Wei Zheng died!

The day after Li Shimin went to visit, Wei Zhenggo passed away!

Although in the last days, he lived a glorious life, Li Shimin did not hesitate to give all kinds of care.

However, Wei Zheng actually died with regret.

Wei Zheng was a qualified counselor, and he also left a deep impression on everyone.

However, his dream is actually to become a strategist, like Fang Xuanling.

Wei Zheng is also working hard in the direction of his ministers, whether it is to present Li Mi with ten schemes, or to propose to Li Jiancheng to kill Li Shimin, he hopes that his schemes will have room to play.

Unfortunately, throughout his life, this goal was not achieved.

Of course, although his wish to seek ministers was not realized, as soon as he followed Li Shimin, he helped him persuade the old ministry of the crown prince Li Jiancheng, and Wei Zheng's credit was still not small.

Therefore, when Li Shimin heard that Zhonglang would come back to report that Wei Zheng had died, he was very sad in his heart, and even abolished the dynasty for five days.

"Father, it's cold, let's go back to the palace."

Outside the Mingde Gate, Li Shimin personally took hundreds of civil and military officials to see Wei Zheng off.

It is rare for a minister to receive such honor after his death.

Originally, Li Shimin ordered Wei Zheng to be buried thickly, but Wei Zheng's wife Pei refused.

In her opinion, Wei Zheng lived a very simple life, and there was no need to have a luxurious funeral after he died, which was not in line with his original intention.

Therefore, what is gradually disappearing in front of the hundred officials now is just an ordinary four-wheeled carriage, carrying Wei Zheng's coffin and heading out of the city.

"Gao Ming, taking copper as a reference, can be a good clothes; Taking the ancient as a mirror, we can know the rise and fall; Taking people as a lesson can see the gains and losses. I try to protect these three lessons and guard against my own mistakes. Now Wei Zheng is gone, and he is dead. ”

Looking at the carriage that was constantly moving away, Li Shimin said with emotion this famous passage that has been passed down through the ages.

It can also be seen from here that Li Shimin did not make up his mind to abolish Li Chengqian, otherwise he would not have taken him with him today and said such a thing to him.

As for what he said, naturally there will be a historian who will record it, so there is no need to worry about not being able to pass it on.

Of course, the task of a historian is not only to help the emperor record what is worthy of praise, but also to record the emperor's words and deeds, whether good or bad.

For example, many of the words that Wei Zheng advised Li Shimin back then, although they were very unpleasant, the historian wrote them all down.

Therefore, every emperor loves and hates historians.

"Father, don't worry, the sons have realized that they have done a lot of ridiculous things in the past, and they will take their father as an example and the Confucianism in the court as an example to re-examine their words and deeds, and not to embarrass your father."

No matter what he actually thinks in his heart, Li Chengqian's mouth is still very good.

There are a lot of things he was already planning and he didn't want to get caught up in the equation before he was ready.

"Big brother, if you match your words and deeds, you are a gentleman. If it's just nice to say, but it's not like that at all, then it's not interesting. ”

Li Tai on the side couldn't help but say sarcastic.

During this time, he keenly felt that the power of the court to support him was growing, and the death of Empress Changsun, the biggest supporter of his eldest son Li Chengqian, to inherit the throne, which made Li Tai see hope.

The night is long and there are many dreams, and he also hopes that he can sit on the throne of the prince as soon as possible, otherwise if Li Shimin suddenly has an accident one day, it will be too late for him to make another move.

After all, competing with Li Chengqian for the crown prince, many people will support him.

However, if he competes for the throne with Li Chengqian, who has already ascended the throne as emperor, there are not many people who are willing to support him.

"The fourth brother is so right. Some people always give people the feeling of being a gentleman, but in fact what they do has nothing to do with a gentleman. My father was aware of everything, so he naturally knew it. ”

Li Chengqian naturally wouldn't let Li Tai go.

Even if Li Shimin was by his side, he unceremoniously pushed back.

And Li Shimin saw that his two sons were still arguing on such an occasion, and his face became extremely ugly.

"Big brother, fourth brother, tomorrow I'm going to go to Zhaoling to worship the queen mother, do you want to go together?"

Li Zhi, who was good at observing words and emotions on the side, changed the topic very bluntly.

However, the effect is very good.

Li Shimin's face really looked a lot better, and he also turned around and glanced at Li Zhi.

As for what was going on in his mind, no one knew.

"The pheasant slave has a heart, big brother will go with you tomorrow."

Although Li Chengqian is a very poor person, his respect for the eldest grandson empress is not fake.

Now Li Zhi proposed to go to Zhaoling tomorrow to worship, and he naturally agreed.

"I won't wait for tomorrow, I'll go over this afternoon first, and guard the mausoleum there directly at night."

Li Tai did not give Li Zhi, the ninth brother who had no sense of existence, face.

Moreover, he also wanted to take this opportunity to brush up on Li Shimin's goodwill again.

You see, I'm willing to go over to guard the mausoleum in advance.

However, at this time, Li Shimin was in no mood to care anymore.

When the four-wheeled carriage disappeared from view, he returned to the city with the hundred officials.

……

The "Guanshishan Academy Gewu Academy" slowly approached the Weishui Wharf.

After a year, Li Geng and Li Yixie returned to Chang'an City again, and the ambitions in their hearts were about to be realized, which can be described as high-spirited.

"Brother Li, will you go back to the house first, or will you go to the academy first?"

Li Yixie's face was dark, no longer like the original little white face, looking at the helpers on the dock who were constantly moving closer to the fleet, and once again confirmed the itinerary with Li Geng for a while.

On the way back, they already knew about the major events that happened in Datang this year.

At first, they rejoiced that the imperial court had conquered Goguryeo, but soon, this joy was replaced by the death of Empress Changsun.

Fortunately, time can erase all wounds.

After entering Zhenguan for seventeen years, everyone is no longer so sensitive to the departure of Empress Changsun.

In fact, whoever dies will soon forget him, except for the dearest ones.

"This time we brought back all kinds of special crops and animals, gold and silver treasures and other yellow and white things are very few, besides, we have been out to sea for so long, and it is not a moment and a half, so we should go to the academy first, and hand over the things on the ship to the people from the agricultural college first."

Since Li Geng was a child, he was rarely able to see himself at home.

So he wasn't so eager to go home.

Of course, this does not mean that he has no feelings for his parents.

"Also, those special animals, if they don't hand over well, maybe they will be killed directly, and then we will waste all our efforts. When His Royal Highness the King of Chu gave a speech to everyone in the academy, he mentioned several special animals, and not many people really believed in them at that time. Even the last time we came back from Australia and talked to everyone about the situation of the Pocket Beasts, many people still didn't believe it. This time, I must make those people open their eyes to see that the world is not just what they see with their eyes. ”

Li Yixie naturally knew that whether it was Guanshishan Academy or Chang'an City, there were many people who didn't believe what he said before.

"Well, I heard that a Ten Thousand Beasts Garden is being built in Workshop City, but I don't know if it's been built. When the time comes, if all these animals we bring back are raised in the Ten Thousand Beasts Garden, it is estimated that there will be a chance for ordinary people to take a look. But it's a pity that this time we brought back too few animal species, such as the goose that can live in extremely cold places as His Royal Highness the King of Chu said, and the big white bear that can live in extreme environments, we haven't found it yet. We didn't even find the huge, brightly colored macaw that could learn to speak. ”

Li Geng basically flipped through the transcripts of every lecture given by Li Kuan at Guanshishan Academy, and he was extremely concerned about the opposite side of overseas affairs.

Of course, his focus is not quite the same as that of others.

Where there are continents that others have not discovered, where there are animals that others have not discovered, and where there are plants that others have not discovered, these things that can make a name for themselves are what Li Geng is most concerned about.

This is also what Li Yixie is most concerned about.

Because of this same care and expectation. Li Geng and Li Yixie embarked on the road to sea like their own brothers.

You must know that as the eldest son of Li Zhong and Li Junxian, the two of them can win by lying down.

"The world is too big. The voyages of the past few years have proved that the things described by His Royal Highness the King of Chu are correct, and the globe placed in front of the Gewu Mansion is accurate. And if we take stock of the places we have learned, it is not even half of this world, not even a third.

Even if we make a successful trip to the Americas this year, we will only be able to understand a small part of the Americas, and it will take a long time to really understand the whole of the Americas. It is said that I have a lot of resources in the Tang Dynasty, but in fact, I will find it when I go to the outside world, which is not accurate. Many of the people in your city are very lazy, and they don't look like we Tang people are industrious, but they rarely hear of people starving to death.

Because they don't even do anything, they can fill their stomachs just by going to the forest and picking all kinds of fruits. And they are too lazy to plant rice, and even after harvesting a stubble, they just don't care, and wait until the rice grows again, and then harvest it again. If this was in Guanzhong, it would be impossible to do this. ”

The longer he spent overseas, the more interested he became in the world.

Now, he hopes to allow more Tang people to go abroad and take a look outside.

Although the huge profits of overseas trade have driven many merchants to go to sea.

However, in addition to business, there are very few ordinary people who go overseas to earn a living.

Even if the East China Sea Fishery has opened a passenger route from Yangzhou to Puluozhong, there are very few people who are willing to leave their hometowns to seek a living overseas.

"Indeed, not to mention the barbarians around Nanyang, in Australia alone, as long as there are people in the Tang Dynasty who are willing to go over, they are definitely much more comfortable than in China if they simply live a life of grazing. This time, I must report to His Royal Highness the King of Chu and ask him to support our behavior of encouraging the people of the Tang Dynasty to go to sea. ”

"Well, it's really about encouraging more people to go to sea, so that we can really occupy those rich areas. And we want to continue to explore this world, and we also need more people of the Tang Dynasty to take root and survive in various supply points, otherwise, there will always be a time to go to sea, and we will not be able to come back. ”

Li Yixie and Li Geng just talked like this, got off the boat, and re-stepped on the ground of Chang'an City.

And the news of the return of the "Guanshishan Academy Gewu Academy" also immediately spread in Chang'an City.

……

Guanshishan Academy, now the number of teachers and students in the school is close to 20,000, and it is properly located in the position of the first academy in Datang.

Of course, the various academies such as Weishui Academy, Qujiang Academy, and Guozijian are not standing still.

The household department allocates so much money every year for the development of education in Datang, and the effect is naturally good.

In addition, the various workshops under the Chu Wangfu have set up literacy classes to encourage craftsmen to get rid of illiteracy.

After so many years of perseverance, it has also achieved good results.

To put it mildly, Chang'an City is not only the largest city in the world, but also the city with the highest literacy rate in the world.

The improvement of the literacy rate has made the business of various newspapers in Chang'an City prosperous.

A penny for a newspaper is not expensive for many families.

The point is that a newspaper often has several large sheets of paper, not to mention what information is on the newspaper, this paper alone can be used to do a lot of things.

This led to a sharp increase in everyone's enthusiasm for buying newspapers, and "Datang Daily" even set a new record of 100,000 daily sales in Chang'an City.

You must know that there are more than one million people in the entire Chang'an City, about 300,000 households.

"Have you figured it out, Li Yixie and they are really going to go to the legendary Americas when they come back from going to sea this time?"

In Weishui Academy, Changsun Chong and Zheng Hai stood in front of a globe, listening to the people next to them report the news.

"Yes, when Li Yixie was on the ship, he had already spoken, this time he would only stay in Chang'an City for a month, not for a day, and then immediately go to Dengzhou and go to sea on a new-style sea boat. This time, they are going to challenge the Americas in the mouth of His Royal Highness the King of Chu! ”

The news that Li Yixie and Li Geng want to go to the Americas is actually not a secret.

A few years ago, the two of them had been clamoring on many occasions to find the legendary high-yielding crops, but few believed it.

Now that Australia has been found on the globe, Li Yixie and they have built several new supply ports along the way.

So when Changsun Chong heard the news again, he basically believed in his heart that Li Yixie was really here this time.

"Brother Eldest Sun, let's not say whether there are gold and silver mines in that America like Australia, just the high-yield crops that His Royal Highness the King of Chu called potatoes and corn, as well as sweet potatoes, as long as you find the same, as long as the yield of these high-yield crops is half as much as His Royal Highness the King of Chu said, then it will be a sure thing.

Our Weishui Academy has developed rapidly in recent years, but its reputation in Datang is far from catching up with Guanshishan Academy, and it has even been pulled farther and farther away. This time, if the discovery journey in search of high-yielding crops is monopolized by Guanshishan Academy, I think there will be little hope for Weishui Academy to catch up with Guanshishan Academy in the future. ”

Zheng Hai's vision is not bad, and he also has some ambitions in his heart.

Today, the Zheng family has felt the benefits of Weishui Academy to the development of the family, and the support is much greater than in previous years.

Therefore, Zheng Hai also began to think about how to further improve the status of Weishui Academy.

Obviously, the discovery of a new continent, or the discovery of new high-yielding crops, can greatly increase the popularity of Weishui Academy.

So Zheng Hai's heart was moved.

"Brother Zheng, I understand what you said. But the students of our academy basically have no sailing experience, even if we urgently buy a ship and get a 'Weishui Academy' to follow Li Yixie and them to explore the Americas, it is too late on the schedule. ”

If you can take advantage of the popularity of Shishan Academy and explore the Americas together, Changsun Chong will naturally support it.

However, he obviously had no confidence in the seafaring ability of the students of Weishui Academy.

In fact, looking at Datang, the strongest maritime strength is the East China Sea fishery, and the others are not at the same level.

Even the fleet of Guanshishan Academy is basically the crew of the East China Sea fishery.

"If we do it ourselves, we will not be able to do it on the agenda. But if you just arrange for people to participate along, then there is no such problem. Although Li Yixie and Li Geng are very confident, they can also see from this globe that America is far away from us.

No matter which route they are going to develop, the risks on the road will not be small. Therefore, for the addition of Weishui Academy, the possibility of them accepting it is very high. It's a big deal, we hired a group of crew members, just behind Li Yixie and them, and at the critical moment, everyone can help each other. ”

Zheng Hai turned the globe in front of him, guessing Li Yixie and Li Geng's next move.

"Just follow, then even if you find potatoes or corn at that time, everyone will only think that this is what Li Yixie and Li Geng discovered with everyone under the guidance of Li Kuan, and there is nothing to do with our Weishui Academy. I think that we should simply follow Li Yixie's fleet first, and when we successfully reach the Americas, the people of our academy will go everywhere to search for the whereabouts of high-yield crops.

In this way, there is a half chance that we will succeed in finding the first college to find a high-yielding crop. No matter how bad it is, the possibility of finding one of the three high-yield crops in Li Kuan's mouth is still very high. This will also make our Weishui Academy famous. ”

Eldest Sun Chong obviously didn't think much about Weishui Academy being like a fart and studying behind Guanshishan Academy, and he wouldn't be able to share any credit at that time.

"It's not that your idea is impossible, but it depends on the attitude of the people in Guanshishan Academy towards others following them to the sea."

Zheng Hai thought for a while, and felt that although the idea of Changsun Chong was a bit lacking in morality, it had a certain degree of operability.

The key is to maximize the benefits of Weishui Academy.

As for whether this kind of behavior will put the fleet of Weishui Academy in danger, this is not a matter for Zheng Hai to consider.

Is there any danger in going to sea?

"Brother Zheng, there are not many people in Chang'an City who know Li Kuan better than me. Although I have never liked him very much, I have to say that he is still very generous in supporting the Tang Xungui and the people to go to sea. The discovery of a new continent like the Americas, which only stays on a globe, must be a journey full of dangers, otherwise the Guanshishan Academy would not have delayed until now to prepare to set off. Therefore, I believe that Li Kuan must have supported our fleet and followed behind the fleet of Guanshishan Academy. As long as Li Kuan supports it, the possibility of Li Geng and Li Yixie opposing it is almost none. ”

Changsun Chong has fought with Li Kuan for many rounds in the past few years.

Although there are almost no victories, there is a saying that "the one who knows you best is your opponent".

Therefore, Changsun Chong's research on Li Kuan's personality and style of doing things is still very profound.

"You have a point, and in that case, we need to act as soon as possible. Don't wait for everyone to set off by then, and we haven't arranged our manpower yet. At that time, it would be unrealistic to expect them to stop and wait for us. ”

Hearing what Changsun Chong said, Zheng Hai no longer hesitated, and immediately began to discuss specific arrangements with Changsun Chong.

With the strength of the Changsun family and the Xingyang Zheng family, it is natural to form a small-scale fleet.

……

"Li Zhong, looking at your expression, are those things circulating outside true?"

After Li Shimin finished reading the recital, he looked up and saw Li Zhongzheng standing there with his face down.

Since "Datang Daily" and other newspapers were reporting on the return of the "Guanshishan Academy Gewu Academy", Li Geng and Li Yixie personally wrote many articles advocating various opportunities and abundant products overseas, and Li Shimin naturally heard about it.

"Your Majesty, it's all true!"

Li Zhong sighed and replied to Li Shimin's words helplessly.

"I, the people of the Tang Dynasty, am not afraid to throw my head and spill blood, what is there to be afraid of in the sea? Besides, isn't the East China Sea fishery already preparing the latest sea vessels? I think it's good to look a little bit open! ”

Li Shimin naturally knew why Li Zhong was worried.

What is it like to have an unconscious son, Li Shimin understands it too well.

After all, his unconscious son is not the only one.

"It's not that his subordinates are against Li Geng going to sea, it's just that he has been running around at sea in the past few years, and neither of his heirs has stayed. If I hadn't heard that the East China Sea fishing industry strictly forbade the development of any dragons and yangs among the crew, I would have wondered if this guy was different from ordinary people. ”

In these years, everyone attaches great importance to inheritance.

Otherwise, there would be no saying that "there are three unfilial pieties, and no queen is great".

Especially for families with "Jinshan" to inherit, the importance of inheritance is not comparable to ordinary people.

"It's not simple, isn't Li Geng going to stay in Chang'an City for a month? If you just let him work a little harder this month, he won't be able to do it for a month? Later, I will ask Chao Fang to prescribe a prescription for you, and then bring some medicinal materials in the palace back to make up for Li Geng, and then I will definitely let him leave you a few eldest grandsons. ”

Li Shimin said with a smile.

"That's not necessary, my subordinates have already bought a box of Liuwei Diwang Pills, it's enough! If I haven't conceived yet, then I'll accept my fate! ”

Li Zhong was a little skeptical that he had done too many shady things that caused Li Geng to have no heirs until now.

You know, he has prepared a lot of concubines for Li Geng.

Whether it was a Japanese woman, a Silla woman, or a Turkic woman, Li Geng tried.

But there was no movement!

"When Li Geng and the others set off, I personally went to Weishui Wharf to see them off! This time, they went to sea to find high-yield crops for our Datang people, and they were taking risks for the happiness of our Datang people. ”

From the beginning to the end, Li Shimin supported the fleet's expedition to the Americas.

Without him, only food.

For those who have not experienced food shortages, it is difficult to imagine how important food really is.

If there really is high-yield grain in the Americas, even if it costs millions of lives, Li Shimin will arrange for someone to get it back.

What's more, this time to go to sea, it doesn't need to be such a high price.

"Thank you, Your Majesty! It is also his honor for the dog to make some contributions to Datang! ”

Li Zhong was also aware of the special significance of high-yield crops, so he did not stop Li Geng from going to sea!

However, the worries in my heart have not decreased at all.

No way, it's not easy to be a parent.