Datang: Just been appointed as the crown prince, the counterattack system is here

Chapter 96: How can I describe it with just one word? [Subscribe please]

The news that Li Chengqian brought from Nanyang was a heavy blow to Li Shimin.

This made him, who was originally a little depressed, cheer up again.

I still remember what Empress Changsun told him.

Be a role model for your children.

Because the children saw everything he did.

but.

When he heard the news about Li Chengqian at this time, his first reaction was that his child was in trouble again.

After all, nothing Li Chengqian had done recently had made him worry-free.

He took a deep breath, calmed his mind and emotions, then asked solemnly, "What did the prince do in Nanyang?"

in fact.

When Li Chengqian and Li Yuan first went to Jiangling, he sent a large number of secret guards to protect them secretly.

Unless it is an emergency or a matter of life and death, these secret guards will not appear easily.

But the person who came back to report this time was actually a secret guard, which shows that the matter was not ordinary.

But then the person who reported it said, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince has intercepted the grain that the Nanyang Governor was transporting to Chang'an in Nanyang."

"What!?"

Li Shimin's eyes widened in anger. "This rebellious son! He's really getting more and more presumptuous. He even dared to interfere in the affairs of the court. Come, bring him back to me!"

"Your Majesty's anger! Your Majesty's anger!"

Fang Xuanling hurried forward to comfort Li Shimin: "The Crown Prince must have his reasons for doing this! Your Majesty, please inquire about the details before making a decision!"

"Yes, Your Majesty, the prince is definitely not stupid!"

Du Ruhui echoed, "He couldn't possibly be unaware of how important food is to us!"

"Your Majesty is wrong again. The Crown Prince is the heir to the throne. He has the right to interfere in court affairs!"

"Wei Zheng! Shut up!"

"His Majesty."

The person who reported this didn't know why Li Shimin and the others were arguing, so he quickly interrupted and said, "I haven't finished what I'm saying yet. Your Majesty, please listen to me."

Li Shimin was slightly stunned, then gritted his teeth and said, "What else do you have to say? Say it all at once!!"

The person who reported this was startled and quickly continued, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince intercepted the grain being shipped from Nanyang to Chang'an, not because of any wrongdoing, but..."

As he spoke, he reported to Li Shimin everything he had overheard about the conversation between Li Chengqian and Deng Rong.

Li Shimin, Fang Xuanling and others were stunned after hearing this, and finally they were all speechless.

The atmosphere was gloomy and sticky.

The air seemed to be frozen.

This even made the person who reported it feel a little uncomfortable.

Just then, a voice broke everything.

"Your Majesty, many ministers have come to the palace. They advise Your Majesty to make mistakes in your administration and issue a self-criticism edict to the people of the world!"

Li Shimin's face darkened when he heard this.

"His Majesty."

Fang Xuanling opened his mouth, about to say something, but saw Li Shimin wave his sleeves and said coldly: "Notify all officials above the fifth rank in Beijing to hold a meeting in Taiji Hall!"

.........

An hour later.

All ministers above the fifth rank in Chang'an gathered in the Taiji Hall.

Li Shimin sat upright on the imperial throne, looking around at them calmly, and said calmly:
"I have received reports that disaster victims in Lantian County have looted the charity granary, and in Wannian County, they have rioted. The entire Guanzhong region is in a state of panic due to food shortages. Some people say this is my fault and that I should apologize to the people of the world. I would like to ask you, will there be food after I apologize?"

When these words were spoken, the ministers looked at each other, but no one stood up to respond.

Even the majority of officials, represented by the aristocratic families who advised Emperor Li II to reflect on himself, pretended to be ignorant, looking at each other with their eyes and noses, and remained silent.

This caused Li Shimin to feel extremely angry.

He swept his gaze over every official present, his eyes stern.

Based on the officials' understanding of him, what will follow is definitely a "storm" of angry curses.

But the officials from the aristocratic families were not afraid at all, especially those represented by the gentry and wealthy families, whose eyes were full of sarcasm.

Asking you to reflect is to help you put yourself in the right place.

Still want food?
Dream on you!

How dare you touch our people?

If I don't let you suffer a little, do you really think Li Tang's surname is Li?

Go ahead and rage as much as you want, that's all you can do.

After the rage, you still won't get any food.

Without food, the disaster victims in Guanzhong, and even the people in Guanzhong, will teach you, Li Er, how to be emperor.

We must let them know that the reason they have no food to eat is all your fault, Your Majesty Li II.

It is because you have acted on your own will and suppressed our grain merchants that the people are living in dire straits.

Before attending this court meeting, they had already asked the family's grain merchants to stop selling grain.

The purpose is to force Emperor Li II to bow his head.

Not only did they require Emperor Li II to bow his head and issue a self-criticism edict on the issue of grain merchants, but even future imperial examinations would have to be controlled by their people.

In this way, Li Tang was nominally from the Li family, but in reality he was from their aristocratic family.

but
They waited for a long time, but did not see Emperor Li II's wrath.

They suddenly realized that something was amiss.

His Majesty Li II glanced coldly at all the officials present, his eyes becoming increasingly cold.

As an emperor, how could he not see the little thoughts of these aristocratic officials?

He suppressed his anger and said with a faint smile, "Since even if I reflect on myself, I still cannot obtain food and cannot relieve the people's urgent needs, why should I reflect on myself?"

"Boom!"

The whole place was in chaos.

Some people get a wake-up call and their thoughts become clear.

Some people acted like their tails were stepped on and started to make frantic suggestions.

"Your Majesty, there was no problem with the food supply in Guanzhong. It was your Majesty's suppression of grain merchants that led to the food shortage. If we want to solve the food shortage, we must find the person who caused it."

"Yes, Your Majesty, chaos is beginning to break out in all parts of Guanzhong. If this continues, it will lead to even greater chaos."

"Your Majesty, as far as I know, grain merchants in Chang'an have already stopped selling grain. If this situation is not resolved soon, it will cause unforeseen consequences!"

Minister of Revenue Wei Jin said this, then turned his head and glanced at the officials from the aristocratic families. He continued, "Therefore, in my opinion, it would be better to have a good talk with those wealthy grain merchants to resolve the crisis in Guanzhong and the suffering of the people."

"Your Majesty, I second your opinion!"

"."

The meaning of these advices is very clear: if we want to solve the current food shortage, we have to rely on the aristocratic families.

And the most important thing is that you, Your Majesty Li Er, have to give up your face!
"Ah!"

Li Shimin snorted and continued calmly, "You are all right!"

In fact, the reason why he let Changsun Wuji take full charge of the official assessment was that he was even prepared to sacrifice Changsun Wuji in order to clean up some officials in the court.

This is because he discovered that most of the officials in the court were not on the same page with him.

These people not only controlled the core of the imperial court, but their children from wealthy families were also spread throughout the government and the country.

He originally thought that Li Yuan had dismissed them from the court and kept them to serve as a warning to them, but he did not expect that they would be ungrateful and become even worse.

Actually, at this time, he still stood on the side of the aristocratic families and made things difficult for himself.

You really don’t know how to live or die!
Li Shimin's eyes gradually grew cold, and he glanced at the officials representing the aristocratic families and said calmly, "Although I understand what you all mean, I have some good news. I forgot to tell you that I have solved the food shortage in Guanzhong!"

Boom!

Those officials representing aristocratic families were struck by lightning.

Someone subconsciously exclaimed, "How is this possible? Is His Majesty deceiving us?!"

"presumptuous!"

Upon hearing this exclamation, Fang Xuanling immediately shouted, "How dare you question the emperor? This is a crime of treason! Where is the Dali Temple Minister?"

"The Dali Temple Minister is here!"

"What crime should this person be punished for?"

"Disrespecting the emperor and the law, punishable by eighty strokes of the cane!"

When Dai Zhou said this, the whole audience was stunned.

Then several imperial guards filed in and dragged the official away and beat him with a stick.

When the other officials from the aristocratic families heard the screams outside the hall, their faces turned very ugly.

An official stood up and questioned, "Your Majesty, Zhao Zhongcheng's words were inappropriate and he deserves the punishment. However, I still have doubts. Has Your Majesty really solved the food problem?"

Li Shimin smiled faintly; "It's just a mere one million dan!"

"What!?"

The whole audience was shocked.

Everyone was stunned, as if struck by lightning, their minds went blank.

silence!

Deathly silence!

The official from the aristocratic family was completely stunned and kept muttering to himself.

impossible!
Absolutely impossible!
But the smile on Li Shimin's face grew even wider. "Honestly, I was wrong. I shouldn't have suppressed the grain price. I should have raised it. Starting tomorrow, the grain price in Chang'an will be raised to 180 wen per dou. The court will purchase as much as it can!"

"By the way, your suggestions are very good. I really should have a good talk with those grain merchants. Why is the price increase so small? Don't raise it this much next time!"

"Come out and make money. The timid will starve to death, and the bold will die of wealth!"

"Look at how courageous I am, don't you think?"

Swish!
The officials from the aristocratic families broke out in cold sweat instantly.

Although Li Shimin said this with a smile, this smile was chilling to them.

However, after Li Shimin finished speaking, he did not stay in the Taiji Hall for long, but turned around and left.

Only Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, Wei Zheng and others looked at each other and smiled knowingly.

The prince is worthy of being the prince.

With just a slight move, you won’t know what your opponent is.

As for those officials from aristocratic families who had not yet reacted, there was no movement for a long time.

They looked at each other, and all their previous arrogance disappeared.

Instead, I felt shocked, helpless, and sweaty.
at the same time.

Li Shimin, who had just walked out of the Taiji Hall, finally couldn't help but laugh out loud.

An emotion that had been suppressed for a long time completely erupted at this moment.

What a cool word?
"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

A historian secretly recorded that in the first year of Zhenguan, His Majesty laughed inexplicably, with eight "ha"s.

(End of this chapter)