The so-called worst-case scenario was nothing more than waiting for several decades. While others might hesitate to take such drastic asures for stability, Su Li was different. He had patience, and he had the ti. If he wasn’t in a hurry for imdiate results, the population wouldn’t be a problem.
In these uneventful tis, there were few sources of entertainnt beyond the daily grind. Whether it was the Han Chinese or the various ethnic groups, after a busy day, one of the few leisure activities was extinguishing the lamp wick and retiring with one’s spouse to start a family.
If one disregarded external factors like survival rates, the population growth rate was undoubtedly high. In other words, instead of slowly reforming the various ethnic groups, Su Li leaned more towards bringing in immigrants from the Central Plains. Immigrating Han Chinese would not only make managent more efficient but, with Su Li’s prestige among the people, it would also facilitate the implentation of certain decisions.
Of course, Su Li was not a bloodthirsty person, so he was willing to give them a valuable opportunity. As for whether they could seize this opportunity, that was not sothing he needed to consider.
So, on the seventh day of Su Li’s arrival at the Tibetan royal court, people once again recalled the fear brought by this extraordinary man. Two months might seem lenient on the surface, but it was an increasingly pressing deadline. Not to ntion the vast expanse of the northwest, even if he added up the remnants of various countries, it would amount to no less than two to three million people, including the old, the weak, won, and children. How could they be organized like a military force? Even if they set out imdiately, dragging along such a cumberso group would make reaching the Tibetan royal court challenging within two months. Su Li seed to give them ample ti, but in reality, it was not so.
“What are we to do now? Will we submit to Su Li and let him do as he pleases? Our Khan died at his hands. How can we not seek revenge?” one person argued.
“Seek revenge? How will you seek revenge? Besides surrender, do you have a better option? Even a million-strong coalition couldn’t stop Su Li. With our remnants, how can we handle this situation?” an old man responded with a heavy sigh.
The old man was confident in his knowledge and experience. He fought alongside the army when he was young and had seen many capable commanders. However, Su Li was a unique presence. Just hearing his na made it impossible for people to muster any resistance.
“Given the current situation, we have no choice but to surrender. Spread the word. We will set out for the Tibetan royal court at dawn tomorrow.”
Dialogues like this were not limited to the Hu people of Onion Ridge. They echoed across various regions, including Tibet, the Turks, and more. As soon as Su Li made his intentions clear, they had to make a choice. Resistance ant death, fleeing ant death, and surrender offered the slimst chance of survival. As long as their tribes could endure, even if it took decades or even centuries, Su Li would eventually et his end. And as long as the hatred endured, there would always be a day when they would rise.
However, they underestimated Su Li and his thods. Two months passed in the blink of an eye, and those who had chosen to surrender arrived as Su Li had anticipated.
In the Tibetan royal court palace, Su Li opened the neatly arranged list and nodded slightly.
“Except for so tribes on the brink of extinction, most tribes with populations over ten thousand have chosen to surrender… That’s a bit unexpected,” he murmured.
Su Li was well aware that the surrender of these tribes lacked sincerity and was rely a result of pressure, but that was sufficient for him.
As for the die-hard individuals, Su Li had no aversion to bloodshed when necessary. This was his domain, and Su Li was the absolute master of the northwest. He could not tolerate any dissenting voices here.
“Li Che.”
As soon as he spoke, there was an imdiate response from outside. Li Che, clad in heavy armor, walked in deliberately, his eyes filled with admiration. The reason he was here was quite interesting.
Since Su Li had arrived in the northwest without any foundation, he had no officers or anyone to command among the local Hu people. With this dilemma, Su Li handed a letter to Li Er, hoping to select ten thousand soldiers from the army to stay in the northwest and serve under him. Li Er had readily agreed without hesitation. Even if Su Li had requested a hundred thousand soldiers, would Li Er have hesitated? Su Li’s decision to keep Li Che was not only out of consideration for Changle’s feelings but also because he didn’t want to strain his relationship with Li Er. As a general who wholeheartedly served Su Li, Li Che was a natural choice to stay.
“What orders do you have, Prince Yongle?” Li Che asked.
“All the old tribes have gathered in the Tibetan royal court now, and it’s a mixed bag of people with various backgrounds. There are hidden dangers, and we must not be complacent. In these critical tis, instruct the brothers to keep a close watch, and if anyone attempts to provoke the law, deal with them without rcy.”
“Yes!” Li Che’s eyes were sharp as he left. He had never held these Hu people in high regard, considering them uncivilized monkeys. Did they even deserve the attention and care of Prince Yongle? He would not be lenient now that he had received Su Li’s orders.
“With this done, we can take our ti,” Su Li sighed with relief, finally relaxing his tense nerves. Over the past period, he had been fully focused on the matters of the northwest, even neglecting many of his needs. This continuous effort would have worn him out if it weren’t for Su Li’s extraordinary constitution.
“My lord, don’t overexert yourself,” Changle advised. At the right mont, Changle brought a bowl of lotus seed soup and looked at Su Li with concern.
“The palace attendants can handle these matters. There’s no need for you to do it personally,” Changle said. “I learned this skill from my mother. Whenever my father was tired, my mother would personally prepare a bowl of lotus seed soup to refresh him,” Changle said with a sigh. She was considerate and understood that the tension between Su Li and Li Shimin was not limited to what was currently visible. It was just a temporary exposure to their underlying conflicts.
“I’ve neglected you during this ti. Please don’t bla ,” Su Li said, looking at Changle warmly. He accepted the bowl of lotus seed soup and drank it all in one go before gently embracing his beloved wife.
“Where’s our little champ, Su Che?” Su Li asked.
“He’s playing in the army camp. I expect he’ll be back for dinner later,” Changle replied. Su Li nodded silently, feeling the tender body in his arms, and couldn’t help but have so amorous thoughts.
“They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder. It’s been two months since we’ve shared the sa bed. Let Su Che sleep in the military camp tonight, and we can make an effort as husband and wife to give him a little sister soon.”
“Oh my, you’re so shaless! It’s broad daylight. Why are you talking about such things?” Changle blushed and scolded playfully. Changle lightly tapped Su Li’s chest, her cheeks turning crimson. She nestled in Su Li’s arms and refused to get up, but a mischievous smile played on her lips as she enjoyed this rare mont of tenderness.
However, another unexpected guest arrived before their son, Su Che, could disrupt the scene.
“Prince Yongle, have you seen Changle lately?” a voice called out, and a graceful figure approached. Upon witnessing the intimate scene between the husband and wife, Li Xueyan couldn’t help but freeze in place.
Seeing that the newcor was Li Xueyan, Changle quickly got up from Su Li’s embrace, her flustered deanor making Su Li unable to help but chuckle. It was clear that they were a married couple.
However, Su Li’s expression quickly turned cold as he asked, “Without prior notice, why have you entered the inner palace?”
“Prince Yongle, please don’t bla Li Xueyan. I suggested she didn’t need to inform anyone when she ca to find . If you want to bla soone, bla ,” Changle said hurriedly. Su Li’s face softened at Changle’s words, and he replied, “Since you’ve agreed to it, let it be this ti. But it won’t happen again.”
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