vrcanaries Chapter 514: Disadvantages of the 5-Beijing System
Chapter 514: Disadvantages of the 5-Beijing System
In July of the fifteenth year of Qianwu, the land in the northwest was scorched by the scorching sun, and the air was filled with a hot breath.
On the official road, billowing dust rose with the sound of hurried horse hooves. Wang Xuance pulled the reins, and the delegation behind him was in neat and orderly order.
The faces of the delegation members were marked with fatigue by the wind and sand, but the determination in their eyes could not be concealed.
They slept in the open air and experienced many hardships along the way before finally arriving at the Xinjiang Road of the Tang Dynasty.
The delegation's return saved them the trouble of a long journey back to Chang'an to report.
Behind this is the role played by the Five Capitals System of the Tang Dynasty.
Since its implementation, the Five Capitals System has demonstrated unique advantages in managing the complex affairs of a vast empire.
It gave great power to the envoys sent to the capital. Although this system was controversial, it was of vital importance in the contemporary Tang Dynasty.
Like a sophisticated ruling network, the various capital regions were closely connected through envoys from the capital, allowing government orders to be transmitted to all directions quickly and accurately.
Many people inside and outside the court knew that the smooth operation of the Five Capitals System was mainly due to the high prestige of the current emperor.
Your Majesty's majesty intimidates all forces, so that although the envoys sent to the capital hold the power to make decisions on the spot and have almost absolute control over government affairs, they dare not act recklessly.
However, if future monarchs are incapable of managing this system, and if the local garrison generals collude with the ambitious envoys to the capital, the consequences will be disastrous.
At that time, local forces would grow stronger, the authority of the imperial court would be damaged, and the ruling foundation of the Tang Dynasty would face serious threats.
Therefore, everyone knows that this five-capital system can probably only play its positive role when Your Majesty is in power.
Xijing was established in Luntai, Xinjiang Road.
Luntai did not have the magnificent palace like Chang'an, but only a simple and unpretentious people's hall.
The hall is made of adobe, with wooden beams supporting the slightly old roof, exuding a rustic atmosphere.
On weekdays, this is where envoys from Xijing handle government affairs.
At this time, Wu Meiniang was sitting in front of the desk in the hall, concentrating on dealing with the memorials submitted by the six western regions.
There was a mountain of paperwork in front of her, and the sunlight shone through the window onto her, illuminating her serious face.
Wu Meiniang was thoughtful and intelligent. She could always make quick judgments and handle trivial daily affairs properly with her wisdom.
But once she encountered major matters involving people's livelihood, military affairs, diplomacy, etc., she would rigorously organize the relevant documents, submit them to Chang'an as soon as possible, and hand them over to Li Chengqian for personal decision.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps were heard outside the hall, breaking the original silence.
Di Renjie looked hurried, with beads of sweat on his forehead and his hair a little messy from his haste. He hurried into the hall from outside in a hurry.
"Sister Wu, something happened. The Indian delegation is back!"
Di Renjie was panting, his voice filled with obvious anxiety.
When Wu Meiniang heard this, the pen in her hand paused slightly, and she slowly raised her head. Her delicate eyebrows unconsciously wrinkled, and her eyes were full of confusion.
"The delegation has returned? According to the normal schedule, they should be back in June next year. What happened?"
Wu Meiniang's voice was steady and calm. Her years of experience in officialdom allowed her to remain calm when faced with emergencies, but there was still a trace of worry in her eyes that was difficult to conceal.
"Yes, Tianzhu attacked our Tang Dynasty delegation."
Di Renjie's words were like a heavy hammer, causing a huge uproar in the hall.
Hearing Di Renjie's words, Wu Meiniang couldn't help but widen her eyes with disbelief.
She subconsciously put down the pen in her hand and leaned forward slightly, as if wanting to confirm that she had heard correctly.
The Tang Dynasty's delegation was led by Wang Xuance.
In Wu Meiniang's expectation, the so-called accident might be the sudden death of an important person in the delegation, or they might encounter a severe natural disaster or a sudden epidemic, which made it impossible to complete the mission and had to return early.
However, she could not imagine, no matter how hard she tried, that someone would be so bold as to openly attack the Tang Dynasty's delegation.
This is simply unbelievable. Are all Indians orphans? Do they have no parents or relatives?
Given the great prestige of the Tang Dynasty, such provocative behavior was simply too bold.
"Is this true?"
Wu Meiniang stared at Di Renjie closely, her eyes revealing scrutiny, as if she wanted to confirm the authenticity of the matter from his expression.
"How's the battle going?"
She then asked again, her tone more anxious, eager to know the details.
"Battle situation..."
When Di Renjie said this, he was slightly stunned, and a complicated expression appeared on his face, as if he was recalling the shocking scene.
"The delegation fought against 5,000 Indian cavalrymen, chasing them for over a hundred miles and beheading over a thousand. They returned with the heads of the Indian cavalrymen, saying they wanted to count them as military merits."
Di Renjie spoke slowly, with a hint of amazement in his tone, and he was deeply impressed by the heroic performance of the delegation.
After saying this, Wu Meiniang was speechless for a moment and didn't know how to respond.
She was originally full of worries, thinking that the delegation would suffer heavy losses in this attack.
But unexpectedly, the final result was that the Tang Dynasty delegation won a great victory.
But even so, the fact that the Indians attacked the Tang Dynasty delegation cannot be changed. This alone is enough to bring devastating disaster to India.
The majesty of the Tang Dynasty cannot be challenged, and any offensive behavior will be severely punished.
"Where is Wang Xuance now?"
Wu Meiniang quickly came to her senses and looked at Di Renjie.
It’s not that she didn’t believe Di Renjie’s words, but this matter was of great importance. Every detail might affect the Tang Dynasty’s decision on India. Every word they said here might determine the fate of a country. There was no room for carelessness and it had to be treated with caution.
"Wang Xuance is waiting outside the hall." Di Renjie replied quickly.
"Okay, Xiao Di, go let him in. I'll ask him what happened to avoid any misunderstandings."
Wu Meiniang said this solemnly, with a calm tone in her voice.
"Okay, Sister Wu." Di Renjie responded, turned around and walked out of the hall quickly.
On weekdays, there are many people working in the hall. Xijing has its own complete and efficient administrative team. Officials in various positions perform their duties and handle various affairs in an orderly manner.
But today happens to be a holiday, and most people are resting and enjoying their rare leisure time.
Only Wu Meiniang and Di Renjie still stick to their posts. They work all year round, for fear that their subordinates will not be able to find them when encountering emergencies, thus delaying the handling of important matters.
Not long after, Di Renjie and Wang Xuance came in. Wang Xuance's official robe looked a little worn.
When he saw Wu Meiniang, he immediately straightened his slightly messy clothes and bowed respectfully.
"Your humble servant, Wang Xuance, Counselor of the Ministry of Rites, pays homage to the military envoy to the capital!"