Chapter 349: Great Geographical Discoveries

Of course, Li Chengqian had considered the issue of abdication. In fact, he had discussed this matter with the empress as early as the second year of Yonghui.

But what is the problem? It is not impossible to abdicate, but isn't it a bit inappropriate to pass the throne to his son before he even has time to sit on it?
When Li Tai mentioned this matter again today, Li Chengqian was really moved.

Well... it's not impossible. After we get through the sixth year of Yonghui, we have to come up with a lucky number. Four is unlucky, and the same goes for five. But six is ​​different. Six is ​​a lucky number.

When he returned to the Daming Palace, Li Chengqian sat in the Purple Palace and began to imagine his life after retirement.

In this way, Daming Palace will be left to Xiang'er, and I will return to Taiji Palace to keep Aye company. Wanchun Palace is a good choice, as there are only the two of us, the Queen, so it can accommodate everyone.

When you have nothing to do, just call Qingque and Zhinu into the palace, play cards together, listen to music, and have some fun. Isn’t it pleasant?
It’s better than sitting in front of this desk every day... Thinking of this, Li Chengqian flipped through the memorials piled in front of him with his hands.

Oh, when will days like this end?
When he returned to Lingqi Palace at night, Li Chengqian talked about this matter with Su Yi.

"I think it's feasible." Su Yi agreed in a tactful tone: "Dalang has been overworked in recent years and has become much more haggard. It is indeed time for him to put down his burden and let the young people take on the burden."

You see, this method of adding burden to young people is very suitable for the physique of young babies.

Who wouldn't want to shoulder such a burden? All we can say is, bring it all up!

When Li Chengqian heard this, he found that it made sense.

He has also seen Li Xiang's recent life. He doesn't care about anything at all. Every day he just runs around in the East Palace, Daji Palace, Lizheng Palace or outside the palace. He lives a very free and easy life.

How can this go on? He must be made to feel the bitterness of society! He must be dealt a heavy blow!

Li Xiang had no idea that his father was planning something bad. He was still thinking about the issue of training students.

In November, the Tang Royal Academy of Sciences overcame the difficulties of the steam engine and successfully produced the world's first steam engine.

At Li Xiang's suggestion, Fu Wenzhong, who took the lead in inventing the steam engine, was generously rewarded. Not only was he named Marquis of Jingyuan, he was even given the treatment of an Inspector General of the Ministry of Works.

He only had the treatment of a Vice Minister of Works, but did not hold the actual position of such a minister.

Their team was also rewarded according to their contributions. In short, on the day when the rewards were paid out, the craftsmen's enthusiasm for research was even higher.

As the saying goes, there will always be brave men when there is a big reward. This is the truth.

After that, the next step was to study how to apply steam engines to ships.

Following Li Xiang's suggestion, Fu Wenzhong's team of craftsmen and Yan Lide joined together to begin to tackle the difficulties of the steamship.

In the navigation, steamships have changed human's understanding and ability of navigation. It not only provides greater navigation speed and range, but also promotes the development of trade and tourism.

After all, Li Yin did not live to see the development of the steamship. In March of the fourth year of Yonghui, he led his fleet and set out on the return journey.

Maya couldn't do without him, and this time he brought back not only the title of King Yin, but also rewards for other meritorious soldiers.

Li Xiang ordered people to build a monument in front of the Taiji Palace in Chang'an, on which was written the name of the meritorious soldiers who died during this voyage.

After discussion, it was decided to name the monument the easily understandable "Maritime Monument".

During every festival, people would come to the monument to pay tribute and comfort these heroes who sacrificed their lives for the maritime development of the Tang Dynasty.

Before leaving, Li Yin left a letter for Li Ke, which roughly meant that the Han Kingdom in the Western Regions was too far away and he didn't want to go there; if Li Ke really missed him, he could take a boat to Yindian.

However, he forgot that Yindian was much farther away from Chang'an than the Western Regions.

Not only is it far, the dangers at sea are several times greater than on land.

In April of the fourth year of Yonghui, Xiao Yourong also gave birth to a daughter for Li Xiang, named Li Qinglan.

In July of the fourth year of Yonghui, Li Ke sent back news from the Western Regions that Persia had been destroyed. Fortunately, he acted in time to stabilize most of Persia's territory. At present, the Han Kingdom has expanded to the Isfahan area.

Isfahan is located in the valley between the Zagros Mountains and the Kuhru Mountains, on the banks of the Zainder River. The city has a long history. It was built during the Achaemenid Dynasty and many dynasties established their capitals here. It is one of the oldest cities in Persia.

The name "Isfahan" comes from the Persian word "Spahan", which means "army". In ancient times, this place was a gathering place for the army, hence the name.

Interestingly, Isfahan later became a friendly city with Xi'an.

The Persian people did not have strong resistance to the Tang Dynasty.

After all, the Tang Dynasty did not interfere much with their freedom, and the taxation was not high - although it was several times higher than that in the Tang Dynasty, the local people even felt that this was a great good policy under the sustainable exploitation of the Persian authorities.

Li Ke comforted the local people and soon assembled a usable force.

He also joined forces with Constans II of the Western Eastern Roman Empire, who wanted to make a difference, to resist the invasion of the Arabs.

After discussion, Li Chengqian decided to send an expeditionary force of 10,000 people, and bring 30,000 vassal troops from various tribes, to the Han Kingdom to support Li Ke.

The commander of this team was Su Dingfang, and the deputy commander was Anxi Protector Pei Xingjian.

With these two people taking action, they can completely deal with the Arabs who are preparing to make moves in the west.

Li Xiang disliked the Arabs from the bottom of his heart, just as he disliked Europe.

It has to be cleaned up eventually, and Li Xiang is determined to clean up the earth.

After arranging everything, Li Xiang returned to the Lizheng Hall.

Seeing Li Shimin lying on a chair, staring at the map on the wall in a daze, Li Xiang approached him and asked with a smile: "Aunt, are you still thinking about your uncle?"

"How can I not think about it?" Li Shimin turned over. "Your Third Uncle is wrestling in blood right now. The Arabs are a newly rising power. Their troops are at their peak and their morale is high. If we face them head-on, I'm afraid your Third Uncle won't get any advantage."

"Don't worry, old man. Su Dingfang and Pei Xingjian have already gone. They are bringing people to the Han Kingdom to support your uncle." This was all Li Xiang could say to comfort him.

"Your uncle is both civil and military, so I am not too worried about him. I am just afraid that the war will drag on too long and he will not be able to return to Beijing." Li Shimin looked at the map with a sharp gaze and said with some longing: "It's a pity that I am old now. If I could be ten years younger, I would definitely go to the Han Kingdom and personally lead the army to pacify the Arabs!"

Li Xiang: …

Aung, not really, not really...

If we throw you there, not to mention the Arabs, even the Eastern Roman Empire together would not be enough for you.

"Why, you don't believe it?" Li Shimin squinted his eyes at Li Xiang. "I don't need to tell you who your grandfather is. When we fought at Wulao Pass, I asked Qu Tutong to lead people to assist King Chaola in besieging Luoyang. I personally led 3,000 cavalrymen to Wulao Pass." "I set out at noon, passed Beimang, and went to Heyang, passing through Gongxian. Although Wang Shichong had 100,000 elite soldiers, he did not dare to leave the city to fight with me."

"But he is also a smart man. I hold the bow and arrow, and Jingde holds the lance. What can he do even if he has 100,000 or 1 million people?" Li Shimin said arrogantly.

"Yes, grandson knows." Li Xiang replied with a smile: "Aunt, you captured two kings in one battle. Even if Sun Wu was resurrected, he could not do it to your level."

"Haha, you once praised me as the best general in ancient and modern times." Li Shimin stroked his beard and smiled, "I am not being modest. I may not be the first, but I will definitely be in the top five."

What he said is not wrong. Think about it, a man who rescued the emperor at the age of seventeen in Yanmen and started to raise an army with his father at the age of nineteen, and fought tough battles every time. If such a man cannot be called a famous general, who else can be worthy of the title?

If Yang Guang had not lost the world, he might have had a famous general under his command named Li Shimin, who would have been praised by military strategists of later generations.

"By the way." Li Shimin asked again, "How is your research on steam engines and steamships going?"

"The progress is good," Li Xiang replied. "I heard that it is currently undergoing water testing. The results should be available by the end of this year at the latest."

"Is it fast?" Li Shimin asked again.

"About thirty miles in an hour." Li Xiang said, "The most important thing is that this thing is different from livestock. It only eats coal and doesn't even need to rest along the way. It can even travel at night."

"This is much better than livestock." Li Shimin said with a smile: "Livestock like cows and horses, no matter how strong they are, are still flesh and blood. As long as they are flesh and blood, they need to eat and rest. If this steamship is really as you said, it can be said to be the treasure of the Tang Dynasty."

"That's not wrong." Li Xiang nodded.

"When this steamboat is built, I plan to go out and see the world." Li Shimin said to Li Xiang, "The sixth son has done a good job in Yindian. When he was in the palace a few days ago, he often told me about Yindian's customs and people, which made me want to go out and see the world. If I can take a boat out to see the world, it will be worth my life in this world."

"What's so good about that place?" Li Xiang was a little speechless, "Didn't Sixth Uncle tell you that the spiders there are so big--"

As he spoke, Li Xiang gestured a size as big as his face.

"Is it really that big?" Li Shimin's body trembled.

"Yes, it's really that big." Li Xiang nodded seriously.

"Forget it then." Li Shimin shook his head and said politely, "I am not afraid of anything in my life, but I just don't like this spider."

"I didn't see you take the one down from the beam either." Li Xiang said, pointing at the spider above his head.

"You don't understand. This is called a happy spider." Li Shimin said seriously, "Besides, it's not very big. It's not the kind with a big face like the one you pointed to."

"We are really grandparents." Li Xiang said with a chill in his voice, "In fact, you don't know, I also have some... "

"Is this why you never leave the mosquito net even in the middle of summer?" Li Shimin looked at him sideways.

"Haha, you found out." Li Xiang said with an awkward smile.

"By the way, your father has found me." Li Shimin said to Li Xiang, "He said that after this year, he will wait for another year, and then abdicate to you in the sixth year of Yonghui..."

"Ah?" Li Xiang hurriedly shook his hand: "No, let Aye be the emperor for a few more years, I haven't had enough fun yet..."

"Bullshit!" Li Shimin glared at him. "I think your father's idea is good. Do you want him to do something else? If I don't give up my throne to you, he will start to think of some great ideas. Aren't you going to put them out when the time comes?"

Look at what you said, it's as if my grandfather's great ideal is something that has been revived from the ashes, waiting for me to extinguish it with my pee...

"But I'm not ready yet." Li Xiang was about to cry, "Could it be that Aye was mad at what Uncle Yao said yesterday? No way, isn't my Aye thick-skinned?"

"You little bastard! Get beaten!"

Li Chengqian's voice suddenly came from the door, and before Li Xiang could react, a green tomato hit Li Xiang's head.

Li Xiang stretched out his hand and grabbed the tomato.

The good news is that the tomatoes are not ripe and will not burst.

The bad news was that the tomato was not ripe and was very hard, which hurt Li Xiang's hand.

"Father, you have no moral principles!" Li Xiang looked back.

"Hey." Li Chengqian smiled, "I don't follow martial ethics, what can you do?"

Li Xiang took a deep breath and decided not to argue with his father.

"What are you doing here?" Li Xiang asked with his eyelids raised.

"It's a bit unexpected." Li Chengqian took the memorial in his hand and placed it in front of Li Xiang. "Take a look at this memorial. It was submitted by Feng Qing a few days ago."

Li Xiang picked up the memorial and was shocked at first glance.

The memorial said that the two lost ships were not actually silent in the sea, but sailed to land under the leadership of captains Yang Ping and Wei Fangyuan.

Now they have finally found their way home from there. They have not only marked out the sailing route map, but also brought back many specialties.

"What's wrong?" Li Shimin asked with concern.

"Do you still remember Yang Ping and Wei Fangyuan?" Li Xiang asked, "They are the two boats that followed Uncle Liu out to sea, the ones that were said to have been lost in the storm."

"Remember, Wei Fangyuan was the one I assigned to your sixth uncle." Li Shimin nodded.

"They are back and are now in Dengzhou," Li Xiang continued.

"What?" Li Shimin sat up suddenly. "You're back? When did it happen?"

"It was a few days ago." Li Xiang calculated the date, "Probably July 16th."

"The maritime monument in front of the Taiji Palace has their names on it." Li Chengqian said helplessly: "At that time, we didn't expect that the people who got lost in the storm could come back..."

Li Xiang did not answer, but picked up the nautical chart and unfolded it to take a look.

Fuck, is he in Australia?

(End of this chapter)