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

The Wang family mansion in Taiyuan.

"Now that you are all officials, there are some things I, as the head of the Wang family, need to say to you all today..."

Mingming, more than a dozen members of the Wang family in Taiyuan obtained official positions, some as county magistrates, some as county lieutenants, some as prefectural judges, and some as county magistrates like Wang Lunke, who topped the list.

Despite the immense honor this event brought to his family, Wang Ming showed no sign of joy.

Instead, their expressions were solemn.

"You all need to understand that the reason you are still standing here as officials is not because my Wang family is of such high status, nor because I am the governor of Bingzhou, but because His Highness the Crown Prince is willing to give us a chance to save ourselves!"

He took a deep breath.

"You have already witnessed the tremendous changes that have taken place in Bingzhou Road and Taiyuan Prefecture in the past six months. The common people who were once regarded as worthless by us now have the opportunity to read and write."

"Their starting point is very low, far inferior to that of my Wang family's children, who are personally taught by renowned teachers from the very beginning, and even less inferior to that of my Wang family's children, who have a wealthy and prosperous family. They still need to work hard to make a living... However, do not use this as an excuse to spout such wild and arrogant nonsense about the fact that the aristocratic families have not been destroyed!"

Wang Ming's gaze carried a decisiveness and ruthlessness that shocked everyone present, including Wang Qingyun, the eldest son of the Wang family.

He always says something surprising.

"You must all know that the Wang family of Taiyuan has perished!"

Ignoring the shocked and puzzled looks of the crowd, Wang Ming remained silent for a long time before suddenly letting out a long sigh.

"In ten years at most, Bingzhou will surely be a land of outstanding people and abundant resources. The humble family learning of my Taiyuan Wang family will ultimately be nothing more than a mantis trying to stop a chariot in the face of His Highness the Crown Prince's vigorous promotion of new learning."

"This may be your reliance for winning the top spot now, but what about three or five years from now?"

"The details of my family's education are probably no longer something outsiders can discuss."

Inside the Wang family mansion, elders from several branches of the Taiyuan Wang clan had also arrived. At this moment, these people were behaving as respectfully as Wang Lunke and others, who were standing before Wang Ming and listening attentively.

He was quietly pondering with his head down.

"I am now the unworthy governor of Bingzhou, and I am fortunate to have been favored by the benevolent Crown Prince, who has promoted me to assist in this new policy. You, as members of the Wang family, need not worry that your talents will be wasted or that your fine horses will die young."

"When serving as an official in a region, one should think about serving the country and governing the people, bury oneself in one's work and do one's best to implement the new policies proposed by Your Highness, be diligent in learning and asking questions, and not be arrogant or conceited because of one's noble family background."

"Among your subordinates or colleagues, there will surely be many talented individuals from humble backgrounds in the future."

"The Wang family of Taiyuan can be your support when the peace and stability of the nation are hindered. They will never be your accomplices or henchmen. You should be careful in your words and deeds, humble and polite. When three people walk together, there must be one who can teach me. This is the great truth!"

"If new policies are introduced, they may damage the private wealth and property of the Wang family of Taiyuan. Do not hesitate! Always remember to prioritize the law of the land. Even if I betray the country one day, you must still take it upon yourselves to be capable ministers of the Tang Dynasty to support the nation and punish the disloyal!"

Even if one day my Wang clan loses its former glory and our ancestral halls are scattered throughout China...

"Though family learning has faded, the family tradition will not perish! The Wang family will not be destroyed!"

......

The Spring Festival is approaching.

"It looks like the people of Bingzhou will be able to have a more prosperous Spring Festival this year..."

Li Chengqian wore a scarf personally knitted by Qian Yingying around his neck. The scarf was made of bright red wool yarn that had been treated with dye, and it was paired with Li Chengqian's plain white long robe, which almost blended into the surrounding winter snow.

It did add to his popularity.

Li Chengqian stood atop the walls of Yangcheng Palace, watching the bustling scene in Taiyuan Prefecture.

It sounded like a sigh, or perhaps a self-consolation.

However, Li Tai and Li Ke, who were standing to the side, could clearly hear the dissatisfaction in their elder brother's words. Ultimately, their elder brother hoped that the people could live a better life.

As my elder brother said.

At the very least, the whole family should be able to afford meat on a daily basis, and the four of them should be able to easily have two dishes and a soup at each meal...

Is this perhaps an attempt to make the common people live like the princes?

"Now that the Eastern Turks have been pacified, as long as we take Gaochang and contain the Western Turks, the trade routes to the Western Regions will be under the control of our Great Tang. At that time, our Great Tang can send caravans, or simply lure Western Region merchants with generous gifts."

"Let them send seeds of some unique crops from the Western Regions to our Great Tang, to the Bingzhou Agricultural College for cultivation and improvement. This will greatly increase the production of fruits, vegetables and other crops in our Great Tang."

"With more crops to grow, people will have more income, and naturally, they will have more food on their tables in the future..."

Li Chengqian murmured to himself.

Li Tai and Li Ke exchanged a helpless glance.

There must be some evil influence surrounding the position of Crown Prince.

Their beloved elder brother, ever since he ascended to the position of Crown Prince, would wake up every day and look at the breakfast eaten by the six guards of the Eastern Palace, and would suddenly sigh that it would be wonderful if the Tang Dynasty had a climate as favorable as that of Lin-yi or Tian-zhu.

People can also have three meals a day.

Or perhaps it was because he heard that snow had caused carriages to slip and resulting in injuries and deaths among the people, and he felt guilty and sighed deeply.

Phrases like "If only the Tang Dynasty had rubber trees" sent chills down the spines of Li Tai and Li Ke.

all in all.

In the eyes of the two brothers, everything was booming and people's lives were getting better day by day.

In their elder brother's eyes, the Tang Dynasty was nothing more than a poor, humble country that had to swallow its pride and borrow good things from its neighbors from time to time to make ends meet...

Li Chengqian suddenly let out another long sigh.

"Ah! Slow! It's still too slow!"

"Grain accumulation is slow! Ship construction is slow! The extension of official roads is slow! Talent development is slow!"

"Hey......"

Today is the day the three brothers set off back to Chang'an to prepare for their return to the capital for the festival.

However, Li Chengqian, who was in a bad mood, looked at Wang Ming, the governor of Bingzhou, who was also in high spirits and had come to report on the development of Bingzhou this year, and suddenly sighed and grabbed the other's hand.

"My Lord Wang, I am so miserable~"

Wang Ming: "???"

For a moment, he was stunned by Li Chengqian's nonsensical sigh, and his mind went blank.

After hesitating for a moment, seeing that Princes Li Tai and Li Ke did not offer any hints, he could only cautiously inquire.

"Your Highness, is there something troubling you?"

Li Chengqian sighed deeply.

"I desire a grand imperial hospital and medical school that encompasses all the renowned doctors in the land of the Tang Dynasty."

Wang Ming: "...This, I will expedite the search and gathering."

"I want hundreds of thousands of Japanese slaves to mine and build roads for me day and night."

Wang Ming: "A few hundred thousand... isn't that a bit too much...? I'll discuss this with the Zheng family."

Some beads of sweat had already appeared on Wang Ming's forehead, indicating his unease.

However, Li Chengqian's eyes were vacant, and he looked unsatisfied as he held the other person's hand.

"I desire a steel fleet at sea."

Wang Ming: "Ah? Steel, at sea? Your Highness, steel cannot float at sea. However, I have prepared a memorial, according to your wishes, requesting Your Majesty to allow us to build a shipyard along the coast of Dengzhou in Hedong Province this year."

"To build the kind of seagoing vessel called the Treasure Ship, designed by the Imperial University's Naval Architecture Department..."

Li Chengqian nodded, seemingly finally feeling some comfort.

"Lord Wang... I wish that every family in my Great Tang Dynasty would have one or two new babies this year."

Li Tai and Li Ke, standing to the side, covered their mouths and hid away, secretly laughing.

Wang Ming was left alone, his hand held by Li Chengqian, unsure whether to leave or stay...

"Your Highness, this is a matter of childbirth. Although I am the Governor of Bingzhou, this... this is something I cannot interfere with. Wait a minute!"

Wang Ming's troubled expression suddenly changed as if he had thought of something, and his eyes lit up instantly.

Move closer to Li Chengqian.

"Your Highness, I have a plan. Although it may not be possible for the people of our Great Tang to have babies this year, at least next year, every household will surely be able to have a child."

Instantly, Li Chengqian's empty eyes snapped back to reality.

"What plan? Is it to incentivize with money?"

Wang Ming smiled and shook his head, looking at Li Chengqian, whose old face resembled an old chrysanthemum.

"Your Highness, it's not really appropriate to encourage such things with money, but we can encourage them in other ways."

Li Chengqian was taken aback, looking at the other party's increasingly ardent gaze.

Suddenly, it seemed as if I realized something.

"Your Highness, as the Crown Prince of our Great Tang Dynasty, you are now of marriageable age. My daughter, Yanran, has long admired you and is of unparalleled beauty. She is currently unmarried and has been nurtured by the Wang family's education since childhood. Your Highness..."

Li Chengqian, shocked and enraged, shouted: "Let go!"

Li Chengqian pried Wang Ming's hand off and immediately stood up.

He cursed angrily at the two figures snickering in the side hall behind him.

"Li Tai! Li Ke! Where have you been? Order the convoy to prepare to depart!"

Wang Ming hurriedly tried to catch up: "Your Highness, this old minister has not yet reported..."

"Give these things to Qian Yingying and go back to your official duties!"

......

Chang'an, Ganlu Palace.

"Yes, yes, very good, that's right, just like that..."

Li Shimin looked with satisfaction at the memorials presented by Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, Changsun Wuji, and other "cabinet members," which already contained their comments.

Nod with satisfaction.

Amidst the helpless yet respectful gazes of the others, he picked up the imperial seal from the table beside him.

He pressed the inkpad down quite solemnly, then aligned it with the blank space on the memorial.

"boom!"

"Alright! We'll proceed according to this plan!" Li Shimin handed the stamped memorial back to the other party with a satisfied expression.

He happily picked up the teacup from the table beside him.

The slurping sound produced a pleasant sensation.

"Ha! That rebellious son even told me that official business needed to be handled from 9 PM to midnight, tsk tsk tsk..."

"When that rebellious son returns, I will give him a good interrogation. It's just a few official duties, how could he trouble my crown prince to such an extent? This is deceiving the emperor!"

"I'm going to hang that rebellious son up and give him a good beating!"

Li Shimin's face was full of smugness and disdain.

He has now figured out most of how the cabinet operates.

The most troublesome problem was left to the cabinet members to figure out a solution, while he, as the emperor, only needed to consider whether their approach was appropriate.

If there are no problems, then just stamp it and have your subordinates carry it out.

If not.

Li Shimin also used seals, but these were recently made seals with the character "否" (no).

Changsun Wuji reluctantly accepted the memorial in his hand. Looking at his smug brother-in-law, the emperor, he ultimately dared not shatter the emperor's idealized image of himself as wise and mighty.

They didn't dare tell him that the current plan for establishing the "Great Tang Normal Academy" was exactly what the Crown Prince was already implementing in Bingzhou.