Chapter 476: Chapter 29: Tribute from Four Corners, Renewed Codes and Institutions

As Jie Li Khan stepped into the grand hall, Li Yuan on the dragon throne instantly stood up.

His entire gaze became increasingly complex at that moment.

He still remembered Jie Li Khan’s attitude towards him long before the uprising, never imagining he could completely switch positions with Jie Li in his lifetime.

Jie Li also noticed Li Yuan.

However, his expression did not change but instead silently glanced at Li Shimin beside him.

The hall was instantly silent.

Li Shimin’s expression remained unchanged from beginning to end, simply staring with his abyss-like eyes at Jie Li Khan.

Everyone’s gaze immediately turned towards Jie Li Khan, with varied expressions.

A strong sense of oppression swept through instantly.

Jie Li Khan couldn’t help but lower his head and slowly headed towards the center of the hall, then directly knelt under everyone’s gaze.

"Guilty..."

"The guilty subject pays respects to the Emperor of Great Tang."

Jie Li Khan buried his head deeply into the ground, trembling as he spoke these words.

The silence was instantly broken.

——Seeing Jie Li Khan in front of them, disbelief flashed across the eyes of the emissaries from the grassland tribes.

Was this still the Eastern Turkic Khan who once dominated the grassland?

How could he be so humble?

Did he directly kneel and pay respect to Li Shimin, calling himself a guilty subject?

Even the ministers of Great Tang were stunned.

But in just a moment, smiles of pride appeared on their faces.

Li Yuan was the same.

Watching the Turkic Khan he once considered a nightmare kneeling before him, even his body shook slightly.

He instinctively wanted to say something.

But at that moment, Li Shimin’s voice suddenly sounded: "Rise."

Li Shimin’s voice was still as steady as ever.

In an instant, Li Yuan swallowed back the words that came to his lips.

Beside him, Li Shimin also slowly stood up at that moment, standing on the jade steps, looking down at Jie Li, and calmly said: "Jie Li, you are indeed a guilty subject!"

"In the past, I have made several alliances with you, yet you repeatedly broke them and plundered the people of Great Tang."

"But a Great Khan should have the demeanor of a Great Khan!"

Li Shimin’s tone was very calm.

But each word fell like thunder in the hearts of Jie Li Khan and the emissaries from the tribes.

Jie Li Khan remained with his head buried deeply in the ground, not daring to say another word.

The hall was silent once more.

Even Li Yuan at this point could feel the aura emanating from Li Shimin.

This was the majesty unique to an Emperor with an invincible heart.

This majesty, even he had never had in the past.

In an instant, Li Yuan’s thoughts grew increasingly complex.

Li Shimin didn’t care about what others thought; he walked down the steps slowly, each step echoing in everyone’s hearts.

When he reached Jie Li, Li Shimin looked down at him, his tone calm yet hiding thunder: "I pardon you from the death penalty!"

At these words, a faint gasp sounded through the hall.​

The tribal emissaries all looked shocked!

Forgive Jie Li Khan?

Li Shimin was so merciful?

In a brief instant, their previously troubled hearts settled down directly.

Everyone understood that since Li Shimin could do this, it demonstrated his benevolence.

——He would not vent his anger on the various tribes.

"But——"

"The death penalty can be avoided, but living punishment is inevitable!"

"..."

Li Shimin paid no attention to what anyone thought at this point, publicly stating his series of arrangements.

These were based on the policies previously enacted by Gu Ye.

But he made a series of improvements and upgrades on top of them.

The progress in the system was evident at such times.

The main reason Gu Yi never took too big of steps was precisely due to this.

Humanity must always move forward.

And if he took steps too large, causing cultural and institutional advancement to become a precipitous leap, even if initially successful, it would undoubtedly cost the entire Kyushu in other ways.

Gu Yi was also focused on this matter, carefully considering Li Shimin’s various arrangements.

The core was still focused on culture, trade, and beliefs.

Only, on Gu Ye’s previous foundation.

Li Shimin added many more restrictions.

For instance, in trade, Li Shimin now required that the merchant teams coming to trade must have at least one person capable of writing a hundred Chinese characters.

And this was just the basic level.

Beyond that were the cultural cores of the Confucian classics. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Mastering these skills would bring even greater rewards.

Such actions would have been impossible to succeed back then.

But now things were different.

With the foundation that Gu Ye had built, the culture of Kyushu was no longer entirely unfamiliar to the various tribes of the grasslands.

This was the core reason why Li Shimin acted in this manner.

Of course, this was just one example.

Additionally, complete reforms related to the imperial exams and the faith education of tribal offspring were also included in this series of measures.

Though it may seem insignificant at first glance,

Gu Yi was very clear on how extraordinary the significance of this was for Kyushu as a whole.

As long as the timeline extended long enough,

when the culture of Kyushu had fully spread in the vast lands of the Northern Border, Kyushu would surely enter a period of rapid development.

This was an achievement for the ages!

And this achievement was initiated by the Gu Clan!

Everyone listened intently, and these tribal emissaries understood this was not just a message to Jie Li Khan.

Jie Li Khan had already become a prisoner and could only follow Li Shimin’s arrangements.

They were the key element in all this.

Though these tribes were scattered and individually weak, if they could unite, they too represented a formidable power.

They all understood that this was the new system the Central Plains dynasty intended for them.

Even if they couldn’t fully comprehend its intricacies immediately,

they also understood,

as this system gradually took hold, the offspring of their tribes would become a part of Kyushu, just as in the past.

But to them, this was not a bad thing.

Who now couldn’t see that the prosperity of Kyushu was at hand?

Integrating into Kyushu under these circumstances would be a blessing for all of them.

The conversation gradually subsided.

Jie Li Khan didn’t hesitate and once again knelt before Li Shimin: "This guilty minister thanks Your Majesty for Your heavenly grace!"

——The banquet continued.

From beginning to end, Li Shimin did not say much to the tribal emissaries.

He merely accepted the gifts they brought.

After all, they were just emissaries, and regardless of what they personally felt about the policies of Great Tang, they had to deliver these messages back and wait for their tribal leaders’ directives.

The banquet concluded under these circumstances.

Li Yuan truly got drunk.

As he was about to leave, he surprisingly grabbed Li Shimin’s hand, his eyes red as if filled with countless words.

He ultimately fully acknowledged his son.

Li Shimin’s capabilities indeed surpassed those of Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji, and even his own as their father.

The former estrangement seemed to diminish significantly from this day forth, even causing Li Shimin’s eyes to redden slightly.

And the next day, the emissaries from the tribes hurriedly left Chang’an.

Regarding this, Li Shimin, of course, received the news immediately.

The ministers were all deeply concerned about this matter, as were Li Shimin’s trusted aides.

With the Eastern Turks eliminated, the grasslands would return to a state of multiple tribal presences, and with Great Tang’s involvement, these forces would become more balanced.

If none of these tribes were willing to heed Great Tang, it would certainly be a troublesome matter for them.

But Li Shimin was utterly unconcerned by this.

For him,

any obstacle hindering Great Tang’s rise would be crushed by him.

He didn’t care about these tribes’ attitudes.

Great Tang’s system would not change for anyone; it must always move forward!....

....

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