the meat is tender while the bones are crispy."

Li Yuan praised it immediately after eating.

He then looked at Su Liang and laughed heartily: "Haha... Young Master Su, what other delicacies do you have that I haven't tasted yet?"

"You must let me taste them all another day!"

"That is only natural. Didn't the Retired Emperor want to stay at the Furong Garden for a while? I will certainly let you have a good taste of any delicacies then." Su Liang decisively agreed to Li Yuan's request.

Hearing Li Er and Li Yuan's praise, everyone looked envious and were eager to try it.

Seeing the dagger for cutting meat in Li Yuan's hand, Su Liang took out his own beloved dagger, "Yufeng," and began to cut meat for everyone...

At this moment, Wu Shiyue looked at Su Liang with a flattering expression, feeling a bit embarrassed.

He had clearly misunderstood Su Liang.

The lunch lasted for a full hour, and everyone ignored all the other dishes.

The twelve or thirteen jin of roasted suckling pig was completely wiped out by Li Yuan, Wu Shiyue, Li Er, Empress Zhangsun, Changle, Little Sizi, and Su Liang.

During this time, Li Yuan, Li Er, and Wu Shiyue ate meat in large mouthfuls and drank the Son of Heaven's Smile.

At this moment, Little Sizi's little belly was already stretched tight from eating.

Shortly after the meal...

Just as everyone was drinking tea, an eight-hundred-li urgent dispatch arrived.

"Your humble servant pays respects to the Retired Emperor, pays respects to Your Majesty," the guard said, bowing respectfully.

Seeing that the person was a personal guard of Li Xiaogong, Li Er immediately asked: "What is the reason for the Prince of Hejian sending you here?"

The guard replied: "Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Your Majesty! Our Tang army of one hundred thousand has pressed the border, and the Tuoba clan of the Dangxiang has taken the lead in submitting to the Tang."

"Upon hearing this, the other seven tribes have all submitted to the Tang!!"

"Hahaha... good, good, good!!"

Li Er laughed heartily, not avoiding Li Yuan's presence at all.

After a moment, Li Er realized he had been a bit carried away, and looked at Li Yuan awkwardly: "Hehe... I wonder who Father thinks should be sent to pacify them?"

"Hehe..." Li Yuan chuckled.

He then said: "I am just an old man who doesn't ask about worldly affairs now; you should listen well to the advice of your worthy son-in-law."

Li Yuan then cast his gaze toward Su Liang.

Seeing this, Su Liang immediately expressed his opinion: "I think this matter... could be handled by the Duke of Zhao."

"Oh? Does my worthy son-in-law think the Duke of Zhao is the most suitable?" Li Er asked with a slight frown.

"The Zhangsun clan can also be considered a branch of the Xianbei Tuoba clan. Currently, the strongest of the eight Dangxiang tribes is the Tuoba clan, so the Duke of Zhao is the most suitable to go."

Su Liang said calmly, then cast his gaze toward Li Yuan.

This old fox only says he doesn't care about politics, but today I am determined to expose your true colors.

Sensing Su Liang's malicious gaze, Li Yuan coughed twice and said: "Indeed, the Henan Zhangsun clan is indeed a branch of the Tuoba clan. Sending Zhangsun Wuji this time is the most appropriate."

"Good, good, good... Then once Su Liang returns from his bride-price visit tomorrow, I shall have him make the trip," Li Er said, his face beaming.

Just as Li Er finished speaking, Li Yuan suddenly interjected: "However... those eight Tangxiang tribes are not under a single authority; we cannot rely solely on appeasement, we must also make the necessary preparations!"

Hearing this, Li Er said: "Is Father worried that the Tangxiang will be like the Tuyuhun? That they will restore their kingdom after submitting to the Sui?"

"It is good that you know!!"

Li Yuan finished his tea quietly and said with a calm expression.

He then looked at Su Liang with deep, piercing eyes and said: "I wonder what plans you have for the Tuyuhun, young Su."

*Heh... so this is what you meant when you said you didn't care about worldly affairs?* Su Liang thought to himself.

"I presume the Retired Emperor is aware of the discussions the Emperor and I had previously, regarding our plan to make the land of the Hairy People, where Cheng Chumo and Qin Huaiyu are headed, the twentieth province of our Great Tang."

"And the lands of the Tuyuhun and the Tangxiang can serve as the twenty-first province of our Great Tang!!"

Su Liang said with an imposing, domineering air.

Li Yuan said: "Do you intend to use military force against the Tuyuhun, young Su?"

Su Liang did not answer, but instead recited a poem to himself: "Dark clouds hang over the Qinghai snow mountains, from the lonely city one gazes afar at the Jade Gate Pass. After a hundred battles in the yellow sands, wearing golden armor, I shall not return until Loulan is broken."

Everyone was shocked upon hearing this, and it was not because they were stunned by Su Liang's poetic talent.

It was the meaning behind Su Liang's poem; the mention of the Qinghai snow mountains implied standing on the soil of the Tuyuhun; the Jade Gate Pass and breaking Loulan meant he intended to unify the Western Regions.

What immense spirit; in Su Liang's words, the Tuyuhun seemed as easy to obtain as reaching out one's hand.

Just as everyone was still immersed in Su Liang's poem...

Su Liang continued: "In the past, Yang Guang personally led an army of one hundred thousand to conquer the Tuyuhun in the west, slaughtering over sixty thousand people and capturing over one hundred thousand men and women. From then on, the four thousand li of the Tuyuhun's former territory from east to west, and two thousand li from north to south, all belonged to the Sui Dynasty."

"Now that the Tangxiang have submitted to the Tang, they have tens of thousands of cavalry, and our Great Tang has one hundred thousand elite troops in the Longyou and Hexi provinces."

"The mere Tuyuhun is but a trivial matter."

The Tuyuhun, also known as the Tuhun or the Henan Kingdom, was a branch of the Murong tribe of the Liaodong Xianbei.

At the end of the Western Jin Dynasty, their leader Murong Tuyuhun led his tribe to migrate west and established a state.

During the Eastern Jin and Sixteen Kingdoms period, their territory expanded to include present-day Qinghai, Gansu, and other areas, occupying the vital routes of the Silk Road.

After the Sui Dynasty was established, it once formed a marriage alliance with the Tuyuhun, sending the imperial clanswoman Princess Guanghua to marry the Tuyuhun Khan, Murong Master.

Murong Fuyun frequently spied on the movements of the Sui Dynasty, which Yang Guang detested greatly. After ascending the throne, in order to open up the Silk Road and regain control of the Western Regions, he decided to send troops to teach Murong Fuyun a lesson, destroy his Tuyuhun, and clear the obstacles on the Silk Road.

"The Tuyuhun is indeed not worth worrying about; they are merely defeated foes!" Li Yuan, having regained his composure, said in a deep voice.

In an instant, Li Yuan changed his tone and exclaimed: "Young Su, you... could it be that you intend to unify the various kingdoms of the Western Regions and reopen the Silk Road?"

"Heh... exactly!!" Su Liang admitted immediately.

"In the past, the thirty-six kingdoms of the Western Regions were all territory of the Great Han."

"Reopening the Silk Road is just around the corner!!"

Su Liang had only spoken of this within the Taoyuan Shanzhuang, and only a few dukes and ministers knew of it. As it concerned military secrets, Li Er had strictly ordered everyone to keep silent.

At this moment, Li Er was looking at Li Yuan with a smile on his face.

After Li Yuan calmed his emotions, Li Er said in a deep voice: "After the first lunar month, I will dispatch Hou Junji and Su Dingfang to lead fifty thousand troops to garrison Yizhou City first."

"The current priority is the appeasement of the Tangxiang and the internal chaos and external threats of the Subi."

"Heh..." Su Liang suddenly laughed.

"I fear the Emperor has oversimplified the matter."

"The current situation is likely different from before; once the internal chaos in the Subi is quelled, it will be the Tubo's turn to be attacked from both sides."

Had it not been agreed upon before to help the Subi quell their internal chaos and resist the Tubo? How did things change so suddenly?

Hearing this, Li Er immediately asked: "What does my son-in-law mean by this?"

Su Liang explained patiently: "Now that the Tangxiang have submitted to the Tang, what will the Fu Kingdom, which borders the Tangxiang and the Tubo, think?"

"What will the Baizi Kingdom to the east of the Fu Kingdom and the Jialiang Man to the south think?"

Li Er's gaze immediately became fervent as he stared at Su Liang and said: "Son-in-law, this... is this an attempt to take the opportunity to make these three kingdoms all submit to the Great Tang?"

"Correct... with the army pressing on their borders."

"Those who dare to challenge us with arms... shall all be executed!" Su Liang said in a deep voice.

"Hahaha... good, good, good, I support this too. Those who dare to challenge our Great Tang with arms shall all be executed!!" Li Yuan laughed heartily, his tone far more domineering than Su Liang's.