I am Li Shen and Li Shimin, the free kings of the Tang Dynasty

“Minister Yu, what you’ve said must be adapted to local conditions. Not every place is suitable for building water conservancy projects, planting tea trees, or raising silkworms.”

I understand what you mean, and I agree that local officials should do more practical things for the people, but sometimes it can backfire.

Whether it's planting tea trees or fruit trees, or growing mulberry trees and raising silkworms, it all requires financial investment.

Earning money is hard for ordinary people. If they make money, that's fine, but what if they lose money?

At this moment, Gao Jifu stepped forward to refute.

"Hehe, Attendant-in-Ordinary, that's exactly what I meant too. Now that the people are living in peace and prosperity, I think we shouldn't do anything more."

These officials only need to strictly implement the imperial court's decrees; the rest is the imperial court's business.

The Ministry of Works is responsible for water conservancy projects, bridge and road repairs, as well as mulberry planting, silkworm rearing, and tea cultivation. I believe we should proceed with caution.

Merchanting is a minor path. What if ordinary people find that sericulture and tea cultivation are more profitable than farming, and all abandon farming to raise silkworms and grow tea?

Changsun Wuji chuckled twice and looked at Yu Zhining. He was referring to one of the reasons for suppressing commerce.

Yu Zhining frowned. He felt that Changsun Wuji was wrong. An official should not be so inactive.

However, water conservancy projects, bridge and road repairs are indeed things that the Ministry of Works is currently doing, as are mulberry planting, silkworm breeding, and tea cultivation. These may also evolve into what Sun Wuji described.

If everyone in the world becomes a merchant, who will farm the land?

Li Chengqian looked at Yu Zhining, then at Changsun Wuji, then at Gao Jifu and Xu Jingzong, and finally at Ma Zhou.

Ma Zhou didn't speak, he just listened quietly.

"Your Highness, Prince Ji is requesting an audience outside the hall." Just then, a eunuch stood at the entrance of the hall and announced loudly.

"Summon them quickly!" Li Chengqian was overjoyed and immediately gave the order.

The officials present all had strange expressions, especially Changsun Wuji, who looked towards the entrance of the main hall and wondered if Prince Ji's arrival was too coincidental.

Could this be something His Highness the Crown Prince arranged beforehand to deliberately target us? That's the only explanation, otherwise why would he arrive so promptly?

A moment later, Li Shen, dressed in royal robes, walked in, wagging his tail and walking with a smirk on his face.

"Hey~~~ Everyone's here!" Li Shen nodded to everyone as he walked.

Upon approaching, Li Shen bowed:

"I have met His Highness the Crown Prince."

"No need for formalities, please have a seat," Li Chengqian said with a smile.

Wang Zhong quickly ordered someone to bring a chair and sit at the front.

Li Shen sat down without any ceremony, glanced at the memorials in everyone's hands, and then said:

"Oh my, everyone's busy."

This sentence immediately broke everyone's defenses. Why was that voice so annoying, so sarcastic?

"Tenth Brother, you've come at the right time. We are discussing political affairs. What are your thoughts?"

Li Chengqian didn't ask Li Shen what he was there for, but instead made Li Shen his savior.

"Your Highness, Prince Ji has been away from court for a long time and is not familiar with local affairs. I believe..."

Xu Jingzong paused for a moment, but everyone understood what he meant: Prince Ji knew nothing and shouldn't be involved in politics.

"Who are you? I am a prince, qualified to participate in politics, as is the ancestral precept."

Besides, who says I'm unaware of local affairs? How many prefectures and counties have you visited?

"I have spent more than half a year in the provinces, passing through dozens of prefectures and counties. I am extremely familiar with local affairs."

Li Shen looked at Xu Jingzong. In fact, he knew Xu Jingzong and had met him many times, but Li Shen pretended not to know him and tried to overwhelm him with his aura.

They showed contempt for Xu Jingzong.

Sure enough, when Xu Jingzong heard Li Shen say that he did not recognize him, he was furious. Prince Ji had attended court several times, and they had not only met once, but had even spoken to each other.

The Prince of Ji doesn't even recognize me? Isn't that looking down on me?

Thinking of this, Xu Jingzong said in a deep voice.

“Your Highness, since Your Highness is so familiar with this place, why don’t you tell us what it’s like?”

Li Shen disagreed and said to Wang Zhong:

"Bring me a cup of fine tea."

Wang Zhong was taken aback. Was this considered insubordination? To be so casual in front of His Highness the Crown Prince.

However, Li Chengqian waved his hand at him, signaling him to do it.

Li Shen continued:

"What else could a place be like? Isn't it just a breeding ground for filth and corruption?"

"what?"

"Your Highness Prince Ji, please be careful with your words."

Upon hearing this, everyone was shocked. What kind of words did Prince Ji utter? How audacious!

“Your Highness Prince Ji, these words are tantamount to slandering the imperial court.”

Changsun Wuji reminded him with a smile.

"Oh? Does the Duke of Zhao think I am slandering the court?"

Li Shen's smile widened, making Changsun Wuji feel somewhat uncomfortable.

"This old minister dares not presume to speak ill of the matter. I am merely stating the facts. How could the imperial court be a place to harbor filth and corruption? Our Great Tang is a land of propriety..."

Just as Changsun Wuji was about to launch into a long speech, Li Shen interrupted:

"Then why is what I see not what the Duke of Zhao described?"

"What does Your Highness Prince Ji mean by this?" Xu Jingzong asked.

"Have you forgotten my journey to the west this year? I traveled westward, passing through dozens of prefectures and counties, which truly broadened my horizons."

No matter what kind of demons and monsters, no matter how filthy they are, they can all become officials of my Great Tang Dynasty.

They embezzled public funds, abused their power, oppressed the local people, and levied taxes under various pretexts.

I have seen all sorts of things, such as allowing slaves to commit violence, bullying men and women, seizing fertile land, forcibly taking women, and forcing good people into prostitution.

"What? Didn't the Duke of Zhao see the evidence of my crimes that I submitted in my memorial? Then all the people I killed were killed in vain!"

After finishing his sentence, Li Shen ignored them and took the teacup that Wang Zhong handed him, leisurely sipping his tea.

As soon as Li Shen said this, the entire room fell silent; you could hear a pin drop.

Everyone fell silent, for only now did they recall what King Ji had done on his journey to Xizhou.

Dozens of corrupt officials were executed, including not only minor officials, but also several county magistrates and two prefects.

At the time, countless people in the imperial court impeached Prince Ji for abusing his power because of this matter.

It was one thing for a minor official to be punished, but the fact that Prince Ji had privately executed the governor was something the ministers could not tolerate.

If this precedent is set, those of them who serve as officials in their respective camps will be in danger.

Similarly, Li Shen's actions were met with resistance from all officials in the bureaucracy, and many local officials submitted memorials requesting that Prince Ji be punished.

The incident caused quite a stir. If it weren't for Li Shimin's intervention and the expedient use of the imperial edict, Li Shen would have been punished at that time.

However, this also cemented Li Shen's infamous reputation in officialdom.

The local officials who traveled to Xizhou were terrified and proceeded with extreme caution.