Da Tang: Father, can I resign?

Chapter 402 Daming, Please Wait for Your People

After leaving Shang Pharmacy, Li Ming returned to the Prime Minister's Residence immediately and reunited with his father, Emperor Li Shimin, in a hurry.

"Get in the car and go back to the palace!"

Looking at his eldest son running around, Li Shimin was amused and angry, and complained a little:

"You are quite good at ordering people around. Your own father has come all the way to your house, and he hasn't even had a break to drink some tea before he tries to get your old subordinates to stay for you?"

Li Ming chuckled:
"The more capable you are, the more work you should do. Grandpa knows Fang Xiang inside and out. Apart from you, who else can persuade Fang Xiang?
"Prime Minister Fang is the Prime Minister of the country. This is for the benefit of the whole nation! I believe that you, my grandfather, are concerned about the country and the people, and you will definitely not refuse."

Li Shimin was so angry that he laughed. He stretched out his clumsy right hand and clumsily gave his youngest son a slap on the head.

"You only call me 'Grandpa' when you need my help. You are the one who says all the good things but does all the bad things.

"What about Cheng Zhijie and Ashina She'er? Are you treating them like the same way you treated me?"

Li Ming was very surprised by this question:
"Of course not! I have already arranged for someone to properly arrange for the surrendered generals. How can I ignore them?"

Li Shimin's mouth twitched, and he gave the emperor another head bang:

"So you can just bully me as much as you want!"

Under the envious gazes of the crowd, the royal father and son, who had a very close relationship (? ), boarded the dragon chariot.

After getting in the car, Li Ming changed his relaxed and lively attitude outside and became quite serious. He asked in a deep voice:

"Father, Prime Minister Fang..."

"He doesn't want to work for you anymore." Li Shimin was rude, but his tone was also quite heavy.

Although Fang Xuanling did not reach the level of "the greatest prime minister of all time", he was undoubtedly an extremely outstanding professional bureaucrat.

If he really gives up, it will definitely not be a good thing for the prosperity of the world and the well-being of the people.

However, everyone has their own aspirations, how can we force...

"Alas... Has Prime Minister Fang ever revealed the reason for his retirement?" Li Ming sighed slightly.

"I've already retired. What other reason could there be? I'm old and weak and don't want to work for a jerk anymore."

Li Shimin retorted unhappily.

"Is that so..." Li Ming said without comment, then looked out the window and said no more.

Looking at his son who suddenly fell silent, Li Shimin's eyes gradually softened and he said:
"I was wrong. I was just worried that your closeness to your subjects would interfere with your judgment and weaken your authority.

"Now I just want to say, be nicer to your subjects..."

I was so stupid, really. I just knew that Li Ming was very good to his subordinates. Not only did he treat them well, but he also didn't put on airs.

Who knew that Li Ming's gifts were all secretly priced, so it was quite a lot of work!

He was able to make the most suspected powerful official abscond with his power, and his own son was very good at exploiting the labor force.

He didn't know whether he should be happy that Old Li's kingdom was stable, or feel sad for the workers in Old Li's family...

"wrong."

Li Ming suddenly shook his head, breaking the silence in the car.

"It's not that Fang Xiang doesn't want to work anymore. He is so depressed and unmotivated because he is hungry, which is caused by his long-term vegetarian diet.

"As long as we provide him with enough calories and protein, he will definitely return to his peak and continue to shine for our Ming Dynasty until his death!"

It would be better to let him die... Watching his son's emotional and iron-blooded speech, Li Shimin truly expressed his deep condolences and endless sympathy for Fang Xuanling and other "powerful ministers".

Even when they are old and sick, they have to be forced to work against the laws of nature. If you think about it carefully, the powerful officials under Li Ming may seem to be in a glorious position on the surface, but in fact they are all extremely miserable.

The real power that is truly crucial is that there is no power at all, but the responsibility is exactly the same, and the labor force is squeezed to the extreme.

With this in mind, it is not difficult to understand Li Ming's almost "indulgent" and tolerant attitude towards his subordinates, ignoring and even actively encouraging them to enjoy treatment that exceeds etiquette.

Because the work of the Ming Dynasty's officials is really not a human job. If the emotional value is not maximized, everyone will follow in Fang Xiang's footsteps and rush away.

"You are a wise ruler with great virtue and a wealth of talented people. Now you have a vast territory. All the people are willing to serve your majesty until their death.

"Can't you even find someone who can replace Fang Xuanling?"

Li Shimin said this half jokingly and half seriously.

"In addition to the team I left behind, you have also discovered and employed many young talents. You have the ability to identify and employ people.

"But why, why do you keep staring at an old man who is about to become a withered bone in a grave?"

In response to Li Shimin's question, Li Ming counted on his fingers:
"There are plenty of candidates to be prime minister. In addition to Changsun Wuji, there are mature and steady people like Yang Shidao and Cui Renshi. The young and strong Cen Changqian and Pei Xingjian can also take over. Given time, young people like Changsun Yan and Di Renjie can also shine..."

This answer made Li Shimin even more confused, and he couldn't help asking:

"Since there are so many talented people who can be used, why are you still unwilling to let Fang Xuanling retire?"

"Because they are not as good as Fang Xuanling!" Li Ming said confidently:

"Although changing someone else to be prime minister would not cause chaos in the country, his role in promoting the welfare of the people and the country's 'production efficiency' would definitely not be as good as Fang Xuanling's.

"Isn't it a waste to let such a talented person as Fang Xiang go unused? This is an 'inefficient' behavior, and the opportunity cost is huge!"

Li Shimin listened to his son's speech with difficulty.

The word "efficiency" is everywhere in this long article.

This puzzled Li Shimin, and he couldn't help but interrupt:
“Why do you emphasize efficiency so much?
"Now the whole world belongs to you, the people live and work in peace and contentment, and you are still...even younger than your prime years.

"You have plenty of time, why rush? Is there something urgent that needs to be done efficiently?"

Li Ming paused and scratched his head:

"In the near future, there is nothing special. But the land needs to be distributed, the land needs to be reclaimed, the water conservancy facilities need to be improved, and the roads and cities need to be built..."

"These are the daily tasks of ruling, and they can be done until the next thousand years!" Li Shimin's voice became louder and louder, and because of his fast speaking speed, his speech was a little unclear:
"Why do you rush to exhaust yourself, your men, your subjects, and your country?"

Yes, not just Li Ming and the people around Li Ming.

Through his observations along the way, Li Shimin discovered that the entire Ming Dynasty was in a state of nervousness at all times.

The soldiers who moved meticulously, the skilled crew, the trucks and ships that shuttled through the streets and canals, and the people who kept moving in the streets and alleys...

Although the scenery was not much different from that of the Tang Dynasty, Li Shimin keenly sensed that the social atmosphere of the Ming Dynasty was very different from that of the Tang Dynasty.

The people of the Ming Dynasty, no matter their status or occupation, are always resolute and efficient, always busy, and always have endless work to do.

Always pursuing "efficiency".

In comparison, even the merchants in the downtown areas of Chang'an and Luoyang, the two eastern and western capitals of the Tang Dynasty, seemed to be strolling in the garden.

As for people from other places in the Tang Dynasty, they were made to seem like they were just living a life of idleness and waiting to die.

The character of a country depends largely on the character of its founding emperor.

Li Shimin just didn't understand. Why did Li Ming make his country and his empire so miserable?
"This……"

Li Ming was stumped by his father's question.

He found that there was a generation gap between himself and his father.

It’s not big, just the transition from the “agricultural age” to the “industrial age”.

Born in the 21st century, in the most powerful industrialized country in human history, "study efficiency" is the source code engraved in Li Ming's genes. As long as he slacks off, words such as "falling behind will be beaten", "we have missed the Age of Exploration", and "liberating and developing productivity" will automatically appear in front of him, stimulating him to continue studying.

This almost made him forget that he was living in the seventh century AD, more than a thousand years ago, in an agricultural era where people relied on the weather for food and followed the lunar calendar.

In his view, it is a natural instinct to strive for efficiency and constantly develop productivity.

But to his contemporaries, this behavior was inevitably puzzling.

As long as you do not violate the farming season, lying down and resting during the slack season is natural.

Why do we have to devote 365 days a year and 12 hours a day to "production" and make ourselves so tired?
"You may say you are ambitious and overdrawn the people's power, but what you are doing are projects for the people's livelihood. You are not the same as the Qin Emperor and Sui Yang."

Li Shimin continued, with a hint of puzzlement in his tone.

"But if you say that you care about the people's strength and live in harmony with them, how can you rest and recuperate like this?"

He pointed out the car window.

It is a summer afternoon and many workers are working diligently to pave the road under the scorching sun.

"Someone fainted from the heat!"

Fellow workers shouted as they skillfully carried a worker who had suffered from heatstroke out of the construction site and took him under the shade of a tree to fan him and water him.

There was a constant stream of people walking along the roadside, and no one looked towards the scene of the accident.

Whether it is the workers' skillful movements or the passers-by's indifferent attitude, it shows that getting heatstroke from working is indeed very common in the Ming Dynasty.

But to Li Shimin, an "outsider", this was extremely unreasonable.

First of all, is there any road that must be repaired in the middle of summer?
And it happened in "this" summer, right after the war and when the people were exhausted?
It’s hard to tell whether the good old boy Li Ming loves the people or hates them. He really can’t tell…

Li Shimin asked:
“It’s right to be diligent in government, but you also have to consider the right time and people.

"Now that the world is settled and our country has no internal or external troubles, why are you trying so hard to 'develop', pushing you and your country to the limit?"

Li Ming didn't understand and asked:
“Does it need a reason to make the country strong and the people prosperous?”

Li Shimin: "But what's the price?"

Li Ming: "The price is that people lose their freedom to suffer from hunger and displacement."

The two of them spoke louder and louder, and in the end they almost started arguing.

The coachman was trembling with fear when he heard this, and he only regretted that he was born with a pair of ears so that he would not hear any unspeakable horror that would kill him if he investigated it too deeply.

"The country is yours anyway, you can do whatever you want! I can't control you!"

This was the nth time that Li Shimin had uttered these six words.

If you don’t want to care, don’t bother. There are people who will take care of it. This is typical small peasant economy thinking... Li Ming muttered to himself.

But he didn't say it.

Since they had nothing to say to each other, they both fell into silence.

The royal coachman driving the carriage in front was on pins and needles.

What happened to that father and son? They were arguing fiercely just now, but now they are suddenly silent.

It's scary!

"I am doing this for what..."

After calming down, Li Ming unconsciously muttered his father's question.

Ever since he can remember, his life has been driven by various "goals".

When I was studying, I had to go to college. After that, I had to study for a master's degree and take the civil service exam. After I got the job, I had to buy a house, find a wife, and have children...

After traveling to the Tang Dynasty, his life was still dominated by "goals".

From the initial "seeking to be deposed" and "seeking survival in the palace", to fleeing to Liaodong to build a "safe house" away from the storm of the palace, to the division of land, the establishment of an independent country, the change of dynasties, and the unification of the world...

Li Ming suddenly realized that all the achievable goals had been achieved.

He didn't know what to do.

This is very dangerous.

Because achieving the goal means reaching the pinnacle.

As we all know, history will never end. After reaching its peak, it will follow the dynasty cycle that goes downhill all the way.

The speed of decline was very fast. It was only a little over a hundred years from the Zhenguan Reign to the Anshi Rebellion.

So, Li Ming rolled up his efficiency almost subconsciously.

Even if he couldn't advance in technology due to the limitations of the times and capabilities, he still wanted to push the country's national strength and economy as high as possible.

To put it bluntly, it means setting a goal and finding something to do for yourself, the country and the people.

This is to prevent the world from becoming lazy after a long period of peace, and finally stepping into a vortex of stalling and being destroyed by the concentrated outbreak of internal and external contradictions.

However, what Li Shimin said was not without reason.

The top emperors of the feudal dynasties may not understand industry, but they must understand agricultural society.

Such efficiency can be maintained in the short term thanks to the enthusiasm of the newly established country.

However, people tend to lie down.

In the absence of a major technological explosion, population explosion, and a lack of strong external enemies.

The Ming Dynasty, without a strong goal, will inevitably become conservative and fall into internal friction...

"I criticized your administration, and you're not angry?"

After a long time, Li Shimin took the initiative to break the silence between the two.

He also calmed down and thought about it.

Haodaer’s approach may be questionable, but it is understandable that young people act too hastily.

His original intention was good and was for the well-being of all people in the world, and judging from the current situation, he has not carried out it incorrectly.

As a defeated general and an emperor who had handed over power, he had no right to comment on his son's policy agenda.

Put yourself in his shoes. If Taizu Li Yuan dared to talk to him like this when the King of Qin was in power...

"I'm not angry, because I'm always happy to hear good things." Li Ming shrugged.

"Aren't you afraid that I will interfere in state affairs?" Li Shimin asked, looking directly into his son's eyes.

Li Ming answered almost immediately:

"Don't be afraid. The crown is on my head. If you want it, come and get it yourself."

Li Shimin was stunned for a moment, then smiled sincerely:

"You kid..."

(End of this chapter)