After settling in, preparing for a day, and explaining some things, Li Mu took the gift he had prepared - a copybook of Wang Xizhi taken from the Lingshe Cave, and took the whole family on a Chidao 'special train' and rushed to Chang'an City.
Li Tai also went back with him, and Ma Zhou temporarily managed all the major and minor matters in Luoyang City.
To Li Mu's surprise, Mrs. Lu also insisted on going to Chang'an. He was a little worried, but he couldn't resist Mrs. Lu's insistence and agreed. It seemed that with the protection of the bearded guest, it shouldn't be a big problem, and Mrs. Lu was not an impulsive person.
Since she dared to propose going to Chang'an, she must have a way to protect herself and escape.
So the whole family returned to Chang'an.
Li Mu did not have a mansion in Chang'an, so Li Tai wanted to give up his mansion to Li Mu. Anyway, he always lived in the palace during the Chinese New Year. But Li Mu refused, he preferred Xiaoyao Valley. Like is
On the one hand, on the other hand, when he built Xiaoyao Valley, he deliberately dug a secret tunnel so that if things changed, he could leave easily.
This is what makes Li Mu feel tired. I don't know when he started to have to prepare a way out for himself when facing Li Shimin.
Chidao has been built and officially put into use. This is also the first time for Li Mu to ride on this thing. When he came back to Qizhou last time, it had not been officially opened to traffic.
The basic principle of a track is no different from that of a train track, except that the texture changes from steel to wood. Of course, wood is not as durable as steel, and its service life will be shorter, but after special anti-corrosion treatment, there will be no problem in five or six years.
There is no shortage of wood in the Tang Dynasty. If it breaks down at any time, it can be repaired at any time. Moreover, Li Mu predicts that in five or six years, the steel smelting technology will have taken shape. By then, it is not impossible to replace this section of road with railway tracks.
matter.
Of course, everything depends on the situation. If the economic benefits generated by the Chidao are not as high as imagined, and the people and businessmen feel that having a Chidao and not having a Chidao are the same thing, then it is impossible for the Chidao to be broken.
It needs to be repaired again. But if Chidao is used well by the people and the court, it is comfortable to use and inseparable, then the court will definitely do it without Li Mu's intervention.
When Li Mu actually sat on the special train from Chidao, he knew that his worries were unnecessary. Because Chidao had just started and the capacity was limited, there were only four trains to each other every day, that is, four trains from Chang'an to Luoyang and four trains from Luoyang to Chang'an.
There are two trips in the morning and two in the evening, with ten cars each time. This morning, all the trains to Luoyang were covered by Li Mu, causing the goods to pile up at the station.
But no one dares to complain. Who doesn’t know that Chidao is owned by Li Muxiu? If you complain to him, you will lose the qualification to use Chidao. How much impact will it have on the business?
With the Chidao, the three-day journey can be shortened six times, and it can be reached in a day or night. Moreover, there are patrols on the Chidao every day, so safety is guaranteed. However, if the previous route is followed, it will not only take a long time, but also
There are also safety hazards. If people eat horse chews, it is all a waste of money.
Using Chidao, all problems are solved. This makes people who were originally worried about investing money to build Chidao feel happy and secretly curse themselves for being so stupid and not buying more bonds. Looking at this situation,
It is not impossible for bonds to multiply tenfold.
The "special train" ran on the track much more smoothly than Li Mu imagined. After sleeping on the train, when he opened his eyes, he had already arrived at the platform of Chang'an City.
The four-wheeled carriage from Zhaojun Li's Car Shop has been waiting here for a long time. How could they miss this opportunity to flatter him?
The family members, all saluting, were sent directly to Xiaoyao Valley according to Li Mu's wishes. Li Mu and Li Tai followed Eunuch Gao and his entourage directly into the palace. It was almost dusk, and Li Mu was determined to stay in the palace tonight.
When they arrived at the gate of the imperial city, Li Chengqian had already been waiting here, his eyes blank with boredom. When he saw Li Mu coming, his eyes lit up and he ran over, wanting to take the reins of Li Mu's horse.
Eunuch Gao couldn't stand it anymore and coughed, intending to remind Li Chengqian that this move was inappropriate. But Li Chengqian just looked at him, took the reins, and said with a smile on his face: "Brother, I have waited for you to come back.
, please help me beg my father for mercy. If we use troops against Goguryeo next year, I can’t be left out!"
Li Tai was ignored, and he didn't care. He nodded to Li Mu, then dismounted and went to the Lizheng Palace to pay his respects to Queen Changsun. Although he was a prince, he was not qualified to ride a horse in the imperial city.
.
Li Mu was qualified to ride a horse, but no matter how strong he was, he could not let the prince lead the horse for him. He got off the horse and walked side by side with Li Chengqian. Eunuch Gao followed behind him and saw clearly the backs of the two young men in front of him.
, I secretly thought, if nothing happens, these two people will be your majesty and uncle in the future. The older generation is younger, the father is younger, and the family is passed down from generation to generation. Isn’t that what it is?
Eunuch Gao sighed in his heart, and a group of people walked to the Tai Chi Palace. The young eunuch had already reported the news. Li Shimin stood in the palace and looked out, and saw Li Mu walking over. He walked to the door deliberately, but was afraid that it would appear that he was too looking forward to it.
, sat down, picked up a memorial, and pretended to read it, creating a busy look, not at all like he was restless and waiting for a whole day.
"Your Majesty, the Marquis of Luoyang wants to see you." Eunuch Gao announced at the door. After a pause, Li Shimin's response came: "Well, I'm here, come in."
Li Mu stepped into the palace, and when he turned around, Li Chengqian had already run away. He was recently ordered by Li Shimin to study, and logically he should not leave the East Palace. Otherwise, he would not be waiting for Li Mu at the gate of the imperial city, and would have gone directly to the Chang'an platform to wait.
.
The palace door slowly closed, and Li Mu took two steps forward, bowed slightly, and waited for Li Shimin to finish reading the memorial.
Li Shimin used the fold to block it, raised his head and glanced at Li Mu, and hummed: "I thought you didn't dare to come back. Take a closer look to see if there is a swordsman hidden behind the pillars of the hall. It's still too late to run away now."
Li Mu was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said: "What did your majesty say? How dare I speculate on your majesty? I just feel that my family and fiefdoms are all in Luoyang now, and I spent the Chinese New Year in Luoyang. It's not that I don't miss your majesty.
I originally planned to return to Chang'an on the third or fifth day of the Lunar New Year, and come to pay my respects to His Majesty and the Supreme Emperor. No, Your Majesty asked Eunuch Gao to come to recruit you, and I came immediately."
As he spoke, Li Mu took out a short scroll from his sleeve, presented it with both hands, and said: "Your Majesty, I searched for it for a while before I got a gift that is worthy of your Majesty's eyes."
"A gift?" Li Shimin reached out to take it and muttered: "What other gifts do I need from you?" Before he finished speaking, Li Shimin suddenly stood up, looked at the scroll in his hand in shock, and said: "This is, this
Is it Wang Xizhi’s authentic work?!”
"Yes." Li Mu smiled and nodded, and said: "I spent a lot of effort to buy this 'Fei Bai Tie'. I have already seen it with an expert. It is guaranteed to be authentic. I don't dare to enjoy it."
Wait for the treasure to be presented to His Majesty."
"Okay!" Li Shimin said happily: "Filial piety is commendable. It seems that I really misunderstood you."
Li Mu sighed and said, "People often misunderstand me, and I am used to it."
The king and his ministers looked at each other and smiled, understanding each other tacitly.
In fact, they both understand that Wang Xizhi's copybook is just a step up. There must be such a thing. Whether it is a copybook or something else, the effect is the same.
Li Shimin asked people to move to Jindun and motioned Li Mu to sit down. The monarch and his ministers faced each other. Li Shimin looked at Li Mu. Li Mu looked at him indifferently, and the atmosphere became a little subtle.
In the past, when Li Shimin met Li Mu, it was always very lively. No matter what the emperor and his ministers said, they were always noisy and never stopped. But this time they met, the emperor and his ministers were a lot stranger invisibly. Li Shimin said several times
I want to speak, but I can't find the entry point.
"You have a beard." Li Shimin said, "You have a beard, which means you have grown up."
"Do people always have to grow up?" Li Mu smiled, more steadily than Li Shimin, because he could probably guess what Li Shimin wanted to say and what he wanted to ask. Some words don't need to be said, and he
It's not appropriate to speak first. You have to wait for Li Shimin to speak first.
"Why don't you ask why I am so anxious to see you?"
"Your Majesty is well-informed, and bad people are everywhere. What can I hide from your Majesty?" Li Mu sighed softly and said: "As your Majesty knows, I have already met my biological mother Lu, and as your Majesty said
I think so, I am indeed the son of Prince Yin."
Li Shimin showed a strange look. He did not expect that Li Mu would dare to admit it and asked: "Aren't you afraid that I will kill you?"
Li Mu smiled and said: "I have full confidence in your majesty. If your majesty is such a narrow-minded person, just like the previous emperor Yangdi, then I have nothing to say."
Li Shimin was silent for a while and then asked: "Now that you know the truth, you don't hate me?"
Li Shimin called himself 'I' instead of me, which showed that he felt guilty about this matter. Li Mu keenly captured this subconscious reaction, and he was silent for a while and said: "Your Majesty, if I say,
If you don’t hate it, does your Majesty believe it?”
Li Shimin thought for a while and shook his head.
Li Mu sighed and said: "Your Majesty doesn't believe it, and everyone in the world doesn't believe it either. But what I said is true."
What Li Shimin was about to say was interrupted by Li Mu: "Your Majesty, please listen to what I have to say. Regarding emotion, reason, and filial piety, I should hate Your Majesty to the core. Only in this way can I be the son of a man. Yes, the truth is true.
But after thinking about it, I really don’t think so.”
"I thought about this matter carefully, and gradually I became clearer."
"It's true that Prince Yin is my biological father. But as a father, he has never fulfilled his father's responsibility for a day. Even if he hadn't met Mrs. Lu by accident, I would never believe it in my life.
He is the son of Prince Yin. I only remember that I was raised by the Sun family in Mayi, and I also only remember that my mother told me that my father is called Li Gan, and he is a halberd commander in the Tang Dynasty."
"These feelings have been accumulated bit by bit after I have lived for so long. And it is really difficult for me to be filled with righteous indignation for a biological father I have never met. This is one."
"Another point is that I have heard many people talk about what happened back then, including what was involved when I chatted with the Supreme Emperor. I can understand your Majesty's behavior back then. It was a life-and-death situation. Your Majesty or Prince Yin could only
Live. Your Majesty has won, and it is Your Majesty who is sitting here now. If Your Majesty had lost, maybe the Queen, Cheng Qian, and Qing Que would all be gone now."
Li Shimin nodded subconsciously, then shook his head, and finally sighed: "Li Mu, I can't lie to you. In fact, if the eldest brother wins, maybe he will circumvent my life - the one who really doesn't circumvent me is Li Yuanji, he is the one who wants to
The one who wants my life, but my eldest brother and Li Yuanji have always been together, so in the end, it may still be what you said."
Li Mu did not dwell on this matter and continued: "Your Majesty, what happened back then is in the past. What I said is only one aspect. What really made me give up the idea of revenge was not these."
"What is that?"
Li Mu said seriously: "Your Majesty, I just look at this matter rationally."
Li Shimin said nothing and signaled Li Mu to continue speaking.
"I thought about it for a moment, what are the possible consequences of taking revenge or not taking revenge."
"Revenge, let's not talk about whether I am willing in my heart, but to avenge a so-called father who has not fulfilled his responsibilities as a father for a day, let's put aside the emotional aspect and only talk about the feasibility. I also think it is an unfeasible thing.
Today in the Tang Dynasty, there are many virtuous ministers and famous generals, with more than a hundred Zhechong mansions and millions of brave soldiers. How can a rebellion succeed?"
Li Shimin said proudly: "This is to the point. As long as I am not old and the soldiers from back then are still in the army, I will know in my heart that those who lost to me back then will not be able to win now."
Li Mu ignored Li Shimin's arrogance and continued: "There is also the question of whether you want to think about it or not. Your Majesty knows your temperament. If you are used to being lazy, you are like a lazy donkey. Unless someone whips you, you will be beaten.
I won’t move. Even if His Majesty gives me the emperor’s throne, I can’t do it. In short, this is something I don’t want to do.”
"For something that you don't want to do in the first place, you cause chaos in the world and make the people uneasy. What is this?" Li Mu spread his hands and said: "This is called thankless effort. Why is it so hard for me to think about doing such a thing?
Woolen cloth?"
"If your majesty is a foolish king who is too unreasonable and unreasonable, I will have to stand up. But your majesty is obviously doing a good job, at least he will definitely do better than me. Why should I risk the disapproval of the world?"
"On the other hand, if I don't do these things, I should do whatever I have to do. I believe that I have the ability to do something for the Tang Dynasty and the people. If I let you choose for the rest of my life, it will be a trap for rebellion and revenge.
People should make inventions and create things to benefit the people. I want to choose the latter." After a pause, Li Mu continued: "If His Majesty really doesn't tolerate Li Mu, Li Mu would rather stay away from overseas than be a villain who harms the people.