The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 551: The Next Decades
For some reason, when he heard his father say the same thing, Li Tai burst into tears. He covered his face and lowered his head.

Li Shimin patted his son on the back and said, "I'm glad you're back."

Just thinking about his childhood, Li Tai recalled some of the remarks made in the court at that time. There was a lot of gossip in the court at that time.

But now, you don’t have to care about the gossip.

In fact, all the brothers and sisters will come back this year because this year is the 60th birthday of Empress Dowager Changsun, so this year's New Year will definitely be very lively.

After having dinner with his father, the emperor and his mother, Li Tai returned to Chang'an with his wife.

At the Prince of Wei's mansion in Chang'an City, only one servant came to greet the Prince of Wei.

Li Tai listened to the servant's story. Usually, only Li Xin lived here and Li Xin did not need too many servants around him, so he dismissed most of the servants and only left one or two old servants to take care of him.

Recently, Xin'er often goes to Anning Village and often plays with the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace, or Prince Jin also takes care of her.

Li Tai also didn't expect that it was his brothers who took the best care of his son.

At this time, Li Xin was taking classes with the prince in the East Palace, so Li Tai had someone clean up the mansion and sat in the yard to rest.

I waited until night before I saw my son Li Xin come back.

"Father!" Li Xin stepped forward quickly, then seemed a little embarrassed and stopped to salute.

"Yeah, I've grown taller."

"I miss my father very much recently..."

As he spoke, the child's voice choked a little...

The next day, Li Chengqian met Qingque, whom he had not seen for many years, in the West Garden of the Imperial Palace.

Qingque is now much thinner, has a short beard, and looks a little tired, but his eyes are still full of energy.

Perhaps people who are always pursuing knowledge have bright eyes.

Li Chengqian handed him a basin of tangerines and said, "These were sent from Lingnan. I sent a lot to Brother Shen. I left some in the palace but couldn't finish them all."

Li Tai picked up the tangerine, peeled it and tasted it carefully, saying, "Well, Brother Shen has always liked eating tangerines."

Li Chengqian drank his tea and said, "I had some oranges planted in Luoyang, but they didn't grow well, so I planted pears instead."

The eunuch placed a wooden box in front of King Wei and then stepped back.

Li Chengqian added: "You will probably be able to use this thing."

Li Tai took the box and looked at it for a while before opening it. Inside was a glass lens framed by a wooden frame. The glass lens was very transparent and better than any glass seen in the outside world.

"Father wants to put the painting of six horses painted by Yan Liben into the Zhaoling Mausoleum."

Li Tai's eyes were still on the glass mirror in his hand, and he whispered, "How is Zhaoling?"

Li Chengqian nodded and said, "Everything is fine."

"This glass mirror is..."

"I made a telescope for Xiao Sizi before. I had people build an observatory on Mount Laojun. After that, the colored glaze cast by the Shaofu Supervisor became better and better, and this magnifying glass was created. Well, this thing is called a magnifying glass. It is used to observe the subtle details of things, but you have to be careful when using it."

Li Tai said: "Why?"

Li Chengqian took out a piece of paper and placed it on the stone table beside him, then hung the telescope above it. After about a cup of tea, a wisp of smoke floated from the paper.

Li Tai saw a slightly burnt spot on the paper and some tiny, barely noticeable holes.

"This is……"

Li Chengqian explained: "Many people think that sunlight is warm. When you look up at the sun, it is dazzling and uncomfortable for your eyes. But under a magnifying glass, the temperature of the sunlight will be magnified several times and concentrated on one point."

It is very complicated to explain this principle using light or the propagation of light. Li Chengqian tried to explain it as simply as possible, using temperature.

It seems that Li Tai doesn't want to get to the bottom of the matter.

Li Chengqian added: "Don't use this thing to look at the sun."

Li Tai nodded in understanding.

"I also know that you brought back a lot of soil. This is just right for observing the soil. The Comprehensive Geography is not just about things on the ground. I also hope that the records about soil can pass on books and wisdom. When people look through the books thousands of years later, they will remember that someone in our generation began to study this matter."

Li Tai whispered, "But the Literature Museum has not found much so far. At most, we have found some corpses."

"What corpse?"

Those bones probably date back to a very long time ago. Li Tai suspected that they might have existed during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, but he only speculated based on some bronze artifacts that were unearthed.

The earth's crust beneath human feet is very deep, with layer after layer of soil burying one era after another.

After listening to Li Tai's story, Li Chengqian also finished the tea in the cup.

After Li Tai finished speaking, he heaved a sigh of frustration, "Brother Emperor, have you prepared rewards for my brothers and sisters as well?"

As the eldest brother, he was naturally prepared. Not only did he give Li Tai this magnifying glass, but every one of his younger brothers and sisters had one.

Li Tai asked, "The King of Wu is coming back soon. Qingque met him at Tongguan on his way here. He should be in Chang'an in the next two days."

"In fact, I don't need to give Brother Ke anything. If I really want to give him something... then I'll give him a sword."

Li Tai suddenly laughed, and after laughing for a long while, he said, "A sword is more suitable for him."

The weather is very good today. The palace is preparing for the 60th birthday of Empress Dowager Changsun. These matters are arranged by the sisters Lizhi and Dongyang.

It was our mother's birthday, so since these two younger sisters were so concerned about it, we just let them do as they pleased.

"Your Majesty, Jingzhao Prefecture reports."

Li Chengqian took the memorial and asked, "Who handed it to you?"

"Your Majesty, it is Di Renjie, the Junior Yin of Jingzhao Prefecture."

Li Chengqian took the memorial and looked at it carefully.

"Upon learning that the King of Wei had returned, Princess Changle ordered me to bring you some zongzi." Li Tai took the bowl of zongzi and asked, "Where are they?"

"I am afraid that I cannot come to see the King of Wei as I am decorating the palace for the Queen Mother's birthday."

"It doesn't matter."

Li Tai took a bite of the zonggao and said with a smile, "I have been traveling outside for the past two years, and I haven't eaten Guanzhong's zonggao for a long time."

The King of Wei enjoyed the zonggao very much and he finished the whole bowl.

Li Chengqian also finished reading Di Renjie's letter. It was Di Renjie who discovered that someone was following the palace servants who were purchasing goods for the palace. He had been captured by the bad guys from Jingzhao Prefecture, and the purchase of goods was safe.

Di Renjie was a smart child. His memorial mentioned the matter about the stone, which showed that he had probably guessed some of it. He should have thought of something about the fireworks as well.

But so what? Compared to worrying about whether Di Renjie could guess the cause of the fireworks, Li Chengqian was more worried about whether Zhinu could make a spinning wheel.

Li Tai put down his bowl and asked, "Brother, how is the court?"

Li Chengqian said, "It's pretty good in the court. There are a lot of small problems. I have to take things one by one. Father always taught me to be down-to-earth and take one step at a time, and not to rush for success."

Li Tai nodded.

As the eldest brother, Li Chengqian was also willing to tell his younger brothers and sisters about the situation in the court. In fact, he didn't need to tell them himself. As long as Li Tai was willing to ask, he would know everything clearly.

This is how the court is now. Even the common people in Chang'an City can talk about the political affairs of the court without any taboo.

As an emperor, Li Chengqian hopes that people all over the world can participate in the construction of the country, as long as they uphold the governance strategy of serving the people and stand on the side of the absolute majority.

The events recorded in history books are all magnificent, and hundreds of years of time can be described in one sentence.

Compared with the records in history books, look at the present, that is, the present... time passes day by day, people grow up year by year, and the road must be taken step by step.

During the Wude period, when the Tang Dynasty had just established its foothold in Guanzhong, my grandfather was still in power and wanted to implement the system of the former Sui Dynasty. However, the three divisions, three officials and five provinces of the former Sui Dynasty seemed too complicated, so it was later simplified to three provinces and six ministries.

With the establishment of three provinces and six ministries, the power of the court was simplified, and the positions and responsibilities of each ministry became clearer.

During the Zhenguan period, the Secretariat was abolished for a period of time, and gradually a structure with the Secretariat, the Ministry of Palace Affairs and the Six Ministries as the core was formed.

But up to now, new policies are being implemented, reforms are being promoted, redundant positions are being eliminated... In today's court, the Menxia Province has lost its functions and been incorporated into the Secretariat, and what is implemented is only one Zhongshu Province and six ministries. Just one province and six ministries are enough.

There are more officials but fewer official residences.

With the increase in the number of Zhongshu Shilang, the power of the entire Zhongshu Province became more decentralized, and more and more matters required voting by all parties before decisions could be made.

They always say that the current court is good, but Li Chengqian feels that it is still incomplete. Under the premise that people do not change the concept of feudal core interests, any efforts will seem powerless.

As an emperor, Li Chengqian needed to repeatedly emphasize the people-oriented governance concept and the policy of serving the people, and repeatedly emphasize and practice it.

That is why the Censorate would find some bad things and bad people every year and deal with them severely time and time again.

Therefore, we must promote benefits and eliminate disadvantages, rectify the administration of officials, restrain the powerful, develop production, and abandon the old customs of aristocratic families and land annexation.

Take production development as the first priority, strengthen creative and construction capabilities, just like building workshops in Guanzhong in the past, to improve productivity. Even if there are no conditions, we must create production tools and conditions to further increase productivity.

This is an extremely urgent need and also the most important task of the current era.

Because while the amount of land reserves remains unchanged, the population is increasing rapidly. As the population increases, more material basis for life is needed.

Agriculture is the top priority, people need more land to grow food, followed by manufacturing, production and construction, and then commerce and trade.

Having sat on the throne for a long time, Li Chengqian paid more attention than ever to the impact brought about by this process. How many people this impact can change and how many people it can influence becomes extremely important.

The situation of the world and the country is neither too good nor too bad. It is probably like a child who has just learned to walk, stumbling along the way.

For the development of the country, the economy must come first. After taking over the Pamir Mountains, the Tang Dynasty controlled the entire section of the Silk Road. Just by collecting market taxes along the route and accelerating the dumping of goods, gold and silver were constantly pouring into Chang'an City.

Because only in Chang'an can you read the most books, only in Chang'an can you buy the most beautiful brocade, only in Chang'an can you drink the best wine and meet the best people.

Therefore, no matter how much gold and silver people outside have, with the flow of goods, all the money in the world will flow to the end point of trade, that is, Chang'an City.

The court is now very wealthy, almost ridiculously wealthy. The court no longer has to worry about lack of money to govern the country. Instead, it has to worry about spending a lot of money but not getting things done.

The emperor said a lot and Li Tai listened for a long time. The Tang Dynasty still has a clear direction for the future and people have sufficient confidence in the future.

The King of Wei talked with His Majesty for a long time, and only left when His Majesty was about to review memorials.

Later, news came that the King of Wei went to the Prince of Jin's mansion and reprimanded him.

Li Chengqian was sitting in the Lingyan Pavilion, with bright candlesticks illuminating the portraits. He heard footsteps on the wooden steps, and looked up to see Xiao Sizi following Ning'er.

She held a land deed in her hand and said, "Brother, this is too valuable."

Li Chengqian sat down and said with a smile, "You keep it."

"But this...my sister doesn't dare to accept it."

"Laojun Mountain is your princess' fiefdom, so what's wrong with that?"

“But this is the entire Laojun Mountain.”

Li Chengqian put his hands in his pockets, looked up at the stars outside and said, "Keep it. Even if you don't go to Laojun Mountain, it is Princess Jinyang's fiefdom. I will not take back the order I sent you."

Xiao Sizi took the deed back and said, "Master Li hasn't written to me for a long time."

After thinking about it carefully, Taoist Priest Li Chunfeng had indeed not sent a letter for three years. Li Chengqian whispered: "Taoist Priest Li has done a favor to our Li family."

Little Sizi looked at his brother's smile suspiciously, not knowing what the emperor meant by the favor. He had studied astrology with Taoist Li before, but had never heard Taoist Li say that he owed his brother a favor.

Let Ning'er take Xiao Sizi to rest first. Li Chengqian lit the incense and candles here, bowed to the many portraits here, and whispered: "Everyone, I don't know whether the world will be good or bad in the future, and I don't know whether what I'm doing now is right or wrong. In fact, I'm used to it. What's wrong with people being so enthusiastic now?"

"Will the future be worse? I think it should be better. At least people know that there is a new concept of society and country. This concept can make the country stronger quickly and allow more people to get the benefits they deserve. I may not be able to eliminate land annexation."

"Besides, land annexation has been a problem for thousands of years. Can the Tang Dynasty completely solve this problem? I don't think I can do it, and I can't achieve this goal. What else can I do?" Li Chengqian stood alone in the Lingyan Pavilion with his hands in his pockets, walking back and forth, with a thoughtful look on his face. Suddenly he stopped and said, "I should think of a way to curb land annexation. My method is actually very simple, but there is no other way. In the future, I want to improve productivity. This will be the most important thing in the next few decades."

Li Chengqian inserted the incense in his hand into the incense burner and saluted towards the many portraits in the Lingyan Pavilion.

(End of this chapter)