Li Shimin was a military commander, and many things did not need to be explained in detail. Just like the situation in the Western Regions now, a war was about to break out. If these unstable factors were not eliminated, then when we were fighting, we would always have to worry about fires in the rear.
We have all come from the battlefield. If this situation occurs, let alone winning the victory on the front line, just being worried every day will have depleted half of our combat effectiveness. How can we win the battle for the empire?
After hearing Li Xiang's explanation, many people nodded. Since the Arab Empire is our strong enemy, we should take down their frontier positions first.
After occupying the city of Samarkand, our controlled area advanced nearly 2,000 miles to the west. Although we did not actually occupy these places, according to our previous policy of delegation, our controlled area can be extended much further west. If the Arab Empire's army attacks at that time, it will not be on our territory.
"What's the point of accusing you of indiscriminately conscripting soldiers in the Western Regions? You're taking away 3,000 soldiers and a transport team of 1,500 from a city of only 30,000 people. That's like taking away the entire city's young and strong labor force. How can this city still exist?"
Li Shimin found one of the memorials and said that this matter was indeed a bit too much. Li Xiang had previously described to everyone what sustainable development was. Is this how you practice sustainable development?
"Grandfather, this isn't our fault. The entire city has previously collaborated with the Arab Empire. If I were to destroy it directly, it would probably cause a lot of resistance. It's better to cut it slowly..."
Li Xiang answered the questions calmly. Only then did everyone realize that it was not Cheng Chuliang who made the decision on his own, but that everything came from Li Xiang. That was why they had such courage. Otherwise, how could they destroy more than a dozen cities directly?
Everyone knows that slow cutting of flesh does not hurt. Just because you cooperate with the Arab Empire, your city will not be able to stay. Everyone here is a cruel and ruthless person. You have still betrayed the Tang Empire, so you can no longer be considered as the citizens of our country.
After listening to Li Xiang's explanation, Li Shimin's expression eased a little.
If you're not ruthless enough when facing traitors, you'll be devoured by them sooner or later. Li Shimin faced immense difficulties in his early years of building his empire, so how could he not know this? The people of these dozen cities might sound like a lot, but in Li Shimin's heart, they held little weight. If he wanted to maintain the rule of the Tang Dynasty, he could just destroy them.
What's more, we didn't kill these people, we just drove them to other cities. When the population of this city becomes fewer and fewer, then this city will definitely not be able to survive and will become a ruin in the future.
Since we don't have the ability to control this place, it will become an enemy stronghold. So, we might as well slowly destroy it. This is also in line with the Tang Dynasty's rule over the border areas. Who made us not have the ability now? It won't be too late to rebuild this place when we have the ability.
"Then what's going on in the capital? Suddenly, so many people are paying attention to the situation in the Western Regions. Do you think they have all been infiltrated by the Arab Empire?"
There are more and more foreigners in Chang'an City. It is almost a capital of all nations. Before Li Xiang rose to power, there were already quite a few foreigners here. Although the court has strictly controlled them in recent years, and the Imperial City Office has not been idle, conducting large-scale screening of these people from time to time, it is still inevitable that some spies sneak in.
"I don't think we can say that all of them have been infiltrated, but some of them are definitely trying to use this incident to cause trouble. So why not follow General Cheng's advice and pick out the most enthusiastic ones? Strike the snake at its weakest point first and see how they react."
After Li Xiang finished speaking, the people around him also gasped. If this is the case, wouldn't the enlightened policies of the Tang Dynasty be affected? Will there be people who will speak out against this in the future?
"Of course, I understand what you are all worried about. We cannot just arrest people without evidence. If we do, that is not the way the Tang Dynasty does things."
Seeing the faces of the adults around him change drastically, Li Xiang hurriedly explained the matter. Arresting people indiscriminately is definitely not an enlightened court, but if we have evidence in our hands, we must act according to the law.
"Do you have evidence of their secret dealings with foreign countries?"
Li Shimin said with some surprise that almost everyone knew that the Five Surnames and Seven Families had secret dealings with foreign countries, but it was very difficult to get evidence to catch them. Several cases had been solved before, but when it came to an intermediary manager, the line was immediately cut off.
"My grandson doesn't have such great ability, but fortresses are always breached from the inside, and some people have it."
All those present were Li Shimin's confidants, and they were all highly respected people. They had participated in such meetings more than once or twice. When Li Xiang said this, a figure immediately appeared in everyone's mind, that was Mr. Cui Sanye, the current head of the Cui family.
The Cui family was originally the leader of the Five Surnames and Seven Families. They could be said to have commanded these old nobles to confront the imperial court, and they had once reached their peak. However, after Li Xiang's rise, Mr. Cui Sanye immediately noticed the changes that would follow.
This guy is not a fool, how could he accompany others to continue to decline? So Mr. Cui made an amazing decision, which was to connect him with Li Xiang. As for what the Cui family and other families thought, he didn't care so much.
Under the court's repeated punishments, the other major families suffered heavy losses, but the court had actual evidence in its hands, and these people had nothing to say. They could only watch their branches and leaves being chopped off one after another.
But it is different for Mr. Cui Sanye and his direct lineage. After the power of these old nobles was eliminated, the court naturally benefited the most, but Mr. Cui Sanye was able to rank second or even third, which is very suspicious.
Now that Li Xiang said this, it must be that Mr. Cui Sanye leaked the information again...
