The immortal of the Tang Dynasty, but the game starts at Xuanwu Gate?

Li Shimin couldn't help but frown.

It's clear that Chen Huai'an is very insistent on this matter.

He wasn't actually that opposed to Chen Huai'an; he just wanted to see how persistent the other party could be.

This allows him to effectively perceive the other party's urgency, and even how much Chen Huai'an values ​​this matter.

As for why Li Shimin wanted to know these things...

Imagine someone with immense strength, immune to all poisons, who shouts "The Jade Palace in the heavens, with its twelve towers and five cities," repeatedly helps you make the right decisions and foresees disasters.

Do you believe what he says?

Even if it's not easy to ask directly, can't you find out by testing the other person's attitude?

Li Shimin felt a headache coming on: "You mean the snow this year is strange, and something bad might happen next year? But you seem to have said something similar last year."

"Times have changed!" Chen Huai'an said earnestly, "Your Majesty, do you wish to gamble?"

Li Shimin's face immediately darkened.

bet?

Can he afford to gamble?

How many self-reproaching edicts has he issued in the past two years?

What are we betting on?

"Building the Nine Provinces Dam... isn't out of the question," Li Shimin pondered. "Starting construction in winter would simply increase costs and difficulties significantly, and efficiency... would be greatly reduced."

As he spoke, Li Shimin's lips twitched, and he sighed, "If you were to order the local manpower to be gathered now, and have the Ministry of Works mobilize the local government to cooperate, it wouldn't be impossible."

"There are still more than four months until next March, which should be more than enough time."

"Your Majesty is wise!" Chen Huai'an's heart instantly relaxed, and a relieved smile appeared on his face. "With Your Majesty here, how can we not create a prosperous era?"

"When General Li returns in triumph next year, the people will have a bountiful harvest, and the world will be at peace. Your Majesty's wise actions will surely resound throughout the world and be remembered for eternity."

Li Shimin was quite pleased to hear Chen Huai'an say these words.

But the next sentence froze his smile.

"Why doesn't Your Majesty reward yourself by executing Wei Zheng?"

Li Shimin: "..."

"...Please spare Wei Zheng." He was both amused and exasperated. "What has Wei Zheng done to deserve your long-standing attention? Every time you want to exile him or execute him, it's the slightest thing."

"I haven't had that thought lately."

"Alright, I'll do as Your Majesty says and spare Wei Zheng's life." Chen Huai'an readily agreed.

The atmosphere instantly became much more relaxed.

Just then, Zhang Anan led his men in, carrying plates of dishes, and placed them in front of the two of them.

As Li Shimin poured himself some wine, he asked, "How was your trip back to your hometown?"

"How do you feel?" Chen Huai'an stroked his chin. "I don't feel anything too much. The only thing worth mentioning is that I've finally put an end to a matter on my mind."

"I also made some contributions to my hometown, which feels pretty good."

Li Shimin raised an eyebrow, his expression meaningful.

Did I make a contribution to my hometown?

What contribution?

Was this a heads-up?

Or will you proactively hand over your weaknesses?

Li Shimin looked at him with a half-smile.

In short, as long as Chen Huai'an doesn't go too far, he'd even be happy to see the other party use the power in his hands.

However, Li Shimin was more interested in how Chen Huai'an planned to help his hometown.

How do you contribute to your hometown?

"Does Your Majesty wish to know?"

"I am indeed quite interested. As far as I know, the situation in your hometown is not very good; it's just a very ordinary small county."

Chen Huai'an knew that Li Shimin would probably be curious about this kind of thing, so he patiently explained.

She revealed almost everything about herself, from having Pei Shouzhuo build city walls and streets, constructing a small ancestral hall for the Fuxi Mausoleum, and the purpose behind doing so, to the school and the Fuxi Academy, without any concealment.

Li Shimin would find out about these things sooner or later anyway, so there was no point in hiding it.

Li Shimin was initially quite surprised to hear this; building the Fuxi Mausoleum... was indeed a solution that Chen Huai'an could come up with.

Starting with the Tang Dynasty's system of offering sacrifices at the tombs of previous emperors was indeed a brilliant move.

Upon hearing Chen Huai'an mention Fuxi Academy, Li Shimin's expression turned serious: "I knew you were a restless fellow; wherever you go, you always manage to stir up some trouble for me."

"Five copper coins a day for education? Are you now paving the way not only for poor children, but also for farmers?"

"Does Your Majesty remember something I once said?" Chen Huai'an asked instead of answering the question.

Li Shimin sneered. Now he's "subject" again?

However, he really wanted to see what Chen Huai'an was up to.

"What did you say?"

"With a population of tens of millions in our Great Tang Dynasty, even if there are only one genius among ten thousand, there should be more than a thousand."

Li Shimin glanced at him sideways: "I know what you want to say. Your Fuxi Academy may have good intentions, but as for the results... even before it's built, I can already imagine them."

"The problem is, your move is tantamount to completely breaking the monopoly. Do you think the powerful families will willingly let you continue running the academy smoothly?"

"Why not?" Chen Huai'an asked again, "Do they really dare to ruin the reputation of Fuxi Academy?"

Li Shimin was taken aback.

That makes some sense...

Fuxi, one of the Three Sovereigns, deserves everyone's respect. Just the name of the signboard and the function of the academy alone are enough to make countless people support it.

"Are you sure things will go as you imagine?" Li Shimin questioned, knowing full well how crazy the aristocratic families could be.

If pushed to a certain point, they are capable of anything.

Didn't she poison Chen Huai'an before?

"Whether it develops as I imagine is not important," Chen Huai'an shook his head. "What's important is that once the academy is established and gains some fame, it will be unshakeable!"

Why do you say that?

Chen Huai'an pondered for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, I'll ask you a question and you'll know."

"If you are an ordinary person, living a life where you can see the end from the beginning, working hard in the fields, your descendants will most likely be the same."

"You thought your life would just pass by like this, you had resigned yourself to your fate, but then one day, an academy was built, giving everyone a chance—a chance to change their destiny!"

"That naturally includes you!"

"At this very moment, some people jumped out and said that the academy that gave you the opportunity to change your destiny was heretical, against etiquette, and violated the rules."

"What would you do?"

Li Shimin suddenly realized, and sneered, "I will absolutely slap their mothers, and then I'll fight them to the death with a woodcutter's knife!"

"..."

PS: I've also become the Minister of Rites today.