hsntnovel Chapter 2293 Generous Reward.
Chapter 2293 Generous Reward.
Li Shimin didn't expect that Li Chengqian had also learned to pass the buck.
The hot potato of Li Shen was passed to him.
"Alas, this is indeed a difficult problem. If I don't reward him, I don't know how Old Ten will make a fuss.
But if I were to reward you, I would lose money.
If the reward is too little, Old Ten will definitely be unhappy, but if the reward is too much, I will suffer a loss, which is really a headache."
Li Shimin sighed and felt a little worried. His son was shameless and would be grateful for any reward from others, but Li Shen was not like that.
Not only are you ungrateful, but you'll also be called stingy.
"Your Majesty, why not give him the 500,000 strings of cash that Prince Ji presented to you as a filial gift? It's all Prince Ji's own money anyway."
Wang De suggested from the side.
"No." Li Shimin said firmly upon hearing this.
"That's my money, how can it be his? I used it to help him solve two big problems.
I still think five hundred thousand strings of cash are not enough. They are not even enough to renovate the Lishan Palace.
A few days ago, I sent Yan Lide to take a look at the Lishan Palace. It has been in disrepair for many years and many places need to be renovated.
These five hundred thousand strings of cash are for hiring craftsmen. Hasn't the Tenth Master always advocated minimizing corvée labor?"
When renovating Cuiwei Palace, Li Shen suggested recruiting craftsmen so that the people could earn more money and improve their lives.
Later, Li Shimin discovered that recruiting craftsmen actually required a huge amount of wages, which was no less than the cost of building materials, and was even more expensive than the building materials.
"Then I wonder what reward His Majesty wishes to bestow upon His Highness Prince Ji?"
"Let me think about this. It would be best if I could reward him with his own things."
Li Shimin fell into deep thought, trying not to suffer any loss but also to appear magnanimous.
Give him the spoils he got as a reward? No, this rebellious son would definitely not agree. If he reports this matter in the newspaper,
As the emperor, he would lose face if he could do such a thing.
Fiefdom? Land? Li Shimin shook his head again. This minister couldn't possibly agree to it.
Li Shen has now exceeded the etiquette and his fiefdom has exceeded the limit by more than a thousand households, so he can no longer be granted a real fief.
After thinking for a long time, Li Shimin's eyes suddenly lit up.
"That's right, I can't give a real title, but I can give a virtual title." Li Shimin suddenly brightened up when he thought of this and laughed heartily:
"Hahahaha, isn't Old Ten's salary 10,000 households? Why not give him a little more?
Immediately convey the order to Prince Ji's Mansion. I am very pleased that Prince Ji has made great contributions in suppressing the rebels.
A special reward is to increase the monthly salary and fiefdom by 5,000 households, no, increase it by 10,000 households, and the monthly salary and fiefdom will be 20,000 households.
The stipend of rice was increased by one thousand dan, and the amount of food such as fine rice, japonica rice, noodles, wine, mutton, and daily necessities such as wood and charcoal doubled or tripled every month.
I hope Prince Ji will continue to serve the court."
Li Shimin became more and more excited as he spoke, and his mood was very relaxed.
But Wang De, who was standing by, had a more and more strange look on his face as he listened. He was wondering if the cavalry would rebel if King Ji knew about this reward?
It seems like a lot of rewards, but what’s the difference between this and no rewards?
Prince Ji's salary will be deducted after thirty years, and he will be fined three years at any time. Even if you give him ten thousand taels of gold every month, he will not be able to receive it.
Wasn’t he fined three years’ salary not long ago?
"Your Majesty, with such a reward, I'm worried that Prince Ji will make a fuss. Given Prince Ji's style..."
Wang De wanted to say something but stopped himself. He didn't know what outrageous thing Prince Ji would do.
"Humph! How dare he? I rewarded him so much, but he still refused. That's a fief of ten thousand households.
How many people dream of this, and he dares to despise it?"
Li Shimin snorted, glared at him, and threatened to punish him according to family rules if he dared to make trouble.
"But...but no matter how much reward His Majesty gives, Prince Ji can't get it." Wang De still said it.
"What I want is that he can't get it, and can only watch helplessly. Otherwise, wouldn't I be at a loss?
Besides, didn't you say he could receive a salary at the age of forty-five?"
The last time he heard from Wang De, it seemed that Li Shen would be able to receive a salary at the age of 45.
Wang De said helplessly:
"Your Majesty, you may not know this. That's what I told you last year. With the continuous salary deductions this year, I'm afraid His Royal Highness Prince Ji won't receive a salary until he's sixty."
"So long? Have I ever punished so many times?" Li Shimin was a little surprised when he heard Wang De's words. He had no impression at all.
Wang De nodded affirmatively.
"Well...is there any record at the Zongzheng Temple?" Li Shimin asked.
"Your Majesty, no. There used to be, but then there were so many that the Prince of Hejian didn't remember. He said Prince Ji wouldn't live to see that age anyway."
The Zongzheng Temple managed the imperial clan, and many punishments had to go through the Zongzheng Temple, so all records had to be kept.
However, Li Shen had too many records, so Li Xiaogong eventually gave up.
When Li Shimin heard that he would not live to see that day, the flesh on his face trembled a few times. Had he really withheld his salary for so many years?
After a while, Li Shimin finally spoke:
"Never mind all that. I have already offered a generous reward. Tell the Crown Prince my instructions and have him read them out when he goes to court."
"Yes, I will go and deliver the order right now."
Wang De immediately bowed and prepared to leave.
"Wait, tell Princess Ji to bring her grandchildren to the palace to visit the Queen and the Imperial Concubine more often. I haven't seen my grandchildren for some time.
Bring me some tea, I'm running out of it."
Just as Wang De was about to go out, Li Shimin suddenly stopped him and gave him an order.
Wang De bowed again and walked out.
"Haha, don't accuse me of being stingy this time." Li Shimin looked at Li Shen's memorial and said to himself with a smile.
As Li Shimin expected, the newspaper office of Prince Ji's Mansion urgently printed 5,000 copies of newspapers that night and published the news of the great victory in Xizhou on the front page.
Although the specific details were unknown, many people heard the messenger shouting in the city.
The newspaper made artistic processing of Ji Wang based on this.
On the second day, five thousand newspapers appeared in various places in Chang'an City. Because the number was relatively small, they were mainly distributed in various restaurants and teahouses.
The storyteller described Li Shen's suppression of the rebels in a more vivid and colorful way, and described Jiang Li Shen as extremely brave.
In the court, Li Chengqian also read out the victory report and said that this was Prince Ji taking revenge for various forces. Anyway, it sounded very reasonable.
At this time, after several days of rushing, Li Shen finally arrived at Yanqi's capital Yuanqu City.
Li Shen had already arranged for someone to go to Yuanqu City in advance to report his arrival.
So when Li Shen arrived at Yuanqu City, the east gate of Yuanqu City was opened and hundreds of people stood at the gate waiting to welcome Li Shen.
Li Shen's guard camp was divided into two to surround these people, and then Li Shen rode his horse to the front of the crowd.
At this time, a middle-aged man who looked like a Confucian scholar came forward and saluted.
"Your Highness, Prince Ji, is here with the new King of Yanqi, Xian Nazhun, as your servant, the Governor of Yizhou, Han Wei."
"Welcome His Royal Highness Prince Ji!"
(In the early Tang Dynasty, the first-rank princes did have fiefs of 10,000 households, and this is beyond doubt.
For example, Princess Xincheng was granted a fief when she was eight years old.
During the reign of Emperor Gaozong, she was given the title of Princess Xincheng when she got married, and her fiefdom was increased by 5,000 households to celebrate her sister's marriage.