Time Travel: I am the idle king Li Shen and Li Shimin in the Tang Dynasty

Even Li Shen was unaware of the military action against the Western Turks. He only knew that the attack was definitely going to target the Western Turks, but he didn't expect it to happen the following year.

What about Tibet? Has it even succeeded?

Wait a minute, why doesn't he know about the peace talks?

Li Shen looked at Li Chengqian with a puzzled expression, as if asking why he didn't know about such a big matter.

Li Shen has already devised a development plan for the Western Regions next year.

He wanted to build a sales point for the Prince Ji's Mansion in Yanqi; originally, he planned to build a city there.

But he really didn't have that much money on him now. Building a key city in Qinghai made him realize that the amount of money required to build a city was simply astronomical.

The Qinghai Yaoyi project cost him tens of millions of guan, pouring all the wealth that the Prince Ji's mansion had accumulated over the years into it.

Currently, it would take seven or eight years to barely recoup the costs, because half of the shares are held by the imperial court.

If another city were to be built in Yanqi, Li Shen would have to sell his kidney.

"Brother, are we really going to prepare for a military campaign against the Western Turks next year?" Li Zhi asked from the side.

Li Chengqian nodded:

“Aye does indeed have this intention. If the peace talks with Tibet are successful, the next step will be to deal with the Western Turks.”

"If we don't teach them a lesson for the crime of intercepting and killing my Great Tang Emperor, what will those vassal states think of us?"

"But wasn't this westward expedition meant to teach the Western Turks a lesson? Kucha, Khotan, and Suyab were all subservient to the Western Turks."

Our attack on them this time, forcing them to submit, is also a demonstration of the power of our Great Tang to the Western Turks.

Li Zhi asked curiously.

"No, no, Zhinu, you're wrong. This western expedition is not to show our strength to the Western Turks, but to show our strength to the vassal states."

Let them know the consequences of being opportunistic and hypocritical; this has little to do with the Western Turks.

To deal with the Western Turks, we must achieve a great victory, to instill fear in them, and to let them know the power of our Great Tang.

Li Chengqian shook his head and explained.

"So, the road to the Western Regions won't be open next year either?" Li Shen asked with disappointment.

"That should be the case," Li Chengqian replied.

"Isn't that terrible? I won't be able to enjoy delicious spices next year. I was planning to have the Prince Ji's caravan go to the Western Regions to bring back some spices after the roads are open next year."

Upon hearing Li Chengqian's words, Li Shen immediately became heartbroken and his face was filled with anxiety.

"Tenth Brother, how could your household be short of spices? Haven't you been sending people to buy them all along?"

Li Chengqian asked.

"Brother, you've seen how hard it is to buy spices now. Just like Fourth Brother, those who have spices are waiting for the price to go up and are not selling them at all."

My brother has already raised the price.

In that case, I'm afraid that next year, not only will the Prince Ji's residence run out of spices, but even the palace will be without them.

Li Shen bitterly complained to Li Chengqian. The spices for the harem had always been supplied by the Prince Ji's residence, and the amount each year was considerable.

"I'm afraid even the spices in my Eastern Palace won't last two months."

Following Li Shen's words, Li Chengqian went to the Eastern Palace.

"No, I have to think of a way to bring down the price of spices. As soon as the price drops, people will start selling them."

Li Shen rubbed his chin, thinking carefully.

However, his words made Li Tai, who was standing next to him, twitch. This guy was too cunning. He actually wanted to lower the price of spices so that he could buy them.

Wouldn't that render the spices I have worthless? Isn't that a bit like harming others without benefiting myself?

When Li Zhi heard Li Shen's words, he also glanced at Li Shen. No one knew that Li Shen also had a stockpile of spices.

I bought them when the price of spices had tripled or quadrupled in the early days.

They seized the business opportunity and acted promptly; now, based on the acquisition price, their investment has increased two or three times.

Spices were once a form of hard currency, even used in place of money. Many nobles and aristocratic families at that time had the habit of hoarding spices.

High-quality spices from the Western Regions were rare, given the great distance, difficult transportation, and the potential for unforeseen circumstances during the journey.

For example, it might get damp or wet. Scarcity increases value; the less common a commodity, the more valuable it becomes.

Later, for some reason, there suddenly became a large supply of spices on the market, so the price dropped.

So no one hoarded the goods anymore. However, spices have become inexplicably scarce again this year, and prices have naturally started to skyrocket.

Many nobles seized the opportunity and began to acquire them.

Li Tai and Li Zhi were among them.

They were naturally unwilling to accept Li Shen's offer to lower the price.

After that, Li Shen didn't speak, but just walked and pondered, while the others were also preoccupied with their own thoughts.

The journey was much more somber.

The Chengtian Gate was already packed with people, with officials waiting for the emperor's arrival. There were not only officials, but also envoys from various countries.

Among them, Songtsen Gampo stands out the most.

Many envoys whispered among themselves to Songtsen Gampo.

"Is that the Tibetan king?" someone whispered.

“That’s right. Judging from the respectful way the Tibetan Grand Minister treated him, it should be true.” Someone nodded.

"I heard that the Tang Dynasty captured the Tibetan king, and I never thought it was true. The Tang Dynasty is indeed powerful." Someone exclaimed in surprise.

Tibet was no ordinary small country; it was also vast in territory and had a large population, with an army of a million.

The fact that the Tang Dynasty was able to capture the Tibetan king demonstrates just how powerful it was.

"I haven't heard of any military action against Tibet. How come the Tibetan king was captured and brought back?" someone asked in confusion.

"I heard that it was King Ji who captured the Tibetan king. He said that King Ji led three thousand armored soldiers deep into Tibet, all the way to Lhasa, and captured the Tibetan king alive."

They then marched all the way back to the Tang Dynasty from Lhasa, slaughtering people for miles around, sparing not even cattle and sheep.

Suddenly someone came over and whispered an explanation to everyone.

"Is it true? Isn't Prince Ji supposed to be ignorant of military strategy and martial arts? Besides, with hundreds of thousands of Tibetan troops, how was Prince Ji able to retreat unscathed?"

"Just three thousand men?" As soon as the man finished speaking, someone immediately questioned, "It's unbelievable that three thousand men could defeat an army of hundreds of thousands."

“Yeah, where did you hear that from? You’re talking nonsense,” someone chimed in.

The man immediately snorted defiantly:

"Hmph, I knew you wouldn't believe me. I learned this news from a shopkeeper at the Prince Ji's Mansion's boutique."

It was Wang Hongfu, the head manager of the Ji Prince's Mansion, who personally told them about this matter and also told them not to spread it outside, lest the Tibetan king be embarrassed.

Don't you see? That's Prince Ji. He controls most of the world's wealth. What kind of armor can't he make?

Have you forgotten the Xuanjia Army?

As soon as he said that, the surroundings fell silent.

The Xuanjia Army, the most elite army of the Tang Dynasty, was the enemy's nightmare.

(It's not frozen shoulder, it's rotator cuff injury. If it gets serious, it's more painful than childbirth.)