Datang: Let you supervise the country and become an emperor through the ages

Chapter 220 Food Issues
In Didao, Longxi, in the ancestral hall of the Li family in Longxi, Li Xin, the current patriarch of the Li family, is worshiping the ancestral tablet.

Behind Li Xin, stood two middle-aged men with long beards, Li Xin's eldest son Li Zhe and second son Li Xiang.

Li Zhe bowed and clasped his fists, "Father, the one from Chang'an City has urgently dispatched food reserves from Hedong warehouse and Chang'an warehouse, and now it has arrived in the area where there is a food shortage. The food we stockpiled is likely to rot in the warehouse."

Li Xin straightened up slowly, and a bright light flashed in his cloudy eyes, "It seems that I underestimated that person, and reacted so quickly. Both granaries have been opened. Is he dying?"

"Also, how did the food get to the place so quickly? Do our people just listen to him?"

Li Xiang took a step forward, "Father, you don't know that, the imperial court took all the food by water this time, avoiding our eyes and ears, so when we get to the place, it will be too late to plan everything."

Li Xin snorted coldly, but didn't speak, his eyes flickered, and he didn't know what he was thinking.

Li Xiang went on to say: "There is another thing. I just got the news from Chang'an. The emperor gave a guarantee to the civil and military officials. He said that the grain in the Hedong warehouse and Chang'an warehouse will be replenished within three months at most..."

"Oh?" Li Xin frowned upon hearing this, "Are you sure it's been three months? Is the news reliable?"

"The news is reliable. I checked it myself, and my brother also asked someone to confirm it. Who said it himself." Li Xiang cupped his hands again.

"The emperor really has the courage to say such a thing. Now it's spring plowing, and there are still several months before the autumn harvest. How can he dare to say that he can pay off the grain within three months?"

Li Xin snorted, "When the time limit is up, there is no way to make up the food. Let's see how he ends up!"

When he said these words, Li Xin had already begun to strategize, and he seemed to have seen Li Shimin, who was full of lawsuits.

"By the way, father, something interesting happened in Chang'an recently." Li Zhe suddenly thought of something at this moment.

"Put more attention on family matters, and don't keep staring at what you have." Li Xin frowned slightly at the elder son's words, but immediately asked, "What happened in Chang'an?"

Li Zhe thought he had offended his father, but when he heard his father's question, he quickly replied: "It's about the prince. He recently came up with a method of literacy called Hanyu Pinyin."

"It is said that with this Chinese pinyin, any Chinese character can be spelled out. Now many people in Chang'an City are learning it."

"It seems that Kong Yingda and Li Gang from Chongwen Museum both highly respect this pinyin method..."

"Pinyin method?" Li Xin sneered again and again, "Only that useless prince, who has nothing to do all day long, Kong Yingda and Li Gang, those two old fellows, were actually brought down? Do you understand that pinyin method?"

"The big housekeeper sent to Chang'an by the family has already learned it." Li Zhe nodded quickly, and then called the big housekeeper to come in.

The butler then explained the usage of Chinese Pinyin to Li Xin carefully.

At the beginning, Li Xin was dismissive of Pinyin, but when he heard the latter, Li Xin's eyes suddenly enlarged, and the teacup in his hand fell directly to the ground, and he was completely stunned.

"This, how is this possible? How could that trash come up with such a means, who is it? Who is doing it behind the scenes?"

"Pinyin method, if this method is to be popularized throughout the Tang Dynasty, my family will no longer have any advantages, what should I do!"

After all, Li Xin is the leader of the Five Surnames and Seven Hopes, and he sees everything very clearly.

When he understood the meaning behind the pinyin method, he could no longer remain calm.

Because Li Xin knew very well that once the Pinyin method was popularized throughout the Tang Dynasty, it would completely change the education structure of the Tang Dynasty, and it would also break their family's monopoly on education and talents, which would directly affect the foundation of their family.

Li Zhe and Li Xiang were surprised when they saw their father lose his composure.

Because they themselves did not see the negative impact that the pinyin method would have on the family. They only saw their father's gaffe after hearing the pinyin method, and they didn't understand what happened.

"It's over. Our family is probably about to face the biggest challenge in thousands of years!" Li Xin looked at his two sons with dull eyes, his whole face turned gloomy, as if he had aged several years in an instant.

At this moment, Fang Xuanling was reporting the situation in the disaster area to Li Shimin in the Imperial Study Room in the Imperial Palace of Chang'an City.

"Right now in Liangzhou, there is enough rice and grain, and the price has fallen back to the pre-war level. The grain passed out from Chang'an warehouse and Hedong warehouse is enough to meet the food shortage problem in the disaster area."

"But now the problem in the disaster area has been solved. But there is a big problem in Hedong and Chang'an Granary!"

Fang Xuanling's face was solemn, "Your Majesty, there is a big hole in Hedong Cang and Chang'an City. If this hole is not blocked, there will be big problems this year!"

Changsun Wuji also shook his head and said: "Yes, Your Majesty, the pressure from the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the Ministry of Household Affairs is very great now. If it doesn't work, just cut the mess quickly!"

When he said this, Changsun Wuji paused, but made a cut gesture to Li Shimin with his hand.

Li Shimin understood what Changsun Wuji meant, he wanted to directly attack the perpetrator, the Longxi Li family, but Li Shimin already had a solution, and he was not as enthusiastic about dealing with the Longxi Li family as before.

"You don't need to be nervous, since I have said that, I will naturally keep my promise, and there is no need to say anything else."

"But Your Majesty!" Wei Zheng took a step forward and said righteously: "Now we really don't have so much food in the Tang Dynasty. It has been almost two months. Could it be that Your Majesty plans to break his promise..."

Just when Wei Zheng wanted to persuade Li Shimin, an urgent report came from outside the hall.

"Report, Qi Zuo Your Majesty, Lu Guogong and E Guogong have led the army and have camped twenty miles outside the city."

"Hahaha..." Hearing the report, Li Shimin stood up abruptly, overjoyed, "My lords, didn't you ask me where the food is? I can give you the answer right now, go, follow me out of the city!"

Fang Xuanling, Changsun Wuji and the others looked at each other with bewildered expressions upon hearing the words.

"What's your majesty's meaning? Why are you so happy to hear the news of Cheng Yaojin and Yuchi Jingde's return?"

"Did His Majesty not ask them to go to Lingnan for official business, but to go to Lingnan to borrow food?"

"How is it possible? A barren land like Lingnan can't get enough food. Don't be ridiculous."

"Then why is this? Your Majesty can't be aimless!"

Seeing the ministers chattering one by one, Li Shimin laughed secretly in his heart, strode to the outside of the hall, got on the imperial chariot, and galloped out of the city.

(End of this chapter)