The Human Emperor (1-200)

C96: Circumstances (3)

“Grandfather and elders, you’ve all said that in the past, on the borders with the Eastern and Western Turkic Khaganate, in the barren lands where there is no fortresses or defensive infrastructures, we were able to trade two for three. But now, it has been reduced to one is to one, and sometimes, our death toll may even be higher than theirs. Do grandfather and the elders really think that this is just due to their steel weapons? Do you think that the Eastern and Western Turkic Khaganate would fall into decline just by restricting trade?”

Wang Chong organized his thoughts before facing the gazes of the elders in the conference hall. His words immediately stumped the crowd. Everyone was obsessed with the problem regarding the weapons, and they failed to think deeper into the issue.

Just like Wang Chong said, the rise of the Eastern and Western Khaganate has already become a reality, and this wasn’t something that a few steel weapons could change.

“Chong-er, what are you trying to say?”

A grim look appeared on Big Uncle Wang Gen’s face. As an authoritative official of the royal court, he had the right to participate in discussions on governance, so he was extremely sensitive toward such matters.

“The nomads of the grasslands would usher in an era of prosperity once every hundred years, and this is something unavoidable. This situation occurred with the previous Qin, Han, and Sui Dynasty, and now, the Great Tang has encountered the same situation as well. This is no longer a problem regarding the Eastern and Western Turkic Khaganate of the north. It is the same for the Ü-Tsang highlands in the west, Goguryeo in the east, and Erhai in the south.”

“We cannot change these nomadic tribes! The only thing we can change is ourselves! That’s why grandson said that the problem doesn’t lie in the borders, but within our territories. The Eastern and Western Turkic Khaganate aren’t the problem, Great Tang is!”

Wang Chong spoke seriously. Despite reincarnating back into this era, when he thought about the severe circumstances before Great Tang, he couldn’t help but worry.

He was the only one who knew that Great Tang’s days were numbered, and perturbed, he found himself unable to fall sleep on most nights.

All in this conference hall were influential officials. Even though most have retired, the connections they’ve built throughout their lifetime still existed, and their clans still possessed massive influence in the empire.

‘The dam of a thousand li could crumble under an ant’s nest’. The current Great Tang was already facing peril from all directions, and all that was required was a trigger before it all explodes. Since those in this conference hall were able to notice the issue regarding the Eastern and Western Turkic Khaganates in advance, it could be seen that they possessed foresight.

But Wang Chong knew that this wasn’t enough. This wasn’t the core of the problem.

Wang Chong had to find a way to warn them, and through this conference hall, he would influence even more people!

“… But the Central Plains has been peaceful for too long. In the era of the Emperor Taizong, the Eastern and Western Khaganate have been forced to the north of the Yin Mountains. At the same time, many nomadic tribes gave in to the royal court, thus allowing the Great Tang to conquer Annam. Then, during the time of the preceding emperor, he established the Northern Protectorate Manor, Chanyu Protectorate Manor, and Southern Protectorate Manor, thus expanding the influence of the Great Tang once more. Then, in the current era, the Great Tang managed to expand westward, and the Western Protectorate Manor was established.”

“The Great Tang has achieved many victories over the years, bringing the entire empire to the peak of its influence. Not only did we surpass the Sui Dynasty, we also surpassed the Han and Qin, and the Central Plains has reached a level of unprecedented might! But have grandfather and elders realized yet? It is precisely because of this that the entire royal court is starting to get ‘complacent’.”