The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 34: The Crown Prince's Concern
In the Wude Hall, Li Yuan's words had just fallen.

Gao Shilian slowly played out six cards, a straight.

Then, Li Yuan's face twitched, and he looked at the other party's hand, which had only three cards left. Seeing that he couldn't handle this straight, he nodded and said, "You continue to play your cards!"

Gao Shilian sighed and played the last three fives. "I'm done."

"You..." Li Yuan's beard was shaking with anger. He slammed the table and said angrily, "You despicable old man, you always save the best cards for last!"

Gao Shilian said calmly: "Important means should be saved for last."

Li Yuan angrily slammed the table and said, "Today I will fight you to the death!"

Li Shimin frowned and looked at his father in silence.

Empress Changsun turned her head away and didn't even look at the scene. The older her father got, the angrier he became.

I get angry easily on a daily basis. I finally calmed down for two years, but now my temper is flaring up again.

Li Yuan put down the cards in his hand and said in a deep voice: "Erlang, Guanyin maid, teach him a lesson together with me."

So, the current Majesty and Queen also joined the game.

It rained again in Guanzhong today. The rain fell on the roof of Wude Hall and fell on the eaves. Two old men with white hair and beards were still playing cards with the current emperor and empress in the hall.

A palace maid came hurriedly and whispered something in the queen's ear.

Li Shimin held the cards in his hand and looked up slightly.

Li Yuan and Gao Shilian were still concentrating on sorting out the cards in their hands.

Empress Changsun nodded, motioned for the maid to leave, and whispered, "Cheng Qian followed Du He and Xu Jingzong out of the East Palace."

Li Shimin retracted his gaze and continued to look at the cards, saying, "What are you going to do?"

Empress Chang Sun said, "She said she was going to Jingyang to have a look, and she specifically told her to come back before dark."

Li Shimin nodded and sorted out the cards in his hand, and said, "Let Maogong escort them."

Empress Changsun gave a few more instructions to the maid beside her, then took out a waist badge and handed it to her, "Go."

The maid beside the queen bowed and nodded, "Yes."

I thought today would be a sunny day, but it is the time from spring to summer, so it is normal to have rain at this time of year.

Everyone was in a bad mood. When they just walked out of the Suzaku Gate, Du He was walking in front. He was still saying that the rain came at a really bad time.

Xu Jingzong looked to be a man in his early thirties. He was wearing a blue shirt and a fu hat. He was not tall and looked like a kind uncle. He was walking beside Du He with a smile on his face.

Li Chengqian walked at the back with Sister Ning'er.

In fact, there is no such thing as unpredictable weather. The laws of water vapor regulation and the movement of cold and warm air in this world are all perceptible.

But in the eyes of more people in this era, rain is just rain and there is nothing to say about it.

Since humans can see celestial phenomena, the only thing they can predict is the stars and clouds at dusk last night, or the distribution of clouds in the early morning. They can also judge whether it will be sunny or rainy. However, most of this is based on experience, and experience cannot be compiled into a book to teach people.

Otherwise, how can there be any talk of praying for rain? This is the result of imposing subjective consciousness and abandoning facts.

Ning Er said, "Your Highness, I will go and call for a troop of soldiers to escort you."

Just as he finished speaking, a middle-aged man in armor walked towards him quickly.

Ning Er was still standing there. When she saw the person coming, she bowed and said, "Greetings, General!"

Du He and Xu Jingzong both bowed in greeting.

Li Ji had a big beard on his chin. He saluted the young man in brocade clothes at the back of the crowd and said, "I am here to protect you in compliance with your majesty's order!"

He has a loud voice, and most generals in the army are like this.

Li Chengqian had already experienced their cursing in Taiji Hall and got to know them all, but he had never greeted these generals.

In front of his juniors, Li Ji tried his best to remain polite.

Li Chengqian stepped forward quickly, helped the general up, and said, "I was thinking of finding a team of soldiers to escort you, but I didn't expect that the emperor would ask you to come."

Li Ji stood up and said with his head down: "I have prepared two thousand soldiers and horses. If Your Highness gives any order, I will obey it."

Li Chengqian smiled and said, "It's nothing serious. I just want to go to Jingyang for a walk."

Li Ji said loudly: "Yes."

There was another loud voice. The Tang Dynasty general was full of energy and spirit. What a powerful general.

If two armies were to engage in battle, this roar would be enough to scare the enemy into submission.

Li Chengqian continued walking with his hands in his pockets, and said with a smile: "In fact, I want to know the scene of the heroes galloping on the battlefield back then."

Li Ji said with a straight face: "There is nothing good to say about fighting and killing."

With this great general here, Du He and Xu Jingzong didn't dare to raise their heads and speak anymore.

Li Ji also prepared a carriage, "Your Highness, please."

Li Ji personally sat on the shaft of the carriage and slightly pulled the reins. The horses started to move and Li Chengqian lifted the curtain and saw Sister Ning'er, who was dressed in men's clothes, riding on the horse in a dashing manner.

The curtain was lowered again. Li Chengqian sat in the dim carriage with his hands in his pockets and a frown on his face. He couldn't help thinking, it turns out that Sister Ning'er also practiced martial arts. The way she pulled the reins, she didn't look like a novice at all.

Thinking of the time in Weinan when he was riding a gentler horse in front of her, Li Chengqian stroked his forehead in pain.

With General Li Ji escorting him, he could no longer decide on his own how to go to Jingyang, whether to go faster or slower.

This trip was completely under the command of the general.

The team went out from the Yanping Gate on the west side of Chang'an City. Li Chengqian closed his eyes and his body swayed with the bumps of the carriage as he picked up a memorial from Xu Jingzong.

In fact, when he was given a three-year plan for Jingyang County, he brought a reply memorial that very night.

For example, in the first year, we will improve the environment and daily life of the villagers in Jingyang, in the second year, we will start to improve the farmland environment, and in the third year, we will expand the workshops and build an industrial site with multiple types of workshops.

Xu Jingzong's argument is still very good. He fully explained the human and material resources that Jingyang can mobilize, and also said that there are many obstacles to the implementation of this three-year plan.

Among them, many records of Jingyang County were brought in, most of which were preserved from the previous Sui Dynasty. They were lost during the Wude period and have only been restored today.

There was no way around it, as wars were still going on in various parts of the Central Plains during the Wude period.

The information is incomplete and I have to check it in person. That's why I came out this time to check Jingyang in person.

Since Jingyang will be a place where the Eastern Palace has the final say in the future, the Eastern Palace must take care of its governance.

This is what the emperor's uncle Li Xiaogong said, Jingyang is a place where the Eastern Palace has the final say.

In other words, if Jingyang became poorer because of the Eastern Palace, it would be the fault of the crown prince of the Eastern Palace.

It's okay to let it go, even if Jingyang remains the same.

But I always feel that if someone mentions this matter in the future, or if I am impeached, not only will I be embarrassed, but it will also be embarrassing for the two elders, the Prince of Hejian and my uncle.

The uncle's words were meaningful. You are the crown prince of the Eastern Palace. If you want to govern the villagers, you must govern them well. Even if you raise a pig as the crown prince, and the pig dies, it is the fault of the Eastern Palace.

My dear uncle, every word you say is true. The truth that is lived out is the truth.

Along the way, Li Chengqian looked through the county annals of Jingyang over the years.

The official road was a bit rugged, but with the escort of General Li Ji, the journey became much smoother and the carriage moved faster.

The wind blew open the curtains, and when the curtains were blown open, Ning'er looked back and saw His Highness sitting in the carriage.

Now His Highness was leaning against the carriage, supporting his face with one hand and reading a book with the other.

The wind blew, and the hair on the forehead of this most noble young man in the Tang Dynasty fluttered.

Ning'er withdrew her gaze and continued to follow His Highness's carriage on her horse.

Jingyang is not far from Chang'an City. After about an hour, Li Chengqian felt a little uncomfortable from being shaken in the carriage.

Xu Jingzong said something to Li Ji, and the escort team stopped.

"Your Highness, we have arrived."

Li Chengqian put down the county annals in his hand. It was a gloomy sky and it was still raining, but the rain was not heavy.

After getting off the carriage and stepping onto the official road with soft soil, I looked around and saw a wasteland in front of me. The loess slopes were undulating, one next to another, and the grass and trees were not tall.

Xu Jingzong said: "This is the difficulty I mentioned in my memorial. This place is the tableland on the north side of Jingyang. Due to the difficulty of diverting water for irrigation, it has been barren for several times. If it can be cultivated, it can increase the arable land by 100 acres. Jingyang is close to the Wei River in the south. Most people in Jingyang County cultivate in the south and also raise sheep."

The Loess Plateau is not too bad. Now it seems that the vegetation still covers the loess as much as possible. This is the hinterland of the 800-li Qinchuan Plain.

The warhorse beside him seemed to be feeling uncomfortable in the rain and snorted twice.

Li Ji pulled the reins to calm the horse, and followed His Highness and Xu Jingzong up the high slope.

Looking into the distance, you can still see people working here, and a few sheep chewing grass, looking very pleasant as if they are alone.

The scenery was pleasant. The rainy day brought back the coolness of spring. Taking a deep breath of comfort, Li Chengqian smiled and said, "Isn't this good?"

Xu Jingzong whispered, "Your Highness, there are now 575 acres of arable land in Jingyang. Due to years of flood accumulation, the harvest of the arable land here is not as good as that of other counties."

Li Chengqian frowned and picked up a handful of soil. The soil was very loose and highly permeable.

Jingyang is located in the middle section of the Wei River, that is, on both sides of the Qishan fault zone.

The terrain here is high in the northwest and low in the southeast.

With such a terrain, it is really difficult to irrigate a large area. At a glance, you can see the loess plateau in the northwest.

It is such a place where air is dried and moisture is free that Du He feels is the most suitable for drying paper.

Li Chengqian put down the loess in his hand and said, "It's not too bad. Compared with other places in Guanzhong, this place is actually suitable for growing grapes."

Xu Jingzong clicked his tongue and said, "Growing grapes?"

"Well, growing grapes."

"But even the weeds can't grow tall in this wasteland. Your Highness should stop joking."

After all, in later generations, the grapes produced in Jingyang have always been top-quality, which is inseparable from the soil and climate here.

Jingyang is indeed a treasure land. There are many such treasure lands like Guanzhong or Central Plains.

But now, in the Tang Dynasty, Jingyang's grapes are not yet famous, and the reputation of "Xianyang Sapphire" is not yet well-known everywhere.

In addition, the environment in the Tang Dynasty was not so bad at the time. The Yellow River had abundant water, and even the Hexi Corridor was a horse farm with abundant water and grass.

So, is it really that difficult right now?

If we implement it ourselves, it will not be as difficult as in the future. At least we can think so now.

My younger brothers and sisters like to eat raisins, but there are very few grapes grown in Guanzhong, and even if there were, not everyone could eat them.

I am the eldest brother, and I think my younger brothers and sisters might be satisfied.

But can other people’s children have a bite of grapes?

When will the materially impoverished Tang Dynasty achieve fruit freedom?

When thinking about these predicaments, how many more years will the Tang Empire have to struggle for this?

Some people only focus their energy and wisdom on improving their personal spiritual realm. I really want to twist off these people's heads.

The so-called spiritual realm is nothing but nothingness.

Matter is the reality of this world.

Food, clothing, housing and transportation are the most basic requirements for people living in the world.

It seems that simple materialism still has a long way to go at present.

Li Chengqian sighed, "Old Xu, I have to criticize you for this."

Xu Jingzong didn't know what he had said wrong, and he lowered his head with a droopy face.

"Many times, there are more solutions than problems." Li Chengqian picked up a dry branch and drew on the ground, saying, "Draw water from the upper reaches of the Wei River, dig ditches, and bring water for irrigation."

Xu Jingzong carefully looked at the picture drawn by the prince and said, "If we pass through the white land, the water will be wasted."

Li Chengqian continued: "You mean saline-alkali land."

"Hmm..." Xu Jingzong hesitated to speak.

"This canal is not on the surface, but underground. The canal is dug through the underground space, and vertical shafts are dug along the way. It can also be used to collect rainwater and store water as a water cellar. At the end, a reservoir is built. This is called a karez."

Li Chengqian added: "In fact, this is similar to the Longshouyuan Canal in Guanzhong, but it has an additional function of storing water. It is not a big project to dig from the upper reaches of the Wei River. About two hundred meters should be enough."

Xu Jingzong nodded and said, "I know very little about farming, I am sorry to have made you laugh, Your Highness."

"It's okay. It's not your fault." Li Chengqian continued as he walked, "Since ancient times, there has been too much knowledge that needs to be slowly discovered. Before overcoming the difficulties of Baidi, this method can be used as a substitute."

Looking back, the labor wisdom of the Karez began to flourish in the Western Regions two thousand years ago.

The karez has a long history, and it is a bit discouraging to say the least. This irrigation project, which influenced the history of civilization, was not popularized until hundreds of years later.

It is very helpful to watch more documentaries on geography and history.

It would be better to let the Tang Dynasty, or myself, govern the Western Regions.

Then think about it, who is the current King of Gaochang in the Western Regions?

"Many times when we go to war we not only want to seize people and land, or to obtain the enemy's treasures and military strength, we should also seize the enemy's knowledge, chew it up and digest it, and use it for our own benefit."

Hearing His Highness suddenly mutter these words to himself, Xu Jingzong's scalp tightened again. He didn't know what His Highness meant by this, or if he had other intentions.

(End of this chapter)