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

Xiao Ran had indeed forgotten that in this era, Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Wu of Han had poor reputations; they were tyrants and negative examples.

The benchmark for a good emperor is Emperor Wen of Han, but he quickly became Li Shimin!

"Uncle, I actually think these two emperors were remarkable! They were both emperors of great talent and ambition!" Xiao Ran was speaking his true thoughts.

When Li Shimin heard the words "very remarkable", he was taken aback for a moment.

He then put down his fishing rod, sat up slightly, and his tone, which had been a mix of amusement and exasperation, now carried a more solemn air as a monarch regarding the "fundamentals of governing the country."

Clearly, he hadn't expected Xiao Ran to have such an opinion of these two. He needed to have a serious discussion with him about the "standards of a wise ruler" during the Zhenguan era.

"So impressive? You only see their glory in expanding their territory, but you haven't seen the suffering of the common people below, have you?"

"Qin Shi Huang's unification of the six kingdoms was meritorious, but what did he do after unifying the world? He conscripted millions of laborers to build the Great Wall, construct the Epang Palace, and excavate the Lishan Tomb. How many able-bodied men from various families never returned?"

"The crops in the fields were left uncultivated, and the elderly and children at home were left unattended. In the end, Chen Sheng and Wu Guang rallied the people, and the Second Emperor of Qin perished!"

"This 'remarkable' price is the lives of all the people. Can such a ruler be considered a wise ruler?"

He paused, recalling the dire state of the people's lives in the early years of the Zhenguan era, and his brows furrowed even more deeply:
"Look at Emperor Wu of Han. The wealth accumulated during the reigns of Emperors Wen and Jing over several decades should have been enough for the people to live in peace, right?"

"But in order to fight the Xiongnu, he conscripted soldiers year after year, sending many young men to the battlefield."

"No one was cultivating the farmland, yet the taxes were getting heavier and heavier. Eventually, even refugees were everywhere, forcing him to issue the 'Luntai Edict of Self-Reproach' to admit his mistakes!"

"This is what you call 'amazing'? This is sacrificing the people's well-being and the foundation of the nation for the empty title of 'triumphant pride'!"

At this point, he looked at Xiao Ran, his tone carrying a hint of explanation, no longer simply being argumentative:

Why do you think the court and the public regard Emperor Wen of Han as a role model?

"It's not because he lacked the ability to expand territory, but because he understood that 'the people are the foundation'."

"Reducing taxes and levies, not burdening the people, allowing the world to catch its breath after the war, and ensuring that the people have enough to eat and a safe place to live—isn't that what a wise ruler should do?"

Li Shimin raised his hand and tapped his chest:
"After I ascended the throne, my biggest fear every day was to emulate Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Wu of Han. I was afraid of conscripting too much manpower, of imposing too heavy taxes, and of the people returning to a life of displacement."

“You say they are ‘remarkable,’ but in my opinion, it is better to ‘keep the people’ peaceful and undisturbed than to make them suffer as ‘remarkable.’”

"You still don't understand. The key to governing a country is not 'prestige,' but 'the hearts of the people'!"

Xiao Ran scratched his head. It was clear that the views on Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Wu of Han in this era were quite different from those more than a thousand years later.

“I admit that what Uncle said makes a lot of sense. Uncle has a deep understanding of this issue.”

"However, I also have a different opinion!"

Xiao Ran knew that these words would sound novel during the Zhenguan era, and he needed to explain this "different perspective" slowly and thoroughly.

"The suffering of the people that Uncle Shi spoke of is acknowledged by later generations. But when they look at them, they will take on an additional 'millennial account'—not just looking at how tired the people are now, but at what they have left for the world and the people for thousands of years to come."

"Take Qin Shi Huang for example. Unifying the six kingdoms was not the most remarkable thing. What was remarkable was what he did after unification."

“In the past, each country had its own script. I couldn’t recognize what you wrote, and you couldn’t understand what I calculated. So he set Small Seal script as the common script.”

"From then on, whether they were from Qi or Chu, they could write the same characters and understand the same meaning when they picked up a pen. This is how the 'world' was truly united as one, not by swords and spears, but by 'consensus'."

"There are also weights and measures, and currency. In the past, when buying things, the scales and money were different in different countries."

"After he unified the country, whether in Chang'an or in Chu, one coin could buy the same weight of rice. This was not just for temporary convenience, but to set a rule for 'unification'. No matter which dynasty it was in the future, they would have to follow this rule, otherwise the world would fall apart."

"This is unprecedented. No monarch before has been able to transform the 'world' from a 'geographical region' into a 'cultural unity'."

"As for building the Great Wall,"

Xiao Ran paused, his tone becoming more solemn, "The people suffered back then, but in the eyes of later generations, it wasn't just a pile of bricks; it was a 'firewall' for agrarian civilization."

“When the nomadic tribes from the north came, they would plunder and run away. Previously, the various states fought their own battles and could not stop them.”

"Once the Great Wall is built, it can be used for defense and early warning. For the next few hundred or even a thousand years, the people of the Central Plains can farm in peace without having to worry about cavalry charging in every day."

"This stability is actually based on the foundation laid by Qin Shi Huang."

"His 'ruthlessness' was used to 'set rules and lay a foundation' for future generations, not just for his own reputation."

Then, when he spoke of Emperor Wu of Han, his eyes lit up, as if he were recalling those great feats recorded in history:
"When Emperor Wu of Han fought against the Xiongnu, my uncle said it depleted the Han dynasty's resources, but in retrospect, it was not just an empty boast. Before that, the Han dynasty had to send princesses and wealth to the Xiongnu, which was a matter of 'making concessions to appease them'."

"He sent Wei Qing and Huo Qubing out to drive the Xiongnu to the northern desert, so that the Han people no longer had to rely on others and let the world know 'we have nothing to fear from anyone'."

"This kind of confidence cannot be bought with money; it is the national self-confidence that has been forged in battle. From then on, 'Han' was no longer just the name of a country; it became the name of our ethnic group."

"No matter how many years pass, when people mention 'Han people,' they will know that they are people with backbone and the ability to stand tall. This confidence was given by Emperor Wu of Han and will never change for thousands of years."

"And the Silk Road!"

Xiao Ran raised his hand and gestured, as if he could see the road that spanned east and west. "He sent Zhang Qian out not just to find allies, but to take the silk and porcelain from the Central Plains out and bring in the grapes and fine horses from the Western Regions, connecting the East and the West for the first time."

"In later dynasties, whether it was the Sui and Tang dynasties or even later ones, they could all do business and spread culture along this path. He started it and marked the beginning of 'opening their eyes to see the world'."

"As for the 'Luntai Edict of Self-Reproach,' later generations not only did not see it as a stain, but rather as something rare."

“When an emperor wins a battle and establishes great achievements, he can still look back at the suffering of the people and say ‘I was wrong.’ This self-reflection is more valuable than winning ten battles, and it sets an example for future emperors of ‘knowing and correcting mistakes.’”

After Xiao Ran finished speaking, he picked up the fishing rod again and gently shook it:

"What Uncle Shi said about 'the will of the people' being the foundation of a wise ruler is absolutely true!"

"But later generations also felt that the greatness of some monarchs was not only in ensuring the stability of the people at that time, but also in leaving a 'ballast stone' for future generations."

"Let 'unification' become the root of the world, and let 'national dignity' become the soul of the nation. These things are more far-reaching and more precious than temporary food and drink."

"The remarkable thing about Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Wu of Han is that they did something unprecedented, which gave the world a solid foundation to stand on."

Li Shimin shook his head, clearly disagreeing.

"Besides Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Wu of Han, who else do you think was a wise ruler, or is there anyone who can be compared to them?"

“Uncle, you can do it!” Xiao Ran said earnestly.

Li Shimin's lips twitched; he didn't see this as a compliment.

I don't want to be compared to Qin Shi Huang or Emperor Wu of Han; if possible, I hope to be compared to Emperor Wen of Han.

"Alright, let's stop here!" Li Shimin realized that the two had completely different opinions.

"Uncle, you're really hard to please!" Xiao Ran couldn't help but complain.

"That's not how you praise someone!"

They stopped talking about Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Wu of Han, and started chatting about village affairs.

Zhang Anan would occasionally help by using a landing net to catch fish.

There are many people in my family, and they all like to eat fish, so we can catch more.

Before we knew it, it was almost noon, and the children in the school came out.

When it's lunchtime, you can go home for lunch.

Because of the school, many villagers have gradually changed their mealtimes, from two meals a day to three meals a day.

Now that our family is well-off, we can easily afford to have an extra meal.

The little princess, the little princess of Chengyang, Third Sister, Yan Yao, and Di Renjie also headed home.

I don't eat much in the morning, so I'm quite hungry at this time.

Even if a few children bring pastries to school, they share them with the others, so each person can only eat a few bites.

I'm still hungry.

The little princess rubbed her tummy, "I want to eat some food~" "Sizi, let's walk faster." Third Sister pulled the little princess along.

"Hmmmm~"

The children ran back into the yard.

"Little Nangjun~ I'm here~" the little princess called out, but did not receive a response from Xiao Ran.

But then he saw his elderly mother, Empress Zhangsun.

"Sizi," Empress Zhangsun called out, "Come to your mother's side!"

"Hey, Mommy!" The little princess ran over excitedly.

Princess Chengyang followed closely behind.

Third Sister, Yan Yao, and Di Renjie also went over to greet Empress Zhangsun.

Although she was the Empress, she usually presented herself as a kind and loving mother, and the children were very close to her.

"Little Princess~" The little princess was still looking for Xiao Ran in Empress Zhangsun's arms.

I've gotten used to it.

Princess Yuzhang walked over and said, "Young master and grandfather are fishing by the pond. Go and call young master back for dinner!"

"Hmmmm~"

Several children led Xiao Hei out of the yard and headed towards the pond.

Wang Ji and Yu Shinan, who had just returned from school, also bowed to Empress Zhangsun upon seeing her.

Hearing the little princess's laughter, Xiao Ran smiled and said, "Sizi and the others are back. Uncle, go back and have dinner. The children are hungry."

"Alright!" Li Shimin loved fishing and wanted to try it again.

Soon, several children ran up to Xiao Ran and Li Shimin.

"Little Bag~"

"Grandpa~"

"Sizi, slow down." Xiao Ran smiled.

Several children gathered between Xiao Ran and Li Shimin.

I looked at the fish basket with curiosity.

"Young master, can we eat fish?" Princess Chengyang asked.

"Seven Fish~"

"Wait a minute, I'll make it. Do you want to eat fish?" Xiao Ran asked, lifting the fish basket.

The people inside started struggling violently.

Wow~ so many fish~

The little princess has amazing emotional value.

"Take everything back with you, we can eat it tonight too," Xiao Ran and Li Shimin began packing, with Zhang Anan helping out.

The children were chattering happily.

Li Shimin was very pleased. At first, he felt that it was inappropriate for the princesses to be there, but seeing how happy the children were, he stopped worrying about it.

For the princesses, the important thing is to be happy here.

Especially the two little princesses.

Li Yuan and Empress Xiao were here, along with the legendary physician Sun Simiao; the conditions here were actually quite good.

The only drawback is that the housing standards are not comparable to those of the royal palace; otherwise, it is impeccable.

With Xiao Ran's help, and Zhang Erya and Xiao Yu lending a hand, they quickly cooked the fish.

The children all love fish soup and want to drink some every time.

When Li Shimin and Empress Zhangsun arrived, it was no different from before; everyone was used to it.

After dinner, the children were going to have their five-day break. The four little girls had been sleeping on the kang (a heated brick bed) for almost a year.

There's no better place than here.

This time, Empress Zhangsun personally escorted several children.

Seeing that he had fallen asleep, I left the room with a sense of relief.

Li Shimin, Li Yuan, Sun Simiao, and others chatted idly, realizing that life here was indeed much more leisurely than in Chang'an.

It's a good place to retire, and Li Yuan and Empress Xiao don't want to leave now.

However, Li Shimin and Empress Zhangsun could not stay for too long.

After the afternoon nap, he personally escorted a few children to school, and then left Kaolao Village with Zhang Anan and the others.

Empress Zhangsun, inside the carriage, lifted the curtain and looked outside.

"Empress, the affairs of the palace can be left to others. Why don't you stay and spend time with the children?" Li Shimin could tell that Empress Zhangsun also liked Kaolao Village.

"Your Majesty, please don't do that. It's enough that you come to visit occasionally. Sizi and the others are very happy here, and that's enough."

With Princess Li Lizhi, Li Ke, and Li Tai present, Xiao Ran was also very kind to the children.

I'm not worried at all.

"The printing press is almost finished, and Qingque should go back now." Li Shimin felt that Li Tai shouldn't stay in Kaolao Village any longer.

It wouldn't be convenient for Li Shimin to meet here.

"Qingque has been here for some time now," Empress Zhangsun nodded.

Each time he came, Li Shimin would talk to Li Tai about printing technology and to Li Ke about glass.

Xiao Ran was the first to credit printing, followed by Li Tai.

Xiao Ran had been rewarded before, but Li Taike had not yet received any.

Li Shimin was also pondering how to reward his precious son.

Xiao Ran had previously thought that Li Ke and Li Tai's presence in Kaolao Village would change many things, but in reality, it didn't.

Li Shimin's affection for Li Tai remained undiminished.

The matter of printing technology even helped Li Tai.

This put even more pressure on Li Chengqian, and Li Tai's ambition grew ever larger.

Li Ke deserves credit for glassmaking, Li Tai for printing, and Li Chengqian also wants credit, but as the crown prince, he simply cannot leave.

Otherwise, Li Chengqian would also like to stay in Kaolao Village for a while.

Several princesses had contributed to the high yield of grain, which was exactly what Li Chengqian wanted.

Upon hearing that Li Shimin and Empress Zhangsun had returned, Li Chengqian, who happened to be free, also left Chang'an City with a few people.

I'd like to see if there are any surprises when I go to Kaolao Village.

The fact that Li Jing had obtained the military treatise was already common knowledge, and Li Chengqian wanted to try his luck as well. (End of Chapter)