Datang: Rebirth of Li Chengqian, the beginning of the treason interrogation

Chapter 41: Starting with Agriculture
"Okay, I support you!"

Li Shimin naturally knew the interests involved, and he never expected that Li Chengqian would have such profound insights.

If it is not resolved, the Tang Dynasty will be in name only.

"Cheng Qian, where are you going to start?"

Li Shimin asked, he had been thinking hard for many years but could not find a solution. The aristocratic families were too powerful to be eliminated unless they were all killed. But in that case, there would be no need for the Li Tang to exist.

This is not a matter of scraping the bone to heal the wound, but a matter of sharing life and death.

Li Shimin also wanted to integrate into the Five Surnames and Seven Clans, but was not completely successful. It was even more impossible to eradicate them.

"Start with agriculture!" Li Chengqian said seriously.

Among the four classes of people, scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans, putting agriculture in the second place was correct in ancient times and it was also correct in the Tang Dynasty.

Agriculture is the cornerstone. In ancient times, when productivity was low, many places could only be self-sufficient, let alone prosperous business.

The so-called business is to transport the surplus products from one place to a place where they are scarce. When production is low, the productivity of the entire society cannot support the development of business.

The only things that were exchanged were the luxury goods needed by the upper class. In the entire era, only one percent of the people could enjoy the convenience of commerce.

"Now is a prosperous age, but there are still beggars in my Tang Dynasty. We have a long way to go and a arduous task." Li Shimin sighed slightly. It was too difficult to break the impasse.

Even if the imperial court opened schools for free, there had to be people to study there. Only when the people's food and clothing problems were solved would poor people come to study there.

Agriculture is also subject to environmental influences; more or less rain will affect the harvest.

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Without small steps, one cannot reach a thousand miles.” Li Chengqian became extremely determined.

"Well, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Li Shimin laughed and became very ambitious.

"But the premise of all this is that I want the power to be the commander-in-chief of the Goguryeo army." Li Chengqian raised his head and looked at Li Shimin.

Because Li Chengqian also knew that Li Shimin really wanted to lead the expedition to Goguryeo in person.

Li Shimin remained silent, his eyes narrowed. He expected that Li Chengqian wanted to take control of the military power and train his own team.

"Okay, I will go against all odds and make you the head coach."

Li Shimin also made up his mind at this moment that if the Li Tang Dynasty wanted to change all this, it would require the cooperation of several generations.

"In addition, I will also forge iron tools in the East Palace and summon craftsmen."

Li Chengqian added that the matter especially regarding the ironware had to be reported to Li Shimin, otherwise it would be another major case of treason.

"Okay, just go ahead and do it. I'm not going to leave you alone."

Li Shimin said that at this moment, he had already fully recognized Li Chengqian as his successor.

What kind of killing? All of this is nothing compared to the Tang Dynasty.

If a person is not ruthless, he cannot stand firm.

"Also, there is a great epidemic in Xuzhou, and I want to personally escort the silver to provide disaster relief."

Ever since he received the news from Sun Simiao, Li Chengqian had wanted to go there, and now he had such an opportunity.

"No, you are a crown prince, how can you go to the epidemic area? You absolutely cannot do that. The court is not without people to use."

Li Shimin refused without even thinking about it.

Epidemic diseases are mostly terminal illnesses and are too dangerous, so many people stay away from them.

"Your Majesty, didn't you tell me to go deep into the people's hearts? Now is the perfect opportunity. If we just send an official there, the relief money and food won't reach the victims."

Li Chengqian’s trip to Xuzhou was confirmed.

"No, absolutely not." Li Shimin firmly opposed.

"Don't worry, Your Majesty. I won't put myself in danger." But Li Chengqian had reasons to go, and the great god Sun Simiao could not be invited. How could he not feel helpless?

"Are you determined to go?" Li Shimin asked again.

"Yes!" Li Chengqian nodded. "Then bring the imperial physician with you, just in case."

Li Shimin could only wave his hands. He knew that he could no longer win the debate against his older son.

"Do you have any other candidates for the vacant position of Minister of Works? After all, the Ministry of Works is needed now." Li Shimin asked again.

The Ministry of Works has the lowest status among the six ministries, and basically no major projects will appear in it.

“Yes, but I am not yet competent.”

The Minister of Works is a high-ranking official, and the people he values ​​now have not yet been able to make such a leap in status.

"Then you go ahead, I will look for a candidate." This time, Li Shimin did not keep Li Chengqian to have dinner with him.

"Wu Cairen, what do you think of the prince's proposal? Can it curb the big family?"

After a long time, Li Shimin asked casually, more like casually.

However, Li Shimin was well aware of Wu Cairen's cruelty, but fighting poison with poison is not a bad idea.

"Your Highness, this is a very good move. Just like the Lord Father Yan during the reign of Emperor Wu, use him to suppress the big families. If the noble families resist, you can abandon them and appease them. Then use another cruel official. Repeat this process, and the big families will become small families. Your Majesty and Your Highness' worries will be relieved."

Wu Cairen sneered, saying that this was a typical case of burning the bridge after crossing it. Although it could achieve the goal, it was very unkind.

However, such methods have been used in all dynasties. The emperor cannot take direct action, but allows treacherous ministers to be in power and disrupt the government. When almost all the people to be killed have been killed, the emperor will come to his senses, kill the treacherous ministers, clear his name, and gain both fame and fortune.

The corner of Li Shimin's mouth twitched unconsciously. In order to achieve the goal, he would use any means necessary, just like training horses at that time, if there was no benefit, he would abandon it.

Although vicious, his ideas are exactly the same as Li Chengqian's.

Xu Jingzong was originally a treacherous minister, and Li Chengqian wanted to fight poison with poison. When that didn't work, he ended up abandoning him like Wu Cairen did, in order to appease the hearts of the powerful families.

However, Xu Jingzong is too vicious, and I don’t know if the Five Wangs and Seven Surnames can hold on.

Li Chengqian naturally didn't know what Wu Cairen was saying now. If he knew, he would definitely confront Li Shimin and demand that Li Shimin immediately sentence Wu Cairen to death.

I really don't feel safe keeping it around.

After returning to the Eastern Palace, Li Chengqian locked himself in his bedroom.

Su Fei's jade hands gently spread the ink, but her eyes were on the leather paper.

Li Chengqian's brush moved quickly and a picture came to life on the paper.

"Your Highness, what is this? I have never seen it before." Concubine Su raised her snow-white neck, which was so delicate that it seemed to be fragile and looked very well maintained.

“It’s a steamer!”

Li Chengqian said, also describing it according to his rough memory.

He has never eaten pork, but he has also seen pigs running away.

"Your Highness, please stop joking. This is not a steamer. Haven't I seen one before?" Concubine Su said with a giggle, looking unbelieving.

"I'm not lying to you. This is used for steaming wine." Li Chengqian blew dry the ink and folded it carefully.

"Why does Your Highness want to draw this thing? If His Majesty knew about it, he would say that Your Highness has lost his ambition due to material things." Concubine Su advised.

"You said that I don't do my job properly, right? Then let's go and do our job properly." Li Chengqian laughed.

"Your Highness, what are you doing?"

"What do you say?"

"But it's daytime now."

"You can only see it during the day."

"Your Highness, please don't..."

(End of this chapter)