The Prodigal Son of Zhenguan

"In previous years, the court also suffered disasters. According to the convention, officials were sent to provide disaster relief and appease the people." Empress Changsun said, "The weather is unpredictable and cannot be changed by human power. There was a flood in the third year of Wude."

Li Shimin sighed.

The third year of Wude, looking back, that was seven years ago.

"Erlang is worried." Empress Changsun said softly.

Li Shimin's body stiffened, and then nodded slightly.

"In fact, there is nothing to worry about. Since it was known, the court has already started to act." Empress Changsun said.

She understood what her husband was worried about.

This year is a crucial year for him, the entire court and even the entire Tang Dynasty.

Especially for the emperor.

The first year of the change of the reign.

Such disasters occurred because of the worry about rumors among the people.

That incident has not passed yet.

It is because of the worry that the disaster will become an excuse to attack the emperor's reputation.

"In the next few days, reports from all over the country will be sent to Chang'an continuously." Li Shimin said.

At this point, Li Shimin exhaled.

It's easy to fight a war, but it's hard to defend the world.

It's easy to be a prince who fights, but it's hard to be a good emperor.

"There are many wise and capable ministers in the court, and they will naturally share Erlang's worries, so Erlang doesn't need to worry too much." Empress Changsun said: "With more people, things will be easier to handle. Even if it's a big thing, it will become a small matter when you look at it separately. Just follow the routine."

Li Shimin nodded slightly, stretched out his hand and held Empress Changsun's hand, his eyes full of tenderness.

"I went to my father today." Empress Changsun said: "My father also asked if there was a disaster outside recently. It rained so hard in autumn and it lasted for so long."

"What did you say?" Li Shimin asked.

"I know very little about things outside the inner court." Empress Changsun said, "Father said that a letter was sent from the farm in Jingyang County to report safety."

"It was written by Li Fu, right?" Li Shimin said, "He is in the farm, and the farmers there will not suffer any loss. If there is anything, he is also the backbone there. Moreover, if he encounters something that cannot be settled, he would have come to the palace long ago. Now there is no movement, and the Jingyang County government has not reported it, which means that everything is fine."

"He has not been to Chang'an for a long time. Cheng Qian asked about it yesterday." Empress Changsun smiled and said, "I can only say that the weather has been bad recently. It has just rained so hard, and the roads are muddy. It is inconvenient for him to come to Chang'an."

Li Shimin chatted with Empress Changsun for a while, and felt much more relaxed.

At least, his thoughts will not be trapped in the problem of worrying about his reputation because of the flood caused by the autumn rain.

Once the thoughts are trapped, it is easy to get stuck in a dead end.

A few days later, early in the morning, when it was slightly light, Li Shimin received another urgent report.

The messenger entered the main hall of Lizheng Palace.

"The Ying River burst its dike, and Linying County was flooded. The entire county was submerged, and the people suffered heavy casualties. The local people reported to the court and begged the court to send people to Linying County."

"What?!" Li Shimin's eyes widened.

The Ying River burst its dike!!!

Li Shimin's hands under the table slowly clenched into fists, but his facial expression quickly returned to normal.

"I know, leave." Li Shimin waved his hand.

Adding insult to injury.

Empress Changsun walked in from the side hall.

"Your Majesty, it's time to go to court." Changsun reminded.

She had heard the messenger's words behind the curtain just now.

Li Shimin still sat there in silence.

"Just now, you also heard it." Li Shimin said.

Empress Changsun nodded slightly.

"I heard it." Empress Changsun said: "If your majesty wants to have a clear mind, you might as well find someone to discuss it before going to court."

Li Shimin looked up and looked at Changsun.

After a long time, he asked the eunuch to pass the message, and he also packed up and went to the side hall of Taiji Hall first.

This time, Li Shimin only summoned Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling, and informed them of the matter in advance.

"Minister Gao went to provide disaster relief and took a group of people away. Now this matter has happened again. Who should the court send? This is the most important problem." Fang Xuanling thought.

"The Ministry of Revenue, food..." Changsun Wuji groaned.

When mentioning food, Li Shimin's eyes flickered.

"Wang De."

"I'm here." Wang De responded.

"Send someone to Jingyang County to urgently summon King Jingyang to Chang'an. After arriving in Chang'an, come to the palace to see me immediately." Li Shimin said.

"Yes."

Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling looked at each other."Your Majesty, do you want to send King Jingyang to Linying?" Changsun Wuji asked.

"Yes." Li Shimin responded: "Not only King Jingyang, there is another person in his farm who also wants to go."

As soon as Li Shimin said this, they thought of it.

Yan Lide.

"There is another person in the Craftsmanship Supervisor who is proficient in water conservancy and can also go." Fang Xuanling said: This person's name is Jiang Que. In the eighth year of Wude, he was a doctor in the Water Department. He opened a five-section weir in Longzhou to divert water for transportation. At the beginning of the year, he was transferred to Chang'an and worked with Yan Lide as a junior craftsman."

"Then go!" Li Shimin nodded.

"Your Majesty, why do you want to send King Jingyang?" Changsun Wuji didn't understand: "King Jingyang doesn't seem to be very good at this. Moreover, Chang'an is far away from Linying, and the emperor is..."

This job is a pain to go out.

Li Fu, can he do it?

"With Yan Lide and Jiang Que here, it's okay. "Li Shimin said: "Just now, Prime Minister Fang mentioned Jiang Que. I thought about it carefully and remembered this person. This person is both civil and military. He is a talent. He followed King Jingyang to Linying. Prime Minister Fang chose the right person."

"As for another reason, there are four large granaries on his farm. If nothing else, it would be faster to take the grain from two granaries than to dispatch it from the surrounding areas. Moreover, the situation in Guanzhong is not optimistic. It is even more difficult to dispatch grain from the surrounding areas. It is better to let him set off directly from Jingyang County to solve the urgent needs of the court. ”

This autumn, the entire Guanzhong region suffered a huge loss of grain.

Li Shimin needed to ask the Ministry of Revenue to keep more for the bottom line.

Therefore, he remembered what Li Fu had told him, that the four large granaries on the farm could be used at will.

But then again, although the grain in the granaries was all old grain, some were one, two, or even three or four years old.

But that was also bought with money, and the court could use it at any time, but the bill had to be paid.

Otherwise, the Jingyang King's house, no matter how big the property was, could not withstand such a dig.

At the beginning, Li Fu told Li Shimin that if the national treasury was really in trouble.

Then 70% could be paid, and the remaining 30% would be regarded as Li Fu, the Jingyang King, as a son of the Li family, making a contribution to the Li family's world.