The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 263 His Career
After the water in the copper pot boiled, Li Shimin put the mutton into the pot. He thought about the matter of supporting education, took a sip of wine and said, "The support education in Guanzhong has not been effective, and you still want to go to Tubo?"

From what I heard from my father, who was complaining, it turned out that the remote teaching was carried out by Chongwenguan, but it now seemed to have no effect.

Moreover, since Li Ke traveled to various counties and towns to understand the conflicts between teaching and local governments, he has discovered more and more problems.

It is not just the counties that do not support teaching. Even among ordinary families in rural counties, not many children of school age are willing to learn to read and write.

We need to look at the problem comprehensively, which is a process of looking at both people and the environment.

Li Chengqian said: "Your Majesty, what you said is correct. I will consider it carefully."

Li Shimin asked again: "Why? Do you regret it now?"

"I will not regret it. Problems always need to be solved. I will persist year after year... So what if I fail?"

Li Chengqian picked up a piece of mutton and put it in his mouth, chewing it.

The sound of rain continued outside the palace. Inside the Xingqing Palace, the emperor and his son were having lunch quietly.

Soon, the sound of footsteps on the wet road was heard outside. The footsteps sounded urgent, as if they were running.

The visitor shouted outside the palace: "Your Majesty, there is news from the Western Regions!"

Li Shimin, who was eating hot pot, finally put down his chopsticks and said in a deep voice: "Serve it."

A eunuch took the leather bag, untied it, took out a roll of paper from inside, and handed it to His Majesty with both hands.

Li Shimin first glanced at his son who was still eating mutton, then opened the paper.

The Western Regions Military Report mentioned the Anxi Protectorate, and the construction of Xizhou and Tingzhou.

Gaochang disappeared afterwards. The former Gaochang became the present Xizhou, and the Khan Buddha City became Tingzhou of the Tang Dynasty.

There are 30,000 troops stationed in Xizhou, 20,000 troops stationed in Tingzhou, and 5,000 troops stationed in Anxi Protectorate.

Li Shimin looked down again and whispered, "The two thousand hectares of cotton planted by Minister of Agriculture Guo Luotuo in the Western Regions have a good harvest."

While eating mutton, Li Chengqian was thinking. It was almost October. Calculating back and forth, when the letter was delivered, it should have been before September, and the cotton harvest would have been ready.

This military report has only been delivered to Chang'an now.

Li Shimin added: "The cotton shipment is on the way."

Li Chengqian took the military report handed over by his father and was also reading it. He said, "The cotton can be delivered before winter."

However, in the Tang Dynasty today, cotton is a very luxurious item. In the Eastern Palace, only the princes and princesses can use a quilt and winter clothes made of cotton.

Because the fields in Guanzhong could not be used to grow cotton on a large scale, the main focus was still on preserving grain. Arable land could not be occupied at will. While ensuring food supply in Guanzhong, cotton was widely planted in the Western Regions.

In such an environment, cotton is bound to become a luxury product.

The distribution of cotton was also in the hands of my father. Whether my father wanted to give the cotton to the army first, or to important officials in the court as a reward, was not something I, the crown prince, could decide.

Li Shimin asked, "If the Western Regions had valued cotton a few years ago, wouldn't they have killed many people for the land?"

"Mostly yes."

Li Shimin chuckled and said, "My son seems to be more greedy."

Li Chengqian put the newspaper aside and said, "Father, you are wrong. I am doing this for the country. Once we level the Tianshan Mountains and the Ili River, those lands will belong to the Tang Dynasty. Now I am worried that after Yugushe and Dilish go to war, they will lose a large number of working people."

"I don't care about other things, but the working population is the top priority."

After reading the military report, the father and son continued to eat. About a quarter of an hour later, an urgent report came from outside the palace, saying, "Your Majesty, urgent news from Tubo."

The military report was once again delivered to the palace. Li Shimin flipped through it first and frowned, saying, "Niu Jinda's men have investigated and found that they can indeed reach Luosi directly."

My father asked Niu Jinda to arrange people to investigate, and it was confirmed that there was indeed a road that could go directly from Qinghai to Luoshui.

This ancient Tang-Tibet Road originally existed in later generations. In Tubo, there were no city gates and no natural barriers that could be defended. By mastering this ancient road, the strategic conditions for attacking the heartland of Tubo in the future were mastered.

Li Chengqian asked: "Can you adapt to the climate of the plateau?"

Li Shimin shook his head and said, "Niu Jinda didn't mention this in the military newspaper, and they didn't feel anything unusual during the training in Qinghai."

"Let the general keep sending people to try. I think the plateau is not unconquerable, even if it's just to raise a few hundred special forces."

"Well, that's exactly what I meant."

"I want to try to send the teaching staff to Qinghai and Songzhou first, at least to let them know who the current emperor is. The people's support must start with who the emperor is. The process is difficult, but it is not necessarily useless."

Li Shimin nodded.

The father and son continued their conversation, and the future fate of Tubo was decided during this conversation.

After finishing his meal and waiting for two important military reports, Li Chengqian stood under the eaves of Xingqing Palace, watching the rain falling.

The news delivered today made my father very happy. He is in high spirits and has drunk too much.

The eunuch walked out of the palace and said, "Your Majesty is asleep."

Li Chengqian picked up the bamboo umbrella beside him and walked into the rain alone.

The old eunuch looked at the prince walking alone in the rain. The rain poured down from the sky, and slowly his back could no longer be seen.

After returning to the Eastern Palace, Li Chengqian sat in front of the Chongwen Hall, reading the military report brought from the Xingqing Hall.

"Why? Did your father also give you the military report?"

Li Chengqian glanced at his grandfather, walked to his side, and replied, "There are some things that require your comments."

Li Yuan sat aside, looking somewhat worried.

"what happened?"

"Did your father let you lead the troops?"

"Grandpa, you misunderstood. This is just some advice to the army. In many places in Tibet and the Western Regions, people from Chongwenguan are needed to work with the army."

Li Yuan whispered, "I thought Erlang gave you the military power."

"Father has given his grandson military power."

"Your Eastern Palace Right Commander only has seven men left. Li Ji told me that no one in the army even remembered there was a Right Commander."

"My grandson remembered it, and he didn't forget the right rate." Li Chengqian sat on the rocking chair and said, "It's better to have fewer people. Too many people will make it annoying."

Li Chengqian sat quietly in front of the Chongwen Hall for the rest of the time.

When the rain stopped, it was already evening, and Lizhi and Dongyang returned to the East Palace.

"Brother." Mingda, wearing a Taoist robe, ran over quickly and asked anxiously, "Please help Taoist Li."

Li Chengqian still lay with his eyes closed, his sister shaking his arm, and asked weakly, "What's wrong?"

"Master Li wants to prove that the ground beneath our feet is rotating. He has been in seclusion for half a month and has not found a way to prove it. Two days ago, Master Li threw stones into the sky and watched them fall."

"It's a good way to determine the rotation by where the stone falls."

"But the locations of the stones landing on the ground are random every time."

"That's because from the perspective of the established theory, the theoretical position of the falling stone should be offset every time it lands as it rotates."

"That's right." Mingda said seriously, "But every time it's either to the left or to the right, it doesn't conform to the law of rotation."

Mingda's learning ability is still very strong. The knowledge she has learned now is beyond the grasp of even Zhinu and Li Shen.

Li Chengqian picked up a thin wooden fiber from the side, which was originally used to skewer barbecue, and handed it to her, saying: "Then let this wooden fiber make great contributions to the world's cognition."

Mingda took the wood fiber with a suspicious look on his face, "This..."

Li Yuan also tried to hold back his smile.

"Is your Majesty hungry?"

Li Chengqian said: "Put it in a basin of still water, record its position, and check it every morning. If it moves..."

"Mingda understands. Thank you for your guidance, brother." She walked away from the East Palace in a hurry.

Li Yuan asked curiously, "What did she understand?" "She and Taoist Priest Li want to prove that the ground beneath our feet is rotating."

"Haha...then I won't be able to walk."

"Well, Grandpa's question is very good and worth thinking about."

Two days later, Taoist Priest Li Chunfeng asked Taoists to make an attempt to prove that the land under people's feet was rotating.

He taught many people the methods and techniques of experiments.

This is a very simple experiment that any child of any age can do.

Simply placing a thin wooden fiber, or a leaf or a blade of grass on a still basin of water can be used to prove this theory.

When this idea was sent to the Hongwenguan, many scholars also participated in it.

The results of the experiment were encouraging because in the following days, some people actually noticed changes.

Some people also spoke out against it, saying it was probably just a coincidence or some other reason.

Refutation requires reasons for the rebuttal, and Li Chunfeng has provided evidence to prove that the alternation of day and night is related to rotation.

Another half month passed, and even though there were still many unclear aspects of this puzzle, it did not affect people's efforts to make a living, and it soon became a laughing stock among people.

For things that cannot be figured out, in the end only a small number of people will continue to study them, while people's lives continue as normal.

In the Secretariat, Yu Zhining placed a pile of files in front of Chu Suiliang.

Recently, Chu Suiliang had some free time. He could go back and rest for a while before going out to find someone to drink with.

Seeing a pile of files placed in front of him, Chu Suiliang asked, "What does it mean?"

Yu Zhining said, "This is the discussion of the Minister of Agriculture on building karez in the Western Regions. The Ministry of Works will send 30 craftsmen to oversee the reclamation of karez. They will open up a large number of fields in the Western Regions and build an oasis, which is said to benefit the Western Regions."

Chu Suiliang looked embarrassed. Guo Luotuo, the Minister of Agriculture, wrote 51 volumes of documents in the Western Regions.

Can this person really learn so much by going to the Western Regions?
What on earth was he doing in the Western Regions?
Chu Suiliang was about to shirk his responsibility when, as luck would have it, the Crown Prince happened to be here. He quickly stood up and saluted, saying, "Minister Yu, rest assured. I will review these files and there will be no omissions."

His voice was loud and clear. Not only could His Royal Highness the Crown Prince hear it, but everyone else in the Secretariat could also hear it clearly.

Yu Zhining left with a satisfied look on his face.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince took a document from the Secretariat and left.

Chu Suiliang was left facing these files, taking a deep breath and working hard.

The teacher and uncle went to check the constructed silt dam, and the emperor issued an order to let the Khan of Mobei leave Jie Li's hometown.

After all, the father is the father. After the great victory in the battle of Songzhou, there seemed to be rumors that the Tang people were invincible.

The appeal of the Heavenly Khan resounded throughout the country and beyond, and more and more small countries wanted to pay tribute to the Tang Dynasty. A powerful empire has a powerful emperor, and with it comes a greater sense of responsibility.

Now this Heavenly Khan wanted to develop the Western Regions. He wanted to dig wells everywhere in the Western Regions to draw water and cover the entire Western Regions with karez.

This is what Guo Luotuo wants to do in the Western Regions now.

Guo Luotuo wants to change the entire Western Regions. If he succeeds, he will be praised by the people of the Western Regions.

Even after his death, countless people from the Western Regions would go to worship him.

Especially in the eyes of the somewhat barbaric and ignorant people in the Western Regions.

When a person's achievements reach a certain level, he is no longer a human being.

One day in the future, in a sense, my father and Guo Luotuo will become the objects of worship that the people of the Western Regions need to perform from generation to generation, blessing the Western Regions with prosperity.

Li Chengqian took the document to the Ministry of War, and the Minister of War Duan Zan asked in surprise, "What is it that requires His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to come here in person?"

Li Chengqian handed him the document and said, "Send it to General Niu Jinda in Qinghai."

Duan Zan glanced at the contents of the document and asked, "Since it is arranged by Prime Minister Fang and Your Majesty, I will go and give the order right away."

Li Chengqian put his hands in his pockets and asked, "How is General Duan's health these days?"

Now Duan Zan's father, General Duan, also known as Duan Zhixuan, is now the General of the Right Guard and has been granted the title of Duke of Fan. It is said that he has been recuperating from illness during this period.

Duan Zan said, "My father is still recovering. Thanks to your majesty's care, he is fine now."

Li Chengqian and Duan Zan walked out of the Ministry of War together, with his hands in his pockets, saying, "Don't spread this document easily, that's why I came to hand it to you personally, because it concerns the future relationship between the Tang Dynasty and Tubo."

"I will keep this in mind."

Li Chengqian took two more steps and said, "Thank you for your help."

Duan Zan quickly saluted and walked out of the Suzaku Gate quickly.

Sunny days came again in Guanzhong. Apart from necessary sleep and meals, Chu Suiliang spent the rest of his time dealing with files from the Western Regions.

He had just finished approving some of them when someone sent another sixty volumes of files from the Western Regions.

Li Chengqian was fishing in Taiye Lake and listening to his brother's story.

Li Zhi said, "Chu Suiliang must be crazy. He even had his hair and beard untidy at the morning court, and was scolded by Duke Zheng. How could he meet Your Majesty without washing and combing his hair at the morning court?"

Li Chengqian sat in the waterside pavilion, resting his head on the back of the deer, and asked, "What did Chu Suiliang say?"

Li Zhi ate a persimmon and said, "He said it was all Guo Luotuo's fault."

"What a petty person."

"That's right." Li Zhi said in a common hatred: "Brother, do you want me to beat him up?"

Li Chengqian said slowly: "You have been hanging around Chongwenguan for a long time recently. Is it Xu Jingjiao who taught you this?"

"what?"

"Xu Jingzong never likes to reason. If someone dares to plot against him, he will beat them up."

"Xu Shaoyin has taught his brother some ways of dealing with people."

"Don't learn what you shouldn't learn in the future. Do you know that when Xu Jingzong first served as the Shao Yin of Jingzhao Prefecture..."

Li Zhi took over the conversation and said, "Now Xu Jingzong is rumored to be a hero in Chang'an City. The scoundrels back then have all been beaten up."

Li Chengqian was hesitant to speak. The people in Guanzhong are tough and fierce. Xu Jingzong is the Shaoyin of Jingzhao Prefecture. He has a strong fist and is also working in Jingzhao Prefecture, seeking the welfare of the people in Guanzhong.

So it seems that he, the Chang'an boxing champion, is indeed quite good.

I wouldn’t say it’s a bad thing. I always feel that this kid won’t suffer any harm outside... probably not.

Li Zhi ate the persimmon in his hand, washed his hands, wiped his mouth and said, "Brother, can Guo Luotuo really plant a lot of trees in the Western Regions?"

Li Chengqian said while lying down: "Keep an eye on the fishing rod."

"Oh..." Li Zhi looked at his brother's fishing rod and checked whether the fishing line moved. He then asked, "Why is he planting trees in the Western Regions?"

Li Chengqian said casually: "He likes to plant trees."

"Will he come back after planting trees?"

"Will do."

"What did he do for?"

The cool autumn breeze blew by, and Li Chengqian breathed in the fresh air and said, "If everything goes well with his arrangements in the Western Regions, then what Xuanzang failed to accomplish in the Western Regions back then has been accomplished by Guo Luotuo."

"Xuan Zang?"

Li Chengqian patted the back of his head and said, "Why do you have so many questions?"

Li Zhi pursed his lips in grievance and stopped asking questions.

This is a good era, and there are always people doing great things.

(End of this chapter)