After a few drinks, everyone no longer felt as unfamiliar as before, although the king of Nanzhao had some resentment towards Li Xiang in his heart. After all, Li Xiang had turned him into a king who lost his country.
But after hearing what his daughter said in the afternoon, the old man felt relieved. At least Li Xiang was good to his daughter.
If it were in the past, he probably wouldn't care about what his daughter was thinking, so he would marry her to Chang'an at such a young age. He was not a person who cared about the love between his daughters.
But since he lost his power as king, this guy has become different from before. Instead, he began to miss his family.
But he discovered something strange. Originally, the two daughters had a very good relationship. Even if he didn't ask, Yongning would include her sister's information when writing letters. But this time, Yongning seemed to deliberately avoid it.
The old king guessed that his two daughters were having a quarrel. When he had time, he would tell his youngest daughter that the two sisters lived alone in the north of Chang'an City, where the wind was strong and it was difficult for one person to support the family. If the two sisters quarreled again, it would easily give others an opportunity to sow discord between them, so it was better to reconcile as soon as possible.
"Your Highness, please."
The old king raised the wine glass in his hand. This time the seat was different from the last time. Last time when Li Xiang came, the two were equal, one on the left and one on the right, leaving the middle seat empty.
But this time Li Xiang sat in the main seat. The old king was still very polite. Last time he was still the king of Nanzhao. Although it was also a vassal state of the Tang Dynasty, it still had some power in its hands.
What rights do you have now? The entire country is under the control of the Tang army. Even if there are some Nanzhao troops, personnel appointments and supplies have nothing to do with you. Aside from some palace officials, I'm afraid you can't appoint any other positions. You are a puppet emperor.
In terms of controlling these puppet emperors, Li Xiang can be said to have achieved the ultimate. Seventy percent of the people in the palace are from the Tang Dynasty. If you have any objections, then this puppet emperor may not be able to continue.
Although the old king's life was not very comfortable, at least he was still alive. In addition, after hearing about the Fuso Emperor, the old king also felt that he was relatively lucky. If this marriage had not been facilitated before the mutiny, he might also be studying Buddhism in Chang'an City.
"I heard that His Highness came to Nanzhao not only to let my daughter visit relatives, but also to prepare for the war in Nan County. I wonder if this is true?"
The old king said tentatively, and Li Xiang also raised his eyebrows. Could it be that this old man has other ideas? You are just a puppet now. Apart from the palace, other places have nothing to do with you.
"This matter still requires long-term discussion, and there is no conclusion yet. Does my father-in-law have any suggestions?"
Li Xiang couldn't figure out what the old king was thinking, but since Yongning was sitting next to him, Li Xiang couldn't embarrass the old man, so he still had to follow the proper etiquette.
There was laughter and chatter elsewhere on the table, but everyone was chatting absent-mindedly. Most people had their ears perked up, listening to the conversation between the old king and Li Xiang.
"How can I offer any advice? I'm a complete failure in both military affairs and governing the country. I dare not mention this in front of Your Highness. However, I still have many good men in Nanzhao. If Your Highness wishes to wage war in Nan County, could you allow them to join the army? Or perhaps let them serve as laborers or something like that? This year, the Nanzhao Khan..."
After hearing this, Li Xiang suddenly realized that the old man was not asking for himself, but for the people of Nanzhao as a whole.
The war between the old king and his brother did not have much impact, but natural disasters came to Nanzhao. There should have been a lot of rain in the rainy season, but this year there was nearly 90% less rain than in previous years, so the grain harvest in the fields was extremely small. If the Tang Dynasty had not transported grain, who knows how many people would have starved to death.
But this is only an emergency relief, not a poverty relief. There are still many people in society who cannot have enough food to eat. If Li Xiang really wants to attack the south, he can recruit these people and give them something to eat. Then there will be no serious security cases in society.
"I will consider this matter appropriately."
With Li Xiang's answer, everyone present breathed a sigh of relief. To put it bluntly, they still cared about the people.
"Father-in-law, have you ever thought about becoming an official?"
When they finished drinking, Li Xiang saw that the old king was also hesitant. He didn't know what this guy was thinking, so Li Xiang asked casually.
"No, no, I'm an old man, what can I do outside? However, there are several outstanding talents among the children of the Nanzhao royal family. If Your Highness thinks it's possible, you can bring them to the southern battlefield to train them. If not, let them come back. If possible..."
After hearing the old king's words, the most concerned issue came to mind. Many people wanted their sons or nephews to go to the battlefield to gain some experience. They could gain some knowledge. If they could make some achievements, they would have something to eat when Li Xiang divided the world in the future.
But if he stayed in the Nanzhao Royal City, he would have no future at all. The old king had been sidelined and now he had no power at all, let alone other people.
"This matter is rather difficult and requires the approval of the Ministry of War, so I can't do anything about it."
It is absolutely impossible to develop in the army. The army is the foundation of stability. Except for the people of the Tang Dynasty, Li Xiang will never give any chance even to the common people of Nanzhao.
When everyone present heard Li Xiang's words, they were very disappointed. They also knew that military power was a sensitive issue, so when Li Xiang said this, these people were just disappointed.
"However, during the offensive, we will definitely need some secondary troops. If they are interested, they can, with the support of the imperial court, establish several armies composed exclusively of Nanzhao people to fight alongside our army."
Li Xiang closed the door, but opened a window for these people. After hearing Li Xiang's words, these people's eyes flashed with golden light. The Nanzhao people's own army was also capable.
As long as we don't let them continue to decline in the royal city, otherwise they will just end up living a life of idleness and waiting to die.
