roccoschili Chapter 5404: The rabbit is dead and the dog is cooked
Chapter 5404: The rabbit is dead and the dog is cooked
Chapter 5404: The rabbit is dead and the dog is cooked
Before coming here to take up his post, Li Tai had consulted Fang Jun about the development of Fusang, and Fang Jun gave him such a "boutique strategy".
The Fusang Islands lack flat, expansive land, but have a suitable climate and excellent water quality. Furthermore, the islands are covered with volcanoes, and the volcanic ash formed over millions of years of eruptions has made the soil fertile. In addition, high-quality rice seeds were purchased from the Agricultural Temple of the Tang Dynasty, ensuring that the rice grown there would be of excellent quality.
Wealth from all over the world poured into the Tang Dynasty through shipping routes and tides, causing everyone's wealth to surge. With money, people naturally focused on enjoyment. As long as the quality of Japanese rice was excellent, it would sell for whatever price.
According to Fang Jun's theory, as long as the quality is guaranteed, the more expensive the product, the more people will buy it, because after people are satisfied with the material enjoyment, they will then pursue the spiritual enjoyment. What is spiritual enjoyment?
In Fang Jun's words, it's about "what you don't have, I have," and "what you have, I have better"—a seemingly simple yet profoundly human-centric "competition."
Li Tai had always regarded Fang Jun's money-making techniques as gospel and believed them without a doubt.
……
In a sense, this "premium strategy" is very much in line with the current situation in Japan.
The Japanese are ignorant; most of them lack the skills to cultivate rice and raise silkworms. For them to achieve their goal of food security and wealth through large-scale agriculture is virtually impossible. Teaching everyone these skills is a long and arduous task, requiring decades of effort.
However, it can be achieved by organizing a small group of people to work intensively.
If a bushel of meticulously cultivated Japanese rice could be sold in the Tang Dynasty for a price of fifty or even one hundred coins, like a luxury item, and then used to buy back ordinary rice worth five coins, wouldn't that be equivalent to the Japanese rice production increasing tenfold or twentyfold?
More importantly, while this would ensure an abundance of rice and the accumulation of wealth in Japan, it would also make the food supply completely dependent on the Tang Dynasty. With the lifeline in the hands of the Tang Dynasty, the entire Japanese archipelago would have no choice but to obediently become subjects of the Tang Dynasty, giving Li Tai ample time to implement his assimilation policy.
The three Japanese men were immediately invigorated.
Since it is a "premium strategy", it means that it will be dominated by a few people, and the three companies will hold the most practical power.
They shouted in unison, "We are willing to serve Your Majesty!"
"very good!"
Li Tai nodded in satisfaction: "After you return, investigate the most fertile, well-irrigated, and climate-suitable farmland on the entire Fusang Island. You must have a clear understanding of these areas so that you can concentrate your efforts on major tasks."
The three men perked up; this was hardly a farmland survey.
This is clearly giving them a golden opportunity to steal and plunder!
While Japan may not have much farmland, it doesn't have a small amount either. As for which piece of land meets the requirements and which is barren and infertile, that's entirely up to them.
The King of Fusang couldn't possibly go down to the fields and inspect each plot of land himself, could he?
"I will certainly not fail Your Majesty's trust!"
"We will mobilize our relatives, family members, and disciples to conduct a thorough investigation of the entire country of Japan!"
"I am willing to do my utmost to contribute to Your Majesty's grand plan!"
Li Tai nodded with satisfaction: "Go ahead and do it, don't worry too much! After all, we have no experience with what we are doing, so it's acceptable to make some minor mistakes in the process."
This effectively gave the three people the power to "act as they pleased".
He did indeed need to use these three entities to effectively control the islands, especially to centralize all of Fusang's fertile farmland and transform it into something similar to "government land," which would then be managed by the government.
This matter will inevitably arouse public anger, so only the three families can do it. He will use the schools and free schools all over the island to publicize the "crimes" of the three families. After he has gained control, he will push the three families out to quell the public's anger.
Look, the King of Fusang is benevolent and kind, trying his best to ensure that all the Japanese people have enough to eat and wear. But there are treacherous officials in the court who have turned the King of Fusang's benevolent policies into "tyranny," forcibly seizing farmland and enriching themselves at the expense of the public. Now that the King of Fusang has cleansed the court and eliminated the treacherous officials, shouldn't you all cheer and celebrate together?
……
Watching the three of them leave happily, Li Tai smiled, shook his head, took a sip of tea, and got up to return to his bedchamber.
Inside the bedchamber, Princess Yan and Princess Baling were whispering to each other. As the princess spoke, Princess Baling blushed and shook her head slightly, looking quite embarrassed...
Upon seeing Li Tai enter, the two men stood up together to greet him.
Li Tai casually waved his hand, walked over to the two men, and sat down: "Why be so formal among family? This Japan is located overseas, in a barbarian land, so there's no need to care about those formalities. Sit down and let's talk."
The two women took their seats.
Li Tai asked with a smile, "What are you talking about?"
Princess Baling blushed and lowered her head.
The princess rolled her eyes at him: "It's just a matter between young women, Your Highness need not concern yourself with it."
"Women's affairs..." Li Tai was startled and stared wide-eyed at Princess Baling: "You, you, you, could it be that you're pregnant with Fang Er's child?"
He was well aware of the feud between Fang Jun and Chai Lingwu, and also knew in detail about his sister's romantic affair with Fang Jun. If it were just a matter of "romantic affair," he wouldn't bother to care, but if she was pregnant, it would be a different story.
Princess Baling's pretty face turned as red as blood. She glared fiercely at Li Tai, then turned away and covered her face with her hand.
The princess exclaimed angrily, "How could Your Highness utter such nonsense? Absolutely not!"
Li Tai breathed a sigh of relief and said speechlessly, "You know how to be ashamed? It was one thing to secretly meet in the past, but before the New Year, you were practically openly eloping in Huating Town, and the whole world knew about it. How come you weren't ashamed back then? I can't even be bothered to talk to you!"
The princess put her arm around Princess Baling's shoulder to comfort her, and complained to Li Tai, "Your Highness, please stop talking!"
Li Tai clicked his tongue. As long as she wasn't pregnant with Fang Jun's child, he naturally wouldn't bother with such matters. However, as her elder brother, he still had to say a few words: "Chai Ling has turned a deaf ear and let bygones be bygones. Don't go too far either. Since you've come to Fusang, live your lives well. It may not be as luxurious and extravagant as Chang'an, but I am the king. Your status is no different from, or even better than, that of Chang'an. As long as you don't go too far, I will naturally protect your wealth and status."
Princess Baling suppressed her embarrassment and whispered, "Thank you, brother."
The princess patted the back of her hand and gently comforted her, "Don't worry too much. Such things have happened countless times in the royal family since ancient times. Blame it on that scoundrel Fang Er. If he hadn't deliberately seduced you and used both soft and hard tactics, how could you have gone astray?"
Princess Baling hesitated for a moment, but ultimately lowered her head, blushed, and retorted softly, "It's not his fault, it's my own fault."
The princess retorted angrily, "I think you've been bewitched!"
Princess Baling wept silently.
Li Tai sighed and waved his hand, saying, "Erlang is certainly wrong, but Chai Lingwu is no better! Alright, even an upright official can't settle family disputes, let's say less."
The reason we've come to this point is because Chai Lingwu forced Princess Baling to plead with Fang Jun for the sake of his family business and title.
But what else could he say?
Is it true that Fang Jun took advantage of someone's misfortune?
To say that Chai Lingwu is utterly shameless?
Is it true that Princess Baling had an affair?
The three are entangled in a complex web of grudges, making it difficult to discern right from wrong.
Seeing the awkward atmosphere, the princess changed the subject: "I heard that those Japanese nobles plan to demolish Tenno-ji Temple in order to build a royal palace?"
Li Tai nodded: "That's true."
The princess hesitated for a moment, then said, "We are establishing our own kingdom here, and we intend to reside here permanently, with our descendants living here for generations. The construction of the royal palace can be discussed at a later time. Tianwang Temple is a pure Buddhist site, so why force them to take such a drastic measure?"
Li Tai glanced at the devout Buddhist princess and explained, “This is not just a matter of Buddhism in Japan, but also of the significance of Tennoji Temple to the Japanese. The one who built Tennoji Temple was Prince Shotoku, who was highly respected among the Japanese. After the imperial bloodline was almost extinct, his prestige increased even more, and he almost became a totem for the Japanese. If we don’t completely erase his traces, how can we talk about assimilation? In thirty to fifty years, the Japanese will only know that they are also part of the Tang people, but will not know their origins or past.”
He never dared to treat his "wise and capable wife" with indifference.
In fact, many of his life decisions were influenced by Princess Yan...
So he paused for a moment and continued, "Moreover, Buddhism was introduced to Japan from the Tang Dynasty, and its localization is very obvious. It has a high status and countless believers, which is extremely detrimental to our rule and even poses a great threat. I have long had a plan on how to purify Buddhism and make it a pioneer in assimilating the Japanese."
Religion is never simply a matter of faith. If the relationship between divine authority and secular matters is not properly handled, major problems will inevitably arise sooner or later.
The princess was slightly worried: "Wouldn't this earn him the reputation of a 'tyrant'?"
Li Tai smiled smugly: "Your Highness, do you think our teachers all over the islands are just for show? They not only teach the Japanese to read and write, but they are also my mouthpiece. As long as they spread the word that the policy of oppressing the Japanese and eradicating their roots comes from those few Japanese nobles, all the Japanese people's dissatisfaction will naturally pile up on them. When the time comes, I will 'suddenly realize the truth' and 'eliminate the traitors,' and the Japanese people will only cheer."
This tactic, similar to "the emperor is a good emperor, but the ministers are treacherous officials," or "the policy is a good policy, but the subordinates have implemented it incorrectly," has been used countless times throughout history and is extremely effective.
Princess Baling worried, "Those Japanese nobles don't seem stupid. How could they not know the principle of 'when the birds are all gone, the good bow is put away'?"
Li Tai scoffed: "So what if they know? If they're willing to be my 'flying birds' and 'good bows,' they can at least maintain their current power and wealth. But if they're not willing, there will naturally be others who are. At that time, everything they have now will be changed."
Many Japanese nobles were dissatisfied with the Tang dynasty's appointment of figures like Mononobe Ashikaga, Soga no Akane, and Ōtomo no Nakamaro to control the Japanese islands. They cursed these men as "traitors" and "national villains," while simultaneously wishing they could replace them.
There are plenty of lackeys who come automatically.
By erasing all traces of Japanese history and assimilating them with Chinese civilization, his branch of the Tang dynasty descendants could naturally and securely become the "Kings of Fusang," ensuring a continuous and lasting legacy.
(End of this chapter)