Zhenguan Xiaoxian Wang Li Shen Li Shimin

Li Shen returned to Prince Ji's Mansion with his family. As the New Year approached, the mansion was already decorated with lights and all the servants were cleaning both the front and back yards.

Seeing Li Shen coming back, he saluted Li Shen frequently with a happy smile on his face.

They have all received rewards, and this time the reward is very generous, equivalent to several months' salary for them.

"Xixi, your father is injured, please don't make trouble."

Wu Meiniang scolded Xixi.

Ever since Li Shen returned to the palace, Xixi has been sticking to him. The other children didn't dare to break the rules, but Xixi didn't care at all.

Xixi was the happiest one when Li Shen came back because someone could support her.

Li Shen has not been at home for the past few months, and Xixi has suffered a lot of grievances. All kinds of etiquette and rules have made Xixi miserable.

"Xixi, Aye was just beaten up by your uncle. He's in pain all over. I can't hold you anymore. Go play by yourself."

Li Shen touched Xixi's head.

"Aye, Xixi will avenge you." Seeing her father's pitiful appearance, Xixi immediately said fiercely.

"Go and play with your brothers and sisters." Li Shen smiled and waved his hand.

After Xixi left, Li Shen walked towards the study:

"Someone, go summon Wang Xuance, Wang Hongfu, and Pei Mingli to the study to discuss matters."

When they arrived at the study, Lu Dingniang undressed Li Shen. Li Shen lay on the warm couch with his buttocks exposed, and Wu Meiniang applied medicine on his wounds.

The place that had just been whipped by Li Shimin was now beginning to feel a burning pain.

There were also some bruises where Li Chengqian had hit him, and Li Shen was wondering if he should practice some martial arts or something.

"Your Highness, Mr. Wang and his men have arrived." Shi Tou reported at the door.

"Let them in."

A moment later, Wang Xuance and the other two walked in.

"I've met the prince."

After the three of them saluted, they saw Li Shen wearing autumn clothes and a blanket covering his lower body. They could also smell medicine in the room.

"Has the prince been beaten again?" Wang Xuance asked.

"Well, as people who practice martial arts, we are bound to have some bumps and bruises. Please sit down." Li Shen said shamelessly.

The three of them sat down and the servants served tea. Li Shen then spoke to Wang Hongfu and Pei Mingli:

"Tell me, this prince has been away for more than half a year. Has anything happened? Mingli, you go first."

Pei Mingli quickly stood up and bowed to Li Shen. He rarely attended such reporting meetings and had only been with him for a short time.

"Your Highness, Prince Ji, the sales figures for Boutique Pavilion are as follows. I checked last year's account books and found a nearly 30% increase compared to last year."

"Oh? The Western Regions have been closed but the sales have increased by 30%?" Li Shen was a little surprised after hearing this. The Silk Road had been closed for a year and he thought that sales would decrease, but he didn't expect it to increase by 30%.

"Your Highness, most of the goods from the Western Regions are shipped by sea. Many big merchants have seen that our Ji Palace is engaged in sea transportation and have followed suit.

Their ships did not go to the Western Regions, but sold our Tang Dynasty's goods to various countries along the coastline there.

In exchange, I got a lot of gold, silver and jewelry."

At this time, Wang Hongfu replied on behalf of Pei Mingli that Pei Mingli was not aware of these things.

Pei Mingli is now only responsible for the sales of goods in Ji Wangfu, and everything else is still under the management of Wang Hongfu.

"Really? Then did you tell Zhao Laosi to do business normally and not to rob?" Li Shen asked immediately.

He also has a pirate group in the Strait of Malacca.

"We've already sent someone to notify them. Captain Zhao is only targeting merchant ships carrying contraband. Other merchant ships are not being attacked at the moment.

However, Captain Zhao suggested building a large port in the Strait of Malacca, which would attract many passing ships to stop.

It's convenient for you to get information while also making a lot of money."

Wang Hongfu reported that he had to think about such things, otherwise he would be derelict in his duty.

Prince Ji was interested in developing maritime transportation because Prince Ji's palace had strong maritime power.

"Build a large port? Haha, this Zhao Laosi is quite smart. It turns out that scholars are smart.

But we don’t have that much energy right now, so let’s wait until next year.

But we can let them occupy an area first and keep the local natives in captivity. We can use them when we build the port."

Li Shen had no good feelings towards the natives of that place.

"Yes, I will pass the message to Captain Zhao when I return." Wang Hongfu agreed.

"What about the other part? Sea transportation has just become popular. It's impossible for there to be so much more, right?" Li Shen asked again.

This time Pei Mingli replied:

“In reply to Your Highness Prince Ji, in fact, 20% of the extra 30% was sold to the Tiele tribes in the north, and the remaining 10% was sold to Liaodong Road.

In recent years, our cooperation with the Tiele tribes has improved their lives.

We purchased cattle and sheep from them and exchanged them for food, salt, cloth and other necessities of life.

Those with better conditions will also exchange them for some iron pots, ceramics, tea, silk and other products from our Tang Dynasty.

The lives of the people in Liaodong Road have returned to normal, and with the influx of many merchants, Liaodong Road has gradually become prosperous."

"Well, this is great, a thriving scene. Isn't this the principle of serving the public and bringing harmony to the world?

It seems the Tiele people in the north are living a good life." Li Shen was quite satisfied with this. Why should everyone fight to the death? It would be much better to live in harmony.

"Your Highness, the Tiele tribes mainly raise cattle and sheep. Now that the weather is good, they are all living well.

But if there is a disaster or plague, their livestock will die in large numbers, and there will be no such good days."

Li Shen was just feeling happy when Wang Xuance reminded him.

"Hey? Xuan Ce, you see through it but don't say it out loud. Why are you doing this?"

Li Shen grumbled. Of course he knew all this. Farming was similar to farming; both depended on the weather.

If the weather is good, there is no disease or disaster, it will be a year of good harvest, and the people can live better.

But if there is a disaster year, such as heavy snow blocking the mountains, no one knows how many livestock will freeze to death, or if there is a disease, a large number of livestock will die.

In terms of risks, animal husbandry is riskier than farming.

This is also the reason why Li Shen was not afraid of Tiele becoming rich. A disaster could bring them back to their original state.

"Wang Hongfu, continue to increase grain sales to Tiele and mobilize the old grain from the south.

It implies that they don't need to grow food, as there is plenty in the Tang Dynasty and it can be easily exchanged for cattle and sheep.

The sale of iron must also be controlled; no merchant is allowed to sell any iron ore to Tiele.

A notice will be published in the Chamber of Commerce. Once discovered, it will be dealt with according to national law, and the Chamber of Commerce will not provide guarantees for them.

Li Shen thought for a moment and then gave the order. If he wanted to control Tiele, he had to start with their food. His father was thinking about the other nations coming to pay tribute and was unwilling to destroy them, so he could only assimilate them himself.