Duke of Zhenguan

The next morning, Lin Chuan opened his eyes, looked at the blue cloth curtain above his head, and struggled to get out of bed.

The sky was already bright, and a few rays of sunlight shone in through the window.

Lin Chuan looked around, taking in the unfamiliar house and luxurious furniture, and it took him a while to realize that he might still be in the Cheng family's house.

He got out of bed, put on his shoes, straightened his official robes, glanced at the sun already high in the sky, and realized that he must have been absent from work.

Thinking about how he had just been fined half a year's salary, he felt that being absent from work wasn't such a big deal after all.

After lost in thought for a while, I reached out and pushed open the door. I saw a maidservant rise from the steps under the eaves and curtsy to me.

"Please wait a moment, my lord! I'll fetch you some water to wash your face!"

Lin Chuan stared blankly as the little girl disappeared through the doorway, then plopped down on the steps where she had been sitting.

Subconsciously, he began to recall yesterday's memories: he had been drinking with Cheng Yaojin, Qin Qiong, Yuchi Gong, Niu Jinda, Zhang Liang, and others.

What did they say?

It seems like they mentioned distillation.

He also mentioned that he had read many books.

I have no other recollection whatsoever.

Lin Chuan rubbed his temples and muttered to himself:

"If I drink with them again, I'm a dog!"

"My lord..."

Only after he finished speaking did he realize that the little girl who had just run out had returned at some point, standing in front of him with a basin of water.

Lin Chuan's face flushed slightly, and he asked awkwardly:

"Did you hear that?"

Cheng Chun nodded, trying hard not to laugh.

Lin Chuan looked at the little girl with her puffed-out lips and felt inexplicably familiar with her. He asked in confusion:

"Have I seen you before?"

"I've been to the young master's noodle shop a few times with my wife!" Cheng Chun said in a low voice.

"Oh, your name is Cheng Chun, right?"

"yes!"

Lin Chuan nodded, took the basin from the table, placed it on the steps, and washed his face while asking:

"Has the General gone to court?"

"Yes, Master left early this morning. He told me to tell you that he will ask for leave for you!" Cheng Chun said in a low voice.

"That's good!"

Lin Chuan breathed a sigh of relief; taking leave was better than being absent from work.

After washing his face, Lin Chuan didn't want to stay at the Cheng family's house any longer, and asked Cheng Chun softly:

"Is Madam at home?"

"The madam instructed that the young master should wash his face and then go to the side hall in the front yard for breakfast!" Cheng Chun curtsied in response.

Having already lost face, it wouldn't hurt to have another meal. Lin Chuan followed Cheng Chun to the side hall in the front yard, only to find that it was the place where they had been drinking the night before.

Breakfast was brought by a maid: millet rice, mutton soup, and a bowl of vegetables whose names I didn't know—the same as what I had the night before.

Although he was completely drunk last night, he felt refreshed and didn't feel unwell when he woke up this morning. Lin Chuan ate a large bowl of food and thanked Cheng Chun, who was standing next to him, with a smile.

Thank you for taking care of me!

"It was Madam who sent me to take care of you, my lord. You should thank Madam!" Cheng Chun said, blushing.

"Then please convey my thanks. I didn't go home last night, and my mother and Er Ya must be very worried. I'll thank Madam and then I have to go back!" Lin Chuan said.

Lin Chuan had barely finished speaking when Cheng Yaojin's voice came from outside the house:

"Haha, you only remembered now, kid? Don't worry, I've already sent someone to tell your mother!"

Lin Chuan hurriedly got up to greet them, but instead of Cheng Yaojin, he was met by Li Shimin. Behind Li Shimin followed a large group of people, including Cheng Yaojin, Qin Qiong, Yuchi Gong, Fang Xuanling, Changsun Wuji, Du Ruhui, Li Jing, and Li Xiaogong.

"Greetings, Your Majesty!"

Lin Chuan was only stunned for a moment before straightening his clothes and bowing in greeting.

"No need for formalities!"

Li Shimin waved his hand and led the way into the side hall.

"Please sit down!"

A large group of people entered the house, and the already small side hall suddenly became crowded. Li Shimin invited everyone to sit down, and the steward Cheng Quan hurriedly sent someone to bring over cushions.

Perhaps because they weren't in the palace, everyone sat more casually. Lin Chuan sat behind Cheng Yaojin, feeling somewhat guilty and not daring to look at his boss, Li Shimin.

But Li Shimin came specifically for Lin Chuan, and immediately mentioned Lin Chuan's name upon speaking:

"Minister Lin, you told General Cheng and General Qin that our Great Tang Dynasty would definitely defeat the Turks. You seem to know a lot about the Turks?"

Lin Chuan subconsciously looked at Cheng Yaojin.

Cheng Yaojin nodded slightly.

Did I really say that?

Lin Chuan had no recollection of it at all. If he had really said something like that, it probably wouldn't have caused any butterfly effect, right?

Seeing Li Shimin staring intently at him, Lin Chuan replied awkwardly:

"I know a little bit!"

Li Shimin said with a smile:

"Know a little? General Qin said you were quite knowledgeable about the territory of the Turks. Well then, draw the territory of the Turks!"

"yes!"

Without Cheng Yaojin giving any instructions, Cheng Quan, who had been standing at the door, personally went to find a writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone and placed them in front of Lin Chuan.

Lin Chuan picked up a brush and subconsciously sketched the Yellow River on the paper first.

Then the Yinshan Mountains were marked, followed by Lake Baikal. With these two coordinates, the Lüliang Mountains were marked eastward from the Yinshan Mountains, and finally the area from the Lüliang Mountains to the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun in Youzhou was marked.

Further west, marking the Western Regions, Tuyuhun, and Tubo, a rough boundary between the Turkic Khaganate and the present-day Tang Dynasty emerges.

As a liberal arts student, drawing maps of various Chinese dynasties by hand was a basic skill I acquired in high school. Although my skills have become a bit rusty after all these years, I still get the general direction right.

Lin Chuan put down his pen, pointed to the large blank space on the page, and said to Li Shimin:

"Your Majesty, this is the territory of the Turks!"

Li Shimin stared blankly at the map. Apart from Empress Zhangsun and a few palace maids, no one knew that a detailed map hung in his bedroom in the Lizheng Hall.

That map was drawn after being proofread by dozens of people many times.

Most of the information came from military spies and imperial secret agents.

Some of the information came from secret documents left over from the previous dynasty and simple maps obtained from merchants.

Countless manpower and resources were spent on that map.

That map was something that even trusted generals like Yuchi Gong and Cheng Yaojin had never seen, let alone Lin Chuan.

But Lin Chuan seemed to have just casually drawn the things on the map.

Looking at the blank area on the paper, Li Shimin glanced at Lin Chuan, who was looking down, and pointed to the blank area, saying:

"Let's also add to the territory of the Tang Dynasty!"

"yes!"

The painting has already been done...

Lin Chuan responded and picked up his pen again. He first drew the Yangtze River, then the Pearl River. With these locations, he drew the long coastline and finally roughly outlined the borders between Jiaozhi, Nanzhao, and Tubo and the Tang Dynasty. The territory of the Tang Dynasty was then clearly shown on the paper.

With the Turkic territory just drawn, the map on the paper looked like a giant begonia leaf.

In Li Shimin's eyes, the dividing line between Yinshan and Youzhou was so glaring.