The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 151 The Prince Who Wants "Power"
Li Dao Zong smiled and said, "Your Highness Prince Jin has grown a lot taller."

Li Zhi replied: "I will continue to grow taller."

Li Lizhi brought some peeled garlic and put it aside, then sat down next to her brother and sat around the fire with her brother and uncle.

Li Shen asked, "Why do those people always want to talk about my brother?"

He looked depressed as he spoke, feeling wronged for his brother but helpless.

Li Zhi waved his fist and said, "They should all resign! Let my brother have the final say."

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Lizhi reached out and hit him hard on the back of the head.

Feeling the pain, Li Zhi covered the back of his head and said aggrievedly: "Sister!"

Li Lizhi said with a straight face, "If you say something like this again, it won't be just this time."

Li Shen pulled his brother's sleeve.

Li Zhi said unhappily: "What for?"

Li Shen whispered: "Even if you want to remove all their officials, it has nothing to do with my brother."

Li Zhi covered the back of his head with his hands and looked depressed.

Seeing the expressions of these children, Li Dao Zong said, "Your Highness the Crown Prince is planning something bigger."

Li Chengqian nodded, "Let me give you an analogy. If there are enough jobs in Guanzhong, and people know that there are schools for children to study in every county in Guanzhong, and this is a very wealthy area, then there will be a steady stream of people coming to Guanzhong."

"Even if it's the four counties of Hexi in the northwest, I hope to plant trees on the wasteland in the Western Regions."

Li Chengqian drew another circle on the ground, and suddenly smiled foolishly, saying, "Maybe my ideal is a little unrealistic, but Guanzhong is a chess game, and it needs to be coordinated by the court. The imperial power should be directly passed down to the county, instead of just talking in the court."

"So I really hate it when the nobles control the local areas and the imperial power cannot be exercised?"

"If there are requirements, goals, and things to do, they should be issued directly and executed, and the strategies should be efficient and practical. I don't want to reason with them and discuss the issues with them. This will not only lose efficiency, but also lose some excellent opportunities."

"I would dismiss them for this reason. If they feel that they can't keep up with the current pace and feel that they are not capable enough, and want to leave early, I will also help them do so."

After listening to what the prince said, Li Ji looked towards the northwest. At this moment, he did not want to look at the prince's face, because at this moment the prince almost had the word "power" written on his face.

Although Li Zhi and Li Shen did not understand what their brother said, they found his words very contagious. They straightened their backs for some reason and listened attentively.

"Yes, they all say that I am very paranoid." Li Chengqian smiled with relief: "Some things need to be paranoid and fussy. What the court really needs to do is to protect the people. How can we not be fussy?"

Li Daozon stopped stroking his beard. Is this the prince's perspective on worldly affairs?
When the prince said these words, his tone was very calm, as if he was talking about something very ordinary or natural.

These words were only spoken to the children in front of him. If these words were spread in the court, the prince would most likely be impeached.

"Your Highness."

Hearing the words behind him, Li Chengqian turned around and asked, "Uncle, do you think what I said is wrong?"

Li Dao Zong waved his hand and said, "I was just thinking that a batch of pigs from Jingyang can be sold this year. After the weather warms up in the spring of next year, Gaoling County said that soy sauce can also be sold next year. However, the soy sauce workshop in Gaoling County is also owned by Du He."

Li Dao Zong smiled awkwardly, cleared his throat, and said, "It's okay that Du He always makes money before others. Anyway, he is a kind man, and no one talks about him."

A gust of cold wind blew by, and Li Dao Zong said slowly: "That's all for now."

Li Chengqian put his hands in his pockets and leaned against the leafless jujube tree behind him. "The scale of the breeding industry should be controlled. It is best to disperse the counties and keep a distance from each other horizontally. It should also be diversified. It is also good for each family to raise livestock freely."

"I understand now. If Duhe's pork sells well, then other counties will buy domesticated piglets, and there will be demand for soy sauce, and Weinan County's green onions will also sell better. This is a chess game."

Li Chengqian handed over a bowl of hot water and said, "I'll have to trouble you again, uncle, for future matters."

Li Dao Zong sighed, "Alas, I don't have the talent that Your Highness has. I think it's enough for me to be able to manage Xu Jing Zong."

Li Chengqian smiled and looked at his younger brothers and sisters who were playing in the snow.

The Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace took the children out of the palace to play, and the Emperor also came out to relax.

Yuchi Gong followed and said, "Your Majesty, I have asked someone to investigate. The prince is skiing in the east of Chang'an."

"Yes, I know."

I thought Your Majesty was here to visit the Crown Prince, who was on the east side of Chang'an City, but Your Majesty insisted on going to the west side of Chang'an City.

When he arrived in Xianyang County, Li Shimin saw a figure who was wearing the same coarse cloth clothes as ordinary villagers, but his combed hair made him stand out among the ordinary villagers.

At a glance, you can see that the person carrying a shoulder pole is Li Ke, and he is carrying two loads of loess.

Li Shimin whispered, "He seems to be having a hard time."

Yuchi Gong remained silent.

Li Shimin asked again: "What are you laughing at?"

Yuchi Gong whispered, "I'll have someone bring him here right away."

"Don't disturb the people here."

"Here."

Yuchi Gong selected a man from the guards behind him and ordered him to take off his armor and go see the King of Wu.

Soon, Prince Wu Li Ke was brought in. He walked through a grove of trees and came before his father. He was smiling and breathing hot air from his mouth.

First he glanced at his son, whose clothes were stained with yellow mud, and asked, "Are you still laughing?"

Li Ke wiped the clear snot that was flowing out of his nose due to the cold, and said with a smile: "I have had a very enjoyable time in the past half month."

"Cheng Qian ordered you to come here to do hard labor, and I thought you would complain."

Yuchi Gong was also very puzzled. If all the complaints that the King of Wu had against the Crown Prince were justified at this moment, how could he be happy?
Li Ke added: "I feel inexplicably relaxed these days. I don't know why, but I'm just very happy."

Li Shimin thought for a moment, looked at his son again, and asked, "Why are you so happy?"

Li Ke scratched his head. He didn't know how to be happy. He thought and thought, and suddenly he remembered something. His eyes lit up and he explained, "Two days ago, County Magistrate Liu's wife gave birth to a son. The child was born safely. The people of Xianyang County were very happy. They were all laughing. I don't know why I was so happy."

Li Shimin remained silent.

Li Ke added: "We have repaired the official road, and it is smoother. They all said that it will be even better in the future. Those people are happy, and I am really happy too. That was the road that I and they repaired with buckets of mud and sand."

"It is also very comfortable to walk on the official road that I built. I feel very relaxed these days."

Li Shimin took a deep breath. Li Ke was a child who could not lie, and his smile was sincere.

Patting his shoulder heavily, Li Shimin continued, "Did Cheng Qian tell you to return to the army?"

Li Ke said: "I did."

Thinking that Cheng Qian still remembered his brother, the emperor felt more at ease. Li Shimin said slowly: "Your mother is very worried about you, go see her."

"Here."

Li Ke was about to leave but quickly came back and asked, "Father, do I need to do hard labor here in the future?"

Li Shimin said in a deep voice: "It's up to you."

As for returning to the army, his father did not tell him about the next arrangements. Li Ke found that he almost forgot about it. He got on his horse, but hesitated again and looked back at Xianyang County behind him.

"Since the county residents have forgiven you, you can go out more often in the future."

"Yes! I will go to visit my mother right now." Li Ke hadn't ridden a horse for a long time. He held the reins and squeezed the horse's belly. The horse neighed and headed towards Chang'an City. These children suddenly seemed to have grown up. This year, Cheng Qian was seventeen years old, and Li Tai was fifteen years old.

Yuchi Gong asked, "Your Majesty, do you want to go see Liu Rengui?"

"No." Li Shimin walked to the other side.

Yuchi Gong led his guards to escort His Majesty all the way and also deployed scouts along the way.

Walking all the way to the edge of Jingyang County, Li Shimin looked at the village in the distance.

The cold wind blew in his face, and His Majesty's eyes were as sharp as torches, scanning the entire village.

"Where is Du He's workshop?"

Hearing this, Yuchi Gong pointed to the largest room and said, "This is it."

If you look from a distance, you can see militiamen guarding the village, and it looks like the security is quite tight.

Yuchi Gong further explained: "I heard that outsiders are not allowed to enter Jingyang County. If they want to enter the county, they must state their intentions. If they want to get close to the workshop, they must get permission from Ying Gong."

"Jingyang County used to be just a small village, but now it has so many households?"

"Your Majesty, many people have moved back to Jingyang County since last year."

"Cheng Qian attaches great importance to this place." Li Shimin looked at the layout of the houses here. This is just a simple village, nothing special. As for the militiamen, they are just holding sticks.

From a distance, you can see people walking around in the workshop. The people here are very busy.

Li Shimin said in a deep voice: "These are all Du He's property. No matter how rich he is, I cannot do anything to take away his property."

Yuchi Gong listened to the words and thought about the implicit meaning behind them.

Everyone would be jealous of such a wealthy Jingyang. Since the construction of Jingyang County, Du He has made countless money from it.

No one knows how much money this Mr. Du He has.

Moreover, there are many strange things surrounding Du He, but he is always able to prepare in advance and sell the goods to earn the first money.

The chairs were also the first ones that Du He earned his first pot of gold through trade.

Yuchi Gong said: "Your Majesty, I heard that the Turks no longer want soap, and the Uighurs are unwilling to exchange their war horses for soap."

"He has received enough benefits. It is none of his business whether the Turks want soap or not."

Some county residents had already noticed the soldiers and horses here. Li Shimin withdrew his gaze, got on the carriage, and ordered: "Go back."

"Here."

The next day, Li Ke came to Xianyang County again.

Liu Rengui was eating a cake and holding a book in front of the county government office. He was a little surprised to see the visitor and asked, "Why is His Royal Highness the King of Wu back? Has he gotten into trouble again?"

"I didn't cause any trouble." Li Ke took out two meat buns and handed him one.

"Thank you, King Wu." Liu Rengui took the bun and took a bite, chewing the greasy meat bun.

"This is Chang'an's new food. Is it delicious?"

"Mm, delicious." Liu Rengui took another bite of the bun, handed him a copper coin, and said, "You don't need to send it to me in the future. I have my own food."

Li Ke took the copper coin, ate the big meat bun, and said, "This bun is five cents each."

Liu Rengui searched his sleeves and took out three more copper coins, but it was still not enough.

Li Ke smiled and said, "Give it to me later."

Liu Rengui took two bites of the bun and felt reluctant to leave it, so he hurried into the yamen. When he came out, the bun was gone.

There's no need to ask any more questions, most likely it was given to her wife.

Li Ke ate the bun in his hand in two or three bites and said, "On the winter solstice, I had dinner with my father in the East Palace. My brother said that you must be the first county magistrate in the Tang Dynasty to die of poverty."

Liu Rengui continued eating the cake he had not finished and sat down again.

As he chewed the biscuit, his beard moved as he replied, "The salary from the court is enough to support my family."

Li Ke leaned in and said, "Guanzhong selects model counties every year."

"know."

"You only took office last year, and Jingzhao Prefecture has already started evaluating last year's model counties. If you can make achievements this year, you can be selected as a model county next year and get support from Jingzhao Prefecture."

Liu Rengui swallowed the dry biscuit in his mouth and whispered, "When I was a county lieutenant in Chencang, I didn't know there were so many rules in Guanzhong."

"Now you know?"

"I see. It's not easy to be an official in Guanzhong."

Li Ke said: "Of course, ever since my brother took charge of the agricultural affairs in Guanzhong, everyone in the government and the public knows that being an official in Guanzhong is not easy."

Liu Rengui continued, "I will do my best to be the county magistrate. Your Highness, the King of Wu, don't worry."

This man was so stubborn that it was hard to persuade him. Li Ke felt helpless and simply gave up. He followed a group of county residents to repair the ditch.

In Chang'an City, Xu Jingzong had to go to Jingzhao Prefecture early to take up his post, and passed by a few literati who were drinking.

Someone whispered, "Is he Xu Jingzong?"

"It was him! He beat us up in the tavern."

"He's alone now!"

"Brothers, revenge!"

Xu Jingzong was still walking on the street when he saw a lot of people following him.

Subconsciously quickening his pace, seeing that the other party was still following him, Xu Jingzong cursed: "Damn it! Things have been really going wrong lately."

He replied: "You all know that I am the Shao Yin of Jingzhao Prefecture."

As soon as he finished speaking, a fist hit him.

Xu Jingzong covered his nose in pain and gritted his teeth and said, "I will fight you to the death."

The warning was useless, as the other party took the first move. Xu Jingzong could no longer bear it and rushed towards them.

The quiet street in the early morning became lively because of this group of people.

Wei Chang rushed out of the alley and kicked a man down.

Xu Jingzong said loudly: "Thank you, Brother Wei, for your help."

Wei Chang was very skilled and knocked down several people with one move.

When the other party saw that Xu Jingzong had someone helping him, they ran away for their lives.

Several people fled hastily to a tavern in Wannian County, where a group of powerful children had just woken up from a hangover.

(End of this chapter)