"Give an iron coupon, I'll die!"

The emperor's last reward shocked the whole palace.

Iron coupons, also known as death coupons.

The iron voucher is shaped like a tile and made of iron. It is a token and certificate issued to the ministers when the emperor granted titles of meritorious officials. It was from Emperor Gaozu of Han. At the beginning, it was a certificate of promotion and title of marquis and land. It was engraved with the name of the person who was given, honor and official title, and it was written with the inheritance of the title of descendants, etc.

Iron is used as a consecration, alchemy is written, gold is used as a trap, and stone is used as a chamber. The emperor and his meritorious officials are written in cinnabar on the iron voucher, and they are hidden in the golden cabin in the ancestral temple built with stone to show their solemnity.

Because it is written in alchemy books, it is also made of iron coupons, so it is called alchemy books iron coupons.

During the Liang Dynasty, the Southern and Northern Dynasties, they were filled in with silver characters, and during the Sui Dynasty, they were replaced by gold characters, so they were also called gold vouchers and gold books.

The iron certificate was just a certificate of title at first, but in the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the iron certificate began to have the privilege of avoiding death. Emperor Wen of Sui once gave Li Mu's iron certificate to forgive him for his death ten times.

After Li Yuan raised an army and became emperor in Chang'an, he also awarded iron certificates to the heroes who made contributions in Taiyuan Yuan.

Li Shimin, Pei Ji and Liu Wenjing each forgive two deaths, and Changsun Shunde and fourteen others can forgive one deaths.

Until now, the Tang Dynasty was established, only a total of seventeen ministers were given iron vouchers to exempt them from death.

Today, Zhang Chao is the 18th minister to be granted the iron coupon for exemption from death.

However, if Zhang Chao was present, he would definitely be disdainful of this Iron Coupon for Immunity, because Immunity on the surface has the function of avoiding deaths, but in fact, something really happened, and this gold medal for Immunity cannot save his life.

Liu Wenjing was the founding prime minister of the Tang Dynasty and was a position of the three ministers to take the words of the emperor. He was also a hero in Taiyuan. He gave him a special iron coupon and died. However, Liu Wenjing had just obtained the iron coupon for exemption from death in the first year of Wude, but he was killed in the second year of Wude. Not to mention the death of Shu Er, he could not even die if he had a death of Shu Er.

Therefore, the thing that is exempt from death is just a good-looking one. The emperor wins over the ministers and really commits a crime. I will not save my life even if I die ten iron coupons are not allowed to save my life.

But after all, he was the 18th minister in the Tang Dynasty to have a coupon for exemption from death. In addition to the heroes of Taiyuan Yuan, Zhang Chao was also the first minister to get a coupon for exemption from death.

Even Pei Ji, who was holding Shu Er's death certificate in his hand, couldn't help but sigh, Zhang San is such a monster.

But this is the only thing Li Yuan can do, give these things to Zhang Chao.

Zhang Tieqin was granted the title of Ningmin County Bo from the man in Ningmin County. The wife of the third-rank official Cui, who should have been awarded the imperial edict of the county lady, but Li Yuan was also promoted to the first and second-rank official and was awarded the imperial edict of the national lady who was only given the imperial edict of the wife of the country.

Of course, these are actually very empty. Ningmin County founding prince was still a false title and did not have a real title for fief. Cui Yingying's wife Rong's edict was just a way to wear the edict of the wife of the country and get more money.

Zhang Chao's death-free iron coupon is more honorable than actual effect.

But no matter what, Zhang Wenyuan has now become the most dazzling new star in the Wude Dynasty of the Tang Dynasty. Now all the important officials in the palace believe that Zhang Chao will definitely be able to enter the court as prime minister.

However, Zhang Chao offended the prince, even if he had the iron coupon for avoiding death, when the prince ascended the throne, he was afraid that Zhang Chao would not have a good life. Maybe he would stay in Longyou all his life and would never come back.

Zhang Chao requested to add the three counties of Weiyuan, Xiayuan and Qiangyuan to the newly developed 300-mile land, and Li Yuan directly agreed. Li Yuan was very happy to open the 300-mile land.

However, what he is more looking forward to now is that Zhang Chao can fight another battle or two in Longyou, and the Tuyuhun people are the best to cry for their parents. Tang Jian is still negotiating and discussing peace with Murong Fuyun in Qinghai. Murong Fuyun is quite arrogant and has many requests.

He wanted to marry the princess of the Tang Dynasty, and wanted to send more dowry in the Tang Dynasty, and even wanted the Tang Dynasty to ced some border areas to Tuyuhun. He also wanted the Tang Dynasty to return all the populations of Tuyuhun, Qiang, Di and other tribes who had not returned to the Central Plains in the early years.

Of course Li Yuan refused. Nowadays, population is more important than territory.

The Central Plains has also had a melee for more than ten years, and the population has decreased significantly.

During the Kaihuang of the Sui Dynasty, the population was at its peak of nearly nine million households and nearly 50 million. If we included the hidden monk Guandao at that time, there would be only 50 million more than 50 million. However, the population of the Tang Dynasty counted by the imperial court last year was only 2 million households, less than one-quarter of the population that was at its peak of the Sui Dynasty.

Although there are many hidden households here, the hidden households and the imperial court cannot collect rent and taxes.

Li Yuan was unwilling to give Murong Fuyun a population, nor was he willing to give territory, or even gave him a princess.

But he had to endure it. It was too hard to endure it. He hoped that Zhang Chao could vent his anger for him. Border friction was not the intention of the court. If Zhang Chao, the governor of the border town, could find the right reason and beat Tuyuhun a few times, maybe the Tang Dynasty could use this to take more initiative on the negotiating table.

"There is no movement in the Yeli Ministry?" Li Yuan asked.

Li Yuan felt that the people of the Yeli tribe were too cowardly. Zhang Chao destroyed all seven tribes and even spoke up and dominated the territory of the Yeli tribe. The Yeli tribes didn't dare to say one. Didn't it mean that the Yeli tribes still have a population of more than 100,000 and more than 10,000?

With so many people, why are you so cowardly?

When fighting with Zhang Chao, Li Yuan was anxious for these Yeli people. They refused to fight. No matter how difficult Zhang Chao could fight, there was no reason to attack the Yeli tribe. After all, the two countries are now in harmony, and the Tang Dynasty cannot lead to Wuming.

"Don't worry, Your Majesty, Zhang Sanlang plans to wait until mid-September, when the winter wheat is sown and all preparations for the expedition are completed, so he will take the troops to talk to the Yeli people."

"What are you talking about? Yeli people are so cowardly!" Li Yuan was helpless. He was so cowardly, so how could he fight?

Yu Wenshiji was full of confidence. After going to Taozhou, Yu Wenshiji was very eye-opening.

"When Zhang Wenyuan arrives, he will lead his troops to find the six tribes of Yeli, and ask them to return all the people of Taozhou, the Tang Dynasty who had invaded and plundered before. Otherwise, Zhang Wenyuan will personally lead his troops to rescue the enslaved people of the Tang Dynasty!"

Li Yuan's eyes lit up. This reason seemed to be very sufficient and he was very famous.

Moreover, as the governor of Taozhou, Zhang Chao went to Yeli to find the abducted Taozhou people to recover the abducted people. There was no problem with Zhang Chao.

However, Li Yuan was also a little worried. There was no problem with friction. If he could gain some advantage, he could force Murong Fuyun to give in at the negotiating table. But don’t backfire, if he suffers losses, it would be troublesome.

"I am watching from Taozhou. All the soldiers in Taozhou are very motivated and are eager to fight. If they go to fight, they will win!"

"Since that's the case," Li Yuan pondered, "Then set up the Dingxi Protectorate, and Zhang Chao was the Dingxi Protectorate."

Li Yuan asked Pei Ji, Chen Shuda and other prime ministers' opinions. Although they hesitated, they did not object in the end. The Protectorate and the Governor's Office are not the same. The Governor's Office is mainly a place in the border areas, and they command troops to guard a place.

The Protectorate is completely different.

All are all, and the guardian is to lead troops to guardianship. The guardian means the chief guardian.

During the Han Dynasty, a Protectorate was established, whose duties were to comfort the vassals and to gather foreign invaders. All matters of comforting the surrounding tribes, expeditions, recounting merits, and punishing the demerits were governed by them.

To put it bluntly, this Protectorate is actually the same as the one Zhang Chao added before. The difference is that the previous Protectorate was just a temporary special envoy, but the Protectorate was a permanent institution, and the Protectorate was in charge of this institution.

The Protector should be an upgrade to recruit envoys, have a special yamen, and at the same time it also clarifies the control over the civil and military officials of the Tang Dynasty in the Protector's Mansion, as well as the foreign ministries attached to the Tang Dynasty.

The main function of this Protectorate is to be responsible for the affairs of Tuyuhun, Tubo, as well as the tribes such as Shame, Di, Liao, and Man.

The Dingxi Protectorate is under the supervision and control of the Longyoudao Grand Commander's Office.

The Taozhou Governor's Office and the Taozhou Yamen were both controlled by the Dingxi Protectorate, but Zhang Chao alone served as the three positions of Dingxi Protectorate, Taozhou Governor, and Taozhou Governor.

As the first protector established by the Tang Dynasty, the Dingxi Protectorate was of the second grade.

The functions of this Protectorate are actually somewhat similar to those of Xingtai, which was just abolished, but their power is still smaller than that of Xingtai. However, they also have complete rights to declare war, negotiate peace, and accept surrender to the Southwest Federation.

This Protectorate was done by Li Yuan in order to allow Zhang Chao to completely let go of his hands and feet.

Li Yuan had already set up the stage for Zhang Chao. As for how much Zhang Chao could sing this drama, it all depends on Zhang Chao's performance.

Taozhou.

When the envoy from the court came to Taozhou with the decree, Zhang Chao was ready to go to war.

The autumn farming has been completed, and the soldiers of the government have changed their autumn clothes. The recruits have undergone intensive training during this period and have polished them to a little decent.

Everything is ready, and I only need a reason to send troops.

"Are there any herders from Feng Li's tribe crossing the border to grazing in the three counties of Taoyuan, Qiangyuan, and Liyuan?"

Su Dingfang nodded with a smile. During this period, he pulled the cavalry troops to run on the territory of Heiyeli every day. He planted flags everywhere and made thatched huts everywhere. Then he named it Taoyuan County, Qiangyuan County, Liyuan County, or a certain military mansion, a certain post station, and a certain village.

Just run a few pieces of land, put a few wooden signs, and it will be a field monument. The wasteland will become the military military farmland of Taozhou, the Tang Dynasty.

Then I went to rush the herdsmen from time to time.

At the beginning, the herdsmen of Yeli who crossed the line were frightened.

Every time he saw the Taozhou cavalry appear, he quickly fled everywhere.

But a few times later, they discovered a problem. These Tang cavalry were just pretending, shouting a few words, rushing, and then leaving.

The same is true when I encounter it next time, and I won’t really come up to catch people and kill them.

Gradually, these people became used to it and were too lazy to pay attention to the Tang army's announcement and expel them. Anyway, they ignored it, and the Tang people were not angry.

In the end, they even regarded these Tang cavalry as a fun time to pass the time during their bored grazing.

I saw Tang people running around stupidly every day, shouting a few words, watching them put flags everywhere, stand signs everywhere, and set up sheds everywhere...

In short, these Tang people are all fools.

Before winter begins, it is an important time for cattle and sheep to gain weight. Only by eating enough grass can you gain weight after gaining weight. The hundreds of miles of grass in Heiyelibu are already plump, but now they are empty all at once, and the grass grows very well.

Seeing this, many surrounding Yeli tribes began to bravely drive cattle and sheep to eat the last batch of fat grass.

"How many Yeli herdsmen are there in the three counties south of us now?" Zhang Chao asked with a smile.

Yeli people are already careless, this is a good thing.

"Many, now there are people from the Sixth Ministry of Yeli in the south. It is estimated that at least 20,000 or 30,000 Yeli people have crossed the boundary we established!"

Zhang Chao clapped his face and smiled at the generals who participated in the military discussion, "Oh, these wise men have applied for three or five times, and have warned countless times. Why do they turn a blind eye to them? How could they dare to despise our Tang Dynasty and our Taozhou soldiers so much? Is it tolerable? Who wouldn't tolerate?"

So the generals and schoolmen slapped the table and shouted.

"Uncle can tolerate it, but aunt can't, mom!" Niu Jianhu and the four of them have been Zhang Chao's fangs for a while, but they were really happy and were unwilling to go back to be their chariot generals. At this time, they were even more unwilling to fall behind and slammed the table and shouted.

"send troops!"

"send troops!"

"send troops!"

All the generals and schoolmen shouted loudly to send troops. At this time, the envoy of Chang'an brought the imperial edict.

The imperial court established the Dingxi Protectorate in Taozhou. The governor of Taozhou was promoted to Dingxi Protectorate and continued to serve as the governor of Taozhou and governor. A deputy governor of Suizhou, former governor of Suizhou, Minister of War of Yizhou Xingtai, and Duke of Yangcheng County.

When Zhang Chao heard his name, he couldn't help but look shocked.
To be continued...