The Fierce Teacher of Zhenguan: Starting with Teaching the Crown Prince to Make a Comeback

Chapter 107 Your son will bear the responsibility.

But the crown prince remained calm, showing neither a rush to explain nor the slightest sign of panic.

It's as if the problem of "where the money and food come from" is not a problem at all.

Cui Dunli was also stunned.

He originally thought the Crown Prince would take the opportunity to agree to reduce the scale, or pass the buck back to him, the envoy in charge of promotion and demotion, to solve the problem.

He never expected that the Crown Prince would give such a seemingly supportive response, which in reality put everyone in a difficult position.

He wanted to ask more clearly how this "no reduction" was achieved, but was interrupted by Li Chengqian raising his hand.

"Minister Cui, there's no need to rush. I only said that the matter of Xizhou must be accomplished, and accomplished beautifully. I didn't say that we should divert money from the current national treasury and the inner palace."

"Not diverting money from the national treasury and the inner palace?"

Li Shimin finally sat up straight, his eyes sharp as knives.

"Then where are you going to take it from? The Crown Prince's private treasury? Your meager expenses aren't even enough to support your subordinates."

Li Chengqian bowed, but did not answer directly.

“Father, I dare not touch the Crown Prince’s private treasury, much less the national treasury. But I believe that the wealth of the world is not limited to the national treasury and the inner palace.”

"The affairs of Xizhou are for the benefit of the whole country, and will naturally attract wealth from all over the world."

That's even more mysterious.

Changsun Wuji's heart skipped a beat—what did "the wealth of the world" refer to?
Was it borrowing money from merchants?

But the Crown Prince's palace has never had such a precedent, and loans require collateral. What collateral could the Crown Prince offer?
Is it about making local officials impose the quota?

That would be a grave taboo. During the Zhenguan era, the most taboo thing was to mistreat the people. The Crown Prince must have known this.

Fang Xuanling pondered this repeatedly in his mind.

Merchants need credit to borrow money. Although the Crown Prince has the title of heir apparent, he has no real financial power, so merchants will not trust him.

Local levies would inevitably lead to impeachment by censors. The Crown Prince had just narrowly escaped being accused of "immorality" in the Liangyi Hall, and he would certainly not make such a mistake.

Could it be... that he has other connections?
Cui Dunli's expression changed, as if he suddenly thought of something, but he wasn't sure.

Surely the crown prince can't open salt and iron mines privately and embezzle taxes?

That's treason; he wouldn't dare do it even if he had ten lives.

Li Shimin looked at Li Chengqian, his eyes filled with growing doubt.

His son's behavior has become increasingly unpredictable lately.

A few days ago, he shut himself away to recruit craftsmen and guard the imperial estate, and today he uttered the words "attract the wealth of the world".

What on earth is he planning?
The Crown Prince's palace has a strict system of expenditures, and he has no large sums of money or grain that he can freely allocate. Could he really conjure up silver out of thin air?

The air inside the hall was stagnant.

Li Chengqian stood upright, his gaze calmly meeting the stares of the crowd, but he refused to utter another word.

It was as if the channels to "the wealth of the world" were a trump card he held in his hand, one he would never reveal until the right time.

Li Shimin stared at him and slowly asked, "Does the Crown Prince have a plan?"

Li Chengqian lowered his eyes slightly, his voice steady.

"The affairs of the Western Continent concern the fate of the nation and cannot be compromised. All matters of the court are also of utmost importance. Your subject is well aware of their significance."

Li Shimin frowned more and more deeply upon hearing this.

This answer avoids the real issue and misses the point entirely.

He suppressed his growing irritation and asked directly, "So, how does the Crown Prince plan to resolve the issue of funds and provisions?"

"Your subject will bear the responsibility with all his might."

Li Chengqian answered decisively, his tone unwavering.

"To bear the full responsibility?" Li Shimin's voice suddenly rose several decibels, filled with unmistakable anger.

"A king's word is law! Crown Prince, if you retract your words now, I will pretend I heard nothing!"

Everyone in the hall felt a chill run down their spines.

His Majesty is truly enraged.

If the crown prince insists, he will be putting himself in an extremely dangerous situation.

Li Chengqian raised his head and looked directly at Li Shimin, his gaze clear and firm.

“Father, I understand. A ruler’s word is law.”

His voice was not loud, but every word was clear.

When the word "ruler" was uttered, there seemed to be a subtle pause, as if there was a deeper meaning. He was not a king, but he was the crown prince, the future ruler.

At this moment, he seems to be emphasizing this point.

Li Shimin's pupils contracted slightly.

He understood the subtext in his son's words.

This kid dares to imply that he is "also a ruler" at this moment?
Changsun Wuji, who had been silent all along, spoke up at the opportune moment, breaking the suffocating stalemate.

His tone carried just the right amount of worry.

"Your Highness, it is not that we do not believe you, but this matter is of great importance. 150,000 strings of cash is no small sum. We wonder where Your Highness intends to raise this amount of money?"

He had to find out the truth; he absolutely could not allow the Crown Prince to make a mistake, as that would affect the entire court.

Li Chengqian turned to Changsun Wuji, his expression still calm.

"Uncle, there's no need to worry. I have my own plan for this matter."

Do you have your own opinions?

It's that line again!

Changsun Wuji felt even more uneasy.

His nephew has become increasingly opinionated lately, but when it comes to money, can one simply conjure it up by "having one's own ideas"?
Seeing his son's unyielding attitude, Li Shimin felt a surge of anger, but he couldn't lash out on the spot.

He took a deep breath, his gaze sweeping over Fang Xuanling, Gao Shilian, and Cui Dunli, before finally settling on Changsun Wuji.

"Everyone, what do you think?"

With just a few words, the people in the hall immediately understood the emperor's meaning.

Those present were all trusted advisors and important ministers, so some things could be said frankly.

But if the Crown Prince’s promise gets out today and he ultimately fails to keep it, or if he uses some inappropriate means, what a huge uproar it will cause in the court and among the people.
The crown prince's prestige will plummet, and it may even shake the foundations of the nation.

His Majesty is putting pressure on them to force the Crown Prince to tell the truth, or to force him to retract his promise.

Fang Xuanling spoke first, his tone calm and composed, carrying the prudence of a seasoned strategist.

“Your Highness, the affairs of Xizhou are indeed of utmost importance, but the raising of funds and provisions must also follow the law.”

“Since Your Highness has said that you will take full responsibility, it is not that we do not believe you, but... there must be a plan for where the money will come from and where the grain will come from.”

"If there is no clear source, I fear the world will criticize you, which will damage your reputation."

He put it tactfully, but his meaning was clear: if you don't explain it clearly, we can't feel at ease, and the world won't be convinced.

Gao Shilian then added, "What Chancellor Fang said is absolutely right. Your Highness, the Crown Prince's every word and action is under the watchful eyes of the world."

“If the money and grain come from dubious sources or are taken from inappropriate places, even if it solves the immediate crisis in Xizhou, it may cause far-reaching harm and damage the national image.”

He pointed out his concerns more directly about "improper means".

Cui Dunli also bowed and said, "Your subject seconded the proposal. We humbly request Your Highness to clarify the matter, so as to put our minds at ease and avoid future criticism."

Seeing that the time was right, Changsun Wuji spoke earnestly, yet each sentence pressed him hard.

"Your Highness, it is not that we intend to make things difficult for you. It's just that there are several ways to obtain funds and provisions that we absolutely cannot take."

He paused, then listed them one by one.

"Firstly, taxes must not be increased. His Majesty's policy of allowing the people to rest and recuperate, and reducing taxes and levies, is a national policy that Your Highness must not disobey."

Li Chengqian listened quietly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

"Secondly," Changsun Wuji continued.

"Your Highness cannot borrow money from merchants in the name of the Crown Prince. The Eastern Palace is not an official government office; there is no precedent for this, nor does it have the authority to do so. If you force a loan, it may be seen as exploitation, which would damage Your Highness's virtue."

"Thirdly, Your Highness should not personally engage in commerce or sell goods. If the Crown Prince were to dabble in the marketplace and compete with the people for profit, it would damage his dignity and would also invite criticism from the literati."

He blocked several shady and unorthodox ways that could potentially make money.

These were all the methods he could think of that a prince desperate for money might resort to.

With each statement, he carefully observed Li Chengqian's expression, only to find that the other remained calm and composed.

After listening to Changsun Wuji's account, Li Shimin nodded slightly and looked at Li Chengqian with a serious expression.

“What Fu Ji said was all the wise and experienced advice for governing the country. These are things that the Crown Prince should not and should not do.”

His tone was both admonishing and filled with a last glimmer of hope that his son would realize his mistake and admit that what he had just done was a momentary impulse.

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(End of this chapter)