Datang: Just been appointed as the crown prince, the counterattack system is here

Chapter 235 Jie Li kneels and surrenders! Li Shimin's long-cherished wish is fulfilled! [Seeking monthly votes]

The eighth day of the ninth month, the third year of Zhenguan.

The sun had just risen and there was still a chill in the air.

But for the officials who were accustomed to the climate of Chang'an, this climate was nothing.

Moreover, today is a big day, and everyone knows what today means to the Tang Dynasty.

Li Shimin, sitting on the throne, said with a smile:
"There are still a few hours until the Double Ninth Festival. I just received a report about a bumper harvest in many parts of the Tang Dynasty. I am very happy, so I have summoned you to the Taiji Hall to share it with you. I believe you won't blame me, right?"

"Hehehe"

Upon hearing this, all the ministers burst into laughter.

Li Shimin smiled and said, "I remember that in the first year of the Zhenguan era, a bushel of rice in Guanzhong was worth a piece of silk. Now it's only a dozen coins. From now on, my Tang Dynasty will be getting better and better!"

When Changsun Wuji heard what Li Shimin said, he couldn't help but sigh:
"Since the first year of the Zhenguan era, the Tang Dynasty has been plagued by disasters without interruption. Whether it's snowstorms, floods, droughts, or the recent locust plague, it's safe to say that the Tang Dynasty has had a very difficult time these past few years!"

"That's right, these past few years have been really difficult, and the price of grain has been getting higher day by day. If it weren't for Your Majesty, we don't know if we could have survived!" Fang Xuanling echoed with a smile, then looked around at the ministers.

But the ministers all said in unison: "Your Majesty is wise!"

Li Shimin nodded in satisfaction upon hearing this. Then, as if remembering something, he glanced at the silent Li Chengqian and said calmly, "In fact, the Crown Prince also made contributions. Especially the method of eliminating the locusts. The Crown Prince was very thoughtful."

"This"

The ministers looked at each other, but no one responded.

Li Chengqian said nonchalantly, "If it weren't for your majesty's wisdom, my plan wouldn't have been implemented. Your majesty deserves the greatest credit."

"hehe."

Li Shimin smiled noncommittally, then turned his gaze to Wei Zheng and said:
"At the beginning of the Zhenguan era, Feng Deyi wrote to me, saying that the emperor should exercise authority alone and not delegate it to his subjects. He also said that I should display my might and conquer the barbarians. Only the Right Minister of the Secretariat advised me to cease military action and cultivate civility, to govern through culture."

"Now it seems that Shangshu Youcheng also contributed to this!"

"No, this is all due to His Majesty's majesty!"

Wei Zheng shook his head and said, "I didn't contribute much!"

"Ah!"

Li Shimin laughed and then jokingly said, "Wei Zheng, you are able to do your job well, and this is not just my credit! I often made mistakes when I was with you!"

"If Your Majesty is saying so, then I would like to ask Your Majesty, are you satisfied with the current grain prices?"

"Well, satisfied."

Li Shimin smiled and nodded, then said with emotion: "If the price of grain were lower, I would be more satisfied!"

"Your Majesty is wrong again!" Wei Zheng said seriously.

"Uh!"

Li Shimin's mouth twitched, and he really wanted to scold himself for being a bad mouth.

For no reason, you insist on asking for trouble.

However, since I have already spoken so much, I might as well listen to what this "Sheep Nose Man" has to say.

Thinking of this, Li Shimin immediately straightened his posture and asked solemnly, "How could I be wrong again?"

"Your Majesty, the current price of grain has dropped from over a hundred coins per dou to just over ten coins per dou due to the bumper harvests across the country. I believe it won't be long before it drops to three or four coins per dou."

Wei Zheng said this seriously, then changed the subject: "However, after I went to Hebei Province, I found many problems. The lower the grain price, the worse it is!"

"Oh?"

Li Shimin raised his eyebrows and couldn't help asking, "Why is that?"

"Your Majesty, this is because low grain prices are hurting farmers!"

"Ok?"

Li Shimin was slightly taken aback: "How can low grain prices hurt farmers?"

"hehe."

Du Ruhui smiled and then interrupted, "Your Majesty, in this world, the harvest of ten acres of bad land is counted as the harvest of one acre of good land. Therefore, the court calculates the annual harvest in grains, not acres."

"A household's land may be large or small, good or bad, but the grain harvest is always about the same year after year!"

"For example, if a bushel of grain was worth ten coins last year, but only three coins this year, wouldn't that mean a bushel of grain is worth seven coins less? Who would still want to farm?"

"This"

When Li Shimin heard this, he was stunned.

The other ministers looked at each other in surprise.

Only Li Chengqian looked at Du Ruhui deeply and felt that he was indeed worthy of his reputation.

However, it seems that Du Ruhui died this year?

How come you don't look sick?

Just when Li Chengqian was full of doubts, Wei Zheng interrupted and said, "In the early years of the Zhenguan period, the court advocated encouraging agriculture and sericulture. This was because after the great chaos, the people needed to grow crops in peace. This is called adapting to the times."

"Now that the disaster has passed, the harvest will get better and better. If we persuade farmers to only grow grain and not allow them to grow other things, then low grain prices will inevitably hurt farmers."

"Then according to your opinion, how can we avoid harming farmers?" Li Shimin asked in confusion.

Wei Zheng thought for a moment and said, "If we want to avoid harming farmers, the court should allow the people to grow other valuable things. When grain prices rise next year, the people will naturally turn to growing grain. This is also a matter of adapting to the current situation."

"Well, that makes sense."

Li Shimin nodded in understanding, then glanced at Li Chengqian again, and said with a meaningful sigh: "I have experienced conquering the world on horseback and ruling the world on foot. I know that the people are water and the court is the boat. Water can carry the boat, but it can also capsize it!"

Having said this, he paused, then looked around at his ministers and said, "My dear ministers, I ask you, which is easier, conquering the world or ruling the world?"

"This"

The ministers looked at each other, but no one stood up to answer the question.

It was not until Li Shimin's eyes fell on Zhang Sun Wuji that he heard Zhang Sun Wuji say with a smile:
"If I were to say so, back when the warlords were vying for supremacy, every place had to be conquered to be considered a victory. Every battle was a tough one, not a tough one. Therefore, I think conquering the world is difficult!"

"but."

Before he could finish his words, Wei Zheng stepped forward and said, "The rise of a king always takes advantage of a time of great chaos, a weak and incompetent ruler, and a shift in destiny. But what happens after they gain control of the world? They are prone to pride and indulge in comfort!"

"What does this mean? It means the people need stability at this time, but whoever wins the world wants to increase corvée labor!"

"Why is that? Because it's hard for those who gain the world to understand!"

"As a result, the national strength begins to weaken again!"

"Therefore, I believe that ruling the world is difficult!"

"hehe."

Seeing that his two most valued ministers had both expressed opposing views, Li Shimin smiled faintly: "Wuji followed me to conquer the world, surviving hundreds of dangers, and knows how difficult it is to conquer the world."

"Wei Zheng helped me govern the world. He understood very well that wealth and power lead to arrogance, arrogance leads to laziness, and laziness leads to ruin. Now that I think about it, conquering the world was truly difficult."

"However, the most difficult part is over. Now it's time to rule the country!" After saying this, Li Shimin looked at Li Chengqian again and said solemnly, "Ruling the country is not easy either. Therefore, you must be cautious when you govern in the future!"

"I will obey your orders!"

All the ministers spoke in unison.

Li Shimin nodded in satisfaction and was about to continue speaking.

But then a loud announcement came from outside the door: "Your Majesty, envoys from various countries have arrived. Your Majesty and all the ministers are requested to move to the horizontal gate to participate in the surrender ceremony!"

As soon as these words were spoken, all the ministers in the hall were shocked and immediately straightened their clothes.

Li Shimin smiled happily, then slowly stood up from his seat, put his hands behind his back and said, "Then let's go see our old friend together!"

"Hehehe"

The ministers burst into laughter again, and then followed Li Shimin to Hengmen.

At this moment, the Wolf Fang Guards led by Yu Gushe, escorting Jie Li's prison cart, passed through a passage consisting of eight thousand carriages and horses, more than ten miles of tower gates and a huge ceremonial team.

They crossed the Heng Bridge and gathered under the Huabiao outside Hengmen.

The envoys from various countries, including their subordinates and guards, looked at Jie Li in the prison car with extremely complicated expressions.

Looking back, they were as humble as ants in front of this man, and were exploited to the point of being on the verge of national destruction.

However, things change, and the man who was so arrogant in the past has now come to this day.

Their suppressed excitement could no longer be suppressed when Jie Li's prison car reached the middle of Wei Bridge.

"Damn Jie Li! Do you regret it?!"

An envoy from Kang State asked angrily.

Jie Li, whose handwriting looked a bit old, laughed coldly when he heard his question: "Only rabbits on the grassland regret their actions. When have you ever seen an eagle regret its actions?"

"If it is an eagle, it should crash into the cliff and die, instead of becoming a captive of hunters!" said an envoy from Gaochang Kingdom disdainfully.

Jie Li snorted coldly, but ignored him.

Soon, the prison van drove across Wei Bridge.

At the same time, Li Shimin brought civil and military officials to the vicinity of the high platform.

When Jie Li's eyes met Li Shimin's, he suddenly felt panicked. He didn't know how Li Shimin would view his fate.

It was not until Yu Gu ordered the prison cart to stop and let him out of it that he knelt down and paid homage to Li Shimin.

"Your Majesty, I, Ashina Dubi, pay my respects to His Majesty the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty!"

"Jie Li Khan, we meet again!"

Li Shimin looked at Jie Li, his eyes revealing an undisguised excitement, pride, and majesty. He smiled and said, "The last time, I remember it was in the ninth year of Wude, you came in person to the Wei River to celebrate my ascension to the throne. Today, you have come in person again. I am very happy, very happy!"

Although these words were spoken very calmly, they sounded like thunder to Jie Li's ears.

This is the fate of the victors who take all.

Even though he was in great pain, he had to put on a smile and say, "Your Majesty has a good memory. I am very happy to see you again."

"Haha, really?"

Li Shimin smiled, then restrained the smile on his face and said solemnly: "Your father and your brother are both great Khans. The Turks are also a powerful nation."

"But you are not, nothing."

"Because you have ruined the foundation they worked so hard to build, in our Central Plains, you are as tyrant as Emperor Yang of Sui!"

"So, you really deserve to die!"

"Ah? This"

Jie Li was shocked, as if he did not expect Li Shimin to sentence him to death.

But didn’t the Crown Prince promise me that as long as I cooperated with Li Shimin, he would guarantee me a way to survive?

What is going on here?

Just when Jie Li was feeling anxious, Li Shimin suddenly changed the subject: "However, I have discussed with my ministers before whether it is harder to conquer the world or to rule the world. The final conclusion is that both are difficult!"

"So, even though you are a tyrant, considering our alliance at the Wei River Bridge, and that you haven't caused any major harassment to the Tang Dynasty, I will pardon your death!"

After saying this, he raised his hand and said, "Unchain him!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for not killing me."

Jie Li's eyes turned red instantly and tears fell involuntarily.

Although he and Li Shimin were enemies, Li Shimin's temperament was obviously superior to his.

If he were in another position and Li Shimin became his prisoner, he would kill Li Shimin, his confidant and greatest threat, without hesitation.

Now Li Shimin did not kill him, in his opinion, there were two reasons. One was Li Shimin's strong self-confidence, and he felt that he was no threat to him at all. The other was that Li Shimin never thought that he was a serious threat to him.

If it is the former, it is still understandable, after all, he is now a prisoner.

If the latter is the case, it is a sad story indeed.

"You were once the Great Khan after all, and a Great Khan should act like a Great Khan!"

Seeing Jie Li shed tears in front of everyone, Li Shimin felt both relieved and disgusted. He waved his hand impatiently and said, "Come here, take him to the Imperial Household to change clothes and wash up. He will attend the Double Ninth Festival banquet later. Don't neglect his food!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Jie Li kowtowed to Li Shimin again.

All the foreign envoys were sincerely convinced.

Then Wushe solemnly announced the imperial edict, enfeoffing Yugu as Wolf Marquis with a fief of 1,000 households, and the generals under his command were also rewarded.

The royal band played "The Qin King's Battle Music" to demonstrate the majesty of the Tang Dynasty.

As the passionate music played, Li Shimin raised his hand to signal the audience and shouted loudly: "From now on, the Tang Dynasty will establish the Anbei Protectorate north of the Hetao area. The Turkic people and the people of the Tang Dynasty will be like brothers and sisters, and we will share peace and prosperity."

The audience immediately erupted in earth-shaking cheers.

"The Tang Dynasty is mighty!"

"Long live your Majesty!"

Seeing this, Li Shimin showed an unprecedented look of joy, then turned his head to look at Li Chengqian in the audience, and found that there was nothing unusual about him, which made him feel moved.

If he didn't even jump out to disrupt such a major event as Jie Li's surrender, then what was the purpose of him going to so much trouble to host the Chongyang Banquet?
Could it be that he really wanted to share my worries?

Thinking of this, Li Shimin thought of Li Chengqian revealing his imperial seal, which showed that he recognized his father in his heart, otherwise no one could resist the temptation of the imperial seal.

So he gradually dispelled his previous concerns, then revealed a relieved smile and said: "Cheng Qian, the next step is up to you, don't let me down!"

"Don't worry, Father. I will never let you down!"

Li Chengqian stood up and said respectfully.

　Asking for a monthly pass, asking for a monthly pass
　　
　
(End of this chapter)