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

Chapter 145 A force dissatisfied with the Crown Prince.

Shandong, Yanzhou, the Crown Prince's temporary residence.

Dou Jing handed a newly compiled grain price report to Li Chengqian's desk.

"Your Highness, grain prices in Xiaqiu and several surrounding counties have continued to fall over the past three days. Millet has dropped from 300 cash per dou to 180 cash. The price of sorghum and wheat has fallen by a similar amount."

Li Chengqian took the report, his gaze sweeping over the declining figures, but his face showed no surprise. He put down the report and looked at Dou Jing and Wang Cong.

"Are those big players and grain merchants getting restless?"

Wang Cong bowed and replied.

"Your Highness, that's right. The major grain merchants who were previously observing and stockpiling grain have all opened their warehouses to sell grain."

"Although prices are still higher than in years of plenty, the situation of having high prices but no market is over. Grain is now available in the market."

Dou Jing added, "According to reports from those below, many grain merchants are privately discussing that His Highness did not forcibly impose price controls. If they do not intervene, the price will only drop even more drastically once large quantities of grain transported from various regions to redeem bonds arrive."

"Now that I've sold it, although it's not as profitable as before, I can still make some money."

A faint smile appeared at the corner of Li Chengqian's mouth, fleeting and ephemeral.

He knew in his heart that this was exactly the result Li Yichen had predicted.

By using bonds to attract external grain supplies, the expectation of increased supply is created, forcing local hoarders to sell off their stock.

That "invisible hand" has indeed begun to exert its power.

How is the public reacting?

"The people are naturally overjoyed!"

Dou Jing's tone carried a hint of excitement.

"With grain available and prices falling, people have a chance to survive. Everyone in the streets and alleys is praising His Highness."

"I have also heard that... many families have privately set up longevity tablets for Your Highness."

Upon hearing this, Li Chengqian paused slightly.

The memorial tablet for longevity... He recalled the emaciated disaster victims he had seen on the road, the corpses lying by the roadside, and the despairing, numb eyes.

Now, they are even setting up a memorial tablet for him in their homes to pray for his well-being.

A warm current flowed slowly through my heart.

"The people's hearts can be won over, but we must not betray them." His voice was low.

"Relief and work-for-relief programs must be continued to ensure that the poorest people can survive this winter. The rectification of officialdom must not be relaxed. Yanzhou is just the beginning."

"We understand," Dou Jing and Wang Cong replied in unison.

At this moment, an official from the Eastern Palace entered to report.

"Your Highness, as you have instructed, the location for the Salt Garrison has been chosen. It is located thirty miles east of the city, near the main road and with abundant water sources. The first batch of more than one hundred recruited craftsmen and their families have been settled."

A glint of light flashed in Li Chengqian's eyes.

"Oh? Who is the leader of the craftsmen?"

"He is a craftsman from the Imperial Workshop of the Eastern Palace, named Zhao Lu. He is highly skilled, and his family has also followed him and been registered as craftsmen."

“Very good.” Li Chengqian nodded.

"Issue my order: the garrison area of ​​Tunyanwei shall be fortified according to military regulations, and no unauthorized personnel shall approach."

"All the artisans and their families shall be provided for directly by the Crown Prince, and their well-being must be ensured. Tell them to work diligently, and I will not hesitate to reward them."

"If they harbor any disloyal thoughts, or reveal the method of salt production..."

He paused, his unfinished words carrying a cold undertone.

"Understood!" The subordinate official felt a chill run down his spine and bowed as he withdrew.

Only three people remained inside the tent.

Wang Cong hesitated slightly before speaking, "Your Highness, moving the salt-making method to Shandong and settling the artisans' families...wouldn't this...if some people in the court object..."

Li Chengqian looked at him, his gaze calm yet profound.

"Is Wang Qing worried that someone is saying I'm setting up a separate organization in Shandong and cultivating a private army?"

Wang Cong lowered his head, not daring to reply.

Dou Jing replied, "Your Highness, I believe this is a wise and prudent move to govern the country."

"Shandong is a coastal province, and the salt industry is inherently very profitable. By using this method, Your Highness can not only ensure the foundation of the Crown Prince's bonds' credit, but also control the region's financial resources and place trusted confidants in positions of power."

"With the profits from salt in hand, Your Highness will have the power to restrain any future rebellions in Shandong. As for criticism... Your Highness's actions in Shandong—providing disaster relief, pacifying the people, and rectifying officialdom—are all in the name of justice. The establishment of the Salt Garrison is also for the purpose of better salt production to benefit the national economy and the people's livelihood. Who can object to that?"

Li Chengqian nodded slightly; Dou Jing's words struck a chord with him.

The reason he went against the majority opinion and even used the secret power of the Eastern Palace to relocate part of the salt production core to Shandong was because he valued the coastal advantage of the area and the relatively controllable environment after this reorganization.

By keeping the families of artisans firmly under control, one holds the lifeline of those who possess core skills, ensuring that the technology is not leaked.

This saltworks, ostensibly a salt-making workshop, was secretly a thorn in Li Chengqian's side in Shandong, a stronghold that could provide a continuous source of revenue and even serve as a bulwark when necessary.

This is the truly long-term strategy to take root here.

“Dou Qing understands my intentions,” Li Chengqian said slowly.

“After this incident, the Shandong aristocratic families outwardly submitted, but how could they not harbor resentment in their hearts? Temporary dormancy does not mean permanent peace.”

"I must leave enough strength here."

He figured that, under the guise of disaster relief and reorganization, the officials of the Eastern Palace had already begun to intervene in the affairs of Yanzhou and even the surrounding prefectures and counties.

A few more days.

Dou Jing placed the newly organized documents on Li Chengqian's desk.

"Your Highness, seven more grain merchants have arrived from Henan Province today, and the Yanzhou granary has already redeemed 20,000 strings of cash in bonds. At the current pace, the first batch of 50,000 strings of cash in bonds is expected to be redeemed within ten days."

Li Chengqian looked up: "Are the granaries still well-stocked?"

"Three official granaries have been allocated specifically for storage. In Linyi and Xiaqiu, 300 shi of relief grain are distributed daily, and twelve soup kitchens have been set up."

Wang Cong continued the conversation.

"More than 5,000 laborers have been employed in the work-for-relief program, mainly to dredge the tributaries of the Wen and Si rivers and to repair the official roads."

Li Chengqian nodded slightly.

He took a newly submitted document from Yanzhou Prefecture, which detailed the list of counties undertaking work-for-relief programs and the progress of their projects.

Behind these names are thousands of faces that were once filled with despair.

How are the disaster victims being resettled?

"Eighty percent have already returned to their hometowns. As Your Highness instructed, each county has been given one bushel each of millet and wheat seeds to help them replant their autumn crops."

Dou Jing replied, "Many people knelt down and kowtowed when they received the seeds."

Li Chengqian paused for a moment while holding the pen.

"What about the salt garrison?"

"Zhao Lu has led his men to build three salt-making sites, and the first batch of coarse salt was produced yesterday. The craftsmen's families are settled in the eastern camp, which is guarded by guards."

Wang Cong lowered his voice slightly.

"However, we have recently discovered that a few people have been lurking around the perimeter of the base, and we have sent people to keep an eye on them."

Li Chengqian's eyes turned slightly cold: "Keep watching, and see whose people they are."

"Yes."

The tent fell silent for a moment, with only the soft rustling of ink on paper.

After Li Chengqian finished approving the last document concerning the allocation of grain tribute, he put down his pen.

"Ten days from now, we will depart for Chang'an. No need to notify anyone along the way, nor should we consult the Emperor!"

Dou Jing and Wang Cong exchanged a glance and both bowed.

"We will make arrangements immediately."

Chang'an, Taiji Palace, Liangyi Hall.

The hall was brightly lit with candles.

Li Shimin sat alone behind his desk, surrounded by piles of memorials. As he looked at the last few words of the latest memorial, "We humbly request Your Majesty's wise decision," his lips twitched slightly.

He slammed the memorial shut and threw it onto the table with a thud.

Wang De was so frightened that he trembled all over and lowered his head even further.

"Ah……"

He leaned back on the dragon throne, closed his eyes, and rubbed his furrowed brow.

Memorials to the emperor.

All of them were memorials impeaching the Crown Prince.

After the Crown Prince's decree from Shandong, which dismissed thirteen officials, was relayed back to Chang'an through various channels, such memorials flooded in like locusts.

At first, he patiently read through them one by one, trying to distinguish which were made out of public interest and which were malicious attacks.

But he soon discovered that it was almost futile.

The content was always the same, the core message being nothing more than getting the crown prince back as soon as possible.

Some have accused the crown prince of abusing his power and acting cruelly in Shandong, which is contrary to benevolence and morality.

Some say that even if the dismissed officials had minor faults, they did not deserve such punishment. The Crown Prince's actions have shaken the foundation of the country and chilled the hearts of scholars throughout the land.

There was also a memorial with "earnest" wording, citing classical texts, and even subtly mentioning at the end, "Past events should not be forgotten, for they serve as a guide for the future."

Although the words "Xuanwu Gate" were not explicitly mentioned, they touched upon a taboo subject in Li Shimin's mind.

He nearly tore the memorial to shreds at the time.

He knew what the Crown Prince was doing.

The crown prince has threatened the interests of too many people, disrupting the established power structure in Shandong that had lasted for decades or even centuries.

What chilled Li Shimin to the bone was not the memorial itself, but the attitude of the powerful ministers who truly influenced the court.

silence.

Changsun Wuji, his brother-in-law and most trusted confidant, has not mentioned the Crown Prince's affairs in front of him these past few days, except for necessary political reports.

When asked, he only gave vague answers, saying things like "the crown prince is young and needs more experience" or "the situation in Shandong is complicated and there may be something going on."

His silence at this moment is itself an attitude.

Fang Xuanling, always a wise and experienced strategist, also chose to remain silent at this moment.

Although the Fang family of Qinghe was not a top-tier aristocratic family, it had ties with the Shandong gentry and its members were among the representatives of the literati throughout the land.

The Crown Prince is taking drastic measures in Shandong, and many of the officials he dismissed were close to the Fang family. His silence at this moment may be the limit of his power.

What surprised Li Shimin the most was Wei Zheng.

This country bumpkin, known for his outspokenness and willingness to speak his mind, was speechless this time.

Even just saying a few words in defense of the Crown Prince, or pointing out the inappropriateness of his actions, could at least break this strange balance.

His silence made Li Shimin feel more isolated than the clamor of memorials.

There were also Gao Shilian, Cheng Yaojin... These important officials, who were usually either loyal or checked and balanced each other, showed an almost tacit agreement to observe the situation in this matter.

What are they all waiting for?
Waiting for me to give my opinion?
Li Shimin felt a deep sense of powerlessness.

He single-handedly created the prosperous Zhenguan era and thought he could control everything. However, faced with this intricate network of interests and the silent yet immense pressure, he discovered that he, as the emperor, was not always able to do whatever he wanted.

He understood the concerns of these officials; their families and their networks were all inextricably linked to Shandong.

The Crown Prince's actions have offended the inherent interests and dignity of the entire social class.

"Too much power..." Li Shimin muttered to himself.

This sentence is both the core of the attack on the Crown Prince in the memorial and a faint, underlying worry in his heart.

The decisiveness and... ruthlessness that the Crown Prince displayed this time were indeed somewhat beyond his expectations.

That well-reasoned and justified demotion, those swift measures to stabilize the disaster situation...

All of this shows that the Crown Prince was not merely carrying out his own will, but was trying to leave his own mark on the land of Shandong.

This made him feel gratified, but also made him wary.

He could no longer easily issue an edict to appease or admonish as he had in the past.

This would mean bowing to those forces that were exerting pressure on him, and would mean negating all the efforts and achievements the Crown Prince had made in Shandong.

More importantly, this would severely damage the crown prince's prestige and could even exacerbate the conflict between father and son.

"Your Majesty, it is late at night. Have you gone to bed?" Wang De cautiously stepped forward and asked in a low voice.

Li Shimin opened his eyes, his pupils bloodshot, and waved his hand.

"Go back."

Wang De dared not say more, and bowed as he led the palace attendants out quietly.

The empty hall seemed even more desolate.

Li Shimin's gaze fell once again on the mountain of memorials, his expression complex.

Gao Ming, you're in Shandong, are you aware that there are already undercurrents surging in Chang'an?

How much longer are you going to stay there?
Or... you don't want to come back so soon at all?
He took a deep breath and forcefully suppressed the surging thoughts in his mind.

He was the emperor; he had to weigh the options and remain calm.

Until he finds a way to break the deadlock, he can only continue to watch and wait.

Unbeknownst to him, his crown prince, who had "settled down" in Shandong, had already made the decision to quietly return to Chang'an.

Meanwhile, at the Prince of Wei's residence on the other side of Chang'an, a completely different scene unfolded.

Inside the study, Li Tai suddenly slammed the celadon teacup in his hand onto the ground, shards and tea splashing everywhere, startling the maidservant standing at the door into silence.

"Trash! They are all a bunch of trash!"

Li Tai's obese chest heaved violently, his face flushed red with anger.

"So many officials and censors have written countless impeachments against him, yet they haven't touched him in the slightest! Father Emperor has simply kept quiet without issuing a single reprimand!"

He paced restlessly in the study, leaving wet footprints on the carpet.

"And those old fogies!"

"Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling are both pretending to be deaf and dumb! Isn't that old scoundrel Wei Zheng usually the most talkative? How come he becomes a saw-off gourd when it comes to the Crown Prince's reckless behavior?"

Li Tai grew angrier the more he thought about it. The Crown Prince had caused such a commotion in Shandong, dismissing officials and trying to win over the people.

This made him feel strongly threatened.

The crown prince's prestige and power are growing at a rate he does not want to see.

"I absolutely cannot stand idly by and watch him continue to operate in Shandong!"

Li Tai stopped in his tracks, his eyes filled with malice.

Du Chuke, who had been sitting quietly to the side with a shrewd look in his eyes, finally spoke slowly: "Your Highness, please calm down. This matter cannot be rushed."

"Calm down? How can you expect me to calm down!"

Li Tai suddenly turned to him.

"If he continues like this, Shandong will soon become his independent kingdom! When he returns to the capital with the great merit of quelling the rebellion and bringing peace to the people, his prestige will be even greater. Will there still be a place for me to stand?"

Du Chuke's voice was calm.

"Your Highness, that's precisely why we must not panic. Although there are many memorials impeaching the Crown Prince, His Majesty's attitude is ambiguous, and the senior officials are collectively silent. What does this mean?"

"This shows that His Majesty is also weighing the pros and cons, and that the Crown Prince's actions have indeed infringed upon the interests of many people, including the powerful families associated with those high-ranking officials."

Li Tai frowned: "What do you mean?"

"This is a force, a force dissatisfied with the Crown Prince."

A calculating glint flashed in Du Chuke's eyes.

"Your Highness, why don't we turn this power into our own?"

(End of this chapter)