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

Just as Li Shen was talking about things, an urgent report came from outside.

Shitou hurried out, and a guard came in with a businessman.

"I see His Highness Prince Ji."

After coming in, the man immediately saluted Li Shen respectfully.

Li Shen nodded.

"Shi Wang, this is urgent news from the northwest." The man took out a bamboo tube as thick as a finger and handed it to Wang Xuance.

After Wang Xuance took it, he waved his hand and asked the man to leave.

Li Shen just watched the whole process. He didn't need to intervene because he knew that this was the information sent by the intelligence organization that Wang Xuance was in charge of.

After everyone had left, Wang Xuance checked the bamboo tube, which had contact marks and corresponding codes to ensure the authenticity of the message.

The sealing is completed and the mark is clear.

Wang Xuance then opened the seal and took out a paper scroll.

"Your Highness, please take a look." Wang Xuance handed the note to Li Shen.

"Please translate it first and then read it." Li Shen did not move.

Wang Xuance immediately stood up and took a book from Li Shen’s bookshelf, then unfolded the note and began to flip through the pages.

Finally, he picked up the pen and wrote words on the blank paper from time to time.

Soon the blank paper was filled with words. After the translation was completed, Wang Xuance read it carefully and was a little surprised.

“Your Majesty, 30% of the leaders of the tribes in the northwest have died, and even two of the leaders of the rebel army have died.

Eleven officials died in Anxi Protectorate.

And Qu Zhiping is critically ill."

"What did you say!!" Li Shen sat up suddenly, snatched the information from Wang Xuance's hand and took a look at it.

What was written above was the same as what Wang Xuance said, and there were also a lot of names below.

"How can this be possible? You bastard, you are so arrogant and have no regard for the law."

Li Shen cursed a few times, his hands shaking with anger.

There are only a few leaders in Thirty Percent of the rebels. It would be fine if the rebel leaders died, but they actually dared to kill officials and even the prefect.

Li Shen cast his eyes on the invitation, read it carefully, and threw the note away after a moment.

“Bullshit, so many people died of illness, is there a plague breaking out in the northwest?

And Qu Zhiping was obviously poisoned."

Li Shen was extremely angry. He killed people like grass and didn't take human life seriously at all.

"Your Highness, this matter is obviously related to the affairs of Xizhou. This is murder to silence witnesses. Anyone who can do such a big thing can also control the affairs of Xizhou."

Wang Xuance inferred.

"Of course I know this. In order to cover up the crime, he actually killed so many people."

"Your Highness, do you think it was Prince Jin who did it? He has the ability and the purpose." Wang Hongfu guessed.

"I don't rule out this possibility, but I've been keeping an eye on Prince Jin for a while now and haven't noticed anything unusual."

Wang Xuance replied.

"Li Zhi is the most suspicious person now, but I have a question. I don't think Li Zhi may have come up with the Xizhou incident.

He had never been to Xizhou and knew nothing about it, including the local officials and leaders.

With his intelligence, I don't believe he planned this. There must be someone behind the scenes directing him."

Li Shen's expression was somewhat serious. He felt that Li Zhi did not have such wisdom yet.

"Your Highness, do you mean that someone is giving him advice? The Prince of Jin's Mansion does have two advisers."

After hearing this, Wang Xuance thought about it and realized that it was indeed true. The Prince of Jin was only twenty years old.

Li Shen showed disdain on his face:

"No matter who he is, Li Zhi is the primary suspect, and we will definitely target him.

And no matter who did it, I will not let him live in peace."

"What does your Highness mean?" Wang Hongfu asked puzzledly.

Li Shen smiled and said meaningfully:

"How could the court not know about such a big thing? If you want to keep things quiet, it depends on whether I agree or not.

The news was immediately spread that rebellion broke out in the northwest, all tribal leaders were killed, more than 20 officials of the Protectorate were killed, and the local governor Qu Zhiping was poisoned.

War will soon break out in the northwest.”

"Your Highness, such rumors are a serious crime. If it is discovered that they were spread by Prince Ji's Mansion, I'm afraid Your Highness will be severely punished."

As the Chief Secretary, Wang Xuance had to remind him.

Li Shen did not care:

"It's okay. Just spread the word among merchants. Even if you catch him, just say he came back from the northwest. Such things happen there.

It’s just that the rumor has spread more widely.”

Rumors are something that only wise people can spread. Whether in ancient times or modern times, there has never been a shortage of brainless followers.

Exaggerate the matter and then tell others about it.

"Then leave this matter to me." Upon hearing that it was a business matter, Wang Hongfu immediately volunteered.

Li Shen nodded. They were all familiar with this kind of thing and didn't need him to teach them.

"Oh, there is one more thing." Li Shen suddenly remembered that Chebi Khan refused to enter the court.

His father told him to solve it, but Li Shen felt that everyone was resting and should not be asked to work overtime. In addition, Li Shen was busy building the Ice and Snow City these days and forgot about it.

“Old Wang, you must immediately send people to Liangzhou and Lingzhou to stop all transactions with Chebi State and impose commercial sanctions on it.

A notice was sent to all Tiele tribes, stating that Prince Ji’s Palace would no longer have any transactions with any tribe that had dealings with the Chebi Kingdom.

The reason is simple. The Chebi Kingdom is arrogant and does not respect the superior country and is disrespectful to the Heavenly Khan. I am very angry and the consequences will be serious.

Tell them that if anyone dares to purchase cow and sheep skins from Chebi Country privately, don’t blame me for being rude.

Also, this is a good opportunity to annex Chebi Kingdom."

Li Shen gave a wicked smile at last. These barbarians might pretend to obey the Tang Dynasty but they would be more enthusiastic than anyone else in occupying the territory legally.

"Yes, I will send someone to inform you immediately after I return." Wang Hongfu immediately accepted the order.

"Your Majesty, are you going to use military force against Chebi?" Wang Xuance had a high level of political awareness, higher than Li Shen, and he guessed the general idea as soon as he heard it.

"That's right. We should impose economic sanctions on them first, and cut off their food supply during the lean season between winter and spring."

Li Shen nodded.

"Your Majesty is indeed wise. These barbarians think they have taken advantage of us and think that we are giving them large quantities of food.

Little did they know that they were holding their lifeline.

They traded all their cattle and sheep to us. If we cut off their food supply, the remaining cattle and sheep would not be enough to feed so many people.

Your Majesty is able to plan and win battles thousands of miles away. I admire you..."

Wang Hongfu praised him a lot, which made Li Shen feel very comfortable.

Li Shen had not thought of any food strategy at the beginning. He simply wanted to bring back the cattle and sheep for breeding.

You can get both beef and mutton, as well as furs.

But later it was discovered that this group of people no longer farmed, and all raised cattle and sheep, because the price of food Li Shen gave them was too cheap.

There was no other way. The Tang Dynasty had sufficient grain, but too much old grain. Li Shen could not use it all up to make wine, so he could only sell it at a low price.

The continuous output of two seasons of rice in the south made the Tang Dynasty have abundant food supplies.

(The incident with Chebi Kingdom was true. He refused to enter the court, so Li Shimin ordered him to be executed.)