Drive to the Tang Dynasty, where supplies are refreshed daily!

The meal took a long time. After finishing, the two little princesses and their mother wanted to watch cartoons, but it wasn't good to go to sleep right after eating.

Xiao Ran let a few children watch two episodes.

"Alright, Sizi, Third Sister, it's getting late, time to sleep. We'll talk again tomorrow." It's already past midnight.

The children usually have a very regular sleep schedule, but today is different; it's understandable given it's a special holiday.

Zhang Jinhe helped pack up the belongings and then went back with Zhang Mingde, Zhang Huaicai, and the others.

Empress Zhangsun of Li Shimin lived quite far away, so Xiao Ran stayed overnight.

There's plenty of room.

The three little girls were fast asleep on the kang (a heated brick bed).

Another heavy snow fell that night.

I went to bed a little late last night, and the three little girls couldn't get up, but the others were still the same as before.

The snow in the corner of the yard hadn't been swept yet. The morning light filtered through the branches of the old locust tree, falling on the snow and casting tiny golden spots. The air was crisp and clear, a unique scent after a snowfall, and every breath felt refreshing.

Sun Simiao never missed a day of getting up early.

Unexpectedly, Xiao Ran was here early too.

Xiao Ran was used to staying up late and didn't get much sleep to begin with.

Good morning, sir!

"Good morning!" Sun Simiao stood in the courtyard practicing Tai Chi.

Sun Simiao had already finished reading the Tai Chi book that Xiao Ran had given him and had basically memorized it.

When he began the "Grasp the Sparrow's Tail" move, he gently stretched his left hand forward, while his right hand naturally protected his left elbow. He moved his feet slowly, landing first on the soles of his feet and then gently compacting the snow. Surprisingly, he didn't sink too deep into the snow, leaving only shallow imprints.

Snowflakes clung to his trouser legs, but he paid them no mind, his gaze fixed straight ahead, as if the entire courtyard contained only him and the "qi" flowing around him.

When the right hand pushes forward, it seems gentle, but the wrist subtly sinks, and the fingertips are tense with an imperceptible force, as if pushing a ball of cotton, yet with the steadiness to hold a thousand pounds. This is the wonder of Tai Chi's "softness concealing strength".

When he moved to the "cloud hands" position, he turned his body left and right, his hands making circles in front of his chest, pressing down with his left hand and lifting up with his right hand. The movements were so fluid, like twisting a rope, without the slightest pause.

The coarse cloth sleeves swayed gently with the movement, but did not wobble or flutter, perfectly wrapping around the curve of the arm.

The white beard floated up slightly with the movement of the body, then slowly fell back down, inexplicably matching the rhythm of the movement.

His shadow in the snow followed him, sometimes stretching out, sometimes shrinking, like a flowing painting. Even the wind seemed to slow down, gently blowing around him.

The most ingenious part is the "pressing down" motion.

He slowly lowered his hands from his chest, palms facing the ground, as if pressing them onto an invisible surface of water. The movement was slow, but every inch of it was filled with power. It wasn't a hard press, but rather like water flowing over stones, gentle yet firm.

As his hand reached his waist, he exhaled softly. The white vapor dissipated slowly in the morning light, perfectly matching his steady breathing.

It was only then that I realized that in his seemingly gentle movements, every joint was subtly exerting force, his knees were slightly bent, and his waist and abdomen were tightened. It was just hidden very deeply and could not be noticed at all without careful observation. This is the essence of Tai Chi's "combination of softness and strength" - outwardly it looks like flowing clouds and water, but inwardly it is like a rock firmly rooted.

After completing a set of punches, Sun Simiao had a slight sheen of sweat on his forehead, but his breathing was steady and he wasn't panting at all.

He slowly finished his stance, his hands hanging naturally at his sides, his eyes carrying a sense of distant peace, as if he had just had a gentle conversation with the breath of heaven and earth.

Xiao Ran also practiced, but he always felt that he hadn't grasped the essence. Xiao Ran had long felt that he had only grasped the form but not the spirit.

Sun Simiao understood it perfectly!

“Sir, this one also looks a bit like it.” Li Shimin also came out of the room.

In his heart, Li Shimin slept soundly.

"Hehe!" Sun Simiao stroked his beard. "This is a book given to me by the young master. It's quite interesting, so I'll just practice it casually."

"Uncle, stop taking any pills. There's no such thing as immortality in this world. If there were, Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Wu of Han would have taken them long ago."

"If you really want to live longer, you might as well learn health preservation from the old man!" Xiao Ran nudged Li Shimin.

Li Shimin also took elixirs in his later years; if he hadn't, he probably would have lived two more years.

Li Shimin hasn't eaten yet, but he has thought about this issue.

Even a wise ruler like Li Shimin was not immune to this problem.

Upon hearing Xiao Ran's words, Sun Simiao first laughed heartily, his eyes filled with a clear and gentle light:

“Young master, you’ve hit the nail on the head. I’ve spent my whole life tending the alchemy furnace, but I’ve never done it to refine any ‘elixir of immortality’.”

"Those who exaggerate the power of elixirs to make people ascend to immortality are all charlatans. Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Wu of Han exhausted themselves in their pursuit of immortality, but in the end, they all returned to dust. What elixir of immortality is there in this world?"

"Old sir, is it impossible?" Li Shimin was clearly unwilling to give up.

Sun Simiao shook his head helplessly, his tone becoming more somber: "I refine pills to 'make medicine.' Some medicinal herbs are too potent and will harm the body if used directly; they need to be purified using alchemy."

"For some stubborn diseases, ordinary decoctions are slow to take effect. Adding some mild medicinal ingredients can help to cure the disease more quickly."

"Just like the ointment we used to treat villagers' frostbite, it contained refined sulfur, which could both dispel the cold and not harm the skin."

"If we're really talking about 'longevity,' what shortcut is there? It's just about eating well and resting well, like practicing Tai Chi, going with the flow of your body. If you can live a few more years, heal more people, and see more peace and stability in the world, that's enough."

Sun Simiao's words were meant for Li Shimin, not Xiao Ran.

It was obvious that Xiao Ran didn't believe in these things at all.

Sun Simiao was quite pleased with this.

Ordinary people in this era struggled to even have enough to eat and wear, so naturally they wouldn't dream of immortality, but emperors would.

"Old sir, I've learned a lot!" Li Shimin gradually dismissed this idea.

Since both Xiao Ran and Sun Simiao thought so, Li Shimin had to consider it carefully.

In Li Shimin's heart, both Sun Simiao and Xiao Ran were trustworthy people.

Xiao Ran returned to his room and went through the room into the cave.

I found several hot water bottles.

I had forgotten about these things before.

I feel like I can take it out and use it.

Xiao Ran doesn't need it, but it can be given to Empress Zhangsun.

Empress Zhangsun, wife of Emperor Taizong of Tang, had previously sent a lot of New Year's gifts, which were considered a return gift.

Empress Zhangsun will find this gift useful, and Li Shimin should be pleased.

Xiao Ran came out carrying several fluffy hot water bottles.

Seeing what Xiao Ran was holding, Princess Yuzhang asked curiously, "Young master, what is this?"

Xiao Ran uses this one himself; it's black.

"Sixth Sister, this is a hot water bottle. Open it, add hot water, and hold it to warm your hands and body. Let Madam try it."

Princess Yuzhang was delighted and touched the furry body; it was very warm.

"Alright, thank you, young man!" Princess Yuzhang said without any hesitation.

I ran to the kitchen to heat water.

Li Lizhi and Zhang Erya looked at it, their faces full of curiosity.

"Sixth Sister, what is this?" Li Lizhi came closer, having never seen anything like it before.

"This is from the young master. Tell me about the hot water bottle." After Princess Yuzhang added hot water, Li Lizhi took it and felt it. "Hmm, it's quite warm. This is a good thing."

Zhang Erya also took a look, "It should feel good to hold."

"I'll let my mother try it."

Empress Zhangsun returned to the living room, where there was a warm kang (heated brick bed).

The three little girls were sleeping soundly.

Empress Zhangsun gently placed the little princess's hand under the blanket.

I still admire Xiao Ran a little; this design is really good for winter.

Princess Yuzhang came in with a hot water bottle, "Mother!"

Afraid of disturbing the three young maids, Princess Yuzhang lowered her voice.

"Yes, Sixth Sister!"

"Mother, try this."

Empress Zhangsun looked suspicious, but when she took the hot water bottle, she felt its warmth.

"This is for my mother, young master."

"This child is thoughtful!" Empress Zhangsun was quite pleased.

Li Shimin, Sun Simiao, and Xiao Ran did not return to the living room but chatted idly in the courtyard.

Xiao Ran found a shovel and asked Li Shimin to help shovel the snow.

"You brat!" Li Shimin was too lazy to even complain.

Li Shimin knew that Xiao Ran had long known his identity, but he had never treated him as the emperor.

"Just consider it exercise!" Xiao Ran said matter-of-factly.

After Zhang Erya and Li Lizhi prepared the meal, the three little girls were woken up.

"Big sister~ look at the sheep~" the little princess rubbed her eyes and said in a muffled voice.

"We'll talk about it later," Li Lizhi said as she dressed the little princess.

The little princess had been thinking about it all night and still wanted to watch cartoons.

Animated films, let alone in the Tang Dynasty, still hold a huge appeal for children more than a thousand years later.

It's normal for the little princess to act this way; Princess Yuzhang, Li Lizhi, also enjoys watching it.

Although the story is childish, I found it very interesting.

After finishing their meal, Li Shimin and Empress Zhangsun had to return home.

Empress Zhangsun is alright, but Li Shimin cannot stay out for too long.

There are still things to be done; the Tang Dynasty can no longer do without Li Shimin.

Xiao Ran started playing the cartoon again.

After finishing breakfast, Zhang Jinnian kept pestering Zhang Jinhe, wanting to go to Xiao Ran's house to watch cartoons.

I was too embarrassed to go by myself, so I insisted on having this older sister take me.

When Qin saw this, she asked Zhang Jinhe to take her to play with Third Sister.

Zhang Jinhe also wanted to go for a stroll, as he was used to going to Xiao Ran's house every day.

These past few days, with no work to do, every household has been idle.

According to others, they could start working today, but Xiao Ran did not agree.

We're all quite tired, let's take a break before continuing.

It's Chinese New Year!

Tai Chi Hall

Just as Li Shimin arrived at the Taiji Hall, Fang Xuanling, Li Jing, Wei Zheng, Ma Zhou, and several others arrived.

The four men bowed in unison, their voices steady: "Your Majesty, we pay our respects and wish Your Majesty a prosperous and peaceful new year, and a safe and healthy seventh year of the Zhenguan era!"

Li Shimin rose from his dragon throne, gestured for everyone to rise, and said with a touch of New Year's gentleness, "Gentlemen, please excuse the formalities and take your seats. Today is the first day of the Lunar New Year, so there's no need to be bound by custom. Please sit down and let's talk."

An attendant served freshly brewed Tusu wine. Fang Xuanling took the wine cup and spoke first:

"Your Majesty, the printed copy of the Analects sent from Kaolao Village before the New Year has been distributed. Local reports say that the people are eagerly reading it, and many ordinary students have been able to obtain the book at a low price. This is all thanks to Your Majesty's emphasis on education."

Li Shimin smiled slightly upon hearing this, his fingertips tracing the rim of his wine cup: "This credit should belong to Xiao Ran and everyone in the workshop; I was merely going with the flow."

"Printing technology is now nearly mature, and the imperial court should encourage and promote it so that more people can read."

Li Jing put down his wine cup, stood up, and bowed, saying:

"Your Majesty, the border troops received the New Year's supplies sent by the court before the New Year. The garrison troops in the six northern prefectures have reported that the food and provisions are plentiful and the soldiers are all willing to guard the country's borders so that Your Majesty and the people can have a peaceful New Year."

"I have already sent someone to bring the newly drawn border defense map. I will present it to Your Majesty for your review when Your Majesty has time."

“good good”

As soon as Li Jing finished speaking, Wei Zheng rose, holding the bamboo slips, and bowed to Li Shimin. His tone was more solemn than usual, yet he still maintained the respect due to a subject.
"Your Majesty, I have something to say. Although it is the beginning of the year, it is of great importance and I must speak it."

Seeing his serious expression, Li Shimin put down his wine cup, nodded and said, "Minister Wei, please speak freely, I am listening."

"I heard that Your Majesty left the palace late last night with only a few people and went to Kaolao Village. You only returned today."

Wei Zheng raised his eyes and looked directly at Li Shimin without flinching. "Your Majesty, you are the Son of Heaven of the Tang Dynasty, the sovereign and father upon whom all people rely. Your safety is not just a matter for Your Majesty alone, but a matter of great importance concerning the stability of the court and the peace of the world!"

He paused, his voice deepening: "Throughout history, emperors have always been escorted by the Imperial Guards and accompanied by ceremonial regalia when they traveled. This was not for show, but to guard against unforeseen events."

“Traveling at night is inherently fraught with danger, yet Your Majesty left the palace with only a few men and not enough guards. If something were to happen along the way, or if any villains were to spy on you, and Your Majesty were to fall, the court would be leaderless, and the various prefectures and counties would likely be thrown into turmoil. Even if we were to give our lives, we would be unable to save the foundation of the Tang Dynasty!”

Fang Xuanling, Li Jing, and the others nodded in agreement upon hearing this—although they had not spoken directly, they had long harbored this concern, but Wei Zheng was always one to speak first.

"Your Majesty often says, 'Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it.' But has Your Majesty ever considered that you are the helmsman of that 'boat'? If the helmsman is not steady, how can the boat sail?"

Wei Zheng continued, his tone becoming more earnest, "I do not mean to spoil Your Majesty's New Year's mood, and I know that Your Majesty is thinking of the princesses and the printing technology in Kaolao Village. However, Your Majesty is of noble birth and should prioritize the well-being of the people. Only by ensuring your own safety can you protect the health and well-being of all people."

"We are fortunate to have escaped unharmed this time, but if there is a next time, we would never dare to allow Your Majesty to act in this way!"

Li Shimin sat on the dragon throne, his fingertips lightly tapping the armrest. There was no anger on his face; instead, he gradually revealed a thoughtful expression.

After Wei Zheng finished speaking, he slowly opened his mouth, his tone tinged with guilt: "What Minister Wei said is absolutely right. It was my oversight."

"I know that you are not worried about me personally, but about the stability of the Tang Dynasty. I was wrong this time. In the future, I will follow the rules of etiquette and bring sufficient guards when I travel. I will never again neglect my own safety because of personal thoughts. This will put the minds of you ministers at ease and put the people of the world at ease."

Li Shimin acknowledged that he was indeed in the wrong.

Before going yesterday, Li Shimin had already anticipated this outcome.

This is the real Wei Zheng.

The atmosphere in the hall, though briefly somber due to this frank remonstrance, quickly returned to the peaceful state of the beginning of the year.

Li Shimin's willingness to accept advice and Wei Zheng's outspokenness perfectly exemplified the harmonious relationship between the emperor and his ministers during the Zhenguan era, adding a touch of certainty to the stability of the Tang Dynasty to the aroma of Tusu wine in the Taiji Hall.

The events in Kaolao Village put Li Shimin in a good mood.

Admitting mistakes is fine, I'm used to it anyway! (End of Chapter)