The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 285 Production Bottleneck
Even in middle age, my father still demonstrated his talent in war. This cavalry from the grassland suddenly attacked from a direction that the enemy had never expected.

However, Guo Xiaoke's behavior almost disrupted the Tang army's initial layout, which made his father very angry.

No wonder that when he was playing chess with General Li Jing, he said that Your Majesty was often bold and strategic in fighting, while his, Li Weigong, was much more boring in fighting.

What Li Chengqian was worried about was the population issue. How many people would be consumed by the Khans and tribal leaders in the war?
Half an hour later, the rain outside had stopped and my father's anger had subsided. He discussed the next situation with General Yuchi and Prime Minister Fang.

Li Chengqian carried his sister on his back, looked at the rain still falling outside the hall, and walked out of the hall holding an umbrella.

As if she felt the food in the night breeze, Xiao Sizi rubbed her brother's shoulder and whispered, "Zeng Gao..."

Li Chengqian smiled knowingly. This sister is still thinking about food. She must be dreaming about food.

In the dark palace, two eunuchs holding lanterns walked in front of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

There are lights in the distance, and the direction of the lights is the East Palace.

He walked into the East Palace carrying his still sleeping sister on his back and saw his other brothers and sisters reading books, which was an activity similar to evening self-study in the East Palace.

After handing his still sleeping sister to Li Zhi, Li Chengqian sat down and checked his sister's homework.

Li Zhi's topic this month is related to the relationship between productivity and technology. She discussed the necessity of technology in productivity applications.

While Li Chengqian was still reading this essay, he smelled a fragrance.

Li Zhi, who was reading a book, suddenly looked up and said, "Bake buns!"

Li Shen also said: "It's baked buns."

Su Wan and Ning Er came over with two bowls of hot steamed buns and said, "Have something to eat."

The younger brothers and sisters present cheered and came forward to take the buns to eat.

Ning'er distributed the buns to the princes who were holding the plates, and said, "Be careful, it's hot, eat slowly."

After a while, Su Wan brought two remaining baked buns and placed them in front of her husband, saying, "There are only two left. I have been feeling unwell lately and cannot eat them."

Li Chengqian said: "Give it to them."

Afterwards, Ning'er whispered a few words to Su Wan, and they seemed to be thinking about something.

The younger brothers and sisters sat in a row in front of the temple gate, neatly arranged from tall to short. They ate baked buns while looking at the dark night, or as if they were looking at the rain faintly visible in the darkness.

Li Lizhi said to them, "After eating, read for another half an hour, then go to bed after washing up."

They nodded in twos and threes. Gao Yang couldn't eat so much, so he shared his buns with Li Zhi. In the end, Li Zhi and Li Shen ate the most.

The air after the thunderstorm was unusually good.

The next day, Li Chengqian was stretching his muscles after his morning run and said, "Dongyang."

"Yes, my sister is here."

"Your sister Su hasn't been feeling well lately."

"Sister, I'll go check it out now."

After saying that, Dongyang took Su Wan to feel her pulse. She looked solemn from time to time. He asked a few more questions and then thought for a moment.

Today's breakfast in the East Palace is soup noodles, and the aroma of noodles wafts from the kitchen.

After Dongyang felt her pulse, he whispered, "Sister Su is probably pregnant."

"Pregnant?" Su Wan covered her mouth in surprise.

"It's probably correct. We can confirm it in another month. Sister Su, please don't work too hard these days. I'll come to check your pulse often."

Su Wan still found it a little hard to believe. Although she was over 20 years old, she was not yet ready to be a mother.

Dongyang smiled and said, "Don't be afraid, Sister Su. This is just something that all women have to go through."

Dongyang is now a very experienced doctor. She added, "It's okay. I'm here. I've helped many women give birth with Dr. Sun. Sister Su is at the right age, so the birth should be smooth."

Su Wan's face turned slightly red and she nodded slightly.

The news quickly spread throughout the Eastern Palace and reached the ears of my father and mother.

After a few more days, Su Wan's morning sickness became more obvious.

Li Yuan was playing with the little Sizi with a smile on his face. Li Chengqian frowned as he looked at his grandfather playing. He suddenly had a feeling that his grandfather was getting more and more arrogant as he grew older.

The Crown Princess of the Eastern Palace is pregnant, and everyone is happy.

In the afternoon, Li Chengqian came to the door of the Secretariat with his hands in his pockets and saw his uncle sitting there eating a piece of cake.

Li Xiaogong said, "I got up early and went to court in a hurry without eating."

Li Chengqian also sat down on the steps nearby and said, "I'm afraid the war in the Western Region will have to continue for some time."

"This is the right rate's account book."

The account book only recorded daily expenses. Li Chengqian nodded and said, "It's six strings of cash in total. I'll have Yu Zhining deliver it later."

Li Xiaogong winked and whispered, "Are there too few people in the right leadership of the East Palace? Should we add some more?"

"It's better to have fewer. They will be good soldiers and generals, and it will save money. The expenses for three or two months will cost less than five strings of cash."

After all, he is the Right General of the Eastern Palace, and he has to do whatever the Crown Prince says.

Li Xiaogong asked, "The fields in Qinghai should have yielded a harvest, right?"

Li Chengqian put his hands in his sleeves and replied, "I don't know. No news has been sent yet. How is the emperor's uncle doing recently?"

"What else? Same as always."

Every summer, Prince Hejian is always very free.

Looking back, I saw that the officials in the Secretariat were busy on the side, and officials from various departments in the court were coming and going.

Yu Zhining took out a list and said, "Your Highness, this is the list of candidates who passed the imperial examination this year."

Li Chengqian took the list and asked, "Have you checked it?"

"Your Highness, there was no mistake."

"Let's announce the list tomorrow."

"Here."

"There is one more thing." Li Chengqian handed him the account book of the Right Commander of the Eastern Palace and said, "This is the expenses of the Right Commander of the Eastern Palace. Please arrange it."

Yu Zhining took the account book, glanced at it and frowned slightly. This was probably the smallest expense this year. He said, "I will arrange it right away."

The Secretariat still had a lot of things to do, so Li Chengqian asked, "Is the Emperor's uncle free?"

Lee Hyo-gong replied, "I was thinking of going to have a drink with Seung-bum."

"I heard General Cheng wanted to drink with Uncle Jiangxia this morning."

"Then I won't go. Drinking with an old man like Cheng Yaojin is too much of a spoilsport." Li Chengqian led the emperor's uncle out of the Suzaku Gate and onto the busy Suzaku Street. He then asked, "Why haven't I seen Lord Ying these past two days?"

"It's all Guo Xiaoke's business. Mao Gong is so angry that he wants to go to the Western Regions to kill him himself."

"Ugh……"

Li Xiaogong looked around and leaned closer and said, "When Guo Xiaoke comes back, he will probably be scolded and whipped."

When the two of them reached the outskirts of Chang'an City, Li Xiaogong called for another carriage and asked, "Where are you going, Your Highness?"

Li Chengqian said: "Xianyang Bridge."

There was no need to call for a coachman. Li Xiaogong drove the carriage himself all the way to Xianyang Bridge.

Xianyang Bridge is still bustling with horse-drawn carriages travelling on the official road. Looking up, one can see villagers from Guanzhong working in the fields.

Li Chengqian looked at the harvesting situation in the fields and said, "Uncle, cross the Xianyang Bridge and make another detour."

Li Xiaogong waved the whip listlessly, knowing that the Crown Prince was out today to check on the grain harvest in the fields, so he pulled the reins to deliberately slow down the horse.

After walking around the county, Li Chengqian finally entered Xianyang County.

Three textile workshops were built in Xianyang County, where three newly made spinning wheels were being operated by a group of women.

Shangguan Yi hurried over and said, "Your Highness the Crown Prince."

Li Chengqian couldn't remember when he last saw Shangguan Yi, but he noticed that he had grown a beard around his mouth, which was not so thick before.

"Lawmaker Liu followed His Royal Highness the King of Wu to Luoyang. I will arrange matters concerning Xianyang County on his behalf."

Li Chengqian walked past the three workshops and asked, "Are there enough workers in the fields?"

Shangguan Yi replied: "Enough."

First, he let the uncle and Shangguan Yi talk about the farming matters here. Li Chengqian asked the women here a few questions, all about wages and work.

The work here is calculated entirely according to output, and the production model is similar to that of Jingyang County. Women can also bring back cotton and linen to spin and weave cloth. As for wages, they are paid according to how much they can do.

After Shangguan Yi finished talking with the emperor's uncle, Li Chengqian checked the accounts of the workshop.

Guanzhong needs to ensure self-sufficiency in food. At present, the fields in Guanzhong are not suitable for growing cotton. It is still unclear whether cotton can be grown in the Hexi Corridor and Longyou areas in the northwest.

The Tang Dynasty was still a small peasant economy mainly based in the Yellow River and Yangtze River basins. This small peasant economy was very fragile. Therefore, although the value of cotton was high, grain fields could not be converted into cotton fields.

The limitations of the small peasant economy will inevitably lead to a bottleneck in productivity. This point has been mentioned in Li Lizhi's research paper.

The production models of Jingyang and Weinan also confirm Li Zhi's point of view to a certain extent.

This has resulted in cotton becoming a luxury item once it reaches Guanzhong, and this has even been the case for the past two years.

And cotton is made into cloth or winter clothes, which is another cost.

Although the cotton grown by Guo Luotuo in the Western Regions may not be worth a penny, its value can be multiplied several times after being transported to Guanzhong in large quantities.

After looking at the accounts, Li Chengqian opened the warehouse and saw a warehouse full of cotton and linen cloth. This cloth, which was made of linen and cotton, felt finer and softer.

Looking at the amount in the account book, Li Chengqian ordered: "Take out half of the cotton and linen cloth and send it to the court. After the summer harvest, give it to officials of the fifth rank and above in the court, one batch for each person."

The cotton delivered last year has almost been consumed, and the textile workshop will have to stop operating for the next six months.

The textile workshop in Xianyang County is a test site to test people's use of spinning wheels and whether the piece-rate work model is useful under the division of labor system.

Li Chengqian asked Shangguan Yi to bring all the account books here, and then said: "After returning from Hongwenguan, sort out the production order of Xianyang County in the past six months, as well as the situation related to the production of villagers, and then write a memorial to the Central Secretariat."

Shangguan Yi bowed and said, "I obey your command."

What Your Highness is talking about is the main job of the Hongwenguan.

Li Chengqian asked again: "How many people are there in Hongwenguan now?"

"Your Highness, there are 26 people of the fifth rank and above, including the lower officials, including the scholars, and there are six proofreaders, six regular script writers, and three pen makers and paper makers."

Hongwenguan is an official post in Menxia Province. Li Chengqian said: "The list of successful candidates for this year's imperial examination has been announced, and many new officials will come to the court. After autumn, you will join Menxia Province and be in charge of the imperial guards. You will continue to take charge of Hongwenguan."

"I accept your order."

Li Chengqian smiled and said, "You are a hard-working person."

Seeing the prince raise his hand and pat his shoulder, Shangguan Yi bowed his head.

Li Chengqian walked to the edge of the field with his hands in his pockets, looking at the fields in the distance. Several families of villagers gathered in the fields, sitting on a pile of wheat straw and eating.

This scene is pleasing to the eye and makes one feel happy.

"There are 312 people who passed the imperial examination this year. Some people say that there are too many redundant officials in Guanzhong."

"Your Highness, there are indeed such rumors in the market."

After hearing Shangguan Yi's answer, Li Chengqian glanced sideways and saw that the emperor's uncle was confronting several dogs. It must be said that the emperor's uncle's middle-aged life was also quite colorful.

Seeing the prince sigh, Shangguan Yi's expression became nervous and he quickly said, "Most of the people who are criticized in the streets are not officials in the court."

Li Chengqian's sigh was naturally not because of this kind of thing. Although the court was busy, all the positions in the court were filled by individuals. Some idle civil servants could be reserved for officials who had passed the imperial examinations, who could help with the work of submitting and writing documents.

Such manpower is the most scarce right now. It is the 13th year of Zhenguan, and it is busier than ever.

He was busy with the construction of Guanzhong, busy with inquiries into various counties, busy with compiling books, and busy with sorting out documents and account books, not to mention the transportation of grain and fodder, and the repair of rivers.

Not only those who passed the imperial examination, but also more than 3,000 students who failed the examination. These people will be recruited by Chongwenguan based on merit, either to teach in rural areas or to go to Chongwenguan outside the Great Wall. However, there will never be enough people.

Li Chengqian hopes that there will be more people like this, as they will be of great use in the future.

The next day after returning to Chang'an, Shangguan Yi had all the cotton and linen cloth in the warehouse sent to Chang'an. Half of it was given to Jingzhao Prefecture, and the other half was sent to the court to be given to the officials in the court who had been busy working overtime these days. Each person received a bar of soap and a piece of cotton and linen cloth.

In Jingzhao Prefecture, Xu Jingzong pushed aside the Prince of Jin who was trying to read the document.

He was shaking his legs and looking at the documents brought by Shangguan Yi.

"Xu Shaoyin, His Royal Highness wants to ask Jingzhao Prefecture to take the cotton and linen cloth to contact merchants from all over the country to see how much the cotton and linen cloth can be sold for."

Xu Jingzong stroked the cotton and linen cloth with one hand, feeling the texture and said, "Brother Shangguan, I heard that this cloth is only available in the palace?"

"Yes, there were some in the past, and some are left now, and there will be more in the future."

Xu Jingzong put down the documents and said in distress, "Those merchants are becoming more and more difficult to deal with, and the price of soap is getting lower every year."

Shangguan Yi sat aside and asked, "What? Can't you handle a few merchants?"

Xu Jingzong snorted coldly: "Such high-quality cloth must be sold at a good price."

At the beginning, the two of them served the prince together. Xu Jingzong's situation was much better than his own. Shangguan Yi did not feel envious of this, because he did not like Xu Jingzong's style.

Considering their friendship over the years, Shangguan Yi hoped that Xu Jingzong would be a more upright person.

(End of this chapter)