Time Travel: I am the idle king Li Shen and Li Shimin in the Tang Dynasty

This sentence immediately caused the following discussion:

"Wow, it seems that Prince Ji is serious this time."

"Yes, if the promise is false in front of His Majesty, wouldn't it be a crime of deceiving the emperor?"

The officials were also whispering to each other.

"What is the plan of Prince Ji?"

"Who knows? Prince Ji has always acted unconventionally, and no one can predict his future."

"I originally thought that Prince Ji was trying to defraud me again. I was just here to watch the fun and wasn't going to buy anything."

While people were discussing below, Li Tai and Li Zhi frowned. They couldn't understand what Li Shen's purpose was in doing this.

When has Li Shen ever done anything that is thankless? This guy will not do anything without profit. There must be some conspiracy.

Wang Hongfu continued:

“My dear nobles, the Sui Dynasty was at war for many years, and the population was reduced by 60 to 70 percent, and many young and strong people died.

Now more than 30 years have passed, and those who lost their children have now become elderly people with no one to rely on.

Fortunately, the imperial court was merciful and established the Beitianyuan and Jibingfang. However, due to the large number of people, the imperial court did not have enough money.

This requires capable people like us to do this, such as the orphanage built by Prince Ji and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

It feeds thousands of helpless orphans.

The Tang Dynasty needs us, and the people need us too.

Mencius said: If you are poor, you should take care of yourself; if you are rich, you should help the world.

When we have the ability, we should think about benefiting the people of the world."

This was all arranged in advance by Li Shen, first to sensationalize and then to sell the goods, so as to maximize the profits.

Then Wang Hongfu announced the official start of the auction.

Then two beautiful maids came onto the stage, carrying a painting, or rather a painting frame that was all red.

No one understood what this meant.

What is this thing you are selling? Red cloth? Red paper?

"Please look, everyone. Our first auction item today is this painting. The painter is a very famous artist.

The name of this painting is Peace and Prosperity.”

"Peace and prosperity for the country?"

Everyone below was stunned, staring at the red paper or red cloth on the stage.

Li Shimin was also a little confused at the moment. He wondered if the things they were selling were too simple.

Is he different just because he has a controversial name?

"Go, call that rebellious son to me."

Li Shimin gave the order without looking back.

Someone immediately went out to look for Li Shen.

After a while, Li Shen was brought in.

"Meet Aye, meet mother."

"Old Ten, what's going on?"

Li Shimin pointed to the following words.

"What's going on? Aye, this is a painting. And it looks quite extraordinary."

Li Shen said seriously.

"Quite extraordinary? Tell me how extraordinary it is." Li Shimin was stunned after hearing this, and asked Li Shen jokingly.

The meaning is very clear, giving you a chance to perform.

Li Shen did not explain but said directly:

"Aye, you will understand after listening to the explanation."

At this time, Wang Hongfu explained:

“Ladies and gentlemen, this painting was created by this painter who founded a new genre, and the meaning behind it is different from our previous paintings.

His paintings focus on artistic conception, which only those who truly understand can understand.

Now, Mr. Wang will explain this picture of peace and prosperity to everyone.

Why is it all red here? Do you think this red looks like blood?

Yes, this is what the artist meant.

Today, our Great Tang enjoys peace and prosperity, and is a prosperous country with a flourishing scene.

The people lived and worked in peace and contentment, the court performed its duties conscientiously, and the country was thriving.

But don’t forget that all of this was achieved by the soldiers.

Under the leadership of our wise and powerful emperor, we conquered the Turks and made the northern Tiele tribes submit.

We destroyed Gaochang, Tuyuhun, and Goguryeo.

In the past, the Sui Dynasty attacked Goguryeo three times but failed. But it was no match for our Tang Dynasty’s Erlang, and it collapsed in an instant, losing all its weapons and armor.

Today, our Great Tang Dynasty is the most powerful in the world, and all nations submit to it. This was all won with the blood of our soldiers.

The wind outside the Great Wall is blowing in sorrow, the ice on Jiaohe River has frozen over. The vast sea is covered with waves, and the Yinshan Mountains are covered with snow for thousands of miles.

Only the heroes who have followed Your Majesty know how difficult it was back then.

What this artist is expressing is that the peace and prosperity we have today is hard-won.”

After Wang Hongfu's speech, the audience fell silent. No one expected that it was just a red painting.

But there are so many truths hidden in it.

Especially those old ministers who had followed Li Shimin felt the same way.

How many of their comrades were buried in foreign lands, and how many soldiers who followed them never returned.

Thinking of their former comrades and friends-in-arms, many old officials had sad faces. Li Jing even had red eyes with tears welling up in his eyes.

The success of a general is the result of the sacrifice of countless people. It took the death of so many people to earn him the title of military god.

"Clap! Clap! Clap!"

At this time, someone on the second floor was clapping, and everyone looked up. It was Li Shimin.

"Wow~~~~"

Everyone started clapping.

"Well said. We cannot forget the soldiers who died for the Tang Dynasty." Li Shimin praised loudly.

He looked back at Li Shen. This rebellious son was so powerful sometimes that he could capture people's hearts with just one word.

Especially those two lines of poetry, they were Li Shimin's masterpieces, written after he successfully attacked the Eastern Turks.

Describe the difficulty of the war back then. There were deserts and snowy mountains.

At this time, someone asked:

"Manager Wang, I wonder who this painter is?"

Wang Hongfu smiled and said:

"I'm sorry, this painter has always been reluctant to interact with people, but I heard that he took out this treasure from his collection in order to help the people.

This painting was his first painting, or it could be said to be his first painting after he created another painting technique.

However, Wang can reveal that his ancestors also followed Your Majesty to conquer the world. "

After hearing Wang De's words, the people below stopped asking questions, but many people could see that this painting indeed created a school of thought.

It’s mainly about the artistic conception.

"It turns out that the painter of this painting also fought with me. It seems that he is also the descendant of a hero. Old Ten, do you know where this person is?

I think someone with such talent who can appreciate how hard it was to establish the Tang Dynasty can serve as an official in the imperial court."

Li Shimin also looked at Li Shen and asked.

"Father, although this person is talented and ambitious, he has no intention of becoming an official. He just wants to be an idle wanderer."

Li Shen bowed and replied.

"Alas, it's such a pity that such a talented person who knows how difficult it is for his ancestors cannot become an official."

Empress Changsun also lamented. She was also quite moved by Wang Hongfu's explanation.

Only Concubine Wei looked at her son seriously. After a long while, she sighed helplessly and said:

"Shen'er, this painting wasn't drawn by you, was it?"

"Uh..." Li Shen was speechless.

"What? You drew this picture?" Li Shimin was surprised.

"Shen'er, did you really draw this?" Empress Changsun was even more shocked.

(That sentence was really said by Mencius. I thought it was said by Guo Degang. I am so ignorant.

There is also a poem written by Li Shimin, called "Drinking Horses at the Great Wall Cave", and there is more at the end, but I only used four lines.)