hsntnovel Chapter 2706 The Ultimate Secret
Chapter 2706 The Ultimate Secret
Li Shen was completely dumbfounded; he hadn't yet realized why he had suffered this undeserved misfortune.
I haven't done anything wrong. I just said that it's not a waste of land, but rather a conversion into paddy fields.
Why did my father's expression suddenly change?
I grow paddy rice, and I still send you white rice, don't I?
"Father, you are wise. What crime have I committed? Why am I being sentenced so severely? I do not accept this."
Li Shen naturally couldn't accept this, because if he did, he would lose his salary.
It's one thing if a prince doesn't receive his salary, and it's another if the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs doesn't receive his salary, but the Deputy Protector-General of the Andong Protectorate and the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices cannot do without his salary.
Although it has been deducted for several years, there is still hope. But if he submits, wouldn't it mean another three years?
He had quite a few titles and a considerable annual salary. This had been deducted for three years, adding up to tens of thousands of strings of cash.
Isn't this bullying?
"You're not convinced? What? Of the charges I just leveled against you, which one is unjust?"
Li Shimin remained unmoved, showing no sign of wavering.
"This... is... I did not disregard the law." Li Shen thought about it and realized that he was indeed somewhat in the wrong.
"No? Can you submit documents to the imperial court requesting the conversion of dry land into paddy fields?"
Li Shimin looked at Li Shen with disdain.
"No, but..." Li Shen's mind raced as he tried to find a reasonable explanation.
Suddenly, my eyes lit up:
“Father, although I did not submit any official documents, I had my reasons. I did this for the sake of all the people.”
My son converted this field into a paddy field for a purpose: to try planting an improved new type of rice. I call it an experimental field.
Verifying whether these new rice varieties can increase yields is a great thing that benefits everyone.
Hey, that's what you call clever. Who could come up with such a brilliant excuse?
As long as he stands on the side of righteousness, he doesn't believe his own father would punish him; he is on the side of the people.
Li Shen couldn't help but admire his own wisdom: whoever makes things difficult for himself is making things difficult for the people.
The Prince Ji's Mansion had always been involved in agricultural projects, which Li Shimin had known for a long time. The exile of the fifth prince, Li You, to Lingnan was partly due to Li Shen's intentions.
Li Shen built an agricultural research institute in Lingnan to do these things, and achieved considerable results.
Local millet and wheat production has increased slightly.
Li Shen's claim that planting rice here was an experiment is reasonable, but as a father, how could he let his son win?
Everyone was waiting to see how His Majesty would retaliate, and Changsun Wuji and Ma Zhou were also thinking about countermeasures.
If His Majesty cannot answer later, they can offer their help.
However, the reason given by Prince Ji is indeed compelling. Even if it is illegal, it benefits the country and its people and should not be punished.
Just as Li Shen was feeling smug, Li Shimin's face darkened, and he curled his lip, showing no respect for Li Shen whatsoever. He simply said:
"In other words, you are giving me the rice that was planted on trial, or you are giving me this rice whose outcome is unknown, is that what you mean?"
Moreover, they made me eat it for a year, and I said that I was always feeling unwell during that year, but the imperial physicians could not find the cause.
Looking back now, it was all because of your idiocy.
Li Shen, are you trying to stab me...?
"Father~~~~ Three years is fine, I'm convinced, but you mustn't say it out loud. If three years isn't enough, I can stay for another three years, please don't say it."
Before Li Shimin could finish speaking, Li Shen rushed past, bypassing Li Chengqian, Li Tai, and Li Zhi, and pleaded with Li Shimin, grabbing his sleeve.
He was convinced; he never expected his father to have grasped the ultimate secret of old age—faking an accident to extort money.
Others who stage accidents for money only get some cash, but his own father could be killed if he did it. He could even guess what the next words were: assassinate the king and kill the emperor.
The idea of feeling unwell is vague and unfounded. Regardless of whether I'm sick or not, I feel unwell, and it's because of the rice I ate.
Even if Li Shen had a hundred mouths, he still couldn't explain it clearly.
If this charge is proven true, and my dad keeps saying he has a headache and trying to extort money from me every now and then, it's like a bottomless pit.
Li Shen felt it was worth it to buy out his three years' salary.
I am the law, but others are the ones who create the law. I was created by them, the father of the law.
"Are you really not going to offer any further explanation?" Li Shimin shook off Li Shen. Li Zhi pushed Li Shen away as well.
"No, no, since my son has made a mistake, he should naturally be punished. It is only right, it is only right."
Li Shen shook his head repeatedly.
He was still wondering whether his father had mastered this ultimate secret on his own or learned it from someone else.
I think I only performed it once back then, when I beat up Chai Lingwu, but that was so many years ago, does my old man still remember?
"Hehe, Your Highness Prince Ji is indeed a man of great wisdom and understanding. It is truly admirable that you can correct your mistakes."
"Yes, yes, Your Majesty is adept at educating your son; we admire you greatly."
The people at the table burst into laughter, especially Changsun Wuji, Ma Zhou, and others.
It seems that only another evil person can truly subdue a villain. Everyone says that Prince Ji is ruthless, but in front of His Majesty, he's nothing special.
He is completely obedient to His Majesty's discipline; only His Majesty can control this unruly young prince.
Li Shimin also laughed, picked up his wine cup and drank it down with several of his important ministers, feeling extremely happy.
No matter what, I am still your father. How could I not control such an unfilial son like you?
"Tenth brother, if you have any more white rice from Liaodong Road next time, please get some for me. I ate some at Mother's place once, and I still can't forget it."
Unfortunately, Mother didn't have much rice, and it wasn't appropriate for me, as her elder brother, to ask her for some.
Li Chengqian then said to Li Shen, who had been rebuffed.
"Ten strings of cash per dou, how much do you want?" Li Shen said without even thinking. "You little brat, I might not be able to beat your father, but I can beat you?"
"Pfft~~" Li Chengqian spat out a mouthful of wine. Luckily, he turned his head quickly, otherwise it would have sprayed onto the table.
But Li Taike, who was standing next to him, was unlucky and sprayed it directly onto his hem.
"Ten strings of cash for a dou! One string of cash for a jin? White rice?" Li Chengqian almost cursed.
"Yeah, Tenth Brother, you're really going too far. Is this rice made of gold?"
Li Tai glanced at Li Chengqian with a resentful look, wiping his hem as he complained about Li Shen.
This guy is overcharging again, asking for a hundred coins a pound for white rice. In Chang'an, white rice only costs a little over thirty coins a dou.
"Fourth Brother, if it were made of gold, it should sell for 160 strings of cash per pound. Isn't it cheap that mine is only one string per pound?"
Li Shen looked at Li Tai.
"Tenth Brother, are you trying to cheat me again? There's no such thing as ten strings of cash for a bushel of white rice. Do you think I don't know the price of rice in Chang'an?"
(Have you guys seen that movie?)