After returning home, Fang Xuanling hesitated to discuss with his wife, Lu Shi, about arranging a marriage proposal for Lu Zhaolin.
Lu Shi was not very happy to hear about it. Although she didn’t particularly like her nephew, Lu Zhaolin, she was also reluctant to push him towards marrying into the imperial family. She said, “My cousin, though not very prominent, is still a member of the Lu family. How could they allow him to marry into the imperial family? Besides, even if you propose it, the Emperor may not agree. You will end up pleasing neither side.” Lu Shi was quite displeased with Li Yuanying for bringing up this matter. “If it was truly a good thing, Prince Tang wouldn’t have asked you to do it.”
Fang Xuanling kept quiet, not daring to mention Li Yuanying’s daily slander against them in front of Emperor Li, fearing that Lu Shi would become even more resentful towards Li Yuanying.
The next day, Emperor Li took the initiative to ask Fang Xuanling about yesterday’s matter, wanting to know what Li Yuanying had told him. Normally, someone who speaks ill of others behind their backs would feel ashamed when confronted by the person in question. But Li Yuanying was different; he had an incredibly thick skin and could continue to talk for a long time after being caught.
Emperor Li was quite curious about how Li Yuanying had persuaded Fang Xuanling.
Although Fang Xuanling hadn’t reached a conclusion with Lu Shi, he dared not keep it from Emperor Li at this point. He relayed all of Li Yuanying’s arguments to the Emperor.
Li Yuanying’s greatest skill lay in his tongue. He could make black seem white with a single word. After hearing Li Yuanying’s arguments to Fang Xuanling, Emperor Li turned to Fang Xuanling and asked, “What do you think, Fang Qing?”
Hearing that he had to make a decision, Fang Xuanling’s face turned pale. He wasn’t very good at making decisions, especially when he was uncertain about the Emperor’s true thoughts.
After a long pause, Fang Xuanling found a suitable explanation: “Since Prince Tang holds them in such high regard, this marriage should be a good match.”
Emperor Li remarked, “You seem to trust him quite a lot.”
Fang Xuanling replied, “Prince Tang’s closest friends are the top scorers in the Mingjing and Jinshi exams from the year he took the Imperial Examinations. This shows that Prince Tang has excellent judgment.”
As he spoke, a sigh escaped Fang Xuanling’s heart. Although Du He had been punished for Li Yuanying’s unauthorized voyage, his future prospects were definitely brighter than Fang Jun’s. Back then, both families’ young men were considered dissolute young masters in Chang’an. Now, Du He had improved, while his son remained the same!
Emperor Li listened to Fang Xuanling’s response and didn’t continue the topic.
A few days later, Emperor Li learned about the interactions between Gao Yang and Lu Zhaolin. Despite their mutual affection, they hadn’t engaged in any improper behavior. Even their exchanged writings were passed through Li Yuanying. Sadly, Li Yuanying was rather slow in matters of love and had no idea about their subtle affections.
Knowing that his daughter hadn’t been tricked and that Li Yuanying hadn’t acted with malice, Emperor Li’s mood improved slightly.
Since Lu Zhaolin seemed decent, marrying Gao Yang to him wouldn’t be impossible.
However, considering Li Yuanying’s lack of understanding, Emperor Li was still reluctant to allow him to take his princesses out. He didn’t want his daughters to be targeted again.
Emperor Li stopped playing games with Li Yuanying and informed him of his decision. Li Yuanying had no idea that Emperor Li had already investigated the interactions between Gao Yang and Lu Zhaolin in just a few days. He simply thought that the Emperor had finally relented and happily showered Emperor Li with attention for days.
After all, with nothing else to do while under house arrest in the palace, what harm was there in running errands and giving his brother a shoulder massage?
Thus, although Li Yuanying wasn’t allowed to leave the palace, the officials saw him constantly around Emperor Li.
What a flatterer!
Although they couldn’t stand this sycophancy, everyone could only hold their noses and endure it. After all, Emperor Li had allowed him to roam freely within the palace, setting a large area for his confinement.
Time flew by, and as the year approached its end, Li Yuanying, who had been circling around Emperor Li for over two months, finally received his first opportunity to leave the palace: accompanying Emperor Li to Mount Li for his birthday celebration.
Although the Cuiwei Palace was newly built, the hot springs on Mount Li were more comfortable for bathing. Emperor Li decided to celebrate his birthday there this year, enjoying a relaxing soak in the hot springs. Li Yuanying had been confined to the palace for so long, which, after rounding up, was nearly three months. Emperor Li decided to take him along.
The year came to an end with much chaos and commotion.
For the Tang dynasty, it was a peaceful year. But for Goguryeo, it was far from tranquil. For Japan, it was even more tumultuous.
Prince Katsuragi planned and assassinated Soga no Iruka.
Empress Kōgyoku abdicated.
The Soga clan, which had thrived for three generations, finally exited the stage of history.
Unfortunately, during this change of power, many new variables emerged, leading to widespread unrest. Prince Katsuragi’s success in killing Soga no Iruka raised his profile in Japan, and Dai Ting’s group also received preferential treatment.
This greatly facilitated Dai Ting’s actions.
Dai Ting’s first act was to prepare a ship full of silver as a birthday gift for Emperor Li.
The ship carrying the silver was unremarkable in appearance and went unnoticed along its journey. Li Yuanying was curious when he heard that Dai Ting had sent back something good, so he went to take a look and was astonished: There was so much silver in Japan?
Upon closer inspection, he even found a small amount of gold on the list.
This was real gold and silver!
Dai Ting had always brought back good things from his trips, but the goods never seemed as tangible as gold and silver. This was a huge pile of pure silver! As high as a small mountain, it was truly awe-inspiring!
Li Yuanying didn’t hesitate to order the goods to be sent to the foot of Mount Li. When the silver was transported to Mount Li, it was still carelessly wrapped, and no one paid any attention along the way. When the imperial guards conducted their routine inspection and lifted the covering, they were shocked by Li Yuanying’s extravagant gesture. Did he secretly mine silver in Tengzhou?
The imperial guards responsible for security couldn’t ignore this, so they immediately reported to Emperor Li. The Emperor was in the midst of a discussion with Changsun Wuji and the other officials when they heard that Li Yuanying had brought a whole cartload of silver. They were all taken aback and went to see what Li Yuanying was up to.
Li Yuanying was still fuming in frustration. Inspection was fine, but why did they have to report it to his brother? If they did, he wouldn’t be able to surprise his brother on his birthday! Although he wasn’t sure how much gold and silver there was, it filled so many carts, looking so impressive!
Now, those people had told his brother first, ruining the surprise!
Emperor Li arrived at the courtyard where the carriages were parked, only to see Li Yuanying sitting there looking glum, with a “I’m very unhappy” expression. He was old enough to marry, yet he still acted so childishly. It was both worrisome and frustrating.
Seeing Emperor Li arrive, Li Yuanying jumped up, ran over to him, and complained: “Brother, I wanted to surprise you, but they had to go and tell you about it. You can’t blame me if there’s no surprise on your birthday!”
Emperor Li glared at him and asked, “Where did you get all this gold and silver?” Li Yuanying’s excited demeanor clearly indicated that this was newly acquired wealth, not something he had accumulated in Tengzhou.
Mentioning the source of the gold and silver made Li Yuanying even more enthusiastic. He pulled Emperor Li aside and recounted the details briefly mentioned by Dai Ting in his letter.
He emphasized the story of how Dai Ting “accidentally” acquired a large silver mine in Japan: Initially, he didn’t want to buy land in Japan. After all, it was so far from the Tang dynasty and just a small island, not a good place to invest. But at that time, Japan was in turmoil, and the local lord wanted to sell him the entire mountain and land. Dai Ting had no choice but to help them out of their predicament. Unexpectedly, after buying it, he discovered a large silver mine!
As the local people were displaced and suffering, Dai Ting felt deeply sympathetic. He immediately selected a group of honest and hardworking people to help him mine the silver. The reason they were able to extract so much silver so quickly and refine it so efficiently was due to these diligent and hardworking people who were struggling to support their families!
The ease of mining and the cheap labor significantly increased silver production. As the silver accumulated, Dai Ting feared that it would be unsafe to keep so much in one place, so he quietly informed Li Dejian, who had been punished with a cane, to secretly transport the silver back.
As for why they had to be secretive, the explanation was simple. Japan was so chaotic at the time that everyone hid their wealth. Riches should not be flaunted. Even though Prince Katsuragi treated them well, they couldn’t ignore the possibility of people being tempted by wealth.
Li Yuanying skillfully transformed Dai Ting’s brief account of “acquiring a silver mine during the Japanese turmoil” into his own words for Emperor Li. Emperor Li’s expression remained unchanged, while Changsun Wuji and the other officials were shocked by the audacity revealed in Li Yuanying’s words. Hearing him tell it, the whole thing seemed perfectly justified, righteous, and even had a hint of compassionate and broad-mindedness.
But ultimately, the actions of Li Yuanying’s men were nothing more than grabbing everything good for themselves while the country was in chaos!
Since the mine was in Japan, no one could stop Li Yuanying if he wanted to send people to mine it. After all, it wasn’t a Tang mine, so there was no question of illegal mining.
Li Yuanying lifted the dusty cloth covering each cart, revealing the dazzling white silver in the sunlight, which blinded everyone.
Li Yuanying shared his vision with Emperor Li: “I believe we should encourage our fleets to venture further into the seas. If we encounter anyone who needs help, we should try our best to assist them. If we see any useful mineral resources that our Tang dynasty needs, we should purchase them at a fair price. After all, mineral resources take millions of years to form. Once they’re gone, they’re gone. We should avoid mining them unless absolutely necessary, leaving some resources for future generations.”
Emperor Li nodded, agreeing with Li Yuanying’s reasoning.
Li Yuanying continued to share his vision: “But we can’t let people go out to sea without restrictions. Otherwise, we won’t know what they’re up to. Seagoing ships are different from ordinary small boats; they’re usually larger and more difficult to dock. They require large docks. In the future, we should build large docks at suitable locations and establish customs offices. All incoming and outgoing goods must be inspected and subjected to a certain customs tax. No one can sail without a customs permit! Since we’re collecting taxes, we need to protect the people who venture out to sea. We can’t allow them to be bullied by others, so our navy needs to be well-trained!”
Emperor Li said, “The court has issued relevant decrees on these matters, but their implementation hasn’t been very successful.” Not everyone was fearless like Li Yuanying, unconcerned about the vast ocean.
Li Yuanying said, “I moved to the coast at the beginning of the year and lived there for a few months. I watched them get up early and go fishing in the sea. They were strong and agile. Even if they couldn’t sell their seafood for a good price, they still worked diligently every day. If you go to the coast, Brother, you’ll understand. The saying goes, ‘依靠山吃山，依靠水吃水’ (rely on the mountains to eat the mountains, rely on the water to eat the water), meaning people who live by the sea rely on the sea for their livelihood. They’ve been tossed around in the waves since birth, and they’ve seen countless storms and waves, so they don’t fear them. What they lack is direction, a leader. As long as we give them direction and a leader, they can conquer the seas.”
Emperor Li glared at him.
He couldn’t even go to Mount Tai without facing endless obstacles, while this kid had been gallivanting everywhere, even trying sailing!
Seeing Emperor Li’s glare, Li Yuanying understood: His brother was being poked in a sore spot! He wanted to travel but couldn’t go anywhere!
To be honest, being under house arrest for three months felt like a punishment. His brother had seized the throne, while he was tied to the throne, unable to live his life freely and unrestrainedly like him!
Li Yuanying said, “Brother, I’ll present all this gold and silver to you as a birthday gift.” This time, he wasn’t just offering gold and silver; he was showing everyone present the vastness and abundance of the overseas world, and the hidden treasure it held.
Once the docks were built and connected to a wide and smooth road directly from Chang’an to Mount Tai, this dock would quickly become the most important trading port in the Tang dynasty. With such convenient transportation and enormous potential profits, how could they not be tempted? Those who had the privilege of attending Emperor Li’s birthday banquet were precisely the kind of people who would act if they were tempted!
They owned land and money, and even if they couldn’t afford a whole fleet, they could easily obtain three or five ships.
None of the people present were fools. They immediately understood Li Yuanying’s implication.
Previously, Wei Zheng and the others thought Li Yuanying was full of eccentric ideas. However, they suddenly realized that when these seemingly random thoughts were put together, they formed a tightly woven web!
With a seaport and a direct road, the connection between Henan Road and Chang’an would become stronger. When transporting goods, everyone would prioritize this route to minimize losses. Those who hadn’t considered sending people to sea would also be tempted by the real gold and silver presented by Li Yuanying, drawn to the “golden island.”
After all, sailing for a few days and bringing back so much gold and silver wouldn’t be a bad deal, would it?
Changsun Wuji was somewhat startled, his gaze at Li Yuanying becoming increasingly intense.
Did Li Yuanying stumble upon this plan, or was it meticulously planned from the beginning? If it was planned from the beginning, he was far from as frivolous as he seemed.
If this plan actually came to fruition, he would control the largest seaport in the Tang dynasty, with enormous annual profits from customs taxes alone.
By then, he would have both soldiers and money, and he could even obtain overseas mineral resources. Even better, after his foray into the seas, Emperor Li wouldn’t suspect him at all!
Changsun Wuji felt it was necessary to remind Emperor Li once again.
Li Yuanying didn’t care about Changsun Wuji’s thoughts and continued to brag to Emperor Li about how capable Dai Ting was. Next time there was an opportunity, he would send Dai Ting to other places to bring back more treasures.
Emperor Li was also in a good mood and indulged Li Yuanying, who proudly boasted about Dai Ting’s capabilities and his own extraordinary vision in selecting Dai Ting. Of course, he thought Li Yuanying was just bragging. Just look at the faces of the people around him! Li Yuanying definitely didn’t choose people based on talent or ability; he was all about looks!
**Author’s Note:**
Young Prince: Nonsense! I look at faces, but I also look at talent! (pointing and explaining)
Updated!
Yesterday, I went to Huqing Palace to watch the Tang Dynasty’s Long Love Song! An outdoor water show! With special effects like fountains, fire, and flying! It was pretty good!
Today, I updated with a whopping 4,000 words!
Shouldn’t it be worth some camp… (censored)
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