Shop of All Worlds: The First Customer Princess Jinyang

Before Ye Jiangnan could explain, the two security guards suddenly saluted and then shouted:
"welcome!"

The two security guards' sudden actions left Ye Jiangnan completely bewildered.

What is this operation?
"Uh……"

"Can I come in?"

Ye Jiangnan asked uncertainly.

This is the imperial palace, not an ordinary place.

Previously, Ye Jiangnan either entered and exited directly from inside the palace or went in with Li Shimin and others.

Although entering and leaving the palace was an easy matter for Ye Jiangnan, it was not a place that ordinary people could enter and leave at will.

Ye Jiangnan is currently pretending to be an ordinary person.

The security guard said enthusiastically:
"of course can!"

"However, you can only enter or leave the palace after passing through security."

"Also, the palace isn't just any place you can go."

"Once you go inside, someone will give you a map of the palace."

"That red area is a restricted area."

"There are elite soldiers guarding that place; even if you wanted to get in, you couldn't."

Ye Jiangnan understood what the security guard meant.

In other words, you can visit the palace for free.

Apart from certain areas of the palace.

Two security guards used metal detectors to check Ye Jiangnan's body.

Only after confirming that there were no problems were Ye Jiangnan allowed to enter.

As expected, once inside the Vermilion Bird Gate, someone provided a map, just as the security guard at the entrance had said.

A eunuch dressed in a green robe handed over a map made of coarse hemp paper.

When Ye Jiangnan unfolded the document, he saw that the area circled in red ink was not much, consisting mainly of the inner palace and a few important military locations. The rest of the area was marked with the words "Open to Visit," and even the outer side of the government office where civil officials usually held meetings had a small arrow indicating that it was open to visitors.

"This way, sir, there's a doctor giving a tour ahead."

The eunuch pointed to a group of people moving about not far away.

Ye Jiangnan moved forward with the flow of people when he suddenly heard a low gasp from ahead.

"This is Lingyan Pavilion!"

"I heard that the Lingyan Pavilion honors twenty-four meritorious officials, but when I counted, there were twenty-five?"

"I found one too!"

"I just checked. The other officials, such as Changsun Wuji, are all familiar to us. But there is one person I have never heard of before."

Hearing the tourists' questions, Ye Jiangnan also stopped out of curiosity.

He also remembered that there were a total of twenty-four meritorious officials in Lingyan Pavilion, so how come there are now twenty-five?

Downstairs at Lingyan Pavilion.

Tourists are not allowed to enter.

Although one cannot climb the tower, one can clearly see the twenty-odd newly erected stone tablets outside the pavilion.

Those stone tablets are inscribed with portraits and eulogies of twenty-five meritorious officials in neat regular script.

A little girl with her hair in two buns was tugging at her mother's clothes and asking:

"Mother, is this Qin Shubao the door god from the storybooks?"

He was engrossed in the reading when he suddenly felt someone gently nudge him from behind. Turning around, he saw an elderly man in a round-necked robe, leaning on a dragon-headed cane, his temples as white as snow.

"Young man, are you here to see something new too?"

Ye Jiangnan cupped his hands and smiled:
"Yes, I heard the palace is open to the public, so I came to check it out."

"Okay, okay."

The old man squinted at the distant palace walls, his cane tapping loudly on the bluestone slabs. "Back when I was taking the imperial examinations, I waited outside the palace gates for three days without daring to look up. Now I can stroll leisurely on this golden brick ground—the world has truly changed."

Before he could finish speaking, a series of hurried footsteps came from the east side.

Out of the corner of Ye Jiangnan's eye, he saw a group of guards with swords rushing towards the Linde Hall. The captain in charge was in a hurry, and the sword at his waist clinked against the armor plates, making a crisp clanging sound.

A thought struck him—Linde Hall was a forbidden area marked in the red zone. Sending troops there now, could it be that something had happened?

Just as he was pondering this, the old man suddenly tugged at his sleeve:

"Look! Isn't that Master Fang?"

Ye Jiangnan looked up and saw Fang Xuanling standing under a locust tree not far away, with a clerk holding an account book beside him.

The old prime minister's temples had turned even whiter, but he still stood ramrod straight, pointing at the few newly planted weeping willows at the foot of the palace wall, seemingly talking to the registrar.

Just then, Fang Xuanling seemed to sense something and suddenly looked over in their direction.

The moment their eyes met, Ye Jiangnan clearly saw a hint of surprise flash in the old prime minister's eyes, which then turned into a meaningful smile, and he nodded very lightly at him.

Ye Jiangnan's heart skipped a beat—it seemed that this half-day tour of the palace wouldn't be as leisurely as that of ordinary tourists.

Fang Xuanling did not come over to greet Ye Jiangnan.

He's not a fool.

There must be a reason why Ye Jiangnan came alone and didn't go to see Princess Jinyang or His Majesty.

If I disturb him and anger Ye Jiangnan, wouldn't I just be asking for trouble?

However, while he couldn't go to Ye Jiangnan, it didn't mean he couldn't go to his own emperor.

Ye Jiangnan hadn't been to the Tang Dynasty for a long time, and His Majesty kept mentioning him.

She wanted to visit Ye Jiangnan, but was afraid of disturbing him.

Ye Jiangnan has finally come to the Tang Dynasty. If I don't tell His Majesty, I'll probably have a year's salary deducted.

Ye Jiangnan breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Fang Xuanling had no intention of bothering him.

He really didn't want to be disturbed.

I want to see for myself what the Tang Dynasty has become in the time since I came here.

Like the other tourists, Ye Jiangnan went to see the additional meritorious official of Lingyan Pavilion out of curiosity.

Upon seeing the first stone tablet, Ye Jiangnan knew the reason.

Because his name was engraved on the first stone tablet.

His name is on it, but his birth date is not.

Below his name is engraved Ye Jiangnan's contributions to the Tang Dynasty.

Name: Ye Jiangnan
The founder of the prosperous Tang Dynasty, whose achievements will last for millennia.

Since entering the Tang Dynasty, the gentleman has used his extraordinary wisdom to guide the skills of later generations and pioneer the era.

Observing agriculture and sericulture, the teacher taught new farming methods and improved agricultural tools, which doubled the yield per mu, filled the granaries, allowed the people to eat their fill, and eliminated the worry of famine in the world.

In terms of craftsmanship, the master passed on the techniques of steelmaking and cloth weaving, which promoted the prosperity of all industries.

The West Market of Chang'an was lined with workshops producing exquisite goods that were sold far and wide, attracting merchants from all over the world. The abundance of products from the Tang Dynasty amazed foreign lands.

In his teachings, the professor advocated new learning, established a library, gathered talents from all over the world, taught classics, history, philosophy, and literature, and also imparted the principles of investigating things and extending knowledge.

Children from humble backgrounds were able to gain access to higher education, and new talents emerged in the imperial court, leading to a flourishing of literature that far surpassed that of the past.

Regarding military matters, the gentleman revealed the secrets of firearms, improved military equipment, and forged strong armor and sharp weapons.

The border guards, armed with sharp weapons, were awe-inspiring and deterred the Turks and Tibetans from easily invading the south. The country was peaceful and the people lived in peace and prosperity.

Even more remarkably, the gentleman brought in running water, built cement roads, and manufactured four-wheeled carriages, giving Chang'an a completely new look. The city was bustling and orderly, a magnificent sight never before seen in history.

The gentleman's achievements will not only last for a time, but will last for thousands of generations.

The strength of the Tang Dynasty today, and the grandeur of all nations paying tribute, are all thanks to your efforts, sir.

Therefore, he was specially enshrined in the Lingyan Pavilion, ranking first among the meritorious officials, so that future generations could admire him and forever remember his kindness.

Ye Jiangnan gazed at the words inscribed on the stone tablet, his fingertips lightly tracing the cool stone surface, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He had never imagined that his unintentional actions would be so solemnly remembered. The distant palace walls gleamed golden in the sunlight, and the whispers and exclamations of tourists filled the air. He suddenly understood that every inch of the Tang Dynasty's prosperity was the best reward for him. (End of Chapter)