hsntnovel Chapter 2660 Another 5 years
Chapter 2660 Another 5 years
After Li Shimin finished speaking, he thought for a moment and then spoke again:
"Alright then, I will have the three provinces issue an edict appointing you as the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and concurrently the Deputy Protector-General of the Andong Protectorate."
That way, if anyone asks about the five thousand slave soldiers, you can say they were recruited from the Andong Protectorate.”
"The Protectorate General of Andong? What's that?" Li Shen blinked, his eyes full of confusion. He had never heard of such a protectorate general.
"Hmph!" Li Shimin snorted without turning around, drinking his tea alone and ignoring Li Shen.
This rebellious son is now even starting to disregard the true situation of the imperial court; he doesn't even know about the Andong Protectorate.
"Oh dear, Your Highness, it's been more than half a year already. War could break out in Liaodong at any moment."
To better protect Liaodong Circuit, His Majesty decreed that Liaodong Circuit be renamed the Andong Protectorate, with a garrison of 50,000 troops.
Upon seeing this, Wang De quickly explained to Li Shen.
Li Shen suddenly realized that this was how it was. He only knew about the Anxi Protectorate, but he didn't know there was also the Andong Protectorate.
It seems I'll have to continue these ten-day press briefings for political figures when I go back, otherwise I'll fall behind the times.
He was, after all, a prince.
Li Shen hurriedly expressed his gratitude:
"Thank you for your kindness, Father. But may I ask you something?"
"What is it?" Li Shimin asked calmly.
"Do the Vice Minister of the Honglu Temple and the Deputy Protector-General of the Andong Protectorate receive salaries?"
Li Shen stared wide-eyed, his face full of anticipation.
For most people, a salary is merely a means to make a living.
For Li Shen, however, the salary itself meant far more than its intrinsic value. It was something he had longed for for many years, and it was also his dream and aspiration for many years.
Li Shimin glanced at Li Shen a few times, then calmly said:
"The tenth prince, Li Shen, privately raised troops with the intention of rebelling, a heinous crime."
However, considering his young age and immature mind, it was an unintentional act. His trip to Xizhou was also meritorious in suppressing the rebel army and stabilizing the people of Anxi Protectorate.
He was granted special leniency, and his punishment was to be lenient, with his merits and demerits offsetting each other. He was sentenced to five years' salary and three months of confinement.
Five years!!!
Li Shen lost control of his emotions and cried out.
He almost cursed out loud. Five years! Ah Wei has been dead for five years. How was he supposed to live through those five years?
"Father, isn't five years a bit too much? It used to be only three years."
Li Shen suddenly realized that starting from three years ago was actually quite good.
If it's a five-year penalty, I'm afraid I won't be able to endure it more than a few times.
Other people get paid odd jobs, but I still owe the company money.
"Your salary as a prince and in the Imperial Clan Court has already been reduced to the point where you are over seventy years old; it cannot be reduced any further."
The five-year penalty imposed this time will be equivalent to your salary as Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and Deputy Protector-General of the Protectorate General of Andong.
Li Shimin disagreed and insisted on putting a shackle on this rebellious son, having already deducted all of his previous salary.
It's uncertain whether Li Shen will live to be over seventy.
Since that's the case, let's ask him for another reward, and then continue to penalize him. Li Shimin loved seeing Li Shen's pained expression when his salary was penalized.
Li Shimin's idea was simple: just have fun.
Teasing Li Shen has become one of his daily pastimes.
"But...but...isn't that a bit too much?"
After holding it in for a long time, Li Shen finally squeezed out a sentence, representing his resistance.
"What? You think it's too much to offset your crime of holding military power with five years' salary?" Li Shimin raised his eyelids slightly.
“Father, be careful what you say! When did I ever become so powerful as to hold an army? That’s a capital offense.”
Holy crap, that's too ruthless. Just now they said it was just a matter of having more guards, but now it's been called having an army to wield power.
If it turns into a rebellion later, wouldn't he show it to his entire clan?
Oh, no, at most they'll be executed along with their entire family, not even their three clans, since their father is one of their three clans.
"Hmph, you do know it's a capital offense. Why didn't you think about the consequences before?"
With 30,000 troops, you, Prince Ji, are you planning a rebellion?
Li Shimin completely ignored Li Shen's feigned pitifulness, snorted, and slammed the family law in his hand down with a loud cracking sound.
Sure enough, Li Shen thought to himself, he had guessed that he would be accused of treason. Now that things had come to this point, what else could Li Shen say but admit it?
“I’ll accept the punishment there. Sigh…” Li Shen sighed deeply.
He finally got promoted and was about to make a fortune, but this is the result in the end.
A prince of the Tang Dynasty, Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs, Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and Deputy Protector-General of the Protectorate General of Andong—with so many titles, yet not a single penny of salary. If word got out, he would be laughed at to death.
Li Shen secretly vowed that he must not let anyone else know about this, or he would lose face.
When Yangyang grows up, he'll have to ask his father why he didn't leave him a salary.
At that time, Li Shen would not know how to answer. Lying on his sickbed, he said before his death, "I'll go ask your imperial grandfather."
"Alright, get up... Is there anything else?" Li Shimin changed his tone and asked.
He was genuinely worried that if Li Shen were to blurt out again that he still had guards, he would truly go crazy.
"Father, there is indeed something I need to tell you, but this time it's good news." Li Shen stood up.
"You think you can bring me good fortune?" Li Shimin scoffed. When had this rebellious son ever brought him any good news?
“Father…” Li Shen pointed to the chair opposite Li Shimin.
"Hmph, sit down. I'll pour tea for His Highness Prince Ji. Just in case he actually rebels."
Li Shimin spoke in a sarcastic tone while personally pouring Li Shen a cup of tea.
Li Shen chuckled, sat down without a care, and then picked up his teacup and drank it all in one gulp.
"Father, this time your son has really done something good."
"Tell me about it." Li Shimin remained unmoved.
“Father, I have a business deal, a big deal, that I'd like to do with you. I wonder if you'd be willing?”
Li Shen poured himself another cup of tea, adopting a negotiating posture.
"A big business? Isn't that the oil pressing business you mentioned?" Li Shimin immediately shook his head upon hearing this.
"Of course not, Father. I just thought of it while we were having dinner at Chengtian Gate."
Li Shen hurriedly explained.
Li Shimin remained silent, picked up his teacup, and drank his tea, waiting for Li Shen to continue.
Li Shen then continued:
"Father, I have received news that the ruler of Japan is a young man named Qing. He is quite talented and is implementing various legal systems in Japan, modeled after those of our Great Tang Dynasty."
His goal was to re-establish power in the royal family.
However, due to the long-standing domestic system in Japan, it is extremely difficult for the Japanese court to reclaim power.
The nobles and lords in various regions resisted fiercely, and there was even a trend of them ruling independently and declaring themselves kings.
"Ah, this is our chance, a chance to make a lot of money."
(The moon of Qin and the pass of Han, a thousand miles to Jiangling in a single day, the cries of monkeys on both banks never cease, preventing the barbarian horses from crossing Yinshan)