The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 286 Transformation
Xu Jingzong observed the gray and white cotton and linen cloth and whispered, "How about making clothes with this material?"

Shangguan Yi replied, "I have been watching the weaving in Xianyang County for the past six months. The women said that it is very good for making clothes. Many families in Xianyang County have donated a lot. After the fall, when the children in Xianyang County come out wearing new clothes made of cotton and linen, other counties will know about this new cloth."

"What is your plan, Your Highness?"

Shangguan Yi thought for a moment and replied, "Just as Xu Shaoyin said, soap is becoming increasingly difficult to sell. This cotton cloth can become a supporting industry to replace soap."

During the years he served as Shaoyin of Jingzhao Prefecture, local governance was mostly focused on business operations. On the contrary, he had not been involved in criminal arrests for many years, and these matters were mostly handed over to the Dali Temple and the Ministry of Justice.

Now that Di Zhixun had gone to the Ministry of Justice again, Xu Jingzong had originally planned to recruit more people through this imperial examination.

"In fact, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince didn't give me much instructions. I still have a lot of things to do at the Hongwenguan, so I'll go back first."

Shangguan Yi said this and left.

Xu Jingzong nodded and stared at the cotton cloth in front of him in a daze.

He put down the cotton cloth in his hand, came back to his senses and asked in surprise: "Huh? Why is His Royal Highness Prince Jin still here?"

"Zhi wants to take Xu Shaoyin as his master."

Hearing Prince Jin say this again, Xu Jingzong shook his head and said nothing.

Li Zhi said: "Zhi follows Shao Yin, and Zhi can learn as much as he can."

"Your Highness, please feel free to do so."

"Ah."

Hearing the Prince of Jin's "hmm", Xu Jingzong hesitated to speak and had to give up.

His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin is the younger brother of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and the princes and princesses of the Eastern Palace were all raised by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

It would be fine if I teach well, but if I don’t... His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will send me to the Western Regions to dig karez.

The Prince of Jin is really young and ignorant. It's really embarrassing.

Li Daozon arrived at Jingzhao Prefecture drunk, found a stool and sat down.

Seeing the prefect coming back, Xu Jingzong said, "If the prefect is not feeling well, he doesn't have to come today."

Li Dao Zong's eyes were still clear. He sat on the chair, looked up and said, "What a bastard, Old Cheng, for his son's marriage, he actually dared to get me drunk."

"Marriage?"

Li Dao Zong snorted coldly, "Cheng Yaojin has not yet found a wife for his son, and this bastard wants my daughter to marry his son."

Xu Jingzong smiled and said, "There are indeed a lot of weddings in Chang'an recently."

"The boys have all grown up and are now old enough to get married."

Since the Crown Prince got married last winter, there have been several weddings in Chang'an City.

Wen Ting came with a scroll of documents and said, "The prefect, the Shaoyin sent it from the Hexi Corridor."

Li Daozong took the document, glanced at it, and said solemnly: "Qinghai has a good harvest. 750,000 dan of highland barley and 620,000 dan of millet have been sent to the Anxi Protectorate."

The Tang army was about to go on an expedition, and Qinghai became its granary. With another million shi of grain and fodder being sent there, the war could be fought with peace of mind.

Li Daozong ordered: "Send this news to the court quickly."

Wen Ting bowed and said, "I will go right away."

The man hurried away again. Xu Jingzong stood aside and whispered, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince said that Wen Ting will also be arranged to go to Luoyang."

Li Dao Zong nodded slowly and said, "Arrange someone to send him to Luoyang."

"I will arrange it right away."

Today, Guanzhong is still in a period of population growth, with more and more people moving into Guanzhong and newly born babies.

Luoyang’s method of attracting population was even simpler. They took in tenants from all over the country and even many slaves, and directly gave them household registration in Luoyang.

While Xu Jingzong was pulling out the files about Wen Ting, he was thinking about the current development of Guanzhong, Tongguan and Luoyang.

In fact, the goal of Jingzhao Prefecture is very simple. The more people with registered household registration there are, the more taxes will be paid.

It is very simple to say, but it is also very tiring to say...these things are indeed very tiring to do.

Wen Ting also brought the files on the Hexi Corridor to the court.

The news of the bumper harvest in Qinghai soon spread throughout the court and the country, which showed how far-sighted His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was in his strategy of establishing military farms in Qinghai.

Originally, Guanzhong was under tremendous pressure when they went west to attack Yugushe.

Now everyone can breathe a sigh of relief. At least the soldiers who are going to the Western Regions in the next six months don’t have to worry about food and fodder, and the grain harvested in Guanzhong can also be delivered to the warehouse.

To the north of Chang'an City, Li Chengqian and his father sat on the edge of Longshouyuan, where a house was built. They had originally planned to spend the summer here this year.

However, my father doesn't seem to like this kind of house, and he would rather continue to spend the summer in Taiye Lake.

Now I just come here for a walk. In the fields in the distance, there are villagers harvesting crops. When the wind blows, I can smell the fragrance of ripe crops.

Bundles of wheat straw were carried out from the fields by the villagers.

The horses were chewing grass with their heads down, and the horses led by the soldiers had also become a lot fatter.

"I heard that the Crown Princess is pregnant?"

"Yeah." Li Chengqian whispered beside his father, "The Queen Mother has arranged a lot of people to come to the East Palace these days to take care of Su Wan's daily life."

Looking up into the distance, Li Chengqian continued, "In fact, we don't need so many people. The East Palace has enough manpower."

Li Shimin smiled and said, "Your mother has been very happy these days. You must not refuse. Recently, your mother is willing to have dinner with me."

"I understand, and I will not refuse your kindness."

Little Sizi, riding on a little deer, followed behind, reading a book in her hand.

These fawns grew very fast. After two years of raising them, they were already half a person's height.

Seeing someone else coming with the battle report from the Western Regions, Li Chengqian walked aside while his father talked with several old generals who came with him.

Seeing General Li Ji feeding hay to the horses, Li Chengqian stepped forward and said, "I haven't seen you for a while. Lord Ying looks much better."

Li Ji said, "Your Highness, I am sorry to have worried you. I have been recuperating at home."

"Are you worried about Guo Xiaoke?"

"I have severed my relationship with him."

Li Chengqian said: "Liang Jianfang rescued him. There was also a general named Pei Xingjian who met him in the past. At that time, he was only the county magistrate of Weinan."

Li Ji nodded and said, "Pei Xingjian is a good candidate and is worth cultivating in the army."

Li Chengqian sat aside with his hands in his pockets and saw General Qin Qiong and General Cheng arguing. He could vaguely hear them arguing about whether to send more troops.

"I had already thought about it in my mind. He would definitely cause trouble in the Western Regions. Now that I think about it...I was right in my prediction."

"Expected?"

"Well, this man's character is like this. I thought he would definitely die in the Western Regions."

Li Chengqian smiled and said, "Mr. Ying actually has such thoughts."

Li Ji added: "I hope that all the generals who went out to fight can return safely."

I could hear the worry in Mr. Ying's words. Perhaps for him, sometimes it is better for some people to die halfway than to live to the end.

This sentence makes people feel lost and helpless.

Li Ji bowed and said, "I heard that the Crown Princess of the Eastern Palace is pregnant. I congratulate His Royal Highness." Li Chengqian smiled and nodded, "Mr. Ying is an experienced person. I want to learn more from him."

"I heard that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince wants to recruit a team of people to be used for construction and production outside the Great Wall?"

"This is a plan made in the spring of this year. We are currently considering whether to place it under the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of War, or the Ministry of Personnel."

"Is it the newly built Wei Mansion?"

"Not really. It's just production and construction. Because outside the Great Wall, there is no county governance like in the Great Wall, just like the Qinghai Tuntian. At present, the management method has not been figured out."

A little deer came over, and Li Chengqian patted its head and said, "We need to gather ideas from all sides. Don't be in a hurry. Analyze the pros and cons first before making plans."

Li Ji said: "The prince still acts as he did in the past."

Li Chengqian added: "Thank you for your hard work, Li Zhen."

"Zhen'er's hard work is not worth mentioning. The prince is down-to-earth. His Majesty once said that the management of Guanzhong accumulated over the years is the prince's contribution to the country."

Li Chengqian smiled in surprise and said, "So, father is praising me so much behind my back?"

Li Ji also smiled awkwardly.

The Tang Empire was still very young, so the empire was full of vitality.

After my father has discussed with everyone, he plans to go back.

After returning to the palace, the court heard that Qibi Heli had captured Duoluo River and Ashina Helu had surrendered.

When Li Chengqian passed by Xingqing Palace, he saw his father and General Qin Qiong were still discussing Tianshan Mountain. Listening to the conversation in the palace, his father was worried that Yu Gushe would escape by using the ancient Wusun Road in Tianshan Mountain.

He ordered Ashina She'er to lead the light cavalry to seize the Wusun Ancient Road first.

Today, the situation in Tianshan has changed again. From the Tang army's initial attack on the Western Regions, it has turned into the Tang army's encirclement and suppression of the Yugu tribes.

The outcome of this battle could be known as early as this winter.

In order to anticipate the enemy and make preparations in advance, Li Chengqian stopped for a moment and then left Xingqing Hall.

Back at the East Palace, Xiaofu was sitting by the basket picking peppercorns. She bowed and said, "Your Highness the Crown Prince."

Gao Yang was busy picking peppercorns together. He looked up and said, "Royal brother."

Li Chengqian asked: "What are we eating today?"

Gao Yang said with a smile: "We have beef to eat today."

"it is good."

In the East Palace, Su Wan was with Ning'er, the two of them were chatting hand in hand.

Li Lizhi and Dongyang went to the Imperial College, Li Shen and Li Zhi also went out to play, and the Eastern Palace became quiet again.

In his spare time, Li Chengqian took a few fish hooks, sat down on a stool, and carefully polished a stone.

Chang'an was very lively after the imperial examination. Students who passed the examination and those who failed were walking around the city in groups of three or four.

Lu Dongzan was drinking in a tavern when he learned that the Tang people had obtained one million shi of grain by farming in Qinghai.

Sambuza poured wine into his mouth and whispered, "They opened the Chongwen Hall in Qinghai to let us Tibetan herdsmen learn the Tang people's writing and language."

Lu Dongzan remained silent and was also in a bad mood.

The Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace wanted me to live and watch Tubo become the territory of the Tang Dynasty and become a part of the Tang Dynasty, and to erode Tubo step by step starting from Qinghai.

Tian Khan was a wise emperor, and the Crown Prince was his most proud son. He used this method to transform the herdsmen in Qinghai.

Even herders from Qinghai were allowed to visit Lhasa. Lu Dongzan could not imagine what the scene would be like when the Tibetan herders spoke fluent Tang language and read Tang books.

This is the goal of the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace.

"Where do you think we should go if we fail the exam?"

"Of course, I'm going to Chongwenguan."

Someone else whispered, "I heard that Chongwenguan will recruit thousands of people this time."

"Let's go too!"

Someone else hesitated and said, "I heard that many powerful families are hiring teachers to teach their children to read and write, and they may even promise them a bright future."

"What's the point of promising a good future? You'll have to live under someone else's roof and act according to their wishes. You won't get a penny when the time comes, and they'll even set you up."

It was lunch time, the tavern was bustling with noises becoming increasingly numerous.

After a while, more and more people came into the tavern and there was more talking.

In a house in Chang'an, the room was very dark. There were five people sitting there. These five young people did not know each other. They could not even see each other's faces in the dim room. They only knew that they were not close to each other. This was the request of the host who asked them to come.

The five people sat around the round table, each at the farthest distance from each other; their positions were deliberately arranged.

Each chair is fixed and cannot be moved at all, and is fixed to the ground.

I didn't see anyone else entering the house, I just heard voices coming from inside the house.

The person who spoke was the one sitting in the middle of the five people, and he didn't sound very old.

"You are all people who failed the imperial examination. I have read your papers and they are very well written."

The room was very quiet, and the other four people were silent.

The man asked again: "Where do you want to go after you fail the exam? To work at Chongwenguan?"

Yan Qinli had been sitting here since the beginning, observing the other four people who were brought in. He lowered his voice and said, "Xu Ren, from Shuofang, twenty-one this year."

The person whose name was called visibly stiffened.

Yan Qinli continued: "Tell me about your past in Boling."

"say what?"

Xu Ren asked subconsciously.

Yan Qinli added: "Tell me about your years in Boling."

Xu Ren knew that the other party was going to expose his scars, so he slammed the table and said, "Who are you?"

"It doesn't matter who I am. What matters is what you've been through and your brother's life."

Xu Ren grabbed his scalp with a painful look on his face.

Yan Qinli took out four booklets and gave them to the four people at the table.

Suddenly the window opened and sunlight shone into the room. Everyone could see each other's faces, except the person sitting at the top seat who was still in darkness.

The booklet slid across the smooth table and landed in front of each of them. Yan Qinli continued, "This is your past. The four of you have met me before, and I have written down all the stories you have told me about the past."

One person slammed the table and stood up, saying, "How could you do this?"

Yan Qinli smiled and said, "Look, in fact, most of your experiences are the same. You have many similarities with the children of noble families."

Seeing that they had finished reading the booklet, Yan Qinli continued, "Okay, now everyone knows each other's past."

"I want to ask for your help with something. After you do it, you will all have a good future in the court."

……

After talking with these people for nearly an hour, when they left, Yan Qinli walked out of the darkness, closed the door of the small house, and walked into the bustling market.

(End of this chapter)