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

Li Shimin and Li Chengqian remained silent. They were merely making a final summary of the matter, and it would be best to leave the discussion to Li Shen.

Because they didn't know Li Shen's specific plans, according to the previous plan, Li Shen shouldn't have revealed his intentions so early.

Li Shen wasn't in a hurry. He waved to Wang De, who understood what Li Shen meant and went to the study to pour him a cup of tea.

This caused Li Shimin to roll his eyes and give a soft snort.

Li Shen took a sip of tea before speaking:

"Gentlemen, when did I ever say I wanted to attack Japan? Whether or not to attack Japan is a matter for the imperial court."

How could a powerless and insignificant prince like myself make decisions on my own?

What I'm saying today is just to give everyone a heads-up: the Japanese are not a benevolent people.

They know small manners but lack great principles, are bound by trivialities but lack great virtues, value minor details but disregard integrity and shame, fear power but do not cherish virtue, the strong will inevitably become thieves and bandits, and the weak will inevitably become subservient.

We must be wary of such a race.

We are not here for their land, nor to enslave them; on the contrary, we are here to save their people from suffering.

Their despicable nature stems primarily from the influence of their court; the saying "what goes up must come down" applies to them, and it's all due to the court's influence.

Our Great Tang Dynasty is a land of propriety and etiquette. If we rescue them in the future, we will naturally send people to educate them and guide them onto the right path.

To get back on the right path? To save the people from suffering?

Everyone looked at Li Shen with strange eyes, not expecting that Prince Ji would even find an excuse. And he said it so grandly.

They are at the top of a country, and they can come up with such excuses at will. For example, they claimed that attacking Goguryeo was because Goguryeo was disobeying the rule of the superior country and disrespecting the Tang Dynasty.

The destruction of Tuyuhun and Gaochang was also based on this pretext: because they blocked the route to the Western Regions, causing losses to merchants of the Tang Dynasty.

The situation was even simpler with the Tiele in the north. By wiping out the Xueyantuo and flexing their muscles, they terrified the Tiele, who then submitted to them, and all nations came to pay tribute.

Kucha, Yanqi, Suyab, and Khotan were all victims of their double-dealing and pro-Western Turkic stance.

In any case, every expedition is justified and never without a reason.

The excuse at that time was even better: for the sake of the suffering people, the people of Japan might even have to thank the Tang Dynasty.

“Your Highness Prince Ji, we are already aware of this matter. You are right; the fate of the people depends entirely on how the court educates and guides them.”

The people of our Great Tang Dynasty are all well-mannered and knowledgeable, unlike these barbarians.

Changsun Wuji agreed, saying that this matter could not be decided in a short time.

"What the Duke of Zhao said is quite right. I was merely offering a reminder. However, we cannot afford to turn against Silla right now."

Perhaps they still have some use.

Li Shen nodded.

"Your Highness, rest assured." Everyone understood what Li Shen meant.

Li Shen stopped there, then moved upstairs and began to introduce the situation in the north.

He was referring to the Khitan and the Mohe.

"Gentlemen, this is the far north of the Khitan and Mohe, where winter lasts for at least five months each year. However, this place is rich in resources and has many good things that our Great Tang does not have."

The land here is fertile, producing plump grains and abundant yields.

In the future, it could become an important grain-producing area for our Great Tang Dynasty. The Mohe people live by animal husbandry and hunting. Ferrets and tigers have started to appear in that place. I think you are all very interested in that, right?

Their furs, bone tools, and stone tools also make excellent ornaments; bringing them back can earn you a lot of money.

Furthermore, on Mount Taibai, there are many ginseng and lingzhi mushrooms, some of which are up to a thousand years old.

Li Shen kept throwing out bait to make these people interested in the Khitan and Mohe regions.

Otherwise, these people would say that it is a harsh and barbaric land, lacking resources, and they would not want to occupy it.

The three northeastern provinces are of vital importance to the nation, and Li Shen certainly cannot let them go.

Sure enough, when they heard Li Shen say that these places had good things and could create wealth, these old foxes' eyes lit up and they began to observe carefully.

Apart from Ma Zhou, who came from a humble background, everyone else here was either from a prominent family or a noble family; who wouldn't want to make more money?

The tiger is a rare and precious animal; its skin and bones are priceless, worth far more than a thousand pieces of gold. There are also deer antlers, deer blood, and ginseng and lingzhi mushrooms that are hundreds of years old.

These people are all old; if they can take this medicine, they can live for a few more years.

“Your Highness Prince Ji, this place has so many good things, but it still belongs to the Khitan and Mohe. They are subservient to our Great Tang, so we cannot send troops.”

Changsun Wuji remained relatively calm. He didn't know whether the Khitans and Mohes were on good terms, but he knew who Li Shen was.

If this young prince has something good, why would he tell others? There must be something fishy going on.

He was scammed by Li Shen multiple times, and now he's definitely a master at fighting fraud.

Even if Li Shen farted, Changsun Wuji could smell the conspiracy.

Li Shen calmly explained:

"Gentlemen, in fact, I sent people to trade with the Mohe people last year. And we brought back quite a few good things."

I gave my mother many precious medicinal herbs, and when my father was ill, he gave me ten pieces of ginseng that were hundreds of years old, without giving me a single penny.

There are also deer antlers, deer blood, tiger bones....”

Li Shen felt more and more distressed as he spoke, and eventually he could hardly continue. So many precious things had all gone down the drain, and he hadn't gained anything in return.

The transportation costs for these items alone are very high, as it involves traveling thousands of miles round trip.

"Yes, what Prince Ji said is true. He did indeed present me with some medicinal herbs. The Empress is weak, and I have been reluctant to eat them myself, giving them all to the Empress to nourish her body. Now there are very few left."

Li Shimin spoke up to confirm, but the way he looked at Li Shen was somewhat different, as if to say, "Did you hear that? There's very little left."

Li Shen's expression shifted, and he finally bowed.

"Don't worry, Father. I'll have someone send some to Mother when we get back."

Now that the scoundrel has learned his lesson, he's using the Empress as a shield, and Li Shen has no choice but to do so because he also needs the Empress as a shield.

"Haha, my son is indeed filial." Li Shimin laughed heartily.

"Your Highness Prince Ji is truly a role model for all the people. This old minister admires you." Changsun Wuji followed up with flattery.

As long as his sister is safe, he is safe. As long as his sister is alive, the Changsun family will not decline, and may even rise to a higher level, becoming a true aristocratic family.

"It's all what I should do," Li Shen spat out through gritted teeth.

"Your Highness Prince Ji, is what you mean by assimilating the barbarians?"

Ma Zhou then spoke up and asked.

Li Shen nodded:

"Indeed, since there are so many good things here, everyone should work hard to make them our Great Tang's possessions."