I am Li Shen and Li Shimin, the free kings of the Tang Dynasty

"Yes, Your Majesty, I thank you on their behalf.

The prince is kind-hearted and understands the hardships of these slaves.

The prince is a kind-hearted man with a bodhisattva heart..."

"Alright, alright, what you said is a bit false. Logically, you and I have studied together.

How come your writing is so poor? Don’t you have any new words?

Where did you read all this book?"

Li Shen interrupted Shitou who was about to continue flattering him and said with a look of disgust.

Hearing Li Shen's words, Shitou said with a bitter face:

"Your Majesty, I started studying with you when I was six years old. I studied for five or six years, and then I followed you out of the palace.

I have never learned those profound knowledge."

"Why, you're blaming me for delaying your chance to take the imperial examination?

You think you have profound knowledge, but you fell asleep before me in class. How dare you say you didn’t learn anything?

Even if I ask you to learn, you can learn nothing."

Li Shen suddenly said angrily.

"Your Majesty, I also know a lot of words and understand a lot of principles."

Stone made a clever argument.

Only Shitou dared to quibble in front of his master, just like Wang De. Although Li Shen was kind, no one else dared to cross the line.

Shitou and Li Shen grew up together, and Li Shen really treats him as a family member.

That's why Stone dares to be so presumptuous.

"Get lost now. I don't want to bother with you. Just get your job done. Read more books in the future and you won't be able to flatter anyone."

Li Shen cursed impatiently.

"Oh, life is so beautiful. Please read the new storybook to me."

Li Shen lay down comfortably again, took a sip of juice and closed his eyes.

~~~~~~~~

"Your Highness, it has not rained in Gyeonggi Province, Hebei Province, parts of Henan Province, and eastern Longyou for several months.

There is drought in many places.”

In the Liangyi Hall, the heads of the three provinces and six ministries gathered here and held a small court meeting.

At this moment, the Minister of the Central Secretariat Ma Zhou was holding a memorial to the emperor and reporting.

"drought?"

Li Chengqian frowned as he walked on the dragon throne.

"How could there be a drought? Aren't we building water conservancy projects every year these years?

Especially Gyeonggi Province, Hebei Province, and Henan Province, which are close to Chang'an, had been renovated several years ago.

I remember a record of a memorial. "

"Your Majesty, this is indeed true." Minister of Works Yan Lide stepped forward to report.

He was appointed as the Minister of Works because he was appreciated by Li Shimin after he built Cuiwei Palace and Yuhua Palace for him last year.

"Then why are there still drought areas? Haven't you checked?"

Li Chengqian spoke in a serious tone, somewhat like his father Li Shimin, with an air of authority without even getting angry.

“Your Highness, I failed in my duty and did not check. Local authorities reported that there had been no rain for several months and the rivers did not have much water.

That’s why it’s like this, it can only irrigate some farmland.”

Yan Lide quickly bowed and admitted his mistake.

"Send someone to investigate immediately."

Li Chengqian gave the order.

"Yes, I obey your order."

"Your Highness, there is one more thing. Many places are dry and rainless, and some evil spirits are causing trouble among the people.

Deceiving the people and spreading rumors."

Changsun Wuji stepped forward to report.

"Oh? What rumor?" Li Chengqian asked curiously.

“It’s basically the same as before. Some are swindlers, claiming to be gods who can bring rain, and try to trick people out of their money.

Some say that the court is angry with the people.

However, this year, some people are talking about His Royal Highness, but that is normal and you don't need to pay attention to it.

I would like to ask His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to make it clear how these people should be dealt with, whether to arrest them or kill them. "

Changsun Wuji continued to report.

These things happen every year, people say that the court oppresses the people, that Your Majesty is incompetent in martial virtue, and this year it is the prince's turn to be criticized. It is not surprising at all.

Li Chengqian had also experienced these things, but he couldn't accept that someone was talking about himself.

He could imagine what the people would say about him.

It's nothing more than that you have angered the earth, or you are immoral and incompetent, or you have done something that has angered God and displeased Him.

This happened often when he was old.

Li Chengqian thought for a while and said:

"If a swindler defrauds money, he must return the stolen money and do three years of hard labor.

If the crime is serious, five years of hard labor.

If anyone commits adultery, rapes women, or causes death... he shall be executed immediately."

"Yes, Your Highness, what about the person who spread the rumor?"

Changsun Wuji continued to ask.

"Let's handle it according to the law. Those who organized the rumor spread should be executed immediately. Let's give lighter sentences to the others."

"Your Highness, please be merciful."

"Ah~~~ I hope it can rain sooner. Ask the Historian Bureau if it will rain this month.

In the end, it is the people who suffer.”

Li Chengqian sighed and announced the end of the court session.

~~~~~~~

"Boom!!!"

Perhaps it was because he heard the thoughts of Li Chengqian and Li Shen that the situation changed dramatically that night.

There was a strong wind and thunder and lightning.

Li Shen was awakened by the shock while lying on Lu Dingniang's bed.

"My dear, it's going to rain. Should we close the windows to avoid catching a cold?"

It seemed that Li Shen had woken up, and Lu Dingniang had also woken up. She heard the noise outside and asked.

"It's okay, go to sleep. It's a good chance to cool down. The rain can't get in anyway."

Li Shen hugged Lu Dingniang and patted her chest to comfort her. When he heard the thunder, he instinctively wanted to shout, "It's raining, time to put away the clothes."

There is a long corridor outside the window, which is so wide that rain cannot enter the house, so Li Shen is not worried.

"Your Majesty, do you have any instructions?"

Outside, a maid heard that the prince and princess had woken up, and hurriedly asked in a low voice.

"It's nothing, go and have a rest."

Li Shen said that it was going to rain, and he didn't need to worry about what to do, as the stewards in the palace would do it.

For example, some windows must be closed to prevent rain from entering.

"Go to sleep, my lady. The rain won't be heavy. It should just last for a while."

Hugging Lu Dingniang, Li Shen said softly.

"Boom~~~"

"Boom~~~Crack~~~~"

The Thunder God outside was quite large, with lightning flashing from time to time. Lu Dingniang was holding Li Shen, and it could be seen that

Lu Dingniang was also somewhat frightened.

There is too much thunder and lightning outside.

The light in the bedroom flickered from time to time.

Li Shen could vaguely hear the sound of someone running outside, probably the servants preparing for rain.

Not long after, a "哗~~" sound was heard outside. The heavy rain was pouring down, hitting the eaves with a crackling sound.

Li Shen still remembered the saying, if Thunder God sings first, there will not be much rain.

The rain was just as Li Shen had expected, a thunderstorm. It was quite heavy, but only lasted for a while.

Although the rain stopped, the thunder and lightning did not stop.

Li Shen didn't even know when he fell asleep. He woke up in the morning with dark circles under his eyes, which showed that he didn't get enough rest.

After washing up, Li Shen came to the dining hall where everyone was waiting for him.

"Ahaha~~~ Let's eat."

Li Shen yawned.

"Didn't your Majesty sleep well last night?"

Wu Meiniang asked.

"How could I sleep with such loud thunder last night?

It must be some bastard who violated the laws of heaven and did something that angered heaven and man, which is why heaven is striking him with so many thunders.

I don’t know where this bastard came from.”

Li Shen cursed and started drinking porridge.

"My Lord, something bad has happened. The East Palace was struck by lightning last night."

“Pfft~~~~~”