Tang Dynasty: Father, if you don't rebel, I will!

The next generation of research on the "Longxin No. 1" steam engine, as well as the mass production of the first generation, have now officially entered the process.

Given the current steel production and metal smelting industry level in Bingzhou, it is only a matter of time before steam engines are manufactured on a large scale.

However, the invention of the steam engine could greatly alleviate the current shortage of workers in various workshops.

However, this could not solve the current predicament of abundant land and a small population in the development of agriculture in the Tang Dynasty.

Winter wheat, chili peppers, peanuts, and alfalfa, crops that have been developed through simulated worlds, are not only in huge demand but also have extremely high economic value.

This was an existence that Li Chengqian, the ruler of the Tang Dynasty, could not ignore.

"Your Highness, look! The statistics on newborns from all the counties and prefectures of Bingzhou last month have arrived, along with the report on the survival of babies from the month before last... What a joyous occasion, Your Highness!"

I just dealt with Galdonzan and his group.

While Li Chengqian was instructing Li Zhi on martial arts techniques with a pointer in hand, he was also thinking about how to further accelerate the development of the Tang Dynasty.

Wang De, who had just returned from delivering documents to the Six Ministries, came back beaming with joy, carrying several documents with him.

Li Zhi, panting heavily, held a long wooden spear made to his own body proportions, and practiced the routines according to his elder brother's instructions.

Seeing this, I was just about to breathe a sigh of relief.

Suddenly, he noticed that his elder brother had slightly raised the pointer in his hand, as if it were not there.

My nerves immediately tensed up.

"Hey! Ha!"

As the spear thrust forward, the shouts from his mouth grew louder and louder.

Li Chengqian accepted the document.

"In November, a total of 17.8446 newborns were successfully born in the entire Bingzhou region. By December, when the newborns were one month old, a total of 16.5592 had survived, meaning that less than 10% died!"

"Phew..." Li Chengqian let out a long breath.

A rare smile appeared on his face.

Beside him, Wang De was also beaming with joy, pointing to another document.

"Your Highness, the number of newborns in December has reached this level. Every family in Bingzhou is seeing an increase in births! Your Highness, thanks to your efforts, Bingzhou has truly become a prosperous place!"

Wang De was overjoyed and extremely excited.

Li Chengqian looked at the data in his hand and nodded in satisfaction.

Mouthing in his mouth.

"The framework for basic education is almost complete, legal education has been effective, food supplies are sufficient, and medical care has kept up... The hard work of the past two years has finally paid off!"

"Hahahaha! Okay!"

Li Chengqian suddenly burst into laughter.

"By my decree, everyone in Yangcheng Palace will be rewarded today!"

Meanwhile, on the other side, in the Shougong Hall.

Li Shimin returned from the toilet with a copy of "The New Labor Law of Bingzhou Road" in his hand, looking indignant.

With a "smack," he slammed the booklet on the table, startling Li Gang and Yu Shinan who were standing nearby.

Li Shimin was furious.

"Damn it! The government and the Commerce Bureau of Bingzhou Circuit strictly protect ordinary workers in accordance with labor laws. Why do I work overtime every day and handle official business, yet I don't see any overtime pay?"

"Your Highness is knowingly breaking the law!"

"I demand that he abide by the labor law and give me legal working hours!"

Li Gang, Yu Shinan: "..."

Your Highness has been quiet for just a few days, what kind of trouble are you up to now, Your Majesty?

It's as if the Tang Dynasty wasn't actually ruled by the Li family.

It's as if Zhenguan wasn't your reign title.

It's as if no one else in the entire Tang Dynasty could receive such an almost terrifying monthly salary.

The two looked at each other, feeling utterly exhausted.

"Your Majesty may file a complaint with the Department of Labor Protection, but please finish today's official business first."

Li Shimin snorted coldly.

Muttering curses, he tossed a document he had finished reviewing while using the restroom onto a small table beside him.

"I am the Emperor!"

“Your Majesty, in this Shougong Hall, you are Secretary Li…” Li Gang did not even look up. Now that he had spent a long time with this emperor, and considering that he was already over eighty years old, there was no need for him to be polite.

He casually handed a document that he had just finished reviewing to the other party.

“Your Highness has always done this every day; Your Highness does not receive a single copper coin in salary.”

"But there's just too much to handle every day..."

Li Shimin looked annoyed.

Li Shimin knew that the monthly salary of 15 strings of cash was not easy to obtain, but he really did not expect it to be this difficult.

Every morning when he woke up, a eunuch would read documents to him while he washed up.

When it's time to start reviewing papers, or even when going to the restroom, one must have a copy in hand to process during the break.

Even mealtimes can't be peaceful...

On the other hand, Yu Shinan was quite optimistic.

Hehe smiled.

"Your Majesty, everything is difficult at the beginning. Now that the new policies have been in place for two years, you see... isn't it time for Your Highness to reap the rewards of everything you've done these past few days?"

He handed a document containing statistics on newborns in various counties to Li Shimin at that moment.

He smiled and stroked his beard as he spoke.

"Your Majesty, Bingzhou Province, and even several surrounding provinces, will soon enter the population boom period that His Highness the Crown Prince mentioned. And what we have done before that will be the reason."

"Whether it's educational reforms that enable the children of ordinary people to read and write, developing commerce and establishing factories to create jobs, or land and sanitation reforms, all of these will become the most suitable breeding ground for these newborns born in the Zhenguan era..."

"Your Majesty, let's persevere for a little longer. Once everything is on track, we won't have to work so hard anymore."

Li Shimin looked at the document in his hand.

Hearing the term "newborn of the Zhenguan era," the impatience on his face finally eased a little.

Beside him, the eunuch Fan Qi cautiously interjected.

"Your Majesty, if it were in the past, even if the people were willing to have children and could afford to, at least 40,000 to 50,000 of the hundreds of thousands of babies born each month would die... Your Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince are truly living bodhisattvas in this world now."

Li Shimin's lips curled into a slight smile, and he let out a soft hum.

He was in a much better mood, but he was still being stubborn.

"Hmph! What living Buddha? I am the supreme ruler! How could those bald monks compare to me?!"

"Yes, yes, I misspoke, hehe..."

This statistic on newborns was not only being paid attention to by Crown Prince Li Chengqian and Emperor Li Shimin, but also by Empress Zhangsun and other concubines in the harem, as well as the officials of Taiyuan Prefecture, who had been looking forward to it for a long time.

The Tang Dynasty today has established systems that are unprecedented for all time.

Everyone knows that all current policies are aimed at making the country prosperous and its people strong.

But to what extent exactly can it be achieved?

No one was really sure about it.

At Imperial University, beside a pavilion with an artificial stream flowing through it, sparkling ice crystals, and the tinkling sound of water, Empress Zhangsun, Consort Yang, Consort Yin, and several other concubines of Emperor Taizong of Tang had just finished a unique music lesson.

He's sitting here looking quite relaxed right now.

Not far away, the Imperial Guards and the soldiers of the Six Guards of the Eastern Palace were on high alert.

"Goodness, there are so many children born. Does that mean every household in Bingzhou has one?"

"Not only that, this is just Bingzhou Road. I heard that in the Turkic herder families in Zhenbei Road, almost every household has pregnant women giving birth. The people have no shortage of food and drink, no worries about work, and no fear of war, so they are going all out to have babies."

"Hehehe, doesn't Sister Yin want to give You'er a younger brother or sister?"

“Me? Me? I’ll give birth myself? You all know what’s going on with His Majesty these days. He’s so busy he’s practically never on the go. He’s so asleep he can’t even be woken up… But it’s alright, it’s made things easier for the Empress.”

Women tend to become bolder when no outsiders are around.

Empress Zhangsun watched this scene with a smile.

Ever since their own Crown Prince Chengqian told them that they could visit the Imperial University in their spare time, they came once or twice and then fell in love with the place.

Everything here is so novel, and it's nothing like the dullness of Yangcheng Palace.

Walking on the street, you can see many female students wearing stylish school uniforms, smiling and laughing with each other.

Suddenly, Empress Zhangsun noticed Consort Wei, whose figure was always so prominent, but whose smile was clearly somewhat forced.

By calculating the time, one can already tell what the other person is worried about.

Gently hold the other person's hand.

"Don't worry, Chengqian is not the kind of person who kills innocent people indiscriminately, and you have pleaded for him before His Majesty quite a few times."

Consort Wei's smile was somewhat forced, but she nodded slightly upon hearing the Empress's words of comfort.

"Thank you, sister. My cousin has committed a grave offense, and I don't want to plead for him, but... at least I hope that the innocent children of the Wei family can still save their lives."

Taiyuan Prefecture.

Ignoring the cold wind and snow outside, Changsun Wuji lifted the carriage curtain.

Looking at the streets of Taiyuan Prefecture, which had become significantly more prosperous in just over three months since he left, he felt a sense of awe.

My heart is filled with emotion and relief.

He held a letter, which the Crown Prince had sent to Chang'an on his behalf, urging him to return as soon as possible. He held it carefully in his hand.

The fact that he had lost it and then got it back made it all the more precious to him.

"Master, shall we return to the manor first? The two young masters are already waiting for you there..."

The steward asked somewhat excitedly, but Changsun Wuji's eyes flashed sharply.

"Young Master?! His Highness the Crown Prince is waiting for me to report for duty. I have no time to have a meal with those two! Go directly to Yangcheng Palace!"

"Damn the Wei family of Jingzhao! Not only did they cause me to lose my title, but they also made me lose my position as the chief official of the Yellow River water conservancy for three months!"

"Today I'll prove them wrong and have their entire family executed!"