My father, Li Shimin, please call me Crown Prince

Chapter 165 Are You Forcing Me to Abdicate?
Food is the foundation of a country.

Whether it is now or in the future.

For the Tang Dynasty, it would be much easier to march, fight and govern the local area if there was enough food.

The Tang Dynasty will also become more stable and prosperous.

Li Chengqian didn't know whether he was a time traveler or had awakened his wisdom from his past life, like Zhuang Zhou in his butterfly dream.

But it is undeniable that there is a lot of advanced knowledge in his mind.

This knowledge is enough to change the Tang Dynasty completely.

Will the rebellion succeed?

Li Chengqian was 70% sure.

It would be nonsense to say that you are 100% sure of winning against Li Shimin.

Rebellion is not a good idea. Influenced by later generations, Li Chengqian actually did not have too much obsession with becoming emperor.

Everyone wants to be emperor, but is it really that easy to be emperor?

If it had been a few years earlier, Li Chengqian felt that he would definitely have chosen to be a good prince.

It would be even better if you could be the crown prince for forty years.

But now, he has no way out.

He wants to retreat. Will the King of Wei let him go? Will Fang Xuanling let him go?

Du He, Zhao Jie, Li Yuanchang, Li Anyan, Hou Junji and so on, will they agree?

I have no choice but to wear the yellow robe.

There is no way out.

Therefore, Li Chengqian could only increase his chances of success in the rebellion as much as possible before starting the uprising.

And after the rebellion, to better govern the entire Tang Dynasty.

What if the rebellion fails according to historical inertia?
Historically, Li Shimin did not order the crown prince to be executed. For the sake of the crown prince's life, he even gave up the option of making the King of Wei the crown prince.

After being deposed as crown prince, Li Chengqian was exiled to Qianzhou, where he died within two years.

How did he die? There is no detailed record in history.

It is speculated that he died of depression after being demoted, at the age of only 26.

Did he really die of illness?

This means that benevolence sees benevolence and wisdom sees wisdom.

Li Chengqian definitely didn't want to find out for himself.

"Your Highness, please give your instructions."

Wei Zheng was very anxious and wanted to go find His Majesty, but the Prince had something else to say and he had to listen first.

Li Chengqian thought for a moment and said, "Agriculture is the foundation of a country. The rise of the Tang Dynasty was based on agriculture."

"In ancient times, agriculture was always the most important thing in the prosperous times. When Zhou rose to power, the well-field system was established, and the people worked hard to grow crops. The granaries were full and the country was strong. Qin used the strategy of agriculture and warfare to conquer the six kingdoms and unify the world."

"The Han dynasty inherited the Qin system, emphasizing agriculture and suppressing commerce. During the reigns of Emperor Wen and Emperor Jing, granaries were well stocked and the treasury was full, thus achieving the prosperity of the Han dynasty."

"The Great Tang has a vast territory with different climates. We should teach people to farm according to the time and place."

"Now I am thinking of a plan to set up an agricultural college to gather the wisdom of farmers all over the world and integrate the farming skills from all over the world. I will hire talented people as teachers to pass on the methods of farming and teach the art of farming."

"Study new seeds, develop water conservancy, and improve agricultural tools."

"What do you think, Duke Wei?"

The reason why there were no agricultural colleges during the dynasty era was because of the influence of Confucianism, which advocated that those who excel in their studies should be promoted to officials.

The goal of a scholar is to pass the imperial examination, enter the official career, and realize his ambitions.

Agriculture is considered a lowly occupation, and people engaged in agricultural production are often considered to be laborers at the bottom of society.

This concept has led to people not paying enough attention to agricultural technology and lacking the motivation to establish specialized agricultural colleges to systematically research and impart agricultural knowledge.

Although agricultural books such as "Qimin Yaoshu" already existed in the Northern Wei Dynasty, they were not promoted by the imperial court and were only circulated among a small number of literati.

In the eyes of most people, farmers are illiterate and cannot learn or understand even if they are taught.

Of course, it is still useful, and local officials usually study "Qimin Yaoshu" to carry out governance and management.

From the perspective of the emperor, the main concern is political stability and national security, and the emphasis on agricultural production often only remains at the level of ensuring tax revenue and maintaining social stability.

They were more inclined to promote agricultural development by implementing some agricultural policies, such as reducing taxes and building water conservancy projects, rather than establishing specialized agricultural colleges to conduct research and promotion of agricultural technology.

When Wei Zheng heard the prince's words, he was very surprised at first, but then his eyes became bright and his expression became very excited.

He praised: "Your Highness's strategy is truly far-sighted and shocking."

"I, as an old minister, have pondered the fundamentals of the Tang Dynasty and have often worried about agriculture."

"If the Agricultural College can be built, it will surely greatly prosper the agriculture of the Tang Dynasty, fill the warehouses, and enrich the people."

"This move will benefit the present and future generations, and I, as an old minister, will give my full support."

Li Chengqian smiled and said, "Then please ask Duke Wei to report this strategy to His Majesty."

Wei Zheng bowed and said: "I will definitely fulfill my mission."

Li Chengqian had the idea of ​​establishing an agricultural college a long time ago.

The original intention of creating "The Exploitation of the Works of Nature" was to prevent the civil servants in the Eastern Palace from always keeping an eye on him for supervision and impeachment, thus distracting their attention.

The second is to lay the foundation for the Agricultural College.

On the other side, Wei Zheng hurried to see His Majesty.

Talked about promoting agronomy and setting up an agricultural college.

Naturally, Li Shimin had no reason to refuse.

It didn’t happen before because no one wanted to think about this, but as long as it is brought up, we will know that it will be a good thing for the development of the entire Tang Dynasty.

A policy essay like this one is enough to qualify you for the top spot in the imperial examination.

"The prince has been paying a lot of attention to agriculture recently."

Li Shimin sighed.

He previously felt that the prince was suspected of being warmongering, focusing only on military affairs and not paying attention to people's livelihood.

But judging from his ideas such as the curved plow, promoting agronomy, and setting up an agricultural college, the prince still paid great attention to people's livelihood.

Wei Zheng said: "The Crown Prince values ​​the people, which is a blessing for the Tang Dynasty."

"According to the prince's idea, it will surely make the Tang Dynasty more prosperous and the treasury more abundant."

When the people have a good harvest, the Tang Dynasty will naturally collect more taxes. This is a mutually reinforcing relationship.

Li Shimin nodded and asked, "Is Wei Qing feeling better now?"

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I feel fine now, all thanks to the Crown Prince."

Li Shimin also heard about the prince's previous visit to Wei Zheng's home.

After all, this matter has spread widely.

Although Li Shimin did not establish an intelligence organization like the Jinyiwei of the Ming Dynasty, he was still able to know most of the information.

"Wei Qing is safe, I am relieved."

"This time the prince asked you to report to me about the Agricultural College. I think the prince has set his sights on Wei Qing."

Li Shimin laughed and joked.

Wei Zheng said solemnly: "This is my duty and my honor."

"If I, an old man, can still make some contribution to the Tang Dynasty and the people, it will be worth it no matter how tired I am."

Li Shimin was talking about the affairs of the Agricultural College.

In fact, Wei Zheng could also feel the prince's intention of asking him to take charge of the Agricultural College.

After all, Wei Zheng himself enjoys a great reputation in the literary circle, and no one is more suitable than him.

Li Shimin smiled and said, "I appointed the Crown Prince as the Agricultural Affairs Envoy, the position to be in charge of agricultural affairs in the country. I originally thought it was just a title."

"However, the prince was somewhat beyond my expectations. He actually came up with many suggestions for agricultural development."

“This is truly worthy of the name.”

After hearing this, Wei Zheng thought for a moment and said, "In the future, under the leadership of the crown prince, the Tang Dynasty will surely prosper and flourish."

"Perhaps Your Majesty should consider revoking Fang Xuanling's position as Grand Secretary of the Academy of Literature."

Wei Zheng thought he had been very tactful in his words, but to Li Shimin, they sounded even more direct.

His face suddenly turned cold.

"It's not your turn to worry about what I do."

Wei Zheng was relentless and said directly: "Don't the prince's character and behavior prove his excellence?"

"Your Majesty, why bother letting the King of Wei have the ambition to seize the throne? Now is the best time to extinguish the King of Wei's ambition, and it can also avoid the situation where the brothers are fighting against each other."

"As for the Prince of Jin, Your Majesty should have allowed him to return to his fiefdom earlier. Wouldn't it be against the law that the princes would be enfeoffed if they stayed in Chang'an?"

Li Shimin's face turned black.

Let the Prince of Jin return to his fiefdom and remove Fang Xuanling from his post as Grand Secretary of the Academy of Literature.

Do you want me to confront the Crown Prince directly?
Is Wei Zheng trying to force me to abdicate?

"Get out!"

Wei Zheng wanted to say more: "Your Majesty."

Li Shimin shouted: "I say, retreat!"

Wei Zheng had no choice but to bow and say, "Yes, Your Majesty."

Seeing Wei Zheng leave, Li Shimin's anger subsided a lot.

At the same time, he began to ponder the current situation of the prince.

In other words, Li Shimin is still in his prime and has a clear mind, and has not yet reached the age when Emperor Wu of Han became old and confused.

Otherwise, if Wei Zheng had said this, it would have been the beginning of another witchcraft disaster.

Li Shimin was a little hesitant.

As an emperor, especially a half-founding emperor, Li Shimin's power could be truly reflected.

No matter how powerful the prince was, in Li Shimin's eyes, he was just a group of loose sand. As long as he took direct action, even if he did not depose or enthrone the prince, he could easily undermine all the prince's power.

But Li Shimin didn't want to do that.

On the one hand, the crown prince had not yet grown to the point where he could threaten his power as emperor.

On the other hand, he was a father and loved his eldest son Li Chengqian very much.

My son is excellent, and I am proud of him as a father.

Two years ago, Li Chengqian rebelled and he was really worried. In the end, he killed Le Tong and made him reflect.

You can't attack the prince now that he has reflected on himself.

“Ananda.”

"The minister is here."

"I think, forget it."

Li Shimin originally wanted to invite Qingque into the palace, but now it seems that there is not much meaning in inviting Qingque into the palace.

The prince's popularity is at its peak, and even if he shows preference for the King of Wei, it will have little impact on the prince.

"What is the King of Wei doing recently?"

"The King of Wei is devoted to the training of the palace soldiers and has gone outside the city many times to watch them train." Zhang Ananda bowed and replied.

Li Shimin nodded.

However, he did not have any expectations for the King of Wei's performance in Goryeo. On the contrary, he was very much looking forward to the Crown Prince's possible performance.

The prince was extremely gifted in military affairs. In Li Shimin's view, the prince had inherited the military tactics of the previous emperor and had reached a new level.

The feeling is particularly clear from the game of war games.

No wonder he was so confident in fighting Goryeo. Perhaps he could really destroy Goryeo in one battle.

In fact, Li Shimin himself did not realize it since he had whipped the prince five times.

He felt guilty towards the prince.

So many times, people subconsciously tend to be more lax about the prince's behavior.

For example, at the beginning, the prince wanted to seek the position of Shaoqing of Dali Temple for his father-in-law Su Tan.

In fact, according to Su Tan's resume, he was not qualified to be the Shaoqing of Dali Temple.

At that time, Li Shimin was also very clear that the prince's intention was to seize the judicial power of the Dali Temple.

Li Shimin could have arranged Su Tan to be the Shaoqing in other temples instead of the Dali Temple.

Not only can it stop the prince's thoughts, but it can also allow Su Tan, the prince's father-in-law, to be promoted, leaving him speechless.

But after hesitating, Li Shimin still agreed.

Li Shimin was aware that the Crown Prince had taken Su Dingfang under his wing, but he still did not stop him.

Including the matter of Jinwu Guard Lu Tong.

There was also the beating of Wannian County magistrate Lu Yizhong and so on.

Without Li Shimin's indulgence, it would have been almost impossible for Li Chengqian to grow to where he is today.

Even if the prince could make bamboo paper, a curved plow, and write excellent poems like "Qingyu'an Yuan Xi", these could only provide him with fame.

The prince's fame does not allow him to influence the emperor's power.

Li Shimin knew all this, but he still allowed the prince to do so.

Even such behavior is likely to make the prince have inappropriate thoughts.

This is not the emperor's indulgence of the prince.

It's the father's indulgence of his son.
-
Jinzhou, Linfen City.

"See, just as the prince expected, these guys are getting anxious."

"That is because His Highness has given instructions. Otherwise, given my character, I would have arrested them all."

Li Yuanchang snorted coldly.

After leaving Chang'an on the 16th day of the first lunar month, Li Yuanchang and Zhao Jie, along with Luo Hui and others, came to Jinzhou, opened businesses, and mined coal.

The power of the crown prince in the Tang Dynasty was very great. Without the emperor's interference, he could directly exercise power equivalent to that of the emperor.

Maybe it won't work so well in Chang'an, after all, His Majesty can see everything.

But in other respects, it is very useful.

Li Yuanchang and Zhao Jie stayed in Jinzhou according to the order of the crown prince, and did not need to return to their fiefdoms and local posts immediately.

"I heard that they are preparing to write a letter to impeach the prince for opening a business." Zhao Jie said.

Li Yuanchang asked, "Have you found out what the impeachment was about?"

Zhao Jie nodded: "It's nothing more than competing with the people for profits, and it also affects farming."

Li Yuanchang chuckled: "It has affected their farming, right? I heard from Luo Hui that there are hundreds of tenants in the mine. In order to be able to work, they all went to the government office to register their household registration."

After arriving in Jinzhou, Zhao Jie and Li Yuanchang arranged for Luo Hui to post notices in Linfen City to recruit a large number of workers.

You can earn one penny by digging 15 kilograms of coal.

Fifteen pounds is just a little. You can get it after two hoes.

There is no such good thing.

If you dig a few hundred kilograms every day, you can earn dozens of cents.

A few dozen coins a day, and thousands of coins a month.

If it weren't for the governor and the King of Han endorsing it, the people would not have believed it.

Compared to being a tenant for a wealthy family, coal mining is much more profitable.

Working for one month, you can earn as much as you would in half a year.

One pass ten, ten pass a hundred.

This attracted a large number of farmers who had originally hidden their household registration and worked as tenants for wealthy families to evade taxes, and they all came to dig coal.

It just happened to be the farming season, and the tenants owned by the aristocratic families had all gone to dig coal. What should be done with the fertile farmland?
Could it be abandoned?

But they were no match for Li Yuanchang, the King of Han.

Jinzhou is not far from Chang'an. The fact that Li Yuanchang killed someone in the street, and the person he killed was a guard of Qinghe Cui family, had spread as officials returned from reporting on their work.

They couldn’t even please the Cui family of Qinghe, so how could they defeat the King of Han?
The King of Han did not dare to kill anyone.

(End of this chapter)