Tang Dynasty: A Guide to Avoiding Pitfalls for Li Er at the Start

Chapter 381 I can tell he doesn't take me seriously at all.
"What the hell are you laughing at!"

Seeing that Li Chengqian was still secretly amused, Wen He raised her hand and tapped his forehead, her eyes filled with a hint of helplessness.

Li Chengqian quickly suppressed his smile, straightened his clothes, bowed deeply to Wen He, and said in a respectful tone, "Please instruct me, sir."

Wen He sat down at the desk, tapping the tabletop lightly with his fingertips, and said in a deep voice, "Today I went to the Ministry of Works and heard that the craftsmen are working day and night to rush the production of military equipment, yet they are struggling to even have enough to eat. I couldn't help but feel a little sad. I would like to ask the Crown Prince, what do you think is the most important thing in the world?"

Upon hearing this, Li Chengqian immediately abandoned his previous nonchalance and sat up straight.

This was a very serious matter, concerning the very foundation of governing the country, and he dared not be the slightest bit careless.

Outside the hall, under the corridor, Yu Shinan, who was about to leave, paused, his brows furrowing slightly.

He had asked Li Chengqian this question not long ago, and at that time he had specially explained the principle of "the people are the foundation of the state" to the crown prince. Now that Wen He asked it again, he also wanted to see if Li Chengqian had remembered it.

"The people are naturally the most important thing in the world."

Li Chengqian answered almost without hesitation, “Xunzi said: ‘The ruler is the boat; the common people are the water. Water can carry the boat, but it can also capsize it.’ My father often told me that when the people are at peace, the world is at peace; when the people are in chaos, the world is in chaos. Therefore, I believe that the people are the most important thing in the world.”

Upon hearing this, Yu Shinan, who was outside the hall, slowly nodded, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes.

The fact that the Crown Prince kept the principle of "people-oriented" in mind shows that his teachings over the past few days have not been in vain.

But just as he was relieved, Wen He continued, "The Crown Prince is right, the people are the most important thing in the world. But what is the first thing to do when we say 'the people are the most important thing'?"

"This……"

Li Chengqian blinked and fell into deep thought.

After a long while, he tentatively spoke: "Persuade the people to cultivate the land, so that all the people in the world can have enough to eat and wear?"

"Yeah, that's right."

Wen He nodded, agreeing with his answer.

Li Chengqian breathed a sigh of relief, and a smile had just appeared on his face when he was stopped by Wen He's next question.

"How can we ensure that all the people of the world have enough to eat and wear?"

"Multiple lands?"

Li Chengqian answered subconsciously.

Wen He chuckled and pressed further, "How can we cultivate more land?"

"Rely on persuading farmers?"

Li Chengqian's voice was a little soft; even he knew how outrageous this method was.

Wen He smiled and habitually patted his head.

Upon seeing this, Yu Shinan, who was outside the hall, frowned instantly. He subconsciously took a step forward, as if he wanted to come in and correct this "improper" behavior, but then he stopped abruptly, wanting to hear what Wen He would say next.

"The so-called 'encouraging farmers' is nothing more than the court sending some scholars to write articles that farmers cannot understand, and then sending them to the countryside to go through the motions."

Wen He withdrew her hand, her tone tinged with sarcasm.

"Those who write articles may not even be able to distinguish between rice and wheat, so how can they help farmers solve their farming problems?"

He changed the subject and looked at Li Chengqian.

"Do you still remember the curved plow we worked on together last year, and the method for composting fertilizer?"

Li Chengqian nodded immediately, his eyes lighting up.

"I remember! The curved plow is much better than the old plow. In the past, it took two oxen to pull the plow, but now only one ox is needed. The oxen that are saved can be used to plow other fields. The method of composting fertilizer is also very useful. Last year, the vegetable garden in the East Palace used composted fertilizer, and the cabbages grew a size bigger than in previous years!"

"exactly."

Wen He nodded with a smile.

"The curved plow saves farmers labor and allows them to cultivate more land, while composting makes the soil fertile and yields more grain. This is not due to articles that 'encourage farmers,' but to the tools improved by craftsmen and the techniques that the people have figured out. In my words, it is 'technology that improves productivity.'"

"Does technology increase productivity?"

Li Chengqian kept repeating this sentence, his little brows furrowing and relaxing repeatedly. After a while, he suddenly looked up, his eyes fixed intently on Wen He.

"Does the master mean that if we want everyone in the world to have enough to eat and wear, we need good technology, and these technologies all depend on craftsmen?"

Wen He did not answer directly, but spoke slowly.

"Craftsmen make agricultural tools, forge weapons and armor, and can also improve old things and create new ones. From the stone axes of ancient times to the curved plow of today; from thatched huts that can only keep out the rain to the tiled houses that can keep out the cold, which one was not passed down and improved by craftsmen from generation to generation? If there were no craftsmen, I'm afraid we would still be like our ancient ancestors, living by hunting and gathering fruits. Where would there be any 'common people under heaven' or any 'great Tang Dynasty'?"

Li Chengqian listened with utmost attention.

He knew that his husband had always valued craftsmen.

Within the Gaoyang County government compound, the artisans in the back garden received the best treatment.

"Cough cough."

Just then, a soft cough came from outside the hall, interrupting their conversation.

Yu Shinan pushed open the door and walked in with a serious expression. His gaze fell on Wen He, and his tone carried a hint of doubt.

“I heard what you just said outside the hall. If craftsmen are as important as you say, then does that mean that the rule of the ancient Three Dynasties should have been achieved by craftsmen? But those who govern the country throughout history have all been sages and virtuous gentlemen. There has never been any reason for craftsmen to govern the world. I'm afraid your statement is biased.”

Upon seeing this, Wen He quickly stood up, bowed to Yu Shinan, and spoke respectfully but not servilely.

"Lord Yu misunderstands. I did not mean to say that we should let artisans govern the world. I just wanted to explain that artisans are the foundation of a well-governed world. Just as a house needs a foundation, without a solid foundation, even the most magnificent roof will collapse. Without the agricultural tools and equipment made by artisans, even the most wise ruler will find it difficult to ensure that the people live in peace and prosperity."

Yu Shinan raised an eyebrow, walked to the table, sat down, picked up the *Book of Rites*, and slowly said, “The *Book of Rites* says: ‘Rites do not apply to commoners, and punishments do not apply to high officials.’ Since ancient times, scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants have each had their place. Scholars govern the country, farmers support the people, artisans make tools, and merchants facilitate trade. This is the foundation of order in the world. If you excessively elevate artisans, wouldn’t you be disrupting the order of ‘scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants’? If all the common people learn crafts and become artisans, who will cultivate the land? Who will govern the country?”

Wen He knew that Yu Shinan's thoughts were influenced by the traditional concept of the so-called scholar-farmer-artisan-merchant class, so she was in no hurry to refute him and just asked with a smile.

"Does Lord Yu think the order of 'scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants' is a distinction between 'high and low' or a distinction between 'division of labor'?"

When Yu Shinan heard Wen He's question, he was taken aback for a moment. He subconsciously wanted to blurt out, "Naturally, scholars are in the first place, and the rest are subordinates," but he stopped himself from speaking.

If we say that "scholars, farmers, artisans and merchants are ranked," then Wen He's statement just now, "without artisans, there is no clothing or food," hits the nail on the head.

If he were to admit that it was "just a division of labor," it would contradict his long-held belief that "scholars are the guiding principles of the world."

After a moment, Yu Shinan shook his head with a self-deprecating smile.

Having lived for nearly seventy years and witnessed countless court debates, it is quite rare for me to be rendered speechless by a question posed by an eleven-year-old "child."

He composed himself, his gaze returning to Wen He, his tone softening somewhat.

"Does the magistrate of Gaoyang County believe that the so-called scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants are merely divisions of labor with each performing their own duties, and there is no distinction between high and low?"

"Of course." Wen He nodded without hesitation, her tone frank.

"Perhaps people are born into different social classes, but the things they do should not be ranked in terms of superiority or inferiority. Duke Yu, consider this: if there were no craftsmen to weave cloth, what would you wear? If there were no craftsmen to make pots, what would you use to cook rice? If there were no craftsmen to build houses, where would you live? In terms of 'usefulness' alone, aren't those scholars who only know how to read books but don't understand practical matters far inferior to craftsmen?"

Upon hearing this, Yu Shinan was immediately displeased.

Throughout his life, he championed Confucianism, regarded scholars as the "foundation of governing the country," and could not stand anyone belittling scholars.

But when he opened his mouth, he couldn't find any rebuttal: Wen He didn't say "scholars are useless," but rather "scholars who only talk are useless," which ironically hit the nail on the head regarding the current problems in the court.

Indeed, there are many officials who can only quote classical texts, but cannot even distinguish between the seasons of spring planting and autumn harvest, let alone solve the practical problems of the people.

"This matter... I will think about it when I get back, and then I will discuss it with you in detail in a few days."

Yu Shinan hesitated before speaking, wanting to slow down and clear his mind first.

"Lord Yu need not waste his energy on debate,"

Wen He interrupted him with a smile, changing the subject with a hint of mystery in her tone.

If you really wanted to debate with such a great Confucian scholar, ten of them wouldn't be a match for Yu Shinan.

So he had to change his strategy.

"I only have one question for you: Is it possible for a scholar to fly to the heavens?"

"Flying?"

Yu Shinan frowned, his face full of confusion.

"What is meant by 'flying to the heavens'? Is it like an immortal riding the clouds? Are you perhaps mocking this old man, sir of Gaoyang County?"

We were having a proper discussion about the traditional Chinese social classes of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, so why did we suddenly switch to the topic of "flying to the heavens"? This shift in topic is too abrupt.

"It's not that immortals fly to the heavens, but that craftsmen can make people fly."

Wen He spoke with certainty, her eyes filled with confidence.

"Nonsense!"

Yu Shinan was genuinely annoyed now, and he flicked his sleeve.

"Humans cannot fly without wings. Even Chang'e in ancient mythology needed the elixir of immortality, let alone mortals. If you, the magistrate of Gaoyang, are going to try to fob us off with these unfounded claims, then let's end our discussion here."

"Lord Yu, please don't be so quick to anger."

Wen He continued to smile, took half a step forward, and looked at Yu Shinan with an open and honest gaze.

"What if I could do that?"

Yu Shinan stared into Wen He's eyes, trying to see any trace of a joke on his face, but Wen He's eyes were only serious, without a trace of mockery.

He pondered for a moment, then a thought suddenly struck him.

"it is good!"

Yu Shinan raised his hand to stroke his beard, his tone solemn.

"If you can truly make mortals fly, as long as it doesn't violate the laws and moral principles of the country, I will grant you one request. Whatever it may be, I will agree to it."

"Then please ask Lord Yu to write to His Majesty and request that the treatment of the artisans in the Ministry of Works be improved, with their monthly wages doubled, and that medical clinics and dormitories be set up so that the artisans can work with peace of mind and no longer have to worry about food and clothing."

Wen He immediately said.

He actually wanted to petition for the abolition of the artisan status, freeing artisans from the shackles of their lowly status. However, he knew that this step was too big and would certainly be met with fierce opposition from the court. It would be better to start by improving their treatment and proceed step by step.

Upon hearing this, Yu Shinan was taken aback at first, then couldn't help but laugh.
He never imagined it would be for the sake of the craftsmen.

"What a pure and innocent heart!" He nodded, his tone carrying a hint of approval.

"Very well! If you can do it, I will personally submit a petition and debate with all the officials in the court to fight for this treatment for the craftsmen!"

After laughing, Yu Shinan seemed to remember something and raised an eyebrow to ask.

"But what if the magistrate of Gaoyang County can't do it? Are you trying to fool this old man with empty words?"

"If it can't be done,"

Wen He didn't back down either, meeting his gaze calmly.

"Just like Lord Yu, as long as I do not violate the law, I will do whatever Lord Yu asks me to do."

“Good! A gentleman’s word is as good as his bond!” Yu Shinan said, then suddenly bent down and extended his right palm upward.

Seeing this, Wen He didn't hesitate and raised her hand without hesitation, striking Yu Shinan's palm hard together. The crisp sound of "smack" was particularly clear in the hall.

He was secretly relieved.

With Yu Shinan as an "ally," the chances of successfully petitioning for improved treatment of craftsmen in the future would be much greater.

Although Yan Lide strongly supported the craftsmen in the Ministry of Works, he lacked seniority and had limited influence.

Yu Shinan was a trusted old minister of Li Shimin and was known for his virtue. His memorials carried far more weight than Yan Lide's and were able to suppress many dissenting voices.

"Sir, the 'flying device' you mentioned, is it the 'hot air balloon' you mentioned to me before?"

Li Chengqian, who had been unable to contain himself for a long time, rushed over when he saw the two of them making a vow with a high five, his eyes sparkling.

When Wen He mentioned the device that "can carry people to the sky to see the scenery" last time, he had been thinking about it ever since. Now that Wen He mentioned "flying", he immediately guessed it.

Wen He winked at him and smiled noncommittally, "Guess."

"Cough cough!"

Upon seeing this, Yu Shinan's expression, which had just softened, hardened again, and his tone became serious.

"Your Highness, mind your manners as a subject to a ruler! His Highness the Crown Prince is the heir apparent; how can he be treated with such casualness?"

Wen He awkwardly touched his nose, then quickly bowed to Li Chengqian, his tone becoming more respectful.

"Your Highness is wise. Why not try to guess? In a few days, I will give you an answer."

Li Chengqian suppressed a laugh and respectfully cupped his hands in greeting: "Then I will await your good news, sir."

Yu Shinan stood aside, watching the two of them, who were "serious on the surface but actually in sync," and couldn't help but feel a little amused and exasperated.

He shook his head, sighing inwardly.

This young man from Gaoyang County is truly unrestrained by rules, possessing both the carefree spirit of a youth and the cunning of an adult.

He dared to debate with this veteran minister, yet he could also get along well with the Crown Prince. But... is it ultimately good or bad for such a person to be by the Crown Prince's side?

The good thing is that the crown prince can learn practical skills and broaden his horizons from him, so that he doesn't become a bookworm who only knows how to read the classics.

The bad thing is that Wen He is too unconventional. If the Crown Prince learns from his unrestrained behavior, he will probably do whatever he wants after he ascends the throne.

However, compared to this...

What he's more curious about now is the so-called hot air balloon?
Can this thing really fly?
……

When I came out of the East Palace, the sun was already high in the sky, and the warm sunlight shone on the vermilion walls of the imperial city, making the glazed tiles gleam with golden light.

As Wen He rode on horseback, he was mentally calculating the progress of the "hot air balloon."

Li Shimin had originally given them a year, but now that he had made a bet with Yu Shinan, they had to build the hot air balloon as soon as possible.

"Young master, where are we going next?"

Qi San, who was accompanying them, urged his horse to catch up and asked.

"Go to the dental clinic."

Wen He reined in his horse, thinking to himself.

"Building a hot air balloon requires a spacious place. The Hundred Cavalry Commandery is too large and has too many eyes and ears, and it's even more inconvenient at the Eastern Palace. We need to find a secluded house outside the city, where we can work and keep it secret."

The two rode their horses south along Zhuque Avenue.

Most of the brokerage firms in Chang'an were concentrated near the West Market, where there were many merchants coming and going, and the business of buying and selling land and houses was the most prosperous.

As soon as they arrived at the entrance of West Market Street, they saw several wooden signs erected by the roadside, with the words "Finding Land and Houses" and "Honest Brokerage Firm" written on them. Several brokers dressed in long gowns were chatting together. When they saw that Wen He and Qi San were dressed in ordinary cloth robes and had no conspicuous ornaments around their waists, they only glanced at them and then ignored them.

In their view, these two were at most wealthy rural residents who wanted to buy a small courtyard. They wouldn't earn much commission, so it wasn't worth their time to be so eager to please them.

Wen He didn't care and walked straight to the nearest brokerage firm. Just as she was about to enter, a figure quickly came to greet her.

He was a young man of seventeen or eighteen, wearing a faded blue cloth shirt with frayed cuffs, but it was clean and tidy. He had a shy look on his face, but his eyes were bright. He bowed to Wen He.

"I am Lin Su. I have met you, esteemed sir. May I ask whether you are looking for a house or to buy land? I have several good plots of land that I am sure will satisfy you."

Several brokers chatting nearby sneered when they saw this.

"Lin Su, you little rascal, you really dare to take on just anyone? Don't you even look at what they're wearing? How could they afford such a good property?"

Lin Su blushed slightly, but ignored the mockery and just stared at Wen He with a hint of expectation in her eyes.

Wen He's heart skipped a beat.

Although the young man was simply dressed, he was polite and unlike those slick brokers; he had a rather honest and simple manner.

He then said, "I want to find a house outside the city, somewhere secluded, spacious, and preferably with no one around."

"Remote, spacious, and deserted..."

Lin Su murmured to herself, her eyes suddenly lighting up.

“My lord, I do know of a house! It’s just five li outside Mingde Gate. It used to be the villa of a wealthy family, but they fell on hard times and the house became deserted. There’s nothing else around except a dry field, which is exactly what you’re looking for!”

Wen He raised an eyebrow: "Oh? Is there really no one around that house?"

Lin Su's smile faded slightly, and she gave a wry smile.

"You may not know this, but next to that house used to be a mass grave. Later, a wealthy family bought the land, leveled the grave, and built the house there. But people are superstitious about that, so even though the house was cheap, no one wanted to buy it, and it's been abandoned ever since..."

Upon hearing this, the broker next to him laughed even harder.

"Lin Su, are you trying to lead people into a haunted house? Aren't you afraid of scaring the important person?"

Lin Su blushed with anxiety and quickly explained to Wen He.

"My lord, that house is truly clean! After the mass grave was leveled, a high monk was invited to perform a ritual, and nothing strange has happened in recent years, but no one dares to live there..."

Wen He smiled.

Remote, uninhabited, and a place that keeps outsiders at bay—isn't this exactly the place he's looking for?
Building a hot air balloon requires repeated trials, and if it is placed near a village, it is inevitable that it will be seen by people and cause trouble.

This house was secluded, and because of the rumors of a mass grave, no one dared to approach it, making it perfect for a secret workshop.

It's true that arriving at the right time is worse than arriving early.

He said immediately.

"It's alright, take me to see it."

Qi San tugged at Wen He's sleeve and whispered.

"Young master, aren't houses near the mass grave unlucky? Shall we look around some more?"

"Whether something is auspicious or inauspicious is just what people say."

Wen He waved his hand and said to Lin Su.

"Lead the way. If the house suits your taste, I'll buy it."

Lin Su was both surprised and delighted, and nodded quickly.

"Oh! This way, sir! I'll take you there right away!"

As he spoke, he began to lead the two towards the city gates.

Wen He pointed to the carriage by the roadside.

"Take my car, it'll be faster." Lin Su was taken aback for a moment, then quickly thanked him, "Thank you so much!"

He had never ridden in a carriage before, and he was a little unsure of what to do with his hands. He almost tripped when he got in, which made the brokers next to him burst into laughter again.

The carriage slowly drove away from the West Market, heading towards Mingde Gate. Lin Su sat in the carriage, gradually relaxing, and began to tell Wen He about the details of the house.

“My lord, that house occupies more than two acres. There is a main house in the front and a large courtyard in the back, as well as several side rooms. Although it is a bit overgrown, the roof is not leaking and the doors and windows can be repaired and used. There is also a hundred acres of dry land next to the courtyard, which was bought by that wealthy family in the past. Now no one cultivates it and it is overgrown with weeds. If it is cultivated, it can be used to grow wheat and millet.”

How far is it from Chang'an?

Wen He asked.

“It’s only five li from Mingde Gate. The road is all dirt and easy to walk on.”

Lin Su quickly replied.

"If a distinguished person wishes to enter the city, it can be done in half an hour on horseback, which is quite convenient."

Wen He nodded, feeling increasingly satisfied.

After the carriage had traveled for about 35 minutes, it exited Mingde Gate and continued south for a while when Lin Su suddenly called out.

"My esteemed guest, it's just ahead!"

Wen He lifted the carriage curtain and saw a courtyard house not far from the roadside. The courtyard wall was made of rammed earth, and some parts of it had collapsed, revealing the weeds inside.

Even the paint on the front door was peeling off, and the brass rings on the door were rusted; it was clear that no one had lived there for a long time.

The carriage stopped at the gate. Lin Su jumped out first, ran over and pushed open the gate. With a creak, the hinges made a screeching sound and kicked up a cloud of dust.

"My esteemed guest, look!"

Lin Su stepped aside and pointed into the courtyard.

"This yard is big enough to dry things and store items!"

There's another well behind, but I don't know if the water will still be usable. If it isn't, digging a new well would be easy.

Wen He walked into the courtyard, her gaze sweeping over the surroundings.

The main house has three rooms and the side rooms have four rooms. Although the doors and windows are damaged and the walls are mottled, the framework is still intact, so repairs are not too difficult.

The courtyard was indeed spacious enough to build a support frame for hot air balloons and store materials such as silk and nanmu wood.

As for the well, he went over to take a look. The well walls were intact, but there were some fallen leaves floating on the water. After cleaning it up, it should still be usable.

"Well, my esteemed guest?"

Lin Su looked at Wen He nervously, her hands unconsciously twisting together.

"Are you satisfied with this house? If you don't like it, I can take you to find another one, though... the other houses might not be as spacious or as secluded..."

Wen He turned to look at him and smiled, "I'm very satisfied with the house. How much did it cost?"

Lin Su's eyes lit up, but then she hesitated, gritted her teeth, and whispered.

“My lord, this house, along with that hundred acres of dry land, would normally fetch at least nine hundred strings of cash. But I’m in a hurry for money. If you really want to buy it, six hundred strings of cash… six hundred strings of cash will do!”

Upon hearing this, Wen He raised an eyebrow. He looked at Lin Su and saw that the young man's eyes were darting around and his expression was anxious, which made him somewhat puzzled.

"This house is yours? You're selling it without consulting the owner?"

Lin Su's face flushed red instantly, then turned pale. He lowered his head, his voice choked with sobs.

"My esteemed sir, to be honest, this house... is actually my ancestral home. My family used to be quite wealthy, but after my father passed away a few years ago, we lost our livelihood. My mother also fell seriously ill and needed medicine. We had no other choice but to sell the house..."

As he spoke, he took out a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Wen He with both hands.

"This is the land deed, and my name is on it. You see, I'm not lying to you! I went to the brokerage to sell the house as soon as possible so I could get medicine for my mother..."

Wen He took the land deed, glanced at it, and saw that Lin Su's name was indeed written on it, along with the official seal; it was genuine.

Qi San leaned over to take a look and whispered to Wen He.

“Young master, this land deed is genuine. Six hundred strings of cash is indeed a great deal. This person must be in a hurry for money, which is why he sold it for such a low price.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Su lowered her head even further, her voice tinged with bitterness.

"If you think it's too expensive, we can lower the price further. As long as we can cover the cost of the medicine, any amount is acceptable..."

Looking at his appearance, Wen He suddenly had a thought.

"Have you read the book?"

"Ah? Yes, I have read it before, but, but..."

His face flushed as he spoke.

He didn't need to say anything; Wen He already guessed it.

He only chose to buy a house because he failed in his studies, his family fell into poverty, and now he can no longer do heavy work.

Although the young man was down on his luck, he was not slick. He sold his house to pay for his mother's medical treatment, which can be considered filial piety.

And he's quite smart, too.

If you sell your house yourself, you can still save some money.

Besides, he was already satisfied with the house, and six hundred guan was indeed a low price. But if he took advantage of someone's misfortune, it would seem dishonest of him.

He then said, "No need for less, nine hundred strings of cash will do."

"what did you say?"

Lin Su suddenly raised her head, her eyes wide open, thinking she had misheard.

"Honorable sir, are you referring to nine hundred strings of cash?"

"What, you don't want to?"

Wen He smiled and asked in return.

“If you are willing to sell it to me for ninety strings of cash, I don’t mind.”

"I'm willing! I'm willing! Oh no, I mean I'm willing to spend nine hundred strings of cash, nine hundred strings of cash."

Lin Su nodded hurriedly, her voice trembling with excitement.

I was so excited I almost said the wrong thing.

"Thank you so much, sir! Thank you for your kindness! I... I kowtow to you!"

As he spoke, he was about to kneel down. Wen He quickly helped him up.

"No need for that. I'll buy your house, and you sell your land. It's a fair trade. But I have one condition."

"My lord, please speak! Don't mention just one condition, even ten or a hundred, I will agree to them!"

Lin Su quickly said.

"I need to renovate this house and find people to do the work. If you're willing, you can stay and help me manage it. I'll give you five hundred coins a month, and I'll provide food and lodging. You can bring your mother here to take care of her, but you mustn't tell anyone about this in the future."

Wen He said.

He needs manpower to build hot air balloons, and Lin Su is familiar with this house and is honest and reliable, so it's perfect for her to stay.

Besides, this young man is filial, and the wages he's paid are enough for him to get medicine for his mother, which allows him to work with peace of mind.

Lin Su was stunned for a moment, then tears streamed down her face as she bowed deeply to Wen He.

Five hundred coins is quite a lot; Ah Dong's monthly allowance is only five hundred coins.

"Thank you so much, sir! Thank you so much! I will work hard and never let you down!"

He was worried that after selling the house, he would have no place to live and no way to make a living. Now, Wen He not only paid the full amount but also let him stay and work, solving all his problems. He will never forget this kindness in his life.

Seeing his excited expression, Wen He breathed a sigh of relief.

The house has been found, and the manpower is available. The next step is to have Yan Lide deliver the materials and craftsmen so that we can start building the hot air balloon as soon as possible. He turned to Qi Sandao.

"Take Lin Su to the city first, transfer the land deed, then give him nine hundred strings of cash and tell him to go get medicine for his mother and settle things at home before signing the deed."

"Yes, young master."

Qi San agreed.

Lin Su quickly said.

"My esteemed guest, there's no need for tomorrow. I'll go get the medicine now and settle my mother in. I'll come over this afternoon!"

Wen He nodded with a smile.

"Alright, you can arrange it yourself."

"Yes! I'll remember this!"

Lin Su carefully took the key, as if holding a precious treasure, bowed to Wen He, and then followed Qi San into the city.

Meanwhile, deep within the imperial city, in the Lizheng Hall, a faint scent of ambergris wafted in the warm chamber, but Li Shimin had no interest in savoring it.

He leaned back on the dragon throne, a scroll in his hand, listening to Gao Yue report in a low voice what he had seen and heard in the Eastern Palace.

From Wen He's debate with Yu Shinan on the "scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants" system, to their high-five as a bet on "flying to the heavens," and then to Wen He's direct trip to the brokerage firm after leaving the Eastern Palace, every single detail was recounted in detail.

"This brat actually dared to swear an oath with Yu Shinan for the sake of some craftsmen?"

After listening, Li Shimin put down the document, his tone tinged with displeasure, and tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest.

Gao Yue's heart tightened, thinking that His Majesty was blaming Wen He for "insubordination." Just as she was about to speak up to persuade him, she saw Li Shimin suddenly slam his hand on the table, both angry and amused.

"I had to beg him to agree to build a hot air balloon within a year, and I even extended the deadline to prevent him from making mistakes in his rush. Now look what's happened! He made a bet with Yu Shinan and is even more eager than I am to urge him. Believe it or not, he went to the brokerage firm as soon as he left the Eastern Palace, definitely to find a place to build that flying device!"

Gao Yue breathed a sigh of relief and bowed, suppressing a smile.

"Your Majesty is wise. I suppose Magistrate Wen is in a hurry to fulfill his bet, hence his haste. However, Magistrate Wen is always prudent in his actions and will certainly not neglect his duties."

"Does he know what's good for him?"

Li Shimin snorted, but couldn't help but smile.

"That brat is just deliberately going against me. I've brought up the hot air balloon issue with him so many times, but I can tell he doesn't take me seriously at all."

After saying that, he shook his head, his tone filled with helplessness but also with a hint of expectation: "Fine, if he wants to cause trouble, let him cause trouble. At least he's now making time to build hot air balloons, which saves me from worrying about it every day."

Gao Yue, standing to the side, suddenly had three black lines appear on her forehead.

His Majesty isn't angry at all.

This is clearly jealousy.

As soon as he finished speaking, a eunuch entered carrying two documents and bowed.

"Your Majesty, the magistrates of Chang'an County and Wannian County have submitted urgent reports requesting Your Majesty's instructions."

The smile on Li Shimin's face vanished instantly. He took the letter, unfolded it, and examined it closely. The warm pavilion fell silent, with only the soft rustling of the paper turning and Li Shimin's increasingly heavy breathing.

Gao Yue stood to the side, watching His Majesty's brows furrow more and more, his fingers gripping the edge of the document until his knuckles turned white, and her heart also tightened.

After a long while, Li Shimin put down the letter, his tone heavy.

"Drought... It's been spring for so long, and Guannei Road has only had two or three light drizzles. The Wei River is so shallow that you can see the riverbed."

He got up and walked to the window, looking out at the courtyard.

Although it was springtime, there had been no rain for days, and many of the flowers and plants in the courtyard had withered, the soil was dry and cracked, and dust would rise when the wind blew.

He was silent for a moment, then suddenly turned around and said, "Gao Yue, issue an edict to summon Wei Zheng to the Lizheng Hall to see me immediately."

"Yes, sir!" Gao Yue quickly agreed and turned to hurry off to deliver the imperial decree.

Watching Gao Yue leave in a hurry, Li Shimin sighed deeply.

If it weren't for Wen He's arrival in the Tang Dynasty, his early warning, and his suggestion to outsource the construction of water conservancy projects to merchants...

I'm afraid the entire Guannei region will experience drought this year.

After the drought comes the locust plague.

At that time, the entire Guannei region will surely yield nothing.

At that time, let alone launching a northern expedition against the Turks, we probably couldn't even provide enough grain for disaster relief.

Just as he was pondering this, a respectful announcement came from outside the hall: "Your Majesty, Vice Minister Wei has arrived!"

Li Shimin looked up and saw Wei Zheng, dressed in a scarlet official robe and with a jade belt around his waist, walking steadily into the warm pavilion.

He bowed deeply as he entered the hall, his voice booming.

"Your subject Wei Zheng pays his respects to Your Majesty. I wonder what urgent matter Your Majesty has summoned me for?"

"Xuancheng, you may dispense with the formalities."

Li Shimin raised his hand to gesture for him to stand up, his tone becoming more serious.

"Since the beginning of spring, Guannei Road has been dry with little rain. Although I ordered the Ministry of Works to repair many ditches and waterwheels last year, there has been no rain for days. I am still worried that if the irrigation system is inadequate, this year's harvest will be affected."

He paused, his gaze falling on Wei Zheng with a hint of solemnity.

"I intend to have you lead the Imperial Censorate to Guannei Circuit immediately to inspect the water conservancy situation in each prefecture. Firstly, to check whether the existing water conservancy projects are usable and whether any officials are negligent or derelict in their duties. Secondly, to see which prefectures and counties still need to build more water conservancy projects and report them in a timely manner."

Upon hearing this, Wei Zheng's expression hardened, and he immediately bowed to accept the imperial decree.

"Your Majesty, I obey! I will set off tomorrow with the officials of the Censorate. I will certainly live up to Your Majesty's trust and carefully investigate the water conservancy in Guannei Road, ensuring that no derelict officials delay the spring planting!"

"Minister Wei, this matter concerns the fate of the Tang Dynasty and the livelihood of countless people. We must not neglect it."

Li Shimin stood up, walked to Wei Zheng, and spoke with great solemnity.

"If any official is found to be negligent or embezzling funds, there is no need to ask for instructions. He can be dismissed and investigated first, and then reported to me upon his return to the capital. What I want are real results, not perfunctory documents."

"I understand!"

Wei Zheng nodded deeply.

Seeing Wei Zheng's resolute expression, Li Shimin secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Initially, he wanted to give this job to Wen He.

But then I thought about it again and dismissed the idea.

Wen He had offended many powerful families by investigating the Cui family case. Although the Cui family had been driven out of Chang'an, there were still quite a few people who secretly harbored hostility towards Wen He.

If Wen He were to be ordered to inspect the Guannei Circuit again, and given the power to impeach officials, he would inevitably be caught red-handed, and would likely become the target of public criticism.

Moreover, Wen He is currently busy building hot air balloons, and his bet with Yu Shinan is imminent. If he were to be distracted by Guannei Road, he would likely delay both of them.

After much thought, Wei Zheng was still the most suitable candidate.

Wei Zheng was at least outwardly upright and incorruptible, and had the support of powerful families behind him, which could both deter derelict officials and avoid attracting too much criticism.

Wei Zheng was unaware of Li Shimin's plans; he only wanted to set off as soon as possible so as not to delay the spring planting.

He then asked Li Shimin a few more questions about the details of the inspection, such as which prefectures and counties to focus on and how to contact the court in case of an emergency. After he had noted them down, he bowed and said.

"Your Majesty, I will return to the Censorate today to make arrangements and will depart early tomorrow morning. I will take my leave now."

"Go."

Li Shimin nodded, watched Wei Zheng's departing figure, then sat back on the dragon throne, picked up the drought report on the table, his brows still furrowed.

“Gao Yue,” Li Shimin suddenly spoke.

"Has that brat Wen He gone back to Chang'an?"

Gao Yue quickly stepped forward to reply.

"Your Majesty, the Magistrate of Wen County has returned to his residence from the brokerage firm outside the city."

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin gave a light snort, his tone carrying a hint of reproach.

"That brat, as the deputy chief examiner of the imperial examinations, instead of overseeing the examinations in the Ministry of Personnel, he rushes home as soon as he leaves the Eastern Palace. He's utterly lazy!"

Having served Li Shimin for many years, Gao Yue knew that His Majesty was being disingenuous, so she quickly explained with a smile.
"Your Majesty, the magistrate of Wen County probably did this to avoid suspicion and prevent others from criticizing him."

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin recalled the three men he had met in Zheng County—Meng Zhou, Zhao Lei, and Wu Sheng—and couldn't help but chuckle.
"Avoiding suspicion? He certainly knows how to find excuses. Aren't they his three newly accepted disciples? I've read their previous essays. Meng Zhou and Zhao Lei's policy essays are mediocre, and Wu Sheng's interpretation of the classics is also ordinary. If they pass the exam, they'll probably only get the lowest ranking. They'd be more suited to be minor officials."

He paused, recalling the choices of the three, and then said.

"Meng Zhou and Zhao Lei are self-aware enough to choose the Ming Suan subject. They both have some talent for arithmetic. After the spring examination, if they pass, they will be assigned to the Ministry of Civil Affairs as officials, responsible for household registration and land tax calculations. This will be a good use of their talents."

"As for that Mr. Wu."

Li Shimin shook his head as he thought of Wu Sheng.

"He's not self-aware enough. Knowing he's not good at the classics, he still dared to choose the Mingjing subject. It's a pity his talent is limited. Even if he passes the exam, he'll have a hard time making a name for himself in the court. If he's willing in the future, send him to the Ministry of Works and let that brat Wen He teach him craftsmanship. Learning some skills would be better than just wasting his time in the court. It wouldn't be a waste that he became Wen He's apprentice."

In fact, Li Shimin knew in his heart that even if Meng Zhou and the others could pass the imperial examination, their performance would be mediocre and they would hardly become pillars of the state.

The reason he was concerned about the three people's whereabouts was simply because they were Wen He's apprentices, which gave them some special status.

If it were someone else, he probably wouldn't even remember their name.

"If His Majesty were to show such care for Wenxianzi's apprentice, Wenxianzi would surely be extremely grateful."

Gao Yue said with a smile.

"Grateful?" Li Shimin snorted, but a smile played on his lips.

"They are just a few minor officials. I really cannot show favor to that brat. I can only transfer this favor to his three disciples."

Li Shimin sighed helplessly.

Wenhe, oh Wenhe, when will you grow up?

It would be difficult for me to promote you.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but laugh at himself.

He was probably the first emperor in history to have such a trouble.

(End of this chapter)