Li Shimin looked at the old woman with a smile.

This is a rare smile shown by Li Shimin, with sincerity and affinity.

So much so that many people behind him couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief in their hearts.

Li Shimin said to the old woman: "The terrain here is low-lying, if there is a flood, the flood will be discharged here first, as for the river embankment, it is naturally to be repaired, but now that spring is in full bloom, don't the people of Gaoyou need to cultivate?" If you delay the agricultural time, you will be hungry. ”

When the old woman heard that Li Shimin was the emperor, she was already very nervous, but when Li Shimin spoke, she didn't have the same fierce spirit as before.

At this moment, when he heard that the emperor cared about his livelihood, he had mixed feelings for a while, and he only kept nodding his head: "This is reasonable, this is reasonable." ”

Li Shimin said with emotion: "In addition to doing needlework on weekdays, what farm work do the elderly need to do? ”

"Do anything." The old woman said: "In fact, the old family is not bad, the dead man, finally left a few acres of land, in addition to doing needlework to subsidize the family, farm work also has to do, in our place, there is a big family surnamed Zhou, occasionally help his family take care of horses, will also give some food, in addition, if anyone has a wedding or funeral, also to help, will not completely cut off the smoke." The emperor is a good emperor, so sympathetic to us and other people, with such an emperor, the people feel that life is better. ”

When the old woman said this, she really cried.

Li Shimin listened even more uncomfortable, what kind of life is this, some people in Beijing, just eat a meal, it is worth a year of hard work for you. Let's just say that the Deng family, even if you pluck a single hair, it is enough for you to worry about it for a lifetime.

Thinking about it like this, Li Shimin not only felt that the old woman's words were pleasant, but his heart was even heavier, and he was speechless for a while.

Chen Zhengtai, who was standing on the side, couldn't help but blush slightly, in fact, he had expected that the life of the people during the Zhenguan period was very miserable, which was not unseen in Erpigou.

It's just that he never expected that Zhenguan's so-called prosperity was even lower than he imagined.

This is the land south of the Yangtze River that has begun to complete the development and gradually become rich, and Yangzhou is the best place, it is not an exaggeration to say that it is the richest place, but what you see in front of you is really shocking.

However, at the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, there were almost no historical materials in this regard, and there were not many records for the old women, who should be the largest group, and it was precisely those princes and nobles who shone in the historical materials, and they were talented and beautiful women.

Especially in literary and artistic works, such records are even rarer. Even if there are a few lines of sympathy for nongs, they are only a few strokes.

Chen Zhengtai only vaguely remembers that it was after the Zai'an Historical Rebellion that large-scale poems began to appear that began to describe ordinary people.

At that time, An Lushan swept through Hedong and Guanzhong, but Tang Xuanzong directly gave up Chang'an and chose to take refuge in Shu.

All of a sudden, a large number of clans had to start fleeing, and the original life of fine clothes and food came to naught, and a group of children of the clan who had mastered knowledge also began to wander!

At this time, their situation was no different from that of ordinary people, so in the process of fleeing, when they realized that they were also precarious, no different from these small people, under the background of inner grief and indignation and the helplessness of the world, a large number of poems about the lives of the people at the bottom appeared.

Among them, the most representative is naturally Du Fu, Du Fu is also from a famous family, his mother is from the Boling Cui clan, he also wrote many poems when he was young, but most of these poems are heroic, or poetry.

But when Du Fu encountered the Anshi Rebellion and began to flee, he really began to contact the people at the bottom, and the style of poetry began to change, and sympathy for the people at the bottom began to appear in poetry in large numbers.

In fact, the place where Du Fu passed was not a place of war, after all, the war site of the Anshi Rebellion was only limited to the local areas of Kanto and Guanzhong.

At that time, the Kaiyuan era in the heyday of the Tang Dynasty was not far away, but the lives of the people, whether it was the Kaiyuan Dynasty or the Anshi Rebellion, did not change too much in essence.

Judging from a large number of poems, even in the Kaiyuan period of the heyday of the Tang Dynasty, the hardships of ordinary people are far beyond people's imagination. Compared with the prosperous era of the Kaiyuan Dynasty, during the Zhenguan period at this time, the Tang Dynasty was established at the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, and the war had just subsided, so the terrible poverty and the precariousness of the small people were even more unimaginable.

The so-called prosperity of the ancients is just a remnant dream hidden in the books of the increasing population, and the appearance of few military disasters!

The prosperity of Chang'an and Yangzhou is like a brocade, and it has nothing to do with the vast majority of people, hunger is still not broken, disease and death are still the norm, and human life is still grassy.

Li Shimin showed a smile at this time, but this smile was reluctant, and self-deprecating, and said: "If I am a good emperor, why should I wait like this?" After all, today's hardships are still my fault......"

He waved his hand, a look of shame on his face.

If it was in the past, when he was considering the prince and Li Tai, he seemed to be constantly weighing whether he should choose the prince or Li Tai, but the direction of the Tang Dynasty, but now, Li Shimin seems to find that he has no choice.

Li Shimin took a deep breath before he said: "I was doing great things at that time, and I had the intention of wanting to be big. But don't you think that at the end of the Sui Dynasty, when they were separated, the crowd competed! I am a man, and I should carry a three-foot sword to calm the world. What I believe in is to cut off my love and give up my suspicions, so as to promote the way of justice. If there are people like Deng in the world, and there are many old people like this, then what is the use of getting the name of a Ming Jun? ”

He sighed, as if he had blocked a boulder in his heart, and then he said to the old woman: "Go back, go home, in the future, the government may still levy you, and your children and grandchildren may be eaten by the jackals." How can I take care of every one of the people, the only thing I can do is to do my best. If I hadn't found these jackals, I would have found them, and I would have crushed them to pieces. After you go back, live your life well, and in the future you will raise your grandchildren, and when your grandchildren are raised, they will live better than you, I swear in front of you today, if your grandchildren are like his fathers and ancestors, I am not worthy of being a king, and the heavens will hate it! ”

When the woman heard Li Shimin urging her to go back, she didn't return to her heart like an arrow, and the bride at home was still pregnant, but she didn't know what to do, so she thanked her again and again, packed her bags and left.

Li Shimin stood on the river embankment and shouted: "Go back, go back to see your family, go back to take care of your own fields......

The people up and down the river embankment were convinced that they finally did not have to continue to serve as a servant, and many people seemed to have been relieved of a thousand catties of burden, and some wept and bowed down one after another: "Long live my emperor." ”

"Hooray."

The sound of hoorays and cheers was endless.

Li Shimin did not have the slightest joy on his face, looked at the turbulent river under the embankment, and shook his head silently.

…………

On the same day, it rained again.

In Deng's mansion, all the corpses had already been dragged away and sent to a mass grave in the distance for burial.

The rain washed away the blood stains in the Deng family's house, and also covered up the stench in the bloody water.

As if nothing had happened here, the Deng clan had never existed.

Li Shimin summoned Yangzhou Assassin Shi and others on the same day, severely reprimanded them, and then ordered them to distribute money and food for disaster relief!

He was in a very bad mood, so he immediately called Chen Zhengtai in front of him, and said with a calm face: "Zhengtai, I think about it, Yangzhou has a lot of maladministration, and I have to sweep away the miasma here." It's just that my current whereabouts have appeared, and I'm afraid that the news will be transmitted back to Chang'an, and this Chang'an will be shaken. ”

Chen Zhengtai understands very well that Li Shimin came from a micro-service, and in the hearts of many people, His Majesty is still sick in the deep palace, so he can't take care of things, so he let the prince temporarily supervise the country.

Of course, some people may be suspicious, but after all, there is no evidence, so they will never say anything, not to mention that the monarch's father is sick, who would dare to talk nonsense?

But now that everyone in the world knows that Li Shimin is in Yangzhou, the situation may have changed.

On the one hand, the ministers will think that His Majesty has broken the rules by visiting without permission, and it is inevitable that there will be complaints. What's more, His Majesty is in Yangzhou, and I am afraid that there will be many inconveniences. What's even more worrying is that the prince is still too young after all, which inevitably makes people a little uneasy.

Chen Zhengtai thought about it for a while, and then said: "It's better for the teacher to set off for Beijing first, and the aftermath of Yangzhou can be handed over to the students." ”

Li Shimin was thoughtful, then looked up at Chen Zhengtai, and said with deep meaning: "Tracking down all kinds of malpractices in Jiangnan, can I trust you?" ”

Chen Zhengtai said: "Of course you can." ”

Li Shimin frowned: "But I am a little worried, you are still too young." He shook his head and sighed.

Chen Zhengtai said: "Teachers don't believe in students, and they have to believe in students." ”

When Li Shimin heard Chen Zhengtai's words, he couldn't help but suddenly realize.

Yes, Chen Zhengtai is really right, let anyone come here, Li Shimin can't believe it, the reason is very simple, Jiangnan is complicated, especially in Yangzhou, other people are here, I am afraid that once I get to the place, I will inevitably be in the same stream with people like Deng.

Jiangnan matter, since Li Shimin came, he also saw it, and he knew it, there must be a result, which was what he swore to the old woman.

Li Shimin closed his eyes, the expression on his face was uncertain, as if he was weighing something, and then slapped his thigh, and said with firmness in his eyes: "I temporarily appointed you as the governor of Yangzhou, and controlled Yangzhou affairs. ”

Chen Zhengtai knew in his heart that Yangzhou was one of the most important towns in the entire Tang Dynasty, and now His Majesty handed this over to himself temporarily, on the one hand, others were really not at ease, and on the other hand, he also wanted to sharpen himself again.

Chen Zhengtai was not surprised by His Majesty's order, but there was one thing, he felt that he still had to ask his mentor.

Chen Zhengtai said: "It's just, what about this Yue King?" ”

Li Shimin kept his face calm and was silent for a moment before he said: "I don't plan to go back to Chang'an with great fanfare, if it is a big fanfare, the state capitals along the way will inevitably pick me up, I am afraid of disturbing the people, these people ...... They pretended to be deaf and dumb, but they did everything they could, but they did everything they could, for fear that as soon as the news came out that I was going back to Beijing, all the state capitals along the way would do their best to prepare offerings, and they didn't know how many people would have to loot. ”

Speaking of this, Li Shimin couldn't help but sigh again.

On this trip to Jiangnan, he has already gained insight and said: "So I plan to go back to Chang'an in private, and when I arrive in Chang'an, I will pass on the edict to the world." As for Li Tai, if I take this guilty person, it will be inconvenient, so you can keep him here for the time being, and then order someone to escort him here after I return to Beijing. ”

Chen Zhengtai thought to himself, but he is still the king of Yue after all, and he has not been convicted, how embarrassing it is for me to be with him, is it better to smoke this grandson all day long, or serve him like an uncle every day?

As if seeing Chen Zhengtai's concern, Li Shimin said: "He is a prisoner, you don't have to open the net, the prince is guilty of the same crime as the common people, do you know what I mean?" ”

Chen Zhengtai is actually waiting for such a sentence, although he knows that his teacher has been extremely disappointed in this son, but after all, he is still a prince! Now with the teacher's reply, Chen Zhengtai is also relieved.

He bowed his head and said, "Then the student will give the student's second brother and accompany His Majesty to prepare for the journey." ”

Li Shimin waved his hand and said, "Just let Su Qing's family stay here, you also need to hire people by your side." I have secretly ordered the horses of Qizhou to wait on the side of the canal, and I can join them when I sail to Shandong, with only a few guards. What's more, with so many people, it is difficult to hide people's eyes, I need to go back to Chang'an quickly, and when I return to Chang'an, it is time to make arrangements. ”

Li Shimin's words seem to have a deep meaning, obviously, for Li Shimin, this matter must not be counted like this. Next, there will be a huge change in the entire court.

Although even Li Shimin, who is the emperor, doesn't know what the change is, he can't help but feel concerned, anyway, a group of people are going to be unlucky.

Chen Zhengtai knew that Li Shimin was a self-confident person, he said that he didn't have to worry, no matter how much he persuaded him, it would be useless, not to mention that his mentor, who had been brave and decisive all his life, had always been brave and decisive, and this time he also brought a group of guards in the palace, although there were only twenty or thirty people, but they seemed to be good hands.

In addition, as soon as you leave Yangzhou, you can immediately meet with the soldiers and horses of Jeju, so there is no need to worry too much.

Chen Zhengtai responded: "Students obey the teacher's orders. ”

Li Shimin then looked at him gently: "I finally know today, why I am alone, what do you think my son has intentions, and then look at these officials, which one of them is not a ghost?" The families of the world only care about their own families, and all the people in the world, if they are immortal, do not know how to be mutilated. Fortunately, Zhengtai is still with me, this Yangzhou matter, I give you the right to arbitrary, you let it go, you don't have to have any scruples. ”

When Li Shimin said this, a trace of sadness passed through his face.

Chen Zhengtai couldn't help but sigh faintly in his heart.

Since he made a decision, it didn't take long for Li Shimin to prepare a horse, he was just wearing the armor of an ordinary guard, and then took twenty or thirty guards to take advantage of the night Pegasus to leave.

At this time, the sky was still shrouded in night, and in this Deng family's mansion, after Chen Zhengtai saw him off, he temporarily stayed in the back house.

Just thinking of the massacre that had happened here, Chen Zhengtai couldn't sleep, so he called Su Dingfang to come and talked all night.

When the sky was slightly bright, he cheered up and instructed Su Dingfang: "This time we must take good care of King Yue, we will stay here for a day, and leave for Yangzhou City tomorrow, as for the news of His Majesty, don't leak it out for the time being, if it is discovered, I am afraid that it will cause an uproar." ”

Su Dingfang was already a little sleepy, but he remembered something: "The eldest brother called me to talk all night, is it afraid to live alone?" ”

"Nonsense." Chen Zhengtai criticized him: "Being a brother is just worrying about the people." ”

Su Dingfang said again and again: "Yes, yes, yes, it's a foolish brother who talks a lot, why don't I roll up the cover and sleep with the eldest brother tonight?" ”

Chen Zhengtai's face changed, and then he said: "It's okay, you and my brother, there is no need to have any taboos." ”

Chen Zhengtai was also sleepy, so he couldn't stay up and fell asleep anymore.

……

Yangzhou Assassin Wu Ming ordered people to start distributing food, he never thought that the emperor would come to Yangzhou, and Li Tai suddenly lost power, and now he has become a prisoner, which is even more unimaginable.

When Li Tai, the king of Yue, came, the people of Jiangnan were excited, and Wu Ming and these people, why weren't they excited?

The people of Jiangnan were originally the remnants of the Southern Dynasty, but after the Tang Dynasty won the world, they relied on Cheng Yanjin's military merit group, and in addition, they naturally also had the family of Guanlong.

However, Li Yuan became the Son of Heaven, in order to balance Li Shimin, he had wooed the family of the Southern Dynasty, and recruited many southerners to be prime ministers and important ministers, but with a change in Xuanwumen, everything returned to the old way.

In people's eyes, His Royal Highness the King of Yue really has the appearance of an emperor, and the King of Yue also tried his best to win over the Jiangnan family, but this time, everything has changed.

Wu Ming already felt that his future was hopeless, not only that, but he was afraid that His Majesty would return to Chang'an, and the first person to clean up would be him.

On weekdays, his recital is no less to praise His Royal Highness King Yue.

Not to mention......

At this time, there were many people in the Assassin's Mansion, including officials from Yangzhou and many local scholars, and everyone was depressed and panicked like a lost dog.

After taking his seat, the first to speak was the Gaoyou County Order, which had the most humble status among these many people, so he cautiously saluted Wu Ming: "Wu Envoy, today you have seen Your Majesty's look today, and among the lower officials, I am afraid that you and I will be in trouble, then the Deng family...... Isn't that a role model? ”

Wu Ming shuddered, but fortunately he barely calmed down, and then shook his head and said, "It's not so serious." ”

"Your Majesty has even said such words as harming the people and thieves, where is it not serious? Now what His Majesty has discovered is only the tip of the iceberg, but don't forget, if other things are found out, how can you and I be immortal. The Gaoyou County Decree glanced at Wu Ming deeply, and then continued meaningfully: "Wu Yuanjun should not forget that the taxes of Gaoyou County have been received from Zhenguan for thirty-five years. ”

Thirty-five years of Zhenguan...... If Li Shimin could live to Zhenguan for thirty-five years......

…………

Beg, ask for a monthly pass. Crying chirping.