Deposed? I couldn't be happier! I wouldn't even be a dog to the crown prince.

The air seemed to freeze.

Bai Qi's words, "Digging a hole is just right," carried a chill that seeped into the bones, making everyone present feel a cold wind running down their spines.

Those Turkic nobles who could understand Chinese were terrified, their crotches instantly soaked with sweat, and they kowtowed repeatedly, begging for mercy while crying and screaming.

Li Shimin frowned, clenching and unclenching the horsewhip in his hand.

Killing would be against the natural order and would make the Tang Dynasty appear tyrannical.

If we don't kill them, what will these 150,000 people eat and drink? Bringing them back to Chang'an is an even bigger hidden danger; a slight misstep could be like inviting a wolf into the house.

This is a hot potato; you can't throw it away, and you can't hold onto it either.

"that……"

In the deathly silence, a lazy voice rang out, accompanied by a crisp "crack"—the sound of crunching bones.

Li Chengqian tossed the cleanly gnawed lamb ribs into the fire, then slowly pulled a silk handkerchief from his sleeve and wiped his greasy mouth.

"Old Bai, there's something wrong with your thinking."

Bai Qi was taken aback, a hint of confusion flashing in his lifeless eyes: "What does Your Highness mean?"

"waste."

Li Chengqian shook his head, his face filled with heartache and indignation. "It's an absolute waste!"

He stood up, walked to the edge of the platform, and looked down at the densely packed, ant-like horde of prisoners.

"150,000 people! What does that even mean?"

Li Chengqian stretched out his finger and gestured in the air.

"This is 150,000 strong laborers! It's like 150,000 perpetual motion machines that don't need wages, just food, and can run non-stop!"

"You actually want to bury them?"

"You didn't bury people, you buried money! The GDP of the Tang Dynasty!"

Li Shimin was completely confused. Although he didn't understand what GDP was, he understood the word "money".

"Chengqian, you mean...?"

"Father, look at this grassland."

Li Chengqian waved his hand and pointed to the vast northern border.

"The land is vast and sparsely populated, with abundant resources. Coal is buried underground, iron is hidden in the mountains, and the most fertile pasture can grow on the ground."

"We didn't come here before because there was no one to do the work, and we didn't want to leave our homes and come to this harsh and cold place."

"Now it's great, ready-made laborers have been delivered to our door."

A sly smile, typical of a cunning merchant, curled at the corners of Li Chengqian's lips. In the firelight, the smile appeared both greedy and... benevolent.

"Organize them into the 'Great Tang Construction Corps'."

"Those who are strong and able-bodied, go dig coal, go mine. Our Tang Dynasty's steel furnaces are short of coal, let them dig!"

"Those who are nimble and agile, go and raise our horses and herd sheep. From now on, the warhorses of the Great Snow Dragon Cavalry and the rations of the Beiwei Army will all depend on them."

"As for the elderly, the weak, women, and children..."

Li Chengqian's eyes gleamed. "I've heard that the Turkic wool is quite good? It's been wasted all this time. From now on, let them spin yarn and knit sweaters! The people of our Great Tang still lack clothes to wear in winter!"

Li Shimin was stunned.

Mining coal? Herding sheep? Knitting sweaters?

Is this... is this still the same decisive battlefield? It sounds more like a giant workshop.

"But……"

Li Shimin was still somewhat worried, "With so many people, what if they gather together and rebel? After all, they are not of our kind..."

"rebel?"

Li Chengqian chuckled, bent down, picked up a stone from the ground, and weighed it in his hand.

"Father, have you ever heard of the 'boiling frog' analogy?"

"Give them food to keep them alive, but don't let them eat too much. Give them hope, tell them that as long as they work for ten years, or mine a certain amount of coal, they can obtain Tang Dynasty household registration and become free citizens."

"With hope in sight, who would risk their life?"

Li Chengqian threw the stone in his hand hard, and it hit the darkness in the distance.

"This is called—labor reform."

"They used their sweat to water the flowers of the Tang Dynasty's golden age."

"This is called sustainable development that is like draining the pond to catch all the fish."

Although the last idiom is used somewhat awkwardly, it expresses the meaning perfectly.

Li Shimin and his generals looked at each other in bewilderment.

ruthless.

That's fucking ruthless.

Killing them would be a simple matter of one strike; it would be satisfying, but you'd gain nothing in return.

But according to the prince's method, this is to squeeze every last drop of oil from these Turks!

Moreover, they have to work with gratitude, working desperately for that elusive "Tang Dynasty household registration".

"Your Highness is wise!"

Fang Xuanling was the first to react, his beard trembling with excitement. "This is a strategy for long-term stability! It not only solves the problem of prisoners of war, but also strengthens the nation's power, and allows us to drive a foothold into the grasslands!"

"As long as this 'Construction Corps' exists, the grasslands will forever be the pastures of the Tang Dynasty!"

The surrounding generals nodded in agreement, their eyes filled with admiration.

As expected of His Highness the Crown Prince, how did he come up with such a brain?

What kind of skill is it to kill someone?

Turning enemies into slaves and productive forces—that's the true path to victory!

Bai Qi stood aside, silent for a long time.

He looked at the trembling prisoners, the murderous intent in his eyes slowly receding, replaced by a thoughtful expression.

"No need to bury it?"

He asked a question, his tone seemingly tinged with a hint of regret.

"No."

Li Chengqian patted him on the shoulder, speaking earnestly.

"Old Bai, times have changed."

"We live in an economic society now, and population is a dividend. Let's stop digging holes all the time; it's so environmentally unfriendly."

"Let's keep them alive, let this grassland grow fatter, so we can eat meat to our hearts' content later, right?"

Bai Qi nodded as if he understood, though he didn't quite grasp what an economic society was. But since His Highness said not to kill, then he wouldn't kill.

"Alright, pass on the order."

Li Chengqian stretched, yawned, and lay back down in his rocking chair.

"Tell those Turks that I am merciful and have spared their lives."

"Starting tomorrow, form teams, distribute shovels, and get to work!"

"Anyone who dares to slack off, or harbors any improper thoughts..."

Li Chengqian paused for a moment.

He didn't make any harsh remarks, nor did he make any ferocious expressions.

He casually raised his eyelids, his gaze passing over the fire and landing lightly on Bai Qi.

"Old Bai."

"Your subordinate is here."

Bai Qi stepped forward, placing his hand on the long halberd at his waist. In that instant, an intense, almost impenetrable, bloodthirsty aura swept across the entire area once again.

The surrounding temperature seemed to drop to freezing point instantly.

The Turkic nobles who were initially delighted to hear "no killing" were instantly frozen in their smiles by this aura, their faces turning into a deeper fear.

Li Chengqian smiled slyly and gestured towards the group of prisoners.

"If someone doesn't listen, or finds the work too tiring..."

"You'll have to do the work and help them loosen their bones."

"Remember, this time we don't need to dig a hole."

"Just hang your head on the flagpole and use it as a wind chime."

"Did you hear that?"

Bai Qi grinned, revealing a set of gleaming white teeth; the smile looked particularly eerie in the firelight.

"promise."

"This old servant... loves hanging wind chimes the most."