hsntnovel Chapter 2705 Converted to Paddy Fields
Chapter 2705 Converted to Paddy Fields
As a modern-day grassroots internet user, Li Shen was once a keyboard warrior himself, and he certainly did plenty of trash talk.
Compared to contemporary netizens, these people from the Tang Dynasty are simply pathetic. Their thinking has become rigid, and they have no novel ideas for insulting others.
Li Shen even thought that if he were to travel back to the Three Kingdoms period, he would be confident that he could verbally abuse Wang Lang, Cao Xiu, Zhou Yu, and even Cao Cao until he had a brain hemorrhage.
"Your Highness Prince Ji cannot say that. Although this land is Your Highness's fertile farmland, it also belongs to the tribute of the Great Tang Dynasty."
They have to pay a certain amount of tax every year.
The imperial court used this grain to relieve disaster victims and to build bridges and roads.
"His Highness Prince Ji has such a large tract of land; the loss is considerable."
Just then, Yu Zhining, the Imperial Attendant, retorted with a smile. His tone was calm, as if he were joking.
However, Li Shen frowned. He had no connection with Yu Zhining, so why would he contradict him today?
These are just minor matters; every family has experienced things that are troublesome and costly.
Even if the charges against him are confirmed, it's not a big deal.
If you can kill and set fires without consequence, then this is even less likely to happen.
“Minister Yu, you are also wrong. This place does not belong to the royal family, nor to the court, but to me alone.”
You can go back and check the files of Wannian County. All 100,000 mu of fertile land here were bought by me with real money.
Even if I am stripped of my title, this land will still be my property.
Furthermore, I would like to ask Attendant-in-Ordinary Yu whether the more than ten million strings of cash I donate to the court each year can offset this small loss in taxes.”
Li Shen went all out, directly addressing the core issue.
“This…” Yu Zhining was speechless. That’s right, they hand over so much money to the national treasury every year, surely that can’t offset this little bit of tax.
More than ten million strings of cash—not to mention this small amount of tax—could be enough to exempt someone from the death penalty once a year.
To exaggerate a bit, it's enough to offset the punishment Li Shen receives for rebelling once a year.
More than ten million strings of cash! Those who are not in positions of power will never know how important this money is to the imperial court.
"Minister Yu, you still haven't answered me: can my annual income of over ten million strings of cash offset this loss of taxes?"
Li Shen leaned back in his chair, holding a glass cup in his hand, turning it continuously, his tone calm yet tinged with a hint of aggressiveness.
When Li Shen crossed his legs and squinted his eyes, Li Shimin knew that Li Shen was serious.
"Alright, these are all trivial matters. Let's not remind him of them. His Highness Prince Ji's wealth is more than ten thousand pieces of gold, so why would he care about such a small loss?"
"Sit down and have your meal."
Li Shimin intervened to save Yu Zhining from the predicament. After all, Yu Zhining was a senior member of the Prince of Qin's household and one of the Eighteen Scholars.
He made outstanding contributions to Li Shimin's cause.
Moreover, he is now the prime minister of three provinces, and we absolutely cannot let him lose face.
Yu Zhining quickly bowed:
"Your Majesty, I was overthinking it. I hope Your Highness Prince Ji will not take offense."
Li Shen didn't speak, glanced at Yu Zhining, and continued gnawing on the large bone in front of him. As for the official who spoke first, Li Shen didn't even look at him.
"Tenth Prince, but then again, are you really planning to leave this place idle? From what I've just observed, you haven't even planted winter wheat."
Are we only planning to plant millet once?
Although Li Shimin did not blame Li Shen, he knew that grain still needed to be grown, and there were still many places that needed to receive grain aid.
Therefore, it would be best if the Tang Dynasty had more grain.
His table was full of his own people: the emperor, empress, princes, and his two imperial uncles, Li Xiaogong and Li Daozong. The rest were Changsun Wuji, Ma Zhou, and Yu Zhining from the three provinces.
No one else was qualified to sit at the table; even the princesses were sent to other places where Consort Wei and Lu Dingniang were responsible for entertaining them.
When Li Shimin asked this question, everyone looked at Li Shen.
“You may not know this, but this land has been converted into paddy fields, so we don’t grow winter wheat or millet here.”
Li Shen smiled.
In Chang'an, most of the crops grow millet, which is harvested once a year. After the harvest, winter wheat is replanted, and millet can be planted immediately after the winter wheat is harvested the following day.
This is how the goal of two harvests a year can be achieved.
"You want to convert this into paddy fields?" Li Shimin looked around but couldn't make heads or tails of it. He really didn't know that Li Shen's land was a paddy field.
"Yes, and it was changed a long time ago. The white rice sent to the palace is produced here."
Li Shen said it quite naturally.
"Shen'er, didn't you say last time that the white rice came from Liaodong?" Empress Zhangsun couldn't help but ask.
"Yes, the white rice sent to Mother and Consort did indeed come from Liaodong. The white rice there has plump grains, a soft and sticky texture, and a hint of sweetness. It's very delicious."
Li Shen nodded immediately. How could he deceive his own talisman?
"What about the other white rice..." Empress Zhangsun asked uncertainly, though she already had the answer in her heart.
As expected, Li Shen replied:
"The rice is all grown here."
Empress Zhangsun sighed after hearing this, and rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache coming on.
Empress Zhangsun already sensed what was about to happen.
"Bang!" Just as Empress Zhangsun had said, His Majesty slammed his hand heavily on the table beside him.
Everyone present was taken aback.
"You worthless wretch, Li Shen, do you know your crime?" Li Shimin roared angrily.
"This...I don't know."
Li Shen shook his head.
“You unfilial son, I granted you a fief so that you could care for the people’s livelihood. But you have disregarded the law and made decisions on your own, turning dry land into paddy fields.”
Do you know that this requires the approval of the imperial court?
The Guanzhong Plain has little water, and dry land is tolerant of poor soil and suitable for millet and wheat, while paddy fields require a lot of water and manpower.
There could be two kinds of crops a year, but you changed it to only one. How much grain is lost in that process?
"As a prince, how dare you act so recklessly! Where do you place the laws and regulations of the court?"
Li Shimin's anger level was already at its maximum, and he unleashed a barrage of attacks on Li Shen.
"Father, please listen to my explanation, I am..." Li Shen hurriedly tried to explain.
"Wang De conveyed the imperial edict: Prince Ji has disregarded the law, wasted resources and caused hardship to the people, and disregarded their welfare. He shall be fined three years' salary as a warning to others."
Before Li Shen could finish speaking, Li Shimin's decree had already been uttered.
Li Shen stood there, completely stunned.
"This... Father, what's going on? What have I done wrong? When did I start wasting people's money and neglecting their needs?"
"I didn't disregard the law either," Li Shen protested, still not understanding what was going on.
He indeed did not report to the government about converting dry land into paddy fields, as he felt that his status did not require such a change.
The law? In Chang'an, he is the law.
(Happy New Year everyone!)