The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 179 Benefits
Watching my son eating the pomegranates one by one leisurely, this way of eating is very slow and leisurely.

Li Shimin looked at the half pomegranate left and wanted to snatch it away. Then he dug out a handful of pomegranates and put them in his mouth to chew. Only in this way could he feel heroic and happy.

But in front of him, this son was still eating the pomegranate seeds one by one slowly and leisurely.

Li Lizhi directed her younger brothers and sisters to clean up Ganlu Hall. After not having been here for two months, the hall was actually still very clean. No one knew why these children were cleaning the place.

Soon, the Ganlu Temple seemed neater and more spacious. There were still a lot of sundries piled in baskets outside the temple. After everything was cleaned up, the children would take away everything in the baskets.

Li Shimin sighed: "Zhang Daan is a pure and innocent child."

Li Chengqian placed all the pomegranate seeds on a piece of white cloth, then wrapped the seeds with the white cloth and threw them into a small bucket beside him, using it as a trash can, and then wiped the table in front of him clean.

Then, he took a sip of tea and said, "Father, teaching people how to fish is the most important debt to make up for."

Li Shimin whispered: "Do you know what the Taoist said back then, Heaven, Earth, Sovereign, Parents, and Teachers?"

Li Chengqian asked back: "When I was reading, I also saw Wei Yang said that those who master knowledge often master power. This is not wrong, right?"

Li Shimin nodded slightly.

Li Chengqian continued, "In this case, if Zhang Daan can contribute to the country, then it doesn't matter whether he follows me and becomes the East Palace's Xima companion. It doesn't conflict with me cultivating Zhang Daan's intelligence."

Li Shimin closed his eyes and sat in the chair in silence for a long time.

"I will go back first."

Li Shimin opened his eyes only when he heard his son's footsteps leaving, and a group of children in front of him also left.

Li Zhi took the remaining two pomegranates from his father's table and walked out of Ganlu Hall quickly.

Li Shimin sat on the chair, feeling a little confused, and then his expression became a little unhappy, and the strength of his hand holding the tea bowl increased a little.

It was very quiet inside the Ganlu Hall, and the bookshelf on the side was much emptier than before.

Li Chengqian walked all the way to the East Palace, followed by a group of younger brothers and sisters.

Actually, this home is pretty good.

If a powerful dynasty is really going to collapse, then the signs of collapse are most likely related to its own internal friction.

If you only care about internal fighting but not expansion, if you only care about immediate interests but not long-term plans.

Excluding dissidents leads to a lack of unity.

Once many simple problems become complicated, everything will only become more confusing.

I don't know whether it is the so-called Heaven, Earth, Emperor, and Teacher, or some intellectual person who is in power.

If you want to be an emperor, you must take these as your pride in terms of the necessary professional qualities of the profession.

But if one tries to show off while blurring one's own nature, then one will go down a wrong path.

Therefore, many people who wrote books of sages were old hands, and sages were not the ones who changed their destiny with knowledge.

In Li Chengqian's ideology, he would only view these knowledge and theories dialectically.

It's just that I'm not as blindly obedient as others, that's all.

After returning to the East Palace, Li Yuan stroked his beard and looked at the things the children brought. He asked curiously, "What? Did you guys rebel?"

Li Zhi quickly said, "Grandpa, my grandson did not rebel."

Li Yuan smiled in surprise and said, "Then why did you plunder your father's Ganlu Palace?"

Li Shen stepped forward and explained, "It was something that Father didn't want, so we took it. When we took it, Father didn't say we couldn't take it. It was something that Father didn't want."

Li Yuan saw a piece of fine jade and was hesitant to speak.

Li Lizhi took her grandfather's hand and walked aside, explaining, "During the past two months, my younger brother and sister have been at Taiye Lake and have always been by the side of our father and mother. It was during these two months that our father and mother were really fed up with our younger brother and sister."

Li Yuan sighed: "Only Grandpa can take care of you."

Li Lizhi chuckled and said, "As long as my brothers and sisters can return to the East Palace, it doesn't matter if I take away the things in Father's Palace."

Li Yuan smiled very happily. He didn't know if it was because he saw his son being subdued by these guys. His son, who had been full of vigor and vitality for half his life, finally had this day.

Li Lizhi helped Grandpa sit in the Chongwen Hall, poured him a bowl of wine and said, "And we have to prepare rooms for Zhinu and Shendi today."

Li Yuan smiled and waved his hand, saying, "You can get busy too."

Li Lizhi poured some wine for her grandfather and left.

Sitting alone in the Chongwen Hall, Li Yuan drank grape wine with a smile on his face. Li Zhi used to be just a little child, but now she looks more like a calm and generous housewife than before.

Children grow up, it seems, overnight.

Li Yuan thought about the past and felt that they were all grown up now, but he was getting older faster.

Li Chengqian walked into the East Palace and heard the sizzling sound of vegetables being put in the oil pan. The aroma of fried day lily with lard wafted from the kitchen nearby.

Xiaofu poked his head out of the kitchen and said, "We can have dinner in half an hour."

Li Zhi complained, "Xiaofu, did you forget to cook the rice again? Why does it take another half an hour?"

Dongyang glared at him and said, "You have food to eat, but you won't starve."

Li Zhi said aggrievedly: "My brother is hungry."

Dongyang said: "Then just starve."

"Ah..." Li Zhi scratched his head in pain, looked around, found some shredded radish, and ate it to fill his stomach.

Although Li Zhi had a lot of complaints, he could only wait for Xiaofu to prepare the meal. The brothers and sisters in the East Palace liked Xiaofu's food the most.

Besides looking forward to the happy time after the class every day, the next thing is waiting for dinner time.

Li Chengqian walked all the way to the bedroom.

Ning Er followed beside him and said, "Your Highness, Jingzhao Prefecture sent people to deliver a lot of memorials, which arrived this morning."

Li Chengqian took off his shoes and walked barefoot on the cold ground, feeling much more comfortable.

The coolness from the ground can also make you feel more refreshed.

After His Royal Highness the Crown Prince sat down, Ning'er handed him a pen and ink, poured him a bowl of hot water, and lit the stove outside the hall, so that she could pour a bowl of hot tea for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince at any time.

Li Chengqian looked at the account books of Jingzhao Prefecture. The money earned from selling grapes this year had not yet been deposited into the court's warehouse.

One is the city tax collected by Jingzhao Prefecture. This money will be used to build workshops in various counties in Guanzhong, which will cost a lot of money.

This year's construction focus is on Weinan County, and just this one county.

With the successful examples of Jingyang and Weibei counties, Jingzhao Prefecture did not take big steps, but moved forward step by step, down to earth.

Although one call can get a hundred responses, if we really take a big step and start construction in the twelve counties of Guanzhong at the same time, various problems are inevitable.

Firstly, the current Jingzhao Prefecture team is still a small team. Talents need to be selected slowly, and there needs to be a strong enough team and people with sufficient capabilities. Therefore, in the first year of the benefits of the small-scale economy in Guanzhong, Jingzhao Prefecture has earned enough taxes, and it still needs to be calculated carefully.

After all, it still comes back to the same question: people will not listen to you because you are in a high position and have power, but because you have the ability to bring them a better life.

Therefore, even the court often complained about the harshness of the prince's behavior.

But this kind of rule must be persisted.

Guanzhong is like a small nest that needs to be held up carefully, and this small nest finally has some embellishments.

Shouldn't the county magistrates in each county be cautious and perform their duties conscientiously?
Li Chengqian wrote down two names on the list, then took out his teacher's seal and wrote the names of the two county magistrates on the dismissal list.

The court was on break and the crown prince was in charge of state affairs. The seal used by Prime Minister Fang to review documents naturally fell into the hands of Prime Minister Fang's disciple, the crown prince who was in charge of state affairs.

Then he looked through the rest of the documents, including the military report sent from Liangzhou. The Tubo had withdrawn the troops wandering in the Tuyuhun territory, and Songtsen Gampo seemed to have gathered all the troops from all over the place.

And the Tibetan envoy who came to the Tang Dynasty, Sambuza, also returned to Tibet and went to Lu Dongzan.

After leaving Chang'an, Sambuza went to Nepal again.

Songtsen Gampo was allowed to marry the princess of Nepal, and from then on Tubo and Nepal reconciled.

Ning'er noticed that the Crown Prince's expression had become a little more stern.

Li Chengqian continued to read. After Songtsen Gampo moved the capital to Lhasa, he vigorously developed military farming. He didn't know what Tubo's military farming strategy was.

It is a burden to the herdsmen.

Sambhota did a lot of things during his visit to the Tang Dynasty. After returning to Tubo, Sambhota submitted a reform plan to Songtsen Gampo, which included adjusting the ranks of officials. They used the color of the seal to divide the ranks.

Taxation, punishment, etiquette, a minor prime minister was also set up under the name of the Grand Prime Minister Lu Dongzan.

After improving the military system, Sambuza even used the equal-field system to expand farmland and distribute some of the royal land to the poorer Tibetan herdsmen.

Songtsen Gampo's rule over Tubo became even stronger, and he even won the hearts of the Tibetan herdsmen, becoming a glorified Tibetan king.

Logically speaking, such a Tibetan king should be praised for his merits and virtues, as his age is similar to that of the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace.

This is even more shocking.

Li Chengqian expressed his pity for people like Songtsen Gampo, saying, "If we have Yu, why have Liang?"

During the three to five years when the Tang Dynasty was developing, Tubo was also accumulating strength.

Ning'er handed over a round fan at the right time.

Li Chengqian naturally reached out to take it.

As long as Ning'er stands next to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, she will always know what His Royal Highness needs most.

Li Chengqian also got used to this tacit understanding. As long as Ning'er was around, he could get whatever he needed by just reaching out.

Waving the round fan in his hand, Li Chengqian smiled and thought to himself that he hoped Songtsen Gampo, the chosen one, would never think of going to war with the Tang Dynasty.

Li Lizhi walked quickly into the hall and said, "My Royal Highness, you can have your meal now."

Li Chengqian put down the military report in his hand, stretched himself and stood up, saying, "How much did you take from the emperor?"

Li Lizhi put her hands behind her back and said, "I haven't emptied my father's Ganlu Palace."

"Hehehe... So you guys also want to empty out Father's Ganlu Palace."

"Grandpa thought we were rebelling." Li Lizhi walked quickly to the dining table, washed her hands, and then sat down.

My younger brother and sister had already washed their hands and started eating with chopsticks.

After two months of peace, the East Palace returned to its lively scene.

Li Zhi was eating, holding the bowl, he looked up and said: "Royal brother, can I also become a disciple of Taoist priest Li Chunfeng together with Xiao Sizi?"

"Master Li Chunfeng only accepted Mingda as his disciple."

His sister's words were like a bucket of cold water poured over his head, extinguishing the hope in his heart.

Li Chengqian ordered: "The East Palace has prepared rooms for you two brothers. From now on, you will take care of your rooms by yourselves."

Li Lizhi said: "If you can't take care of it, there's no need to live here."

"Yes." Li Zhi and Li Shen nodded in unison. They did not dare to refute their brother and sister's words.

After dinner, the two children were still very enthusiastic.

Although Li Lizhi was very strict with her younger siblings, she still took good care of them. She and Dongyang prepared bedding and daily necessities for Li Zhi and Li Shen.

In fact, their daily necessities are very simple, including three or two sets of clothes, two beds, two tables and stools, a washbasin and toothbrush for washing, and shoes.

That's all for now.

Li Lizhi said with a sullen face: "Chinu, if you dare to bring ducks to the East Palace to raise them, you will have to wait for the duck meat to be eaten."

Li Zhi looked terrified and nodded rapidly.

"And you." Li Lizhi looked at her brother Li Shen and said, "Except for the necessary utensils and books, you are not allowed to bring anything else into your room. If you dare to bring a toy into your room, the East Palace will have one less toy from now on."

Li Shen stood beside Li Zhi and nodded slowly.

Just as they imagined, they had their own room and were very happy.

It seemed as if the elder sister already knew what they were thinking. She immediately denied all their original plans and set down some rules.

Li Lizhi said, "Okay, move in."

Li Zhi and Li Shen walked back to their rooms. The two brothers lived in the same room, and this palace was renovated by the imperial brother when he was on leave in the court and spending the summer at Taiye Lake.

It is still raining during the White Dew season in Guanzhong.

After the sisters left, Li Zhi and Li Shen sat under the eaves in silence for a long time.

In fact, since the Queen asked Concubine Wei to stop raising Li Shen, Li Shen, except for occasionally visiting his mother, spent most of his time in the Eastern Palace, studying and playing there.

Most of his childhood memories are in this East Palace, and he learned all kinds of knowledge in the East Palace.

Li Zhi said: "You haven't written a diary for a long time."

Li Shen said: "Shen often visits mother and tells her about the East Palace. Mother said there is no need to write a diary."

"Why doesn't it lay eggs yet?"

Li Zhi complained.

Li Shen looked at the room that belonged to him and his brother happily, with his hands on his chin and his head nodding from time to time.

"Royal brother, Shen can finally use his free time to draw various blueprints."

(End of this chapter)