The Great Tang Dynasty's Trans-Dimensional Conference: Little Rhinoceros Arrives

Li Shimin ignored Empress Zhangsun's concern, his eyes still fixed on the lighter on the table. The next second, he reached out and picked it up again.

"Guanyinbi, although I don't know what this thing is called, just the fact that it can start a fire out of thin air, do you know what that means?"

Faced with Li Shimin's intense gaze, Empress Zhangsun was slightly taken aback, then gently shook her head.

"Forgive my ignorance, Your Majesty, but I do not understand what you mean."

Empress Zhangsun thought this thing was probably just a magical fire-starting tool, and she didn't understand why Li Shimin valued it so much.

Could this stuff possibly be better than fine salt or glass?

Empress Zhangsun's reaction at this moment was entirely within Li Shimin's expectations, and he could only shake his head smugly.

Seeing Li Shimin so pleased with himself, Empress Zhangsun raised her wrist and gently shook his arm: "Would Your Majesty trouble yourself to enlighten me?"

Empress Zhangsun's coquettish behavior completely captured Li Shimin's heart, so much so that the discomfort from his burnt beard quickly dissipated.

Having satisfied his vanity, Li Shimin then spoke with a smile:

"Guanyinbi, do you know that although this thing looks insignificant, it actually has the potential to have a revolutionary impact!"

"Oh, is this stuff really as powerful as Your Majesty claims? Could it possibly be better than fine salt?"

Empress Changsun's interest in lighters intensified in a short time.

Li Shimin nodded and then shook his head: "Fine salt is also very important. They each have their own strengths and weaknesses."

"Does Guanyinbi know what the main method of fire-making is in our Great Tang Dynasty?"

Faced with Li Shimin's question, Empress Zhangsun pondered for a moment before answering.

"The fire-making device, the tinderbox, the method of drilling wood to make fire, and flint—am I correct?"

Li Shimin nodded noncommittally: "That's right, you're absolutely right, but these methods all have significant limitations."

"The methods of making fire by friction and using flint require high-quality materials and are time-consuming and labor-intensive."

"However, the method of starting a fire with a bronze concave mirror is required to gather heat from the sunlight and start a fire, but this method is completely unusable on cloudy or rainy days."

"Finally, there are fire tumblers, which are not only difficult to keep burning, but also often take a long time to reignite once they go out."

As Li Shimin recounted the story, Empress Zhangsun also came to understand the problem.

"As Your Majesty says, this thing is indeed very useful, but it shouldn't be that important, should it?"

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin smiled and embraced Empress Zhangsun.

"Did Guanyinbi only think about the convenience of starting a fire? That shouldn't be the case."

In Li Shimin's view, he had already made his point so clear that Empress Zhangsun, given her usual intelligence, should not have thought of it in such a one-sided way.

Empress Zhangsun gently tapped Li Shimin's chest: "Then Your Majesty, please continue. I am all ears."

At this moment, Empress Zhangsun transformed into a well-behaved and studious model student in front of Li Shimin.

Li Shimin didn't keep them in suspense any longer, cleared his throat, and continued.

"Besides the new way of obtaining fire, Guanyinbi, do you think anyone would like to sell this?"

Empress Zhangsun nodded as she looked at the lighter in front of her.

"This thing has an exquisite appearance and a delicate design. Moreover, it has never appeared in our Great Tang Dynasty before. People who don't know might mistake it for a divine artifact from outer space."

"But even if we sell them, it'll just mean making a little more money. It doesn't seem as amazing as Your Majesty makes it out to be, does it?"

Upon hearing Empress Zhangsun's words, Li Shimin lit the lighter again with a "click".

"No, I have no intention of selling this!"

Li Shimin said decisively, then added, "It's impossible for it to be sold, and this thing absolutely cannot leave the Tang Dynasty!"

Seeing Li Shimin's suddenly serious expression, Empress Zhangsun was momentarily stunned.

"Why does Your Majesty say such a thing?"

Empress Zhangsun had not yet figured out the key point, but she felt that such a good thing should be vigorously promoted for the common people.

Li Shimin's resolute refusal this time was quite unlike his usual style.

Li Shimin took a deep breath and slowly said, "Guanyinbi only sees its benefit to the people, but in my view, it is a powerful weapon on the battlefield!"

A deadly weapon on the battlefield? Empress Zhangsun was not ignorant of warfare, but Li Shimin spoke of it in such a serious manner that she had to frown and continue to think.

After a long while, Li Shimin looked down and asked, "Has Guanyinbi still not thought of it?"

Empress Zhangsun shook her head helplessly: "Your Majesty, I am foolish."

Li Shimin chuckled: "It's alright. Guanyinbi has never had experience in military campaigns, so it's normal that she can't figure out the key points."

Empress Zhangsun was somewhat unconvinced by Li Shimin's teasing, but she couldn't find any reason to refute it.

After all, the person in front of her was the former General of the Heavenly Strategy, the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty who had been leading armies in battles since he was a teenager.

After thinking for a moment, Empress Zhangsun continued, "Then Your Majesty must give me a good talk today."

At this moment, Empress Zhangsun's main strategy is to rely on one trick to succeed.

Faced with Empress Zhangsun's incredibly gentle and sweet offensive, Li Shimin gradually became somewhat smug.

Having grown accustomed to the daily, merciless verbal battles between Wei Zheng and others, he felt immense satisfaction today.

Thinking of this, Li Shimin unconsciously puffed out his chest.

"Guanyinbi must know that in battles between two armies, besides ordinary soldiers fighting, there are also many tactics involved, such as fire attacks!"

"Yes, of course I know that."

"That's the feeling. The current method of lighting fires is very inefficient and extremely risky. Torches are very easy to extinguish in the rain, and they easily expose the target at night!"

"But now that we have this little thing, we can basically avoid all these risks, right?"

Li Shimin's words were like a wake-up call for Empress Zhangsun. Even though she knew nothing about military affairs, she could now grasp the key points.

"Can Guanyinbi imagine? If war breaks out in the future, our soldiers can approach the enemy silently during a night raid!"

"Whether it's attacking with oil, rockets, or burning the enemy's supplies and camps, it's all easy! And this is just land warfare; what about naval warfare?"

"With strong winds and high waves on the water, this thing can ensure a stable flame, allowing for precise ignition of fire ships and greatly increasing the success rate of fire attacks!"

"Furthermore, the north is extremely cold. Our soldiers guarding the border can quickly light campfires in the frigid weather, which not only reduces frostbite but also enhances border defense capabilities!"

"These are just some of the military applications; there are many other aspects as well. I'm sure I don't need to go into detail. Just from these few points, Guanyinbi should be able to grasp the importance of this thing, right?"

Li Shimin's few words left Empress Zhangsun speechless for a long time, and she realized how ridiculous her initial idea had been.

This thing definitely deserves to be called a "miracle artifact" and that wouldn't be an exaggeration.

"Your Majesty, you are absolutely right. This thing is very important and must never leave the Tang Dynasty. If those foreign tribes were to obtain these things, the damage to our Tang borders would undoubtedly be even more severe!"

Empress Zhangsun gazed intently at Li Shimin, her eyes filled with deep admiration.

"Hey, Father and Mother, what are you doing here?"

Just as the atmosphere between the two was getting intense, Chang Le's voice suddenly came from behind them.

Upon hearing the commotion, Empress Zhangsun broke free from Li Shimin's embrace and lowered her head somewhat embarrassed.

"Changle, why are you so late...?"

Li Shimin's expression also showed some dissatisfaction. He turned around, ready to give Chang Le a lecture, but then he saw Lin Fan standing to the side.

"Oh, young man, you've arrived! Hahaha, please have a seat."

Li Shimin quickly got up to greet Lin Fan, who was momentarily flattered.

He saw it clearly the instant it landed.

Li Shimin and the Empress were cuddling together, deeply in love, when they were unexpectedly caught in the act.

This kind of awkward situation was something that Chang Le and the other girls could not understand.

Empress Zhangsun only realized Lin Fan had arrived when Li Shimin spoke. She immediately stood up and greeted him with a smile, as if nothing had happened.

"Young master, please have a seat."

"Changle, you didn't even tell us your young master was coming! We haven't prepared anything yet!"

Empress Zhangsun glanced at Chang Le with displeasure, then turned to look at Lin Fan.

"Young master, have you had dinner yet? I'll have someone immediately instruct the Imperial Kitchen to prepare a banquet!"

"No need, no need, Your Majesty, please don't go to such trouble. We already ate before we came back."

Lin Fan waved his hands repeatedly, feeling a chill run down his spine.

Even though they had met before, the couple was just too enthusiastic, and he wasn't quite used to it yet.

"It's fine if you've already eaten. How about some late-night snacks?" Li Shimin said with a smile as he looked at Lin Fan.

"No, no, thank you Your Majesty, but I'm really not hungry right now!"

Lin Fan shook his head with a wry smile, feeling a chill run down his spine when facing Li Shimin's smiling eyes.

Chang Le, looking somewhat dejected, stepped forward and placed the bag she was carrying on the table.

Upon seeing this, Lin Fan immediately reacted and looked at Li Shimin:

"Your Majesty, Your Highness, these are some grains that Chang Le, Si Zi, and Cheng Yang specially selected today for the future of the Tang Dynasty. Please open them and take a look."

"Grain!!!" Li Shimin and Empress Zhangsun couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

He remembered that Empress Zhangsun had just talked to him about this issue last night, but he didn't expect her to bring it back today.

The usually dignified emperor had no other thoughts at this moment; only the word "food" kept swirling in his mind.

The next second, Li Shimin opened a plastic bag with trembling hands, revealing fist-sized, yellowish-brown fruits.

Li Shimin carefully picked one up and examined it closely. Empress Zhangsun, seeing this, also came over to him.

After looking at it over and over for a while, Li Shimin looked at Lin Fan with some doubt.

"Young man, is this easy to grow? How do you prepare it? I wonder what it tastes like?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Fan turned to the side and said, "Changle, why don't you answer His Majesty and the Empress's questions?"

"Ah, it's me, not Brother Lin Fan..."

Before Chang Le could finish speaking, Lin Fan shook his head and then gave her an encouraging look.

Chang Le thought for a moment, nodded, and walked nervously to Li Shimin and Empress Zhangsun.

"Grandpa and Grandma, this thing is called a potato. It is cut into pieces and planted. In the cold northern regions, it is mainly planted in spring... The yield per mu can be at least a thousand jin."

After explaining the planting method, Chang Le thought for a moment and continued:

"As for how to eat it, it can be stewed, grilled, fried, or stir-fried. Simply put, it's fine with anything except eating it raw! Brother Lin Fan, am I right?"

Lin Fan nodded quickly and secretly gave a thumbs up.

Li Shimin and Empress Zhangsun exchanged a glance upon hearing this. In fact, they hadn't paid any attention to how the food was prepared; their minds were filled with the words "at least a thousand catties per mu."

"Excellent! Excellent! This is truly an auspicious omen from heaven, a blessing upon our Great Tang! Hahahaha!"

The next second, the sound of Li Shimin's loud laughter echoed continuously in the hall.

Seeing this, Lin Fan curled his lip, thinking to himself, "Shouldn't you be saying 'a little rhinoceros fell from the sky'? Do you think I'm protecting your Tang Dynasty?" But he only dared to mutter these words to himself.

"Lin Fan, why is Dad so happy?"

Xiao Sizi had been standing behind Chengyang fiddling with her hairband ever since she came back, and hadn't noticed what had just happened.

Lin Fan gently pinched Xiao Sizi's cheek: "It's probably because you look so cute dressed up now."

"Hehe~" Little Sizi didn't say anything, just kept laughing foolishly.

"Young brothers, Chang Le, you have truly rendered a great service to our Great Tang! Speak, what do you desire? I will grant it all!"

Faced with Li Shimin's domineering promise, Chang Le shook her head and said softly:

"Father, this is what Chang Le should do, and it's all thanks to Brother Lin Fan. Chang Le doesn't dare to take credit for it; Father, you should thank Brother Lin Fan!"

Lin Fan was surprised that Chang Le would push him out again at such a crucial moment, and he felt a bit bitter.

"You'd agree to everything? If I said I wanted the little bull, would you, old man, agree? You'd be lucky if you didn't chop me up, wouldn't you?"

Of course, although he had this thought in his mind, Lin Fan did not show it and kept smiling.

"Your Majesty is too kind; it was nothing more than a small favor!"

Li Shimin didn't care about any of that and went straight forward to tightly grasp Lin Fan's hands.

"Young brother, there's no need to be so polite. To be honest, I have no way to repay the kindness you have shown to my Great Tang Dynasty."

Hearing this, Lin Fan's heart leaped into his throat. "Old Deng, please don't come up with something like 'offering yourself in return'!"

Fortunately, this was just Lin Fan's fantasy. Li Shimin continued, "If you don't mind, how about I bestow upon you the title of Prince of the Great Tang?"

Li Shimin didn't mention the sworn brotherhood, since it was something he said when he was drunk.

Furthermore, there was no precedent in the Tang Dynasty for bestowing a title upon someone of a different surname, which already indicated that Li Shimin held Lin Fan in extremely high regard. (The Tang Dynasty did grant titles to people of different surnames, but these were all posthumous honors.)