Chapter 31: Eating Roast Suckling Pig, Dangxiang Submits to Tang

Just when the groups were having a great time.

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

He originally intended to wait for the next court meeting to discuss it with the ministers, and just happened to use this to probe his father's tone.

Then he looked at his old father and said slowly: "Father... Su Liang wants to build roads in the Great Tang, what do you think?"

"Oh? Is it the same road as from Changan City to Taoyuan County?" Li Yuan asked immediately.

"Yes, Su Liang said that if you want to build, build a better road, and it will last longer." Li Er said step by step.

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

"It's just... it's just that Su Liang wants to build a five-thousand-li-long road within half a year, this..." Li Er stopped talking halfway.

"Five thousand li?" Li Yuan frowned when he heard this, his expression solemn.

After thinking for a moment, he said lightly: "Didn't my cousin also build a Grand Canal of several thousand li? Do you still need to ask for my opinion on such a beneficial move?"

"Moreover, building roads is easier than building canals."

"It's just that this time... can be longer."

At this moment, Su Liang thought to himself: The Great Tang will have a severe drought for four consecutive years in the future, it's not just a matter of building five thousand li!!

With so many free laborers, why not make good use of them.

Su Liang thought for a moment and said firmly: "No, only half a year, I can arrange this."

Li Yuan saw that Su Liang's tone was so firm, and said lightly: "Now the population of my Great Tang is insufficient, and it is impossible to mobilize migrant workers on a large scale."

"This matter benefits the country and the people. You can discuss it with the ministers in the court and arrange it well. Just don't tire the people..."

Halfway through, Li Yuan looked at Su Liang with a deep gaze and continued: "As for money... Su kid can contribute a little."

Su Liang was silent when he heard this. Li Yuan is... clearly wanting to slaughter himself, this fat sheep!!

With Su Liang's current financial resources, supporting one or two million migrant workers building roads is effortless. This money is a small matter for Su Liang, not to mention that Su Liang is thinking of using work as relief.

"As for some materials needed for road construction, if my old friend can help, let him help. It's also to pay back some favors for me." Li Yuan saw Su Liang's default and said immediately.

Su Liang also noticed Wu Shiyue's expectant gaze at this moment.

Damn... this is wanting to invest again!!

He thought to himself.

Then he chuckled: "Hehe... Retired Emperor jokes, the Wu family has been in business for generations and has a deep foundation. If we can get the help of the Duke of Ying, many things will be easier to handle."

"The Retired Emperor's words really make me ashamed."

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

"Haha... no matter, no matter." Wu Shiyue laughed heartily when he heard this.

"Don't worry, Prince of Chu, as long as I can do it, I will do my best to help!"

Then he changed the subject and looked at Su Liang happily: "It's just... I have something to trouble the Prince of Chu."

"Hehe... Duke of Ying, you are laughing at me. If you have anything, just order it. Just call me Su kid like the Retired Emperor in the future." Su Liang said.

"Good! Then I'll be blunt..." Wu Shiyue said happily.

"My little daughter just arrived in Changan, and hearing about Su kid's great talent, she has long wanted to get to know you."

"Unfortunately, Su kid, you have always been closed to visitors. I don't know when it will be convenient?"

Little daughter... little daughter...

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

The Wu Zetian in history was three years younger than Changle. 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...

Su Liang, who came back to his senses, asked immediately: "Is the little daughter mentioned by the Duke of Ying... the eleven-year-old Wu Zhao?"

"Oh? Su kid even knows my daughter's boudoir name?" Wu Shiyue said with a smile.

"My daughter is indeed just eleven years old this year!"

"Cough... cough..." Su Liang also realized that he had said something he shouldn't have, and coughed twice to ease the embarrassment.

At this time, Li Yuan was also looking at Su Liang with full confusion. Why did Su Liang know so clearly about the daughter of Wu Shiyue who was raised in the deep boudoir? During this period, the Wu Shiyue family had been living in Yuzhou.

Li Er and Empress Zhangsun were not surprised when they heard this. Su Liang could even say Cuiwei Palace and Hanfeng Hall, and there was nothing that could surprise them.

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

They had already put down the gold playing cards and looked at Su Liang with confusion.

Su Liang wished he could slap himself a few times. Isn't this clearly looking for trouble for himself?

Li Er saw that Su Liang was slightly embarrassed, and helped out: "Haha... wait until Su Liang returns to the bride's home, he will have time. At that time, you are welcome to visit Furong Garden, Duke of Ying."

"Isn't the Retired Emperor going to move to Furong Garden? You can go see him together then."

Li Er looked at Su Liang meaningfully after speaking.

Su Liang also cast a grateful look at Li Er when he heard this...

It was already near noon.

Su Liang took this opportunity to have someone bring roast suckling pig.

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

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

Su Liang just smiled slightly when he heard this.

Because pigs had not been castrated in ancient times, the fishy smell was strong and difficult to swallow, and people generally believed that pork was unclean.

Only the lower class who couldn't afford beef and mutton would eat pork, and nobles and wealthy classes would never swallow it.

It was not until the Song Dynasty that pork was gradually praised with the rise of the catering industry.

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

Li Er looked at Wu Shiyue with disdain. He was worthy of not living in Changan City, he had no knowledge at all.

Li Er had long known about Su Liang raising pigs. Su Liang introduced it to him. Castrated pork not only had no fishy smell, but was also a rare delicacy.

It's just that it only takes half a year for a pig to grow up, and it's already good to be able to eat roast suckling pig at this moment.

Li Er had long been greedy, and immediately picked up the prepared dagger himself, cut off a small piece of meat and stuffed it into his mouth.

"Haha... it is truly delicious, the skin is crispy and the meat is tender, fat but not greasy." Li Er's mouth was full of oil.

Hearing Li Er's praise, Li Yuan also became interested when he saw the roast suckling pig that was golden and oily and exuded a rich fragrance. Li Yuan had also sent people to buy food from Su Liang's restaurant many times, which was quite delicious.

Then he snatched the dagger from Li Er's hand and cut the pork...

A few breaths later...

"Hiss... this meat is slightly spicy and fragrant, the meat is not greasy or mutton-like, and the meat is tender and the bones are crispy."

Li Yuan praised after eating.

Then he looked at Su Liang and laughed heartily: "Haha... Su kid, what other delicacies have I not tasted?"

"You must let me taste them another day!"

"That's natural. Isn't the Retired Emperor planning to move to Furong Garden for a short stay? When the time comes, I will definitely let the Retired Emperor taste the delicacies." Su Liang agreed decisively to Li Yuan's request.

Hearing Li Er and Li Yuan's praise, everyone looked greedy and tried to move.

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

At this moment, Wu Shiyue looked at Su Liang with flattery, a little embarrassed.

He... clearly misunderstood Su Liang.

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

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

During this period, Li Yuan, Li Er, and Wu Shiyue ate meat and drank Son of Heaven Xiao.

At this moment, Little Sizi's belly was already tight.

Not long after the meal...

Just when everyone was drinking tea, an eight-hundred-li emergency arrived.

"Your minister pays respects to the Retired Emperor, pays respects to Your Majesty." The guard saluted respectfully.

Li Er saw that the visitor was Li Xiaogong's guard, and asked immediately: "What is the reason for the Prince of Hejian sending you here?"

The guard replied: "Congratulations to Your Majesty! Congratulations to Your Majesty! Our Tang army of one hundred thousand is at the border, and the Dangxiang Tuoba clan is the first to submit to Tang."

"After the other seven tribes heard this, they all submitted to Tang!!"

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

Li Er laughed heartily, without avoiding Li Yuan's presence at all.

Not long after, Li Er also realized that he was a bit carried away, and then looked at Li Yuan awkwardly and said: "Hehe... I don't know who Father thinks is suitable to go and appease them?"

"Hehe..." Li Yuan chuckled.

Then he said: "Now I am just an old man who doesn't ask about world affairs. You should listen to your good son-in-law's opinion."

Then Li Yuan cast his gaze on Su Liang.

Su Liang saw this and immediately expressed his opinion: "I think this matter... can be handled by the Duke of Zhao."

"Oh? Do you think the Duke of Zhao is the most suitable, good son-in-law?" Li Er asked with a frown.

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

Su Liang said lightly, and then cast his gaze on Li Yuan.

This old fox only says he doesn't care about politics, today I will expose your background.

Feeling Su Liang's unkind gaze, Li Yuan coughed twice and said: "Not bad, the Henan Zhangsun clan is indeed a branch of the Tuoba clan. It is most appropriate for Zhangsun Wuji to go this time."

"Good, good, good... then wait for Su Liang to return to the bride's home tomorrow, and I will let him run a trip." Li Er was full of spring breeze.

Just as Li Er finished speaking, Li Yuan suddenly said: "However... the eight Dangxiang tribes are not under a unified command, so we cannot just appease them, we must also make corresponding preparations!"

Li Er heard this and said: "Is Father worried that the Dangxiang will be the same as Tuyuhun? After submitting to Sui, they will restore the country?"

"Good to know!!"

Li Yuan finished drinking a cup of tea quietly, and said calmly.

Then he looked at Su Liang with a deep gaze: "I don't know what Su kid plans for Tuyuhun."

Hehe... is this what you said you don't ask about politics? Su Liang thought to himself.

"I think the Retired Emperor also knows the discussion between me and His Majesty in the past, planning to make the country of the hairy people where Cheng Chumo, Qin Huaiyu, and others went the twentieth province of my Great Tang."

"And Tuyuhun and Dangxiang can be the twenty-first province of my Great Tang!!"

Su Liang said domineeringly.

Li Yuan said: "Su kid wants to use troops against Tuyuhun?"

Su Liang didn't answer, and chanted a poem to himself: "The long clouds in Qinghai darken the snow mountains, the lonely city looks at the Yumen Pass from afar. The yellow sand has worn through the golden armor after a hundred battles, and I will not return until I break Loulan."

Everyone was shocked when they heard this, not shocked by Su Liang's poetic talent.

But the meaning in Su Liang's poem, Qinghai snow mountains, isn't that implying standing on the territory of Tuyuhun; Yumen Pass, breaking Loulan, this is to unify the Western Regions.

What kind of spirit is this, Tuyuhun is like something that can be obtained in Su Liang's mouth.

Just when 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 Tuyuhun in the west, killing more than sixty thousand people and capturing more than one hundred thousand men and women. Since then, the four thousand li of Tuyuhun in the east and west, and the two thousand li in the north and south have all belonged to the Sui Dynasty."

"Now that Dangxiang has submitted to Tang, there are also several thousand cavalry, and there are one hundred thousand elite soldiers of my Great Tang in Longyou and Hexi."

"Mere Tuyuhun, a small path."

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

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

During the Eastern Jin and Sixteen Kingdoms period, the territory expanded to include today's Qinghai, Gansu, and other places, occupying the main road of the Silk Road.

After the establishment of the Sui Dynasty, it once married Tuyuhun, and the clan woman, Princess Guanghua, married the Tuyuhun Khan, Murong Master.

Murong Fuyun often spied on the Sui Dynasty's movements. Yang Guang hated this very much. 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, eliminate his Tuyuhun, and clear the obstacles of the Silk Road.

"Tuyuhun is indeed not worth worrying about, just a defeated general!" Li Yuan, who came back to his senses, said in a deep voice immediately.

In an instant, Li Yuan changed the subject and exclaimed: "Su kid, you... could it be that you plan to unify the countries of the Western Regions and reopen the Silk Road?"

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

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

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

Su Liang only talked about this in Taoyuan Shanzhuang, and only a few ministers knew about it. It was a military secret, and Li Er also strictly ordered everyone to keep their mouths shut.

At this moment, Li Er looked at Li Yuan with a smile.

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

"Currently, the important thing is the appeasement work of Dangxiang, and the foreign enemies and internal rebellion of Su Pi."

"Hehe..." Su Liang suddenly laughed.

"I'm afraid Your Majesty thinks things are too simple."

"The current situation is afraid that it is different from before. After the internal rebellion in Su Pi is settled, it will be the turn of the Tibetan Empire to be attacked from both sides."

Didn't we agree to help Su Pi settle the internal rebellion and resist the Tibetan Empire? How did it change for no reason?

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

Su Liang explained patiently: "Now that Dangxiang has submitted to Tang, what will the Fu Kingdom, which is adjacent to Dangxiang and the Tibetan Empire, think?"

"What will the Baizi Kingdom on the east side of the Fu Kingdom and the Jialiang Barbarians in the south think?"

Li Er's eyes became hot, staring at Su Liang and said: "Good son-in-law, this... is wanting to take the opportunity to let these three countries all submit to the Great Tang?"

"Not bad... the army is at the border."

"Those who dare to call for troops... all beheaded!" Su Liang said in a deep voice.

"Hahaha... good, good, good, I also support it. Those who dare to call for troops against my Great Tang, all beheaded!!" Li Yuan laughed heartily, even more domineering than Su Liang's tone. ===== CHAPTER 32 =====