Tang Dynasty: Consort Wu? Your Majesty, please address her as the Crown Prince's Consort.

Then he slowly sighed and said:

"Sigh! Fine, it's better if you don't know. We should never admit to something like this, no matter what. We should do less of this kind of thing in the future. Even though it might feel good, it's ultimately something we can't be proud of!"

Upon hearing this, Li Chengqian couldn't help but be taken aback.

"Hehe! Father! Do you know why you're always being held back by these powerful families?"

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin couldn't help but look puzzled.

Upon seeing this, Li Chengqian quickly explained:

"That's because you're too concerned about saving face, Father. But I'm shameless. If you mess with me, no one will get away with it. I have plenty of ways and means."

Upon hearing his unfilial son's words, Li Shimin, unusually, did not refute them, but instead fell into deep thought.

For some reason, he felt that his unfilial son's words made a lot of sense.

Li Chengqian, seizing the opportunity, continued his deception:

"The powerful families are secretly sabotaging us, so we'll fight them back in kind. Don't they see the imperial examination as their own backyard?"

Then let's just give extra points to those students from poor families. Aren't they monopolizing books? Son, you happen to have a new printing technique that is ten times more efficient than woodblock printing. You also have a new papermaking technique that costs less than one-tenth of the original papermaking technique.

We'll print out the royal collection of books and sell them at low prices to underprivileged students.

After hearing Li Chengqian's words, Li Shimin almost couldn't catch his breath.

He stared in shock at the rebellious son before him.

Holy crap?

Do you want to hear what you just said?

"Is...is it true?"

"Of course!"

Upon seeing Li Chengqian's affirmative answer, Li Shimin couldn't help but feel excited.

He naturally understood what his rebellious son's talk of papermaking and printing techniques would bring to the Tang Dynasty!

This is practically undermining the very foundation of these powerful families!

Why are most officials in the imperial court from aristocratic families?

It's all because they monopolize books!

Books are expensive, and ordinary families simply cannot afford them.

Therefore, the talents of children from poor families are often inferior to those of people from aristocratic families.

Even if the imperial examinations were as fair and just as possible, the scions of powerful families still possessed considerable talent.

Not all scions of noble families are good-for-nothings who are ignorant and incompetent; on the contrary, a large number of them are elites.

However, these elites prioritize their family interests above all else, while the interests of the nation are of no importance in the face of family interests.

This was something that Emperor Li Shimin could not tolerate.

If what this rebellious son says is true, then knowledge will no longer be monopolized by aristocratic families.

If even those from poor families or commoners could learn, their chances of passing the imperial examinations would increase significantly!

Then he'll support these people to stand on equal footing with the powerful clans. Tsk tsk tsk! Just thinking about it is exhilarating!

Seeing his old man's expression shift from a smile to deep thought, Li Chengqian couldn't help but smile slightly.

"So? Are you in or not? If you don't dare, I'll wait until after I'm crowned king!"

Li Shimin was speechless upon hearing his unfilial son's words.

You brat, I'm not dead yet! And you're already thinking about what will happen after you ascend the throne?

However, he wasn't wrong this time. With these two technologies, this matter was bound to be done sooner or later. Even if he didn't do it, this unfilial son would do it in the future.

Since that's the case, he might as well take charge himself. That way, he'll feel more at ease, since this brat doesn't seem reliable at all.

Thinking of this, Li Shimin looked up at him and said:

"Give me these two technologies, and don't interfere in this matter. I'll handle it!"

Upon hearing this, Li Chengqian immediately smiled.

"Hahaha! Of course, this matter has offended a lot of people, and it may even cause a backlash from the powerful families of the world."

"I am but a mere prince, my body is too fragile. Father, you should take care of me!"

Seeing his unfilial son's shameless behavior, Li Shimin couldn't help but roll his eyes at him.

"By the way! Are you really planning to marry all four girls at once? But why did you choose Su Wan as your principal wife? Wouldn't Li Jing's daughter be better?"

Don't you know how much prestige that old man has in the military? Aren't you afraid that old geezer will cause you trouble?

"Hahaha! What are you afraid of? I've never cared about power or status. What I care about is Su Wan's suitability and the Su family's century-old reputation for martial arts."

Perhaps they were not as prominent as the Wang family of Taiyuan, which had five prominent families and seven powerful clans, but their family traditions did not include the kind of interference in politics by relatives of the empress.

"I don't need the Crown Princess's maternal family to be powerful, because I will be the strongest one sooner or later. I will not rely on the Crown Princess's maternal family to rise to power!"

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin couldn't help but be slightly taken aback.

What a wonderful family that doesn't need to rely on the Crown Princess's maternal clan, and the one who is truly the strongest.

Li Chengqian's words struck a chord with Li Shimin.

This is what Li Shimin's son should be like; this is the determination that a crown prince of the Tang Dynasty should have.

"Very well! In that case, I will have the Ministry of Rites arrange these things, and the wedding will be held after the New Year!"

Li Cheng had no objection to Li Shimin's opinion.

"Father! I'll bring you the papermaking and printing techniques tomorrow. If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving now. I have a drinking appointment with my grandfather!"

"stop!"

Just as Li Chengqian was about to slip away, Li Shimin immediately stopped him.

Upon hearing this, the latter couldn't help but show a look of doubt.

"Is there anything else, Father?"

"Have you forgotten you're the Crown Prince? Stay here and help me review the memorials!"

"Huh? What did you say, Father?"

"I said, you little rascal, come and help me review the memorials?"

"What? Father, what did you say? I can't hear you..."

As he spoke, Li Chengqian retreated towards the door, then turned and ran away.

Seeing his rebellious son's retreating figure as if fleeing, Li Shimin immediately broke down.

"You unfilial son! You unfilial son! As the crown prince, isn't it your duty to help me handle state affairs?!"

After another bout of impotent rage, Li Shimin became somewhat dejected, because he realized that he really couldn't do anything about this rebellious son. He couldn't just cripple him, could he?

Wouldn't Wei Zheng, that country bumpkin, be spitting out my words?

Moreover, Gao Ming is indeed the most outstanding of all his sons. Whether it's choosing the eldest son or the most virtuous, this boy is the first choice.

Just as Li Shimin was troubled, he suddenly had a flash of inspiration.

A slight smile played on his lips as he looked at the crescent moon beside him and said:

"Go! Summon Qingque here and tell him I want to teach him how to handle memorials!"

Upon hearing this, Canyue was also slightly taken aback. Although he didn't quite understand His Majesty's actions, he didn't dare to delay Li Shimin's words and quickly accepted the decree to head towards the Prince of Wei's residence!

Watching the departing figure of the waning moon, Li Shimin couldn't help but murmur to himself:

"Heh! If you won't do it, plenty of others will!"