Each telegraph came with a telegraph operator, considered on loan here. Their term was five years, after which they could choose to return to their country.
The countries fortunate enough to receive telegraph gifts all treasured this talent greatly. They not only provided him with housing and servants but also sent money and goods. Some countries even promised high positions, as long as he was willing to stay permanently and teach their people to use the telegraph.
Zhao Hanzhang didn’t care how they enticed them. Since she sent out the telegraphs and people, naturally she wasn’t afraid of them using and possessing them.
She hoped this world would become better and better—better as a whole, not just the East flourishing alone. Otherwise, it would be easily destroyed by wind.
When the outside became better, it would certainly give back to the inside. She had the patience to wait for Hua Xia’s unification, and also the patience to wait for technology to radiate outward and then give back.
She said to the officials, “What countries and people exist west of Dawan? Is there land at the end of the great sea? The places we can see are too limited. Heaven and earth are vast and broad—our human power still cannot measure them. How do we know there are no heavens beyond heaven, no people beyond people?”
“So we cannot stop moving forward. We have already evolved the current telegraphs and generators to the third generation—we should have closer exchanges with neighboring countries. Perhaps they might have even more wonderful ideas?” Zhao Hanzhang said, “When the world is greatly peaceful and the world is greatly good, that is truly good.”
The officials agreed. They also wanted to know which countries existed west of Dawan, whether there was land east of the great sea, where the northernmost place the Xiongnu reached was, and what was there.
Information that human power had difficulty transmitting, the telegraph could.
Perhaps feeling the Hua Kingdom’s strength, or perhaps sensing from Zhao Hanzhang the familiar heart of Han Dynasty emperors, the Western Regions nations formally submitted diplomatic letters pledging allegiance on the first day of the first month of the ninth year of Yuanzhen.
The envoys from twelve countries that Zhao Xin brought back all knelt together in the great hall submitting diplomatic letters, requesting the Emperor to accept their countries as tributary states.
Although this matter wasn’t a secret—after all, they needed to give notice before submitting diplomatic letters, and some officials participated and already knew—the remaining officials had also heard rumors.
But when twelve envoys really did submit diplomatic letters together, it still shocked them greatly.
Especially Duke Chengguo’s heir Li Ban and the Western Qiang tribal chiefs who came to observe the ceremony.
Last year, the Western Qiang pledged allegiance. Zhao Hanzhang divided the Western Qiang in two, establishing the Wusifan Command and Duogan Command respectively. Yao Yizhong was appointed Commander of the Duogan Command, Ji Ping as Commander of the Wusifan Command.
In other words, the entire Qinghai-Tibet Plateau had all submitted. Currently, east of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, only Duke Chengguo remained as a tributary state.
Because of this, Li Xiong was anxious and uneasy. Moreover, Duke Chengguo was self-governing—the legal system and institutions couldn’t achieve self-consistency. Subordinate generals often appointed themselves to official positions, arrogant and unrestrained, frequently committing offenses but never being punished.
Li Xiong already felt his ability was insufficient to control such a large territory. Most critically, he found it very difficult to say no to his meritorious subordinates. Plus his sons were very dissatisfied with his establishment of Li Ban as heir, and internal strife in the country grew increasingly severe.
Two years ago, the elderly Prime Minister Fan Changsheng passed away. Before his death, he said to Li Xiong, “Great King, the root of Duke Chengguo’s disorder has already been planted. With your ability, it’s difficult to eradicate. Duke Chengguo has no outstanding talent who can eradicate this calamity—we can only seek help from Her Majesty the Emperor.”
Li Xiong at the time was half-believing, and even consoled him, saying, “My dozen or so children may not be accomplished, but they’re still filial. With me here, they won’t offend the heir. When I’m gone, the heir will already hold power.”
For this, Li Xiong even specially handed part of court administration to Li Ban to handle, letting him cultivate his own power.
Fan Changsheng shook his head, “The heir is too pure and kind—he cannot hold Duke Chengguo.”
Duke Chengguo’s old ministers and meritorious officials, even Li Xiong couldn’t control them. They frequently committed offenses. But Li Ban was very firm, insisting on governing by law. As long as they fell into his hands, he uniformly punished them according to law.
Therefore, although Duke Chengguo praised Li Ban profusely, privately the old ministers and meritorious officials harbored considerable resentment toward him, just not daring to speak it openly.
There was nothing wrong with this. But he was too good to Li Xiong’s dozen or so sons, too yielding, always willing to imagine them in the most beautiful light when treating these cousins. Fan Changsheng could already foresee that in the future, if Li Xiong passed away, Li Ban would be torn apart and devoured by those dozen cousins.
At that time, those old ministers and meritorious officials would have no control, and Shu would descend into chaos again.
Duke Chengguo was a tributary state of Great Hua. Great Hua would send troops to suppress the rebellion, then re-establish allegiance, everything returning to the beginning. But Li Xiong’s clan would likely be annihilated in history from then on—who knew how many would survive in the end.
Fan Changsheng and Li Xiong were harmonious as lord and minister. Before his death, he finally held Li Xiong’s hand and spoke his heart’s truth, “Years ago I advised the Great King to pledge allegiance because I calculated that Emperor Zhao was the Great King’s and the heir’s thread of survival. Now is when that survival is being realized.”
He said, “Great King, if after my death the Western Qiang pledges allegiance to Great Hua, and Great Hua also establishes the succession without future concerns, you should request to reduce your fiefdom and let the court govern Duke Chengguo.”
Li Xiong’s expression changed greatly. Before he could agree, Fan Changsheng passed away.
That was the sixth year of Yuanzhen. The following year, the seventh year of Yuanzhen in the ninth month, Zhao Renjia at age five was enfeoffed as Crown Princess. The same year, Yao Yizhong finally persuaded the Western Qiang tribes and led the Qiang people to pledge allegiance. The Fan tribespeople living in the Western Qiang high mountains also began to contact the outside world and recognized Zhao Hanzhang as their emperor.
In the fifth month of the eighth year of Yuanzhen, the second imperial prince was born. Zhao Hanzhang divided the places the Western Qiang once occupied in two, establishing Commands, with the court appointing and dismissing officials to govern.
Duke Chengguo became the only tributary state surrounded within.
Although Zhao Hanzhang still treated him courteously, frequently bestowing things on him, and the tribute required each year wasn’t much.
But he still felt pressure that made breathing difficult. If he felt this way, needless to say his sons felt it even more.
They acted increasingly outrageously. Several times they even led people into conflicts with the court’s military. That scoundrel Li Yue even incited number six to lead people to rob merchant caravans and engineering teams coming from the Central Plains.
Li Xiong could feel that Zhao Hanzhang was enduring, the court was also enduring—they were waiting for him to make a decision.
But… facing his biological sons, Li Xiong couldn’t bring himself to do it.
A feeling of impending catastrophe hung over his heart. Li Xiong very much trusted his own intuition, so he began finding trusted confidants to discuss reducing his fiefdom.
Through half a year of consideration and observation, Li Xiong finally made up his mind, having Li Ban submit a diplomatic letter requesting to reduce the fiefdom when he came to celebrate the new year.
But Li Ban didn’t expect the twelve Western Regions nations would choose this time to submit diplomatic letters pledging allegiance. Li Xiong also didn’t expect it.
So after the court assembly ended and Li Xiong received Li Ban’s telegram, he became anxious and quickly had Li Xiang ask him, “Quickly ask him, has the diplomatic letter requesting to reduce the fiefdom been submitted?”
Li Xiang said, “Already submitted. Her Majesty didn’t accept it immediately. The heir says Her Majesty wants to personally talk with you.”
Li Xiong’s eyes flickered, becoming eager, “Does Her Majesty want to invite me to Luoyang?”
To be honest, Li Xiong really wanted to go, but he was a bit afraid.
Li Xiang was even more afraid and quickly stopped him, “Great King, if you go to Luoyang, Duke Chengguo will definitely descend into great chaos. You cannot leave.”
Because Li Xiong insisted on reducing the fiefdom, the young princes and old meritorious ministers had been very restless recently. If not for Li Xiong’s control, they would have already rebelled.
If Li Xiong dared go to Luoyang, as soon as his front foot left, Shu would split into pieces with his back foot.
Li Xiong sighed, “It seems we can only talk through the telegraph.”