Li Shimin looked at Li Mu and was silent for a long time, seeming to be thinking about whether what Li Mu said was true or false.
Li Mu remained silent, giving him time to think.
"Li Mu, do you know the allusion of a man who is guilty of carrying a jade when he is not guilty?"
Li Shimin asked suddenly, and Li Mu understood what he meant. Li Shimin was saying that Li Mu's ability was so strong that he had to be afraid.
Li Mu smiled and said: "Your Majesty, saints from ancient times are all tolerant of others. If they are worried that their ministers will outshine the master and abandon them, or kill them out of jealousy, such a person is not worthy of being called a saint.
Your Majesty, your Majesty has the ambition to be a wise king. If you don’t have any self-confidence at all, it’s not too late to start being a cowardly king. I don’t have to be a loyal and virtuous minister, but a sycophantic minister. I’m also very good at it.”
Li Shimin said angrily: "What are you talking about?! I have no tolerance for others. I am just worried that in a hundred years, whoever succeeds the throne, whether it is Cheng Qian or Qing Que, they will not be able to tolerate you."
The words sounded nice, but Li Mu still understood the underlying meaning: he didn't worry about him while he was alive, he worried about it after he died.
Li Mu smiled and said: "Your Majesty, the wisest person in the world is not Li Mu. If future generations are unworthy, without Li Mu, there will be people who will rise up. Even if Mu has turned into withered bones a hundred years later, can the country of the Tang Dynasty really last forever?
?The reincarnation of heaven and the change of dynasties are like yin and yang, like the sun and moon, how can it be competed by human power? Emperor Qin, Emperor Han and Wu of Han, there are no other emperors in ancient times who have the right authority. Your Majesty does not dare to say that he will definitely surpass them in this life, right? Such a person
, protected the Qin and Han Dynasties for thousands of years?"
Li Shimin was silent, and Li Mu added: "I think so. In this life, if you take on the responsibilities of this life, do the best you can, and leave no regrets, it is already a great blessing in life. Living
Sometimes, worrying about things after death is a waste of life. If a person dies and still has a soul, then the soul is fine. There is plenty of time to think about it. If a person dies and has no soul, then everything in the world will really be like a passing cloud.
, what else do you want it to do?”
Li Shimin was stunned for a moment, then laughed: "That makes sense, but I am obsessed with it -" He patted Li Mu on the shoulder and said: "The knot in my heart is now sorted. But the matter of Jisi Hall is still
There has to be an explanation. What do you think? Tell me."
Li Mu had already expected that Li Shimin would mention this matter and had prepared a plan. Now he is not panicking and said: "Your Majesty, the Success Hall is already too big to be destroyed. This is an established fact. Even if my mother brings it up, the organization of the Success Hall
It will still continue to be maintained, because for so many years, the business of the various wealthy families has relied on the Success Hall. Without the Success Hall, they will become headless flies and will no longer do business, so they will definitely
Find a way to maintain the existence of Jisi Hall."
Li Shimin nodded, obviously Li Mu's analysis was exactly what he expected.
Li Mu added: "Although I have never asked about the affairs of Jisi Hall, I have heard some news. My mother plans to retire and withdraw from Jisi Hall, and she has mentioned it to me several times. After she withdrew, the master of Jisi Hall
The position is vacant. I heard that several members of the Jisi Hall are starting to select the next master of the Jisi Hall."
"I've also received the news." Li Shimin didn't say much, but he thought to himself, I know your mother very well what kind of person she is. How could she give up the inheritance hall she had saved all her life to others?
Retreating or something was just a pretense. He didn't say anything, he just wanted to see Li Mu's attitude.
Li Mu continued: "It's easy to break this situation."
Li Shimin asked curiously: "What's a good way?"
"The reason why Jisi Hall is important is that it is a link of connection and a hub of communication. What if these functions are replaced?"
Li Shimin frowned slightly and said, "You mean, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?"
"There is also the Luoyang Trading Market." Li Mu said sternly: "Your Majesty, don't underestimate them. With the existence of these institutions, as long as the court does a good job, one day they will find that the functions of the Success Hall have been completely eliminated without knowing it.
replaced."
"No matter how well the Jisitang does, after all, it cannot be seen in the light. But whatever the imperial court does, it is all done with fairness and justice. This is the difference."
Li Shimin thought about Li Mu's words in his heart, whether they were true or false. After thinking for a long time, he didn't see the "false" part in Li Mu's words, so he believed that everything he said was true.
For a long time, Li Shimin has relied on Li Mu. Because when many things cannot be solved by conventional methods, Li Mu can often succeed unexpectedly. So far, Li Mu has not let him down: "You go ahead and do this.
, I support whatever you need."
"Can your Majesty trust me?"
Li Shimin laughed loudly and said: "Why don't I believe it? I will be a wise king and a sage king just like you said, so that the people of the world will be convinced. Even if you rebel, you will not succeed. With this little confidence, I am still
Yes. And I also believe that you have your own sense of proportion."
"Then I have three requests now, and I hope your majesty can grant them."
"Speak!" Li Shimin said cheerfully: "I agree to everything."
"The first request is that your Majesty please not use troops against Goguryeo next year." Li Mu said sternly: "Although this year's harvest is good, it is not enough. Attacking Goguryeo is not a matter of a year and a half. It requires complete preparations. If we attack next year, I am afraid that
It hurts your vitality.”
Li Shimin thought for a while and said: "I can promise you not to fight next year, but you have to tell me how long you have to wait." Li Shimin also said solemnly: "Why am I anxious? It's not because the veterans who have fought with me all over the world are gradually returning to the country.
Growing old? They are all warriors who have experienced blood and fire. The reason why the Tang Dynasty is invincible is all because of these veterans. With them here, I feel confident. If they can no longer lift the sword, maybe my spirit will be gone.
, so I can’t wait too long.”
"To attack Goguryeo, three conditions need to be in place. Roads, grain, and ships. Horses must continue to be sold, Changpingcang must continue to be built, and ten thousand stone ships must be built successfully. If these three conditions are met, attacking Goguryeo will not be difficult.
If nothing unexpected happens, according to my estimation, it will take at least two years and at most three years to meet all these conditions."
"Two years." Li Shimin looked at Li Mu and said, "I can only wait two years."
Li Mu nodded: "Okay."
"Okay, second request." Li Shimin looked at Li Mu, and he could already roughly guess what Li Mu was thinking.
"The second condition is that I want to seek a status for my mother."
Li Shimin did not respond immediately, but asked: "Do you want me to issue an edict to sin against you?"
Li Mu shook his head and said: "I just want to ask for a talisman. Please treat my mother like a hidden princess, and I will be satisfied. Otherwise, the safety of my family is not guaranteed, and I can't let go and do things."
Li Shimin was silent for a while, then nodded and said: "I agree to this matter, but you have to give me some time to think about what to do."
Li Mu nodded and said, "There is one last request left."
Li Shimin warned: "Don't go too far!"
"I don't think it's too much." Li Mu said seriously: "I ask your majesty, no matter what happens, you must not use my family as a hostage. If your majesty violates the agreement, it will be like forcing me to rebel. Even if I don't have the ability, I can't.
Will take the risk and give it a try.”
"Li Mu, you!" Li Shimin stood up angrily, pointed at Li Mu, and said, "Do you know what kind of sin you will be guilty of if your words are recorded in the daily notes?"
"Your Majesty also understands my temper. For me, my family is bigger than anything else." Li Mu was like a stubborn calf, facing the tiger's gaze without retreating at all: "My family is my bottom line. For my family, I will do anything.
Everything can be done, and everything can be achieved!”
The two of them looked at each other, they were both strong-willed people, and neither of them refused to retreat, keeping their eyes open, as if whoever blinked would lose for a while.
After about half a quarter of an hour, Li Shimin was still defeated. He rubbed his tearful eyes and said: "You are so cruel, why don't you agree to it? But I also have a condition. You have to arrange for me during the Lantern Festival this year."
A new play is coming out, Dou E's Injustice has been played for a year, and I can even memorize the lyrics!"
Li Mu didn't feel any better. He seemed to have something in his eyes. When he wanted to speak, he shed tears first. While crying, he said: "I just promise. Time is running out. I will go back and write my script right now. Your Majesty, take care. I'll come back."
Go home and cry, and don’t bother Your Majesty anymore.”
"Go away -" After Li Shimin finished speaking, he suddenly remembered that it was already dark and the palace doors were locked. Li Mu couldn't leave even if he wanted to, so he said: "Go to the East Palace to sleep. I won't fight Goguryeo next year."
, tell that boy Cheng Qian so that he won’t have to worry about it all the time. Also, tell him another piece of news. I have already arranged a marriage for him, and he will get married after the new year!"
"I obey."
Li Mu turned around and walked out of the palace. Eunuch Gao, who was guarding the door, saw Li Mu crying like a man in tears and quickly asked: "What's wrong with the Marquis? Why are you crying like this? Your Majesty scolded you?"
Li Mu was too lazy to explain, so he waved his hand and said, "Let's talk when you have time. Eunuch Gao, please call me here. His Majesty asked me to live in the East Palace. I can't see with my eyes now, so it's inconvenient to walk."
In other words, if Li Mu dares to say this, he will be expelled from the palace. How courageous does this have to be?
But Eunuch Gao didn't take it seriously, as if this request was normal. He waved, and two young eunuchs carried Li Mu over one step at a time. He helped Li Mu up, and told the young eunuchs to lift slowly and don't lift Li Mu.
Fell.
After finishing his side, Eunuch Gao hurried to see Li Shimin, thinking that Li Shimin was so angry that Li Mu was crying like this. But when he took a closer look, Li Shimin's eyes were redder than Li Mu's, and he didn't know what was going on.
.What's going on? Could it be that the two of them got agitated while chatting? Why don't they just hug each other and cry?
For some unknown reason, Eunuch Gao did not dare to approach Li Shimin. Your Majesty, don’t you want to lose face? For the sake of Your Majesty’s face, let’s just pretend that we didn’t see him.
…
When Li Mu came to the East Palace, Li Chengqian had been waiting for a long time. He guessed that Li Mu would have to stay in the East Palace today, so he ordered people to prepare wine and food and wait for Li Mu to come.
Seeing Li Mu's eyes turned red, Li Chengqian said confusedly: "Brother, what's going on? Did your father attack you?"
"Afraid!" Li Mu patted Li Chengqian and said, "You just said useless words. What will your majesty do to me? It's just -" When the words came to his lips, Li Mu thought for a moment and did not tell the details of the chat.
It was useless for Li Chengqian to say this. He would still have random thoughts, so he lied casually: "I talked to your majesty about some things, which touched the sadness in my heart, so I cried bitterly. We are all people of good nature, it doesn't matter, just let it go.
Already."
"What's going on?" Li Chengqian looked like he was curious about the baby, with gossip written all over his face.
"My lord, what does this matter have to do with you? Your hair has not even grown yet." Li Mu retorted rudely, sat down after doing something, picked up his chopsticks and started eating, vaguely informing Li Chengqian: "Your father, the emperor
He said, I have arranged a marriage for you, and we will get married in the next year. Congratulations, your hair is finally growing."
Li Chengqian just picked up the chopsticks and was dumbfounded when he heard this: "Brother, are you kidding me? How old am I? Why are we getting married?"
"It's the 13th day of the New Year, and it's time to get married." Li Mu's words were not a joke. In the early Tang Dynasty, many people got married on the 13th or 4th day of the New Year, but relatively speaking, it was indeed early. Li Shimin
I didn't get married until I was fifteen.
"It's time to carry on the family line," Li Mu teased.
Li Chengqian no longer even had the heart to eat, his eyes were dull, he stared blankly ahead, and murmured: "How can I fight on the battlefield now that I'm married? The love between children is holding me back——"
Li Mu laughed dumbly. He didn't expect that this naughty boy was very good at thinking. He didn't disturb Li Chengqian's thinking. After finishing his meal, he asked the palace servants to take him to rest.
Li Chengqian didn't eat a morsel of food and was in a state of confusion. After seeing Li Mu off, he wanted to go back to the palace, but halfway through, he became irritated. He waved his hand to ask the palace maid to leave and came alone.
On the edge of the frozen pool, I stared blankly at the snow in the pool.
The matter of getting married had a big impact on him. In his consciousness, he had never thought about getting married so early.
He didn't know how to face this matter. In the thirteen years he had spent in his life, he had never had any thoughts about a woman.
"I wonder what kind of person he could be -" Li Chengqian murmured. Suddenly, he frowned and found a person standing next to the frozen pond.
He was curious about what the man was doing, so he walked over quietly, intending to scare him.
Walking behind this man, Li Chengqian realized what he was doing. It turned out that this pond was used for raising fish, and in winter, some unlucky fish were frozen in the ice. Li Chengqian had also seen it, but he just saw it.
Who cares about the life and death of a fish? But this man is very nosy. He secretly wants to dig out the fish and put it in the hole dug next to it.
Li Chengqian couldn't help but said: "You are not helping it, you are harming it. If it freezes and the ice melts next year, it may still be alive. If you pick it out and throw it into the ice cave, it will definitely die."
The man was holding the fish in his hand. When he heard Li Chengqian's voice, he was so frightened that he dared not move. Suddenly, he dropped the fish, got up and ran away.
The moment he passed by, Li Chengqian was stunned for a moment.
This life is so beautiful, is there a new palace maid?