The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 370: Starting the Journey to Fengshan
Du He whispered, "I dare not embarrass His Highness."

Li Chengqian peeled a walnut, took out the walnut kernel and put it in his mouth to chew. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Persia is dead. Future trade may involve contact with the Arabs. In fact, war is also beneficial. The war in the west has accelerated the Arabs' understanding of the East."

"The people of Dashi now know that the Tang Dynasty is a very wealthy country. They also know the origin of soap. War is also a way of communication between countries."

"So do we need to increase the production of soap in the future?"

Li Chengqian shook his head and said, "People always want more. There's no need to increase production. Just use tea leaves."

A eunuch came with hot goat milk. Li Chengqian poured out the goat milk and added tea leaves that had been brewed in advance.

Pour the tea soup that has turned slightly yellow into a bowl, then add goat milk.

Li Chengqian handed over the bowl and said, "This is milk tea, try it."

Du He took a sip and savored it carefully, saying, "Goat milk makes the tea less astringent and less greasy to drink."

Li Chengqian smiled and said, "The news sent by Songzhou is that Songtsen Gampo likes tea. He combined the two and made milk tea. This kind of milk tea tastes better than pure tea, and is more likely to be recognized by the people of the Western Regions and the Turks."

Du He, who had been in business for many years, immediately sensed something was wrong when he saw the bowl of milk tea.

He whispered, "Not everyone likes stir-fried tea, but milk tea is more acceptable to people. This flavor may make them have a greater demand for tea. The price of tea will increase in the future."

Li Chengqian nodded and said, "I have had six stones of tea stored in the palace. If it is stored for a long time, it will become old tea."

Du He sighed, "It was my negligence."

"I am the crown prince and I have to manage state affairs. There are some things I don't need to ask. The court officials will write them down and submit them, and they will know more."

Du He said: "Your Highness, rest assured, I will make milk tea popular in the Western Regions and the Turks."

Today, Du He owns three properties, five textile workshops, two soy sauce workshops, and one papermaking workshop. At the age of 25, he is the richest man in Guanzhong and also a major taxpayer in the city.

He has more than 8,000 people working for him in his workshop, and his business has always been the best.

Of course, this was also inseparable from the help given to him by the court. In the production process, he was always the first to reap the benefits.

Now Du He has another chance to seize the initiative.

There are still many problems in the development of workshop industry in various counties and townships. The industrial structure is not good and the industrial distribution is uneven. The gap between the rich and the poor has begun to emerge.

Duhe is the biggest gap between the rich and the poor.

"How's home lately?"

"My brother came to Guanzhong to celebrate the New Year this year. I have always been at odds with him, so I came to Luoyang to relax."

Du He's elder brother was Du Gou, the eldest son of Du Ruhui and the inheritor of the title of Duke of Lai.

Du He was the second son, so Du Gou would naturally be dissatisfied with his business.

The Jingzhao Du family has always been a famous family. In the blink of an eye, they became the richest people in Guanzhong. Is it still a famous aristocratic family?

Du He smiled bitterly and said, "My brother and Uncle Chu Ke are about to kick me out of the house."

Li Chengqian said: "Let's build a technical institute. You will be the dean. There will be a lot of technology handed over to you in the future."

Du He bowed and said, "Thank you, Your Highness."

"We have known each other for many years. We have been friends for so many years. No need to thank you." Li Chengqian looked at the cold milk tea. "The villagers working in the workshop are the simplest people. Give them more protection. Human resources are resources. We can't just treat people as resources."

"I will keep this in mind."

The two have been friends for many years. Li Chengqian listened to Du He's story and learned that most of the people he came into contact with were businessmen or children of nobles.

He also talked about the coal mines in Hebei. He felt that the court's excessive responsibilities had caused a lot of discussion among businessmen.

Therefore, governing a country cannot satisfy everyone.

Du He knew the flow of money better than the officials in the court, and he also knew which counties were richer and which were poorer.

If Du He entered Jingzhao Prefecture, he would be able to adjust the current predicament of uneven industrial development and disorganized structure.

The so-called industrial imbalance is a problem that is bound to be encountered in the process of development. Some counties have many workshops, while some counties have no workshops. The technical level is low, the efficiency is poor, and the local foundation is poor.

In the past two years, fifty new workshops were built in Guanzhong. However, due to the rapid pace of development and the impetuousness of people, many people rushed in recklessly, resulting in the closure of nearly half of these workshops...

In the end, it was Du He who helped them buy out their bankrupt workshop and spent some money to build a tavern and shops, which turned their profits and losses around.

Therefore, Master Du He is still a well-known philanthropist in Guanzhong.

But this kind of help only comes once, there will never be a second time.

This is a considerable sum of money for Du He, but since he has a wealthy family, he regards it as a means of buying up properties at a bargain price.

The winter of the 19th year of Zhenguan was a long one.

In the heavy snow, truckloads of honeycomb coal were transported into Luoyang.

Sometimes Li Chengqian worried that environmental pollution problems would occur in Luoyang and Guanzhong prematurely.

But when you look again, you see the smiles on people’s faces because they can use honeycomb coal for heating and cooking, and you feel that it’s nothing.

The history of human civilization is very long. If we take two steps ahead now, we may have to take many fewer steps in the future.

Amid the ringing of bells, Li Chengqian held his newly born daughter in his arms. Today is Xiao Mengji's full month.

The Luoyang Imperial Palace was so quiet in the howling cold wind that it seemed to be still.

It was not until the first month of the 20th year of Zhenguan that the emperor began to prepare for Fengshan.

The Ministry of Rites had a lot to do, so before the Fengshan ceremony, it sent people to Mount Tai to prepare for it.

Li Chengqian sat in his father's hall, listening to his father's complaints.

Last year, they talked about Fengshan, but now they are complaining that going to Mount Tai consumes too much manpower and material resources and are unwilling to go for Fengshan.

"Your Majesty, Your Highness, the Japanese envoy requests to see you."

"No!" Li Shimin immediately said.

Li Chengqian sat aside, stroking his forehead, and signaled the eunuchs to leave.

The Japanese people today do not have a country name yet; they are just Japanese, a group of people.

It is not known how Kim Chunchu got in touch with the Japanese. Now the Silla people are at war with Baekje, and Kim Chunchu wants to unify the southern part of Goguryeo.

The situation of Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla being the three powers was transformed into two powers being the only two powers.

But Kim Chunchu was not a good fighter, and his battles with King Uija of Baekje had both wins and losses.

Cui Dunli, the assistant minister of the Ministry of War, once sent a letter saying that Jin Chunqiu was a good-for-nothing.

Cui Dunli was right to scold him. When the Tang army marched eastward, Jin Chunqiu followed the army. He didn't learn any skills from following the Tang army. Shouldn't he be scolded?
What was he doing when he followed the Tang army on the Eastern Expedition?

Are you hoping that Jin Chunqiu can conquer Baekje and then cross the river to the east to attack the Japanese?

If it weren't for the fact that Kim Chunchu was relatively familiar with the court, it would have been better to support King Uija of Baekje, even though he was very unjust.

The emperor was complaining that there were too many things to prepare for the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai.

The prince's face also looked unhappy.

At the beginning of the 20th year of Zhenguan, it was the first month of the year, and the family was celebrating the New Year. It should have been a festive occasion, but His Majesty and the Crown Prince were in a bad mood. Even though the Emperor was full of complaints about the Fengshan process, the court still prepared for the Fengshan ceremony in an orderly manner, and even took the genealogy of the Li Tang Emperor's family and sent it to Mount Tai for sacrifice.

Seeing his father leaving the hall, Xiao Yutu hurried forward and asked, "Dad, isn't Grandpa going to Fengshan?"

Li Chengqian said with his hands in his pockets: "The emperor cannot easily take back what he has said. We must go."

Xiao Yutu then asked, "Can that child also be enshrined in the Heavenly Palace?"

Li Chengqian suddenly smiled and said, "You are still young, don't think about these things."

"Ah."

Little Yu Tu followed his father, walked through one palace after another, and came to the Ministry of War in the imperial city.

Cui Dunli, the Minister of War, was on duty here.

Seeing that it was the Crown Prince who had come, Cui Dunli, who was eating soup noodles, hurriedly bowed.

Li Chengqian said: "No need to be polite, just eat."

This year, the wheat harvest in Hebei was very good. There was no famine in Luoyang and Guanzhong, and the thing that Chu Suiliang worried about did not happen.

Nowadays, soup, noodles and other foods have become the staple food for most people.

Cui Dunli finished the soup noodle in two or three bites, then wiped his mouth and bowed, "What do you want, Your Highness?"

Li Chengqian looked at the map hanging on the wall of the Ministry of War and asked, "How long will it take for Silla to conquer Baekje?"

Cui Dunli replied: "Last summer, there were strong winds in various parts of Silla and Baekje, and many places were flooded. They had to borrow food from Goguryeo, but now the war has ceased."

"Do you know the Japanese?"

Cui Dunli drew a circle on the edge of the map and said, "As far as I know, the Japanese are east of Silla's crossing of the sea."

Little Yu Tu sat aside, listening to the conversation between his father and Cui Dunli. The chair was very high, so his feet kept swinging back and forth.

Li Chengqian asked: "How many troops does Jin Chunqiu need to defeat the Japanese?"

Cui Dunli replied: "If the Silla people have Tang army weapons, more than a thousand people will be enough."

"really?"

"During the pre-Sui Dynasty, Emperor Yang of Sui sent Pei Shiqing to the Japanese territory to inquire about the situation of the Japanese. It is said that the Japanese king arranged many women to serve Pei Shiqing, and in order to keep him, the Japanese king even gave his daughter to Pei Shiqing..."

Li Chengqian was speechless for a moment after listening to these strange stories.

Cui Dunli said: "However, there are not many files left by the former Sui Dynasty. They are all rumors. I don't know which ones are true and which ones are false, but Pei Shiqing did go to see the King of Wa."

After that, he picked up a scroll of memorials and said, "This is a memorial submitted by Gao Yanshou, the garrison general of Goguryeo, to the Ministry of War. The Japanese wanted to move some Goguryeo people to their territory, but Gao Yanshou did not agree. Instead, he submitted the matter to the court. I have not yet approved it."

Li Chengqian took the memorial and read its contents.

Cui Dunli said: "The Japanese are not tall, they envy the Goguryeo people for their height."

"This country needs to be destroyed."

After hearing His Highness' words, Cui Dunli was a little confused, but he didn't ask any more questions. It was destroyed, so it was no big deal.

Li Chengqian instructed: "Let Gao Yanshou lead the troops to assist Jin Chunqiu. If Jin Chunqiu still cannot conquer Baekje this summer, tell him not to send envoys to the Tang Dynasty in the future and let him jump into the sea and commit suicide."

Cui Dunli said hurriedly: "I will write a letter to tell him right away."

Li Chengqian also instructed: "Appoint Jin Chunqiu as the Silla's pillar of state and order him to take charge of all Silla's state affairs and military affairs."

"Here."

Looking outside, Yu Tu was playing with the snow outside. He rolled the snow into a ball and threw it away, but the snow quickly broke into pieces.

Cui Dunli was holding up his sleeve with one hand and writing with the other. Suddenly he asked, "Your Highness, I heard that the Japanese have always been subservient to the Central Plains. If we rashly let Jin Chunqiu attack them, I'm afraid we will have no reason to do so."

Before the prince could speak, he said, "If you want Jin Chunqiu to attack the Japanese, don't write any decree. A letter from me will be enough."

When it comes to sharing the emperor's worries, Cui Dunli is very thoughtful.

Whether he is sending troops to fight or organizing logistics, or currently serving as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, he is an expert at it.

Next year he will be the Minister of War. This is the arrangement of my father.

Duan Zan left the Ministry of War and became a Counselor.

After he finished writing the documents and letters, Li Chengqian still had to confirm them.

Cui Dunli said: "I have something I want to ask."

"explain."

"Why did Your Highness ask Jin Chunqiu to destroy the Japanese?"

Li Chengqian still had the letter in his hand. He looked at the letter and said, "The Japanese are very rich."

"I have read the history books and even the records of the pre-Sui Dynasty, and it is a very barren place."

"The Japanese are very poor because they lack material things, but they have mountains of silver, mountains of silver."

Cui Dunli hesitated for a moment and stopped talking. He shouldn't have asked any more questions.

After His Royal Highness confirmed the letter was correct, Cui Dunli bowed and said, "I will let my trusted confidant arrange this matter. Jin Chunqiu will definitely be able to wipe out Baekje this summer and send troops to attack the Japanese before the beginning of autumn this year."

Seeing his father coming out of the Ministry of War, little Yu Tu dropped the snow in his hand and followed his father. His hands were red from playing with the snow. He followed his father with his hands in his pockets, with a smile on his face.

The warmth of spring had not yet arrived, so His Majesty and the veteran generals in the court went hunting in Mount Li.

This time Xiao Yutu also went along.

But since Yu Tu has Dongyang and Mingda by her side, she doesn't have to worry.

Li Chengqian stayed in Luoyang and concentrated on arranging state affairs. He planned to make arrangements in the court in advance so that he and his father could go to Mount Tai in peace.

You can't handle government affairs while walking.

By the beginning of April in the 20th year of Zhenguan, all things had just recovered from the severe cold of winter. Horses of fast horses gathered in front of Luoyang City, forming a very large team, with carriages in the team.

This time, 30,000 horses and 50,000 troops were mobilized to escort the emperor to Mount Tai for the Fengshan ceremony.

From the preparations started in the autumn of last year to now, this Heavenly Khan is going to perform the Fengshan ceremony.

The Four Sages of Literature recorded the emperor's trip to Mount Tai and wanted to write all these events in history books.

The Tang Dynasty had its first emperor who performed Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai.

At the foot of Luoyang city, Li Chengqian discussed state affairs with his uncle. This time they were going to Mount Tai, and all state affairs in Luoyang would be handed over to his uncle.

Looking back, I saw my father offering sacrifices in front of the bronze tripod.

First worship in Luoyang, and then go to Mount Tai to worship.

Today, my father looks particularly solemn wearing the emperor's crown.

Little Yutu and Xiaoqueer were wearing new clothes. The two children were in high spirits. They followed their grandmother and got on the carriage to Mount Tai.

(End of this chapter)