Fang Er was momentarily speechless at Li Shimin's question, scratching his head for a long time before replying.
Dad, what they're talking about is the Tang Alliance of this world, it has nothing to do with you.
Li Shimin looked displeased, his eyes glaring as he boomed, "What, has the Great Tang of this world become so pathetic that it needs to form an alliance with others?"
"Go, find all the records of the Tang Dynasty in this world for me! I want to see who has the audacity to do such a demeaning thing!"
Fang Er was speechless, wondering what kind of reaction this fellow would have upon seeing the records of the Treaty of the Wei River.
Back in the palace, he ordered a eunuch to the imperial library. A pile of books related to Tang history, such as "Old Book of Tang," "New Book of Tang," and "Essentials of the Zhenguan Era," were delivered to Li Shimin.
He casually picked up a book and began to read. At first, he nodded along as he read, finding the events recorded to be similar to what he had experienced.
However, he found something very wrong when he reached the Treaty of the Wei River.
Jieli, who had clearly been repelled by Yu Chigong's gunpowder, had, in this world, led a large army to the opposite bank of the Wei River!
Where was the gunpowder?
He quickly grabbed another book and began to search, but after flipping through all the Tang histories, he found no mention of gunpowder.
The Great Tang of this world had completely taken a different path after the Treaty of the Wei River.
The most crucial reason was the complete absence of gunpowder!
He couldn't help but look at Fang Er, who was playing "Dou Dizhu" with Li Tai and Li Ke on the side. So, this kid was the key?
Otherwise, why could he find evidence of all his ministers in these Tang histories, yet not a single word about this kid was mentioned in the books?
Not only was there no gunpowder, but there was also no mention of the Yun-1, Yun-2, or even the pheasant-neck helicopter. All of these had never appeared.
Long ago, he had begun to suspect Fang Er, but he couldn't figure out the reason at the time.
However, when the Grand Princess, who had been dead for many years, appeared before him, and Fang Er spoke of the concept of parallel worlds, he seemed to have grasped something.
Now, looking at the Tang history of this world again, he was even more convinced that Fang Er was definitely not a native of the Great Tang world!
In other words, it was precisely because of Fang Er's appearance that his Great Tang had become so powerful and swept across the land?
He gazed at the pile of historical materials before him, suddenly wanting to take a good look at how the Great Tang would have progressed without Fang Er.
So, he sat down to study the Tang history, and until Fang Er and the others finished their card game, he was still engrossed in reading the Old Book of Tang.
His mindset was understandable; anyone else would likely have behaved the same way.
For example, are you curious about your counterpart in another world?
The next morning, Fang Er strolled over, a fried dough stick in his mouth, and called out to him.
"Dad, the ceremony of presenting captives at the Meridian Gate is about to begin. Shall we go watch together?"
"You guys go. I still have reading to do!"
Li Shimin refused without turning his head, finding the study of Tang history more appealing than witnessing the presentation of captives.
Glancing at the Old Book of Tang in his hand, Fang Er turned and left. At this time, it was best not to appear before him, otherwise, who knew what questions the old man might ask.
Outside the Meridian Gate, the scene was already filled with gongs and drums, and celebratory music.
The great affairs of the state lie in sacrifices and warfare!
Whenever a major war concluded and the imperial army returned victorious, they would present captives to the emperor, a ceremony known as the triumphant presentation of captives.
Throughout the dynasties, the presentation of captives was always a significant military ritual. By the Ming Dynasty, the ceremony's specifications and grandeur far surpassed those of previous dynasties.
In the "History of Ming: Rites and Ceremonies - Military Rites," there is a brief description of the triumphant presentation of captives: "Upon the Emperor's personal expedition and the army's return, the Emperor, leading the generals, would arrange the celebratory music and captured spoils outside the southern gate of the ancestral temple, and outside the northern gate of the altar. After the sacrifices to the temple and altar, the three libations would be performed, following the same rites as the departure of the army. After the sacrifices, the captured spoils would be handed over to the Ministry of Punishment, and the imperial musicians would lead the retreat with music."
The triumphant presentation of captives was a solemn occasion, with strict requirements for the attire and appearance of all participants.
The Emperor wore the Tongtian Crown and a crimson silk robe, ascending the Meridian Gate tower to issue a proclamation to the empire, while all officials wore their court attire to listen, a ceremony identical to the reading of imperial decrees.
The specific route for the presentation of captives was as follows: soldiers would escort the captives from Donghua Gate, proceeding to the Meridian Gate for the ceremony. After the ritual, they would exit through Xihua Gate.
The captives, with red scarves tied around their heads and wearing red clothing, each bound with shackles, would enter from Donghua Gate.
It was unknown what Zhu Youjian's intention was. At such an important moment, he had uniquely emulated Emperor Wuzong Zhu Houzhao, appearing in military attire and sitting high above the Meridian Gate.
Hundreds of Great Han generals lined the path from the Meridian Gate outwards.
Civil and military officials were arranged on both sides, situated among the Great Han generals.
Outside the Great Han generals were the commoners selected by the Embroidered Uniform Guard to witness the ceremony.
The scene was undeniably grand, with thousands of people standing outside the Meridian Gate, awaiting the commencement of the captive presentation ceremony.
And this was only what Fang Er could see in the near distance.
Further away, along the road from Donghua Gate to the Meridian Gate, countless citizens had gathered; this was the route for the captives' entry into the city.
As the Imperial Astronomical Bureau official announced loudly, the captive presentation ceremony officially began.
Donghua Gate was opened wide, and Cao Bianjiao and Wang Tingchen, clad in battle armor and seated on warhorses, led the procession.
Behind them, soldiers escorted prisoner carts, slowly entering the city.
As the citizens of the city watched the long procession of prisoner carts, they erupted in cheers.
Long live Great Ming!
Long live Great Ming!
Long live Great Ming!
The sound, like thunder, gradually reverberated towards the Meridian Gate as the prisoner carts advanced.
Listening to the cheers of the citizens, Zhu Youjian on the Meridian Gate couldn't help but curve his lips into a smile.
Great Ming, there is hope for revival!
Among the observing officials, Zhu Guozhen, the Governor of the Capital Garrisons, felt the same way.
In his memory, the last grand ceremony of presenting captives had taken place forty years ago.
That time, during the Wanli era, it was during the Korean campaign, one of the three great campaigns.
The role presented that time was the Japanese general Toyotomi Hideyoshi and a host of Japanese generals.
At that moment, the content of Emperor Wanli's decree still echoed in his ears.
"...Liaochizepingzheng and sixty-one others, their bodies to be discarded in the streets, their heads paraded throughout the land, a perpetual warning to treacherous villains and a great release of divine and human wrath."
After that came the last campaign of the Wanli era, the pacification of Bozhou.
He still remembered the presentation of captives from that time. The wind at the Meridian Gate had been biting cold that day, and his colleague Zhuang Chongxu's face was frozen to a rosy white, while Zhu Guozhen himself, with his naturally ruddy-brown complexion, had turned dark from the cold wind. His colleagues had even joked to him, saying his face resembled that of Guan Yu or Zhang Fei.
In recent years, Great Ming had been plagued by internal strife and external threats, standing on the verge of collapse.
Zhu Guozhen might not have been exceptionally talented, but his loyalty was undeniable, otherwise, he wouldn't have reached the position of Governor of the Capital Garrisons.
Now, nearing his seventies, he never expected to experience another presentation of captives, and this time, the captives were the Qing rebels!
The celebratory music in his ears brought tears to his eyes.
The external wars had been decided, and the imperial treasury was full. Great Ming had finally caught its breath!