Chapter 140: Learning to Punch with Shyness, Mimicking Ladies

However, Li Zhi was not angry, as relocating to sparsely populated regions had been a topic of imperial court discussion in previous years. Therefore, he patiently explained, "The people of Jingzhao cannot be relocated. As the crucial capital region of the nation, the population must not be taken lightly; otherwise, security would be compromised. Furthermore, having people means having a source of troops."

"Yes," Li Wei replied, though inwardly he remained unconvinced. Even accounting for the defense of the two capitals, the population was somewhat excessive.

Li Zhi continued, "The population in other prefectures is indeed somewhat congested, and the court has attempted relief and relocation efforts before. Why did they not succeed?"

"Your son does not know."

"Although Guanzhong has experienced droughts, they do not occur every year, and the land has been cultivated and matured since ancient times. As for relocating to sparsely populated regions? Those are borderlands, and the people are unwilling to go. Alternatively, there are Shandong, Liangzhun, and the Jiangnan regions. Shandong and Hebei are now gradually becoming saturated with population. While Liangzhun and the Jiangnan regions are indeed more spacious, floods frequently occur there, and the probability of flood disasters is even higher than that of droughts in Guanzhong. The harvests are somewhat better there, but all fertile land is already privately owned, leaving only flood-prone areas, tidal flats, and marshes that are difficult to cultivate. Otherwise, it is hilly terrain, which is even inferior to Guanzhong. Moreover, the weather is hot and humid, and having to leave their wells and native villages makes most people reluctant. The court never truly relied on or expected to relocate the general populace to sparsely populated regions; it only ever mobilized escaped households. Even among escaped households, very few were willing. Besides, the region of the two capitals is of paramount importance to the nation; although the population is somewhat crowded, it is necessary. If too many people are relocated elsewhere, the tail will become too heavy to wag, which benefits the nation not at all."

He understood now. In the final analysis, the state was unwilling. While it was possible to arrange for the relocation of Goguryeo people to Liangzhun, the people of the two capitals could not be moved. The only ones ever moved were the helpless escaped households. No wonder Wei Yuanzhong was unwilling to speak—it was not that he did not understand, or even that he disagreed, but that he dared not say it.

Li Wei also felt that such a mindset was wrong, but in this era, the survival of the state far outweighed the survival of hundreds of thousands of commoners. Even if one had dissenting views, one could not voice them. Besides, once the nation fell into chaos, do not assume that a dynastic transition was some sort of revolution; the only ones who gained benefits were a small minority, while the people suffered all the more. During the transition from Sui to Tang, how had two-thirds of the common people vanished?

He had no choice but to say, "Your son is shallow; it is still my Imperial Father's teachings that are correct."

In his mind, he recalled the Ever-Ping Granaries, particularly under Emperor Yang of Sui. Historical records stated that he stored enough grain in Luoyang to feed the entire empire for sixty years. While this was largely an exaggeration, it would have been more than enough to feed the people of Luoyang for sixty years without major incident. Yet, to acquire this grain—even during the prosperous and peaceful reign of Yang Guang—many commoners starved to death. Consequently, the Tang Dynasty shifted to a policy of light storage.

Li Wei was not entirely useless; some knowledge from his past life might have faded, but his subconscious still retained fragments. Now that he knew more, he also had certain ideas. Take the Ever-Ping Granaries, for example: the Tang Dynasty also established them, but on a small scale. This was a necessary measure to avoid burdening the people. After all, the Ever-Ping Granaries stored new rice, which became old rice by the following year. What would be done in the third or fourth year? Therefore, old rice was constantly sold off while new rice was bought or collected as tax, resulting in heavy waste from transportation, storage, and spoilage. Furthermore, every time the stock was rotated, it provided opportunities for petty officials.

Ultimately, it still boiled down to the state lacking money. Of course, getting money was easy—by exploiting the peasants.

Li Wei had also pondered this, vaguely feeling that there was a solution, but how exactly to solve it remained hazy in his mind.

Seeing his son deep in thought, Li Zhi did not disturb him, quietly sipping his tea and watching.

After pondering for a long time, Li Wei said, "Your son still cannot think of a comprehensive solution, save for one method: when harvests are bountiful and grain in Guanzhong is exceptionally cheap, a portion of the treasury's funds can be used to purchase grain in the Western Capital and release it during years of famine. In any case, the various wards in the southwest are quite remote, and establishing a few granaries there would prove convenient. Being close to Guanzhong, transportation costs would be low, and it would not disturb the people. Apart from this, there is no other way. If bumper harvests continue year after year, the grain can also be transported to Lingwu and the Western Regions, as the garrison troops and horses on the borders likewise require provisions. Even if there is some waste, when the state is peaceful in times of abundance, wasting a bit is a good thing."

"Even so, it requires a great deal of financial resources, and the national treasury is empty," Li Zhi sighed. Without his son's reminder, he might have been negligent in the past, but now that he was fully awake, every place was waiting for funds. To divert money specifically toward grain storage without two or three years of peaceful recovery was virtually impossible. Moreover, the Tibetan Empire harbored wild ambitions, Silla remained restless, and even the various tribes of Nanzhao were unstable. Constant warfare required provisions, soldiers, and financial resources...

"Imperial Father, this is a good thing, for it shows that Your Imperial Father cherishes the people. In the past, Emperor Yang of Sui stored decades' worth of grain, and the imperial treasury held abundant wealth and silks, yet the common people suffered bitterly. To take from the people and use for the people—this is the true way to govern a state."

"It is admirable that you remember Emperor Taizong's words."

"That is what your son ought to remember," Li Wei replied. Inwardly, however, he remained unimpressed. At present, the Tang Dynasty was thriving like a roaring fire with blooming brocade; the state ought not to be in such financial distress, nor should the people suffer so bitterly. In the end, it merely fattened a tiny minority.

If one wanted to amass wealth, it was actually quite simple. At least Li Wei could do a better job than Wang Anshi. For instance, something like housing reform could be indirectly introduced. By reforming it, merchants would have money, officials would have money, and the state would have money, while also increasing employment opportunities. As for whether the common people would thus be saddled with twenty or thirty years of debt—in any era and under any country, the common people were merely objects to be fooled, and in this era, the common people were even more transient than floating clouds. Moreover, establishing a bank did not seem like an overly difficult task. Besides, population mobility was low, making debt collection easy. The population was slowly expanding, and urban scales were increasing...

However, Li Wei knew this could not be spoken aloud. This was not the proper path; the proper path was to increase sources of revenue, expand the state's streams of wealth, and allow the majority to benefit—that was the righteous way. If one simply opened banks, it might easily degenerate into the imperial court running high-usury loans, causing officials to mess things up at the local level for the sake of achievements and their own pockets, leaving the common people to suffer even more.

This old man of his was still rather decent toward the common people. Last winter, upon seeing the snow disaster, he had distributed silks and coffins to those who froze to death. In impoverished prefectures like Yong and Tonghua, among poor families unable to keep children under the age of fifteen alive, any household was permitted to adopt them as boys or girls to be put to work, provided they were not turned into slaves. At the end of the year, he issued another decree allowing the people of various prefectures to travel to Fu Prefecture for sustenance, allocating grain from the national treasury for gratuitous disaster relief. This relief had continued without pause until now, emptying the imperial treasury even further. Yet this very action had saved countless lives.

Though sometimes disagreeable, he had to admit that his father could be considered a good emperor.

After speaking for a while, Li Zhi's mood improved slightly. After all, knowing that his son understood the principle of taking from the people and using for the people meant things were not as bad as he had feared. He then changed the subject and asked, "I hear you have been practicing some martial arts."

"Indeed," Li Wei replied, instantly beaming. Much of his suffering stemmed from his father's illness; without this ailment, his father would not be so suspicious, and without that suspicion, he could simply live as a peaceful crown prince.

"Demonstrate it for me to see."

"Yes."

Li Wei proceeded to demonstrate all four routines from start to finish.

Li Zhi watched very closely, pondering as he went. Although there were some high-difficulty movements that he estimated would be quite strenuous for him to perform, the movements were not overly violent and seemed manageable. He then pointed to a senior eunuch beside him and said, "My personal senior attendant has long wished to learn; you can teach him another day."

"Yes." This time, Li Wei's response lacked solemnity. If the emperor himself wanted to learn, why use the eunuch as a pretext? Still, willing to learn at all could be considered a decent step forward. He only wondered whether his father's penchant for tranquility would allow him to persevere.

"Sit down and have a cup of tea. I still have some matters to discuss with you."

Li Wei took a sip of tea, and Li Zhi resumed, "The young ladies of the Yang, Xu, and Pei families—have you kept in touch with them?"

"Your son has not," Li Wei replied, inwardly complaining that he had done so precisely to spare the feelings of the two elders. Fearing that they might conjure up more ideas, he had essentially remained within the East Palace reading books.

"I have heard some things, however. They remain in the Eastern Capital. It may have been Yang Sixuan's suggestion, or perhaps she repented of her own accord, but that young lady of the Yang family has remained within Vice-Minister Yang's mansion without stepping out, merely embroidering handkerchiefs and garments."

At this point, Li Zhi glanced at his son. Those handkerchiefs and garments were all embroidered for his son. Yet he remained inwardly displeased. If it were the exalted aristocratic clans of the Five Surnames and Seven Families, that would be one thing, but the Yang family? What qualification had they possessed in the past to look down upon his son? Furthermore, even regarding those aristocratic clans, the state merely wished to avoid inviting the censure of the realm; when the state machinery was truly set in motion, could they not be crushed?

Yet this son of his seemed reluctant to let go. Youthful as he was, he could not put aside physical beauty.

Li Zhi continued, "Only occasionally do the wives and concubines of some officials visit the Yang family, whereupon Vice-Minister Yang's wife introduces the Yang young lady and sings her praises."

Only then did Li Wei chime in, "Imperial Father, your son has something to say, though I know not whether I should."

"Speak your mind," Li Zhi said. Perhaps it was the phrase about taking from and using for the people that had pleased him, or perhaps he felt a twinge of shame for secretly wanting to learn his son's martial arts, but this time his tone was quite mild.

"Because it concerns your son, I have given it some thought. The Yang young lady is, in truth, very young. Of course, compared to the Empress, she is nothing, but where in the world could one ever find another candidate possessing talent, beauty, and virtue all at once like the Empress? From my numerous interactions with her, her disposition is not malicious; it was merely that Madam Yang previously saw that your son's health was consistently frail, leading to some grievances, which she has since realized were wrong. Paternal and maternal hearts are universally heavy with care, and her intentions were not evil. Your son begs Imperial Father to forgive her this once."

"We shall speak of that later. I will tell you about Xu Qidan's daughter instead. She is also in the Eastern Capital, and has restrained herself somewhat this time, beginning to study palace etiquette and needlework. Yet her temperament causes me great worry." At this, he shook his head. A leopard cannot change its spots; even out of infatuation for his son, one did not chase a man all the way to a Shaolin temple. Xu Qidan himself was a man of upright character—why had he raised such a fiery daughter? He simply could not fathom it.

"..." Li Wei did not know how to respond.

"As for Pei Jundao's daughter, her temperament is the best, her appearance passable, and her scholarship commendable. Moreover, she is quiet, refined, and comes from a distinguished and prominent background. It is only a pity that she is overly submissive to you, lacking the heart for remonstrance."

Clearly, he remained displeased with Pei Yuhe's participation in that joint outing of the five maidens.

"The Pei young lady is disciplined by her father, which is somewhat better. Although the Yang young lady's mother is snobbish, Yang Sixuan is an upright man, and his wife is virtuous and kind, so she can be guided to a degree. As for the Xu young lady, Drafter Xu wrote a letter urging her to return, knowing full well she would refuse. Thus, at the end of the letter, he stated that if she insisted on staying in the Eastern Capital, she must on no account bring shame upon the family, and he enclosed some money and silks."

For his father to investigate these details was not difficult. Hearing this, however, Li Wei could not help but laugh. This Xu Qidan was quite interesting.

"You still laugh. It is precisely because Drafter Xu spoiled her that her temperament is so wild. Among those young ladies, she is the one I dislike the most."

Li Wei remained unconvinced. Even at her worst, she could not possibly be worse than the emperor sneaking off to a nunnery to carry on an illicit romance with his own mother. But he dared not say it aloud.

Li Zhi sighed and said, "You are about to reach your capping ceremony."

Hearing this, Li Wei understood. The reason the imperial decree had not been issued until now was precisely because none of these three candidates satisfied his father. If they were to select someone from another family, the public outcry would only be greater.

At this point, Li Zhi turned his head and asked Wu Zetian, "Has the imperial decree concerning the Wei family been issued yet?"

Upon hearing this, Li Wei immediately interjected, "Imperial Father, you must not! That young lady of the Wei family is far too young; making her the Crown Princess would undoubtedly become a laughingstock to the world."

Regardless of whether Yang Min, Xu Li, or Pei Yuhe could become Empress, this Wei family girl must certainly not be made one.

"What nonsense are you uttering? Even if you fancied her, I do not fancy her, nor can I afford to wait. However, do not harbor your dissatisfaction with Senior Grand Tutor Xu against this young girl. I too have heard some things; this maiden is quite comely and exceptionally intelligent, albeit rather young. Once she enters the East Palace, you must not bully her."

"Yes." Bully her? He had no such malicious nature, but training and molding her would be mandatory.

Changing the subject abruptly, Li Zhi asked, "What is the story with Di Renjie's two daughters? Why have I never heard of him having two daughters of such an age?"